Antistatic layered panel and method of its manufacture

• US 20060008630A1
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bureau M.F.J. Bocksteal
• Original Assignee: Bureau M.F.J. Bocksteal
• Inventors: Thiers, Bernard Paul Joseph, Hochepied, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,527,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/292.100
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 21/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/21 Anti-static
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/554 Wear resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2317/16 Wood, e.g. woodboard, fibreboard, woodchips
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2607/00 Walls, panels
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/18 characterised by the use of special additives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/42 comprising condensation resins of aldehydes, e.g. with phenols, ureas or melamines
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0075 Antistatics
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02 Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of webs E04F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/10 of other materials, e.g. fibrous or chipped materials, organic plastics, magnesite tiles, hardboard , or with a top layer of other materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249924 Noninterengaged fiber-containing paper-free web or sheet which is not of specified porosity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/258 Alkali metal or alkaline earth metal or compound thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31551 Of polyamidoester [polyurethane, polyisocyanate, polycarbamate, etc.]

Abstract

The invention relates to an antistatic layered panel (1) including a substrate (2) and one or more layers (3, 4) on top of said substrate, said one or more layers comprising a decorative covering layer (3). At least one of the layers on top of said substrate comprises a synthetic resin and is consolidated by pressure with one or more of the other layers. The panel contains at least one antistatic agent evenly distributed in said synthetic resin over the surface of the panel. The invention relates also to methods of its manufacture and in particular to such antistatic laminated floor panels.

Claims

1. A layered panel, comprising including a substrate and one or more layers on top of said substrate, said one or more layers comprising a decorative covering layer, at least one of the layers on top of said substrate comprising a synthetic material, extending over the whole, surface of the panel, wherein said material is consolidated by pressure with one or more of the other layers and/or the substrate and wherein the panel contains at least one antistatic agent evenly distributed in said synthetic material over the whole surface of the panel.

2. Panel according to claim 1, whereby said agent is uniformly dispersed or dissolved in said material.

3. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the antistatic agent is dissolved in water and whereby the obtained solution is mixed into the synthetic material.

4. Panel according to claim 1, wherein said antistatic agent comprises a chemical composition of the type R—

X with an hydrophobic organic radical R at one extremity of the molecule chain and with at the other extremity a chain moiety or rest comprising an element X, which rest has a limited affinity for water.

5. Panel according to claim 4, wherein said composition is a carbonic acid salt or carbonic acid ester, the carboxylate-rest [—

COO]nX of which has a limited affinity for water.

6. Panel according to claim 5, whereby the carbonic acid is an alkane acid with one to five C atoms.

7. Panel according to claim 5, whereby the acid is unsaturated with one to five C atoms.

8. Panel according to claim 6, whereby the salt is or includes potassium formiate (HCOOK) or sodium formiate (HCOONa) or a mixture of both.

9. Panel according to claim 1, wherein said agent of or comprises a salt.

10. Panel according to claim 9, wherein said salt is used in combination with the composition of the type R—

X.

11. Panel according to claim 9, wherein said salt is NaCl.

12. Panel according to claim 9, wherein said salt is KCl or a combination of NaCl and KCl.

13. Panel according to claim 1 wherein the quantity of said antistatic agents in the synthetic material is at least 2.5 g/m² of the covered surface.

14. Panel according to claim 1 wherein the decorative covering layer carries a surface layer, and at least said surface layer comprises a synthetic resin and a wear resistant additive.

15. Panel according to claim 14, wherein at least said covering layer comprises a synthetic resin wherein said antistatic agents are distributed.

16. Panel according to claim 14, wherein said surface layer (4) comprises a synthetic resin wherein said antistatic agents are distributed.

17. Panel according to claim 14, whereby only said covering layer comprises a synthetic resin wherein said antistatic agents are distributed, whereas the surface layer, at least before its application onto the panel, is free of such agents.

18. Panel according to claim 15, wherein the concentration of the antistatic agents is highest at the interface of said covering layer and the surface layer.

19. Panel according to claim 14, wherein concentrations of said antistatic agent are present in both layers and wherein the concentration of the antistatic agent is higher in said covering layer than in the surface layer.

20. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises material selected from glued and pressed wood-based boards,.

21. Panel according to claim 1, wherein the decorative covering layer is a paper layer impregnated with melamine resin.

22. Panel according to claim 14, wherein said surface layer comprises a melamine or ureum resin or a mixture of both.

23. Panel according to claim 21, wherein said antistatic agent is partially taken up in the impregnating resin for the decorative covering layer.

24. Panel according to claim 1, including a substrate and a decorative covering layer without an additional surface layer top of it and whereby wear resistant additives are incorporated at least in the outer surface of said covering layer, the antistatic agents being present in the body of said covering layer and optionally at its interface with the substrate.

25. Panel according to claim 1, comprising a floor panel, wherein the decorative covering layer is a sheet of paper, impregnated with melamine resin, which is printed with a decorative pattern, and further wherein the surface layer comprises a transparent melamine resin and whereby the other side of the substrate is covered with a resin-impregnated paper backing layer.

26. Panel according to claim 1, wherein whereby said antistatic agent is present in and/or on the substrate.

27. Panel according to claim 25 whereby said antistatic agent also is present in the backing layer.

28. Panel according to claim 1, wherein said antistatic agent is present in an additional layer, said additional layer comprising a synthetic material disposed between the substrate and the covering layer.

29. A method for manufacturing a layered panel recited in claim 1, wherein according to the layers are stacked as self-supporting sheets upon each other, in a desired sequence, and are consolidated by means of hot-pressing, comprising the steps:

previous to said stacking, said antistatic agent is directly dosed with a suitable quantity and mixed into the impregnating composition for any of the self-supporting sheets of the top or surface layer and/or of the decorative covering layer, after which these impregnated sheets are dried before said stacking.

30. Method according to claim 29, wherein said antistatic agent also is mixed into the impregnating composition for the sheet of the backing layer and/or into an additional layer.

31. Method according to claim 29, wherein the upper surface of the decorative layer is sprayed with a solution of the antistatic agent and further covered with a surface layer comprising wear resistant additives.

32. Method according to claim 31, wherein the wear resistant additives are distributed in the lower part of said surface layer.

33. Method according to claim 32, wherein said surface layer is a self supporting cellulose fiber sheet impregnated with melamine and/or ureum resin having in its lower part wear resistant corundum particles distributed therein.

34. Method for manufacturing a layered panel, wherein the various layers are stacked as self-supporting sheets upon each other, in a desired sequence, and are consolidated by means of hot-pressing, wherein, previous to said stacking, said antistatic agent is dosed with the suitable quantity in the underside of the covering layer by spraying the surface of the core layer with a solution of said agent.