AU701462B1 - An improved method of manufacture of a decorative panel - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a method of manufacture of a decorative panel, and to a panel produced by the method.

BACKGROUND ART Decorative panels, such as that commonly used as part of furniture, are manufactured not only to be functional but also to be pleasing to the eye.

Accordingly panels, and in particular timber panels, have been known to be made with carvings and grooves on their surfaces or faces and which are subsequently treated by, for example, covering with laminate, painting or varnishing, depending on the material used. One of the more common uses of decorative panels is in kitchen cupboard doors whose surfaces possess decorations which make the doors appealing to the eye.

Conventional manufacturing techniques of these type of decorative panels, such as kitchen cupboard doors, includes the steps of making a central portion or sheet which is then enclosed by a frame, each side of the frame being 15 constructed of an individual piece of material such as timber. The central portion may be appropriately carved, grooved or shaped to thereby provide the panel with a pleasing appearance. When the frame is assembled around **the central portion one has produced a decorative panel which may then be used as kitchen cupboard doors by the simple addition of hinges.

2 0 This technique produces a decorative panel but one which is prone to weakness since the frame surrounding the central portion is composed of individual members. This may increase the problems of structural integrity which may cause the panels to crack or be continually under stress.

Furthermore, this technique of producing decorative panels is time-consuming due to the fact that the centre panel has to be decorated prior to the addition of the individual pieces that make up the frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore in one form of the invention there is proposed a method of manufacture of a decorative panel including the steps of: 3 0 cutting a decorative groove into the face of a first sheet; locating a second sheet on the face of the said first sheet, said second sheet having an aperture defined by a surrounding integral frame shape so shaped to allow the decorative groove to be visible through the aperture with an inner edge of the aperture intersecting across the groove and said frame covering at least a portion of said groove.

However it is to be understood that the first sheet may be pre-manufactured to include grooves already, and so is ready for assembly.

In preference the method further includes the step of cufftting out the aperture in said second sheet.

In preference the method further comprises the step of laminating the said 1 0 decorative panel whereby said first sheet visible through said aperture is caused to be laminated.

In preference there is the further step of cutting multiple grooves in said first sheet prior to locating the second sheet on said first sheet.

In a further form of the invention there is proposed a decorative panel made as 1 5 per the above described method.

In a yet further form of the invention there is proposed a decorative panel including; a first sheet having a decorative groove on a first side thereof; a second sheet including an aperture and located over the first side thereof so that the edge of the aperture intersects across said decorative groove.

In preference said first and second sheets are manufactured from compressed wood particle board.

In preference said decorative panel is laminated.

2 5 In a still further form of the invention there is proposed a decorative panel including; a sheet having a decorative groove in a first face thereof; an element extending located on said first face and so positioned to extend across said first sheet so as to intersect and extend over a portion of said groove, said sheet and element further laminated so to prevent matter from entering said portion of groove over which said element is located.

In preference said decorative panel is a cupboard door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which; Fig 1 is a perspective view of a decorative panel the subject of the present invention; Fig 2 is an exploded perspective view of the decorative panel of FIG 1; and 10 Fig 3-6 are plan views of four different types of decorative panels S"manufactured as per the present invention.

BEST METHOD OF INVENTION Turning to the drawings in detail, it is to be understood that like numerals are used to indicate like elements in the different figures.

15 There is shown in Fig 1 a decorative panel 10 including a first sheet 12. Cut into a first side 14 of first sheet 12 are decorative grooves 16. The grooves 16 are conventionally manufactured by using a router, or a rotating tool, which thereby makes a circular engraving into the first sheet 12. Located over the top of the first side 14 of first sheet 12 is a second sheet or frame 18, and is of a correspondingly similar outer dimension to that of the first sheet 12. The second sheet 18 includes an aperture 20 exposing at least a part of said first side 14 of first sheet 12.

If the panel 10 were assembled by placing the second sheet on top of the first sheet 12 prior to the grooves 14 being routed, then the grooves 14 cannot extend right up to the inner edge 22 of the second sheet or frame 16, for the routing tool would also route the frame, which is obviously undesirable. To avoid the problem, the grooves 14 may not extend all the way across the exposed first side 14 of the first sheet 12, but this result has been found to be not pleasant to the eye and consumer demands have resulted in the grooves in the first side being of a length to extend across the whole of the aperture For that reason it is necessary to route or engrave the first sheet 12 and subsequently assemble the second sheet 18 around the first sheet 12.

Accordingly the present invention teaches a method of manufacture where the first side 14 of first sheet 12 is routed or engraved with grooves 16 which are of a length greater than the dimension of the aperture 20 of the second sheet 18.

When the grooves 16 have been routed or engraved, whatever shape that may be, the second sheet 18 is then attached by suitable means, such as glue 1 0 or screws, to the first sheet 12, a one-step process and eliminating the need for the frame to be assembled around the first sheet from individual members.

This then results in the inner edge 22 intersecting a groove and a portion of the groove 24 being covered by the second sheet 18, providing a visually appealing decorative panel.

1 5 The second sheet 18 can therefore be manufactured integrally of one piece of material, such as wood chip or solid timber. Further advantages are that the first sheet 12 may be pre-manufactured with different surfaces. In addition since the second sheet 18 is wholly supported by the first sheet 12 the surface of the second sheet 18 that adjoins the first sheet need not to be treated.

2 0 Furthermore the first sheet 12 may include second surface 26 which itself requires no further treatment. For example the second surface 26 of the first •*sheet 12 may already include a laminate material which therefore, unlike timber panels, needs not to be painted or varnished. The assembled panel may then be painted on its front surface or may be itself laminated by vacuum 2 5 forming adapted to cover both the exposed parts of the first and second sheets. The assembled decorative panel 10 is then completed and does not require further treatment such as painting or varnishing.

Shown in Fig's 3-6 are four typical decorative panels that may be manufactured according to the above method. Each decorative panel 3 0 comprises of a first sheet 12 comprising multiple grooves 16. A second sheet 18, whose outer dimensions are the same as that of the first sheet 12 is placed on top of the first sheet 12 so that the grooves 16 are intersected by an inner edge of the first sheet and lie over a portion of said grooves. Different apertures may be made in the second sheet resulting in different pleasing to 3 5 the eye panels.

When the decorative panel is laminated or otherwise treated the gap between the inner edge of the second sheet and the groove may be sealed thus preventing any dirt or particles collecting in the groove that has been covered over by the second sheet.

The decorative panel manufactured by this technique is integrally stronger, and is more adaptable for easier finishing when installation occurs. Secondly, the method allows one to manufacture a panel in significantly less time than hitherto has been known and where the risk of damaging of the panel by the use of routers is minimised.

1 0 The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without •departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, it is to be 6U.•understood that the second sheet may be manufactured from a single piece of S;•material or may be manufactured from a number of individual elements. Other improvements may be the inclusion of specific plugs that are used to seal the portion of the groove that is covered over by said second sheet.

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THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A method of manufacture of a decorative panel including the steps of: cutting a decorative groove into the face of a first sheet; locating a second sheet on the face of the said first sheet, said second sheet having an aperture defined by a surrounding integral frame shape so shaped to allow the decorative groove to be visible through the aperture with an inner edge of the aperture intersecting across the groove and said frame covering at least a portion of said groove.

1 0 2. A method as in claim 1 wherein said aperture is cut out of said oo I second sheet prior to assembly of said panel.

3. A method as in claim 1 or 2 further including the step of laminating 0. the said decorative panel whereby said first sheet visible through said aperture is caused to be laminated.

4. A method as in any one of the above claims further including the step of cutting multiple grooves in said first sheet prior to locating the second sheet S.on said first sheet.

o° a A decorative panel made as per any one of the above claims wherein said second sheet is manufacture from individual elements joined together to define said frame.

6. A decorative panel including; a first sheet having a decorative groove on a first side thereof; a second sheet including an aperture and located over the first side thereof so that the edge of the aperture intersects across said decorative groove.

7. A decorative panel as in claim 5 wherein said first and second sheets are manufactured from compressed wood particle board.

8. A decorative panel as in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein said decorative panel is laminated.

Claims (3)

1. 9. A decorative panel including; a sheet having a decorative groove in a first face thereof; an element extending located on said first face and so positioned to extend across said first sheet so as to intersect and extend over a portion of said groove, said sheet and element further laminated so to prevent matter from entering said portion of groove over which said element is located. A decorative panel as in any one of clams 6 to 9 wherein said decorative panel is a cupboard door.
2. 11. A method of manufacture of a decorative panel substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. 12. A decorative panel substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 3rd day of September 1998 RICHARD JOHN BIELBY and 1 5 ROMUALDO ANTONIO DE IONNO By their Patent Attorneys COLLISON CO S ABSTRACT The present invention is for a method of manufacture of a decorative panel and for a panel manufactured according to that method. The method includes the steps of cutting a decorative groove into the face of a first sheet, locating a second sheet on the face of the said first sheet where the second sheet has an aperture so shaped to allow the decorative groove to be visible through the aperture with an inner edge of the aperture intersecting across the groove and said sheet covering at least a portion of said groove. The so assembled panel may then be laminated or otherwise treated which may result in the portion of the groove covered by said second sheet to be sealed thereby preventing particles from collecting in said portion. a a