GB2222110A

GB2222110A - Laminate

Info

Publication number: GB2222110A
Application number: GB8919179A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Ronald Mountain
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-08-23
Filing date: 1989-08-23
Publication date: 1990-02-28
Also published as: GB8919179D0; GB8820015D0

Abstract

A laminate has layers 2 of contrasting appearance and a finished face 4 oblique to the layers. The laminate is preferably of wood and its layers are of contrasting appearance. Contrasting appearance may be achieved by finishing steps which may include dyeing, staining, bleaching and sanding. The different layers present different aspects of grain on the finished face, and as a result the finishing steps may give rise to differential effects on the finishes face. The layers are jointed together by an adhesive which gives rise to a discrete line between the layers, as seen on the finished face. Composite articles are described in which a plurality of laminates are secured together to enclose a space. Methods for the manufacture of such laminates and composite articles are described. <IMAGE>

Description

LAMINATE This invention relates to a laminate, and in particular to a laminate having an attractive appearance which derives from the construction of the laminate.

According to the present invention there is provided a laminate having layers of a material, and having a finished face, oblique to the layers, on which at least some of the layers of the laminate are of contrasting appearance.

In this specification the term "finished face" means a face which is suitable for display, for example as part of an item of furniture. Thus, such a finished face will be smooth, having been sanded or otherwise ground smooth after forming, and given a surface treatment, for example polish or varnish if the context so requires. The layers as a whole may be of contrasting appearance, or just their surface exposed on the oblique finished face.

Preferably, the laminate is plywood, adjacent layers of the plywood preferably being, at least on the oblique finished face, of contrasting appearance, for example contrasting tone and/or grain. A contrast between adjacent layers may be achieved, for example, by use of different woods, by means of contrasting samples of the same wood, and/or by the use of treatments to alter the character of selected layers, for example, by bleaching and/or staining and/or dyeing. Thus, some layers, at least on the oblique finished face, may be pale in colour and others, preferably those interleaved between the pale layers, darker. At least some of the darker layers, at least on the oblique finished face, may be dyed a non-wood colour, for example, pink, grey, blue or sage green. Preferably, the layers of the plywood are of spruce and/or birch.

Because of the different arrangements of grains of the layers with respect to the finished face, some presenting an end grain, perpendicular or slant to the face, others presenting a grain parallel to the "stripes" on the finished face, the susceptibility of the different layers on the face to a stain or dye or bleaching agent, or to sanding or grinding, differs, such that differential effects are produced.

The angle of the finished face to the layers of the laminate will suitably be between about 50 and about 800. Preferably, the angle will be relatively small, for example about 5 to about 500, so that the individual layers of the laminate appear wide, as shown on the finished face, relative to their thickness. Whilst the finished face may be planar, it may alternatively be curved, at least a part of the face being oblique to the layers of the laminate.

The thickness of the layers of the laminate is suitably 0.5-3mm, preferably 1-2mm. The layers may be substantially the same as each other in thickness, or may vary.

A laminate according to the invention may form part of an item of furniture, for example, a leg, frame or veneer. A veneer in accordance with the invention is suitably a laminate of substantial thickness, for example 4-15mm.

Preferably, adjacent layers of the laminate are secured together by an adhesive of contrasting appearance to the layers, such that, on the oblique finished face, it appears as a line separating layers.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a composite article comprising at least two laminates as described above, the laminates being jointed together such that their respective oblique finished faces substantially adjoin one another. Thus, the striped pattern on one finished face suitably extends up to the striped pattern of the next finished face, without there being a region between the finished faces where the appearance is quite different, perhaps, for example, in having much narrower stripes.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention there is provided a composite article comprising a plurality of laminates as described above, the laminates being secured together so as to bound a space, with their oblique finished faces outwards. Such a composite article is particularly useful, for example, for a leg or pedestal of an item of furniture.

Preferably, the oblique finished faces of a composite article as described in the previous paragraph comprise substantially the whole of the outward facing surface of the article. Thus, the respective finished faces substantially adjoin one another.

The laminates which make up a composite article which bounds a space, as described above, may be of substantially identical shape to one another. Each of the laminates may have an oblique face which is planar, and a face which is substantially parallel to, but narrower than the oblique finished face, and planar end faces which are substantially a mirror image of each other about a plane perpendicular to the oblique finished face. Thus, such laminates may be readily made and jointed together with the oblique finished faces comprising substantially the whole of the outward facing surface of the composite article.

In other embodiments the composite article may be made up of a plurality of laminates which are wedgeshaped, with the thicker part of each such laminate being secured to the thinner part of an adjacent laminate.

With this construction, it is again possible for the oblique finished faces to comprise substantially the whole of the outward facing surface of the composite article.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of making a laminate which has a planar face which is substantially parallel to the planar oblique face, wherein: a ply of layers of a material, of large area, is cut into sections, wherein the cuts, at least at first and second opposing ends of the sections, are not perpendicular to the plane of the layers; the sections are secured together such that their respective first ends lie in a common plane; the assembly of sections is cut, perpendicular to the said plane, into new sections of substantially equal thickness to each other; and at least one end of each new section, corresponding to the first or second said end of the initial sections cut from the ply, is trimmed to the required angle.

In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a composite article of substantially circular cross-section, formed by turning a composite article which bounds a space, as described above. In this context "turning" means rotating a composite article and bringing a cutting tool into contact with the surface.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of making a laminate in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, comprising selecting layers of contrasting material, securing them together to form a laminate, cutting (or otherwise forming) a face oblique to the layers, and finishing the face.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows a wedge-shaped laminate, in perspective view Fig. 2 shows a box section item made from four wedge-shaped laminates, in perspective view; Fig. 3 shows an elbow-shaped laminate, in perspective view; Fig. 4 shows in transverse cross-section a composite article formed from six identical laminates; Fig. 5 shows in transverse cross-section an article of circular cross-section, for formed by turning a composite article of the type shown in Fig. 4, but having eight sections; Figs. 6A and 6B demonstrate steps in a method of making an individual laminate of a composite article of the type shown in Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 shows a corner piece formed by jointing two laminates together.

The laminate of Fig.l has a plurality of wood layers 2, all of birch, adjacent layers of the laminate being of contrasting colour. The layers are shown separated from each other by a discrete line 3. This, which may, for example, be black, red or purple in colour, is a weatherproof adhesive used to secure the layers together. The laminate is a wedge shape, having a bottom face parallel to the plane of the layers, back and side faces perpendicular to the bottom face and to each other, and a display face 4 which is oblique to the plane of the layers, the angle between the display face 4 and the plane of the layers being about 150. The display face 4 has been finished following cutting by sanding, staining or dyeing, bleaching, re-sanding, polishing and varnishing.The width of the stripes formed by the slant ends of the layers, as seen on the display face 4, is equal to the thickness of the layers multiplied by the cosecant of the angle between the finished face and the plane of the layers. The thickness of the layer is approximately 1.5mm.

Some of the layers 2 of the laminate of Fig. 1 present their end grain to the finished face, some perpendicularly and some transversely, whilst others present their end grain to the side faces. The effect of staining or dyeing, bleaching and sanding on the different layers produces quite different effects and depths of tone and colour, depending on the arrangement of the grain, so that, on the eventual finished face, an attractive variation is achieved. In this embodiment the contrasting effects produced by finishing are additional to and enhance the initial variation inherent in the initial ply, whose layers were initially somewhat contrasting in appearance.

Fig.2 shows a square section hollow block 6 formed by securing together, with their display faces outwards, four wedge-shaped laminates of the type shown in Fig.l. The block is constructed by the back face 6 of a given laminate being glued to the bottom wall of the next laminate, along the narrow end of the wedge. If longer wedge-shaped pieces are used the resulting box section piece could, for example, be used as a leg or pedestal for an item of furniture, such as a table. It will be observed that the finished faces comprise substantially the whole of the outward facing surface of the article. That is to say, the finished face of one laminate of the composite article closely adjoins the finished face of the next laminate of the composite article, so that there is little or no discontinuity in the external appearance in the region of the joints.

The elbow joint shown in Fig.3, which may, for example, be part of a piece of furniture such as a table top or mirror frame, has a flat bottom surface 8 parallel to the layers of plywood and convex side surfaces 10 and 12 which meet at the top of the part. The lower parts of the convex surfaces 10 and 12 are substantially perpendicular to the plane of the layers but the angle between the surfaces 10 and 12 are the plane of the layers becomes progressively smaller approaching the top of the part. This creates an attractive effect whereby the width of the stripes increases towards the top of the part.

Fig. 4 shows a composite article made up of six identical laminates 14. The composite article, could, for example, be the leg of a chair or table, or the pedestal of a table. Each laminate of the composite article comprises a planar finished face 16, an inner face 18 which is substantially parallel to, but narrower than, the oblique finished face, and planar end faces 20 which are substantially a mirror image of each other about a plane perpendicular to the oblique finished face.

The end faces 20 are at an appropriate angle between the faces 16 and 18 such that they permit butt jointing to the next laminate of the composite article, using adhesive.

In other embodiments of composite articles bounding a space, there may be larger of smaller numbers of laminates. For example as few as three or as many as twenty four, or more. Again, as shown in Fig. 4, the oblique finished faces of the composite article comprise substantially the whole of the outward facing surface of the article.

Fig. 5 shows a composite article made up of eight laminate sections, formed in the manner of the composite article of Fig. 4, and then turned on a lathe, using a cutting tool. A variation in the width of stripes around the outer surface of the composite article results.

Figs. 6A and 6B show steps in the production of laminates 14 of composite articles such as those shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 6A shows a ply of wood layers, of large area, which is cut into identical sections 22 which are somewhat slant to the plane of the layers, the cut lines being shown as 23. The sections 2 are then glued together with respective opposing ends, corresponding to the cut lines, lying in common planes 24, 26, as shown in Fig. 6B. This assembly of sections is then stood on one of those common planes and then cut into new sections 28, by making cuts perpendicular to that plane, the cut lines being shown in dotted line and numbered 29. The new sections 28 are of substantially equal thickness to each other. The ends of these new sections are then trimmed as required to the angle necessary for good jointing with other pieces.

Fig. 7 shows a corner piece comprising two laminates 30 secured together at a mitre joint. It will be observed that they are mitred together such that their respective finished faces 32 substantially adjoin one another without any discontinuity in appearance between the oblique finished faces in the region of the joint.

Set across the corner piece is a support plate 34 for supporting the surface of a table.

In other embodiments a laminate is uniform in appearance in cross-section, but its oblique face has been treated to produce the contrasting appearance described herein.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in the specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A laminate, having layers of a material, and having a finished face, oblique to the layers, on which at least some of the layers of the laminate are of contrasting appearance.

2. A laminate as claimed in Claim 1, wherein adjacent layers are secured together by an adhesive of contrasting appearance to the layers, such that, on the oblique finished face, it appears as a line separating the layers.

3. A laminate as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the angle of the oblique finished face to the layers of the laminate is between about 50 and about 500.

4. A laminate as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the layers of the laminate are of wood.

5. A laminate as claimed in Claim 4, wherein at least some of the layers of the laminate have been treated to substantially alter their appearance, at least on the oblique finished face.

6. A laminate as claimed in Claim 5, wherein at least some layers of the laminate have been bleached and/or stained and/or dyed, at least on the oblique finished face.

7. A method of making a laminate as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, comprising securing layers together to form a laminate, forming a face oblique to the layers, and finishing the face, wherein the step of finishing the face comprises treating it with a stain and/or a dye and/or a bleaching agent, wherein the susceptibility to the stain and/or dye and/or bleaching agent, of the different layers on the face, differs, such that the stain and/or dye and/or bleaching agent produces differential effects on the face.

8. A method as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the face is treated with a stain and/or dye and/or bleaching agent, and is then sanded or otherwise ground.

9. A composite article comprising a plurality of laminates as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6, the laminates being secured together so as to bound a space, with their oblique finished faces outwards.

10. A composite article as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the oblique finished faces comprise substantially the whole of the outward facing surface of the article.

11. A composite article as claimed in Claim 9 or 10, wherein the laminates which make up the article are of substantially identical shape to one another.

12. A composite article as claimed in Claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein each of the laminates is wedge-shaped, the thicker part of each such laminate being secured to the thinner part of an adjacent laminate.

13. A composite article as claimed in Claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein each of the laminates has an oblique finished face which is planar, and has a face which is substantially parallel to, but narrower than the oblique finished face, and planar end faces which are substantially a mirror image of each other about a plane perpendicular to the oblique finished face.

14. A composite article comprising at least two laminates as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6, the laminates being jointed together so that their respective oblique finished faces adjoin one another.

15. A wedge-shaped laminate as defined in Claim 12.

16. A laminate as defined in Claim 13.

17. A method of making a laminate as claimed in Claim 15, wherein: a ply of layers of a material, of large area, is cut into sections, wherein the cuts, at least at first and second opposing ends of the sections, are not perpendicular to the plane of the layers; the sections are secured together such that their respective first ends lie in a common plane; the assembly of sections is cut, perpendicular to the said plane, into new sections of substantially equal thickness to each other; and at least one end of each new section, corresponding to the first or second said end of the initial sections put from the ply, is trimmed to the required angle.

18. An article of substantially circular crosssection, formed by turning an article, as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 13.

19. A laminate, or a method of making a laminate, or a composite article, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.