MXPA00011954A - Thermoplastic planks and methods for making the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A thermoplastic laminate plank is described wherein the thermoplastic laminate plank comprises a core, a print layer, and optionally an overlay. The core comprises at least one thermoplastic material and has a top surface and bottom surface wherein a print layer is affixed to the top surface of the core and an overlay layer is affixed to the top surface of the print layer. Optionally, an underlay layer can be located and affixed between the bottom surface of the printlayer and the top surface of the core. In addition, a method of making the thermoplastic laminate plank is further described which involves extruding at least one thermoplastic material into the shape of the core and affixing a laminate on the core, wherein the laminate comprises an overlay affixed to the top surface of the print layer and optionally an underlay layer affixed to the bottom surface of the print layer.

Description

THERMOPLASTIC BOARDS AND METHODS FOR MAKING THEM DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This application is a continuation in part of a prior North American Application No. 09 / 450,928 filed December 14, 1999 and is incorporated herein in its entirety for reference. Commercially available laminate floors (using hardboard or high or medium density particle board, like the core layer) have had incredible success: in the flooring market. The growth rate of laminate floors has remained in double digits, since the product was introduced in the United States market. The success of this product is credited to certain properties such as stain resistance, resistance to wear, fire resistance, easy cleaning and the ability to use almost any type of printed design. In addition, the total emission of organic compounds vapor is low and the laminate floor is considered stable in terms of environmentally friendly color compared to the products of floors of the competition. The most important concern with commercially available laminate floors is the moisture resistance of the finished product and the sensitivity of the raw materials (high or medium density hardboard, paper and particle board) to moisture during the process ^^ ¡^^^ A | ig¿¡ ^ manufacture. In some cases, humidity can lead to some fairly serious quality control cases and application restrictions. For example, and just to name a few, when there is a higher moisture content in the product, such as in particleboard or hardboard, it can cause bubbles and adhesion faults of the melamine surface to the core layer. Also, when there is higher moisture content, a dimensional instability of the finished product can occur, which can result in the dome-shaped buckling of the product, which is extremely undesirable, especially when the installers are laying the floor. Also, excessive moisture contents can create the formation of peaks at the edges, smoothing of the product, and such peaks at the edges can result in chipped edges or premature wear or soiling faster. The susceptibility to moisture content means that some installers do not want to place such a laminate floor in areas where they will be subject to water on the floor surface, such as kitchen and bathroom areas. Suppliers of such laminate floors have appreciated the problems associated with their products and have attempted to solve these problems by developing laminate floors that have better moisture resistance using melamine, phenolic or isocyanate adhesives to partially replace the urea resins present in the laminate floor . While this improvement has made the product more resistant to moisture, commercially available laminate floors are still prone to moisture damage. For example, the swelling of the thickness of the laminate floor can increase by 10% and the absorbency of the water can absorb more than 15% according to the water absorption test for 24 hours. Another tried-and-tested solution to the moisture resistance of current laminate floors has led some manufacturers to apply a water repellent material on the upper edges of the tongue and groove areas which also serve to resist any moisture penetration to through the unions. Yet another attempted solution involves caulking with silicone to seal the edges and spaces of the laminate perimeter where the laminate floor matches the wall. However, if very strict installation instructions are not followed, the laminate floor will still be subject to moisture damage. Therefore, there is a need to develop a laminate flooring system that solves the aforementioned weaknesses and disadvantages of the current commercially available laminate flooring. A feature of the present invention is to provide a laminated board that can be used in a surface covering system that provides improved moisture resistance and is not susceptible to damage caused by moisture. Another feature of the present invention is to provide a laminated plank and surface covering system that is economically feasible and allows for easy installation and flexibility. Another feature of the present invention is to provide a floor system that improves comfort for the feet and other ergonomic benefits. A further feature of the present invention is to provide a system for covering surfaces having improved sound attenuation and other benefits of reduced sound transmission. Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a floor covering system that has significant improvements with respect to ease of installation and includes an easy installation design and technique. Another feature of the present invention is to provide a system for covering surfaces that avoid the use of the wet adhesive application method. Another feature of the present invention is to provide a floor system that has great flexibility to make various configurations, sizes and beveled edges.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide a floor system that decreases the installation requirements of the plank in a given orientation. Also, a feature of the present invention is to provide a system for covering surfaces that have the ability to tolerate some imperfections in sub-floors or substrates and thus avoid telegraphing imperfections in the surface cover itself. Another feature of the present invention is to provide a system for covering surfaces that has improved damage resistance properties, such as improved impact resistance and the like. Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the following description, and in part will be apparent from the description or may be learned by practicing the present invention. The features and other advantages of the present invention will be carried out and will be obtained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the written description and the appended claims. To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as exemplified and broadly described herein, the present invention relates to a thermoplastic laminated board, wherein the laminated board has a center comprising at least thermoplastic material, where the center has an upper surface and a lower surface. Optionally attached to the upper surface of the center may be a printing layer, wherein the printing layer has an upper surface and a lower surface. Also, a cover layer may be attached directly to the upper surface of the center, or if a printing layer is provided, attached to the upper surface of the printing layer. The board may optionally contain an underlying layer located and bonded between the lower supeificia of the printing layer and the upper surface of the center. The present invention is further related to methods for making a thermoplastic laminated board and involves the step of processing (eg, extruding) at least one thermoplastic material to the shape of a center and optionally attaching the laminate to the center, wherein the laminate it may comprise a printing layer, a cover layer attached to the upper surface of the printing layer and optionally an underlying layer attached to the lower surface of the printing layer. Also, the present invention relates to a method for making a thermoplastic board by printing a design directly on the upper surface of the board using any number of printing techniques, such as gravure printing, transfer printing, digital printing, Flexo printing, screen printing and the like. The method may also include applying a protective coating to the top of the printed design, such as a polyurethane-type coating with or without wear-resistant particles in the coating. The top surface of the plank may also be treated or formed to have a textured finish such as a rough, grooved, cross-streaked, scored, cracked, wood grain or veined texture. In addition, the printed covers or decorative metallic papers can be joined to the upper surface of the plank and then covered with one or more protective coatings. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to the production of a floor thermoplastic board by means of co-extrusion techniques, which involves extruding at least one thermoplastic material to the center shape and also extruding a layer containing at least one thermoplastic material with one or more pigmented compounds in the upper part of the extruded core, where the layer simulates a design, such as wood grain or marble.

The present invention is also related to thermoplastic planks having the characteristics described above. It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are intended to provide a further explanation of the present invention., as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated and constitute a part of this application, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an extreme view of one embodiment of the thermoplastic laminate board of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a side view of a grooved design that can be used to connect the boards of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a sectional view showing another embodiment of the thermoplastic laminate board of the present invention. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a slot design for a connector useful for connecting the boards of the present invention.

Figures 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams showing end views of further embodiments of the thermoplastic laminate board of the present invention. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an end view of a further embodiment of the thermoplastic board of the present invention. In general, the present invention relates to a thermoplastic laminated board containing a center comprising at least one thermoplastic material. This center has a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least four sides or edges. Located or attached to the upper surface of the center may be a printing layer having an upper surface and a lower surface. Optionally located or attached to the upper surface of the printing layer is a cover layer having an upper surface and a lower surface. The thermoplastic laminated board of the present invention may optionally further include an underlying layer which is located and bonded between the lower surface and the printing layer and the upper surface of the center. In more detail, the center in the thermoplastic laminated board is made of at least one thermoplastic material. Generally, any thermoplastic material, combinations thereof, alloys thereof, or mixtures of two or more thermoplastics can be used to form the center. Generally, such thermoplastic materials include, but are not limited to, vinyl-containing thermoplastics, such as polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, and other vinyl and vinylidene resins and copolymers thereof; polyethylenes such as low density polyethylenes and high density polyethylenes and copolymers thereof; show us such as ABS, SAN and polystyrenes and copolymers thereof; polypropylenes and copolymers thereof; saturated and unsaturated polyesters; acrylics; polyamides, such as nylon-containing types; engineering plastics such as acetyl, polycarbonate, polyimide, poiisufone, and polyphenylene oxide and sulfur resins and the like. One or more polymeric conductors can be used to form the plank, which has applications on conductive floors and the like. The thermoplastic polymers shown in Kirk Oth er (3rd Edition, 1981) to pp. 328 to 848 of volume 18 and pp 385-498 of volume 16 (incorporated herein by reference in their entirety) may also be used as long as the resulting plank has sufficient strength for its intended purpose. Preferably, the thermoplastic material is a rigid polyvinyl chloride, but a flexible or semi-rigid polyvinyl chloride can also be used. The flexibility of the thermoplastic material can be transferred using at least one liquid or solid plasticizer that is preferably present in an amount of less than about 20 phr, and more preferably, less than 1 phr. A typical rigid PVC composite used in the present invention to form the centium may also include, but is not limited to, pigments, impact modifiers, stabilizers, processing aids, lubricants, fillers, wood floors and other conventional additives and the like . The thermoplastic polymer compound to be processed may be in the form of powder, liquid, cubes, granules and / or any other form that can be extruded. Also, the thermoplastic polymer can be virgin, recycled or a mixture of both. In addition, the thermoplastic material can be incorporated with blowing agents or a mechanically injected gas during the extrusion process to make a cellular foam structure core. The thermoplastic material used to form the center, which is preferably polyvinyl chloride, is preferably a homopolymer resin of the suspension degree or mass polymerization grade having a preferred molecular weight as reflected by the inherent viscosity of about 0.88. at about 1.0 of inherent viscosity. In general, a higher molecular weight polymer is preferred from the point of view of processing stability and preferably the molecular weight distribution and the particle size distribution is narrow in order to provide a good balance between processing capacity and properties . Also, a high porosity and uniform porosity of the resin particles is preferred to optimize compound formation and processing aspects, including rapid and uniform absorption of any stabilizer that occurs, as well as other ingredients during the formation of the compound Preferably, the thermoplastic material used to form the center is a rigid PVC powder composite having good impact resistance, ease of processing, high extrusion rate, good surface properties, excellent dimensional stability and resistance to depressions. The preferred thermoplastic polymer used to form the board is polyvinyl chloride from The Geon Company designated X150-206-050-02, which has the following formula: FORMULATION PARTS BY WEIGHT PVC Extrusion Grade (0.88-0.96 IV) 100 Tin Merchant Stabilizer 2-4 ^^ PVC Acrylic Processing Aid 1-3 10-30 Filler Impact Modifier (Acrylic) 3-10 Lubricant Pack 2-5 Pigment 1-5 The polyvinyl chloride preferentially has the following properties: Generally, this compound will have a melting temperature of about 182,222 (360) to about 198,889 ° C (390 ° F). Preferably, a stabilizer is also present in the thermoplastic formulation forming the center. A preferred stabilizer is a butyltin mercapto stabilizer. In addition, an impact modifier is also preferably present and the preferred impact modifiers are based on Rohm and Haas acrylic, and an EVA-based impact modifier known as DuPont Elvaloy M; and others such as chlorinated polyethylene and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and the like. In addition, the thermoplastic formulation preferably contains at least one processing aid which is preferably a low molecular weight resin based on acrylic such as Acryloid K-125 or K-175 from Rohm and Haas. Also, at least one lubricant is preferably present, and more preferably an internal lubricant and an external lubricant. Preferred internal lubricants, which act internally to alter the cohesion forces between the polymer chains which result in a lower melt viscosity without reducing the resin resistance properties, are metal stearates such as calcium and magnesium salts. zinc stearic acid. External lubricants, which act externally to prevent the resins from sticking to the hot metal processing machine by reducing friction between the surfaces, are preferably low melting paraffin. The fillers are preferably added to the thermoplastic formulation to reduce product costs and to improve the impact properties. While any filler may be used as long as it is compatible with the thermoplastic resin, typical fillers include, but are not limited to, calcium carbonate. The thermoplastic center may be made of a thermoplastic resin and a rough surface forming agent, if it is desired that the center have a rough top surface. Agents that provide roughness can impart a non-skid surface to the center or provide a rough surface that is more receptive to some adhesives than a smooth surface would. Exemplary surface roughness agents include powdered materials having particle sizes of about 1000 microns or less, and may comprise silicon glass particles, pigments, TEFLON® powders, flours, corn starch, glass powders. siliciates and micronized cellulose powders. Inert powders are preferred including TEFLON® powders, TEFZEL® powders, KYNAR ™ powders, polypropylene powders and TULLANOX ™ micropowders. The agents that provide roughness to the surface can be mixed in the thermoplastic melt before the boards are extruded or applied to the surface of the extruded plank while it is hot, so that it joins the surface. Preferably, the thermoplastic center has a rigid nature and has the following range of preferred properties: impact resistance, static load resistance, resistance to depressions, insensitivity to moisture, a pre-profiled configuration and the like. While the center can be made differently, preferably the center is formed by means of an extrusion process wherein the thermoplastic material together with any other optional ingredient can be mixed and then fed to an extruder by means of a feeder wherein the Extruder with application of heat and the action of the propeller melts the thermoplastic material to the point where it is finally fed through a die, where the die has the configuration of the center. In more detail, the extrusion process allows a) an economically possible design by designing a profile with cavities within the structure and b) a highly versatile method to achieve the complicated profile design of the preferred plank without further machining for the tongue and groove , for example. Any extruder can be used to extrude the desired plank design for thermoplastic materials, preferably the extruder is one of American Maplan Corporation, such as the TS-88 model, which has the ability to process rigid PVC profiles, with a performance capability maximum of approximately 900 pounds / hour, based on a compound volume density of 37 pounds / ft3. The TS-88 is a twin screw extruder that has a heating cylinder section and a cooling section as well as a vacuum system. In the extruder, there may be 12 temperature zones with 6 for cooling and a temperature control system. The dimensions of the center can practically have any size configuration while such material can be extruded in one piece or multiple pieces. For example, the center preferably has a thickness of about 3 mm to about 50 mm, a width of about 2 cm to about 60 cm, and a length of about 30 cm to about 215 cm. The center of preference may have a square or rectangular configuration. An exemplary center 5 has a width of up to about 18 cm (seven inches) or more, and a length of about 183 cm (72 inches) or more. An exemplary rectangular center has a width of approximately 13 cm (5 inches) and a length of approximately 183 cm (72 inches). Also, the The upper surface of the center may optionally have a textured surface on the upper surface with the center part which is extruded through the die. The top surface of the plank can also be treated or shaped to have a textured finish as a texture rough, grooved, crossed with stripes, extruded, pitted, cracked, grained or veined. A mechanical engraving roller can be located behind the cooling gauge and after the die extruder to achieve the texture of the surface of the extruded core. Any variety of textures can be created by this method on the center such as wood grain and the like. Also, as an option the center may be 100% solid or it may have one or more cavities or cells that are located between the upper and lower surface of the center. While the cavities are optional, They prefer cavities, since they reduce the amount of thermoplastic material used and create a lighter product. The cavities or cells that can be part of the extruded center preferably have cavities that have 5 dimensions from about 3 mm to about 16 mm in height, from about 6 mm to about 20 mm in width, and can be separated by walls of thermoplastic material solid having a thickness of about 1.0 mm to about 3.02 mm. The optimal dimension of cavities depends on the requirement of the product to withstand the potential impact force of falling objects. The cavities that are preferably present can have any cross-sectional configuration such as rounded, oval, triangular or rectangular. These cavities or preference cells exist throughout the center distance as shown in Figures 1, 5 and 6. Preferably, each cavity extends longitudinally along the entire length of the plank, although the cavities may extend longitudinally along the entire width of the plank. Preferably, the cavities extend in the extrusion direction of the thermoplastic board material. Another advantage is that wires, cables, optical fibers, and / or pipes can run through the cavities. makes the installation of the wiring and the pipeline quite easy -kü-Ü -JU¿¡ »* .1?? M *« ..... ...... ... - ^ ..._ without the need to make holes through the walls, or placing the wires under the floor or on the ceiling. In addition, if necessary, holes can be drilled through the thermoplastic material by separating one cavity from the other to have cables or pipes in a perpendicular direction when necessary. Alternatively, for certain thermoplastic center parts, the cavities may run in a perpendicular direction from the remaining pieces to accommodate the direction that the wiring or pipeline may take when being placed in a room. According to some embodiments of the invention, electric cables, telephone lines, cable television lines, speaker cables, heating elements, hot or cold air ducts, or the like can be integrally extruded into the thermoplastic material of each board and Suitable terminals or connectors, such as receiver plug connectors, can be formed at the ends of the boards and connected to each cable, conduit, or the like. In this way, a series of planks can be placed and carry, for example, a horn signal from one end of a floor to another floor end. Chilled or heated floors can be manufactured having connecting ducts through which adjacent boards can transport cold or hot air. . -_. , -._. ....

The centers that form the plank of preference are all made of the same die design and thus are in a uniform appearance. Also, the cavities that are preferably present in the center align with the cavities in the respective center pieces. The pins or other equivalent materials can be inserted into the cavities at the short end of the plank to be able to join an adjacent plank to create an airtight seal at each joint. The ends of the planks can have formed within the same slots to receive a serrated channel or other connecting member so that the ends of the adjacent planks can be joined in the same manner, or in a similar manner, when the side edges of the planks are joined. The end slots can be cut or otherwise form on extruded planks after extrusion. One end of each board may be provided with one or more centering or alignment pins while the opposite end of each board may be provided with one or more notches, orifices, or holes. openings for receiving an alignment pin from an adjacent board. These types of coupling systems, while optional, will additionally secure a very secure waterproof floating floor or other surface cover. Although it is not necessary, the plank ends at just as the tongue and the groove may have an agent of Union applied in these places to be able to seal or join the boards. Surprisingly, it has been discovered that sealant compositions such as tetrahydrofuran have the ability to currently work as binding agents to bond the boards. In one of the following examples, the results show that by using tetrahydrofuran or tetrahydrofuran-like compositions, the joints of the boards that have been joined with the use of this composition lead to the formation of a bond between the two. planks and increase the strength of the total joint of the two attached planks significantly. The use of this binding agent can be used not only with the boards described above, but with all the thermoplastic boards taking into account that the binding agent is capable of dissolving particular plastics to form a mechanical and / or chemical bond. An advantage of the use of a binding agent such as tetrahydrofuran is that it is effective, is simple to use, and leaves no residue on the surface after evaporation. In this way, no adhesive marks are left on the surface of the planks. In addition, the application of such tetrahydrofuran-like binding agents is quite easy since it can be applied with a brush or spray or an applicator tip using gravity or another force such as by squeezing an applicator bottle, and any excess removes easily unlike the application of some M? Yy ajittMl útíá? Iá? í? ai ^ • -rrt - f adhesives for tiles and similar. Other examples of other suitable bonding agents having stability of bonding the thermoplastic boards include, but are not limited to, methylene chloride and ketones and the like. Examples of ketones include, but are not limited to, methyl ethyl ketone, methylamyl ketone, dipropyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, n-methyl pyrrolidone, dimethylformamide, cyclohexanone, nitrobenzene and the like. Another optional aspect of the center is the presence of a groove and / or tongue design on preferably two or more sides or edges of the center where the sides or edges are opposite one another. While the center design may have a tongue design on one edge and a groove design on the opposite edge, it is preferred that both edges that are opposed to each other have a groove design. This tongue and / or groove design in the center may be formed as part of the extruded center. The tongue or groove can have a variety of dimensions but preferably the groove which is present in two, the opposite edges have an internal depth dimension of about 5 mm to about 12 mm and a height of about 3 mm to about 5 mm . The lower width of the side having the slot is slightly shorter than the upper width of the same side to ensure that there is no space between the boards after splicing. In other words, the lower flange of the groove is slightly narrower than the upper flange, ensuring that the top flange of the laterally attached planks are joined to the lower flanges. This ensures that there is no visible surface space. Furthermore, it is preferred that the slot has teeth located on the upper surface and the lower surface of the slot for receiving an interlock tab, wherein the tab is a separate component that will be described later. The teeth that can preferably be present as part of the extruded groove forming part of the extruded center preferably have a size of about 0.2 mm to about 1.2 mm per tooth and have an angle of about 30 to 45 degrees with a bite toward back allowing an easier insertion than the removal of the tongue portion. A preferred design is shown in Figures 3 and 4. Also as an option, any edge, and preferably the edges that preferably have the tongue and / or groove, are slanted or bevelled so that when two centers are joined, it is formed a V-shaped notch or fence. Preferably, the inclined or beveled edges are at an angle of about 15 ° to about 55 °, more preferably at about an angle of 17 °. Also, the length of the inclined or bevelled edge is ,. ± & ... ,, ,, ,, .... " . . ., ". ,, __._...... __, .. ... _ ....__« «, _..., .-."., -.... ". . .. < < fafl * - * .. approximately 2.0 mm to approximately 7.0 mm in each center piece. A preferred design is set forth in Figure 3. As another option, the center may have located on its bottom surface any number of lower bases 5 which are preferably pieces of rubber thermoplastic material that are bonded to the lower surface of the center. Preferably, the lower bases are thermoplastic material and more preferably are soft thermoplastic material which are post-extruded on the lower surface of the board. While the lower bases can have any dimension, preferably the lower bases have an outer dimension of about 1.0 mm to about 5.0 mm. The lower bases provide various functions such as increasing the soft, cushioned feeling of the plank to improve the comfort level for the feet and also reducing the problems associated with imperfections of the subfloor or substrate. The lower bases also help control the transmission of noise, and thus have properties that depend on noise. Also, the lower bases ensure that the migration of any mold, moisture, and / or stain that may be part of the subfloor or substrate can be minimized if not eliminated by the lower bases. As an additional option, the product of lower bases can be installed upside down to be a floor ^^^ Mdj iili ^^ a-ti ^ - -, - Tn-i- | - 1 - - 1 - - • i r- ir - -., R f tipraf- resistant for such applications as Esca leras or escalators. The lower bases are located on the lower surface of the center and preferably appear as a series of raised parallel rods running longitudinally along the bottom of the plank. These can be formed by post-extrusion of soft polymeric rods to form grooves with depressions present in the bottom of the extruded center plank. These raised feet extend outward from the bottom of the plank and act to support the center above the subfloor or substrate. Typically, the extruded post material extends beyond the lower surface of the center to about 0.25 mm (10 mils) to about 2.0 mm (75 mils) and more preferably from about 0.65 mm (25 mils) to about 1.3 mm (50 mils). Figures 1, 3, 5 and 6 furthermore show embodiments of how the post-extruded rods of thermoplastic material can serve as a support mechanism. With respect to the laminate in the upper part of the center, a printing layer is fixed to the upper surface of the center, wherein the printing layer has an upper surface and a lower surface. The printing layer is preferably a printed paper impregnated with aminoplast resin. Preferably, the printing layer -_i .__.___ has a printed design. The printed design can be any that is capable of being printed on the printing layer. The printing layer is also known as a decorative printing layer. Generally, the printing layer can be prepared by rotogravure printing techniques or other printing media such as digital printing. Once the paper has the design printed on it, the paper is then impregnated with an aminoplast resin or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the aminoplast resin is a mixture of a formaldehyde of urea and a formaldehyde of melamine. The printing paper, also known as Deco paper, should preferably have the ability to cause liquids to penetrate the paper such as a melamine liquid that penetrates for 3 to 4 seconds and also maintain a wet strength and uniform fiber orientation to provide good reinforcement in all directions. The used printing paper does not need to be impregnated with this resin (this is optional), but instead relies on a slight resin migration in the attached layers during the lamination process (applying heat and / or pressure to laminate all the layers and form one). Preferably the resin used for the impregnation is a mixture of urea formaldehyde resins and melamine formaldehyde. Urea formaldehyde can contribute to the opacity of the film being formed and thus is not preferred for dark colors and the melamine resin transfers transparency, high hardness, scratch resistance, chemical resistance, and good build, but It may have shrinkage values. When combining urea resins with melamine resins in a mixture or using a double impregnation (ie, applying one resin after the other sequentially), it provides a positive interaction to control shrinkage and reduce opacity. Preferably, the type of paper used is one that has 75 g / m2 of weight and a thickness of 0.16 mm. The saturation of the coating is preferably about 64 g / m2. Optionally located on the upper surface of the printing layer is a cover. The cover that can also be known as the wear layer is a cover paper, which when attached to the printing layer has a transparent appearance. The cover paper is preferably a high abrasion cover that preferably has aluminum oxide embedded in the surface of the paper. In addition, the paper is impregnated with an aminoplast resin as well as with the printing layer. Several commercial grades of high abrasion coatings are preferably used as those of Mead Specialty Paper with the product numbers TMO 361, 461 (70 grams / m2 layer _ ^ _ ^ _ ^ aUU premium underlying of Mead) and 561 where these products have a range of Taber values from 4000 to 15000. The type of paper preferably used has a weight of approximately 46 g / m2 and a thickness of approximately 5. 0.13 mm. With respect to the printing layer and the cover, the amount of aminoplast resin is preferably 60 to 140 g / m2 and more preferably about 100 to about 120 g / m2. 10 As an option, an underlying layer can be placed and fixed between the lower surface of the printing layer and the upper surface of the center. Preferably, the underlying layer is present and is a paper impregnated with an aminoplast resin as described above with respect to the printing layer and the cover. Preferably, the underlying layer is a kraft paper impregnated with aminoplast or phenolic resins and more preferably phenolic formaldehyde resins or melamine formaldehyde resins which are present in a The amount of about 60 g / m2 to about 145 g / m2 and more preferably from 100 g / m2 to about 120 g / m2 of paper. The type of paper used for pieference is approximately 145 g / m2 and has a thickness of approximately 0.25 mm. The underlying layer is especially MMa MaHKHiaaaUM ^ preferred when an additional impact force resistance is required. Preferably, the thermoplastic laminated board can be prepared by extruding the center as described above and forming a laminate comprising the cover fixed to the upper surface of the printing layer and optionally the underlying layer fixed to the lower surface of the printing layer . This laminate can be prepared for example, by any process customarily used to manufacture laminated films such as a continuous double-band press. In general, the underlying layer, if used, the printing layer and the cover can be fed in a continuous dual band press that serves as a laminated calendar. Preferably, the continuous operation is an isobaric system where the pressure can reach as high as 30 bar and the speed of the line can be up to 20 meters per minute. The length of the pressure zone is approximately 2-3 meters. In this continuous dual-band press system, the isobaric system provides a uniform pressure effect at each point of the treated surface of the laminate. The laminate engraving can be achieved by an engraved release paper or the double-band press band can be engraved to produce surface textures. In a continuous dual band press, the simultaneous heating of laminate with a suitable pressure and dwell time forms the laminated film that can be laminated for a subsequent application. Once the laminate is formed it can be applied over the center and preferably fixed by any means, such as with an adhesive. Preferably, the adhesive is an adhesive that is applied hot as a hot-applied resistol such as hot-applied polyurethane resistol. The hot-applied adhesive, such as the hot-applied polyurethane adhesive, is preferably applied to the back surface of the laminated film at a preferred temperature of 121,111 ° C (250 ° F) at about 148,889 ° C ( 300 ° F), more preferably from about 121,111 ° C (250 ° F) to about 135 ° C (275 ° F). These temperatures may vary slightly depending on the adhesive. The application of the adhesive applied hot to the laminate can be done by a direct roller coater. The laminate with the adhesive on the back surface can then also be heated to a suitable temperature to soften the laminate and allow the laminate to form the profile of the thermoplastic center and thereby be permanently fixed. The typical wrapping machine is designed to hold the laminate to the contour of the thermoplastic board as it is being cooled to below about 32,222 (90) to about 37,778 ° C (100 ° F). The thickness of the adhesive application can have an effect on the impact strength of the finished product. If the application of the adhesive is too thick, an impact can cause the laminate to become too brittle and break. A thin application allows the laminate to be less flexible during impact and minimize damage. The application of the adhesive is preferably done at a rate of from about 5 to about 15 grams per square foot (g / ft2) and more preferably from about 4 to about 8 g / ft3. A preferred hot-applied adhesive is Ever-Lock® 2U145 / 2U230 a hot-applied modified polyurethane adhesive from Reinhold Chemicals Inc. As described above, the various laminated boards of the present invention can be connected together by a piece of tongue or channel or connector to pressure. A separate channel or snap connector is a separate piece and is especially effective when a slot is present on the two opposite sides or edges of the thermoplastic laminate board. The tongue or pressure piece can be inserted into a slot and is long enough to extend out of the slot and fit within a respective slot of another thermoplastic laminate board to be able to connect the two pieces together. Preferably, the tongue piece or snap connector is a co-extruded material that is made of a rigid thermoplastic material such as polyvinyl chloride or mixtures of polyvinyl chloride / rubber in the central portion and the mild thermoplastic material such as sodium chloride. Soft polyvinyl material on the upper and lower surface of the snap connector to be flexible when inserted into the slot to firmly engage the tooth portions of the slot in the preferred embodiment. The pressure connector is designed to facilitate installation. To achieve this goal, two planks are mechanically interlocked together with a connector without using adhesive. The connector should fit in the lateral grooves of the two attached boards. The purpose of the snap-on connector is to hold the boards together and prevent standing water at the top of the joint from fully penetrating through the joint and wetting the subfloor or surface under the boards. The snap connector, also known as the channel, is wide enough to allow the teeth in each adjoining slot to hold the connector in a satisfactory manner, but the snap-in connector must be narrower than the combined slot depths of the attached boards. allow the upper parts of _ ^ ____ Maaa_b the planks come together (see Figure 3). In this way, the snap connector should be as wide as possible to provide a maximum clamping surface, but it should be narrow enough to allow the upper surfaces 5 of the attached planks to come together. The width of the snap connector will preferably vary from 0.007 to about 0.013 inches less than the nominal slot depth to allow for processing variability. To increase the "bite" of the teeth in the groove on the connector surfaces, the upper and lower connector surfaces may be made of a material softer than the center of the connector. This material may be composed of plasticized vinyl, a mixture of vinyl rubber, and the like. One such modalities contains a hard inner core made of a GEON 8700 compound with a total thickness of about 2 mm to about 3 mm with an upper and lower surface made of a GEON 8602 product with a thickness of about 1.3 mm to about 3 mm for each surface. The snap connector can have a variety of configurations. In one such configuration, the upper and lower surfaces are flat. This will allow the teeth on the upper and lower surfaces of the slots attached hold the connector. The thickness of the connector - "" * "- •» - - '' • - < - • is determined by two factors: The thicker the connector, the more pressure the teeth will apply in the groove, however, the connector can not be too thickness or the force required for the installer to be able to join the attached planks will be too high In the case of the connector design with flat top and bottom surfaces, the connector thickness will preferably vary to no more than about 0.13 MI to about 0.26 mm more than the slot in the plank slot into which it is to be inserted.Another configuration includes sets of teeth that run lengthwise along the length of the connector.These teeth may appear on both the upper and lower surfaces or only one surface being the other flat surface The teeth will preferably be configured to be inclined in the opposite direction to the teeth in the groove of the plank, thus allowing a "deadlock effect". Due to the flexibility of the teeth, a greater tolerance of extrusion for the lateral groove of the plank is accommodated. The total thickness of the connector can have an excess of 0.9 mm greater than the opening of the groove of the board and the force required for the installation is still acceptable. The flexibility of the teeth in the connector depends on the material from which it is made. One such embodiment contains a hard inner core made of a GEON 8700 composite with a total thickness of about 2.8 mm and an upper and lower surface made of a GEON 8602 product with a thickness of approximately 0.76 mm for each surface. The upper and lower surfaces may contain a smooth flat layer of approximately 0.25 mm from which the teeth protrude 0.5 mm long. Another configuration allows depressed serrated "valleys" running longitudinally in the direction of the connector. These depressed teeth will allow the teeth of the groove on the boards to more easily engage with the connector. In the present invention, while each thermoplastic laminated board can be fixed to the subfloor or substrate, it is preferred that the thermoplastic laminated boards be joined together only through the groove system so that there is a floating floor system. This promotes a quick and easy placement of the floor system. With the thermoplastic laminated planks of the present invention, the present invention achieves many benefits and advantages, such as moisture resistance, mechanical properties such as impact resistance, resistance to depressions, and beneficial acoustic properties. In addition, the laminated plank system of the present invention can be used in any environment, dry or wet, indoors or outdoors since it is not susceptible to damage or distortion by moisture. In one embodiment of the present invention, the planks are less sensitive to the combined effects of temperature and humidity than the standard laminate. As a result, the need for moldings T to act as areas of expansion and contraction of floor can generally be eliminated. These moldings T not only look bad, but can cause tripping. By eliminating the joints of moldings T / expansion in the passage, the present invention allows the use of the floor in commercial applications. In one embodiment, the present invention expanded only one fifth more than the standard laminate under identical conditions. These conditions lead to the product from ambient room conditions to conditions of 100% relative humidity and 32,222 ° C (90 ° F). Standard expansion joints for laminate are typically placed every 30 feet. Thus, a 150-foot corridor would be possible without an expansion joint according to the present invention. A second study shows that by post-conditioning planks, such as at 115,556 ° C (240 ° F) for varying times of 20 to 40 seconds, planks can become more stable. This treatment is called as thermal balance. The results are described in the following table. * present invention ** Conditions start in ambient room conditions. The product expands during the 32,222 ° C (90 ° F) change and 100% relative humidity. Also, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the installation method used as a result of the unique designs of the thermoplastic laminate planks of the present invention preferably eliminates the adhesive necessary for the tongue and groove connections. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the installation method uses the unique design of the product to eliminate the need for the adhesive used in the tongue and groove connections. In addition, the installer has options to install the thermoplastic laminated plank product. In one method, a floor installation method can be used. In this method, no adhesive is applied to bond the product to the surface of the subfloor. The benefits of this method have been described above. In a second method, a full separation adhesive is applied between the underside of the product and the surface of the subfloor. This provides the advantages of additional dimensional stability and noise absorption. These properties are beneficial in commercial applications. In addition, the excellent moisture resistance and noise absorption qualities of this product can eliminate the need for low cushioning, although the use of the low mattress is an option. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to the thermoplastic board comprising the same board described above, but, instead of a laminate on the top of the board, a design is printed directly on the upper surface of the board using any number of printing techniques such as gravure printing, transfer printing, digital printing, flexo printing and the like. Or, a printed thermoplastic film (for example, PVC) or a wood veneer and the like can be laminated on a thermoplastic board. A protective coating can then be placed on top of the printed design. Any type of protective coating or wear layer can be used such as the polyurethane type coating with or without wear resistant particles in the coating. Thus, a thermoplastic board could comprise a center comprising at least one thermoplastic material wherein the center has a top surface and a bottom surface as well as opposite sides and a design printed directly on the top surface of the board and optional at least one protective coating on top of the printed design. The upper surface of the plank as described above, may have a textured surface as described above. This type of thermoplastic board can be made by extruding at least one thermoplastic material to the center shape and then printing a design directly on the upper surface of the board and then optionally applying at least one protective coating on top of the printed design. and curing the protective coating. The protective coating can be applied by commercial techniques, such as a curtain coater, a master roll coater, a differential roller coater or an air knife coater or a spray apparatus. In another embodiment of the present invention, a thermoplastic board for surface covers, such as floor, has a thermoplastic center as described above in the other embodiments and an extruded layer on the upper surface of the center where this extruded layer comprises at least one thermoplastic material with one or more pigmented compounds. This extruded layer in the upper part 5 of the extruded core can simulate various designs such as wood grain and the like. The thermoplastic board in this embodiment can be made by extrusion cutting techniques which involve extruding at least one thermoplastic material to the form the center and extrude either simultaneously or subsequently a layer containing at least one thermoplastic material with one or more pigmented compounds in the upper part of the extruded core. Another modality involves a thermoplastic plank having the same design as described e with a printed polymeric film, such as a PVC film placed on the upper surface of the extruded core. The printed polymer film can be a polymeric film having a design printed on the film wherein the The film preferably has a thickness of t 10 to t 20 mil. One or more wear layers or protective coating can be placed on top of the printed polymer film. The polymeric film can be placed on top of the extruded core by typical rolling techniques such as heating ^^^^^? & the printed film, then pressing the film towards the extruded center to join them together, or using adhesive to join them together. In more detail and with reference to the Figures, the Figures show various aspects of various embodiments of the present invention. In each of Figures 1-6, the length measurements shown are in units of inches and the angle values are shown in degrees. For each measurement established in the decimal form, the tolerance is +/- 0.005 inches per measurement. For each measure established in the fraction form, the tolerance is +/- 1/16 inches per measurement. For each angular measurement, the tolerances are +/- 0.5 °. With reference to Figure 1, Figure 1 represents a schematic diagram of an extreme view of the embodiment of the thermoplastic board. Figure 1 is a perspective view oriented towards the front edge of the thermoplastic board where the slot (76) runs along each longitudinal edge of the board. The channel or tab (64) is inserted along the length of each slot (76). (72) points to the edges of the channel having the groove, while (68) points to the lower or lower surface of the plank and (70) points to the top surface or the surface typically, but optionally receives the printing layer and similar. (62) refers to the bases or strips of post-extruded material that extend along the lower surface from the center of the front edge to the trailing edge. As can be seen in Figure 1, typically these post-extruded lines of thermoplastic material act as a support mechanism and typically run parallel in the same parallel direction as the cavities (60). Preferably, and as shown in the embodiments in Figure 1, the edge side of the plank having a slot is typically inclined or bevelled as shown in FIG. (78). The cavities (60) are shown in Figure 1 as having rectangular cross sections. The cavities extend longitudinally along the length of the plank, preferably along the entire length of the plank from one end to the other opposite end. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the total width (from left to right in the view shown) of the board is 7,000 inches (178 mm) not including the channels or tabs 64 shown connected at each end of the board. The length of the plank (not shown) is 1829 mm (72 inches). The width of each cavity (shown from left to right) is 8.51 mm (0.335 inches). The vertical dimension of the upper and lower wall thicknesses e and below each cavity is 1.78 mm (0.070 inches) each. The height (in a vertical dimension) of each cavity is 5.46 mm (0.215 inches). The width (of ? d "_JI _ ^ - fe_M_Ld_l_k left to right) of the side wall are vertically disposed between the adjacent cavities of 1.52 mm (0.060 inches) with the exception of the outermost side walls adjacent the slots 76, each of which 5 it has a width of 2.95 mm (0.116 inches). Referring to Figure 2, Figure 2 is a representation of a type of channel or tab (64) that can be used in an embodiment of the present invention. As you can see in Figure 2, the material of soft preference (82) such as PVC is located on the upper and lower surface of the channel or tab to ensure a tighter fit with the groove of the thermoplastic board. The channel design preferably has a thickness of about 0.13 mm (3 mils) to 0.26 mm (5 mils) more thickness than the groove of the plank. If the channel is too thick, you can open the slot and cause peaks in the edge. If the channel is too thin, it does not effectively engage the teeth of the groove. The edges of the channel or tab (64) are inclined or bevelled as shown in (80) for can ensure that the tab can be inserted into the slot. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the total width of the channel or tab 64 (from left to right) is 12.7 mm (0.500 inches) and the total height is 4.57 mm (0.-180 inches). The thickness of the soft material 82 shown • "M_ÍÉ_HI_Í__ÉI_H at the top and bottom of the channel or tab is 0.58 mm (0.023 inches). For each of the upper and lower channel surfaces, the respective surface is made of 1.63 mm (0.064 square inches) of a rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material and 0.019 square inches of a mild polyvinylchloride material. The angled corners of the channel or tab 64, each angled at about 30 ° with respect to the flat top and the respective lower adjacent surface of the channel or tab 64. Figure 3 refers to a channel (64) having the teeth (90) on its surface that engage the slots (76) of the thermoplastic planks. Further, as can be seen in Figure 3, in a preferred embodiment, the upper surfaces of the plank form a V-shaped valley (88) and the upper edges of the adjacent planks touch each other while the lower edge portions of the planks touch each other. each respective plank is cut to have a slightly shorter length and thus form a space (86) which ensures that the upper ends (88) touch each other and do not leave any space on the walking surface of the planks. The reference number (84) shows an upper layer, such as a printing layer, a composite printing layer or the like.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the width dimension of the space 86 (from left to right) is 0.76 mm (0.030 inches). The thickness of the upper layer 84 shown in Figure 3 is 0.38 mm (0.015 inches). The surface area, viewed from the bottom, of the bases or strips 62 of post-extruded material is 0.122 mm (0.0048 square inches) each and are made of a mild polyvinyl chloride material. The total surface area, covered by the bases or strips 62, of the bottom of any of the planks shown connected to Figure 3, is 1.60 mm (0.0624 square inches). The two connected planks shown in Figure 3, each have dimensions of approximately 7.0 inches in width and approximately 72 inches in length, and each is provided with 13 feet or strips 62. Referring to Figure 4, Figure 4 is a representation of a slot (76) having receiving teeth (92) for a channel or design tab shown at (90) in Figure 3. Figure 4 also shows the post-extruded lines (62) on the bottom surface of the extruded plank as well as the different angles and cuts of the cavity (60). In addition, the inclined or beveled edge 78 is shown in Figure 4. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the foot 62 has a width of 0.075 inches, a height of 0.075 inches, and is housed in a hole or groove. corresponding to 0.050 inches inside the lower surface of the floor plank. As such, 0.025 inches of foot extends beyond the bottom surface of the plank. In the cavity 60 shown in Figure 4 has an upper corner defined by a radius of curvature 0.025 inch and a lower corner including a wall with a 45 ° angle intersecting the side wall and the bottom wall of the cavity at a radius of curvature of 0.025 inches each. The inclined or beveled edge 78 shown in Figure 4 is angled by 17 ° relative to the planar top surface of the plank. The edge 78 opposite the inclined or bevelled lower edge is angled by 30 ° relative to the planar lower surface of the plank. The receiving teeth 92 each are 0.040 inches wide (from left to right) and each has a flat upper surface at the point where it has a width of 0.008 inches. The space between the upper and lower opposing teeth is 0.150 inches. The depth of the slot 76, from the edge of the plank to the deepest part of the edge 76 (from left to right) is 0.270 inches and the depth of the left edge of the plank toward, and including the last tooth inside the slot is 0.201 inches. The inclined or bevelled edge 76 intersects the flat top surface of the plank 0.125 inches from the edge of the plank. Figures 5 and 6 represent different widths of the board, but generally show the same characteristics as shown in Figure 1, and the reference numbers in Figures 5 and 6 represent the same characteristics as the corresponding numbers shown in Figure 1. The dimensions of the cavities and wall thicknesses of the embodiment shown in Figure 5 are substantially identical to the dimensions shown in Figure 1 with the exception that the total width of the plank shown in Figure 5 is 3,000 inches compared to 7,000 inches for the width of the plank shown in Figure 1. In addition, the two vertical side walls adjacent to each respective space 76, referred to herein as the two outermost side walls, are 0.075 inches wide compared to 0.116 inches width for the corresponding outermost side walls of the modality shown in Figure 1. The The total plank shown in Figure 5, from the flat top surface to the flat bottom surface (excluding the bases or strips 62) is 0.355 inches for the mode shown in Figure 5.

For the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the dimensions are substantially identical to those dimensions shown in the embodiment of Figure 5, with the exception that the plank shown in Figure 6 has a total width of 5,000 inches and each cavity It has a width of 0.303 inches. Figure 7 represents still another embodiment of the thermoplastic board according to the present invention. Figure 7 is an extreme view of a mode wherein the The extruded thermoplastic board has a substantially planar upper surface (92), and a lower surface (94) having a plurality of channels formed therein, wherein each channel (96) extends longitudinally from one end of the plank to the other. the other end of the plank. The channels may have a U-shaped configuration, a U-shaped configuration, or have another suitable cross-section configuration. The channels (96), when the planks are placed on a floor, they can accommodate any variety of wires, cables, electric cords or conduits or carrying signals. The plank is significantly lighter than a similar plank that has the same dimensions but without the channels formed inside it. A floor system made of such planks has a softer step and is lighter than a plank solid or otherwise similar. As shown in the ^^^^^ Figure 7, a centering pin (98) and a pin receiving hole (100) are provided at both ends of the plank so that the adjacent planks can be aligned with each other in an end-to-end configuration The thermoplastic planks of the present invention can be used in a variety of applications including, but not limited to, wall panels, ceiling panels, floor surfaces, decks, patios, furniture surfaces, shelves and other surface parts or covers thereof. The present invention will be further elucidated by the following examples, which are intended to be merely exemplary of the present invention. EXAMPLES Example 1 Compound: In one case, a PVC composite containing an impact modifier, filler, stabilizer and process aids was extruded in the amounts shown below through a profile die providing a hollow cross section as shown. in Figures 1, 5 and / or 6. Ingredient Quantity (phr) PVC homopolymer 100 Thermal Stabilizer 0.8-1.5 Process Auxiliary 0.5- -1.0 Impact Modifier 3.0- -4 .0 Internal lubricant 0.6- -1 .0 external 1.1- -1 .5 Filler 20-35 Ti02 1.5- -3 .0 Barrel 1 Barrel 2 Barrel 3 Barrel 4 Barrel 5 Barrel Temperatures, 173.889- 173.899- 160-171.11 '1 157.222-32.222- ° C 182.222 182.222 (320-340) 165.556 43.333 (° F) (345-360) (345-360) (315-330) (90-110) Oil Temperature ° C (° F) (through 140,556 screw 148,889 (285-300) Dadol Die 2 Die 3 Die 4 Die 5 Die temperatures, 173.889- 182.222- 182.222- 193.333- 187.778- ° C (° F) 182.222 187.778 187.778 198.889 193.333 (345-360) (360-370) (360-370) (380-390) (370-380) Load percentage 63-75% Main RPM 950-1100 Yield 163-250 kg / hour (356-550 lbs / hour Back pressure 18.1-19.0 metric tons Melting pressure 4,075-4500 psi Melting temperature ° C (° F) 196,111- 198.889 (385-390) Color Feeder 0.35-0.70 pounds / hour (setting from 5 to 0.35, setting from 10 to 0.70) Line speed 8.5-8.75 feet / minutes Calibration Unit: Empty 1 16-20 in Empty Hg 2 17-20 in Hg Empty 3 12.5-15.0 in Hg Empty 4 off Jogging Force 3560-4000 lbs Water Temperature ° C (° F) 16.111 (61) Pressure in Cooling and Sizing, psi # 1 40 mbar # 2 40 mbar Pressure clamping on the conveyor Front 40-45 psi Rear 28-35 psi Counterbalance 33-40 psi Specific Application Wrapping Conditions: Line Deployment / Conditions: An HPLC machine was used (Top Coat High Pressure Laminate) on the basis of PVC plank. The machine was called a "wrapping machine" and consists mainly of two parts 1) a forming action component to configure the HPL to the contour of the base, and 2) a clamping action component to retain the shape of the HPL on the base as the adhesive cools and becomes more resistant. In more detail: 1. PVC boards were placed on the line to be transported by roller wheels covered with rubber. The transport speed was 35-50 feet per minute in this particular application. In other applications, speeds may vary as much as 120 fpm. 2. The PVC boards suggested a surface treatment to raise the surface tension and improve the wetting of the surface in the adhesive. The surface treatment unit provided by Corotec, 145 Hyde Rd. Farmington, CT, provides the plasma jet treatment. The surface tension was increased from 34 to 45 dynes / cm. 3. A top layer (laminate) HPL dispensed from a continuous roll, was treated with a hot-melt adhesive of polyurethane, Reichold 2U145, provided by Reichold Chemicals, 2400 Ellis Rd, Durham, NC. The adhesive was heated to 113,889 degrees C (237 degrees F) and laminated to the back of the HPL layer with a knurled roller. 4. The HPL was then coupled with the PVC board, and the IR heat was directed onto the face of the HPL. The temperature on the face of the PVC board was raised to 149,889 ° C-165,556 ° C (300 ° F-330 ° F), which softened the HPL enough to allow its molding.

. The HPL was configured using rubber rollers on the face of the PVC plank and all the inclined edges of the plank. As such, this wrapping process configured the HPLC to adhere to the topography of the plank on which it was fixed. 6. Water was sprayed rapidly to lower the temperature of the HPL / PVC board assembly to below 37,778 ° C (100 ° F) (eg 34,444 ° C (94 ° F)). The rubber rollers continued to hold the HPL on the PVC surface while the assembly was completely cooled. This allowed the adhesive to cool and become more resistant, thereby permanently attaching the top layer HPL to the bottom layer of the PVC plank. 7. Each individual plank assembly was then separated from the following planks with an appropriate force to make a sharp separation. Posterior Treatment: Mechanical Posterior Treatment. The HPL / PVC board assembly will then be finished with an end cutting and cutting procedure to cut the ends of the plank to a square configuration and trim the rest of the laminate until it is level with the base plank. Thermal Rear Treatment Due to a warming of the non-uniform upper side of the HPL / PVC board assembly during configuration, the finished product can develop a "buckled" distortion where the upper ends of the board approach each other. For the plank to be flat, this must be solved with an opposite heat treatment on the back side of the HPL / PVC board assembly. The heat treatment can be done in line or directly by heating (in an upward direction) the lower surface of the plank while the plank undergoes the wrapping process. For the HPL / PVC board geometry specifically shown in Figure 1, it has been found that by heating the rear surface of the assembly at certain temperatures for a number of times, the configuration of the board can be controlled. In fact, buckling can be corrected and a flat plank can be produced if the board is heated to 115,556-148,889 ° C (240-300 degrees F) for 20-45 seconds. If the table is allowed to reside at higher temperatures for a longer time, a "dome" effect can now be induced in the table. So that the total control of the final configuration of the table can be achieved through an appropriate selection of conditions. The thermoplastic board of the present invention was tested for its properties and compared to commercially available Mannington laminate and wood floor products. The can drop test involved dropping a 2-pound 40-inch-high can, where 100% means a perforation of the product and 0% means no peeling.

Testing for Extruded Planks This row indicated "cat" as a catastrophic failure which means that it was perforated.

Example «2 A series of thermoplastic planks with design similar to the planks formed in Example 1 were connected together to create a floor system. The channel system was used as shown in Figure 3. In addition, a comparison was made without using a binding agent and a floor system using a binding agent. The binding agent, tetrahydrofuran (THF) was applied to the sides of the board including the channel and the grooves. When it was not applied the THF to the channel area, the bond strength had an average of 1.73 pounds using the Instron test with the following parameters: 50 pounds full scale for graph paper, jaw speed 0.5 inches / minute, jaw distance 3 inches, shows 1X5, thickness of channel of 156 thousand. When the same type of extrusion board was applied the THF to the channel area, after 4 hours of curing, the bond strength of the channel area had an average of 18.1 pounds and after 24 hours of curing, the resistance of Union of the canal area was 39.1 pounds.

The ends of the extrusion plank were tested for their resistance to bonding where the ends did not have a channel junction and simply spliced one on top of the other. This recorded a quartz binding strength was not present THF since there was nothing to hold the edges from each board together. When the THF was applied to the edges _if _ * _ É_MiÉ_a_c after 4 hours of curing, the bond strength was above 100 pounds using a scale of 100 pounds and after 24 hours of curing, the bond strength was above 100 pounds using a scale of 100 pounds . When the test was repeated with a channel of 152 thousand with THF, using the INSTRON test, after 24 hours of curing, the bond strength had an average of 45.37 pounds. Next, a desk lamination test using 165 pounds was used. In this test, a 20-by-30-inch panel was used where half of the panel was bonded with THF after 24 hours and the other half of the panel had only channels that held the panels together. This panel was then placed on a carpet that caused movement up and down on the panel. The product with the 156 mils channel is separated after 20 cycles and the other half of the product, which is sealed with the THF, did not separate after 150 cycles. This was impressive considering that the panel was not attached to any surface. A second panel was then made and placed on a Sterling board on a felt wedge (0.26 inches) and placed in different places on the PVC board. This was done to cause disuniformity in the subfloor. When doing the desktop lamination test once more, the planks were not separated with the present THF.

^ ¡^^^ Both products were then tested by placing them on towel and water was placed on the end cuts and channel area. After 10 minutes the water was cleaned and the end area cut with THF had very little water penetration where the unsealed area did show signs of leakage. In the 75-pound glide test that was developed as a channel resistance test, a 12-inch long channel was inserted into the tongue of a 12-inch plank and then a second plank was connected to the other side of the channel to be able to connect two planks together. A hole was drilled in the middle of one of the planks. With the two planks connected together, 75 pounds were placed on the plank without the hole and a 50-pound fish scale was hooked to the board with the drilled hole and slowly pulled until the connected planks separated. With a channel of 150 thousand thickness and a vertical space thickness of PVC plank of approximately 154 thousand on average, the product was separated from the channel after a static friction that showed approximately 25 pounds of initial pull where the pole was made on a Lauan substrate. Using a channel that was 156 thousand thick, the channel was introduced with certain strokes and the test was done on both a Lauan and Sterling board substrate that showed different results on the fish scale. With respect to the Sterling board substrate (static friction) of 40 pounds and 35 pounds (dynamic friction), the product did not separate. With respect to the substrate of table Lauan (static friction) of 25 pounds and 5 (dynamic friction) of 20 pounds, the product did not separate. Then a 159,000 channel was used that was difficult to install due to the thickness of the receiving tongue. In this test Sterling (static friction) of 35 pounds and (dynamic friction) separated, but it took some effort and the products did not move. With respect to the substrate of Lauan board (static friction) of 35 pounds and (dynamic friction) of 30 pounds, the product slid but did not separate. In view of the above tests, these examples show that the addition of TH as a binding agent provides significant resistance benefits to the total surface covering the systems and also prevents water penetration into the subfloor especially at the edges where a channel system is not used. Other embodiments of the present invention will be Apparent for those skilled in the art in considering the specification and practice of the present invention described herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the present invention, being indicated by the following claims. m? m ll ^ am

Claims (44)

1. CLAIMS 1. A thermoplastic laminated board characterized in that it comprises: a center comprising at least one thermoplastic material, wherein the center has an upper surface and a lower surface, and opposite sides; a printing layer fixed to the upper surface of the center, wherein the printing layer has a top surface, and a bottom surface; and a protective layer fixed to the upper surface of the printing layer. The plank according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises an underlying layer located and fixed between the lower surface of the printing layer and the upper surface of the center. 3. The board in accordance with the claim 1, characterized in that the adhesive is present between the center and the printing layer for fixing the printing layer to the center. 4. The plank in accordance with the claim 2, characterized in that the adhesive is present between the center and the underlying layer in order to be able to fix the underlying layer to the center. 5. The plank according to claim 4, characterized in that the plank comprises a resistol for hot application. 6. The plank according to claim 5, characterized in that the adhesive is a hot-applied polyurethane resistol. The plank according to claim 1, characterized in that the center is a rigid thermoplastic material. 8. The board in accordance with the claim 1, characterized in that the center comprises at least one thermoplastic material and at least one plasticizer. The plank according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one plasticizer is present with the thermoplastic material in an amount of less than about 20% by weight of the center. 10. The plank according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermoplastic material is polyvinyl chloride. 11. The plank in accordance with the claim 1, characterized in that the thermoplastic material is a rigid polyvinyl chloride. The plank according to claim 1, characterized in that the center has a thickness of about 5 mm to about 20 mm, a width of about 2 cm to about 30 cm, and a length of about 30 cm to about 130 cm. 13. The plank according to claim 1, characterized in that the center has at least one cavity. The plank according to claim 1, characterized in that the center has a series of parallel cavities that are separated by the thermoplastic material. 15. The board in accordance with the claim 14, characterized in that the series of cavities are round, triangular or rectangular in their cross section. The plank according to claim 14, characterized in that each cavity has dimensions of approximately 0.3 inches by 0.3 inches and are separated by the thermoplastic material having a thickness of approximately 0.05 inches to approximately 0.07 inches. The plank according to claim 1, characterized in that the center has at least one groove located on the center side. 18. The plank according to claim 17, characterized in that the center has a groove located on two sides of the center, where the sides are opposite one another. 19. The plank according to claim 17, characterized in that the grooves have teeth located on the upper surface, lower surface, or both surfaces of the groove. 20. The plank according to claim 1, characterized in that the two sides of the center are inclined or have bevelled ends, wherein the sides are opposite one another. The plank according to claim 10 1, characterized in that the lower surface of the center has at least two bottom bases or a series of coextruded polymer strips for raising the center of a subfloor or substrate surface. 22. The plank according to claim 15 1, characterized in that the printing layer comprises a printed paper impregnated with aminoplast resin. 23. The plank according to claim 22, characterized in that it also comprises a printed design. 24. The plank according to claim 20 22, characterized in that the aminoplast resin is a melamine resin, a phenolic resin, or a urea resin, or combinations thereof. 25. The plank according to claim 22, characterized in that the aminoplast resin is a ^ U aiß? M urea formaldehyde and a mixture of melamine formaldehyde. 26. The plank according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover comprises a cover paper impregnated with aminoplast resin and an aluminum oxide embedded in the upper surface of the paper. 27. The plank in accordance with the claim 1, characterized in that the cover comprises a cover paper impregnated with aminoplast resin. 28. The board in accordance with the claim 2, characterized in that the underlying layer comprises a paper impregnated with aminoplast resin. 29. The plank according to claim 28, characterized in that the underlying layer comprises Kraft paper impregnated with aminoplastic resin. 30. A method for making a thermoplastic laminated plank according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises: extruding the thermoplastic material to form the center; fixing the laminate to the center, wherein the laminate comprises a fixed cover to the upper surface of the printing layer and optionally an underlying layer fixed to the lower surface of the printing layer. 31. A thermoplastic board characterized in that it comprises: a center comprising at least one thermoplastic material wherein the center has an upper surface, a lower surface, and opposite sides; a design printed on the upper surface of the plank; at least one protective coating on top of the printed design. 32. The thermoplastic board according to claim 31, characterized in that the protective coating comprises a polyurethane-type coating with or without wear-resistant particles in the coating. 33. The thermoplastic board according to claim 31, characterized in that the thermoplastic material comprises polyvinyl chloride type polymers. 34. The method for making the thermoplastic board according to claim 31, characterized in that it comprises extruding at least one thermoplastic material into the shape of a center; print a design directly to the top surface of the plank; and apply a protective coating to the top of the printed design and cure the coating. Vt. ~? 35. A plank for thermoplastic floor characterized in that it comprises: a center comprising at least one thermoplastic material, wherein the center has an upper surface, a lower surface and opposite sides; a thermoplastic layer located on the adjacent upper surface wherein the layer comprises at least one thermoplastic material with at least one pigmented compound. 36. The method for making the plank for thermoplastic floor according to claim 35, characterized in that it comprises: extruding at least one thermoplastic material into the shape of a center; and simultaneously or subsequently extruding a layer comprising at least one thermoplastic material with at least one pigmented compound wherein the layer is extruded on the upper surface of the center. 37. The thermoplastic laminate according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermoplastic material comprises at least one thermoplastic resin, at least one process aid, and at least one impact modifier, at least one lubricant, and at least one stabilizer. 38. The thermoplastic laminate according to claim 37, characterized in that the thermoplastic material also comprises at least one pigment. 39. A plank for thermoplastic floor characterized 5 in that it comprises at least one ermoplastic material, the plank has a substantially flat upper surface, opposite sides, opposite ends and a lower surface, wherein the lower surface has a plurality of channels formed therein. from it, each of the channels 10 extends longitudinally at one end of the plank to the other end of the plank. 40. The plank for thermoplastic floor according to claim 39, characterized in that the channels have a substantially U-shape 15-41. The plank for thermoplastic floor according to claim 39, characterized in that the channels have a shape substantially in or . ^ fc 42. A floor system comprising a plurality of thermoplastic floor boards in accordance with 20 claim 39, connected together. 43. A plank for thermoplastic floor characterized in that it comprises at least one thermoplastic material, the plank has substantially flat upper and lower surfaces, opposite ends and a series of elongated cavities 25 between the upper and lower surfaces, each of the cavities extends from one of the opposite ends of the plank to another of the opposite ends of the plank. 44. A floor system comprising a plurality of thermoplastic floor boards according to claim 43 connected together.