A process for achieving decor on a surface element

SWEDEN ds) PATENT WRITING (13) C2 (11) 516 696

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(19) SE (51)

International class ⁷

E04F 15/04, B44C 5/04

PATENT AND REGISTRATION (45) (41) (22) (24) (62) (86) (86) (83)

Patent issued 2002-02

Application widely available 2001-06 The patent application was filed in 1999-12

Running day 1999-12

Tribal application number

International filing date Filing date for European patent application Deposit of microorganism (21)

<td colspan="2"> 12</td><td>number gg () 4781-3</td>

<td colspan="3"> 24</td>

<td> 23</td><td colspan="2">Application received as:</td>

<td colspan="3"> 23</td>

<td></td><td>X</td><td>Swedish patent application</td>

<td></td><td></td><td>completed international patent application</td>

<td></td><td></td><td>with number</td>

<td colspan="2"> □</td><td>converted European patent application with number</td>

(30) Priority information (73) (72) (74) (54) (56) (57)

Assignee

INVENTOR

AGENT

NAME

Perstorp Flooring AB, Strandridaregatan 8

231 25 Trelleborg SE

Krister Hansson, Trelleborg SE, Johan Lundgren, Malmö SE, Håkan Wernersson, Lund SE Perstorp Support AB

Process for producing surface elements comprising an upper decorative layer as well as surface elements produced according to the method

CALLED PUBLICATIONS:

SE C2 504 549 (B32B 27/04), US A 5,304,272 (156/209)

SUMMARY:

Process for producing surface elements (1) comprising an upper decorative layer (2), edges (3) for joining, a bottom surface (4) and a supporting body (5). A supporting frame (5) of the desired size is produced and provided with an upper side (Γ) and a lower side (4). The upper side (Γ) of the supporting body (5) is then provided with decor (2 ') by, for example, printing or so-called printing. The decor (2 ') is oriented after a predetermined fixed point on the supporting body (5). The upper side (Γ) of the supporting body (5) is then provided with a protective, at least partially transparent, abrasion layer (2) by, for example, lacquer coating, spray coating, dipping roll coating or by providing one or more sheets of thermosetting impregnated α-cellulose.

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The numbers in brackets indicate international identification code, INID code. Letters in clamps indicate international document code.

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<td>code</td><td>cleartext</td><td>code</td><td>cleartext</td>

<td>A</td><td>generally to common patent application</td><td>L</td><td>widely available</td><td></td>

<td>B</td><td>pamphlet *</td><td>TI</td><td>translation of the requirements of European patent application</td><td></td>

<td>B5</td><td>corrected layout letter *</td><td>T2</td><td colspan="2">correction of translation of the requirements of European patent application</td>

<td>C</td><td>patent *</td><td>T3</td><td>translation of European patent</td><td></td>

<td>Cl</td><td>patent *</td><td>T4</td><td>translation of European patent in amended form</td><td></td>

<td>C2</td><td>patent</td><td>T5</td><td>corrected translation of European patent</td><td></td>

<td>C3</td><td>corrected patent</td><td>T8</td><td>corrected translation of European patent</td><td></td>

<td>C5</td><td>corrected patent *</td><td>T9</td><td>corrected translation of European patent</td><td></td>

<td>C8</td><td>corrected front page to patent</td><td></td><td> -</td><td></td>

<td>E</td><td>patent in amended version</td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

<td>E8</td><td>corrected front page to patent in amended version</td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

<td>V '</td><td>corrected patent in amended version</td><td colspan="2">* Published under older legislation</td><td></td>

/ ^ National Codes A

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516 696

The present invention relates to a method for producing surface elements having a decorative top surface whose decorative elements have a significantly improved fit at transitions between surface elements.

Products coated with thermosetting laminate are commonplace today. They are used primarily where the wear resistance requirements are high, but also where resistance to different chemicals and moisture is required. Examples of such products include flooring, skirting boards, countertops, countertops and wall panels.

The thermosetting laminate usually consists of a number of base sheets with a decor sheet closest to the surface. The decor sheet can be decorated with decor or pattern as desired. Ordinary designs usually represent different types of wood or minerals such as marble or granite.

Rod pattern is a common pattern. Here, the floor elements, which are usually designed as planks, are provided with a decor which simulates two or more longitudinal rows with rods of, for example, wood.

Traditional fabrication of laminate flooring involves a number of steps, which means that a fitting tolerance for decor between randomly selected floor elements can amount to ± 5mm, which may be considered too large. The steps commonly included in a laminate flooring process are; printing of decor on paper of a-cellulose, melamine-shapedhigh resin impregnation of decorative paper, pressing and curing of decorative paper together with a number of papers with supporting function, application of the decorative laminate to a support and finally cutting and milling of the support to the desired format. All these steps mean that the decor paper will change the format. Therefore, it becomes impossible to achieve a desirable pattern fit without very large spillage.

By the present invention, the above deficiencies have been satisfied and a surface element with a decorative surface where the decor pattern coincides between different surface elements has been made. The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of floor, wall and ceiling elements. The surface elements include an upper decorative layer, edges intended for joining, an underside and a supporting body. The invention is characterized by:

i) A supporting frame of the desired size is produced and provided with an upper side and a lower side.

ii) The upper surface of the supporting body is then furnished with decor by, for example, printing or so-called printing. The decor is oriented according to a predetermined

516

69 $ j

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fixing point on the supporting body.

iii) The upper surface of the supporting body is then provided with a protective, at least partially transparent, abrasion layer by, for example, paint coating, spray painting, dipping, roll coating or by providing one or more sheets of thermosetting impregnated α-cellulose.

The decoration is preferably obtained by digitizing a real substrate or by creating in whole or in part in a digital media. The digitized decor is stored in digital form so that, together with any support programs, it can be used as a means and basis for printing or printing the decor. It is also possible and convenient to use at least parts of the digitized décor as well as support programs to control additional process steps such as identification marking, packing, coating, stock and delivery logistics, surface structuring and the like.

It is advantageous to prepare the supporting body in the desired use format and to provide it with edges intended for joining before the decorative and wear layer application, since the amount of spillage will thereby be significantly reduced. In addition, dimension tolerances in the decor will be further improved.

The supporting body is preferably made of wood chips or wood fiber, but it is also possible to make the supporting body of a material which is at least partially made of a polymer such as, for example, polyurethane or a polyolefin such as polyethylene, polypropylene or polybutene. A polymer-based backbone can be manufactured by compression molding or injection molding and can be molded by plastic machining and thus does not require any chip separating machining. A polymer-based body preferably includes a filler which, in addition to reducing the cost per unit weight of the body, can also be used to modify the mechanical properties of the body. Such fillers may be particulate or fibrous and may be organic or inorganic. Examples of suitable fillers may be mentioned; wood, straw, starch, glass, chalk, stone flour and sand. The properties that can be modified are, for example; viscosity, coefficient of temperature expansion, elasticity, density, fire resistance, moisture absorption capacity, sound attenuation, thermal conductivity, bending and shear breaking limit and softening temperature.

The top of the body, ie the surface to be decorated, is preferably surface treated before printing or printing. Such a surface treatment then suitably comprises one or both of the steps; basic lacquering and grinding. It is also possible to provide the surface with a structure that fits the decor to be applied.

516 696

The transparent wear layer is preferably a UV or electron beam curing lacquer such as acrylate, epoxy or maleamide lacquer. The wear layer is suitably applied in several stages with intermediate cures, of which the last is a complete cure while the previous cures are incomplete. In this way, it is also possible to provide thick layers with high surface flatness. Suitably, the wear layer also comprises hard particles having an average particle size in the range of 50 nm - 150 µm. Larger particles, in the range 10 µm 150 µm, preferably 30 µm - 150 µm, are mainly used to provide abrasion resistance while the smaller particles in the range 50 µm - 30 µm, preferably 50 nm - 10 µm, are used to provide scratch resistance. The small particles are thus used on or very close to the top surface while the larger particles can be distributed in the wear layer. The hard particles preferably consist of silicon carbide, silica, α-alumina or the like. This increases the resistance to wear considerably. Particles in the range of 30 µm - 150 µm may be sprinkled, for example, sprinkled in even wet lacquer so that the particles, at least to their main body, will be enclosed in the finished wear layer. It is therefore advisable to apply the varnish in several steps with one or more intermediate spraying stations where particles are applied to the surface. The wear layer can then be cured. It is also possible to mix particles in the area during 20 pm - 30 pm in the paint. Such paint is suitably used at the top of the wear layer. To improve the scratch resistance, the top surface can be sprinkled with very small particles in the range of 50 nm - 1000 nm. These so-called nanoparticles can also be mixed in varnish, which is then applied in a thin layer with a relatively high proportion of particles. In addition to silica, silicon carbide and α-alumina, these nanoparticles may also be diamond.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the transparent wear layer is one or more sheets of α-cellulose impregnated with melamine formaldehyde resin. These sheets are joined to the supporting body by pressure and heat, whereby the resin cures. Also in this embodiment, the wear resistance can be improved by allowing the wear layer to include hard particles with an average particle size in the range of 50nm - 150pm. Larger particles, in the range 10 µm 150 µm, preferably 30 µm - 150 µm, are mainly used to provide abrasion resistance while the smaller particles in the range 50 µm - 30 µm, preferably 50 nm - 10 µm, are used to provide scratch resistance. The small particles are thus used on or very close to the top surface while the larger particles can be distributed in the wear layer. Here, too, the particles are preferably composed of silicon carbide, silica, α-alumina, diamond or the like, of which diamond for cost reasons is used only for particles less than 1pm. The sheet of α-cellulose

516 6964 is conveniently compressed with the surface element of a continuous two-strip laminate press. The pressure in the press is suitably 5-100 Bar, preferably 20 - 80 Bar. The temperature is preferably 140 - 200 ° C, preferably 160 - 180 ° C. In discontinuous compression, a multi-layer press is preferably used in which many surface elements can be pressed simultaneously. The pressure is then normally 20 - 150 Bar, preferably 70 - 120 Bar, and the temperature is suitably 120 - 180 ° C, preferably 140 - 160 ° C.

The decoration of the surface elements is preferably made up of a number of decor parts with intermediate borders, which borders at least at two opposite edges, coincide with the intended adjacent surface elements.

It is also desirable to provide the surface elements with a surface structure which is intended to increase the realism of the decor with which the surface elements are provided. This is conveniently accomplished by positioning at least one surface textured matrix forming at least one surface structure field against the decor side of the surface element in conjunction with providing the surface element with a wear layer. This matrix is ​​pressed against the wear layer, giving it a surface with a surface structure which enhances the decor's realism.

In more complex decorations, such as so-called octopus patterns or other directionally divergent decor, two or more surface-structured matrices are preferably used, each forming a surface structure field, which folds are structurally independent of each other. The surface texture fields are intended to at least substantially, but preferably completely coincide with corresponding pattern portions in the decor. The surface structure fields are precisely positioned against the decor side of the surface element in connection with this being provided with the wear layer, and pressed against it, whereby the wear layer receives a surface with a surface structure whose different directions correspond to the direction of the different pattern parts of the decor.

Preferably, one or more matrices constitute the structural pattern surface of one or more rollers, with counterstays. The surface element is thereby allowed to pass between the rollers and the countermeasures with the decor side facing the rollers under continuous or discontinuous pressure between the rollers and the countermeasures.

Rollers containing two or more matrices preferably have a circumference adapted to the repetition distance in the direction variations of the decor.

It is also possible to have one or more matrices constitute the structural pattern surface of one or more press strips, with countermeasures. The surface element is thereby allowed to pass between the pressing straps and the abutments with the decor side towards the pressing straps under continuous or discontinuous pressure between the pressing straps and the abutments.

516 696

IN

Alternatively, one or more matrices may constitute the structural pattern surface of one or more static molding tools which are momentarily and statically pressed against the decor side of the surface element.

Particularly characteristic pattern sections such as borders between tiles, rods, boards, blocks or the like, but also knobs, twig holes, cracks, veins or the like, which are visually simulated in the decoration, are suitably stored as information. Said information is then suitably used to provide a laminate surface with a suitable surface structure in a particularly characteristic pattern section via a robot engraving tool or pressing tool, and that said robot engraving tool or pressing tool is synchronized via the predetermined fixed point on the surface element.

The process for producing surface elements described in the present application is very advantageous from a logistical point of view as the number of steps in the process of making new designs is drastically reduced. By the present invention, it is possible to use digitally created and / or stored information to directly print or write a decor on the surface element with, for example, an inkjet printer. The so-called set times will thus be very short, whereby even very special customer requests for decor can be met at a reasonable cost. According to the present invention, it is quite possible, for example, to produce a world map in very large formats that extends over most surface elements without disturbing mismatch at substantially the same cost as surface elements in bulk produced. Because the decor can be handled as digital information up to the time it is applied to the supporting frame, switching times will be virtually non-existent while allowing a very high degree of automation. It is also possible to automatically provide the surface elements with numbering which simplifies the laying of complex decorations such as world maps as above. This has previously been impossible.

Surface elements made in accordance with the present invention may conveniently be used as a floor covering where the requirements for stability and abrasion resistance are high. It is also possible to use the surface elements such as wall and ceiling cladding. It is then not necessary to apply thick abrasive layers with hard particles as direct abrasion is rarely found on such surfaces.

The invention is further explained in connection with the attached figure and schematic process descriptions which show various embodiments of the invention.

516 696

Thus, the figure shows parts of a surface element 1 in the form of a surface element which comprises an upper decorative layer 2, edges 3 for joining, a bottom 4 and a supporting body 5. The process is started by producing and providing a supporting body 5 of the desired shape. with edges 3 intended for joining. In addition, the body is provided with a top surface 1 'suitable for printing and a bottom surface 4. The upper side Γ of the supporting body 5 is then provided with decor 2 'by so-called printing with inkjet printers. The decor 2 'is oriented after a predetermined fixing point on the supporting body 5. The top surface 1' of the supporting body 5 is then provided with a protective transparent wear layer 2 by curtain coating. The supporting body 5 consists of a chipboard or a wood fiberboard. The transparent wear layer 2 consists of an electron beam-curing acrylate lacquer, which is applied in several stages with intermediate cures, of which curing is the final cure while the previous curing is incomplete. The wear layer 2 also includes comprises α-alumina hard particles having an average particle size in the range 0.5pm - 150pm.

A surface textured matrix forming at least one surface structure field is positioned against the decorative side of the floor element 1 prior to the final curing of the acrylate varnish, and pressed against it, giving the wear layer 2 a surface with a surface structure 2 'which enhances the realism of the decor 2'.

It is also possible to use two or more surface structure matrices, each forming a surface structure field, the fields being structurally independent of each other, thereby enabling the surface structure of, for example, fish bone patterned parquet rods to be reproduced.

516 696

Process Schedule 1

<img file="SE516696C2_D0004.tif" />

A supporting polymer / filler-based frame is produced in the desired use format and provided with an upper side which is smoothed by light grinding, a bottom side and edges intended for joining. The top of the supporting body is then provided with decor which is applied with an inkjet printer. The decor is oriented to a predetermined fixed point in the form of a corner of the supporting body. The basis for the decor is stored as digital information. A base layer of UV-curing acrylate varnish is then applied by means of a roller. Particles having an average particle size in the range of 150 µm are then sprinkled in the still wet base layer, after which the main layer of UV-curing acrylate lacquer is applied by spray coating. Both

516 The 696 lacquer layers are then cured with UV light to increase the viscosity of the lacquer. Then, by roller, a top layer of UV-curing acrylate varnish is applied with a mixture of hard particles having an average particle size in the range of 2 µm. Hard particles with an average particle size in the region of 100 nm are sprinkled on top of the wet top layer, after which the layers are cured with UV light to increase the viscosity. Thereafter, the still soft lacquer is provided with a surface structure which is intended to increase the realism of that decor. This is accomplished by alternately pressing two structural rolls against the surface as it passes. The rollers are provided with a surface-structured matrix, each with a divergent direction between the two rollers. The directions of the structures thus correspond to the decor. Positioning of the rollers is controlled via the digitally stored information which is used when applying the decor itself, as well as the fixing point used there.

Alternatively, one or more matrices may comprise the structural pattern surface of one or more static molding tools which are momentarily pressed against the decor side.

Particularly characteristic pattern sections such as borders between tiles, rods, boards, blocks or the like, but also knobs, twig holes, cracks, veins or the like, which are visually simulated in the decoration, are suitably stored as information. Said information is then suitably used to provide a laminate surface with a suitable surface structure in a particularly characteristic pattern section via a robot engraving tool or pressing tool, and that said robot engraving tool or pressing tool is synchronized via the predetermined fixed point on the body.

Thereafter, the lacquer is cured with UV light to the desired hardness, after which the finished surface elements can be viewed manually or by computer-assisted camera. The surface elements can then be packed in batches and provided with identification documents. The above process allows customer order controlled production even in very small quantities with no appreciable conversion costs and with the same production efficiency as in bulk production.

516 6 9 d

Process Schedule 2

<img file="SE516696C2_D0005.tif" />

A supporting wood fiber-based frame is produced and provided with an upper side, which is smoothed by light grinding, and an underside. The top of the supporting body is then provided with decor which is applied with an inkjet printer. The decor is oriented to a predetermined fixed point in the form of a corner of the supporting body. The basis for the decor is stored as digital information. A base layer of UV-curing acrylate varnish is then applied by means of a roller. Particles having an average particle size in the region of 150 µm are then sprinkled in the still wet base layer, after which the main layer of UV-curing acrylate varnish with a mixture of hard particles with an average particle size in the range of 2 µm is applied by curtain coating. The two varnish layers are then cured with UV light to increase the viscosity of the varnish. Thereafter, the still soft lacquer is provided with a surface structure which is intended to increase the realism of that decor. This is accomplished by alternately pressing two structural rolls against the surface as it passes. The rollers are provided with a surface-structured matrix with, between the two rollers,

516 696 in divergent direction. Positioning of the rollers is controlled via the digitally stored information which is used when applying the decor itself, as well as the fixing point used there.

Thereafter, the lacquer is cured with UV light to the desired hardness, whereupon the finished surface element is cut to the desired use format and provided with joining details at the edges by milling. The finished surface elements can then be viewed manually or by computer-assisted camera. The surface elements can then be packaged and provided with identification documents. The above process allows customer order controlled production even in very small quantities with no appreciable conversion costs and with the same production efficiency as in bulk production.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown as these can be varied in different ways within the scope of the invention. For example, it is possible to replace the acrylate varnish which constitutes the wear layer in the processes illustrated in schematic form with so-called overlay sheets of α-cellulose according to the present invention. These sheets of α-cellulose impregnated with melamine formaldehyde resin are joined to the support body by pressure and heat, whereby the resin cures. Also in this embodiment, the wear resistance can be improved by allowing the wear layer to include hard particles with an average particle size in the range of 50 nm - 150pm.

516 696

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