Flooring panels with slidable edge joints

Abstract

A flooring system includes a plurality of rectangular flooring panels, the flooring panels individually including a core comprising two long edges, and two short edges with interlocking joints formed at the short edges. The interlocking joints are shaped to prevent flooring panels that are joined at the short edges from sliding apart. The long edges do not include interlocking joints.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flooring system comprising:
 a plurality of rectangular flooring panels, the flooring panels individually comprising:
 a core comprising two long edges, and two short edges; and 
 interlocking joints formed at the short edges, the interlocking joints shaped to prevent flooring panels that are joined at short edges from sliding apart, 
 wherein the long edges do not include interlocking joints. 
   
     
     
         2 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the flooring panels individually comprise tongue and groove joints formed at the long edges. 
     
     
         3 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises one or more of: vinyl material, stone plastic composite material, magnesium oxide material, engineered hardwood material, and wood polymer composite material. 
     
     
         4 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the interlocking joints are shaped to engage by lowering a short edge of a first panel, in a vertical direction, onto a short edge of a second panel in the same row as the first panel. 
     
     
         5 . The flooring system of  claim 4 , wherein the interlocking joints are further shaped to permit sliding the first panel so that a long edge of the first panel contacts a second row of panels. 
     
     
         6 . The flooring system of  claim 4 , wherein the interlocking joints are shaped to engage without additional vertical force beyond a weight of a panel. 
     
     
         7 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the interlocking joints are shaped to engage by sliding a long edge of a first panel along another row of panels, until a short edge of the first panel couples to a short edge of a second panel. 
     
     
         8 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the interlocking joints are shaped to permit up to 0.1 millimeter of movement between floor panels that are joined at short edges. 
     
     
         9 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the flooring panels individually comprise an anti-slip layer beneath the core. 
     
     
         10 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one replacement flooring panel, comprising a core, interlocking joints at short edges, an extension along a first long edge to cover a tongue of a first adjacent panel, and an undercut portion along a second long edge to cover a groove of a second adjacent panel.