Coated panel and method for manufacturing such panel

Abstract

A coated panel may include at least a substrate and a top layer with a printed motif. The top layer may be provided on the substrate. The top layer may also include a transparent or translucent synthetic material layer, which is provided above the printed motif. The top layer and preferably at least the transparent or translucent synthetic material layer may include a foamable or foamed synthetic material.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a panel that includes a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate, the top layer having a printed motif and a translucent or transparent synthetic material layer provided above the printed motif, the translucent or transparent synthetic material layer including a foamable synthetic material chosen from the series of polyurethane, acrylate, and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), the translucent or transparent synthetic material layer including a surface layer on the basis of lacquer, the panel having a structure or relief at the surface, wherein the substrate is waterproof in that it includes thermoplastic material, the method comprising: applying at least one priming layer on the substrate; performing a print on the priming layer already provided on the substrate to obtain the printed motif; applying the foamable synthetic material on the substrate in soft or liquid form; forming impressions in the still soft or softened again foamable synthetic material to at least partially form the structure or relief; and foaming the foamable synthetic material on the substrate; wherein the print is performed using an inkjet printer; and wherein the print is performed using UV inks.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the foamable synthetic material is applied on the substrate using one or more rollers.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the surface layer is on the basis of a UV-hardening or electron beam-hardening lacquer.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the impressions are formed using a press element.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate has a thickness ranging between 5 and 15 millimeters.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate substantially or entirely consists of polyvinylchloride.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate substantially or entirely consists of any thermoplastic material.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transparent or translucent synthetic material layer is free from material sheets and/or substantially free from cellulose fibers.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the entire top layer is free from material sheets or substantially free from cellulose fibers.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising: milling profiles into the substrate to obtain mechanical coupling means that allow two of such panels to be coupled to each other.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the panel is a floor panel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, hereafter, as an example without any limitative character, some preferred embodiments are described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically represents some steps in a method with the characteristics of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2, at a larger scale, represents a cross-section according to the line II-II indicated in FIG. 1;

(4) FIGS. 3 to 6, at the same scale, represent cross-sections, respectively according to the lines III-III, IV-IV, V-V, VI-VI indicated in FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 7, at the same scale, but for a variant, represents a cross-section according to the line VII-VII indicated in FIG. 1; and

(6) FIG. 8 for a variant represents a view according to the direction F8 indicated in FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE, NON-LIMITING EMBODIMENTS

(7) FIG. 1 schematically represents some steps S1-S5 in a method for manufacturing coated panels 1. The respective coated panels 1 are of the type comprising at least a substrate 2, for example, a MDF or HDF basic panel, and a top layer 3 provided on this substrate 2. In the example, the top layer 3 is composed of a plurality of material layers 4-7, amongst which a material layer 5, which shows a motif and which, during step S2, is provided in the form of a print 8 performed directly on the substrate 2.

(8) In a previous step S1, one or more priming layers 4 are provided on the surface of the substrate 2 to be printed with the motif. These may have the purpose of providing a smooth subsurface and/or providing a uniform or quasi-uniform background color and/or an adhering undercoat for material layers 5-8 to be applied later, such as for the material layer 5 with the motif, or for the synthetic material layer 7. As mentioned in the introduction, all these functions possibly may be fulfilled by a material layer which comprises polyvinyl chloride and/or plasticizer.

(9) FIG. 2 represents the result of step S1 and shows that a possibly uneven surface of the substrate 2 can be made flat or approximately flat by means of said one or more priming layers 4.

(10) In the example, in step S1 use is made of an application technique by means of one or more cylinders 9. It is clear that in step S1 of FIG. 1, also other application techniques may be applied for realizing one or more priming layers 4. At the same time, it is clear that it is not necessary for the invention that such priming layers 4 are applied, although this may be important for the quality of the motif. Instead of working with a priming layer 4 which is applied in liquid form, use may also be made of a priming layer 4 comprising a material sheet, such as a paper sheet, and which is provided on the substrate 2 in dry or quasi-dry form. In the case of a polyvinyl chloride paste, this paste preferably is at least partially gelled while already having been provided on the substrate.

(11) As aforementioned, in step S2 of FIG. 1 a motif is realized by means of a print 8 which is performed directly on the substrate 2 or, in this case, on a priming layer 4 already provided on the substrate 2. The obtained motif relates to a wood motif extending over the entire length of the oblong rectangular panel 1. Of course, the invention is not restricted to such motifs. Preferably, such print is performed by means of UV inks.

(12) In this case, for providing the printed motif use is made of an inkjet printer 10 with one or more heads. For example, use can be made of the techniques and devices which are known as such from EP 1 872 959, wherein, for example, such a battery of inkjet print heads is arranged one after the other and next to each other that the entire surface of the panel 1 can be covered by means of a multi-color print. According to another example, use can be made of a so-called multi-pass inkjet printer, wherein the inkjet print heads move to and fro over the substrate. It is evident that the present invention for step S2 neither is restricted to inkjet printing techniques, nor to motifs printed directly on the substrate 2.

(13) FIG. 3 represents the result of the print 8 performed indirectly on the substrate 2, in this case on a priming layer 4 already situated on the substrate 2. As noted above, the print 8 results in the material layer 5, which shows the motif.

(14) In step S3 of FIG. 1, an additional print 6 is provided above the printed motif. This relates to a print 6 with an expansion-preventing agent. The print 6 is performed with a pattern which will determine the final structure of the relief of the coated panel 1. Herein, the pattern covers only particular locations in the printed pattern and thus preferably does not extend over the entire surface of the final coated panel 1. In this case, the pattern forms a mask which provides the edges 11 of the panel 1 as well as certain locations 12 in the surface of the panel 1 with such expansion-preventing agent. Herein, the locations 12 in the surface of the panel 1 correspond to wood flowers or wood nerves present in the wood motif and will lead to recesses present in the panel 1, which imitate wood pores.

(15) FIG. 4 once again clearly shows the locations 11-12 of the print 6 provided in step S3.

(16) In step S3, it is represented that the print 6, which determines the relief or the structure, is provided by means of a digital printing technique, such as by means of an inkjet printer 10. It is clear that it is not excluded that the print 6 or the expansion-preventing agent can be applied in another manner.

(17) In step S4 of FIG. 1, a synthetic material layer 7 is applied. Such synthetic material layer 7 preferably consists of a transparent or translucent matter and preferably extends over the entire panel 1 concerned. In this case, use is made of a foamable synthetic material, more particularly polyvinyl chloride with plasticizer. In the example, a cylinder 9 is shown for applying such layer. However, it is clear that this synthetic material layer 7 can be provided in any manner. It is also possible that in step S4 a plurality of synthetic material layers 7 situated one above the other are applied, whether or not of the same kind. Preferably, also hard wear-resistant particles are provided in the synthetic material layer 7. For example, they may be blended or woven into the synthetic material or into the synthetic material layer 7 beforehand or can be strewn into the already provided synthetic material layer 7 or deposited in another manner.

(18) FIG. 5 shows the result obtained after step S4.

(19) In step S5 of FIG. 1, a relief is provided at the surface of the synthetic material layer 7 applied in step S4.

(20) FIG. 6 represents that herein, a coated panel 1 is obtained which shows a pattern of recesses 13 and projections 14 at its surface, wherein this pattern is at least partially determined by means of the print 6 with expansion-preventing agent applied in step S3.

(21) This structure is obtained in that the synthetic material layer 7 is activated in step S5 and starts to expand, or in other words will foam or gel. This activation may be obtained, for example, by heating the synthetic material layer 7 by means of a hot-air oven 15 or an infrared oven.

(22) FIG. 6 shows that at the places where in step S3 expansion-preventing or expansion-reducing agent is applied, said expansion has occurred to a lesser extent or not at all. At those places, there are recesses 13 in the surface of the thickened synthetic material layer 7. In this way, in the example chamfers 16 have been obtained at the edges 11 of the coated panel 1, and recesses 13 have been obtained in the surface of the panel 1 for imitating wood pores 17. It is evident that the technique of the invention may also be applied for obtaining chamfers 16 only or obtaining imitations of wood pores 17 only or for obtaining other structures.

(23) FIG. 6 also shows that the obtained recesses 13 may have a structure with strong rounded portions 18.

(24) FIG. 7 shows a possibility for obtaining sharper structures. Herein, when expanding the synthetic material layer 7, in step S5 a forming mold 19 can be applied, against which the expanding synthetic material layer 7 is rising. Such technique may be interesting for forming sharper chamfers 16. In the represented example, the forming mold 19 is a substantially flat press element. However, it may also be worked with one or more press cylinders or molding wheels.

(25) It is clear that herein, an embodiment is obtained wherein the first and second possibility for forming structure or relief at the surface of the coated panels, mentioned in the introduction, are combined.

(26) FIG. 8 represents another possibility for obtaining sharper structures, such as sharp chamfers 16. Herein, the aforementioned one or more prints 6, which determine the structure, are performed with a so-called dégradé, wherein the intensity or the amount of applied agent of the print 6 is varied according to the depth one wishes to obtain at that place. It is evident that this printing technique may or may not be combined with the technique represented in FIG. 7.

(27) Applying such dégradé also has advantages in all aspects where the relief is at least partially determined by means of a preferably digital print.

(28) It is clear that the method of FIGS. 1 to 6 and the variants of FIGS. 7 and 8 form examples of said first and second aspect, as well as that the obtained coated panels form examples of said first aspect.

(29) It is clear that the results of the methods according to the invention depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7 can be finished even further with one or more finishing layers, such as lacquer layers and the like.

(30) It is noted that the thickness of the material layers and substrates represented in FIGS. 2 to 7 is represented only schematically and does not comprise any restrictions. However, it is clear that the thickness of the top layer can be restricted to several tenths of millimeters, whereas the thickness of the substrate may vary from 5 to 15 millimeters, or thicker.

(31) The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described above; on the contrary may such methods and panels be realized according to various variants, without leaving the scope of the present invention.