EP0178741A2

EP0178741A2 - Method for manufacturing sheet material suitable for the furniture industry and similar

Info

Publication number: EP0178741A2
Application number: EP85201687A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Piet Smekens
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-10-19
Filing date: 1985-10-15
Publication date: 1986-04-23
Also published as: EP0178741A3; BE900859A

Abstract

There is described a method for manufacturing a sheet material suitable for the furniture industry and similar industries, which comprises providing on a carrier (1), such as a fiber sheet, multiply sheet or similar, a layer synthetic resin (2), forming in said synthetic resin layer, a relief pattern (3), and polishing said layer (2) after hardening thereof.

Description

This invention relates to a method for manufacturing sheet material suitable for the furniture industry and similar industries.
Sheet material suitable for working into furniture or to be used generally for decoration purposes, and comprised of a carrier coated with synthetic resins, notably polyester, is known. The resin layer which is polished, has a gloss very suitable therefor, but which has however the drawback that scratches and similar are extremely visible, in such a way that such a material is very sensitive and is not easily accepted by the buyers.
The invention has now for object to provide a method whereby such sheet material does not have said drawbacks or at least in a much lower magnitude, in such a way that the product obtained with said method finds outstanding applications in the furniture industry and parent industries.
The invention also relates to the sheet material obtained according to said method.
To obtain said objects according to the invention, there is provided on a carrier such as a fibre sheet, a multiplex sheet or similar, a layer synthetic resin, and said synthetic resin layer receives a relief pattern, and said layer is polished after hardening thereof.
In a possible embodiment, said relief pattern is engraved.
In another embodiment, said relief pattern is obtained by casting synthetic resin on an engraved sheet.
In a remarkable embodiment, said relief pattern is made in the shape of approximately parallel straight or curved lines.
Other details and advantages of the invention will stand out from the following description, given by way of non limitative example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective showing of the sheet material made according to the method.
Figure 2 is a cross-section along line II-II in figure 1, on a larger scale.

The sheet material the above figures pertain to, is obtained by joining to a carrier 1, a synthetic material such as a synthetic resin, for example but not exclusively polyester. The carrier may be any material whatsoever, notably a fibre sheet, a multiply sheet or any agglomerate suitable therefor. The synthetic resin thickness is arbitrary. Whether motives are worked in the synthetic resin layer, does not play any part thereby. Up to now, the outer side of the synthetic resin layer is polished in a known way, whereby a high gloss is obtained. Such sheet material may thus be used in most varied applications, notably for making small tables. Frames may also be made from said material.
As already stated hereinbefore, such a material has the drawback that scratches or marks are very clearly seen thereon. Such material is thus extremely sensitive and this is also the reason why many buyers do not always accept such a material.
Sheet material which is treated by the method according to the invention does not have said drawbacks or at least with a much lower magnitude.
Indeed in the resin layer 2 before hardening thereof, a number of grooves 3 are engraved which show an arbitrary pattern. Such patterns may for example be approximately parallel lines. The engraving of said lines may occur by means of a machine or by hand. Instead of machine- or hand- engraving, the required relief pattern may be obtained by casting the synthetic resin on a sheet or mould component which shows the negative pattern. The pattern is generally a fancy pattern, but a regular pattern may also be considered. The engraving occurs as the resin layer is not yet completely hardened. After machine-engraving, the pattern may still be further touched-up as required by hand.
The synthetic resin layer 2, which is generally treated locally or possibly over the whole surface area thereof, is then polished, whereby the material between two grooves 3 is more or less flattened. A high gloss then appears in those locations which have not been engraved, so that the sheet material still retains the features of a polished sheet, while the engraved portions of said sheet due to the structure thereof, let show less easily scratches and similar possible damages.
That portion of the sheet material which is treated, is arbitrary and is dependent on the contemplated purpose or the appearance it is desired to impart to the final product.
When polishing, it is not absolutely necessary to form a smooth surface. The polishing may also occur more or less superficially, in such a way that no structure with a high gloss is formed, but rather a material with a smooth supporting surface, so that said material may be worked into tables, for example.
It is clear that the invention is in no way limited to the above embodiments and that many changes may be brought therein, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
For instance, it is clear that in the ungraved areas, inlays or other ornamental motives may be present, and that the wording "engraving" is to be construed with a wide meaning. As stressed, the required relief pattern may be produced by any technique suitably known to the man of the art.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing a sheet material suitable for the furniture industry and similar industries, which comprises providing on a carrier (1), such as a fibre sheet, multiply sheet or similar, a layer synthetic resin (2), forming in said synthetic resin layer, a relief pattern (3), and polishing said layer (2) after hardening thereof.

2. Method as defined in claim 1, which further comprises engraving said relief pattern (3).

3. Method as defined in claim 1, which further comprises obtaining said relief pattern (3) by casting said synthetic resin layer (2) on an engraved sheet.

4. Method as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3, which further comprises providing said relief pattern (3) in the shape of substantially parallel straight or curved lines.

5. Sheet material, obtained by working the method as defined in any one of claims 1 to 4.