Abstract:
Methods and products are described having improved structural stability and which are particularly suitable for manufacture using coconut palm. Each product includes a core and a veneer laminated to form a product, and includes arrangements of the core pieces to provide improved structural stability. In one embodiment, elongated strips of palm having square cross-sections are laminated with parallel grains to form a core. In another embodiment, elongated strips of palm having rectangular cross-sections are laminated with parallel grains and with the long sides of the rectangles of adjoining strips abutting. A third embodiment of the present invention is a square flooring tile arranged from a plurality of core pieces arranged with the grain generally parallel to the edge of the core. The products can support a veneer or kerf as is suitable to particular uses.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/617,556, filed Oct. 8, 2004. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to wood products and is directed to, in particular, wood products including, but not limited to, plywood-like products and flooring panels made from coconut palm material.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Hardwood has many aesthetic and structural qualities that make it particularly desirable for use in construction, for example in flooring and paneling, and in making furniture. Many types of hardwood are obtained from rainforests, where poor resource management often results in damage to the local environment. Since the need for hardwood is increasing worldwide, it would be desirable to obtain useful hardwood from these fragile environments in a fashion that does not harm the local environment.  
         [0004]     Palms are a potentially large source of environmentally-produced hardwood. In particular, coconut palms ( cocos nucifera ) are widely grown in plantations in the tropics for their nuts, which are a valuable source of food and are used to produce manufactured goods. Thus, for example, the nut of the coconut palm produces a solid “meat” (copra) that can be pressed to form oil, and a “milk” that is edible. The nut can also be processed to produce products including soap, lubricants, explosives, margarine, and other goods. Coconut palms can be productively harvested for approximately 80 years, after which nut production decreases and the trees are removed and replaced with newer palms.  
         [0005]     While a palm that no longer produces nuts can be harvested for its lumber, the structure and shape of palm lumber makes the ready incorporation of this material into structurally stable products difficult. In particular, there are several problems in manufacturing and using palm lumber products. Mature coconut palms have a diameter of 1 to 2 feet and are 50 to 80 feet tall. The density, and thus hardness, of palm increases gradually from the center to the outer edge, and thus is difficult to obtain large pieces of palm having a uniform hardness. Typically, it is not possible to obtain uniform strips of palm that are greater than about 3 inches wide. In addition, palm responds to changes in humidity by warping, and as a result large pieces of palm are not structurally stable. For these reasons, lumber products formed exclusively from palm are rarely used for construction or to provide lumber product surfaces, such as flooring or paneling.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a lumber product that efficiently utilizes coconut palm and that has improved structural stability.  
         [0007]     It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a coconut palm core and a plurality of additional palm pieces that are arranged to provide superior structural stability.  
         [0008]     It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a core for a lumber product comprising a plurality of strips of coconut palm, where the strips have a rectangular cross-sectional shape and where adjoining strips of the product are arranged with abutting long sides of the rectangular shape.  
         [0009]     It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a core for a lumber product comprising a plurality of strips of coconut palm, where the strips have a rectangular cross-sectional shape that is square.  
         [0010]     It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a core for a substantially square lumber product comprising a plurality of pieces of coconut palm arranged with a central piece and a plurality of strips arranged with grains that are substantially parallel to the edge of the core.  
         [0011]     It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a wood-like product including a core having a pair of opposing major surfaces including a first surface and a second surface, and a veneer of the first surface. The core includes a plurality of elongate strips of coconut palm each having a cross-section and grains aligned with the length of each strip. In one embodiment, the core is a single-ply core, and a second veneer is disposed on the second surface. In another embodiment, the core is a double-ply core. In yet another embodiment, the major pair of opposing surfaces is rectangular, and the sides of the core have matching tongue-and-groove structures to facilitate arrangement of a plurality of products on a planar surface.  
         [0012]     It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a laminated wood-like product including a core and a veneer of coconut palm on opposing core major surfaces. The core includes a plurality of elongate strips of coconut palm each having a cross-section and having grains aligned with the length of the strip.  
         [0013]     It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a wood-like product including a core having a pair of opposing major surfaces including a first surface and a second surface and a substantially square perimeter defining four edges. The core is a single-ply core including a plurality of elongate strips each having a cross-section, and the grain is parallel along at least one half of each of the four edges. The product also includes a veneer substantially covering one pair of the opposing surfaces. In one embodiment, the veneer is a parquet. In another embodiment, the edges include tongue-and-groove structures to facilitate their assembly on a planar surface.  
         [0014]     These features together with the various ancillary provisions and features which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, are attained by the exercise device of the present invention, preferred embodiments thereof being shown with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the top and sides of a first embodiment of a laminated palm product of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a sectional top view  2 - 2  showing a view of the core of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view  3 - 3  showing a view of the first and second veneers the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the top and sides of a second embodiment of the present invention showing palm flooring planks on a surface;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is side view of one flooring plank of the embodiment of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a top view  6 - 6  of the embodiment of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a sectional top view  7 - 7  of the embodiment of  FIG. 5  showing the core;  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view  8 - 8  of the embodiment of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  is a top view of a third embodiment of the present invention showing one parquet square;  
         [0024]      FIG. 10  is a bottom view of the embodiment of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 11  is a sectional side view  11 - 11  of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 12  is a sectional top view  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view showing the top and sides of another laminated palm product of the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 14  is a sectional top view  14 - 14  showing a view of the core of the embodiment of  FIG. 13 ; and  
         [0029]      FIG. 15  is a bottom view  15 - 15  showing a view of the first and second veneers the embodiment of  FIG. 13 . 
     
    
       [0030]     Reference symbols are used in the Figures to indicate certain components, aspects or features shown therein, with reference symbols common to more than one Figure indicating like components, aspects or features shown therein.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0031]     The present invention includes, in general, lumber products described herein with reference to embodiment&#39;s manufactured using coconut palm, including, but are not limited to, planks or parquet squares for flooring, or finished plywood-like products. It is understood that the scope of the present invention includes products that include other materials or that are produced in other shapes or purposes, and that the various embodiments discussed herein are illustrative and are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention.  
         [0032]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the top and sides of a first embodiment of a laminated palm plywood  100  having a core  110 , a first veneer  120 , and a second veneer  130 ,  FIG. 2  is a sectional top view  2 - 2  of the core of  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 3  is a bottom view  3 - 3  of the second veneer. As an example plywood  100  that is not meant to limit the scope of the present invention, the plywood is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  as having a length L and a width W. Laminated palm  100  has a first surface  103  and a second surface  105 , and is formed from a core  110  having a first side  103  and a second side  105 , a first veneer  120  affixed to the first side to present finished surface  101 , and a second veneer  130  affixed to the second core side  105  to present finished surface  107 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , plywood  100  is a planar structure having thickness that includes a thickness T of core  110  and the thicknesses V of both the first and second veneers  120  and  130 . Plywood  100  is formed by laminating the strips and veneers, for example, by a cold press lamination process.  
         [0033]     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , core  110  includes a plurality of strips  111  each of length L. The plurality of strips  111  are arranged as a “single-ply core,” being substantially one strip deep through the thickness of core  100 . Strips  111  are formed from a single piece of palm of length L, or optionally from two or more pieces of palm joined together to form an elongated strip of length L, for example using finger joints  113 . Each strip  111  has a grain  210  aligned with the length L. It is preferred that the cross section of each strip  111  in a plane perpendicular to the direction of length L has a shape that is approximately rectangular, with each strip having a first dimension T through the thickness of plywood  100 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , that is common to each strip, and a second dimension H in the plane of plywood  100 , shown in  FIG. 2  that is preferably, though not necessarily, the same for each of the plurality of strips. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the thickness of the core is equal to one of the dimensions of the plurality of strips. The total width W of core  110  is the sum of the widths H of individual ones of the plurality of strips  111 . The plurality of strips  111  are laminated with parallel grain, forming a laminated palm or lumber core  110 .  
         [0034]     In a particularly preferred embodiment, each of the plurality of strips  111  has a rectangular cross-sectional shape that is either square, or that is oriented with the long dimension equal to the thickness T of core  110 . Thus in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the cross-sectional shape is rectangular with the long dimension through the thickness, i.e., the width T is greater than the height H. In an alternative embodiment, the cross-sectional shape is square, i.e., the width T is equal to the height H. The arrangement of strips in the present invention provides for greater structural stability than the prior art.  
         [0035]     In one embodiment of the present invention, the combined thickness (T+2V) is approximately three-quarters of an inch. The length L and width W can be of a size useful as plywood. Thus, as one example of plywood  100  that is not meant to limit the scope of the present invention, the dimension L is from 6 inches to 24 inches, and preferably 9 inches. In another non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the dimension L is from 30 inches to 48 inches, and the dimension W is from 72 inches to 96 inches.  
         [0036]     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , first veneer  120  and second veneer  130  are similar and are formed from a plurality of similarly shaped veneers strips  121  and  131 , respectively. Veneers  120  and  130  have grains  301 , indicated by dashed lines, aligned with length L, and have cross-sectional shape that is preferably rectangular, with thickness V and a width X. It is preferred that grains  301  are parallel to grains  201 . In an alternative embodiment, the first and second veneers are formed of individual veneers of different sizes.  
         [0037]     Plywood  100  is preferably manufactured using strips having small dimensions. In one embodiment of the present invention which is not meant to limit the scope of the present invention, plywood  100  is manufactured from coconut palm strips laminated using cold press techniques that are known in the field. Coconut palm strips are obtained from the outer, denser portion of a coconut palm. These strips, which can be up to 3 inches wide, are dried to an appropriate moisture content, and are then arranging as square strips or rectangular strips with adjoining adjacent long ends in a cold press with an adhesive for laminating core  110 . In one embodiment of the present invention, which is not meant to limit the scope of the present invention, the strips are dried to a moisture content of 6-8%. Suitable adhesives are known in the field, and include, for example, Multibond 2000 (Franklin International, Columbus, Ohio).  
         [0038]     Veneers  121  and  131  are sliced from the coconut palm trunk and dried further than the core. Thus, for example, the veneers are dried to approximately 4%. The portions forming surfaces  101  and  107  are sanded, and arranged in a cold press with core  110  and pressed for approximately 3 hours. The adhesive of the pressed laminated palm is then dried for a number of days, and lumber product  100  is then milled and finished.  
         [0039]      FIGS. 13-15  depict another embodiment laminated palm product  100 , which may be generally similar to the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , except as further detailed below. Where possible, similar elements are identified with identical reference numerals in the depiction of the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-3  and  FIGS. 13-15 .  
         [0040]      FIG. 13  as a perspective view showing the top and sides of product  100 ,  FIG. 14  as a sectional top view  14 - 14  showing a view of the core of the embodiment of  FIG. 13 , and in  FIG. 15  as a bottom view  15 - 15  showing a view of the first and second veneers the embodiment of  FIG. 13 . Product  100  of  FIGS. 13-15  has grains  201  of strips  111  of core  110  that are laminated perpendicular to grains  301  of veneers  121  and  131 . This “cross-lamination” relative to the grains provides additional structural stability to product  100 .  
         [0041]     A second embodiment of a lumber product according to the present invention is a flooring plank  400  having a core  410 , a first veneer  420 , and a second veneer  430 , as shown in  FIG. 4  as a perspective view of the top and sides of the plank, and in  FIG. 5  as a side view of the plank. Each plank  400  has an elongated, generally rectangular shape including a back surface  405  of core  410 , a front, flooring surface  401  of veneer  420 , a first side  407  and a second side  409 . Core  410  has a surface  403  opposite back surface  405  that is laminated to veneer  420 , and back surface  405  that is laminated to veneer  430 , which has one or more kerfs  413  that run along the length of the plank, and that aids in the stability of plank  400  as well as to the attachment of the plank to a sub-floor F.  
         [0042]     A plurality of planks  400  can be arranged to cover a floor F with the first side  407  of one plank abutting the second side  409  of the adjacent plank. Core  410  includes several laminated strips  411  that each extend from back surface  405  to surface  403 . For illustrative purposes not meant to limit the scope of the present invention, core  410  is shown as being formed from 4 strips of square cross section  411   a ,  411   b ,  411   c , and  411   d , where strip  411   a  of one plank abuts strip  411   d  of an adjacent plank.  
         [0043]     In one embodiment of the present invention, sides  407  and  409  have interlocking shapes to aid in the placement and location of planks  400 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , for example, a tongue and groove arrangement is used, where strip  411   a  forming first side  407  has a tongue  415  and strip  411   d  forming second side  409  has a groove  417 .  
         [0044]     Plank  400  is shown in further detail in the various views in  FIGS. 6-7 , where  FIG. 6  is a top view  6 - 6 , and  FIG. 7  is a top sectional top view  7 - 7 , and  FIG. 8  is a bottom view  8 - 8 . As is shown in  FIG. 6 , the top surface  401  has a grain  601  that runs the length of the flooring plank. The sectional top view of  FIG. 7  shows each strip  411  having a grain  701  that is also parallel to grain  601 . The bottom view of  FIG. 8  shows kerfs  413  running the length of plank  400 . Preferably kerfs  413  are in veneer  430 , as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0045]     In one embodiment of the present invention, each plank  400  has a length of approximately 9 inches, and the combined thickness of core  410  and veneer  420  is approximately three-quarters of an inch.  
         [0046]      FIG. 9  is a top view of a third embodiment of a lumber product of the present invention showing one parquet square  900 . Parquet square  900  is shown in more detail as the bottom view of  FIG. 10 , the sectional side view of  FIG. 11 , and the sectional top view of  FIG. 12 . Square  900  has a parquet surface  902 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , and a back surface  906 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , for mounting the square to the floor, and tongues  901  and grooves  903  for mating with other squares.  
         [0047]     More specifically, square  900  includes a core  910  and a veneer  920 . Core  910  has a generally square shape formed by edges  912 ,  914 ,  916 , and  919 , and extends from back surface  906  having several kerfs  905  to an upper surface  904 . Edges  912  and  914  each include a tongue  901 , and edges  916  and  918  each include a groove  903 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , core  910  is formed from five pieces of coconut palm lumber—four elongated strips  911 ,  913 ,  915 , and  917 —that each extend through the thickness of the core and are arranged about a square piece  919 .  
         [0048]     The grain for the pieces forming core  910  are shown as dashed lines in  FIG. 12 . Each strip  911 ,  913 ,  915 , and  917  is aligned with and forms a substantial portion of a corresponding edge  912 ,  914 ,  916 , and  919 , respectively. The grain of core  910  is thus aligned through the thickness of the core and generally follows the outer circumference of the core.  
         [0049]     In general, more than five pieces may be used to form core  910 , with the pieces arranged so that the grain is generally along the direction of the core&#39;s edge. This arrangement of grain provides improved structural stability over cores having parallel grain or over cores having grains that run in several directions through the thickness of the core.  
         [0050]     In the illustrated embodiment, veneer  920  is formed from four veneer squares each having four pieces and is attached to upper surface  904 . Specifically, veneer  920  includes veneer square  921 ,  923 ,  925 , and  927 .  FIG. 9  shows grain of each veneer  921 ,  923 ,  925 , and  927  as dashed lines. The parquet pattern of the third embodiment is for illustrative purposes, as many other parquet patterns are well known in the art. Each veneer  921 ,  923 ,  925 , and  927  is further comprised of four strips, for example veneer  921  includes strips  921   a ,  921   b ,  921   c , and  921   d , each having the same shape and mutually aligned grains.  
         [0051]     In one embodiment of the present invention, each square  900  has a side of approximately one foot. The combined thickness of core  910  and veneer  920  is preferably between approximately ⅜ and ¾ inch.  
         [0052]     Parquet square  900  can be manufactured from coconut palm lumber having dimensions disclosed herein and using cold press techniques that are known in the field. As an example of a manufacturing technique that is not meant to limit the scope of the present invention, veneers  921 ,  923 ,  925 , and  927  are first formed by cold pressing coconut palm strips that have been kiln dried. Veneers  921 ,  923 ,  925 , and  927 , strips  911 ,  913 ,  915 , and  917  and square piece  919  are then stacked as nine separate pieces into a cold press form, along with an adhesive, to maintain the shape of the separate elements during pressing. The adhesive of the pressed laminated palm material is then dried for an additional day, surface  902  is sanded and finished, kerfs  905  are cut, and tongue  901  and groove  903  are formed.  
         [0053]     It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to those embodiments and modifications described in the specification. Modifications and variations can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the sprit and scope of the invention. For example, the core may contain more than one layer of strips, and the strips may be formed from individual pieces of palm or from laminated or joined pieces of palm. Moreover, any one or more features of any embodiment of the invention may be combined with any one or more other features of any other embodiment of the invention, without departing from the scope of the invention.