US 7,584,583 · Granted 2009-09-08
The Groove That Waterproofed Laminate Flooring
Imagine laminate flooring that actually resists moisture instead of swelling up when it gets wet. This patent covers a special groove design carved into floorboards that keeps water from seeping between the seams, plus a decorative surface layer that looks great while doing the protecting.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a moisture-resistant floorboard design featuring a resilient surface layer combined with a precisely engineered groove structure and sealing mechanism. What's protected here is the specific combination of the groove geometry and the moisture-blocking features that prevent water infiltration at the joints where floorboards meet. Anyone manufacturing or selling floorboards using this exact groove-and-seal approach without a license would be infringing on Valinge's design.
Why it matters
Laminate flooring was always vulnerable to water damage—the enemy of every homeowner with kids, pets, or kitchens. By engineering a groove that actively blocks moisture from seeping into seams, this patent solved one of the biggest complaints about budget-friendly flooring. It made laminate competitive with more expensive alternatives in damp environments, expanding the market for manufacturers who licensed the technology.
Real-world use
When you install laminate flooring in a kitchen or bathroom and it doesn't warp after spills, you're benefiting from groove engineering like this patent describes.
Original USPTO abstract
A set of moisture proof floorboards and a flooring of such floorboards with a resilient surface layer provided with a decorative groove and/or a sealing means.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 7,584,583
- Filing date
- 2007-07-09
- Grant date
- 2009-09-08
- Assignee
- Valinge Innovation Ab
- Inventor(s)
- BERGELIN MARCUS, NILSSON MATS
- CPC class
- E04F15/02038
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