A method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of based on shell composite layer composite panel preparation method, first shell grain is laid with pitch bonding material on the surface of modified pitch base layer to form shell material layer, then shell material layer is embossed and compressed, the surface thereof is formed background reflection line and anti-fake apparent and hidden line with different extension direction and with preset included angle, and shell composite layer is obtained after curing;Subsequently, paper pattern layer with hollow part is laid, so that the corresponding shell area is exposed in the hollow part, to limit shell decorative pattern with hollow outline, and make anti-fake apparent and hidden area inside the shell decorative pattern;Finally, transparent sealing layer is laid and each layer is compressed and cured.The natural pearl of shell, hollow decorative contour and angle apparent and hidden anti-fake structure can be stably combined, the panel maintains continuous decorative appearance in conventional observation state, produces identifiable bright and dark difference when observation angle changes, while reducing the influence of abrasion, pollution and interlayer displacement on pattern and anti-fake effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of composite panel fabrication, and more specifically, to a method for fabricating a composite panel based on a shell composite layer. Background Technology

[0002] Shell panels are decorative panels formed by combining shell material with a supporting material, commonly used in packaging boxes, handicrafts, and decorative products. Shell material possesses a natural pearlescent sheen and irregular textures, creating layered surface effects under varying lighting conditions. Existing shell decorative panels typically use ordinary board material as the supporting base, with the shell particles bonded to the base primarily through adhesives. During subsequent embossing, pressing, or long-term use, insufficient adhesion to the base surface can easily affect the stability of the shell material layer.

[0003] Existing technologies typically create desired decorative patterns through printing, affixing, or composite graphic materials, and incorporate color-changing graphics, reflective markings, or optical anti-counterfeiting materials in specific areas of the panel. To facilitate identification of anti-counterfeiting information, the anti-counterfeiting area needs to exhibit a clear difference in color or gloss from the surrounding area. However, decorative patterns themselves possess different colors, lines, and coverage areas. If the anti-counterfeiting area overlaps with the decorative pattern, it is easily visually distracted by the pattern's content. Conversely, if the anti-counterfeiting area is set independently from the decorative pattern, it can create prominent boundaries, restricting the layout of the decorative pattern and disrupting the overall integrity of the shell's decorative surface.

[0004] Therefore, when the panel needs to be set with different decorative patterns according to product requirements, the position, appearance, and recognition status of the anti-counterfeiting information can easily change with the pattern layout. Increasing the difference between the anti-counterfeiting area and the surrounding area, while beneficial for recognition, will make the anti-counterfeiting information continuously visible under normal observation; reducing this difference will make the anti-counterfeiting information difficult to identify under the combined influence of the decorative pattern and the shell texture. Therefore, how to improve the flexibility of the decorative pattern setting and the recognizability of the anti-counterfeiting information while maintaining the overall decorative effect of the shell composite decorative panel has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer, which solves the technical problem that when setting decorative patterns on existing shell panels, the anti-counterfeiting information is easily interfered with by the pattern layout, making it difficult to obtain good recognizability while maintaining the overall decorative effect.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the present application adopts the following technical solution: A method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer, comprising: Shell particles and asphalt binder are laid on the surface of modified asphalt base layer to form shell material layer; The shell material layer is embossed and pressed to form a background reflective pattern extending in a first direction and an anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern extending in a second direction on the surface of the shell material layer. The shell material layer is then cured to form a shell composite layer, wherein a preset angle is formed between the first direction and the second direction. A paper pattern layer with a perforated section is laid on the shell composite layer, the perforated section revealing the background reflective pattern and the anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern; A transparent protective layer is laid on the paper pattern layer, and the modified asphalt base layer, shell composite layer, paper pattern layer and transparent protective layer are pressed and cured to form an anti-counterfeiting composite decorative panel.

[0007] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following beneficial effects: This application lays shell particles and asphalt adhesive on the surface of a modified asphalt base layer. By forming a modified asphalt layer on the substrate surface, the adhesion and certain flexibility of the modified asphalt material can be used to improve the bonding stability between the shell particles and the substrate. This allows the dispersed shell particles to form a continuous shell material layer on the modified asphalt base layer, preserving the natural pearlescent and irregular texture of the shell material. Embossing and pressing are performed while the shell material layer is still formable, so that a background reflective pattern extending along a first direction and an anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern extending along a second direction are formed on the surface of the shell material layer. The two types of patterns are located on the same shell material surface and have similar colors, materials, and pearlescent base colors, making it difficult to form abrupt regional boundaries when viewed from the front. A preset angle is formed between the first and second directions, so that the two types of patterns have different reflection and scattering directions when facing incident light. When the observation direction changes, the intensity of light received and returned to the observation side by the background area and the anti-counterfeiting area is different, thereby forming a recognizable contrast between light and dark and avoiding the two types of patterns from being too close to each other, which would lead to similar reflection changes. The shell material layer is cured to maintain the existing surface texture and its directional relationship. A paper pattern layer with cutouts is laid on the shell composite layer, covering the non-display area of ​​the shell composite layer. The cutouts are set according to the desired text, logo, pattern, or other decorative shapes, so that the shell composite layer below forms a shell decorative pattern with the corresponding outline through the cutouts, while keeping the background reflective texture and anti-counterfeiting hidden texture within the outline area visible. A transparent protective layer is used to cover the paper pattern layer and the shell composite layer exposed by the cutouts, and each layer is pressed and cured to form a stable whole with the decorative pattern, anti-counterfeiting area, and modified asphalt base layer, while reducing the impact of surface wear, contamination, and interlayer displacement on the observation effect.

[0008] In summary, this application can integrate anti-counterfeiting information naturally with the overall appearance while maintaining the natural decorative texture of seashells and the flexibility of pattern design, and improve the recognizability of anti-counterfeiting information when the observation state changes. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of a method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a side sectional view of the overall structure of the anti-counterfeiting composite decorative panel in one embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the shell composite layer in one embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the background reflective texture and the anti-counterfeiting hidden texture in one embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a physical image of the surface of the anti-counterfeiting composite decorative panel in one embodiment of this application.

[0010] The attached diagram is labeled as follows: 1. Modified asphalt base layer; 2. Shell composite layer; 3. Paper pattern layer; 31. Hollowed-out part; 4. Transparent protective layer; 5. Background reflective texture; 6. Anti-counterfeiting hidden texture. Detailed Implementation

[0011] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be more thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0012] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this disclosure can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known methods, apparatuses, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this disclosure.

[0013] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically independent entities. That is, these functional entities can be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0014] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative and do not necessarily include all content and operations / steps, nor do they necessarily have to be performed in the described order. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, while others can be combined or partially combined; therefore, the actual execution order may change depending on the specific circumstances.

[0015] The technical solution of this application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0016] refer to Figure 1 This application provides a method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer, comprising: S1. Shell particles and asphalt binder are laid on the surface of modified asphalt base layer to form shell material layer; In step S1, the material, thickness, and surface condition of the modified asphalt base layer are determined according to the application scenario of the anti-counterfeiting composite decorative panel. A modified asphalt base layer is formed on the surface of the substrate. The modified asphalt base layer can be an elastomeric modified asphalt layer or a plastomeric modified asphalt layer. Specifically, the elastomeric modified asphalt or plastomeric modified asphalt can be heated to a fluid state and then applied to the substrate surface by coating, scraping, rolling, or calendering. After cooling or pressing, the modified asphalt base layer is formed. The modified asphalt base layer is used to improve the adhesion of the shell mixture to the substrate surface, so that the shell particles can be more stably fixed to the substrate surface. The modified asphalt base layer also has a certain degree of flexibility, which can provide buffering and support for the shell material layer during the subsequent embossing and pressing process, reducing the possibility of shell particles falling off or breaking due to excessive local stress. The shell particles are selected according to the desired pearlescent effect, surface smoothness, and molding thickness of the panel. Shell particles can be obtained from pearl shells, oyster shells, scallop shells, or other shell materials with pearlescent reflective properties. For example, shell particles of different sizes can be mixed, allowing larger particles to form observable natural textures, while smaller particles fill the gaps between larger particles, thus improving the continuity of the shell material layer. The amount of shell particles and asphalt binder is determined based on the surface wettability of the particles and the structural strength after molding. Ideally, the asphalt binder should cover the particle surface and fill some of the gaps between adjacent particles without completely submerging the shell particles in excessive amounts. The preferred asphalt binder is a hot-melt type compatible with the modified asphalt base layer. Its dosage should be sufficient to cover a portion of the shell particle surface and fill the gaps between particles, without completely covering the pearlescent reflective surface of the shell particles. Furthermore, the asphalt binder should maintain a flowable state suitable for spreading and pressing before curing, and after curing, it should be able to fix the shell particles to the surface of the modified asphalt base layer. During mixing, a portion of the asphalt binder can be added to the container first, followed by the gradual addition of shell particles while slowly stirring. This ensures that the asphalt binder adheres evenly to the surface of each particle, while avoiding the introduction of large air bubbles or further breakage of the shell particles due to high-speed stirring. The amount of asphalt binder, mixing temperature, or settling time can be adjusted to ensure the mixture maintains a certain shape during laying and redistributes under external forces. During laying, the modified asphalt base layer is placed on a horizontal bearing surface, and the amount of mixture per unit area is controlled according to the predetermined shell layer thickness. The shell mixture can be gradually laid from one side of the modified asphalt base layer to the other, or it can be initially dispersed in multiple locations and then connected into a whole by scraping or rolling. During laying, the shell particles form a continuous cover on the surface of the modified asphalt base layer, controlling the thickness difference throughout the layer. As an example, the initial laying thickness of the shell layer can be pre-scaled based on the final panel thickness and compression shrinkage, ensuring it reaches the target thickness after subsequent compression.After the shell material layer is laid, it can be left to stand for a short time to allow some of the air bubbles generated during the mixing process to rise to the surface and allow the asphalt binder to further penetrate between the particles.

[0017] S2. Embossing and pressing the shell material layer to form a background reflective pattern extending in the first direction and an anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern extending in the second direction on the surface of the shell material layer. The shell material layer is then cured to form a shell composite layer, wherein a preset angle is formed between the first direction and the second direction. In step S2, embossing is performed while the shell material layer is not fully cured and its surface is still malleable. This allows the molding structure acting on the surface to alter the microscopic undulations of the shell material layer's surface without the difficulty in forming patterns or the shell particles becoming brittle due to material hardening. A surface orientation reference is established based on the final display orientation of the panel. For example, the length direction of the panel can be set as the reference direction, or the predetermined transverse direction of the paper pattern can be set as the reference direction. A first direction and a second direction are determined based on this reference. The first direction controls the overall extension trend of the surface texture in the background area, and the second direction controls the overall extension trend of the surface texture in the anti-counterfeiting area. The two directions are non-parallel.

[0018] The preset angle is determined comprehensively based on the reflectivity of the shell material, the depth of the texture, the expected observation distance, and the rotation range of the panel during use. Test textures with different directional combinations can be formed on a sample with the same material composition as the official shell material. Then, the sample is rotated under predetermined lighting conditions to observe the angular range of brightness changes in the two areas. A directional combination that produces a noticeable change within the normal observation range, while not excessively protruding the area boundaries when viewed from the front, is selected. During embossing, the surface textures used in the background area and the anti-counterfeiting area should remain within the surface of the shell material, without penetrating the shell material or cutting its continuous structure.

[0019] In actual production, pressure can be gradually increased by using pre-made samples. The working pressure is determined based on whether the embossed outline is maintained, whether there is large-area breakage of the shell particles, and whether there is obvious glue overflow at the edge of the material layer. The background reflective pattern and the anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern can be formed in a single continuous operation or separately while maintaining the regional positional relationship. However, regardless of the method used, it should be ensured that the two types of patterns have a definite directional relationship on the same shell material surface, and that the area formed by the anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern matches the outline of the predetermined anti-counterfeiting mark. After embossing, curing is carried out while the pattern is maintained or after the pattern has stabilized. The curing method is determined according to the type of asphalt binder. For example, the curing method can be determined according to the type of asphalt binder, such as cooling setting, hot pressing curing, or staged temperature-controlled curing. The curing temperature and time should allow the asphalt binder to reach a level that can fix the shell particles and maintain the surface pattern, while avoiding excessive temperature that could cause the modified asphalt base layer to soften and flow, the paper pattern layer to deform, or undesirable changes in the shell color.

[0020] Through the above process, the randomly distributed shell particles within the shell material layer still provide similar natural colors and pearlescent base colors, while the two types of textures extending in different directions on the surface guide incident light differently. When an observer views from the front, the two areas do not exhibit strong boundaries caused by different colored materials because of their identical material composition. When the panel rotates relative to the light source or the observer, the first and second direction textures reflect or scatter light in different directions, causing the background area and the anti-counterfeiting area to exhibit brightness variations at different viewing positions, thus making the anti-counterfeiting outline easier to identify within a specific angle range. After curing, the shell particles, asphalt binder, and surface textures form a stable shell composite layer, providing a smooth surface with predetermined optical performance for subsequent pattern layer lamination.

[0021] S3. A paper pattern layer with a hollowed-out section is laid on the shell composite layer, wherein the hollowed-out section exposes the background reflective pattern and the anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern; In step S3, the outline of the hollow part is determined according to the shell decorative pattern to be formed. The hollow part is formed on the paper layer by means of die cutting, laser cutting or punching. After the paper layer covers the shell composite layer, the shell material is exposed in the area defined by the hollow part, so that the exposed shell composite layer presents a pattern corresponding to the hollow outline.

[0022] For example, the cutout portion of the paper pattern layer is set as a flower outline. After the paper pattern layer covers the shell composite layer, the shell composite layer within the flower outline area is exposed through the cutout portion to form a shell flower pattern with a natural pearlescent effect. In the shell composite layer corresponding to the flower outline, the petal area and the area around the stamen are set as background embossing areas, and visible and invisible embossing areas in the stamen area are set as outlines of letters, numbers, trademarks, or other identifying graphics. The background embossing area forms a background reflective texture extending along a first direction, and the visible and invisible embossing area forms an anti-counterfeiting visible and invisible texture extending along a second direction. When viewed from the front, both the background embossing area and the visible and invisible embossing area present the natural color and pearlescent texture of the shell material, and the overall flower pattern remains continuous. The anti-counterfeiting mark formed by the visible and invisible embossing areas is not easily distinguishable from the flower pattern directly. When the angle of the panel relative to the light source or the observer is changed, the background reflective texture and the anti-counterfeiting visible and invisible texture produce different brightness responses, making the anti-counterfeiting mark located in the stamen area visible. The floral-shaped openwork section is used to define the outer contour of the shell decorative pattern, while the visible and hidden embossed areas inside the floral contour are used to form anti-counterfeiting information that can be identified under different angles.

[0023] S4. Lay a transparent protective layer on the paper pattern layer, and press and solidify the modified asphalt base layer, shell composite layer, paper pattern layer and transparent protective layer to form an anti-counterfeiting composite decorative panel.

[0024] In step S4, the transparent sealing layer can be a transparent film, a transparent resin layer, a transparent coating, or other sealing materials that allow external light to enter and be reflected back from the shell composite layer. The transparent sealing material should have high visible light transmittance and, after curing, should not form significant haze, color shift, or large-area ripples. The transparent sealing layer should have suitable adhesion to the paper pattern layer and the exposed shell composite layer in the perforated areas to avoid localized delamination due to differences in the surface properties of the two underlying materials. Before laying, check whether the paper pattern layer is fixed, whether the edges of the perforated areas are smooth, and whether there is dust, glue spots, or particles in the exposed areas of the shell composite layer, as these defects will be more noticeable after transparent sealing. If necessary, dust can be removed using low-pressure airflow, soft cleaning tools, or methods that do not affect the surface texture. Control the transparent sealing layer to cover the paper pattern layer and the perforated areas, ensuring that the edges of the paper layer and the exposed shell areas are continuously sealed by the same transparent surface, thereby reducing the direct impact of moisture, dust, and friction on the underlying structure. The thickness of the transparent protective layer is determined based on surface abrasion resistance and optical observation requirements. The brightness changes of the anti-counterfeiting area after sealing can be observed through a sample, and the appropriate thickness can be determined in conjunction with surface flatness. Through the pressing process in this embodiment, the shell particles are transformed from loose raw materials into a composite layer capable of supporting surface textures. Surface textures with different orientations are fixed as observation areas with varying angular responses. The paper pattern layer provides diverse decorative content while preserving a visible position for this observation area. The transparent protective layer further presses all layers together into a stable whole, resulting in an anti-counterfeiting composite decorative panel with the natural decorative effect of shells, replaceable pattern content, and angle recognition capabilities.

[0025] In one specific embodiment, reference is made to Figures 2-5 The anti-counterfeiting composite decorative panel of this application includes a modified bitumen base layer 1, a shell composite layer 2, a paper pattern layer 3, and a transparent protective layer 4, wherein each layer is stacked sequentially to form an overall composite structure. The modified bitumen base layer 1 provides an overall load-bearing foundation. The shell composite layer 2 is disposed on the upper surface of the modified bitumen base layer 1 to form a decorative and optically responsive structure with pearlescent reflective properties. The paper pattern layer 3 is disposed above the shell composite layer 2 and defines the visible area of ​​the shell composite layer 2 through its perforated portion 31. The transparent protective layer 4 covers the paper pattern layer 3 and the shell composite layer 2 exposed by its perforated portion 31 to form an overall protective structure.

[0026] refer to Figure 3The shell composite layer 2 has a surface texture structure with different directions formed by embossing, including a background reflective texture 5 extending in a first direction and an anti-counterfeiting hidden texture 6 extending in a second direction. The background reflective texture 5 covers the background area of ​​the shell composite layer 2 to form a uniform optical reflective substrate; the anti-counterfeiting hidden texture 6 is set in a preset anti-counterfeiting area and extends in a different direction from the background reflective texture 5, so that the two produce different reflection responses when the lighting conditions change, thereby forming an angle-dependent visual difference. Figure 3 The A-shaped area shown is only used to illustrate the spatial relationship between the anti-counterfeiting visible and hidden areas. The A-shaped structure is only an illustrative mark, and its specific shape can be adjusted according to the outline of the actual anti-counterfeiting mark. It does not constitute a limitation on the structure of this application.

[0027] refer to Figure 4 The diagram illustrates the directional relationship between the background reflective texture 5 and the anti-counterfeiting hidden texture 6 within a local area. A preset angle θ is formed between the first and second directions, causing the two textures to be distributed crosswise on the surface of the same shell composite layer 2. When the viewing angle changes, the different scattering and reflection paths of the incident light by the textures in different directions create a brightness difference between the background area and the anti-counterfeiting area, thus achieving the anti-counterfeiting hidden effect. Figure 4 The A-shaped area and flower-shaped outline shown are schematic diagrams used to illustrate the relationship between the areas. They do not correspond to the actual printed or solidified structure and are only used to help illustrate the spatial distribution relationship between the background area and the anti-counterfeiting area.

[0028] In one embodiment, the preset angle between the first direction and the second direction is set to 60° to 90°. The preset angle refers to the small angle formed when the extension direction of the background reflective pattern and the extension direction of the anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern are projected onto the surface of the shell composite layer. In actual preparation, the direction of the background reflective pattern can be determined first according to the predetermined display direction of the panel, and then the extension direction of the anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern can be determined within the range of 60° to 90° using this direction as a reference. For example, the first direction can be set as the length direction of the panel, and the second direction can be set as a direction inclined at 75° relative to the length direction of the panel, thereby forming a 75° angle between the background reflective pattern and the anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern. The specific value of the angle can be adjusted according to the particle size of the shell particles, the pearlescent intensity of the shell material surface, the texture depth, and the lighting environment during product use. When determining the angle, a sample can be made using the same shell mixture as the material of the final product, and different angles such as 60°, 70°, 80°, and 90° can be set. The sample can be rotated under a fixed light source to observe the changes in brightness in the background area and the anti-counterfeiting area. When the included angle is small, the main reflection directions of the two types of textures are relatively close, and the panel may brighten or darken simultaneously when rotated. As the included angle increases, the ability of the two types of textures to guide light in different directions is enhanced, making it easier to create a difference in brightness between the anti-counterfeiting area and the background area. Controlling the included angle within 60° to 90° can create a more obvious directional difference between the two types of textures, while avoiding the anti-counterfeiting effect being concentrated in an inconvenient angle range due to improper directional settings. After determining the included angle, the directional reference of the two types of textures remains unchanged during the embossing process, and the texture is shaped before the shell material layer cures, so that the included angle remains stable during the subsequent paper pattern layer laying and transparent sealing layer lamination process.

[0029] In one embodiment, both the background reflective pattern and the anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern are composed of multiple linear shallow lines formed on the surface of the shell material. These linear shallow lines refer to surface textures extending in a predetermined direction, with a depth less than the thickness of the shell material and not penetrating it. They can be continuous straight lines or formed by a series of short line segments arranged continuously while maintaining a consistent overall extension direction. During preparation, while the shell material remains plastic, multiple linear shallow lines extending in a first direction are first formed on the surface of the background area, leaving unembossed shell surfaces between adjacent background reflective patterns. Then, multiple linear shallow lines extending in a second direction are formed in the area serving as the outline of the anti-counterfeiting mark, creating the anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern in that area. The distance between each linear shallow line is set according to the viewing distance of the panel and the reflectivity of the shell surface. For example, when the panel is used for a packaging box, the spacing between adjacent lines can be kept within a range where individual lines are not easily distinguishable to the naked eye but can still form an overall directional reflection. The width and depth of the embossing should match the size of the shell particles so that the embossing primarily alters the local undulations of the shell material surface, rather than dividing the shell composite layer into independent parts. When the background reflective patterns are spaced along the first direction, the background area forms a relatively uniform surface light-guiding trend; when the anti-counterfeiting hidden patterns are spaced along the second direction, the hidden area forms another light-guiding trend. Since both types of shallow patterns are formed on the same shell composite material surface, their color is consistent with the natural pearlescent base color, but the different patterns will cause the two areas to reflect or scatter light in different viewing directions when the panel is rotated. Curing should be performed promptly after embossing to fix the edges, depth, and extension direction of the linear shallow patterns, preventing the asphalt binder from continuing to flow and causing the shallow patterns to become shallower or adjacent patterns to connect, thus maintaining the directionality of the background reflective patterns and the anti-counterfeiting hidden patterns.

[0030] In one embodiment, prior to the step of laying the shell particles and asphalt binder on the surface of the modified asphalt base layer to form the shell material layer, the method further includes: The modified asphalt is heated to a fluid state and then coated onto the surface of a substrate. After cooling and solidification, the modified asphalt base layer is formed. The shells are cleaned, dried, and fired. The fired shells are then crushed and sieved to obtain shell particles. Dust and impurities are removed from the shell particles, and the sieved shell particles are mixed with asphalt binder to form a shell mixture. The shell mixture is poured into the paving frame and leveled along the surface of the paving frame with a scraper to obtain a shell material layer laid on the surface of the modified asphalt base layer.

[0031] In this embodiment, elastomeric modified asphalt or plastomeric modified asphalt is heated to a fluid state and then applied to the substrate surface by coating, scraping, rolling, or calendering. After cooling or pressing, a modified asphalt base layer is formed. Shells with a pearlescent layer and no severe corrosion are selected and placed in a cleaning container. They are rinsed and scrubbed with clean water to remove mud, salt, and adhering substances. Multiple water changes can be performed if necessary until no obvious suspended impurities appear in the cleaning water. The cleaned shells are dried to reduce internal and surface moisture, preventing shell cracking due to rapid vaporization during subsequent firing. After drying, the shells are fired. The firing temperature and time are set according to the shell type and thickness to remove residual organic matter, reduce odor, and facilitate shell crushing. However, over-firing should be avoided to prevent the pearlescent layer from completely losing its original color. The fired shells are cooled to room temperature and then processed into granules using crushing equipment. Oversized shell fragments and excessively fine powder are removed by sieving, resulting in shell granules suitable for laying and pressing. After screening, the granules can be air-separated, vibrated, or washed to remove dust and impurities, and then thoroughly dried. The treated shell granules are mixed with asphalt binder, stirred until the binder adheres evenly to the granule surface, and the amounts of both are adjusted according to the spread of the mixture to ensure it can be spread out without significant flow during settling. The shell mixture is poured into a designated paving frame, and a scraper is used to scrape away any excess material along the top edge of the frame, creating a relatively uniform layer of shell mixture on the modified asphalt base layer. During the leveling process, repeated strong pressure should be avoided to prevent excessive breakage of the shell granules, and any gaps exposing the modified asphalt base layer should be checked. After paving, the shell layer can be allowed to stand briefly to allow the binder to further fill the gaps between the granules, but the subsequent embossing process should proceed while the layer still retains plasticity.

[0032] In one embodiment, the step of embossing and pressing the shell material layer includes: Based on the preset anti-counterfeiting mark outline and the position of the hollow part of the paper pattern layer, the visible and hidden embossing area is divided on the surface of the shell material layer, and the area outside the visible and hidden embossing area and within the corresponding range of the hollow part is divided into the background embossing area. The background embossing area is embossed along the first direction to form a background reflective texture; The visible and invisible embossing area is embossed along the second direction to form an anti-counterfeiting visible and invisible pattern; After the shell material has been embossed, it is cured to form a shell composite layer.

[0033] In this embodiment, before the embossing process, the surface of the shell material layer is first located according to the shape of the hollowed-out portion of the paper pattern layer and the outline of the preset anti-counterfeiting mark. For example, when the hollowed-out portion of the paper pattern layer is flower-shaped, the area corresponding to the flower-shaped hollowed-out portion on the surface of the shell material layer is determined as the shell pattern area that can be observed later, and the stamen position inside the flower-shaped area is selected as the location for the anti-counterfeiting mark. According to the outline of the preset letters, numbers, trademarks, or identification graphics, the visible and hidden embossing area is defined at the stamen position, while the remaining visible area within the flower-shaped area, excluding the visible and hidden embossing area, is designated as the background embossing area. Through this regional relationship, after the paper pattern layer is laid, the hollowed-out portion reveals the complete shell flower shape, and the anti-counterfeiting mark is located inside the shell flower shape, eliminating the need to set an additional anti-counterfeiting label outside the flower shape. After completing the area division, the background embossing area is embossed along the first direction, so that the shell surface around the petals and stamen forms a background reflective pattern with the same direction. Subsequently, the visible and hidden embossing area is embossed along the second direction, so that the anti-counterfeiting mark outline forms anti-counterfeiting visible and hidden patterns with different directions. During embossing, the boundaries of the area should be controlled to ensure that the hidden anti-counterfeiting pattern does not exceed the preset anti-counterfeiting mark outline, and that the background reflective pattern extends to the surrounding area to maintain the continuity of the flower-shaped shell surface. The embossing pressure should be sufficient to leave a stable pattern on the material layer surface without causing large-area breakage of the particles. After embossing, check for obvious material color differences, adhesive accumulation, or outline breakage in the two areas. Subsequently, the shell material layer is cured to fix the background reflective pattern, the hidden anti-counterfeiting pattern, and their positional relationship, resulting in a shell composite layer with a flower-shaped display area on the surface and a hidden anti-counterfeiting mark inside.

[0034] In one embodiment, the step of embossing the visible and invisible embossing area along the second direction to form an anti-counterfeiting visible and invisible pattern includes: Based on the preset anti-counterfeiting mark outline, generate the center embossing path and the edge embossing path in the visible and hidden embossing area; According to the central embossing path, embossing is performed line by line along the second direction in the central part of the visible and hidden embossing area to obtain a central visible and hidden embossing group; According to the edge embossing path, embossing is performed line by line along the second direction on the edge portion of the visible and hidden embossing area to obtain an edge visible and hidden embossing group; After each embossing is completed, the visible and invisible embossing areas are cured to form anti-counterfeiting visible and invisible patterns.

[0035] The texture density of the central visible and hidden texture group is greater than that of the edge visible and hidden texture group, and the texture occupancy rate in the central visible and hidden area is greater than that in the edge transition area.

[0036] In this embodiment, the embossed area is divided into a central part and an edge part according to the preset anti-counterfeiting mark outline, and a central embossing path and an edge embossing path are generated respectively. Taking the letter A-shaped anti-counterfeiting mark set in the flower-shaped hollow part as an example, firstly, the outer outline of the letter A is determined on the shell material layer surface corresponding to the flower stamen, and the area inside the letter strokes that is far from the outline boundary is taken as the central part, and the annular area adjacent to the outline boundary of the letter is taken as the edge part. The first direction can be determined according to the display direction of the panel. For example, the length direction of the modified asphalt base layer is set as the first direction, so that the background reflective texture within the flower area extends along the length direction of the modified asphalt base layer. The second direction does not need to change with the stroke direction of the letter A, but is based on the first direction and a unified direction is selected from the candidate directions that can form a preset angle. For example, when the first direction is horizontal, an inclined direction that forms a 75° angle with it can be selected as the second direction, so that all the anti-counterfeiting embossed textures inside the letter A extend along the second direction. This setting can avoid messy reflections inside the same anti-counterfeiting mark due to different strokes using different texture directions. After determining the second direction, a central embossing path is generated in the central part, covering the interior of the main strokes of the letter, and a central visible / hidden texture group is formed line by line along this path. An edge embossing path is generated near the outer contour of the letter, and an edge visible / hidden texture group is formed line by line along this path. The textures in the central part are arranged relatively tightly, creating a more concentrated light and dark response when the angle changes; the textures in the edge part are arranged relatively loosely, creating a gentler transition between the visible / hidden area and the surrounding background, reducing the direct exposure of the letter outline when viewed directly. After completing each embossing, the visible / hidden embossing area is solidified, stabilizing the position, arrangement, and second direction of the central and edge visible / hidden texture groups, and allowing them to work together with the background reflection texture formed along the first direction to produce an angle-based visible / hidden effect.

[0037] In one embodiment, the step of generating the center embossing path and the edge embossing path includes: The graphic template corresponding to the preset anti-counterfeiting mark outline is attached to the surface of the visible and hidden embossing area. A center embossing guide trajectory mark line is set along the inner center area of ​​the graphic template, and an edge embossing guide trajectory mark line is set along the outer contour boundary of the graphic template. Continuous embossing guidance is applied to the positions corresponding to the center embossing guide trajectory marking line to form the center embossing path; Continuous embossing guidance is applied to the positions corresponding to the edge embossing guide trajectory marking lines to form an edge embossing path; The center embossing path is located within the central area of ​​the graphic template, while the edge embossing path is located within the outline boundary area of ​​the graphic template.

[0038] In this embodiment, the center embossing path and edge embossing path are determined by a graphic template corresponding to the pre-defined anti-counterfeiting mark outline. The graphic template can be made of a thin sheet material, and a corresponding positioning outline is processed according to the shape of the anti-counterfeiting mark. For example, when the anti-counterfeiting mark is the letter A, a positioning area corresponding to the outer outline of the letter A is formed on the graphic template. In use, the graphic template is attached to the surface of the visible and invisible embossing area, and the template outline coincides with the pre-defined anti-counterfeiting mark position. Subsequently, a center embossing guide trajectory marker line is set inside the graphic template at a position away from the outer outline. The marker line is arranged along a determined second direction and covers the main area of ​​the anti-counterfeiting mark. At the same time, an edge embossing guide trajectory marker line is set on the inner side of the template outline boundary, so that the marker line is distributed near the outline of the anti-counterfeiting mark. The outer outline boundary referred to here is the outline edge in the graphic template that defines the shape of the anti-counterfeiting mark, and the edge embossing guide trajectory should be located within the visible and invisible embossing area defined by the outline edge to prevent the embossing from crossing the anti-counterfeiting mark boundary into the background area. After setup, continuously guide the embossing along the central embossing guide trajectory marking line, aligning each central pattern along the second direction to form a central embossing path. Then, guide the embossing along the edge embossing guide trajectory marking line, creating edge embossing paths that are distributed around the contour but maintain overall consistency in the second direction. During the embossing process, the graphic template can be moved segment by segment or kept fixed, and the path offset can be checked using positioning marks. After forming the central and edge embossing paths, remove the graphic template and check the embossed area to ensure that the central path is inside the anti-counterfeiting mark and the edge paths are near its contour boundary, thus ensuring that the subsequently formed visible and invisible pattern group can completely present the shape of the preset anti-counterfeiting mark.

[0039] In one embodiment, the step of laying a paper pattern layer with perforations on the shell composite layer includes: Prepare a paper pattern layer with a perforated section, and apply paper adhesive to the surface of the shell composite layer; A paper pattern layer is placed over the surface of the shell composite layer, and the cutouts of the paper pattern layer correspond to the background reflective pattern and anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern on the shell composite layer. The paper pattern layer and the shell composite layer are laminated together; In this process, the non-perforated portion of the paper pattern layer after lamination covers part of the surface of the shell composite layer, while the perforated portion of the paper pattern layer reveals the background reflective texture and anti-counterfeiting hidden texture.

[0040] In this embodiment, the paper pattern layer defines the outer contour of the desired shell decorative pattern through cutouts, rather than relying on drawing the shell pattern on the paper surface. For example, when forming a floral shell decorative pattern on the panel surface, the floral cutting outline is first drawn according to the number of petals, the size of the stamen, and the overall size. Then, the paper material inside the floral outline is removed from the paper material by die-cutting, punching, or laser cutting to form the floral cutout. The non-cutout portion of the paper pattern layer can retain the original color of the paper material or set auxiliary colors according to the product appearance requirements, but the floral pattern itself presented by the shell material is defined by the cutouts. After the shell composite layer is made, paper adhesive is applied to its surface. When applying the adhesive, the background reflective texture and anti-counterfeiting hidden texture corresponding to the cutout are avoided to prevent the adhesive from covering the texture surface. Subsequently, the paper pattern layer is covered onto the shell composite layer using the edge of the modified bitumen base layer, positioning marks, or alignment holes, so that the floral cutout overlaps with the floral embossed area on the shell composite layer. At this point, the entire area exposed by the flower-shaped cutout is a shell composite layer. Most of this area displays a background reflective pattern formed along the first direction, while a localized area inside the flower's center displays an anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern formed along the second direction. The non-cutout portion of the paper pattern layer covers the shell composite layer outside the flower's outline, limiting the observer's view of the shell material to a complete flower shape. After alignment, gently press outwards from the center of the paper pattern layer to adhere the paper layer to the shell composite layer, expelling any air between them, while preventing the paper layer from lifting at the flower's cutout edges. After pressing, check if the flower's outline is complete, if the anti-counterfeiting area is within the cutout, and if the paper layer obscures the background reflective pattern or the anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern.

[0041] In one embodiment, the step of laying a transparent protective layer on the paper pattern layer includes: A transparent sealing adhesive is applied to the surface of the paper pattern layer, and the transparent sealing layer is then applied to the paper pattern layer and the shell composite layer exposed by the cutout. The transparent protective layer, paper pattern layer, and shell composite layer are degassed, and the degassed transparent protective layer, paper pattern layer, shell composite layer, and modified asphalt base layer are then pressed together. The laminated transparent protective layer is cured to form a transparent protective surface covering the paper pattern layer and the shell composite layer.

[0042] In this embodiment, after the paper pattern layer is laid, a transparent sealing layer is formed on its surface. First, a transparent sealing material with good light transmittance and the ability to bond with the paper material and the shell composite layer is selected. This transparent sealing material can be a transparent film or a resin material that cures to form a transparent layer. If a transparent film is used, the transparent sealing adhesive can be evenly applied to the surface of the paper pattern layer and the exposed shell composite layer in the perforated areas, controlling the adhesive layer thickness to prevent the adhesive from accumulating in the perforated areas and causing localized optical distortion. If a liquid transparent sealing material is used, it can be continuously applied to cover the paper pattern layer and the perforated areas using a scraping or casting method. When laying the transparent sealing layer, it is gradually unfolded from one side of the panel to the other, allowing the transparent layer to contact the underlying surface sequentially and pushing air towards the unsealed side. After the initial laying is completed, the transparent sealing layer, paper pattern layer, and shell composite layer are vented, especially checking for air bubbles at the edges of the perforated areas, the paper layer steps, and the recessed areas of the shell patterns. After venting, uniform pressure is applied to the transparent sealing layer, paper pattern layer, shell composite layer, and modified bitumen base layer to ensure the transparent sealing layer adheres to the paper surface and the shell surface within the floral perforation. The pressing pressure should not damage the cured background reflective pattern and anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern, nor should it cause displacement of the paper pattern layer along the perforation edges. Subsequently, depending on the type of transparent sealing material, it is cured at room temperature, heat, or light to form a continuous transparent surface. The cured transparent sealing layer simultaneously covers the paper pattern layer and the floral shell pattern, allowing external light to reach the underlying shell composite layer while minimizing the impact of friction, dust, and moisture on the perforation edges and embossed structure.

[0043] In one embodiment, the occupancy rate of the central hidden area and the occupancy rate of the edge transition area are used to represent the actual surface proportion occupied by the hidden patterns within the corresponding areas. Taking the letter A-shaped anti-counterfeiting mark inside the flower stamen as an example, the part inside the main strokes of the letter A and far from the outline boundary is determined as the central hidden area, and the part adjacent to the outer outline boundary of the letter A is determined as the edge transition area. After embossing is completed, the corresponding area is observed from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the shell composite layer, and the area of ​​the texture projection formed by each hidden pattern on the surface of the area is taken as the area occupied by the hidden pattern group. The occupancy rate of the central hidden area is the ratio of the area occupied by the central hidden pattern group in the central hidden area to the total area of ​​the central hidden area, and the occupancy rate of the edge transition area is the ratio of the area occupied by the edge hidden pattern group in the edge transition area to the total area of ​​the edge transition area. For example, if the central hidden area has an area of ​​100 square millimeters, and the projected area of ​​the central hidden pattern group is 70 square millimeters, then the coverage rate of the central hidden area is 70%. If the edge transition area has an area of ​​50 square millimeters, and the projected area of ​​the edge hidden pattern group is 20 square millimeters, then the coverage rate of the edge transition area is 40%. These areas can be determined based on the anti-counterfeiting mark design drawing, or by vertically photographing the embossed area and measuring the pattern coverage. By making the coverage rate of the central hidden area greater than that of the edge transition area, the central part can form a more obvious directional reflection, while the edge part near the outline retains more of the unembossed shell surface. This allows the anti-counterfeiting mark to have a recognizable main area when the angle changes, and its outline to have a more natural transition with the surrounding background. The specific value of the coverage rate can be adjusted according to the size of the anti-counterfeiting mark, the pattern width, and the viewing distance, but the pattern coverage ratio of the central hidden area should be higher than that of the edge transition area.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a composite panel based on a seashell composite layer, characterized in that, include: Shell particles and asphalt binder are laid on the surface of modified asphalt base layer to form shell material layer; The shell material layer is embossed and pressed to form a background reflective pattern extending in a first direction and an anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern extending in a second direction on the surface of the shell material layer. The shell material layer is then cured to form a shell composite layer, wherein a preset angle is formed between the first direction and the second direction. A paper pattern layer with a perforated section is laid on the shell composite layer, the perforated section revealing the background reflective pattern and the anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern; A transparent protective layer is laid on the paper pattern layer, and the modified asphalt base layer, shell composite layer, paper pattern layer and transparent protective layer are pressed and cured to form an anti-counterfeiting composite decorative panel.

2. The method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset included angle is 60° to 90°.

3. The method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The background reflective pattern is formed by multiple shallow linear lines arranged at intervals along a first direction, and the anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern is formed by multiple shallow linear lines arranged at intervals along a second direction.

4. The method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before the step of laying the shell particles and asphalt binder on the surface of the modified asphalt base layer to form the shell material layer, the method further includes: The modified asphalt is heated to a fluid state and then coated onto the surface of a substrate. After cooling and solidification, the modified asphalt base layer is formed. The shells are cleaned, dried, and fired. The fired shells are then crushed and sieved to obtain shell particles. Dust and impurities are removed from the shell particles, and the sieved shell particles are mixed with asphalt binder to form a shell mixture. The shell mixture is poured into the paving frame and leveled along the surface of the paving frame with a scraper to obtain a shell material layer laid on the surface of the modified asphalt base layer.

5. The method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of embossing and pressing the shell material layer includes: Based on the preset anti-counterfeiting mark outline and the position of the hollow part of the paper pattern layer, the visible and hidden embossing area is divided on the surface of the shell material layer, and the area outside the visible and hidden embossing area and within the corresponding range of the hollow part is divided into the background embossing area. The background embossing area is embossed along the first direction to form a background reflective texture; The visible and invisible embossing area is embossed along the second direction to form an anti-counterfeiting visible and invisible pattern; After the shell material has been embossed, it is cured to form a shell composite layer.

6. The method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer according to claim 5, characterized in that, The step of embossing the visible and invisible embossing area along the second direction to form an anti-counterfeiting visible and invisible pattern includes: Based on the preset anti-counterfeiting mark outline, generate the center embossing path and the edge embossing path in the visible and hidden embossing area; According to the central embossing path, embossing is performed line by line along the second direction in the central part of the visible and hidden embossing area to obtain a central visible and hidden embossing group; According to the edge embossing path, embossing is performed line by line along the second direction on the edge portion of the visible and hidden embossing area to obtain the edge visible and hidden embossing group; After each embossing is completed, the visible and invisible embossing areas are cured to form anti-counterfeiting visible and invisible patterns. The texture density of the central visible and hidden texture group is greater than that of the edge visible and hidden texture group, and the texture occupancy rate in the central visible and hidden area is greater than that in the edge transition area.

7. The method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer according to claim 6, characterized in that, The steps of generating the center embossing path and the edge embossing path include: The graphic template corresponding to the preset anti-counterfeiting mark outline is attached to the surface of the visible and hidden embossing area. A center embossing guide trajectory mark line is set along the inner center area of ​​the graphic template, and an edge embossing guide trajectory mark line is set along the outer contour boundary of the graphic template. Continuous embossing guidance is applied to the positions corresponding to the center embossing guide trajectory marking line to form the center embossing path; Continuous embossing guidance is applied to the positions corresponding to the edge embossing guide trajectory marking lines to form an edge embossing path; The center embossing path is located within the central area of ​​the graphic template, while the edge embossing path is located within the outline boundary area of ​​the graphic template.

8. The method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of laying a paper pattern layer with perforations on the shell composite layer includes: Prepare a paper pattern layer with a perforated section, and apply paper adhesive to the surface of the shell composite layer; A paper pattern layer is placed over the surface of the shell composite layer, and the cutouts of the paper pattern layer correspond to the background reflective pattern and anti-counterfeiting hidden pattern on the shell composite layer. The paper pattern layer and the shell composite layer are laminated together; In this process, the non-perforated portion of the paper pattern layer covers part of the surface of the shell composite layer after lamination, while the perforated portion of the paper pattern layer reveals the background reflective texture and anti-counterfeiting hidden texture.

9. The method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of laying a transparent protective layer on the paper pattern layer includes: A transparent sealing adhesive is applied to the surface of the paper pattern layer, and the transparent sealing layer is then applied to the paper pattern layer and the shell composite layer exposed by the cutout. The transparent protective layer, paper pattern layer, and shell composite layer are degassed, and the degassed transparent protective layer, paper pattern layer, shell composite layer, and modified asphalt base layer are then pressed together. The laminated transparent protective layer is cured to form a transparent protective surface covering the paper pattern layer and the shell composite layer.

10. The method for preparing a composite panel based on a shell composite layer according to claim 6, characterized in that, The occupancy rate of the central visible / hidden area is the ratio of the area occupied by the central visible / hidden pattern group to the area of ​​the central visible / hidden area, and the occupancy rate of the edge transition area is the ratio of the area occupied by the edge visible / hidden pattern group to the area of ​​the edge transition area.

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