ORGANIC MATERIAL

Abstract

The invention provides a lightweight layered product for use in a digital printing process wherein the layered product consists essentially of: a reinforcing base layer having a support; and a printing layer suitable for receiving a print design;
and a method of preparing a printed layered product which method comprises the following steps: Providing a lightweight layered product according to the invention; Winding the lightweight layered product on to a roll; Loading the roll into a printing machine; Applying a decorative layer having a print design to the printing layer of the lightweight layered product; and Winding the printed layered product on to a roll for transfer to a production line; the layered product and method allow the incorporation of digital printing techniques into an industrial production line for the preparation of a surface-covering material without the need for heavy duty lifting and rolling equipment.

Claims

1. A lightweight layered product for use in a digital printing process wherein the layered product consists essentially of: a reinforcing base layer having a support; and a printing layer suitable for receiving a print design.

2. A layered product as defined in claim 1 wherein the reinforcing base layer comprises a scrim layer impregnated with a gelled plastic material.

3. A layered product as defined in claim 1 wherein the support is a film and/or a non-woven material.

4. A layered product as defined in claim 1 wherein the printing layer has a pigment which is suitable for providing a background to a printed design.

5. A lightweight printed layered product which comprises: a reinforcing base layer having a support; a printing layer suitable for receiving a print design; and a decorative layer having a printed design wherein the decorative layer is provided on an upper surface of the printing layer.

6. A printed layered product as defined in claim 5 wherein the decorative layer has a digitally printed design.

7. A printed layered product as defined in claim 5 wherein the decorative layer comprises a latex-based ink.

8. A surface-covering material comprising a wear layer comprising a clear plastics material and a lightweight printed layered product as defined in claim 5 wherein the wear layer is provided on an upper surface of the decorative layer of the printed layered product.

9. A surface-covering material as defined in claim 8 wherein the wear layer comprises a clear plastics material.

10. A surface-covering material as defined in claim 8 which comprises a non-slip layer comprising one or more particles suitable for providing a non-slip surface.

11. A surface-covering material as defined in claim 8 wherein the one or more particles of the non-slip layer are at least partially embedded in the wear layer.

12. A surface-covering material as defined in claim 8 which comprises a protective coating layer on an upper surface of the wear layer.

13. A floor-covering material comprising a backing layer and a surface-covering material as defined in claim 8 wherein the backing layer is applied to a lower surface of the base layer.

14. A floor-covering material as defined in claim 13 wherein the backing layer comprises a foamed plastics material.

15. A method of preparing a printed layered product which method comprises the following steps: Providing a lightweight layered product according to the invention; Winding the lightweight layered product on to a roll; Loading the roll into a printing machine; Applying a decorative layer having a print design to the printing layer of the lightweight layered product; and Winding the printed layered product on to a roll for transfer to a production line.

16. A method as defined in claim 15 which further comprises a step of applying a wear layer to an upper surface of the decorative layer to form an upper layer.

17. A method as defined in claim 16 which further comprises a step of applying a protective coating layer to an upper surface of the wear layer to form an upper layer.

18. A method as defined in claim 16 which further comprises a step of applying a non-slip layer to the upper surface of the upper layer.

19. A method as defined in claim 15 which further comprises the following steps: Inverting the layered product; Applying a backing layer to the reinforcing base layer; and Inverting the layered product.

20. A roll of a lightweight layered product for use in a digital printing process wherein the roll comprises a roll core and the layered product which consists essentially of: a reinforcing base layer having a support; and a printing layer suitable for receiving a print design.

21. A roll of a lightweight printed layered product wherein the roll comprises a roll core and the printed layered product which comprises: a reinforcing base layer having a support; a printing layer suitable for receiving a print design; and a decorative layer having a printed design wherein the decorative layer is provided on an upper surface of the printing layer.

Description

[0061] The invention will now be described with reference to the following Figures of the accompanying drawings which are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in which:

[0062] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-section of a first embodiment of a layered product according to the invention;

[0063] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-section of a first embodiment of a printed layered product according to the invention;

[0064] FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-section of a first embodiment of a surface-covering material according to the invention which incorporates the first embodiment of the printed layered product;

[0065] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-section of a first embodiment of a flooring material according to the invention which incorporates the first embodiment of the printed layered product;

[0066] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-section of a second embodiment of a flooring material according to the invention which incorporates the first embodiment of the printed layered product;

[0067] FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-section of a third embodiment of a flooring material according to the invention which incorporates the first embodiment of the printed layered product; and

[0068] FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-section of a roll of the layered product according to the invention.

[0069] The first embodiment of a lightweight layered product according to the invention is indicated generally at 1 on FIG. 1. Lightweight layered product 1 has a reinforcing base layer 2 and a pigmented printing layer 4 on an upper surface of the base layer 2. The reinforcing base layer 2 comprises a support which is a layer of fabric (such as a scrim layer) impregnated with a gelled plastic material. The support may include glass-fibre, vinylon fibre, high-density polyethylene fibre, aramid fibre, carbon fibre, cellulose, and/or polyester fibre; for example, a cellulose/polyester support reinforced with a 32 tex glass crennette. The gelled plastic material may comprise one or more of the following polymers: PVC, polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polylactic acid (PLA), polyester and/or polyacrylate. The pigmented printing layer 4 is a printing layer as it is suitable for receiving a printed design or having a printed design applied to it by a digital printer and has a pigment which is suitable for providing a background to such a printed design where such a pigment may have a similar or contrasting colour to one or more colours in the printed design. The printing layer 4 is formed from a plastics material. Examples of suitable plastics materials include: PVC, polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polylactic acid (PLA), polyester and/or polyacrylate. The layered product 1 is lightweight such that it may easily be transported around a factory floor in a jumbo roll such that heavy duty lifting and rolling equipment is not required.

[0070] In an alternative embodiment, the support may be a film, for example a polymeric film.

[0071] The first embodiment of a lightweight printed layered product according to the invention is indicated generally at 10 on FIG. 2. Lightweight printed layered product 10 comprises a lightweight layered product 1 according to the invention and a decorative layer 12 on an upper surface of the printing layer 4. Thus, printed layered product 10 has the following layers: a base layer 2, a pigmented printing layer 4 on an upper surface of the base layer 2, and a decorative layer 12 on an upper surface of the pigmented printing layer 4. The decorative layer 12 comprises a printed design formed from a latex-based ink which is applied by a digital printer.

[0072] The first embodiment of a surface-covering material according to the invention is indicated generally at 20 on FIG. 3. Surface-covering material 20 comprises a lightweight printed layered product 10 as described above in relation to FIG. 2 with a wear layer 22 arranged on an upper surface of the decorative layer 12. Thus, the surface-covering material 20 has the following layers: a base layer 2, a pigmented printing layer 4 on an upper surface of the base layer 2, a decorative layer 12 on an upper surface of the pigmented printing layer 4, and a wear layer 22 arranged on an upper surface of the decorative layer 12. The surface-covering material 20 may be suitable for covering a surface such as a floor, ceiling, or wall in or on a building. The wear layer 22 comprises a clear plastics material such that the printed design on the decorative layer 12 is visible. The plastics material may comprise one or more of the following polymers: PVC, polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polylactic acid (PLA), polyester and/or polyacrylate

[0073] In an alternative embodiment, the wear layer 22 may comprise a non-slip layer 36 of one or more particles 38 suitable for providing a non-slip surface wherein such particles 38 are at least partially embedded in the wear layer 22. In a further alternative embodiment, the surface-covering material 20 may have a protective coating layer 34 on an upper surface of the wear layer 22.

[0074] The first embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention is indicated generally at 30 on FIG. 4. Floor-covering material 30 comprises a surface-covering material 20 according to the invention with a backing layer 32 applied to a lower surface of the base layer 2. Thus, the floor-covering material 30 has the following layers: a base layer 2, a backing layer 32 applied to a lower surface of the base layer 2, a pigmented printing layer 4 on an upper surface of the base layer 2, a decorative layer 12 on an upper surface of the pigmented printing layer 4, and a wear layer 22 on an upper surface of the decorative layer 12. The backing layer 32 comprises a foamed plastics material such that the backing layer 32 is capable of imparting a sound attenuation effect, for example an acoustic impact sound reduction of 12, 13, 14 or 15 dB. The foamed plastics material may be mechanically foamed by incorporating one or more types of compressible plastic spheres or may be chemically foamed by being formed with a foaming agent such as an azodicarbonamide. The backing layer 32 may comprise one or more of the following polymers: PVC, polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polylactic acid (PLA), polyester and/or polyacrylate.

[0075] The second embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention is indicated generally at 130 on FIG. 5. Floor-covering material 130 comprises a floor-covering material 30 according to the invention with a protective coating layer 34 applied to an upper surface of the wear layer 22. Thus, the floor-covering material 30 has the following layers: a base layer 2, a backing layer 32 applied to a lower surface of the base layer 2, a pigmented printing layer 4 on an upper surface of the base layer 2, a decorative layer 12 on an upper surface of the pigmented printing layer 4, a wear layer 22 on an upper surface of the decorative layer 12, and a protective coating layer 34 applied to an upper surface of the wear layer 22. The protective coating layer 34 comprises a cured polymer layer. Suitable polymers for use in the protective coating layer 34 include polyurethane, polyacrylate, urethane acrylate or a PVDF based composition. A suitable coating composition for forming protective coating layer 34 is a UV curable mixture containing from 20 to 30 parts by weight of oxybis(methyl-2,1-ethanediyl) diacrylate, from 10 to less than 20 parts by weight of 2-phenoxyethyl acrylate, from 10 to less than 20 parts by weight of acrylate resin, from 2.5 to 5 parts by weight of (1-methyl-1,2-ethanediyl)bis[oxy(methyl-2,1-ethanediyl)] diacrylate, from 1 to 5 parts by weight of benzophenone and from 1 to 5 parts by weight of 1-6,hexanedioldiacrylate was prepared.

[0076] The third embodiment of a floor-covering material according to the invention is indicated generally at 230 on FIG. 6. Floor-covering material 230 comprises a floor-covering material 130 according to the invention with a non-slip layer 36 applied to an upper surface of the protective coating layer 22. Thus, the floor-covering material 30 has the following layers: a base layer 2, a backing layer 32 applied to a lower surface of the base layer 2, a pigmented printing layer 4 on an upper surface of the base layer 2, a decorative layer 12 on an upper surface of the pigmented printing layer 4, a wear layer 22 on an upper surface of the decorative layer 12, a protective coating layer 34 applied to an upper surface of the wear layer 22, and a non-slip layer 36 on an upper surface of the protective coating layer. Non-slip layer 36 comprises one or more particles 38 suitable for providing a non-slip surface wherein such particles 38 are at least partially embedded in the wear layer 22. The particles 38 may comprise one or more types of slip resistant particles such as aluminium oxide, silicon carbide, quartz and/or glass.

[0077] In alternative embodiment, the non-slip layer 36 may be applied to the wear layer 22 before the protective coating layer 34 is applied such that the particles 38 are at least partially embedded in the wear layer 22.

[0078] The floor-covering material 30,130,230 may optionally be embossed. The surface-covering material 20 and/or the floor-covering material 30,130,230 may optionally be cut up into tiles.

[0079] A roll according to the invention is indicated generally at 50 on FIG. 7. Roll 50 consists of a hollow cylindrical roll core 52 around which layers 54 of a lightweight layered product 1 according to the invention is wound. Roll 50 may be in the form of a jumbo roll.

[0080] In an alternative embodiment, the roll 50 may consist of a roll core 52 around which layers 54 of a lightweight printed layered product 10 is wound.

[0081] The invention will now be illustrated with reference to the following Example which is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention.

EXAMPLE

[0082] The method of the invention of the invention was performed by carrying out the following steps: [0083] a. coating a non-woven glass fibre with an impregnation layer of plastics material and gelling (the coating) on a heated drum; [0084] b. Applying a printing layer formed from a pigmented plasticised PVC composition where the pigment is white; [0085] c. gelling the white printing layer on a heated drum; [0086] d. Winding the layered product on a jumbo roll; [0087] e. Loading the jumbo roll onto a roll-to-roll digital printer; [0088] f. Printing onto the surface of the white printing layer using digital printing to form a decorative layer having a digitally printed design; [0089] g. Curing and/or drying the printed ink with heat and/or radiation; [0090] h. Winding the printed layered product onto a jumbo roll; [0091] i. Loading the jumbo roll onto a production line; [0092] j. Inverting the printed layered product; [0093] k. Applying a backing layer comprising a foam-forming plastics material comprising a plasticised PVC composition and an azodicarbonamide in a sufficient amount to provide an acoustic impact sound reduction of 14 dB; [0094] l. Gelling the backing layer on a heated drum; [0095] m. Inverting the product; [0096] n. Applying a wear layer comprising a clear plastics material having a plasticised PVC composition; [0097] o. Gelling the wear layer in an oven; [0098] p. Embossing the wear layer; [0099] q. Cooling the surface-covering material; [0100] r. Applying a polyacrylate protective coating layer and curing it; [0101] s. Winding the product into a roll of the required length; and optionally [0102] t. Cutting the product into tiles.

[0103] The jumbo roll of steps d to i is illustrated in FIG. 7.