Decorative Panel and Method of Manufacturing a Decorative Panel

Abstract

The invention relates to a decorative panel, in particular a floor panel, ceiling panel or wall panel, and to a method for manufacturing such decorative panel. The panel according to the present invention comprises includes at least one foamed layer comprising including an upper side and a lower side, and at least one decorative solid layer either directly or indirectly, affixed on said upper side of the foamed layer, wherein both the foamed layer and the decorative solid layer are wood based materials. The invention also relates to a floor covering consisting of a plurality of such panels.

Claims

1-38. (canceled)

39. A decorative panel, in particular a floor panel, ceiling panel or wall panel, comprising: at least one solid layer comprising an upper side and a lower side, wherein the solid layer is at least partially made of densified wood, and at least one foamed layer affixed, either directly or indirectly to the solid layer, wherein the foamed layer is at least partially made of wood foam, wherein the decorative panel is provided with a decorative top surface.

40. The panel according to claim 39, wherein the panel comprises: a first panel edge comprising a first coupling profile, and a second panel edge comprising a second coupling profile being designed to engage interlockingly with said first coupling profile of an adjacent panel, preferably both in horizontal direction and in vertical direction; and/or a third panel edge comprising a third coupling profile, and a fourth panel edge comprising a fourth coupling profile being designed to engage interlockingly with said third coupling profile of an adjacent panel, preferably both in horizontal direction and in vertical direction.

41. The panel according to claim 40, wherein the coupling profiles are at least partially, and preferably substantially entirely, provided in the solid layer.

42. The panel according to claim 39, wherein at least one foamed layer has a density between 40 and 300 kg/m3.

43. The panel according claim 39, wherein the wood foam of the foamed layer consists of chemically bound wood fibers, and wherein the wood fibers are additionally bound by physical anchorage and entanglement of wood fibers and/or strands of wood fibers.

44. The panel according to claim 39, wherein the foamed layer is a rigid layer.

45. The panel according to claim 39, wherein the panel comprises a plurality of foamed layers, wherein each foamed layer comprises wood foam.

46. The panel according to claim 45, wherein the panel comprises at least one intermediate layer which is enclosed between at least two foamed layers, wherein the intermediate layer preferably comprises densified wood.

47. The panel according to claim 39, wherein at least one foamed layer has a thickness of 2 to 30 mm, preferably 5 to 20 mm, more preferably 5 to 15 mm.

48. The panel according to claim 39, wherein the solid layer has a density of at least 800 kg/m3, preferably at least 900 kg/m3, more preferably at least 1000 kg/m3.

49. The panel according to claim 39, wherein the solid layer has a thickness of 1 to 10 mm, preferably 2 to 7 mm.

50. The panel according to claim 39, wherein the densified wood of the solid layer is composed of chemically treated, compressed wood.

51. The panel according to claim 39, wherein the densified wood of the solid layer comprises less than 10% by weight of hemicellulose, and/or wherein the densified wood of the solid layer comprises less than 15% by weight of lignin.

52. The panel according to claim 39, wherein at least one foamed layer and at least one solid layer are glued together.

53. The panel according to claim 39, wherein the decorative top surface of the panel is at least partially formed by the solid layer.

54. The panel according to claim 39, wherein the panel comprising a decorative top substrate affixed, either directly or indirectly, on top of the solid layer and/or the foamed layer, wherein the decorative top substrate constitutes the decorative top surface of the panel, and wherein the decorative top substrate comprises at least one print layer and at least one protective layer covering said print layer.

55. The panel according to claim 39, wherein each layer of the panel is a waterproof layer.

56. The panel according to claim 39, wherein at least one panel layer comprises and/or is coated with at least one antimicrobial agent.

57. The decorative covering, in particular a decorative floor covering, decorative ceiling covering, or decorative wall covering, comprising a plurality of decorative panels according to claim 39, in particular a plurality of mutually coupled decorative panels.

58. A method of manufacturing a decorative panel, in particular a floor panel, ceiling panel or wall panel, preferably according to claim 39, comprising the steps of: a) providing at least one foamed layer comprising an upper side and a lower side, wherein the foamed layer comprises wood foam, and b) providing at least one decorative solid layer comprising densified wood, affixing the solid layer onto the upper side or lower side of the foamed layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] The invention will be elucidated on the basis of non-limitative exemplary embodiments shown in the following figures.

[0054] FIGS. 1a and 1b show a cross-sectional views of a decorative panel 100 according to the present invention. The panel 100 comprises a foamed layer 101 comprising an upper side 101a and a lower side 101b, and a decorative solid layer 102. The decorative solid layer 102 is affixed on said upper side 101a of the foamed layer 101. The foamed layer 101 comprises wood foam, the wood foam has a substantially open pore structure. The decorative solid layer comprises densified wood. Optionally, the panel 100 may comprise a print layer 140 and/or at least one protective layer 140. It is also conceivable that the panel 100 comprises a backing layer 150 attached to a lower side of the foamed layer 101. The solid layer 102 is in the shown embodiment provided with, optional, interlocking coupling profiles 103, 104, 105, 106.

[0055] FIG. 1a shows a possible shape of the complementary first edge 107 and second edge 108 of the solid layer 102. The first edge 107 comprises a sideward tongue 109 which is integrally connected to the solid layer 102. A front region of the sideward tongue 109 is provided with a rounded bottom surface. An outer end of the rounded bottom surface adjoins an inclined locking surface. An opposite end of the rounded bottom surface adjoins a bearing surface 110 making part of a back region of the sideward tongue 109. The second edge 108 of the solid layer 102 comprises an upper lip 112 and a lower lip 113 defining a recess 114. Both lips are integrally connected to the solid layer 102. The recess 114 has a shape which is complementary to the shape of the sideward tongue 109. More in particular, a top surface of a back region of the lower lip 113 has a (complementary) rounded shape, configured to co-act with the rounded front region of the sideward tongue 109, while a front region of the lower lip 113 is provided with a upwardly protruding shoulder, configured to co-act with the bearing surface of the sideward tongue 109. A lower surface of the upper lip 112 is inclined and corresponds to the locking surface of the sideward tongue 109. Locking at the first edge 107 and the second edge 108 of adjacent tiles 100 by insertion of the sideward tongue 109 of a tile 100 to be coupled into the recess 114, wherein said tile 100 is initially held in an inclined position. After insertion of the sideward tongue 109 into the recess 114, the tile 100 to be coupled will be pivoted (angled) in downward direction about an axis parallel to the first edge 107 until both tiles 100 are positioned in the same—commonly horizontal—plane, wherein the locking surface of the sideward tongue 109 will engage the locking surface of the upper lip 112, and wherein at least a bottom front part is accommodated substantially form-fittingly in the recess 114, and wherein the bearing surface is supported by the shoulder. Locking at the first edge 107 and the second edge 108 leads to locking of the connected tiles 100 in both horizontal direction and vertical direction. The angling down locking principle of the first and second edges 107, 108 is a relatively easy locking principle which facilitates mutual coupling of tiles at these edges 107, 108 tremendously.

[0056] FIG. 1b shows a possible shape of the complementary third edge 117 and fourth 118 edge. The third edge 117 comprises an upward tongue 119, an upward flank 120 and an upward groove 121 formed between the upward tongue 119 and the upward flank 120. The upward tongue 119 is connected to the solid layer 102 by means of a bridge 123, which is preferably resilient to some extent. A side of the upward tongue 119 facing toward upward flank 120 extends in the direction of the normal N1 of the upper side of the solid layer 102. The tangent R1 and the normal N1 of the upper side of the solid layer 102 are thus directed toward each other (converging orientation), wherein the angle enclosed by R1 and N1 is preferably between 0 and 10 degrees in this exemplary embodiment. Due to the converging orientation of the upward flank 120 and the side of the upward tongue 119 facing toward to the upward flank 120, the upward groove is a closed groove, which is only accessible to a complementary counterpart by deformation of the upward tongue 119 and/or bridge 123. Another side of upward tongue 119 facing toward upward flank 120 forms an aligning edge enabling facilitated realization of a coupling to an adjacent tile 100. A lower part of upward flank 120 is oriented diagonally, while an upper part of upward flank 120 is shown to be substantially vertical and forms a stop surface for the fourth edge 118. In between the inclined part 120 and the substantially vertical part of the upward flank an additional coupling element, in particular an additional bulge 123 is provided. A lower wall part of the upward groove 121 is oriented substantially horizontally in this exemplary embodiment. The fourth edge 118 is substantially complementary to third edge 117. The fourth edge 118 comprises a downward tongue 125, a downward flank 126 and a downward groove 127 formed in between downward tongue 125 and downward flank 126. A side of downward tongue 125 facing toward downward flank 126 lies in the direction of the normal N2 of the lower side of the solid layer 102. This means that a tangent R2 of side of downward tongue 125 and the normal of the lower side of the solid layer 102 are mutually converging, wherein the angle enclosed by R2 and N2 is preferably between 0 and 10 degrees in this exemplary embodiment. More preferably, the inclination of R1 is identical to the inclination of R2; hence, R1 and R2 are preferably parallel. Due to the converging orientation of the downward flank 126 and the side of the downward tongue 125 facing toward to the downward flank 126, the downward groove 127 is a closed groove, which is only accessible for the upward tongue 119 of an adjacent tile 100 by deformation of the downward tongue 125 and/or bridge, as a result of which the entrance of the downward groove can be widened (temporary). The inclining side of downward tongue 125 also functions as aligning edge for the purpose of further facilitating coupling between two tiles 100. Another side facing away from downward flank 126 takes a substantially vertical form, though is provided with a small cavity 128 configured to co-act with the additional bulge 124 of another tile 100. The downward flank 126 is oriented substantially vertically and is provided with a recess 129 adapted to receive the outward bulge 130 of the upward tongue 119 (of an adjacent tile).

[0057] FIGS. 2a-2c show examples of possible embodiments of decorative panels 200a-200c according to the present invention. Each figure shows a cross section of the panel 200a-200b. FIG. 2a shows a decorative panel 200a according to the present invention comprising one foamed layer comprising wood foam and one decorative solid layer 202 affixed on said upper side of the foamed layer. The decorative solid layer 202 comprises densified wood. Said layers 201, 202 can be mutually connected by means of fusion. In a preferred embodiment, the solid layer 202 is provided with coupling profiles. However, it is also conceivable that the foamed layer 201 is provided with interconnecting coupling profiles (not shown). FIG. 2b shows a decorative panel 200b according to the present invention, wherein the panel 200b comprises a plurality of foamed layers 201a, 201b. Each foamed layer 201a, 201b comprises wood foam. In the shown embodiment, the upper foamed layer 201a has a higher density than the lower foamed layer 201b. FIG. 2c shows a decorative panel 200c which comprises a solid layer 202 and an intermediate layer 260 which is enclosed between two foamed layers 201c, 201d. The intermediate layer 260 comprises densified wood, and can be provided with interconnecting coupling profiles (not shown).

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0058] The above-described inventive concepts are illustrated by several illustrative embodiments. It is conceivable that individual inventive concepts may be applied without, in so doing, also applying other details of the described example. It is not necessary to elaborate on examples of all conceivable combinations of the above-described inventive concepts, as a person skilled in the art will understand numerous inventive concepts can be (re)combined in order to arrive at a specific application.

[0059] It will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the working examples shown and described herein, but that numerous variants are possible within the scope of the attached claims that will be obvious to a person skilled in the art.

[0060] The verb “comprise” and conjugations thereof used in this patent publication are understood to mean not only “comprise”, but are also understood to mean the phrases “contain”, “substantially consist of”, “formed by” and conjugations thereof. Further, when it is referred to a material property, like “rigid”, “waterproof”, this means that this material property is at least predominantly present in the discussed material, and is more present than an opposite material property. Hence, each material property may be understood in practice as being the cited material property preceded by the adverb “substantially”, e.g. “substantially rigid”, “substantially waterproof”. The same applies to embodiments wherein reference is made to a material composition, in particular in cases wherein the expression “free of” is used. This latter expression may be understood in practice as “substantially free of”, as—in practice—traces or other small amounts of the negatively cited constituent may still be present in the composition referred to.