Panel, in Particular a Floor, Ceiling, or Wall Panel; A Covering Constructed by a Multitude of Such Panels; And a Method for the Recycling of Such a Panel

Abstract

A panel, in particular a floor, ceiling, or wall panel, of a planar design having a top side and bottom side, and multiple side edges, which panel has a structure of laminated layers that are adhered to each other, wherein the laminated layers extend parallel to the plane of the panel, and include a core layer having a lower side and an upper side, and a top layer which is provided on the upper side of the core layer either directly or indirectly, wherein at least two layers of the laminated structure, in particular the top layer and the core layer, are directly or indirectly adhered to each other.

Claims

1. A decorative panel of a planar design having a top side and bottom side, and multiple side edges, which panel has a structure of laminated layers that are adhered to each other, wherein the laminated layers extend parallel to the plane of the panel, and comprise: a core layer having a lower side and an upper side, and a substantially rigid, decorative top layer which is provided on the upper side of the core layer either directly or indirectly, wherein the panel comprises at least one pair of two opposite side edges which are provided with respective interconnecting profiles that are complementary to each other, such as a tongue and a groove profile, wherein at least two layers of the laminated structure, in particular the top layer and the core layer, are directly or indirectly adhered to each other by a switchable adhesive having an adjustable adhesive strength, wherein the switchable adhesive is free of starch, wherein the adhesive strength of the switchable adhesive is adjustable from an operational value suitable for the panel during its use, to a reduced value suitable for the panel to be recycled, by exposing the switchable adhesive that is present between the two adhered layers to irradiation, wherein the reduced value of the adhesive strength of the switchable adhesive promotes a clean delamination of the two adhered layers, and wherein the top layer is at least partially permeable for irradiation used to switch the switchable adhesive.

2. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the reduced value of the adhesive strength is 60% or less of the operational value.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the switchable adhesive has the form of an adhesive layer between the two adhered layers, which adhesive layer is either a continuous or a discontinuous layer.

7. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the switchable adhesive comprises non-reacted unsaturated compounds and/or one or more polymers having non-reacted unsaturated groups, in particular a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), especially a methacrylate functionalized PSA.

8. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the switchable adhesive comprises admixed crystallisable polymers which are prone to undergo a phase transition upon heating, such that the adhesive strength of the switchable adhesive is adjustable by exposure to a thermal treatment.

9. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the switchable adhesive comprises one or more polymers having functional groups which are polar, such as methacrylic polymers, including poly(methyl methacrylate), and the adhesive strength of the switchable adhesive is adjustable by exposure to a pH modifying agent.

10. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the switchable adhesive comprises and/or is based upon polyurethane wherein said polyurethane has an average molecular weight of from 2,000 to 100,000.

11. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the switchable adhesive comprises binary polymeric brushes, and the adhesive strength of the switchable adhesive is adjustable by exposure to a solvent.

12. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the switchable adhesive comprises at least one photo-initiator.

13. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the reduced value of the adhesive strength of the switchable adhesive is at most 80 of the operational value of the adhesive strength of the switchable adhesive.

14. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the top layer is at least partially permeable for irradiation used to switch the switchable adhesive.

15. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the switchable adhesive is solvent-free.

16. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the switchable adhesive covers only a portion of facing surfaces of said two layers adhered to each other by said adhesive, and wherein a remaining portion of said facing surfaces is free of the switchable adhesive.

17. (canceled)

18. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the top layer is provided with recesses.

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the top layer comprises a decorative layer which is visible at the top side of the panel, and wherein the top layer comprises a wear layer.

23. (canceled)

24. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the laminated layers of the panel further comprise a backing layer that is directly or indirectly provided on the lower side of the core layer, and is directly or indirectly adhered on the core layer by the switchable adhesive.

25. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the core layer comprises a polymeric material, for instance polyurethane or a polymeric mixture including polyurethane.

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the panel comprises two opposite side edges which are provided with respective interconnecting profiles that are complementary to each other, such as a tongue and a groove profile.

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

35. A floor, ceiling, or wall covering constructed by a multitude of adjacent panels according to claim 1.

36. A method for the recycling of a panel after being used, which panel is defined according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the consecutive steps of: i. exposing the switchable adhesive at the interface of the two adhered layers of the panel to irradiation, a thermal treatment, a solvent, or a pH modifying agent, in order to adjust the adhesive strength to a reduced value which is suitable for the panel to be recycled; ii. delaminating the two adhered layers from each other.

37. The method according to claim 36, further comprising a subsequent step of: recycling the two delaminated layers in separate streams.

38. The method according to claim 20, wherein during step i. the switchable adhesive is exposed to irradiation by using a halogen radiation source of LED radiation source and/or a microwave radiator.

39. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0122] The invention will be further elucidated with reference to preferred embodiments of the invention that are shown in the appended figures, wherein:

[0123] FIG. 1 shows in perspective a panel according to the invention;

[0124] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of two panels and their coupling profiles according to the invention;

[0125] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of two panels having alternative coupling profiles according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0126] FIG. 1 shows a panel 1 suitable as a floor, ceiling or wall panel, which panel is of a planar design having an top side 7, a bottom side and side edges 3a-d which comprise a first side edge 3a provided with a first profile 10 and a second side edge 3c provided with a second profile 11. A top layer 30 is present at the top side 7 of the panel.

[0127] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of the panel 1 of FIG. 1, perpendicular to the first and second side edges 3a and 3c, which are provided with a first profile 10 and a second profile 11. The bottom side 9 of the panel 1, is laid on a substrate layer for instance a floor surface S. [0128] The panel 1 has a structure of laminated layers 28, 30 and 32 that are adhered to each other, which layers extend parallel to the plane of the panel 1, and comprise: [0129] a core layer 28 having a lower side and an upper side, [0130] a top layer 30 which is adhered on the upper side of the core layer by a switchable adhesive according to the invention, and [0131] a backing layer 32 which is adhered on the lower side of the core layer by a switchable adhesive according to the invention.

[0132] Further in FIG. 2, another identical panel 1′ is shown in part, of which the second side edge 3c is to be coupled to the panel 1, by a downward vertical movement indicated by vector D. [0133] The first profile 10 and the second profile 11 of both panels 1 and 1′ are mutually interacting profiles that can be coupled to each other and are complementary to each other. During coupling, the second profile 11 of panel 1′ is vertically inserted in the first profile 10 of panel 1, which involves the downward tongue 22 of panel 1′ being inserted in the first groove 23 of panel 1, and the upward tongue 21 of panel 1 being inserted in the second groove 24 of panel 1′. When coupled, the panels 1 and 1′ lie in a common plane which is parallel to the floor surface S.

[0134] FIG. 3 shows analogous to FIG. 2, alternative coupling profiles 40 and 41 for connecting two panels 1 and 1′ with each other. Features that are equal to the features of FIG. 2 are indicated by the same reference numerals. [0135] The first profile 40 of panel 1′, comprises a sideward tongue 51 extending in a direction substantially parallel to the upper side of the panel, one downward flank 53 lying at a distance from the sideward tongue 51, and a downward groove 54 formed between the sideward tongue 51 and the downward flank 53. [0136] The second profile 41 of panel 1, comprises a groove 61 configured for accommodating at least a part of the sideward tongue 51 of the first profile 40 of a second identical panel 1′, said groove 61 being defined by an upper lip 62 and a lower lip 63, wherein said lower lip is provided with an upward locking element 64. [0137] In the situation shown in FIG. 3, the first coupling profile and the second coupling profile 6 are configured such that the respective panels 1 and 1′, can be coupled to each other by means of a turning movement as indicated by arrow T, which involves the sideward tongue of panel 1′ being inserted into the third groove of the other identical panel 1, wherein the upward locking element 64 of the panel 1, is inserted into the second downward groove 54 of the panel 1′. [0138] It is also envisaged by the invention, that coupling profiles 40 and 41 are provided on the side edges 3b and 3d, while the side edges 3a and 3c are provided with alternative coupling profiles 10 and 11 as shown in FIG. 2.

[0139] The above-described inventive concepts are illustrated by several illustrative embodiments. It is conceivable that individual inventive concepts may be applied without, in so doing, also applying other details of the described example. It is not necessary to elaborate on examples of all conceivable combinations of the above-described inventive concepts, as a person skilled in the art will understand numerous inventive concepts can be (re)combined in order to arrive at a specific application.

[0140] The verb “comprise” and conjugations thereof used in this patent publication are understood to mean not only “comprise”, but are also understood to mean the phrases “contain”, “substantially consist of”, “formed by” and conjugations thereof.