US 2,008,034,708 · Filed 2007-07-09
The Locking Groove That Made Click-Together Flooring Possible
Imagine floor panels that snap together without nails or glue—just a satisfying click. This patent describes a clever groove system with a flexible metal or plastic piece that locks panels horizontally together while staying hidden. Once locked, they stay put and won't separate when you walk on them.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a mechanical locking system for floor panels that uses a flexible locking element seated in a groove. When two panels are pressed together horizontally, this flexible element rises up vertically to catch and lock them in place. What's protected here is the specific geometry of how that groove is shaped and how the flexible piece moves during installation—the mechanics that make click-lock flooring work without adhesives or fasteners.
Why it matters
This patent represents a major shift in how residential flooring is manufactured and installed. Instead of requiring nails, staples, or glue—which are slow, messy, and require skilled labor—homeowners and installers can simply click panels together. This made laminate and engineered wood flooring far more accessible to DIY installers and reduced production costs. The locking system became a core competitive technology in the flooring industry, allowing manufacturers to differentiate products on ease of installation.
Real-world use
Every time someone installs a modern laminate or click-lock wood floor in their bedroom or kitchen without calling a professional, they're using the mechanics this patent protects—panels sliding together horizontally, then locking into place with a 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 2,008,034,708
- Filing date
- 2007-07-09
- Grant date
- Application — not yet granted
- Assignee
- Valinge Innovation Ab
- Inventor(s)
- PERVAN DARKO
- CPC class
- E04F15/02038
Want to file your own patent?
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