Wood covering, particularly wood floor covering

• US 5,543,193 A
• Filed: 01/25/1994
• Issued: 08/06/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gunter Tesch
• Original Assignee: Gunter Tesch
• Inventors: Tesch, Gunter
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, James J.
• Application Number:
  US08/185,864
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 428/68, 428/76, 428/106, 428/116, 428/118, 428/285, 428/537.1, 428/296, 428/283, 428/246, 428/212, 428/218, 428/323, 428/327, 428/337, 428/287, 428/187, 428/49, 428/402 , 428/409, 156/297, 156/299, 156/308.2, 156/555
• US Class Current: 428/68
• CPC Class Codes: B27N 3/06 Making particle boards or fibreboards, with preformed covering layers, the particles or fibres being compressed with the layers to a board in one single pressing operation
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 11/12 Compression moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/0026 by agglomeration or compacting
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/0042 for shaping parts, e.g. multilayered parts with at least one layer containing regenerated plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/70 Scrap or recycled material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/56 Damping, energy absorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/12 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2317/02 Cork
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2471/00 Floor coverings B32B2419/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/16 secured to a flexible backing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/18 characterised by an internal layer formed of separate pieces of material which are juxtaposed side-by-side B32B5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0038 involving application of liquid to the layers prior to lamination, e.g. wet laminating B32B37/12 takes precedence
• 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: B32B 9/02 comprising animal or vegetable substances , e.g. cork, bamboo, starch
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/042 the lower layer being of fibrous or chipped material, e.g. bonded with synthetic resins
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/206 Layered panels for sound insulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/62 Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1089 of discrete laminae to single face of additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1092 All laminae planar and face to face
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1741 Progressive continuous bonding press [e.g., roll couples]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/166 : Glass, ceramic, or metal sections [e.g., floor or wall tile, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23 : Sheet including cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24736 : Ornamental design or indicia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 : including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24992 : Density or compression of components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2982 : Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31 : Surface property or characteristic of web, sheet or block
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/678 : Olefin polymer or copolymer sheet or film [e.g., polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene-butylene copolymer, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/695 : Including a wood containing layer

Abstract

Disclosed is a wood covering, especially a wood floor covering with a wood layer (2) and a support (3). The wood layer (2) and the support (3) are permanently bonded to one another. The support (3) consists of pieces of thermoplastic synthetic foil material (5), compressed by the action of pressure and temperature and bonded together at least partially.

Claims

1. A wood covering including an upper layer formed by a wood layer (2) and a support (3,6) permanently bonded to the upper layer (2), said support comprising pieces of thermoplastic synthetic foil (5) compressed and at least partially bonded to one another by pressure and heat.

2. The wood covering according to claim 1 wherein the foil pieces (5) comprises polyolefin foils.

3. The wood covering of claim 1, wherein the foil pieces include polyethylene foils.

4. The wood covering according to claim 1, further including non-thermoplastic materials mixed in with the pieces of thermoplastic synthetic foil.

5. The wood covering according to claim 1, wherein the support (6) exhibits varying degree of density over its cross section.

6. The wood covering according to claim 5, wherein the density variation is continuous.

7. The wood covering according to claim 1, wherein various surface regions of the support (3,6) have different degrees of compaction.

8. The wood covering according to claim 1, wherein the support (3,6) includes layers of fiber-glass.

9. The wood covering of claim 1, wherein the support includes glass fiber fleece.

10. The wood covering according to claim 1, wherein the support (3,6) includes air bubbles.

11. The wood covering of claim 1, wherein the support includes cavities.

12. The wood covering according to claim 1, wherein the wood layer (2) includes wood flakes.

13. The wood covering according to claim 12, wherein the wood covering is sufficiently flexible to be rolled up.

14. The wood covering according to claim 1, wherein the support (3,6) is bounded on an upper surface and a lower surface by a layer of wood.

15. The wood covering according to claim 1, wherein the support (3,6) has a thickness in the range of 3 mm to 10 mm.

16. The wood covering according to claim 1, wherein the wood layer has a thickness in the range of approximately 1 mm to approximately 3 mm.

17. The wood covering according to claim 1, wherein the support (3,6) is provided with an underlayer which comprises fiber-glass fleece.

18. The wood covering according to claim 1, wherein the support (3,6) is provided with an underlayer which comprises glass fiber coating.

19. The wood covering according to claim 1, wherein the support (3,6) is provided with an underlayer which comprises polyester fabric.

20. The wood covering according to claim 1, wherein the upper layer (2) is provided with a mosaic-like appearance.

21. A process for the manufacture of a wood covering according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

pouring pieces of thermoplastic synthetic material in several applications to form a layer of pieces;

placing a wood layer (2) on the layer of pieces; and

bonding the wood layer and the layer together by pressure and heat to form a carrier layer.

22. The process according to claim 21, further including the step of laying down a second wood layer (2) upon the carrier layer (3,6);

and bonding the carrier layer to the second wood layer with pressure and heat.

23. The process according to claim 21, wherein the heat corresponds to a softening temperature range for the thermoplastic synthetic material.

24. The process according to claim 23, further including the step of applying a hot-melt adhesive layer on the carrier layer prior to bonding the carrier layer to the second wood layer.

25. The process according to claim 21, wherein the pressure and heat are applied with a calendar roller.

26. The process according to claim 21, wherein the pieces have a three-dimensional configuration prior to compression.

27. The process according to claim 21, wherein the pieces have a flake-like configuration prior to compression.

28. The process according to claim 21, wherein the pieces are mixed with textile material.

29. The process according to claim 21, wherein the layer of pieces has a variable thickness.