FLOOR OR WALL PANEL

Abstract

A method for producing a floor or wall panel, includes the provision of a first thermoplastic polymer layer that comprises a polymer matrix and ferromagnetic and/or ferrimagnetic particles; the provision of a second thermoplastic polymer layer, with the second layer in contact with the first layer along a side of the first layer; the bonding to one another of the first, the second and the optionally further polymer layers under elevated temperature and pressure; the provision of a decorative layer on the side of the second layer opposite to the side in contact with the first layer; the provision of a translucent or transparent wear layer in contact with the decorative layer.

Claims

1.-65. (canceled)

66. A method for producing a floor or wall panel, comprising: the provision of a first thermoplastic polymer layer that comprises a polymer matrix and ferromagnetic and/or ferrimagnetic particles; the provision of a second thermoplastic polymer layer, wherein the second layer is in contact with the first layer along a side of the first layer; the optional provision of one or more further thermoplastic polymer layers on the side of the second layer opposite to the side in contact with the first layer; the bonding to one another of the first, the second and the optionally further polymer layers under elevated temperature and pressure; the provision of a decorative layer on the side of the second layer opposite to the side in contact with the first layer or if applicable on the side of one of the further polymer layers, which side is oriented away from the first polymer layer; the optional provision of a translucent or transparent wear layer in contact with the decorative layer.

67. The method in accordance with claim 66, wherein the first and/or second polymer layer is provided by extrusion, possibly co-extrusion.

68. The method in accordance with claim 66, wherein the polymer materials of the first and second polymer layer comprise polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

69. The method in accordance with claim 66, wherein the second thermoplastic material is unfoamed thermoplastic material.

70. The method in accordance with claim 66, wherein the method also comprises a step wherein the above-mentioned ferromagnetic and/or ferrimagnetic particles are magnetized.

71. The method in accordance with claim 66, wherein the method further comprises the cutting of the layered structure obtained into panels, and wherein the panels are provided on one or more sides with a coupling system.

72. A floor or wall panel, wherein the panel comprises an upper side and an underside, the panel comprising a core of thermoplastic polymer material that provides the floor panel with its underside, wherein the thermoplastic polymer material comprises a polymer matrix and ferromagnetic and/or ferrimagnetic particles.

73. The floor or wall panel in accordance with claim 72, wherein the core of thermoplastic polymer material consists of different layers, wherein the panel comprises an upper side and an underside, the panel comprising a first layer of a first thermoplastic polymer material and at least a second layer of a second thermoplastic polymer material, wherein this first layer provides the floor panel with its underside, the second layer is in contact with the first layer along the side of the first layer different from the underside, wherein the first layer of a first thermoplastic polymer material comprises a polymer matrix and ferromagnetic and/or ferrimagnetic particles, wherein the thermoplastic polymer material of the second layer and the polymer matrix of the first layer are fused to one another, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer material is polyvinylchloride.

74. The floor or wall panel in accordance with claim 73, wherein the second thermoplastic polymer material is polyvinylchloride.

75. The floor or wall panel in accordance with claim 72, wherein the particles are permanent magnetic particles, ferrite particles or strontium ferrite particles.

76. The floor or wall panel in accordance with claim 72, wherein the second thermoplastic material is unfoamed thermoplastic material.

77. The floor or wall panel in accordance with claim 72, wherein the floor panel is provided on at least two opposite edges with coupling means that allow two of such floor panels to be coupled to each other.

78. Coating of a floor or wall surface, wherein the floor or wall surface is provided with a structure with ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic properties, and wherein one or more floor or wall panels in accordance with claim 72 are attached to this structure via a magnetic force, and wherein the structure is a coating applied to the floor or wall surface, a metal plate applied to the floor or wall surface, or a flexible polymer structure.

79. An underfloor comprising a flexible, layered polymer structure, wherein the structure comprises at least two layers, wherein the layer that provides the upper side comprises ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic particles.

80. The underfloor in accordance with claim 79, wherein the upper side is further provided with an adhesive layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0149] In the following, in order to better explain the features of the invention, several preferred embodiments are described with reference to the attached drawings as examples that are by no means limitative, wherein:

[0150] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a floor panel according to the invention on an underfloor also according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0151] The present invention is described below by means of specific embodiments.

[0152] It must be noted that the term “comprising”, as used for example in the claims, may not be interpreted in a limitative sense, limited to the following elements, features and/or steps. The term “comprising” does not exclude the presence of other elements, features or steps.

[0153] Therefore, the scope of the expression “an article comprising the elements A and B” is not limited to an article that only comprises the elements A and B. The scope of the expression “a method comprising the steps A and B” is not limited to a method that only comprises the steps A and B.

[0154] In the context of the present invention, these expressions mean only that the relevant elements or steps of the invention are the elements or steps A and B.

[0155] In the following specification, reference is made to “an embodiment” or “the embodiment”. Such a reference means that a specific element or feature described by means of this embodiment is contained in at least this one embodiment.

[0156] However, the occurrence of the terms “in an embodiment” or “in the embodiment” at different locations in this description does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it can indeed refer to the same embodiment.

[0157] Furthermore, the properties or the features can be combined in any suitable manner in one or multiple embodiments, such as would be clear to the person skilled in the art.

[0158] A first embodiment of a floor panel 100 is produced by means of a dual belt press. This press comprises two Teflon-coated polymer conveyor belts that rotate together above one another and in opposite directions. They form a product gap over a significantly long distance in which a plate-shaped product can be produced. The press has a heating zone, a pressing zone and thereafter a cooling zone. The product gap extends out through the heating, pressing and cooling zone. For the heating zone, the lower of the two conveyor belts extends farther out than the upper one. This creates a surface where particulates or particles can be scattered on the lower conveyor belt.

[0159] A mixture of the thermoplastic PVC particles and ferromagnetic strontium ferrite particles is provided. A first layer of thermoplastic particles, being PVC particles, together with ferromagnetic and/or ferrimagnetic particles that are strontium ferrite particles, is scattered in order thus to form a thin layer in which the PVC and strontium ferrite particles are homogeneously distributed in the thickness and over the surface.

[0160] The PVC particles are characterized by an average diameter of 100 to 750 μm, for example 300 μm. The PVC particles are sieved such that no particles with a diameter greater than 1000 μm are present.

[0161] The strontium ferrite particles are characterized by an average diameter of 0.5 to 5 μm.

[0162] The amount of strontium ferrite particles in the mixture, and thus in the scattered layer, is between 15 and 75 vol %, for example 50 vol %.

[0163] A second layer of PVC particles is scattered on this first thin layer. A glass fibre nonwoven approximately 0.05 mm in thickness is then laid on these two thin layers, after which a further thin layer of PVC particles is scattered on the glass fibre nonwoven. The PVC particles of the second and third layer are characterized by having an average diameter of 100 to 750 μm.

[0164] The PVC used in these layers is typically a K64, K60, K57 or K50 PVC with . . .

[0165] The PVCs used preferably have a K value (Fikentscher) of less than or equal to 85, for example less than or equal to 60, for example less than 58, such as for example a K value of 57 or 50. Such PVC can also be a copolymer of vinyl chloride (VC) and vinyl acetate (VA), for example copolymers with a VC/VA ratio of 70/30 to 50/50.

[0166] For each 100 parts by weight of PVC, the composition comprises 36 to 50 parts by weight of plasticizers such as DOPT, DINCH and/or DINP, 210 parts by weight of a filler, typically calcium carbonate, and further several parts by weight of additives such as stabilizers, for example thermal stabilizers, and processing aids, dyes and/or carbon black, etc.

[0167] If applicable, a foam-forming additive can be added.

[0168] The stacked thin layers are moved into the product gap and, by means of the movement of the conveyor belts, guided between the heating elements of the heating zone. The PVC particles melt into a PVC matrix, while in the lower part, the strontium ferrite particles are embedded in this PVC matrix.

[0169] In the pressing zone, the layers are compacted by means of an S-bend. After this, the compacted layers are cooled by the plates of the cooling zone. The amounts of the PVC and strontium ferrite particles are selected such that after the cooling zone, e.g. a PVC intermediate product is obtained with a total thickness of approximately 1.65 mm, wherein the glass fibre nonwoven separates two zones, on the one side a PVC zone with particles loaded on the outside only with strontium ferrite measuring a good 1.45 mm in thickness, and on the other side a PVC zone a good 0.15 mm in thickness. In alternative embodiments, the amount of PVC is selected such that a PVC intermediate product is obtained with a total thickness of approximately 1.9 mm, wherein the glass fibre nonwoven separates two zones, on the one side a PVC zone with particles loaded on the outside only with strontium ferrite measuring a good 1.55 mm in thickness, and on the other side a PVC zone a good 0.3 mm in thickness. In still another alternative embodiment, the amount of PVC is selected such that a PVC intermediate product is obtained, wherein the glass fibre nonwoven separates two zones, on the one side a PVC zone with particles loaded on the outside only with strontium ferrite measuring a good 2.55 mm in thickness and on the other side a PVC zone with a thickness that can be selected between 1.25 mm and 1.55 mm.

[0170] After leaving the cooling zone, a PVC printed decorative layer 120 and a PVC transparent wear layer 130 are laminated onto the upper third layer by thermal lamination. A typical thickness of the PVC printed decorative layer 120 is approximately 0.1 mm, and that of a wear layer 130 is selected between 0.2 and 0.55 mm.

[0171] After this, the wear layer is imprinted or pressed (embossed), and a UV curing PU resin layer 140 is then applied. Finally, the endless long slab is cut into panels and provided with coupling means in a known manner.

[0172] In a following step, the strontium ferrite particles are magnetically oriented, causing them to have a magnetic action, i.e. each of them is active as a magnet, wherein the magnetic fields of adjacent particles are aligned with each other so that the surface as a whole also has a magnetic action.

[0173] In cross section, the panels thus obtained have a layered structure. The lower layer 105, away from the outer side formed by the resin of the PU resin layer 140, is a PVC layer having on its underside a zone loaded with strontium ferrite.

[0174] A panel is thus obtained with a PVC core into which the coupling means 116 are optionally incorporated, for example by milling.

[0175] In a similar manner, panels can be produced with the same instruments. Instead of a mixture of thermoplastic PVC particles and ferromagnetic strontium ferrite particles, a thin layer of ferromagnetic strontium ferrite particles is first scattered. The strontium ferrite particles are characterized by an average diameter of 0.5 to 5 μm.

[0176] A first layer of thermoplastic particles, being PVC particles, is scattered onto this layer of strontium ferrite particles.

[0177] The PVC particles are characterized by an average diameter of 100 to 750 μm, for example 300 μm. The PVC particles are sieved such that no particles with a diameter of greater than 1000 μm are present.

[0178] In an alternative embodiment, the PVC particles are replaced by PVC granules, which for example are essentially cylindrical in shape, with a diameter of between 2.8 and 3.2 mm and a height of approximately 0.5 mm.

[0179] The amount of strontium ferrite particles in the mixture, and thus in the scattered layer, is between 15 and 75 vol %, for example 50 vol %.

[0180] After this, a glass fibre nonwoven approximately 0.05 mm in thickness is laid on these two thin layers, after which a further thin layer of PVC particles is scattered on the glass fibre nonwoven. This third layer can again consist of PVC particles that are characterized by an average diameter of 100 to 750 μm, for example 300 μm. The PVC particles are sieved such that no particles with a diameter greater than 1000 μm are present. As another alternative, the PVC particles are replaced by PVC granules, which for example are essentially cylindrical in shape, with a diameter of between 2.8 and 3.2 mm and a height of approximately 0.5 mm.

[0181] The PVC used is identical to the composition mentioned above.

[0182] The stacked thin layers are moved into the product gap of the press, and a panel is then obtained by the same steps as described above.

[0183] In a further alternative embodiment, the strontium ferrite particles are embedded in a PVC melt, which is extruded into granules of cylindrical shape with a typical size of 1.2 to 3.2 mm in diameter and a length of around 0.5 to 1 mm. These PVC-comprising granules are scattered, said granules thus being a combination of the PVC compound and the strontium ferrite particles. Again, granules are preferably used that for example have an essentially cylindrical shape, with a diameter of between 2.8 and 3.2 mm and a height of approximately 0.5 mm. A glass fibre nonwoven approximately 0.05 mm in thickness is laid on the first layer of granules loaded with strontium ferrite, after which a further thin layer of PVC particles is scattered on the glass fibre nonwoven. This layer can again consist of PVC granules, for example having an essentially cylindrical shape, with a diameter of between 2.8 and 3.2 mm and a height of approximately 0.5 mm. These granules comprise no strontium ferrite particles.

[0184] The PVC used is identical to the composition mentioned above.

[0185] The stacked thin layers are moved into the product gap of the press, and a panel is then obtained by the same steps as described above.

[0186] On one side (the underside), all of these panels thus have a zone loaded with strontium ferrite, where these particles are embedded in the polymer matrix that also provides the core of the panel. The strontium ferrite particles are fused into this polymer matrix, which makes the particles difficult to separate from the surface of the panel.

[0187] These obtained panels, which are magnetic on the underside, can be attached via magnetism to a floor or wall surface that has metallic surface properties. For example, this surface can be provided by a coating, for example a layer of paint, that comprises metallic particles.

[0188] If applicable, an underfloor 200 can be provided according to the invention that comprises strontium ferrite particles or other ferro- or ferrimagnetic particles in the layer 210 that provides its upper surface. Such an underfloor can be an underfloor that consists for example of three layers, a first layer being a textile carrier 230, for example of a nonwoven polyester textile material, onto which a soft and foamed PU layer 220 is extruded, and on which in turn is provided by extrusion a foamed, soft PU layer 210 that comprises 15 to 75 vol %, for example 50 vol % of strontium ferrite or other ferro- or ferrimagnetic particles with an average diameter of 0.5 to 5 μm.

[0189] The underfloor can optionally be provided with ferro- or ferrimagnetic particles and properties by providing an underfloor such as described in EP 2671853 B1.

[0190] It is clear that although the embodiments and/or materials for providing the embodiments according to the present invention are discussed, various modifications or changes can be made without departing from the scope of action and/or the spirit of this invention. The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described above, but can be implemented according to different variants without departing from the scope of the present invention.