Floor Panel Coupling Parts Locking Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor panels face challenges in ease of installation and locking strength due to suboptimal design of coupling parts, particularly in the positioning and form of locking elements and support surfaces, leading to issues with vertical locking and overall coupling strength.
Innovation Solution
The floor panel design incorporates specific characteristics such as support surfaces, recesses, and guiding surfaces on hook-shaped parts, where the upper hook's lip has a recess and the lower hook's lip has a support surface, with optimized distances and angles to enhance vertical locking and elasticity, allowing for improved locking strength and ease of installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the coupling parts are designed with simple locking elements, then the device complexity is reduced, but the locking strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling part is segmented into multiple functional elements: an upper hook-shaped part with a downward-directed locking element, a lower hook-shaped part with an upward-directed locking element, a support surface, and guiding surfaces. This segmentation allows each element to perform a specific function, achieving strong locking without excessive overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking elements are nested within the hook-shaped parts, with the upward-directed locking element of the lower part fitting into the downward-directed locking element of the upper part. This nesting arrangement compactly integrates multiple locking functions within the coupling part structure.
2Ease of operation
If the locking elements are positioned closer to the edge, then the ease of installation is improved, but the vertical locking strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The solution addresses the positioning conflict by utilizing multiple dimensions: the locking elements are positioned at specific distances from the edge in the horizontal dimension, while the support surface and guiding surfaces provide vertical dimension control. This multi-dimensional arrangement allows easy installation through edge engagement while maintaining vertical locking strength through optimized positioning.
3Strength
If the support surface is positioned farther from the edge, then the locking strength is improved, but the ease of installation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support surface acts as an intermediary element between the locking elements and the panel edge. It is positioned at an optimized distance that mediates between the need for strong locking (requiring greater distance) and easy installation (requiring closer positioning). The support surface transfers and distributes forces, enabling both strong locking and easy installation.
4Strength
If the coupling parts are made more robust, then the locking strength is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than making the entire coupling part robust, the design applies local quality by concentrating strength where needed: the locking elements and support surface are designed with optimized geometry and material properties for strength, while other portions of the coupling part maintain simpler structures. This localized approach achieves strong coupling without excessive overall complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A floor panel for forming a floor covering, wherein this floor panel is at least composed of a substrate; wherein the floor panel, on at least one pair of opposite edges, comprises coupling parts, which coupling parts allow that two of such floor panels can be coupled to each other by means of a downward movement of one floor panel in respect to the other floor panel; wherein these coupling parts, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, form a first locking system, which effects a locking in a first direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor panels, and form a second locking system, which effects a locking in a second direction perpendicular to the edges and in the plane of the floor panels.