Building Panel Mechanical Locking System with Displaceable Tongue
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mechanical locking systems for building panels, such as floorboards, suffer from low locking strength due to the limited contact surface area between the tongue and groove, which affects the vertical locking efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a locking system with a displaceable tongue that includes an inner and outer element, where the inner element is removable and configured to push the outer element into a tongue groove, increasing the contact surface area and enhancing locking strength. This system also features a guiding groove for controlled removal and a protruding part for easy displacement, allowing for improved vertical locking and simplified production using plastic extrusion and injection molding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional mechanical locking system with a single tongue element is used, then the structure is simple, but the locking strength is low due to limited contact surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The tongue is divided into multiple separate elements (first tongue element, second tongue element, third tongue element) that can be individually positioned and engaged with the groove. This segmentation increases the total contact surface area between the tongue and groove, thereby improving locking strength while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular components
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple tongue elements are nested within the displacement groove, with each element positioned at different depths or locations along the groove. This nesting arrangement maximizes the utilization of the groove space and increases the effective contact surface area without significantly increasing the overall footprint or complexity of the locking system
2Strength
If the inner element is removed to displace the outer element into the groove, then the locking strength increases, but the assembly process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The inner element is pre-positioned within the displacement groove before the outer element is installed. This preliminary arrangement allows the outer element to be easily displaced into the groove by simply removing the inner element, which provides a clear guide path and reduces the force required for assembly. The pre-planned removal of the inner element simplifies the overall assembly process despite the multi-component structure
Solution Approach 2:
The inner element acts as an intermediary component that facilitates the displacement of the outer element during assembly. By temporarily occupying the displacement groove and then being removed, it creates a controlled mechanism for positioning the outer element into the locked position, making the assembly process more predictable and easier to perform
3Strength
If the contact surface area between tongue and groove is increased, then the locking strength improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of manufacturing a single complex tongue with large contact surface, the system segments the contact surface into multiple smaller elements. Each element can be manufactured separately using standard extrusion or molding processes, then assembled into the groove. This approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while achieving the desired total contact surface area for improved locking strength
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple tongue elements are designed with standardized dimensions and engagement features that can be produced using common manufacturing processes. This universality allows for efficient production through repetitive manufacturing cycles, reducing overall production complexity despite the increased number of components required for enhanced contact surface area
Data Source
AI summary
Building panels, such as floorboards, provided with a mechanical locking system. The mechanical locking system includes a displacement groove at a first edge of a first floorboard and a tongue groove at a second edge of a second floorboard. A tongue is arranged in the displacement groove and is configured to cooperate, in a second position, with the tongue groove for vertical locking of the first and the second edge. The tongue includes, in a first position, an inner element and an outer element. The inner element is removable along the displacement groove, and is configured to cooperate with the outer element to obtain a displacement of the outer element towards the tongue groove and thereby obtain the second position. The inner element and the outer element vertically overlap each other.