Floor Panel Coupling with Distributed Locking for Edge Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing interconnectable floor panels experience breakages and reduced durability due to tension at coupling edges during assembly and use, particularly at short edges, which affects the reliability and stability of the coupling mechanism.
Innovation Solution
The panels feature a core with upward and downward coupling parts, each having tongues and flanks with locking elements that engage horizontally and vertically, distributing locking elements over the coupling area to reduce material stress and deformation, allowing for angled or vertical motion coupling and uncoupling, and incorporating inclined surfaces to enhance vertical locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional drop down coupling mechanism is used at short edges, then the coupling can be assembled, but breakages occur due to tension at coupling edges during assembly and use, reducing reliability and durability
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism is divided into multiple locking elements distributed across the coupling area. Instead of a single concentrated locking point, the patent employs several locking elements that segment the stress distribution, preventing breakage at any single coupling edge location during assembly and use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional vertical-only locking to a multi-dimensional locking system with elements arranged both vertically and horizontally. This dimensional expansion distributes the locking function across multiple spatial dimensions, reducing stress concentration at any single point and improving overall coupling reliability.
2Strength
If multiple locking elements are distributed over the coupling area, then material stress and deformation are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple locking elements are merged into an integrated coupling system where the elements work together as a unified mechanism. The locking elements are combined with the tongue and groove structures to form a cohesive assembly that distributes stress while maintaining manageable complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism is designed with multi-functional elements that perform multiple roles. The same structural components serve both as connection elements and as stress-distributing locking elements, reducing the need for separate specialized parts and thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If locking elements are provided on tongues and flanks, then vertical and horizontal locking is achieved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism employs local quality variations where specific regions of the tongue and groove structures have enhanced locking features. By concentrating locking functionality at specific local positions rather than uniformly across the entire coupling area, the patent achieves stable coupling with more manageable manufacturing precision requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking elements are asymmetrically distributed and configured on the tongues and flanks, with different numbers and positions of locking elements on different sides. This asymmetric design allows for optimized stress distribution and stable coupling while accommodating typical manufacturing tolerances, as the asymmetric configuration provides built-in alignment and compensation capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A panel, in particular a floor panel, including at least one first coupling part and at least one second coupling part connected respectively to opposite edges of the core, which first coupling part includes an upward tongue, at least one upward flank lying at a distance from the upward tongue and an upward groove, which second coupling part includes a downward tongue, at least one downward flank lying at a distance from the downward tongue, and a downward groove, wherein the upward tongue is provided with a first locking element; wherein the downward flank is provided with a second locking element, wherein the downward tongue is provided with a third locking element, and wherein the upward flank is provided with a fourth locking element.