Surface covering panel

• US 20080176039A1
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hao A. Chen, Nathan W. Easterday
• Original Assignee: Hao A. Chen, Nathan W. Easterday
• Inventors: Chen, Hao A., Easterday, Nathan W.
• Application Number:
  US11/827,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20080176039A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/142
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/061 Special surface effect
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/53 Base coat plus clear coat type
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/57 the last layer being a clear coat
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/06 Embossing
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0047 by ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0064 on plastics, horn, rubber, or other organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/0027 using protective coatings or layers by lamination or by fusion of the coatings or layers
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/0446 bearing graphical information
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/0461 used as wall coverings
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0871 having an ornamental or specially shaped visible surface E04F13/0867 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/16 of fibres or chips, e.g. bonded with synthetic resins , or with an outer layer of fibres or chips E04F13/0864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/165 with an outer layer imitating natural stone, brick work, tiled surface or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/18 of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials of plastic-bound fibres or chips E04F13/16 or with an outer layer of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials; plastic tiles E04F13/0864 takes precedence
• 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 15/02161 Floor elements with grooved main surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/16 Two dimensionally sectional layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24364 with transparent or protective coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24562 Interlaminar spaces

Abstract

A surface covering is described wherein the surface covering includes at least one support surface, such as a core, with at least one base coating located on the support surface. The support surface preferably has a textured top surface. A printed pattern is located on the base coating and preferably the printed pattern is in register with the textured surface. At least one protective layer is located on the printed pattern. Methods of making the surface covering are further described.

Claims

1. A surface covering panel comprising:

at least one support layer with or without texturing;

at least one base coating located on top of said support layer having a textured surface;

at least one printed pattern located on said textured surface and in registered with said textured surface; and

at least one protective layer located on the printed pattern, wherein said at least one base coatings having a thickness of from about 1 mil to about 30 mils, is a polymeric coating and the printed pattern is applied to the base coating with a printer that prints the printed pattern directly on said base coating, and said printed pattern is applied after the textured surface is present, and the printed pattern and textured surface are in register to within about 1 mm or less, wherein said protective layer has a top surface with a textured pattern that corresponds to said textured surface.

2. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said printed pattern is a digital printed pattern.

3. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said printed pattern is a digital inkjet printed pattern.

4. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said printed pattern and said textured design are in register to within 0.05 mm.

5. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said textured surface has an embossed depth of from about 3 mils to about 15 mils.

6. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said textured surface has an embossed depth of from about 1 mil to about 15 mils.

7. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said printed pattern has a wood, tile, brick, ceramic, textile weave or stone pattern design.

8. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said printed pattern has a resolution of at least about 100 dpi.

9. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said printed pattern has a resolution of from about 150 dpi to about 750 dpi.

10. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said support layer is a wood-based substrate.

11. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said support layer comprises a polymer-based layer.

12. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said support layer comprises particle board.

14. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said at least one protective layer comprises a urethane top coat layer.

15. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said support layer has a textured surface.

17. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said support layer comprises a wood and fiber board composite.

18. A method of making the surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said method comprises applying at least one base coating having a thickness of from about 1 mil to about 30 mils onto a support surface, wherein said base coating is a polymeric coating;

forming a textured surface onto said base coating to form a textured surface;

printing a pattern directly onto said textured surface to form a printed pattern such that the textured surface remains textured with embossments;

applying at least one protective coating onto said printed pattern such that said protective coating has a top surface and a textured pattern that corresponds to said textured surface is present on said top surface;

wherein said textured surface and said printed pattern are in register.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said printing is accomplished with an inkjet printing system.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said printing is accomplished with a digital inkjet printing system.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said textured surface is created with a platen press or an embossed roll.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said printing is at a resolution of at least 100 dpi.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein said printing is at a resolution of about 150 dpi to about 750 dpi.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising applying at least one adhesive base coating prior to applying at least one base coating onto said support surface.

25. The method of claim 18 further comprising applying a bottom balance layer to the bottom surface of the said support surface.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein said support surface is surface treated prior to the application of at least one base coating.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein at least two protective coatings are applied.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein one protective coating is a nano-composite urethane topcoat layer and the other protective layer is a urethane topcoat layer, wherein each protective layer optionally has different gloss levels.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein said support layer has a textured surface.

31. The surface covering panel of claim 1 further comprising at least one adhesive base coat located between said base coating and said support layer.

32. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said support layer is a surface treated support layer.

33. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said at least one protective layer comprises two protective layers.

34. The surface covering panel of claim 33, wherein one of the protective layers comprises a nano-composite urethane topcoat and the other protective layer comprises a urethane topcoat layer.

35. The surface covering panel of claim 33, wherein one of said protective layers comprises a low gloss nano-composite urethane topcoat layer and the other protective layer comprises a high gloss urethane topcoat layer.

36. The surface covering panel of claim 35, wherein said high gloss urethane topcoat layer is located on top of said nano-composite urethane topcoat layer.

37. The surface covering panel of claim 1, wherein said support layer comprises a high density fiber board.

38. The surface covering panel of claim 1, further comprising a bottom balance layer located on the bottom of said at least one support layer.

13. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

30. A surface covering panel comprising:

at least one support layer having a textured surface;

at least one base coating located on said support layer wherein said base coating has a top surface with a textured pattern that corresponds to said textured surface;

at least one printed pattern located directly on said top surface and in registered with said textured surface; and

at least one protective layer located on the printed pattern, wherein said at least one base coating, having a thickness of from about 1 mil to about 30 mils, is a polymeric coating and the printed pattern is applied to the base coating with a printer that prints the printed pattern directly on said base coating, and said printed pattern is applied after the textured surface is present, and the printed pattern and textured surface are in register to within about 1 mm or less, wherein said protective layer has a top surface with a textured pattern that corresponds to said textured surface.

39. A surface covering panel comprising:

at least one support layer with texturing;

optionally at least one base coating located on top of said support layer;

at least one printed pattern located on said support layer in registered with said texturing on said support layer; and

at least one protective layer located on the printed pattern, wherein said printed pattern is applied to the support layer with a printer that prints the printed pattern directly on said support layer, and said printed pattern is applied after a textured surface is present on said support layer, and the printed pattern and textured surface are in register to within about 1 mm or less, wherein said protective layer has a top surface with a textured pattern that corresponds to said textured surface.