IE44214B1 - Post-press embossing of a consolidated man-made board - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a method . for embossing a man-made board, and more particularly to a process for embossing or debossing a man-made cellulosic board at a high temperature and pressure after consolidation of the board. More specifically, the method of the present invention relates to embossing a manmade cellulosic board in a post-press embossing step.

Man-made consolidated boards include hardboard, chip board, particle board, panel board, acoustical board, insulation board and the like. The uses of such boards depend upon the physical characteristics' such as1 the density of the board and the exterior embossing or decorative effect applied thereto. The qualities and physical characteristics of a board depend upon the conditions under which the board is manufactured, and the raw materials used to form the board.’ There are two principal processes for the manufacture of man-made boards - the wet process and the dry process. In the wet process, the raw material is uniformly blended in a head box with copious quantities of water to form a slurry. The slurry is deposited onto a water-pervious support member, generally a Fourdrinier wire, where much of the water is removed leaving a wet mat of cellulosic material. The wet mat is transferred from the pervious support member and consolidated under heat and pressure to form the board. Typically, pressures of from 400 to 500 p.s.i. and temperatures up to about 400°F. are encountered in consolidation of a man-made board manufactured by - 2 44214 the wet process.

The dry process is similar to the wet process except that the cellulosic* fibres are firet coated with a thermosetting resin binder, such as a phenol-formaldehyde resin, and are then randomly distributed into a mat by air blowing the resin-coated fibres onto a support member. In the dry process, the mat is o pressed at temperatures up to about 450 F. and pressures less than —1000 p.s.i. to cure the thermosetting resin and to compress the mat into an integral consolidated structure.

The process of embossing a wet mat in a platen press with a heated embossing plate is well known, especially in the manufacture of hardboard. An embossing plate is made with a surface contour of a desired design, such as wood graining. The heated embossing plate is pressed against the surface of the wet mat under sufficient pressure to impress the plate design into the surface of the panel and thereby consolidate the wet mat into a decorative man-made board.

Boards made in accordance with the dry process are also typically decorated or surface-designed by hot-pressing in a platen press with a heated embossing plate. In embossing mats made by either the wet or dry process, however, the man-made mat is embossed concurrently with being compressed into a consolidated, integral product so that the bonds between fibres are initially made in accordance with the final surface design of the product.

Much of the bonding necessary for cohesion and strength in a man-made board occurs during the consolidation of the board. Prior to drying a board made by the wet process, the board is weak, - 3 44214 but the bonding forces created during the final consolidation are generally quite powerful. Generally the same bonding effect occurs in the final consolidation of the board made by the dry process. Prior to hot-pressing, the loosely disassociated cellulosic fibrous product is quite weak, but after hot-pressing the mat into its final configuration, it is very powerfully held together by the bonding which occurs during hot-pressing. Hot-pressing during consolidation causes a welding or coalescing of the cellulose fibres at the surface of the product so that the surface portion consists of wood re-made in modified form.

It is very difficult to re-shape the surface of the consolidated product without again destroying these fibre-feo-fibre surface welds.

As set forth above, the process of embossing a manmade board prior to consolidation to establish a surface design in a product is well known. However, because of the strong interfibre bonding which occurs during consolidation, no effective process has been developed by which a previously consolidated product can be post-press embossed to create a surface design or to re-design the surface of a consolidated product. To be effective, such a process cannot destroy the inter-fibre bonding established at the surface of the board during consolidation yet the process must permanently re-shape the surface of the product.

One of the most difficult problems found by applicant in re-shaping the surface of a consolidated product is in maintaining design fidelity in the board. Design fidelity or - 4 4 4 214 simply fidelity* as used herein is a measure of the accuracy of reproduction of the design of the embossing plate onto the surface of the consolidated board. Because of the strong interfibre bonding referred to above existing in a consolidated board, the re-shaped surface has a tendency to spring-back to its original-surface design. Spring back as used herein is the tendency of a re-shaped board to return to its original surface shape or contour.

No existing process is able to maintain a high degree of fidelity over extended periods of time by embossing a consolidated product because of the strong inter-fibre bonding occuring during initial consolidation.

The-present invention relates to a process of embossing a consolidated man-made cellulosic board in such a manner that the strong inter-fibre bonding established during consolidation and densification is maintained, but the cellulosic material is apparently caused to flow to new locations to impart a different contour to the surface of the consolidated product. A process whereby a consolidated product can be embossed under heat and pressure, after already having undergone a first hot-press consolidation step, so that the inter-fibre bonds established during the first hot-press step are maintained, but re-oriented with the fibrous material in the new shape, is quite surprising in the art of man-made cellulosic board manufacture.

Xn accordance with the process set forth herein, a consolidated product is post-press embossed to establish new surface contours. The inter-fibre bonds established in initial consolidation are' realigned to set the surface of the product - 5 44214 permanently into a new design. The re-shaping is very effective so that very little spring-back occurs.

Many patents disclose hot-pressing as a step for consolidating a composite board into its final shape. Some of the hot-pressing consolidation procedures are disclosed in the following Unitud States patents; Newton 3,113,065; Linsell 2,388,487 and 3,002,878; Stewart 2,888,376; Higgins 3,428,727; Akerson 3,758,357; Huttunen 3,788,929; Loughborough 2,298,017; Duvall 2,803,188; Maher 3,681,115; Willey et al. 2,495,043; Oshima et al. 3,699,203; and Downs 3,718,536. Some of the above patents also disclose the chemical treatment of the fibrous product prior to hot-pressing to enhance one or more properties of the final product. The following'U.S. patents·- relate to the chemical treatment of a fibrous product; Kenaga 2,811,470; Brown 2,724,642; Ericks 2,692,183; Woodhouse 2,395,311; and Pratt 1,948,314. Of the above patents, the Akerson et al. 3,758,357; Huttunen 3,788,929 and Loughborough 2,298,017 patents disclose hot-pressing a wood product for the purpose of bending the product. However, none of these three patents discloses post-press embossing with a contoured embossing plate and therefore do not encounter the fidelity problems encountered in re-shaping a previously consolidated product. The above-listed Downs 3,718,536 and Oshima 3,699,203 patents relate to a second hot-press step, but each patent discloses bonding the product into its final shape by providing a thermosettable plastic which sets on hot-pressing.

The Duvall 2,803,188 patent relates to a hot-press embossing step - 6 4 4 8 1 4 after consolidation of an insulation board, but provides a hardenable coating composition so that spring-back over extended periods of time is not a significant factor.

The present invention is a method of embossing a man5 made board comprising wetting the surface of a consolidated man-made board with an aqueous liquid in an amount sufficient to wet substantially the entire surface to be embossed, and embossing the wetted man-made board with a contoured embossing plate at a pressure of at least 1000 p.s.i., at a temperature in the range of 400-550° F and for a period of time sufficient to permanently reshape at least one surface of the man-made board. For example, the board can be embossed at a pressure of 1500 to 5000 psi for 1 to 60 seconds. Xt may for instance be subjected to a pressure of 3000 to 5000 psi for 1 to 30 seconds.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example.

For effective post-press embossing of a consolidated man-made cellulosic board it has been found that it is necessary - 7 4 4 21 4 ' to wet the surface of the board with an aqueous liquid prior to hot-pressing. Any aqueous liquid will function for effective embossing so long as the aqueous liquid is used in an amount sufficient to wet the surface of the board. Water is an effective 5 liquid for wetting the surface of the board. Generally, an amount of at least about 5 grams of liquid per square foot of surface to be embossed will sufficiently wet the surface to be embossed.

It is preferred to add a wetting agent to the liquid in an amount of about 0.1-0.5% by weight to achieve better and faster wetting of the surface prior to hot-pressing. The liquid can be applied to the surface of the consolidated board in any convenient manner such as by roller, spray or brush application.

After the surface of the board has been wetted, the wetted board is subjected to a hot-press step at a temperature in the range of 400°-550°F., and at a pressure and for a period of time sufficient to establish and maintain accurate transference of detail from the embossing plate to the surface of the board for an extended period of time. Pressure is the most important variable , in the pressure-temperature-time embossing conditions. By the appropriate selection of combinations of temperature, pressure, and time, a wetted consolidated man-made board can be embossed •to re-shape the surface with excellent design fidelity and very little spring-back.

PRESSURE-TEMPERATURE-TIME VARIABLES With each pressure used there is a specific temperature range and time of embossing necessary to effectively re-shape a consolidated man-made product. An increase in any variable - 8 44214 (temperature, time or pressure) enables a decrease in one or more of the remaining variables necessary for effective postpress embossing. Many of the pressure-temperature-time interactions will be specifically set forth, and others can be extrapolated from the data set forth herein. The times indicated are times of embossing under full pressure and do not include the loading and unloading or the buildup and decrease of pressure in the press.

PRESSURE A pressure of about 4000 p.s.i. is preferred, but a wide range of pressures above 1000 p.s.i. are useful in the post-preBs embossing of a consolidated man-made board. 1000 p.s.i.; Pressure as low as about 1000 p.s.i. requires an embossing temperature of 525-550°P. for a period of time of at least 15 seconds. At a pressure of about 1000 p.s.i. and o a temperature of 550 Ρ., most man-made boards begin to char after a period of time of about 30 seconds. It is important o when using a press temperature of about 550 P. that the board be removed from the press before charring occurs.

I t 2000 p.s.i.; At a pressure of about 2000 p.s.i. effective postpress embossing can be achieved wi-th temperatures of about 400°P. for a period of time of - 40-60 seconds. At 2000 p.s.i., a temperature of at least 40,0 °F. is necessary. Higher temperatures up to 550°P. can be employed with a corresponding decrease in time necessary for the required fidelity in the post-press embossed product. It is preferred to employ a temperature''of at least 450°P. so that the press time can be reduced. * 9 44314 3000 p.s.i.; At a pressure of 3000 p.s.i. it is necessary to o employ a tqmperatiiro of at least 400 F. for a period of time of 15-30 seconds. With higher temperatures up to about 550°F., the time period can be reduced accordingly. 4000 p.s.i.: At pressures above 3000 p.s.i. and temperatures of 400-550°P. the time necessary for effective post-press embossing is reduced to 1 to 15 seconds, pressures higher than 4000 p.s.i. can be used with a corresponding decrease in press time, but higher capability presses do not provide any noticeable improvement. a TEMPERATURE To achieve the necessary fidelity when post-press embossing a consolidated man-made board, it is always necessary to employ a temperature of at least : 400°F. and not greater than 550°P. It has been found that temperatures below o about 400 F. are insufficient to effectively re-design the surface of a consolidated board while achieving sufficient sustained design fidelity. Many of the products embossed in accordance with the process set forth herein may be subjected to the stress of outside weather conditions and must show sharp, crisp embossing contours over sustained periods of time. It is an important feature of the present invention to always provide a temperature o o of at least . 400 P. in embossing. Temperatures above 550 F. cause charring and are therefore unsuitable. The most suitable o embossing temperature is in the range of 400-500 P. when using a pressure in excess of 1500 p.s,.i.

TIME The period of time necessary for sufficient fidelity and permanence in re-shaping the surface of a consolidated board is dependent upon the temperature and pressure employed. For example, at a pressure of 4000 p.s.i. and a temperature of 500°F. only about one second is required. At lower temperatures and/or pressures the time is increased accordingly. For example, at a temperature of 400°F. and pressure of 2000 p.s.i., the board must be hot-pressed at full pressure for a period of at least seconds. Other examples of embossing times required at various temperature and pressure conditions are set forth above under the headings PRESSURE and 'TEMPERATURE, and in the examples to follow.

An important feature of the present invention is the provision of a compressible cushion or backing member disposed to overlie a flat surface of the embossing press. The compressible backing member provides a yieldable support for cushioning the non-embossed side of the man-made board during embossing. In this manner a consolidated man-made board can be embossed to exceptionally surprising depths without fracturing.

A compressible backing member overlying one side of a 'platen press enables embossing of consolidated products at depths heretofore unknown in post-press embossing. By employing a compressible backing, the composite board can actually be molded - that is, contoured on both faces. Deep grooves can be imparted to the surface to actually cause a deformation of the non-embossed side of the board. The cushion permits the deformation of the non-embossed - 11 | 421 A side of the board. Molding with a compressible cushion is most advantageous when hot-pressing thinner boards where a deep pattern is desired, it is desirable to provide heat to both sides of the board during embossing to prevent warpage on removal from the press.

For use as a compressible cushion, many different materials are available, for example, a silicone rubber sheet, a porous or sponge rubber sheet, canvas, neoprene-coated asbestos cloth of four to six plies, or simply another piece of hardboard or other man-made board, it is preferred to use a permanently distortable compressible mat such as another piece of hardboard.

A resilient cushion having a thickness of -1/8 to 1/2 inch is generally sufficient for embossing any man-made board to any desired degree of contour. For example, when a series of— products are manufactured from the same embossing plate, a consolidated board can be used as the cushion. After post-press embossing of one hoard, the cushion from that press step can be re-located to be embossed in the next pressing operation. This operation can be repeated using the cushion from one pressing operation as the product material to he embossed in tha next successive embossing step.

Another important feature of the present invention is in the provision of a water-penetrable compressible backing member so that the liquid vaporized in the hot-press can escape through the man-made board and into the backing member. In this manner, a breathing step during embossing is unnecessary since - 12 44814 it will be unnecessary to vent vapors to the atmosphere during pressing. The water-penetrable cushion can be used until it can absorb no more water. Advantageously,the backing member can be of the same material and dimensions as the board being embossed. After embossing, the backing member can be repositioned to be embossed with a new backing member so that a..new and water absorbent backing member is supplied for each embossing operation. In this manner, breathing is never necessary. Examples of typical breathing steps, made unnecessary in accordance with the present invention are set forth in the u.s. Patent Ho. 3,112,243 at column 4, lines 42 and 51; and U.s. Patent No. 3,056,718 at Column 3, lines 2-5.

If desired, a binder can be provided between the backing member and the man-made board so that after embossing, the backing member is laminated to the man-made cellulosic board as an integral part of the product. In cases where the composite board is molded in the press, the laminated backing member can / provide a flat surface for ease in attachment of the molded product to an existing structure.

EXAMPLES: The following examples will more fully and completely disclose minimum conditions under which a consolidated board must be pressed to achieve excellent design fidelity and to permanently re-shape the surface of a consolidated board. In each case, the time set forth is the minimum time necessary to achieve permanent sharp, crisp reproduction of the design of the embossing plate under the specified conditions of pressure and 44314 temperature. At 550°F., the board should be removed before charring. Xt should be noted that aqueous solutions containing chemicals in addition to water require less pressing time than when water alone is used. The most effective chemical solution found is sodium xylene sulfonate.

Claims (12)

1. A method of embossing a man-mado board comprising wetting the surface of a consolidated man-made board with an aqueous liquid in an amount sufficient to wet substantially 5 the entire surface to be embossed, and—¢-. embossing the Wetted man-made board with a contoured embossing plate at a pressure of at least about 1000 p.s.i., at a temperature in the range of 400-550°F. and for a period of time sufficient to permanently reshape at least one surface of the man-made board. 10

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the wetted board is embossed at a pressure in the range of · 1500-5000 p.s.i. and for a period of time of from 1 to 60 seconds.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the liquid comprises water. 15

4. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein the wetted hoard is embossed at a pressure in the range of 3,000 to 5,000 p.s.i. and for a period of time from 1 to 30 seconds.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim,wherein the manmade consolidated board is embossed against a compressible 20 cushion.

6. A method as defined i'n claim 5, wherein the compressible cushion -is porous rubber.

7. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the compressible cushion is a sheet of man-made board.

8. J 8. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the compressible cushion is water-penetrable.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1,wherein the man-made consolidated board is embossed in a platen press.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manmade board is continously embossed against a roller.

11. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein an adhesive 5 is disposed between the board and the cushion to adhere the cushion to the board material during hot-pressing'.

12. A method of embossing a man-made board, substantially as hereinbefore described.