Floor Panel Coupling with Curved Locking Elements
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor panel coupling systems, such as those using tongue and groove designs, often result in loose connections due to unreasonable design, affecting appearance and lifespan, and are complicated to install and repair.
Innovation Solution
A floor panel coupling device featuring a groove with curved and skew slot walls and a tongue with corresponding recesses, allowing for interlocking without glue, enabling horizontal pressing for secure engagement and adaptability to uneven surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If tongue and groove coupling devices are used to join floor panels, then the floor panels can be assembled without glue or auxiliary materials, but the coupling may become loose due to unreasonable design, affecting appearance and lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The groove incorporates a curved slot wall that forms an arch-shaped support structure. This curved geometry provides mechanical support to the tongue during insertion and coupling, preventing loose connections while maintaining ease of assembly without auxiliary materials
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device features localized structural variations: the groove has different wall configurations at different positions (curved slot wall forming arch support, parallel slot walls for stability), and the tongue has corresponding localized features (recesses and protrusions). These local quality variations ensure tight coupling at critical points while maintaining overall assembly simplicity
2Ease of operation
If traditional tongue and groove coupling devices are used, then installation is simple, but gaps between floor panels or bumps on coupling surfaces occur due to unreasonable design, affecting appearance and lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The curved slot wall forming the arch-shaped support structure accommodates variations in the sub-floor surface by providing a flexible yet supportive coupling geometry. This curvature allows the tongue to seat properly even when there are bumps or gaps, maintaining coupling surface flatness without complicating the installation process
Solution Approach 2:
The arch-shaped support structure formed by the curved slot wall acts as a pre-designed compensation mechanism that cushions against uneven sub-floor surfaces. This beforehand cushioning prevents gaps and bumps from affecting the final coupling precision, ensuring flat coupling surfaces while keeping installation simple
3Strength
If floor panels are attached by gluing or nailing to the underlying floor, then the connection is strong, but subsequent changes can only be made by breaking out the floor panels
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is divided into separate, reusable components: the groove in one panel and the tongue in another panel. These segmented components can be assembled and disassembled multiple times, providing strong connection during use while allowing easy removal and reinstallation for repairs or changes, eliminating the need to break out the floor panels
Data Source
AI summary
A floor panel with coupling devices is provided. The coupling devices have locking elements which include a curved protrusion which is formed on a lower wall of an upper lip of a groove and adjacent to the entrance of the groove, and a curved recess which is formed in an upper side of a tongue and can match with the curved protrusion. Under the cooperation of the elastic deformation of the upper lip of the groove and the engagement of the locking elements, adjacent floor panels can be coupled together by exerting on them a horizontal pressing force and interlocked tightly by meshing engagement of the curved protrusion at the groove and the curved recess in the tongue without glue or other auxiliary binding material so as to ensure that the adjacent floor panels can not move in both horizontal direction and vertical direction. The floor panels are usually used in a floor decoration of indoor environment and have the advantages of easy installation and tight coupling.