US 2007/0006543 · 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.

Curated and verified by the IsItPatented Editorial team

Fig. 1. Illustration of interlocking floor panels. Not this patent’s official drawing.

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 2007/0006543
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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