Building panels comprising a locking device

Abstract

Building panels, such as floor panels, including a locking device. The locking device includes a protrusion and a groove configured to cooperate for vertical locking of a first edge portion of a first building panel to an adjacent second edge portion of a second building panel. The locking device further includes a separate tongue arranged in an insertion groove and a recess configured to cooperate for horizontal locking of the first and the second edge portions. The first and second edge portions are configured to be assembled by a relative essentially horizontal displacement and/or by angling. The insertion groove is provided vertically below at least one horizontal plane extending along a vertical locking surface provided in a third edge portion of the first building panel.

1 . Building panels comprising a locking device, the locking device comprising:
 a protrusion and a groove and/or a lip groove and a lip configured to cooperate for vertical locking of a first edge portion of a first building panel to an adjacent second edge portion of a second building panel, the protrusion and/or the lip groove and the groove and/or the lip being provided in the first and the second edge portion, respectively, and   a tongue provided in the first edge portion and a recess provided in a strip of the second edge portion extending horizontally beyond an upper portion of the second edge portion, the recess and the tongue being configured to cooperate for horizontal locking of the first and the second edge portions,   the first and second edge portions being configured to be assembled to each other by a relative essentially horizontal displacement of the first and second building panels against each other and/or by angling of the first and second building panels relative to each other, and   a protruding element provided in a third edge portion of the first building panel for vertical locking of the third edge portion to an adjacent fourth edge portion of a third building panel by angling of the first and third building panels relative to each other and/or by a relative essentially horizontal displacement of the first and third building panels against each other, and/or   a male connector provided in a fourth edge portion of the second building panel for vertical locking of the fourth edge portion to an adjacent third edge portion of a fourth building panel by angling of the second and fourth building panels relative to each other and/or by a relative essentially horizontal displacement of the second and fourth building panels against each other,   wherein the protrusion and the protruding element extend continuously along a corner portion of the first building panel, such that the protrusion is gradually transformed into the protruding element along a horizontal continuous transition portion disposed along the corner portion, and/or   wherein the male connector and the lip extend continuously along a corner section of the second building panel, such that the male connector is gradually transformed into the lip along a horizontal continuous transition portion disposed along the corner section.   
     
     
         2 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the corner portion is provided horizontally outside of the tongue and, in a perpendicular direction, horizontally outside of a locking groove provided in the third edge portion. 
     
     
         3 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the building panels comprise the protrusion and the groove and wherein the building panels comprise the protruding element,
 wherein the protrusion extends along a major portion of the first edge portion and/or wherein the protruding element extends along a major portion of the third edge portion.   
     
     
         4 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the building panels comprise the protrusion and the groove and wherein the building panels comprise the protruding element,
 wherein the protrusion extends along an entirety of the first edge portion and wherein the protruding element extends along an entirety of the third edge portion.   
     
     
         5 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the building panels comprise the protrusion and the groove and wherein the building panels comprise the protruding element,
 wherein the protrusion and the protruding element are provided at the same vertical level.   
     
     
         6 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the building panels comprise the lip groove and the lip and wherein the building panels comprise the male connector,
 wherein the third edge portion further comprises a female connector configured to cooperate with the male connector in the fourth edge portion, the male connector extending along a major portion of the fourth edge portion.   
     
     
         7 . The building panels according to  claim 6 , wherein the male connector extends along essentially an entirety of the fourth edge portion. 
     
     
         8 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the building panels comprise the protrusion and the groove and wherein the building panels comprise the protruding element,
 wherein a horizontal extension of the protrusion and/or the protruding element is essentially constant along the first and/or third edge portions in the corner portion.   
     
     
         9 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the building panels comprise the lip groove and the lip and wherein the building panels comprise the male connector,
 wherein an upper section of the lip and an upper portion of the male connector are provided at the same vertical level.   
     
     
         10 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the tongue is a separate tongue and wherein the first edge portion comprises an insertion groove in which the separate tongue is arranged. 
     
     
         11 . The building panels according to  claim 10 , wherein the insertion groove is provided vertically below at least one horizontal plane extending along a vertical locking surface provided in a third edge portion of the first building panel. 
     
     
         12 . The building panels according to  claim 10 , wherein the horizontal continuous transition portion may be provided in a horizontal transition plane provided along a horizontal plane extending along a vertical locking surface provided in a third edge portion of the first building panel or vertically between the horizontal plane and an innermost portion of the insertion groove. 
     
     
         13 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the tongue is integrally formed with the first building panel. 
     
     
         14 . The building panels according to  claim 13 , wherein the strip comprises an undercut portion configured to accommodate a portion of the strip during a downward bending of the strip. 
     
     
         15 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking device further comprises a locking groove provided in the third edge portion configured to cooperate with a locking element for horizontal locking of the third and fourth edge portions, the locking element being provided on a strip extending beyond an upper portion of the fourth edge portion. 
     
     
         16 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking device comprises an insertion member provided in the third edge portion in which a locking member is arranged and a depression provided in a strip of the fourth edge portion extending horizontally beyond an upper portion of the fourth edge portion, wherein the depression and the locking member are configured to cooperate for horizontal locking of the third and the fourth edge portions. 
     
     
         17 . The building panels according to  claim 16 , wherein the locking member is separately formed. 
     
     
         18 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the building panels comprise the protrusion and the groove and wherein the building panels comprise the protruding element,
 wherein a top side of the protrusion is gradually transformed into an upper side of the protruding element.   
     
     
         19 . The building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the building panels are floor panels. 
     
     
         20 . Building panels comprising a locking device, the locking device comprising:
 a protrusion and a groove configured to cooperate for vertical locking of a first edge portion of a first building panel to an adjacent second edge portion of a second building panel, the protrusion and the groove being provided in the first and the second edge portion, respectively, and   a tongue provided in the first edge portion and a recess provided in a strip of the second edge portion extending horizontally beyond an upper portion of the second edge portion, the recess and the tongue being configured to cooperate for horizontal locking of the first and the second edge portions,   the first and second edge portions being configured to be assembled to each other by a relative essentially horizontal displacement of the first and second building panels against each other and/or by angling of the first and second building panels relative to each other, and   a protruding element provided in a third edge portion of the first building panel for vertical locking of the third edge portion to an adjacent fourth edge portion of a third building panel by angling of the first and third building panels relative to each other and/or by a relative essentially horizontal displacement of the first and third building panels against each other,   wherein the protrusion and the protruding element extend continuously along a corner portion of the first building panel, such that the protrusion is gradually transformed into the protruding element along a horizontal continuous transition portion disposed along the corner portion.   
     
     
         21 . Building panels comprising a locking device, the locking device comprising:
 a lip groove and a lip configured to cooperate for vertical locking of a first edge portion of a first building panel to an adjacent second edge portion of a second building panel, the lip groove and the lip being provided in the first and the second edge portion, respectively, and   a tongue provided in the first edge portion and a recess provided in a strip of the second edge portion extending horizontally beyond an upper portion of the second edge portion, the recess and the tongue being configured to cooperate for horizontal locking of the first and the second edge portions,   the first and second edge portions being configured to be assembled to each other by a relative essentially horizontal displacement of the first and second building panels against each other and/or by angling of the first and second building panels relative to each other, and   a male connector provided in a fourth edge portion of the second building panel for vertical locking of the fourth edge portion to an adjacent third edge portion of a fourth building panel by angling of the second and fourth building panels relative to each other and/or by a relative essentially horizontal displacement of the second and fourth building panels against each other,   wherein the male connector and the lip extend continuously along a corner section of the second building panel, such that the male connector is gradually transformed into the lip along a horizontal continuous transition portion disposed along the corner section.