FLOOR PANEL AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING FLOOR PANELS

Abstract

A floor panel with a substrate and a decorative layer of wood veneer with a thickness of 1 millimeter or less and provided on the substrate. The decorative layer is provided on the substrate by means of a glue layer which is situated between the substrate and the decorative layer. The glue layer comprises hard particles with an average particle size which is at least one third of the thickness of the wood veneer. Methods for manufacturing such floor panels are provided.

Claims

1. A floor panel with a substrate, and a decorative layer of wood veneer with a thickness of 1 millimeter or less and provided on the substrate, wherein said decorative layer is provided on the substrate by means of a glue layer situated between the substrate and the decorative layer, wherein said glue layer comprises a thermosetting resin and hard particles with an average particle size which is at least one third of the thickness of the wood veneer.

2. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the thermosetting resin is a melamine-based resin.

3. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the substrate, at the surface where the decorative layer is situated, has a density of more than 900 kilograms per cubic meter.

4. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a wood fiberboard.

5. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the wood veneer has a thickness between 0.3 and 1 millimeter.

6. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the decorative layer comprises transparent or translucent surface material at the surface.

7. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the wood veneer is at least partially impregnated by means of the thermosetting resin.

8. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the thermosetting resin penetrates into the wood veneer from the underside, and this not further than over a distance which is smaller than 50% of the thickness of the wood veneer.

9. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the thermosetting resin penetrates the wood veneer and penetrates the substrate.

10. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the hard particles at the underside of the decorative layer penetrate into the wood veneer.

11. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the material of the hard particles is chosen from the list of aluminum oxide, titanium carbide, silicon carbide and silicon oxide.

12. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the hard particles assume an orientation wherein their largest main axis of inertia or main axis, seen on average, is oriented substantially perpendicular to the surface of the panel.

13. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the glue layer extends uninterruptedly underneath the entire wood veneer.

14. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the hard particles penetrate into the wood veneer at the underside over a distance of at least 20% of the thickness of the wood veneer.

15. The floor panel according to claim 14, wherein the hard particles penetrate for 30% by weight or more of the hard particles at the underside into the wood veneer over a distance of at least 20% of the thickness of the wood veneer.

16. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein this floor panel, on at least two opposite edges is provided with coupling means, which allow that two of such floor panels can be coupled to each other in a vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled panels and in a horizontal direction in this plane and perpendicular to the respective edge.

17. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the floor panel is provided with lower edge regions on one or more edges, wherein the a wood veneer extends in one piece from on the surface of the substrate over the lower edge regions.

18. The floor panel according to claim 17, wherein the wood veneer is compressed at the height of the lower edge regions.

19. The floor panel of claim 17, wherein the lower edge region forms a bevel, wherein the wood veneer extends over the lower edge region at least up to a point where the veneer surface is situated on a level in a horizontal plane which intersects the substrate.

20. A method for manufacturing floor panels, the floor panels each comprising at least a substrate and a decorative layer of wood veneer provided on the substrate, wherein the method comprises at least the following steps: the step of providing a basic board; the step of composing a stack which comprises at least the basic board, a glue layer, and one or more wood veneers; the step of pressing said stack, wherein the one or more veneers are adhered to the basic board; wherein the glue layer comprises a thermosetting resin and hard particles, wherein the hard particles have an average particle size which is at least one third of the thickness of the wood veneer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0084] 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:

[0085] FIG. 1 in perspective represents a floor panel with the characteristics of the invention;

[0086] FIGS. 2 and 3, at a larger scale, represent a cross-section according to the lines II-II and III-III, respectively, represented in FIG. 1;

[0087] FIG. 4, in a view similar to that of FIG. 2, represents a variant;

[0088] FIG. 5, at a larger scale, represents the floor panel of FIG. 4 in coupled condition;

[0089] FIG. 6, at a larger scale, shows a view onto the region indicated by F6 in FIG. 2;

[0090] FIG. 7, in a view similar to that of FIG. 6, represents variants;

[0091] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a step in a method with the characteristics of the invention;

[0092] FIG. 10 represents a variant in a view onto the region indicated by F10 in FIG. 8; and

[0093] FIG. 11 represents another variant of a floor panel in a view similar to that of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0094] FIG. 1 represents a decorative panel, more particularly a floor panel 1, in accordance with the invention. The panel 1 is rectangular and oblong and comprises a pair of opposite short edges 2-3 and a pair of opposite long edges 4-5. The decorative top layer 6 is formed by a wood veneer 7 with a thickness of 1 millimeter or less, in this case the veneer has a thickness T1 of approximately 0.6 millimeters.

[0095] FIG. 2 clearly shows that the decorative panel 1 comprises a substrate material 8 on which the wood veneer 7 is provided by means of a layer on the basis of thermosetting resin 9, situated between the substrate and the decorative layer. According to the invention, the substrate 8 has an average density of more than 750 kilograms per cubic meter. In this case, this relates to an HDF board material with an average density of 900 kilograms per square meter and a surface density of more than 1000 kilograms per square meter. At the edges 2-3 and 4-5, mechanical coupling means 10 are formed in the substrate material by means of milling cutters. At the underside of the substrate material 8, a backing layer 11 is provided, for example, glued or otherwise attached to the substrate material 8. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, such backing layer 11 is also attached to the substrate material 8 by means of a layer of thermosetting resin. Such backing layer 11 preferably is made of a wooden veneer layer with a thickness T2 of at least 50 percent of the decorative top layer. Still better, the decorative top layer of the wood veneer 7 and the backing layer 11 differ from each other at least in that the wood veneer of the backing layer 11 is thicker than the wood veneer 7 of the top layer. The backing layer 11 may consist, for example, of a rotary peeled veneer with a thickness T2 of 1.5 millimeters or thicker, whereas the wood veneer 7 of the top layer is a veneer with a thickness T1 of less than 1 millimeter.

[0096] FIGS. 2 and 3 represent that both pairs of opposite edges 2-3-4-5 are provided with mechanical coupling means 10 which substantially are realized as a tongue 12 and a groove 13 bordered by an upper lip 14 and a lower lip 15, wherein the tongue 12 and the groove 12 substantially are responsible for the locking in a vertical direction V, and wherein the tongue 12 and the groove 13 are provided with additional locking parts 16-17, which substantially are responsible for the locking in a horizontal direction H. Preferably, the locking parts comprise a protrusion 16 at the underside of the tongue 12 and a recess 17 in the lower groove lip 15. The coupling means 10 represented in FIGS. 2 and 3 allow at least a coupling by means of a rotational movement W around the respective edges 2-3-4-5 and/or a coupling by means of a shifting movement S in a substantially horizontal manner of the edges 2-3-4-5 to be coupled towards each other.

[0097] FIGS. 4 and 5 represent a variant with a pair of short edges 2-3, which allow obtaining a coupling at least by means of a downward movement D. An edge 2 is provided with a male coupling part 18, whereas the other edge 3 is provided with a female coupling part 19. By means of the downward movement D the male coupling part 18 is pressed into the female coupling part 19 in order to be locked there in the vertical direction V, as a result of a pair of cooperating protrusions 20 and recesses 21. In this case, the recess 21 is partially formed by a resilient element 22 present in the female coupling part 19.

[0098] FIG. 6 represents a detail of the upper edge of the floor panel from FIG. 2. It is shown clearly that the layer of thermosetting resin 9 can penetrate partially into the substrate material 8 and partially into the wood veneer 7 of the top layer.

[0099] FIG. 6 further clearly shows that the decorative layer 6 at the surface comprises transparent or translucent surface material 23. In this case, this relates to a material with a matte structure, namely with a gloss degree of 10 or less, as measured according to DIN 67530.

[0100] The floor panel from the FIGS. 1 to 7 is provided with lower edge regions 24 on one or more edges 2-3-4-5, wherein the wood veneer 7 extends in one piece from on the surface 25 of the substrate 8 over these lower edge regions 24. In the example, the lower edge regions 24 are realized as bevel or chamfer. The wood veneer 7 extends over the lower edge region 24 at least up to a point 26, wherein the veneer surface is situated at a level L in a horizontal plane which intersects the aforementioned substrate 8. At the location of the lower edge regions 24, the wood veneer 7, seen on average, has a thickness TB which is smaller than the global thickness T1 of the wood veneer 7. At these edges, the wood veneer 7 is compressed or impressed. In the present case, also the substrate material 8 is impressed at the location of these edges. This compression of the wood veneer 7 leads to an increased resistance against moisture penetration. Preferably, the average thickness TB of the wood veneer on the lower edge regions is less than 85% of the global thickness T1 of the wood veneer.

[0101] In the examples, the thermosetting resin 9 extends uninterruptedly underneath the entire wood veneer 7, inclusively the lower edge regions 24.

[0102] The surface material 25 follows the relief of the wood veneer 7 at least over the lowered edges 24 or chamfers.

[0103] FIG. 6 schematically represents that the thermosetting resin 9 or the glue layer comprises wear-resistant particles 27. According to the invention, the hard particles 17 show an average particle size which is at least one third of the thickness T1 of the wood veneer 7. These particles penetrate at the underside into the wood veneer 7 and there provide for a barrier against the final wearing through of the veneer 7. Due to the choice of the average particle size, the particles 27 penetrate from on the underside into the veneer 7 over a distance which is larger than the distance D, wherein the distance D is 20% of the thickness T1 of the wood veneer 7.

[0104] It is noted that also in the surface material 25 there are wear-resistant particles, however, with a smaller average particle size, for example, of 10 micrometers or smaller.

[0105] FIG. 7 represents another variant, wherein the thermosetting resin 9 encloses a material sheet, such as a paper sheet 28. Preferably, this relates to a paper sheet 27 with a surface weight between 50 and 150 grams per square meter. Preferably, the thermosetting resin 9 is applied by means of this paper sheet 28, namely in that this paper sheet is impregnated with resin 9, preferably is saturated with resin, and in this manner is placed on the substrate material 8.

[0106] FIG. 9 represents a stack 29 which is pressed by means of the method of the aspect. For the press treatment in this case a structured press element 30 is applied. The stack 28 comprises a basic board 8A with an average density of more than 750 kilograms per cubic meter, a layer of thermosetting resin 9 and a wood veneer 7 for forming the decorative top layer 6. Further, the stack 29 also comprises a wood veneer for forming the backing layer 11 and a layer of thermosetting resin 9 for attaching this backing layer 11 to the underside of the basic board 8A. In the example, the layers with thermosetting resin 9 each time are realized by means of a paper sheet 28, which is impregnated with this resin. The wood veneer 7 comprises a sewing connection 31, which is positioned above a portion 32 of the basic board 8A, which has to be removed in subsequent treatments for subdividing and forming of coupling means 10, which here already are represented in dashed line. In the example, the basic board 8A comprises a flat upper surface 25. However, it is not excluded that the upper surface may be pre-formed, entirely or partially, corresponding to the applied press element 30.

[0107] FIG. 10 represents the obtained pressed whole 33. Herein, the decorative top layer 6 and the backing layer 11 is represented only schematically each time as one layer, namely without representing the layers with resin 9 and the paper sheets 28. From this, it is clear that the veneer 7 and the backing layer 11 are adhered to the basic board 8A by means of the hardened resin 9. Moreover, the basic board 8A is deformed such that the upper surface 25 shows a structure. The wood veneer 7 follows the contour of the structured upper surface 25. Hereby, in this case, it is obtained that the wood veneer 7 comprises a relief of scraped parquet with lowered edges 24.

[0108] FIG. 11 represents that at least the hard particles 27 can remain absent at the location of the portion 32. In this manner is achieved that the cutting tools, which have to remove the portion 32 in order to form the coupling means, are less subjected to wear. In this case, an embodiment is represented wherein a plurality of paper sheets 28 filled with hard particles 27, with intermediate space 34, are provided in the stack. Herein, the space 34 between the paper sheets 28 is situated above the portion 32 and in this case extends at least over this entire portion. According to the variant represented in dashed line 35, it is also possible that the paper sheet 28 and possibly the resin 9 provided thereon extends continuously over the portion 32, however, that the hard particles 27 remain absent there or anyhow at least are present to a much more limited extent.

[0109] FIG. 11 further represents that, whether or not in combination with the above, a plurality of wood veneers 7 situated next to each other can be applied instead of veneers which are composed, via a sewing connection, to a continuous sheet. Preferably, between the wood veneers 7 a space is maintained at the location of the portion 32. The dashed line 36 represents a continuous sheet.

[0110] FIG. 11 further also represents that there are similar options for the glue layer at the underside and for the backing layer 11.

[0111] Referring to FIGS. 9 to 11, it is clear that the press treatment preferably is performed on a larger basic board 8A, which finally shall be subdivided into a plurality of floor panels 1. In transverse direction as well as in longitudinal direction, a plurality of floor panels 1 lying next to each other can be formed from the larger basic board 8A. The portions 32 of the basic board 8A can be present between adjacent long edges 4-5 as well as between adjacent short edges 2-3 of the final floor panels 1.

[0112] FIG. 12 represents a particular embodiment, wherein the hard particles 27 assume an orientation wherein their largest main axis of inertia or main axis 37, seen on average, is oriented substantially perpendicular to the surface 38 of the panel 1.

[0113] It is also noted that impregnatable carrier sheets provided with oriented hard particles as such relate to a fourth independent aspect of the invention, which can be applied more broadly than only as a glue layer in a veneer panel. So, for example, may such carrier sheet be applied as a decor layer or overlay in a laminate panel. It is known that laminate panels comprise a melamine-based top layer, which usually is composed of a decor paper printed with a motif and provided with resin, and a protective top layer or overlay, which is provided above the motif, which also can comprise a transparent paper layer. The overlay usually comprises hard particles for forming a barrier against wear above the motif of the decor paper. As oriented particles offer more effective resistance against wear, according to the present independent aspect of the invention, the content of hard particles can be limited compared to the state of the art. In this manner, a more transparent top layer can be obtained above the decor layer or the decor paper of a laminate panel. Therefore, it is clear that the invention, according to its fourth independent aspect, also relates to a carrier sheet, wherein this carrier sheet is impregnable, or is impregnated, with melamine-based resin and is provided with hard particles, with the characteristic that said hard particles assume an orientation wherein their largest main axis of inertia or main axis, seen on average, is oriented substantially perpendicular to the surface of the carrier sheet. It is clear that the hard particles, which are applied within the scope of the fourth aspect, can consist of the same materials as in the remaining aspects. Preferably, the hard particles, however, show a more limited average particle size, for example, situated between 20 and 120 micrometers. The carrier sheet preferably is a paper sheet, preferably with a Gurley value (according to Tappi T460) lower than 30 seconds, or even of lower than 25 seconds. Such Gurley value ensures a sufficient impregnation with melamine-based resin. The paper sheet can show a paper weight between 15 and 150 grams per square meter. In case the paper sheet is employed as a decor paper, namely, with a provided thereon printed motif, it preferably has a weight of more than 55 grams per square meter, wherein approximately 70 to approximately 90 grams per square meter is a good value for application in laminate floor panels and 90 to 150 grams per square meter is a good value for application in furniture panels. In the case that the paper sheet is employed as a wear layer, or so-called overlay, above a decor paper, it preferably has a weight of less than 55 grams per square meter, wherein approximately 20 to approximately 30 grams per square meter is a good value. Preferably, 5 to 25 grams per square meter of said hard particles is applied to the carrier sheet. It is evident that for the orientation of the hard particles the techniques can be applied which have been discussed by means of the second aspect of the invention.

[0114] It is clear that the invention also relates to a laminate panel, more particularly a laminate floor panel, wherein this laminate panel comprises at least a substrate, for example, of MDF or HDF, and a provided there above decor with a protective top layer or wear layer, with the characteristic that the decor and/or the wear layer comprises a carrier sheet with the characteristics of the fourth aspect.

[0115] The present invention is in no way limited to the herein above-described embodiments, on the contrary can such methods and decorative panels be realized according to various variants, without leaving the scope of the present invention. Amongst others, it is clear that the characteristics of the invention of any aspect also are interesting with other decorative panels, such as furniture panels, wall panels or ceiling panels. So, for example, does the invention offer the possibility for more wear-resistant counter tops for kitchens, office furniture, tables and the like, which comprise only a thin veneer layer as a decorative layer.

[0116] Although in the above practically exclusively wood veneer is mentioned, it is evident that the above independent aspects and preferred embodiments thereof also are applied in decorative panels with a thin top layer of another material. So, for example, it can be applied in decorative top layers of leather, bamboo, textile, aluminum, metal, stone veneer, plastic foils or the like.