US 2,007,006,543 · Filed 2005-10-04
The Invisible Locking System That Holds Luxury Flooring Together
Imagine two pieces of flooring that snap together like puzzle pieces, but with a hidden sliding lock that keeps them from ever coming apart. This patent describes a clever mechanical joint with grooves and a moveable locking tongue that lets you click panels down and then lock them in place permanently—no nails or glue needed.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a two-part joint system for connecting panels. One edge has a downward-protruding heel and a groove cut beneath its upper surface. The opposite edge has an upward heel and an undercut groove that holds a moveable locking element. That locking element has a specially shaped tongue and legs designed to slide into the undercut and lock the joint rigid. Anyone making a panel joint with this exact combination of heels, grooves, undercuts, and a moveable locking mechanism would be infringing.
Why it matters
This patent protects Pergo's click-lock flooring technology, a major innovation that transformed how consumers install laminate and wood-look flooring at home. Instead of requiring professional installation with adhesives and fasteners, homeowners can now assemble luxury floors themselves by clicking panels together. This made high-end flooring affordable and DIY-accessible, which is why click-lock joints became an industry standard. The mechanical elegance of hiding the lock mechanism inside the joint also meant manufacturers could design seamless-looking floors without visible hardware.
Real-world use
Every time you install click-lock laminate or vinyl plank flooring in a home, you're physically using this joint geometry—snapping planks together end-to-end and watching them lock into place as the hidden tongue mechanism engages.
Original USPTO abstract
A joint ( 1 ) having a first edge ( 2 ) and a second edge ( 3 ), the first edge ( 2 ) being provided with a distal edge ( 21 ) and a downwards protruding heel ( 22 ) The distal edge ( 21 ) is further provided with an upper joint edge ( 25 ) beneath which a groove ( 23 ) is arranged. The second edge ( 3 ) is provided with lower cheek ( 31 ) having a distal end ( 32 ) at which an upwards protruding lower cheek heel ( 33 ) is arranged. The second edge ( 3 ) is further provided with an upper joining edge ( 35 ) beneath which an undercut ( 34 ) is arranged. A moveable locking element ( 40 ) is arranged in the space created by the undercut ( 34 ). The moveable locking element ( 40 ) have a locking tongue ( 41 ), a locking tongue leg ( 42 ) and a manoeuvring leg ( 43 ).
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 2,007,006,543
- Filing date
- 2005-10-04
- Grant date
- Application — not yet granted
- Assignee
- Pergo (Europe) Ab
- Inventor(s)
- ENGSTROM NILS-ERIK
- CPC class
- E04F15/02038
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