U.S. patent application number 10/494282 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-16 for device for assembling panel edges.
Invention is credited to Becker, Arnaud.
Application Number | 20040250492 10/494282 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27248830 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040250492 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Becker, Arnaud |
December 16, 2004 |
Device for assembling panel edges
Abstract
Device for assembling edges of panels, laths or sheathing
includes at least a male part provided on a longitudinal edge
and/or a transverse edge of the panels, laths or sheathings and at
least a female part of matching shape provided on the other two
longitudinal and transverse edges of the panels, laths or
sheathings. The device is characterized in that the male and female
parts are provided with at least an element for assembling by
impact or pressure two consecutive panels, laths or sheathings by
their adjacent edges along an oblique direction, the panels, laths
or sheathings being initially offset in height and mutually
parallel and their male and female parts being then partly mutually
engaged. The device is applicable in the building sector, for
floor, wall or ceiling finish, in the form of panels, laths or
sheathings made of different materials.
Inventors: |
Becker, Arnaud; (Rosheim,
FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
745 SOUTH 23RD STREET
2ND FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22202
US
|
Family ID: |
27248830 |
Appl. No.: |
10/494282 |
Filed: |
May 3, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
October 31, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR02/03761 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/578 ;
52/590.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 2201/0115 20130101;
E04F 2201/0138 20130101; E04F 15/04 20130101; E04F 2201/023
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/578 ;
052/590.2 |
International
Class: |
E04B 002/46 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 2, 2001 |
FR |
01/14234 |
Nov 16, 2001 |
FR |
01/14865 |
Jan 28, 2002 |
FR |
02/00987 |
Claims
1. Device for assembling the edges of panels, laths or sheathings
(1), constituted by at least one male portion (2) on a longitudinal
and/or transverse edge of said panels, laths or sheathings (1) and
by at least one female portion (3) of corresponding shape on the
two other longitudinal and transverse edges of said panels, laths
or sheathings (1), characterized in that the male and female
portions (2 and 3) are provided with at least one element (6 and/or
2"-3" and/or 2'"-3'" and 5) permitting an assembly by impact or
pressure of two consecutive panels, laths or sheathings (1) by
their adjacent edges in an oblique direction, said panels, laths or
sheathings (1) being initially offset in height and parallel to
each other and their male and female portions (2 and 3) being thus
partially mutually engaged.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the female
portion (3) is provided in its upper sidewall, with a recess or
concavity forming an element (6) permitting an assembly without
deformation with the male portion (2).
3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the male (2)
and female portions (3) are provided with elements (2"-3", 2'"-3'"
and 5) permitting assembly by impact or pressure of two consecutive
panels, laths or sheathings (1) by their adjacent edges in an
oblique direction, these said elements (2"-3" and 2'"-3'" and 5)
being in the form of contact surfaces (2"-3" and/or 2'"-3'")
provided on the male and female portions (2 and 3), these contact
surfaces forming oblique ramps for the insertion of the male
portion (2) into the female portion (3) of the assembly device and
being preferably interconnected by rounded concave guide means
(5).
4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the contact
surfaces (2"-3" and 2'"-3'") constituting the elements permitting
assembly by impact or pressure are disposed discontinuously and
offset relative to each other.
5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the male and
female portions (2 and 3) have an orientation inclined relative to
the upper surface of the panels, laths or sheathings (1).
6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the male and
female portions (2 and 3) extend in a direction substantially
perpendicular to an oblique plane joining the vertical joint plane
between two adjacent sides of the panels, laths or sheathings
(1).
7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface
of the male portion (2) connecting the sidewalls of the male
portion (2), as well as the corresponding surface of the female
portion (3), have a flat portion parallel to the upper and lower
surfaces of the panels, laths or sheathings (1).
8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper
crest of the female portion (3) is cut or rounded, such that it
extends in a vertical plane (PV) parallel to the one (P'V')
crossing through the junction crest of the base of the
corresponding sidewall of the male portion (2).
9. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the recess or
concavity forming an element (6) provided in the upper sidewall of
the female portion (3) is combined with the elements (2"-3" and
2'"-3'") in the form of contact surfaces (2"-3" and 2'"-3'") and
the rounded concave guide (5) provided on the male and female
portions (2 and 3).
10. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the male and
female portions (2 and 3) are offset out of the vertical joint
plane of junction between the upper surfaces of the panels, laths
or sheathings (1).
11. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the end of
the male portion (2) extends in line with the vertical joint plane
of the junction between the upper surfaces of the panels, laths or
sheathings (1).
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of construction,
in particular coverings for the floor, walls or ceiling,
particularly in the form of panels, laths or sheathing of different
materials, such as wood, layered materials, synthetic materials. .
. , and has for its object a device for assembling the edges of
such panels, laths or sheathing.
[0002] At present, the covering elements for the floors, walls and
ceilings are generally present in the form of panels, laths or
sheathing made of different materials, such as solid wood,
compressed particleboard provided with a synthetic coating or of
solid wood or entirely of synthetic material having a textured
exposed surface.
[0003] These different elements are generally assembled by known
means of the type of tongues and grooves, two adjacent sides of
these elements being for example provided with a tongue adapted to
coact with grooves provided on two corresponding sides of
corresponding elements. Thus, each element has two tongues on two
adjacent sides, the two other sides being provided with
grooves.
[0004] These assembly means generally permit greatly meeting the
needs for connection of elements together and for placing these
elements at the same level but requiring for holding the assembly
and a perfect joint, the use of glue or else stapling means for the
lower surface and securement of the latter on struts or the
like.
[0005] To overcome these drawbacks, it has been proposed to provide
panels, laths or sheathing, near the tongue and groove assembly
means on their longitudinal edges, with a mechanical device
improving the quality of assembly by creation of an
anti-disassembly means in the assembled position, which is to say
when two successive elements are assembled by tongue and groove and
are disposed flat. This mechanical device moreover permits, in the
assembled flat condition, a movement along the longitudinal axis of
the elements, so as to promote the reception of their end tongues
in the corresponding end groove of the adjacent element.
[0006] Such mechanical devices are essentially of two types, namely
using supplemental locking mechanical portions, or provided with an
integral locking portion.
[0007] The supplemental mechanical portions are either profiles of
hook shaped cross-section, or hooks uniformly distributed along all
the length of the elements and coacting with grooves of
corresponding shape provided in the edges of said elements.
[0008] Such elements of course permit a correct connection between
the panels, laths or sheathing, but require quite specific
emplacement manipulation, namely, an engagement of the connection
elements in an inclined position of the panels, laths or sheating
relative to each other, then a return to horizontal position of
these latter for their lateral engagement, or a preliminary
arrangement of the connecting profiles with sections in the form of
hooks, below the edge of one of the panels, laths or sheathing and
the engagement of the other end of these profiles below the
corresponding edge of the adjacent panels, laths or sheathing, the
lateral engagement being carried out after this mechanical
connection along the longitudinal edges.
[0009] These known devices for supplemental mechanical connection
however have the drawback of being of relatively complicated
construction, using simultaneously tongue and groove assemblies and
a mechanical means for holding in service position, preventing any
sliding of a panel, lath or sheathing relative to another
perpendicularly to their longitudinal edges.
[0010] Moreover, in the case of provision of a mechanical
connection between longitudinal edges by means only of the shape
coaction of supplemental elements forming an integral part of the
panels, laths or sheathing, and machined together with the assembly
grooves and tongues, there arises, on the one hand, a problem of
machining mechanical connection elements and, on the other hand, a
problem of reliability over time of these mechanical connection
elements. Thus, the known connection and assembly means are
essentially adapted to ensure a perfect mounting of the panels,
laths or sheathing into an assembly without play at the level of
their joints, equivalent to a conventional assembly by gluing the
panels, laths or sheathing together or by nailing these latter on
support brackets, whilst permitting complete disassembly for
possible remounting at another utilization site.
[0011] Moreover, the known mechanical connection elements are
relatively complicated as to their construction and as to their
use.
[0012] Finally, all the known assembly devices have the drawback of
being relatively fragile at the joints, because the connection
tongue between the panels, laths or sheathing is of relatively
small thickness and must completely absorb the forces at said
joints and in particular the large shear forces that are produced
in the case of arrangement above an empty space due to an
irregularity of the ground or the like.
[0013] There is also known from WO 00/47841, assembly means for the
edges of panels, constituted by two opposite coaction lips each
provided with a connection means for a vertical engagement and a
vertical blocking means in the form of a lug or a hook adapted to
coact with the upper surface of a recess.
[0014] The connection means according to this document are parallel
to the edges of the panels to be assembled. It follows that, during
mounting, the lower lip on one edge of the panel is subjected to
substantial deformation due to the application of the upper lip,
from above, in the recess delimited between the surfaces of the
other panel, the lug of the first panel being applied, for its
part, along a wall of said other panel. This interaction of the
different elements during application of a vertical force has the
tendency to induce wedging in the course of assembly, this wedging
being able to be overcome only by deformation of the lower lip.
[0015] This requires that the dimension of the lug, in particular
its length that projects relative to the edges, be limited by the
elastic limit of the lower lip. As a result, a sufficient locking
cannot be attained and such an arrangement is totally inapplicable
to panels made of MDF or HDF.
[0016] WO 01/66877 discloses panels for covering the ground, which
are adapted to be assembled by means of male and female vertical
engagement elements. This document relates only to panels having
different configurations of male and female elements for their
assembly, the assembly of the panels being adapted to the
production of a ground covering. This document describes moreover a
use of assembly means of the document WO 00/47841 and this with the
supplemental use of an intermediate part adapted to coact with the
two upper male elements.
[0017] The present invention has for its object to overcome the
drawbacks of the assembly and holding devices known until now, by
providing an assembly device for the edges of such panels, laths or
sheathing, permitting simultaneously by shape mating cooperation,
promoting the assembly of said edges and ensuring a perfect and
automatic junction of the adjacent edges of the panels, laths or
sheathing and a self-locking of said panels, laths or sheathing
against each other along said edges, in particular under a
lathe.
[0018] To this end, the assembly device for the edges of such
panels, laths or sheathing, which is constituted by at least one
male portion on a longitudinal and/or transverse edge of said
panels, laths or sheathing and by at least one female portion of
corresponding shape on the two other longitudinal transverse edges
of said panels, laths or sheathing, is characterized in that the
male and female portions are provided with at least one element
permitting assembly by impact or pressure of two consecutive
panels, laths or sheathings, by their adjacent edges, in an oblique
direction, said panels, laths or sheathings being initially offset
in height and parallel to each other and their male and female
portions being thus partially mutually engaged.
[0019] The invention will be better understood from the following
description, which relates to preferred embodiments, given by way
of non-limiting examples and explained with reference to the
accompanying schematic drawings, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a side elevational and cross-sectional view of the
device according to the invention in a position at the beginning of
assembly;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 of the device in
the final assembled position, and
[0022] FIGS. 3 and 4 are views similar to those of FIGS. 1 and 2 of
a modified embodiment of the invention.
[0023] FIGS. 1-4 of the accompanying drawings show an assembly of
two panels, laths or sheathings 1 by means of an assembly device
for the edges, which is constituted by at least one male portion 2
on a longitudinal end or transverse edge of said panels, laths or
sheathings 1 and by at least one female portion 3 of corresponding
shape on the two other longitudinal and transverse edges of said
panels, laths or sheathing 1.
[0024] According to the invention, the male portion 2 and female
portion 3 are provided with at least one element 6 and/or 2"-3"
and/or 2'"-3'" and 5, permitting an assembly by impact or pressure
of two consecutive panels, laths or sheathing 1 by their adjacent
edges in an oblique direction, said panels, laths or sheathing 1
being initially offset in height and parallel to each other and
their male and female portions 2 and 3 being thus partially
mutually engaged (FIGS. 1 and 3).
[0025] According to a first embodiment of the invention, shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, the female portion 3 is
preferably provided, in its upper lateral wall, with a recess or
cavity forming an element 6 permitting assembly without deformation
with the male portion 2. Thus, as is shown more particularly in
FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, at the beginning of assembly
of two edges, which is to say when the male portion 2 is presented
to the female portion 3 in an oblique insertion direction, said
male portion 2 comes into contact, with a portion of its upper
ridge, with the external edge of the recess or the tongue cavity
forming the element 6 and is guided against this latter, whilst the
opposite side of the male portion 2 is continuously bearing against
the corresponding sidewall of the female portion 3, ensuring a
sliding adjustment guidance, the inlet of the portion 7 into its
corresponding recess 7' in the female portion 3 corresponding to
the final horizontal approach movement of the panels, laths or
sheathing 1. As a result, the assembly is effected without any
deformation, neither plastic nor elastic, of the male and/or female
portions.
[0026] According to a modified embodiment of the invention and as
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, said male and
female portions 2 and 3 can be provided with elements 2"-3",
2'"-3'" permitting an assembly by impact or pressure of two
consecutive panels, laths or sheathing 1 by their adjacent edges in
an oblique direction, said elements 2", 3" and 2'"-3'" being in the
form of contact surfaces 2"-3" and 2'"-3'" provided on the male and
female portions 2 and 3, these contact surfaces forming oblique
ramps for insertion of the male portion 2 into the female portion 3
of the assembly device and being preferably interconnected by a
rounded concave guide means 5.
[0027] The contact surfaces 2"-3" and 2'"-3'" constituting the
elements permitting assembly by impact or pressure, are disposed in
discontinuous and offset manner relative to each other.
[0028] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, for
the mounting of a new panel, lath or sheathing 1, it suffices to
present this latter horizontally slightly above the panels, laths
or sheathings 1 that are already positioned and by positioning
their longitudinal and transverse edges corresponding to those of
said panels, laths or sheathings 1 that are already emplaced, on
the corresponding edges of these latter, with a slight transverse
and longitudinal offset due to the positioning of the male portions
2 and female portions 3. In this position, shown in FIG. 3 of the
accompanying drawings, the male portion 2, with an element 2'
projecting on its upper crest, is an abutment against the beginning
of the corresponding internal surface of the female portion 3 and
the elements 2" of the male portion 2 and 3'" of the female portion
3 are simultaneously in contact with the corresponding rounded
concave guide means 5.
[0029] Thus, two adjacent panels, laths or sheathings 1 have
parallel upper and lower surfaces at the beginning of assembly and
this parallelism is maintained during final assembly. This latter
is carried out by application of a force or an impact in an oblique
direction corresponding to that of the vertical axes of the male
portions 2 and female portions 3, the application of the assembly
force or the impact on the panel, lath or sheathing 1 to be
assembled is preferably carried out with the interposition, on the
opposite edge to that of the assembly, of a wedge 4. In the course
of assembly by pressure or by abrupt striking impact, the element
2' slides on the corresponding internal wall of the female portion
3, whilst the element 2" of the male portion slides on the element
3'" of that portion. Then the element 2" of the male portion
engages on the element 3", female, after passage on the guide 5,
whilst the opposite element 2' engages in the recess forming the
element 3', to dock itself in this latter, the coaction of the
elements 2"-3" and 2'"-3'" locking the male portion 2 in position
in the female portion 3 and ensuring perfect holding and blocking
in the assembled position of the panels, laths or sheathings 1.
Simultaneously, a blockage in horizontal and vertical directions is
ensured. This forceful assembly, struck or by application of
pressure, is carried out with a guidance with sliding contact
without deformation of the male portion 2 or female portion 3, the
male portion 2 penetrating the female portion 3 slidably.
[0030] The construction of the male and female portions 2 and 3 and
the arrangement of the elements 2"-3" and 2'"-3'" and 5 permitting
an assembly by impact or pressure, thus permits progressive and
directional engagement of the male portion 2 in the female portion
3, this with an oblique movement, which has the effect of carrying
out simultaneously an approach of the edges of the panels, laths or
sheathings 1 in the direction of their vertical joint plane and
their application on the horizontal support. Moreover, the
arrangement itself of the male portions 2 and female portions 3
permits simultaneous assembly of panels, laths or sheathings 1 with
the longitudinal and transverse edges of adjacent panels. Moreover,
such a mounting preserves the decorative edges against any
damage.
[0031] According to another characteristic of the invention, the
male and female portions 2 and 3 have an inclination inclined
relative to the upper surface of the panels, laths or sheathings
1.
[0032] Preferably, the male portions 2 and female portions 3 extend
in a direction substantially perpendicular to an oblique plane
joining the plane of the vertical joint between two adjacent sides
of the panels, laths or sheathings 1.
[0033] According to another characteristic of the invention, not
shown in the accompanying drawings, the surface of the male portion
2 connecting the sidewalls of the male portion 2, as well as the
corresponding surface of the female portion 3, can preferably have
a flat portion parallel to the upper and lower surfaces of the
panels, laths or sheathings 1. There results a good distribution of
the load in the joint plane practically without a component of
force acting on the male and female portions 3.
[0034] According to another characteristic of the invention, and as
shown in FIG. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, the upper ridge
of the female portion 3 is preferably cut or rounded, such that it
extends in a vertical plane PV parallel to the vertical plane P'V'
passing through the crest of the junction of the base of the
corresponding sidewall of the male portion 2 (FIGS. 2 and 4).
[0035] Finally, according to another characteristic of the
invention, not shown in the accompanying drawings, it is also
possible to combine the recess or concavity forming an element 6
provided in the upper sidewall of the female portion 3, with
elements 2"-3" and 2'"-3'" in the form of contact surfaces 2"-3"
and 2'"-3'" and the rounded concave guidance 5 provided on the male
and female portions 2 and 3. In such a case, the facility of
assembly is further improved.
[0036] According to another characteristic of the invention, the
male and female portions 2 and 3 are offset from the vertical joint
plane of the junction between the upper surfaces of the panels,
laths or sheathings 1. Thus, the vertical shear forces are also
displaced out of this plane and are distributed over the adjacent
surfaces of the male and female portions.
[0037] It is also possible, according to another characteristic of
the invention, to arrange the end of the male portion 2 in line
with the vertical joint plane of the junction of the upper surfaces
of the panels, laths or sheathings 1.
[0038] Given the length of the panels, laths or sheathings 1
relative to their width, the force of application exerted obliquely
on the longitudinal edge is sufficient to permit assembly by
snapping in of the transverse edges simultaneously with that of the
longitudinal edges. Thus, the assembly of a new panel on panels
already laid is carried out by an oblique movement, in the
direction of two perpendicular edges of said panels that are
already laid.
[0039] In the assembly position obtained according to the present
invention, it will be seen clearly that the coaction of the
different elements on the adjacent edges of the panels, laths or
sheathings 1 to be assembled, permit turning out on the one hand a
perfect positioning of a panel, lath or sheathing with the adjacent
panel and, on the other hand, a gripping and locking in position of
such panels, laths or sheathings to each other.
[0040] Moreover, the positioning of the assembly means forming the
male portion 2, beyond the vertical joint plane, permits, during
any application of force on a joint, a transmission of most of the
force supplied directly on the corresponding surfaces, whilst the
assembly device is practically unloaded directly and, in
particular, is subjected practically only to very small shear
force.
[0041] Thanks to the invention, it is possible to provide panels,
laths or sheathings, whose assembly of the edges permits
self-gripping and self-joining of said edges, as well as
self-blocking of said panels, laths or sheathings in assembled
position.
[0042] Moreover, the invention permits an optimum assumption and
distribution of the loads, such as the resulting forces that are
applied principally on the edges of the panels, laths or sheathings
and that the assembly means properly so called is subjected to
practically no force adapted to lead to its destruction by fatigue.
Moreover, the assembly of panels, laths or sheathings 1 can be
carried out with an oblique movement of inclination corresponding
to that of the male and female portions 2 and 3 and by application
of simple pressure or impact in this direction.
[0043] The panels, laths or sheathings thus made can be machined in
a particularly simple manner with present tooling and with reduced
requirement for intermediate adjustment of the tooling.
[0044] It results that the panels, laths or sheathings thus
produced are of lesser cost than those known at present, whilst
offering increased resistance in the joints.
[0045] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment
described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications
remain possible, particularly as to the construction of the various
elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without
thereby departing from the scope of protection of the
invention.
* * * * *