US 2,008,028,707 · Filed 2007-08-15
The Invisible Locking Mechanism That Changed How Floorboards Click Together
This patent describes a clever way to lock floorboards together from underneath using hidden grooves and interlocking pieces. Instead of nails or glue, the boards snap together like a puzzle—the groove in one board catches a locking element on the next board, creating a rock-solid floor that's easy to install and replace.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a floorboard design with a mechanical locking system hidden on the underside. Specifically, what's protected is the combination of a locking groove carved into the bottom of one edge, paired with a projecting locking element on the adjacent edge that fits into that groove. The groove must extend parallel to the joint and be positioned below the main surface of the board, with walls made from multiple layers of the plywood body. Anyone manufacturing a floorboard with this exact locking geometry—groove position, depth, and interlocking mechanism—would be using the patented design.
Why it matters
This patent represents a fundamental shift in laminate and engineered flooring installation. By creating a mechanical locking system that doesn't require adhesives or fasteners, manufacturers could produce flooring that's faster to install, easier to replace, and more stable over time. The design became industry-standard technology for click-together flooring systems, particularly in laminate and vinyl plank markets, giving the patent holder significant commercial leverage in a multi-billion-dollar flooring industry.
Real-world use
When you lay down luxury vinyl plank or laminate flooring in a home renovation, you're snapping together boards that likely use this locking mechanism—hearing that satisfying click as each plank locks into the one beside it.
Original USPTO abstract
A locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards, each of the floorboards comprising a body comprising plywood with several layers; a locking groove which is formed in an underside of and extends in parallel with a first joint edge at a distance from the joint plane, the locking groove having an opening, a bottom, and two side walls; a portion projecting from a lower part of the second joint edge and below the first joint edge and integrated with the body of the board; said projecting portion supporting, at a distance from the joint plane, a locking element for cooperating with the locking groove; said projecting portion being located entirely outside the joint plane as seen from the side of the second joint edge; and the walls of the locking groove comprise at least two layers of the body.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 2,008,028,707
- Filing date
- 2007-08-15
- Grant date
- Application — not yet granted
- Assignee
- Valinge Innovation Ab
- Inventor(s)
- PERVAN DARKO
- CPC class
- E04F15/02
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