US 12,435,522 B2
Wall or ceiling panels and wall or ceiling covering
Luc Maertens, Ardooie (BE); Mark Cappelle, Staden (BE); Caroline Van De Populiere, Moen (BE); and Lode De Boe, Moorslede (BE)
Assigned to UNILIN BV, Wielsbeke (BE)
Appl. No. 17/760,379
Filed by Flooring Industries Limited, SARL, Bertrange (LU)
PCT Filed Jan. 14, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/050251
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 9, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/161112, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 19, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2020/5076 (BE), filed on Feb. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0106580 A1, Apr. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. E04F 13/08 (2006.01); E04F 13/10 (2006.01); E04F 13/18 (2006.01)
CPC E04F 13/0894 (2013.01) [E04F 13/0841 (2013.01); E04F 13/10 (2013.01); E04F 13/18 (2013.01); E04F 2201/0115 (2013.01); E04F 2201/0161 (2013.01); E04F 2201/023 (2013.01); E04F 2201/042 (2013.01); E04F 2201/043 (2013.01); E04F 2201/044 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wall or ceiling panel,
wherein the panel is rectangular, either square or oblong,
wherein the panel comprises a first pair of opposite edges including a first edge and a second edge;
wherein the first edge comprises a first male coupling part,
wherein the second edge comprises a first female coupling part,
wherein the first male coupling part and the first female coupling part are configured such that two of such panels, by their first male and first female coupling parts, can be coupled to each other in a plane and a coupled state can thus be realized between the panels;
wherein the first male coupling part comprises a first tongue;
wherein the first female coupling part comprises a first groove,
wherein the first groove is delimited by a first front lip and a first rear lip;
wherein the first rear lip extends in a distal direction beyond an open or free end of the first front lip;
wherein the first tongue and the first groove, in the coupled state, form a tongue and groove connection that realizes a mechanical locking between the panels in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the panels;
wherein the first male coupling part and the first female coupling part each comprise a first locking part, which first locking parts, in the coupled state, realize a mechanical locking between the panels in the direction in the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the first pair of opposite edges;
wherein the first locking part of the first male coupling part is provided on a rear side of the first tongue;
wherein the first locking part of the first female coupling part is provided on a front side of the first rear lip; and
wherein the panel comprises a second pair of opposite edges including a third edge and a fourth edge;
wherein the third edge comprises a second male coupling part,
wherein the fourth edge comprises a second female coupling part,
wherein the second male coupling part and the second female coupling part are configured such that two of such panels, by means of their second male and second female coupling parts, can be coupled to each other in a plane and a coupled state can thus be realized between the panels;
wherein the second male coupling part comprises a second tongue;
wherein the second female coupling part comprises a second groove,
wherein the second groove is delimited by a second front lip and a second rear lip;
wherein the second rear lip extends in a distal direction beyond an open or free end of the second front lip,
wherein the second tongue and the second groove, in the coupled state, form a tongue and groove connection that realizes a mechanical locking between the panels in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the panels;
wherein the second male coupling part and the second female coupling part each comprise a second locking part, which second locking parts, in the coupled state, realize a mechanical locking between the panels in the direction in the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the second pair of opposite edges;
wherein the second locking part of the second male coupling part is provided on a rear side of the second tongue;
wherein the second locking part of the second female coupling part is provided on a front side of the second rear lip;
wherein a first length of the first locking part of the first rear lip measured in a direction perpendicular to the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges and in a plane parallel to a front edge of the panel is greater than a second length of the second locking part of the second rear lip measured in the direction perpendicular to the fourth edge of the second pair of opposite edges and in the plane parallel to the front edge of the panel;
wherein the first male coupling part and the first female coupling part are configured such that they can be coupled by an angling movement;
wherein the second male coupling part and the second female coupling part are configured such that they can be coupled by an angling movement.