US 6,854,235 · Granted 2005-02-15
The Click-Lock Floor Patent That Made Installing Wood Planks a DIY Breeze
This patent describes a clever interlocking system for laying floor boards without nails or glue. Boards snap together horizontally using special lips and heels on their edges, then lock vertically so they stay flat and won't shift or separate over time.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a floor board design with lower joining lips on two opposite edges and upper joining lips on the other two edges. These lips feature vertical surfaces that interlock when boards are pushed together horizontally, plus small heel-and-recess mechanisms that prevent the boards from lifting apart vertically. What's protected here is this specific geometry of interlocking edges that allows boards to join without fasteners.
Why it matters
This patent represents the core technology behind modern click-lock laminate and engineered wood flooring systems. By eliminating the need for nails, glue, and professional installation, it opened flooring to DIY consumers and reduced waste. The design made installation faster and floor replacement easier, which transformed the residential flooring market and became standard in countless homes worldwide.
Real-world use
When you install a floating wood or laminate floor in a bedroom or kitchen, you're snapping together boards protected by this patent design. Each time a plank clicks into place and seats flat, you're using the interlocking lip geometry this patent locked down.
Original USPTO abstract
Flooring material including floor boards ( 1 ) with an essentially square, rectangular or rhomboidal shape. The floor boards ( 1 ) are provided with edges ( 2 ), a horizontal lower side ( 5 ) and a horizontal decorative upper surface ( 3 ). The floor boards ( 1 ) are provided lower joining lips ( 10 ) at two adjacent edges ( 2 ) while the two remaining edges ( 2 ) are provided with upper joining lips ( 20 ). The lower joining lips ( 10 ) are provided essentially vertical lower lip surfaces 911 ) arranged parallel to the closest edge ( 2 ). The lower surfaces ( 11 ) are intended to interact with mainly vertical upper lip surfaces ( 21 ) arranged on the upper joining lips ( 20 ). Two joined adjacent floor boards ( 1 ) are hereby locked together in a horizontal direction. The joining lips ( 10 and 20 respectively) are furthermore provided with one or more heels ( 31 ) intended to snap join with recesses ( 32 ) adapted thereto which, by being provided with essentially horizontal locking surfaces, limits vertical movement between two joined adjacent floor boards ( 1 ).
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 6,854,235
- Filing date
- 2003-11-14
- Grant date
- 2005-02-15
- Assignee
- Pergo (Europe) Ab
- Inventor(s)
- MARTENSSON GORAN
- CPC class
- E04F15/02
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