Välinge Introduces New Locking Technology
A. The panels have a flexible and displaceable tongue T that is bended when a side pressure P is applied at an edge of the tongue T.
B. A second panel 2 is installed with vertical folding against a first panel 1. The edges are in this position not locked vertically and the panel 2 could be angled up or down.
C. A new panel 3 is installed in a new row with angling. The long edge tongue of this new panel creates automatically a side pressure P on the edge of the flexible tongue, which bends into a tongue grove of the second panel 2 and locks the first 1 and second 2 panels vertically.
The major advantages against the present 5G technologies are:
Installation: The vertical folding could be made without any resistance and separation forces. The panels are in this first step not locked vertically and could easily be unlocked with angling up and adjusted in order to for example remove sawdust in the locking system or to correct installation mistakes.
Strength: The side pressure principle gives a very strong locking since the maximum pressure is obtained when the flexible tongue is pressed into the outer position and not in the inner position, which is the case with all traditional locking systems that lock with a vertical snapping. A locking could be obtained over the whole short edge from one long side to the other.
The principle is shown schematically. Välinge has patented more than 20 versions, which are based on several new principles.