Surface products with multiple veneer segments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12037798-B2
Application number	US-202318274311-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2023
Priority date	Feb 1, 2022
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

A surfacing product (e.g., flooring element) can be elongate along a longitudinal axis. The surfacing product can have a core having a first surface and an opposed second surface that are spaced along a thickness axis. A veneer can be coupled to the first surface of the core. The veneer can have a first veneer segment that is elongate along the longitudinal axis, a second veneer segment that is elongate along the longitudinal axis, and an insert segment positioned between the first veneer segment and the second veneer segment along the longitudinal axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surfacing product having a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a thickness axis that is perpendicular to each of the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis, the surfacing product comprising:
a core having a first surface and an opposed second surface that are spaced along the thickness axis; and
a veneer coupled to the first surface of the core, wherein the veneer comprises:
a first veneer segment that is elongate along the longitudinal axis;
a second veneer segment that is elongate along the longitudinal axis; and
an insert segment, wherein along the longitudinal axis, the insert segment is positioned between the first veneer segment and the second veneer segment,

wherein each of the first veneer segment, second veneer segment, and insert segment have a respective grain, each respective grain extending along a respective grain axis, and
wherein the axis of the grain of the first veneer segment is perpendicular or generally perpendicular to the axis of the grain of the insert segment,
wherein the insert segment has a first dimension along the transverse axis and a second dimension along the longitudinal axis, wherein the first dimension of the insert segment is greater than the second dimension of the insert segment.

2. The surfacing product of claim 1 , wherein the first veneer segment and the second veneer segment comprise the same material.

3. The surfacing product of claim 1 , wherein each of the first veneer segment, the second veneer segment, and the insert segment comprise the same material.

4. The surfacing product of claim 1 , wherein the first veneer segment and the second veneer segment each comprise a first material, wherein the insert segment comprises a second material that is different from the first material.

5. The surfacing product of claim 1 , wherein each of the first veneer segment, second veneer segment, and insert segment comprise a different material.

6. The surfacing product of claim 1 , wherein the first veneer segment has a first length along the longitudinal axis, wherein the second veneer segment has a second length along the longitudinal axis, wherein the first length is at least 50% greater than the second length.

7. The surfacing product of claim 1 , wherein the first veneer segment has a first length along the longitudinal axis, wherein the second veneer segment has a second length along the longitudinal axis, wherein the first length is within 15 % of the second length.

8. The surfacing product of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first veneer segment, the second veneer segment, or the insert segment comprises wood.

9. The surfacing product of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first veneer segment, the second veneer segment, or the insert segment comprises oak.

10. The surfacing product of claim 9 , wherein the oak is white oak.

11. The surfacing product of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises wood.

12. The surfacing product of claim 11 , wherein the wood of the core is Russian Birch.

13. The surfacing product of claim 11 , wherein the core comprises plywood.

14. The surfacing product of claim 11 , wherein the core comprises a plurality of core segments that are coupled together at one or more respective lap joint junctions.

15. The surfacing product of claim 1 , wherein the surfacing product has first and second edges that are spaced along the transverse axis and extend longitudinally along a length of the surfacing product, wherein the first and second edges define, respectively, a tongue and a groove.

16. The surfacing product of claim 1 , wherein the first veneer segment and the second veneer segment abut the insert segment.

17. The surfacing product of claim 1 , wherein the surfacing product has a length along the longitudinal axis, wherein the first veneer, second veneer, and insert segments cooperatively extend along the entire length, or substantially the entire length, of the surfacing product along the longitudinal axis.

18. A method of making a surfacing product, the method comprising:
coupling a first veneer segment, a second veneer segment, and a third veneer segment to a core with a binder to form the surfacing product, wherein said coupling comprises:
depositing the binder on the core; and
positioning the first veneer segment, the second veneer segment, and the third veneer segment on the core,

wherein the surfacing product has a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a thickness axis that is perpendicular to each of the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis,
wherein the core of the surfacing product has a first surface and an opposed second surface that are spaced along the thickness axis,
wherein the first, second, and third veneer segments are coupled to the first surface of the core, wherein the first and second veneer segments are elongate along the longitudinal axis; and
wherein along the longitudinal axis, the third veneer segment is positioned between the first veneer segment and the second veneer segment,
wherein the third veneer segment has a first dimension along the transverse axis and a second dimension along the longitudinal axis, wherein the first dimension of the third veneer segment is greater than the second dimension of the third veneer segment.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein depositing the binder on the core comprises roll coating the binder onto the core.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the binder comprises polyurethane resin.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising pressing the core with the first and second veneer segments.

22. The method of claim 18 , further comprising depositing epoxy on at least a portion of at least one of the first veneer segment or the second veneer segment.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising sanding the epoxy.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the surfacing product has first and second edges that are spaced along the transverse axis and extend longitudinally along the surfacing product, the method further comprising milling a tongue on the first edge and milling a groove on the second edge.

25. The method of claim 18 , further comprising brushing the first and second veneer segments to form a texture on the first and second veneer segments.

26. The method of claim 18 , further comprising applying one or more top coats and/or UV-cured sealers.

27. A surface covering comprising: a plurality of surfacing products as in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of surfacing products are coupled together to define the surface covering.

28. The surface covering of claim 27 , wherein the first veneer segment of a first surfacing product of the plurality of surfacing products has a first length along the longitudinal axis of the first surfacing product, wherein the second veneer segment of the first surfacing product has a second length along the longitudinal axis of the first surfacing product, wherein the first veneer segment of a second surfacing product of the plurality of surfacing products has a third length along the longitudinal axis of the second surfacing product, wherein the third length is different from the first length and the second length.

29. A kit comprising:
a plurality of surfacing products, wherein the plurality of surfacing products are configured t

Assignees

• Shaw Ind Group Inc

Inventors

• Shaw Jason
• Pusateri Patrick

Classifications

• E04F2201/043

  with tongues and grooves being formed by projecting or recessed parts of the panel layers · CPC title

• E04F2201/023

  with a continuous tongue or groove · CPC title

• E04F2201/0107

  by moving the sheets, plates or panels substantially in their own plane, perpendicular to the abutting edges · CPC title

• E04F15/02038

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

• C09J175/04

  Polyurethanes · CPC title