A method of producing a decorative surface covering comprises generating one or more synthetic images. The generation of these images includes arranging local prototype motifs characteristic of a material to be mimicked in a random manner and generating or preserving continuity between the local prototype motifs in such a way as to yield globally an appearance of the material to be mimicked, digitally printing one or more synthetic images on a printing substrate, and assembling the printing substrate with one or more backing layers and/or one or more transparent top layers so as to form the decorative surface covering.

A method of producing a decorative surface covering comprises generating one or more synthetic images. The generation of these images includes arranging local prototype motifs characteristic of a material to be mimicked in a random manner and generating or preserving continuity between the local prototype motifs in such a way as to yield globally an appearance of the material to be mimicked, digitally printing one or more synthetic images on a printing substrate, and assembling the printing substrate with one or more backing layers and/or one or more transparent top layers so as to form the decorative surface covering.

A set of inks is provided for inkjet printing on a paper substrate, for example a paper sheet, for being used in laminated panel, preferably a floor, a wall, or furniture panels. The inks may be pigmented inks. The set of inks may include a cyan ink, a yellow ink, at least a red ink, and at least a black ink.

A set of inks is provided for inkjet printing on a paper substrate, for example a paper sheet, for being used in laminated panel, preferably a floor, a wall, or furniture panels. The inks may be pigmented inks. The set of inks may include a cyan ink, a yellow ink, at least a red ink, and at least a black ink.

A method of manufacturing a resin panel with a natural, oxidation flake layer comprises applying a solution to a material and allowing an oxidation flake layer to form, such as a rust layer on a metal sheet. A manufacturer can then layer the material with the oxidation flake layer and a thermoplastic substrate, so the thermoplastic substrate is facing the oxidation flake layer. A manufacturer can then heat the layers to the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic substrate, causing the thermoplastic substrate to bond to the oxidized elements of the oxidation flake layer. The manufacturer can then separate the material from the thermoplastic substrate, thereby stripping the bonded oxidation flake layer away from the material where it remains embedded in the thermoplastic substrate. The resultant resin panel has a natural, translucent oxidation flake design, which can be used in both exterior and interior decorative and/or structural applications.

A clean version of the amended Abstract is shown as follows: There is disclosed a method of printing onto the surface of a substrate, which method comprises i) coating a donor surface with a monolayer of particles, ii) treating the substrate surface to render at least selected regions tacky, and iii) contacting the substrate surface with the donor surface to cause particles to transfer from the donor surface only to the tacky regions of the substrate surface. After printing on a substrate, the donor surface returns to the coating station where the continuity of the monolayer is restored by recovering with fresh particles the regions of the donor surface exposed by the transfer of particles to the substrate.

A clean version of the amended Abstract is shown as follows: There is disclosed a method of printing onto the surface of a substrate, which method comprises i) coating a donor surface with a monolayer of particles, ii) treating the substrate surface to render at least selected regions tacky, and iii) contacting the substrate surface with the donor surface to cause particles to transfer from the donor surface only to the tacky regions of the substrate surface. After printing on a substrate, the donor surface returns to the coating station where the continuity of the monolayer is restored by recovering with fresh particles the regions of the donor surface exposed by the transfer of particles to the substrate.

An apparatus is disclosed for coating a surface that is movable relative to the apparatus with a layer of metallic particles or particles having a metal-like appearance and reflectivity, the particles adhering more strongly to the surface than to one another. The apparatus comprises at least one spray head for directly or indirectly applying to the surface a fluid stream within which the particles are suspended, a housing surrounding the spray head(s) and defining an interior plenum for confining the fluid stream, the housing having a rim adjacent the surface that is configured to prevent egress of particles from a sealing gap defined between the rim of the housing and the surface to be coated, and a suction source connected to the housing to extract from the plenum the sprayed fluid and particles suspended in the sprayed fluid. In operation, the suction source extracts substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the surface, so as to leave only a substantially single particle layer adhering to the surface on exiting the apparatus.

An apparatus is disclosed for coating a surface that is movable relative to the apparatus with a layer of metallic particles or particles having a metal-like appearance and reflectivity, the particles adhering more strongly to the surface than to one another. The apparatus comprises at least one spray head for directly or indirectly applying to the surface a fluid stream within which the particles are suspended, a housing surrounding the spray head(s) and defining an interior plenum for confining the fluid stream, the housing having a rim adjacent the surface that is configured to prevent egress of particles from a sealing gap defined between the rim of the housing and the surface to be coated, and a suction source connected to the housing to extract from the plenum the sprayed fluid and particles suspended in the sprayed fluid. In operation, the suction source extracts substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the surface, so as to leave only a substantially single particle layer adhering to the surface on exiting the apparatus.

A resin molding is provided. The resin molding includes an optically transparent plate-shaped portion which consists essentially of a single material and which includes a first surface having a smooth surface portion, and a second surface having plural convex portions. Each of the plural convex portions includes a first inclined surface having a concavo-convex portion thereon; and a second inclined surface having a smooth surface portion. The concavo-convex portion allows at least part of light incident from the first surface to cause total reflection, diffraction and interference and to travel toward the smooth surface portion of the second inclined surface, and the smooth surface portion selectively reflects visible light in a predetermined wavelength range toward the first surface, so that when the first surface of the resin molding is observed from outside, the resin molding has a colored appearance with at least one color in addition to a metallic appearance.