Patent Grant
11891815
This invention relates to a board and a method of manufacturing such board.
More particularly, the invention relates to a board which is intended for forming a wall, floor or ceiling surface. In other words, this relates to a panel in the form of a wall panel and/or floor panel and/or ceiling panel. More particularly, it relates to such board or panel which is of the type that is intended at least for being applied in interior applications, in other words, for forming a floor covering, wall covering or ceiling covering.
The invention aims at a board which, on the one hand, offers a good resistance against fire and, on the other hand, is advantageous in respect to production features and production possibilities, as well as in respect to processing.
To this aim, the invention relates to a board as described in the appended claims. Herein, several independent aspects will be covered, which are defined in the form of the appended independent claims.
To this aim, the invention relates to boards as defined in the following numbered paragraphs:
Further, it is so that with cement-based boards, at least two issues manifest themselves.
A first problem is that these boards absorb moisture, water, respectively, due to the porosity of the board and due to capillary effect. Moreover, cement-based boards in their normal quality are very alkaline. They comprise many salts and, when taking in moisture and subsequently drying out, there is a migration of alkaline water and salts. In the case of façade boards, for which cement-based boards are often used, the cement-based substrate of the board is coated at the rear and upper sides with a lacquer or paint which is not 100% water-impervious, and there is natural ventilation, such that no issue will occur. In the case one wants to apply cement-based boards in a floor covering, more particularly a floor covering which is floatingly installed, wherein these boards are provided at the edges with mechanical coupling parts, such as milled coupling profiles, for coupling them to each other, such board, possibly on both sides, thus, the upper side and the underside, shall be provided with a covering which offers the necessary resistance against wear resistance and water absorption. As a result of the fact that such cement-based boards made as floor panels are lying on the subfloor, as well as due to the fact that such coverings will be present, no significant ventilation of the cement-based substrate can occur. The board can absorb moisture via the milled coupling profiles, and when drying, the alkaline water and the salts slowly will damage the primer, which finally leads to the covering coming loose.
A second problem is that standard cement-based boards have a relatively small internal bond. A standard cement-based board actually is systematically composed of various thin layers, which is a feature of the Hatschek production process mostly applied therewith. This results in a relatively small internal bond, such that it is not evident to consider such standard cement-based board as a floor panel, wall panel or ceiling panel, at least not when edges or profiles have to be provided thereon by a machining treatment. In fact, the small bond may lead to chipping at the edges. There is also a risk that, as a result of the weak internal bond, after milling of locking coupling means, gaping edges and cracks occur in the locking means, such that the floor is not performant during placement and after installation.
According to various aspects of the invention, herein below a number of solutions are presented, which are described in the numbered paragraphs following herein below:
It is clear that according to the invention preferably a top layer provided on the basic material layer is present, which as such can consist of one or more layers.
The panel thicknesses of the finished products can be at choice, however, in the case of floor panels the overall thickness preferably is less than 8 mm and still better less than 6 mm, and possibly even less than 4 mm.
In the case of all embodiments mentioned herein above as well as below and in the claims, in the case of a cement-based basic layer preferably use shall be made of fiber cement, thus “fiber cement board”, in Dutch sometimes also called cement fiberboard.
There, where this is not contradictory to the description and claims, the cement-based substance according to the invention may also be replaced by other mineral-based substances, such as, for example, calcium oxide board.
It is noted that the various independent aspects according to the invention can be combined at choice and that all mathematical combinations which do not include any contradictions, have to be considered inventions. Further, it is also possible to detach all characteristics of dependent claims as such from the independent claim to which they refer and to combine them with the characteristics of one or more of the other independent claims, this as far as this does not result in contradictory characteristics. Here, too, all mathematical combinations have to be considered disclosed.
The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such board, which method can be derived from the composition of the board described in the claims.
Regarding the use of lacquers, paints, coatings and the like, according to the invention preferably use is made of one or more of the following possibilities, wherein this primarily is intended for being applied with cement-based boards, in particular with fiber cement boards:
Backside lacquer:
All lacquers preferably are alkaline-resistant, as after installation and during cleaning, there is always a small risk that water, which contains salts of the fiber cement board, can penetrate through the lacquer layers.
The invention, as far as this relates to cement-based boards, more particular fiber cement boards, also relates to boards, more particular panels, which meet well-defined specifications, whereby they are more suitable for interior applications, such deviating from the specifications which commonly are applied for façade boards.
According to the invention, the boards, panels, respectively, then preferably meet one or more of the specifications stated in the following table, wherein combinations at choice are possible. Herein, a comparison is made between the specifications of common fiber cement boards, which usually are applied for exterior façades, and fiber cement boards, of which the specifications now according to the invention are chosen such that they can be usefully applied as floor panels, in particular for interior applications. The boards are also suitable for wall and ceiling applications, considering that those mostly have less strict requirements than floor panels.
It is noted that according to the invention each criterion mentioned in the above table has to be considered separately as inventive idea, thus, each criterion from one box of the table, as well as any possible combination of two or more criteria.
It is also clear that the absorption is expressed in percent by weight, thus, the increase in weight of the board before and after the H2O absorption.
It is clear that, when determining the aforementioned absorption, it is started from a dry or approximately dry board, in other words, a board which, apart from the chemically bound moisture, comprises no or approximately no vaporable moisture. It is preferred that in practice herein it is started from an air-dried panel, wherein the air-dried condition is obtained by drying the board in an oven at 105° C., with suction, such during 3 days. The H2O absorption then is measured by placing the board in water, such as tap water, such during 24 hours for the “24 h absorption” and during a considerably longer time for the “max. H2O absorption”, by which is meant up to a condition in which the water absorption curve is approximately flat. Practically, to this aim 3 days can be chosen at atmospheric pressure.
Preferably, the boards according to the invention indeed are subjected to a grinding treatment before providing them with a covering.
The following criteria can also be applied:
One or more of the above-mentioned specifications (specs) of the boards according to the invention thus will preferably be maintained. Primarily, they are substantially intended for boards which have to be provided with lacquer or are provided with lacquer. With any other coverings, too, for example, a melamine layer pressed thereon, it is advantageous to work with boards which meet the specs stated herein above according to the invention.
The application of one or more of the criteria of the invention effect that the boards are particularly suitable for application as floor panels, wall panels and ceiling panels, and the more of the aforementioned criteria are applied, the better the board, the panel, respectively, is for such applications, by which is meant that the board or the panel is more resistant against damages during and after production, undesired deformations and excessive expansion, and/or that the uncoated board is more suitable for forming, starting therewith, a finished product, in other words, more suitable for providing a covering thereon and/or providing coupling means, more particularly horizontally and vertically locking coupling means, herein.
The criteria thus as such already form an invention. It is noted that these criteria may be achieved in any manner, and to this aim all possibilities aforementioned for this purpose can be employed, as well as other possibilities which are within the range of the person skilled in the art.
In order to obtain that the not-coated board fulfills the required criteria, in particular in respect to water absorption and dimensional stability, influence is taken on the composition of the material of the basic material layer, for example, by, as aforementioned, increasing the hydrophobicity of the fiber cement.
In order to obtain that the not-coated board fulfills the required criteria, in particular in respect to water absorption and dimensional stability, either influence can be taken on the composition of the material of the basic material layer, for example, by, as aforementioned, increasing the hydrophobicity of the fiber cement, or influence can be taken on the moisture-proof protection towards the outside, or influence can be taken on both. By “protection towards the outside” is meant that at least on portions of the surface layers of which kind whatsoever are present, which prevent or mitigate moisture penetration and other negative influences. By applying the layers, the basic material layer can be partially or entirely encapsulated such that the water absorption fulfills the intended criteria. The covering layer provided on the decorative side can be realized as an impermeable layer. A possible backing layer also can be realized as an impermeable layer. Finally, if this is necessary in order to achieve one or more of the desired criteria, also the coupling means, mostly the milled locking tongue and locking groove, can be provided with a coating and/or impregnation which reduce and/or exclude the absorption of moisture and water along the edges. To what extent such measures have to be applied, then can be determined by the person skilled in the art via tests, such that the board fulfills the respective criteria required according to the invention.
It is noted that one of the most important criteria from the above table, as well as an independent characteristic, is the fact that the not-coated board fulfills the aforementioned criterion of the low 24 h H2O absorption, in other words, that this is lower than 5%, and preferably is lower than 3% and still better is lower than 1.5%.
Another important criterion from the table, as well as an independent characteristic, is the fact that the coated board, by which the entirely finished panel is meant, fulfills the aforementioned criterion of the low 24 h H2O absorption, in other words, that this is also lower than 5%, and preferably lower than 3% and still better lower than 1.5%.
According to an embodiment the invention also relates to a board, as defined in any of the herein above-described embodiments (from the numbered paragraphs as well as from other described possibilities), more particularly a panel in the form of a floor panel and/or wall panel and/or ceiling panel, preferably of the type which is at least intended for interior application, wherein this panel comprises a basic material layer or substrate which is cement-based, which basic material layer as such can comprise one or more layers of cement-based basic material, wherein one or more of these layers, and preferably the entire basic material layer, preferably is on the basis of fiber cement, wherein this panel comprises a top layer which preferably gives a decorative appearance to the panel, and thus provides in a coating, either lacquer and/or print and/or layer adhered thereto, characterized in that the basic material layer, apart from the cement, also comprises fibers and/or fillers and/or filling agents, preferably additionally to possible process fibers, wherein these fillers and/or fibers preferably consist of synthetic material and/or glass and/or crystalline calcium silicate (including hydrate) and/or xonolite and/or tobermorite and/or inosilicate and/or gyrolite and/or wollastonite and/or sepiolite and/or rhyolite and/or basalt and/or rock wool and/or diabase and/or pumice and/or chalk and/or limestone and/or talc, wherein in the case of application as a particle-shaped filler, this filler preferably comprises particles which are comprised between 1 and 200 microns and/or this filler preferably forms at least 10 percent by weight of the dry cement mixture.
The use of such fillers and/or fibers, more particularly on the basis of the aforementioned materials, has an advantageous effect on the quality of the basic material layer and thus also the quality of the coupling parts realized therein.
Herein, it is further preferred that the board is characterized in that it, on at least one pair of edges, is provided with coupling parts which allow a mutually locking coupling, with a tongue and groove structure or with hook-shaped elements which engage one behind the other, and/or with a separate locking part provided in a seat in an edge, more particularly a locking part which preferably consists of synthetic material, and that the fillers and/or fibers are not only centrally present in the board, but also are present in the tongue structure and/or in the groove structure, by which then the lips are meant which border the groove, and/or in the hook-shaped elements and/or in said seat, by which then the walls are meant which surround the seat.
Further, hereby it is preferred that the tongue structure and/or groove structure and/or hook-shaped elements and/or seat are manufactured by means of a milling treatment and thus comprise milled surfaces.
The presence of the fillers and/or fibers improves the strength of the coupling parts and also allows a better treatment in order to arrive at such coupling parts, amongst others, by milling. The use of wollastonite leads to particularly good results.
It is noted that coupling parts which allow a mutually locking coupling are known as such. An example of coupling parts with a tongue and groove structure in a floor panel is known, amongst others, from FIG. 11 of WO 2014/108875 and from the figures of WO 97/47834. Herein, the coupling parts, according to the present invention, preferably are realized in one piece from the basic material layer. An example of coupling parts with hook-shaped elements which engage behind each other and/or with a separate locking part provided in a seat in an edge, more particularly a locking part which provides in a locking according to a direction perpendicular to the panels, is known from, amongst others, the FIGS. 12, 14, 15 and 16 of WO 2014/108875. An example of integral coupling parts with hook-shaped elements is known from FIG. 7 of WO 01/75247.
These basic forms of coupling parts also have to be understood as incorporated by reference to WO 2014/108875, WO 97/47834 and WO 01/75247.
The basic material layer 3 is a gypsum or fiber cement board. On top of this, a DPL layer 4 is pressed, which as such comprises one or more resin-impregnated sheets. Possibly, a counter layer 5 is provided. Compressing usually is performed at an increased temperature.
The coupling means 6 preferably are of the type which locks in two directions D1 and D2, as indicated. Preferably, they are also of the type which allows joining by means of a turning movement R.
As represented, herein preferably use is made of a longer rearmost lip 7, which is provided with a locking element 8.
At the front corner edge a chamfer 9 can be provided.
A preferably strip-shaped element 10, preferably provided at the locking element 8, can result in a pretension and/or result in a seal and/or result in a heat-activatable fire-retarding joint.
A recess 11 offers space for the head of a nail or the like, such that the whole is nailable or screwable.
Of course, the present invention is not limited to the example represented in the FIGURE.
Also, the FIGURE is schematically illustrative for floor panels, wherein then the back side of the represented panel has to be understood as underside. Locking coupling parts and other characteristics, such as chamfers 9, can be employed analogous in floor panels.
The most intended applications of the invention are floor panels and wall panels. With wall panels, this preferably are room-high panels which are provided with coupling parts at their edges, which edges are to be mounted vertically, said coupling parts being, for example, of the type as represented in the accompanying FIGURE. With floor panels, this preferably relates to smaller panels, which are provided at their four edges with coupling parts allowing a mutual coupling and locking, in order to be able to form, as usual, a so-called floating floor covering. Wall panels of fiber cement have the great advantage to be fire-resistant, whereas floor panels of this material will hardly expand as a result of temperature changes and the like.
The invention also relates to the obtained substrates as such, without these being already finished further by means of top layers or the like.
It is noted that all information comprised in WO 2018/138273 also has to be understood as incorporated in the present application, as alternative possibilities in combination with the herein above-described possibilities of the present application.
According to another preferred embodiment, the coupling parts are provided with a waterproof or moisture-repelling substance.
In a particular embodiment, the invention relates to a board, more particularly a panel in the form of a floor panel and/or wall panel and/or ceiling panel, preferably of the type which is at least intended for interior application, wherein this panel comprises a basic material layer or substrate which is cement-based, which basic material layer as such can comprise one or more layers of cement-based basic material, wherein one or more of these layers and preferably the entire basic material layer preferably is on the basis of fiber cement, wherein this panel comprises a top layer which comprises one or more synthetic material layers, which, at least in their entirety, have a thickness of 0.5 and still better 1 mm. This can be a vinyl-based layer, such as with LVT. In this manner, delamination in the fiber cement is avoided as the top layer then is sufficiently strong.
Alternatively, the top layer can also be a HPL layer glued onto the basic material layer. Such HPL layer provides for a strong surface, and delamination is almost excluded.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/651,519, filed Mar. 27, 2020, which is a 371 nationalization of PCT/IB2018/057461, filed Sep. 26, 2018, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to the U.S. provisional applications U.S. 62/564,719 filed on Sep. 28, 2017.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20210324635 A1 | Oct 2021 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62564719 | Sep 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16651519 | US | |
| Child | 17365200 | US | |
| Parent | PCT/IB2018/051903 | Mar 2018 | US |
| Child | 16651519 | US |
