Decorative laminates and decorative laminate series

Abstract

To easily provide decorative laminates with excellent design and decorative laminate series consisting of multiple decorative laminates. [Solution] At least one groove 14, 15 extending in the long side direction or the short side direction is formed on the surface 11 of the base material 10 of the decorative panel A. A long side chamfered surface 16 is formed between the long side surface 12 and the surface 11 from one end to the other in the long side direction. If a horizontal groove 15 is formed on the surface 11 of the base material 10, a short side chamfered surface 17 is formed between the short side surface 13 and at least a part of the surface 11. A shadow pattern L is formed at the bottom of the grooves 14, 15 by a decorative layer 20 consisting of a coating layer, which reproduces the shadow formed at the joint portion by the chamfered surfaces 16, 17 and the joint of the two decorative panels A, A that abut each other when the two decorative panels A, A are joined together.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a decorative panel and a decorative panel series. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Conventionally, chamfering is applied to the corners between the four peripheral side surfaces and the surface of decorative panels, such that when a plurality of decorative panels are arranged and joined together, a groove with a V-shaped cross section is formed at the joint portion, making gaps and steps generated at the joint portion less noticeable, and such decorative panels are used as flooring materials, wall materials and the like. In addition, among this type of decorative panels, in order to make a single decorative panel look as if a plurality of decorative panels are joined together, a decorative groove with a V-shaped cross section having a depth equal to the depth of the groove formed by the chamfered portion at the joint portion (near the seam) of the decorative panels may be formed (for example, refer to Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] In the decorative panel described in Patent Document 1, one vertical groove is formed on the surface of the base material, and the surface is divided into two surface portions by the vertical groove. At least one horizontal groove is formed in each of the two surface portions. Further, in the above decorative panel, a chamfered surface extending from one end to the other end is formed between the long side surface and the surface of the base material, while between the short side surface and the surface of the base material, a chamfered surface is formed only on one of the two surface portions and not on the other, so that at the joint portion of two decorative panels joined at the short sides, a groove parallel to the horizontal groove formed by the mutual chamfered surfaces does not extend across both sides of the vertical groove of each decorative panel. With such a configuration, in the above decorative panel, the seam with other decorative panels arranged and joined in the long side direction is made less noticeable. PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0004] PATENT DOCUMENT 1 Japanese Patent No. 7228437 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0005] However, in the above-mentioned decorative panel, the decorative layer is made of a decorative sheet, and furthermore, the decorative sheet covers not only the surface of the base material but also the inner surface of the decorative grooves. It is difficult to adhere the sheet to the inner surface of the decorative grooves, and the sheet may lift up. Also, even if it is possible to adhere the sheet to the inner surface of the decorative grooves, in a configuration where a sheet of a certain thickness is attached to the inner surface of the grooves, the decorative grooves become shallower by the thickness of the sheet. As a result, when multiple decorative panels are arranged vertically and horizontally, the difference in appearance between the grooves formed by the chamfered edges and the decorative grooves (differences in shadow intensity due to differences in groove depth) becomes noticeable at the joints of the decorative panels (near the seams), and only the seams of the decorative panels stand out, potentially detracting from the aesthetics.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and its purpose is to provide a decorative panel with excellent design features in which the seams are not noticeable when multiple panels are arranged vertically and horizontally, and a series of decorative panels consisting of multiple decorative panels. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, this invention provides a decorative layer composed of a coating layer, and also applies a shadow pattern to the bottom of the decorative grooves of the decorative panel.

[0008] Specifically, the first invention comprises a rectangular plate-shaped base material and a decorative layer consisting of a coating layer exhibiting a pattern provided on the decorative surface of the base material, wherein at least one groove extending in the long-side direction or short-side direction on the surface of the base material is formed, and between the long-side surface of the base material and the surface of the base material, a long-side chamfered surface is formed, consisting of an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the long-side surface and surface of the base material, extending from one end to the other in the long-side direction of the base material, and if a transverse groove extending in the short-side direction on the surface of the base material is formed, then between the short-side surface of the base material and at least a part of the surface of the base material, an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the short-side surface and surface of the base material or A decorative panel having a chamfered edge on its short side, wherein, among the grooves, a first shadow pattern is formed by the decorative layer at the bottom of the vertical grooves extending in the long-side direction on the surface of the base material, which reproduce the shadow formed by the chamfered edge on the long side and the joint of the two decorative panels that abut against each other when the two decorative panels are joined in the short-side direction, and a second shadow pattern is formed by the decorative layer at the bottom of the horizontal grooves extending in the short-side direction on the surface of the base material, which reproduce the shadow formed by the chamfered edge on the short side and the joint of the two decorative panels that abut against each other when the two decorative panels are joined in the long-side direction.

[0009] In the first invention, at least one vertical or horizontal groove is formed on the surface of the base material, a long-side chamfer is formed between the long side surface of the base material and the surface, extending from one end to the other, and a short-side chamfer is formed between the short side surface of the base material and at least a portion of the surface. As a result, when multiple decorative panels are joined together in a vertical or horizontal arrangement, grooves parallel to the vertical grooves are formed by the long-side chamfer at the long-side joining portion of the decorative panels, or grooves parallel to the horizontal grooves are formed by the short-side chamfer at the short-side joining portion of the decorative panels, making gaps and steps less noticeable and enhancing the overall design integrity.

[0010] Furthermore, in the first invention, a first shadow pattern is formed at the bottom of the vertical grooves by the decorative layer, which reproduces the shadow formed by the long-side chamfered surfaces and joints of two decorative panels that are joined together in the short-side direction. A second shadow pattern is formed at the bottom of the horizontal grooves by the decorative layer, which reproduces the shadow formed by the short-side chamfered surfaces and joints of two decorative panels that are joined together in the long-side direction. Therefore, according to the first invention, when multiple decorative panels are joined in the short-side and long-side directions, the shadow patterns formed on each decorative panel make the appearance of the decorative grooves (vertical grooves or horizontal grooves with a decorative layer applied) and the joints of the decorative panels similar, making the joints between adjacent decorative panels less noticeable. Thus, according to the first invention, when multiple decorative panels are joined vertically and horizontally, it is possible to provide decorative panels with excellent design in which the joints between decorative panels are less noticeable.

[0011] The second invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, the surface of the substrate is divided into a plurality of surface portions by at least one vertical groove, the short-side chamfered surface is formed between the short-side surface of the substrate and at least one of the surface portions, at least one horizontal groove is formed on the second surface portion of the plurality of surface portions other than the first surface portion on which the short-side chamfered surface is formed, the plurality of surface portions are configured such that one end in the short-side direction of the substrate becomes the second surface portion, and the first surface portion is always adjacent to the second surface portion, and a continuous pattern is formed by the decorative layer on the first end on one end in the long-side direction of the second surface portion and the second end on the other end, which connects the first end and the second end when the second end is placed on the edge side of the first end.

[0012] In the second invention, at least one vertical groove is formed on the surface of the base material, and a long-side chamfer is formed between the long side surface of the base material and the surface, extending from one end to the other. Therefore, when multiple decorative panels are joined together in a vertical or horizontal arrangement, grooves parallel to the vertical groove are formed at the long-side joining portion of the decorative panels by the long-side chamfer, making gaps and steps less noticeable and enhancing the overall design integrity. On the other hand, between the short side surface of the base material and the surface, a short-side chamfer is formed only between a portion of the multiple surface portions, specifically between a first surface portion and the short side surface, and a second surface portion without a short-side chamfer is always adjacent to the first surface portion. Therefore, when multiple decorative panels are joined together in a vertical or horizontal arrangement, grooves parallel to the horizontal groove are formed in the portion of the short-side joining portion of the decorative panels corresponding to the first surface portion by the respective short-side chamfers, while no groove is formed in the portion corresponding to the second surface portion adjacent to the first surface portion, and the second surface portions abut against each other. In other words, at the short-side joint of the decorative panel, a groove parallel to the horizontal groove is formed by the chamfered edge of the short side without crossing the vertical groove, making gaps and steps less noticeable and enhancing the overall design integrity.

[0013] Furthermore, in the second invention, a pattern is formed on the surface of the substrate by the decorative layer, and a continuous pattern is formed between the first end on one end of the second surface portion in the long-side direction and the second end on the other end, which connects across the first end and the second end when the second end is placed on the short-side side of the first end. By forming such a continuous pattern, when another decorative panel is joined to one end in the long-side direction, the second surface portions abut against each other at the short-side joining portion, and the pattern at the first end of the second surface portion of one decorative panel connects with the pattern at the second end of the second surface portion of the other decorative panel, forming a continuous pattern. In other words, according to the second invention, when other decorative panels are joined side by side in the long-side direction, a groove parallel to the horizontal groove is formed in the portion of the short-side joining portion corresponding to the first surface portion, and no groove is formed in the portion corresponding to the second surface portion adjacent to the first surface portion, so that the second surface portions abut against each other, and a continuous pattern is formed that spans across the abutted second surface portions. Therefore, according to the second invention, when multiple pieces are joined vertically and horizontally, the unity between the second surface portions is emphasized by the continuous pattern that spans across the butted second surface portions, thereby providing a decorative panel with excellent design that makes the seams inconspicuous.

[0014] The third invention is characterized in that, in the second invention, the first shadow pattern is a linear pattern extending in the direction of the long side of the substrate, and the second shadow pattern is a linear pattern extending in the direction of the short side of the substrate.

[0015] In the third invention, the first and second shadow patterns can be easily formed.

[0016] The fourth invention is characterized in that, in the third invention, the linear pattern is not of uniform thickness.

[0017] The shadows at the joints of decorative panels have subtle fluctuations in shading, and if the linear pattern is of uniform thickness, it may not look like the shadows of the joints. Therefore, in the fourth invention, the linear patterns that make up the first and second shadow patterns are of non-uniform thickness. By forming the first and second shadow patterns with such non-uniform thickness linear patterns, it is possible to create first and second shadow patterns that look more natural and resemble the shadows at the joints of decorative panels, and to provide decorative panels with excellent design where the joints between the panels are not noticeable.

[0018] The fifth invention is characterized in that, in the third invention, the linear pattern has a non-uniform color tone over at least one of the length and width directions.

[0019] The shadows at the joints of decorative panels have subtle variations in shade, and if the linear pattern has a uniform color tone across the length or width, it may not resemble the shadows of the joints. Therefore, in the fifth invention, the linear patterns constituting the first and second shadow patterns have a non-uniform color tone across the length or width. By forming the first and second shadow patterns with such a non-uniform color tone across the length or width, it is possible to create first and second shadow patterns that more closely resemble the shadows at the joints of decorative panels and do not look unnatural, thereby providing decorative panels with excellent design where the joints between the panels are not noticeable.

[0020] The sixth invention is a decorative panel series comprising a plurality of decorative panels according to any one of the second to fifth inventions, characterized in that the patterns on the entire surface of the base material of the plurality of decorative panels are different from each other, while the same continuous pattern is formed on the second surface portion at the same position.

[0021] In the sixth invention, the patterns on the entire surfaces of the plurality of decorative panels are different from each other, while the same continuous pattern is formed on the second surface portion at the same position. By configuring a plurality of decorative panels in this manner, it is possible to easily provide a decorative panel series composed of a plurality of decorative panels that have different surface patterns but have inconspicuous seams between the decorative panels when joined vertically and horizontally. In addition, by forming floors, walls, and the like using this decorative panel series, it is possible to construct floors, walls, and the like with excellent design properties, in which the same pattern is not repeated over and over and the seams between the decorative panels are inconspicuous.

[0022] A seventh invention is characterized in that, in the sixth invention, a plurality of the second surface portions are defined on the surface of the base material of each of the decorative panels, and different continuous patterns are formed on the plurality of second surface portions in each of the decorative panels.

[0023] In the seventh invention, when a plurality of second surface portions are defined on each decorative panel, different continuous patterns are formed on each of the plurality of second surface portions, so that the design of the short-side joint portion of the decorative panel does not become monotonous. Therefore, according to the seventh invention, it is possible to construct floors, walls, and the like with more excellent design properties. Effects of the Invention

[0024] As described above, according to the present invention, the decorative layer is constituted by a coating film layer, and a shadow pattern is applied to the groove bottom of the decorative groove of the decorative panel. Therefore, when a plurality of the decorative panels are arranged vertically and horizontally, it is possible to provide a decorative panel with excellent design properties in which seams are inconspicuous, and a decorative panel series composed of a plurality of decorative panels. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a decorative panel according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the decorative panel of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction of the arrows along line III-III in FIG. 2. [Figure 4]Figure 4 is a view taken along the line IV-IV in Figure 2. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view in the direction of the VV line in Figure 4. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram of the surface pattern of the decorative panel shown in Figure 1. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 6. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a magnified view of a portion of the groove pattern of the decorative panel shown in Figure 1. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows the schematic configuration of the decorative panel series. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which multiple decorative panels according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention are joined together vertically and horizontally and used as a decorative flooring material. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a plan view of the decorative panel according to Embodiment 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are merely preferred examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0027] Embodiment 1 of the Invention Figure 1 shows a decorative panel A according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, which is used, for example, as flooring material. In order to make it appear as if multiple decorative panels have been joined together, decorative grooves B are formed on the surface of decorative panel A, with a depth equal to the vertical grooves 31 and horizontal grooves 32 formed by the chamfered surfaces 16 and 17 at the joint portions of decorative panel A.

[0028] -composition- As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the decorative panel A comprises a rectangular plate-shaped base material 10 and a decorative layer 20 formed on the surface of the base material 10.

[0029] <Composition of the base material> The above-mentioned base material 10 is composed of wood-based boards such as plywood with a thickness of approximately 3 mm to 25 mm, insulation board (IB), medium-density fiberboard (MDF), oriented strand board (OSB), particle board (PB), or any single or composite material thereof. The base material 10 can also be other wood-based boards or inorganic board materials such as "Dylight" manufactured by Daiken Corporation, or other board-like materials commonly used as building materials. For example, the base material 10 consists of a rectangular board with a thickness of 15 mm, a width of 303 mm, and a length of 1818 mm.

[0030] The surface 11 of the base material 10 has at least one (one in this embodiment 1) vertical groove 14 extending in the direction of the long side of the base material 10, and a plurality (three in this embodiment 1) of horizontal grooves 15 extending in the direction of the short side of the base material 10. The vertical groove 14 and horizontal groove 15 have a decorative layer 20, which will be described later, formed on the inner surface of the grooves, forming the decorative groove B of the decorative panel A.

[0031] The vertical groove 14 is formed vertically from one end to the other in the long direction at the center of the short side direction of the base material 10, so as to bisect the surface 11 of the base material 10. This vertical groove 14 divides the surface 11 of the base material 10 into two surface portions 11a and 11b. In this embodiment, the vertical groove 14 has two groove sides inclined at a predetermined inclination angle (for example, 30° to 60°) with respect to the surface 11 of the base material 10, and its cross-sectional shape is V-shaped. The depth of the vertical groove 14 is 0.3 mm to 2.0 mm, and the groove width is, for example, 0.3 mm to 4.0 mm. The inclination angle of the groove sides of the vertical groove 14 is approximately the same as the inclination angle of the long-side chamfered surface 16, which will be described later. The cross-sectional shape of the vertical groove 14 is not limited to a V-shape; it may be rectangular, U-shaped, a V-shape with a wide base, an R-shape, etc.

[0032] The transverse grooves 15 are formed on each of the two surface portions 11a and 11b of the base material 10. One transverse groove 15 is formed on the first surface portion 11a, and two transverse grooves 15 are formed on the second surface portion 11b. In this embodiment, the transverse grooves 15 are formed so that their cross-sectional shape is the same as that of the longitudinal grooves 14. That is, the transverse grooves 15 have two groove sides that are inclined at a predetermined inclination angle (for example, 30° to 60°) with respect to the surface 11 of the base material 10, and their cross-sectional shape is formed in a V-shape. The depth of the transverse grooves 15 is 0.3 mm to 2.0 mm, which is the same as the depth of the longitudinal grooves 14, and the groove width is, for example, 0.3 mm to 4.0 mm, which is the same as the groove width of the longitudinal grooves 14. The inclination angle of the groove sides of the transverse grooves 15 is approximately the same as the inclination angle of the short-side chamfered surface 17, which will be described later. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the horizontal groove 15 is not limited to a V-shape; it may also be rectangular, U-shaped, a V-shape with a wide base, or an R-shape.

[0033] The horizontal grooves 15 are formed at different positions between the first surface portion 11a and the second surface portion 11b. In this embodiment 1, the horizontal groove 15 is formed at the center of the long side direction of the base material 10 on the first surface portion 11a. On the other hand, on the second surface portion 11b, the horizontal grooves 15 are formed at the positions of the first and third line segments of the three line segments that divide the base material 10 into four equal parts in the long side direction. By forming the horizontal grooves 15 at different positions between the adjacent first surface portion 11a and the second surface portion 11b in this way, the design of the decorative panel A is improved. Furthermore, in this embodiment 1, the horizontal grooves 15 are formed such that the distance between the horizontal grooves 15 aligned in the long side direction of the base material 10 on the first surface portion 11a and the short side chamfered surface 17 (described later) is equal to the distance between the two horizontal grooves 15 aligned in the long side direction of the base material 10 on the second surface portion 11b.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, chamfered long-side surfaces 16 are formed between the surface 11 of the base material 10 and each long-side surface 12, with the corners cut out at an angle (or in an arc shape). In this embodiment, the chamfered long-side surfaces 16 are formed as inclined surfaces made of flat surfaces, and as described above, their inclination angle is formed to be approximately the same as the inclination angle of the groove side surface of the vertical groove 14. The chamfered long-side surfaces 16 do not have to be flat surfaces (C surfaces), but may also be curved surfaces (R surfaces), but it is preferable to configure them in the same way as the groove side surface of the vertical groove 14.

[0035] Between the surface 11 of the base material 10 and each short side surface 13, a chamfered short side surface 17 is formed only between the first surface portion 11a and each short side surface 13, with the corners cut out at an angle (or in an arc shape). In this embodiment, the chamfered short side surface 17 is formed as an inclined surface made of a flat surface, and as described above, its inclination angle is formed to be approximately the same as the inclination angle of the groove side surface of the transverse groove 15. As shown in Figure 4, no chamfered short side surface 17 is formed between the second surface portion 11b and each short side surface 13, and the second surface portion 11b and each short side surface 13 are continuous at approximately a right angle. The chamfered short side surface 17 does not have to be a flat surface (C surface) but may also be a curved surface (R surface), but it is preferable to configure it in the same way as the groove side surface of the transverse groove 15.

[0036] Female joints 18 or male joints 19 are formed on each of the four circumferential sides 12, 12, 13, 13 of the base material 10. Specifically, on one of the long sides 12, 12 facing each other in the short direction of the base material 10, a female joint 18 is formed, and on the other side, a male joint 19 that can be fitted into the female joint 18 is formed. Also, on one of the short sides 13, 13 facing each other in the long direction of the base material 10, a female joint 18 is formed, and on the other side, a male joint 19 that can be fitted into the female joint 18 is formed. By fitting the male joint 19 of the adjacent decorative panel A (base material 10) into the female joint 18, the two decorative panels A, A are installed side by side.

[0037] The female joints 18, 18 on the long side surface 12 and the short side surface 13 are constructed similarly. The female joints 18, 18 are formed by cutting out the intermediate portion of the long side surface 12 and the short side surface 13 of the base material 10 so that the intermediate portion in the thickness direction (front-back direction) becomes a groove 18a.

[0038] The male joints 19, 19 on the long side surface 12 and the short side surface 13 are constructed similarly. The male joints 19, 19 are formed by cutting out the front and back sides of the intermediate portion of the long side surface 12 and the short side surface 13 of the base material 10 so that the intermediate portion in the front-back direction becomes a convex ridge 19a.

[0039] As described above, in this embodiment, the base material 10 is subjected to a so-called tongue-and-groove joint, forming a female tongue 18 and a male tongue 19, so that the end faces of adjacent decorative panels A fit together. However, the structure for fitting the end faces of adjacent decorative panels A is not limited to this. For example, a so-called interlocking structure may be formed by cutting out the front side in the thickness direction of the base material 10 on one of the long side surface 12 and the short side surface 13 of the base material 10, and cutting out the back side in the thickness direction of the other side of the base material 10.

[0040] <Composition of the cosmetic layer> As shown in Figure 5, the decorative layer 20 is formed on the surface 11 of the substrate 10, the inner surfaces of the vertical grooves 14 and horizontal grooves 15, and the long-side chamfered surface 16 and short-side chamfered surface 17 (hereinafter, these together are referred to as the "decorative surface"). The decorative layer 20 comprises a base coat layer 21, an ink receiving layer 22, an inkjet printing layer 23, and a protective layer 24. The base coat layer 21, the ink receiving layer 22, the inkjet printing layer 23, and the protective layer 24 are applied in this order to the decorative surface of the substrate 10.

[0041] The undercoat layer 21 is formed by applying an undercoat paint to the decorative surface of the substrate 10. The undercoat layer 21 is a sealing layer that smooths the decorative surface by filling the fine pores of the decorative surface of the substrate 10, and also prevents the other layers 22-24 from seeping into the substrate 10. The components of the undercoat paint are not particularly limited, but for example, various synthetic resins such as acrylic resin, urethane resin, epoxy resin, vinyl chloride resin, silicone resin, or mixtures arbitrarily selected from these, coating modifiers such as dispersants and thickeners, and water as the main components, to which an isocyanate curing agent can be mixed, etc., and these can be used as the undercoat paint.

[0042] The ink receiving layer 22 is formed by applying a coating for the receiving layer on top of the undercoat layer 21. The ink receiving layer 22 is provided to quickly fix the ink sprayed from the inkjet printer to its surface in order to form the inkjet printing layer 23. The components of the coating for the receiving layer are not particularly limited, but for example, various synthetic resins such as acrylic resin, urethane resin, epoxy resin, vinyl chloride resin, silicone resin or mixtures arbitrarily selected from these, inorganic particles such as amorphous silica, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, coating modifiers such as dispersants and thickeners, and water as the main components, mixed with an isocyanate curing agent, can be used as the coating for the receiving layer.

[0043] The inkjet printing layer 23 is formed on the ink receiving layer 22 by spraying ink from an inkjet printer. The inkjet printing layer 23 forms a pattern on the ink receiving layer 22 with ink. The ink is not particularly limited as long as it can be sprayed from an inkjet printer, but various types of inks such as water-based, solvent-based, and UV (ultraviolet) curing inks can be used. The components of the ink include, for example, pigments and dispersants as colorants, or dyes as colorants, and pigments and dyes can be used according to the color of the ink to be used.

[0044] The inkjet printing layer 23 may have any pattern formed on the ink receiving layer 22, but in this embodiment 1, the pattern is configured to have a shadow pattern L and a wood grain pattern D.

[0045] As shown in Figures 6-8, the shadow pattern L is formed on the bottom of the vertical grooves 14 and horizontal grooves 15, extending along the groove bottoms. The shadow pattern L has one first shadow pattern L1 formed in one vertical groove 14 and two second shadow patterns L2, L2 formed in two horizontal grooves 15, 15. The decorative layer 20 is divided into five blocks by the shadow pattern L.

[0046] The first shadow pattern L1 is a linear pattern extending in the direction of the long side of the base material 10. The first shadow pattern L1 extends from one end to the other on the bottom of the vertical groove 14. The first shadow pattern L1 is a pattern that reproduces the shadow formed at the long-side joint portion (near the joint) when two decorative panels A, A are joined in the short-side direction (joined at their long sides) by the long-side chamfered surfaces 16, 16 of the two decorative panels A, A that abut each other and the joint. Therefore, in this embodiment 1, as shown in Figure 8, the first shadow pattern L1 is formed so that its thickness (width) is not uniform. The first shadow pattern L1 is formed so that there is fluctuation in thickness (for example, a fluctuation range of 0.5 mm or less). In addition, in this embodiment 1, the first shadow pattern L1 is formed so that its color tone is not uniform along the length direction. Specifically, the first shadow pattern L1 is composed of tones corresponding to the tones of the wood grain pattern D, and is configured such that at least one of the three attributes of color (hue, lightness, and saturation) changes along its length.

[0047] The second shadow pattern L2 is a linear pattern extending in the short-side direction of the base material 10. The second shadow pattern L2 extends from one end to the other on the bottom of the horizontal groove 15. The second shadow pattern L2 is a pattern that reproduces the shadow formed at the short-side joint portion (near the joint) when two decorative panels A, A are joined in the long-side direction (joined at their short sides) by the short-side chamfered surfaces 17, 17 of the two decorative panels A, A that abut each other and the joint. Therefore, in this embodiment 1, the second shadow pattern L2 is formed so that its thickness (width) is not uniform. The second shadow pattern L2 is formed so that there is fluctuation in thickness (for example, a fluctuation range of 0.5 mm or less). In addition, in this embodiment 1, the second shadow pattern L2 is formed so that its color tone is not uniform along the length direction. Specifically, the second shadow pattern L2 is composed of tones corresponding to the tones of the wood grain pattern D, and is configured such that at least one of the three attributes of color (hue, lightness, and saturation) changes along its length.

[0048] The wood grain pattern D is formed on the decorative surface of the base material 10 (surface 11, the inner surfaces of the vertical grooves 14 and horizontal grooves 15, and the chamfered surfaces 16 and 17) in areas other than the first and second shadow patterns L. Multiple patterns (for example, 5 patterns) of the wood grain pattern D are available. The pattern configuration of the wood grain pattern D will be described later.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment 1, when another decorative panel A is joined in the direction of the longer side (joining the shorter sides together), the wood grain pattern D) formed on the second surface portion 11b that abuts against the two decorative panels A, A is configured to appear continuous.

[0050] Specifically, at least one linear pattern x,y representing a portion of the wood grain extending to the edge is formed on the first end X on one end in the long-side direction and the second end Y on the other end of the second surface portion 11b of the decorative panel A, and the linear patterns x,y are configured to connect when the second end Y is placed next to the edge side of the first end X (upper side in Figure 6).

[0051] Here, the first end X refers to a predetermined distance h (5 mm to 20 mm) from one end of the second surface portion 11b in the long-side direction (upper end in Figure 6). Similarly, the second end Y refers to a predetermined distance h (5 mm to 20 mm) from the other end of the second surface portion 11b in the long-side direction (lower end in Figure 6).

[0052] In this embodiment 1, two linear patterns x and y are formed. As shown in Figure 6, the two linear patterns x extend in the direction of the long side of the base material 10 from the first end X to points P1 and P2 on the edge of one end (the upper edge in Figure 6), and the two linear patterns y extend in the direction of the long side of the base material 10 from points Q1 and Q2 on the edge of the other end (the lower edge in Figure 6) of the second end Y. Points Q1 and Q2 are points on the edge of the other end (the lower edge in Figure 6) of the second end Y that correspond to points P1 and P2 when the second end Y is placed on the edge side (the upper side in Figure 6) of the first end X. With this configuration, the linear patterns x and y form a continuous pattern xy that spans both the first end X and the second end Y when the second end Y is placed on the edge side of the first end X.

[0053] Furthermore, in decorative panel A, by forming linear patterns x and y configured in this way, when multiple decorative panels A are joined in the direction of the longer side (joined together along the shorter sides), at the abutting portion (part of the shorter side joining portion) where the second surface portions 11b of each decorative panel A meet, the linear pattern x formed on the first end X of one decorative panel A and the linear pattern y formed on the second end Y of the other decorative panel A that is abutted against the first end X connect, forming a continuous pattern xy that spans both decorative panels A.

[0054] The protective layer 24 is formed by applying a transparent protective coating to the surface 11 of the substrate 10 on which the undercoat layer 21, ink receiving layer 22, and inkjet printing layer 23 are formed. The protective layer 24 is provided to protect the inkjet printing layer 23. The components of the protective coating are not particularly limited, but for example, thermosetting resin coatings such as DAP (diallyl phthalate) resin, melamine resin, and unsaturated polyester resin can be used as the protective coating. The protective layer 24 is formed to a thickness of about 30 μm.

[0055] <Male Fruit Cosmetic Layer> In this embodiment 1, when multiple decorative panels A, ..., A are joined together, relatively large gaps (seams) may occur at the joints. In such cases, even if shadow patterns L and linear patterns x, y are formed on each decorative panel A as described above, there may be cases where two shadow patterns L (especially the first shadow pattern L1) or linear patterns x, y are not continuous between the decorative panels A, A. Therefore, in addition to forming a decorative layer 20 on the decorative surface of each decorative panel A, a decorative layer 30 is also applied to the inner ends on the side surfaces 12, 13 of the upper surface of the protruding ridge portion 19a of the tongue and groove 19. The decorative layer 30, like the decorative layer 20, comprises a primer layer, an ink receiving layer, an inkjet printing layer, and a protective layer.

[0056] In this embodiment 1, as shown in Figure 6, a decorative layer 30 is formed on the upper surface of the protruding portion 19a of the male joint 19 that falls within the coating range Z. The decorative layer 30 is formed together with each of the layers 21 to 24 of the decorative layer 20 by expanding the coating range from the decorative surface of the substrate 10 to the coating range Z when applying each paint to form each of the layers 21 to 24 of the decorative layer 20.

[0057] By providing the decorative layer 30 in this manner, as shown in Figure 6, the shadow pattern L and wood grain pattern D are also formed on the upper surface of the protruding portion 19a of the tongue and groove 19. Therefore, when two decorative panels A, A are joined in the direction of their long sides (joining their short sides together), even if a relatively large gap (seam) is created at the joint, the decorative layer 30 formed on the upper surface of the protruding portion 19a of the tongue and groove 19 applies the first shadow pattern L1 and wood grain pattern D to the gap as well. This makes the first shadow pattern L1 and wood grain pattern D appear to be continuous between the two decorative panels A, A, and the joint of the first shadow pattern L1 and wood grain pattern D becomes less noticeable.

[0058] -Pattern composition- As shown in Figure 9, in this embodiment 1, five wood grain patterns D1 to D5 are provided as the wood grain patterns D formed by the inkjet printing layer 23. Although the wood grain patterns D1 to D5 are different from each other, each has two linear patterns x and y. In other words, each wood grain pattern D1 to D5 has two linear patterns x and y, and the patterns d1 to d5 other than the linear patterns x and y are different from each other. In this embodiment 1, the same shadow pattern L is used for the five wood grain patterns D1 to D5, but different shadow patterns L may be used as long as the thickness and color tone are varied to a similar extent in the length direction. Furthermore, the shadow pattern L may be made different according to the wood grain pattern D so as to match the color tone of the adjacent wood grain pattern D.

[0059] The method for creating the wood grain patterns D1-D5 and shadow pattern L may be any method, but they may also be created using AI (Artificial Intelligence). Using AI, even complex patterns can be instantly created in a vast number of variations. Alternatively, the patterns may be created by manually inputting the patterns, or they may be created using image data extracted from photographs, such as wood grain patterns or shadows formed at the joints of decorative panels A, A. The created patterns are then digitized and sent to an inkjet printer.

[0060] -Manufacturing method- Next, the manufacturing method for the decorative panel A described above will be explained. This manufacturing method comprises (1) a cutting process, (2) a base coat layer formation process, (3) a receiving layer formation process, (4) a printing process, and (5) a protective layer formation process.

[0061] (1)Cutting process First, the base material 10 is subjected to machining. The machining includes filler cutting, chamfering, and groove cutting. Filler cutting and chamfering may be performed simultaneously or sequentially.

[0062] [Actual processing steps] In the actual processing step, the four sides of the base material 10 are notched, and female fruits 18 and male fruits 19 are processed on the long sides 12, 12 and the short sides 13, 13, respectively.

[0063] [Chamfering process] In the chamfering process, a chamfered long-side surface 16 is formed between the surface 11 of the base material 10 and each long-side surface 12 by cutting the corners at an angle (or in an arc shape). The chamfered long-side surface 16 is formed by cutting the corners between the surface 11 of the base material 10 and each long-side surface 12 from one end to the other in the long-side direction of the base material 10.

[0064] Furthermore, in the chamfering process, a chamfered short-side surface 17 is formed between the surface 11 of the base material 10 and each short-side surface 13 by cutting the corners at an angle (or in an arc shape). The chamfered short-side surface 17 formed between the surface 11 of the base material 10 and each short-side surface 13 is formed only between the first surface portion 11a and each short-side surface 13, and not between the second surface portion 11b and each short-side surface 13. Note that a chamfered short-side surface 17 that would form the lateral groove 32 described later is not formed between the second surface portion 11b and each short-side surface 13, but a fine chamfered surface (so-called thread chamfer) resulting from processing such as deburring may be formed.

[0065] [Groove machining process] In the grooving process, a V-shaped longitudinal groove 14 is formed in the center of the surface 11 of the base material 10 in the short-side direction, extending from one end (one short-side surface 13) to the other end (the other short-side surface 13) in the long-side direction. The longitudinal groove 14 is formed by cutting the central part of the surface 11 of the base material 10 in the short-side direction into a V-shaped cross-section from one end to the other in the long-side direction of the base material 10.

[0066] Furthermore, in the grooving process, horizontal grooves 15 with a V-shaped cross-section are formed on two surface portions 11a and 11b of the surface 11 of the base material 10, extending in the short-side direction from one end (long-side surface 12) to the other end (vertical groove 14). The single horizontal groove 15 formed on the first surface portion 11a is formed by cutting the central part of the base material 10 in the long-side direction into a V-shaped cross-section from the long-side surface 12 to the vertical groove 14. The two horizontal grooves 15 formed on the second surface portion 11b are formed by cutting the positions of the first and third line segments of three line segments that divide the base material 10 into four equal parts in the long-side direction into a V-shaped cross-section from the long-side surface 12 to the vertical groove 14.

[0067] (2) Undercoat layer formation process In the undercoat layer formation process, undercoat paint is applied to the decorative surface (surface 11, inner surface of grooves 14 and 15, and chamfered surfaces 16 and 17) of the substrate 10 in which grooves 14 and 15 were formed in the cutting process, and to the upper surface of the raised ridge portion 19a of the male tongue 19 that falls within the application range Z, thereby forming the undercoat layer 21 of the decorative layer 20 and the undercoat layer of the decorative layer 30. Specifically, undercoat paint is applied to the surface 11 of the substrate 10 using an application device such as a die coater, knife coater, or comma coater, and then dried to harden the coating film and form the undercoat layer 21.

[0068] (3) Receptive layer formation process In the ink receiving layer formation process, an ink receiving layer paint is applied to the undercoat layer 21 of the decorative layer 20 and the undercoat layer of the decorative layer 30, which were formed in the undercoat layer formation process, to form the ink receiving layer 22. Specifically, using a coating device such as a die coater, knife coater, or comma coater, the ink receiving layer paint is applied to the entire decorative surface of the substrate 10 on which the undercoat layer 21 is formed, and to the upper surface of the protruding portion 19a of the male joint 19 that falls within the coating range Z on which the undercoat layer of the decorative layer 30 is formed. After drying, the coating film is hardened to form the ink receiving layer 22 of the decorative layer 20 and the ink receiving layer of the decorative layer 30.

[0069] (4)Printing process In the printing process, ink is sprayed by an inkjet printer onto the ink receiving layer 22 of the decorative layer 20 and the ink receiving layer of the decorative layer 30, which were formed in the receiving layer formation process, to form an inkjet printing layer 23. Specifically, as described above, the inkjet printer sprays ink onto the decorative surface of the substrate 10 on which the ink receiving layer 22 of the decorative layer 20 is formed and onto the upper surface of the raised portion 19a of the male tongue 19 that falls within the coating area Z on which the ink receiving layer of the decorative layer 30 is formed, based on data of shadow patterns L and wood grain patterns D1 to D5 that were created in advance using AI or the like, to print a pattern having one of the wood grain patterns D1 to D5 and a shadow pattern L. After printing, the sprayed ink is dried and cured or UV cured to form the inkjet printing layer 23 of the decorative layer 20 and the inkjet printing layer of the decorative layer 30.

[0070] (5) Protective layer formation process In the protective layer formation process, a transparent protective coating is applied to the inkjet printed layer 23 of the decorative layer 20 and the inkjet printed layer of the decorative layer 30, which were formed in the printing process, to form a protective layer 24. Specifically, a transparent protective coating is applied to the entire decorative surface of the substrate 10 on which the inkjet printed layer 23 is formed and to the upper surface of the protruding portion 19a of the male joint 19, which is within the application range Z on which the inkjet printed layer of the decorative layer 30 is formed, using an application device such as a die coater, knife coater, or comma coater. The coating film is then hardened by drying to form the protective layer 24 of the decorative layer 20 and the protective layer of the decorative layer 30.

[0071] By going through the above steps, the decorative panel A described above is obtained.

[0072] -Installation methods of decorative panels- Next, the installation method of decorative panel A will be described. In this embodiment 1, as an example, a case in which multiple decorative panels A are installed on the floor base material to serve as a decorative flooring material will be described.

[0073] As shown in Figure 10, when decorative panel A is used as a flooring material, multiple decorative panels A are installed on top of the flooring material. Multiple decorative panels A are arranged in the same orientation in both the long and short sides, and are joined together.

[0074] Specifically, two decorative panels A (base material 10) whose long sides are joined together are joined by fitting the female tongue 18 on the long side surface 12 of one decorative panel A with the male tongue 19 on the long side surface 12 of the other decorative panel A. Similarly, two decorative panels A (base material 10) whose short sides are joined together are joined by fitting the female tongue 18 on the short side surface 13 of one decorative panel A with the male tongue 19 on the short side surface 13 of the other decorative panel A.

[0075] As shown in Figure 10, at the joint portion of two decorative panels A where their long sides are joined (hereinafter referred to as the long-side joint portion of decorative panels A), a V-shaped vertical groove 31 is formed by the chamfered surfaces 16 of the long sides of each panel, with the cross-sectional shape and length being approximately equal to the vertical groove 14. In this way, the formation of a vertical groove 31 at the long-side joint portion of decorative panels A, which looks similar to the vertical groove 14 formed on each decorative panel A, makes the joint portion less noticeable.

[0076] Furthermore, in the joint portion of the two decorative panels A where their short sides are joined (hereinafter referred to as the short-side joint portion of decorative panel A), a V-shaped horizontal groove 32 is formed in the portion corresponding to the first surface portion 11a by the chamfered short sides 17 of the two decorative panels A, with a cross-sectional shape and length approximately equal to that of the horizontal groove 15. On the other hand, in the short-side joint portion of decorative panel A, no chamfered short side 17 is formed in the portion corresponding to the second surface portion 11b, and the second surface portions 11b, 11b are butted together. Therefore, in the short-side joint portion of decorative panel A, the butt joint portion 33 where the second surface portions 11b are butted together is connected flat and without gaps, as if the second surface portions 11b of the two decorative panels A were continuous.

[0077] Thus, at the short-side joint portion of decorative panel A, V-shaped horizontal grooves 32, which have a cross-sectional shape and length approximately equal to the horizontal grooves 15, are formed only on the first surface portion 11a side, similar to the horizontal grooves 15 which are formed at different positions between the first and second surface portions 11a and 11b, so as not to be aligned at the same position between the first and second surface portions 11a and 11b. As a result, horizontal grooves 32 are formed at the short-side joint portion of decorative panel A that appear to be the same shape and similarly arranged as the horizontal grooves 15 formed on each decorative panel A, making the joint portion less noticeable.

[0078] Furthermore, each decorative panel A has linear patterns x and y formed on the first end X on one end of the second surface portion 11b in the longitudinal direction and on the second end Y on the other end, respectively, which form a continuous pattern xy that connects across the first end X and the second end Y when the second end Y is placed on the edge side of the first end X. Therefore, when multiple decorative panels A are joined together in the longitudinal direction, at the butt joint portion 33 (part of the short-side joint portion) where the second surface portions 11b of each decorative panel A are joined, the linear pattern x formed on the first end X of one decorative panel A and the linear pattern y formed on the second end Y of the other decorative panel A that is butted against the first end X connect, forming a continuous pattern xy that spans both decorative panels A. In this way, at the butt joint 33 where the second surface portions 11b of the short-side joint portions of each decorative panel A are joined together, the second surface portions 11b of the two decorative panels A are connected flatly without any gaps, and a continuous pattern xy is formed across both decorative panels A by the decorative layer 20 (specifically, the inkjet printed layer 23), making the joint portion less noticeable.

[0079] Furthermore, each decorative panel A has a decorative layer 20 that forms a first shadow pattern L1 at the bottom of the vertical groove 14, which reproduces the shadow formed by the long-side chamfered surfaces 16,16 of two decorative panels A,A that abut each other when they are joined in the short-side direction, and the joint. A second shadow pattern L2 is formed at the bottom of the horizontal groove 15, which reproduces the shadow formed by the short-side chamfered surfaces 17,17 of two decorative panels A,A that abut each other when they are joined in the long-side direction, and the joint. As a result, when multiple decorative panels A, ..., A are joined in the short-side and long-side directions, the shadow patterns L formed on each decorative panel A make the appearance of the decorative groove B and the joints similar, and the joints of the decorative panels A become less noticeable.

[0080] -Effects of Embodiment 1- In the decorative panel A of the above embodiment 1, at least one vertical groove 14 or horizontal groove 15 is formed on the surface 11 of the base material 10, a long-side chamfered surface 16 extending from one end to the other is formed between the long side surface 12 of the base material 10 and the surface 11, and a short-side chamfered surface 17 is formed between the short side surface 13 of the base material 10 and at least a part of the surface 11. Therefore, when multiple decorative panels A, ..., A are joined together in a vertical and horizontal arrangement, grooves parallel to the vertical groove 14 are formed by the long-side chamfered surfaces 16, 16 at the long-side joining portion of the decorative panels A, A, or grooves parallel to the horizontal groove 15 are formed by the short-side chamfered surfaces 17, 17 at the short-side joining portion of the decorative panels A, A, making gaps and steps less noticeable and increasing the overall design integrity.

[0081] Furthermore, in the decorative panel A of the first embodiment described above, the decorative layer 20 forms a first shadow pattern L1 at the bottom of the vertical groove 14 that reproduces the shadow formed by the long-side chamfered surfaces 16,16 of the two decorative panels A,A that abut each other when the two decorative panels A,A are joined in the short-side direction, and the joint between them. A second shadow pattern L2 is formed at the bottom of the horizontal groove 15 that reproduces the shadow formed by the short-side chamfered surfaces 17,17 of the two decorative panels A,A that abut each other when the two decorative panels A,A are joined in the long-side direction, and the joint between them. As a result, with the decorative panel A of the first embodiment, when multiple decorative panels A,A are joined in the short-side and long-side directions, the shadow patterns L formed on each decorative panel A make the appearance of the decorative groove B (with the decorative layer 20 applied to the vertical groove 14 and horizontal groove 15) and the joint between the decorative panels A,A look similar, and the joints between adjacent decorative panels A,A become less noticeable. Therefore, according to Embodiment 1, when multiple decorative panels A, A are joined together vertically and horizontally, it is possible to provide a decorative panel A with excellent design, in which the joints between adjacent decorative panels A, A are not noticeable.

[0082] Furthermore, in the decorative panel A of the above embodiment 1, at least one vertical groove 14 is formed on the surface 11 of the base material 10, and a long-side chamfered surface 16 is formed between the long side surface 12 of the base material 10 and the surface 11, extending from one end to the other. Therefore, when multiple decorative panels A are joined together in a vertical and horizontal arrangement, the long-side chamfered surface 16 forms a groove parallel to the vertical groove 14 at the long-side joining portion of the decorative panel A, making gaps and steps less noticeable and enhancing the overall design integrity. On the other hand, between the short side surface 13 of the base material 10 and the surface 11, a short-side chamfered surface 17 is formed only between a portion of the multiple surface portions 11a and the short side surface 13, and a second surface portion 11b without a short-side chamfered surface 17 is always adjacent to the first surface portion 11a. Therefore, when multiple decorative panels A are joined together in a vertical and horizontal arrangement, grooves 32 parallel to the horizontal grooves 15 are formed in the short-side joining portions of decorative panels A in the portions corresponding to the first surface portion 11a by the respective short-side chamfered surfaces 17, while no grooves are formed in the portions corresponding to the second surface portion 11b adjacent to the first surface portion 11a, and the second surface portions 11b, 11b abut against each other. In other words, in the short-side joining portions of decorative panels A, grooves 32 parallel to the horizontal grooves 15 are formed by the short-side chamfered surfaces 17 without crossing the vertical grooves 14, making gaps and steps less noticeable and increasing the overall design integrity.

[0083] Furthermore, in the decorative panel A of the above embodiment 1, when the second end Y on the other end side is placed next to the first end X on the long side side of the second surface portion 11b, a continuous pattern xy is formed that connects the first end X and the second end Y. By forming such a continuous pattern xy, when another decorative panel A is joined to one end side in the long side direction, the second surface portions 11b, 11b abut against each other at the short side joining portion, and the pattern x of the first end X of the second surface portion 11b of one decorative panel A and the pattern y of the second end Y of the second surface portion 11b of the other decorative panel A connect, forming a continuous pattern xy. In other words, according to the decorative panel A of this embodiment 1, when multiple decorative panels A are joined side by side in the long-side direction, a groove 32 parallel to the horizontal groove 15 is formed in the short-side joining portion corresponding to the first surface portion 11a, while no groove is formed in the portion corresponding to the second surface portion 11b adjacent to the first surface portion 11a. As a result, the second surface portions 11b, 11b are butted together, and a continuous pattern xy is formed spanning the butted second surface portions 11b, 11b. Therefore, according to this embodiment 1, when multiple panels are joined vertically and horizontally, the unity of the second surface portions 11b, 11b is emphasized by the continuous pattern xy spanning the butted second surface portions 11b, 11b, thereby providing a decorative panel A with excellent design where the joint portion is inconspicuous.

[0084] Furthermore, in the decorative panel A of Embodiment 1 described above, the continuous pattern xy is composed of linear patterns extending in the long-side direction of the base material 10. Therefore, in the decorative panel A described above, when another decorative panel A is joined side by side in the long-side direction, the linear patterns x and y extend across the two decorative panels A at the butt joint where there is no chamfered surface and the second surface portion 11b is continuous. Accordingly, according to Embodiment 1, it is possible to provide a decorative panel A with excellent design in which the joint is not noticeable due to the linear pattern xy that spans across the two decorative panels A at the short-side joint.

[0085] Furthermore, in the decorative panel A of the above embodiment 1, the first shadow pattern L1 is composed of a linear pattern extending in the direction of the long side of the base material 10, and the second shadow pattern L2 is composed of a linear pattern extending in the direction of the short side of the base material 10. With this configuration, the first and second shadow patterns L1 and L2 can be easily formed.

[0086] By the way, the shadows formed at the joint portion (near the joint) of decorative panels A,A by the chamfered surfaces 16,17 and the joint of the decorative panels A,A have subtle fluctuations in shading, and if the linear pattern is of uniform thickness, it may not look like the shadow at the joint portion of decorative panels A,A. Therefore, in this embodiment 1, the linear patterns that make up the first and second shadow patterns L1,L2 are of non-uniform thickness. By forming the first and second shadow patterns L1,L2 with such non-uniform thickness linear patterns, it is possible to form first and second shadow patterns L1,L2 that look more similar to the shadows formed at the joint portion of decorative panels A,A and do not look unnatural, and a decorative panel A with excellent design is provided in which the joint portion between adjacent decorative panels A,A is not noticeable.

[0087] Furthermore, the shadows formed at the joint portion (near the joint) of decorative panels A,A by the chamfered surfaces 16, 17 of the decorative panels A,A and the joint have subtle variations in shade. If the linear pattern has a uniform color tone along its length, it may not resemble the shadows at the joint portion of decorative panels A,A. Therefore, in this embodiment 1, the linear patterns constituting the first and second shadow patterns L1, L2 have a non-uniform color tone along their length. By forming the first and second shadow patterns L1, L2 with such a non-uniform color tone along their length, it is possible to create first and second shadow patterns L1, L2 that more closely resemble the shadows formed at the joint portion of decorative panels A,A and do not appear unnatural. This makes it possible to provide a decorative panel A with excellent design, where the joint portion between adjacent decorative panels A,A is not noticeable.

[0088] Furthermore, in the decorative panel A of Embodiment 1 described above, the linear pattern (continuous pattern) xy constitutes a part of the wood grain pattern D. Therefore, in the decorative panel A described above, when two decorative panels A are joined side by side in the long-side direction, the continuous pattern xy causes the wood grain pattern D to be continuous across the two decorative panels A at the butt joint portion where there is no chamfered surface and the second surface portion 11b is continuous. Accordingly, according to Embodiment 1, since the wood grain pattern D is formed across the two decorative panels A at the short-side joint portion, it is possible to provide a decorative panel A with excellent design where the joint portion is not noticeable.

[0089] Furthermore, in the above embodiment 1, a decorative panel series comprising multiple decorative panels A is constructed. In the multiple decorative panels A of the decorative panel series, the overall pattern D of the surface 11 of the base material 10 is different from one another, while the same continuous pattern xy is formed on the second surface portion 11b at the same position. In this way, the overall pattern D of the surface 11 is different from one another among the multiple decorative panels A, while the same continuous pattern xy is formed on the second surface portion 11b at the same position. By configuring the multiple decorative panels A in this way, although each has a different surface pattern D (wood grain pattern D1 to D5), it is possible to easily provide a decorative panel series consisting of multiple decorative panels A in which the joints between adjacent decorative panels A are not noticeable when joined vertically and horizontally. In addition, by using this decorative panel series to form floors, walls, etc., it is possible to construct floors, walls, etc. with excellent design, in which the same pattern is not repeated many times and the joints between adjacent decorative panels A, A are not noticeable.

[0090] Embodiment 2 of the Invention Embodiment 2 modifies the surface configuration of the base material 10 of the decorative panel A in Embodiment 1 so that multiple second surface portions 11b are formed.

[0091] Specifically, in Embodiment 2, as shown in Figure 11, two vertical grooves 14 are formed on the surface 11 of the base material 10 of the decorative panel A. The surface 11 of the base material 10 is divided into three surface portions 11a, 11b, and 11b by the two vertical grooves 14, one of which is formed as the first surface portion 11a and the remaining two as the second surface portions 11b.

[0092] Even when the surface 11 of the base material 10 is divided into multiple second surface portions 11b in this way, a continuous pattern xy is formed on each second surface portion 11b. Furthermore, the continuous patterns xy formed on each of the multiple second surface portions 11b in each decorative panel A may be the same, but it is preferable that they be formed to be different from each other. In Embodiment 2, as shown in Figure 11, the second surface portion 11b provided in the middle of the left and right sides of the three surface portions has three continuous patterns x1y1 formed by three linear patterns x1 and three linear patterns y1, and the second surface portion 11b provided on the right side of the three surface portions has two continuous patterns x2y2 formed by two linear patterns x2 and two linear patterns y2. In other words, in Embodiment 2, the continuous patterns xy of the two second surface portions 11b are different from each other.

[0093] Furthermore, in Embodiment 2, in a series of decorative panels A having different surface patterns D formed on them, the same continuous pattern xy is formed on the second surface portion 11b at the same position on each decorative panel A.

[0094] The decorative panel A and decorative panel series of Embodiment 2 can achieve the same effects as the decorative panel A and decorative panel series of Embodiment 1.

[0095] Furthermore, in the decorative panel series of Embodiment 2, different continuous patterns xy are formed on each of the multiple sections of the second surface portion 11b on the surface 11 of the base material 10 of each decorative panel A. As a result, the design of the short-side joint portion of the decorative panel A does not become monotonous. Therefore, according to Embodiment 2, it is possible to construct floors, walls, etc., with superior design.

[0096] Other embodiments In the embodiments 1 and 2 described above, vertical grooves 14 were formed on the surface 11 of the base material 10, and the surface 11 of the base material 10 was divided into a plurality of surface portions 11a and 11b by the vertical grooves 14. However, the decorative panel according to the present invention only needs to have at least one vertical groove 14 or horizontal groove 15 formed on the surface 11 of the base material 10. For example, the vertical groove 14 may not be formed, a horizontal groove 15 may be formed extending from one end to the other in the short-side direction of the base material 10, and a short-side chamfered surface 17 may be formed between the surface 11 of the base material 10 and each short-side surface 13, extending from one end to the other in the short-side direction of the base material 10.

[0097] Furthermore, in the embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the first and second shadow patterns L1 and L2 were configured so that their thickness was not uniform and their color tone was not uniform along their length. However, it is sufficient if at least one of the thickness and color tone is not uniform.

[0098] Furthermore, in embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the first and second shadow patterns L1 and L2 were configured so that the color tone was not uniform along the length direction. However, it is sufficient to configure them so that the color tone is not uniform along at least one of the length direction and the width direction. For example, the hue may be gradually changed (a gradient may be created) along the length direction or the width direction.

[0099] In the embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the transverse groove 15 was formed on the first surface portion 11a of the base material 10, which has a chamfered short side surface 17. However, the decorative panel A may be one in which the transverse groove 15 is not formed on the first surface portion 11a.

[0100] In embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the pattern D formed on the entire surface 11 of the substrate 10 was a wood grain pattern, and a continuous pattern xy consisting of linear patterns constituted a part of the wood grain pattern D. However, the continuous pattern xy is not limited to linear patterns that constitute a part of the wood grain pattern D. The pattern D may be a stone pattern, a geometric pattern, a striped pattern, a grid pattern, etc., and the continuous pattern xy only needs to be a part of it.

[0101] Furthermore, while the decorative panel A was used as flooring material in embodiments 1 to 3 described above, the use of decorative panel A is not limited to flooring. It can, of course, also be used as wall material, for example. [Industrial applicability]

[0102] This invention is useful for decorative panels and decorative panel series consisting of multiple decorative panels. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0103] 10 Base material 11 Surface 11a 1st surface part 11b Second surface section 12 Long side view 13 Short side view 14. Vertical grooves 15 Yokomizo 16 Long edge chamfered surface 17 Short-side chamfered surface 20 Makeup Layers 31. Vertical grooves 32 Yokomizo L Shadow pattern L1 First shadow pattern L2 Second Shadow Pattern D Wood grain pattern xy continuous pattern

Claims

1. It comprises a rectangular plate-shaped base material and a decorative layer consisting of a coating layer exhibiting a pattern, provided on the decorative surface of the base material. At least one groove extending in the long-side direction or the short-side direction on the surface of the substrate is formed thereon. Between the long side surface of the substrate and the surface of the substrate, a long-side chamfered surface is formed, which consists of an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the long side surface and surface of the substrate, extending from one end to the other in the long-side direction of the substrate. In the case where a transverse groove extending in the short-side direction is formed on the surface of the substrate, a decorative panel is formed in which a short-side chamfered surface consisting of an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the short-side and surface of the substrate is formed between the short-side surface of the substrate and at least a part of the surface of the substrate, In the grooves described above, a first shadow pattern is formed by the decorative layer at the bottom of the longitudinal grooves extending in the long-side direction on the surface of the base material, which reproduce the shadow formed by the long-side chamfered surfaces and joints of the two decorative panels that abut each other when the two decorative panels are joined in the short-side direction. In the grooves described above, a second shadow pattern is formed by the decorative layer at the bottom of the horizontal grooves extending in the short-side direction on the surface of the base material. This pattern reproduces the shadow formed by the short-side chamfered edges and joints of the two decorative panels that abut each other when the two decorative panels are joined in the long-side direction. A decorative panel characterized by the following features.

2. In the decorative panel according to claim 1, The surface of the above substrate is divided into multiple surface portions by at least one of the above longitudinal grooves, The above-mentioned short-side chamfered surface is formed between the short-side surface of the base material and at least one of the above-mentioned surface portions. Of the multiple surface portions described above, at least one transverse groove is formed on the second surface portion other than the first surface portion on which the short-side chamfered surface is formed. The above-mentioned multiple surface portions are, One end of the substrate in the short-side direction becomes the second surface portion. The first surface portion is always configured to be adjacent to the second surface portion. On the first end and the second end in the long-side direction of the second surface portion, a continuous pattern is formed by the decorative layer, which connects the first end and the second end when the second end is placed alongside the edge of the first end. A decorative panel characterized by the following features.

3. In the decorative panel according to claim 1, The first shadow pattern described above is a linear pattern extending in the direction of the longer side of the substrate. The second shadow pattern described above is a linear pattern extending in the direction of the shorter side of the substrate. A decorative panel characterized by the following features.

4. In the decorative panel according to claim 3, The linear patterns shown above are not of uniform thickness. A decorative panel characterized by the following features.

5. In the decorative panel according to claim 3, The linear pattern described above has an uneven color tone across at least one of its length and width directions. A decorative panel characterized by the following features.

6. A decorative panel series comprising a plurality of decorative panels according to any one of claims 2 to 5, The above multiple decorative panels are, While the patterns on the entire surface of the above substrate are all different from each other, The same continuous pattern is formed on the second surface portion at the same location. A series of decorative panels characterized by the following features.

7. In the decorative panel series described in claim 6, The surface of the base material of each of the above decorative panels is divided into multiple sections, In each of the decorative panels described above, the multiple second surface portions are formed with different continuous patterns. A series of decorative panels characterized by the following features.

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