Laminated board, tray and board laminating method

Abstract

Reinforced laminated wood panels suitable for use in pallets and other constructions, and methods of making the same, are disclosed herein. A panel disclosed herein comprises: a wood-based core comprising a front surface, a top surface, a rear surface, and a bottom surface; and a reinforcing material adhered to at least a portion of at least one of the front surface, the top surface, the back surface, and the bottom surface with an adhesive composition. The trays disclosed herein include one or more such panels.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application generally relates to laminated wood-based panels, their uses, and methods of making them. In some embodiments, the present application relates to pallets comprising one or more such laminates. Background Art

[0002] Traditionally, wooden pallets have been viewed as disposable, single-shot or limited-use products. With the increase in environmental awareness of wood use and manufacturing, transportation, storage and other costs, reusable pallets have become more desirable. As a result, pallets made entirely of plastic or resin materials have entered the market because of the belief that their lifespan is increased. In addition, pallet pooling services have emerged that rent pallets to customers, which are then returned and, if necessary, repaired and sent out for reuse. This repair and reuse model is economically and environmentally advantageous. Extending the life of wooden pallets is critical to the success and profitability of such businesses.

[0003] Enhanced performance of the pallet or its component parts is beneficial to extend the life of the pallet under repeated use.Therefore, there is a need for boards and / or pallets with improved performance characteristics. Summary of the invention

[0004] Disclosed herein are wood-based panels having improved properties for use in various applications, including but not limited to use in pallets.

[0005] Some embodiments provide a board comprising: a wood-based core comprising a front surface, a top surface, a rear surface, and a bottom surface; and a reinforcing material adhered to at least a portion of at least one of the front surface, the top surface, the rear surface, and the bottom surface using an adhesive composition.

[0006] In some embodiments, the adhesive composition is a polymer composition that bonds the reinforcement material to the wood-based core at least in part due to interaction with water in the wood-based core.

[0007] In some embodiments, the adhesive composition includes a polyurea resin composition or a polyurethane resin composition.

[0008] In some embodiments, the reinforcing material is cullet, fibers selected from glass, basalt, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, fabrics reinforced with such materials, or combinations thereof.

[0009] In some embodiments, the reinforcing fabric may be a woven or nonwoven fabric.

[0010] In some embodiments, the reinforcement material extends across substantially the entire front surface of the wood-based core.

[0011] In some embodiments, the reinforcing material extends to at least one additional forklift engaging surface.

[0012] In some embodiments, the at least one additional forklift engaging surface is at least one of a portion of the bottom surface, a portion of the top surface.

[0013] In some embodiments, the reinforcement material extends to and covers substantially the entire front surface and substantially the entire top surface of the wood-based core.

[0014] In some embodiments, the wood-based core is a board made from natural or composite wood.

[0015] In some embodiments, the reinforcing material extends from the front surface over the top surface to the back surface and covers these surfaces.

[0016] In some embodiments, the reinforcing material covers a portion of each of the front surface, the top surface, and the back surface of the wood-based core.

[0017] In some embodiments, the reinforcement material covers substantially all of each of the front surface, the bottom surface, and the back surface of the wood-based core.

[0018] In some embodiments, substantially all of the surface of the panel is covered with reinforcing material.

[0019] Some embodiments provide a pallet comprising at least one panel as described above. Some embodiments provide a pallet comprising: a first exterior panel, wherein the first exterior panel is wood-based and defines an outwardly facing surface, a top surface, an inwardly facing surface, and a bottom surface, wherein at least a portion of the outwardly facing surface of the wood-based core comprises a reinforcing material adhered thereto; and a plurality of pallet panels aligned such that the outwardly facing surface of the first exterior panel faces outwardly away from the plurality of pallet panels.

[0020] Some embodiments also provide a second exterior panel, wherein the second exterior panel is wood-based and defines a second outward-facing surface, a second top surface, a second inward-facing surface, and a second bottom surface, wherein at least a portion of the outward-facing surface of the second exterior panel includes a reinforcing material adhered thereto; and wherein a plurality of pallet panels are arranged between the first exterior panel and the second exterior panel such that the outward-facing surface and the second outward-facing surface of each of the first exterior panel and the second exterior panel face away from the plurality of pallet panels therebetween.

[0021] In some embodiments, each of the plurality of pallet panels further comprises a pallet panel top surface and a pallet panel bottom surface, wherein at least a portion of one or both of the pallet panel top surface and the pallet panel bottom surface comprises a polymer-based coating adhered thereto.

[0022] Some embodiments provide a board lamination method, the method comprising: providing at least one wood-based core; providing at least one reinforcement material applied to at least a portion of a surface of the at least one wood-based core; spraying an adhesive composition onto the reinforcement material to obtain a pre-laminated board; and compression molding the pre-laminated board so that the reinforcement material and the wood-based core adhere to each other.

[0023] In some embodiments, the adhesive composition includes a polyurea resin composition or a polyurethane resin composition.

[0024] In some embodiments, the adhesive composition reacts with one or more compounds in the wood-based core to create a hybrid bond between the wood-based core and the reinforcement material.

[0025] These and other embodiments will become apparent after a thorough reading of this specification without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Aspects, features, benefits and advantages of the embodiments described herein will be apparent with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] Figure 1 is an exploded view of an exemplary pallet.

[0028] Figure 2 is a photograph showing a laminate according to some embodiments.

[0029] Figure 3 is a photograph showing a laminate according to some embodiments, depicting the effect of cutting.

[0030] Figure 4 is a photograph showing a laminate according to some embodiments, depicting the effect of cutting.

[0031] Figure 5 is a photograph showing a laminate according to some embodiments, depicting physical damage to the end with minimal delamination.

[0032] Figure 6 is a photograph showing a laminated board according to some embodiments compared to an unlaminated board, depicting the effect of nailing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Wood lamination is used on pallets to give the appearance of plastic and extend the life of the boards before they need repair and replacement.

[0034] The production of polyurethane or polyurea lamination and reinforcement material is disclosed herein. The reinforcement material can be a loose material, dispersed particles or fiber material, or a reinforcement fabric. In the case of a reinforcement fabric, a single or multiple woven and / or nonwoven fabrics can be used individually or in combination. The reinforcement material can be any suitable reinforcement material. The material can be loose, such as chopped glass fiber, all-glass fiber, basalt fiber, natural fiber, synthetic fiber, etc. These fibers can also be in the form of fabric or sheet, and can be woven or nonwoven. Multiple layers, sheets or fabrics can be used. Depending on the desired properties, a combination of reinforcement materials can be used.

[0035] Adhesive is used to adhere the reinforcement material to the wooden core. The adhesive used can be any adhesive suitable for fixing the reinforcement material to the wooden core. The adhesive composition can include a polyurea resin composition or a polyurethane resin composition. In some embodiments, the adhesive reacts with the composition in the wood core to mix in the wood core, which enhances adhesion and reduces peeling or delamination. In some embodiments, the adhesive reacts with water, cellulose, lignin or other compounds present in the wood core.

[0036] The reinforcement material is applied to a wood-based core, such as but not limited to wooden boards. Any type or species of wood may be used, including logs or composite wood, and the construction may be solid or hollow.

[0037] In some cases, a spray transfer molding process or a liquid compression molding process is used to create the laminate on and around the wood using a mold and heat. The method can also be any compression molding scheme.

[0038] A wood core laminated with polyurethane and a reinforcing material such as glass fabric on the outside creates a plastic look while reducing damage from forklifts and other equipment during handling of the pallet, ultimately reducing the maintenance required on the pallet and the life of the laminated boards.

[0039] The board can be laminated on all surfaces or on selected surfaces. For example, in order to save lamination costs, lamination can be limited to high stress areas that are repeatedly in contact with, for example, forklifts, products or attachment (e.g., nails) surfaces. The laminated area can be nailed, screwed, cut or otherwise treated as any other wood surface. For example, one or all outer edges of the board can be laminated to provide protection for the surface exposed to maximum damage. In a pallet configuration, the outer edges can be laminated. Similarly, areas that are subjected to nailing or screwing to connect the board to the underlying structural elements can be laminated. In addition, the lower surface of the board that is subjected to contact and sliding engagement with a forklift can also be laminated. Similarly, the upper surface can benefit from such lamination, which can also provide measures to prevent water damage. Of course, the entire board can be laminated on all outer surfaces to provide a fully laminated board in principle.

[0040] Whether to apply lamination to the entire board or to specific portions of the board or pallet is ultimately a commercial decision based on many factors including price and performance combinations.

[0041] As noted above, the laminates disclosed herein are ideally suited for constructing shipping pallets.One or more of the panels or blocks disclosed herein may be used to manufacture any type of shipping pallet that can be constructed from wooden panels or blocks.

[0042] As is known in the art, such pallets typically have deck boards arranged horizontally and stringers arranged vertically below the top layer of the deck boards. The bottom deck is optional and typically includes fewer boards than the top deck. The upper deck typically includes a first outer board and an opposing second outer board with a plurality of pallet deck boards therebetween. A stringer pallet typically includes stringer boards at either edge and at least one center stringer. The stringers are typically perpendicular to the deck boards to provide support. Sometimes a single center stringer is used; but other times two center stringers will be used, for example, either touching each other or separated by about 6 inches to 20 inches to evenly distribute the load. The pallet can be of any size, and the number and location of the stringers and deck boards are selected based on the size and shape of the pallet under consideration and the expected cargo.

[0043] Some pallets include blocks and connector plates instead of stringers to which the top and bottom deck boards are nailed. The concept is similar, the deck boards are used to support the cargo, and the blocks and connector plates perform the same function as the stringers - connecting and supporting the deck boards.

[0044] All boards are available in various widths, lengths, and thicknesses. Typically, however, deck boards are 1×4s or 1×6s. The stringers are typically 2×4s or 3×4s. A typical block pallet may contain 6 exterior blocks, 3 center blocks, 3 connector boards, 4 top deck boards of approximately 1×4-×40 inches, 5 top deck boards of approximately 1×6×40 inches, 3 bottom deck boards of approximately 1×6×37 inches, and 2 bottom deck boards of approximately 1×6×40 inches. Again, any combination of materials may be used to achieve the desired size and support characteristics of a particular pallet.

[0045] The pallet can be constructed as a two-way pallet, wherein the stringers only allow the tines to enter from two opposite directions. Alternatively, the pallet can be constructed as a four-way pallet, wherein the stringers are slotted or otherwise cut to allow the tines to enter from all four directions.

[0046] The deck and bottom plate in a beam pallet can be flush with the outer edges of the outer beams, creating a "flush pallet," or the deck and / or bottom plate can extend beyond the outer edges of the outer beams, creating a "single wing" or "double wing" pallet. In addition, the bottom plate can be omitted entirely, creating a "single deck" or "sliding" pallet.

[0047] If desired, the deck and bottom panels can be constructed so that their number, size and placement are identical top and bottom, thereby forming a "reversible" pallet.

[0048] Figure 1 is an exploded view of an exemplary block and connector wood pallet. The pallet is comprised of a plurality of pallet deck boards, including a first exterior deck board and a plurality of interior deck boards, and typically includes a second exterior deck board. The interior deck boards are disposed between the first exterior deck board and the second exterior deck board and define an upper working surface and a lower surface. The upper working surface is adapted to receive cargo to be stored on the pallet, while the lower surface is adapted to engage the tines of a forklift to move the pallet.

[0049] It should be understood that certain portions of the pallet and the boards that make up the pallet are more susceptible to contact with damaging objects such as goods to be stored, forklifts, or other surfaces such as floors. These areas are most advantageously modified as described herein.

[0050] For example, the first outer deck plate and the second outer deck plate are most likely to come into contact with the forks or other components of a forklift and should therefore be the subject of reinforcement. Similarly, all outer edges of the pallet are subject to similar contact and will benefit from reinforcement. In contrast, inner edges (such as those between the deck plates) are less likely to be damaged by a forklift and therefore benefit less from the reinforcement described herein. Similarly, the lower surface of the pallet plate will blindly receive the forklift and may suffer damage, and therefore the lower surface is suitable for protection. The upper surface of the deck plate will receive the load and may be subject to scratching and other harmful actions, and therefore will also benefit from reinforcement. In addition, there are several attachment areas on the plate. These attachment areas vary from pallet to pallet, but are essentially located anywhere where the deck plate is fixed to the underlying beam, block or connector plate. The reinforcement material described herein particularly provides enhanced nailing and screwing, so that it is advantageous to include the reinforcement material described herein at a location where fasteners (such as nails and screws) can be used to fix the pallet plate to another plate. The material described herein is well suited to allow the removal of nails and screws, which allows the same plate to be reused. Testing has shown that repeated nailing or screwing causes minimal damage in areas reinforced according to the present disclosure.

[0051] Although it is expected that the deck plates will benefit most from the reinforcement described herein, any surface or edge of any plate, block, beam or other component of the pallet may be reinforced as desired.

[0052] It is expected that even reinforced panels will eventually need to be repaired or replaced. The reinforced panels described herein will increase the life of the pallet by extending the life of panels that suffer damage. Unlike plastic pallets, wooden panels can be replaced when damaged, so a pallet with reinforced panels will last longer, both because of the reinforcement and because worn or damaged panels can be replaced.

[0053] As mentioned above, many lamination methods are suitable for adhering the reinforcement material to the wood core. Compression molding and spray transfer molding are particularly suitable for this application. For example, the spray transfer molding technology described in US@@ is particularly suitable for this application. US@@ is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0054] Generally speaking, as used herein, a board lamination method includes: providing at least one wood-based core; providing at least one reinforcing material applied to at least a portion of a surface of the at least one wood-based core; spraying an adhesive composition onto the reinforcing material to obtain a pre-laminated board; and compression molding the pre-laminated board so that the reinforcing material and the wood-based core adhere to each other. The adhesive can be activated by moisture or other compounds in the wood-based core, by compression, or other applicable means (such as heating). The activation method depends on the adhesive used.

[0055] Example 1: Pallet wood samples approximately 18" long were laminated onto BASF's spray transfer molding prototype equipment at the Clark St Testing Center in Wyandotte, MI.

[0056] Adhesives:

[0057] Reinforcement Materials:

[0058] Wood type: 1×3, 1×4

[0059] This sample was sent to a pallet pool service to determine interest and performance. Figures 2 to 6 It was shown that the laminate could be cut, hammered, with minimal delamination or undesired damage to the material. The lamination appeared to enhance the holding power of the nail, even after removing and driving another nail through the lamination. This was not put into use, and was only prepared to demonstrate typical properties of laminated lumber as described herein.

[0060] Example 2: Pallet wood samples were laminated to have the following properties:

[0061] Wood: 5.4: x 0.74" (nominal)

[0062] Reinforcement material: [0 / 90] Owens Corning glass fiber, surface density 300g / m 2

[0063] Adhesive: Polyurethane, applied at a surface density of 450g / m2

[0064] These samples were subjected to flexural strength and fracture testing and performed better than the unlaminated panels with minimal delamination.

[0065] The present disclosure is not limited to the specific systems, devices, and methods described, as these may vary. The terminology used in the specification is for the purpose of describing the particular versions or implementations only and is not intended to limit the scope.

[0066] As used in this document, the singular forms "a / kind", "the" and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Nothing in this disclosure should be construed as an admission that the embodiments described in this disclosure are not entitled to antedate such disclosure due to prior invention. As used in this document, the term "including" means "including but not limited to".

[0067] As used herein, the term "about" refers to the numerical value of the number used plus or minus 10%. Therefore, about 50g means within the range of 45g to 55g.

[0068] The present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described in this application, which are intended to illustrate various aspects. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, many modifications and variations may be made to the present disclosure, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In addition to those listed herein, functionally equivalent methods and devices within the scope of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art according to the foregoing description. Such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. The present disclosure is limited only by the terms of the appended claims and the full scope of the equivalents granted by these claims. It should also be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to specific compositions, methods, equipment and articles, because these may change. It should also be understood that the terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments, and are not intended to be restrictive.

[0069] With regard to the use of substantially any plural and / or singular terms herein, those skilled in the art may convert the plural to the singular and / or the singular to the plural as required by the context and / or application. For clarity, various singular / plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein.

[0070] Those skilled in the art will understand that, in general, the terms used herein and particularly in the appended claims (e.g., the bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to", the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least", the term "comprising" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to", etc.). Although various compositions, methods, and apparatus are described as "comprising" various components or steps (interpreted to mean "including but not limited to"), the compositions, methods, and apparatus may also "consist essentially of" or "consist of" the various components and steps, and such terms should be interpreted as limiting substantially closed groups of members. Those skilled in the art will further understand that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such intent will be explicitly stated in the claim, and in the absence of such a statement, no such intent is present.

[0071] For example, to aid understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim recitations. However, usage of such phrases should not be construed to imply that introduction of claim recitations by the indefinite article "a / an" will limit any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitations to embodiments containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least one" and an indefinite article such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and / or "an" should be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one or more"); the same is true for usage of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations.

[0072] In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, one skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., simply reciting "two recitations" without other modifiers means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). In addition, in those cases where a convention similar to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, generally, such constructions are intended to be in the sense that one skilled in the art would understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" would include, but is not limited to, systems having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those cases where a convention similar to "at least one of A, B, or C, etc." is used, generally, such constructions are intended to be in the sense that one skilled in the art would understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" would include, but is not limited to, systems having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc.). Those skilled in the art will further understand that any disjunctive words and / or phrases that actually represent two or more alternative terms, whether in the specification, claims or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibility of including one of the terms, any one of the terms, or both of the terms. For example, the phrase "A or B" will be understood to include the possibility of "A" or "B" or "A and B".

[0073] In addition, where features or aspects of the disclosure are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.

[0074] As will be understood by those skilled in the art, for any and all purposes, such as in providing a written description, all ranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all possible sub-ranges and combinations of sub-ranges thereof. Any listed range can be easily identified as fully describing and enabling the same range to be decomposed into at least equal halves, one-third, one-quarter, one-fifth, one-tenth, etc. As a non-limiting example, each range discussed herein can be easily decomposed into a lower third, a middle third, and an upper third, etc. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, all languages ​​(such as "at most", "at least", etc.) include the listed numbers and refer to the ranges that can be subsequently decomposed into sub-ranges as discussed above. Finally, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the range includes each individual member. Therefore, for example, a group with 1-3 cells refers to a group with 1, 2, or 3 cells. Similarly, a group with 1-5 cells refers to a group with 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 cells, etc.

[0075] Various of the above disclosed features and functions and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined into many other different systems or applications. Various currently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements may subsequently be made by those skilled in the art, each of which is also intended to be covered by the disclosed embodiments.

Claims

1. A board, comprising: a wood-based core comprising a front surface, a top surface, a rear surface, and a bottom surface; and A reinforcing material is adhered to at least a portion of at least one of the front surface, the top surface, the rear surface, and the bottom surface using an adhesive composition.

2. The panel of claim 1, wherein the adhesive composition is a polymer composition that bonds the reinforcement material to the wood-based core at least in part due to interaction with water in the wood-based core. 3 . The panel according to claim 2 , wherein the adhesive composition comprises a polyurea resin composition or a polyurethane resin composition.

4. The panel of claim 2, wherein the reinforcing material is cullet, fibers selected from glass, basalt, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, fabrics reinforced with such materials, or combinations thereof.

5. A panel according to claim 4, wherein the reinforcement material may be a woven or non-woven fabric.

6. The panel of claim 1 wherein the reinforcement material extends across substantially the entire front surface of the wood-based core.

7. The panel of claim 1 wherein the reinforcing material extends to at least one additional forklift engaging surface.

8. The panel of claim 7, wherein the at least one additional forklift engaging surface is at least one of a portion of the bottom surface, a portion of the top surface.

9. The panel of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement material extends to and covers substantially the entire front surface and substantially the entire top surface of the wood-based core.

10. The board of claim 1, wherein the wood-based core is a board made of natural or composite wood.

11. The panel of claim 1 wherein the reinforcing material extends from the front surface over the top surface to the rear surface and covers these surfaces.

12. The panel of claim 11, wherein the reinforcement material covers a portion of each of the front surface, the top surface, and the back surface of the wood-based core.

13. The panel of claim 11, wherein the reinforcement material covers substantially all of each of the front surface, the bottom surface, and the back surface of the wood-based core.

14. The panel of claim 1, wherein substantially all of the surface of the panel is covered with the reinforcing material.

15. A tray, comprising: a. a first exterior deck panel, wherein said first exterior deck panel is wood-based and defines an outwardly facing surface, a top surface, an inwardly facing surface, and a bottom surface, wherein at least a portion of said outwardly facing surface of said first exterior deck panel comprises a reinforcing material adhered thereto; and b. A plurality of pallet deck panels aligned such that an outwardly facing surface of a first deck exterior panel faces outwardly away from the plurality of pallet deck panels.

16. The pallet of claim 15, further comprising a second exterior deck board, wherein the second exterior deck board is wood-based and defines a second outwardly facing surface, a second top surface, a second inwardly facing surface, and a second bottom surface, wherein at least a portion of the outwardly facing surface of the second exterior deck board includes a reinforcing material adhered thereto; and wherein the plurality of pallet deck panels are arranged between the first exterior deck panel and the second exterior deck panel such that the outwardly facing surface and the second outwardly facing surface of each of the first exterior deck panel and the second exterior deck panel face away from the plurality of pallet deck panels therebetween.

17. The pallet of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of pallet deck panels further comprises a pallet panel top surface and a pallet panel bottom surface, wherein at least a portion of one or both of the pallet panel top surface and the pallet panel bottom surface comprises a polymer-based coating adhered thereto.

18. A board lamination method, the method comprising: providing at least one wood-based core; providing at least one reinforcement material applied to at least a portion of a surface of the at least one wood-based core; spraying an adhesive composition onto the reinforcement material to obtain a pre-laminate; as well as The pre-laminate is compression molded such that the reinforcement material and the wood-based core are adhered to each other.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the adhesive composition comprises a polyurea resin composition or a polyurethane resin composition.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the adhesive composition reacts with one or more compounds in the wood-based core to create a hybrid bond between the wood-based core and the reinforcement material.

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