Curved Locking Profiles for Floor Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening systems for tabular panels, such as those used in rectangular floor panels, face challenges in maintaining lateral holding force when subjected to multi-axial loads, particularly when panels are laid on soft subfloors, leading to twisting or tilting of holding profiles and a reduction in holding force.
Innovation Solution
The fastening system incorporates elastically deformable holding profiles with inclined surfaces and a friction-increasing layer, featuring a tongue and groove design with convex and concave curvatures, which counteracts rotation around the upper contact edge, ensuring the surfaces remain pressed together even under load, thereby maintaining frictional force and preventing lateral separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If holding profiles are designed with simple inclined surfaces and friction-increasing layers, then lateral holding force is improved, but the system fails to maintain holding force under multi-axial loads causing twisting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature to the lower side of the tongue and the inner side wall of the groove, creating a rounded contact interface instead of simple inclined planes. This curved geometry allows the holding profiles to accommodate twisting movements while maintaining continuous contact and frictional engagement, thereby maintaining holding force under multi-axial loads that cause twisting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the holding profile interface by introducing curved surfaces with specific radii of curvature. This parameter change transforms the rigid inclined plane geometry into a more compliant curved geometry that can adapt to twisting movements, maintaining reliable contact and frictional force under varying load conditions.
2Strength
If holding profiles are rigid to maintain structural strength, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the profiles twist under load reducing holding force
Solution Approach 1:
The curved contact surfaces allow the holding profiles to undergo controlled elastic deformation under load without compromising overall structural strength. The curvature distributes stresses more evenly and allows for slight adjustments in alignment while maintaining the integrity and strength of the connection.
3Force
If friction-increasing layers are added to inclined surfaces, then lateral resistance is improved, but the system cannot counteract rotation under weight from above
Solution Approach 1:
The curved geometry of the tongue and groove interface creates a more effective frictional engagement that resists both lateral movement and rotational forces. The curved contact surface increases the contact area and distributes forces more effectively, enhancing the friction-increasing layer's ability to prevent both sliding and rotation under combined loads.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design significantly enhances the system's ability to resist lateral pulling apart, even under weight from above, by utilizing elastic deformation and increased frictional forces, ensuring the holding profiles remain connected and prevent twisting, thus maintaining a strong connection parallel to the laying plane.
Implementation Method 1
This force preferably arises from the fact that the holding profiles are elastically deformed when the holding profiles rotate relative to the upper contact edge
Implementation Method 2
The top of the projection and the bottom of the recess each form an inclined plane, which is pressed against the other inclined plane when the holding profiles are pulled apart, which increases the normal force between these two surfaces and thus also the frictional force that counteracts the lateral pushing apart
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
In a fastening system for panel-shaped panels (1, 2), in particular for rectangular floor panels, with retaining profiles (6, 6') arranged on the narrow sides of the panels (1, 2), which extend in the longitudinal direction of the narrow sides and of which opposite retaining profiles (6, 6') fit together in such a way that identical panels (1, 2) can be connected to each other in order to produce a continuous layer of panels in a laying plane (E), wherein the retaining profiles (6, 6') have at least one surface and a counter surface with at least one friction-enhancing layer (19) and are designed such that a lateral pulling apart of compound retaining profiles (6, 6') transverse to the longitudinal extension of the retaining profiles (6, 6') and parallel to the laying plane (E) leads to a relative movement between surface and counter surface and to a pressure increase between surface and counter surface,To improve safety against lateral displacement of the retaining profiles, it is provided that a force, preferably by elastic deformation of the retaining profiles (6, 6'), counteracts a rotation of one retaining profile (6) relative to the other retaining profile (6') assembled with the retaining profile (6), about an upper contact edge (15) which runs parallel to the longitudinal extent of the retaining profiles (6, 6'), by which the surface and the counter surface are held together.