DIGITALLY INJECTED DESIGNS IN POWDER SURFACES

• US 20110250404A1
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
• Original Assignee: Ceraloc Innovation Belgium BVBA
• Inventors: H?kansson, Niclas, Ryberg, Melker, PERVAN, Darko, Ziegler, Goran, Jacobsson, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 10,899,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/173
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/12 by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/00 Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/0446 bearing graphical information
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/0476 with abrasion resistant properties
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0866 composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels or layered panels layered products as such in general B32B; producing decorative panels or veneers B44C5/04; E04F13/0864, E04F13/0875 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0894 with tongue and groove connections
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02038 characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/107 composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels layered products in general B32B; producing decorative panels or veneers B44C5/04
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0153 by rotating the sheets, plates or panels around an axis which is parallel to the abutting edges, possibly combined with a sliding movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2462 with partial filling of valleys on outer surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24868 Translucent outer layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24893 including particulate material

Abstract

Building panels and a method to produce such panels including a solid decorative surface having a decorative wear layer including fibres, binders, colour substance, wear resistant particles and a digital ink print.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a building panel with a decorative surface layer, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

applying a first layer of a mix, comprising fibres, colour substance, a binder and wear resistant particles, on a core;

printing a first print with a first pattern on the first layer;

applying a second layer of a mix, comprising fibres, colour substance, a binder and wear resistant particles, on the first print;

printing a second print on the second layer with a pattern that is essentially the same as the first pattern; and

curing the layers and the prints by providing heat and pressure.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the panel is a floor panel.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the core is a HDF board.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and/or the second layer are pre pressed prior to the printing.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first print and the second print each comprise ink that is applied on the mix by a digital ink head.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mixes are applied in powder form and the first and second printings are each executed in said mixes in said powder form.

7. A method of providing on a building panel with a decorative surface layer wherein the surface comprises a print applied on a mix whereby the method comprises the steps of:

applying a mix, comprising fibres, colour substance, a binder, wear resistant particles, and a dry base colour on a core to form a first layer;

printing a print on the first layer; and

spraying a liquid colour substance on the first layer.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the panel is a floor panel.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the core is an HDF or MDF board.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the mix is pre pressed prior to the printing.

11. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the print comprises ink that is applied on the mix by a digital ink head.

12. A building panel comprising a decorative surface layer connected to a core, wherein the surface layer comprises a print, fibres, colour substance, a binder and wear resistant particles wherein the decorative surface layer comprises a first horizontal plane and a second horizontal plane below the first horizontal plane and a vertical plane perpendicular to the horizontal planes and wherein the colour content of the print is higher in the second horizontal plane than the colour content in the first horizontal plane.

13. The building panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein the panel is a floor panel and wherein the colour content of the print along the vertical plane is higher in the second horizontal plane than in the first horizontal plane.

14. The building panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein the binder is a thermosetting resin.

15. The building panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein the core is an HDF or MDF board.

16. The building panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein the colour substance comprises colour pigments and the fibres comprise wood fibres.

17. The building panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein the fibres have a mean thickness of about 0.03-0.05 mm and wherein the print extends to a depth, which is equal to or larger than the mean thickness of the fibres.

18. The building panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein the print is a high definition print comprising at least 150 DPI.

19. The building panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first horizontal plane comprises more wear resistant particles per cm2 than the second horizontal plane.

20. A building panel comprising a decorative surface layer connected to a core, wherein the surface layer comprises a print, fibres, colour substance, a binder and wear resistant particles wherein

the print is a high definition print having a printing quality of at least 100 DPI, and

the print has a depth, which is about the same as the mean thickness of the fibres.

21. The building panel as claimed in claim 20, wherein the panel is a floor panel and wherein the fibres are wood fibres with a mean thickness of about 0.03-0.05 mm.

22. The building panel as claimed in claim 20, wherein the print is a pattern similar to a wood design.

45. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the layer comprises processed wood fibres and wear resistant particles cured with a thermosetting binder.

23. A method of manufacturing a building panel with a decorative surface layer, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

applying a first mix, comprising fibres, a binder and a first dry base colour, on a core;

applying a second mix, comprising fibres, a binder and a second dry base colour, on the first mix; and

printing a print on the second mix.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first and/or second mix comprises fibres of comprised wood fibres.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first and/or second mix comprises wear resistant particles.

26. Building panels comprising a decorative surface layer connected to a core wherein the surface layer comprises a digital print in register with embossed surface portions wherein at least two panels comprise surface portion with an identical embossing and with a printed pattern that varies between said panels.

27. The building panels as claimed in claim 26, wherein the surface layer comprises a mix of wood fibres and a binder.

28. The building panels as claimed in claim 26, wherein the surface layer comprises wear resistant particles.

29. A building panel comprising a decorative surface layer connected to a core wherein the surface comprises a print, wherein

the surface layer comprises at least two layers with a printed pattern injected into at least an upper surface layer,

the upper surface layer is semi transparent and the print extends vertically into the semi-transparent layer,

a base layer is provided between the core and the upper surface layer, and

a part of the base layer is visible through the surface layer.

30. The building as claimed in claim 29, wherein the semi transparent upper surface layer comprises processed wood fibres and wear resistant particles cured with a thermosetting binder.

31. The building panel as claimed in claim 29, wherein the semi transparent upper surface layer comprises a thermoplastic material and wear resistant particles.

32. A method for producing a decorative surface layer with different gloss levels, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

adapting a powder and an ink such that different gloss levels are obtained when the powder with ink with varying content is cured under heat and pressure;

applying a powder layer on a carrier;

printing a print with ink drops on the powder layer such that surface portions are formed which comprise different contents of pigments or binders; and

applying a press plate, having an essentially uniform surface with essentially the same gloss level, on the powder layer and the print.

33. A method for producing a decorative surface layer, comprising the steps of:

applying a base layer comprising powder on a substrate;

printing a first print with ink drops on the base layer

applying a top layer comprising a semi transparent powder on the base layer; and

printing a second print with ink drops on the top layer,

34. The method as claimed in claim 33 wherein the ink drops are positioned in the surface layer at different vertical depths.

35. The method as claimed in claim 34 wherein the ink drops are positioned over each other.

36. The method as claimed in claim 34 wherein the ink drops average size of the ink drops at an upper vertical position is smaller than the average size of the ink drops at a lower vertical position.

37. The method as claimed in claim 33 wherein the average size of the ink drops in the top layer is smaller than the average size of the ink drops in the base layer.

38. The method as claimed in claim 33 wherein the ink drops are of variable size and/or variable colour.

39. The method as claimed in claim 33 wherein the semi transparent upper surface layer comprise bleached wood fibres and wear resistant particles cured with a thermosetting binder.

40. The method as claimed in claim 33 wherein the semi transparent upper surface layer comprises a thermoplastic material and wear resistant particles.

41. A method for producing a decorative surface layer, comprising the steps of:

applying a layer comprising a powder on a substrate;

printing a print with ink drops in the powder; and

positioning the ink drops in the layer at different vertical depths.

42. The method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the ink drops are positioned over each other.

43. The method as claimed in claim 41 wherein the ink drops are of variable size.

44. The method as claimed in claim 42, wherein larger ink drops re positioned over smaller ink drops.

46. The method as claimed in claim 41 wherein the layer comprises wood fibres, wear resistant particles and a thermoplastic material.

47. A method of manufacturing building panels comprising a decorative surface layer on a core, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

forming a mechanical locking system in the core;

applying a powder layer on the core; and

printing a pattern into the powder layer.

48. The method as claimed in claim 47, wherein the method comprises the further step of connecting panels prior to the step of applying the powder layer on the core.