Patent Description:
Panels for furnishing elements are known that comprise two embellished external layers between which a central, lightened layer is disposed, such as for example a layer of paper, or cardboard, shaped like honeycomb.

A first method for the production of said known panels involves cutting to size a raw starting panel, for example made of plywood, chipboard or MDF, to obtain two layers that will form the two external layers.

The two cut to size layers are subsequently embellished one at a time by sheets of paper, paints, laminates or other surface coatings.

In addition, the known method provides for disposing and gluing between the two external and embellished layers a layer of lightened material, such as for example a layer shaped like honeycomb, which acts as a filler.

One exemplary method to produce such a panel is disclosed in <CIT>.

In some cases, it is also known to connect an external frame, which acts as a spacer, at the perimeter of the two external layers, to stiffen the panel.

Alternatively, another method for the manufacture of such known panels provides for directly embellishing two raw layers having an extension greater than that desired to be given to the final panel. In addition, the method also provides for disposing and gluing between the two embellished layers a lightened central layer, also having a greater extension than that which is intended to be given to the final panel, to obtain a starting panel. In this case, the method also comprises cutting the starting panel to size to obtain a final panel having the desired dimensions.

However, the embellishing of the two external layers can also take place after their assembly to form the panel.

Although widely used, the known methods have some shortcomings.

One shortcoming of the known methods is that they comprise a large number of steps which, consequently, increase both the final cost of the panel and the time required for its production.

Another shortcoming of the known methods is that they require a large amount of raw material to be stored, thus also increasing the associated storage costs.

There is therefore the need to perfect a method for producing a panel for a furnishing element and a related panel that can overcome at least one of the shortcomings of the state of the prior art.

In particular, one purpose of the present invention is to solve the technical problem of devising a method for the production of a panel for a furnishing element, which is economical, fast to perform and which comprises few processing steps.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a panel for a furnishing element having both a pleasant aesthetic appearance and a low weight.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a panel for a furnishing element that can be readily used in the construction of furniture or doors and windows. Especially in the case of furniture, this panel can be made with a certain thickness depending on the part of the furniture to be composed, to ensure desired resistance characteristics (load-bearing capacity) and/or for fixing or assembly requirements.

In accordance with the above purposes, a method according to the present invention allows a panel to be produced comprising two external layers between which is disposed at least one central layer having a specific weight between about <NUM>/m<NUM> and about <NUM>/m<NUM>.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the method comprises:.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the method also comprises a first cutting to size step in which said first panel is cut in plan.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the method also comprises a second cutting to size step in which said at least one central panel is cut in plan.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said second supply step provides for supplying two central layers to obtain a panel that can have multiple final thicknesses.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, said assembly step provides for disposing said two central layers on each other and between said two external layers.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the method also provides for a third supply step in which a reinforcement layer is supplied, which may be a reinforcement panel, and said assembly step provides for both disposing said reinforcement panel between two central layers, and disposing said two central layers between said two external layers.

The present disclosure also relates to a panel obtained with the method for a furnishing element, not encompassed by the strict wording of the claims but considered as useful for understanding the invention since within the scope of protection that results from the method according to the invention, and which comprises at least one central layer and two external layers each of which comprises a support portion and an embellishing portion.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said at least one central layer has a specific weight comprised between about <NUM>/m<NUM> and about <NUM>/m<NUM>.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said at least one central layer comprises a honeycomb-shaped central portion and two flat lateral portions, between which said central portion is disposed.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, said panel comprises at least two central layers, both disposed between said external layers.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, between said two central layers there is interposed a reinforcement layer comprising elements, or fibres, derived from wood, aggregated together.

With reference to <FIG>, the present invention refers to a method for the production of a panel <NUM> for a furnishing element such as, for example, a door, a shelf or a wall of a piece of furniture.

The method comprises a first supply step in which a first panel <NUM> is supplied having two embellishing layers <NUM> between which a support layer <NUM> is disposed.

The support layer <NUM> consists essentially of elements, or fibres, derived from wood, aggregated together, and having an average size between about <NUM> and about <NUM>.

For example, the support layer <NUM> is of chipboard, or plywood, or MDF, or other similar material. Instead, the two embellishing layers <NUM> may include preimpregnated papers, paints, CPL laminates, HPL, or other similar materials.

Optionally, the density of the support layer <NUM> is lower on the inside thereof and higher in the vicinity of the embellishing layers <NUM>. Here and hereinafter, "density" means the concentration of said elements, or fibres, i.e. the quantity of said elements, or fibres, in a given volume considered.

Alternatively, the support layer <NUM> is compact and has a uniform density throughout its volume.

Preferably, the first panel <NUM> is of a standard type and readily commercially available. Advantageously, this makes it possible to obtain the panel <NUM> with a reduction in the costs of the raw materials used for its construction. This also makes it possible to considerably reduce stocks of raw materials to be stored and related storage costs.

The method also provides for a second supply step in which at least one central layer <NUM> is supplied, lightened, and having a specific weight between about <NUM>/m<NUM> and about <NUM>/m<NUM>.

Preferably, the central layer <NUM> is "sandwich" shaped and comprises an honeycomb inner portion <NUM> and two flat external portions <NUM> glued on two opposite surfaces of the inner portion <NUM>. Preferably, the lateral portions <NUM> are fixed to the central portion by means of ecological glues and comprise a sheet of paper, recycled paper, cardboard or aluminium.

Alternatively, the central layer <NUM> may consist essentially of a layer of expanded material such as, for example, polyurethane, polystyrene and/or sandwich panels made of materials other than paper and cardboard.

The thickness S1 of the central layer <NUM> is between about <NUM> and about <NUM> and is much less than its width W and its height H. Exemplarily, its width W can be between about <NUM> and about <NUM> and its height H is between about <NUM> and about <NUM>.

The quantity of central layers <NUM> supplied in the second supply step is a function of the total thickness to be given to the panel <NUM>.

In fact, optionally, in the second supply step, two or more central layers <NUM> can also be supplied to be superimposed on one another and which can have a different thickness from one another.

This allows the range of thicknesses of the panel <NUM> obtainable with the method of the present invention to be expanded, as will be explained below.

The method also provides for a first cutting to size step in which the first panel <NUM> is cut in plan to give it the final measurements desired for the panel <NUM>.

The method also provides for a second cutting to size step in which the at least one central layer <NUM> is cut in plan to give it the desired final measurements for the panel <NUM>.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the method also provides a division step in which said first panel <NUM> is divided into two parts with respect to a plane P passing through said support layer <NUM> so as to obtain two external layers <NUM> for the panel <NUM>.

In particular, each of its external layers <NUM> obtained from the cutting step comprises a support portion <NUM>, consisting of a portion of the support layer <NUM> of the first panel <NUM>, and an embellishing portion <NUM> consisting of an embellishing layer <NUM> of the first panel <NUM>.

The thickness S2 (<FIG>) of the support portion <NUM> is preferably between about <NUM> and about <NUM> and the thickness S3 of the embellishing portion <NUM> is greater than <NUM> and preferably between about <NUM> and about <NUM>. Therefore, each of the external layers <NUM> has a thickness of about <NUM> to about <NUM>.

Advantageously, said division step allows the number of operations necessary for the realization of the panel <NUM> to be decreased as the external layers <NUM> are already made to size and already embellished. This greatly reduces the costs of making the panel <NUM> and therefore also its price to the public.

In addition, this also greatly reduces the electrical energy for the production of the panel <NUM> with consequent economic and environmental advantages.

In addition, starting from a single first panel <NUM>, and dividing it in half at said division step makes it possible to decrease the costs of raw materials for its production, as well as the costs related to their storage.

Preferably, said division step is performed after the first step of cutting to size.

Furthermore, said plane P constitutes a plane of symmetry for said first panel <NUM> and, therefore, for said support layer <NUM>.

Said cutting step is carried out, for example, by means of cutting means <NUM> comprising a cutting disc, or a band saw or other similar or comparable devices.

In the event that the density of the support layer <NUM> is lower inside and higher near the embellishing layers <NUM>, two external layers <NUM> having density increasing in the direction of their thickness S2 will be obtained from the cutting step.

Alternatively, if the density of the support layer <NUM> is constant, two external layers <NUM> having constant density will be obtained in the cutting step.

Subsequently, the method also comprises the assembly step in which the at least one central layer <NUM> is disposed between the two external layers <NUM> obtained in the cutting step.

If only one central layer <NUM> is supplied in the first supply step, the two external layers <NUM> are glued to each lateral portion <NUM> thereof.

Alternatively, if two or more central layers <NUM> are supplied in the first supply step, they are disposed one on top of the other and glued together. In this case, the two external layers <NUM> are glued to the external lateral portion <NUM> of the two outermost central layers <NUM>.

By way of example, in <FIG> a panel <NUM> is shown supplied with two superimposed central layers <NUM>, to each of which a respective external layer <NUM> is glued.

The two superimposed central layers <NUM> may have a different thickness from each other. Advantageously, this expands the range of thicknesses that can be given to the panel <NUM>. In fact, by combining in a different way two types of central layers <NUM> having a different thickness from each other, it is possible to give the panel <NUM> four different final thickness values.

Optionally, the method can also comprise a third supply step in which a reinforcement layer <NUM>, which can be a panel, is supplied, which has a greater strength than the central layers <NUM>. In fact, the reinforcement layer <NUM> is suitable for cooperating with external fixing elements such as, for example, screws or pins necessary for the assembly of the panel <NUM> in a furnishing element.

The reinforcement layer <NUM> may comprise elements, or fibres, derived from wood, aggregated together and may be a layer of chipboard, or plywood, or MDF, or other like, similar or comparable material.

In this case, the method may also comprise a third step of cutting to size in which the reinforcement panel <NUM> is cut in plan to give it the desired final measurements for the panel <NUM>.

Moreover, in this case, the assembly step also provides for disposing the reinforcement panel <NUM> between two central layers <NUM>, and gluing it thereto, as schematically shown in <FIG>.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the panel <NUM> and to the method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve other equivalent forms of a panel and a respective method for the production of the panel, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

Claim 1:
Method for producing a panel (<NUM>) which comprises two external layers (<NUM>) between which at least one central layer (<NUM>) is disposed having a specific weight comprised between <NUM>/m<NUM> and <NUM>/m<NUM>, said method comprising
- a first step of supplying a first panel (<NUM>) having two embellishing layers (<NUM>) between which a support layer (<NUM>) is disposed;
- a second step of supplying said at least one central layer (<NUM>); said method being characterized in that it comprises:
- a division step in which said first panel (<NUM>) is divided with respect to a plane (P) passing through said support layer (<NUM>) so as to obtain said two external layers (<NUM>), each of which has a support portion (<NUM>) and an embellishing portion (<NUM>);
- an assembly step in which said at least one central layer (<NUM>) is disposed between said two external layers (<NUM>).