A flexible structure is formed by subjecting cellulose-based natural wood material to a chemical treatment that partially removes hemicellulose and lignin therefrom. The treated wood has a unique 3-D porous structure with numerous channels, excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility, and improved flexibility as compared to the natural wood. By further modifying the treated wood, the structure can be adapted to particular applications. For example, nanoparticles, nanowires, carbon nanotubes, or any other coating or material can be added to the treated wood to form a hybrid structure. In some embodiments, open lumina within the structure can be at least partially filled with a non-wood substance, such as a flexible polymer, or with entangled cellulose nanofibers. The unique architecture and superior properties of the flexible wood allow for its use in various applications, such as, but not limited to, structural materials, solar thermal devices, flexible electronics, tissue engineering, thermal management, and energy storage.

A construction element includes superposed wooden structural boards that are provided with grooved patterns at the contact interface between the boards in order to prevent the first board and the second board from sliding relative to each other along at least one axis. The construction element further includes a retention system for retaining the boards against each other at the contact interface. The grooved patterns are pre-pressed against each other and the retention system includes at least one metal threaded rod component at least partially passing through at least two of the wooden structural boards at the contact interface.

[Problem] To address the problem of conventional old wood texture or antique taste boards which lack natural looking worn effects and present an appearance of an artificial treatment applied thereto. [Solution] Unlike a conventional configuration in which the rotary shaft of a roll brush is simply and fixedly arranged parallel to the wood grains of a board to which surface treatment is applied or the painted surface where paint is applied to the wood grains, the rotary shaft may be obliquely set to any angle including a right angle, and may be rotationally driven at high speed at a given inclined angle relative to the horizontal surface of the board along a left to right direction of the roll brush. This makes different “contact strength” of a roll brush such as a metal brush obliquely applied to each right and left end of the board, thereby causing the inclined roll brush to peel off the wood grains or the painted surface where paint is applied to the wood grains with difference strengths for each end of the board. This makes it possible to implement “uzukuri” (brushing process) with different designs presented along a left to right direction of the board.

A system having a conveyor assembly, at least one scorching assembly, and a central controller. The conveyor assembly has a conveyor that effects movement of at least one board or panel relative to a movement axis. Each scorching assembly has a combustion chamber, at least one burner, and at least one processing unit. Each burner can be mounted to the combustion chamber and at least partially received within the combustion chamber. Each burner can be oriented toward the conveyor. The at least one processing unit can be communicatively coupled to the at least one burner and configured to selectively control activation and operation of the at least one burner. The central controller can be communicatively coupled to each processing unit of the at least one scorching assembly and configured to receive a user input corresponding to a scorching profile for the at least one board or panel.

A system having a conveyor assembly, at least one scorching assembly, and a central controller. The conveyor assembly has a conveyor that effects movement of at least one board or panel relative to a movement axis. Each scorching assembly has a combustion chamber, at least one burner, and at least one processing unit. Each burner can be mounted to the combustion chamber and at least partially received within the combustion chamber. Each burner can be oriented toward the conveyor. The at least one processing unit can be communicatively coupled to the at least one burner and configured to selectively control activation and operation of the at least one burner. The central controller can be communicatively coupled to each processing unit of the at least one scorching assembly and configured to receive a user input corresponding to a scorching profile for the at least one board or panel.

A flexible structure is formed by subjecting cellulose-based natural wood material to a chemical treatment that partially removes hemicellulose and lignin therefrom. The treated wood has a unique 3-D porous structure with numerous channels, excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility, and improved flexibility as compared to the natural wood. By further modifying the treated wood, the structure can be adapted to particular applications. For example, nanoparticles, nanowires, carbon nanotubes, or any other coating or material can be added to the treated wood to form a hybrid structure. In some embodiments, open lumina within the structure can be at least partially filled with a non-wood substance, such as a flexible polymer, or with entangled cellulose nanofibers. The unique architecture and superior properties of the flexible wood allow for its use in various applications, such as, but not limited to, structural materials, solar thermal devices, flexible electronics, tissue engineering, thermal management, and energy storage.

The present disclosure relates to a wood article and a process for preparing the wood article. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a wood article comprising a wood substrate comprising acidic substances and having at least one major surface; an adhesion promoting layer directly applied on the major surface of the wood substrate; and a Michael Addition curing coating applied on the adhesion promoting layer, wherein the adhesion promoting layer is formed by a composition comprising a functional silane comprising amino and/or imino functional groups; and wherein the Michael Addition curing coating is formed from a two-component curable coating composition.

The present disclosure provides embodiments of a lapper assembly for use to overlap successive sheets of wood veneer or other materials along a conveyor. The lapper assembly may include a stop member configured to be rotatably mounted to a roller such that the stop member is pivotable around the rotational axis of the roller independently of the rotational angle of the roller. The lapper assembly may further include a lever arm coupled to one end of the stop member. An actuator may be pivotably coupled to the lever arm and the conveyor frame, and operated to pivot the stop member between a workpiece engaging position, in which the stop member extends into the path of workpiece flow, and a workpiece disengaging position below the path. Optionally, the lapper assembly roller and other rollers upstream/downstream may be operatively connected to a drive. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed herein.

A method of heat treating a wood board comprises: passing a wood board from an input end to a discharge end of a conveyor; and heating the board with radiant heat as it is passes along the conveyor, the heating can be such as to provide significant charring of the wood. The wood board is then brushed with at least one rotating brush. An apparatus, for carrying out the method, has a conveyor for conveying a wood board having an input end and a discharge end. A radiant heater is located above the conveyor for heating the wood board, and a rotating brush is mounted for rotation above the conveyor, for brushing the wood board after heating.

The present disclosure provides embodiments of a lapper assembly for use to overlap successive sheets of wood veneer or other materials along a conveyor. The lapper assembly may include a stop member configured to be rotatably mounted to a roller such that the stop member is pivotable around the rotational axis of the roller independently of the rotational angle of the roller. The lapper assembly may further include a lever arm coupled to one end of the stop member. An actuator may be pivotably coupled to the lever arm and the conveyor frame, and operated to pivot the stop member between a workpiece engaging position, in which the stop member extends into the path of workpiece flow, and a workpiece disengaging position below the path. Optionally, the lapper assembly roller and other rollers upstream/downstream may be operatively connected to a drive. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed herein.