PANEL AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A PANEL

Abstract

A method for producing a panel, in particular a wall panel, ceiling panel or flooring panel of split woodbased-material boards with lateral edges. The boards have a pattern on the top and/or underside. The pattern is coated with a heat-activatable synthetic resin or a radiation-curable varnish. The woodbased-material board, pattern and synthetic resin coat or varnish coat is pressed one under the other by an engraved roller and at least one counterpressure roller. The method includes heating the engraved roller to a temperature of 200-500° C., inserting the panel between the engraved roller and a counterpressure roller, and embossing a structure with a depth of up to 500 μm into the heat-activatable synthetic resin coat on the top of the panel with a pressure of 585-1475 N/cm2 (60-150 kg/cm2).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a process sequence to produce an embossing with wood structure on the surface of a panel in accordance with an aspect of the invention; and

FIG. 2 shows a process sequence to produce a fantasy pattern with a joint structure on the top of a panel in accordance with an aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.

The invention relates to a panel and a method for producing a panel. In particular, the panel can be a wall panel, ceiling panel or flooring panel of split woodbased-material boards with lateral edges. The boards have a pattern on the top and/or underside. The pattern is coated with a heat-activatable synthetic resin or a radiation-curable varnish, and a structure of woodbased-material board, the pattern and the synthetic resin coat or varnish coat is pressed one under the other by at least one engraved roller and at least one counterpressure roller.

FIG. 1 shows a method for producing a panel 1, in particular a flooring panel in accordance with the invention. The panel 1 includes lateral edges I, II, III, IV, which has a pattern on the top 2 and is coated with a heat-activatable synthetic resin. The pattern and synthetic resin coat are pressed one on top of the other. The panel 1 is inserted between the engraved roller 4 and the counterpressure roller 5. The engraved roller 4 has a temperature of approximately 350° C. A pressure of about 1175 N/cm² (120 kg/cm²) is applied on the top 2 of the panel 1 through the engraved roller 4.

The heat-activatable synthetic resin is activated on the top 2 of the panel 1 by the heated engraved roller 4 and a so-called hand-scraped design is embossed into the top of the panel 1 through the high pressure. The advance of the panel 1 is provided by the counterpressure roller 5 that presses against the underside 3 of the panel 1. The throughput speed can be about 10 to 60 m/min, with a throughput speed preferably of 30 m/min. The counterpressure roller 5 has a herringbone pattern which increases the surface roughness. The counterpressure roller 5 can have other patterns to increase the surface roughness.

The heat-activatable synthetic resin coat can be melamine which starts to melt on the surface through the high embossing temperature and can thus be subsequently deformed. The embossing of the structure takes place in the melamine resin coat as well as in the woodbased material underneath. The structure has a depth of about 250 μm and more preferably the structure has a depth of at least 80 μm.

FIG. 2 shows an alternative method according to the invention. As compared to FIG. 1, the method of FIG. 2 includes a fantasy pattern with tile joints embossed into the top 2 of the panel 1 by an engraved roller 4, as compared to a wood structure in the hand-scraped design of FIG. 1. The method of FIG. 2 does not change when a heat-activatable radiation-curable, in particular electron beam-curable varnish is used instead of a heat-activatable synthetic resin. The panel 1 is provided on the lateral edges I, II, III, IV with tongue/groove profiles corresponding to one another with integrated locking mechanisms for the releasable connection of adjacent panels.

It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for producing panels having a pattern on at least a top and underside, comprising: coating the pattern with a heat-activatable synthetic resin or a radiation-curable varnish;pressing a woodbased-material board, the pattern and the heat-activatable synthetic resin coat or radiation-curable varnish coat one under the other by at least one engraved roller and at least one counterpressure roller;heating the engraved roller to a temperature of about 200-500° C.;inserting the panels between the at least one engraved roller and the at least one counterpressure roller; andembossing a structure with a depth of up to about 500 μm into the heat-activatable synthetic resin coat or radiation-curable varnish coat on the top of the panels with a pressure of about 90-1470 N/cm2 (60-150 kg/cm2).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein pattern-synchronous structures are embossed in the panels.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein several engraved rollers are arranged one behind the other and different structures are embossed into the panels with the several engraved rollers.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising embossing chamfers on at least one lateral edge of the panels with the engraved roller.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the panels are cooled after the embossing by the at least one engraved roller and the at least one counterpressure roller.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the panels are already embossed and are embossed again by the at least one engraved roller.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying the heat-activated synthetic resin coat through one or more printing operations.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein in the heat-activated synthetic resin coat is applied with a weight per unit area of approximately 200 to 300 g/m2.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising coating the panels with a melamine resin.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the panels are one of a wall panel, ceiling panel or flooring panel of split woodbased-material boards with lateral edges.

11. An engraved roller for use in the method according to claim 10 comprising a width corresponding to a width of the panels.

12. The engraved roller for use in the method according to claim 11, wherein the engraved roller circumference corresponds to a length of each of the panels.

13. A counterpressure roller for use in the method according to claim 1, wherein the counterpressure roller has a pattern.

14. The counterpressure roller for use in the method according to claim 13, wherein the pattern comprises one of a herringbone pattern or a three-dimensional logo.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein the temperature is 250° C.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the structure has a depth of about 250 μm.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the structure has a depth of at least 80 μm.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pressure is about 196 to 1,470 N/cm2 (20 to 150 kg/cm2).

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein a throughput speed of the panels is about 10 to 60 m/min.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the throughput speed is about 30 m/min.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the radiation-curable varnish coat is electron beam-curable.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the structure is embossed in the top and the underside.

23. A method for producing a panel having a pattern on at least one of a top and underside, the pattern being coated with a heat-activatable synthetic resin or a radiation-curable varnish, and a woodbased-material board, the pattern and the heat-activatable synthetic resin coat or radiation-curable varnish coat being pressed one under the other by at least one engraved roller and at least one counterpressure roller, comprising: heating the engraved roller to a temperature of about 200-500° C.;inserting the panel between an engraved roller and the counterpressure roller; andembossing at least one chamfer on at least one lateral edge of the panel with a pressure of about 590-1470 N/cm2 (60-150 kg/cm2).

24. An engraved roller for use in the method according to claim 23, comprising a width corresponding to a width of the panel.

25. The engraved roller for use in the method according to claim 24, wherein the engraved roller has a circumference corresponding to a length of the panel.

26. A counterpressure roller for use in the method according to claim 23, wherein the counterpressure roller has a pattern.

27. The counterpressure roller for use in the method according to claim 26, wherein the pattern comprises one of a herringbone pattern and a three-dimensional logo.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the temperature is 250° C.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein the structure has a depth of 250 μm.

30. The method according to claim 23, wherein the structure has a depth of at least 80 μm.

31. The method according to claim 23, wherein the pressure is about 196 to 1,470 N/cm2 (20 to 150 kg/cm2).

32. The method according to claim 23, wherein a throughput speed of the panel is about 10 to 60 m/min.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the throughput speed is about 30 m/min.

34. The method according to claim 23, wherein the radiation-curable varnish coat is electron beam-curable.

35. The method according to claim 23, wherein the structure is embossed in the top and the underside.

36. A panel of split woodbased-material boards with lateral edges having a pattern coated with a heat-activatable synthetic resin or a radiation-curable varnish, and a structure of woodbased-material board, pattern and synthetic resin coat or varnish coat being pressed one under the other, at least a top has a pattern, and a structure at least in part of a depth, of about 500 μm.

37. The panel according to claim 36, wherein the pattern has a wood design, tile design or fantasy design.

38. The panel according to claim 36, wherein the pattern comprises at least one layer that either comprises a resin-impregnated paper or can be applied in a direct printing process.

39. The panel according to claim 36, wherein the structure is embodied in a pattern-synchronous manner.

40. The panel according to claim 36, wherein at least the surface of the top is high-gloss.

41. A method for producing at least one panel having a pattern on at least a top and underside, the at least one panel having a heat-activatable synthetic resin or a radiation-curable varnish, the method comprising: heating an engraved roller to a temperature of about 200-500° C.;inserting the panels between the at least one engraved roller and the at least one counterpressure roller; andembossing a structure with a depth of up to about 500 μm into the heat-activatable synthetic resin coat or radiation-curable varnish coat on the top of the panels with a pressure of about 90-1470 N/cm2 (60-150 kg/cm2).