Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Module or panel having discrete edgewise or face-to-face... – With joining means of dissimilar material and separate from...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-25
2002-08-27
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Module or panel having discrete edgewise or face-to-face...
With joining means of dissimilar material and separate from...
C052S590200, C052S590300, C052S592400, C052S592100, C052S588100, C052S582200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06438919
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates, on the one hand, to an arrangement of building components, and on the other hand to the building components themselves, to an arrangement of panel-shaped or strip-shaped building components made of wood, wood material or a wood-based material.
Panel-shaped building components include, for example, building panels, floor panels, cladding panels, cladding strips, or similar, used in particular for covering the walls, ceilings or floors of all types of buildings. Such components may consist of single of multi-ply panels or strips of wood or wood-based material that may be laminated on one or both outer surfaces. The lamination may take the form of plastic sheets, wood or plastic veneers, etc. In particular, the invention is concerned with floor panels made of wood and having relatively hard surfaces consisting of laminated plastic layers.
Arrangements of such components, or such components themselves, discussed above are known prior art.
The invention relates in particular to the special manner of connecting such structural elements in order to secure the latter in an optimal position relative to each other in the connected state, with the assistance of looking elements, while at the same time being able to disconnect the components if required.
In addition to this specific goal of the invention, the purpose of the features of the invention is to ensure that the looking elements to be produced are as simple and economical as possible in design and do not require the use of additional aids, so that the components can be fitted or joined together quickly and reliably in a manner that is non-damaging to the materials involved.
According to the invention, in the case of building components or an arrangement to connect building components, an arrangement of panel-shaped or strip-shaped building components (
1
,
2
) made of wood, wood material or a wood-based material, possibly having, for example, plastic laminated layers on the top and/or bottom surfaces, e.g. building panels, floor panels, cladding panels, or cladding strips, and the like, or such components, said components (
1
,
2
) having possibly a flat bottom surface (
15
) for placing on a flat substrate, said components (
1
,
2
) being connectable with each other by the tongue-and-groove principle and having two in particular equally long legs (
3
,
4
) projecting from at least one of the end faces of the one component (
1
) and forming between from a groove (
5
), into which groove (
15
) is insertable a tongue (
6
) projecting from one of the end faces of the respective other component (
2
), said components having locking elements matched to each other in the form of a recess or depression (
8
) or in the form of a projection (
7
) formed on at least one side of the groove (
5
) and on at least one side of the tongue (
6
), and preferably over the entire length of the groove (
5
) and the tongue (
6
), in order to hold joined components (
1
,
2
) in the joined position, characterized in that,
in particular in order to achieve a firm but detachable connection between the components (
1
,
2
) the groove (B) is directly formed in, and in particular is cut or milled in, component (
1
),
the tongue (
6
) is of integral one-piece construction with the component (
2
), from which is in particular machined or milled,
the width (B) of the groove (
5
) increases from the inside to the outside
the thickness (D) of the tongue (
6
) decreases in the direction towards its free end
the projection (
7
) on the tongue (B) possesses a longer front surface (
18
,
30
) forming an angle (&agr;) with the top surface (
13
) of the components (
1
,
2
) said projection (
7
) also possesses a shorter rear surface (
17
) merging with this aforementioned front surface via a sharp bend and forming an angle (&bgr;) with the top surface (
13
) of components (
1
,
2
) that is larger than the angle (&agr;), the recess (
8
) in the groove (
5
) possesses a contact surface (
18
′) close to the base of the groove, which surface, in the locked position, is in at least partial contact with the long front surface (
18
,
30
), and said recess also possesses a shorter contact surface (
17
′) located away from the base of the groove, which surface, in the locked position, is in contact with the shorter rear surface (
17
) of the projection (
7
).
and at least one of the two, and preferably both, legs (
3
,
4
) forming the groove can be flexibly bent outwards relative to the respective other leg of the groove, so that the tongue (
6
) is clamped in the engaged position by the legs (
3
,
4
) of the groove, or it may be inserted into or withdrawn from the groove (
5
) by elastically flexing the legs (
3
,
4
) of the groove.
It should be mentioned that the tongue is of solid one-piece construction with the components from which it is shaped.
The width of the groove, which increases from the inside to the outside, or the thickness of the tongue, which decreases in the direction towards its free end, are matched to each other so that, when the components are joined together, the surfaces of the groove and of the tongue are in full contact with one another. As a result, the components are held in a defined position in relation to each other.
The detachability of the connection is substantially enhanced by the fact that the surface of the projection formed on the tongue, said surface being close to the component, and the surface of the recess formed on the groove, said surface being close to the opening of the groove, run obliquely or slantingly in the direction of the component or the groove opening, so that the tongue can be withdrawn from the groove. The introduction and withdrawal of the tongue is possible because at least one of the legs of the groove is elastically widenable in respect to the other leg, or can be elastically moved away from the other leg; in particular, the two legs of the groove are made of a material strong enough to permit them to bend elastically outwards, thus permitting the tongue to be inserted into the groove. In the process, the projection, of which at least one is provided on the tongue, can move past the inner edges at the opening of the groove by sliding along these inner edges, thereby forcing the legs of the groove apart.
The locking elements provided to ensure the positionally fixed connection of the components, said locking elements being formed by mutually matched projections and recesses, are formed on the groove and on the tongue. These locking elements may be provided at intervals along the groove and tongue, but better engagement is achieved and manufacture is simplified if these locking elements extend over the entire length of the grooves and tongues provided.
In one particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, appropriate projections are formed on both sides of the tongue and appropriate recesses are formed on both sides of the groove, because this achieves a double locking engagement and thus a firm connection between the components.
The components may be of any desired width. Components of the same width or components of different width may be joined with one another in order, for example, to achieve a certain floor configuration.
As regards the connecting together or the disconnection of the components, it is advantageous to proceed according to the features set forth such that an arrangement as disclosed previously is characterized in that the angle (&agr;) formed between the front surface (
10
) and the top surface (
13
) of the components (
1
,
2
) is greater than the angle (&ggr;) formed between the area of the groove surface (
9
) close to the base of the groove and the top surface (
13
) of the components (
1
,
2
) (FIG.
1
), and is characterized in that when the projection (
7
) is formed on only one side of the tongue (
6
) and the recess (
8
) is formed only on the side of the groove (
5
) facing this side, the surfaces of the tongue (
6
) and of the groove (
5
) which are not provided with a projection or recess are in full contact with one another and
Friedman Carl D.
Green Christy
M. Kaindl
Millen White Zelano & Branigan P.C.
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