Method of Manufacturing a Panel Including a Wear Resistant Layer, and a Panel

• US 20140290171A1
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Spanolux N.V.-Div. Balterio
• Original Assignee: Spanolux N.V.-Div. Balterio
• Inventors: Vermeulen, Bruno Paul Louis
• Application Number:
  US13/992,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20140290171A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/578
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/12 by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/24 for applying particular liquids or other fluent materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/243 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/06 characterised by the heating method
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/10 characterised by the pressing technique, e.g. using action of vacuum or fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/24 with at least one layer not being coherent before laminating, e.g. made up from granular material sprinkled onto a substrate B32B37/15 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/0476 with abrasion resistant properties
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02 Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of webs E04F15/16

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a panel including a wear resistant layer comprises providing a substantially rigid substrate, providing wear-resistant particles, providing an ionomer, applying the wear-resistant particles and the ionomer onto the substrate, and pressing and/or melting the substrate, the wear-resistant particles and the ionomer together. A resulting panel is provided with locking elements configured to lock the panel to an adjacent panel.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a panel including a wear resistant layer, comprising:

providing a substantially rigid substrate,

providing wear-resistant particles,

providing an ionomer,

applying the wear-resistant particles and the ionomer onto the substrate,

pressing and/or melting the substrate, the wear-resistant particles and the ionomer together.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the wear-resistant particles and the ionomer is applied as a powder.

3. The method according to claims 1, wherein both the wear-resistant particles and the ionomer are provided as a powder and mixed before applying the mixture onto the substrate.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a decoration pattern is printed on the substrate before applying the wear-resistant particles and the ionomer onto the substrate.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the pattern is printed via non-contact printing or contact printing.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a decoration sheet is placed on the substrate before applying the wear-resistant particles and the ionomer onto the decoration sheet.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ionomer is provided as a film comprising the wear-resistant particles, which film is placed onto the substrate before the pressing step.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the film is manufactured by extrusion.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least an additional layer is co-extruded to the ionomer film.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the additional layer is a water barrier layer.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein before and/or during pressing at least the ionomer is heated.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein before pressing the ionomer is heated above its melting temperature.

13. The panel which is manufactured according to claim 1, which is provided with locking elements configured to lock the panel to an adjacent panel.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the water barrier layer is a polyethylene layer.