LAMINATE PANEL, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A LAMINATE PANEL AND PRESS ELEMENT TO REALIZE THE METHOD

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a laminate panel, where in a first step a press element is manufactured showing a surface relief. In a second step by means of the press element a relief is formed in a surface of the laminate panel, where the surface relief of the press element is provided with protrusions, which during pressing form recesses in the surface of the laminate panel. The recesses imitate wood pores. When manufacturing the press element, at least a number of the protrusions is made elongate and as such are formed substantially or essentially by a machining treatment with rotating cutting tools.

Claims

1. A laminate panel wherein this panel consists at least of a substrate on the basis of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP) or polyurethane (PU) and a printed decor provided thereon, protected by a transparent synthetic material layer on the basis of PVC, PP or PU, wherein the transparent synthetic material layer is provided with a relief comprising elongate recesses, wherein said elongate recesses over the major part of their length have a cross-section which is provided with inclined lateral flanks, wherein these lateral flanks both have a flange portion with an inclination of more than 60? and less than 90?, and that the maximum depth over which said flank portions extend is larger than the maximum distance between the respective flank portions, measured in transverse direction and parallel to the surface plane of said panel.

2. The laminate panel according to claim 1, wherein this panel is a panel of a heterogeneous vinyl floor covering, wherein the substrate is on the basis of PVC and said transparent synthetic material layer is on the basis of PVC.

3. The laminate panel according to claim 1, wherein the printed decor is a printed synthetic material film.

4. The laminate panel according to claim 3, wherein the printed synthetic material film is a printed PVC foil.

5. The laminate panel according to claim 1, wherein the substrate and/or the transparent synthetic material layer comprises fillers.

6. The laminate panel according to claim 1, wherein the minimum distance between the respective flank portions, measured in transverse direction and parallel to the plane of said panel, is smaller than half of said maximum distance between these flank portions.

7. The laminate panel according to claim 1, wherein said elongate recesses have the form of wood pores.

8. The laminate panel according to claim 1, wherein said transparent synthetic material layer as such has a gloss degree of more than 10, measured according to DIN 67530.

9. The laminate panel according to claim 1, wherein said transparent synthetic material layer as such has a portion having a uniform gloss degree of more than 10, measured according to DIN 67530.

10. The laminate panel according to claim 1, wherein said maximum depth is 0.1 millimeter or more.

11. The laminate panel according to claim 1, wherein the deepest point of said recess is located above the horizontal plane in which the decor extends locally.

12. The laminate panel according to claim 1, wherein said lateral flanks at the entrance of said recess and above the respective inclined flank portion are made with a rounding, wherein said rounding has a radius of less than 0.2 millimeters.

13. The laminate panel according to claim 1, wherein the length of said recess is at least 10 times the aforementioned maximum distance between the respective flank portions.

14. The laminate panel according to claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the elongate recesses are configured in a way such that a mirroring reflection of perpendicular or approximately perpendicular incident light takes place mainly on a bottom of the elongate recess.

15. A method for manufacturing laminate panels, wherein said laminate panels consists at least of a substrate on the basis of PVC, PP or PU and a printed decor provided thereon, protected by a transparent synthetic material layer on the basis of PVC, PP or PU, wherein the transparent synthetic material layer is provided with a relief comprising elongate recesses, wherein said elongate recesses over the major part of their length have a cross-section which is provided with inclined lateral flanks, wherein these lateral flanks both have a flange portion with an inclination of more than 60? and less than 90?, and that the maximum depth over which said flank portions extend is larger than the maximum distance between the respective flank portions, measured in transverse direction and parallel to the surface plane of said panel, wherein in a first step a press element is manufactured showing a surface relief, and wherein in a second step by means of this press element a relief is formed in a surface of the laminate panel, wherein said surface relief of the press element is provided with protrusions, which during pressing form recesses in said surface of the laminate panel, said recesses imitating wood pores, wherein when manufacturing the press element, at least a number of said protrusions is made elongate and as such are formed substantially or essentially by a machining treatment with rotating cutting tools.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the laminate panel is composed, at least by means of a press treatment, of the substrate and one or more material sheets, wherein in the same press treatment said press element is applied and the respective recesses are formed in the surface of the laminate panel.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the press element is a press platen.

18. A laminate panel wherein this panel consists at least of a substrate on the basis of PVC and a printed decor provided thereon, protected by a transparent synthetic material layer on the basis of PVC, wherein the transparent synthetic material layer is provided with a relief comprising elongate recesses, wherein said elongate recesses over the major part of their length have a cross-section which is provided with inclined lateral flanks, wherein these lateral flanks both have a flange portion with an inclination of more than 60? and less than 90?, and that the maximum depth over which said flank portions extend is larger than the maximum distance between the respective flank portions, measured in transverse direction and parallel to the surface plane of said panel, wherein the substrate comprises fillers and wherein the minimum distance between the respective flank portions, measured in transverse direction and parallel to the plane of said panel, is smaller than half of said maximum distance between these flank portions.

19. The laminate panel according to claim 18, wherein the deepest point of said recess is located above the horizontal plane in which the decor extends locally.

20. The laminate panel according to claim 19, wherein the cross-section of the elongate recesses are configured in a way such that a mirroring reflection of perpendicular or approximately perpendicular incident light takes place mainly on a bottom of the elongate recess.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, herein below, as an example without any }imitative character, some preferred embodiments are described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0052] FIG. 1 represents a laminate panel with the characteristics of the invention;

[0053] FIG. 2 in perspective, in cross-section and at a larger scale represents a view on the region indicated by F2 in FIG. 1;

[0054] FIG. 3, at a still larger scale, represents a view on the region indicated by F3 in FIG. 2;

[0055] FIG. 4 schematically represents a step in a method according to the invention;

[0056] FIG. 5 in perspective, according to the direction F5 indicated in FIG. 4, represents a press element as well as a laminate panel as those applied in the method of FIG. 4;

[0057] FIG. 6, in a view similar to that of FIG. 4, schematically represents a step in an alternative method according to the invention;

[0058] FIG. 7 represents a laminate product which is obtained by means of the method of FIG. 6;

[0059] FIG. 8 represents a view according to the arrow F8 indicated in FIG. 6;

[0060] FIG. 9 further illustrates the method of FIG. 6 in a view on the region indicated by F9 in FIG. 8, however, at a larger scale;

[0061] FIG. 10 schematically represents a detail of a press platen with the characteristics of the invention;

[0062] FIGS. 11 and 12, at a larger scale, represent a cross-section according to the lines VI-VI and VII-VII, respectively, indicated in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0063] FIG. 1 represents a laminate panel 1 with the characteristics of the invention. In this case, this relates to a floor panel which, as FIG. 2 clearly represents, comprises at least a substrate 2 and a top layer 3 present on this substrate 2. As FIG. 2 schematically represents, the top layer 3 comprises a printed decor 4, protected by means of a transparent synthetic material layer 5.

[0064] In the present case, the floor panel 1 is provided with coupling means 8 on at least two opposite sides 6-7. Such coupling means preferably allow coupling two of such floor panels 1 to each other, in such a manner that in the coupled condition a connection between these floor panels 1 is created in a vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled floor panels 1, as well as in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the respective coupled sides 6-7. Here, this relates to coupling means 8 which are integrated in the floor panel 1. In this case, they are even made in one piece with the floor panel 1, more particularly in one piece with said substrate 2. Such coupling means 8 of course may also be present on the short sides 9-10 of the floor panel 1. The coupling means 8 preferably substantially consist of a tongue and groove connection, wherein the tongue and the groove are provided with locking elements, which, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels 1, effect said connection in horizontal direction.

[0065] FIG. 1 clearly shows that the decor 4, in this case a printed decor, of the floor panel 1 shows a wood pattern 14, wherein this pattern 14 represents, among others, wood pores 15. As FIG. 3 represents, the printed decor 4 is formed as a print 16 performed on a material layer 17, such as a paper sheet, which is located on the substrate 2. As a substrate 2, preferably a wood-based substrate is applied, such as MDF or HDF (Medium Density Fiberboard or High Density Fiberboard). Other substrates 2, such as substrates which substantially consist of synthetic material, are of course not excluded. For example, in the case of compact laminate, this may relate to a substrate comprising a plurality of resin-impregnated and pressed paper sheets and/or cardboard sheets. In the case of LVT, this may relate to a substrate on the basis of soft PVC, which possibly comprises fillers, such as lime.

[0066] In the example, the surface 18 of the floor panel 1 is formed by said synthetic material layer 5, which, for example, such as here can comprise a thermosetting resin, such as melamine resin, however, which, preferably as close as possible to the surface 18, for example, within 5 micrometers underneath the surface 18, also comprises hard particles, such as corundum (Al2O3), possibly in the form of nanocorundum. The examples also show that the synthetic material layer preferably comprises a material layer 17, such as a paper sheet. In the production of the laminate panel 1, such material layer 17 may serve as a carrier for at least a portion of the material of the synthetic material layer 5 and the possible hard particles.

[0067] FIG. 2 clearly shows that the synthetic material layer 5 of the surface 18 of the laminate panel 1 is provided with a relief which comprises elongate recesses 19.

[0068] FIG. 3 represents that the elongate recesses 19, over the major part of their length L, have a cross-section which is provided with inclined lateral flanks 20, or at least with one inclined lateral flank 20. Herein, at least one of these flanks 20, and preferably both flanks 20, comprise a flank portion 21 having an inclination A-B of more than 60? and less than 90?. Herein, the maximum depth T over which said flank portions 21 extend is larger than the maximum distance DI between the respective flank portions 21, wherein this distance D1 is measured transverse to the length L of the elongate recesses 19 and parallel to the plane or the surface 18 of said panel 1.

[0069] In the example of FIG. 3, the minimum distance D2 between the respective flank portions 21, measured in transverse direction and parallel to the surface 18 of the laminate panel 1, is smaller than half of said maximum distance DI between these flank portions 21. The deepest point of the respective recess 19 is located above the horizontal plane in which the decor 4 extends. In this case, this deepest point is even located above the horizontal plane in which the material layer 17 of the synthetic material layer 5 extends. At the entrance of said recess 19 and above the respective inclined flank portion 21, the lateral flanks 20 are made with a rounding 22, the radius of which is less than 0.2 millimeters.

[0070] FIG. 4 schematically represents a step S, wherein by means of a press element 23 a relief is formed in a surface 18 of a laminate panel 1. To this aim, the press element 23, prior to the press treatment, is provided with a surface relief 24 which comprises protrusions 25. When performing the press treatment, these protrusions 25 form recesses 19 in the surface 18 of said laminate panel. The obtained recesses 25 imitate wood pores.

[0071] The pressing step S represented in FIG. 4 relates to an application of the so-called DPL method, wherein the laminate panel 1, at least by means of a press treatment, is composed of a separate substrate 2 and one or more separate material layers 17 or material sheets 17. Herein, said press element 23 is applied in that same press treatment for forming said recesses 19 in the surface of the laminate panel 1. Preferably. as here, a plate-shaped press element 23 or platen is applied.

[0072] FIG. 4 further shows that the material layers 17 are provided with synthetic material 26, preferably a thermally hardening synthetic material, such as a melamine-containing synthetic material. Apart from a first layer 27, which comprises the decor 4, and a second layer 28, which forms part of said transparent synthetic material layer 5 and preferably substantially forms the latter, these material layers 17 provided with synthetic material further also comprise a backing layer 29 or balancing layer.

[0073] For performing the press treatment S, preferably a press device 30 of the short-cycle type (German: Kurztaktpresse) is applied. Preferably, at the opposite side of said press element 23 also a second press element or lower platen 31 is applied.

[0074] According to the second independent aspect mentioned in the introduction, when manufacturing the press element 23, at least a number of said protrusions 25 are made elongate and are formed as such substantially or essentially by means of a machining treatment with rotating cutting tools. Preferably, protrusions 25 are formed, which during pressing effect recesses 19 of the particular type of the first aspect of the invention mentioned in the introduction.

[0075] FIG. 5 gives a view on a press element 23, which comprises a surface relief 25 with a plurality of sections 32 showing a mutually independent surface relief. FIG. 5 also makes clear that such press element 23 can be applied for producing laminate panels I, from which, by subdividing, for example, by means of a saw treatment, along one or more dividing lines 33, smaller panels IA, in this case floor panels, are obtained. When applying the second aspect, the final cut surface of one or more of the sections 32 of the press element 23 is formed by only one rotating cutting tool, preferably during a finishing treatment. The possibly necessary tool exchange then can take place in the transition 34 between two of these sections 32. Preferably, these transitions 34, such as here, correspond to material portions of the laminate panel which have to be removed. In this case, the transitions 34 correspond to the dividing lines 33, wherein the transitions 34, however, may be realized wider than the dividing lines 33.

[0076] FIG. 6 represents an alternative step S in a method for manufacturing a laminate product 1, wherein this method shows, amongst others, the characteristics of the third aspect mentioned in the introduction. Herein,this relates, by way of example, to a laminate panel 1 of the DPL type, wherein a substrate 2, a decor layer 27, a protective layer 28 and a backing layer 29 or balancing layer are consolidated in a press device 30 between a lower press plate 3 J and an upper press plate 23. The decor layer 27 comprises a printed decor 4 and, after pressing, together with the transparent or translucent protective layer 28 forms the top layer 3 of the laminate panel 1. The decor layer 27 as well as the protective layer 28 or overlay substantially consist of a material sheet 17 provided with resin 26, such as a paper sheet. The backing layer 5 or balancing layer provided on the underside also substantially consists of a material sheet 17 provided with resin 26, such as a paper sheet. The substrate 2 may comprise, for example, a wood-based substrate, such as a MDF or HDF substrate.

[0077] From FIG. 6, it is clear that the method illustrated here is of the type wherein a press plate 23, in this case said upper press plate, is manufactured, which shows a surface relief 24. This surface relief 24 is provided with protrusions 25, which, as becomes clear from FIG. 7, during pressing will form impressions or pores 35 in the upper surface 18 of the laminate panel 1, which, as will become clear below, imitate wood pores. FIG. 6 represents the obtained consolidated laminate panel I, which in the upper surface 18 shows the relief formed by means of said press plate 23.

[0078] FIG. 8 represents the structure of protrusions 25 on the press plate 23. This structure in this case substantially consists of protrusions 25, made in elongate shape, which imitate a wood structure. It is clear that the relief of the press plate 23, according to the second as well as to the third aspect, apart from protrusions 25 in the form of pores, can comprise still other protrusions, for example, protrusions intended for forming an impression in the form of a wood knot, a chamfer or traces of wear.

[0079] The particularity of the present invention according to its third aspect consists in that, when manufacturing the press plate 23, at least a number of said elongate protrusions 25, such as the one in the frame F9, as such are formed by means of at least two etching cycles. FIG. 10 represents that per such protrusion 25 a first etching mask 36 and a second etching mask 37, respectively, with mutually differing, however, overlapping contours are applied. For the sake of simplicity of the comparison, in FIG. 10 both etching masks 36 and 37 are simultaneously represented. From this, it is evident that in the example, as required by the invention according to its third aspect, the difference between said first etching mask 36 and said second etching mask 37 consists at least in that the second etching mask 37, over the major part of the length L1 of the respective protrusion 25 to be formed, has a global width B2 which is smaller than the global width B1 of the first etching mask 36 and that the second etching mask 20, on at least one end 38 of the respective protrusion 25, extends farther than the first etching mask 19. Moreover, the portion 39 of the second etching mask 37, which, at the extremities 38 of the respective protrusion 25 to be formed, extends farther than the first etching mask 36, is made with a smaller width B than the global width B1 of the first etching mask 36.

[0080] FIG. 5 represents the contours of the extremity 40 of the protrusion 25, which is obtained when applying the masks 36-37 of FIG. 10. In the example, three levels N1-N2-N3 are obtained in one and the same protrusion 25, namely a level NI, where only the first etching mask 36 has been active, a level N2, where only the second etching mask 37 has been active, and a level N3, where both etching masks 36-37 have been active.

[0081] FIG. 11 represents a cross-section through a level N2 where only the second etching mask 37 has been active, whereas FIG. 12 represents a cross-section through a zone with different levels N1-N3. From these cross-sections, it is clear that the etching cycle performed by means of the second etching mask 37; in the example is performed over a smaller depth D4 than the depth D3 with which the etching cycle is performed by means of the first etching mask 37. Moreover, it is clear that, by the specific choice of the contours of both etching masks 36-37 and the etching depth D3-D4 thereof, a relatively acute extremity 40 is obtained at the extremity 40 of the protrusion 25, which, in the final laminate panel 1, will lead to an impression or pore 35 which imitates the natural shape of a wood pore in a better manner.

[0082] The present invention is in no way limited to the herein above-described embodiments; on the contrary, such methods, laminate panels and press elements can be realized according to various variants, without leaving the scope of the present invention.