Method for manufacturing an underlay material, and underlay material

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an underlay material (8) to be set under parquet or a laminate, the underlay material including a sheet material layer (1) and a flexible cellular plastic material layer (3) bonded under the sheet material layer, and a bottom surface of the cellular plastic layer being processed for providing an air space, whereby the bottom surface of the cellular plastic material layer (3) is processed by melting the cellular plastic material locally for providing an air space (9) and for simultaneously bonding the cellular plastic material layer to the sheet material layer (1). An underlay material manufactured by such a method is also described.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an underlay material to be set under parquet or a laminate, said underlay material consisting of a sheet material layer and a flexible cellular plastic material layer bonded under the sheet material layer, and a bottom surface of said cellular plastic material layer being processed for providing an air space, wherein the bottom surface of the cellular plastic material layer is processed by melting cellular plastic material of the cellular plastic material layer locally, thereby providing the air space and simultaneously bonding the cellular plastic material layer to the sheet material layer only at an area of recesses formed by melting the cellular plastic material.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the melting and bonding of the cellular plastic material layer to the sheet material layer is conducted by conveying the material layers through between first and second rolls set in opposition to each other, whereby the first roll is in contact with the cellular plastic material layer and has a surface formed with uniform protrusions, at least the protrusions of the first roll being heated.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the cellular plastic material layer is by melting formed with at least two sets of continuous and parallel grooves, the grooves of the at least two sets crossing each other to make up a pattern of squares or lozenges on the bottom surface of the cellular plastic material layer.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the cellular plastic material layer is by melting formed with at least two sets of continuous and parallel grooves, the grooves of the at least two sets crossing each other to make up a pattern of squares or lozenges on the bottom surface of the cellular plastic material layer.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sheet material layer is made of plastic, paper or cardboard.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein the sheet material layer is made of plastic, paper or cardboard.

7. A method according to claim 3, wherein the sheet material layer is made of plastic, paper or cardboard.

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein the sheet material layer is made of plastic, paper or cardboard.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the cellular plastic material layer is made of a foamed polymer or polymer blend.

10. A method according to claim 2, wherein the cellular plastic material layer is made of a foamed polymer or polymer blend.

11. A method according to claim 3, wherein the cellular plastic material layer is made of a foamed polymer or polymer blend.

12. A method according to claim 4, wherein the cellular plastic material layer is made of a foamed polymer or polymer blend.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the cellular plastic material layer is made of a foamed polymer or polymer blend and is in the form of a material web.

14. A method according to claim 2, wherein the cellular plastic material layer is made of a foamed polymer or polymer blend and is in the form of a material web.

15. A method according to claim 3, wherein the cellular plastic material layer is made of a foamed polymer or polymer blend and is in the form of a material web.

16. A method according to claim 4, wherein the cellular plastic material layer is made of a foamed polymer or polymer blend and is in the form of a material web.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sheet material layer is made of plastic, paper or cardboard and is in the form of a material web.

18. A method according to claim 2, wherein the sheet material layer is made of plastic, paper or cardboard and is in the form of a material web.

19. A method according to claim 3, wherein the sheet material layer is made of plastic, paper or cardboard and is in the form of a material web.

20. A method according to claim 4, wherein the sheet material layer is made of plastic, paper or cardboard and is in the form of a material web.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows schematically one underlay material manufacturing arrangement according to the invention,

(2) FIG. 2 shows schematically one underlay material of the invention in cross-section, and

(3) FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate examples of air provision patterns made up of grooves in an underlay material of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(4) FIG. 1 shows schematically one manufacturing arrangement of the invention, which comprises a reel 2 composed of a sheet material 1 in the form of a web, a reel 4 composed of a cellular plastic material 3 in the form of a web, as well as a pair of press rolls 5 and 6.

(5) In the arrangement of FIG. 1, the sheet material 1 in the form of a web, which in this example consists of plastic sheet, is fed from the reel 2 to a location between the pair of press rolls 5 and 6 with a top surface of the sheet material 1 placing itself against a surface of the smooth roller 5. The cellular plastic material 3 in the form of a web is fed from the reel 4 to a location between the pair of press rolls 5 and 6, such that a top surface of the cellular plastic material 3 places itself against the sheet material 1 and its bottom surface against the roll 6 provided with protrusions 7, 7.

(6) Either the entire roll 6 or the protrusions 7, 7 of the roll 6 have been heated, for example with heating resistors, the cellular plastic material 3 set against the protrusions 7, 7 being melted thereby.

(7) The manufacture of an underlay material 8 proceeds in the sequence of FIG. 1 simply in such a way that the web type sheet material 1 and cellular plastic material 3 are web-fed from the reels 2 and 4 to a location between the pair of press rolls 5 and 6, the underlay material being produced thereafter simply by rotating the pair of press rolls 5 and 6. At this time, the pair of press rolls has the hot protrusions 7, 7 of its roll 6 melting some of the cellular plastic material 3 in areas coincident with the protrusions in response to both heat and pressure, whereby the cellular plastic material collapses and thereby bonds over its melted areas to the sheet material 1 at the latest when reaching a nip point of the pair of press rolls, i.e. at the point where a surface of the roll 5 and an end surface of the roll's 6 protrusions 7, 7 are at a minimum distance from each other.

(8) In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the roll 6 has its protrusions 7, 7 designed in such a way that the protrusions 7 melt grooves in the cellular plastic material 3 longitudinal of its web and the protrusions 7 melt grooves in the cellular plastic material 3 lateral of its web. Hence, the grooves providing an air provision for the manufactured underlay material 8 make up a pattern of squares on the bottom surface of the cellular plastic material 3.

(9) Temperature of the roll 6 and/or its protrusions 7, 7 is set sufficiently high for melting the cellular plastic material 3. This temperature may also accomplish partial melting of the sheet material 1, which in turn enhances bonding of the cellular plastic material 3 to the sheet material 1. In order to prevent excessive melting of the sheet material 1, the roll 5 and/or its surface can be cooled as necessary. In view of melting for example a cellular plastic material of polyethylene, the temperature suitable for the roll 6 and/or its protrusions 7, 7 is about 140 C.

(10) FIG. 2 shows schematically a cross-section of one underlay material 8, which is manufactured with a solution according to the invention and made up of a sheet material 1 and a cellular plastic material 3. It can be seen from this cross-section how a cellular plastic material 10 melted and packed on the bottom of grooves 9 in connection with manufacturing the underlay material 8 has bonded to the sheet material 1 for producing the underlay material 8.

(11) FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate optional air provision patterns defined by grooves 9 made in a cellular plastic material on the bottom surface of an underlay material 8. As indicated by these patterns, the air provision-establishing continuous grooves 9 can be formed on the surface of a cellular plastic material quite arbitrarily for designing various patterns as long as such grooves nevertheless make up continuous paths across the surface area of the underlay material 8 for the expulsion and removal from under the underlay material of possible moisture building up on a bottom surface of the underlay material.

(12) The solution of the invention is not bound to the use of plastic membranes as a sheet material 1, but other suitable sheet materials can also be used, such as for example paper or cardboard.

(13) The cellular plastic material 3 employed in the solution of the invention comprises preferably a suitable flexible foamed polymer, such as for example cellular polyethylene or polypropylene plastic 1-5 mm in thickness.

(14) The finished underlay material 8 is preferably about 1-5 mm in thickness.

(15) Regarding the embodiments shown in the figures and described above, it should be appreciated that these are just examples of solutions according to the invention and, as such, by no means limiting the invention. The scope of protection for the invention is defined in the appended claims.