CN1215369A - Method for producing laminated articles - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject invention provides a method for producing a laminated article and the laminating article resulting from such method which comprises contacting a rigid substrate with a plastic material in a liquid or semi-liquid state, the plastic material being held in place by a gasket or spacer and in contact with a flexible film and maintaining contact between the substrate and plastic material under conditions so that the plastic material hardens and adheres to the substrate to form the article. The invention also concerns a plastic edge piece which may be cast and attached to the exposed edges of the laminated article and which has the same appearance as the plastic laminate.

Description

The manufacture method of laminate

Background of invention

The application is the U.S. Patent application No.08/206 that submitted on March 4th, 1994,810 (authorize now, be U.S. Patent No. 5,504,126) the U.S. Patent application No.08/219 that continuation application and on March 29th, 1994 submit, the part continuation application of 335 (abandoning) because on November 30th, 1994 was submitted U.S. Patent application 08/347,278.And the U.S. Patent application No.08/206 that submits, 810 is the U.S. Patent application No.07/882 that submitted on May 15th, 1992,839 (authorize now, are U.S. Patent No. 5,304,592), the U.S. Patent application No.08/51 that submitted on April 22nd, 1993,627 (authorize now, are U.S. Patent No. 5,476,89) and the U.S. Patent application No.08/35 that submitted on March 23rd, 1993,720 part continuation application.U.S. Patent application No.07/882,839 and U.S. Patent application No.08/51,627 all is again the U.S. Patent application No.07/788 that submitted on November 7th, 1991, the part continuation application of 982 (abandoning now).The content of above mentioned all applications is all incorporated the application's disclosure here by reference into.

Present invention relates in general to can be used for the preparation method of laminate, sheet material or the product of dividing plate, shelf, sales counter panel and bathroom vanity, it is more more economical and save the labour than existing method.The inventive method can make the consumer buy standard-sized laminate, sheet material or product, can be according to the shape of consumer individual's demand customization layer rolled-up stock, and can under the help that does not need the professional, product processing be connected to obtain perfect outward appearance.One aspect of the present invention provides the manufacture method of the product that contains substrate and thermoplastic coatings.This thermoplastic coatings can be to be laminated to hard substrate arbitrarily but to be preferably the cellulose products for example thermoplasticity or the thermosets of the in-situ polymerization on timber or the particieboard.Obtain the outward appearance of natural crystal if desired, the present invention can adopt disclosed composition with natural crystal outward appearance in the early stage patent application of the applicant.

Another aspect of the present invention provides the plasticity edge product that can be connected with the wooden edge that exposes after the consumer cuts coating objects of the present invention.This plasticity edge product usually by be laminated to suprabasil plastic material identical materials and make.The consumer with other liquid plastic material with the seam application between edge product and the adjacent coated panel.After the curing, will spread the place polishing of plastic material to obtain smooth outward appearance.

The present invention also provides the substrate of the coating that surface flatness and outward appearance can control arbitrarily and the manufacture method of laminate.The present invention is specially adapted to be manufactured on the laminate of the superficial layer with natural crystal outward appearance that has high thermoplasticity of filling or thermosetting resin on the hard substrate.

The present invention sees also have several advantages from the angle of economy.At first, what it adopted is existing instrument and equipment, just lamination or compacting assembly.The second, the manufacturing of product is to carry out according to customization and the required minimum labour's of polishing product mode.The 3rd, laminate is to make under the situation that does not need solvent, thereby environment is not polluted, and has removed expensive solvent recovery technology from.

Brief description of drawings

Fig. 1 is one 4 ' * 8 ' * 5/8 as the laminate substrate " (4 feet * 8 feet * 5/8 inch) particieboard; on it with 1/2 " * 0.07 " (1/2 inch * 0.07 inch) stripe board constitutes a lining frame (2), this lining frame preferably is fixed on the particieboard with spool following closely (3).Passage (4) allows excessive casting resin to flow out this mould.

Fig. 2 is an explanation forming method of the present invention, and wherein, plastic sheeting (6) spreads on the shim liner or compressing tablet (5) of moulding press.Flowable casting or coating resin (7) are on film (6) and make it level and smooth with scraper as required.The matrix (8) that has lining frame (9) places downwards on the resin (7) of expansion.Whole sub-assembly is suppressed between compressing tablet (5).Then sub-assembly is heated with cured resin, make resin and substrate bonding.

Fig. 3 be explanation of the present invention on two first type surfaces of matrix methods of casting resin all.Except that film (6), resin (7) and lining frame (9) are bonded on the matrix (8), second lining frame (10) places on another first type surface of matrix (8) to hold another casting resin (11), sprawled plastic sheeting (12) above the resin, film contacts with the shim liner or the compressing tablet (5) of moulding press.

Fig. 4 is the laminate (1) that contains substrate (16), and there is face coat (17) on its two relative surfaces, and edge links the edge product (18) that has by the composition institute pre-cast identical with coating by wooden peg (19).

Fig. 5,6 and 7 links the sectional view of the edge product of consumer's different shape that make or that manufacturer is prefabricated before with matrix.

Summary of the invention

The invention provides the manufacture method of the prefabricated laminate with expection appearance, comprise matrix is contacted with the curable plastic material of liquid state or semi liquid state, said plastic material is comprised in lining frame or the backing plate and with the film of flexibility and contacts; Plastic material is solidified and with the condition of bond matrix under keep this contact the between matrix, plastic material and the fexible film; Obtain having the laminate of fexible film appearance.The present invention also relates to have the laminate of smooth mineral surface outward appearance.

The invention still further relates to the plasticity edge product that can cast separately and can be connected with the exposed edge of laminate, this plasticity edge product has the outward appearance identical with the ductile bed rolled-up stock.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention relates to make a kind of compression moulding method of laminate, comprise the layer structure that forms fexible film, places polymerizable coating resin or the similar flowable coating and the matrix of compressible lining mount structure, the consumption of casting resin is enough to the complete filling lining die cavity that frame, matrix and film constituted; This layer structure is exerted pressure and subsequently coating resin or coating is cured, to obtain having matrix and the casting resin of curing or the laminate of coating of fexible film appearance.If expectation and when need in the mold process to prevent the matrix warpage, on another surface of matrix also with lining frame limit to cast another liquid coating resin or coating.Resin on this coating resin and first matrix face can be identical or different material.If necessary, between the compressing tablet of liquid coating and moulding press, insert another film.

In case liquid-state casting resin or coating, lining frame and matrix are applied in after the pressure, cause further polymerisation so that coating is realized polymerization completely by heating coating usually on moulding press.The laminate of gained is taken out from moulding press together with film, film can be retained in the laminate so that it is shielded, and prevents the surface scraping and forms the cutter trace.Film removed then in laminate, form the coating of having duplicated the film surface feature.People do not need to pay the laminate that other work just can obtain to have desired surface characteristics by this method.

The present invention also comprises according to containing in the prepared laminate of method of the present invention, particularly its coating above the immiscible granular filler of coating weight 30% (weight) and the laminate with smooth ore outward appearance.

The coating that the present invention adopts can be the liquid thermoplastic or the thermosetting resin of pre-polymerization.Thermoplastic resin pre-polymerization or partially polymerized that is suitable for comprises acrylic resin, polymethyl methacrylate for example, carry out the product of copolymerization gained and acrylic polyester with the copolymer of methyl methacrylate such as it and alkyl acrylate, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, styrene.But coating or casting resin that the present invention adopts are preferably thermosetting polymer, for example unsaturated polyester (UP), epoxy resin, polyurethane resin, crosslinkable acrylic resin and crosslinkable styrene resin.The resin of pre-polymerization uses with the form of its liquid, and low-molecular-weight or this resin that its essential reason that is in a liquid state is a resin are dissolved in the monomer.In thermosetting resin, preferred resin be by aromatic dicarboxilic acid or acid anhydrides for example M-phthalic acid and one or more glycol for example propane diols, neopentyl glycol, ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol (DEG) unsaturated dibasic acid or acid anhydrides for example maleic anhydride in the presence of condensation product and the unsaturated polyester resin of deriving.The unsaturated polyester (UP) of pre-polymerization is dissolved in vinyl monomer for example in the styrene, to form liquid coating composition subsequently.Can be well known to those skilled in the art by the liquid unsaturated polyester (UP) that further polymerization solidify to form firm solid-state coating, wherein any all can be used as coating material of the present invention.The resin that comprises all fillers at room temperature should have enough flowabilities, filling the die cavity that is made of lining frame, matrix and film on the moulding press, and when resin demand is excessive, can flow out from mould by the passage that serves as a contrast on the frame.The range of viscosities that is applicable to the coating composition of the inventive method is 500 to 40,000 centipoises.

As previously mentioned, casting resin of the present invention or coating composition are preferably the filled-type resin combination that makes coating have inorganic mineral surface outward appearance.The filler of giving coating surface ore outward appearance that is adopted in the coating composition is well known to those skilled in the art, patent U.S. Patent No. 5 the applicant, 304,592, the U.S. Patent No. 5,034 of Nogi etc., 377 and the U.S. Patent No. 4 of Busor etc., 085,246 and No.4,159, narration is arranged in 301, and these patents are all incorporated disclosure of the present invention here by reference into.The particularly preferred filler that can form surface of granite is the thermoplasticity that contains even dispersion inorganic particle or the thermosetting resin compound of preparation separately.This compound is ground to required granular size so that be added in the coating composition by pulverizing subsequently.As these lists of references are disclosed, also can be used to form filler with the resin of coating that is adopted or casting resin same kind.Preferred filler comprises and contains Powdered inorganic material such as talcum, silica, gypsum, powder glass, clay, silicate, particularly aluminium oxide, comprises the thermosetting polyester of aluminium hydroxide and/or the particulate of acrylic resin.The content range of filler in whole coating composition is 2 to 70% (weight), is preferably 30 to 50% (weight) that account for whole coating composition.

Casting resin or coating composition also contain a kind of catalyst that causes or quicken further polymerization usually, for example peroxide or similarly radical initiator.Further, coating composition also can contain pigment, ultra-violet stabilizer, antioxidant, coupling agent and releasing agent.

The fexible film that adopts between the compressing tablet of molding press and casting resin or coating composition is given resulting laminate with its surface characteristics.Generally speaking, people do not need to wish further just to cover with paint, lacquer, colour wash, etc. to make the laminate with smooth surface.This last modification is finished by the plastic sheeting that adopts a flexibility; this film is not bonding or just bonding slightly with laminate, and it can easily be peelled off from laminate but still have bonding fully as a protective layer and laminate before using laminate like this.The plastic sheeting that is used for the inventive method comprises polyolefin film, polyvinylidene chloride film, and the polyester film of preferred commodity " Mylar " by name.

The lining frame material can be any solid material that comprises metal, plastics or timber.But the preferred liner frame material can be compressed to required thickness by exerting pressure controlledly in mold process.Have now found that the material that has more than or equal to 10% compression ratio is fit in mold process.A kind of particularly preferred material is a cardboard because it is convenient to be cut into the lining frame, even and its compressibility limited, also can be compressed to required thickness.It also can bear the arbitrary temperature in the mold process.By resin and the made complex of cellulose fibre, hard rubber, elastic polyolefin and flexible polyurethane foam also can be used for serving as a contrast frame material as many.

The matrix of coating composition can be the semi-rigid arbitrarily or rigid material that has with the bonding surface of coating or casting resin composition.The inventive method generally adopts the cellulose type material, for example firm plank, glued board, cork wood plate, particieboard and the relevant complex that contains cellulose fibre.Other matrix or the central layer that is used for laminate of the present invention comprises high density polyurethane foam, has enhancing cardboard, glass fibre or carbon fiber reinforced sheet material and the similar structural material of honeycomb.When the stiffness of matrix is not enough to the coating of carrying the present invention preparation under the situation that warpage does not take place, can be coated with identical or different coating on another facing surfaces of matrix, the method for coating as shown in Figure 3 can be identical with the coating process of first coating.

The size of used sheet material only is subjected to the restriction of the size of used molding device, except 4 inches * 8 inches sheet material of by the agency of, also comprises being of a size of less than 1 inch to 12 inches or bigger sheet material.

The inventive method can implemented on the commercial plasticator arbitrarily, preferred a kind ofly can the temperature of coating be raise to carry out quick-setting plasticator heating tablet forming.In general, the temperature of coating composition is heated in 70 to 300 the scope.Selected pressure can change, but general pressure is no more than 100 pounds/square inch.The time that technology continues should be enough to make all the polymerisable components polymerization fully basically in coating or the casting resin.

Except on another first type surface of matrix, spreading another coating, also the sheet material of the compound that can contain partly solidified resin and fibrous material by another facing surfaces and another piece with matrix carries out lamination, the curing by resin in mold process and be enhanced in mold process with the bonding stiffness of matrix or central layer that makes of matrix.

In some cases, particularly when laminate of the present invention is used as the sales counter panel, may on laminate, form an edge coating.The method that the formation at this edge can be adopted spraying and brush, or use identical composition used when making laminate to be coated with the edge of plate, maybe can adopt as shown in Figure 4 with wooden peg or similarly the prefabricated frame that is connected of the edge of device and laminate or the stripe board of projection constitute this edge.If necessary, all the visual seams between the stripe board of laminate and edge or projection can make seam buried by spreading once more.In order to keep the homogeneity of outward appearance and performance, the edge sheet material should adopt with the used identical composition casting of laminate surface and form.

The present invention obtains further instruction by following specific embodiments, but these embodiments should not regarded any type of restriction to the present invention as.

But it is enough big so that can hold the commercial polyester film of drawout 2 mil thick on the heating tablet forming of commercial moulding press of 4 feet * 8 feet sheet plates one.With viscosity under the room temperature is that the flowable casting resin of 20,000 centipoises (measuring on R.V.F.100 Brookfield viscosimeter, is the Springdale#6 rotation ingot that per minute 100 changes with rotating speed) evenly launches with scraper, and its thickness is a bit larger tham 1/16 inch.This granular flowable casting resin is the unsaturated polyester ester composition of a kind of commodity " Granicoat " by name.This unsaturated polyester (UP) contains a kind of resin extender of giving the polymerization of coating composition granite outward appearance.The preparation of this filler can referring to common unsettled, in the patent application SN 08/051,627 that on April 22nd, 1993 submitted, its disclosure is incorporated this paper into by reference at this.

As shown in Figure 1, nail on width at the edge of one 4 feet * 8 feet * 5/8 inch particieboard upper edge plate and be 1/2 inch, thickness and be 0.07 inch strip paper board, to form a lining frame that holds casting resin.Stay passage so that unnecessary casting resin flows out mould in the corner of lining frame.The surface that particieboard is lived by frame contacts with the resin of expansion, as shown in Figure 2.

Sub-assembly is approximately under 100 pounds/square inch at pressure handles, the temperature of the compressing tablet that will contact with resin is heated to 200 °F, keeps 5 minutes time so that completion of cure and make coating and particieboard bonding.

It is that 1/16 inch smooth is the coating on surface with material as the granite that the laminate of gained contains thickness with the particieboard secure bond, and the surface of coating is bonded with polyester film.This film is mechanical stripping at any time, but preferably remains with the protective layer as the surface, is finally used until laminate.

The uncoated edge of particieboard can be cut or spray or brush to obtain a perfect product with casting resin.Preferred uncoated fringe region is cut and is used with the cast edge product of formed band wooden peg of the used identical compound of laminate surface to replace (see figure 4).

Claims (13)

1, the manufacture method of laminate comprises forming a laminated compenent that comprises rigid matrix, the flowable compositions of thermosetting resin of polymerizable and fexible film that said resin contains immiscible solid packing and places the lining cavity that frame limited; It is the moulding press that is enough to obtain required resin layer thickness that said laminated compenent is placed pressure; Under polymerizing condition, said laminate remained in the said moulding press and carry out fully until polymerization; Obtain containing the laminate of rigid matrix, compositions of thermosetting resin and fexible film with recovery.

2, the process of claim 1 wherein that the flowable compositions of thermosetting resin of polymerizable is a kind of unsaturated polyester resin of filling.

3, the process of claim 1 wherein that matrix comprises timber products.

4, the method for claim 2, wherein mylar contains the surface that makes that accounts for composition total weight 30% to 70% and has the filler of ore outward appearance.

5, the process of claim 1 wherein that fexible film is a polyester film.

6, the process of claim 1 wherein that the flowable thermosetting resin of polymerizable, lining frame are used on two relative surfaces of rigid matrix with fexible film.

7, the method for claim 3, wherein timber products is a particieboard.

8, the process of claim 1 wherein that the lining frame is compressible under molding pressure.

9, a kind of laminate; contain thermosetting plastic composition particieboard that is coated with and the diaphragm that is used to protect this coating that its at least one first type surface is contained the filling of the filler that makes coating surface have the ore outward appearance, said composition has been embossed on the said particieboard.

10, the laminate of claim 9, wherein plastic composition is that further polymerization by unsaturated polyester resin obtains.

11, the laminate of claim 9, wherein at least one edge of particieboard is connected with the edge product of the pre-cast of the plastic composition with identical filling.

12, the laminate of claim 10, wherein diaphragm is a polyester film.

13, the preparation method of sales counter panel product, comprise and form the laminated compenent that comprises rigid fiber cellulose fiber plate, at least one first type surface of fiberboard contacts with the polymerisable unsaturated polyester resin of liquid state, said resin contains the thermosetting resin filler that the ore outward appearance is provided that accounts for composition total weight 30% to 70%, said resin be limited at cardboard lining frame and fexible film in the fixed zone; It is the molding press that is enough to make the resin filling lining cavity that frame constituted and obtains required resin layer thickness that said laminated compenent is placed pressure; Resin bed is heated to 70 to 300 °F; Recovery obtains comprising said fiberboard, the thermosetting polyester coating of polymerization fully and the laminate of fexible film.

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