METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A FOLDED PANEL, AND A FOLDED PANEL

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a folded panel including the following steps: providing a longitudinal recess at the rear side, such that at the front side between remaining panel sections on both sides of the recess a flexible transition section remains, bending the panel sections relative to each other and applying an adhesive in the recess. Before the panel sections are bent relative to each other, a template is inserted into the recess.

Claims

1. A folded panel, comprising a front side, a rear side and two panel sections of equal thickness situated at an angle to each other, wherein the two panel sections are connected by a curved transition section at the front and forming one whole, wherein the panel sections and the transition section enclose a recess, wherein an adhesive is applied in the recess to fix the two panel sections, wherein a smallest distance between the panel sections is greater than the thickness of the transition section.

2. The folded panel of claim 1, wherein the distance between the panel sections at the location of the transition section is greater than at a distance from it.

3. The folded panel of claim 1, wherein the transition section has a curvature with a constant radius.

4. The folded panel of claim 1, wherein the distance between the two panel sections at the inner side of the transition section is larger that a distance between the two panel sections more towards the bottom of the folded panel.

5. The folded panel of claim 1, wherein the panel comprises a core and a decorative top layer; wherein the decorative top layer is out of a material different from the material from the core; wherein the decorative top layer is provided at the front side of the panel; wherein the transition section at least comprises the top layer.

6. The folded panel of claim 5, wherein the core is selected from HDF, MDF or synthetic composite.

7. The folded panel of claim 5, wherein the transition second comprises the top layer and a layer of the core.

8. The folded panel of claim 1, wherein opposite side edges of the folded panel are provided with coupling parts for coupling the folded panel with a similar folded panel or with a panel.

9. The folded panel of claim 1, wherein at least one edge of the folded panel parallel with the recess is provided with coupling parts for coupling the folded panel with a panel.

10. The folded panel of claim 1, wherein the coupling parts comprises a tongue and a locking part, wherein the coupling parts are provided for being coupled to a groove and a locking part of a panel, such that a locking is provided on the one hand in the direction parallel with the coupled folded panel, and perpendicular to the coupled edge of the folded panel; and on the other hand perpendicular to the plane of the folded panel.

11. The folded panel of claim 1, wherein the two panel sections are perpendicular to each other.

12. The folded panel of claim 1, wherein the transition section is being supported by a template during bending the panel sections relative to each other in the process of making the folded panel.

13. The stair shell, wherein the stair shell comprises a folded panel as in claim 1.

14. The stair covering, wherein the stair covering comprises a folded panel as in claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Below, the invention will be illustrated with the aid of drawings, which very schematically show the embodiment examples of the invention.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a cross-section view of a panel from which a folded panel is manufactured by a method according to the invention.

[0016] FIG. 2 is the same view as FIG. 1 after installing a recess in the panel.

[0017] FIG. 3 is the same view as FIG. 1, wherein the resulting folded panel is shown.

[0018] FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of FIG. 3, which is indicated there by IV, wherein the folded condition with a template in the recess is illustrated.

[0019] FIG. 5 is the same view as FIG. 3, but wherein the folded panel has a different shape in the folded condition.

[0020] FIG. 6-8 are cross-sectional views of versions of stair covering using panels and folded panels, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5.

[0021] FIG. 9 is the same view as FIG. 4, wherein the template has been removed from the recess.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a panel 1 with a front side 2 and a rear side 3. Panel 1 has a core on which a decorative top layer is provided at the front side 2 of the panel 1, for example by laminating. Coupling means in the form of a tongue 4 and groove 5 are provided on both sides of the panel 1. Such panels 1 are typically used as floor covering.

[0023] The present invention is based on a method for manufacturing a folded panel 1 from the panel 1, as for instance shown in FIG. 3.

[0024] FIGS. 2 and 4 illustrate steps of an embodiment of the method. FIG. 2 shows that at the rear side 3 of the panel 1 an elongated recess 6 is provided. The recess 6 is parallel to the groove 5 and the tongue 4. On both sides of the recess 6, remaining panel sections 1a, 1b have been created. In addition, at the front side 2 of the panel 1, between panel sections 1a, 1b, a flexible transition section 7 is left. Such a recess 6 can be created in the known way by means of, for example, a milling operation.

[0025] After creating the recess 6, a longitudinal die or template 8 is inserted into the recess 6. The template 8 has a curved end face 9 which is brought into contact with the transition section 7. In this case, the end face 9 has a curvature with a constant radius. The end face 9 is located on a thickened section of the template 8. After inserting the template 8 into the recess 6, the panel sections 1a, 1b are bent relative to each other to a folded condition as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. During bending, the transition section 7 is bent over the end face 9. FIG. 4 shows that the end face 9 in the folded condition abuts the transition section 7. The template 8 has outer sides 10 on both sides of the end face 9, which in the folded condition are adjacent to opposite side faces of the panel sections 1a, 1b.

[0026] The panel sections 1a, 1b are held in the folded condition of, after which the template 8 is slid lengthwise from the recess 6 out of the panel 1. Subsequently, the adhesive is inserted into the created space to fix the folded condition. As a result of the use of the template 8, at the folded panel 1 there will in all cases be a distance between the panel sections 1a, 1b, but the smallest distance between the panel sections 1a, 1b is greater than the thickness of the transition section 7. In FIG. 9, showing the folded panel 1 without template 8 and without adhesive, the smallest distance between the panel sections 1a, 1b is indicated by the upper case letter D and the thickness of the transition section 7 by the lower case letter d.

[0027] In FIGS. 3 and 4, the panel sections 1a, 1b in the folded condition of the folded panel 1 are perpendicular to each other, but many alternative angles are possible. FIG. 5 shows, for instance, that the panel sections 1a, 1b are at an angle of approximately 15.

[0028] The resulting folded panels 1 can be used as stair covering or stair shells. FIG. 6-8 illustrate three possible stair coverings. In the embodiment according to FIG. 6 the folded panels 1 according to FIGS. 3 and 5 are combined. FIG. 7 shows an embodiment wherein the panel 1 according to FIG. 1 and the folded panel according to FIG. 3 are combined. In the embodiment according to FIG. 8 two folded panels 1 according to FIG. 3 and one panel 1 according to FIG. 1 are combined.

[0029] The invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated in the drawing and described above, which may be varied in different ways within the context of the invention.