FR2780343A1 - Method for making flat panel with internal three-dimensional pattern - Google Patents

Abstract

A secondary flat panel is made by surface treatment of a primary plane panel substrate. The panel has block sections, which may indicate coarse texturing, and is polymerized, together with a liquid polymerizable material in a mold. The combination is hardened. The first panel is transparent or monochrome, and Its surface treatment is a coating, printing, electroplating or color spraying.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing sheets.

  recycled with three-dimensional patterns. The existing sheets are generally acrylic sheets synthesized from an acrylic resin such as a methyl acrylic resin (or methacrylic acid) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets. However, these two types of leaves are usually monochromatic or transparent and have no color effect. To impart better visual effects to sheets, US Patent No. 4,680,155 discloses a process for making sheets having patterns simulating the appearance of marble. In accordance with the process indicated in this patent, at least two fluid polymers having different colors are introduced into a mold, so as to ensure contact during the flow. The flow lines of the two polymers are located at relative heights and have relative inclinations. By convection, the polymers can flow sufficiently and mix, to a certain extent, to form a composition simulating the design (colors) of the marble. However, a sheet obtained in accordance with the method according to said patent comprises only planar (two-dimensional) patterns, which cannot provide three-dimensional effects to observers. Such sheets can improve the commercial value of products, on which they are applied. Although existing monochromatic sheets or sheets made according to the process according to US Patent No. 4,680,155 have some utility, they are not very diverse and these

  leaves have no three-dimensional effect.

  The present invention relates to a process for forming recycled flat sheets having patterns.

three-dimensional.

  This is why the main object of the present invention is to provide a process for manufacturing

  recycled flat sheets with three-dimensional patterns-

  nels. In accordance with the present invention, the method consists in selecting as a substrate a monochromatic or transparent primary flat sheet, subjecting the flat primary sheet to a surface treatment by printing flat patterns constituting blocking parts so as to form a secondary sheet flat with blocking parts, placing said secondary sheet in the presence of a polymerizable fluid material (M) and polymerizing the secondary sheet with the polymerizable fluid material, and finally subjecting the secondary sheet and the polymerizable fluid material to baking to obtain a flat recycled sheet with

three-dimensional patterns.

  In other words, the primary sheet is subjected to surface printing so as to lead to a secondary sheet having planar patterns. The printed surface of the secondary sheet is then reacted with a fluid polymerizable material. After baking the polymerizable material and the secondary sheet, a flat recycled sheet having patterns

three-dimensional is formed.

  According to another of its aspects, the invention aims to provide a process for the manufacture of recycled flat sheets having three-dimensional patterns, in which the surface layer of the primary sheet is covered with a thin layer of plastic by plastic electroplating of so as to form a secondary planar sheet having three-dimensional patterns, and the treated surface is then reacted by

  electroplating with a fluid polymerizable material.

  After baking the secondary sheet and the fluid polymerizable material, a recycled flat sheet

  with three-dimensional patterns is formed.

  Another object of the invention is to provide a process for manufacturing recycled flat sheets having three-dimensional patterns, in which the surface layer of the primary sheet is printed and covered with a thin layer of plastic by plastic electroplating to form a secondary sheet having three-dimensional patterns, and the printed and electroplated surface of the secondary sheet is then reacted with a material

polymerizable fluid.

  After baking the secondary sheet and the polymerizable fluid material, a recycled flat sheet

  with three-dimensional patterns is formed.

  More generally, the method of the invention comprises the steps consisting in: - selecting as substrate a primary monochromatic or transparent flat sheet (1); - subjecting said primary sheet (1) to a surface treatment so as to print planar patterns constituting blocking parts (21; 21a, 21b), which leads to a secondary planar sheet (2); - Putting said secondary sheet (2) in the presence of a polymerizable fluid material (M) under conditions ensuring the polymerization of said secondary sheet with the polymerizable fluid material; and - subjecting the assembly of the secondary sheet and of the polymerizable fluid material to a firing, which leads to a recycled flat sheet having three-dimensional patterns. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the primary sheet and the polymerizable fluid material (M) consist of the following materials: - primary sheet of acrylic resin and material (M) based on an acrylic derivative; or else - primary sheet of acrylic resin and material (M) based on polyvinyl chloride; - primary sheet of polyvinyl chloride and material (M) based on polyvinyl chloride; - primary sheet of polyvinyl chloride and

  material (M) based on an acrylic derivative.

  As an example of an acrylic resin, mention may be made of a transparent methacrylic acid resin or

monochromatic.

  Preferably, the surface treatment consists of spraying paint or plastic electroplating. Other features and advantages of the

  present invention will emerge from the description given

  hereinafter taken with reference to the appended drawings in which identical reference numerals have been used for identical or similar parts and in which: - Figure 1 represents a flowchart of the process according to the present invention; - Figure 2 is a schematic view of part of the recycled flat sheet obtained according to the method of the invention; - Figure 3 is a schematic view of a blocking part resulting from the surface treatment of a face of the primary sheet to obtain planar patterns; - Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 3; - Figure 5 is a schematic view showing a modification of the patterns of the blocking portion of the planar secondary sheet after polymerization with the polymerizable fluid material; - Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 5; - Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along line C-C in Figure 5; and - Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along the

line D-D in Figure 5.

  In order to have a better understanding of the principles of the invention, we will now refer to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings. We use specific language to describe them. Nevertheless it will be understood that this is not in any way intended to limit the present invention, changes and modifications to the device shown and other applications of the principles of the invention other than that which is represented being considered to fall normally within the remit of a specialist in the technique to which

relates the invention.

  Referring to FIG. 1, which represents a flow diagram of the method according to the present invention, one face of a flat primary sheet 1 is printed for example by application of an ink (A), or, subjected to a plastic electroplating ( B), or else subjected to a combination of a printing (A) on one side and an electroplating (B), or else subjected to a spraying (C) of paint, to form a flat secondary sheet 2 comprising blocking parts 21 with flat patterns and colors. The flat primary sheet 1 can be a product of the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or acrylic resin sheet type, available on the market. It can be transparent or monochromatic. The secondary sheet 2 is placed inside a mold, which is filled with a polymerizable fluid material M. The material M can be

  a PVC system or a system based on an acrylic derivative.

  The polymerization of the fluid material which can be polymerized with the secondary sheet 2 takes place at a speed varying according to the nature of the material present on the surface of the secondary sheet 2. A distinction is thus made: (1) The speed of polymerization at the level of the

  secondary sheet not covered with blocking parts.

  (2) The rate of polymerization at the base of the blocking part of the secondary sheet, that is to say at the level where the contact takes place between the primary sheet 1 and the coating deposited by printing, electroplating or

  projection of paint forming the blocking part.

  (3) the speed of polymerization between the polymerizable fluid material and the blocking part of the secondary sheet 2 o the blocking part can generate a variable rate of heat conduction because of the different colors present in the blocking part,

  and therefore a variable polymerization temperature.

  Since the polymerization rate varies depending on the nature of the surface, the initially flat designs and the colors of the secondary sheet 2 are twisted and deformed. Once the secondary sheet 2 and the fluidizable polymerizable material M are cooled and have been subjected to baking, a recycled sheet 3 can be obtained having three-dimensional drawings.

and colors.

  The present invention will further be illustrated with reference to these embodiments. The planar primary sheet 1 may be an acrylic sheet formed from a methyl-acrylic acid resin (methacrylic acid), which may be a material in the form of a transparent or monochromatic planar sheet, available on the market. Surface printing, plastic electroplating or spray paint is applied to the surface of the flat sheet of acrylic resin. The fluidizable polymerizable material M can consist of the same acrylic resin. Although the material of the primary planar sheet 1 and the polymerizable material M are identical, the drawings can still be twisted to produce a three-dimensional effect due to the variable polymerization kinetics resulting from the

  presence of the locking parts 21.

  All of these combinations can

  analog produce effects of three-dimensional drawings.

  Referring to Figure 2, which illustrates part of the planar recycled sheet in accordance with the present invention, the sheet shows the initially flat designs in a three-dimensional twisted shape. Referring also to FIG. 3, which shows the secondary sheet 2 provided with blocking parts 21a, 21b having different colors, these blocking parts 21a, 21b are substantially planar (see FIG. 4). Once the fluidizable polymerizable material M has been introduced into the mold, due to the variable polymerization kinetics, the locking parts 21a, 21b are twisted or deformed, and the degree and depth of twist and deformation may vary , as shown in Figures 4 to 8, which leads to three-dimensional drawings. US Patent No. 4,680,155 teaches the use of two fluid polymerizable materials having different colors, which are mixed with different inclinations, heights and speeds to simulate the design

  marble. However, this drawing has a flat appearance.

  In accordance with the present invention, one side print, plastic electroplating, paint spraying or other surface treatment is applied to an available primary sheet by the use of chemicals to form planar patterns on the surface of the sheet. primary sheet so as to obtain a secondary sheet provided with blocking parts. When the surface treatment consists of spraying paint or printing on one side, the blocking parts formed are polychromatic. The secondary sheet is then subjected to polymerization with a fluid polymerizable material to obtain a sheet having three-dimensional patterns. This is why it will be noted that the present invention indicates a different process and provides

  an important improvement to the prior art.

  It will be noted that each of the elements described above or two or more of these elements can jointly also find a useful application in other types of process, which differ from the type mentioned above. Although certain new features of the present invention have been shown and described, the latter is not intended to be limited to the details indicated above since it will be understood that many deletions, modifications, substitutions and changes in point of view of the forms and details in the device shown and in its use can be provided by a specialist in the art without

depart from the scope of the invention.

  Without further analysis, the indications given above completely describe the object of the present invention, which can easily be adapted, by applying normal knowledge, to different applications without omitting the characteristics which, from the point of view of the prior art , constitute the essential characteristics of the generic aspects, or

  specific to the present invention.

Claims (6)

  1. Method for manufacturing a recycled flat sheet having three-dimensional patterns, characterized in that it consists in: - selecting as substrate a primary flat monochromatic or transparent sheet (1); - subjecting said primary sheet (1) to a surface treatment so as to print planar patterns constituting blocking parts (21; 21a, 21b), which leads to a secondary planar sheet (2); - Putting said secondary sheet (2) in the presence of a polymerizable fluid material (M) under conditions ensuring the polymerization of said secondary sheet with the polymerizable fluid material; and - subjecting the assembly of the secondary sheet and of the polymerizable fluid material to a firing, which leads to a recycled flat sheet having three-dimensional patterns. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface treatment is an electroplating   plastic or paint spray.   3. Method according to any one of   claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the sheet   primary (1) is a sheet of acrylic resin and the   polymerizable fluid material is an acrylic derivative.   4. Method according to any one of   claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the sheet   primer (1) is a sheet of acrylic resin and the polymerizable fluid material is a fluid material based polyvinyl chloride.   5. Method according to any one of   claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the sheet   primary (1) is a polyvinyl chloride sheet and the polymerizable fluid material is a fluid material to polyvinyl chloride base.   6. Method according to any one of   claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the sheet   primary (1) is a polyvinyl chloride sheet and   the fluid polymerizable material is an acrylic derivative.