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EP-4741601-A2 - PANEL WITH LOCKING DEVICE

EP4741601A2EP 4741601 A2EP4741601 A2EP 4741601A2EP-4741601-A2

Abstract

A set of panels includes first and second panels 1, 2, and a mechanical locking device for assembly by vertical relative displacement of the panels. A locking strip 7 extends from a first edge 11 of the first panel in a direction parallel to first and second panel surfaces of the first panel. The locking strip includes a locking strip edge, and first and second locking strip surfaces respectively extending in directions substantially corresponding to those of the first and second panel surfaces 12, 13. The locking strip includes a locking element 3 cooperating with a locking groove at a second edge of the second panel for locking in a direction parallel to the first panel surface 12. Opposite edges respectively include cooperating tongue and tongue groove 5, 6 for vertical locking. The first and second edges respectively include first and second engaging positioning elements 18, 28 to decrease vertical movement of the panels in the locked position.

Inventors

  • YLIKANGAS, ROGER
  • MEIJER, Thomas

Assignees

  • Välinge Innovation AB

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20200924

Claims (15)

  1. A set of panels comprising a first panel (1), a second panel (2) and a mechanical locking device for locking the first panel (1) to the second panel (2), the mechanical locking device being configured for an assembly by a displacement of the second panel (2) in relation to the first panel (1) in a vertical direction to obtain a locked position of the first panel (1) and the second panel (2), wherein the first panel (1) comprises a first edge (11), a first panel surface (12) and a second panel surface (13) and the second panel (2) comprises a second edge (21), wherein the mechanical locking device comprises a locking strip (7) extending from the first edge (11) in a direction parallel to the first and second panel surfaces (12, 13), wherein the locking strip (7) comprises a locking strip edge (71), wherein the locking strip (7) comprises a first locking strip surface (72) extending in a direction substantially corresponding to the direction of the first panel surface (12) of the first panel (1), wherein the locking strip (7) comprises a second locking strip surface (73) extending in a direction substantially corresponding to direction of the second panel surface (13) of the first panel (1), wherein the locking strip (7) comprises a locking element (3) configured to cooperate with a locking groove (4) at the second edge (21) of the second panel (2) for locking in a direction parallel to the first panel surface (12), wherein one of the first or second edge (11, 21) comprises a tongue (5) configured to cooperate with a tongue groove (6) at the other one of the first or second edge (11, 21) for locking in a vertical direction, wherein the first edge (11) comprises a first positioning element (18) and a second edge (21) comprises a second positioning element (28), the first and second positioning elements being configured to engage with each other and decrease vertical movement of the second panel relative to the first panel toward the second panel surface (13) in the locked position, wherein the first positioning element (18) is located on a portion of the first edge (11) between the first panel surface (12) and the tongue (5) or the tongue groove (6), wherein the mechanical locking device further comprises a first flexing groove (8) extending from a transition between the first locking strip surface (72) and the first edge (11) and into the first panel (1) at a third angle (α) from the first panel surface (12), and that the locking strip is configured to flex by varying a shape of the first flexing groove (8) during the assembly.
  2. The set of panels as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second positioning element (28) is located on a portion of the second edge (21) between the first panel surface (12) and the tongue (5) or the tongue groove (6).
  3. The set of panels as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first edge (11) comprises the tongue (5) and the second edge (21) comprises the tongue groove (6).
  4. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the claim 1-3, wherein the first and second positioning elements (18, 28) have corresponding engaging surfaces, and wherein a first angle (δ1) between the engaging surfaces of the first positioning element, and a second angle (δ2) between the engaging surfaces of the second positioning element, are both about 90°.
  5. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the claims 1-4, wherein the third angle (α) is within the range of about 0° to about 30°, preferably within the range of about 0° to about 20°, more preferably within the range of about 0° to about 10°, even more preferably within the range of about 0° to about 5°.
  6. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the claims 1-5, wherein the width (T) of the opening of the first flexing groove (8) is within the range of about 0.6 mm to about 2.5 mm, preferably about 0.8 mm to about 2.0 mm, more preferably about 1.6 mm.
  7. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the claims 1-6, wherein the first flexing groove (8) has a depth (D) that is within the range of about 2.5 mm to about 15 mm, preferably about 4 mm to about 12 mm, more preferably about 5 mm to about 10 mm, even more preferably about 7 mm.
  8. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the claims 1-7, wherein a ratio between a depth (D) of the first flexing groove (8) and a width (T) an opening of the first flexing groove (8) is about 2 to about 10, preferably about 3 to about 7, more preferably about 4.
  9. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the claims 1-8, wherein a ratio between a length (Z) of the first locking strip surface (72) and the width (T) of the opening of the first flexing groove (8) is within the range of about 1 to about 6, preferably about 2 to about 5, or preferably about 2.5 mm.
  10. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the claims 1-9, wherein a ratio between the width (T) of an opening of the first flexing groove (8) and a thickness (Q) of the first panel (1) between the first panel surface (12) and the second panel surface (13) is within the range of about 0.05 to about 0.40, preferably about 0.1 to about 0.3, more preferably about 0.15-0.20.
  11. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the claims 1-10, wherein a bottom (81) of the first flexing groove (8) is essentially triangular.
  12. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the claims 1-10, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the first flexing groove (8) is essentially rectangular or square.
  13. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the claims 1-10, wherein the bottom of the first flexing groove (8) is convex shaped.
  14. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the claims 1-13, wherein an opening of the first flexing groove (8) is positioned between the tongue groove (6) and the second panel surface (13).
  15. The set of panels as claimed in any one of the claims 1-14, wherein a core of the first panel and/or of the second panel is a wood-based core, such as 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 floorboards to be locked together to obtain a floor product. Technical background Panels are known that are configured to be assembled by a vertical displacement and to be locked together in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction. Such panels are disclosed in e.g., WO 2018/063047. A tongue and groove connection locks a first edge of a first panel to a second edge of the second panel. The first edge and the second edge furthermore comprise a locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove for locking in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. 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 easily assembled. 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 further object of at least certain aspects of the present invention is to facilitate the assembling of panels configured to be assembled by a vertical displacement and locked together in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. A further object of at least certain aspects of the present invention is to improve the properties of the assembled set of the panels when is use, such as by minimizing undesired sound occurring when a pressure is applied on the assembled set. According to an aspect there is provided a set of panels comprising a first panel, a second panel and a mechanical locking device for locking the first panel to the second panel, the mechanical locking device being configured for an assembly by a displacement of the second panel in relation to the first panel in a vertical direction to obtain a locked position of the first panel and the second panel, wherein the first panel comprises a first edge, a first panel surface and a second panel surface and the second panel comprises a second edge, wherein the mechanical locking device comprises a locking strip extending from the first edge in a direction parallel to the first and second panel surfaces, wherein the locking strip comprises a locking strip edge, wherein the locking strip comprises a first locking strip surface extending in a direction substantially corresponding to the direction of the first panel surface of the first panel, wherein the locking strip comprises a second locking strip surface extending in a direction substantially corresponding to direction of the second panel surface of the first panel, wherein the locking strip comprises a locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove at the second edge of the second panel for locking in a direction parallel to the first panel surface, wherein one of the first or second edge comprises a tongue configured to cooperate with a tongue groove at the other one of the first or second edge for locking in a vertical direction, characterized in the first edge comprises a first positioning element and a second edge comprises a second positioning element, the first and second positioning elements being configured to engage with each other and decrease vertical movement of the second panel relative to the first panel toward the second panel surface in the locked position. According to another aspect there is provided the set of panels, wherein the first and second positioning elements have corresponding engaging surfaces, and wherein a first angle between the engaging surface of the first positioning element, and a second angle between the engaging surfaces of the second positioning element, are both about 90°. According to another aspect there is provided the set of panels, wherein the first positioning element is located on a portion of the first edge, preferably located between the first panel surface and the tongue or tongue groove. According to another aspect there is provided the set of panels, wherein the second positioning element is located on a corresponding portion of the second edge. According to another aspect there is provided the set of panels, wherein the first positioning element is located on the tongue groove and the second positioning element is located on the tongue. According to another aspect there is provided the set of panels, wherein the first positioning element is formed by the tongue groove and the second positioning element is formed by the tongue. According to another aspect there is provided the set of panels, wherein the first positioning element is located on the first locking strip surface. According to another aspect there is provided the set of panels, wherein the first positioning element is formed by the first locking strip surface and an adjusting wall of