GB2358376A - Laser etching of flooring material - Google Patents

Laser etching of flooring material Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2358376A
GB2358376A GB0000994A GB0000994A GB2358376A GB 2358376 A GB2358376 A GB 2358376A GB 0000994 A GB0000994 A GB 0000994A GB 0000994 A GB0000994 A GB 0000994A GB 2358376 A GB2358376 A GB 2358376A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
laser
energy beam
impact point
moving
treating
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB0000994A
Other versions
GB2358376B (en
GB0000994D0 (en
Inventor
Anne Elizabeth Smith
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB0000994A priority Critical patent/GB2358376B/en
Publication of GB0000994D0 publication Critical patent/GB0000994D0/en
Publication of GB2358376A publication Critical patent/GB2358376A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2358376B publication Critical patent/GB2358376B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F15/00—Flooring
    • E04F15/16—Flooring, e.g. parquet on flexible web, laid as flexible webs; Webs specially adapted for use as flooring; Parquet on flexible web
    • E04F15/163—Webs specially adapted for use as finishing layers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/14—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring using a fluid stream, e.g. a jet of gas, in conjunction with the laser beam; Nozzles therefor
    • B23K26/1462—Nozzles; Features related to nozzles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B44—DECORATIVE ARTS
    • B44C—PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS; MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK; PAPERHANGING
    • B44C1/00—Processes, not specifically provided for elsewhere, for producing decorative surface effects
    • B44C1/22—Removing surface-material, e.g. by engraving, by etching
    • B44C1/228—Removing surface-material, e.g. by engraving, by etching by laser radiation
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F15/00—Flooring
    • E04F15/02—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements
    • E04F15/10—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of other materials, e.g. fibrous or chipped materials, organic plastics, magnesite tiles, hardboard, or with a top layer of other materials
    • E04F15/105—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of other materials, e.g. fibrous or chipped materials, organic plastics, magnesite tiles, hardboard, or with a top layer of other materials of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K2103/00—Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
    • B23K2103/30—Organic material
    • B23K2103/38—Fabrics, fibrous materials
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K2103/00—Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
    • B23K2103/30—Organic material
    • B23K2103/42—Plastics
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K2103/00—Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
    • B23K2103/50—Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Floor Finish (AREA)

Abstract

A method of treating the surface of a flooring material comprises moving the impact point of an energy beam, specifically a laser beam, over the surface of the material to etch a pattern in the material surface. Apparatus for carrying out the method comprises a surface for supporting the material to be treated, an energy beam, and moving means for moving the energy beam to change its impact point on the material surface. The laser may be computer controlled. The material may be treated such that it changes colour upon impact of the laser. The speed and/or intensity of the laser may be varied so as to produce tonal or texture variations in the etching. The etched areas may contain a different material.

Description

2358376 Title: Surface Treatment of Material The present invention relates
to a method and apparatus for the surface treatment of material, particularly flooring material.
It is known to form patterns or other images on material such as flooring materials like linoleum in strip or tile form. Such patterns or images are either provided by applying a printed film to the material surface, or by use of inks applied to the material surface by known printing methods such as engraved roller, screen or heat transfer processes. Patterns of images created in this way are prone to wear and abrasion on flooring materials as they are created on the surface of the material.
It is also known to etch patterns into the surface of materials using acids, but use of acids are undesirable ecologically and are difficult to handle and dispose of The invention seeks to provide a solution to this problem.
According to the present invention there is provided a method of treating the surface of a material comprising moving the impact point of an energy beam over the surface of the material to etch a pattern in the material surface.
Preferably the speed of movement of the impact point over the surface of the material and/or the intensity of the energy beam is varied to create variations in the etching, such as tonal or texture variations.
2 Preferably the energy beam is a laser beam. The laser beam may be selected to create variate S in the etching such as colour imparted to the surface of the material. The laser beam may be, ' carbon dioxide laser or solid state laser.
Preferably movement of the impact point of the laser is controlled by a computer.
The method may further comprise pre-forming or impregnating the material with a substance which changes colour or shape upon impact of the laser beam. 1 The method may further comprise implanting a substance, e.g. a decorative substance, in a nt,c ss etched or pattern cut out in said material.
The material may be a flooring material such as linoleum or a synthetic equivalent thereof The invention also related to an apparatus for treating the surface of a material by the above method, said apparatus comprising a surface to support material to be treated, an energy bewi and moving means to move the energy beam so as to change its impact point over the materi surface.
Preferably the apparatus further comprises a computer-controlled drive means to move the enki beam.
Preferably means are provided to control the speed of movement of the impact point over the surface of the material and/or the intensity of the energy beam is varied to create variations in h etching, such as tonal or texture variations.
3 The apparatus may further comprise a feed mechanism to feed material onto said surface.
A first embodiment of the invention will now be described.
A decorative pattern is designed and stored on a computer. forming part of a laser apparatus. The computer is connected to control movement of the impact point of the laser. This technique is well known and used for cutting fabrics with lasers and need not be described further.
A linoleum tile is placed in the target zone of the laser apparatus and then etched moving the impact point of the laser across the surface so that it traces the desired decorative pattern. The pattern etched not only is recessed into the tile and/or creates a chemical change in the surface of the tile, but the laser beam reacts with the tile material so that the colour or colour tone of the material changes in the etched area. By varying the speed at which the impact point of the laser beam moves over the tile and /or varying the intensity of the laser beam, so tonal variations of the colour and/or texture variations of the etched surface can be achieved.
Because the tile is etched and no ink is applied to the tile, the wear resistance of the pattern and/or texture created in the tile is very high.
In a second embodiment of the invention a linoleum tile has a pattern etched in its surface to create a pattern-shaped recess or to cut out a pattern using the laser. An identical pattern is cut out from another substance (such as another piece of linoleum) and placed in the recess. This technique may. be used to create decoration of different colours and/or textures to a tile.
4 Instead of tiles of linoleum, lengths of linoleum may be have a pattern applied thereto as described above by passing the linoleum lengths through the target zone of a laser apparatus,.g winding the lengths between rollers across the target zone.
It has been found that different effects can be created by using different types of energy bea A such as Carbon Dioxide lasers and solid state YAC (Neodymium) lasers. An output of only', 1 watts can be sufficient to impart the desired pattern to linoleum flooring.
The invention may be used to impart a decorative defined pattern, such as a defined shape, jo he surface of a material, but may also be used to impart a random pattern. Instead of a decoratie pattern, other functional patterns may be created, e.g. to create a non-slip pattern on materia) such as flooring.
Whilst the invention is particularly useful for flooring material like linoleum, it may be used 1, ' the surface treatment of other material, including wall coverings, table tops, counter tops, and g 1 surfaces.
It is also envisaged that patterns stored on computer in one location could control lasers in another remote location e.g. by transferring information down a telephone line or on the Intem It may also be possible to pre-form or impregnate the material with a substance which chang s; 1 colour or shape upon impact of a laser beam.
Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from e s( th o e of the present invention.

Claims (14)

  1. CLAIMS i. A method of treating the surface of a material comprising moving
    the impact point of an energy beam over the surface of the material to etch a pattern in the surface of the material.
  2. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the speed of movement of the impact point over the surface oil' the material and/or the intensity of the beam is varied to create variations in the etching, such as tonal or texture variations.
  3. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the energy beam is a laser beam.
  4. 4. A method as claimed in claim 3, in which the laser beam is selected to create variations in the etching such as colour imparted to the surface of the material.
  5. 5. A method as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, in which the laser is a carbon dioxide or solid state laser.
  6. 6. A method as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5, in which movement of the impact point of the laser is controlled by a computer.
  7. 7. A method as claimed in any of claims 3 to 6, including preforming or impregnating the material with a substance that changes colour or shape upon impact of the laser beam.
  8. 8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, including implanting a substance in a recess etched, or a pattern cut out, in said material.
    6
  9. 9. A method as claimed in anY Dreceding: claim. in which the material is a flooring matefi.
  10. 10. Apparatus for treating the surface of a material, the apparatus comprising a surfac(,, f ir supporting material to be treated, an energy beam, and moving means for moving tl t energy beam to change its impact point on the material surtdce.
  11. 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further including computer controlled drive mean;3. f)r moving the energy beam.
  12. 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, in which means are provided controlling the speed of movement of the beam over the surface of the material ant/(r vary the intensity of the beam to create variations in the etching.
  13. 13. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12, including a feed mechanism for fee(tir material onto said surface.
    treating the surfitce of a material substantially as hereinbefore desc
  14. 14. A method of rib.d j 5. - - Apparatus tor treating +the surtaCc of a matcrial substantially as hercinbcfore descrj 'tip(
GB0000994A 2000-01-18 2000-01-18 Surface treatment of flooring material Expired - Fee Related GB2358376B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0000994A GB2358376B (en) 2000-01-18 2000-01-18 Surface treatment of flooring material

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0000994A GB2358376B (en) 2000-01-18 2000-01-18 Surface treatment of flooring material

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0000994D0 GB0000994D0 (en) 2000-03-08
GB2358376A true GB2358376A (en) 2001-07-25
GB2358376B GB2358376B (en) 2003-09-17

Family

ID=9883811

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0000994A Expired - Fee Related GB2358376B (en) 2000-01-18 2000-01-18 Surface treatment of flooring material

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2358376B (en)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4769257A (en) * 1987-10-09 1988-09-06 Duley Walter W Laser etching of foam substrate
US5239158A (en) * 1992-04-15 1993-08-24 Eaton Corporation Laser marking of molded hand grips
US5554335A (en) * 1995-02-22 1996-09-10 Laser Light Technologies, Inc. Process for engraving ceramic surfaces using local laser vitrification
JPH09235826A (en) * 1996-03-04 1997-09-09 Keiwa Shoko Kk Construction sheet material
US5851335A (en) * 1996-01-30 1998-12-22 Otis Elevator Company Method and compositions for laser imprinting AND articles imprinted using such methods and compositions
US5886317A (en) * 1993-08-11 1999-03-23 Benecke-Kaliko Ag Process for engraving a structure into the surface of a work piece with a laser

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6633019B1 (en) * 1999-02-04 2003-10-14 Textron Automotive Company, Inc. Method for forming design in a layered panel using a laser
US6300595B1 (en) * 1999-06-03 2001-10-09 High Tech Polishing, Inc. Method of three dimensional laser engraving

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4769257A (en) * 1987-10-09 1988-09-06 Duley Walter W Laser etching of foam substrate
US5239158A (en) * 1992-04-15 1993-08-24 Eaton Corporation Laser marking of molded hand grips
US5886317A (en) * 1993-08-11 1999-03-23 Benecke-Kaliko Ag Process for engraving a structure into the surface of a work piece with a laser
US5554335A (en) * 1995-02-22 1996-09-10 Laser Light Technologies, Inc. Process for engraving ceramic surfaces using local laser vitrification
US5851335A (en) * 1996-01-30 1998-12-22 Otis Elevator Company Method and compositions for laser imprinting AND articles imprinted using such methods and compositions
JPH09235826A (en) * 1996-03-04 1997-09-09 Keiwa Shoko Kk Construction sheet material

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2358376B (en) 2003-09-17
GB0000994D0 (en) 2000-03-08

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PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20120118