METHOD FOR FORMING SURFACE-ENGRAVED PANELS CLAD WITH A SHEET OF THERMODEFORMABLE MATERIAL AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD

Abstract: The method for forming surface-engraved panels clad with a sheet of thermodeformable material, particularly PVC, comprises a preliminary stage of engraving the surface of a chipboard substrate to obtain cavities therein in accordance with a predetermined design, and a subsequent stage in which an adhesive is spread over said surface followed by a sheet of thermodeformable material which covers said cavities, and is characterised in that the panel (6) prepared in this manner is passed through at least one pair of rollers (7, 8), of which the roller (8) in contact with said surface is formed of elastically yieldable material which causes the sheet of thermodeformable material, previously heated until soft, to penetrate into said cavities.

Description: Method for forming surface-engraved panels clad with a sheet of thermodeformable material and apparatus for implementing the method. This invention relates to a method for forming surface engraved panels clad with a sheet of thermodeformabl material, and an apparatus for implementing the method. Methods are known for forming surface-engraved panels clad with a deformable material sheet. One of these methods comprises a first stage in which surface of the panel, generally in the form of a chipboard substrate, is engraved in order to form personalised effects and designs on it accordance with the client's requirements. Over said surface a layer of glue is then spread, on which sheet of PVC or other thermodeformable material is then applied. The assembly is then subjected to the action of a press, the punch of which has a shape complementary to that of • the engraved panel. The press acts under hot conditions on -the PVC sheet to thus cause it do adhere to the cavities in the chipboard substrate. However, this known method has certain drawbacks, and i particular: - the need to correctly position the panel relative to th punch, - the need for different punches corresponding to th different design to be formed, — — - a considerable time wastage due both to the need to repla the punch every time the decorative panel motif change and to the laboriousness of this replacement operation. this respect, in order to replace the punch it first has be cooled, and after being replaced it then has to raised to the working temperature in order to be able t again use It. To obviate these drawbacks , another method has alread been proposed in whic the stages involving the engraving o the chipboard .substrate and the application of th thermodeformable material remain unchanged, but in which th panel is subjected to the action of a hot press, the fixe plate of which is in the form of a chamber filled with fluid and having that surface in contact with the pane formed from a defor able elastic membrane. By virtue of th pressure and temperature increase of the fluid contained i the chamber, the membrane deforms by expanding, " to cause th thermodeformable material to penetrate into the cavitie previously formed in the chipboard substrate. This known method, which enables the same punch to b used for all types of design, has however other drawbacks and in particular: - if the membrane is of a thin type, it is impossible t — — attain high pressure and thus impossible to obtain sufficient deformation in the case of cavities of a certain depth; in any event, the membrane undergoes stretching and is therefore subject to frequent rupture, - if the membrane is of greater thickness it adheres poorly to the cavity walls, and consequently results in an unfaithful reproduction of the design, - its application is limited due to' the maximum attainable pressure and temperature. In this respect, if the chamber fluid is water, it is obviously impossible to operate at a temperature exceeding 100xC. If however the fluid is a diathermic oil, not- only does the membrane disintegrate at the high temperature but the oil reacts chemically with it. The object of the invention is to obviate all these drawbacks and to produce surface-engraved panels clad with thermodeformable material, in a rapid, reliable and versatile manner. This object is attained according to the invention by a method for forming surface-engraved panels clad with a sheet of thermodeformable material particularly PVC comprising a preliminary stage of engraving the surface of a chipboard substrate to obtain cavities therein in accordance with a predetermined design and a subsequent stage in which an _ Δ - adhesive is spread over said surface followed by a sheet of thermodeformable material which cover said cavities, characterised in that the panel prepared in this manner is passed through at least one pair of rollers, of which the roller In contact with said surface Is formed of elastically yieldabie material which causes the sheet of thermodeformable material, previously heated until soft, to penetrate into said cavities. The present invention is hereinafter further clarified in a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a partly sectional diagrammatic side view of a machine for implementing the method according to Figure 2 is. a front view thereof on the inlet side in the direction II-II of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of two adjacent pairs of rollers and the corresponding heater elements; Figure 4 Is a diagrammatic plan view of a pair of adjacent presser rollers; Figure 5 is a plan view from above of a modified embodiment of a pair of adjacent rollers; and Figure δ is a plan view from above of a further modifie embodiment of a pair of adjacent presser rollers. As can be seen from the figures, the machine fo implementing the method according to the invention consist essentially of a continuos press 1 comprising a fixed lowe bed 2 and a mobile upper structure 3. At both ends of the press 1 there are provide conventional roller tables 4 and 5 for feeding an discharging the panels 6 respectively. A plurality of synchronously operates steel rollers are mounted on the bed 2. Six rollers 7 are shown in th illustrated machine. The mobile upper structure 3 consists of a support fram for a like number of rollers 8 disposed parallel to th rollers 7 and facing these latter. The height of the frame 3 above the bed 2 can b adjusted by pneumatic cylinder-piston units 10. The rollers 8 are constructed of rubber of differin hardness which increase from the inlet end roller to th outlet and roller of the press. In the illustrated example the hardness of the inlet roller 8 is about 13x Shore, an the hardness of the outlet roller is about 40x Shore although these values can vary according to the materials t be treated and the work to be carried out. Above the frame 3 and facing each roller 3 there ar provided pairs of radiant heater elements 9 dispose transversely to the press and extending over the entir length of the corresponding rollers 8. Between each pair of rollers 7, 8 and the adjacent pair there are also provided other radiant heater elements 11 secured to the frame 3 and disposed parallel to the heater elements 9. Finally, other radiant heater elements 12 are provided above the feed roller table 4. All the heater elements 9,- 11 and 12 are adjustable in height and are provided with known poten iometrie devices which enable their intensity to be varied. The machine according to the invention operates in the following manner: the height of the upper mobile structure 3 above the bed 2 is adjusted so that the minimum distance between the rollers 7, 3 of each pair is slightly less than the minimum thickness of the panels 6 to be treated, as measured at their cavities or grooves. The height and/or intensity of the heater elements 9, 11 and r 12 are then adjusted in such a manner as to obtain increasing temperature both along the roller table 4 and along the press 1. More specifically: - the intensity of the heater elements 12 is adjusted in suc a manner that the temperature along the roller table increases progressively from ambient to about 30-40xC a the pair of inlet rollers of the press 1 ; - the intensity of the heater elements 9 and 11 is adjuste in such a manner that the temperature at the surface of the rollers 8 and within the press 1 increases progressivel from a value of 30-40:"c at the inlet roller to a value o about 120 °C at the outlet roller. The temperature conditions are obviously related to th nature of the cladding material, although in all cases th outlet temperature of the roller table 4 must substantiall correspond to the inlet temperature of the press 1 to preven the adhesive and cladding undergoing undesirable therma shock. When the machine has been arranged in this manner, th panels 6 to be treated consisting of a chipboard support, t the engraved surface of which there has previously bee bonded a sheet of PVC or other thermode ormable material, ar disposed on the roller table 4 and fed to the press 1. Durin this stage the preheating of that panel surface facing th heater elements 12 results in partial so tening of sai - S - cladding layer and the softening of the adhesive which bind the cladding layer to the chipboard substrate. As the panel 6 advance along the press 1 , the combine effect of the temperature, which Increases proressivel during passage between the adjacent pairs of rollers 7,3 an softens the PVC sheet together with the pressure exerred b the rollers 8, which press with their rubber surface against said softened cladding until they cause it to penetrate into the cavities in the underlying chipboard substrate, is such as to perfectly and faithfully clad the panel surface. ' This operation is also effected gradually because of the progressively increasing hardness of the rubber of the rollers 3 which enables the pressure on the cladding material to be increased while maintaining the pressure with which the upper stucture 3 is pressed by the cylinder-piston units 10 against the bed constant. From the aforegoing it is appartent that the method for forming surface-engraved panels according to the invention and the machine for implementing the method enable numerous advantages to be obtained and in particular: - they obviate the need for presses with punches, together with all their related drawbacks, — they enable panels engraved with any design to be treated, - S - - because of the hardness and elasticity of the rubber laye of the rollers 8, they enable this layer to completel penetrate into the cavities formed in the chipboar substrate, with consequent faithful design reproduction, - they allow continuous working. In a further embodiment the machine according to th invention has its upper rollers of rubber, and these instea of being -constructed in one piece (see the rollers 8 i figure 4) are constructed as a plurality of segments, whic allow greater penetration in the case of panels with ver deep cavities. These segments can be arranged either side-by side with each other (see the rollers 3' in figure 5) o spaced apart, in which case they are offset from the segment of the adjacent roller (see the rollers 8" in figure 6). As it is often necessary to limit the heating effect o the heater elements 11 to only the width of • the chipboar substrate without heating that cladding portion whic projects beyond this, according to the invention screens 1 of adjustable distance apart can be provided in corrspondenc with the heater elements 11 in order to limit the heating o the panels 6 by said heater elements 11 to the effectiv width of the panel 6.

Claims: — t u 1. A method for forming surface-engraved panels clad with sheet of thermodeformable material, particularly PVC comprising a preliminary stage of engraving the surface of chipboard substrate to obtain " cavities therein in accordanc with a predetermined design, and a subsequent stage in whic an adhesive is spread over said surface followed by a shee of thermodeformable material which covers said cavities characterised in that the panel (6) prepared in this manne Is passed through at least one pair of rollers (7,8), o which the roller ( 8 ) in contact with said surface is forme of elastically yieldabie material which causes the sheet o thermodeformable material, previously heated until soft, t penetrate into said cavities. 2. A method as claim in claim 1 , characterised by passin the panel (6) to be treated through a plurality of pairs of rollers (7,8), and heating it between one passage and th next. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 and/or 2, characterise by passing the panel (6) between pairs of rollers (7,8) of which the roller (8) formed of elastically yieldabie material is heated. 4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterised by \ preheating the panel ( β ) before passing it through the firs pair of rollers ( 7,8 ). 5. A method as claimed in claim 4, characterised in tha the panel (6) to be treated is preheated at progressivel increasing temperature. 6. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterised b subjecting the panel (β) to heating and/or to progressivel increasing pressure during its passage through the pairs o rollers (7,8). 7. A method as claimed in claims 1 and 4, characterised i that the surface of the panel ( β ) to be treated is preheate and/or heated by heater elements (11 ,12) disposed along th path of the advancing panel. 8. A method as claimed in claim 7, characterised in tha the heating effect of the panel (6) to be treated is limite to only the engraved surface, the lateral edges bein excluded by screens (13) interposed between said heate elements (11 ) and said panel (β). 9. A machine for implementing the method claimed in claims 1 to 8 characterised by comprising essentially: - at least one pair of rollers (7,8) between wich the pane (β) to be treated is passed, the roller ( 8 ) of said pair i contact with the panel surface to be treated being forme of elastically yieldabie material, and — means for heating the panel surface to be treated, befor its passage between the pair of rollers. TO. A machine as claimed in claim 9, characterised b comprising a plurality of pairs of rollers (7,8) and plurality of heater elements (11 ) interposed between each o said pairs of rollers . 11. A machine as claimed in claim 9, characterised b comprising heater elements ( 9 ) for that roller ( 8 ) of eac pair which is formed of elastically yieldabie material. 12. A machine as claimed in claim 11 , characterised in tha those rollers ( 8 ) of each pair which are formed o elastically yieldabie material are provided with heate elements (8) which raise the temperature of each roller to value which increases progressively from the inlet to th outlet of the machine. 13- A machine as claimed in claim 10, characterised b comprising a frame along which the panels (6) to be treate are continuously fed, said frame comprising a fixed part (2 on which those rollers (7) acting on the panel surface no comprising the engraved design are mounted, and a part (3) which is mobile relative to said fixed part ( 2) and on whic those rollers (8) formed of elastically yieldabie materia are mounted. 14, A machine as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that those rollers ( 8 ) acting on the engraved surface of th panels ( 6 ) are formed of elastically material having hardness which increases from the inlet to the outlet of th machine. 15. A machine as claimed in claim 9, characterised in tha the . roller (8 1 ) of elastically yieldabie material is forme of side-by-side segments. 1. A machine as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that the rollers (8") of -elastically yieldabie material are forme of spaced-apart segments which are offset from the segment of the adjacent roller (8"). 17. A machine as claimed in claim 9, characterised in tha the heater elements ( 9 ) for the rollers ( 8 ) and/or the heate elements (11 ) interposed between the pairs of rollers (7,8 consist of lamps disposed external to each pair of rollers. 18. A machine as claimed in claim 10, characterised b comprising heat shields (13) interposed between said heate elements (11 ) and the panel (6). 19. A machine as claimed in claim 12, characterised in tha the rollers ( 8 ) are formed of rubber having a hardness whic increases progressively from 10° Shore to 45° Shore, an preferably from 18° Shore to 40° Shore.

Inventors: BERGAMO LUCIANO, BERGAMO, LUCIANO
Applicants: 3B SPA
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B29C63
IPC codes: B29C33, B29C43, B29C63, B29C65, B29K27, B29L9