Decor sheet and decorative laminates prepared therefrom

• US 5,601,930 A
• Filed: 02/15/1995
• Issued: 02/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MW Custom Papers, LLC (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MEAD Corporation (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Inventors: Mehta, Mahendra, Hill, Larry O.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIRKER, DANIEL R
• Application Number:
  US08/388,718
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 428/533, 428/534, 428/535, 428/498, 428/322.2, 428/526, 428/530, 428/15, 428/106, 428/342
• US Class Current: 428/535
• 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 2260/046 Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/062 Cellulose fibres, e.g. cotton
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2451/00 Decorative or ornamental articles wall paper B32B2607/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/22 characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles next to a foam layer B32B19/047, next to a layer made of particles B32B19/048, or next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B19/06; paper layer or cardboard layer next to a paper layer or cardboard layer B32B29/005, next to a foam layer B32B29/007, next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B29/02, or next to a particulate layer B32B29/04
• 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: B44C 5/0469 comprising a decorative sheet and a core formed by one or more resin impregnated sheets of paper
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/16 Addition products thereof with hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/17 Ketenes, e.g. ketene dimers
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/62 Rosin; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 27/26 characterised by the overlay sheet or the top layers of the structures decorative panels B44C5/04; wood grain effects B44F9/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249998 Indefinite plurality of similar impregnated thin sheets [e.g., "decorative laminate" type, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31848 Next to cellulosic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31949 Next to cellulosic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31975 Of cellulosic next to another carbohydrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31978 Cellulosic next to another cellulosic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31982 Wood or paper

Abstract

A decor sheet for use in decorative laminates wherein the sheet is treated with a sizing agent to reduce its capacity for a laminating resin and enhance its opacity; in a preferred embodiment, the resin-impregnated decor sheet exhibits a resin gradient in the thickness direction to provide a decor sheet having a resin-rich top layer and a resin-starved bottom layer; in accordance with a preferred embodiment, the resin gradient is achieved by differentially sizing the bottom versus the top surface of the decor sheet; a decorative laminate employing such decor sheets are described.

Claims

1. A decorative laminate comprising a laminating resin-impregnated decor sheet and a plurality of laminating resin-impregnated core sheets, said decor sheet being treated with a sizing agent such that said sheet is only partially impregnated with said laminating resin, said sizing agent being a sizing agent which is capable of substantially reducing the amount of laminating resin absorbed by said decor sheet.

2. The decorative laminate of claim 1 wherein said decor sheet further contains an agent selected from the group consisting of an opacifying agent, inorganic pigments and organic colorants.

3. The decorative laminate of claim 1 wherein said resin-impregnated decor sheet includes entrained air.

4. The decor sheet for use in a decorative laminate comprising a fibrous mat having a top portion and a bottom portion in the thickness direction of the mat, wherein the bottom portion of said fibrous mat includes a sizing agent and the top portion of said fibrous mat is essentially free of said sizing agent such that said top portion absorbs at least 10% more laminating resin per unit volume than said bottom portion when the decor sheet is saturated with a laminating resin.

5. The decor sheet of claim 4, wherein said fibrous mat comprises cellulosic fibers.

6. The decor sheet of claim 4, wherein said sizing agent is selected from the group consisting of alkylketene dimer (AKD), alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA), and dispersed rosin.

7. The decor sheet of claim 6, wherein said sizing agent is dispersed rosin.

8. The decor sheet of claim 4, wherein said decor sheet further comprises about 5 to 50% based on the weight of said fiber of an agent selected from the group consisting of an opacifying agent, inorganic pigments and organic colorants.

9. The decor sheet of claim 8, wherein said decor sheet contains titanium dioxide.

10. The decor sheet of claim 4, wherein said bottom portion is treated with a surface sizing agent.

11. The decor sheet of claim 4, wherein the bottom portion of said fibrous mat is prepared from an internally sized fibrous furnish.

12. The decor sheet of claim 11, comprising a first layer of an internally sized fibrous mat prepared from a cellulosic fibrous furnish containing about 0.5 to 3% of a sizing agent;

a second layer of a fibrous mat prepared from a cellulosic fibrous furnish essentially free of sizing agent; and

said sheet containing about 5 to 50% opacifying agent.

19. The decorative laminate of claim 12 wherein the bottom portion of the sheet contains 35 to 65% resin and the top portion contains 45 to 70% resin.

13. A decorative laminate comprising a laminating resin-impregnated decor sheet and a plurality of laminating resin-impregnated core sneers, wherein said decor sheet comprises a fibrous mat having a top portion and a bottom portion in the thickness direction of the sheet, wherein the bottom portion of said fibrous mat includes a sizing agent and the top portion of said fibrous mat is essentially free of said sizing agent such that said top portion absorbs at least 10% more laminating resin per unit volume than the bottom portion when the decor sheet is impregnated with said resin.

14. The decorative laminate of claim 13 wherein said opacifying agent is titanium dioxide.

15. The decorative laminate of claim 13 wherein said decor sheet comprises a first strata of an internally sized fibrous mat prepared from a fibrous furnish containing about 0.5 to 3% sizing agent;

and a second strata of a fibrous mat prepared from a cellulosic fibrous furnish essentially free of sizing agent.

16. The decorative laminate of claim 13 wherein the bottom portion of said decor sheet is surface sized.

17. The decorative laminate of claim 13 wherein said sizing agent is selected from the group consisting of alkylketene dimer (AKD), alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA), and dispersed rosin.

18. The decorative laminate of claim 17 wherein said sizing agent is dispersed rosin.