A DECORATIVE PANEL

Abstract

The present invention relates to a decorative panel, comprising a core layer provided with a decor layer, said dcor layer comprising a substrate layer provided with at least one coating, wherein within said decorative panel at least one sensor, especially a passive sensor, is located. The present invention furthermore relates to the use of such a decorative panel in furniture, in exterior walls and facades and in interior decoration.

Claims

1. A decorative panel, comprising a core layer provided with a decor layer, said dcor layer comprising a substrate layer provided with at least one coating, wherein at least one passive sensor of the Radio-frequency identification (RFID) type is located within said decorative panel, wherein said at least one passive sensor is located within said core layer, said passive sensor comprising an integrated chip and a RFID antenna.

2. The decorative panel according to claim 1, wherein said at least one passive sensor is located within the centre of the core layer, wherein the centre is located halfway through a thickness of said core layer.

3. The decorative panel according to claim 1, wherein said core layer is chosen from the group of resin impregnated papers, non-wovens and wovens of wood fibres, glass fibres, textile fibres, synthetic fibres and carbon fibres, or a mixture thereof.

4. The decorative panel according to claim 3, wherein said core layer comprises a thermo pressed stack of resin impregnated papers.

5. The decorative panel according to claim 4, wherein said at least one passive sensor is located between layers of resin impregnated papers.

6. The decorative panel according to claim 4, wherein said at least one passive sensor is provided on a support layer, wherein said support layer is impregnated with resin from adjacent layers of resin impregnated papers in the core layer.

7. The decorative panel according to claim 3, wherein said stack of resin impregnated papers is provided with one or more recesses in which said at least one passive sensor is placed.

8. The decorative panel according to claim 1, wherein said at least one passive sensor is of near field communication (NFC) type.

9. The decorative panel according to claim 1, further comprising at least one passive sensor located at one or more positions chosen from the group of a position located between the decor layer and the core layer, a position located within the dcor layer, a position located between the substrate layer and the at least one coating and a position located within the at least one coating.

10. The decorative panel according to claim 1, wherein said core comprises at least one thermo formable sheet.

11. The decorative panel according to claim 9, wherein said core layer comprises a thermo pressed stack of resin impregnated papers, said at least one thermo formable sheet is positioned between said dcor layer and said stack of resin impregnated papers.

12. The decorative panel according to claim 11, wherein a thermo curable layer is positioned between said dcor layer and said thermo formable sheet.

13. The decorative panel according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor cannot be removed without destructing said panel.

14. The decorative panel according to claim 1, where in said at least one passive sensor is positioned at a minimum of 0.5 mm depth within the panel, wherein the depth is calculated from the outer surface of the panel wherein the dcor layer is located.

15. A method for manufacturing a decorative panel, said method comprising: i) providing at least one passive sensor of the Radio-frequency identification (RFID) type, said passive sensor comprising an integrated RFID chip and a RFID antenna; ii) providing a core layer; iii) providing a dcor layer comprising a substrate layer provided with at least one coating; iv) positioning the at least one passive sensor of step i) in the core layer of step ii); v) contacting the dcor layer and the construction of step iv); vi) applying pressure and temperature conditions on the composite of step v) for obtaining a decorative panel provided with said at least one passive sensor of the Radio-frequency identification (RFID) type in the core layer.

16. The method for manufacturing a decorative panel according to claim 15, wherein in step iv) said at least one passive sensor is located within the centre of the core layer, wherein the centre is located halfway through a thickness of said core layer.

17. The method for manufacturing a decorative panel according to claim 15, wherein said core layer of step ii) comprises individual layers of resin impregnated papers, and said step iv) further comprises applying a first amount of individual layers of resin impregnated papers on top of each other, positioning the at least one passive sensor of step i) on the first stack of resin impregnated papers thus obtained and a step of further applying a second amount of individual layers of resin impregnated papers on the first stack of resin impregnated papers provided with the at least one passive sensor, wherein the first amount and the second amount are such that said at least one passive sensor is located within the centre of the core layer, wherein the centre is located halfway through the thickness of said core layer.

18. The method for manufacturing a decorative panel according to claim 15, wherein said at least one passive sensor is a passive sensor provided with a support layer.

19. The method for manufacturing a decorative panel according to claim 18, wherein the at least one passive sensor being provided on a support layer is pre-wetted with resin before step iv) is carried out.

20. The use of a decorative panel according to claim 1 in one or more of furniture, exterior walls and facades, and interior decorations.

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

Description

EXAMPLE 1

[0053] In the first experiment the tags (see Table 1) were positioned directly below the dcor paper, i.e. on top of the core layer and adjacent to the dcor paper. The conditions during the manufacturing of the panel were as follows: pressure (>7 MPa), temperature (160 C.) and time (10-20 minutes, preferably 20 minutes). These conditions were maintained for all other experiments as discussed below. The results are shown in Table 2. The present tags communicate with electromagnetic waves after being induction charged via the antenna and external device. The tags used here are tags provided on a support layer, wherein the support layer enables the impregnation with resin.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Results of panel after manufacturing according to Example 1 Before panel After panel pressing pressing Surface NFC tag - sticker Read Write Read Write appearance MIFARE DESFire EV1 OK OK OK OK NOK Topaz 512 OK OK OK OK Slight relief NTAG213 OK OK OK OK NOK MIFARE Ultralight OK OK OK OK Slight relief

[0054] The present inventors found that the function of the NFC tags was identical after pressing as before pressing. The surface of the panel showed local structures following the size of the tags; two tags show very slight relief structure (ultra-light and Topaz).

EXAMPLE 2

[0055] The same starting materials as used in Example 1 were applied, except that one single kraft paper is placed between the NFC tag and the dcor. In addition, an area of the size of the tag was cut out of one the kraft sheet and the tag was placed in the empty space of the perforated Kraft sheet. The results are shown in Table 3.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Results of panel after manufacturing according to Example 2 Depth Before After in panel panel panel pressing pressing Surface NFC tag-sticker (mm) Read Write Read Write appearance MIFARE DESFire 0.2 OK OK OK OK NOK NTAG213 0.2 OK OK OK OK NOK MIFARE 0.2 OK OK OK OK OK Ultralight

[0056] Identical press settings (as materials, pressure, temperature and time) were used for all NFC tags. The conditions are similar to those mentioned in Example 1.

[0057] Table 3 shows that the function of the NFC tags was identical after pressing as before pressing. The surface appearance was not affected by the MIFARE ultra-light tag. The two other tags, however, still show surface structure, however less apparent compared to Example 1.

EXAMPLE 3

[0058] The same starting materials as used in Example 2 were applied, except for the location of the sensors. The sensors were placed between two kraft sheets at different depth before pressing the panel. This means that two kraft sheets are present at the side of the dcor layer and that the remaining number of kraft sheets is separated from these two kraft sheets by the sensor. Identical press settings (as materials, pressure, temperature and time) were used for all NFC tags. The conditions are similar to those mentioned in Example 1.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Results of panel after manufacturing according to Example 3 Experiment 3 Before After Depth panel panel in panel pressing pressing Surface NFC tag-sticker (mm) Read Write Read Write appearance MIFARE DESFire 0.5 OK OK OK OK OK EV1 Topaz 0.5 OK OK OK OK OK MIFARE DESFire 1.2 OK OK OK OK OK EV1 Topaz 1.2 OK OK OK OK OK NTAG213 2.3 OK OK OK OK OK

[0059] Table 4 shows that the function of the NFC tags was identical after pressing as before pressing. In addition, the surface appearance is identified as ok for all depths, i.e. a value of at least 0.5 mm.

[0060] From the experiments shown here it is clear that intelligent decorative high-pressure compact laminates can be manufactured without destroying the sensor embedded therein. In other words, the experiments demonstrate that the NFC tags are operational after pressing the HPL panel at 70 bars and 160 C. In addition all tags are invisible at the panel surface, especially when integrating the tag at minimum of 0.5 mm depths in the panel, wherein the depth is calculated from the outer surface of the panel.

[0061] The present inventors have carried out some experiments by placing passive RFID tags between papers with thermo curable resin in a similar way as described in example 3. List of RFID labels and their specific operating frequency are found in table 5. The RFID labels are passive; the antenna on the label is receiving the specific RF signal to power the transmission of electronic data from the label.

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 list of RFID labels. Operational RFID label Frequency Memory Hitag S2048 125 kHZ/134.2 kHz 256 bytes Mifare Desfire EV1 4k, CPU 13.56 MHZ 4k bytes NXP Mifare 1k, Fudan F08 13.56 MHz 1K bytes NXP Mifare 4k, Fudan F32 13.56 MHz 4K bytes UCODE HSL (High Frequency Smart 840-960 MHz 216 bytes Label), SL3 IC53001, NXP

[0062] In the next examples a cavity was made at the surface of a thermo formable sheet by means of a hot press. The size of the cavity thus obtained is comparable with the size of the sensor. The sensor was placed in the cavity. The components can be adhered to each other by thermal pressing, lamination using adhesives. The sensor including thermo formable sheet can act as the core layer in the panel or as part of the core layer. At the surface of the panel, a dcor layer was placed.

EXAMPLE 4

[0063] According to example 4 the dcor was laminated to the thermo formable sheet including the sensor. In this embodiment the thermo formable sheet acted as the core. The sensor and dcor adhered to the core by heat pressing to a temperature above the glass temperature and below the melting temperature of the thermo formable sheet. The thermo formable material acted as the glue.

EXAMPLE 5

[0064] In example 5 an adhesive was applied on the thermo formable sheet including the sensor, or on the backside of the dcor, or on both. Thereafter the dcor was laminated on top of the adhesive.

EXAMPLE 6

[0065] In example 6 a stack of materials consisting of papers with thermo curable resin below the thermo formable sheet was used. The dcor was placed at top, and the whole stack was pressed under heat to form a laminate.

EXAMPLE 7

[0066] In example 7 at least one thermo curable paper was placed between the thermo formable sheet including the sensor and the decor. Additional thermo curable papers were placed below the thermo formable sheet. The whole stack thus obtained was pressed under heat to cure the thermo curable resins thereby forming the panels.

EXAMPLE 8

[0067] In example 8 at least one thermo curable paper was placed between the thermo formable sheet including the sensor and the decor. The stack thus obtained was pressed under heat to cure the thermo curable resins thereby forming the panels.

EXAMPLE 9

[0068] In example 9, the thermo formable sheet as used in the above discussed examples 1-8 was replaced by a sheet of wood fibers and thermo curable resin. A cavity was created by removing material from the sheet, while keeping the sheet below its melting temperature, preferable below its glass temperature. The material can be removed by a drill, saw or by other means. The sensor was placed in the cavity thus obtained, and the panel was produced following the same procedure as in the above discussed examples 1-8. The present inventors found that by replacing the wood fibers with other type of fibers or fillers, such as glass fibers, synthetic fibers, carbon fibers, an acceptable mechanical performance was obtained.

EXAMPLE 10

[0069] The same materials and process conditions as mentioned in Example 1 were used, except that the core layer was an assembly of stacked prepregs.

EXAMPLE 11

[0070] The same materials and process conditions as mentioned in Example 10 were used, except that the an area of the size of the tag was cut out of the surface layer of the assembly of prepregs and the tag was placed in the empty space of the perforated assembly of prepregs.

[0071] All experiments, i.e. examples 4-11, provided an acceptable communication between the tag and the reader, Similar experiments were carried out by replacing the resin impregnated paper with a non-woven or woven of glass fibers, wood fibers, synthetic fibers, carbon fibers.

[0072] The present inventors carried out additional examples for investigating the effect of adhesion on panel properties. To investigate the effects on the adhesion between the tag and core materials, the present inventors studied the following experiments.

[0073] sample A: NFC tags of sort sticker NTAG213 (plastic carrier with adhesive).

[0074] sample B: NFC tags on paper Mifare Ultralight EV1, without adhesive.

[0075] Sample C: plastic sheet of same size as Sample A and B, PET.

[0076] The layer build-up of the panel: Sample A-C were placed in the center of 52 impregnated kraft sheets. Decorative layers were symmetrically added to the lower and upper surfaces. The conditions during the manufacturing of the panel were as follows: pressure (>7 MPa), temperature (160 C.) and time (10 minutes).

[0077] Results:

[0078] Sample A: when extensive bending of panel, the cleavage plane is at topside (non-adhesion side) of NFC tag.

[0079] Sample B: when extensive bending of panel, the cleavage plane is through the NFC tag, parts of tag remains on upper side, parts on lower.

[0080] Sample C: cleavage plane at the plastic sheet which is not adhered to the core, and falls out.

[0081] On basis of these additional experiments the present inventors conclude the following:

[0082] Sample A: mechanical adhesion between glue-core materials.

[0083] Sample B: mechanical adhesion by resin penetration in paper carrier.

[0084] Sample C: no adhesion (mechanical nor chemical), since no resin penetration or deformation of the plastic sheet.