Veneer panels and method of making

• US 5,755,068 A
• Filed: 09/27/1996
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fred I. Ormiston
• Original Assignee: Fred I. Ormiston
• Inventors: Ormiston, Fred I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Safavi, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORTON, YVONNE MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US08/720,386
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 428/47, 428/48, 428/167
• US Class Current: 52/314
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 21/04 comprising wood as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/042; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/042; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/10; next to a metal layer B32B15/10; next to a glass layer B32B17/062; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/042; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/044
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 21/14 comprising wood board or veneer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2471/00 Floor coverings B32B2419/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/06 for securing layers together; for attaching the product to another member, e.g. to a support , or to another product, e.g. groove/tongue, interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/30 characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0871 having an ornamental or specially shaped visible surface E04F13/0867 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/10 of wood or with an outer layer of wood E04F13/0864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02033 Joints with beveled or recessed upper edges
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/022 Flooring consisting of parquetry tiles on a non-rollable sub-layer of other material, e.g. board, concrete, cork
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/043 the lower layer being of organic plastic with or without reinforcements or filling materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/164 Continuous two dimensionally sectional layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2457 Parallel ribs and/or grooves

Abstract

A veneer panel (10) has a relatively thin veneer layer (12) secured to a relatively thick supporting base (16) to form a generally rectangular veneer panel blank. The outer veneer layer (12) is then grooved in a predetermined pattern with longitudinally extending grooves (30) and transversely extending grooves (34) in the veneer layer forming veneer rows (30). At least one end of the veneer panel (10) is cut across its entire thickness to form projecting end portions (32B) of varying lengths corresponding to the veneer rows (30) and defining slotted spaces (36) between the projecting end portions (32B). A complementary projecting end portion (32B) of an adjacent panel is provided and the end portions (32B) on complementary panels are interfitted to form a staggered joint defined by a plurality of transverse grooves across the entire width of the panels similar to the remaining grooves (30, 34).

Claims

1. A floor surface formed from a plurality of integral one piece interfitting veneer panels;

each of said panels formed from a one piece rectangular panel blank and comprising;

a base layer formed of a fibrous wood material;

an outer thin veneer layer secured to said base layer and having a plurality of parallel longitudinally extending grooves therein forming longitudinally extending rows;

said veneer rows projecting from opposed ends of said panel to form staggered end portions, said panel ends each being cut along its entire thickness to form said staggered end portions of said veneer rows with the length of each end portion being substantially different from the lengths of adjoining end portions to form slots between alternate end portions;

said thin veneer layer comprising an outer resin impregnated sheet secured to said base layer; and

said staggered end portions of each panel being interfitted with staggered end portions of adjacent panels in end to end relation.

2. A floor surface as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

each of said panels has an outer peripheral edge about its outer periphery, and at least a partial groove is formed in said veneer layer of said outer peripheral edge about the entire outer periphery of said panel.

3. A floor surface as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

each of said panels has an outer peripheral edge about its outer periphery;

a groove is formed in said base layer about around one half of said outer peripheral edge; and

a tongue is formed in said base layer about the remaining half of said outer peripheral edge.

4. A method of forming a veneer panel for a wall comprising the steps of:

providing a rectangular blank formed of a fibrous material for a base layer of said panel;

mounting a resin impregnated sheet over said base layer having a plurality of longitudinal parallel lines to simulate a plurality of parallel adjoining rows of wooden planks; and

cutting at least one end of said rectangular blank including said sheet across the entire thickness to form a staggered end portion for each simulated row with the length of each end portion being substantially different from the lengths of adjoining end portions to form slots between alternate end portions for varying the length of the simulated rows.

5. The method of claim 4 including the step of:

forming the outer surface of said resin impregnated sheet with a simulated wood grain for simulating a wood veneer on said base layer.

6. The method of claim 5 including the step of:

pressing said resin impregnated sheet onto said base layer at a predetermined pressure and a predetermined temperature.

7. A method of forming a floor covering of a plurality of interfitting veneer panels comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of rectangular blanks formed of a fibrous wood material for said panels;

mounting a resin impregnated sheet over each blank having a plurality of longitudinally extending parallel lines to simulate a plurality of parallel adjoining rows of wooden planks;

cutting at least one end of each rectangular blank including said sheet across its entire thickness to form a staggered end portion for each of said simulated rows with the length of each end portion being substantially different from the lengths of adjoining end portions to form slots between alternate end portions for varying the lengths of the simulated rows; and

positioning said panels in an interfitting relation with end portions of adjacent panels mating and interfitting to form continuous simulated rows for the floor covering.

8. The method of claim 7 including the step of:

pressing said resin impregnated sheet of each panel onto its associated blank at a predetermined pressure and a predetermined temperature.

9. A method of forming a veneer panel for a wall comprising the steps of:

providing a rectangular blank formed of fibrous wood material for a base layer of said panel;

mounting an outer thin veneer layer over said base layer;

forming said outer thin veneer layer with a plurality of longitudinal parallel grooves to simulate a plurality of parallel adjoining rows of wooden planks in said veneer layer; and

cutting at least one end of said rectangular blank including said veneer layer across the width and the entire thickness of said blank to form a staggered end portion for each simulated row with the length of each end portion being substantially different from the lengths of adjoining end portions to form slots between alternate end portions for varying the length of the simulated rows.

10. A method of forming a veneer panel for a wall as set forth in claim 9 including the steps of:

cutting both ends of said rectangular blank across their entire thickness to form staggered end portions for said veneer rows for mating with complementary end portions on adjacent veneer panels; and

grooving said veneer layer of said rectangular veneer blank to form a plurality of transverse grooves in the veneer layer connecting adjacent pairs of said longitudinal veneer grooves to form each row of a plurality of veneer sections positioned end to end.

11. A method of forming a veneer panel for a wall as set forth in claim 9 including the step of:

forming groove portions on the exposed ends and sides of said staggered end portions for mating with complementary groove portions on end portions of an adjacent veneer panel.

12. A method of forming a veneer panel as set forth in claim 9 including the step of:

forming groove portions in said veneer layer on opposed parallel side edges of said veneer panel for mating with complementary groove portions on adjacent veneer panels.

13. A method of forming a veneer panel as set forth in claim 12 including the step of:

forming notched sections in said staggered end portions of said veneer rows extending longitudinally along the entire thickness of said panel.

14. A method of forming a veneer panel as set forth in claim 9 including the steps of:

providing cutout portions in said veneer layer; and

positioning inserts within said cutout portions of a predetermined design.

15. A method of forming a veneer panel as set forth in claim 14 including the steps of:

providing circular cutout portions in said veneer layer; and

positioning circular inserts within said cutout portions.

16. A method of forming a wall covering of a plurality of one piece interfitting veneer panels comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of one piece rectangular blanks formed of fibrous wood material for said panels;

mounting an outer thin veneer layer over each blank;

forming each thin veneer layer with a plurality of longitudinally extending simulated wooden planks to simulate a plurality of parallel adjoining rows of wooden planks in said veneer layer;

cutting the opposed ends of each rectangular blank including said veneer layer across its width and entire thickness to form staggered end portions for both ends of each of said simulated rows with the length of each end portion being substantially different from the lengths of adjoining end portions to form slots between alternate end portions for varying the lengths of the simulated rows; and

positioning said panels in an interfitting relation with end portions of adjacent panels mating and interfitting to form continuous simulated rows for the wall covering.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the step of grooving each thin veneer layer with a router to form said simulated wooden planks.

18. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the step of mounting a resin impregnated sheet having a plurality of longitudinal parallel lines over each blank to form said thin veneer layer with said simulated wooden planks thereon.