Floor panel for forming a floor covering and method for manufacturing such floor panels

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a floor panel having a substrate and a top layer. The top layer may have a decorative layer that includes a digital print and a transparent or translucent wear layer. The method may involve providing the substrate with the digital print by jetting one or more inks from a set of inks using a digital inkjet printer. The ink may include a binding agent and/or a primer or adhesion layer may be provided between the digital print and the transparent or translucent wear layer. The digital print may be performed directly on the substrate. The transparent or translucent wear layer may be laminated on top of the printed substrate.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a floor panel having a substrate and a top layer, the top layer having a decorative layer that includes a digital print and a transparent or translucent wear layer, the method comprising: providing the substrate with the digital print by jetting one or more inks from a set of inks using a digital inkjet printer; wherein the ink includes a binding agent and/or wherein a primer or adhesion layer is provided between the digital print and the transparent or translucent wear layer; wherein the digital print is performed directly on the substrate; providing the transparent or translucent wear layer; and laminating the transparent or translucent wear layer on top of the printed substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital print is performed directly with the intermediary of a preparative layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate substantially consists of synthetic material and/or filler material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a PVC-containing substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is composed of a thermoplastic material.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transparent or translucent wear layer is made of a thermoplastic material.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the thermoplastic material is PVC.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the transparent or translucent wear layer has a thickness of 150 micrometers or more.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the primer or adhesion layer comprises a binder or binding agent.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said additional binder or binding agent of the primer or adhesion layer is the same as the binding agent contained in the ink.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding agent comprises VC-VAC copolymer or polymer latexes, either acrylates or urethane components.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the binding agent is present in an amount below 20 percent by weight of the ink.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the binding agent is present in an amount of at least 2 percent by weight of the ink.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of inks comprises solvent based inks, UV based inks, or water-based inks.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the inks in the set of inks comprise pigments.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of inks is CMYK.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the primer or adhesion layer is applied using a roller or a printhead.

18. The method of claim 1, comprising: providing a lacquer layer as a liquid layer on the transparent or translucent wear layer and/or the decorative layer; and subsequently solidifying the lacquer layer.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF NON-LIMITING EMBODIMENTS

(1) According to a preferred embodiment, the floor panel, or anyhow at least the substrate of the floor panel, substantially is composed of polyvinyl chloride, more particularly of soft polyvinyl chloride, namely PVC containing plasticizers. Preferably, use is made of PVC obtained from a PVC homopolymer of suspension quality having a K value between 50 and 80 or still better between 60 and 67.

(2) It is noted that the floor panel of the invention preferably comprises a substrate which contains plasticizers. According to a specific embodiment, this relates to a floor panel wherein this floor panel comprises a substrate containing plasticizers of the type DINP or DINCH, more particularly with a mass ratio of 20% to 40%, possible filler material not taken into account.

(3) According to a variant, this relates to a floor panel wherein this floor panel is substantially free from plasticizers.

(4) As aforementioned, the floor panel of the invention, apart from the synthetic material, may also comprise a filler material, preferably chalk or a chalk-like material. Applying a filler material in particular serves for reducing the amount of synthetic material required and/or for rendering the panel heavier. In some cases, a heavier panel has the advantage that the panel is more stable and/or remains better at its location during placement and/or after installation.

(5) Preferably, the panel of the invention relates to a rectangular floor panel, either oblong or square. Preferably, such floor panel is provided with coupling parts on at least a first pair of opposite edges, which coupling parts are of the type allowing to couple two of such floor panels to each other by means of a downward movement of one floor panel in respect to the other, and/or are of the type allowing to couple two of such floor panels to each other along the respective edges by means of a turning movement. Preferably, said coupling parts then provide for a vertical and horizontal locking. Preferably, the coupling parts are made in one piece with the floor panel.

(6) The present invention is particularly suited, however, not in a restrictive manner, for thin floor panels, more particularly for floor panels having a thickness of 2 millimeters through 6 millimeters and more particularly of 3 millimeters through 5 millimeters.

(7) According to a possible embodiment of the present invention, the floor panel shows the following characteristics: the floor panel substantially is composed of, on the one hand, a core or a substrate, wherein this core or this substrate is constructed of material forming the basic material of the floor panel, and, on the other hand, of a top layer, in other words, a surface layer, which top layer as such may or may not be composed of a plurality of layers; the basic material of the floor panel, of which said core is composed, substantially comprises soft thermoplastic material, wherein this thermoplastic material possibly contains a filler; and said top layer comprises a printed thermoplastic film and a transparent thermoplastic wear layer, wherein said transparent thermoplastic wear layer is thinner than 0.85 millimeters and is free from fillers.

(8) It is clear that the invention also relates to a floor covering which is composed of floor panels as described herein above.

(9) The panel or floor panel of the invention preferably comprises at least one reinforcement layer, preferably formed of fibers, more particularly reinforcement fibers, such as glass fibers. The use of such reinforcement layer, and in particular a reinforcement layer with fibers, increases the dimensional stability of the floor panels. This is of particular importance with floor panels for non-glue installation, as by the application of fibers the expansion and/or shrinkage of the panel under the influence of the temperature differences can be reduced considerably. Hereby, the risk can be further minimized that the coupled floor panels will separate from each other as a result of expansion and/or shrinkage. It is noted that the aforementioned reinforcement fibers may be present in various forms, such as also in the form of, for example, a cloth, a fleece or a net, more particularly, for example, a glass fiber cloth or a glass fiber fleece. Preferably, seen in cross-section of the panel, said fibers are applied in one or more horizontal layers. Preferably, at least one of said layers is situated at the height of said separate locking element. Hereby, the advantage is created that, seen from the point of view of connection features, the floor panel is maintained optimally dimensionally stable on the most critical level, namely at the location of the locking element.

(10) In the case that a single reinforcement layer, for example, a single layer with fibers, is applied, this layer preferably is situated in the middle or approximately in the middle of the panel. In this manner, a symmetrical construction of the floor panel is obtained, which offers advantages in respect to the stability of the floor panel. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, two or more reinforcement layers are applied, which preferably are located at a distance from each other. In the case of two reinforcement layers, these, seen in cross-section, preferably are situated on both sides of the neutral line of the floor panel. Hereby, the advantage is obtained that bending forces can be counteracted in both directions. This is particularly advantageous with relatively supple floor panels which substantially are made of soft PVC.

(11) The invention further also relates to a method for manufacturing floor panels or wall-to-wall floor coverings as described herein above, wherein this method comprises at least the following steps: providing a print on a thermoplastic film by means of UV-based or solvent-based inks or water-based inks, which preferably are pigmented; preferably, a digital printing technique is applied, preferably inkjet printing. providing a transparent or translucent wear layer on said print;
characterized in that between the print and the transparent or translucent wear layer, a primer or adhesion layer is provided. The primer or adhesion layer preferably is chosen from the series consisting of polyurethane hotmelt, polyamide hotmelt, vinyl chloride vinyl acetate (VC-VAC) and water-based primer. The water-based primer may be, for example, an aqueous dispersion of elastomeric polyester-polyurethane polymer. As mentioned above, a percentage of isocyanate can be added to the water-based primer for further improving the adhesion between the ink, primer and PVC and for improving the internal cohesion of the primer. It is clear that according to a variant, here, too, the also above-mentioned heat-sensitive 2K glue may be applied as a primer.

(12) It is clear that this method preferably is applied for manufacturing the floor panels already described herein above and the preferred embodiments thereof.

(13) According to a variant, the primers and adhesion layers of the present invention also can be applied with digital prints for manufacturing wall-to-wall floor coverings, such as heterogeneous vinyl floor coverings or so-called “cushion vinyl”. In such floor coverings, also a transparent thermoplastic wear layer, for example, a PVC wear layer, is provided on a print. It is clear that according to this variant, the print, printing films, primers and wear layers can be applied in a similar manner as in the floor panels already mentioned above.

(14) Further, it is also noted that the floor panels and wall-to-wall floor coverings preferably comprise at least the following components: a substrate of synthetic material, preferably a PVC-containing substrate, a digitally printed thermoplastic film, such as a PVC print film, a primer or adhesion layer, and a transparent wear layer, preferably a PVC wear layer, preferably also made as a film. Optionally, a polyurethane lacquer layer can be provided on the surface of the wear layer as well.

(15) It is clear that according to the invention the print does not necessarily have to be provided on a white or uniformly colored print film. The print can also be performed directly on the substrate, possibly with the intermediary of preparative layers, such as plastisol coatings of a uniform, preferably white, color. According to another possibility, the print may also be performed on the underside of the transparent wear layer. Herein, this then relates to a so-called “reverse” print. Preferably, in such case a white or uniform layer or film is used, which, in the final floor panel or the floor covering, is located underneath the reversely printed transparent, for example, PVC layer, such that a certain opacity is obtained. In case of a reverse print, the primer or adhesion layer can be provided on the ink of the print or on the underlying opaque layer, such as on an underlying white PVC film.

(16) Generally, it is noted that the transparent wear layer, whether now being printed in reverse or not, preferably substantially consists of PVC having a plasticizer content of 10% or less. Preferably, this relates to a transparent wear layer, which is applied as a film. However, it is not excluded that the PVC of the wear layer may be applied in liquid form or as a paste, after which it is solidified or gelled on the print.

(17) The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described herein above; on the contrary, such floor panels or wall-to-wall floor coverings and methods for manufacturing them can be realized according to various variants, without leaving the scope of the present invention.