Willemstad, Curacao–Innovations4Flooring (I4F), a technology company providing flooring installation solutions, announced it has received an intention to grant letter from the European Patent Office for a divisional patent application, published as EP 2 719 845, relating to its 3L TripleLock innovation. The company said this will allow it to expand its scope of patent protection within Europe and provide its licensees with additional legal certainty of 3L TripleLock’s innovative character.
I4F’s European patent strategy is designed to maintain flexibility as well as to fortify and broaden the scope of patent protection in relation to 3L TripleLock and its other technologies. This benefits I4F licensees and makes it more difficult for competitors to design around I4F’s patent portfolio, according to John Rietveldt, CEO of Innovations4Flooring.
“This latest European patent is the addition of yet another protective plate in 3L TripleLock’s already strong and virtually impenetrable coat of armor,” he said. “It enables additional protection in Europe and intensifies our worldwide patent protection in 37 countries. We are safeguarding against new or unforeseen situations so that our licensees can concentrate on what they do best—manufacture and sell flawless, easy to install, superior flooring.”
I4F’s 3L TripleLock one-piece drop-lock technology has patents granted in 37 countries worldwide and multiple additional patent applications pending. The company said I4F’s technology is already being used on millions of square meters of different types of flooring, including laminate, wood, luxury vinyl tile and wood plastic composite (WPC). I4F’s one-piece drop lock solution is based on a threefold locking mechanism.
“Our goal is to revolutionize the global flooring industry through freedom of choice and game changing innovations offered at a reasonable fee compared to the total manufacturing cost price of products,” Rietveldt said.