PANEL WITH FOOTFALL AND AMBIENT SOUND DEADENING, COVERING COMPOSED OF PANELS, SOUND-REDUCING COATING, PROCESS FOR ITS PRODUCTION AND APPARATUS FOR THIS PURPOSE

Abstract

A panel has an upper side facing the room in the use position and a lower side facing the floor. The lower side is coated, at least in sections, with a bonding layer composed of polymer. The bonding layer has an uneven surface on the outer side facing away from the panel, and has been coated at least in sections with a damping layer composed of polymer. A covering composed of panels, a process and an apparatus for producing the panels are also described.

Claims

1-44. (canceled)

45. An apparatus for producing a panel with sound deadening, comprising: means for shaping a surface of the panel into a bonding layer having an uneven outer side; and means for applying a damping layer composed of polymer to the bonding layer.

46-51. (canceled)

52. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the means for shaping comprises means for embossing or milling the surface of the panel.

53. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the means for shaping comprises means for applying a structured layer to the surface of the panel.

54. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the means for shaping comprises a profiled roller.

55. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the means for shaping comprises a profiled press platen.

56. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the means for applying the damping layer comprises means for applying a layer of damping material to a film, to produce a damping material-coated film, and means for applying the damping material-coated film to the bonding layer.

57. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the means for applying the damping layer comprises a doctor blade or a roller whereby an outer facing surface of the damping layer is smooth.

58. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the means for applying the damping layer comprises means for casting, spreading and/or spraying damping material in a layer on the bonding layer.

59. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising means for heating a polymer communicated with the means for applying the damping layer.

60. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising means for cooling the damping layer and/or the bonding layer.

61. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the means for applying the damping layer comprises a roller having a chromium-plated surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] Details of the invention are explained in detail using the example of one embodiment of the invention. The figures show:

[0051] FIG. 1 a cross section through a schematic illustration of a panel provided with an inventive sound deadening system;

[0052] FIG. 2 a cross section through a schematic illustration of a panel provided with a bonding layer exposed to sound;

[0053] FIG. 3 a cross section through a schematic illustration of a panel provided with a bonding layer and a damping layer exposed to sound;

[0054] FIG. 4 a cross section through a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of a panel;

[0055] FIG. 5 a cross section through a schematic illustration of a third embodiment of a panel; and

[0056] FIGS. 6 and 7 schematically illustrate an apparatus for making a panel according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0057] FIG. 1 shows a panel 2 with a core 3 composed of HDF whose upper side 4 is sealed with a resin-impregnated decorative paper 6 and an overlay 8. This forms a durable wear-resistant panel 2 which can be used, for example, as a floor covering. A backing 12 of paper which ensures the dimensional stability of the panel 2 is pressed onto the lower side 10 of the panel 2. The backing 12 counteracts the pulling forces which act on the panel 2 in the course of application of decorative paper and overlay 8.

[0058] A bonding layer 14 composed of hard EVA is applied to the lower side 10 of the panel 2, more specifically to the backing 12, by means of a profiled roller. The bonding layer 14 is uneven. It has projections 17 which are arranged alongside one another at a distance of 0.6 mm to 1.2 mm. The maximum thickness of the bonding layer 14 is 3 mm; the profile depth, i.e. the distance between the thickest application and the thinnest application of the bonding layer, is 1.2 mm.

[0059] The outer side 13 of the bonding layer 14 is covered by a damping layer 16 composed of polyolefins. The damping layer 16 is applied by means of a roller with a chromium-plated surface which brings about smoothing of the outer side of the damping layer 16.

[0060] In the use position, the panel 2 rests on a floor. When the panel is walked on, the panel 2 is stressed mechanically and set in vibration. FIGS. 2 and 3 show this state. The vibration radiates firstly back into the room laid with the panel 2. The vibration secondly radiates onto the floor on which the panel 2 lies and is transmitted from there to rooms adjoining it.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows a schematic section from the panel 2, specifically its bonding layer 14 of hard EVA applied on the lower side 10. The projections 17 of the bonding layer 14, which are rigid owing to the material properties of the hard EVA, are set in vibration together with the panel 2 when walked on. The direction of force is indicated by the arrow A. However, they vibrate approximately at right angles based on the plane of the panel 2; see arrow B.

[0062] FIG. 3 shows the projections 17 of the bonding layer 14 embedded into the damping layer 16. The projections 17 are composed of hard EVA and vibrate or attempt to vibrate in the damping layer 16. As a result of this motion, the vibration of the panel 2 is effectively dissipated. The motion of the projections 17 is converted in the damping layer 16 composed of soft EVA first to friction and then to heat. The vibration of the projections 17 is additionally effectively damped by the damping bodies 18 present in the damping layer 16. The damping bodies 18 are spherical hollow bodies which have likewise been produced from elastic polymer. This conversion of the vibration energy introduced into the panel 2 by virtue of it being walked on to friction or heat energy brings about an effective improvement both in the footfall deadening and in the ambient sound deadening. As a result of the flat outer side 19 of the damping layer, good contact of the panel 2 on the substrate is ensured.

[0063] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the inventive panel 2. The panel 2 has a core 3 composed of chipboard. The chipboard does not have any further coating; it is intended to serve as a comparative panel and substrate for a floor covering. For improved sound deadening, both with regard to footfall and with regard to ambient sound, a deadening mat 20 is adhesive-bonded to the lower side 10. The adhesive layer 22 is indicated in FIG. 4.

[0064] The deadening mat 20 is a sound-reducing coating. It can be adhesive-bonded at the manufacture or installation stage. It consists of the bonding layer 14 composed of hard polymer of low plastic deformability (hard EVA) with the projections 17 which project into the deadening layer 16. The deadening layer consists of soft, readily plastically deformable polymer (soft EVA). The bonding layer 14 is adhesive-bonded to the deadening layer 16.

[0065] The deadening mat 20 is adhesive-bonded to the lower side 10 of the panel 2 such that the bonding layer adjoins the lower side 10 of the panel. The adhesive layer 22 can be applied actually to the bonding layer 14 such that the two components adhere to one another when sound-reducing coating 20 and the panel 2 are joined. This embodiment of the inventive panel 2 with the separately designed deadening mat 20 shows the particularly flexible and simple handling of the deadening system.

[0066] FIG. 5 shows a panel 2 whose core 3 consists of HDF and which otherwise has the same surface coatings and an identical backing to the panel shown in FIG. 1. At the manufacture stage, the bonding layer 14 with the projections 17 is applied. The damping layer 16, a 0.8 mm-thick soft EVA layer, is applied to a film 24 composed of polyethylene. In the use position, the panel 2 is laid onto the spread-out damping layer 16 such that the projections 17 sink into the damping layer 16 and plastically deform it as they do so.

[0067] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate an apparatus 50 for producing a panel according to the invention, comprising means 52 (FIG. 6) for shaping a surface 54 of the panel 3 into a bonding layer 14 having an uneven outer side. The means 52 for shaping can be provided as means for embossing or milling the surface of the panel. Alternatively, the means 52 for shaping can be means for applying a structured layer to the surface of the panel.

[0068] Means 60 for applying a damping layer 16 are illustrated in FIG. 7, wherein means 60 is shown as a doctor blade 62 such that a smooth flat surface is produced. Alternatively, means 60 can be provided as a roller, preferably a chromium-plated roller.

[0069] FIG. 7 also schematically illustrates means 64 for heating a polymer being fed to doctor blade 62. Further, an additional arrow is shown and represents means 66 for cooling the damping layer.