Process for the manufacturing of decorative boards

Abstract

A process for manufacturing a coated panel. The process can comprise providing a panel having at least an upper surface, a lower surface, and edges joining the upper surface and the lower surface. The panel can be arranged so that the lower surface is facing upwards, and first particles can be dispersed on the lower surface of the panel. The process can comprise turning the panel so that the upper surface is facing upwards, and applying first particles and second particles on the upper surface of the panel. A dcor can be applied in the form of a printed pattern to the upper surface. The process can further comprise curing and/or melting the first particles to form a sealed upper surface whereby the surface forms a coating providing at least one property of abrasion resistance and scratch resistance on the surface.

Claims

1. A process for creating and coating a panel comprising the steps of: providing a panel having at least an upper surface, a lower surface, and edges joining the upper surface and the lower surface; arranging the panel so that the lower surface is facing upwards; dispersing first particles of a curable and/or meltable dry powder on the lower surface of the panel; turning the panel so that the upper surface is facing upwards; applying said first particles and second particles on said upper surface of the panel, wherein the second particles are hard particles selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, silicon carbide and mixtures thereof, wherein an amount of the first particles applied to the upper surface is greater than about 50 g/m.sup.2 and at a maximum about 250 g/m.sup.2, and wherein the amount of the first particles applied to the upper surface is higher than an amount of the first particles applied to the lower surface, which is about 10 to about 70 g/m.sup.2; applying a decor in the form of a printed pattern to the upper surface; curing and/or melting the first particles to form a sealed upper surface whereby the surface forms a coating providing at least one property of abrasion resistance and scratch resistance on the surface; and providing joining functionality on at least one of the edges.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the process further comprises the step of curing and/or melting the first particles to form a sealed lower surface.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein said second particles are mixed into said first particles prior to the application thereof.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein said second particles are mixed into said first particles during the application thereof.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the printed pattern is applied by a digital printer.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the decor has a direction and is positioned from a predetermined fixing point with the direction aligned with an edge of said panel.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the decor contains several colors in a wood pattern.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein said second particles have an average particle size of 1 to 150 micrometers.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein said first particles consist of an acrylic lacquer.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the process further comprises the step of hot pressing the panel.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the process further comprises the step of hot pressing the panel after the decor has been applied thereto.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a first embodiment known as Process Scheme 1.

(2) FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a first embodiment known as Process Scheme 2.

(3) FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a first embodiment known as Process Scheme 3.

(4) FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a first embodiment known as Process Scheme 4.

(5) FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a first embodiment known as Process Scheme 5.

PROCESS SCHEME 1

(6) A supporting core is cut to the desired board format and is provided with an upper side, a lower side and edges provided with joining functionality, such as tongue and groove.

(7) The side intended to become the upper side of the board is then pressed with a hot calendar roller. The surface temperature of the calendar roller is 60 C. while the pressure is 60 bar.

(8) The board is then arranged so that the side intended as the lower side is facing upwards. The board is then heated whereby a wear layer of UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer powder is applied on the lower side, now facing upwards, by means of a group of electrostatic spray nozzles to an amount of 50 g/m.sup.2. The acrylic powder applied is then heated to a temperature of 100 C. by means of IR-radiation so that it melts whereby the melted acrylic layer is cured by means of UV-radiation so that it cures. The board is then turned so that the side intended as the upper side of the finished board is facing upwards. A dcor is then applied on the upper side by means of a digital photo-static printer. The dcor is positioned from a predetermined fixing point in form of a corner of the supporting core, while the dcor direction is aligned with the long side edge initiating from the same corner.

(9) The decorated board is then heated whereby a wear layer of UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer powder is applied by means of a group of electrostatic spray nozzles to an amount of 170 g/m.sup.2. Hard particles of aluminum oxide with an average particle size of 30 m to an amount of 10 g/m.sup.2 is added through a separate nozzle within the spray nozzles so that they become evenly distributed within the wear layer of the upper side. The edges are coated with UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer by means of separate group of electrostatic edge coating nozzles to an amount of 80 g/m.sup.2. The acrylic powder applied is then heated to a temperature of 105 C. by means of IR-radiation so that it melts whereby the melted acrylic layer is cured by means of UV-radiation so that it cures. Reflectors are used to illuminate hidden corners of the profiles on the edges with both IR- and UV-radiation when required. The boards are after cooling ready final inspection and packing.

PROCESS SCHEME 2

(10) A supporting core is cut to the desired board format and is provided with an upper side, a lower side and edges provided with joining functionality, such as tongue and groove.

(11) The side intended to become the upper side of the board is then sanded smooth.

(12) The board is then arranged so that the side intended as the lower side is facing upwards. The board is then heated whereby a wear layer of UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer powder is applied on the lower side, now facing upwards, by means of a group of electrostatic spray nozzles to an amount of 70 g/m.sup.2. The acrylic powder applied is then heated to a temperature of 105 C. by means of IR-radiation so that it melts whereby the melted acrylic layer is cured by means of UV-radiation so that it cures. The board is then turned so that the side intended as the upper side of the finished boards is facing upwards. A dcor sheet is then applied on the upper side after having applied a bonding layer. The dcor sheet may be constituted of paper impregnated with for example acrylic resin or melamine formaldehyde resin. The dcor sheet may alternatively be constituted of a polymeric foil.

(13) The decorated board is then heated whereby a wear layer of UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer powder is applied by means of a group of electrostatic spray nozzles to an amount of 200 g/m.sup.2. Hard particles of aluminum oxide with an average particle size of 30 m to an amount of 12 g/m.sup.2 is added through a separate nozzle within the spray nozzles so that they become evenly distributed within the wear layer of the upper side. The edges are coated with UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer by means of separate group of electrostatic edge coating nozzles to an amount of 80 g/m.sup.2. The acrylic powder applied is then heated to a temperature of 105 C. by means IR-radiation so that it melts whereby the melted acrylic layer is cured by means of UV-radiation so that it cures. Reflectors are used to illuminate hidden corners of the profiles on edges with both IR- and UV-radiation when required. The boards are after cooling ready final inspection and packing.

PROCESS SCHEME 3

(14) A supporting core is cut to the desired board format and is provided with an upper side, lower side and edges provided with joining functionality, such as tongue and groove.

(15) The side intended to become the upper side of the board is then sanded smooth.

(16) The board is then arranged so that the side intended as the lower side is facing upwards. The board is then heated whereby a wear layer of UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer powder is applied on the lower side, now facing upwards, by means of a group of electrostatic spray nozzles to an amount of 70 g/m.sup.2. The acrylic powder applied is then heated to a temperature of 100 C. by means of IR-radiation so that it melts whereby the melted acrylic layer is cured by means of UV-radiation so that it cures. The board is then turned so that the side intended as the upper side of the finished boards is facing upwards. A dcor sheet is then applied on the upper side after having applied a bonding layer. The dcor sheet may be constituted of paper impregnated with for example acrylic resin or melamine formaldehyde resin. The dcor sheet may alternatively be constituted of a polymeric foil.

(17) A layer of wet UV-curable acrylic lacquer is then applied on top of the dcor sheet by means of roller coating to a lacquer amount of 30 g/m.sup.2. 10 g/m.sup.2 of hard particles of aluminum oxide with an average particle size of 100 m is then sprinkled on the still wet layer of lacquer whereupon the lacquer is cured by means of UV-radiation.

(18) The board is then heated whereby a wear layer of UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer powder is applied by means of a groups of electrostatic spray nozzles to an amount of 180 g/m.sup.2. Hard particles of aluminum oxide with an average particle size of 30 m to an amount of 11 g/m.sup.2 is added through a separate nozzle within the spray nozzles so that they become evenly distributed within the wear layer of the upper side. The edges are coated with UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer by means of separate group of electrostatic edge coating nozzles to an amount 80 g/m.sup.2. The acrylic powder applied is then heated to temperature of 100 C. by means of IR-radiation so that it melts whereby the melted acrylic layer is cured by means of UV-radiation so that it cures. Reflectors are used to illuminate hidden corners of the profiles on the edge with both IR- and UV-radiation when required. The boards are after cooling ready final inspection and packing.

PROCESS SCHEME 4

(19) A supporting core is cut to the desired board format and is provided with an upper side, a lower side and edges provided with joining functionality, such as tongue and groove.

(20) The side intended to become the upper side of the board is then embossed by pressing a heated structured calendar roller towards the upper surface. The surface temperature of the calendar roller is 60 C. while the pressure is 60 bar.

(21) The board is then arranged so that the side intended as the lower side is facing upwards. The board is then heated whereby a wear layer of UV-caring dry acrylic lacquer powder is applied on the lower side, now facing upwards, by means of a group of electrostatic spray nozzles to an amount of 70 g/m.sup.2. The acrylic powder applied is then heated to a temperature of 105 C. by means of IR-radiation so that it melts whereby the melted acrylic layer is cured by means of UV-radiation so that it cures. The board is then turned so that the side intended as the upper side of the finished board is facing upwards. A dcor is then printed on the upper side by means of an electrostatic printer.

(22) The decorated board is then heated whereby a wear layer of UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer powder is applied by means of a group of electrostatic spray nozzles to an amount of 200 g/m.sup.2. Hard particles of aluminum oxide with an average particle size of 30 m to an amount of 12 g/m.sup.2 is added through a separate nozzle within the spray nozzles so that they become evenly distributed within the wear layer of the upper side. The edges are coated with UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer by means of separate group of electrostatic edge coating nozzles to an amount of 80 g/m.sup.2. The acrylic powder applied is then heated to a temperature of 105 C. by means IR-radiation so that it melts whereby the melted acrylic layer is cured by means of UV-radiation so that it cures. Reflectors are used to illuminate hidden corners of the profiles on the edges with both IR- and UV-radiation when required. The boards are after cooling ready final inspection and packing.

PROCESS SCHEME 5

(23) A supporting core is cut to the desired board format and is provided with an upper side, a lower side and edges provided with joining functionality, such as a tongue and groove.

(24) The side intended to become the upper side of the board is treated with a hot calendar roller. The surface temperature of the calendar roller is 60 C. while the pressure is 60 bar.

(25) The board is then arranged so that the side intended as the lower side is facing upwards. The board is then heated whereby a wear layer of UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer powder is applied on the lower side, now facing upwards, by means of a group of electrostatic spray nozzles to an amount of 70 g/m.sup.2. The acrylic powder applied is then heated to a temperature of 105 C. by means of IR-radiation so that it melts whereby the melted acrylic layer is cured by means of UV-radiation so that it cures. The board is then turned so that the side intended as the upper side of the finished board is facing upwards.

(26) The board is then heated whereby a wear layer of UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer powder with comprising color pigments is applied by means of a group of electrostatic spray nozzles to an amount of 200 g/m.sup.2. Hard particles of aluminum oxide with an average particle size of 30 m to an amount of 12 g/m.sup.2 is added through a separate nozzle within the spray nozzles so that they become evenly distributed within the wear layer of the upper side. The edges are coated with UV-curing dry acrylic lacquer by means of separate group electrostatic edge coating nozzles to an amount of 80 g/m.sup.2. The acrylic powder applied is then heated to a temperature of 105 C. by means of IR-radiation so that it melts whereby the melted acrylic layer is cured by means of UV-radiation so that it cures. Reflectors are used to illuminate hidden corners of the profiles on the edges with IR- and UV-radiation when required. The boards are after cooling ready final inspection and packing.