Manufacturing of decorative surfaces by inkjet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11400701-B2
Application number	US-201414914032-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2014
Priority date	Oct 22, 2013
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a decorative surface includes the steps of a) impregnating a paper substrate with a thermosetting resin; b) jetting a colour pattern with one or more aqueous inkjet inks including a polymer latex binder on the thermosetting resin impregnated paper; c) drying the one or more aqueous inkjet inks; and d) heat pressing the thermosetting paper carrying the colour pattern into a decorative surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing decorative surfaces, the method comprising the steps of:
impregnating a paper substrate with a thermosetting resin;
inkjet printing a color pattern with one or more aqueous inkjet inks containing a polyurethane based latex binder on the thermosetting resin impregnated paper substrate to define a decorative layer ( 34 ); and
heat pressing the decorative layer ( 34 ) between:
a) a core layer ( 31 ) and
b) a protective layer ( 35 ) including a second thermosetting resin impregnated paper into a decorative surface; wherein
the color pattern contacts the protective layer ( 35 );
the thermosetting resin of the decorative layer ( 34 ) and the thermosetting resin of the protective layer ( 35 ) is a melamine based resin;
the color pattern includes less than 6 g/m 2 ink dry weight; and
the one or more aqueous inkjet inks define an aqueous inkjet ink set consisting of a cyan aqueous inkjet ink, a red aqueous inkjet ink, a yellow aqueous inkjet ink, and a black aqueous inkjet ink,
wherein the red aqueous inkjet ink includes a color pigment selected from the group consisting of C.I. Pigment Red 254 and mixed crystals thereof.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the protective layer includes particles in an amount between 1 g/m 2 and 100 g/m 2 , and the particles are ceramic particles or mineral particles selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, tungsten carbide, boron carbide, and titanium dioxide, or any other metal oxide, metal carbide, metal nitride, or metal carbonitride.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is embossed with a relief corresponding to the color pattern.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the thermosetting resin impregnated paper substrate of the decorative layer is colored.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the yellow aqueous inkjet ink includes a color pigment selected from the group consisting of C.I. Pigment Yellow 151, C.I. Pigment Yellow 74, and mixed crystals thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the cyan aqueous inkjet ink includes a copper phthalocyanine pigment;
the yellow aqueous inkjet ink includes a color pigment selected from the group consisting of C.I. Pigment Yellow 151, C.I. Pigment Yellow 74, and mixed crystals thereof; and
the black aqueous inkjet ink includes a carbon black pigment.

7. A decorative panel obtained by the method according to claim 1 , wherein the decorative panel is selected from the group consisting of flooring, kitchen, furniture, and wall panels.

8. The decorative panel according to claim 7 , wherein the decorative panel includes a tongue and a groove mechanical joint that requires no glue.

Assignees

• Agfa Nv
• Unilin Bvba

Inventors

• De Mondt Roel
• Torfs Rita

Classifications

• E04F13/0871

  having an ornamental or specially shaped visible surface (E04F13/0867 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E04F13/0894

  with tongue and groove connections · CPC title

• B41J2/01 Primary

  Ink jet · CPC title

• E04F15/02038

  characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements · CPC title

• B41M7/0027

  using protective coatings or layers by lamination or by fusion of the coatings or layers · CPC title