Abstract:
A simulated wood veneer product is disclosed. The simulated wood veneer product includes a paper substrate and an imprintable wood fiber material applied to one side of the paper substrate. The imprintable wood fiber material provides the paper substrate with depth and allows the paper to receive and retain an imprinted wood grain texture. Once imprinted, the veneer product is printed with a simulated wood grain pattern to create a realistic simulated veneer product which is referred to herein as a “bonded veneer”. The bonded veneer product can then be adhered to a structural or composite wood panel, such as an MDF panel, to create a simulated wood veneer panel which can be used in the construction of furniture products.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates generally to structural wood products and wood veneers that are applied to structural wood products for use in furniture, and more particularly to a simulated veneer product made from a paper substrate and an imprintable material adhered to the paper substrate. 
         [0003]    2. Background of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Wood veneers are desirable because they give the appearance of solid wood, with all of its grain and texture, to products made of composite wood materials. Wood veneers provide stability and strength as well as improved aesthetic appearance when they are applied over structural or composite wood products. The use of wood veneers is also desirable for forest sustainability and lower material costs. 
         [0005]    Simulated wood veneer products have also had success in lower cost furniture products. In this regard, paper veneers with printed wood grain patterns have seen some success in the market. However, these simulated paper veneer products lack the depth and texture of real wood veneers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, the development of improved simulated veneer products that enhance the stability and strength of structural wood panels, allow for deeper three-dimensional grain patterns over standard paper veneers, reduce costs and provide sustainability of forests would be highly desirable. 
         [0007]    The veneer product described herein solves the problems of the prior art by providing a simulated veneer product comprising a paper substrate and an imprintable material applied to one side of the paper substrate. The imprintable material provides the paper substrate with depth and allows the paper substrate to receive and retain an imprinted wood grain texture. Once imprinted, the veneer product is then printed with a simulated wood grain pattern to create a very realistic simulated wood veneer product which is referred to herein as a “bonded veneer”. The bonded veneer product can then be adhered to a structural or composite wood panel, such as a Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) panel, to create a veneer panel which can be used in the construction of furniture products. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment, the wood grain texture is imprinted into the paper substrate side of the bonded veneer and also printed on the paper substrate side. The imprintable material side is glued to the wood panel. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment, the wood grain texture is imprinted into the imprintable material side and is also printed on the imprintable material side. In this embodiment, the paper substrate side is glued to the wood panel. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a first exemplary embodiment the bonded veneer product; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method of making the bonded veneer product of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of a structural wood panel having the bonded veneer product of  FIG. 1  applied to one side thereof; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method of making the bonded veneer panel of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an illustration of a second exemplary embodiment of the bonded veneer product; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a method of making the bonded veneer product of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is an illustration of a structural wood panel having the bonded veneer product of  FIG. 5  applied to one side thereof; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart of a method of making the bonded veneer panel of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is an illustration of the bonded veneer material showing the imprinted surface texture and simulated wood grain printing. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a first exemplary embodiment of the bonded veneer is illustrated and generally indicated at  100 . The bonded veneer product  100  includes a substrate  112 , which is preferably a paper material, but may also comprise other suitable substrate materials, including but not limited to polymer or polymer film materials. The substrate  112  is coated with an adhesive material  114  and an imprintable material  116 . 
         [0021]    The paper substrate  112  is preferably a conventional wood pulp paper material supplied in wide format roll form. The weight and brightness of the paper can vary depending on the particular end use application however, the paper is preferably between 0.3 mm and 0.4 mm thick. 
         [0022]    Suitable materials for the adhesive material  114  may include urea-formaldehyde resins (UF), phenol formaldehyde resins (PF), melamine-formaldehyde resins (MF), methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) or polyurethane (PU) resins. Other adhesives may be used as suitable for the intended purpose. 
         [0023]    The imprintable material  116  can be selected from a variety of wood fiber materials including all variations of soft and hard woods. Preferably the imprintable material is a sawdust material similar to the wood fiber material used in making Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF). The imprintable material  116  can also be selected from other sustainable materials such as bamboo fiber, soybeans, cornstarch, or other eco-friendly materials. When adhered to the paper substrate  112 , the wood fiber material  116  provides the paper substrate  112  with an increased thickness and texture simulating real wood veneer. The wood fiber material  116  is preferably applied in a thickness that is approximately 0.5 mm to about 0.7 mm thick. The wood fiber material  116  may be applied separately or may be premixed into the adhesive  114  prior to application to the substrate  116  (now shown). 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , an exemplary method of making the bonded veneer  100  is described. The paper substrate  112  is preferably supplied in roll form for a continuous production process. The paper substrate  112  is fed through an adhesive coater device, such as a hot melt coater, to apply a layer of adhesive  114  and then through a fiber scattering machine which evenly distributes a layer of raw wood fiber material  116  (sawdust) onto the still wet adhesive  114 . The coating thicknesses of the adhesive  114  and the imprintable sawdust material  116  can be varied as desired for the intended end-use application. 
         [0025]    Thereafter, the coated substrate  112  is preferably passed through a long drying oven to dry the adhesive  114  and set the fiber material  116  into a completed bonded veneer product  100 . The bonded veneer  100  is then re-rolled onto a take-up roll for further processing. 
         [0026]    Although not shown in the flow charts, a second application of adhesive and imprintable wood fiber material can be completed if a thicker veneer material is desired. 
         [0027]    The bonded veneer product  100  is then imprinted (on the paper substrate side) with a wood grain texture  118  (See  FIG. 9 ) to simulate the look and feel of real wood. The imprinting is completed in a nip roll imprinting device with one smooth roller and a second roller having a raised wood grain texture. When the bonded veneer passes through the nip, the wood grain texture  118  is imprinted into the bonded veneer product  100 . The adhesive  114  and fibrous sawdust material  116  provide the paper substrate  112  with a thickness and pliability that is capable of receiving and retaining the realistic wood grain texture  118  from the imprinting rollers. 
         [0028]    After imprinting, the bonded veneer can be rolled again onto a take up roll for later printing or fed directly into a multi-stage printing assembly to complete the process. The multi-stage printing assembly successively lays down colors to create a simulated wood grain pattern  120  on the imprinted substrate  112 . For example, the bonded veneer  100  may be printed using a six color printing machine. The first cylinder of the printing machine will apply a base coat to the substrate. The second through sixth cylinders of the printing machine will apply different colors to the substrate, the combination of which provides the printed appearance of a finished or natural wood product. The colors may be changed to vary the tone and final appearance of the print. When completed, the imprinted and printed veneer product  100  mimics real wood veneer in both texture and appearance. 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the bonded veneer  100  may be applied to a structural wood panel  218  with an adhesive  220  to form a bonded veneer panel  200 . The bonded veneer  100  is applied to the panel  218  with the paper substrate side  112  facing up (simulated wood grain facing away from the panel  218 ). The bonded veneer  100  may be applied to one or more surfaces of the panel  218 , including the edges. Excess bonded veneer  100  is trimmed away from the panel  218  to create a finished bonded veneer panel  200  which may then be used to make furniture, shelving and other products that have previously been constructed with real wood veneer panels. 
         [0030]    Suitable materials for the structural wood panel  218  may be any flat planar structural or composite wood material, but more particularly comprise engineered wood materials, such as plywood, hardboard, medium-density fiberboard (“MDF”), particleboard and the like. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a second exemplary embodiment of the bonded veneer product is illustrated and generally indicated at  300 . The bonded veneer product  300  includes the same layers as the first embodiment  100 . In particular, the bonded veneer product  300  includes a substrate  312  that is coated with an adhesive  314  and an imprintable material  316  is applied to the adhesive  314 . The imprintable material  316  may be applied separately or premixed into the adhesive  314  prior to application to the substrate  316 . 
         [0032]    In contrast, in this embodiment, the simulated wood grain pattern is embossed and printed onto the exposed back surface of the imprintable material  316 . In this regard, the imprintable material  316  provides an exterior surface texture and appearance that appearance mimics real wood veneers. 
         [0033]    Like the first embodiment  100  suitable materials for the adhesive  314  in the second embodiment  300  also include urea-formaldehyde resins (UF), phenol formaldehyde resins (PF), melamine-formaldehyde resins (MF), methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) or polyurethane (PU) resins. Other adhesives may be used. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the process steps for forming the bonded veneer  300  are generally the same as shown in  FIG. 2  with the following exceptions. After the bonded veneer  300  exits the drying ovens and is re-rolled, the rear surface (outer surface) of the imprintable material  316  must be sanded to provide a smooth veener surface capable of accepting the imprinted grain texture and further accepting the printed wood grain pattern. Accordingly, the rolled material is passed through a sanding machine to provide the rear surface with a suitable finish for further processing. Thereafter, the same imprinting and printing steps are completed, the only difference being that the material  316  receives the imprinted texture and printed patterns. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the bonded veneer product  300  may be applied to a structural or composite wood panel  418  with an adhesive  420 . The bonded veneer  300  is applied to the panel  418  with the paper substrate side  316  facing the panel  418  (material  316  and simulated wood grain texture outwardly facing away from the panel  418 ). The bonded veneer  300  may be applied to one or more surfaces of the panel  418 , including the edges. Excess bonded veneer  300  is trimmed away from the panel  418  to create a finished bonded veneer panel  400  which may then be used to make furniture, shelving and other products that have previously been constructed with real wood veneer panels. 
         [0036]    Like the first embodiment  200 , suitable materials for the structural wood panel  418  in the second embodiment  400  also comprise engineered wood materials, such as plywood, hardboard, medium-density fibreboard (“MDF”), particleboard and the like. 
         [0037]    Additional coatings may be applied to the imprintable material  116  side or paper substrate  112  side in order to improve one or more properties such as durability, mold inhibition, fire retardance, UV protection, or to improve the finished appearance, such as gloss or matte finish coatings. 
         [0038]    It can therefore be seen that the present invention provides a novel bonded veneer product that is eco-friendly, stable and strong, low material cost and minimizes the use of natural wood. The bonded veneer product has the further advantage of reducing costs in manufacturing. 
         [0039]    It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be within the scope of the present invention except as limited by the scope of the appended claims.