Three-color high pressure decorative laminate having registered color and embossing

• US 4,093,766 A
• Filed: 05/16/1977
• Issued: 06/06/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Ungar, Israel S., Lex, Joseph A., Scher, Herbert I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Silverman, Stanley S.
• Application Number:
  US05/797,205
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 156/219, 156/226, 156/221, 156/222, 156/281, 156/61, 428/151, 428/156, 428/161, 428/165, 428/172, 428/195, 428/207, 428/204, 428/339, 264/129, 264/131, 264/132, 264/134, 264/135, 264/284, 264/319, 427/256, 427/271, 427/276, 427/277, 101/32
• US Class Current: 428/165
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/021 Fibrous or filamentary layer layers of natural mineral fibres or particles being impregnated in a plastic substance B32B19/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/028 Paper layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/046 Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2451/00 Decorative or ornamental articles wall paper B32B2607/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/04 as impregnant, bonding, or embedding substance not used
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 29/02 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/06 permitting easy separation
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/0469 comprising a decorative sheet and a core formed by one or more resin impregnated sheets of paper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1044 of parallel stacked sheets only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24554 including cellulosic or natural rubber component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24876 Intermediate layer contains particulate material [e.g., pigment, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24901 including coloring matter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/269 including synthetic resin or polymer layer or component

Abstract

A decorative high pressure laminate having registered color and embossing is produced by effecting a simultaneous embossing and laminating using a three-dimensional press plate acting against an overlay sheet containing high flow melamine resin and pigment beneath which lies a melamine resin impregnated print sheet and below that an underlay sheet containing high flow melamine resin and pigment of another color. During the pressing operation the resin and pigment in the overlay flow laterally from the high pressure areas to the low pressure areas with the result that the underlying print sheet is visible through the overlay sheet in the high pressure areas while the pigment in the overlay sheet in the low pressure areas masks the print sheet. In areas of even lower pressure the color from the underlay sheet strikes through to the surface to provide a third color.

Claims

1. A method of forming a unitary decorative laminate having registered color and embossing, comprising:

A. assembling in a stack from the bottom up;

(1) backing means for said decorative laminate,

(2) a fibrous underlay sheet impregnated with a thermosetting resin impregnating solution having dispersed therein finely divided pigment of a first color, said pigment being retained substantially between the fibers of said underlay sheet,

(3) a thermosetting resin impregnated fibrous print sheet provided with a second color contrasting with said first color,

(4) a fibrous overlay sheet impregnated with a thermosetting resin impregnating solution having dispersed therein finely divided pigment of a third color contrasting with said first and second colors, said pigment of said third color being retained substantially between the fibers of said overlay sheet, and

(5) a sculptured pressing plate die having a surface with high areas, intermediate areas and low areas capable of being impressed into the uppermost of said fibrous sheets, and means to prevent said sculptured pressing plate die from sticking to said overlay sheet during lamination;

B. applying to the upper and lower surfaces of said assembly sufficient heat and pressure to cure said resins to produce said unitary embossed decorative pressure laminate by

(1) effecting a lamination of said fibrous sheets together with each other and with said backing means,

(2) imparting the sculptured surface of said die to the uppermost of fibrous sheets,

(3) effecting lateral flow of said thermosetting resin and the pigment of said third color within said overlay sheet from the debossed portions of the surface of said laminate to the intermediate portions of said laminate so that said second color is visible in said debossed portions and said third and contrasting color of said finely divided pigment is visible in said intermediate portions, and

(4) effecting vertical flow of said thermosetting resin and the pigment of said first color within said underlay sheet from said underlay sheet to the upper surface portion of said overlay sheet in the areas of the highest peaks so that said first color is visible in the highest embossed portions to contrast with the second color at said debossed portions and the third color at said intermediate portions; and

C. stripping said sculptured die from the resultant laminated assembly so as to provide said laminate having areas of registered color and embossing.

2. A decorative laminate formed by the process of claim 1.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 for forming a high pressure decorative laminate, wherein said backing means comprise phenolic resin impregnated core sheets, said print sheet comprises a melamine resin impregnated α

-cellulose paper, and said overlay sheet comprises melamine resin impregnated α

-cellulose paper.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said means to prevent said sculptured pressing plate die from sticking to said overlay sheet comprises a separate release sheet.

5. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said α

-cellulose overlay sheet has a melamine resin content in the 65-70% range, a volatile content of 6-10% and a flow of 7-35%, and said underlay sheet has melamine content of at least 59%, a volatile content of 4.9% to 12.5% and a flow of 7-35%.

6. A method in accordance with claim 3 for forming a high pressure decorative laminate simulating a pebbly surface, wherein said underlay sheet is provided with a plurality of separate, discretely spaced colors.

7. A decorative high pressure laminate having the appearance and texture of a pebbly surface and having at least four colors, formed by the method of claim 6.

8. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said sculptured pressing plate die comprises depressions from 14 to 24 mils deep for providing in the resultant laminate said peaks having said first color, and depressions 2-10 mils deep for providing in the intermediate portions of the resultant laminate said second color.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein in step B said assembly is pressed at approximately 800-1600 psi at a temperature on the order of 230°

-310°

F.

10. A unitary decorative high pressure laminate having a pebbly appearance, comprising

a plurality of resin impregnated paper sheets laminated together to form an integral laminate having a plurality of layers and having on the upper surface thereof debossed portions, embossed portions of intermediate height 2-10 mils, and embossed high peaks of 14-24 mils height;

the upper layer of said laminate having therein at least one first color in the area of said high peaks;

said debossed portions being relatively devoid of pigment within the upper layer and being transparent to show therebeneath a second color; and

said intermediate embossed portions having concentrated porportions of an opacifying pigment of a third color in the upper layer of said laminate, wherein there is a gradual transition of said second and third colors between said intermediate height portions and said debossed portions.

11. A laminate in accordance with claim 10 comprising a backing portion, an underlay portion overlying said backing portion and containing finely divided pigment of said first first color, a base portion overlying said underlay portion and being colored with said second color, and a thin overlay portion overlying said base portion and containing finely divided pigment of said third color.

12. A laminate in accordance with claim 10 wherein said first color is a darker color than said second and third colors.

13. A laminate in accordance with claim 11 wherein said underlay layer contains a plurality of discretely spaced first colors.

14. In a unitary decorative laminate having registered color and embossing, comprising a plurality of cured resin impregnated layers laminated together, and also including a backing, said layers including a thermoset resin impregnated print sheet above said backing and a generally transparent thermoset resin impregnated overlay sheet above said print sheet, the improvement comprising:

the upper surface of said laminate having debossed portions, embossed portions of intermediate height of 2-10 mils, and embossed high peaks of 14-24 mils height;

the upper layer of said laminate having therein at least one first color in the area of said high peaks;

said debossed portions being relatively devoid of pigment above said layer of said print sheet, and being substantially transparent to show therebeneath a second color which is the color of said print sheet; and

said intermediate embossed portions having concentrated amounts of pigment of a third color above the surface of said print sheet layer and in an amount sufficient to substantially mask said second color, wherein the quantity of said pigment of said third color is greater at said intermediate embossed portions and becomes progressively less toward said debossed portions to provide gradations in color between said second and third colors from said debossed portions to said intermediate embossed portions.