US 2,008,066,415 · Filed 2007-12-04
The Click-Lock Floor Panel Patent That Changed Hardwood Installation
Imagine connecting floor planks together like puzzle pieces instead of nailing them down. This patent describes a clever groove-and-latch system that lets panels snap together horizontally, then locks tight as you push them down. No tools, no adhesive — just geometry doing the work.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a mechanical locking system built into the edges of floor panels, where a flexible locking element sits in a groove. When two panels slide together horizontally, that locking element bends out of the way, then springs back to grip the neighboring panel's edge. What's protected is the specific shape and motion of that locking element and how it engages during installation.
Why it matters
This kind of patent matters because it removes friction from a common task. Instead of requiring nails, screws, or adhesive to secure flooring, the panels lock themselves through clever mechanical design. For manufacturers, it's valuable IP because it makes their products easier to install, which appeals to both professional installers and DIY homeowners — and harder for competitors to copy without infringing.
Real-world use
When you install vinyl plank flooring or engineered hardwood in a home, those crisp clicking sounds as planks snap together and lock into place are often using a locking system very similar to this design.
Original USPTO abstract
Floor panels are provided with a mechanical locking system including a flexible locking element in a locking groove, which during a horizontal motion is displaced vertically.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 2,008,066,415
- Filing date
- 2007-12-04
- Grant date
- Application — not yet granted
- Assignee
- Darko Pervan / Marcus Bergelin
- Inventor(s)
- PERVAN DARKO, BERGELIN MARCUS
- CPC class
- E04F15/02038
Want to file your own patent?
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