Method of inlaying a wooden insert onto a piece of soft leather goods

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for inserting a rigid material inlay into a part made of a flexible material, the method comprising the following steps: A preparation step (S01) of the flexible material part, including in particular a manufacturing step, on an external surface of the flexible material part, of a recess intended to receive the rigid material inlay, of a predetermined depth; A preparation step (S02) from a rigid material part, of the rigid material inlay, the thickness of the rigid material inlay being greater than the predetermined depth of the recess in the flexible material part; A step of applying (S03) an adhesive within the recess made on the external surface of the flexible material part and / or on the bonding surface of the rigid material inlay;A bonding step (S04) of the rigid material inlay within the recess formed on the external surface of the flexible material part; a reduction step (S05) of the thickness of the rigid material inlay. Fig. 1;

Description

Title of the invention: Method for inlaying a wooden insert onto a piece of soft leather goods. Field of the invention

[0001] The disclosure relates to a method of inserting rigid material, such as pieces of wood, into flexible parts. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a treatment of the flexible substrate, such as leather, for inserting pieces of wood with greater rigidity. Previous art

[0002] Marquetry techniques for inlaying pieces of wood into materials other than wood are known from prior art. More specifically, the prior art technique consists of cutting and assembling pieces of wood of different species and other materials to create decorative patterns. This technique is traditionally used to create decorations on decorative and furnishing objects. The cut pieces are then assembled to form various designs, often using stained woods.

[0003] This technique is traditionally used for decorating furniture, or even creating paintings. However, the traditional technique is limited to producing articles with a certain degree of rigidity. Currently, though, it is difficult to imagine, using prior techniques, inlaying pieces of wood onto flexible materials. This disclosure improves the situation. Summary of the invention

[0004] The disclosure relates to a particular technique for inlaying (rigid) parts onto flexible materials. More specifically, this technique allows the inlaying of wooden parts within parts of support materials (flexible, in particular leather).

[0005] The disclosure includes, in particular, a preparation phase of the substrate material, for example using a laser abrasion device. The preparation consists, in particular, of abrading the substrate material at the locations designated to receive the wood inlays to be inserted. The thickness of the abrasion depends on the thickness of the wood pieces to be inlaid into the substrate material. The shapes of the abrasions correspond to the shapes of the wood pieces to be inserted.

[0006] The disclosure also includes a phase of cutting the pieces of wood to be inserted, so that the different pieces of wood correspond to the shapes abraded on the support material.

[0007] According to this disclosure, the cutting is carried out using a laser cutting device.

[0008] The disclosure then includes a step of inserting the wood pieces into the designated locations on the substrate material. Prior to this insertion, the wood inlays and / or the abraded locations are coated with an adhesive (glue) selected for its contact properties between the substrate material and the wood inlays.

[0009] The final step consists of sanding the pieces of wood fixed to the desired locations on the support material so that they are flush.

[0010] Using this technique, it is therefore possible to insert pieces of wood into materials which are not specifically compatible, by default, with such pieces, particularly in terms of flexibility, bending or twisting, as is typically the case with leather.

[0011] More particularly, the invention relates to a method for inserting a rigid material inlay into a part made of a flexible material, the method comprising the following steps: - A preparation step for the flexible material part, including in particular a manufacturing step, on an external surface of the flexible material part, of a housing intended to receive the rigid material inlay, of a predetermined depth; - A preparation step starting from a piece of rigid material, of the rigid material inlay, the thickness of the rigid material inlay being greater than the predetermined depth of the housing of the piece of flexible material; - A step of applying an adhesive within the housing provided on the external surface of the flexible material part and / or on the bonding surface of the rigid material inlay; - A step of gluing the rigid material inlay within the housing provided on the external surface of the flexible material piece; - Subsequent to the gluing stage, a step of reducing the thickness of the rigid material inlay so that the final thickness of the rigid material inlay is substantially identical to the predetermined depth of the housing of the flexible material part.

[0012] According to a particular feature, the preparation step of the flexible material part includes, prior to the manufacturing step, a step of applying a protective adhesive to the external surface of the flexible material part, the protective adhesive occupying a surface at least equal to that of the surface of the housing intended to receive the rigid material inlay.

[0013] According to a particular feature, the manufacturing step, on the external surface of the flexible material part, of the housing intended to receive the rigid material inlay includes a step of abrasion of the external surface of the flexible material part using a laser engraver.

[0014] According to a particular feature, the step of reducing the thickness of the inlay includes at least one step of sanding the surface of the inlay.

[0015] According to a particular feature, the preparation step for the rigid material inlay includes a step of applying a protective adhesive to the external surface of the rigid material piece and a step of cutting the rigid material piece to obtain the rigid material inlay.

[0016] According to a particular feature, the preparation step for the inlay in rigid material includes a step of cutting the piece of rigid material.

[0017] According to a particular characteristic, the soft material is soft leather and the rigid material is wood.

[0018] According to another aspect, the disclosure relates to a piece of leather comprising at least one wood inlay. This piece of leather is obtained by means of the process described above.

[0019] According to another aspect, the disclosure relates to an article incorporating at least one piece of leather as previously described. Brief description of the drawings

[0020] Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become more apparent upon reading the following description of a particular embodiment, given by way of simple illustrative and non-limiting example, and the accompanying drawings, among which:

[0021] - [Fig. 1] schematically illustrates the process implemented in general;

[0022] - [Fig. 2] illustrates the steps for inserting wood inlays into a piece of leather.

[0023] Description of an embodiment

[0024] In a reminder of the principles, according to the present document, to allow the inlaying of parts having a rigidity value greater than that of the flexible material, the technique comprises several steps, including a step of preparing the flexible substrate. This preparation allows the rigid material to be inlaid optimally while preserving the appearance of the flexible material once the inlaying process is complete. For the purposes of this document, we will only describe the insertion of a single rigid material inlay. It is understood that the technique is applicable to several rigid material inlays, the nature of which may also differ for each part. The general description is given with reference to [Fig. 1].

[0025] The first step (SOI) thus consists of preparing the flexible substrate. This preparation comprises two main steps: protecting the substrate and abrading the flexible substrate at the location where the inlay is planned.

[0026] The second step (S02) consists of preparing the part of the rigid material to be inlaid. This step includes cutting the part of the rigid material. This cutting step can be manual or automatic, depending on the embodiment. Advantageously, the two-dimensional model used to perform the abrasion of the part of the flexible material is also used to perform the cutting(s) of the rigid material. The preparation step optionally includes, depending on the nature of the rigid material, a step of structuring the adhesion surface of the part of the rigid material. More specifically, the face of the part of the rigid material that is intended to be bonded to the flexible material is prepared so as to allow good adhesion of the adhesive used to perform the assembly with the flexible material.

[0027] The third step (S03) consists of fixing the rigid material part in the designated location on the flexible material. This fixing step includes applying an adhesive material to the abraded area of ​​the flexible material part and / or to the bonding surface of the rigid material part. The adhesive used is selected according to the requirements. In some embodiments, a solvent-free vinyl adhesive is used. Depending on the adhesive used, this bonding step is followed by a waiting period of varying length to allow the adhesive to set.

[0028] The fourth step (S04) consists of leveling the surface of the rigid material part so that the rigid material inlay is flush with the flexible substrate. Depending on the embodiment and the nature of the rigid material part, this leveling step may, for example, be a sanding step or a (first) abrasion step using a laser engraver followed by a sanding step, or any other suitable form of surface leveling.

[0029] The last step (S05) consists of removing the masking tape and optionally applying, on the flexible support and the part of the rigid material inserted, one or more additional protective layers, these additional protective layers varying according to the nature of the flexible material and the nature of the rigid material.

[0030] More specifically, in the case of inserting a piece of wood (a rigid material) onto a piece of leather (a flexible material), the method described above is illustrated as follows, with reference to [Fig. 2]. The different steps are shown with a cross-sectional view of the piece to be inlaid and the piece of leather receiving the inlay.

[0031] The first step, SOI, consists of preparing the surface of the PCU leather that will receive the inlay. A laser engraver is used to abrade a thin layer of leather (and the CP protective layer), thus creating a custom LGT recess for the wood inlay. The objective is to allow the leather to be abraded to a predetermined depth. Prior to engraving, an adhesive CP protective layer is applied to cover all or part of the leather piece to be engraved. In this way, the leather piece is protected over all or part of its surface during the abrasion step. Furthermore, applying an adhesive layer ensures the precision of the laser cut, particularly at the intended junction between the leather piece and the wood piece. The laser abrasion process is carried out using a high-precision CO2 laser engraver.The abrasion depth varies between 0.1 and 1 mm, depending on the thickness of the wood inlay and the specific characteristics of the leather used (the groove is not cut all the way through, to avoid problems with reattaching a piece of fabric behind the inlay and the leather – which would be pierced). This depth range allows for a balance between the stability of the inlay and the preservation of the leather's structural integrity. The laser engraver is programmed to follow a predefined pattern, corresponding to the shape and dimensions of the wood inlay. This precision ensures a perfect fit between the leather and the wood, thus eliminating alignment and stability issues. A digital model is used to perform the leather abrasion. This digital model also includes engraving parameters. These laser engraving parameters are adjusted according to the type of leather used.Factors taken into account include: - Laser power: generally between 30 and 80 watts, depending on the density and thickness of the leather. - Scanning speed: adjusted to achieve uniform ablation without damaging the leather fibers. - Pulse frequency: optimized to minimize carbonization and preserve the natural texture of the leather.

[0032] According to the present embodiment, these parameters are determined, for example, by a preliminary test step on a leather sample. At the end of this step, the piece of leather comprises one or more recesses, which have been abraded, and which are intended to receive one or more wood inlays. The unabraded surface remains covered by the protective adhesive film.

[0033] The preparation S02 of the wood inlays can be done manually, in a traditional manner. In a particular embodiment, however, the digital cutting model can be used to create one or more pieces of wood PB to be assembled within the abraded area on the leather piece. The wood species The woods are selected based on their compatibility with the leather in terms of color, grain, and durability. The inlays are cut with micrometric precision using a laser engraver, for example, set to "cut" mode. The precision provided by this engraver ensures a perfect fit within the recess created by the laser abrasion of the leather. Prior to engraving, a protective adhesive layer (CP) is applied to cover all or part of the wood inlay (PB) to be cut. This protects the wood inlay across all or part of its surface during the cutting process. Furthermore, applying the adhesive layer guarantees the precision of the laser cut, particularly at the intended junction between the leather piece and the wood inlay, preventing any burn marks from appearing on the wood.

[0034] Depending on the specific design, a surface treatment of the wood components may be applied. For example, wood inlays undergo a surface treatment on their visible surfaces to improve their resistance to humidity and temperature variations. This treatment may include, for instance: vacuum impregnation with synthetic resins to stabilize the wood; and the application of a UV-resistant varnish to protect the surface and / or enhance the grain. These treatments can help extend the lifespan of the inlay and maintain its aesthetic appearance over time.

[0035] Similarly, the FCo faces of the wood inlays intended to be glued onto the leather piece can advantageously be subjected to a treatment that maximizes the effect of the glue used to fix these wood pieces to the leather piece. Such a treatment could, for example, be a micro-structuring treatment (mSt), which increases the bonding surface of the wood inlay by creating structures.

[0036] The S03 assembly of the wood inlays in the housing created by laser abrasion is implemented to ensure durable adhesion and a good finish.

[0037] Before gluing, the surfaces of the abraded leather and the wood inlay are carefully cleaned to remove any dust or residue. The recess(es) in the leather may be treated with a primer that improves the adhesion of the glue and prevents the migration of tannins from the leather to the wood.

[0038] The glue is then applied within the recess(es) made in the leather and / or onto the surface to be glued with the wood inlays. The choice of glue is important to ensure a strong and lasting bond between the leather and the wood. In one embodiment, this gluing is carried out using a vinyl glue formulated for leather-to-wood bonding. This type of glue offers excellent resistance to humidity and temperature variations, sufficient flexibility to accommodate the natural movement of the leather, and a suitable setting time allowing for precise positioning of the inlay. The gluing process itself is simplified, notably by the presence of protective adhesives, both on the leather and on the wooden inlays: - The piece of leather is positioned on a flat surface of sufficient size. - The adhesive is applied (uniformly) in the cavity created by laser abrasion. - The wood inlay is positioned in the housing. - Controlled pressure is applied to distribute the pressure evenly without damaging the leather or wood. - Drying time varies depending on the adhesive used, for example between 24 and 48 hours for complete polymerization.

[0039] Once the inlays are glued into the housing(s), finishing steps S04 and S05 are carried out. As explained previously, the objective of the method is to produce a product in which the wood inlays are perfectly integrated into the leather. The finish thus provides a certain flexibility to the wood used. These finishing steps are performed to soften the wood and remove any excess glue. First, the wood inlay is lightly sanded to eliminate any irregularities and ensure a smooth transition between the two materials. This operation is carried out with very fine grain sandpaper (1000 to 2000) or in a first step - abrasion with a high grain (240) to remove the glue and any traces due to laser cutting - then in the following steps, by progressively refining the grain (320 - 400).At this stage of sanding, the leather remains protected by its adhesive backing, ensuring that the sanding does not damage the leather surface. Sanding continues until the thickness of the wood inlay matches the depth of the abrasion made in the leather (which varies between 0.1 and 1 mm). This process makes the transition between the leather and wood virtually invisible and barely perceptible to the touch, while also softening the wood inlays.

[0040] Thus, the piece of wood is flush-mounted until it is flush with the masking - the wood / leather transition is therefore perceptible only on the thickness of the adhesive that protects the leather.

[0041] Optionally, protective finishes can be applied, for example to protect the leather-wood assembly and enhance its aesthetic appearance. Several coats of finish can be applied: - For example, a sealant is applied to the leather-wood joint to prevent moisture infiltration. - For example, a layer of natural wax or water-based varnish is applied over the entire surface to even out the appearance and provide additional protection.

[0042] These finishes are selected for their compatibility with leather and wood, ensuring durable protection without altering the natural properties of the materials.

[0043] Numerous finishes are possible, for example, with polyurethane applied by spray gun, water-based varnish applied by brush or spray gun, wax applied by pad, etc. This step can also be carried out either with the protective adhesive still present on the material if it was not damaged during the sanding stage, or by replacing this first adhesive with a laser-cut adhesive to match the abrasion pattern and again provide qualitative protection to the entire surface of the material that is not to be varnished. Then, a further sanding stage, for example with 800, 1000, or 2000 grit sandpaper depending on the required surface finish, is performed.

[0044] In general, the proposed technique has several advantages, including increased precision (the use of a laser engraver makes it possible to obtain a housing perfectly adapted to the inlay, eliminating adjustment problems), better integration (the inlay is flush with the surface of the leather, offering a better finish), improved durability (the combination of laser abrasion and adhesives ensures a stronger and more durable bond between the leather and the wood than previous techniques), greater design flexibility (the precision of the laser engraver makes it possible to create complex and detailed patterns) and a certain reproducibility (the method, which can be automated in one embodiment, guarantees consistent quality, even for mass production).

[0045] The proposed technique finds applications in various fields of leather goods and saddlery, such as: handbags and accessories, trunks and luggage, car interiors, leather furniture, office and stationery items.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for inserting a rigid material inlay into a part made of a flexible material, the method comprising the following steps: - A preparation step (SOI) of the flexible material part, including in particular a manufacturing step, on an external surface of the flexible material part, of a recess for receiving the rigid material inlay, of a predetermined depth; - A preparation step (S02) from a rigid material part, of the rigid material inlay, the thickness of the rigid material inlay being greater than the predetermined depth of the recess in the flexible material part; - An application step (S03) of an adhesive within the recess formed on the external surface of the flexible material part and / or on the bonding surface of the rigid material inlay;- A step of bonding the rigid material inlay within the housing provided on the external surface of the flexible material part; - Subsequent to the bonding step, a step of reducing (S04, S05) the thickness of the rigid material inlay so that the final thickness of the rigid material inlay is substantially identical to the predetermined depth of the housing of the flexible material part.

2. Insertion method according to claim 1, characterized in that the preparation step (SOI) of the flexible material part includes, prior to the manufacturing step, a step of applying a protective adhesive to the external surface of the flexible material part, the protective adhesive occupying a surface at least equal to that of the surface of the housing intended to receive the rigid material inlay.

3. An insertion method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the manufacturing step, on the external surface of the flexible material part, of the housing intended to receive the inlay in rigid material includes a step of abrasion of the external surface of the flexible material part using a laser engraver.

4. An insertion method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the step of reducing the thickness of the inlay (S05) includes at least one step of sanding the surface of the inlay.

5. An insertion method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the preparation step (SO2) of the rigid material inlay comprises a step of applying a protective adhesive to the external surface of the rigid material piece and a step of cutting the rigid material piece to obtain the rigid material inlay.

6. An insertion method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the preparation step (SO2) of the rigid material inlay includes a step of cutting the part of the rigid material.

7. An insertion method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible material is soft leather and the rigid material is wood.

8. Leather piece comprising at least one wood inlay, said piece being obtained by means of the process according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Article incorporating at least one piece of leather according to claim 8.

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