US 2,009,193,748 · Filed 2009-01-30
The Locking Floor System That Eliminated Squeaky, Shifting Planks
Imagine floor planks that snap together so tightly they can't shift or squeak — that's what this patent does. Tiny mechanical teeth on the edges of wood or laminate planks lock vertically when you press them down, creating a rock-solid floor that stays put for decades.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a floor panel locking mechanism where tongue-and-groove edges have protrusions and cavities that can move between an unlocked vertical position (where protrusions align with cavities) and a locked vertical position (where protrusions overlap each other). What's protected here is this specific mechanical interlock geometry and the way it constrains vertical movement while allowing the panels to slip horizontally during installation.
Why it matters
This type of locking system became foundational to modern laminate and engineered wood flooring, allowing manufacturers to create floating floors that don't require nailing or gluing. The mechanical lock reduces movement, noise, and gaps over time, which directly improves product durability and customer satisfaction. Valinge's innovation in this space became a competitive differentiator in the flooring industry.
Real-world use
When you walk on a laminate or engineered wood floor that doesn't creak or shift, the rigid connection between planks is likely enforced by a locking system like this one.
Original USPTO abstract
Floor panels are shown, which are provided with a mechanical locking system having tongue and grooves provided with protrusions and cavities which are displaceable in relation to each other and configured such that the protrusions can obtain a vertically unlocked position where they match the cavities and a vertically locked position where the protrusions overlap each other.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 2,009,193,748
- Filing date
- 2009-01-30
- Grant date
- Application — not yet granted
- Assignee
- Valinge Innovation Belgium Bvba
- Inventor(s)
- BOO CHRISTIAN, SJOSTRAND MATTIAS, PALSSON AGNE, HAKANSSON NICLAS, PERVAN DARKO
- CPC class
- E04F15/02
Want to file your own patent?
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