METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CURVED FURNITURE COMPONENTS AND COMPONENT THUS OBTAINABLE

Abstract

The method for the production of curved furniture components comprises: an overlapping step of a first panel of wooden, plastic or metal material, of at least one intermediate separating layer and of a second panel of wooden, plastic or metal material for obtaining a flat semi-finished product having a perimeter edge; an interposition step of a polyurethane type adhesive between the intermediate layer and the first panel and second panel by hot dispensing of said adhesive on the surfaces of the first and the second panels which are adapted to be associated with the intermediate layer or by hot dispensing of the adhesive on the surfaces of the intermediate layer which are adapted to be associated with said first panel and second panel; a cold shaping step of the semi-finished product for obtaining a curved component; and a spraying step of a water-based auxiliary substance between the intermediate layer and at least one of the first panel and the second panel, subsequent to the interposition of the adhesive.

Claims

1) A method for production of curved furniture components comprising: an overlapping step of a first panel of wooden, plastic or metal material, of at least one intermediate separating layer and of a second panel of wooden, plastic or metal material for obtaining a flat semi-finished product having a perimeter edge; an interposition step of a polyurethane type adhesive between said intermediate separating layer and said first panel and second panel by hot dispensing of said adhesive on surfaces of said first and second panels which are adapted to be associated with said intermediate layer or by hot dispensing of said adhesive on surfaces of said intermediate layer which are adapted to be associated with said first panel and second panel; and a cold shaping step of the flat semi-finished product for obtaining a curved component; wherein the method comprises a spraying step of a water-based auxiliary substance between said intermediate layer and at least one of said first panel and said second panel, subsequent to said interposition of said adhesive.

2) The method according to claim 1, wherein said shaping step comprises cold pressing of said semi-finished product for a time period of between 1 and 7 minutes and with a pressure comprised between 1 and 6 Kg/cm2.

3) The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises an application step of a decorative coating onto an exposed surface of at least one of said first panel and second panel.

4) The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises a beading step of at least one portion of said perimeter edge adapted to cover said perimeter edge with a coating edge.

5) The method according to claim 3, wherein the method comprises a coating step of at least one portion of said perimeter edge which is adapted to cover said perimeter edge with a beading portion of said coating.

6) The method according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate layer comprises two strips arranged substantially parallel and between which is positioned a sheet made of honeycomb paper-like or foam polymer material, said strips and said sheet having substantially identical thickness.

7) A curved furniture component obtainable by the method according to claim 1, wherein the curved furniture component comprises the first panel of wooden, plastic or metal material, the at least one intermediate separating layer and the second panel of wooden, plastic or metal material, overlapped to one another and joined by interposition of the polyurethane type adhesive, the component having a curved contour.

8) The component according to claim 7, wherein at least one of said first and second panel has an exposed surface integrally joined with a decorative coating and which comprises a perimeter edge at least partly coated with a beading portion of said decorative coating.

9) The component according to claim 7, wherein the curved furniture component comprises a perimeter edge at least partly coated with a coating edge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive embodiment of a method for the production of curved furniture components, doors for furniture in particular, and the component thus obtainable, illustrated by way of an indicative, but non-limiting example, in the attached drawings in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the overlapping, shaping and spraying steps of the method according to the invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 is an axonometric and partly exploded view of the component according to the invention;

[0028] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a detail of a beading step of the method according to the invention;

[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic axonometric view of a coating step of the method according to the invention.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0030] With particular reference to these illustrations, reference numeral 1 globally indicates a curved furniture component obtainable with the method to which the invention relates.

[0031] The component 1 comprises a first panel 2 of wooden, plastic or metal material, an intermediate separating layer 3 and a second panel 4 of wooden, plastic or metal material, overlapped on each other and integrally joined by the interposition of adhesive, and has a curved contour.

[0032] Usefully, at least one of the first panel 2 and the second panel 4 has the respective exposed surface 2a, 4a integrally joined with a decorative coating 9. Advantageously, the component 1 comprises a perimeter edge 13 at least partly coated with a beading portion 10 obtained from the same decorative coating 9, e.g. a portion of the coating 9 bent and glued to the perimeter edge 13 itself through a post-forming technique.

[0033] Alternatively, the component 1 comprises a perimeter edge 13 at least partly coated with a coating edge 11, e.g. coating strips glued on the perimeter edge 13 itself.

[0034] The solution cannot be ruled out whereby a part of the perimeter edge 13 is coated with a coating edge 11, e.g., the short sides of a shape having a rectangular perimeter, and in which the other part is coated with a beading portion 10 of the decorative coating 9, e.g., the long sides of the same shape having a rectangular perimeter.

[0035] In the particular embodiment shown in the illustrations, the door 1 has a substantially cylindrical shape, but alternative embodiments cannot be ruled out wherein the door 1 has different curvatures.

[0036] Advantageously, the wooden material making up the first panel 2 and the second panel 4 is of the type comprising agglomerated wood fibers, i.e. compacted and assembled by the interposition of a binder; alternatively, as mentioned above, the use of plastic or metal material is conceivable.

[0037] A material suitable for making the first panel 2 and the second panel 4 is, for example, commercially known as MDF (Medium Density Fibre).

[0038] It should be noticed that wood fiber-based materials cost about one third of the price per cubic meter of traditional plywood, but do not offer strength to normal working conditions such as to be able to be used to make curved components using the usual method of heated pressing to facilitate the hardening of the traditional thermosetting adhesive.

[0039] Furthermore, the use of these materials together with urea adhesive, by pressing at room temperature, would not be advantageous as the cycle times would be so long that it would be economically counterproductive to replace the plywood. Advantageously, the use of an adhesive of the type reactive to pressure, and of a polyurethane adhesive in particular, combined with the material comprising wood fibers, or plastic or metal, makes cold shaping advantageous since, at room temperature under the action of adequate pressure, such adhesive hardens within a short timein just a few minutesand ensures a firm and stable connection between the various materials and the maintenance of the curved contour.

[0040] The pressure-reactive adhesives penetrate into the porosity of the contact surfaces that have to be sealed together and, under the action of pressure, develop chemical reactions that facilitate adhesion, thus ensuring a firm and stable bond between the surfaces.

[0041] Subsequently, the bonding is completed by the chemical reaction between adhesive and ambient humidity.

[0042] The first panel 2, the intermediate layer 3 and the second panel 4 have shapes and extensions of the contact surfaces that coincide and are arranged on top of each other in such a way that their respective perimeters mate with each other. In the particular embodiment shown, these surfaces are quadrangular in shape and have coinciding length and width.

[0043] The intermediate layer 3 comprises two strips 5 arranged parallel and between which is positioned a sheet 6 made of material having the same thickness of the strips 5.

[0044] The strips 5 are made of plywood or poplar chipboard, MDF or other materials (e.g. plastic or metal), while the material of which the sheet 6 is made is of the honeycomb paper-like type or foam polymer type.

[0045] The strips 5 and the sheet 6 are arranged parallel to the generators of the curved contour of the component 1.

[0046] The intermediate layer 3 is thicker than the first panel 2 and the second panel 4, so that the component 1 is of a certain overall height, but still light in weight. Decorative coatings, which are not shown in the illustrations, of the type of paper or PVC sheets printed with wood patterns, veneers of wood species or the like are applicable to the exposed surfaces 2a and 4a of the respective panels 2 and 4.

[0047] The method for the production of curved furniture components is as follows and comprises: [0048] an overlapping step S of a first panel 2 of wooden, plastic or metal material, of an intermediate separating layer 3 and of a second panel 4 of wooden, plastic or metal material for obtaining a flat semi-finished product 7 having a perimeter edge 13; [0049] an interposition step, for simplicity not shown in the illustrations, of a polyurethane type adhesive between the intermediate layer 3 and the first and second panel 2, 4 by hot dispensing of the adhesive on the surfaces of the first and second panels which are adapted to be associated with the intermediate layer 3, or by hot dispensing of the adhesive on the surfaces of the intermediate layer 3 which are adapted to be associated with the first and second panel 2, 4; and [0050] a cold shaping step Z of the semi-finished product 7 for obtaining a curved component 1.

[0051] According to the invention, the method comprises a spraying step H of a water-based auxiliary substance 12 between the intermediate layer 3 and at least one of the first panel 2 and the second panel 4.

[0052] The spraying step H is subsequent to the interposition of the adhesive.

[0053] This feature allows regulating the adhesive setting speed and in particular allows speeding up and improving setting when weather conditions involve high temperatures.

[0054] The water-based auxiliary substance 12 interacts in fact with the polyurethane adhesive, speeding up its setting.

[0055] This way, the semi-finished product 7 can be conveyed to subsequent steps of the process reducing waiting times and, therefore, increasing the productivity of the process.

[0056] Advantageously, the water-based auxiliary substance 12 is of the water type, but different substances, such as additivated aqueous mixtures or other water-based substances, cannot be ruled out.

[0057] In the present embodiment, an application step is carried out of the decorative coating 9 onto the exposed surfaces 2a and 4a.

[0058] A sectioning step is then carried out, not shown in the illustrations, by cutting the first panel 2, the second panel 4, the strips 5 and the sheet 6, so as to bring them to size.

[0059] The hot melt distribution step of the adhesive is performed on the installation surface 2b of the first panel 2, intended to be associated with the intermediate layer 3, and then the overlapping step is performed of the intermediate layer 3 onto the first panel 2 so that the respective perimeters coincide, having previously positioned the first panel 2 on a worktop with the exposed surface 2a facing downwards.

[0060] The overlapping step S of the intermediate layer 3 on the first panel 2 consists in placing the strips 5 onto the first panel 2 at two of its parallel sides and then placing the sheet 6 between the strips 5.

[0061] Subsequently, the hot melt distribution step of the adhesive is performed on the installation surface 4b of the second panel 4, intended to be coupled to the intermediate layer 3, and then the overlapping step S is performed of the second panel 4, which is arranged with the exposed surface 4a facing upwards, on the intermediate layer 3 so that the respective perimeters coincide, thus obtaining a flat semi-finished product 7.

[0062] To distribute the adhesive on the installation surfaces 2b and 4b, a hot operating roller spreader machine of the conventional type can be used.

[0063] The hot application of the adhesive allows keeping it fluid so as to distribute it evenly on the first panel 2 and on the second panel 4, without damaging them.

[0064] Alternatively, a hot distribution step of the adhesive on the opposite surfaces of the intermediate layer 3 could be provided for.

[0065] Together with the hot distribution of the adhesive, or immediately after, water 12 is sprayed on the same surfaces on which the polyurethane adhesive has been applied.

[0066] The semi-finished product 7 is conveyed in short times to the cold shaping step Z to obtain the curved component 1.

[0067] Such step consists in cold pressing carried out by keeping the semi-finished product 7 for a time period of between 1 and 7 minutes under the action of a pressure comprised between 1 and 6 Kg/cm.sup.2 at room temperature.

[0068] By applying a pressure of 4 Kg/cm.sup.2, it is possible, for example, to obtain stably the desired curvature in approx. 3 minutes.

[0069] Pressing can be carried out using traditional static presses by placing the semi-finished product 7 in a mold 8 and leaving it closed in the press at room temperature for the preset time under the action of the pressure P.

[0070] The semi-finished product 7 is placed inside the mold 8 with the strips 5 and the sheet 6 oriented parallel to the generators of the curved contour to be obtained. The mold 8 is shaped to give the semi-finished product 7 the desired curved contour and is composed of a lower fixed portion 8a, which has a cylindrical and concave shape, and of an upper removable portion 8b, which has a cylindrical and convex shape.

[0071] In this case, the sectioning step is carried out to bring the first panel 2, the intermediate layer 3 and the second panel 4 to the size of the mold 8.

[0072] Alternatively, pressing can be carried out using profiling rollers of the conventional type, thus obtaining the additional advantage of continuous production, made possible by the rapid setting of the adhesive used.

[0073] At the end of the shaping step Z, a resting step is envisaged, i.e. the curved component 1, previously extracted from the mold 8, must wait a few hours before being sent for further machining in order to ensure the complete setting of the adhesive.

[0074] As an alternative to the described process, it is possible to envisage the application of the decorative coating 9 onto one or both the exposed surfaces 2a, 4a downstream of the shaping step Z, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 2. Moreover, the solution cannot be ruled out which provides for the carrying out of the application step of the decorative coating 9 after the realization of the semi-finished product 7.

[0075] Usefully, the method comprises a beading step B of at least one portion of the perimeter edge 13 adapted to cover the portion itself with a coating edge 11.

[0076] The beading step B envisages the gluing of coating strips to the sides of the perimeter edge 13 in order to create a coating edge 11.

[0077] Furthermore, the method comprises a coating step R of at least one portion of the perimeter edge 13 which is adapted to cover the perimeter edge 13 with a beading portion 10 of the coating 9.

[0078] In particular, the coating step R is carried out by means of post-forming machines, able to perform the known post-forming technique.

[0079] The post-forming machines are adapted to process the portion of the perimeter edge 13 and the coating 9 to obtain a beading portion 10 of the coating itself.

[0080] The beading portion 10 obtained with post-forming is bent and glued to the perimeter edge 13, thus covering it.

[0081] As an alternative to post-forming, the coating step R can be carried out by means of press rollers which are adapted to wrap and press a coating edge on the portion of the perimeter edge 13 to be coated.

[0082] In the event of the perimeter of the component defining a rectangular perimeter edge 13, the beading step B is performed on the short sides of the rectangle, while the coating step R (post-forming or beading) is performed on the long sides.

[0083] Cases cannot be ruled out wherein the coating step R is not envisaged, but only the beading step B is envisaged for the entire perimeter edge 13.

[0084] Advantageously, the method according to the invention permits eliminating the aforesaid risks for the health of the operators from the work environment.

[0085] Moreover, this method, because it does not require heating during the shaping step, makes it possible to produce longer molds than traditional ones or multiple in height in the event of the press being used having more than one compartment.

[0086] Where the technical characteristics mentioned in some claims are followed by reference marks, these reference marks have been included for the sole purpose of increasing understanding of the claims and, consequently, such reference marks have no restrictive effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference marks.