US20040023006A1 - Printed border - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of producing a floor panel for an elevated floor comprising the steps of printing a border along the edge of said floor panel then applying a protective wear surface over said printed surface.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION
• This invention relates generally to a method of producing a floor panel for an elevated floor, including printing a border along the edge thereof, and includes the floor panel with the printed edge.[0001]
BACKGROUND ART
• Elevated floors have been gaining widespread usage and prominence in view of the wide proliferation of computers installed and used in buildings. These elevated floors are sometimes called “computer floors”. Generally speaking such elevated floors are designed to be supported on pedestals at the corners of the elevated floor so as to present an access space between the elevated floor and the floor structure that can be used to run electrical cabling, computer lines, air conditioning or other heating systems.[0002]
• These computer floors comprise floor panels and are often provided with some form of floor covering laminated to the upper surface thereof to provide a finished, exposed floor surface. These floor coverings may be carpeted, include vinyl asbestos tile (VAT) or high-pressure laminate usually referred to as HPL. When the floor covering is laminated to the upper surface of the floor panel an attractive floor appearance is provided with the plurality of abutting floor panels defining the floor where individual panels can be removed.[0003]
• Existing technology shows floor panels having a black border or coloured border disposed around the perimeter of the access floor panel so as to generally:[0004]
• (a) offer an attractive appearance[0005]
• (b) mask any gaps or joints[0006]
• (c) prevent chipping or exposure of the chipping of the edges.[0007]
• Floor panels have heretofore been designed that include applying plastic shapes around the perimeter of the trim as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,998. These trims tend to become loose and fall off and become a maintenance problem.[0008]
• Other prior art devices comprise routing and exposing an inner core of black paper to construct a trimmed appearance. Generally the trim is disposed lower than the surface of the decorative laminate an example of which is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,491. Disadvantages experienced from such routed edges stem from the paper core left exposed and unprotected against cleaners and moisture, and the recessed groove acts as a dirt and moisture trap.[0009]
• Other prior art methods comprise burning the top clear melamine surface and applying a ultra violet cured paint to simulate a black border or trim. However, it is generally difficult to control the burning process accurately and accordingly such process sometimes burn through the decorative layer and sometimes does not totally remove the clear protective layer resulting in the applied paint wearing off. Other prior art methods include laminating the patterned wear surface to a substrate of black or coloured plastic to make a layered system where the substrate becomes the border or trim.[0010]
• Furthermore patterned tiles have also heretofore been known as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,670,288 and 6,413,618.[0011]
• It is an object of this invention to provide an improved floor tile having a patterned edge and an improved method of producing same.[0012]
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
• It is an aspect of this invention to provide a method of producing a floor panel for an elevated floor comprising the steps of printing a border along the edge of said floor panel then applying a protective wear surface over said printed surface.[0013]
• It is a further aspect of this invention to provide a method of producing a floor panel for an elevated floor comprising the steps of printing a plurality of grid lines on a substrate, cutting said substrate along said grid lines so as to present a floor covering having an edge defined by said cut grid lines, applying said cut substrate to a load surface of said floor panel.[0014]
• It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide a method of producing a floor covering for an elevated floor comprising the steps of printing a decorative pattern including a plurality of rectangular grid lines on one surface of a paper substrate, combining said paper substrate with a plurality of sheets to produce a floor covering, applying a wear surface on said decorative surface, cutting said floor covering along said grid lines so as to present a plurality of floor covering panels having an edge defined by said cut grid lines, applying an adhesive to a load surface of said elevated floor so as to bond one of said floor cover panels to said load surface.[0015]
• It is a further aspect of this invention to provide a floor panel for an elevated floor comprising a base adapted to be supported and providing a load bearing surface, a floor covering co-extensive with and adhering to said load surface of said base, a printed edge presented by said floor covering, a protective coat over said floor cover and printed edge.[0016]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a representative perspective view of the printing process.[0017]
• FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the printed decorative surface.[0018]
• FIG. 3 is a side elevational magnified view of the floor covering.[0019]
• FIG. 4 is a side view of the floor covering adhered to the load surface of the base.[0020]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
• In the description that follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and the drawings with the same respective reference numerals. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated in order to more clearly depict certain features of the invention.[0021]
• FIG. 1 is a perspective representative view of the invention to be described herein. In particular a[0022]roll2 ofsubstrate4 is unwound and subjected to a printing process to be described herein. The substrate may be any variety of materials to be used as a floor covering such as paper, plastic or the like. In particular a floor covering10 is produced by printing adecorative pattern12, which includes a plurality ofgrid lines14. More specifically the pattern of grid lines comprises a rectangular or square pattern includinglongitudinal lines16,18 and20 andtransverse lines22,24,26 and28. Suchdecorative patterns12 andgrid lines14 can be applied by a variety of printing means including computer laser printing or silk screening. Other methods can include roto gravure or other printing means well known to those persons skilled in the art.
• For example the[0023]grid lines16 can be produced by thespray head30 while thegrid lines18 and20 produced by thespray head32 and34 respectively. The spray head30,32 and34 may be stationary. On the other hand thetransverse grid lines26 and28 may be produced by moving spray means36 which move in a direction transverse to the direction L which is the direction of unravelling of thesubstrate4. Other printing methods and arrangements can be utilized all in a manner well known to those persons skilled in the art. As the printeddecorative substrate4 leaves theprinting station40, a plurality of cutting means42 may be utilized to cut along said grid lines as shall be described herein.
• It will be noticed that the[0024]grid lines16 and20 presented along the edges of thesubstrate4 are approximately half of the size of thegrid line18 which is disposed within the interior of the printed web ofsubstrate4 so that once the floor covering10 is cut bycutting means42 the relative dimension of the perimetral border will be approximately the same throughout.
• The[0025]substrate4 is cut by cutting means42 along the grid lines so as present a floor covering10 having anedge50 defined by the grid lines. For example, by looking at FIG. 2 the floor covering10 has anedge50 defined bygrid line25cut grid line18, cutgrid line26 andgrid line16. The relative width W ofgrid line18 is approximately twice the width of grid line25 X so that once thesubstrate4 is cut by cutting means42 theborder50 along the perimetral edge will be approximately the same thickness. Any variety of cutting means42 can be utilized. In particular the cutting means42 can comprise knives orcutting wheels43 and45. In one arrangement thecutting wheel43 can be stationary while thecutting wheel45 may move by a variety of means well known to those persons skilled in the art in a direction transverse to the unwinding of theroll2.
• Accordingly the method described herein generally comprises a method of producing a floor panel for an elevate floor which comprises the steps of printing a border along the edge of the floor panel.[0026]
• The printed[0027]substrate4 is mounted on a stack ofsheets51, which in one embodiment comprises a stack of Kraft paper and then consolidated under heat and pressure. In one embodiment the consolidation comprises stacking the black orcoloured border50 onsubstrate4 on top of a stack of Kraftpaper51 with a clearprotective surface sheet60 and pressed to make a standard high-pressure laminate (HPL) sheet of a thickness required or specified for a floor covering10 application.
• The[0028]floor tiles10 may be printed and pressed in a 24 inch by 24 inch, 24⅛ by 24⅛ or 49×97 inch sheets then cut tobase panel70 and then cut to panel size prior to lamination to the floor panel itself. TheHPL floor surface10 may be cut oversize to approximately 24, and a black border applied by silk screening process with the clearprotective layer60 applied with heat and pressure. Theoversized floor surface10 with theblack border50 could then be sized prior to adhesion to theload surface80 of a base70 by means of anappropriate adhesive82.
• The printing or marking means may be applied at the time of printing a[0029]decorative surface12 to theweb4 or may be applied at a later stage. Furthermore it is possible that nodecorative surface12 is applied but rather thegrid pattern14 applied thereon.
• The colour chosen for the[0030]grid pattern14 is generally a dark colour such as black, brown or the like, but could be any colour.
• The invention described herein provides a black or coloured border or trim that is permanently printed to the laminate itself. The trim or[0031]border50 will generally not wear off, dislodge or become loose. Theborder50 requires no removal of material and is protected by the samehigh wear finish60 as the rest of the floor covering10. The trim orborder50 is flush with and has generally no upward or downward step in the surface of the floor covering.
• The invention described herein utilizes high-pressure plastic laminate having a black or[0032]coloured border50 printed into the pattern decorative laminate to produce the appearance of a border or trim50 around the perimeter of the floor covering10. The method described herein eliminates the need to route and expose an inner core. Furthermore the method eliminates the need to laser etch the surface and apply a printed trim which may wear off. Furthermore the invention described herein eliminates the need to have an extra lamination and a joint between the trim and the laminate.
• The invention as described herein may in one embodiment comprise a layer of melamine or other clear protective product applied over the decorative layer of the printed paper. The decorative layer of printed paper has a black border printed approximately 24 inches by 24 inches by ⅛ inch wide grid to produce a black border around the tile. The black border may be applied to the decorative paper.[0033]
• In another embodiment the black grid lines may be printed or marked in a 24 inch by 24 inch by {fraction (3/16)} inch wide pattern. Furthermore such grid lines may be printed on a portion of a surface of a[0034]substrate4 as shown for example by the region marked13 in FIG. 1 which may be used for standard metric 600 mm by 600 mm laminate. Furthermore theborder50 may be any colour.
• The thickness of the high-pressure laminate sheet may vary and in some embodiments can range from {fraction (1/16)} inch to ¼ inch depending on the intended use. However, the invention is not limited to such thickness and may be outside of the range described above. Furthermore the wear[0035]resistant overlay60 may comprise Mylar or other material. In one embodiment the printedsubstrate4 may be cut to approximately 49 inches by 97 inches and then pressed as described and thereafter rough cut to approximately 24⅛ inch panels.
• The rough cut floor cover panels may then be disposed into a sizing machine such as a router or the like that adjusts to provide a 24 inch by 24 inch or 600 mm by 600 mm panel with a black grid line of approximately 0.100 inch located equally as a[0036]border50 around the panel.
• Thereafter the HPL panel is then laminated to the[0037]access floor panel70. The edges of the panel may be marked withblack ink90 as shown in FIG. 4 with black ink, paint, marker or the like.
• The sizing machine (not shown) may consist of two cutters on tracks (not shown) spaced to the size of the tile. The tile must generally be located dead center using a laser beam or mechanical device to find the center of the grid or[0038]panel10. Thepanel10 is then clamped down by a variety of means including a vacuum table. The cutters may then travel past the tile cutting to size. The table then may rotate 90° and the cutters travel past cutting the other two sides. The part may then be taken off and finished to size.
• According the invention described herein comprises a method of producing a floor covering for an elevated floor comprising the steps of:[0039]
• (a) printing a decorative pattern including a plurality of[0040]rectangular grid lines14 on one surface of apaper substrate4;
• (b) laminating or combining the[0041]paper substrate4 with a plurality ofKraft sheets51;
• (c) applying a[0042]wear surface60 on the decorative surface;
• (d) cutting the floor panel along the[0043]grid lines14 to present a plurality of floor covering panels having anedge50 defined by the grid lines14;
• (e) applying an adhesive[0044]82 to theload surface80 of theelevated floor base70 so as bond one of thefloor cover panels10 theload surface80.
• Various embodiments of the invention have now been described in detail. Since changes in and/or additions to the above-described best mode may be made without departing from the nature, spirit or scope of the invention, the invention is not to be limited to said details.[0045]

Claims (19)

I claim:

1. A method of producing a floor panel for an elevated floor comprising the steps of printing a border along the edge of said floor panel then applying a protective wear surface over said printed surface.

2. A method of producing a floor panel for an elevated floor comprising the steps of:

(a) printing a plurality of grid lines on a substrate;

(b) cutting said substrate along said grid lines so as to present a floor covering having an edge defined by said cut grid lines;

(c) applying said cut substrate to a load surface of said floor panel.

3. A method as claimed inclaim 2 including the step of applying a wear surface to said substrate.

4. A method as claimed inclaim 3 including the step of applying an adhesive to said load surface of said elevated floor so as to bond said substrate to said load surface.

5. A method as claimed inclaim 4 wherein said printing step comprises printing said grid lines in a linear pattern.

6. A method as claimed inclaim 5 wherein said grid lines are printed in a rectangular pattern.

7. A method as claimed inclaim 6 wherein said printing comprises computer laser printing.

8. A method as claimed inclaim 7 wherein said printing comprises silk screening process.

9. A method of producing a floor covering for an elevated floor comprising the steps of:

(a) printing a decorative pattern including a plurality of rectangular grid lines on one surface of a paper substrate;

(b) combining said paper substrate with a plurality of sheets to produce a floor covering;

(c) applying a wear surface on said decorative surface;

(d) cutting said floor covering along said grid lines so as to present a plurality of floor covering panels having an edge defined by said cut grid lines;

(e) applying an adhesive to a load surface of said elevated floor so as to bond one of said floor cover panels to said load surface.

10. A method as claimed inclaim 9 wherein said printing step comprises printing said decorative pattern on one side of said paper substrate.

11. A method as claimed inclaim 10 wherein said printing step comprises printing said grid lines in a dark colour.

12. A method as claimed inclaim 11 wherein said combining step comprising pressing said printed paper substrate with a plurality of sheets so as to produce a high-pressure laminate.

13. A method as claimed inclaim 12 wherein said applying stage comprises applying a melamine surface over said decorative surface.

14. A method as claimed inclaim 13 wherein said combining and applying steps comprise mounting said decorative layer over a stack of Kraft paper with a clear protective surface sheet over said decorative layer and pressing same to produce a high-pressure laminate floor surface panel.

15. A method as claimed inclaim 14 wherein said step of cutting may occur prior to said combining step.

16. A floor panel for an elevated floor comprising:

(a) a base adapted to be supported and providing a load bearing surface;

(b) a floor covering co-extensive with and adhering to said load surface of said base;

(c) a printed edge presented by said floor covering;

(d) a protective coat over said floor cover and printed edge.

17. A floor panel as claimed inclaim 16 wherein said printed edge comprises a black border.

18. A floor panel as claimed inclaim 17 wherein said floor panels are rectangular.

19. A floor panel as claimed inclaim 18 wherein said floor panels are square.

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