Floor Panel Coupling Profile for Fold-Down Locking Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor panel coupling systems face challenges in achieving sufficient stiffness and ease of installation while maintaining cost-effectiveness, often requiring costly elastic locking strips or compromising on connection strength and ease of installation with integral coupling parts.
Innovation Solution
The development of floor panels with integral coupling parts featuring horizontally and vertically active interlock systems, made from the panel material itself, allowing for rotational or downward movement coupling, with specific contact face configurations to enhance connection strength and ease of installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If separate elastic locking strips are used to achieve vertical interlock, then connection strength is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the vertical and horizontal interlocking functions into a single integrated coupling profile that is extruded as one piece. This eliminates the need for separate elastic locking strips while maintaining both vertical connection strength and horizontal stability, thereby reducing production cost by eliminating additional components and assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling profile serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides vertical interlocking through its downwardly extending portion, horizontal interlocking through its geometry, and structural support through its rigid configuration. This multi-functional design replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate components including elastic locking strips.
2Ease of manufacture
If integral coupling parts are used to reduce cost, then production cost decreases, but connection strength and ease of installation are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple interlocking functions into a single integral coupling profile that is extruded as one piece. This integrated design maintains connection strength by combining vertical and horizontal locking mechanisms within the same component, avoiding the compromises typically associated with integral coupling parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling profile utilizes the rigidity and geometric parameters of the extruded material to achieve both vertical and horizontal interlocking. By carefully designing the geometry of the coupling profile, the patent maintains sufficient connection strength while keeping the coupling as an integral part of the floor panel.
3Ease of manufacture
If integral coupling parts are used to reduce cost, then production cost decreases, but ease of installation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines vertical and horizontal interlocking functions into a single integrated coupling profile. This design facilitates installation by providing both locking mechanisms in one component that can be installed through a single folding motion, eliminating the need for separate installation steps for different locking mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling profile is designed to flex during the folding installation process and then lock into place. This dynamic behavior allows the rigid integral coupling to be installed easily through folding motion while maintaining strong locked connections once installed.
4Device complexity
If coupling parts are made from the panel material itself, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the coupling parts with the floor panel itself through integral construction, eliminating separate components and reducing device complexity. The extrusion process creates the coupling profile as part of the panel manufacturing, which maintains precision through controlled extrusion parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The extrusion process allows for precise control of the coupling profile geometry through parameter optimization. By carefully designing the extrusion parameters and profile geometry, the patent achieves the required manufacturing precision while keeping the coupling integrated with the panel.
Data Source
AI summary
A floor panel for forming a floor covering consisting of floor panels which are provided with coupling parts on at least one pair of edges. The coupling parts are made mainly of the material of the floor panel, and the coupling parts are configured such that two of such floor panels can be installed and locked together at the pair of edges via a downward movement and/or via the fold-down principle.