Multilayered wood flooring panel

Abstract

The invention is a multilayer wood panel (P) for flooring, comprising a bottom layer or base (1) made of birch plywood, a central layer (2) made of hardwood and a surface layer (3) made of oak veneer, and wherein a stabilizing layer made of non-woven fabric (4) is preferably interposed between said central layer (2) and said surface layer (3).

Description

[0001] This patent relates to wood floors and in particular concerns a new modular wood panel for wood floors.

[0002] The prior art includes multilayer wood panels for wood floors, comprising two or more layers of wood, made up of different types of wood and joined with various methods. The documents US 2015 / 050443 A1, CN 107 486 915 A and CN 107 795 091 A disclose such multilayer panels.

[0003] Typically, standard wood flooring panels, also called parquet, are made of two layers, of which the upper layer made of a high-quality wood material, while the bottom layer is made of a lower-quality wood material.

[0004] The prior art also includes three-layer panels, where the upper layer is made of high-quality wood, for example oak, with a thickness of more than 3-4 mm, the central layer is thick, and the bottom layer has a thickness that is comparable to that of the upper layer.

[0005] Moreover, the prior art also includes three-layer panels where the three layers have a comparable thickness.

[0006] These layers are glued together by means of bonding agents, even without formaldehyde, or without the use of bonding agents but by means of particular fixing joints or metal elements interposed between the layers.

[0007] The subject of the present patent is a new type of multilayer wood panel for flooring.

[0008] The main object of the present invention is to provide a product capable of meeting the significant market demand for oak flooring characterized by high aesthetic quality while using a minimum amount of this valuable raw material.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a product that combines economic efficiency and the protection of natural resources, in order to obtain flooring with the required quality while ensuring adequate eco-sustainability. Another object of the present invention is to provide a durable and resistant product which is even more ecologically friendly. In fact, the present invention consists of a particular combination of materials, where materials of high commercial value are combined with less sought-after raw materials. This combination makes it possible to obtain the same result as a panel composed entirely of said high commercial value materials.

[0010] One significant advantage of the present invention lies in that even less sought-after raw materials are used, with the resulting enhancement of the production chains of those raw materials and cost reduction.

[0011] In addition, the use of a combination of different materials promotes the optimized and sustainable use of forest resources.

[0012] The innovative aspect of the present invention lies in its ability to reduce the amount of high aesthetic value oak used for the same surface area with respect to the products known in the prior art, while at the same time guaranteeing the technical characteristics of a common two-layer wood floor having a birch plywood base.

[0013] In addition to the above, the invention provides for the use of a coating able to create a highly walkable surface and to increase wear resistance, thus extending the longevity of the panel as well as reducing the maintenance costs of the installed floor.

[0014] The new panel preferably has the traditional prismatic shape with a rectangular base, with fixing joints of various types on all edges, that is, on the sides that are orthogonal to the laying surface.

[0015] The dimensions of the new panel are generally and for example as follows: width 100-300 mm, length 1000-3000 mm, height or thickness 9.5-25 mm.

[0016] The structure of the new panel is comprised of four layers, superimposed on each other, arranged as follows: base made of birch plywood, central body made of hardwood, stabilizing layer made of non-woven fabric, surface layer made of oak wood, and wherein said layer made of non-woven fabric is glued to said surface layer.

[0017] The composition of the new panel is carried out by gluing said layers with vinyl glue, applied hot and cold, or polyurethane glue.

[0018] The new panel is then coated with a combination of compounds suited to make the surface layer highly resistant and therefore suitable for intense foot traffic.

[0019] The new wood panel for flooring comprises: a first lower layer or base with a thickness included between 6.5 and 18 mm, intended to face downwards towards the laying surface, wherein said base is made of birch plywood; birch plywood is porous so as to facilitate the bonding of the high-quality wood layers, has medium-high density which makes it suitable for processing by means of precision blades and cutters, has an advantageous cost and is compliant in terms of VOC emissions for indoor use. In addition, birch plywood has the normal characteristics of wood, that is, it is hygroscopic and resistant to variations in humidity and contact with water, and performs better than other materials currently used for wood floor bases, such as MDF, HDF; this material also has good thermal and acoustic insulation characteristics; a central layer or body made of solid hardwood whose thickness is included between 2.5 and 6 mm; this central layer has characteristics more similar to those of oak wood than any other material currently used instead of oak; an intermediate layer made of non-woven fabric, preferably 0.2 mm ± 0.05 mm thick, used to improve the adhesion between the central layer and a surface layer, and ensure that the surface layer made of oak veneer is more resistant and stable; a surface layer made of oak veneer, with a thickness included between 0.6 and 1 mm.

[0020] The thickness of the surface layer is thus reduced to a minimum, thereby minimizing the use of valuable material, while the use of other materials with a lower value is maximized, still obtaining a panel that, overall, has substantially the same mechanical characteristics as standard two-layer parquet panels.

[0021] In conclusion, the aforementioned combination makes it possible to obtain a panel that is characterized by: durable bonding of its components, resistance over time of the aesthetic quality of exposed and walkable surfaces, VOC emission levels compliant with international regulations, thermal and acoustic insulation properties, environmental sustainability.

[0022] In particular, the new panel also serves as "carbon stock", is recyclable as it is entirely made of wood, and also helps reduce the pressure on hardwood forests, thanks to the use of various types of wood obtained from logs.

[0023] In this way the production costs of the new panel are also reduced, making it competitive and preferable compared to other flooring panels made of non-wood materials, such as plastics or ceramics, which have a much greater environmental impact in terms of both production and disposal.

[0024] Thus, the panel is not obtained from a mere combination of arbitrarily selected components. On the contrary, the combination described and claimed herein makes it possible to obtain a material having the aforementioned enhanced characteristics.

[0025] The characteristics of the new panel will be better clarified by the following description, with reference to the drawing which is attached hereto by way of non-limiting example, and in which the layers (1, 2, 3, 4) that make up the new panel (P) and the proportional relationship between their thicknesses are schematically illustrated.

[0026] In particular, the panel (P) comprises: a bottom layer or base (1) made of birch plywood, with a thickness (S1) included between 6.5 and 18 mm; a central layer (2) made of hardwood with a thickness (S2) included between 2.5 and 6 mm; a top or surface layer (3) made of an oak veneer, with a thickness (S3) included between 0.6 and 1 mm; an intermediate layer (4) made of non-woven fabric, with thickness (S4) preferably equal to 0.2 mm ± 0.05 mm.

[0027] These are the specific outlines that are sufficient for the expert person to carry out the invention, and as a result, in the practical application variants may be produced without prejudice to the substance of the innovative concept introduced herewith.

[0028] Therefore, with reference to the preceding description and the attached drawing, the following claims are expressed.

Claims

1. Multilayer wood panel (P) for flooring, characterized in that it comprises: - a bottom layer or base (1) made of birch plywood, with a thickness (S1) included between 6.5 and 18 mm; - a central layer (2) made of hardwood, with a thickness (S2) included between 2.5 and 6 mm; - a top or surface layer (3) made of an oak veneer, with a thickness (S3) included between 0.6 and 1 mm; - an intermediate layer (4) made of non-woven fabric, with thickness (S4) preferably equal to 0.2 mm ± 0.05 mm, interposed between said central layer (2) and said surface layer (3).

2. Multilayer wood panel (P) for flooring according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists of said four layers (1, 2, 3, 4).

3. Multilayer wood panel (P) for flooring according to claim 1, characterized in that said bottom, central and top layers (1, 2, 3) are glued together by means of vinyl glue, applied hot and cold, or polyurethane glue.

4. Multilayer wood panel (P) for flooring according to claim 1, characterized in that said surface layer (3) is coated with a high resistance varnish.

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