IP Library Granted Patent US 12680315
Granted Patent B2
US 12680315 · App. 18/661,952 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Building panels comprising a locking system

Inventor: Christian Boo (Kagerod, SE)
Assignee: VÄLINGE INNOVATION AB
E04F15/02038E04F13/0894E04F15/04E04F15/20E04F2201/0115E04F2201/0153E04F2201/023E04F2201/043
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12680315
App. No.
18/661,952
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Building panels including a locking system for locking of a first edge portion to an adjacent second edge portion. The locking system includes a tongue and a tongue groove configured to cooperate for vertical locking. The tongue groove includes an upper and a lower lip protruding horizontally beyond the upper lip. In a locked state of the building panels an outer end portion of a lower vertical locking surface of the tongue is provided horizontally closer than an outer end portion of an upper vertical locking surface of the upper lip to a locking element provided on a strip extending beyond an upper portion of the first edge portion. Alternatively, or additionally, an inner end portion of a lower vertical locking surface of the lower lip is provided horizontally closer than an inner end portion of an upper vertical locking surface of the tongue to the locking element.

Claims (33)

1 . Building panels comprising a locking system for vertical and horizontal locking of a first edge portion of a first building panel to an adjacent second edge portion of a second building panel, wherein upper portions of the first and second edge portions in a locked state of the first and second building panels together define a vertical plane perpendicular to a horizontal plane, which is parallel to a front side and/or a rear side of the building panels,

wherein the locking system comprises a tongue provided in the first edge portion and a tongue groove provided in the second edge portion, the tongue and the tongue groove being configured to cooperate for vertical locking,

the tongue groove comprising an upper lip and a lower lip protruding horizontally beyond the upper lip, wherein, in the locked state of the first and second building panels, the tongue is configured to contact the upper lip at respective upper vertical locking surfaces of the tongue and of the upper lip and is configured to contact the lower lip at respective lower vertical locking surfaces of the tongue and of the lower lip,

wherein the locking system comprises a locking element provided in the first edge portion and a downwardly open locking groove provided in the second edge portion, the locking element and the downwardly open locking groove being configured to cooperate for horizontal locking, said locking element being provided on a strip extending beyond the upper portion of the first edge portion,

wherein, in the locked state of the first and second building panels, a total horizontal extension of contact between the respective lower vertical locking surfaces of the tongue and of the lower lip extends

from contact at an inner end portion of the lower vertical locking surface of the lower lip and an outer end portion of the lower vertical locking surface of the tongue

to contact at an outer end portion of the lower vertical locking surface of the lower lip and an inner end portion of the lower vertical locking surface of the tongue,

wherein, in the locked state of the first and second building panels, a total horizontal extension of contact between the respective upper vertical locking surfaces of the upper lip and of the tongue extends:

from contact at an inner end portion of the upper vertical locking surface of the upper lip and an outer end portion of the upper vertical locking surface of the tongue

to contact at an outer end portion of the upper vertical locking surface of the upper lip and an inner end portion of the upper vertical locking surface of the tongue,

wherein, in the locked state of the first and second building panels:

(i) the outer end portion of the lower vertical locking surface of the tongue is provided horizontally closer than the outer end portion of the upper vertical locking surface of the upper lip to the locking element; and/or

(ii) the inner end portion of the lower vertical locking surface of the lower lip is provided horizontally closer than the inner end portion of the upper vertical locking surface of the tongue to the locking element,

wherein the locking system further comprises outer vertical locking surfaces provided horizontally outside of the tongue in the locked state,

wherein, in the locked state of the first and second building panels, the total horizontal extension of contact between the respective lower vertical locking surfaces of the tongue and of the lower lip is larger than the total horizontal extension of contact between the respective upper vertical locking surfaces of the upper lip and of the tongue, and

wherein, in the locked state of the first and second building panels, the upper and lower vertical locking surfaces are offset horizontally such that the upper vertical locking surfaces are provided horizontally closer than the lower vertical locking surfaces to the locking element.

2 . The building panels according to claim 1 , wherein the outer vertical locking surfaces are provided in the first and second edge portions, respectively.

3 . The building panels according to claim 2 , wherein the outer vertical locking surface of the first edge portion is provided in the strip and wherein the outer vertical locking surface of the second edge portion is provided in an underside of a protrusion of the second edge portion provided horizontally between the locking groove and an outermost portion of the lower lip.

4 . The building panels according to claim 2 , wherein a thickness of a portion of the strip at the location of the outer vertical locking surface of the first edge portion is at least 0.3 times a thickness of the first building panel.

5 . The building panels according to claim 1 , wherein the outer vertical locking surfaces are provided in an upper portion of the locking element and in a lower portion of the locking groove.

6 . The building panels according to claim 1 , wherein the outer vertical locking surfaces are disposed vertically below the tongue.

7 . The building panels according to claim 1 , wherein the outer vertical locking surfaces extend inwardly of the locking element in the locked state.

8 . The building panels according to claim 1 , wherein the outer vertical locking surfaces engage with each other along a width portion along a transverse direction of the first edge portion, the width portion being larger than 0.10 times a strip width of the strip.

9 . The building panels according to claim 1 , wherein the locking element and the locking groove cooperate at horizontal locking surfaces.

10 . The building panels according to claim 9 , wherein in the locked state of the building panels each of the horizontal locking surfaces is spaced vertically and/or horizontally from a linking portion in the first building panel provided at an inner base of the locking element.

11 . The building panels according to claim 9 , wherein the horizontal locking surfaces extend entirely below a horizontal strip plane provided along an upper strip surface disposed inwardly of the locking element.

12 . The building panels according to claim 1 , wherein said locking system is configured to assemble the first and second edge portions by angling of the first and second building panels relative to each other and/or by a horizontal displacement of the first and second panels towards each other.

13 . The building panels according to claim 1 , wherein the tongue and/or the strip is formed in one piece with a core of the building panels.

14 . The building panels according to claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower vertical locking surfaces are essentially parallel with the horizontal plane.

15 . The building panels according to claim 1 , wherein the locking system comprises a space between an upper portion of the strip and a lower edge portion of the second edge portion.

16 . The building panels according to claim 15 , wherein the space extends under an entirety of the lower lip, and from under the lower lip to the locking element.

17 . The building panels according to claim 15 , wherein the space is provided horizontally inwardly of the outer vertical locking surfaces.

18 . The building panels according to claim 1 , wherein a core of each of the building panels is a wood-based core, a polymer-based core, or a mineral-based core.