CN115023525A - Decorative panel having edges non-parallel to longitudinal axis and method of making same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a decorative panel and a method for manufacturing a decorative panel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a decorative panel wherein the long edges of the panels opposite each other are at least partially non-parallel to the longitudinal axis. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a trim panel comprising the step of dividing a large sheet comprising several times the area of the trim panel into individual trim panels using a cutting device freely movable in at least two axes.

Description

Decorative panel having edges non-parallel to the longitudinal axis and method of making same

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a decorative panel and a method of manufacturing a decorative panel. In particular, the invention relates to a decorative panel, wherein the opposite long edges of the decorative panel extend at least partly non-parallel to the longitudinal axis. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a decorative panel, which method comprises the step of dividing a large panel containing several times the surface area of the decorative panel into individual decorative panels by means of a cutting device, which cutting device is freely movable in at least two axes.

Background

Decorative panels or panels are known per se, for example, and are used as floor or wall coverings in interior design. The term "wall panel" is also understood to apply to panels of ceiling cladding as well. The panels usually consist of a carrier or core made of a solid material, such as a wood material, plastic or composite material, which is provided on at least one side with a decorative layer and a top layer and optionally with other layers, such as a wear layer, arranged between the decorative layer and the top layer. The decorative layer is usually formed by printed paper or decorations which are printed directly on the carrier or on a decorative underlying layer which is applied first. In particular, so-called direct printing, in which the decorative material is printed directly onto the carrier or initially applied onto the decorative under layer on the carrier by means of a direct printing process, such as inkjet printing, has become increasingly important in recent years in the relevant sector.

Methods for manufacturing decorative panels based on carriers made of wood material, such as HDF or MDF boards, are well known. For example, WO2009/080772 discloses a method of manufacturing a decorative laminate comprising a board-shaped core made of wood or wood-based material.

Methods for manufacturing trim panels based on plastic materials are also known and generally comprise the process steps shown in EP3140129a1, for example. For example, a "cake" of particulate particles may be applied by a spreader onto the lower conveyor belt of a press. During the manufacturing process, the cake is usually fed into a hot belt press with steel belts and/or polytetrafluoroethylene belts, where the heating and melting of the particulate particles takes place. While melting, the material may be pressed and formed into the shape of the carrier. Subsequently, the controlled cooling leads to solidification or crystallization of the carrier material, wherein a large amount of residual waste heat is not used, since the available temperature difference resulting from the controlled cooling is too small for any other use. Heat transfer during operation of such belt presses is by contact with the top and bottom of the press. Furthermore, the heat must pass through the glass-fibre-reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene tape, which is disadvantageous for cooling. Only then is the heat transferred by conduction into the particulate filler or carrier material. These physical processes are very slow because the particle cake initially still contains air from the particle filling, which air can only be slowly forced out of the carrier from the point of view of product physics. In order to obtain a satisfactory belt speed during the production process, cooling must be carried out with a high temperature gradient, which results in considerable waste heat losses.

Regardless of the carrier material chosen, the panels obtained in this way are printed as large panels with a surface area several times that of the final decorative panel and then divided into individual, usually rectangular panels. The panel thus obtained can then be provided with a profile at the panel edges, by means of which profile the individual decorative panels can be joined together to form a joined surface.

So-called herringbone or ear or spike patterns are known in the art of conventional parquet flooring, wherein periodically arranged parquet flooring is typically in right angle translational symmetry, at 45 ° or 30 ° to the right angle.

However, such a laying pattern is expensive to manufacture, since the individual slats must be arranged correspondingly with respect to one another.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a decorative panel with which geometrically complex laying patterns, for example herringbone patterns, can be easily provided on large laying surfaces.

This object is achieved by a decorative panel according to claim 1. Embodiments of the trim panel can be found in the dependent claims and the following description.

The invention therefore provides a decorative panel comprising short and long edges, respectively, which are opposed in pairs, wherein the opposed edges in respective pairs have mutually compatible geometries, characterized in that at least the opposed long edges of the decorative panel are at least partly non-parallel to the longitudinal axis.

It has been shown that the decorative panel according to the invention can be provided in a simple and user-friendly manner with geometrically complex laying patterns, for example herringbone patterns, even on large laying surfaces.

The term "decorative panel" is understood to mean in the sense of the present invention in particular a wall, ceiling, door or floor panel, which comprises a decoration applied to a carrier plate. Decorative panels are used in a variety of ways, both in the field of interior design of rooms and as decorative covering for buildings, for example for display construction. One of the most common fields of application of decorative panels is as floor covering. The decorative panels typically have a decoration, typically a natural material, intended to mimic a decorative formwork.

Examples of such simulated natural materials include wood species such as maple, oak, birch, cherry, ash, walnut, chestnut, black iron, or even exotic woods such as chicken wing wood (panga-panga), mahogany (mahogany), bamboo, and african redwood (bubinga). Furthermore, in many cases, natural materials such as stone surfaces or ceramic surfaces are replicated.

The carrier or core of the trim panel according to the invention may, for example, be a carrier based on natural material, plastic or wood-plastic composite (WPC). It is also possible to use a laminated structure made of several of the above-mentioned materials, such as plasterboard or wood-plastic laminated board.

For example, the carrier plate can be made of a thermoplastic, an elastomeric plastic or a thermoset plastic. According to the invention, boards made of minerals, such as natural and artificial stone boards, concrete boards, gypsum fibre boards, so-called WPC boards (made of a mixture of plastic and wood), and boards made of natural raw materials, such as cork and wood, can also be used as carriers. Plates made from biomass as a natural material, such as wheat straw, corn stover, bamboo, leaves, algae extracts, hemp, oil palm fibre, may also be used according to the invention. Furthermore, recycled materials made from the material may be used in the method according to the invention. Furthermore, the board may be designed based on natural material cellulose, such as paper or cardboard.

In the sense of the present invention, wood materials include, in addition to solid wood materials, materials such as cross-laminated wood, glued laminated wood, sandwich panels, veneered plywood, laminated veneered wood, parallel chip wood and curved plywood. Furthermore, wood materials in the sense of the present invention are also to be understood as meaning particle boards, such as pressboards, Oriented Strand Boards (OSB) and laminated chip wood, and also wood fiber materials, such as wood fiber insulation boards (HFD), medium and hard fiber boards (MB, HFH), in particular medium density fiber boards (MDF) and high density fiber boards (HDF). Even modern wood materials, such as wood polymer materials (wood plastic composites, WPC), sandwich panels made of lightweight core materials such as foam, rigid foam or honeycomb paper and a layer of wood applied thereto, and mineral hardening, for example with cement, particle boards are also wood materials in the sense of the present invention. Furthermore, cork represents a wood material in the sense of the present invention.

The term "fibrous material" in the sense of the present invention refers to materials based on vegetable, animal, mineral or even synthetic fibres, as well as cardboard, such as paper and non-woven fabrics. Examples of fibrous materials made of plant fibers, in addition to paper and nonwoven fabrics made of cellulose fibers, are boards made of biomass such as wheat straw, corn straw, bamboo, leaves, algae extract, hemp, cotton or oil palm fibers. Examples of animal fibre materials are keratin-based materials such as wool or horse hair. Examples of mineral fibre materials are mineral wool or glass wool.

Furthermore, the carrier may be a plastic-based carrier, i.e. it may comprise or consist of a plastic material. Examples of thermoplastics include polyvinyl chloride, polyolefins (e.g., Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP)), Polyamide (PA), Polyurethane (PU), Polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), Polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polyetheretherketone (PEEK), or mixtures or copolymers thereof. The plastic material may contain conventional fillers, such as talc, calcium carbonate (chalk), alumina, silica gel, quartz flour, wood flour, gypsum. They may also be coloured in a known manner. In particular, a carrier material comprising a flame retardant may be provided.

Thermoplastics in particular also have the advantage that the products made therefrom can be very easily recycled. Recycled materials from other sources may also be used. This provides the opportunity to further reduce manufacturing costs.

The support material or the material forming the support can be, for example, a matrix material and a solid material, wherein the matrix material is present in an amount of from ≥ 25% by weight to ≤ 55% by weight, in particular from ≥ 35% by weight to ≤ 45% by weight, based on the support material, and wherein the solid material is present in an amount of from ≥ 45% by weight to ≤ 75% by weight, in particular from ≥ 55% by weight to ≤ 65% by weight, based on the support material, and wherein the matrix material and the solid material are present together in an amount of from ≥ 95% by weight, in particular from ≥ 99% by weight, based on the support material, and wherein the solid material is formed as a solid material composition of at least 50% by weight, in particular at least 80% by weight, in particular at least 95% by weight, which consists at least of the first phyllosilicate powder and the second phyllosilicate powder, and the matrix material is formed as at least 50% by weight, in particular at least 80% by weight, in particular at least 95% by weight, based on the support material, a plastic composition consisting of a homopolymer and at least a first copolymer and a second copolymer.

In this context, phyllosilicate powder is understood to mean phyllosilicate powder in a manner known per se. Phyllosilicates are a known term for silicate minerals, the silicate anions of which are usually arranged in layers. By layered silicates are understood, for example, minerals from the mica group, the chlorite group, the kaolinite group and the serpentine group.

The solid material can thus advantageously be formed at least in major part by the mineral substance phyllosilicate, wherein this substance can be used, for example, in powder form or present in particulate form in a carrier material. In principle, the solid material may consist of a solid in powder form.

Layered silicates offer the advantage that they enable carriers with good mechanical properties to be produced and, at the same time, can be readily processed to the corresponding powders owing to their layered structure.

In the sense of the present invention, the term "decorative formwork" is understood to mean in particular that this original natural material or at least one of its surfaces is to be imitated or simulated by decoration. The application of the decoration can be performed, for example, by applying printed paper or unprinted or partially printed paper, followed by printing. Alternatively, as described below, the decoration may be printed directly on the substrate or on a suitable printed underlying layer.

To apply the decoration, a decorative under-layer may first be applied to at least a partial area of the substrate. For example, the primer, in particular for printing processes, can first serve as a decorative underlayer, for example with a thickness of ≧ 10 μm to ≦ 60 μm. In this case, a liquid radiation-curable mixture based on polyurethane or polyurethane acrylate, optionally with one or more of photoinitiators, reactive diluents, uv stabilizers, rheological agents, such as thickeners, free-radical scavengers, flow control agents, defoamers or preservatives, pigments and/or dyes, can be used as primer.

In addition to the use of a primer, the decoration can also be applied to a decorative paper which can be printed with the corresponding decoration and which can be provided by a resin layer as an adhesive applied to the carrier beforehand. Furthermore, a resin may be applied to the paper as a print underneath layer, which resin may comprise as a resin component at least one compound selected from the group consisting of melamine resins, formaldehyde resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, phenol-formaldehyde resins, epoxy resins, unsaturated polyester resins, diallyl phthalate or mixtures thereof. In the process according to the invention, the primer can be applied to the carrier sheet, preferably by means of a rubber roller, a casting machine or by spraying. Preferably, the primer is applied at an amount of ≥ 1g/m ² And is less than or equal to 100g/m ² Preferably at not less than 10g/m ² And is less than or equal to 50g/m ² In particular at > 20g/m ² And is less than or equal to 40g/m ² In the meantime. After the primer is applied to the substrate surface, radiation is applied with a radiation source of a suitable wavelength.

Alternatively or in addition to the primer, an adhesive base coat may also be applied directly to the support or to the primer, for example on top of the primer. For example, for optically particularly high quality decorative images, a white, tacky base coat may be applied, which may contain white pigments. For example, the adhesive primer layer may be applied in two layers. It may be particularly preferred that the adhesive base coat is radiation curable, for example uv curable. The first adhesive base coat may preferably be cured before applying the further adhesive base coat and/or before printing the decoration.

For example, the adhesive base coat can comprise polyurethane, for example designed as a polyurethane gloss lacquer, and for example provided with white pigments.

According to another embodiment, the decoration or decor layer may be applied by direct printing. The term "direct printing" in the sense of the present invention is understood to mean the application of the decoration directly onto the support of the panel or onto the layer of non-printed fibrous material on the support. In direct printing, the decoration is printed directly during the panel manufacturing process, in contrast to the conventional process of applying a pre-printed decor layer onto a carrier. Here, various printing techniques such as flexo printing, offset printing or screen printing may be used. Here, in particular, digital printing techniques can be used, such as inkjet processes or inkjet printing processes or laser printing processes. The above-described printing process is particularly well-established in the art and is advantageously particularly suitable for panel production, so as to be able to apply the same detailed decoration as the original. Direct printing in the sense of the present invention also means applying the decoration by printing techniques onto a printable layer previously applied to the substrate. The printable layer may be formed, for example, from a liquid applied and subsequently cured primer layer or a pre-applied printable film, paper or nonwoven layer.

In particular, a digital printing process may be suitable for the above method, since the three-dimensional decoration data is preferably provided in electronic or digital form. This applies, for example, to data stored in a database, as well as to data determined in the field by a three-dimensional scanner. In this way, the provided decoration data can be used directly, in particular by a digital printing process, without any further intermediate steps, which makes the process applicable with particularly little effort and at low cost, in particular in this embodiment. Furthermore, the use of digital printing processes makes it possible to perform each printing process individually, thereby making it possible to have a particularly wide range of applications and thus a dynamic adaptation to the desired product.

The decorative layer or decoration can be formed by, in particular, radiation-curable coatings and/or inks. For example, ultraviolet curable coatings or inks may be used.

On top of the decorative layer, an overlay layer and/or a wear protection layer may be provided to increase the resistance. In order to form a corresponding top layer, a composition comprising a hard material and curable by radiation, at 10g/m, may be provided in one embodiment ² To 250g/m ² Preferably 25g/m ² To 100g/m ² In between. In this case, the application may be performed by a roller such as a rubber roller, or by a casting apparatus.

In this case, it can be provided that, when the top coat composition is applied, the hard material is not present in the composition but is dispersed as particles on the applied top coat composition and subsequently cured in a radiation-induced manner.

In particular, structuring, in particular surface structuring matching the decor, can be introduced into the top layer via introduction apertures (also referred to as synchronization apertures). This can be achieved, for example, by so-called negative structuring, in that the top layer is provided with structures by pressing it into the top layer by means of an embossing device, for example an embossing die or an embossing roller. For this purpose, the top layer may first be partially cured, then the structure is provided, and then further final curing takes place.

When the top layer is formed with a coating, the structure can be further introduced by so-called positive structuring, wherein the structure is built up by applying a coating layer, in particular by selectively applying raised regions of the structure. This is usually achieved by means of a negative structured embossing device, which can apply the coating layer accordingly.

A mutually compatible geometry of the edges is understood in the sense of the present invention to mean that the geometry of the first edge is designed such that the second edge can abut the first edge in a form-fitting manner.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it may be provided that at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, in particular at least 75%, of the total edge length of the long edges of the panel are not parallel to the longitudinal axis.

By means of this edge design, it is possible to reproduce not only geometrically complex laying patterns within a single decorative panel, but also on different panels, so that the true reproduction of the laying pattern is no longer limited to the size of a single decorative panel, but can also be reproduced in a simple and user-friendly manner over a large laying area.

According to another embodiment of the invention it may be provided that the opposite short edges of the panel extend non-parallel to the transverse axis of the trim panel, at least in partial areas. Here, in particular, it can be provided that at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, in particular at least 75%, of the total edge length of the short edges of the panel does not extend parallel to the transverse axis of the trim panel. Such an embodiment makes it possible to reproduce geometrically complex laying patterns even in longitudinal extension on a plurality of panels.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the edge portions of the long edges are angled relative to one another in the range from ≥ 30 ° to ≤ 120 °. This makes it possible in particular to represent complex geometries, such as a herringbone or ear-shaped or spike-shaped pattern on the trim panel.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the edge portions of the short edges form an angle with each other in the range between ≧ 30 ° and ≦ 120 °. In particular, in an embodiment in which the first short edges of the trim panels have edge portions which enclose an angle with each other in the range ≥ 30 ° and ≤ 120 ° and the second short edges have edge portions which enclose an angle with each other in the range ≥ 30 ° and ≤ 120 °, the trim panels can advantageously be placed opposite each other in the longitudinal direction.

According to another embodiment of the invention, it may be provided that the respective opposite edges of a pair have mutually compatible geometries, wherein the opposite long edges of the panel are configured as curved or corrugated. Also in such embodiments, the edge extends non-parallel to the longitudinal axis, at least in a partial region. This allows for more complex paving patterns to be represented. Here, the long edges may have different radii.

It can also be provided that the radius varies along the longitudinal extension of the long edge, in particular that a repeating amplitude or radius pattern is obtained along the longitudinal extension of the long edge. Preferably, a symmetrically formed amplitude or radius pattern may be provided. This advantageously allows adjacent panels to be arranged offset from each other along their longitudinal direction, wherein a compatible radius of a first panel may be placed relative to a compatible radius of a second panel.

According to another embodiment of the invention it may be provided that the respective opposite edges have mutually compatible locking means for forming a locking interlock at least in the vertical direction. Examples of corresponding locking means are tongue-and-groove profiling or hook profiling. In this case, the locking means can be formed in one piece, in which case the locking elements that effect the interlocking are formed in one piece with the carrier, for example tongue-like profiles machined onto the carrier in the relevant edge region.

Alternatively, the locking element can also be present separately and activated or inserted only when two decorative panels lying opposite one another are connected. One example is to form groove profiles on opposite pairs of edges and to introduce a separate spring between the grooves as a locking element, which locks the panels to each other at least in the vertical direction. Another example of a possible separate locking element is a spring element inserted into a groove in the edge of the first trim panel, such as a spring loaded latch tab, which is first loaded when the two trim panels are joined along compatible edges and then released when the locked position is reached, thereby partially engaging in the locking groove of the second trim panel and thus achieving interlocking at least in the vertical direction.

For example, it is also possible for the edge of the trim panel according to the invention to comprise profiling and/or locking means which effect locking in the vertical direction and in the horizontal direction.

Furthermore, the invention provides a method of manufacturing a decorative panel according to the invention. The method comprises the step of dividing a large sheet of material having a multiple of the surface area of the trim panel by a cutting device freely movable in at least two axes.

A suitable cutting device can be, for example, a source of electromagnetic radiation, such as a laser, a jet of compressed air or a water jet. Here, in particular, laser light is preferable.

In the case of a source of electromagnetic radiation as the cutting device, it may be provided that the profiling means comprises a deflection device, such as a mirror, a prism or a magnet. The apparatus also allows the cutting device to move freely in at least two axes.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the step of profiling at least one pair of opposite edges, wherein profiling is performed by a profiling tool freely movable in at least three axes. Here, the profiling tool may be, for example, a source of electromagnetic radiation, such as a laser, a jet of compressed air or a jet of water. Here, laser light is particularly preferable.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, a large sheet material printed with a decor and provided with a top layer and having several times the decor panel surface is initially cut into individual decor panels in a first process step by means of a cutting device guided along 2 axes, in particular by means of a laser guided along 2 axes, each comprising a pair of opposite short and long edges after separation, wherein the respective opposite edges of the pair have mutually compatible geometries, characterized in that at least the opposite long edges of the panel extend at least in a part which is not parallel to the longitudinal axis, and are subsequently formed along at least the long edges by means of a cutting device guided on two axes, in particular by means of a laser in which a locking device is formed.

In particular, it is provided here that the structural arrangement is also formed during the forming of the locking device. In the sense of the present invention, structural means are understood to be, for example, a chamfer at the decorative side edge of the edge in order to form a V-shaped joint.

Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail below with reference to the following drawings.

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a decorative panel according to the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention in which 3 decorative panels are joined together to form a cover surface in a direction in which their transverse axes extend to the cover surface; and

fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention in which 7 decorative panels are joined together to form a covering surface in the direction of extension of their transverse axis and in the direction of extension of their longitudinal axis.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a trim panel 100 according to the invention. The trim panel 100 comprises pairs of opposite short edges 130, 140 and long edges 110, 120, respectively, wherein the pairs of opposite edges 110, 120, 130, 140, respectively, have mutually compatible geometries. Here, mutually compatible geometries of the edges are to be understood in the sense of the present invention to mean that the geometry of the first edge (110, 130) is designed such that the second edge 120, 140 can be placed against the first edge 110, 130 in a form-fitting manner. Here, according to the invention, at least the opposite long edges 110, 120 of the panel 100 extend at least partially non-parallel to the longitudinal axis 150. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention > 90% of the total edge length of the long edges 119, 120 of the panel do not extend parallel to the longitudinal axis 150. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, > 90% of the total edge length of the short edges 130, 140 of the panel extend non-parallel to the lateral axis 160. The long edges 110, 120 have edge sections 111, 112, 121, 122, the edge sections 111, 112, 121, 122 enclosing an angle of ≧ 30 ° to ≦ 120 °, here approximately 90 °. The short edge 140 comprises edge portions 141, 142 which enclose an angle with respect to each other in the range ≧ 30 ° to ≦ 120 °, here about 90 °. The opposite short edge 130 comprises edge portions 131, 132, which edge portions 131, 132 enclose an angle with each other in the range ≥ 30 ° to ≤ 120 °, here approximately 90 °. The pairs of respective opposite edges 110, 120, 130, 140 preferably have mutually compatible interlocking means (not shown here) for forming an interlocking which locks at least in the vertical direction. This allows two trim panels according to the invention to be joined together in a simple manner to form a substantially integral covering surface. Here, the long edges 110, 120 of the first decorative panel are joined in a staggered manner in the long edges of the second decorative panel, so that for example an edge section 111 of the first decorative panel is connected to an edge section 122 of the second decorative panel. Here, the locking means may be integrally formed with the core of the trim panel, or may be formed as a separate locking element or as a locking element which may be separate from the trim panel. The locking means in its simplest form may be a groove at an edge portion of the first long edge 110 and a tongue at an edge portion of the second long edge 120, such that when two trim panels are joined together along their respective long edges 119, 120, the tongue of the second edge engages in the groove of the first edge. Alternatively, it is possible to provide the long edges 110, 120 with a groove as locking means, into which a separate tongue is inserted as locking element, the two panels being connected to each other by means of the groove. It may also be provided that the locking means at the long edges 110, 120 or at the edge portions 111, 112, 121, 122 comprise locking means which, in addition to a locking acting in the horizontal direction, also effect a locking acting in the vertical direction. For this purpose, provision can be made for the locking device to be formed in the shape of a hook and to have a locking element, for example a resilient latching tab. Here, the resilient latch tab may be an integral part of the trim panel, or may be provided as a separate element. Likewise, at the short edges 130, 140 at the edge sections 131, 132, 141, 142, compatible locking means can be provided, by means of which the decorative panels can also be connected to each other along the longitudinal axis. Here, these locking means may be designed in a comparable manner to the locking means provided at the long edges 110, 120 or edge portions 111, 112, 121, 122.

Fig. 2 shows a plurality of decorative panels 201, 202, 203, which decorative panels 201, 202, 203 can be joined along their respective long edges to form a larger covering surface. In this case, the decorative panels are moved in the connecting direction 205 and joined together along the connecting lines 204, 206 by means of corresponding locking means.

Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of an arrangement of a plurality of decorative panels 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307 according to the invention, wherein the decorative panels are arranged offset from one another in the direction of extension of their longitudinal axes and are connected in this direction by connecting lines 308, 311, 312 and 313, while the connection is effected along connecting lines 309 and 310 in the direction of extension of the transverse axes. In this way, even large covering surfaces can be covered in a simple manner with complex laying geometries.

Claims (15)

1. The trim panel (100) comprises a respective pair of opposite short edges (130, 140) and long edges (110, 120), wherein the respective pair of opposite edges (110, 120, 130, 140) have mutually compatible geometries, characterized in that at least the opposite long edges (110, 120) of the panel (100) extend at least partially non-parallel to the longitudinal axis (150).

2. The trim panel (100) according to claim 1, wherein at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, in particular at least 75%, of the total edge length of the long edges (110, 120) of the panel do not extend parallel to the longitudinal axis (150).

3. The trim panel (100) of any preceding claim, wherein the relatively short edges (130, 140) of the panel (100) extend at least partially non-parallel to the lateral axis (160).

4. The trim panel (100) according to claim 3, wherein at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, in particular at least 75%, of the total edge length of the relatively short edges (130, 140) of the panel do not extend parallel to the transverse axis (160).

5. The trim panel (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the long edge (110, 120) has edge portions (111, 112, 121, 122), the edge portions (111, 112, 121, 122) enclosing an angle with each other in the range of ≥ 30 ° to ≤ 120 °.

6. The trim panel (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the short edge (140) comprises edge portions (141, 142), the edge portions (141, 142) enclosing an angle with each other in the range of ≥ 30 ° to ≤ 120 °.

7. The trim panel (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the short edge (130) comprises edge portions (131, 132), the edge portions (131, 132) enclosing an angle with each other in the range of ≥ 30 ° to ≤ 120 °.

8. The trim panel (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pair of respective opposite edges (110, 120, 130, 140) has mutually compatible locking means (170, 180), the locking means (170, 180) being intended to form a locking means which is locked at least in the vertical direction.

9. The trim panel (100) of claim 8, wherein the locking arrangement (170, 180) is integrally formed.

10. The trim panel (100) of claim 8, wherein the locking arrangement (170, 180) comprises a locking element (171) separable from the trim panel.

11. The trim panel (100) of claim 8, wherein the locking element (171) is formed by a resilient latch tab (172).

12. Method of manufacturing a trim panel (100) according to any of the claims 1 to 11, comprising the step of dividing a large sheet (300) comprising several times the surface area of the trim panel (100) by cutting means, which cutting means are freely movable in at least two axes.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the cutting device (500) cuts by electromagnetic radiation, preferably by laser.

14. Method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the method comprises a step of profiling at least one pair of opposite edges (110, 120, 130, 140), wherein the profiling is performed by a profiling tool (600) which is freely movable in at least three axes.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the profiling tool is a laser.

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