EP0767033A1

EP0767033A1 - Method for forming framed panels clad with sheets of thermodeformable material and panel obtained by the method

Info

Publication number: EP0767033A1
Application number: EP96115671A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mario Losego
Original assignee: 3B SpA
Current assignee: 3B SpA
Priority date: 1995-10-03
Filing date: 1996-09-30
Publication date: 1997-04-09
Also published as: ITVE950038A0; ITVE950038A1; IT1282165B1

Abstract

A method for forming framed panels clad with sheets of thermodeformable material, particularly PVC, reproducing the colour and graining of wood, characterised by:

machining by pantograph or other machines a surface of a substrate (1) of chipboard, MDF or the like, to display therein two side stiles (4);
cladding the substrate with a sheet of thermodeformable material having decorations reproducing the colour and graining of wood;
separately constructing two shaped pieces (5) of length and thickness suitable for forming the crosspieces of the panel to be preparared;
cladding said shaped pieces (5) with a sheet of thermodeformable material having graining parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaped pieces;
fixing the shaped pieces to the clad substrate.

Description

This invention relates to a method for forming framed panels clad with sheets of thermodeformable material, and a panel obtained by the method.
Methods are known for forming framed wooden panels. These comprise preparing a perimetral wooden frame of solid wood formed from four boards which are then assembled, together with a suitably machined central wooden face. The product obtained is then coated.
This method, which enables high quality panels of pleasing decorative effect to be obtained has however the drawback of high cost, both because of the cost of the material and because of the working costs (assembly of the boards, coating, etc.).
To obviate these drawbacks it has been proposed to produce such panels from a base support of chipboard or MDF which is subjected on one surface to machining by a pantograph or other machine to form both the panel frame and possible recesses reproducing a desired pattern.
A layer of heat-softening adhesive is then spread on said surface, on which there is then applied a sheet of PVC or other thermodeformable material reproducing the colour and graining of wood, and is secured to the panel by traditional methods.
This known method has however the drawback of providing a resultant appearance which does not resemble that of natural wood because the grains on the sheet of cladding material all extend in the same direction, even at the crosspieces, with a consequent unpleasant outer appearance.
An object of the invention is to provide a method for forming panels clad with a thermodeformable material sheet which do not display their artificial nature.
All these objects are attained according to the invention through a method for forming framed panels clad with sheets of thermodeformable material as described in claim 1.
The invention also foresees the use of a panel as described in claim 4.
A further object of the invention is to obtain a panel of low cost.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is further described hereinafter by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawing, on which:

Figure 1: is a perspective view of a panel on termination of the pantograph machining stage;
Figure 2: shows the shaped piece; and
Figure 3: shows the panel obtained after assembly.

As can be seen from the figures the method of the invention comprises a first stage in which a chipboard, MDF or similar substrate 1 is machined by a pantograph machine to form thereon recesses and/or ribs 2 in accordance with the transverse edges and having a depth equal to the thickness of the longitudinal stiles 4 of the finished panel.
A layer of heat-softening adhesive is spread over said substrate surfaces, on which there is then applied a sheet of thermodeformable material, in particular PVC, decorated with a pattem reproducing the colour and graining of wood.
Two crosspieces 5 of thickness equal to the thickness of the stiles 4 and of length substantially equal to the distance between the inner longitudinal edges of the panel stiles 4 are then prepared separately.
A layer of heat-softening adhesive is spread over said crosspieces 5, to which there is then applied a sheet of thermodeformable material having wood grains orientated in a direction parallel to the crosspiece axis. The crosspieces 5 are then glued to the previously prepared substrate.
Two cover strips 6 are then applied to the minor edges of the panel obtained in this manner to hide the interruption line between the crosspiece and the substrate.
From the aforegoing it is apparent that the method for forming framed panels according to the invention has numerous advantages, and in particular:

it enables a panel of pleasing external appearance to be formed in that the orientation of its graining is substantially that of framed panels of solid wood;
it is of low machining cost;
it enables sharp corners to be obtained between the longitudinal stiles and the crosspieces without requiring further machining;
it results in highly resistant panels which do not require any type of maintenance.

Claims

A method for forming framed panels clad with sheets of thermodeformable material, particularly PVC, reproducing the colour and graining of wood, characterised by:
- machining by pantograph or other machines a surface of a substrate (1) of chipboard, MDF or the like, to display therein two side stiles (4);

- cladding the substrate with a sheet of thermodeformable material having decorations reproducing the colour and graining of wood;

- separately constructing two shaped pieces (5) of length and thickness suitable for forming the crosspieces of the panel to be preparared;

- cladding said shaped pieces (5) with a sheet of thermodeformable material having graining parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaped pieces;

- fixing the shaped pieces to the clad substrate.
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised by machining the surface of the chipboard substrate interposed between the two stiles to display recesses therein corresponding to personalized designs.
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised by forming ribs and/or grooves on the shaped pieces.
A panel obtained by the method claimed in claims 1 to 3, characterised by consisting of a substrate (1) of chipboard, MDF or the like machined on its surface to display two longitudinal side stiles (4) and clad with a sheet of thermodeformable material, particularly PVC, reproducing the colour and graining of wood, two shaped end pieces (5) forming the crosspieces of the panel being applied to said substrate, said shaped pieces being clad with a sheet of thermodeformable material having graining orientated parallel to the axis of the shaped pieces.
A panel as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the surface defined between the shaped pieces and stiles comprises ribs and/or grooves.