WATERPROOF PANEL, PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A PANEL, AND PANEL OBTAINABLE BY SAID PROCESS

Abstract

The invention relates to a panel suitable for constructing a waterproof floor or wall covering, wherein the panel has a substantially planar top surface, a substantially planar bottom surface, and at least four substantially linear side edges. The invention also relates to a process for producing a panel according to the invention. The invention further relates to a panel obtainable by said process according to the invention.

Claims

1. Rigid panel suitable for constructing a waterproof floor or wall covering, wherein the panel has a substantially planar top surface, a substantially planar bottom surface, and at least four substantially linear side edges, wherein the rigid panel has a laminate structure which comprises: a rigid core layer basically composed of a composite material comprising a mixture of mineral material and thermoplastic material, a top layer fixed to the core layer, wherein the composite material contains a ratio of weight percentages of mineral material relative to thermoplastic material which is 1 or larger.

2. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the composite material comprises at least 60% by weight of mineral filler.

3. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the composite material comprises a maximum of 85% by weight of mineral filler.

4. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the composite material comprises at least 15% by weight of thermoplastic material.

5. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the composite material comprises a maximum of 40% by weight of thermoplastic material.

6. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the composite material contains a ratio of weight percentages of mineral material relative to thermoplastic material, of 1.1 through 2.0, preferably 1.2 through 1.6.

7. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the composite material comprises one or more additives chosen from the group consisting of: a pigment, an impact modifier, a lubricant, a stabilizer, a wax, and/or an aid processing agent.

8. Panel according to claim 7, wherein the composite material comprises 5-15% by weight, preferably 8-12% by weight, of one or more additives.

9. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the composite material is substantially free of natural organic fibres, and in particular substantially free of wood.

10. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the composite material comprises less than 5 wt. % plasticizer, preferably less than 1 wt. % and most preferably substantially no plasticizer.

11. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the rigid core layer comprises at least one mineral material selected from the group consisting of: magnesium oxide, calcium carbonate, chalk, clay , calcium silicate, and talc.

12. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the composite material comprises one or more thermoplastic materials chosen from the group consisting of: PVC, PE, PU, ABS and PP.

13. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the composite material has a solid structure in which cavities or cells, and/or in which a foamed structure, are substantially absent.

14. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the density of the composite material is situated in between 1500 and 2200 kg/m.sup.3, and more preferred in between 1900 and 2050 kg/m.sup.3.

15. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the core layer is an extruded layer formed by an extrusion process or a co-extrusion process.

16. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the top layer comprises a laminate of plural layers.

17. Panel according to claim 16, wherein the laminate of the top layer is a high pressure laminate (HPL) which comprises at least one kraft paper layer.

18. Panel according to claim 17, wherein the density of the HPL is situated in between 1.200 and 1.400 kg/m.sup.3.

19. Panel according to claim 17, wherein the thickness of the HPL is situated in between 0.2 and 1.5 mm

20. Panel according to claim 17, wherein the weight of the kraft paper layer is situated in between 50 and 150 g/m.sup.2.

21. Panel according to claim 17, wherein the HPL comprises multiple kraft paper layer stacked on top of each other.

22. Panel according to claim 16, wherein the laminate of the top layer comprises at least one base layer, a decorative layer, and a wear layer stacked on top of each other, wherein the base layer preferably comprises at least one kraft paper layer.

23. Panel according to claim 16, wherein at least one, and preferably all, layers of the top laminate are adhesive impregnated layers.

24. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the top layer is basically composed of a thermoplastic material and/or at least one ply of cellulose-based layer and a cured resin.

25. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the top layer is basically composed of a thermoplastic material layer provided with a decorative pattern at the upper side, and preferably the thermoplastic material layer comprises a woven vinyl net.

26. Panel according to claim 25, wherein the top layer contains a minor amount of plasticizer which is 5 wt. % or lower.

27. Panel according to claim 25, wherein the top layer comprises a further layer fixed to the upper surface of the thermoplastic material layer, which is a protective layer composed of a thermoplastic material with plasticizer.

28. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the top layer is an extruded layer formed by an extrusion process.

29. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the core layer and the top layer are formed by a co-extrusion process.

30. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the core layer and the top layer are fixed to each other by virtue of a fusion bonding which has been formed under heat and pressure.

31. Panel according to claim 1, comprising at least one pair, and preferably two pairs, of opposite side edges which are provided with interconnecting coupling means for interconnecting one panel with another panel.

32. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the panel comprises a backing layer attached to a bottom side of the core layer, wherein said backing layer comprises a high pressure laminate (HPL) which comprises at least one kraft paper layer.

33. Panel according to claim 32, wherein the thickness of the backing layer is at least 0.7 mm

34. Panel according to claim 17 and one of claims 32-33, wherein the core layer is positioned in between the HPL of the top layer and the HPL of the bottom layer.

35. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the modulus of elasticity of the panel, measured according to EN 310, is situated in between 4000 to 10.000 MPa.

36. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the modulus of elasticity of the composite material, measured according to EN 310, is situated in between 4000 to 10.000 MPa.

37. Process for producing a panel according to claim 1, wherein the core layer and the top layer are fixed to each other in a fusion step wherein heat and pressure are applied to an assembly of the core layer and the top layer, and during which step a fusion bonding is established.

38. Process according to claim 37, wherein the process is a batch process, or a continuous process.

39. Process according to claim 38, wherein the continuous process includes the steps of: preparing a composite material by mixing of the compounds included in the composite material; extruding a molten core layer of the composite material using an extruder; leading the molten core layer over rollers; providing a top layer and leading the top layer towards an upper surface of the molten core layer wherein the bottom surface of the top layer is applied onto the upper surface of the molten layer to obtain an assembled structure; applying pressure and heat on the assembled structure such that a fusion bonding is established between the top layer and the molten core layer; cooling of the assembled structure after formation of the fusion bonding.

40. Panel obtainable by the process according to claim 37, wherein the panel has a substantially planar top surface, and a substantially planar bottom surface, at least four substantially linear side edges, wherein the panel has a laminate structure which comprises: a core layer basically composed of a composite material comprising a mixture of mineral material and thermoplastic material, a top layer fixed to the core layer basically composed of a thermoplastic material and/or at least one ply of cellulose-based layer and a cured resin, wherein the mixture contains a ratio of weight percentages of mineral material relative to thermoplastic material which is 1 or larger, and wherein the core layer and the top layer are fixed to each other by virtue of a fusion bonding which has been formed under heat and pressure.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0085] The invention will be further explained by the following examples which represents a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Example 1

[0086] A laminate structure was formed based on a core layer and a top layer, which top layer is composed of a decorative layer, and a wear layer.

[0087] The materials from which each layer is formed, are given in the below table.

TABLE-US-00001 amount compound (wt. %) Wear layer PVC 75 Plasticizer (oiled based 20 or bio compound) Additive 5 Decorative layer PVC 90 Plasticizer 5 Additive 5 Core layer Calcium Carbonate 50-60 PVC 30-40 Additive 10
The additive in all layers is a mixture of a lubricant (internal and external), wax (PE wax for example), stabilizer (for thermal stability), processing aid and pigment.

[0088] The wear layer has a thickness of 0.1 to 1 mm, and the decorative layer has a thickness of 0.05 to 0.1 mm. The core layer has a thickness of 2 to 20 mm, preferably from 2.5 to 5 mm.

[0089] The panel obtained from the above material, had a rigidity, expressed as the elasticity modulus of the board according to EN 310, of approx. 4000 MPa.

[0090] The attached FIG. 1 shows schematically the process by which the laminate material for the panel is produced.

[0091] The top layer 1 consisting of a wear layer fixed onto a decorative layer that have been fused together in a separate process, is provided on a roll 3.

[0092] The compounds included in the composition for the core layer are mixed in a suitable mixer 5 and the obtained raw mixture of material is led into an extruder 7. The extruder expels a melted core layer 9 which is led through two counter rollers 11.

[0093] At the nip between the counter rollers 11, the top layer 1 is merged with the melted core layer 9. The melted core layer is hot and flexible at this stage. The top layer 1 is led over a heating roller 13, which pre-heats the top layer 1 before it merges with the core layer 9.

[0094] During the passage through the nip of the counter rollers 11, pressure is exerted on the merged structure of top layer and core layer. The counter rollers 11 are heated so that an optimum temperature is assured for the formation of a fusion bonding between the top layer 1 and the core layer 9.

[0095] Subsequently, the obtained sheet of laminate material 15 is allowed to cool off, and finally led towards a cutting station (not shown) in which the laminate sheet material is cut into panel pieces.

[0096] Optionally, the opposite side edges of the cut panel pieces are furthermore provided with interconnecting coupling means for interconnecting one panel with another.

[0097] In Examples 2-4, alternative, exemplary compositions are given, which may also be used in a waterproof panel according to the invention.

Example 2

[0098]

TABLE-US-00002 amount compound (wt. %) Wear layer PVC 80 Plasticizer 0 (oiled based or bio compound) Additive 20 Decorative PVC 90 layer Plasticizer 0 Additive 10 Core layer Calcium Carbonate 65-70 PVC 25-30 Additive Stabilizer 2.7-3.1 MBS 0.5-1.3 Wax 0.5-0.9 Plasticizer 0 Aid processing 1.2-2.3

Example 3

[0099]

TABLE-US-00003 amount Compound (wt. %) Wear layer Paper 20-40 Melamine resin 60-80 Decorative layer Paper 40-60 Melamine resin 40-60 Sublayer layer Kraft paper 40-60 Melamine resin 40-60 Core layer Calcium Carbonate 65-70 Plasticizer 0 PVC 25-30 Additive 4-7

Example 4

[0100]

TABLE-US-00004 amount Compound (wt. %) Wear layer Paper 20-40 Melamine resin 60-80 Decorative layer Paper 40-60 Melamine resin 40-60 Sublayer layer Kraft paper 0 Melamine resin 0 Core layer Sublayer 1 Wood dust 40-50 PVC 40-50 Additive 4-7 Sublayer 2 Calcium Carbonate 65-70 Plasticizer 0 PVC 25-30 Additive 4-7 Sublayer 3 Wood dust 40-50 PVC 40-50 Additive 4-7