Device for producing sheet-or panel-like product and method for producing polymeric sheet or sheet material and / or decorative panel

Abstract

Apparatus for producing sheet-or panel-like products, where the apparatus (1) comprises at least an extruder (6) and a die (8) with a slotted opening (8A), where the apparatus (1) has at least one or more of the following features:-the extruder (6) is a parallel twin-screw extruder, an ultra-conical twin-screw extruder or a multi-screw extruder; -the device comprises a fume extractor (10); -the device comprises at least one calender roll (12-22) wherein the nip (35) between said calender roll and the counter roll is adjustable in a direction D in a plane perpendicular to the width direction of said slot opening (8A) wherein said direction forms an angle (B) with the extrusion direction (F) of less than 90 DEG; -the device comprises at least five calendering rollers (12-22); an active delivery system for providing a decorative layer (13); an embossing system for providing an embossing on the upper surface of said sheet-or panel-like product, the embossing system being arranged to operate at a temperature of less than 95 DEG C, preferably less than 70 DEG C, and / or the embossing system comprising an embossing roller and a counter roller, the embossing roller being arranged to operate at a temperature of less than 95 DEG C, preferably less than 70 DEG C, wherein a nip (35) between the embossing roller and the counter roller is adjustable in a direction (D) in a plane perpendicular to the width direction of the slot opening (8A), where the direction (D) forms an angle (B) with the extrusion direction (F) of less than 90 DEG, preferably the nip (35) is adjustable by an actuator; and / or a system for registering an embossing (EIR). The invention also relates to a method for producing a polymeric panel or sheet material using the device (1), and to a method for manufacturing a decorative panel (21) by using the device (1).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing sheet-like or panel-like products, preferably decorative panels or decorative sheets, for example comprising at least polymeric sheet or plate material and a decoration applied thereto. The apparatus comprises at least an extruder and a die with a slot opening or a so-called T-die. In another aspect, the present invention is suitable for a method for producing polymeric sheet or plate material, preferably a filled solid plastic composite (SPC), and / or a decorative panel, wherein such an apparatus is applied. Background Art

[0002] Products in sheet form, in particular decorative panels, formed by extrusion processes are known per se, for example from EP 3 703 926 and EP 3 043 976. The exemplary process of EP'926 comprises providing fillers and polymers in powder form, optionally providing additives such as stabilizers, and heating the mixture obtained until the polymer powder softens to form a kneadable mass, and the filler powder is at least partially combined with it. The mass obtained is cooled; subsequently conveyed to an extruder; wherein melting and extrusion of the mass occur through the extruder. The extruder feeds the die and extrudes the sheet through the die opening. The sheet obtained is then pressed to the desired final thickness by, for example, a calendar roll. EP'976 discloses a method in which the sheet obtained is allowed to sag after calendaring to reduce residual stresses in the sheet obtained.

[0003] EP 3 967 473 discloses a method for applying a decoration in the form of a printed decorative layer to a polymeric sheet material and subsequently providing an embossing on the upper surface of the sheet product.

[0004] There is room for improvement in the efficiency and accuracy of the known extrusion, lamination and embossing processes. For example, bubbles may form in the calendered sheet, and these "bubbles" are particularly undesirable from the point of view of both mechanical properties and aesthetic appearance. The prior art methods require a high maintenance of the rolls, because defects in the roll surface (such as pores or cracks) must be eliminated to ensure the best possible quality of the product. In addition, thermoplastic materials known as solid plastic composites or SPCs are difficult to extrude because of the possible high content of fillers, which can be used up to 80wt.% of the material, which is particularly challenging in terms of their processability. Typically, the extrusion speed of such SPCs is notoriously low. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention first aims to provide an alternative and / or improved apparatus for manufacturing sheet-like or panel-like products, preferably decorative panels and / or decorative sheets. According to one or more preferred embodiments, the present invention provides a solution to one or more problems associated with the apparatus and / or methods of the prior art. For example, an alternative or enhanced method for producing a polymeric board or sheet, preferably a highly filled SPC, is provided, wherein the filler content is at least 50 wt.%, preferably at least 65 wt.%, most preferably at least 80 wt.%.

[0006] In a first independent aspect, the invention is suitable for an apparatus for manufacturing a sheet-like or panel-like product, preferably a decorative panel or decorative sheet, for example comprising at least a polymeric sheet or plate material and a decoration applied thereto, wherein the apparatus comprises at least an extruder and a die having a slot opening, the die being coupled to an outlet of the extruder, the extruder and the die being configured for extruding a polymeric material, preferably a thermoplastic material, through the slot opening in an extrusion direction into a polymeric sheet or plate material, characterised in that the apparatus has at least one or more of the following features:

[0007] - the extruder is a parallel twin-screw extruder, a conical twin-screw extruder, preferably a super-conical twin-screw extruder, or a multi-screw extruder;

[0008] - The device includes a smoke exhaust fan;

[0009] - the device comprises at least one calendering roll, wherein the nip between the calendering roll and the counter roll is adjustable in a direction in a plane perpendicular to the width direction of the slot opening, wherein the direction forms an angle of less than 90° with the extrusion direction;

[0010] - the apparatus comprises a system of at least five, at least six or at least eight calendering rollers, preferably arranged to produce a lamination line, wherein at least a decoration in the form of a printed decorative layer is applied to said polymeric sheet or plate material;

[0011] - the device comprises an active delivery system for providing the decorative layer onto the extruded polymeric material;

[0012] - the device comprises an embossing system for providing embossing on the upper surface of said sheet-like or panel-like product, the embossing system being arranged to operate at a temperature below 95° C., preferably below 70° C.;

[0013] - the device comprises an embossing system for providing an embossing on the upper surface of the sheet-like or panel-like product, the embossing system comprising an embossing roller and a counter roller, wherein the roller gap between the embossing roller and the counter roller is adjustable in a direction in a plane perpendicular to the width direction of the slot opening, wherein the direction forms an angle of less than 90° with the extrusion direction, preferably wherein the roller gap is adjustable by an actuator; and / or

[0014] - the device comprises a system for embossing in register (EIR), ie for providing an embossing in register with the decoration on the upper surface of said sheet-like or panel-like product.

[0015] Herein, it is understood by those skilled in the art that a super-conical twin-screw extruder, also called a double-conical twin-screw extruder, is a conical twin-screw extruder in which the screw is designed so that the outer screw diameter decreases more than the inner screw diameter, so the channel depth from the feed opening to the screw tip also becomes smaller. This is in contrast to a standard conical twin-screw extruder in which the screw is designed so that the outer and inner screw diameters decrease evenly and the channel depth from the feed opening to the screw tip is constant.

[0016] In this context, it is further understood by a person skilled in the art that an active delivery system for providing a decorative layer is a system in which the decorative layer is actively fed or pushed forward (rather than being pulled, for example, from a roll of decorative material), or a system in which the decorative layer is actively tensioned (preferably in a controllable manner). The active delivery system may, for example, include a motorized shaft on which the roll of decorative material is placed and / or one or more actuators for driving the decorative layer, such as motorized rollers and opposing rollers that are driven along with the decorative layer in the roller gap formed by the rollers and the opposing rollers. According to another example, the active delivery system may include an active tensioning system that includes at least one roller that deflects the decorative layer.

[0017] Herein, it is further understood by those skilled in the art that the extrusion direction is generally perpendicular to the surface defined by the slot opening of the die.

[0018] The features of the first independent aspect each provide important technical advantages individually, as described below. The combination of two or more of the above features can produce important synergistic effects, as further described below.

[0019] The use of a twin screw extruder can significantly increase the production speed. Preferably, a conical twin screw extruder is applied, more particularly, a super conical or double conical twin screw extruder is applied. Twin screw extruders of the conical or super conical type are particularly meaningful for extruding polymeric materials containing filler materials, for example, the ratio of filler: polymer exceeds 2: 1, or even exceeds 3.5: 1. Conical type twin screw extruders can lead to better uniform dispersion of fillers in the polymer while maintaining a good extrusion rate and limited risk of defects, such as screw or bearing breakage. The inventors note that the channel depth that decreases towards the outlet of the super conical twin screw extruder is particularly advantageous here.

[0020] An increase in extrusion rate can result in increased volatile organic compound emissions, and providing one or more fume extractors along the extruded polymeric material path can result in better management of health hazards during the manufacturing process. Preferably, the fume extractor is located adjacent to the slot opening of the die and / or adjacent to the embossing roller. Large emissions are expected at these locations.

[0021] The increased extrusion rate may also be advantageous for the energy usage used to provide the embossing on the upper surface of the sheet-like or panel-like product. The embossing system may be arranged to operate at less than 95°C or 70°C, for example because the surface to be embossed holds better at high temperatures after extrusion. Further reference to such embossing will be referred to hereinafter as "cold embossing".

[0022] The adjustability of the nip between a roll (e.g. a calender roll or an embossing roll) and a counter roll results in a smoother control of the pressure applied, the thickness obtained of the sheet-like or panel-like product and / or the quality of lamination and / or embossing performed with such a roll. The use of a relatively cool embossing roll can also result in a better replication of the structure of the embossing roll to the upper surface of the sheet-like or panel-like product.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the device comprises at least: a super-conical twin-screw extruder; a system of at least five, or at least six or at least eight calendering rollers, preferably arranged to produce a lamination line, wherein at least a decoration in the form of a printed decorative layer is applied to the polymeric sheet or sheet material; and a system for register embossing (EIR) for providing an embossing in register with the decoration, preferably in the form of a printed decorative layer applied to the polymeric sheet or sheet material, on the upper surface of the sheet-like or panel-like product. The increased extrusion rate obtained by the super-conical twin-screw extruder is combined with at least five, six or eight calendering rollers in order to reserve sufficient time for the product within the calendering section so that good calendering can be obtained even at higher speeds, while keeping the necessary pressure on the rollers and the friction generated manageable. Thus, the risk of the occurrence of bubbles and other inhomogeneities that disturb the embossing quality is minimized. This is particularly important when register embossing is intended. Preferably, the system for register embossing is a cold embossing system.

[0024] The term "embossing in register (EIR)" as used herein means that the 3-D structure obtained by the embossing process on the upper surface of the decorative panel or sheet is aligned and / or it corresponds to the printed decoration, which can be a printed decorative film and / or a print provided directly on a polymeric plate or sheet material, preferably with a preliminary intermediate layer, such as a primer or primer layer, and / or a print applied on the underside of the wear layer and / or a printed decorative paper layer, etc. The embossing is usually done by one or more embossing rollers and can be carried out at an elevated temperature, for example a temperature of at least 95°C, or it can be cold embossing, which means that the embossing temperature is below 95°C, preferably below 70°C, more preferably even below 60°C. The embossing rollers can be made of steel and / or other heat-conducting materials, which is particularly preferred for hot embossing, or can be made of rubber and similar materials, which are suitable for cold embossing processes.

[0025] An embossing system particularly suitable for the device is a cold embossing system, in which one or more embossing tools and / or embossing rollers are operated at a temperature below 95° C., preferably below 70° C., more preferably below 60° C. A cold embossing system does not require heating of the rollers, nor does it require subsequent cooling of the embossed product, which is particularly advantageous in terms of energy saving. Furthermore, the structures obtained by cold embossing in the device are less prone to unpredictable changes in the desired shape of the embossing, since the material is less prone to flowing back into the embossing impressions and / or to establishing raised edges around the embossing. As a result, the relief or 3-D structures obtained by cold embossing are more stable and have a more attractive aesthetic.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the device comprises a twin screw extruder. A twin screw extruder may comprise two parallel or tapered interrelated and co-engaging screws and a surrounding housing. The twin screw extruder allows high pressure accumulation and high feed effect. A twin screw extruder is advantageous because the mixing effect of a twin screw extruder is much higher than that of a single screw extruder.

[0027] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the extruder is a super-conical twin-screw extruder, which allows a large amount of additives to be mixed into the thermoplastic material, in particular a large amount of fillers to be mixed into the thermoplastic material and its extrudate. The super-conical twin-screw extruder is preferred because it is more robust and not prone to breakage. Extrusion is faster on a super-conical twin-screw. Therefore, the super-conical twin-screw extruder allows a higher capacity and a more industrialized setting, but does not compromise the quality of the extruded material. In particular, the super-conical twin-screw extruder can preferably be equipped with a system for heating and / or cooling to maintain the desired production speed and the quality of the material obtained. Finally, the device comprising such a super-conical twin-screw extruder requires less maintenance or repair.

[0028] In an alternative embodiment, device can include planetary roller extruder, it has central axis and around described central axis a plurality of planetary shafts.Thus, raw material can be supplied by the feed part that is designed as single screw extruder.When polymer mixture needs degassing (for example, when expecting to have slight pollution), planetary roller extruder is particularly meaningful.When polymer mixture containing recycled polymer is extruded, this may be the case.Planetary roller extruder provides the larger surface of polymer, therefrom can suck off pollutant, for example, use vacuum pump.

[0029] In one embodiment, the device is arranged so that it can process and / or operate more than one polymer (preferably thermoplastic) material component. For example, the device can be arranged for coextrusion, wherein a polymeric plate or sheet material containing two or more layers of different components is extruded. In this particular embodiment, it is preferred to arrange more than one extruder in the device. The extruders can be of the same type, but can also be different relative to each other. An exemplary embodiment of the device includes two super-conical twin-screw extruders. In another exemplary embodiment, the device includes a single screw extruder and a twin screw extruder. Depending on the point at which the separate melt streams of the material leaving the extruder converge, the device can be configured into two possible variants. In the first variant, the device allows the stream to merge into a single layer melt stream in a feed block, which is located immediately upstream of the die and is fed in parallel by two extruders. This embodiment may be suitable for high-viscosity polymer melts whose viscosity prevents the layers from mixing when passing through the die. The flow rate of each component layer can be controlled by a valve in the feed block. In a second variant, a die is applied in which the individual melt path mainfolds are arranged to converge at a point close to the die opening in order to obtain a coextruded polymeric sheet or sheet material leaving the die opening. The thickness and flow rate of the individual layers can be controlled individually, and in this second variant, polymers with widely different viscosities and melt temperatures can also be processed. According to the second variant, the extruder can feed directly to the individual manifolds of the die, instead of a feed block.

[0030] Preferably, the screws of the extruder are ceramic coated screws. Preferably, the extruder is a super-conical twin-screw extruder equipped with at least two ceramic coated screws. Ceramic coated screws are particularly advantageous in terms of their performance and robustness.

[0031] The device according to the first aspect of the invention is particularly suitable for use in the manufacture of polymeric plate or sheet material, wherein the filled thermoplastic material, such as a solid plastic composite (SPC), is opened through the slots. Preferably, the filled thermoplastic material comprises filler in an amount of at least 50 wt.%, more preferably at least 65 wt.%, even more preferably at least 80 wt.%.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the die is directly coupled to the outlet of the extruder.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises a die arranged to allow a necking of no more than 50 mm, preferably no more than 30 mm. "Necking" refers to the possible limitation of the width of the polymeric material after it leaves the die opening. For example, a necking of 50 mm at a die opening of 1350 mm means that the obtained polymeric material has a width of 1300 mm. Preferably, the polymeric material is allowed to relax or sag before leaving the die opening and before the calendering rollers. The inventors have noted that this relaxation or sagging minimizes necking. Preferably, the width of the polymeric material when it leaves the calendering rollers is greater than the width when it enters the calendering rollers. In this case, the calendering section can at least partially compensate for the necking and make the slab wider again. This can be obtained by setting the gap of the calendering rollers. When setting the thickness in the gap of the calendering rollers, the displaced material is pushed outwards to compensate for the necking. Thus, if in the previous example, the thickness of a 1300 mm wide plate is reduced by 0.05 mm, a 65 mm wide plate is reduced by 0.05 mm. 2 The material can be displaced outwards. If the final thickness of the plate is 4mm, 65mm 2 The material can reduce the necking by 16.25mm.

[0034] According to the preferred features of the present invention, a twin screw extruder is used, in particular a super-conical twin screw extruder, because the high extrusion rate can increase the amount of necking. Therefore, for an apparatus comprising one or more such extruders, it is particularly important to provide measures to reduce such necking. Of course, these measures are also meaningful for other types of extruders, such as single screw extruders or planetary roller extruders. Therefore, according to a specific independent aspect, the present invention is also a method for manufacturing a sheet or panel-shaped product, wherein a polymeric sheet or sheet material is extruded through a die having a slot opening and then processed in a calendering section, which comprises at least a first calendering roller and a relative roller (defining the roller gap through which the polymeric material is fed), wherein the method exhibits one or two of the following features:

[0035] - characterised in that, after leaving said slot opening and before entering said nip of a first calendering roll and a counter roll, said polymeric material sags out of a plane including said slot opening and said nip in the width direction, preferably under the influence of gravity alone; the maximum value of the sag is preferably greater than half the thickness of the polymeric material, or even greater than the thickness of the polymeric material; and / or

[0036] - characterised in that the polymeric material leaves the calendering section with a greater width than when entering the calendering rolls, preferably the polymeric material leaves the nip defined by the first calendering roll and the counter roll with a greater width than when entering the nip.

[0037] Obviously, a particular independent aspect of the invention may apply one or more features of the first independent aspect and / or their preferred embodiments, wherein a single screw extruder may be applied instead of the preferred twin screw extruder mentioned in the context of the first aspect.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention according to any aspect thereof, the device comprises at least the register embossing system, wherein the system is preferably equipped with a camera and / or a marking device and / or is arranged to achieve an accuracy of up to 2 mm deviation between the decoration and the embossed structure. The marking device can be incorporated into the embossing roller, for example, the embossing roller can include additional specific structural features that allow smooth camera detection. These features can be positioned to construct an area of ​​the polymeric plate or sheet material to be removed when further processing the plate or sheet material. The area may include a technical mark incorporated into or adjacent to the decoration. The camera can be configured to control the fit or distance between the technical mark and the structure provided by the additional specific structural feature. For example, cubic or cylindrical structural features can be provided on the embossing roller, with the aim of providing a structure that fits with a square or circular technical mark, respectively. For example, the deviation of up to 2 mm between the 3-D structural relief provided on the upper surface of the printed decoration and the sheet or panel-like product allows a decorative panel or decorative sheet material with a better appearance and a more natural appearance.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus may include additional rollers, such as additional calendering rollers, which may allow for an additional backing and / or cushioning layer to be provided on the lowermost surface of the material. This may be particularly advantageous in allowing for better acoustic performance and / or smoothing the underlying structure.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, the device comprises a cold embossing device arranged to operate at a temperature below 95°C, preferably below 70°C, and an active system for delivering a decorative layer. Cold embossing and the active delivery system increase the quality of the embossing obtained, in particular in the case of intended register embossing. The active delivery system allows the decorative layer to be provided to the extruded polymeric material without tension, almost without tension, or with controlled tension and subsequently laminated. In this case, the size of the decoration can also be kept constant or almost constant between the control points or marks. The cold embossing roller provides high-quality embossing, but it is best to avoid adjusting the radial position of the embossing roller to keep it in register with the decoration. For this reason, it is beneficial to combine the tension-free or controllable tension provision of the decorative layer with cold embossing. Preferably, the device is coupled to the active system for delivering the decorative layer, which means that the registration between the embossing roller and the decoration can be controlled and adjusted when necessary. Preferably, in this case, the decorative layer is brought into register with the embossing roller by adjusting the tension or stress. Therefore, preferably, the active system for delivering the decorative layer is preferably equipped with a tool for compacting and / or stretching the decorative layer. In this way, the size of the decoration can be adjusted to the embossed upper surface so that a good register embossing is maintained. The adjustment can be minimal due to the tension-free, almost tension-free or controlled tension delivery of the decoration layer.

[0041] Preferably, the (preferably cold) embossing equipment is equipped with an embossing roller having a repeat length greater than 2000 mm, preferably greater than 2500 mm, most preferably about 2690 mm. By such a variation in the embossing structure, a more natural look of the decorative top layer of the material can be achieved. Preferably, the repeat length is used in conjunction with an active delivery system for the decorative layer. The longer the repeat length, the more challenging the registration between the embossing and the decoration. As mentioned above, the advantage of an active delivery system is that it minimizes the adjustments required.

[0042] In one embodiment, the embossing system comprises an embossing roller and a counter roller, wherein the gap between the embossing roller and the counter roller is adjustable in a direction in a plane perpendicular to the width direction of the slit opening, wherein the direction forms an angle of less than 90° with the extrusion direction. The adjustability in the inclined direction allows a more precise adjustment of the size of the gap, in particular in the case where the surface to be embossed follows the profile of the embossing roller within a certain angular range, for example at least greater than 15°, or at least greater than 30°, or at least greater than 60°. The direction in which the embossing roller allows the adjustment preferably intersects the angular distance, preferably in the middle or approximately in the middle, for example in the middle 25% of the angular length of the surface to be embossed following the profile. The inclination may also assist the embossing process because it is partially supported by gravity. In addition, such an inclination may allow easier replacement of the embossing roller.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the embossing roller is positioned to perform back embossing, for example, to provide an embossed structure on the side of the material opposite to the upper surface side; that is, the side of the polymeric board or sheet material facing the underlying structure to which the sheet-like or panel-like product is to be mounted. The back embossing option may be particularly useful for materials where weight cost or shipping cost savings are desired.

[0044] Preferably, the device and method of the present invention first manufacture continuous sheets, which need to be cut into the final or near-final size of the obtained sheet-like or panel-like products. Preferably, the device is equipped with a cutter and / or a saw, for example, for applications where panels or smaller slabs containing multiple panel materials are required. The cutter can be used at a higher productivity than a saw, and is therefore advantageous in a device comprising a twin-screw extruder, particularly a super-conical twin-screw extruder. The cutter preferably comprises a knife having a cutting edge inclined relative to the plane of the extruded polymeric material. This knife gradually cuts the extruded polymeric material as it moves downward. During cutting, the extruded material may be locally blocked and protrude in front of the cutting equipment. According to a special embodiment, a so-called flying cutter is applied. This flying cutter moves synchronously with the extruded material in the extrusion direction during cutting. The protrusion of the extruded material can be largely or completely avoided. This cutting equipment is particularly popular because it produces less stress on the material and therefore has less mechanical damage.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment, the device is equipped with a cooling system, which is an air cooling system or a water cooling system. Preferably, the cooling system is a water cooling system. In another embodiment, the device can be equipped with an additional heating system, which is preferably an oil heating system or a water heating system. Preferably, such cooling and / or heating system is available downstream of the embossing roller and preferably upstream of a potential UV coating system. Controllable, preferably low temperature is conducive to better control of the final gloss or matte of the top UV curing coating.

[0046] Preferably, the material is collected on a steel conveyor belt, as such a steel conveyor belt results in less stress in the extruded polymeric material, resulting in more advanced and improved mechanical properties.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, the production capacity of the apparatus is at least about 2.2 tons of material per hour, preferably at least 2.5 tons of material per hour.

[0048] In a second independent aspect, the invention is suitable for an apparatus for producing a sheet-like or panel-like product, preferably a decorative panel or decorative sheet, for example comprising at least a polymeric sheet or sheet material and a decoration applied thereto, wherein the apparatus comprises a system of at least five calendering rollers forming a lamination line, which is arranged to lead the obtained material to a lamination line or a lead-off system. A system of at least five calendering rollers is advantageous for the production of, for example, decorative panels or decorative sheets, because such a calendering system greatly increases the production efficiency and also enables the realization of a multilayer top layer, such as a decorative top layer, comprising, for example, a printed decorative layer and / or a wear layer and / or a layer between the printed decorative layer and the polymeric sheet or sheet material. The components of such a multilayer top layer are more tightly bonded to the polymeric sheet or sheet material and have a higher peel strength. Furthermore, a system of at least five calendering rollers allows, for example, the simultaneous lamination of two decorative layers, wherein the upper decorative layer is preferably at least partially translucent or transparent, or two wear layers, wherein a specific decoration or a greater wear resistance is to be achieved.

[0049] The device according to the second independent aspect may have any of the features presented above for the device according to the first aspect.

[0050] Preferably, at least the first three rollers are heated, for example by air and / or water and / or oil, so that the decorative layer (preferably the decorative film and the wear-resistant layer) is bonded to the substrate material by heating and pressing. In a preferred embodiment, the lamination of the layers is done completely by heating and pressing, preferably without the application of glue. This arrangement allows the production of a strong decorative material with a higher peel strength and reduced costs, since no glue is applied. In an alternative embodiment, the lamination of the layers can be done by the application of glue.

[0051] Preferably, at least the last two of the at least five calendering rolls are cooled by water and / or air, so when the temperature changes, this does not affect the aesthetic appearance. This is particularly advantageous in the production of decorative panels and surfaces with embossing or 3-d structural features on the upper surface, so high temperatures do not change the embossing design and embossing depth.

[0052] Preferably, the system comprises at least six calendering rollers, wherein the third and fourth rollers are laminating rollers and have a larger diameter size relative to the other calendering rollers in the system. Particularly preferably, the third and fourth calendering rollers have a diameter of at least 500 mm; preferably about 600 mm or about 700 mm or about 800 mm. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any suitable size of calendering rollers may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. The larger size of the laminating rollers may increase the bonding area between, for example, the extruded polymeric material and the decorative layer, and / or the wear layer, so that the layers may adhere more closely together and to the extruded polymeric material, and improve their peel strength.

[0053] Preferably, the fifth roller also functions as an embossing roller, preferably a rubber roller. Such a rubber embossing roller can increase the strength and depth of the embossing and make the layer more realistic. The cold embossing step may be particularly desirable because it requires less energy since it does not require heating of the embossing roller and subsequent cooling. Furthermore, the embossing may provide a decorative surface that is more attractive and / or in better register with the underlying decorative layer.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the at least five calendering rollers exhibits the following feature: the nip between the calendering roller and the counter roller is adjustable in a direction in a plane perpendicular to the width direction of the slot opening, wherein the direction forms an angle of less than 90° with the extrusion direction. Adjustability in the oblique direction allows for a more appropriate and uniform setting of the nip size and easier maintenance of the at least five calendering roller system, for example easier replacement in the event of a malfunction or failure.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment, the system comprises essentially five calendering rolls, preferably forming a lamination and / or embossing line, or being arranged to guide the material to a lamination line.

[0056] In another preferred embodiment, the system essentially comprises eight calendering rolls, preferably forming a lamination and / or embossing line, or being arranged to guide the material to a lamination line.

[0057] In one embodiment, the calender may be combined with an extruder, such as a single screw extruder and a die, such as a die with a slot opening or a T-die.

[0058] In one embodiment, at least three first calendering rollers are chrome-coated and mirror-finished rollers, preferably equipped with stainless steel shafts. In such an arrangement, reliable homogeneity and mechanical resistance of the produced material, as well as a high surface quality of the laminated film can be achieved.

[0059] On leaving the part of the apparatus comprising at least five calendering rollers, the possibly laminated extruded polymeric material, preferably in the form of a sheet, can be further laminated in one or more lamination stations, and / or optionally trimmed, smoothed and / or cut.

[0060] Preferably, most of the calendering rolls are positioned integrally one behind the other along their axes in the extrusion direction, rather than integrally in a vertical plane.

[0061] Preferably, the calendering rolls are positioned so that the vertical distance between the nip where the extruded polymeric material enters the calendering section and the nip where the extruded polymeric material exits the calendering section is less than twice the maximum calendering roll diameter, or less than one times the maximum calendering roll diameter.

[0062] Preferably, the calendering rolls are positioned so that the vertical distance between the nip where the extruded polymeric material enters the calendering section and the nip where the extruded polymeric material exits the calendering section is less than the horizontal distance between the nips.

[0063] Preferably, the one or more calender rolls also function as laminating rolls for providing a decorative layer and / or a wear layer onto the extruded polymeric material.Preferably, the one or more calender rolls also function as embossing rolls.

[0064] Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a heating module and / or a water cooler, which is advantageous for producing materials for rollers where precise temperature control is desired or necessary.

[0065] Preferably, the device is fully automated and controlled by a computer system, optionally cloud-based. With this arrangement, the computer and / or cloud system allows fine tuning and adjustment of the parameters of the device.

[0066] The apparatus according to the first and second aspects is suitable for use in manufacturing a polymeric board or sheet material, preferably a filled thermoplastic material, more preferably a decorative panel and / or sheet material comprising at least a polymeric board or sheet material and a decoration applied thereto, the method constituting an independent third aspect of the invention.

[0067] Preferably, the device according to the first or second aspect and the method according to the third aspect are particularly suitable or applicable for providing a material for use as a decorative coating material, such as a floor, wall or furniture covering.

[0068] The material preferably comprises a top layer with a decoration. The top layer may be a single layer, or comprised of multiple sheets and a polymeric board or sheet material located beneath the decoration or top layer.

[0069] Preferably, the extruded polymeric material mentioned in the foregoing aspects is a filled thermoplastic material, which may be a rigid thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material preferably comprises one or more of the following thermoplastic synthetic materials: PVC (polyvinyl chloride), polyethylene, HDPE (high density polyethylene), polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (abbreviated PET), polyurethane and / or elastomer. The most preferred synthetic material is PVC.

[0070] The rigidity of thermoplastic materials (especially PVC) can be optimized by using an appropriate amount of plasticizer or not using a plasticizer at all. If a plasticizer is used, the preferred amount is less than 15 phr, less than 10 phr or less than 5 phr. It should be noted that an amount of plasticizer less than 15 phr means that there are less than 15 parts of plasticizer per 100 parts of thermoplastic synthetic material. Examples of plasticizers that can be applied are: phthalate-based plasticizers, such as diisononyl phthalate (abbreviated DINP), or dioctyl phthalate (abbreviated DOP or DNOP), or as an alternative to phthalate-based plasticizers, dioctyl terephthalate (abbreviated DOTP), or diisononyl-1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylate (abbreviated DINCH).

[0071] The extruded polymeric material preferably contains a filler. The filler increases the stiffness of the panel. Various fillers may be used, whether or not in combination:

[0072] - inorganic fillers, such as chalk, lime and / or talc;

[0073] - organic fillers such as wood, bamboo and / or cork; and / or

[0074] -Mineral fillers.

[0075] It is also noted that the filler talc is particularly advantageous. That is, it has been shown that this filler has a positive influence on the dimensional stability of the material, in particular if the material is to be used for the production of decorative panels or decorative sheets.

[0076] The percentage of filler is preferably suitable for 30 to 90 wt.% of the material, preferably 45 to 75 wt.% of the material. Preferably, the material obtained by the method contains at least 50 wt.% of filler, preferably at least 65 wt.% of filler. It should be noted herein that the weight percentage is considered to be relative to the total weight of the material.

[0077] The proportion of filler is preferably at least 40 weight percent, more preferably at least 50 weight percent and even more preferably at least 60 or at least 70 weight percent. Such high proportions of filler increase the dimensional stability of the material, especially if the material is to be used as a substrate for decorative panels or sheets.

[0078] The thermoplastic material may contain impact modifiers, stabilizers (such as Ca / Zn stabilizers), and / or color pigments (such as carbon black).

[0079] Also note that materials may or may not contain recycled content.

[0080] Preferably, the material is not foamed or hardly foamed. Non-foamed materials are not only more resistant to telegraphy effects than foamed layers, but also to indentations. It should also be noted that hardly foamed means that the density of the unfoamed material is not reduced or is reduced by a maximum of 10% and preferably by a maximum of 5% or a maximum of 2% by foaming. The density of the non-foamed or hardly foamed material is preferably suitable to be 1300 to 2000 kg per cubic meter or 1500 to 2000 kg per cubic meter.

[0081] However, it is not excluded that the material is foamed. In fact, the inventors have found that foaming has a positive effect on dimensional stability. Preferably, the density is reduced by more than 10%. This means that the density of the unfoamed thermoplastic material is reduced by more than 10% by foaming. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0082] In order to better illustrate the features according to the present invention, some embodiments are described below as examples (without limiting features) with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0083] Figure 1 Schematically illustrated is a device 1 for producing a sheet-like or panel-like product according to a first aspect;

[0084] Figure 2 Shown on a larger scale Figure 1 The part indicated by F2; and

[0085] Figure 3 In with Figure 2 Variations are shown in the same figure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0086] Figure 1 An apparatus 1 for manufacturing a panel-shaped product 2 is shown. The mixing tank 3 of the apparatus 1 contains a mixture of thermoplastic material and additives, which mixture is guided to the feed opening 5 of a super-conical twin-screw extruder 6 via a pipe system 4. The screws 7a, 7b are ceramic coated. The die 8 is directly coupled to the outlet 9 of the extruder 6. A device 10 for fume extraction is arranged at the location where the extruded material leaves the die 8 (i.e. at the slot opening 8A of the die 8) to collect any fumes and is guided to a six-roll calendaring system 11, which is also in the Figure 2 There is an enlarged display in .

[0087] In the six-roll calendering system 11, the extruded polymeric material 2A is guided through the first four rollers 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, which are heated. The decorative film layer 13 is provided by a separate tool 14 in the form of a printed film and is laminated and / or calendered onto the extruded polymeric material 2A. The device 1 preferably has an active system 15, which is used to adjust the size of the decorative film layer 13 and / or better fit it to the extruded polymeric material 2A. The wear layer 16 is provided by a separate roller 17 and is laminated and / or calendered onto the decorative film 13 by calendering rollers 12c, 12d. The extruded polymeric material 2A is then further guided to the fifth and sixth calendering rollers 12e, 12f, which operate at a relatively lower temperature than the rollers 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d. The sixth calendering roller 12f also acts as an embossing roller suitable for cold embossing. At this location an additional device for smoke extraction 18 is placed. The laminated and embossed extruded polymeric material 2A is thus further guided in the extrusion direction F to a cutting section 19, where the material is cut into strips 21 by a cutter 20. Arrow A indicates that the cutter 20 moves in the extrusion direction F during cutting.

[0088] Figure 2 Clearly shown is a six-roll calendaring system 11 arranged to receive the extruded polymeric material 2A and to allow for the application of a decorative film layer 13 and a wear layer 14 thereto.

[0089] Figure 3 An exemplary preferred embodiment of the device 34 according to the second aspect is shown, which device may or may not be coupled to the extruder part, but in this case the device is coupled to the extruder part. Figure 1 The apparatus 34 comprises at least a six-roll calendaring system, wherein the six rolls 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 22e, 22f are connected to the same Figure 1 The system shown is arranged in substantially the same manner as already described. The six rollers 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 22e, 22f allow the application of a decorative film 23 provided by a roller 24 and another decorative film 25 provided from another roller 26, the decorative films 23, 25 being adjusted to each other and to the underlying material by an active tensioning system 27 (adjusting the size of the decorative film 23) and a second active tensioning system 28 (for adjusting the size of the second decorative film 25). In this case, the active tensioning system 27 comprises a roller that deflects the decorative film 23 until the desired tension is obtained. The device 34 further comprises a roller 30 for providing a first wear layer 29 and an additional roller 32 for providing a second wear layer 31. The calendering rollers 22e, 22f are operated at a relatively low temperature and are coupled to the device 33 for smoke extraction. The roller 22f is preferably a rubber roller suitable for cold embossing, preferably in register with the decoration of the extruded polymeric material 2A.

[0090] Figure 3 It is also shown that the nip 35 between the embossing roller 22f and the opposing roller (i.e., the calendering roller 22e) is in a plane perpendicular to the width direction of the slot opening 8A (i.e., Figure 3 The roller gap 35 can be adjusted in a direction D (in the plane of the roller gap). The direction D forms an angle B of less than 90° with the extrusion direction F, in this case the angle B is about 30°. The roller gap 35 can be adjusted by an actuator 36 shown in the figure.

[0091] In the drawings, most of the calendering rollers 12a-f; 22a-f are integrally positioned in sequence along their axes 37 in the extrusion direction F, rather than integrally positioned in a vertical plane. The calendering rollers 12-22 are positioned so that the vertical distance V between the nip 35A where the extruded polymeric material 2A enters the calendering section and the nip 35B where the extruded polymeric material 2A leaves the calendering section is less than two times or less than one times the diameter of the largest calendering roller 12c-22c. This vertical distance V is less than the horizontal distance H between these nips 35A-35B. In this context, the distance V is measured between the centers of the respective nips 35A-35B. For the horizontal distance H, the location of the narrowest area of ​​the nips 35A-35B is considered.

[0092] The accompanying drawings further illustrate that after the extruded polymer material 2A leaves the narrow slot opening 8A and before entering the roller gap 35A between the first calendering roller 22a and the relative roller (here the second calendering roller 22b), the polymer material 2A sags outside the plane P including the width direction of the narrow slot opening 8A and the roller gap 35A, which is preferably only under the influence of gravity; the sag S is at most greater than half of the thickness T of the extruded polymer material 2A, or in this case, even greater than the thickness T of the extruded polymer material 2A.

[0093] The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described hereinabove, but these devices and methods can be implemented according to numerous variants without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing a sheet-like or panel-like product (2), preferably a decorative panel or sheet, for example comprising at least a polymeric board or sheet material and a decoration applied thereto, wherein the apparatus comprises at least an extruder (6) and a die (8) having a slot opening (8A), the die (8) being coupled to an outlet of the extruder (6), the extruder (6) and the die (8) being configured for extruding a polymeric material (2A) through the slot opening in an extrusion direction (F) into a polymeric board or sheet material, characterized in that The device has at least one or more of the following features: - the extruder (6) is a parallel twin-screw extruder, a super-conical twin-screw extruder or a multi-screw extruder; - the device comprises a fume extractor (10); - the device comprises at least one calendering roller (12-22), wherein the nip (35) between the calendering roller and the counter roller is adjustable in a direction in a plane perpendicular to the width direction of the slot opening (8A), wherein the direction forms an angle (B) of less than 90° with the extrusion direction (F); - the device comprises a system of at least five calendering rollers, which preferably form a lamination line or are arranged to produce a lamination line, wherein at least a decoration in the form of a printed decorative layer (13) is applied to the polymeric sheet or plate material; - the device comprises an active delivery system for providing the decorative layer onto the extruded polymeric material (2A); - the device comprises an embossing system for providing embossings in the upper surface of the sheet-like or panel-like product, the embossing system being arranged to operate at a temperature below 95°C, preferably below 70°C; - the device comprises an embossing system for providing embossing in the upper surface of the sheet-like or panel-like product, the embossing system comprising an embossing roller (12f-22f) and a relative roller, wherein the roller gap (35) between the embossing roller and the relative roller is adjustable in a direction in a plane perpendicular to the width direction of the narrow slot opening (8A), wherein the direction (D) forms an angle (B) less than 90° with the extrusion direction (F), preferably wherein the roller gap (35) is adjustable by an actuator; and / or - The device comprises a system for embossing in register (EIR), ie for providing an embossing in register with the decoration in the upper surface of the sheet-like or panel-like product.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that: - the extruder (6) is a super-conical twin-screw extruder; - the device comprises a system of at least five calendering rollers (12-22), which preferably form a lamination line or are arranged to produce a lamination line, wherein at least a decoration in the form of a printed decorative layer (13) is applied to the polymeric sheet or plate material; and - the device comprises a system for embossing in register (EIR) for providing, in the upper surface of the sheet-like or panel-like product, an embossing in register with the decoration.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The apparatus comprises a system of at least eight calendering rollers (12-22) which preferably form a lamination line or are arranged to produce a lamination line wherein at least a decoration in the form of a printed decorative layer (13) is applied to the polymeric sheet or plate material.

4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The die head (8) is directly coupled to the outlet of the extruder (6).

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that The die head (8) is arranged to allow a necking of no more than 50 mm, preferably no more than 30 mm.

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The extruder (6) is a super-conical twin-screw extruder equipped with at least two ceramic-coated screws.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The device comprises at least a register embossing system, wherein the system is equipped with a camera and / or a marking device, and / or wherein the system is arranged to achieve an accuracy of at most 2 mm deviation between decoration and embossing.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The apparatus may also include additional calender rolls for providing a backing and / or cushioning layer.

9. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The apparatus comprises an embossing system for providing embossing in the upper surface of the sheet-like or panel-like product, the embossing system being arranged to operate at a temperature below 95°C, preferably below 70°C, and wherein the apparatus comprises an active delivery system for providing a decorative layer onto the extruded polymeric material, wherein the embossing system is coupled to the active delivery system.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that The embossing system is equipped with embossing rollers (12f-22f) having a repeat length greater than 2000 mm, preferably greater than 2500 mm, most preferably about 2690 mm.

11. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The device is equipped with a cooling system, which is an air cooling system or a water cooling system.

12. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The apparatus has a production capacity of at least about 2.2 tons of material per hour, preferably at least 2.5 tons of material per hour.

13. A method for manufacturing a polymeric plate or sheet material, preferably a filled solid plastic composite (SPC), characterised in that: Use of a device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that The polymeric plate or sheet material comprises at least 50 wt.% filler, preferably at least 65 wt.% filler.

15. A method for manufacturing a sheet or panel-like product, wherein a polymeric sheet or sheet material is extruded through a die (8) having a slot opening (8A) and subsequently processed in a calendering section, said calendering section comprising at least a first calendering roll (22a) and a counter roll, said first calendering roll (22a) and the counter roll defining a nip (35A) through which the polymeric material is fed, wherein said method exhibits one or both of the following characteristics: - characterized in that, after leaving the slot opening (8A) and before entering the nip (35A) between the first calendering roller (22a) and the opposing roller, the polymeric material (2A) sags outside the plane (P) containing the width direction of the slot opening (8A) and the nip (35A), preferably under the influence of gravity alone; the sag (S) is at most preferably greater than half the thickness (T) of the polymeric material (2A), or even greater than the thickness (T) of the polymeric material (2A); and / or - Characterized in that the polymer material (2A) leaves the calendering portion with a width greater than the width when entering the calendering roller, preferably the polymer material (2A) leaves the roller gap (35A) defined by the first calendering roller (12a-22a) and the relative roller with a width greater than the width when entering the roller gap (35A).

16. Method for manufacturing a decorative panel, the decorative panel (21) comprising at least a polymeric board or sheet material and a decoration applied thereto, characterized in that Use of a device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, and / or characterized in that the polymeric board or sheet material is obtained according to claim 13 or 14, and / or characterized in that the decorative panel is a sheet-like or panel-like product obtained according to claim 15.

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