US 2,003,024,199 · Filed 2002-07-26
The Moisture-Blocking Floor Panel That Keeps Hardwood from Warping
This patent describes a way to build floor panels with built-in protection against moisture damage. Before the surface gets installed, the core gets sealed so water and humidity can't soak in and ruin the wood's shape — a problem that's plagued floors for centuries.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a floor panel design where sealing material is applied to the sheet-shaped core before the finished surface layer is added. What's protected here is the specific approach of treating the core itself with moisture barriers before assembly, rather than just sealing the top surface after installation. Anyone manufacturing floor panels with this pre-surface sealing method on the core would potentially infringe.
Why it matters
Moisture damage is one of the oldest problems in flooring — wood warps, swells, and buckles when exposed to humidity changes, destroying expensive installations. By sealing the core before finishing, this patent addresses the damage at its source rather than patching the symptom. This approach can extend the lifespan of wood and engineered floors, making them more durable and reducing warranty claims for manufacturers.
Real-world use
When you install a hardwood or engineered floor in a basement or kitchen, you're betting against humidity and spills damaging the material underneath — this sealed-core design is meant to win that bet by locking moisture out before it starts.
Original USPTO abstract
Floor panels and floor elements therefore are made of sheet-shaped cores which before application of the surface of the floor panels are formed with sealing means for counteracting changes in the properties of the floor panels caused by moisture.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 2,003,024,199
- Filing date
- 2002-07-26
- Grant date
- Application — not yet granted
- Assignee
- Darko Pervan / Tony Pervan
- Inventor(s)
- PERVAN DARKO, PERVAN TONY
- CPC class
- E04F15/02038
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