Mechanical locking device for building panels

Abstract

A set of building panels such as floor panels, including similar or essentially identical building panels. Each building panel having a first mechanical locking device configured to horizontally and vertically lock a first edge of a building panel to a second edge of an adjacent building panel, where the first edge and the second edge preferably are the long edges of the building panels, and a second mechanical locking device configured to horizontally and vertically lock a third edge of a building panel to a fourth edge of an adjacent building panel, where the third edge and the fourth edge preferably are the short edges of the building panels. Each mechanical locking device includes a locking strip including a locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove. Each locking element has an impact surface and each locking groove comprises an impact surface.

1 . A set of building panels, comprising similar or essentially identical building panels wherein each building panel comprises a first mechanical locking device configured to horizontally and vertically lock a first edge of a building panel to a second edge of an adjacent building panel, and a second mechanical locking device configured to horizontally and vertically lock a third edge of a building panel to a fourth edge of an adjacent building panel,
 wherein each mechanical locking device comprises, at one of the first edge or second edge, and at one of the third edge or fourth edge, a locking strip extending from a respective edge in a direction away from said respective edge,   wherein each locking strip comprises, at its outermost portion, a locking element extending in a direction perpendicular to the extension of the locking strip,   wherein each locking element is configured to cooperate with a locking groove arranged in the other of the first edge or second edge, and in the other of the third edge or fourth edge, such that adjacent building panels are locked in a horizontal direction in an assembled position,   wherein each locking element comprises an impact surface extending from an outer surface of the locking element in a direction towards a back surface of the building panel, at an acute angle (β) in relation to a horizontal plane,   wherein each locking groove comprises an impact surface extending from an inner surface of the locking groove in a direction towards the back surface of the building panel, at an acute angle (ϕ) in relation to the horizontal plane, and configured to cooperate with the impact surface of the locking element  0  in an assembled position, when a force, acting, at least partially, in a vertical direction, is applied to at least one of the building panels,   wherein the first mechanical locking device and the second mechanical locking device are configured to be assembled together by means of a pivoting motion, or by a snapping assembly by an essentially horizontal displacement of the building panel being assembled to the adjacent building panel.   
     
     
         2 . The set of building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the impact surface of the locking element is arranged at the acute angle (β) of between 40° and 70° in relation to the horizontal plane. 
     
     
         3 . The set of building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the impact surface of the locking groove is arranged at the acute angle (ϕ) of between 40° and 70° in relation to the horizontal plane. 
     
     
         4 . The set of building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the impact surface of the locking element is essentially parallel to the impact surface of the locking groove. 
     
     
         5 . The set of building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the impact surface of the locking element is non-parallel to the impact surface of the locking groove. 
     
     
         6 . The set of building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the building panel has a thickness of between 3 and 6 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The set of building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the building panel has a thickness of between 3 and 4.5 mm and the impact surface of the locking element is arranged at the acute angle (β) of between 40° and 60° in relation to the horizontal plane. 
     
     
         8 . The set of building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the building panel has a thickness of between 4.5 and 6 mm and the impact surface of the locking element is arranged at the acute angle (β) of between 40° and 70° in relation to the horizontal plane. 
     
     
         9 . The set of building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking element further comprises a locking surface configured to cooperate with a locking surface of the locking groove in which the locking element is arranged in an assembled position. 
     
     
         10 . The set of building panels according to  claim 9 , wherein the locking surface of the locking element and the locking surface of the locking groove are essentially parallel. 
     
     
         11 . The set of building panels according to  claim 9 , wherein the locking surface of the locking element is arranged at an acute angle (α) of between 40° and 60°, in relation to the horizontal plane. 
     
     
         12 . The set of building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the mechanical locking device further comprises, at one of the first edge or second edge, and at one of the third edge or fourth edge, an upper locking tongue extending from respective edge in a direction away from said edge, and configured to be received in and cooperate with an upper tongue groove arranged in the other of the first edge or second edge, and in the other of the third edge or fourth edge. 
     
     
         13 . The set of building panels according to  claim 12 , wherein a height of the upper locking tongue is greater than a height of the upper tongue groove in order to create a tight seal between the adjacent building panels . 
     
     
         14 . The set of building panels according to  claim 13 , wherein the difference between the height of the upper locking tongue and the height of the upper tongue groove is in the range of 0.01 to 0.2 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The set of building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a substrate of the building panel comprises a thermoplastic material, preferably the substrate comprises 10-50 wt. %, of the thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         16 . The set of building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein each building panel comprises a single layered substrate, wherein the impact surface of the locking element and the impact surface of the locking groove are arranged in said substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The set of building panels according to  claim 1 , wherein the first mechanical locking device and the second mechanical locking device are the same type of locking device.