METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FORMING A PLATE WITH AT LEAST ONE PROFILE EDGE AND A THUS MANUFACTURED PLATE

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a composite plate having at least one profile edge, with a basic plate and a cover sheet bent in a U-shape around the profile edge. The profile edge is not susceptible to damage but can still be manufactured effectively in that the edge part is nestled against a U-shaped inner wall of the mould by exerting a pressure force on the edge part substantially in the plane thereof.

Description: 96/02374 PCIYEP95/02608 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FORMING A PLATE WITH AT LEAST ONE PROFILE EDGE AND A THUS MANUFACTURED PLATE The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a composite plate as described in the preamble of claim 1. Such a method is known from EP-002Θ862. A type of composite plate herein has a sharp edge which on the one hand is susceptible to damage but which on the other can still be manufactured according to the described method. Another type of composite plate has a slightly U- shaped curved edge part which, because of its rounded form, is less susceptible to damage but which on the other hand it appears cannot be manufactured according to the method stated in EP-0028862. The invention has for its object to provide a method and a device for manufacturing a composite plate which is not susceptible to damage. This method and device are stated in claim 1 and claim 5 respectively. The characteristics and special features of the invention are elucidated in the description following hereinbelow with reference to the drawings. In the drawings: figures la, lb, lc show schematically three phases in the manufacture of a composite plate with use of the method according to the invention, figure 2 shows a section of a composite plate with a profile edge manufactured with use of the method accord¬ ing to the invention, figures 3 and 4 show on enlarged scale detail III of figure 2 of two composite plates manufactured according to the invention, figure 5 is a partly broken away and partly section¬ al perspective view of a device for manufacturing a profile edge according to the invention during performing of the method according to the invention, and figures 6 and 7 each show a cross section of the device of figure 5 in successive stages. 6/02374 PC17EP95/02608 In figures la, lb and lc is shown how a composite plate 1 according to the invention is manufactured. A basic plate 2 is supplied on a transporting device 50. Basic plate 2 is manufactured for instance of metal or plastic, but preferably of wood-like material (chipboard, multi-ply) or recycling material such as foam. The glue¬ ing device 51 mounted above transporting device 50 ap¬ plies glue 19 from a reservoir 55 onto basic plate 2 with a roller 56, while this basic plate 2 is moved forward in the direction of arrow 57. In a subsequent phase (figure lb) a cover sheet 3 from a supply holder 58 arranged above the transporting device 50 is arranged on the basic plate 2 provided with glue 19. Cover sheet 3 is taken out of holder 58 by co-acting transport rollers 52 which carry the cover sheet 3 to the roller press 53, with which cover sheet 3 is pressed fixedly onto basic plate 2. The cover sheet 3 can be a foil, for instance a vinyl foil, as well as a sheet of plastic, veneer or metal. Cover sheet 3 is arranged such that an edge part 4 there- of protrudes outside the edge 6 of basic plate 2. The basic plate 2 with the cover sheet 3 partly connected thereto is then turned over (designated symbolically with arrow 54) and positioned on a table 7 against a stop 34 arranged a determined distance from a mould 8. The latter has a profile corresponding with the desired profile of profile edge 5. Basic plate 2 is then held fixedly on the table 7 by means of a plurality of suction cups 30 (see figure 5) , only one of which is shown. The suction cups 30 engage with vacuum on the top surface 14 of smooth plastic of cover sheet 3. In order to ensure that the outer surface 9 of edge part 4 is everywhere properly placed against mould 8, positioning means 11 are arranged which are movable relative to mould 8 and which can press the edge part 4 in the mould 8. The space 12 bounded by the edge part 4 of cover sheet 3 and the edge 6 of basic plate 2 is now filled with a curable filler 13 which adheres to both plates. The filler 13 is supplied from a nozzle 38 of a filler supply device (not shown) . When the space 12 is wholly filled with filler 13 the supply is stopped and the filler 13 allowed to cure. When this has taken place, the finished composite plate 1 can be re¬ moved from mould 8 and from table 7 after the positioning means 11 and the holding means 10 have been set into a rest position. Excess filler which may protrude from the surface 35 of basic plate 2 is later cut away. Figure 2 shows a composite plate 1 manufactured with the method according to the invention which is intended to serve as sink unit draining board. This composite plate 1 comprises a profile edge 5. The profile edge 5 protrudes upward relative to the upper surface 14 of the composite plate 1. A water-retaining edge 15 is hereby formed which prevents water flowing off the composite plate 1 during use. The basic plate 2 consists in this case of multi-ply or pressed wood fibre board. Cover sheet 3 is a thermocuring plastic plate of a type which can be postformed. A property of this type is that chemi¬ cally the plastic is not yet fully cured, whereby it can be made plastically deformable once again by heating it. The edge part 4 of cover sheet 3 is thus heated before being nestled against the mould 8. At the position of profile edge 5 the shape of the edge 6 of basic plate 2 is roughly adapted to the profile of profile edge 5. Less filler 13 need hereby be used to fill the space 12 between the edge part 4 of cover sheet 3 and the edge 6 of basic plate 2. In this embodiment the surface of edge 6 transposes into connecting surface 18 via a transition surface 17 lying transversely of this connecting surface 18 of basic plate 2 to cover sheet 3. The advantage here is that glue which during joining of cover sheet 3 with basic plate 2 is pressed out between these two does not connect plates 2 and 3 to each other any further than is desired. Possible further connection would be possible if the surface of edge 6 were to con¬ nect without a transverse transition surface 17 to the connecting surface 18 between basic plate 2 and cover sheet 3. When in this latter case different amounts of glue are squeezed out between plates 2 and 3 at different locations, as is the case in practice, the curving 20 of the cover sheet 3 where it transposes into the water- retaining edge 15 would not form a straight line in the longitudinal direction of the composite plate 1. This is avoided by arranging the transverse transition surface 17. A material which is particularly suitable as filler is polyurethane resin. This material cures very rapidly as a result of a chemical reaction between two components which are mixed immediately before the space is filled with the material. Because the cover sheet 3 is twice bent through 90° the profile edge 5 also has a finished appearance when viewed at an angle from below, while the rounded edges are less likely to result in damage. The basic plate can be additionally covered by a bottom sheet of for instance moisture-proof foil 33. Figures 6 and 7 show a device 29 for applying the method according to the invention. This device 29 is embodied for manufacturing a water-retaining edge as shown in figure lc. The mould 8 comprises a fist mould part 71 connected to the table 7 and second mould part 72 movable in verti¬ cal direction thereof, each of which has a configuration such that they each bend the edge part 4 through 90°. Mould parts 71 and 72 are mutually centered by means of centering pins 70 and corresponding cavities 73. When basic plate 2 is laid against a stop 34 the edge part 4 bends round as shown in figure 6. When mould part 72 is then carried downward the edge part 4 is bent round further by the concave inner wall 74 until it comes up against a stop 75. As mould part 72 descends further a pressure force is exerted continuously by the stop 75 on edge part 4 in its own plane such that edge part 4 is urged into the cavity 77 of mould part 71 which forms a retaining edge and into the concave inner wall 74 of mould cavity 72. In short, the edge part 4 nestles well against the whole inner wall of mould 8, wherein finally the stop 75 yields slightly counter to the spring force of springs 78 (figure 7) . For this purpose the stop 75 is a continuous strip which can swivel on a horizontal hinge 79. The spring tension is adjustable by means of screw means 80. A small variation in width difference between sheet 3 and plate 2 is hereby absorbed. If desired, the spring tension can be obtained by means other than springs 78, such as pressurized air. The stop 75 is provided with a downward pointing nose which is received in the lengthwise groove in plate 2. On completion there results an indentation 82, see figure 3. When the drain¬ ing board according to figure 2 lies on a sink unit 81 the indentation 82 from stop 75 is no longer visible. Optionally, it is later filled. It is also possible to omit the nose of the stop, wherein the stop protrudes only over the thickness of cover sheet 3. The receiving groove is thereby superflu¬ ous and the underside of the composite plate has a smooth finish, see figure 4. The underside of the draining board optionally contains a moisture-proof foil 83. *****

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Method for manufacturing a composite plate (1) having at least one profile edge (5) , with a basic plate (2) and a cover sheet (3) consisting for instance of a sheet of a thermocuring plastic of the postformable type, which cover sheet (3) is connected to the basic plate (2) in the following successive steps of: a) partially connecting the cover sheet (3) to the basic plate (2) in a manner such that an edge part (4) of the cover sheet (3) protrudes outside the edge (6) of the basic plate (2) , in the vicinity of which edge (6) the profile edge (5) must be formed; b) optionally heating the protruding edge part (4) of the cover sheet (3) ; c) deforming the protruding edge part (4) of the cover sheet (3) out of the plane of the already connected part of the cover sheet (3) ; d) filling with curable filler a space (12) which is bounded by the protruding edge part (4) of the cover sheet (3) and the edge (6) of the basic plate (2) , which filler adheres to these two plates (2, 3); e) curing the filler; wherein in step c) the cover sheet (3) is deformed by nestling the edge part (4) of the cover sheet (3) with an outer surface against a mould (8) during energized and directed relative movement between positioning means (11) engaging on the edge part (4) and the mould (8) , which has a concave inner wall, characterized in that the edge part (4) is nestled against a U-shaped inner wall of the mould (8) by exerting a pressure force on the edge part (4) substantially in the plane thereof. 2. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the pressure force is exerted with spring-mounted pressing means (75, 78) . 3. Method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a mould (8) is used which has a first mould part (71) and a second mould part (72) and that the edge part (4) is bent round through approximately 90° in each mould part (71, 72) . 4. Method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the edge part (4) is first bent through approximate- ly 90° in a first mould part (71) and is subsequently bent through approximately 90° again by both mould parts (71, 72) being moved toward each other. 5. Device for manufacturing a composite plate with at least one profile edge (5) by applying the method of any of the foregoing claims, which device comprises: connecting means for partially connecting a cover sheet (3) to a basic plate (2) in a manner such that an edge part (4) of the cover sheet (3) protrudes outside the edge (6) of the basic plate (2) , in the vicinity of which edge (6) the profile edge (5) must be formed; a carrier (7) for supporting the basic plate (2) with the cover sheet (3) partially connected thereto; holding means (10; 30) which are connected to the carrier (7) for fixedly holding the connected plates (2, 3) on the carrier (7) ; option&l heating means for heating the protruding edge part (4) ; and deforming means (71, 72, 75) for deforming the optionally heated, protruding edge part (4) of the cover sheet (3) out of the plane of the already connected part of the cover sheet (3) ; a mould (8) which is connected to the carrier (7) and has the profile of the profile edge (5) ; positioning means (11) for nestling the edge part (4) of the cover sheet (3) with an outer surface against the mould (8) , which positioning means (11) comprise drive means for effecting a relative movement between the positioning means (11) and the mould (8) , characterized in that the mould (8) has a U-shaped inner wall and that the positioning means (11) are adapted to exert a pres¬ sure force on the edge part (4) substantially in the curved plane of the edge part (4) bent into a U-shape such that the edge part (4) nestles against the U-shaped inner wall. 6. Device as claimed in claim 5, characterized by spring-mounted positioning means (75, 78) . 7. Device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the mould (8) has at least a first and a second mould part (71, 72) which are each adapted to cause deforming of the edge part (4) through approximately 90°. 8. Device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the mould parts (71, 72) are mutually movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to a carrier (7) of the basic plate (2) . 9. Composite plate (1) manufactured as according to the method as claimed in any of the claims 1-4. *****

Inventors: VAN ERVEN WALTHERUS JOSEPH MAR, VAN ERVEN, WALTHERUS, JOSEPH, MARIA
Applicants: ERVEN WALTHERUS JOSEPH MARIA V, ZODIAC EUROP, VAN ERVEN, WALTHERUS, JOSEPH, MARIA, ZODIAC EUROPE S.A.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B29C33
IPC codes: B29C33, B29C45, B29C63, B29C65