Title:
WALL PANEL
United States Patent 3663349
Abstract:
A wall panel comprising a central layer of fabric having glued thereto on one side a layer of veneer wood or imitation leather and provided on the other side with plastic material secured to the fabric by hot pressing so as to impart to the wall panel the geometric embossed form of the pressing die.
US Patent References:
Automobile topping fabric
Potter - January 1923 - 1443195
Film structure and method for producing the same
Francis - August 1951 - 2565491
Decorative laminated covering material and method of making same
Hemming et al. - November 1957 - 2812277
Strippable wall covering
Linda et al. - October 1965 - 3212957
FABRIC OVERLAIN WITH INTERSTITIALLY SEPARATED SEGMENTS OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL
Edwards et al. - November 1970 - 3539433
Automobile topping fabric
Potter - January 1923 - 1443195
Film structure and method for producing the same
Francis - August 1951 - 2565491
Decorative laminated covering material and method of making same
Hemming et al. - November 1957 - 2812277
Strippable wall covering
Linda et al. - October 1965 - 3212957
FABRIC OVERLAIN WITH INTERSTITIALLY SEPARATED SEGMENTS OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL
Edwards et al. - November 1970 - 3539433
Application Number:
05/125550
Publication Date:
05/16/1972
Filing Date:
03/18/1971
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
428/904, 428/187
International Classes:
B32B27/00; B44C3/08; B44F9/12; B44C3/00; B44F9/00; B32B3/28; B32B1/00
Field of Search:
161/36-41,119-121,123,125,130,138,413 156/220
Primary Examiner:
Powell, William A.
Parent Case Data:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 825,796, filed May 19, 1969, now abandoned.
Claims:
I claim
1. A wall panel comprising a central layer of fabric material, a thin layer of wood veneer adhesively secured to one side of said fabric, and a layer of plastic material secured by hot pressing to the other side of said fabric material, said plastic material and said wood veneer being deformed during hot pressing to impart to the exterior of the wall panel the desired configuration.
2. The wall panel of claim 1 wherein said plastic material is selected from the group comprising polyethylene, polypropylene, or a mixture of these materials.
3. The wall panel of claim 1 wherein said plastic material extends over the fabric material in sections spaced by small intervals from each other so as to provide a wall panel that can be rolled up.
4. A wall panel comprising a central layer of fabric material, a thin layer of imitation leather adhesively secured to one side of said fabric, and a layer of plastic material secured by hot pressing to the other side of said fabric material, said plastic material and said imitation leather being deformed during hot pressing to impart to the exterior of the wall panel the desired configuration.
1. A wall panel comprising a central layer of fabric material, a thin layer of wood veneer adhesively secured to one side of said fabric, and a layer of plastic material secured by hot pressing to the other side of said fabric material, said plastic material and said wood veneer being deformed during hot pressing to impart to the exterior of the wall panel the desired configuration.
2. The wall panel of claim 1 wherein said plastic material is selected from the group comprising polyethylene, polypropylene, or a mixture of these materials.
3. The wall panel of claim 1 wherein said plastic material extends over the fabric material in sections spaced by small intervals from each other so as to provide a wall panel that can be rolled up.
4. A wall panel comprising a central layer of fabric material, a thin layer of imitation leather adhesively secured to one side of said fabric, and a layer of plastic material secured by hot pressing to the other side of said fabric material, said plastic material and said imitation leather being deformed during hot pressing to impart to the exterior of the wall panel the desired configuration.
Description:
This invention relates as indicated to a wall panel and more particularly to a wall panel composed of several layers of different material.
Wall panels made of wood by skilled artisans or machines are well known in the art, but the cost of panels made in this manner is relatively high due to the high price of the solid wood employed as well as the large amounts of scrap which necessarily result from the working of the wood.
It is an object of the present invention to avoid these drawbacks by providing a wall panel formed of several layers of different material, comprising a layer of fabric carrying on one side a thin layer of veneer wood or imitation leather glued thereto by calendering, or the like. The fabric carries on its other side plastic material attached thereto by hot pressing or similar known methods thereby conferring to the assembly the embossed geometric forms of the die. The pressing operation and the relatively thin layer of precious wood veneer function to prevent the wood veneer from coming off or breaking at the sharp projections as this layer is firmly bonded over its entire surface to the layer of fabric.
In accordance with the invention, a very attractive wall panel is therefore obtained which can be quickly and easily attached to the wall by special glues and ordinary gluing methods. Further, this wall panel can be manufactured at low cost and, apart from its attractive appearance, is also desirable from an architectonic point of view.
A further object of the invention is to provide such a wall panel wherein the plastic layer is discontinuous in a prearranged manner to provide spaces on intervals between the plastic sections, thereby permitting the wall panel to be rolled up.
The accompanying drawing shows, merely by way of a non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment of the invention in the form of a square wall panel whose sides are about 16 inches. In said drawing:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, top perspective view of the wall panel of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the wall panel, and
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1.
A layer of wood veneer is indicated by 1 and is glued to a layer of fabric 2 by any suitable gluing method and adhesive, for example, by hot joiner's glue. A layer of plastic material 3 is attached to the other side of the fabric material 1 to impart to the assembly the desired exterior configuration. Any suitable plastic material such as polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene or a mixture of these materials can be used, with polystyrene being the preferred material.
In the form shown, the panel is provided with an embossed exterior design, with the embossing being effected by hot pressing the three-part assembly. The hot pressing is preferably performed by means of a conventional hydraulic press having a die shaped to provide the desired embossed or other configuration. The hot pressing is preferably at 200°-230° C. at which temperature the plastic material penetrates into the fabric and firmly adheres thereto.
The layer 3 of plastic material is preferably formed, during or before the hot pressing operation, with small intervals or spaces between each section thereof, as shown in FIG. 2, thereby providing flexibility in the wall panel and permitting the same to be rolled up. The layer 1 of wood veneer is relatively thin so as to enhance such flexibility and permit such rolling up of the panel.
In another embodiment of the invention the layer of wood may be replaced by imitation leather.
Wall panels made of wood by skilled artisans or machines are well known in the art, but the cost of panels made in this manner is relatively high due to the high price of the solid wood employed as well as the large amounts of scrap which necessarily result from the working of the wood.
It is an object of the present invention to avoid these drawbacks by providing a wall panel formed of several layers of different material, comprising a layer of fabric carrying on one side a thin layer of veneer wood or imitation leather glued thereto by calendering, or the like. The fabric carries on its other side plastic material attached thereto by hot pressing or similar known methods thereby conferring to the assembly the embossed geometric forms of the die. The pressing operation and the relatively thin layer of precious wood veneer function to prevent the wood veneer from coming off or breaking at the sharp projections as this layer is firmly bonded over its entire surface to the layer of fabric.
In accordance with the invention, a very attractive wall panel is therefore obtained which can be quickly and easily attached to the wall by special glues and ordinary gluing methods. Further, this wall panel can be manufactured at low cost and, apart from its attractive appearance, is also desirable from an architectonic point of view.
A further object of the invention is to provide such a wall panel wherein the plastic layer is discontinuous in a prearranged manner to provide spaces on intervals between the plastic sections, thereby permitting the wall panel to be rolled up.
The accompanying drawing shows, merely by way of a non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment of the invention in the form of a square wall panel whose sides are about 16 inches. In said drawing:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, top perspective view of the wall panel of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the wall panel, and
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1.
A layer of wood veneer is indicated by 1 and is glued to a layer of fabric 2 by any suitable gluing method and adhesive, for example, by hot joiner's glue. A layer of plastic material 3 is attached to the other side of the fabric material 1 to impart to the assembly the desired exterior configuration. Any suitable plastic material such as polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene or a mixture of these materials can be used, with polystyrene being the preferred material.
In the form shown, the panel is provided with an embossed exterior design, with the embossing being effected by hot pressing the three-part assembly. The hot pressing is preferably performed by means of a conventional hydraulic press having a die shaped to provide the desired embossed or other configuration. The hot pressing is preferably at 200°-230° C. at which temperature the plastic material penetrates into the fabric and firmly adheres thereto.
The layer 3 of plastic material is preferably formed, during or before the hot pressing operation, with small intervals or spaces between each section thereof, as shown in FIG. 2, thereby providing flexibility in the wall panel and permitting the same to be rolled up. The layer 1 of wood veneer is relatively thin so as to enhance such flexibility and permit such rolling up of the panel.
In another embodiment of the invention the layer of wood may be replaced by imitation leather.