Patent Issued for Panel locking system and panels therefor (USPTO 11708698): Columbia Insurance Company

2023 AUG 16 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx journalists, a patent by the inventors Drevet, Anthony (Chattanooga, TN, US), filed on September 29, 2021, was published online on July 25, 2023.

The assignee for this patent, patent number 11708698, is Columbia Insurance Company (Omaha, Nebraska, United States).

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Ceramic tile constitute a majority of wall coverings used in residential showers. Ceramic tiles are durable and low-cost and therefore suitable for vertical installation in wet areas. However, one of the main disadvantages of ceramic tiles is the complex installation that requires a skilled installer. Poor installation can lead to cracking over time and/or leaks that can cause mold or structural damage to the residence.

“Various products have been developed for wet surfaces such as vertical shower wall panels or coverings that do not require the need for professional installation and can be installed via the general population of do-it-yourself (DIY) individuals. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,397,547 to Martensson and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0131783 to Liu et al. attempt to provide leak-free panels. However, these panels are subject to major water leaking concerns where corners of adjacent panels meet due to features that are consistent with conventional tongue and groove panels.

“Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, conventional panels 10 configured for tongue and groove interconnections have a face 12. Two adjacent sides that meet in a first corner have a respective tongue 14 extending therefrom. Front legs 16 and back legs 18 on the other two sides define a groove 20 therebetween that is configured to receive the tongue 14 of another panel 10. The tongues 14 conventionally have longitudinal dimensions 13a, 13b that are shorter than or equal to the longitudinal dimensions of the respective side 15a, 15b of the face 12 along which it extends. In this way, the tongue 14 does not interfere with the tongue 14 of an adjacent, interlocking panel. Likewise, and for the same reason, the front legs 16 and back legs 18 that define the groove 20 conventionally have longitudinal dimensions that are shorter than or equal to the longitudinal dimension of the respective side of the face 12 along which they extend. The longitudinal dimensions 13a, 13b of the tongues 14 being shorter than or equal to the longitudinal dimensions of the respective side 15a, 15b of the face 12 is also a byproduct of manufacturing. Because the grooves and the tongues are at the same position relative to the thickness of the panel, a milling tool that cuts each groove also forms an adjacent end of a respective tongue.

“Referring also to FIGS. 3-5, if the corners and sides of two to four adjacent panels are not perfectly adjoined, water can pass through the gap 21 between the faces 12 of the adjacent panels. Although perfect installation (without gaps 21) may be possible in a lab setting or with few panels, such a perfect installation is not practical for large installations. Factors such as installer skill and care can allow for deviation from perfect installation, and an uneven or rough subsurface (e.g., sheetrock) can make perfect installation impracticable or impossible. That is, existing solutions rely on installer care and do not allow for tolerances of slightly uneven or rough subsurfaces. Referring also to FIG. 6, conventionally, tongues have respective widths (in the respective lateral dimensions extending from the respective sides 15a,15b) that are shorter than the depths of their respective grooves in order to allow for imperfect tolerances in milling or forming these dimensions as well as allowing for expansion without buckling or bowing of the panels). These unequal tongue width and groove depth dimensions can define conduits 22a that can communicate water that leaks behind the faces of panels, and the water can then leak behind the panel, on a back side 24 of the panel opposite the face 12, ultimately leading to water damage. Similarly, the panel 10 can define a recess behind each tongue 14 that is configured to receive the back leg 18 of an adjacent panel 10. The recess 19 can have a depth that is greater than the width of the back leg (in its respective transverse dimension) to thereby provide a clearance allowing for imperfect tolerances in milling. These unequal dimensions can likewise define conduits 22b that similarly communicate water therethrough so that the water can ultimately flow behind the panels. Because the unequal dimensions of the tongue width and groove depth as well as back leg width and recess depth are typically needed for the reasons stated, the conduits 22a and conduits 22b typically cannot be avoided.

“Accordingly, referring also to the example scenario shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, initial water breach can occur at an intersection of a first T-joint between an upper panel (see FIG. 4A) and two adjacent panels 10a, 10b therebelow. Water can travel past the faces 12 of the panels through non-abutting edges 23 (circled) of the face 12. Once behind the faces 12, water can travel through a first path (1) shown as the conduit 22a between the tongue and the groove and/or a second path (2) shown as the conduit 22b between the back leg 18 and the recess 19. When the water reaches a second T-joint between the two adjacent panels 10a, 10b and a lower panel 10c, the water can leak down the back side 24 (FIGS. 2A and 2B) of the lower panel 10c along a third path (3).

“For these reasons, conventional tongue and groove panels are not suitable for surfaces that are exposed to moisture such as shower wall panels.

“To avoid leaking at the corners, some shower wall panels are provided with dimensions of 2 feet by 8 feet or 4 feet by 8 feet so that the panels span the entire height of the shower wall and do not form unions that allow water therethrough. However, these panels do not provide the visually attractive tile format that many individuals prefer.

“Silicone sealants can be used to seal edges of conventional panel systems. However, for various reasons, silicone is not always desirable to use or to rely on as the primary element for inhibiting water breach.

“Accordingly, it is desirable to have a system of panels with interlocking tongue and groove connections that inhibit water from permeating through the system.

“The drawings illustrate only example embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the scope of the disclosure, as the present disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments. The elements and features shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the example embodiments. Additionally, certain dimensions or positions may be exaggerated to help visually convey such principles.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “The disclosed system and method may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of particular embodiments and the examples included therein and to the Figures and their previous and following description.

“It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure which will be limited only by the appended claims.

“It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a tongue” includes one or more of such tongues, and so forth.

““Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event, circumstance, or material may or may not occur or be present, and that the description includes instances where the event, circumstance, or material occurs or is present and instances where it does not occur or is not present.

“Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, also specifically contemplated and considered disclosed is the range from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value unless the context specifically indicates otherwise. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another, specifically contemplated embodiment that should be considered disclosed unless the context specifically indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint unless the context specifically indicates otherwise. Finally, it should be understood that all of the individual values and sub-ranges of values contained within an explicitly disclosed range are also specifically contemplated and should be considered disclosed unless the context specifically indicates otherwise. The foregoing applies regardless of whether in particular cases some or all of these embodiments are explicitly disclosed.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A unitary panel comprising: a face surface having: a first edge and a second edge that extend along a first axis and are spaced by a width along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, and a third edge and a fourth edge that extend along the second axis and are spaced by a length along the first axis; a back surface spaced from the face surface along a third axis that is perpendicular to the first and second axes; a first side that extends between the first edge of the face surface and the back surface, wherein the first side comprises a first tongue; a second side that extends between the second edge of the face surface and the back surface, wherein the second side comprises a first front leg and a first back leg that cooperate to define a first groove therebetween; a third side that extends between the third edge of the face surface and the back surface, wherein the third side comprises a second tongue; and a fourth side that extends between the fourth edge of the face surface and the back surface, wherein the fourth side comprises a second front leg and a second back leg that cooperate to define a second groove, wherein: at least one of the first tongue or the first back leg has a longitudinal dimension along the first axis that is greater than the length of the face surface; or at least one of the second tongue or the second back leg has a longitudinal dimension along the second axis that is greater than the width of the face surface, wherein the first tongue extends away from the first edge of the face surface by a select distance along the second axis, and wherein the second back leg extends beyond the first edge of the face surface in a direction away from the second edge of the face surface by the select distance.

“2. The panel of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first tongue or the first back leg has a longitudinal dimension along the first axis that is greater than the length of the face surface, and the second tongue has a longitudinal dimension along the second axis that is less than the width of the face surface.

“3. The panel of claim 1, wherein: a. at least one of the first tongue or the first back leg has a longitudinal dimension along the first axis that is greater than the length of the face surface by at least 0.2 mm, or b. at least one of the second tongue or the second back leg has a longitudinal dimension along the second axis that is greater than the width of the face surface by at least 0.2 mm.

“4. The panel of claim 1 wherein the first tongue has a forward surface and a rear surface, wherein the second tongue has a forward surface and a rear surface, wherein the rear surface of the second tongue is spaced from the rear surface of the first tongue along the third axis by a tab thickness in a direction toward the face surface, wherein each of the first back leg and the second back leg has a forward surface and a rear surface, and wherein the forward surface of the second back leg is spaced from the forward surface of the first back leg along the third axis by the tab thickness in a direction toward the face surface.

“5. The panel of claim 1, wherein the second tongue extends at least to a plane that is perpendicular to the second axis and includes the second edge of the face surface.

“6. The panel of claim 5, wherein each of the first tongue and the second tongue has a forward surface and a rear surface, wherein the forward surface of the second tongue is spaced from the forward surface of the first tongue along the third axis in a direction toward the face surface, wherein the rear surface of the second tongue is spaced from the rear surface of the first tongue along the third axis by a tab thickness in a direction toward the face surface, wherein each of the first and second front legs defines a rear surface that is spaced from the face surface relative to the third axis, wherein the rear surface of the second front leg is spaced from the rear surface of the first front leg along the third axis by the tab thickness in the direction toward the face surface, and wherein each of the first back leg and the second back leg has a forward surface and a rear surface that is spaced from the forward surface along the third axis, and wherein the forward surface of the second back leg is spaced from the forward surface of the first back leg along the third axis by the tab thickness in the direction toward the face surface.

“7. The panel of claim 1, wherein each of the first front leg and the first back leg has a width relative to the second axis, and wherein the width of the first back leg is greater than the width of the first front leg.

“8. The panel of claim 1, wherein each of the second front leg and the second back leg has a width relative to the second axis, and wherein the width of the second back leg is greater than the width of the second front leg.

“9. The panel of claim 1, wherein the first tongue and second back leg intersect at a first tab, wherein the first tongue has a rear surface, and wherein the second back leg has a forward surface, wherein the first tab is defined by the rear surface of the first tongue and the forward surface of the second back leg.

“10. The panel of claim 9, wherein the rear surface of the first tongue and the forward surface of the second back leg are offset by a first tab thickness of between 0.2 mm and 5 mm.

“11. The panel of claim 1, wherein the second tongue and first back leg intersect at a second tab, wherein the second tongue has a rear surface, wherein the first back leg has a forward surface, and wherein the second tab is defined by the rear surface of the second tongue and the forward surface of the first back leg.

“12. The panel of claim 11, wherein the rear surface of the first tongue and a forward surface of the second back leg are offset by a second tab thickness of between 0.2 mm and 5 mm.

“13. The panel of claim 1, wherein each of the first back leg and the second back leg has a planar forward surface, wherein each of the first tongue and the second tongue has a planar rear surface, wherein the forward surface of the first back leg is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the rear surface of the first tongue, and wherein the forward surface of the second back leg is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the rear surface of the second tongue.

“14. A unitary panel comprising: a face surface having: a first edge and a second edge that extend along a first axis and are spaced by a width along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, and a third edge and a fourth edge that extend along the second axis and are spaced by a length along the first axis; a back surface spaced from the face surface along a third axis that is perpendicular to the first and second axes; a first side that extends between the first edge of the face surface and the back surface, wherein the first side comprises a first tongue; a second side that extends between the second edge of the face surface and the back surface, wherein the second side comprises a first front leg and a first back leg that cooperate to define a first groove therebetween; a third side that extends between the third edge of the face surface and the back surface, wherein the third side comprises a second tongue; and a fourth side that extends between the fourth edge of the face surface and the back surface, wherein the fourth side comprises a second front leg and a second back leg that cooperate to define a second groove, wherein: at least one of the first tongue or the first back leg has a longitudinal dimension along the first axis that is greater than the length of the face surface; or at least one of the second tongue or the second back leg has a longitudinal dimension along the second axis that is greater than the width of the face surface, wherein the first tongue extends at least to a plane that is perpendicular to the first axis and includes the fourth edge of the face surface, wherein each of the first and second front legs defines a rear surface that is spaced from the face surface along the third axis, and wherein the rear surface of the second front leg is spaced from the rear surface of the first front leg relative to the third axis by a tab thickness in a direction toward the face surface.

“15. The panel of claim 14, wherein the second tongue extends at least to a plane that is perpendicular to the second axis and includes the second edge of the face surface.”

There are additional claims. Please visit full patent to read further.

For more information, see this patent: Drevet, Anthony. Panel locking system and panels therefor. U.S. Patent Number 11708698, filed September 29, 2021, and published online on July 25, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(11708698)&db=USPAT&type=ids

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