Decorative wood-based board panel and method of panel production

Abstract

A manufactured wood-based panel for furniture and interior construction. Particle sized foreign materials are irregularly distributed under a protective layer over one or both of the surfaces of the wood-based panel, covering more than 10% of the panel surface. The foreign materials, preferably natural materials such as cork or hemp shives, but also plastics, metal particles, or recycled material are incorporated so that they either protrude from the panel surface to form a relief pattern or are embedded in the wood-based material to form a uniform, smooth panel surface.

Claims

1. A method for producing a decorative wood-based panel, the method comprising the steps of: a) making a fiber mat of fibers from a wood-based material to which fibers a glue is applied, the fiber mat having an upper and a lower surface, wherein said lower surface of said fiber mat is placed on a lower press plate; b) spreading non-fire retardant particles of foreign materials over the upper surface of the fiber mat, the foreign materials being natural or plastic material, wherein the foreign materials are irregularly distributed relative to each other; c) pre-compacting the fiber mat and the foreign materials at ambient temperature by lowering an upper press plate onto the upper surface of the fiber mat and the foreign materials; d) forming a board by subjecting the fiber mat and the foreign materials to a hot press process, whereby the non-fire retardant particles are cross-linked with the wood-based material; and e) sealing the board with clear varnish.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wood-based panel has an uppermost layer that includes a panel surface, and wherein the foreign materials are irregularly distributed relative to each other to cover 25% to 75% of the panel surface and are embedded exclusively in the uppermost layer of the panel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the foreign materials are used for producing a relief-patterned surface structure on the panel surface and are materials with a high resilience.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the foreign materials are cork.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the foreign materials are used to produce a smooth surface structure on the panel surface and are materials of no resilience at all, or of a negligible resilience.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein through-dyed hemp shives are used as the foreign materials.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the panel surface includes an upper surface and a lower surface and the foreign materials are spread on both surfaces.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Two embodiments of the invention will be described below in more detail, based on the following illustrations.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a first step in the production of a first embodiment of a decorative wood-based panel according to the invention, in which particles of foreign material are being placed on the uppermost surface of a mat of non-woven fiber or chip material.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a second step, in which an upper press surface is placed over the mat and foreign material.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a decorative wood-based panel according to the invention, having a smooth surface.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a first step in the production of a second embodiment of a decorative wood-based panel according to the invention, in which particles of foreign material are being placed on the uppermost surface of a mat of non-woven fiber or chip material.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a second step, in which an upper press surface is placed over the mat and foreign material.

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates a decorative wood-based panel according to the invention, having a textured or raised surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) A non-woven or random particle mat or fleece is formed of wood shavings and adhesive in a process that is long known in the industry and often referred to as a primary forming process. According to the invention, evenly and through-dyed hemp shives are distributed over the upper surface of this particle mat.

(9) Thereafter, the particle mat, inclusive of the through-colored hemp shive particles that were applied to the mat, is first pre-compacted at ambient temperature and then delivered into a hot press. In the press, the so structured wood-based material is subjected to a conventional hot press process. Depending on the desired board thickness, raw density and board properties, the mat and the incorporated through-colored hemp shive particles are compressed at defined pressures and temperatures, whereby the glue-free hemp shive particles become interlaced or meshed with the wood shavings and glue of the mat.

(10) Following the hot press process, the board so produced is conditioned in a stack, then sanded and sealed with clear varnish.

(11) The particle board panel thus produced has on one side a color-structured, attractively decorated surface that is smooth and is immediately ready for use after the-protective coat is applied.

(12) FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate the manufacture of a first embodiment of a decorative wood-based panel according to the invention. FIG. 1 shows a random mat or fleece 2 comprising panel particles, such as wood shavings, placed on a lower press plate or surface 4. Decorative particles 1 of foreign material are distributed irregularly across the uppermost surface of the non-woven mat 2. In this embodiment, the decorative particles are through-colored hemp shives. FIG. 2 shows an upper press plate or surface 3 being lowered onto the mat 2 and the decorative particles 1. The arrangement is then subjected to a hot-press process that is conventionally used in the manufacture of panels. FIG. 3 shows the decorative wood-based panel following the hot-press step, whereby decorative particles 1 have been embedded into the mat 2, such that the resulting panel has a smooth panel surface 5.

(13) In the second embodiment, which is also based on the conventional process traditionally applied in industry, first, a fiber mat of wood-based material is made, to which glue is applied.

(14) According to the invention, a coarse cork granulate is evenly spread over the upper surface of the fiber mat. Thereafter, the fiber mat and cork granulate that was applied to the mat are first pre-compacted at ambient temperature and then delivered to a hot press, whereby they are compressed in a way analogous to that described above, with the result that the preferably glue-free cork particles are interlaced or meshed with the wood shavings to which glue was applied.

(15) Following the hot-press process, the boards so produced are stacked and conditioned.

(16) When the press is opened, the cork granulates, due to the high elasticity of cork and its inherently high degree of resilience, return to their original form to a great extent, and, as a result, protrude from the otherwise plane board. The fiber panel so produced has a structured, attractive, decorative surface with a relief pattern on one side, and is immediately ready for use after the application of a protective coat, which here, too, is preferably a clear varnish.

(17) FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate the manufacture of a second embodiment of the decorative wood-based panels according to the invention. FIG. 4 shows a particle mat 2 comprising a wood fiber fleece, placed on the lower press plate 4. Decorative particles 6 are being distributed irregularly across the uppermost surface of the mat 2. In this embodiment, the decorative particles 6 have a resilience to retain their shape. FIG. 5 shows the upper press plate 3 lowered onto the mat 2 and the decorative particles 6. FIG. 6 shows the decorative wood-based panel following the hot-press step, whereby decorative particles 6 have been captured in the mat 2, but have retained their shape to some extent, such that the resulting panel has a textured or relief-patterned surface 7.

(18) It is understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention. Variations in the construction of the wood-based decorative panel may be contemplated by one skilled in the art without limiting the intended scope of the invention herein disclosed and as defined by the following claims.