PANEL WITH RUSTIC CHAMFER AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAID PANEL

Abstract

A panel for cladding a substrate and a method for producing same, in which a plurality of indentations, which start from the visible surface, extend so as to be inclined (, ) relative to the visible surface and end in respective side surface, are formed at the transition from the visible surface into at least one of the side surfaces to form a chamfer. A The chamfer is formed solely by the plurality of indentations, which include at least a first group of indentations all of which extend in an inclined manner relative to the visible surface at a first inclination angle (), and a second group of indentations all of which extend in an inclined manner relative to the visible surface at a second inclination angle (), the first inclination angle () and the second inclination angle () different from each other.

Claims

1. Panel for cladding a substrate, comprising: a visible surface, which is delimited by a plurality of side edges, a contact surface, which extends substantially in parallel with the visible surface and is intended to contact the substrate when laid, and a plurality of side surfaces, which extend substantially orthogonally to the visible surface and the contact surface, a plurality of indentations, which start from the visible surface, extend so as to be inclined relative to the visible surface and end in the respective side surface, being formed at the transition from the visible surface into at least one of the side surfaces to form a chamfer, wherein the chamfer is formed solely by the plurality of indentations, the indentations including at least a first group of indentations and a second group of indentations, the indentations in the first group all extending in an inclined manner relative to the visible surface at a first inclination angle (), and the indentations in the second group all extending in an inclined manner relative to the visible surface at a second inclination angle (), and the first inclination angle () and the second inclination angle () being different from each other.

2. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the indentations in the first group are made in the panel at a substantially constant first period length, in that the indentations in the second group are made in the panel at a substantially constant second period length and in that the first period length and the second period length are different from each other.

3. Panel according to claim 2, wherein the period length of the first group of indentations and/or the period length of the second group of indentations varies between pairs of indentations.

4. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the indentations are arranged so as to overlap with one another over greater than 95%, preferably over greater than 98%, more preferably over substantially 100%, of the longitudinal extension of the respective side surface.

5. Panel according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the tools used for forming the indentations comprises at least two identically formed cutting edges.

6. Panel according claim 1, wherein the indentations in one of the groups of indentations are deeper than the indentations in the other group of indentations.

7. Panel according to claim 1, wherein in that the first group of indentations and/or the second group of indentations is formed so as to have a variable maximum depth.

8. Method for producing a panel for cladding a substrate, the panel comprising: a visible surface, which is delimited by a plurality of side edges, a contact surface, which extends substantially in parallel with the visible surface and is intended to contact the substrate when laid, and a plurality of side surfaces, which extend substantially orthogonally to the visible surface and the contact surface, in the method, a plurality of indentations, which start from the visible surface, extend so as to be inclined relative to the visible surface and end in the respective side surface, being made in the panel at the transition from the visible surface into at least one of the side surfaces to form a chamfer, wherein the chamfer is formed solely by the plurality of indentations, two material-removing tools being used, the cutting edges of which cut into the panel at differing inclination angles (, ) at the transition from the visible surface into the respective side surface.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the panel is moved past the material-removing tools at a substantially constant feed rate, while the material-removing tools rotate at substantially constant but differing rotational speeds about their axes.

10. Method according to claim 8, wherein the panel is moved past the material-removing tools at a substantially constant feed rate, while the material-removing tools rotate at varying rotational speeds about their axes.

11. Method according to claim 8, wherein one of the material-removing tools comprises at least two cutting edges, the feed rate of the panel, the rotational speed of the material-removing tool, the relative movement direction of the material-removing tool and of the panel in their region of mutual engagement and the cutting-in depth of the cutting edges into the panel being coordinated with one another such that the indentations are arranged so as to overlap with one another over greater than 95%, preferably over greater than 98%, more preferably over substantially 100%, of the longitudinal extension of the side surface.

12. Method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one cutting edge of the tool which is assigned to the one group of indentations cuts deeper into the panel than the at least one cutting edge of the tool which is assigned to the other group of indentations.

13. Method according to claim 8, wherein the distance between the material-removing tools, which are used to produce the first group of indentations and/or the second group of indentations, and the panel is varied during processing.

14. Method according to claim 8, wherein when the indentations are being made, the panel is processed in a material-removing manner with the visible surface facing downwards.

15. Method according to claim 8, wherein after the indentations are made, the panel is printed and/or provided with a protective layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the structure of a device for producing panels according to the invention and for carrying out the method according to the invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of three panels for explaining the manufacture of the chamfer according to the invention; and

[0035] FIG. 3 is a further schematic diagram for explaining the manufacture of the chamfer according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] In FIG. 1, a panel according to the invention which is intended for cladding a substrate, for example a floor, is in general provided with reference numeral 10. Said panel has a visible surface 12, which is the lower surface in FIG. 1 because the panel 10 is processed in an inverted orientation. The panel 10 also has a contact surface 14, intended to come into indirect or direct contact with the substrate, and four side surfaces 16, 18, 20 and 22.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows how the longitudinal edge 24 which connects the visible surface 12 to the side surface 16 is processed by means of two milling units 26 and 28 to form the chamfer 30 according to the invention, while the panel 10 is moved in the feed direction V past said milling units. The milling tools 26a and 28a of the milling units 26 and 28 are driven in a rotary manner such that the circumferential portion thereof which is in milling engagement with the panel 10 is moved in the opposite direction to the feed direction of the panel 10.

[0038] The milling tool 26a of the first milling unit 26 has two identically formed cutting edges, which form a first group 32 of indentations 34 (see FIG. 2). In this case, the indentations 34 are linked to one another or overlap, such that the longitudinal edge 24 which is formed by the orthogonally adjoining surfaces 12 and 16 no longer exists at any point on the finished panel 10. By contrast, the milling tool 28a of the second milling unit 28 has just one single cutting edge which forms a second group 36 of indentations 38 (see FIG. 2). The indentations 38 are arranged so as to be spaced apart.

[0039] The cutting edges of the milling tool 26a extend substantially in parallel with the rotational axis 26b and cut into the panel 10 by a depth of approximately 0.6 mm, measured from the longitudinal edge 24. Furthermore, the rotational axis 26b and the plane E formed by the visible surface 12 enclose an angle which is approximately 23 in the embodiment shown. The cutting edge of the milling tool 28a extends substantially in parallel with the rotational axis 28b and cuts into the panel 10 by a depth of approximately 0.8 mm, measured from the longitudinal edge 24. Furthermore, the rotational axis 28b and the plane E enclose an angle which is approximately 12 in the embodiment shown.

[0040] For the sake of better understanding, at the top of FIG. 2 a panel 10-1 is shown in which only the indentations 34 of the first group 32 of indentations have been made by means of the milling tool 26a of the first milling unit 26, and below this a panel 10-2 is shown in which only the indentations 38 of the first group 36 of indentations have been made by means of the milling tool 28a of the first milling unit 28. Finally, at the very bottom of FIG. 2, the finished panel 10 from FIG. 1 is shown.

[0041] FIG. 3 again schematically shows the indentations 34 and 38 in a plan view of the visible surface 12, in order to explain how a chamfer 30 having a realistic rustic look is formed by the two milling units 26 and 28 cooperating.

[0042] As already explained, the indentations 34 are arranged at a first period length P1, while the indentations 38 are arranged at a second period length P2. Not only are the two period lengths P1 and P2 different from each other (P1P2), but the period length P2 is also different from double the period length P1 (P2 2.Math.P1). If the two milling tools 26a and 28a were rotated at the same rotational speed, the period length P2 would be equal to twice the period length P1 (P2=2.Math.P1), since the milling tool 26a has two cutting edges while the milling tool 28a only has a single cutting edge. Therefore, the milling tool 26 can be rotated at a rotational speed, for example approximately 10,000 rpm, which differs from that of the milling tool 28a, for example approximately 8,500 rpm.

[0043] When the indentations 34 and 38 are overlaid, the indentations 34 only remain visible in the gaps between the indentations 38, owing to the cutting edge of the milling tool 28a cutting in deeper. In addition, owing to the differing period lengths P1 and P2, a cut-out, which is always different, from the indentation pattern formed by the indentations 34 is produced between the indentations 38. This increases the effect produced by the differing set angles of the milling tools 26a, 28a and, together with this effect, leads to an irregular and thus realistic rustic appearance of the chamfer 30.