Loose-Lay Floor Panel Coupling for Horizontal and Vertical Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing loose laid floor covering panels face inefficiencies in assembly, particularly due to suboptimal coupling mechanisms that complicate fitting and do not provide adequate resistance to horizontal and vertical uncoupling.
Innovation Solution
The panels feature male and female coupling means with inclined and vertical edges, including male grooves and female tenons with chamfered portions, lugs, and notches that facilitate assembly and enhance resistance to uncoupling, allowing for inclined and vertical movements during installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If panels use traditional coupling means with bulges and cavities for vertical assembly, then assembly can be performed, but the resistance to vertical uncoupling is not optimally efficient and the assembly operation becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional coupling approach by providing male coupling means on the lower face and female coupling means on the upper face, rather than both on lateral walls. The male portion features an inclined outer wall that guides the panel during assembly, while the female portion includes a stop that prevents over-pivoting. This inversion simplifies the assembly operation and optimizes resistance to vertical uncoupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the coupling means by introducing specific inclination angles (10° to 50°) for the male portion's outer wall and positioning the stop at specific heights. These parameter changes optimize both the ease of assembly and the resistance to uncoupling, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and connection strength.
2Reliability
If panels use coupling means requiring the panel to pull back during assembly, then locking can be achieved, but the fitting operation becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by designing the male coupling means with an inclined outer wall that automatically guides the panel into the correct position during assembly. The stop on the female portion is pre-positioned to control the pivoting movement, eliminating the need for the panel to pull back and ensuring smooth locking without complicating the fitting operation.
3Reliability
If panels use traditional coupling mechanisms, then assembly can be performed, but adequate resistance to horizontal and vertical uncoupling is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetry by designing the male coupling means with an inclined outer wall and the female coupling means with a horizontally extending stop at a specific height. This asymmetric design provides optimized resistance to both horizontal and vertical uncoupling forces while maintaining relatively simple coupling mechanism geometry.
Data Source
AI summary
A panel having the shape of a plank or a tile for the production of a floor covering, comprising two pairs of opposed sides defining:a first two opposed edges for inclined assemblya second two opposed edges for vertical assembly—the male coupling of the edges for the vertical assembly comprise a male groove extending along the edge and opening onto the lower face of the panel—the female coupling of the edges for the vertical assembly comprise a female groove extending along the edge and opening onto the upper face of the panel—the male coupling of the edges for the vertical assembly comprise a lug or a notch and the female coupling means of the edges for the vertical assembly comprise a complementary notch or lug.