Panel for Covering a Surface or Support and an Associated Joint System

Abstract

A panel 10 is formed with first and second joint systems 20 and 22 to enable engagement of a plurality of panels 10 along their sides 16 and 18 . The first joint system 20 has a laterally extending tongue 24 a along one longitudinal side 16 a and a groove 24 b along an opposite longitudinal side 16 b . The second joint system 22 is a vertical joint system having mutually engageable male and female parts Jm and Jf respectively. The male part Jm is formed on one transverse the side 18 a , while the female part Jf is formed on an opposite transverse side 18 b.

1 .- 63 . (canceled) 
     
     
         64 . A surface covering panel comprising:
 a first major surface and an opposite second major surface that in use lies on or faces a support;   first and second edges that lie between the first and second major surfaces;   male and female parts that extend along the first and second edges respectively, the male and female parts being configured to enable two like panels to connect to each other with the male part of one panel engaging with the female part of a second panel in a manner to resist separation of the connected panels in a plane parallel to the first major surface and in a plane perpendicular to the first major surface;   wherein the female part has a recess adjacent to the first major surface and a protrusion spaced from the first major surface toward the first edge by the recess, and an innermost female locking surface on the recess extending from the first major surface to a base of the recess, the recess surface having a datum surface lying parallel to the first major surface;   wherein the male part has a protrusion adjacent the first major surface and a recess inboard of the protrusion, and an outermost male locking surface on the protrusion extending from the first major surface toward the second major surface; and   wherein the male and female parts are further configured so that the when the male and female parts of like panels are engaged, an intermediate portion of the outermost male locking surface abuts the datum surface, and respective portions of the innermost female locking surface and the outermost male locking surface from the datum surface to the recess base are spaced from each other.   
     
     
         65 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 64 , wherein the male and female parts form a vertical joint system, and wherein the male and female parts are configured to enable mutual engagement in response to a force applied in an engagement direction which is substantially perpendicular to the major surfaces, the male part having a male recess and the female part having a female protrusion. 
     
     
         66 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 65 , wherein the male and female parts are further relatively configured such that when in a joined condition one of the parts overhangs the other of the parts about each of a first locking plane that passes through an outermost side of the male protrusion and a second locking plane that passes through an outermost side of the female protrusion, each of the first and second locking planes being perpendicular to the major surfaces 
     
     
         67 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 66 , wherein the male part is provided with an innermost male locking surface on its male recess and the female part is provided with an outermost female locking surface on its male protrusion, the innermost male locking surface and the outermost female locking surface being arranged to engage to create the second locking plane. 
     
     
         68 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 67  wherein the outermost female locking surface comprises a convexly curved portion that overhangs a convexly curved portion of the inner most male locking surface. 
     
     
         69 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 68 , wherein the innermost male locking surface and the outermost female locking surface are each provided with a respective planar surface portion located between respective convex curved portions and a common major surface, the respective planar surface portions being parallel to each other when male and female parts are in the joined condition and juxtaposed with the first major surfaces parallel to each other. 
     
     
         70 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 69 , wherein the planar surface portion of the innermost male locking surface lies inboard of a lateral most point on the convex curved portion of the innermost male locking surface. 
     
     
         71 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 70 , wherein the planar surface portion of the outer most female locking surface lies inboard of a lateral most point on the convex curved portion of the outermost female locking surface. 
     
     
         72 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 69 , wherein the respective parallel planar surface portions are spaced apart by a distance of between 0.02 mm and 0.2 mm inclusive. 
     
     
         73 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 64 , wherein the male and female parts are further configured to form an upper gap between two connected panels when the second major surfaces of the two panels are coplanar, the upper gap comprising a visible portion that is visible at the first major surfaces of two connected panels and extends both in a direction parallel to the first major surfaces and in a direction from the first surface towards the second major surface and a second contiguous portion that extends from the visible portion to a first contact region between the connected panels, the first contact region comprising the datum surface. 
     
     
         74 . The surface covering panel to  claim 73 , wherein the visible portion of the gap is widest at the first major surfaces of two connected panels and reduces in width in the direction from the first major surface towards the second major surface. 
     
     
         75 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 73 , wherein the gap is configured to prevent a direct line of sight from the first major surface to the first contact region when the gap is viewed from a standing position on the panels. 
     
     
         76 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 73 , wherein the gap follows a path of a configuration such that a direct line of sight impinges a surface of the first or second panel at a location intermediate of the first major surfaces and the first contact region; wherein the visible portion of the gap extends from the first major surface to the intermediate location and the second portion extends from the intermediate location to the first contact region. 
     
     
         77 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 76 , wherein the path comprises a bend at an intermediate location, wherein the visible portion of the gap extends from the first major surfaces to the bend and the bend prevents the direct line of sight from the first major surface to the first contact region. 
     
     
         78 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 77 , wherein the bend is created by a surface portion one of the male and female parts that overlies a surface portion of the other of the male and female parts in a plane lying perpendicular to the first major surfaces. 
     
     
         79 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 77 , wherein the innermost female locking surface comprises an inner surface having a first surface portion extending from the upper surface at an obtuse included angle, a second contiguous surface portion extending toward the lower major surface at a steeper angle than the first surface portion, and a contiguous third surface portion that extends toward the second part of a connected second panel. 
     
     
         80 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 79 , wherein the innermost female locking surface comprises a fourth surface portion that extends between the third surface portion and the first contact region. 
     
     
         81 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 76 , wherein the path is a linear path that is inclined at an acute angle relative to the first major surfaces, the acute angle being arranged so that a direct line of sight impinges the surface of the first or second panel at the intermediate location, wherein the visible portion of the gap extends from the first major surfaces to the intermediate location and the second portion extends from the intermediate location to the first contact region. 
     
     
         82 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 73 , wherein the upper gap extends to a depth D 1  measured perpendicular from the first major surface of a panel wherein: 0.3T≧D 1 ≧0.1 T, where T is the thickness of the panel measured perpendicular to the first major surface. 
     
     
         83 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 82 , wherein the visible part of the upper gap extends to a depth of between 0.4 D 1  to 0.8 D 1 . 
     
     
         84 . The surface covering panel according to  claim 64 , wherein the male and female parts are configured so that when two like panels are connected to each other with the male part of one panel engaging with the female part, and an upward motion is induced on the engaged parts, the male and female parts compress against each other at four spaced locations.