AU2004200789A1 - Lighter-weight Reinforced Decorative Composite Material - Google Patents

Description

S&F Ref: 669083

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Steven J. Taylor Massillon Ohio United States of America Steven J. Taylor Spruson Ferguson St Martins Tower Level 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 (CCN 3710000177) Lighter-weight Reinforced Decorative Composite Material The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5845c -1- LIGHTER-WEIGHT REINFORCED DECORATIVE COMPOSITE MATERIAL Background 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to construction materials and more particularly to a reinforced decorative composite material that includes a light-weight material, preferably decorative, such as a small number of layers of resin-impregnated paper, and a strengthening panel such as fibreglass reinforced plastic secured together, and to the manufacture of such a composite material.

2. Description of Related Art High pressure laminate materials have been manufactured and sold for many years, and are familiar to many from their wide-spread use in kitchens and areas requiring very durable and decorative surface attributes. Such laminates are typically made of layers of paper impregnated with resin, compressed in a press or the like and heated to produce the desired laminate. One layer of paper may have a decorative pattern that remains visible in the finished product. The exact types of paper and of resins used, as well as the pressures, equipment and temperatures used, and the precise order of steps, are well known to those in the art. Typically, five to seven layers of paper may be incorporated in such a laminate material. A great variety of products of this type are commercially available from the Formica Corporation, under the trademark Formica, owned by that company. Examples of techniques and materials used in the manufacture of such laminates can be found in U.S. Patent 5,558,906, assigned on its face to Formica Technology Inc., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference (and included as Appendix A), [IA:DayLib\LIBPP\669083669083.doc:mic -2although it is to be understood that the present inventor does not claim ownership of the processes claimed in that patent, which are believed to be owned by that patent's assignee of record.

HPL products, however, are generally brittle enough that they must be mounted on a layer of wood or other material of sufficient strength and rigidity, for use in the kitchen, and on any horizontal surface. Vertical surface applications of HPL's can be enhanced by a pre-laminated panel with the HPL as the outward side. A primary application of such a panel will likely be vertical wall surfaces, where drywall is a common substrate.

It is desirable to be able to use HPL products in environments where the product will be exposed to relatively high levels of wear and tear, moisture, and mechanical loads, without the need to mount the HPL on a mechanically strong layer of wood or other materials. For example, it would be desirable to be able to use decorative materials like HPL products in vertical wall applications in schools, hospitals, restaurants and other public areas that are subject to large amounts of traffic, and where conventional HPL cannot easily be used.

The present inventor has reduced to practice an invention which meets that object, and has disclosed that invention in his previously-filed patent application (US Patent Application.

10/081,629, filed February 20, 2002), the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference (and also as Appendix One aspect of that invention is a reinforced composite material that includes a laminate panel, a strengthening panel that includes a reinforcement embedded therein, and a layer of adhesive disposed between the laminate panel and the strengthening panel to adhere the laminate panel and the strengthening panel together. Preferably, the reinforcement in the strengthening panel may be fiberglass fibers, randomly oriented, or it may [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083669083.doc:mic -3be provided in the form of a mesh or the like. In either case, the strengthening panel is preferably a plastic (polymeric) material of the type known as fibreglass reinforced polyester.

Nonetheless, it would be desirable to provide still greater improvements of the inventor's previous work.

The inventor notes the existence of existing products that have a wood/fiber core to which melamine-resin impregnated paper is secured. To the inventor's knowledge, however, no one has previously considered, or succeeded in, directly fusing papers or foil to a fiberglass-reinforced plastic panel.

Summary of the Invention Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a material that will have the aesthetic qualities of HPL, can be easily installed on vertical surfaces, and is both lighter in weight and less expensive to manufacture, or both, than is Kemlite's previously-disclosed composite material made from an HPL panel and an FRP or similar strengthening panel. It is also an object to provide such a material that will have sufficient mechanical strength for use in situations where conventional HPL products might not otherwise be usable, such as wall panel applications without a substantial structural substrate.

Of primary importance, and in common with the present inventor's mentioned prior invention, the present invention provides a panel which is installer-friendly and combines the custom color/pattern flexibility of an HPL face with a water-proof, dimensionally stable, userfriendly backer. Further, this laminated panel enhances the impact resistance and moisture resistance of known available decorative vertical wall panels. The subject panel will allow [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -4installation of an HPL vertical surface in a most expeditious manner saving labor costs in two ways: drywall preparation, and actual installation time of the panel, when compared to applying HPL directly over drywall.

These objects are met by the present invention, one aspect of which is a reinforced composite material that includes a decorative layer, a strengthening panel that includes a reinforcement embedded therein, and a suitable means of securing the decorative layer and the strengthening panel together permanently. Most preferably, this securing function is achieved by direct thermal fusion of the decorative layer and the strengthening panel to each other, although it is also within the scope of the invention to include one or more additional materials between the decorative layer and the strengthening panel. Preferably, the reinforcement in the strengthening panel may be fiberglass fibers, randomly oriented, or it may be provided in the form of a mesh or the like. In either case, the strengthening panel is preferably a plastic (polymeric) material of the type known as fiberglass reinforced polyester. The thicknesses of the layers may be selected according to need, but as examples, the decorative layer may be made from, typically, one layer of paper (although greater numbers of layers are within the scope of the invention), impregnated with resin and fused with the strengthening panel at a temperature and pressure for sufficiently long to result in the permanent fusion of the plural layers of paper (if more than one are used). The strengthening panel may for example be .030, .060 or .090 inch thick, although the invention is not limited to these specific numbers of papers and thicknesses.

[I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic It will be appreciated that one aspect of the present invention involves reducing the weight of the reinforced composite material, by using a small number of sheets or layers of paper in the decorative layer, for example, preferably one, rather than the much larger numbers typically used in existing HPL products (often five to seven layers). Another aspect of the invention is the direct fusing of the decorative layer to the strengthening panel, permitting one to forego the expense and additional materials involved in using an adhesive layer as in the inventor's prior material. It is of course particularly preferred to use both aspects of the invention together, in order to get the maximum benefit, but either may be used without the other if desired, without departing from the scope of the invention.

The present invention also provides a method for the production of such a material, in which there are provided a decorative layer of a type made by preparing at least a first layer of paper and quantity of resin, and a strengthening panel of a type made by embedding a reinforcement in a layer of a binder material. Then, the decorative layer is permanently secured to the strengthening panel, preferably by direct thermal fusion, which is effected by heating the decorative layer and strengthening panel, while subjecting them to pressure.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings At least one embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings and Appendices, in which: [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083669083.doc:mic -6- Fig. 1 is a view of a preferred embodiment of a composite material according to the present invention.

Figs. 2a and 2b are details showing two varieties of FRP that may be used in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3a and 3b are schematic illustrations of a method according to the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a material according to the present invention.

Figs. 5a and 5b are schematic illustrations of a variation of the method according to the present invention; Fig. 6 forms part of the disclosure of US Patent Application No. 10/081,629; Figs. 7a and 7b form part of the disclosure of US Patent Application No. 10/081,629; Fig. 8 forms part of the disclosure of US Patent Application No. 10/081,629; Appendix A is the text of US Patent No. 5,558,906; and Appendix B is the text of US Patent Application No. 10/081,629.

Detailed Description including Best Mode The first preferred embodiment of the present invention is a reinforced composite material having two layers 12 and 14, as shown in Fig. 1. One of the layers 12 is termed herein a decorative layer, and the other of the layers 14 is a sheet or panel of a reinforced material. The reinforced material 14 may be a FRP material of a type available from Kemlite Company, while the other layer 12 is made of a small number of sheets of resin-impregnated paper pressed together into a single layer. (Some techniques and materials for use in for the manufacture of such [I:\DayLib\LIPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -7- FRP are disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Patents 4,278,491, 4,110,151, 4,098,630 and 4,048,887, the entire disclosure of each of which patents is incorporated herein by reference.) The types of paper that may be used in the decorative layer include all those types suitable for use in high pressure laminates (HPL), low pressure laminates (LPL), and saturated papers typically used in thermal fusing operations. In general, one layer of paper may have a decorative pattern on the side facing away from the FRP, so as to be visible in the finished product. Also, while any type of resin suitable for the purpose can be used within the scope of the invention, including any such resins used in manufacturing HPL, the inventor prefers that a polyester or melamine resin be used, and particularly prefers polyester resins, for the reasons described below.

While it is preferred to use a sheet of FRP material for the reinforcing sheet, it is also possible to use other types of reinforced plastic. For example, a plastic sheet 14' having reinforcing material in the form of a mesh 18', rather than in the form of randomly-oriented fiberglass 18, as in FRP, forms a second preferred embodiment of the invention. Figs. 2a and 2b indicate these two types of material for use in the composite material shown in Fig. 1. In addition, both types of reinforcement may be used together.

The method of manufacturing the composite material shown in Fig. 1 is straightforward, and is illustrated schematically in Figs. 3a and 3b (a flow chart of the process is shown in Fig. 4).

First, one selects the appropriate decorative-layer materials and reinforced plastic materials to use as the layers. While these materials may be custom manufactured, the FRP material may be a commercially available material instead, as stated above. The printed or plain paper(s) to be used [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083669083.doc:mic -8are selected, or are otherwise provided with the desired decorative pattern or coloration (or may, if desired, be left as is; this alternative also is within the scope of the invention). The layers of paper 20 to be used, which are typically but not necessarily one in number per strengthening panel, are then impregnated with the selected resin, for example, by being passed through in a bath 22 of the resin. The saturated paper is then placed above or below the strengthening panel 14 and, in standard thermofusing equipment (indicated schematically at 30), pressed into the composite material 10. For polyester resin, for example, a pressure of 250 300 pounds per square inch and a temperature of 200 300 F. have been found to be suitable. A dwell time of 20 seconds is adequate, which is less than is required for conventional HPL products, and thus represents a saving in manufacturing processing time. Melamine-resin saturated paper requires slightly higher pressure 325 psi) and temperatures 350 F) than are used for polyestersaturated papers.

The saturated paper has a shelf life of about 90 days, within which time it should be used.

It is within the scope of the invention to prepare the surface of the strengthening panel by roughening, for example, by means of sanding; thermofusing the panel with the paper without roughening or other surface preparation is also within the invention.

The thicknesses of the layers of the light-weight reinforced composite material may be selected according to need, but as examples, the decorative layer may be formed from one to three layers of paper, although more may be used if desired. The fewer are used, however, the greater the benefit that will be obtained, as the smaller number of layers of paper will result in lower overall cost of the finished product. The strengthening panel may be .030, .060 or .090 inch thick.

[1:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic The selection of the thickness may depend on any factors; one will of course be ensuring that the resultant product complies with any applicable fire rating or other codes applicable to the intended use of the product. Nonetheless, the invention is not limited to these specific thicknesses and combinations of thicknesses.

Again, while it is contemplated to effect direct thermal fusion of the saturated paper to the strengthening panel or core, it is within the broad scope of the invention to include one or more additional materials in contact with the paper and the core, either covering the contacting surfaces of the paper and core or located only here and there on those surfaces. Various such materials include what are known as a gator ply and as a receptor coat (the latter might, for example, be used to compensate for irregularities in the surface of the strengthening panel surface). Other materials, however, may also (or instead) be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

Figs. 5a and 5b show a further modification of the foregoing embodiments. According to Figs. 5a and 5b, the paper 20, after saturation with either preferred type of resin or with a preglue operation, results in a roll stock 26 (a "foil"). In this variation, the fusion of the two layers is achieved by rolling the layers together at a suitable temperature and pressure, rather than by pressing the two together in stationary fashion using standard thermofusing equipment. In Figs.

and 5b this is indicated schematically at 40, showing two rollers used for this purpose, pressing together stock from roll 26 and strengthening panels 14. The illustration of panels 14 as arriving from beneath the foil 26 is arbitrary, since those panels could be delivered and placed in contact [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic with the surface of the foil from either above or below, using processing equipment and techniques that are well known.

While the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the currentlypreferred embodiments, many modifications and variations of those embodiments will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not to be limited by the details of the foregoing detailed description, but only by the terms of the appended claims.

[I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -11- Appendix A US PATENT NO. 5,558,906 Wear-resistant Decorative Laminates and Methods of Producing Same Background to the Invention This invention generally relates to wear resistant decorative laminates having excellent scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance and methods of producing the same. More particularly, this invention relates to wear resistant, decorative laminates employing a decorative sheet saturated with a melamine-formaldehyde resin coating incorporating abrasive materials.

Conventionally, decorative laminates are made of two essential layers: a core layer and a surface layer. The core layer constitutes a bottom or supporting layer onto which the other layer is bonded. In normal high-pressure laminate manufacture, the core layer consists of a plurality of cellulosic sheets. The core sheets are generally made from a kraft paper impregnated with a laminating resin. Laminating resins commonly used for the core layer include phenolic, amino, epoxy, polyester, silicone, and diallyl phthalate resins to name a few. The industrially preferred laminating resin for decorative laminates is a phenolic resin made from the reaction of phenols with formaldehyde.

Placed above the core layer is a decorative layer which is generally an alpha cellulose pigmented paper containing a print, patterdesign or solid color that has been impregnated with a melamine-formaldehyde resin.

The cured melamine-formaldehyde resins are colorless and resistant to light; they are resistant to a variety of solvents and stains; and their heat resistance make them resistant to burning cigarettes, boiling water and heated containers up to about 325.degree. F.

Without these melamine-formaldehyde resins, the decorative laminate industry would not exist as it is known today. However, because these resins are extremely brittle, they sometimes require reinforcement. When the decorative layer of the laminate is a printed pattern, it is covered with an overlay as it is commonly referred to, which is a high-quality alpha cellulose paper impregnated with a melamine-formaldehyde resin. This layer protects the decorative print from [I:\DayLib\LBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -12external abuse such as abrasive wear and tear, harsh chemicals, bums, spills and the like. It is primarily the melamine-fonnrmaldehyde resin which accounts for these protective properties. The alpha-cellulose paper acts as a translucent carrier for the water-thin resin, imparts strength to the rather brittle melamine-formaldehyde resin, maintains a uniform resin thickness in the overlay by acting as a shim, and controls resin flow.

The core layer, decorative layer and the overlay surface layer (when needed) are stacked in a superimposed relationship, between polished steel plates and subjected to a pressure and temperature for a time sufficiently long enough to cure the laminating resins impregnating the respective layers. The elevated temperature and pressure actually cause the impregnated resins within the sheets to flow, which consolidates the whole into an integral mass known as the laminate. These laminates are used as surfacings for counter tops, table tops, furniture, store fixtures and the like. Abrasive materials have previously been employed in the overlay sheet or solid color decorative sheet in order to improve the abrasion resistance of the laminate. The abrasive materials are generally deposited upon the alpha cellulose matrix or, in other applications, mixed with celluosic fibers or microcrystalline materials replacing the alpha cellulose overlay sheet. Incorporation of abrasive materials in the decorative or overlay sheet can cause severe damage to the delicate, highly polished or intricately etched surfaces of the press plates when the abrasive particles deposited in the decorative or overlay sheet come into contact therewith.

Thus, there exists the need for substitution of a resin in the decorative or overlay sheet that will provide excellent surface damage resistance without damaging the delicate plates. Also incorporation of abrasive materials in laminates can cause objectional wear on materials rubbed across them. The provision for such a layer would fulfill a long-felt need and constitute a significant advance in the art.

Description of the Prior Art Prior art procedures for the manufacture of abrasion-resistant decorative laminates, such as those taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,480, have generally required a multi-step process in which the decorative facing sheet is first coated with a binder/mineral mixture and then dried to bind the abrasion-resistant mineral to the decorative sheet. The dry coated decorative sheet is then [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic 13impregnated with a thermosetting resin. However, this particular prior art process calls for the utilization of a binding material compatible with the thermosetting resin, namely microcrystalline cellulose, to bind the mineral particles to the decorative sheet.

Thus, this prior art process requires a specific binding compound compatible with the thermosetting resin, and separate coating, drying and impregnating steps.

Others have attempted production of mar-resistant decorative laminates. For instance, U.S.

Pat. No. 4,263,081 teaches the production of a mar-resistant laminate but further requires that a second layer of binder/mineral mixture be provided immediately below or above the first binder/mineral layer.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,987 is directed to an abrasion-resistant laminate meeting National Electric Manufacturers' Association (NEMA) standards relating to abrasive wear, strain resistance, heat resistance, impact resistance, dimensional stability and the like. The patent discloses a "stabilizing binder material" for the abrasion-resistant mineral. The patent also teaches the use of microcrystalline cellulose as the preferred binder material, acting as a suspending and binding agent and also compatible with melamine and polyester laminating resins.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,141 discloses an abrasion-resistant decorative laminate meeting National Electric Manufacturers Association (NEMA) standards. The abrasion-resistant laminate requires an additional layer of binder material immediately below or above the abrasion resistant coating.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,452 discloses a print sheet for use in the preparation of abrasionresistant decorative laminates, and requires the presence of binder material "in an amount sufficient to bind and stabilize" the abrasion-resistant mineral to the surface of the paper sheet.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,423 also discloses a print sheet for use in the preparation of abrasionresistant decorative laminates, however additionally discloses use of an additional layer of binder material immediately above or below the abrasion-resistant coating.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,375 teaches a decorative sheet for use in the preparation of abrasionresistant decorative laminates and the use of a binder material. Additionally, the process for [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -14producing the laminate discloses a separate drying step to enhance the bonding of the abrasionresistant mineral particles to the decorative sheet.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,137 discloses a scuff-resistant decorative laminate utilizing a wax lubricant having a melt temperature below 260.degree. F. so as to avoid haze in the laminate.

Both U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,235 and 4,520,062 disclose an abrasion-resistant coating for decorative laminates in which a binder/mineral coating is transferred from a mold surface or flexible tape to the surface of the laminate. Additionally, a transfer carrier containing a non-resinous binder material and mineral abrasive particles is disclosed.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,170 discloses a facing sheet for a scuff-resistant decorative laminate, comprising a particulate lubricant and binder material for the lubricant particles, but excluding oxidized wax and silicone resin lubricants.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,087 teaches a scuff-resistant and abrasion-resistant decorative laminate comprising abrasion-resistant particles, binder material for the particles, and a lubricant which is not an oxidized wax or silicone resin.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,138 discloses a single step method of preparing a facing sheet for use as the uppermost sheet in the manufacture of an abrasion-resistant decorative laminate. The method teaches a binding material for the mineral that withstands the subsequent laminating conditions, is compatible with the thermosetting resin, is present in an amount sufficient to bind the abrasion-resistant mineral to the surface of an unsaturated paper sheet, and (4) suspends the abrasion-resistant mineral particles in the liquid thermosetting resin.

Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,946 discloses scuff and abrasion-resistant decorative laminates in which finely divided lubricant wax particles are incorporated in or very near the surface of the solid-colored decorative paper. The lubricant is disclosed as not being an oxidized wax or silicone resin.

Summary of the Invention It is a principal object of this invention to provide laminates having excellent resistance to all known types of physical damage to the surface that cause marring or defacement. This includes scraping by a relatively sharp object of about equal hardness to the laminate resulting in [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083669083.doc:mic a burnish mark (polished streak) or a chalk mark (transfer of material from the abrading object to the laminate); scratching by a very sharp object of about the same hardness as the grit in the laminate resulting in a groove of plowed away material; and mars such as a series of very closely spaced scratches caused by many very fine particles of about equal hardness to the grit in the laminate such as contained in sandpaper, a scouring pad or air-borne dirt trapped beneath a tool used to fabricate a laminate or an object slid across the installed laminate.

It is a further object of this invention to provide laminates which do not require the use of a separate grit binding step or a discrete binder; thus, allowing simultaneous coating and impregnating of the decorative paper sheet with a mixture containing both the thermosetting resin and the grit.

It is a further object of this invention to provide the above mentioned excellent scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance in a laminate having a very even, uniformly fine textured matte finish providing a surface gloss of about 14 (Gardener It is a further object of this invention to provide the above mentioned excellent scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance in a laminate having a very even, uniform glossy surface finish.

It is still a further object of this invention to protect the expensive and delicate plates, used to produce high pressure decorative laminates, from undue or premature wear caused by the inclusion in the laminate surface of hard abrasive particles and to prevent an objectionable deposit of worn metal fragments on the surfaces of light colored laminates. The foregoing objects and others are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by employing the preferred embodiments of the invention. These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicative of the preferred embodiment of theinvention, are given by way of illustration only, because various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent from this detailed description to those skilled in the art.

[I:\DayLib\LIPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -16- In accordance with these objectives of the present invention, a new high pressure decorative laminate has been developed which has excellent resistance to scratching, marring, scraping and abrasion. The decorative laminates having excellent scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance utilize a coating formulation which comprises a thermosetting resin; abrasion resistant particles, of a particle size and in a concentration sufficient to provide for abrasion resistance; a coupling agent in an amount dependent upon the concentration of the abrasion resistant particles; a thickening agent in an amount sufficient to suspend the abrasion resistant particles; and a lubricating agent in a concentration sufficient to impart scrape resistance to the decorative laminate.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments The preferred embodiment for the decorative laminates having excellent scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance utilize a coating formulation mixture comprising melamineformaldehyde resin to which the following is added, in terms of weight units per weight units of wet resin 1.6 percent wet resin Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 (alumina) grit particles having a particle size or at least 25 microns; 0.8 percentage wet resin Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 (alumina) grit particles having a particle size of at least 3 microns; from about 0.3 percent wet resin to about 1.2 percent wet resin polyvinyl alcohol; 0.25 percent silane coupling agent based upon the amount of grit used; 0.075 percent wet resin xanthan gum thickener; and 0.1 percent polythylene glycol distearate having a molecular weight of about 6000. The melamineformaldehyde resin may also be modified with a plasticizer and/or an acid catalyst if a more flexible wear-resistant laminate is desired. The preferred catalyst is paratoluene sulfonic acid; however, any kind of acid such as magnesium bromide, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid or the like may be utilized as a catalyst.

The melamine formaldehyde resin coating formulation additionally contains polyvinyl alcohol as an auxiliary slip agent. A polyethylene wax known by the tradename AC316from Allied Chemical Company was evaluated as an auxiliary slip agent, however was found to impart haze and blur to the resulting decorative laminate. The polyvinyl alcohol functions to impart resistance [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083669083.doc:mic -17to marks from sliding objects (sometimes referred to as "scuff': resistance) to the resulting laminate.

The melamine-formaldehyde resin coating formulation additionally contains a silane coupling agent the amount based upon the desired amount of grit utilized in the laminate; an alginate thickener such as xanthan gum to suspend the grit particles and protect the plates used in the laminate production process from undue wear causing metal mar marks on light colored laminates; and polyethylene glycol distearate having a molecular weight of about to enhance surface slip and improve scrape resistance of the laminate. The polyethylene glycol distearate having a molecular weight of about used in the resin coating formulation is preferred lubricating agent, as it provides scrape resistance. Zinc stearate and other lubricating compounds were evaluated for scrape resistance, but were found less effective.

The coating formulation may also contain a small amount (0.01-0.1 percent wet resin) of a surfactant designed to reduce surface tension of the coating to provide a smooth and a uniform deposition of the coating. An example of such agent is Silwet.RTM. L-77 from Union Carbide Co. L-77 is a dimethylpolyoloxane.

The decorative laminates and methods for producing same disclosed herein do not require the use of a separate grit (abrasion resistant mineral particle) binding step employing a discrete binder. Because the invention disclosed herein does not require a separate binding step or a discrete binder, simultaneous coating and impregnating of the decorative paper sheet with a mixture containing both the thermosetting resin and the grit can be undertaken to simplify the laminate production process and the laminate itself.

The resulting decorative laminate utilizing the melamine formaldehyde resin coating formulation as described above has excellent scratch resistance imparted by the 25 micron alumina grit. The laminate additionally has excellent mar resistance imparted by the 3 micron alumina grit.

The 3 micron alumina grit, being smaller, has much more surface area and thus provides more complete coverage of the laminate surface. However, the larger, 25 micron alumina grit particles are necessary to provide scratch resistance to the laminate. This is because mar is produced by many very small, closely spaced particles covering a broad area of the abrading object and, [I:\DayLib\LBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -18because of the broad coverage, pressure is very low. In contrast, a scratch is produced by a single larger hard, sharp object that is under greater pressure as a result of its small contact area with the laminate surface. Two processes may be used to produce the wear-resistant laminates having either a matte finish or glossy finish. It is well understood in the art that the surface finish of the resulting decorative laminate, whether a matte finish or glossy finish laminate is achieved, is dependent upon the surface texture of the pressing plates used in the consolidation of the laminate.

One process which may be used to produce the wear resistant decorative laminate is the sparge pipe process. With the sparge pipe process, the resin coating formulation is applied to a decorative paper sheet using a sparge pipe having many holes to spread the resin coating formulation uniformly across the top side of the decorative paper. A first sparge coating supplies nearly all of the required resin, about 80 percent of the resin normally used to saturate a decorative sheet to provide NEMA specified properties to a high pressure decorative laminate. In a second step, the wet resin-coated decorative paper is further dipped into an identically formulated resin coating mixture which supplies the remainder of the required resin. The total resin pick-up by the decorative sheet is regulated by metering-squeeze rollers. It has been found that inferior scratch and mar resistance is obtained if the decorative paper is dipped only into the resin coating formulation without the prior sparge process. The resin coated decorative paper and at least one backing sheet is dried and then heat and pressure consolidated using conventional techniques into a high pressure decorative laminate having excellent scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance.

It is well understood that more than one sheet of backing paper may be used to produce laminates of varying thicknesses.

The second process which may be used to produce the wear-resistant high pressure decorative laminates is the gravure pad coating process. With this process, the resin coating formulation is first applied to the surface of the raw decorative paper sheet using a gravure pad coating cylinder. When applied in this manner, the decorative paper sheet picks up only about percent of the required amount of resin identified above so the percentage of grit in the coating formulation must be increased to about 15 percent so that a sufficient amount of the abrasive grit is imparted to the decorative sheet. In a second step subsequent to the gravure coating, either with [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -19or without an intermediate drying step, the decorative paper sheet is dipped into the resin coating formulation containing neat melamine-formaldehyde resin, which is resin which has not been modified with the abrasive grit, to supply the remainder of the required amount of resin to saturate the sheet. The resin pick-up by the decorative sheet is regulated by metering squeeze rollers.

Coating the decorative sheet with a coating formulation which uses a neat melamineformaldehyde resin has been found to render the coating process less damaging to the highly polished stainless steel plates used for producing high gloss laminates.

The coated decorative paper and at least one backing sheet is dried and then heat and pressure consolidated using conventional techniques into a high pressure decorative laminate having excellent scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance. It is well understood that more than one backing sheet may be used to produce laminates of varying thicknesses.

In order to further define the specifics of the present invention, the following examples are provided and intended to illustrate the high pressure decorative laminate having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance and the process for producing the laminate, and not to limit the particulars of the present invention: Example 1 Laminate samples having a matte finish were subjected to four different testing procedures to measure scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance. The matte laminate samples tested included: Standard FORMICA.RTM. brand high pressure decorative laminate having a matte finish; FORMICA.RTM. brand high pressure decorative laminate having a matte finish which additionally contained polyethylene glycol distearate having a molecular weight of about 6000 in the resin coating; FORMICA.RTM. brand high pressure decorative laminate having a matte finish which additionally contained 0.8 percent wet resin of 6 micron alumina grit particles in the resin coating, the resin coating being applied to the decorative sheet by dip and squeeze application; [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083669083.doc:mic a high pressure decorative matte finish laminate produced by the sparge pipe process and having a decorative sheet impregnated with a resin coating formulation containing 1.5 percent wet resin micron alumina particle grit, xanthan gum and polyethylene glycol 6000 distearate: a high pressure decorative matte finish laminate produced by the sparge pipe process and having a decorative sheet impregnated with a resin coating formulation containing 1.6 percent wet resin 25 micron alumina particle grit, 0.8 percent wet resin 3 micron alumina particle grit, xanthan gum, and polyethylene glycol distearate having a molecular weight of about; a matte finish wear-resistant laminate known as NEVAMAR ARP.RTM.. Each of the above-described laminate samples was subjected to the following four test procedures: I. Glass Scratch Test This test was designed to measure the ease with which a laminate could be scratched using a material of similar sharpness and hardness to ordinary silica, the usual scratching component in air-borne dirt. Scratches are very thin lines, usually several inches long and widely spaced one from another. Material is plowed out by the scratch-inducing agent and the indentation in the laminate surface can usually be felt by running a fingernail over it.

Each of the 6 laminate samples described above were scratched four times with the edge of a glass microscope slide (Fisher brand Cat. No. 12-550A 75.times.25 mm--non-frosted) held in a device to which loads of 25, 50, 100 and 200 grams could be applied. The laminate surfaces were observed visually and the resulting surface scratches were rated as follows: 0=no mark visible under these conditions 1=very, very faint scratch visible if tilted to a critical angle 2=very faint scratch--easier to see than a #1 3=faint scratch--fairly easy to see at most angles 4=easily visible scratch that will disappear at a critical angle scratch easily visible at any angle under good light.

The results were then totalled for all scratches on the particular laminate sample. The results appear in TABLE I below.

[I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -21- II. Mar Test The mar resistance of each of the laminate samples was determined by rubbing the laminate surface under controlled conditions with an abrasive cloth (blue grit utility cloth grade 280J type 311 T, by 3M Company) and then measuring the change in surface gloss of the marred area as compared to the original surface gloss. The change in surface gloss was measured by a glossmeter manufactured by Gardner Laboratory Division, Bethesda, Md.

The mar resistance for each laminate sample was calculated as follows: AG 100 x (original gloss final gloss) (original gloss) Mar resistance tends to depend disproportionately on the original background gloss of the laminate. The glossier the laminate, the higher the .DELTA.G value..DELTA.G--the percent change in gloss (mar resistance) Note: Burnishing (surface gloss increase), will be a negative value. The results of the mar resistance for each laminate sample are set forth below in TABLE I.

III. Scrape Test This test was intended to measure the likelihood of the surface of one laminate to be scraped by the sharp corner of the surface of another laminate being dragged across it. Scrape is a long, narrow streak that may appear as a burnish (higher gloss) or as a whitish, chalky mark.

Each of the laminate samples were scraped five times using neutral gray, solid color FORMICA.RTM. brand laminate chips, grade 1058. The laminate surfaces of the samples were then visually observed and the surface scrapes were rated as follows: O=no visible mark [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic 22 1=a burnish (higher gloss) mark that disappears as the sample is rotated to various angles.

2=a burnish mark visible at all viewing angles.

3=a chalk mark that disappears as the sample is rotated at various angles.

4=a chalk mark visible at all viewing angles.

NOTE: If the scrape appeared to "skip" such as burnish to chalk or burnish to nothing, the scrape was graded according to the greatest severity of the scrape.

The results of the test were totalled and averaged for all scrapes on the particular laminate sample. The results appear in TABLE I below.

IV. Abraision Test This test measured the ability of the surface of a high pressure decorative laminate to maintain its design and color when subjected to abrasive wear.

Each of the laminate samples were uniformly abraded for 750 cycles using 180 grit alumina oxide sandpaper strips 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide by 6 inches (152.4 mm) long. After 750 cycles, the resulting groove depth in the laminate surface was measured to determine abrasion resistance. The results of the abrasion resistance test are summarized below in TABLE I.

TABLE I

ABRASION

(Groove Depth SCRATCH MAR SCRAPE at 750 SAMPLE (0-20 scale) AG) (0-4 scale) cycles) (mils.) 1 14 34 1-2 (Control) 2 14 34 1 3 11 9 2-3 2.4 4 6.4 -4.7 1.8 5 3.7 -7.5 1.9 0.8 6 5 -8.2 2 0.8 [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic 23 TABLE I shows that the standard FORMICA.RTM. brand laminate product having a matte finish had poor scratch and mar resistance and fair scrape resistance. The addition of small microgrit slightly improved scratch and substantially improved mar, but was detrimental to scrape resistance. Increasing the level of small grit, applying it to the decorative sheet surface with a sparge pipe and including the polyethylene glycol distearate, substantially improved scratch and mar resistance (a negative value means the sample burnished or became glossier when abraded) and the polyethylene glycol distearate improved scrape resistance in spite of the presence or grit. This higher level of surface applied grit also reduced the groove depth resulting from 750 cycles of abrasion. Finally, the mixed grit including the larger size 25 micron particles and the smaller size 3 micron particles, brought about a further improvement in scratch resistance and reduced the abrasion groove depth by half. The polyethylene glycol distearate continued to maintain good scrape resistance.

EXAMPLE 2 The purpose of this example was to test scratch, abrasion and mar resistance in wearresistant high pressure decorative laminates having a glossy finish produced by either the sparge pipe process or gravure process and having varying amounts and particle sizes of alumina grit in the resin coating formulation impregnated in the decorative sheet.

The following eight laminate samples were tested: A control sample of glossy finish standard FORMICA.RTM. brand laminate having no alumina grit particles; A glossy finish laminate produced by the sparge pipe process and having 2.5 percent wet resin 3 micron alumina particle grit in the resin coating; A glossy finish laminate produced by the sparge pipe process and having 0.8 percent wet resin 9 micron alumina grit particles in the resin coating; A glossy finish laminate produced by the sparge pipe process and having 1.5 percent wet resin 9 micron alumina grit particles in the resin coating; A glossy finish laminate produced by the gravure process and having 10 percent w./w.

wet resin 9 micron alumina grit particles in the resin coating; [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -24- A glossy finish laminate produced by the gravure process and having 15 percent w./w.

wet resin 9 micron alumina grit particles in the resin coating; A glossy finish laminate produced by the sparge pipe process and having a mixture of 1.6 percent wet resin 25 micron Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 grit particles and 0.8 percent wet resin 3 micron Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 grit particles in the resin coating; NevamarRTM. "Glossie"wear-resistant decorative laminate.

Each of the above laminates was tested for scratch resistance, abrasion resistance and mar resistance using the testing procedures previously described in EXAMPLE 1. The results of the testing are set forth below in TABLE II.

TABLE II Scratch Abrasive Mar Resistance Improvement Improvement Improvement (times better (times better improvement Sample than control) than control) over control) 1 1 1 0 (Control) 2 1 0.9* 94.3 3 1.4 1.3 93.7 4 2 1.4 98.0 2 2.8 99.2 6 7 3.6 99.8 7 14 99.4 8 3.7 1.5 88.5 *This sample was black. All others in the series are white, containing high levels (30-35%) of TiO 2 TiO 2 itself provides a degree of wear resistance that is as good or better than 3tAl120 3 in a low ash (black) sample.

**The depth of a groove in the control laminate worn in by 500 cycles of sandpaper abrasion was divided by the depth of groove in each of the experimental laminate samples. The groove depth in Sample 7 was zero. Thus the ratio approaches infinity.

The data in TABLE II shows that virtually any inclusion of microgrit substantially improves mar resistance because all samples improved 93.7% to 99.8% in this property as compared to the control. This is a very narrow range and all experimental samples would be [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic considered to have good mar resistance. However, when considering scratch resistance, only the samples with very high grit levels or the larger particle size grit have good values. The best sample (Sample 7) (mixed grit) is 14 times better than the control. The next best sample (Sample 6) is 7 times better, meaning that only half as good scratch resistance was achievable with the 9 micron particle size grit as compared to the 25 micron particle size grit. Finally, in abrasive wear, only Sample 7 made with 25 micron particle size grit showed an immeasurable groove depth after 500 abrasion cycles.

What is claimed is: 1. A process for the production of decorative laminates having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance comprising the steps of: preparing a mixture of(A) a liquid thermosetting, impregnating resin and an abrasion resistant material comprising: a first amount of abrasion resistant mineral particles having an average particle size of about 3 microns and a second amount of abrasion resistant mineral particles having an average particle size of about 25 microns, both of which are present in a concentration sufficient to provide for abrasion resistance, the weight ratio of the larger particles to the smaller particles being 2 to 1; a coupling agent; a thickening agent in an amount sufficient to suspend said abrasion resistant mineral particles; and lubricating agents in a concentration sufficient to provide for scrape resistance; simultaneously coating and impregnating a decorative paper sheet with said abrasion resistant mineral particles and said thermosetting resin by uniformly coating said decorative sheet with said mixture of thermosetting resin and abrasion resistant material, such that about 80 percent of the amount of therriosetting resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into said decorative sheet; dipping said resin impregnated decorative sheet into an identically formulated mixture of thermosetting resin and abrasion resistant material, such that the remaining amount of [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -26thermosetting resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into said resin impregnated decorative sheet; metering the total amount of thermosetting resin impregnated into the decorative sheet by metering means; and drying and consolidating said resin impregnated decorative sheet using conventional heat and pressure laminating techniques, thereby obtaining a decorative laminate having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein said liquid thermosetting, impregnating resin is melamine formaldehyde resin.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein said abrasion resistant mineral particles are alumina.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein said coupling agent is silane.

The process according to claim 1, wherein said thickening agent is xanthan gum.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein said lubricating agent is polyvinyl alcohol or polyethylene glycol distearate having a molecular weight of about 6000.

7. The process according to claim 2, wherein said melamine formaldehyde resin is modified with a plasticizer and a catalyst.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein said coating and impregnating step is accomplished by a sparge pipe containing holes to allow for the uniform application of the mixture of thermosetting resin and abrasion resistant coating material onto the top surface of said decorative sheet.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein said metering means are metering squeeze rollers.

A process for the production of decorative laminates having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance comprising the steps of: preparing a mixture of a melamine-formaldehyde resin and an abrasion resistant material comprising: [I:\DayLib\LLBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -27- 0.8 percent abrasion resistant alumina particles having an average particle size of about 3 microns, said percentage measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine formaldehyde resin solution of the mixture and 1.6 percent abrasion resistant alumina particles having an average particle size of about 25 microns, said percentage measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine formaldehyde resin solution of the mixture; about 0.25 percent silane, said percentage measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine formaldehyde resin solution of the mixture; about 0.075 percent xanthan gum, said percentage measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine formaldehyde resin solution of the mixture; and about 0.3 percent to about 1.2 percent polyvinyl alcohol, said percentages measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine formaldehyde resin solution of the mixture or about 0.1 percent polyethylene glycol distearate having a molecular weight of about 6000, said percentage measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine-formaldehyde resin solution of the mixture; simultaneously coating and impregnating a decorative paper sheet with said abrasion resistant alumina particles and said melamine-formaldehyde resin by uniformly coating said decorative sheet with said mixture of melamine-formaldehyde resin and abrasion resistant material, such that about 80 percent of the amount of melamine-formaldehyde resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into said decorative sheet; dipping said melamine-formaldehyde resin impregnated decorative sheet into an identically formulated mixture of melamine-formaldehyde resin and abrasion resistant material, such that the remaining amount of melamine-formaldehyde resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into said resin impregnated decorative sheet; metering the total amount of melamine-formaldehyde resin impregnated into the decorative sheet by metering-squeeze rollers; and [I:\DayLib\LLBPP\669083669083.doc:mic -28drying and consolidating said melamine-formaldehyde resin impregnated decorative sheet using conventional heat and pressure techniques, thereby obtaining a decorative laminate having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance.

11. A process for the production of decorative laminates having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance comprising the steps of: preparing a mixture of a liquid thermosetting, impregnating resin and an abrasion resistant material comprising: a first amount of abrasion resistant mineral particles having an average particle size of about 3 microns and a second amount of abrasion resistant mineral particles having an average particle size of about 25 microns, both of which are present in a concentration sufficient to provide for abrasion resistance, the weight ratio of the larger particles to the smaller particles being 2 to 1; a coupling agent; a thickening agent in an amount sufficient to suspend said abrasion resistant mineral particles; and lubricating agents in a concentration sufficient to provide for scrape resistance; simultaneously coating and impregnating a decorative paper sheet with said abrasion resistant mineral particles and said thermosetting resin by uniformly coating said decorative sheet with said mixture of thermosetting resin and abrasion resistant material such that up to about percent of the amount of thermosetting resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into the decorative sheet; dipping said resin impregnated decorative sheet into an identically formulated mixture of thermosetting resin and abrasion resistant material, such that the remaining amount of thermosetting resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into the resin impregnated decorative sheet; metering the total resin impregnated into the resin impregnated decorative sheet by metering means; and [I:\DayLib\LIBPP6690831669083.doc:mic -29drying and consolidating said resin impregnated decorative sheet using conventional heat and pressure laminating techniques, thereby obtaining a decorative laminate having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance.

12. A process for the production of decorative laminates having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance comprising the steps of: preparing a mixture of a liquid thermosetting, impregnating resin and an abrasion resistant material comprising: a first amount of abrasion resistant mineral particles having an average particle size of about 3 microns and a second amount of abrasion resistant mineral particles having an average particle size of about 25 microns in a concentration sufficient to provide for abrasion resistance, the weight ratio of the larger particles to the smaller particles being 2 to 1; a coupling agent; a thickening agent in an amount sufficient to suspend said abrasion resistant mineral particles; and lubricating agents in a concentration sufficient to provide for scrape resistance; simultaneously coating and impregnating a decorative paper sheet with said abrasion resistant mineral particles and said thermosetting resin by uniformly coating said decorative sheet with said mixture of thermosetting resin and abrasion resistant material such that about 20 percent of the amount of thermosetting resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into said decorative sheet; dipping said resin impregnated decorative sheet into a neat thermosetting resin, such that the remaining amount of thermosetting resin required for saturation is impregnated into the resin impregnated decorative sheet; metering the total resin impregnated into the resin impregnated decorative sheet by metering means; and drying and consolidating said resin impregnated decorative sheet using conventional heat and pressure laminating techniques, thereby obtaining a decorative laminate having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance.

[I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic 13. The process according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said abrasion resistant mineral particles comprise about 15 percent by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine formaldehyde resin solution of said mixture.

14. The process according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said abrasion resistant mineral particles are alumina.

The process according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said coupling agent is silane.

16. The process according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said thickening agent is xanthan gum.

17. The process according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said lubricating agent is polyvinyl alcohol or polyethylene glycol distearate having a molecular weight of about 6000.

18. The process according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said coating and impregnating step is accomplished by a gravure pad coating cylinder.

19. The process according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said metering means are metering squeeze rollers.

The process according to claim 12 further comprising the step of drying said resin impregnated decorative sheet prior to the dipping step.

21. A process for the production of decorative laminates having improved scratch, mar and abrasion resistance comprising the steps of: preparing a mixture of melamine-formaldehyde impregnating resin and an abrasion resistant material comprising: a first amount of abrasion resistant alumina particles having an average particle size of about 3 microns and a second amount of abrasion resistant alumina particles having an average particle size of about 25 microns, the weight ratio of the larger particles to the smaller particles being 2 to 1, wherein the entire amount of said abrasion resistant alumina particles comprise about 15 percent by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine-formaldehyde resin solution of said mixture; about 0.25 percent silane, said percentage measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine-fonnrmaldehyde resin solution; [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -31 about 0.075 percent xanthan gum, said percentage measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine-formaldehyde resin solution; and about 0.3 percent to about 1.2 percent polyvinyl alcohol, said percentages measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine-formaldehyde resin solution or about 0.1 percent polyethylene glycol distearate having a molecular weight of about 6000, said percentage measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine-formaldehyde resin solution; simultaneously coating and impregnating a decorative paper sheet with said abrasion resistant particles and said melamine-formaldehyde resin by uniformly coating said decorative sheet with said mixture of melamine-formaldehyde resin and abrasion resistant material such that about 20 percent of the amount of melamine-formaldehyde resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into said decorative sheet; dipping said resin impregnated decorative sheet into an identically formulated mixture of melamine-formaldehyde resin and abrasion resistant material, such that the remaining amount of melamine-formaldehyde resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into said resin impregnated decorative sheet; metering the total melamine-formaldehyde resin impregnated into the resin impregnated decorative sheet by metering squeeze rollers; and drying and consolidating said resin impregnated decorative sheet using conventional heat and pressure techniques, thereby obtaining a decorative laminate having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance.

22. A process for the production of decorative laminates having improved scratch, mar and abrasion resistance comprising the steps of: preparing a mixture of a melamine-formaldehyde impregnating resin and an abrasion resistant material comprising: a first amount of abrasion resistant alumina particles having an average particle size of about 3 microns and a second amount of abrasion resistant alumina particles having an average particle size of about 25 microns, the weight ratio of the larger particles to the smaller [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -32particles being 2 to 1, wherein the entire amount of said abrasion resistant alumina particles comprise about 15 percent by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine-formaldehyde resin solution of said mixture; about 0.25 percent silane, said percentage measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine-formaldehyde resin solution of said mixture; about 0.075 percent xanthan gum, said percentage measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine-formaldehyde resin solution of said mixture; and about 0.3 percent to about 1.2 percent polyvinyl alcohol, said percentages measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine-formaldehyde resin solution of said mixture or about 0.1 percent polyethylene glycol distearate having a molecular weight of about 6000, said percentage measured by weight of the total wet weight of the melamine-formaldehyde resin solution of said mixture; simultaneously coating and impregnating a decorative paper sheet with said abrasion resistant particles and said melamine-formaldehyde resin by uniformly coating said decorative sheet with said mixture of melamine-formaldehyde resin and abrasion resistant material such that about 20 percent of the amount of melamine-formaldehyde resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into said decorative sheet; dipping said resin impregnated decorative sheet into a neat melamine-formaldehyde resin, such that the remaining amount of resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into said resin impregnated decorative sheet; metering the total melamine-formaldehyde resin impregnated into the resin impregnated decorative sheet by metering-squeeze rollers; and drying and consolidating said resin impregnated decorative sheet using conventional heat and pressure techniques, thereby obtaining a decorative laminate having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion, resistance.

23. The process according to claim 22 further comprising the step of drying said resin impregnated decorative sheet prior to the dipping step.

[I:\DayLib\LLBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -33- 24. A process for the production of decorative laminates having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance comprising the steps of: preparing a mixture of(A) a liquid thermosetting, impregnating resin and an abrasion resistant material comprising: a first amount of abrasion resistant mineral particles having an average particle size of about 3 microns and a second amount of abrasion resistant mineral particles having an average particle size of about 25 microns, both of which are present in a concentration sufficient toprovide for abrasion resistance, the weight ratio of the larger particles to the smaller particles being 2 to 1; a thickening agent in an amount sufficient to suspend said abrasion resistant mineral particles; and lubricating agents in a concentration sufficient to provide for scrape resistance; simultaneously coating and impregnating a decorative paper sheet with said abrasion resistant mineral particles and said thermosetting resin by uniformly coating said decorative sheet with said mixture of thermosetting resin and abrasion resistant material, such that about 80 percent of the amount of thermosetting resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into said decorative sheet; dipping said resin impregnated decorative sheet into an identically formulated mixture of thermosetting resin and abrasion resistant material, such that the remaining amount of thermosetting resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into said resin impregnated decorative sheet; metering the total amount of thermosetting resin impregnated into the decorative sheet by metering means; and drying and consolidating said resin impregnated decorative sheet using conventional heat and pressure laminating techniques, thereby obtaining a decorative laminate having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance.

[I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -34- A process for the production of decorative laminates having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance comprising the steps of: preparing a mixture of a liquid thermosetting, impregnating resin and an abrasion resistant material comprising: a first amount of abrasion resistant mineral particles having an average particle size of about 3 microns and a second amount of abrasion resistant mineral particles having an average particle size of about 25 microns, both of which are present in a concentration sufficient to provide for abrasion resistance, the weight ratio of the larger particles to the smaller particles being 2 to 1; a thickening agent in an amount sufficient to suspend said abrasion resistant mineral particles; and lubricating agents in a concentration sufficient to provide for scrape resistance; simultaneously coating and impregnating a decorative paper sheet with said abrasion resistant mineral particles and said thermosetting resin by uniformly coating said decorative sheet with said mixture of thermosetting resin and abrasion resistant material such that up to about percent of the amount of thermosetting resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into the decorative sheet; dipping said resin impregnated decorative sheet into an identically formulated mixture of thermosetting resin and abrasion resistant material, such that the remaining amount of thermosetting resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into the resin impregnated decorative sheet; metering the total resin impregnated into the resin impregnated decorative sheet by metering means; and drying and consolidating said resin impregnated decorative sheet using conventional heat and pressure laminating techniques, thereby obtaining a decorative laminate having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance.

26. A process for the production of decorative laminates having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance comprising the steps of: [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic preparing a mixture of a liquid thermosetting, impregnating resin and an abrasion resistant material comprising: a first amount of abrasion resistant mineral particles having an average particle size of about 3 microns and a second amount of abrasion resistant mineral particles having an average particle size of about 25 microns in a concentration sufficient to provide for abrasion resistance, the weight ratio of the larger particles to the smaller particles being 2 to 1; a thickening agent in an amount sufficient to suspend said abrasion resistant mineral particles; and lubricating agents in a concentration sufficient to provide for scrape resistance; simultaneously coating and impregnating a decorative paper sheet with said abrasion resistant mineral particles and said thermosetting resin by uniformly coating said decorative sheet with said mixture of thermosetting resin and abrasion resistant material such that about 20 percent of the amount of thermosetting resin required for saturation of said decorative sheet is impregnated into said decorative sheet; dipping said resin impregnated decorative sheet into a neat thermosetting resin, such that the remaining amount of thermosetting resin required for saturation is impregnated into the resin impregnated decorative sheet; metering the total resin impregnated into the resin impregnated decorative sheet by metering means; and drying and consolidating said resin impregnated decorative sheet using conventional heat and pressure laminating techniques, thereby obtaining a decorative laminate having improved scratch, mar, scrape and abrasion resistance.

[I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -36- Appendix B US Patent Application No. 10/081,629 REINFORCED DECORATIVE COMPOSITE MATERIAL Background 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to construction materials and more particularly to a reinforced decorative composite material that includes a laminated material of the type called high pressure laminates and a strengthening panel such as fiberglass reinforced plastic adhered together, and to the manufacture of such a composite material.

2. Description of Related Art High pressure laminate materials have been manufactured and sold for many years, and are familiar to many from their wide-spread use in kitchens and areas requiring very durable and decorative surface attributes. Such laminates are typically made of layers of paper impregnated with resin, compressed in a press or the like and heated to produce the desired laminate. One layer of paper may have a decorative pattern that remains visible in the finished product. The exact types of paper and of resins used, as well as the pressures, equipment and temperatures used, and the precise order of steps, are well known to those in the art. A great variety of products of this type are commercially available from the Formica Corporation, under the trademark Formica, owned by that company. Examples of techniques and materials used in the manufacture of such laminates can be found in U.S. Patent 5,558,906, assigned on its face to Formica Technology Inc., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, although it is to be understood that the present inventor does not claim ownership of the processes claimed in that patent, which are believed to be owned by that patent's assignee of record.

HPL products, however, are generally brittle enough that they must be mounted on a layer of wood or other material of sufficient strength and rigidity, for use in the kitchen, and on any horizontal surface. Vertical surface applications of HPL's would be enhanced by a pre-laminated [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083669083.doc:mic -37panel with the HPL as the outward side. A primary application of the proposed panel would be vertical wall surfaces, where drywall is a common substrate.

It would be desirable to be able to use HPL products in environments where the product will be exposed to relatively high levels of wear and tear, moisture, and mechanical loads, without the need to mount the HPL on a mechanically strong layer of wood or other materials. For example, it would be desirable to be able to use decorative materials like HPL products in vertical wall applications in schools, hospitals, restaurants and other public areas that are subject to large amounts of traffic, and where conventional HPL cannot easily be used.

Also known are sheets of plastic reinforced with fiberglass, which have long been employed as surfaces that are resistant to abuse (that is, resistant to tearing and the like), and resistant to moisture as well. Such products are obtainable commercially, for example, from Kemlite Company, the assignee of the present invention, and some techniques and materials for use in for their manufacture are disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Patents 4,278,491, 4,110,151, 4,098,630 and 4,048,887, the entire disclosure of each of which patents is incorporated herein by reference. FRP products thus far typically have an embossed surface, are a solid color (typically white), and have a hard and shiny appearance that makes them unsuitable for uses where aesthetic appearance is of great concern.

Summary of the Invention Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a material that will have the aesthetic qualities of HPL and can be easily installed on vertical surfaces. It is also an object to provide such a material that will have sufficient mechanical strength for use in situations where conventional HPL products might not otherwise be usable, such as wall panel applications without a substantial structural substrate. Of primary importance, the present invention provides a panel which is installer-friendly and combines the custom color/pattern flexibility of an HPL face with a water-proof, dimensionally stable, user-friendly backer. Further, this laminated panel enhances the impact resistance and moisture resistance of known available decorative vertical wall panels.

The subject panel will allow installation of an HPL vertical surface in a most expeditious manner [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083669083.doc:mic -38saving labor costs in two ways: drywall preparation, and actual installation time of the panel, when compared to applying HPL directly over drywall.

These objects are met by the present invention, according to one aspect of which is a reinforced composite material that includes a laminate panel, a strengthening panel that includes a reinforcement embedded therein, and a layer of adhesive disposed between the laminate panel and the strengthening panel to adhere the laminate panel and the strengthening panel together.

Preferably, the reinforcement in the strengthening panel may be fiberglass fibers, randomly oriented, or it may be provided in the form of a mesh or the like. In either case, the strengthening panel is preferably a plastic (polymeric) material of the type known as fiberglass reinforced polyester. The thicknesses of the layers may be selected according to need, but as examples, the HPL may be about .030 inch thick, and the strengthening panel may for example be .030, .060 or .090 inch thick, although the invention is not limited to these specific thicknesses and combinations of thicknesses.

The invention also provides a method for the production of such a material, in which there are provided a laminate panel of a type made by heating and compressing at least a first layer of paper and quantity of resin, and a strengthening panel of a type made by embedding a reinforcement in a layer of a binder material. Then, the laminate panel is adhered to the strengthening panel with a layer of adhesive. The adhesive may preferably be a contact cement or a hot melt adhesive.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 6 is a view of a preferred embodiment of a composite material according to the present invention.

Figs. 7a and 7b are details showing two varieties of FRP that may be used in the embodiment shown in Fig. 6.

[I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -39- Fig. 8 is a chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a material according to the present invention.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments The first preferred embodiment of the present invention is a reinforced composite material 10 having three layers, as shown in Fig. 6. Two outer layers 12, 14 sandwich, and are secured together by, a third layer 16, of adhesive. One of the outer layers 12 is a HPL material, and the other of the outer layers 14 is a sheet or panel of a reinforced material. The intermediate layer 16 is of an adhesive material. The reinforced material may be a FRP material of a type available from Kemlite Company, while the other outer layer 12 is for example of a type available from the Formica Company. The exact choice of adhesive is not critical, and it is believed that many commercially available adhesives are suitable for adhering combinations of HPL and FRP materials in this fashion. The present inventor particularly contemplates, however, the use of a conventional contact cement or of a conventional hot-melt adhesive, a great number of both of which are known in the art, and detailed description of which is therefore not required.

Nonetheless, the key quality of the adhesive used is not that it be either a contact cement or a hotmelt adhesive, nor that it be any other particular kind, but that it provide the bonding qualities necessary to bond securely with the particular HPL and FRP materials used in a given instance.

The selection of the right adhesive for a particular choice of the outer layers, thus, is well within the ordinary skill in the art, and the use of any adhesive whatever that provides these qualities is within the scope of the invention.

While it is preferred to use a sheet of FRP material for the reinforcing sheet, it is also possible to use other types of reinforced plastic. For example, a plastic sheet 14' having reinforcing material in the form of a mesh 18', rather than in the form of randomly-oriented fiberglass 18, as in FRP, forms a second preferred embodiment of the invention. Figs. 7a and 7b indicate these two types of material for use in the composite material shown in Fig. 6. In addition, both types of reinforcement may be used together.

The method of manufacturing the composite material shown in Fig. 6 is straightforward, and is illustrated in Fig. 8. First, one selects the appropriate HPL and reinforced plastic materials [I:\DayLib\LLBPP\669083669083.doc:mc to use as the outer layers. While these materials may be custom manufactured, either or both may be a commercially available material instead. Once these two materials have been formed, or otherwise provided, the appropriate materials and techniques for adhering the two layers to each other can be selected and used.

The thicknesses of the layers of the reinforced composite material may be selected according to need, but as examples, the HPL may be about .030 inch thick, and the strengthening panel may be .030, .060 or .090 inch thick, although the invention is not limited to these specific thicknesses and combinations of thicknesses.

While the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the currentlypreferred embodiments, many modifications and variations of those embodiments will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not to be limited by the details of the foregoing detailed description, but only by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A reinforced composite material comprising: a laminate panel; a strengthening panel, the strengthening panel including a reinforcement embedded therein; and a layer of adhesive disposed between the laminate panel and the strengthening panel to adhere the laminate panel and the strengthening panel together.

2. The reinforced composite material as set forth in Claim 1, in which the strengthening panel further includes a sheet of plastic.

3. The reinforced composite material as set forth in Claim 2, in which the reinforcement is embedded in the sheet of plastic.

4. The reinforced composite material as set forth in Claim 2, in which the sheet of plastic is at least partially formed of a polyester copolymer.

The reinforced composite material as set forth in Claim 1, in which the strengthening panel is a sheet of fiberglass reinforced plastic.

[I\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -41- 6. The reinforced composite material as set forth in Claim 1, in which the reinforcement includes a plurality of fibers of a reinforcing material.

7. The reinforced composite material as set forth in Claim 6, in which the plurality of fibers of the reinforcing material are one of randomly oriented and oriented in a mesh within the strengthening panel.

8. The reinforced composite material as set forth in Claim 6, in which the plurality of fibers of the reinforcing material are at least partially formed of glass.

9. The reinforced composite material as set forth in Claim 1, in which the layer of adhesive includes a layer of a material selected from the group consisting of contact cement and hot melt adhesive.

A reinforced composite material comprising: a laminate panel; a strengthening panel including a fibrous reinforcement embedded in a polymeric material; and a layer of adhesive disposed between the laminate panel and the strengthening panel to adhere the laminate panel and the strengthening panel together.

11. The reinforced composite material as set forth in Claim 10, in which the fibrous reinforcement includes a plurality of fibers of glass.

12. A method of forming a reinforced composite material, the method comprising the steps of: forming a laminate panel by heating and compressing at least a first layer of paper and quantity of resin; forming a strengthening panel by embedding a reinforcement in layer of a binder material; and adhering the laminate panel to the strengthening panel with a layer of adhesive.

13. The method as set forth in Claim 12, in which the step of forming a strengthening panel includes the step of providing a sheet of fiberglass reinforced plastic.

[I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -42- 14. The method as set forth in Claim 12, further comprising the steps of applying a layer of hot melt adhesive between the laminate panel and the strengthening panel and curing the layer of hot melt adhesive.

A method of forming a reinforced composite material, the method comprising the steps of: providing a laminate panel of a type made by heating and compressing at least a first layer of paper and quantity of resin; providing a strengthening panel of a type made by embedding a reinforcement in layer of a binder material; and adhering the laminate panel to the strengthening panel with a layer of adhesive.

16. The method as set forth in Claim 15, in which the strengthening panel is a sheet of fiberglass reinforced plastic.

17. The method as set forth in Claim 15, wherein said adhering step further comprises the steps of applying a layer of hot melt adhesive between the laminate panel and the strengthening panel and curing the layer of hot melt adhesive.

18. The method as set forth in Claim 15, wherein said adhering step further comprises the step of applying a layer of a contact cement between the laminate panel and the strengthening panel.

Abstract of the Disclosure A reinforced composite material includes a laminate panel, a strengthening panel that includes a reinforcement embedded therein, and a layer of adhesive disposed between the laminate panel and the strengthening panel to adhere the laminate panel and the strengthening panel together. Preferably, the reinforcement in the strengthening panel may be fiberglass fibers, randomly oriented, or it may be provided in the form of a mesh or the like. In either case, the strengthening panel is preferably a plastic (polymeric) material of the type known as fiberglass reinforced polyester. Also provided is a method for the production of such a material.

[I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mc

Claims (9)

1. A reinforced composite material comprising: a decorative layer; and a strengthening panel, the strengthening panel including a reinforcement embedded therein, wherein the decorative layer and the strengthening panel are directly fused to each other.

2. A reinforced composite material according to Claim 1, wherein said decorative layer comprises resin-saturated paper.

3. A reinforced composite material according to Claim 2, wherein said paper is saturated with a resin selected from the group consisting of polyester resins and melamine resins.

4. A reinforced composite material comprising: a decorative layer in the form of a foil; and a strengthening panel, the strengthening panel including a reinforcement embedded therein, wherein the decorative layer and the strengthening panel are thermally laminated to each other. [I:\DayLib\UDBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic -44- A reinforced composite material according to Claim 4, wherein said decorative layer comprises resin-saturated paper.

6. A reinforced composite material according to Claim 5, wherein said paper is saturated with a resin selected from the group consisting of polyester resins and melamine resins.

7. A reinforced composite material according to Claim 4, wherein said decorative layer is has one side preglued.

8. A method for making a reinforced composite material according to Claim 4, comprising the steps of: providing the foil and the strengthening panel; pregluing one side of the foil; and laminating the foil and the strengthening panel to each other using cylinders to apply pressure.

9. A reinforced composite material substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings

10. A method for making a reinforced composite material substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings. (I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]66903.doc:mic 45 Dated this TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY of FEBRUARY, 2004 Steven J. Taylor Patent Attorneys for the Applicant Spruson&Ferguson [I:\DayLib\LIBPP\669083]669083.doc:mic