EP0774280B1 - Method of manufacturing of a semifinished decoration element for snowboards - Google Patents

Abstract

The technique consists in first choosing a layer of pre-decorated plastics material (40). This layer is put on one of the ski surfaces (40a,40b) after cutting a window (41) in the layer. A piece of transparent or translucent material is placed on the side of the internal face (40b) of the layer, to entirely cover the window space. This transparent piece is fixed to the layer by cold plating, gluing or welding. The contour of the transparent piece slightly overlaps the window contour thus defining, when covered, a small width contact and sealing edge (81).

Description

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semi-finished element decoration intended to constitute the top or the protective shell of a gliding board as well as a semi-finished decorative element as such. She applies more particularly to the decoration of skis, monoskis, snowboards and other snow or ice machines in the form of laminates bringing together different plastic, composite and metallic materials.

The decoration technique is fast becoming one of the most important in the manufacture of modern skis. The challenge is to be able create a decor that is both economical and of impeccable quality. In particular, it is essential that the decor is durable and resists attack outdoors in a naturally aggressive environment, such as edge scratching, prolonged UV irradiation, bass temperatures, permanent humidity, cleaning with solvents, etc.

It is important jointly to constantly increase the power of attractiveness products with new aesthetic effects that differentiate each other's products.

For realizations with added parts in transparent or translucent material, we also claim decoration that it presents regions allowing to visualize certain underlying layers to form quite visual aspects surprising (vision of a reinforced, woven, wavy aspect, etc.). It can also be necessary to want to inform about the presence and the functioning of a internal damping or stiffening element positioned under a part decorative layers.

Taking these aspects into account, the ski manufacturer has the task of designing a decoration complex that can be easily handled and stored in a advanced finish. The complex must also be able to be implemented easily as part of traditional ski manufacturing processes.

One of the aims of the invention is to propose a semi-finished decorative element which has these advantages.

Document EP-A1-0 615 773 relates to a process for manufacturing a ski, or other board for gliding on snow, comprising a protective top or shell and of decoration formed from a laminate of flat plastic layers. Layer top of the laminate is perforated or interrupted in at least one place, thus defining in this complex at least one window or interruption which leaves see at least one of the underlying layers of this laminate.

According to this technique, the layer which carries the decoration is one of the underlying layers and the outer layer serves as a protective layer. It is also planned to interpose a pre-decorated veil between the underlying layer and the outer layer protection. In any case, it is necessary to use a complex multilayers, each layer of which has a specific protective or protective role decoration. The layers being plaxed directly against each other, they must be chosen from materials compatible with bonding; which limits the choice of use. In addition, to perfectly master the technique of plaxing two large strips, it is necessary to use means sophisticated and expensive techniques.

The object of the present invention is therefore to propose a manufacturing process a semi-finished decorative element which overcomes the disadvantages of art anterior; which is economical in a wide range of usable materials and provides good quality visual and aesthetic effects.

• à choisir aux dimensions de l'élément semi-fini à réaliser au moins une couche en matière plastique prédécorée ou destinée à être décorée sur une de ses faces au moins ;
• à réaliser au moins une fenêtre par découpage selon un motif décoratif déterminé dans la couche à au moins un endroit ;
• à rapporter localement une pièce en matière plastique de préférence en matériau transparent ou translucide du côté de la face interne de la couche, à l'endroit de la fenêtre ;
• à solidariser par plaquage à chaud, collage ou soudage, la pièce rapportée avec la couche.

For this, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semi-finished decorative element intended to constitute the top or protective shell of a gliding board, which consists of:

• to choose the dimensions of the semi-finished element to be produced at least one layer of pre-decorated plastic material or intended to be decorated on at least one of its faces;
• making at least one window by cutting according to a decorative pattern determined in the layer at at least one location;
• locally bringing a plastic part preferably made of transparent or translucent material on the side of the internal face of the layer, at the location of the window;
• to be joined by hot plating, gluing or welding, the insert with the layer.

According to an additional characteristic, the contour of the part overflows slightly from the outline of the window, thus defining by overlap an edge of contact and sealing of small width.

Ultimately, the outer layer constitutes both the protective and protective layer. decoration and the interposition of an underlying piece is only localized from the window.

According to an additional characteristic of the process, during the plating at hot, we deform the part of the insert corresponding to the contour of the window to form a relief that adjusts through the window. By taking advantage of the step of joining the part to carry out its forming, the number is limited of process steps and a better adjustment and bonding of the elements between them.

Alternatively, it can also be provided that the insert is a part plastic in form obtained by thermoforming or injection prior to the hot plating step and which includes a relief corresponding to the contour of the window which adjusts through the window during hot pressing.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the layer of material is chosen plastic among the sublimable plastics and we operate before the operation cutting to sublimation ink transfer under one side of the plastic layer.

Sublimation is a technique well suited for decorating skis, which allows to use many different plastic supports and to print any patterns without it being necessary to subject the support to a preliminary specific preparation operation. The transfer principle consists of evaporate inks contained on a backing paper in the form of extracts dry by applying heat and pressure against the support to be decorated. The process is clean, fast and free from harmful vapors or solvents.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which will follow with regard to the appended drawings which are given only title of nonlimiting examples.

• les figures 2 à 5 illustrent les étapes de décoration de l'élément et de plaquage d'un film de collage selon le procédé de l'invention ;
• la figure 6 illustre l'étape de découpage ;
• la figure 7 illustre l'élément après découpage ;
• les figures 8 et 9 illustrent l'étape de mise en forme et collage de la pièce rapportée sur l'élément prédécoré ;
• la figure 10 illustre l'élément de décoration dans son état final ;
• les figures 11 et 12 illustrent une variante de l'invention des figures 8 et 9,
• la figure 13 illustre l'élément de décoration selon une autre variante de l'invention ;
• la figure 14 montre une planche de glisse avec l'élément de décoration de la figure 13 ;
• la figure 15 montre une partie de l'élément de décoration selon une variante ;
• la figure 16 illustre en vue de dessus une planche de glisse utilisant l'élément de décoration de la figure 15.

Figure 1 shows in section the structure of a gliding board which comprises a decorative element obtained according to the method of the invention;

• Figures 2 to 5 illustrate the steps of decorating the element and plating a bonding film according to the method of the invention;
• Figure 6 illustrates the cutting step;
• Figure 7 illustrates the element after cutting;
• Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the step of shaping and bonding of the insert on the pre-decorated element;
• FIG. 10 illustrates the decorative element in its final state;
• FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate a variant of the invention of FIGS. 8 and 9,
• FIG. 13 illustrates the decorative element according to another variant of the invention;
• Figure 14 shows a gliding board with the decorative element of Figure 13;
• Figure 15 shows a part of the decorative element according to a variant;
• FIG. 16 illustrates a top view of a sliding board using the decorative element of FIG. 15.

In Figure 1, we can see in section the general structure of an example of Alpine skiing or snowboarding board. From bottom to top, there are first of all, the gliding sole 2, generally made of polyethylene, the edges lateral metal 30, 31; then a lower reinforcement element 32 in the form of strip, a core 33 and an upper reinforcement 34 in the form of a shell which covers the upper face and the lateral faces of the core 33.

Finally, this mechanical resistance structure is covered with a top or protective and decorative shell 4, the manufacturing process of which will be the subject of the detailed description below. In the section of figure 1, the top 4 is consists of a layer of decorated plastic material 40 which covers the element of upper reinforcement 34 and a transparent or translucent plastic part 41 positioned in an opening of the layer 40 and which makes it possible to visualize the underlying reinforcing element 34.

Carrying out the manufacturing process for the semi-finished decorative element according to the invention requires first of all the use of a plastic layer or sheet chosen from sublimable plastics; this sheet which will referred to as "plastic layer 40" in the following description.

In the example, it may actually be a bilayer composed of a layer transparent outer plastic 40a and an opaque inner plastic layer 40b. The layers 40a, 40b are chosen from materials having near or close melting temperatures and their adhesion is obtained, in general by coextrusion. For convenience, we will subsequently designate the layer transparent outer and the outer face of the layer 40 by the same reference 40a. Likewise, the internal opaque layer and the internal face of layer 40 will be designated by the reference 40b.

The external transparent layer 40a serves as a support for the sublimable inks and it is therefore in this layer that we proceed to the first sublimation step.

The internal opaque layer 40b mainly serves as a contrast layer.

The decoration pattern to be printed is in a manner known per se contained in a backing sheet 50 which is applied under pressure P to a temperature T for a time t against the transparent layer 40a (Figure 3).

The materials constituting the plastic layer 40 are chosen from aliphatic polyamides, aromatic polyamides, copolymers based on polyamide (s) such as polyesteramides, polyetheramides, compositions with base of polyamide and modified polyolefin (s), ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) or AS (Acrylonitrile Styrene) mixed or not with a TPU (Urethane thermoplastic elastomer), polycarbonates, PET (Polyethylene Terephthalates).

For example, sublimation is carried out at a temperature between 160 and 180 ° C, a pressure of 1 to 2 bars for a time between 1 min 30 dry about 4 minutes. The ink migration depth varies from 0.1 to 0.3 min according to the materials used and the operating conditions.

In a variant not illustrated, it is possible to envisage using a monolayer transparent plastic for plastic layer 40. In this case, we will proceed to transfer of sublimable inks, preferably through the internal face 40b of this monolayer. Then apply a varnish on this face 40b crosslinkable to prevent the migration and uncontrolled diffusion of inks outside the monolayer through other substrates, which can create appearance defects. Then, we will proceed to a lacquering of the face 40b to reveal the decor and opacify the transparent layer on the side of the internal face 40b. Such a decoration process of a transparent plastic monolayer is detailed in the French application unpublished No. 95 00684 belonging to the plaintiff. It is possible to replace the crosslinkable varnish applied to the face 40b with a substrate of contrast in the form of an opaque sheet of selected material among the group consisting of non-anodized aluminum, dry fiber and wood. These different materials provide particularly varied background effects (metallic, screened, veined effects, etc.). In this case the layer 40 is then composed of several layers including a sublimated transparent plastic layer of the interior and its contrast substrate. The assembly is done by techniques like hot plating with or without using an adhesive or a solid film of bonding between the transparent plastic layer and the contrast substrate.

In the next step illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, we proceed to the assembly of a bonding film 6 over the entire surface on the side of the internal face 40b of the plastic layer 40.

The film 6 comes into contact with the layer by hot plating to reach at least the softening temperature of the bonding film. At temperature ambient, the film is in the form of a solid and manipulable film of a few hundredths of a mm.

The presence of the collage film is explained by the need to make compatible when gluing the decorative element to be produced with the greatest number of substrates on which it is intended to come into contact. In the final assembly with a ski, which will not be described here in detail, the element must ability to adhere to reinforcing elements, such as upper base 34 epoxy thermosetting resin or metallic plates of reinforcement, such as aluminum or aluminum alloy.

For example, films of the polyolefin type modified by acid carboxylic or a carboxylic acid anhydride provide adhesion of the semi-finished element with reinforcing elements with an epoxy matrix.

After the plating step, a window is cut out using a cutout 7 of the cookie cutter type in selected locations on layer 40 provided with its film 6 and according to a pattern chosen as shown in Figure 6.

There is thus obtained a layer 40 which is pre-decorated and provided in certain places. openings or windows 41 with various contours, for example of hexagonal shape as shown by way of example in FIG. 7.

The next step is to bring back an independent document 8 plastic to close the window or opening 41 thus cut. The room is chosen so that its outline extends slightly but sufficiently from the window contour 41 to create a contact and sealing edge 81.

As shown in Figure 8, the operation takes place in a mold 9 comprising two parts 90, 91 between which the plastic layer is interposed 40, the insert 8 placed at the level of the window on the side of the internal face 40b of the layer; that is to say on the side of film 6 and finally, possibly a second solid bonding film against the external surface 8b of the part. The patch is in a flat configuration when introduced into the mold.

Then the mold is closed and heated so as to produce the deformation of the part of the insert corresponding to the contour of the window to form a relief 80 which adjusts through the window and fills it (figure 9).

Finally, this operation also allows the bonding of the part 8 with the layer 40 at level of the contact and sealing edge 81. Adhesion is obtained thanks to the presence of the bonding film 6 between the layer 40 and the external surface 8a of the part at contact edge 81.

Similarly, during this hot plating operation of the insert with the plastic layer 40, the assembly is carried out simultaneously of the second bonding film 60 against the external surface 8b of the insert 8. The presence of this film is necessary in order to be able to perform correctly the adhesion of the element thus formed at the level of the insert with the rest skiing for example.

Regarding the conditions to be met during tackling, it is necessary to raise the temperature of the mold to a sufficient value allowing the both the forming of the insert and the softening of the film 6 at the level of the edge 81 to obtain bonding and finally of the second film 60 with the insert.

Figure 10 shows the semi-finished decorative element 1 ready to use to be used to cover a ski, snowboard or other during subsequent assembly operations.

Figures 11 and 12 show a variant of the invention. Patch 8 is a shaped plastic part obtained by thermoforming or injection prior to the hot plating step with the plastic layer 40. In in this case, the part 8 comprises a relief 80 corresponding to the outline of the window 41 and which adjusts through the window during the hot plating step when closing the mold 9.

In the same way as for the previous case, the bonding of the part 8 with the layer 40 is made using the bonding film 6 present at the interface at the edge contact 81 of room 8.

This adhesive joint thus formed also contributes to imparting a good weld of the decorative element; essential condition for its use reserved thereafter. In particular, there must be a perfect seal to avoid not allow resin to pass through the reinforcing elements, made fluid during subsequent assembly operations with the rest of the board structure slips.

In all cases, note also the importance of the relief 80 which must be able fit precisely in window 41 to avoid any possible vision of the thickness of layer 40; especially that of a white edge coming from the thickness of the contrast layer 40b. It is also important to avoid any abrupt layer interruption which may increase the risk of delamination.

The insert 8 can fulfill various functions. It can be a room transparent decoration, translucent, colored or not through which the underlying layer appears. These underlying layers can the case if necessary be positioned for purely decorative purposes. It can be a strip of dry fiber, tinted or not, of decorated paper or with inscriptions obtained by various techniques such as by hot stamping, for example.

In another application, the insert 8 can serve as a support for vibration welding for an independent element on the decorative element as illustrated in Figures 13 and 14. The insert 8 then includes a relief 80 in elevation with respect to the external face 40a of the plastic layer 40. In other words, the surface of the relief protrudes out of window 41 by a certain height h with respect to the face 40a so as to reserve a mass of material sufficient to be able to be melted when welding a member to be welded 92 on the gliding board shown in section by way of example in FIG. 14.

Of course, the material constituting the insert will be chosen to be compatible with welding with that constituting the element to be welded 92.

FIG. 15 illustrates a particular mode of the invention where a single piece reported 8 includes several reliefs 81a, 81b, 81c which adjust respectively through several windows 41a, 41b, 41c, precut in the layer 40.

Figure 16 shows a gliding board, such as a ski, which includes the element decoration of the invention according to the mode of Figure 16, the dotted line makes reference to the outline of the part 8 located below the layer 40.

Even if today, the technique of decoration by ink transfer sublimable is one of those which bring the most satisfactory results in term of quality, durability and others, the invention is not limited to the use of this technique and we can consider proceeding to the decoration of layer 40 by other techniques such as screen printing; for example.

The invention is also not limited to the use of a bonding film 6 for allow the attachment of the added piece 8 with the layer 40. In the case of the variant of Figures 11 and 12, one can consider securing the part 8 on the layer 40 directly by a welding technique, in particular by a vibration welding. Insofar as the materials of the part and the layer are compatible with each other when welding, it is no longer necessary to call for a collage film.

It is also possible to replace the solid bonding film with a adhesive coating implemented in the liquid state and locally interposed in the level of the contact edge 81 between the insert 80 and the layer 40.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but it includes various variants and generalizations contained in the scope of the claims below.

Claims (9)

1. Manufacturing process for a semi-finished decorative element adapted to constitute the top or protective shell (4) of a gliding board, which consists in selecting, according to the dimensions of the semi-finished element to be obtained, at least one plastic layer (40), predecorated or adapted to be decorated at least on one of its surfaces (40a, 40b);

   obtaining at least one window (41, 41a, 41b, 41c) by cutting out along a predetermined decorative motif in the layer (40) at least in one area;

   locally attaching a plastic piece (8), preferably of a transparent or translucent material on the side of the inner window (40b) of the layer (40), in the area of the window in order to cover it completely;

   affixing it by hot pressing, glueing or welding the attached piece (8) to the layer (40).
2. Manufacturing process according to claim 1, characterized in that the contour of the attached piece (8) slightly overlaps the contour of the window (41, 41a, 41b, 41c), thus defining by overlapping a narrow contact and sealing edge (81).
3. Manufacturing process according to claim 2, characterized in that during the hot pressing, the portion of the attached piece (8) corresponding to the contour of the window is deformed in order to form a relief (80) which is adjusted through the window (41).
4. Manufacturing process according to claim 2, characterized in that the attached piece (8) is a shaped plastic piece obtained by thermoforming or injection before the hot pressing step and which has a relief (80) corresponding to the contour of the window (41, 41a, 41b, 41c) which is adjusted through the window during hot pressing.
5. Manufacturing process according to any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the plastic layer (40) is selected from the sublimable plastics and, before the cutting out phase, ink is transferred by sublimation onto one of the surfaces (40a, 40b) of the plastic layer (40).
6. Manufacturing process according to claim 5, characterized in that after the sublimation stage, an adhesive film (6) is mounted over the whole surface on the side of the inner surface (40b) of the plastic layer (40) by hot pressing to reach at least the melting temperature of the adhesive film (6).
7. Manufacturing process according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that during the hot pressing stage of the attached piece (8) to the plastic layer, a second adhesive film (60) is mounted simultaneously onto the external surface (8b) of the attached piece
8. Semi-finished decorative element adapted to constitute the top or protective shell (4) of a gliding board having at least one decorated plastic layer (40) characterized in that said layer is provided with at least one window (41, 41a, 41b, 41c) through which a plastic piece is adjusted (8), preferably of a transparent or translucent material on the side of the inner surface (40b) of the layer (40); the piece (8) being affixed to the layer (40) at the level of a narrow contact and sealing edge (81).
9. Gliding board of the ski, monoski or snowboard type, having a decorative element according to claim 8.

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