FLOOR PANEL AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING FLOOR PANELS

Abstract

A method for manufacturing floor panels, wherein these floor panels have a thickness of 2 to 6 millimeters and comprises at least a substrate and a decor provided thereon, wherein said substrate substantially consists of thermoplastic material and filler materials, wherein said filler materials form at least 40 percent by weight of said substrate, and wherein the method comprises at least the step of providing a first solid substrate layer by means of extrusion, wherein said substrate layer comprises said thermoplastic material and filler; the step of providing said decor by directly printing the substrate; and the step of liquidly applying a lacquer layer on said decor, and subsequently hardening said lacquer layer by UV light.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A method for manufacturing floor panels, wherein the floor panels have a thickness of 2 to 6 millimeters and comprise a substrate and a decor provided thereon, wherein the material of said substrate substantially consists of thermoplastic material and filler material, wherein said filler material forms at least 40 percent by weight of said material of said substrate, and wherein the method comprises at least the following steps: a step of providing a first solid substrate layer by means of extrusion, wherein said substrate layer comprises said thermoplastic material and filler material; a step of providing said decor by directly printing the substrate; a step of liquidly applying a lacquer layer on said decor, and subsequently hardening said lacquer layer by UV light.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said lacquer layer further comprises wear-resistant particles.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said wear-resistant particles are corundum particles.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said thermoplastic material is polyvinyl chloride having a K value between 50 and 80.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said polyvinyl chloride has a K value between 60 and 67.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said material of said substrate further comprises a plasticizer of the type DINP or DINCH.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said material of said substrate comprises less than 5 percent of a plasticizer when the filler material is not taken into account, or is substantially free of a plasticizer.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein said filler material forms more than 65 percent by weight of said material of said substrate.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein said filler material is limestone or chalk.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein said substrate extends at both sides of a glass fiber cloth.

31. A method for manufacturing floor panels, wherein the floor panels have a thickness of 2 to 6 millimeters and comprise a substrate and a decor provided thereon, wherein the material of said substrate substantially consists of thermoplastic material and filler material, wherein said filler material forms at least 40 percent by weight of said material of said substrate, and wherein the method comprises at least the following steps: a step of providing a first solid substrate layer by means of extrusion, wherein said substrate layer comprises said thermoplastic material and filler material; wherein said thermoplastic material is polyvinyl chloride comprising 5 phr of a plasticizer, and comprising more than 65 percent by weight of said filler material, wherein said filler material is chalk or limestone; and wherein said polyvinyl chloride has a K value between 60 and 67; a step of providing said decor by directly printing the substrate; a step of liquidly applying a lacquer layer on said decor, and subsequently hardening said lacquer layer by UV light; wherein said lacquer comprises corundum particles; and a step of forming coupling means in said material of said substrate by means of a milling treatment with rotating tools.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein said material of said substrate further comprises a plasticizer of the type DINP or DINCH.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein said material of said substrate comprises less than 5 percent of a plasticizer when the filler material is not taken into account, or is substantially free of a plasticizer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, herein below, as an example without any limitative character, some preferred embodiments are described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0056] FIG. 1 represents a panel with the characteristics of the invention;

[0057] FIG. 2, at a larger scale, represents a cross-section according to line II-II in FIG. 1;

[0058] FIG. 3 schematically shows some steps in a method for manufacturing the panel of FIG. 1;

[0059] FIGS. 4 and 5, in a view similar to that of FIG. 2, represent other variants; and

[0060] FIG. 6, in a view similar to that of FIG. 3, represents another method for manufacturing floor panels similar to that of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0061] FIG. 1 represents a rectangular and oblong floor panel 1 having a pair of long sides 2-3 and a pair of short sides 4-5.

[0062] FIG. 2 represents that the respective floor panel 1 is composed of different layers 6-7-8-9A-9B-10.

[0063] The substrate 11 is formed by the layers 9A and 9B of thermoplastic material, in this case soft PVC, which substantially consist of strewn and pressed granulate. The respective substrate layer 9 further comprises an enclosed glass fiber fleece 12. Above the respective layers 9A-9B, a top layer 13 is provided, which as such comprises a printed decor film 7 and a transparent wear layer 6 on the basis of thermoplastic material. The top layer 13 further also comprises a back layer 8 situated underneath the decor film 7. In the example, the back layer 8, the decor film 7 as well as the wear layer 6 are made on the basis of polyvinyl chloride.

[0064] In the example, the decor film 7 is provided with a print with a wood pattern 14, wherein per panel 1 each time the image of a single wooden plank is provided.

[0065] On the underside 15 of the substrate 11, a backing layer 10 is provided, which is also based on soft PVC. According to the invention, it is also possible that one of two said layers 9A-9B, namely the lowermost layer 9B, forms the underside of the panel.

[0066] FIG. 2 represents that at least one of the layers 9A-9B is at least present in the middle of the thickness T of the substrate 11. In this case, the respective layers 9A-9B, and the enclosed glass fiber layer 12, form the entire substrate 11.

[0067] FIG. 2 further also represents that the respective layers 9A-9B form at least 40 percent and here even more than half of the thickness T1 of the panel 1.

[0068] Further, the panel 1 of the example is provided with mechanical coupling means or coupling parts 16 on both opposite edges 2-3. FIG. 2 shows that at least the mechanical coupling means 16 on the long pair of edges 2-3 allow that two of such floor panels 1 can be coupled to each other, such that a locking is created in a vertical direction V1 perpendicular to the plane of the coupled panels 1, as well as in a horizontal direction H1 perpendicular to the coupled edges 2-3 and in the plane of the panels 1. The depicted coupling means 16 show the characteristic that they are substantially made as a tongue 17 and a groove 18 bordered by an upper lip 19 and a lower lip 20, wherein said tongue 17 and groove 18 substantially are responsible for the locking in said vertical direction V1, and wherein the tongue 17 and the groove 18 are provided with additional locking parts 21-22, substantially responsible for the locking in said horizontal direction H1. In this case, the locking parts comprise a protrusion 21 on the underside of the tongue 17 and a cooperating therewith recess 22 in the lower lip 20.

[0069] The coupling means 16 represented here allow at least a coupling by means of a pivoting movement W along the respective edges 2-3.

[0070] The mechanical coupling means 16 are substantially made in the layers 9A-9B, which enclose the glass fiber layer 12. In the example, they are provided by means of a milling treatment, for example, with rotating tools.

[0071] FIG. 3 represents some steps of a method for manufacturing the panel of FIGS. 1 and 2. More particularly, the step is represented of the layers 9A-9B with thermoplastic material, which enclose the glass fiber layer 12.

[0072] In the example of FIG. 3, the respective layers 9A-9B are formed on the basis of a granulate 23 of the respective thermoplastic material.

[0073] FIG. 3 represents that the granulate 23 of the first layer 9B as well as of the second layer 9A initially is deposed on a transport device 25, on the glass fiber layer 12, respectively, by means of a strewing device 24, after which it is consolidated between the belts 26 of a continuous pressing device 27. Herein, the granulate 23 is transported alongside one or more heating devices 28 and possibly may be cooled again after the press treatment or at the end of the press treatment. By cooling down, it is obtained that the pressed plates, sheets or layers relatively fast are manageable for further processing.

[0074] FIG. 3 further also represents that simultaneously with pressing, a further layer, in this case at least the decor film 7, can be provided or incorporated by supplying this in the press treatment on the granulate 23. Instead of a decor foil, this may also relate to, for example, an additional glass fiber layer 12 or a back layer 8, or a wear layer 6. It may also relate to a composition of layers already laminated to each other, such as an already completely or partially composed top layer 3, which, for example, comprises at least a decor film 7 and a wear layer 6, or at least a back layer 8 and a decor film 7, or the back layer 8, the decor film 7 as well as the wear layer 6. A possible superficial lacquer layer preferably is applied after the press treatment. This is not represented here.

[0075] Although FIG. 3 represents only two strewing devices 24, of course also further, for example, a third and a fourth, strewing devices can be provided. Further, it is clear that these strewing devices 24 can deposit granulates 23 of a mutually differing composition and/or average particle size.

[0076] FIG. 4 represents another example of a panel, wherein the substrate 11 is obtained on the basis of at least two granulates 23, which are mutually differing in composition and/or average particle size. In the example, the layers 9B and 9C are formed on the basis of a granulate comprising PVC with at least 12 percent by weight of plasticizer, whereas the layer 9A situated centrally in the substrate is formed on the basis of a granulate comprising PVC with less than 5 percent by weight of plasticizer or without plasticizer. The glass fiber layer 12 is situated in the layer 9C, which contains a higher amount of plasticizer than layer 9A.

[0077] FIG. 4 also shows that the layer 9A can be made thinner than the layers 9B and 9C. In this case, the layer 9A on the basis of the hard or semi-rigid PVC has a thickness T2 which is less than 20 percent of the total thickness T of the substrate 11. This embodiment may lead to a significant reduction of telegraphy or showing of any unevenness in the underlying surface towards the decorative side of the floor panel 1.

[0078] FIG. 5 represents a floor panel 1 with the characteristics of the fifth measure mentioned in the introduction. To this aim, the floor panel 1 comprises a substrate 11 which encloses a glass fiber cloth 12. Herein, the respective glass fiber cloth 12 is enclosed against a substrate portion 9D obtained by means of hardening a plastisol 29. Herein, the plastisol 29 penetrates up into the glass fiber cloth 12. Preferably, the glass fiber cloth is a so-called non-woven. However, it is not excluded to apply a woven. Preferably, the glass fiber cloth is chosen such that the first measure mentioned in the introduction is fulfilled, too.

[0079] FIG. 6 represents a method for manufacturing floor panels 1, wherein a floor panel 1, as represented in FIG. 5, can be obtained, or at least a semi-finished product of which one or more of such floor panels 1 can be formed. The method comprises the step S1 of providing a first substrate layer 9B by strewing granulate 23. FIG. 6 shows only one strewing device 24, however, it is evident that two or more successive strewing devices 24 can be applied for realizing the first substrate layer 9B. After step S1 follows the step S2 of providing a glass fiber cloth 12 on the first substrate layer 9B. This preferably relates to a glass fiber cloth having a weight of more than 85 grams per square meter. In a step S3, plastisol 29 is provided on the glass fiber cloth 12. In this case, for this purpose a spreading device 30 or a blade are applied. Of course, other application techniques, such as techniques with one or more roller devices, are not excluded. The plastisol 29 penetrates into the glass fiber cloth 12 and reaches the, in this case rough, surface of the first substrate layer 9B, in which it possibly can penetrate. The applied plastisol 29 is gelled by means of an oven or heating device 28. In the step S4, the whole is pressed, and in step S5, a decor is provided, in this case by applying a printed carrier or a decor film 7 on the pressed whole. For the application of the decor film 7, of course use can be made of a press device. Possibly, subsequently to the decor film 7 or simultaneously to the decor film 7, a transparent wear layer 6 can be applied.

[0080] The present invention is in no way limited to the herein above described embodiments, on the contrary may such panels and methods be realized according to various variants, without exceeding the scope of the present invention. Moreover, the panels, instead of floor panels, may also be made as wall panels or ceiling panels or even as furniture panels.