US 12,331,527 B2
Panel and method for manufacturing such a panel
Benny Schacht, Vlamertinge (BE); and Jan De Rick, Geraardsbergen (BE)
Assigned to UNILIN BV, Wielsbeke (BE)
Filed by FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL, Bertrange (LU)
Filed on Sep. 8, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/463,523.
Application 18/463,523 is a continuation of application No. 17/296,760, granted, now 11,834,843, previously published as PCT/IB2019/060116, filed on Nov. 25, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/862,850, filed on Jun. 18, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2018/5830 (BE), filed on Nov. 27, 2018; and application No. 20 2019 103 690.7 (DE), filed on Jul. 4, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0417064 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. E04F 15/00 (2006.01); E04F 15/02 (2006.01)
CPC E04F 15/02038 (2013.01) [E04F 15/02005 (2013.01); E04F 2201/0115 (2013.01); E04F 2201/0161 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A panel having a rectangular shape, and long and short edges,
wherein the long edges comprise coupling parts configured to couple a first long edge of the panel to a second long edge of another similar panel by a turning movement and/or by a substantially horizontal translational movement;
wherein the coupling parts on the first long edge comprise a tongue, a downwardly directed interlocking groove and an undercut;
wherein the coupling parts on the second long edge comprise a groove, an interlocking lip and a top lip;
wherein the interlocking lip delimits the groove on the second long edge along a bottom and comprises an upwardly directed interlocking element;
wherein the top lip delimits the groove on the second long edge along top;
wherein the tongue is configured to cooperate with the groove on the second long edge of another similar panel in order to produce a first vertical interlocking between the respective edges; and
wherein the downwardly directed interlocking groove is configured to cooperate with the upwardly directed interlocking element on the second long edge of another similar panel in order to produce a horizontal interlocking between the respective edges;
wherein top sides of the respective edges of the coupled panels comprise contact surfaces located above the coupling parts;
wherein the undercut is located, seen according to a direction perpendicular to the panel, between an upper side of the tongue and the respective contact surface, wherein said undercut comprises a first interlocking surface;
wherein a distal end part of the top lip extends beyond the respective contact surface and a top side of the distal end part of the top lip comprises a second interlocking surface;
wherein the undercut is provided to accommodate the distal end part of the top lip, and the first interlocking surface is configured to cooperate with the second interlocking surface in order to produce a second vertical interlocking between the respective edges.