US3264159A - Method of laminating metal to wood - Google Patents

Description

2, 1966 D. KEND ETAL 9 METHOD OF LAMINATING METAL TO WOOD Filed Jan. 18, 1963 25 INVENTORS if DAVID KEND BY ANTHONY CHlf-ISA United States Patent 3,264,159 METHOD OF LAMINATING METAL TO WOOD David Kend, Kings Point, and Anthony Chiesa, Flushing, N.Y., assignors to Park Electrochemical Corporation, Flushing, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 252,489 2 Claims. (ill. 156-498) This invention relates to an improved method of laminating metallic design elements to wood and the like, and also relates to the improved resulting article.

Heretofore, in the decoration of wood surfaces with ornamental metal design elements, it has been necessary to cast or otherwise fabricate such metal design elements out of metal and secure them by cement or the like to the wood surfaces. The ornamental effects which have been practical on a production basis have been relatively limited and relatively crude in appearance.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved method of applying metal design elements to, wood, which will permit a variety of ornamental treatments, will permit the use of metal foil and other thin metal stock in producing the ornamental effects and will be relatively easy to use on a production basis.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of applying such design elements to wood and the like, which will at the same time result in applying protective means to the wood surface being treated.

Another object of the invention is to provide the improved laminated article resulting from the improved method.

In accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention, an etching resist design corresponding to the pattern of the finished design is applied to the front of a thin metal sheet which may be metal foil such as aluminum foil. After the etching resist design has been cured, a thin, preferably transparent, thermoplastic film or coating is applied over the entire back of the metal foil or other thin metal sheet. The metal sheet is then etched so as to leave only the desired metal design element on the thermoplastic film.

The thermoplastic film with the metal design element uppermost is then applied to the top of a wood base which may be sheet plywood, a block or other suitable wood form. The elements are then placed in a press under heat and pressure so as to adhere the film to the wood and so as to force the design element and film under it into the wood with corresponding compression of the wood under the design element. By proper design of the press platens, it is possible to produce an embossed effect. Alternatively, a fiat design face may be produced.

The use of the thermoplastic film insures good adhesion of the metal design elements to the wood. Furthermore, the thermoplastic film covers the areas of the wood not covered by the design elements, thereby protecting the wood.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a sheet of metal foil to be treated in accordance with the invention, such sheet being arbitrarily shown as rectangular.

FIG. 2 is a section on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing an acid resist pattern applied to the upper surface of the metal foil. Illustratively, the word DOE is reproduced.

FIG. 4 is a section on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing a layer of thermoplastic film applied to the lower face of the metal foil after curing of the acid resist.

Patented August 2, 1966 FIG. 6 is a plan view of the article shown in FIG. 5, after the etching of all of the metal except that covered by the acid resist.

FIG. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6, after the acid resist has been removed.

FIG. 9 is a section on line 9--9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 9 but showing the article of FIG. 9 applied to the top of a wooden element and adhered thereto by means of a press.

FIG. 11 is a view similar ot FIG. 10, but showing a second embodiment of the invention in which the press is modified so as to produce an embossed design.

Upon reference to the drawings in detail, it will be noted that FIG. 1 shows a sheet 10 of thin metal, which may be metal foil. Such metal foil, by way of example, but without limitation thereto, may be anodized aluminum foil. Illustratively, sheet 10 is shown as rectangular. The thickness of sheet 10 is optionally approximately 0.002 inch to 0.020 inch.

As shown in FIG. 3, a conventional acid resist composition, which may have an asphalt base, is applied to the upper surface of sheet 10, such acid resist composition being designated by the reference numeral 11. Such acid resist composition may take any suitable design form. Illustratively, such design form is shown as consisting of the letters D, O and E to form the word DOE. It will be understood that while the drawing shows only a single set of design elements being applied to wood at a time, it will be understood that the same process may be used to form large laminates with repeats of the design element set, which can then be cut to individual size.

The acid resist composition 11 is cured by heat or the like, in a well known manner. After the curing has been completed, thermoplastic material is applied evenly to the undersurface of sheet 10, so as to cover the entire surface in the form of a film 12. This film 12 may be in the "form of a thermoplastic film which is laminated to sheet 10 by means of heat and pressure, for example, 1000 pounds per square inch at 500 degrees F. for a period of 20 minutes, which includes the time to bring the press jaws from room temperature to the 500 degrees F. temperature, and then to re-cool the jaws to room temperature. The material 12 may be polyethylene or other suitable material. Preferably, the layer 12 is transparent.

As the next step in the process, an appropriate etching solution, depending upon the metal to be treated and upon the acid resist composition which is employed, is used so as to etch away all of the metal of sheet 10 except that covered by the acid resist composition 11. The thermoplastic material is inert to the conventional compositions used in the etching of metals.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, the present process is particularly easy to employ in that it utilizes standard etching procedures.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, after the: etching, the acid resist composition 11 is removed by any suitable conventional means, leaving the design elements 10a from the original sheet 10 upon the thermoplastic layer 12, these design elements 10a having the shape of the letters D, O and E corresponding to the original pattern of the composition 11.

As shown in FIG. 10, the intermediate article of FIG. 9 is applied to a wood base 13, by means of the jaws 14 and 15 of a press. Such press is conventional and is not shown in detail. In this embodiment, the jaws 14 and 15 have facing parallel smooth surfaces 14a and 15a. The article of FIG. 9 is placed between the jaws with the Wood element 13 resting upon lower jaw surface 15a and with film 12 resting upon element 13 and with elements a uppermost and proximate to the upper jaw surface 14a.

The wood element 13 may be in the form of a board, a block, or plywood. Artificial or reconstituted wood products may also be employed. While in many applications the element 13 will be relatively thin, such as 0.005 inch to 0.025 inch, the invention is not so limited. If a conventional press is used, the wood should be thin and should have parallel planar upper and lower surfaces.

In order to produce the final product, the jaws are moved toward each other in the direction of the respective arrows 14b and 15b, as shown in FIG. 10. The jaws are moved together under selected pressure and temperature, in order to laminate the thermoplastic film 12 to the wood base 13 in an appropriate manner. Since presses of this sort are conventional, the press is not shown in detail. Illustratively, the pressure may be 1000 pounds per square inch and the temperature 500 degrees F. for a period of minutes which includes the time to bring the press jaws from room temperature to the 500 degrees F. temperature and then to re-cool the jaws to room temperature.

In this embodiment, preferably, the jaws 14 and 15 are pressed together so as to force the design elements 10a into the surface of the element 13 so as to be flush with the upper surface thereof. As the result of the use of the selected heat, combined with the selected pressure, over the selected time interval, the thermoplastic sheet material 12 becomes partially melted or tacky and is in intimate contact with the fibers of element 13. Upon cooling, the film 12 is permanently adhered to the wood 13. Since each of the elements 10a and the film 12 thereunder is pressed into the wood to make the upper surface of element 10a flush with the main portion of the film 12, the wood 13 is compressed in the zones 13a under the design elements 10a. Corresponding film portions 120 are located under the elements 10a, recessed into the wood 13. The film 12 extends from the areas 12a around the side edges of the elements 10a and hence over the main wood surface to be flush with the upper surfaces of the elements 10a. A

. result is to insure permanent securing of the elements 10a to the film 12 and hence to the wood 13. In addition, the elements 10a are frictionally embedded within the wood 13.

In a modification, shown in FIG. 11, the intermediate product of FIG. 9 is applied to wood element 23 by means of the press jaws 24 and 25, moving in the directions of arrows 24b and 25b respectively. The wood element 23 may correspond to the wood element 13, although in this embodiment the wood element is preferably relatively thin to permit proper embossing of its upper surface and debossing of its lower surface.

Press jaw 25 has male embossing dies 250 on its upper surface 25a corresponding in shape, orientation, and size to the design elements 10a. law 24 has female die elements 240 in its lower surface 24a of the same shape and orientation as elements 10a. The female elements 24c are of greater size than the male elements 25c.

It will be understood that the article of FIG. 9 is placed in the press with the die elements 240 and 250 and the design elements 10a in registration. When the parallel jaw faces 24a and 25a are pressed together, for appropriate time interval and appropriate pressure and temperature, the lower surface of wood element 23 is debossed at 23a corresponding to the die element 250. The wood element portion 23b and corresponding portions of film 12, as well as the design element 10a, are embossed into the female die element 240. At the same time, the flat upper surface of the die element 24c causes the element 10a and the plastic film 12a under it to be embedded into the surface of the embossed wood element portion 23b, in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Accordingly, it is possible to produce an embossed design, in which the element 10a is still surrounded on its side edges by the plastic film and together with the plastic film is embedded into the surface of the wood to add mechanical frictional strength to hold the design element in place. At the same time, in view of the transparency of the film 12, a true visual effect of the embossmcnt of the element 10a only is produced corresponding to the embossed effect which would be achieved if a conventional thick metal design element were used.

The invention is not limited to the wood base. Thus, a thermoplastic, normally relatively rigid base may be substituted for-the wood base, and the sheet 12 carrying the foil design elements may be laminated to such plastic base under heat and pressure or by any other suitable means. Such base need not be thermoplastic in the event that cement or other suitable adhering means is employed.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, and various possible changes, omissions and additions have been indicated therein, it will be apparent that various other changes, omissions and additions may be made in the invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Method of applying a plurality of discrete metal design elements to a base of wood and the like, comprising:

(a) adhering a thin thermoplastic film over the entire back of a metal foil sheet having a thickness of approximately 0.002 inch to 0.020 inch;

(b) removing portions of the metal foil sheet so as to leave only the discrete metal design elements on the thermoplastic film; and

(c) applying the thermoplastic film with metal design elements uppermost to the top of the base and pressing the assembly under heat and pressure to adhere the film to the base and to force the design elements and film under them into the base with corresponding compression of the base under the design element.

2. Method according to claim 1, said design elements and film being forced into the work to make said design elements substantially flush with the film extending over the entire top of said wood base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ALEXANDER WYMAN, Primary Examiner.

JACOB STEINBERG, Examiner.

W. POWELL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. METHOD OF APPLYING A PLURALITY OF DISCRETE METAL DESIGN ELEMENTS TO A BASE OF WOOD AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING: (A) ADHERING A THIN THERMOPLASTIC FILM OVER THE ENTIRE BACK OF A METAL FOIL SHEET HAVING A THICKNESS OF APPROXIMATELY 0.002 INCH TO 0.020 INCH; (B) REMOVING PORTIONS OF THE METAL FOIL SHEET SO AS TO LEAVE ONLY HE DISCRETE METAL DESIGN ELEMENTS ON THE THERMOPLASTIC FILM; AND (C) APPLYING THE THERMOPLASTIC FILM WITH METAL DESIGN ELEMENTS UPPERMOST TO THE TOP OF THE BASE AND PRESSING THE ASSEMBLY UNDER HEAT AND PRESSURE TO ADHERE THE FILM TO THE BASE AND TO FORCE THE DESIGN ELEMENTS AND FILM UNDER THEM INTO THE BASE WITH CORRESPONDING COMPRESSION OF THE BASE UNDER THE DESIGN ELEMENT.

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