US 12,421,738 B2
Panel interconnectable with similar panels for forming a covering
Eddy Alberic Boucké, Turnhout (BE); and Johan Christiaan Rietveldt, Best (NL)
Assigned to i4F Licensing NV, Turnhout (BE)
Filed by i4F Licensing NV, Turnhout (BE)
Filed on Mar. 21, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/086,399.
Application 19/086,399 is a continuation of application No. 18/620,156, filed on Mar. 28, 2024, abandoned.
Application 18/620,156 is a continuation of application No. 17/730,922, filed on Apr. 27, 2022, granted, now 11,946,261, issued on Apr. 2, 2024.
Application 17/730,922 is a continuation of application No. 16/943,538, filed on Jul. 30, 2020, granted, now 11,352,800, issued on Jun. 7, 2022.
Application 16/943,538 is a continuation of application No. 16/296,325, filed on Mar. 8, 2019, granted, now 10,774,540, issued on Sep. 15, 2020.
Application 16/296,325 is a continuation of application No. 15/835,864, filed on Dec. 8, 2017, granted, now 10,267,046, issued on Apr. 23, 2019.
Application 15/835,864 is a continuation of application No. 15/121,460, granted, now 9,874,028, issued on Jan. 23, 2018, previously published as PCT/NL2015/050120, filed on Feb. 26, 2015.
Claims priority of application No. PCT/NL2014/050118 (WO), filed on Feb. 26, 2014; and application No. a20150107 (BY), filed on Feb. 23, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2025/0215705 A1, Jul. 3, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E04B 2/00 (2006.01); E04F 15/02 (2006.01); E04F 15/10 (2006.01)
CPC E04F 15/02038 (2013.01) [E04F 15/107 (2013.01); E04F 2201/0138 (2013.01); E04F 2201/0153 (2013.01); E04F 2201/0161 (2013.01); E04F 2201/023 (2013.01); E04F 2201/043 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A panel interconnectable with similar panels for forming a covering, comprising:
a centrally located core provided with an upper side and a lower side, said core being provided with:
a first pair of opposite edges, comprising:
a first edge comprising a sideward tongue extending in a direction substantially parallel to the upper side of the panel, a bottom back region of said tongue being configured as a bearing region, wherein the bottom back region is located closer to a level of the upper side of the panel than a lowest part of a bottom front region,
an opposite, second edge comprising a recess for accommodating at least a part of a sideward tongue of a second panel, said recess being defined by an upper lip and a lower lip, said lower lip being provided with an upwardly protruding shoulder facing the bearing region of the sideward tongue,
the sideward tongue being designed such that locking takes place by an introduction movement into the recess of the panel of the sideward tongue of the second panel, as a result of which a top side of the sideward tongue of the second panel will engage the upper lip and the bearing region of the sideward tongue of the second panel will be supported by and/or facing the shoulder of the lower lip, leading to locking of adjacent panels at the first and second edges of the panels in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction; and
a second pair of opposite edges, comprising:
a third edge comprising a single upward tongue, at least one upward flank lying at a distance from the upward tongue and a single upward groove formed between the upward tongue and the upward flank, and
a fourth edge comprising a single downward tongue, at least one downward flank lying at a distance from the downward tongue, and a single downward groove formed between the downward tongue and the downward flank,
wherein a side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank is provided with a locking element, and wherein the upward flank is provided with a complementary counter-locking element, said locking element being adapted to cooperate with said counter-locking element of another panel, wherein a level of a highest part of the upward tongue differs from a level of said locking element and/or said counter-locking element,
the third and fourth edges being designed such that locking takes place during coupling of the second panel at a first edge to a second edge of the panel, and wherein the downward tongue of the fourth edge of the second panel will be forced into the upward groove of the third edge of the third panel and the upward tongue of the third panel will be forced into the downward groove of the second panel, by deformation of the third edge and/or the fourth edge, leading to locking of adjacent panels at the third and fourth edges in both the horizontal direction and the vertical direction,
wherein at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank is inclined and extends away from the direction of the normal of the upper side or lower side of the core,
wherein at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank is inclined and extends away from the direction of the normal of the lower side or upper side of the core, and wherein, in coupled condition of adjacent panels a distance is present between the upward tongue of said panel and the downward flank of an adjacent panel.