Search

EP-4072377-B1 - MECHANICAL LOCKING SYSTEM FOR PANELS

EP4072377B1EP 4072377 B1EP4072377 B1EP 4072377B1EP-4072377-B1

Inventors

  • BRUNO, Jimmie
  • SIMUNIC, Zoran

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20201211

Claims (14)

  1. A set of panels comprising a first panel (1) with a first main plane and a second panel (2) with a second main plane, wherein the first panel (1) and the second panel (2) are provided with a mechanical locking device for locking of a first edge (11) of the first panel (1) to a second edge (21) of the second panel (2) at a junction plane (J), wherein the first main plane is essentially perpendicular to the second main plane and the junction plane (J) is extending at an angle to the first main plane and the second main plane between the first main plane and the second main plane, wherein: the second edge (21) comprises a first edge tongue (23), a first panel surface (16) of the first panel (1) comprises an edge groove (12), wherein the first edge tongue (23) is configured to cooperate with the edge groove (12) for locking together the first edge (11) and the second edge (21) in a first direction (D1) which is perpendicular to the second main plane, the second edge (21) comprises a second edge tongue (24), the second edge tongue (24) comprises a tongue groove (22), and wherein the first edge (11) comprises a locking element (60), said locking element (60) is configured to cooperate with the tongue groove (22) for locking together the first edge (11) and the second edge (21) in a second direction (D2) which is perpendicular to the first main plane, the locking element (60) comprises a flexible tongue (30) arranged in an insertion groove (13), wherein the junction plane (J) extends through the insertion groove (13), the first edge tongue (23) has a first edge tongue surface (26), and the first edge tongue (23) has a second edge tongue surface (27), wherein the second edge tongue surface (27) is essentially parallel with a second panel surface (28), the edge groove (12) has a third locking surface (17), wherein the third locking surface (17) and the second edge tongue surface (27) are essentially parallel and are configured to cooperate for locking in the first direction (D1) when the first (1) panel and the second (2) panel are in a locked position, and the first edge (11) comprises a third edge tongue (14).
  2. The set of panels as claimed in claim 1, wherein an angle (β) between the first edge tongue surface (26) and the second main plane is about 45°.
  3. The set of panels as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the third locking surface (17) and the second edge tongue surface (27) extend essentially in the second direction (D2).
  4. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the flexible tongue (30) extends through a centre plane (C) of the first panel (1).
  5. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein an angle (α) between the junction plane (J) and the second main plane is about 45°.
  6. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the first edge tongue (23) does not extend through the junction plane (J).
  7. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein a first locking surface (15) of the third edge tongue (14) is configured to cooperate with a second locking surface (25) of the second edge tongue (24) for locking in the second direction (D2).
  8. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the first edge tongue surface (26) extends from the second panel surface (28) of the second panel (2).
  9. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the mechanical locking device further comprises at least one rod-shaped element (40) at the second edge (21) and at least one insertion groove (50) at the first panel surface (16), wherein the rod-shaped element (40) is configured to be inserted into the insertion groove (50), the rod-shaped element (40) extends essentially parallel with the second panel surface (28), and the insertion groove (50) extends into the first panel surface (16) at an angle that is essentially perpendicular to the first panel surface (16).
  10. The set of panels as claimed in claim 9, wherein a first locking surface (15) of the third edge tongue (14) is configured to cooperate with a second locking surface (25) of the second edge tongue (24) for locking in the second direction (D2), and wherein the rod-shaped element (40) is configured to enter the insertion groove (50) before the second locking surface (25) meets the locking element (60).
  11. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein a ratio between a thickness (T) of the second edge tongue (24) and a thickness (Y) of the first and/or second panel (1, 2) is within the range of about 0.1 to about 0.5, preferably about 0.2 to about 0.4, more preferably about 0.3.
  12. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the second edge tongue surface (27) extends a distance (L) from a bottom surface (29) of the second edge (21), wherein the distance (L) is within the range of about 1 mm to about 3 mm, preferably about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm.
  13. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the third locking surface (17) extends a distance (B) into the first panel (1), wherein the distance (B) is within the range of about 1.2 mm to about 3.2 mm, preferably about 1.7 mm to about 2.7 mm.
  14. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein a core of the first panel (1) and/or of the second panel (2) is a wood-based core, preferably made of MDF, HDF, OSB, WPC, plywood or particleboard.

Description

Technical field of the invention Embodiments of the present invention relate to panels configured to be locked together with a mechanical locking device. The panels may be panels that may be assembled and locked together to obtain a furniture product, such as a bookshelf, a cupboard, a wardrobe, a box, a drawer or a furniture component and may thereafter be dismantled. The mechanical locking device comprises a flexible tongue. Technical background A furniture product provided with a mechanical locking device is known in the art, as evidenced by WO2015/038059 or WO2017/131574. The furniture products earlier described comprise a first panel connected perpendicular to a second panel by a mechanical locking device comprising a flexible tongue in an insertion groove. Other relevant prior art can be found in US10034541B2, EP2734684B1 and DE102014110123A1. The above description of various known aspects is the applicant's characterization of such, and is not an admission that any of the above description is considered as prior art. Embodiments of the present invention address a need to provide panels that can be assembled and dismantled, having an improved stiffness and strength of the mechanical locking device. Summary of the invention It is an object of certain aspects of the present invention to provide an improvement over the above described techniques and known art. A specific objective is to improve assembling of panels, such as furniture panels, locked together by a mechanical locking device. The panels may be a part of a furniture product, such as a furniture component, a drawer, a cupboard, a bookshelf, a wardrobe, a kitchen fixture, or a box. A further object of at least certain aspects of the present invention is to facilitate assembling and disassembling of panels configured to be assembled with a locking device that is easy to manufacture and to use. A further object of at least certain aspects of the present invention is to facilitate assembling of panels configured to be assembled with a locking device that is easy to use and install and which reduces the risk of incorrect installation thereof. A further object of at least certain aspects of the present invention is to facilitate assembling of panels configured to be assembled in a more stable and aesthetic way. At least some of these and other objects and advantages that will be apparent from the description have been achieved by a set of panels comprising a first panel with a first main plane and a second panel with a second main plane, wherein the first panel and the second panel are provided with a mechanical locking device for locking of a first edge of the first panel to a second edge of the second panel at a junction plane, wherein the first main plane is essentially perpendicular to the second main plane and the junction plane is extending at an angle to the first main plane and the second main plane between the first main plane and the second main plane, characterized in that the second edge comprises a first edge tongue, a first panel surface of the first panel comprises an edge groove, wherein the first edge tongue is configured to cooperate with the edge groove for locking together the first panel and the second panel in a first direction which is perpendicular to the second main plane, the second edge comprises a second edge tongue, the second edge tongue comprises a tongue groove, the first edge comprises a locking element, said locking element is configured to cooperate with the tongue groove for locking together the first edge and the second edge in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first main plane. According to the invention the locking element comprises a flexible tongue arranged in an insertion groove. According to the invention the junction plane extends through the insertion groove. According to an aspect the flexible tongue extends through a centre plane of the first panel. According to an aspect an angle between the junction plane and the second main plane is about 45°. The angle between the junction plane and the second main plane is preferably about 45°. A different angle may be preferred for a set with different thicknesses of the first and the second panel. The angle is preferably adapted such that the junction plane extends through an intersection of an outer face of the first panel and an outer face of the second panel to an intersection of an inner face of the first panel and an inner face of the second panel. The inner face of the first panel is facing the inner face of the second panel. An outer face of the first panel is opposite to the inner face of the first panel. An outer face of the second panel is opposite to the inner face of the second panel. According to an aspect the first edge tongue does not extend through the junction plane. According to the invention the first edge comprises a third edge tongue. According to an aspect a first locking surface of the third edge tongue is configured to coope