Building panel and process for manufacturing same

• US 3,970,502 A
• Filed: 12/10/1973
• Issued: 07/20/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hamish Turner
• Original Assignee: Hamish Turner
• Inventors: Turner, Hamish
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gallagher, J. J.
• Application Number:
  US05/423,266
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 156/66, 156/310, 156/91, 156/312, 156/285, 156/286, 156/315, 156/300, 156/320, 156/309, 156/333, 156/314, 156/90, 156/308, 156/313, 161/37, 161/111, 161/41, 161/149, 161/43, 161/161, 161/44, 52/584, 52/615, 52/309, 52/311, 428/310, 428/322, 428/313, 428/461, 428/320
• US Class Current: 156/310
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/046 of foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/0228 Aromatic vinyl resin, e.g. styrenic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/08 Closed cell foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/022 Foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2311/00 Metals, their alloys or their compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2311/24 Aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2607/00 Walls, panels
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/296 composed of insulating material and non-metallic or unspecified sheet-material E04C2/288 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/386 with a frame of unreconstituted or laminated wood
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249985 Composition of adhesive or bonding component specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249987 With nonvoid component of specified composition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31692 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

An improved building panel is disclosed comprising a foam core having bonded to opposite sides thereof an outer skin or cover plate. The outer skins are bent along the two longwise edges thereof and receive a wooden edging member therebetween, the edging member being bonded to both the outer skins and the foam core. The edging members are preferably tongue and groove, i.e., having a tongue construction along one longitudinal edge of the panel and a groove construction along the opposite longitudinal edge of the panel. The tongued edging has a plurality of latch means disposed therealong while the grooved edge has a plurality of matching latch pins disposed therealong, said tongue and groove construction and latches and latch pins enabling a rigid connection between adjacent panels. A superior panel is produced that avoids delamination under extreme conditions. The bond is produced by a two adhesive system. A first adhesive is applied to the foam core and a second adhesive is applied to the outer skins and edging members. The foam core adhesive must be compatible with the foam and the second adhesive and preferably is a water base polychloroprene adhesive. The second adhesive, applied to the outer skin and edging is a solvent based adhesive which is normally incompatible with the foam. When the two adhesives are brought together in a virtually non tacky state, however, the foam core adhesive prevents destruction of the foam by the solvent based adhesive and, upon curing, the two adhesives provide a superior laminate bond. A process for manufacturing the panel is also disclosed and claimed.

Claims

1. A process for producing a building panel comprising the steps of:

a. preparing outer skins and edge members and applying a solvent based adhesive to selected portions thereof;

b. preparing a foam core and applying a water dispersed adhesive thereto;

c. drying said adhesives to a substantially non tacky state;

d. assembling the outer skins, edge members and foam core to provide a panel;

e. applying pressure to said assembled panel, said pressure being sufficient to expel air therefrom;

f. heating said panel to occure the adhesive compositions; and

g. applying further pressure said panel while said panel is hot to insure complete bonding and expel further air therefrom.

2. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein the panel is heated by passing same through a tunnel oven at a temperature in the range of from about 140°

F to about 150°

F.

3. The process as defined in claim 2 wherein said panel is conveyed through said oven at a rate of about 2 feet per minute.

4. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein said first pressure application is made by passing said panel between opposing steel rollers.

5. The process as defined in claim 4 wherein the second pressure application is made by passing the hot panel between opposing rubber rollers.

6. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein the adhesive applied to said outer skins and edge members is a solvent based polychloroprene adhesive composition.

7. The process as defined in claim 6 wherein the adhesive applied to the foam core is a water dispersed polychloroprene adhesive composition.

8. A process for producing a building panel comprising the steps of:

a. preparing outer skins and edge members and applying a solvent based polychloroprene adhesive to selected portions thereof;

b. preparing a foam core and applying a water based polychloroprene adhesive thereto;

c. drying said adhesives to a substantially non-tacky state;

d. assemblying the outer skins, edge members and foam core to provide a panel;

e. passing said assembled panel between a pair of rollers preset to impart pressure only to insure contact at all areas to be bonded while expelling any entrapped air therefrom;

f. heating said panel on both sides at a temperature in the range of about 140°

to about 150°

F. for a time sufficient to cocure said adhesives; and

g. immediately passing said panel through a pair of rubber covered rollers preset at a space to impart sufficient pressure to insure good bonding and expel any further air therefrom.