METHOD FOR PRODUCING AND RECYCLING AN OBJECT CONSISTING OF A PANEL DURABLY PROVIDED WITH A SURFACE COVERING

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a method for producing and recycling an object consisting of a panel durably provided with a surface covering, comprising bringing the panel and the surface covering in a spatially aligned relationship, providing a layer of hot melt adhesive between the panel and the surface covering, heating the hot melt adhesive to a temperature above its melting temperature, pressing the surface covering against the panel with the molten hot melt adhesive in between the panel and surface covering, cooling down the hot melt adhesive to a temperature below its melting temperature to form the object, and after an end-of-life of the object, heating the hot melt adhesive to a temperature above its melting temperature, and separating the panel from the surface covering. The invention also pertains to a method of producing such an object and a panel for use in this method.

Claims

1. A method for producing and recycling an object consisting of a panel durably provided with a surface covering, comprising: bringing the panel and the surface covering in a spatially aligned relationship, providing a layer of hot melt adhesive between the panel and the surface covering, wherein the hot melt adhesive is non reactive and comprises less than 5 mass % of solvents, heating the hot melt adhesive to a temperature above its melting temperature, pressing the surface covering against the panel with the molten hot melt adhesive in between the panel and surface covering, cooling down the hot melt adhesive to a temperature below its melting temperature to form the object, and after an end-of-life of the object, heating the hot melt adhesive to a temperature above its melting temperature, and separating the panel from the surface covering.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the hot melt adhesive has a melting temperature between 40 and 150 C.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the layer of hot melt adhesive has a thickness of between 50 and 400 g/m.sup.2.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the layer of hot melt adhesive is heated by using radiation.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the layer of hot melt adhesive is provided by connecting this layer to a surface of the panel before the panel and surface covering are brought in the spatially aligned relationship.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the layer of hot melt adhesive is applied to the surface of the panel using a roller provided with a mass of molten hot melt adhesive.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the layer of hot melt adhesive is cooled down to a temperature below the melting temperature of the hot melt adhesive before the panel and surface covering are brought in the spatially aligned relationship.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the layer of hot melt adhesive is provided at a location remote from a production location of the object, wherein the panel provided with the layer of hot melt adhesive is transported to the production location.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein multiple panels provided with a layer of hot melt adhesive are transported and/or stored while being in a stacked arrangement without a protective foil being present on each layer of hot melt adhesive.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the method comprises a step of removing exogenous particles from the surface of the layer of hot melt adhesive before the hot melt adhesive is heated to a temperature above its melting temperature.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the panel and/or surface covering are heated before the panel and surface covering are pressed together.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the panel is a fibrous material.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the fibrous material comprises cellulosic fibres.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the fibrous material comprises artificial polymer in addition to the cellulosic fibres.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the hot melt adhesive comprises a polyester polymer.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the polymer is a condensation polymer.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the polymer has a weight averaged molecular weight (Mw) between 15,000 and 30,000 g/mol.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein the polymer has a crystallinity of between 5 and 40%.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein for separating the surface covering from the panel, the hot melt adhesive is heated to a temperature above its melting temperature using radiation.

20. A method for producing an object consisting of a panel durably provided with a surface covering, comprising: providing a layer of hot melt adhesive on the panel, bringing the panel and the surface covering in a spatially aligned relationship, heating the hot melt adhesive to a temperature above its melting temperature, pressing the surface covering against the panel while the hot melt layer is an intermediate layer, cooling down the hot melt adhesive to a temperature below its melting temperature to form the object.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the panel has a surface larger than 0.3 m.sup.2.

22. A panel, one surface of which is provided with a layer of hot melt adhesive having a melting temperature between 40 and 150 C., wherein the thickness of the layer is 50-400 g/m.sup.2.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0074] An MDF panel of 21152 cm (lengthwidththickness) was covered at room temperature with powdered polyester hot melt adhesive (obtainable as LA 1030 from DSM, Heerlen, The Netherlands) having a melting temperature of approximately 120 C. The panel was put in the oven with a second MDF panel on top of the first panel as a surface covering with the hot melt adhesive in between the panels. The heat melted the adhesive to form a layer between the two panels, one of which covered the surface of the other in terms of the present invention. No extra force but gravity was applied to press the top panel in the direction of the bottom panel. After melting of the adhesive, the panels were taken out of the oven and allowed to cool down again to room temperature, effectively therewith forming an object in the sense of the present invention. The panels appeared to be durably bonded to each other. When warming the object to 150 C., the panels are easily separated using mere forces by hand.

Example 2

[0075] The same adhesive as used in example 1 was applied onto one half (150 mm) of a strip having dimensions of 300152.5 mm (lwt), cut out of a larger panel of Ecor Raw (a panel based on recycled kraft paper and wood fibers, obtainable from Ecor, San Diego USA), by pouring it as a liquid out of an oven-heated (170 C.) 100 ml jar (allowing the formation of a very thin layer due to the very low viscosity at this high temperature) and letting it cool down to room temperature. A second cold Ecor strip was put on top of the first strip (completely overlaying this first strip) with the adhesive in between (50% of the surface), and the combination was put in the oven at 180 C. with 6 kg of weight on top of the laminate. After 15 minutes, the weight was removed and the laminate was taken out of the oven and left to cool down to room temperature to lead to the two-layer object. The adhesion of the two panel strips at room temperature was such that when the strips were pulled apart in opposing directions at the non-adhered end, the Ecor strips (and not the adhesive layer) failed. When warming the object to 150 C., the panels are easily separated using mere forces by hand.

Example 3

[0076] An Ecor Raw strip as used in example 2 was coated with the same hot melt adhesive using a Reka TR 60 LCD glue gun with swirl head (Reka Klebetechnik, Eggenstein, Germany) and allowed to cool down to room temperature. A hot air blower was used to melt the adhesive again, whereafter a leather surface covering was applied onto the molten adhesive with the suede side of the leather directed to the adhesive, leaving one end of the leather non-adhered to the panel. After cooling, the adhesion was such that when pulling the free end of the leather, hairs of the suede side were pulled out of the leather, indicating a very durable bonding between the leather surface covering and the Ecor panel. When warming the object to 150 C., the leather is easily removed using mere forces by hand.

Example 4

[0077] A lightboard Ecor panel (obtainable under the tradename HoneyCOR) was coated with the same hot melt adhesive using a Lacom MPBL 600 pilot So laminator machine (Lacom GmbH, Lauchheim, Germany) having a roller to apply molten hot melt adhesive. The result after cooling was a smooth layer of solid adhesive on the lightboard Ecor panel, ready for application of a surface covering.

Example 5

[0078] The surface of an MDF panel of 10152 cm was coated with the same hot melt adhesive using the Reka TR 60 LCD glue gun. The adhesive was distributed evenly over the MDF panel using a large palette knife. The adhesive was cooled down to room temperature. After cooling veneer (Decoflex oak dosse having a thickness of 0.6 mm, Decospan, Menen, Belgium) was placed on top of the panel, heated and pressed using a flat iron (at a standard iron temperature of 180 C., using hand pressure) to melt the adhesive. After cooling the veneer adhered to the MDF panel with very good adhesion, proving a durable connection between the panel and the veneer.

Example 6

[0079] An MDF panel of 33452 cm with one sloping side (45; taking about 2 cm to go from full thickness to nil) was coated with the hot melt adhesive using the Reka TR 60 LCD glue gun. The adhesive was distributed evenly over the MDF panel and sloping side using a large palette knife. The adhesive was cooled down to room temperature. After cooling veneer (Decoflex oak dosse, see example 5) was placed on top of the panel and heated and pressed using flat iron (standard iron temperature of 180 C., using hand pressure). The veneer was also glued to the sloping side and over the tip of this side (i.e. to the back of the MDF panel). The adhesion of the veneer onto the MDF was very good, especially on the sloping side and back side, proving a durable connection between the panel and the veneer.