Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and devices for inserting a tongue into an insertion groove in a panel. The panel is configured to be arranged and locked perpendicular to an adjacent panel by a locking device comprising the tongue. The panels may be assembled and locked together to obtain a furniture product, such as a bookshelf, a cupboard, a wardrobe, a box, a drawer or a furniture component.

Background of the Invention

A conventional furniture product may be assembled by a plurality of elements or panels. The panels may be assembled with a mechanical locking device, such as disclosed in, for example, WO 2012/1541 13 A1 . The product comprises a first panel connected perpendicularly to a second panel by a mechanical locking device comprising, an edge tongue at the first panel, an edge groove at the second panel and a flexible tongue in an insertion groove.

WO 2015/038059 discloses a product assembled by a plurality of panels that are locked by mechanical locking devices comprising a flexible tongue in an insertion groove.

The locking devices of the panels are generally produced in a production line by a continuous production process, comprising a number of milling tools. The edge groove and the insertion groove may extend contiguously from a front edge to a back edge of the panel. The edge groove is preferably covered at the front edge by a decorative layer. The edge groove and the insertion groove may also end before the front edge and/or the back edge as disclosed in, e.g., SE 1650135-5.

Embodiments of the present invention address a need to provide an improved method and an improved device for inserting a tongue into an insertion groove in a panel. Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention preferably seek to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more deficiencies, disadvantages or issues in the art, such as the above-identified, singly or in any combination by providing a method for inserting a tongue in an insertion groove in a panel.

A further object of embodiments of the invention is to provide an improve method for inserting a tongue in an insertion groove comprising displacing the tongue in a tongue queue device by compression forces from tongues in the tongue queue.

Embodiments of the invention may have the advantages that the tongue is guided in a reliable manner by a tongue queue device to an inserting device. The tongue queue device may have the advantage that the tongue may be fed to an outlet of the tongue queue device, which is adjacent an inlet of the inserting device, wherein the height and/or the angle of the outlet may be chosen with a great freedom.

At least some of these and other objects and advantages that will be apparent from the description have been achieved by a first aspect of the invention comprising a method for inserting a tongue in an insertion groove in a panel, wherein the method comprises:

• displacing a first tongue to an end position of a tongue queue, which

comprises tongues under compression, in a tongue queue device, · compressing the first tongue,

• displacing the tongues in the tongue queue by compression forces from the tongues under compression,

• displacing a second tongue, which is at a front position of the tongue queue, to an inserting device, · displacing the second tongue into an insertion groove in a panel by said inserting device.

The tongues in the tongue queue are preferably at least partly displaced by compression forces from the tongues under compression. The tongues in the tongue queue may be displaced only by the compression forces when the second tongue is displaced into the inserting device.

The first tongue may be displaced by a device to the end position of the tongue queue, wherein the device may indirectly displace some or all of the tongues under compression the tongue queue.

The method may comprise separating the first tongue from a tongue blank by a separating device.

The method may comprise performing said compressing by the separating device.

The method may comprise performing said separating and compressing by rotating a tool.

The method may comprise displacing the first tongue from the end position to the front position, preferably between an upper curve shaped surface and lower curve shaped surface of the tongue queue device.

The method may comprise rotating the first tongue during said displacing of the first tongue from the end position to the front position.

The method may comprise displacing the first tongue in a first direction and in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction, during said displacing of the first tongue from the end position to the front position.

A second aspect of the invention comprises a machine for inserting a tongue in an inserting groove in a panel, wherein the machine comprises a tongue queue device comprising an upper surface and an opposite lower surface configured to guide tongues from an inlet to an outlet of the tongue queue device. The machine comprises a separating device, preferably at the inlet of the tongue queue device, which is configured to compress the tongues, that the tongue queue device is configured such that tongues under compression in a tongue queue are displaced between the inlet and the outlet at least partly by compression forces from the tongues under compression, and that the machine comprises, at the outlet of the tongue queue device, an inserting device which is configured to displace a tongue into the insertion groove.

The upper surface and the lower surface may be curve shaped. A first tangential direction of the upper surface and/or the lower surface at the inlet may be different from a second tangential direction of the upper surface and/or the lower surface at the outlet.

The inlet may be positioned in a first vertical position and in a first horizontal position and the outlet may be positioned in a second vertical position and a second horizontal position, wherein the first vertical position is different from the second vertical position, and wherein the first horizontal position is different from the second horizontal position.

The separating device may be configured to separate a tongue from a tongue blank by a tool which is rotatable.

The upper surface may be at an edge of an upper plate shaped element and the lower surface may be at an edge of a lower plate shaped element.

The machine may comprise two or more of said upper plate shaped element, preferably arranged at a distance from each other and preferably parallel to each other, and wherein the device comprises two or more of said lower plate shaped element, preferably arranged at a distance from each other and preferably parallel to each other.

The first tongue and the second tongue and the tongues in the tongue queue are preferably identical or essentially identical to the tongue.

The first tongue and the second tongue and the tongues in the tongue queue, according to the first and/or second aspect may comprise one or more of the features of the tongues below:

The tongue may be of an elongated shape and may comprise a first long edge and a second-long edge. The first edge may be a first short edge, and the second edge may be an opposite second short edge.

A longitudinal direction of the tongue is preferably perpendicular to the first direction.

The tongue may be a flexible tongue and made of, e.g., a polymer and preferably comprising a reinforcement material, such as a fibre e.g. fibreglass. The tongue may comprise a bendable part at the first long edge and preferably a groove adjacent the bendable part. The bendable part may be configured to be pushed into the groove adjacent the bendable part. The tongue may comprise several of said bendable part and preferably several of said groove.

The tongue may comprise a polymer material and is preferably produced by injection moulding.

The tongue may be connected to several tongues in the tongue blank by a first rail at the first short edge and preferably by a second rail at the second short edge. A separating device preferably separates the tongue from the first rail and preferably from any second rail before the tongue is displaced to the tongue queue of a tongue queue device.

The first rail and the second rail may extend in a length direction perpendicular to the tongue.

The tongue may be connected to the first rail and/or the second rail, which may be casting gates, by a first and a second casting gate, respectively

The tongue is preferably configured to be displaceable in the insertion groove.

The device is preferably a part of a production line comprising milling tools for forming a locking device at the edge of the panel. The locking device preferably comprises said insertion groove.

The edge groove and the insertion groove may extend contiguously from a front edge to a back edge of the panel.

Brief Description of the Drawings

These and other aspects, features and advantages of which embodiments of the invention are capable of, will be apparent and elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the present invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG 1 shows a tongue queue device in a 3D-view according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG 2 shows a tongue queue device in a front view, according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG 3 shows a tongue queue in a side view, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG 4 shows a tongue queue in a side view, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS 5A-5D show embodiments of the tongue according to embodiments of the invention.

FIGS 6A-6D show an embodiment of the tongue according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS 7A-7D show embodiments of the panel according to embodiments of the invention.

FIGS 8A-8B show an inserting device, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS 9A-9D show a separating device, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG 10 shows a machine, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Description of embodiments

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the

embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

Embodiments of the tongue queue device 100 and embodiments of the method for displacing the tongue in the tongue queue device are shown in FIG 1 to FIG 4. The method and the machine for inserting a tongue into an insertion groove in a panel preferably comprise some of these embodiments. FIG 1 shows an embodiment of tongue queue device 100 in a 3D-view, FIG 2 shows the embodiment device in a front view, FIG 3 shows the embodiment in a side view, FIG 4 shows another embodiment 100 of tongue queue in a side view.

Embodiments of the method for displacing the tongue in the tongue queue device 100 comprise:

· displacing a first tongue 30' to an end position of a tongue queue 52, which comprises tongues 30 under compression, in a tongue queue device 100,

• compressing the first tongue 30',

• displacing the tongues 30 in the tongue queue 52, at least partly by

compression forces from the tongues 30 under compression, · displacing a second tongue 30", which is at a front position of the tongue queue, to an inserting device 80,

• displacing the second tongue 30" into an insertion groove 20 in a panel by said inserting device 80.

The tongues 30 in the tongue queue 52 may be displaced only by the compression forces when the second tongue 30" is displaced into the inserting device 80.

The first tongue 30' may be displaced by a device to the end position of the tongue queue, wherein the device may indirectly displace some or all of the tongues under compression in the tongue queue 52.

When the first tongue 30' is at the end position of the tongue queue 52, the compressing of the first tongue 30' is a compressing in a direction 106.

Each tongue may follow a tongue queue path from an end position of the tongue queue to the front position of the tongue queue. The compression forces of the tongues 30 in the tongue queue 52 are in the direction of the tongue queue path.

The method may comprise separating the first tongue 30' from a tongue blank 50 by a separating device 1 10.

The method may comprise performing said compressing by the separating device 1 10.

The method may comprise performing said separating and compressing by rotating a tool 60. The method may comprise displacing the first tongue 30' from the end position to the front position, preferably between an upper curve shaped surface 104 and lower curve shaped surface 103 of the tongue queue device 100.

The method may comprise rotating the first tongue 30' during said displacing of the first tongue from the end position to the front position. For example, the first tongue may be rotated at least 15°. For example, the first tongue may be rotated at least 5° in one direction followed by rotation of at least 10° in an opposite direction.

The method may comprise displacing the first tongue 30' in a first direction and in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction, during said displacing of the first tongue from the end position to the front position.

Embodiments of the tongue queue device 100, may comprise an upper surface 104 and an opposite lower surface 105 configured to guide tongues 30 from an inlet to an outlet of the tongue queue device. The queue device is configured such that tongues 30 under compression in a tongue queue 52 are displaced between the inlet and the outlet at least partly by compression forces from the tongues 30 under compression.

The upper surface 104 and the lower surface 103 may be curve shaped. For example, the upper surface and the lower surface may include one inflection point, two inflection points, or more.

A first tangential direction 106 of the upper surface and/or the lower surface at the inlet is different from a second tangential direction 107 of the upper surface and/or the lower surface at the outlet.

The embodiment of the tongue queue device shown in FIG 4 is configured for inserting a tongue in downward direction. The embodiment of the tongue queue device shown in FIG 1 -3 is configured for inserting a tongue in an upward direction.

The inlet may be positioned in a first vertical position and in a first horizontal position and the outlet may be positioned in a second vertical position and a second horizontal position, wherein the first vertical position is different from the second vertical position, and wherein the first horizontal position is different from the second horizontal position. For example, the outlet may be lower than the inlet, and the second tangential direction may be in an upward direction, for example, in a range of 5 to 45°, and may be more upward directed than the first tangential direction, for example by about 5 to 60°.

For example, the outlet may be lower than the inlet and the second tangential direction may be in a downward direction, for example, in a range of 5 to 45°, and may be more downward directed than the first tangential direction, for example by about 5 to 60°.

The upper surface 104 may be at an edge of an upper plate shaped element 102 and the lower surface 103 is at an edge of a lower plate shaped element 101 .

The tongue queue device may comprise two or more of said upper plate shaped element 102, preferably arranged at a distance from each other and preferably parallel to each other, and wherein the tongue queue device comphses two or more of said lower plate shaped element 101 , preferably arranged at a distance from each other and preferably parallel to each other.

Embodiments of a tongue, which may be the first tongue, the second tongue and the tongues in the tongue queue 30, which may be displaceable in an insertion groove 20, see FIGS 7A-7D, are shown in FIGS 5A-5D. A first embodiment of the tongue, which is shown in FIG 5A-5B, comphses bendable protruding parts 31 at a first long edge of the tongue. The first embodiment is shown in a relaxed state in FIG 5A and in a compressed state in FIG 5B. A second long edge of the tongue is preferably essentially straight. The first embodiment may be inserted into the insertion groove with the bendable protruding parts facing towards a bottom of the insertion groove and the second edge extending beyond an opening of the insertion groove. A second embodiment of the tongue, which is shown in FIG 5C in a relaxed state, is of an elongated shape and flexible. The second embodiment comphses a recess 37 at a first long edge of the tongue and a second edge which is essentially straight. The recess is decreased in a compressed state of the second embodiment. The second embodiment may be inserted into the insertion groove with the recess 37 facing towards a bottom of the insertion groove and the second edge extending beyond an opening of the insertion groove. A third embodiment of the tongue, which is shown in FIG 5D, comphses a first part 38, which is flexible and configured to be compressed, and a second part 39 which is rigid. The first part may be arranged in the insertion groove and the second part may partly extend beyond an opening of the insertion groove.

The tongue may be configured as any of the embodiments of the displaceable tongue disclosed in, e.g., WO 2006/043893 and WO 2007/015669, the entire contents of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

The tongue may be flexible and made of, e.g., a polymer and preferably comprising a reinforcement material, such as a fibre, e.g. , fiberglass.

Another embodiment of the tongue 30 is shown in FIGS 6A-6D. The tongue is of an elongated shape and comprises a first short edge 34, an opposite second short edge 36, first long edge and a second long edge 32. FIG 6D shows an

enlargement of the encircled area A indicated in FIG 6A. The tongue comprises several bendable parts 31 at the first long edge and a groove 33 at each bendable part 31 . The tongue comprises a polymer material and is preferably produced by injection moulding. The bendable part 31 is configured to be pushed into the groove 33 in a compressed state of the tongue.

FIG 6A shows an embodiment of tongue which is connected to several tongues (not shown) in a tongue blank by a first rail 35 at the first short edge 34 and by a second rail 37 at the second short edge 36. The first rail and the second rail extend in a length direction perpendicular to the tongue. The tongue may be connected to the first rail and/or the second rail, which may be casting gates, by a first and a second casting gate 41 ,42, respectively.

FIG 6B and FIG 6C show the tongue 30 in a cross cut view. The tongue is in FIG 6B in a relaxed state an in FIG 6C in a compressed state. A distance between an outer part of the bendable part 31 and the second long edge 32 is shorter in the compressed state compared to in the relaxed state.

The tongue is preferably configured to be inserted into an insertion groove of a panel for locking the panel to an adjacent panel.

FIGS 7A-7D shows embodiments of the panel 1 , each comprising an embodiment of the tongue 30 inserted in an embodiment of the insertion groove 20, connected to an adjacent panel 2. The embodiments of the panel shown in FIGS 7A-7D may be furniture panels. The embodiment of the panel shown in FIG 7C may also be a floor panel.

FIG 7A shows the panel 1 arranged perpendicular to an adjacent panel 2 and locked to the adjacent panel in a first direction and in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction. The panel comprising an edge groove 21 at an upper surface of the panel. The edge groove 21 is of a longitudinal shape and extends along an edge of the panel 1 . The edge groove comprising said insertion groove 20, which is extending along the edge groove, comprising said tongue 30. The adjacent panel comprises an edge tongue 22 which comprises a tongue groove 10 extending along an edge of the adjacent panel. The tongue 30 is configured to cooperate with the tongue groove 10 for locking together the panel 1 with the adjacent panel 2 in the first direction. The edge tongue 22 is configured to cooperate with the edge groove 21 for locking together the panel 1 with the adjacent panel 2 in the second direction.

FIG 7B shows the panel 1 arranged perpendicular to an adjacent panel 2 and locked to the adjacent panel in a first direction and in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction. The adjacent panel comprising an edge groove 21 at an upper surface of the adjacent panel. The edge groove 21 is of a longitudinal shape and extends along an edge of the adjacent panel 1 . The edge groove comprises a tongue groove 10. The panel comprises an edge tongue 22 which comprises said insertion groove 20 comprising said tongue 30. The insertion groove is extending along the edge tongue. The tongue 30 is configured to cooperate with the tongue groove 10 for locking together the panel 1 with the adjacent panel 2 in the first direction. The edge tongue 22 is configured to cooperate with the edge groove 21 for locking together the panel 1 with the adjacent panel 2 in the second direction.

FIG 7C shows the panel 1 arranged parallel to an adjacent panel 2 and locked to the adjacent panel in a first direction and in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction. The panel comprising said insertion groove 20 which is extending along an edge of the panel. The edge comprises a strip protruding from the edge and the strip comprises an upwardly protruding locking element. The adjacent panel 2 comprises a tongue groove 10 extending along an adjacent edge of the adjacent panel 2. The adjacent edge comprises a locking groove with an opening facing downwards. The tongue 30 is configured to cooperate with the tongue groove 10 for locking the panel to the adjacent panel in a first direction and the locking element is configured to cooperate with the locking groove for locking the panel to the adjacent panel in the second direction. An embodiment of the said first and second panel comprises the insertion groove 20 at the adjacent edge of the adjacent panel and the tongue groove 10 at the edge of the panel.

FIG 7D shows an embodiment of the panel and the adjacent panel shown in FIG 6A in a 3D-view. The edge tongue 22 is extending along the edge 4 of the adjacent panel and ends before an adjacent edge 6 of the adjacent panel 2. The edge groove 21 is extending along the edge 3 of the panel 1 and ends at a side wall 23 before an adjacent edge of the 5 of the panel 1 .

A core material of embodiments of the panel and the adjacent panel described above may comprises a wood fibre based board, such as a HDF, MDF, plywood, solid wood or particleboard, or a reinforced plastic board or a wood fibre composite board. The core may be provided with a decorative layer.

An embodiment of an inserting device 80 is shown in FIG 8A and 8B in an outer end position. FIG 8B shows an embodiment of a panel 1 comprising an insertion groove 20 in an edge groove 21 , the tongue 30, a puncher 81 and a first part 83 and a second part 82 of a tongue guiding device. The tongue guiding device is displaced to a position close to an opening of the insertion groove. The distance between the tongue guiding device and the opening is preferably about 1 mm or may be in the range of about 0,5 mm to about 2 mm. The device comprises a tongue guiding device, which is displaceable in a first direction 91 , and a puncher 81 which is configured to displace a tongue 30 between a first part 83 and a second part 82, into an insertion groove 20 in a panel, wherein the tongue guiding device is configured to be displaced by the puncher, which is displaceable in the first direction 91 .

The embodiment comprising a panel with an upwardly directed edge groove and the first direction is downwardly inclined. The puncher 81 may be displaceable a longer distance in the first direction than the tongue guiding device.

The first part 83 of the tongue guiding device may be displaceable a longer distance in the first direction than the second part 82 of the guiding device.

The device may comprise a displaceable tongue queue stopper 84 for controlling a feeding of a new tongue, the tongue queue stopper 84 is preferably configured to cooperate with a protruding part 85 on the tongue guiding device.

The puncher 81 and the tongue guiding device may be displaceable in relation to a tongue queue device 100.

The device may comprise a motor (not shown), such as an electric motor or a pneumatic motor, configured to drive the puncher 81 in the first direction 91 and preferably in a second direction 92, which is opposite to the first direction.

An advantage of this embodiment of the device may be that only one motor is required to drive the puncher, the guiding device and the tongue queue stopper. An embodiment of the separating method and the separating device 1 10 is shown in a side view in FIGS 9A-9D from a starting position in FIG 9A, with a protruding part of a rotatable tool facing upwards, to a position of contact between the protruding part and the tongue in FIG 9D. The method comprises a method for managing and separating a tongue from a tongue blank, comprising cutting a first edge 34 of a tongue 30 from a tongue blank 50 by rotating 61 a tool 60 which comprises a protruding part 62, and displacing the tongue 30 by the protruding part 62 to a tongue queue 52. The tongue queue preferably comprises two or more tongues which are preferably identical or essentially identical to said tongue.

The tongue blank 50 is displaced in a feeding direction 51 towards the tool until a tongue of the tongue blank has reached a cutting position in the device 1 10.

A rail of the tongue blank 50 may have a length direction parallel to the feeding direction 51 .

A longitudinal direction of the tongue 30, at the time of feeding and separation from the tongue blank, is preferably parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotatable/rotating tool 60. The device may comprise a dye 76 and the tongue is cut between the tool and the dye. The tongue 30 is preferably displaced by the protruding part 62 when the tongue 30 is separated or almost separated from the tongue blank 50.

The method may comprise rotating the tool 60 by a shaft, wherein the shaft comprises a rotating disc, and guiding the tongue by the rotating disc during the cutting. The disc may have the same shape as the tool, and the device may comprise a free space under the disc, such that the tongue is guided and displaced without cutting the tongue apart.

The method preferably comprises cutting a second edge of the tongue 30 from the tongue blank 50 by a second of said rotating tool 60.

The method may comprise compressing said tongue 30 by the protruding part 62.

The method may comprise compressing the tongues in the tongue queue 52, by the protruding part 62.

The method may comprise displacing the tongue by the protruding part 62, during the cutting, from an upper inlet 70 to a lower outlet 71 .

The method preferably comprises further rotating the tool 60 in the same direction 61 from the contact position in FIG 9D until the tool has reached the starting position in FIG 9A.

An embodiment of the machine for inserting a tongue in an inserting groove 20 in a panel is shown in FIG 10. The machine comprises a tongue queue device 100, see FIGS 1 -4, comprising an upper surface 104 and an opposite lower surface 105 configured to guide tongues 30 from an inlet to an outlet of the tongue queue device. The device comprises a separating device 1 10, see FIGS 9A-9D, preferably at the inlet, configured to compress the tongues 30, that the device is configured such that tongues 30 under compression in a tongue queue 52 are displaced between the inlet and the outlet by compression forces from the tongues 30 under compression, and that the machine comprises an inserting device 100 at the outlet configured to displace a tongue into the insertion groove 20.

FIG 10 shows the machine before attachment of the tongue queue device at a position 121 between the separating device and the inserting device. The upper surface 104 and the lower surface 103 may be curve shaped.

A first tangential direction 106 of the upper surface and/or the lower surface at the inlet is different from a second tangential direction 107 of the upper surface and/or the lower surface at the outlet.

The machine shown in FIG 10 preferably comprises the embodiment of the tongue queue device shown in FIG 4 since the machine is configured for inserting a tongue in downward direction and comprises an inserting device facing

downwards. An embodiment of the machine which is configured for inserting a tongue in an upward direction, comprises an inserting device directed upwards and preferably comprises the embodiment of the tongue queue device shown in FIG 3. The same machine may be used for inserting a tongue in an upward direction and in the downward direction by replacing the embodiment of tongue queue device and adjusting the angle of the inserting device.

The inlet may be positioned in a first vertical position and in a first horizontal position and the outlet may be positioned in a second vertical position and a second horizontal position, wherein the first vertical position is different from the second vertical position, and wherein the first horizontal position is different from the second horizontal position.

The separating device may be configured to separate a tongue from a tongue blank by a tool 60 which is rotatable see FIGS 9A-9D.

The upper surface 104 may be at an edge of an upper plate shaped element 102 and the lower surface 103 is at an edge of a lower plate shaped element 101 .

The tongue queue device may comprise two or more of said upper plate shaped element 102, preferably arranged at a distance from each other and preferably parallel to each other, and wherein the tongue queue device comprises two or more of said lower plate shaped element 101 , preferably arranged at a distance from each other and preferably parallel to each other.

The machine may also comprise a magazine 122 for tongue blanks 50.

The machine may be arranged in a production line comprising milling tools for forming a locking device, comprising the insertion groove 20, at an edge of the panel for locking the panel to an adjacent panel. The panel is preferably contiguously displaced during the insertion of the tongue into the insertion groove.