US 2,006,236,642 · Filed 2005-03-30
The Click-Lock Floor Patent That Changed How Homes Are Built
Imagine floor panels that snap together without nails or glue—just a satisfying click as you slide them into place. This patent describes a flexible locking groove system that lets panels lock horizontally while staying flexible enough to handle movement and temperature changes.
The plain-English version
What it protects
What's protected here is a mechanical locking groove system built into the edges of floor panels, featuring a flexible locking element that moves vertically during horizontal installation. The claim covers the specific design of how this groove and flexible component interact to create a tight, interlocking joint between adjacent panels without requiring adhesives or fasteners.
Why it matters
This patent represents a major shift in flooring installation—moving from labor-intensive nailing and gluing to click-together systems that homeowners and contractors can install faster and more consistently. The flexibility built into the locking mechanism also allows the flooring to expand and contract naturally with temperature and humidity changes, reducing warping and buckling over time.
Real-world use
When you install laminate or engineered wood flooring in a home, each plank's edges contain this locking system—you angle one plank into the next and press down until you hear that satisfying click.
Original USPTO abstract
Floor panels ( 1, 1 ′) are provided with a mechanical locking system including a flexible locking element 15 in a locking groove 14 which during a horizontal motion is displaced vertically.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 2,006,236,642
- Filing date
- 2005-03-30
- Grant date
- Application — not yet granted
- Assignee
- Valinge Aluminium Ab
- Inventor(s)
- PERVAN DARKO
- CPC class
- E04F15/02038
Want to file your own patent?
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