Flooring

Abstract

To provide a flooring material capable of achieving both high design quality and free formability.SOLUTION: A flooring material 1A consists of a surface layer 2 and a cold-pressed molding layer 3 laminated together. The surface layer 2 and the cold-pressed molding layer 3 are made of the same type of material. The surface layer 2 has an uneven pattern and the uneven pattern is given to the surface layer before lamination. The cold-pressed molding layer 3 has a three-dimensional structure formed in a vertical or horizontal direction with respect to a lamination surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flooring material having a pattern or design on its surface, and a method for manufacturing the flooring material. [Background technology]

[0002] Flooring materials with patterns or textured patterns on the surface have been known for some time (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The flooring material disclosed in Patent Document 1 is composed of a laminate in which multiple layers are stacked and fused together by passing them between a pair of rolls under pressure and heat. This laminate is then passed between an embossing roll and a receiving roll, during which the textured pattern of the embossing roll is transferred to the surface of the laminate.

[0003] In addition to the above-mentioned heat fusion bonding, other known means for integrating multiple layers include, for example, a method of bonding multiple layers together by "cold pressing," in which multiple layers are stacked together with an adhesive interposed therebetween and pressed at room temperature, and a method of bonding them by "hot pressing," in which further heat is applied after cold pressing (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3).

[0004] Regarding cold pressing, a method for producing a resin molded product has been put into practical use, in which a resin material is heated to a plasticization temperature higher than the softening temperature (softening point) of the thermoplastic resin that is its base material to make it plastic, and then the resin material is placed inside a mold consisting of an upper mold and a lower mold, and then pressed while being cooled in the mold to form it into a predetermined shape (see, for example, Patent Document 4). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-20248 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2012 / 053036 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-18807 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-177692 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The flooring material disclosed in Patent Document 1 can be given a certain degree of designability because an embossed pattern can be formed on the surface using an embossing roll. However, the laminate that constitutes the flooring material is formed by passing multiple layers, in a superimposed state, between a pair of rolls and applying pressure and heat. Due to constraints in the manufacturing process, the formed product is limited to a flat sheet-like shape, and it is difficult to form it into a free three-dimensional shape, especially a three-dimensional shape that exceeds the thickness of the sheet.

[0007] Even with the integration method using cold pressing as disclosed in Patent Document 2, the molded product is limited to a flat sheet shape due to constraints in the manufacturing process. In Patent Document 3, a hot pressing process is carried out in addition to the cold pressing process, so that if the surface layer is made of a polyvinyl chloride resin with a pattern or textured pattern, for example, the pattern or textured pattern on the surface will be crushed by thermal deformation and pressure during the pressing process, making it impossible to maintain the design.

[0008] In the cold press molding used in the manufacturing method of resin molded products disclosed in Patent Document 4, a plasticized resin material is filled along the shape of a molding cavity formed by clamping an upper mold and a lower mold in a molding die. Therefore, it is possible to mold into any shape according to the shape of the molding cavity, but it is not good at adding fine decorations such as patterns or textured patterns to the surface.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a flooring material that can achieve both high designability and flexible formability, and a method for manufacturing such a flooring material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The characteristic configuration of the flooring material according to the present invention to solve the above problems is as follows: The surface layer and the cold press molded layer are laminated together.

[0011] According to the flooring material of this configuration, the surface layer and the cold-press-molded layer are laminated, allowing for a high level of design to be imparted to the surface side of the surface layer. Examples of such design include three-dimensionally formed uneven patterns and two-dimensionally formed patterns. For example, uneven patterns can be obtained by forming unevenness on the surface using embossing or other methods. The pattern refers to colors or designs, and can be obtained by providing a design layer using a printed film or multicolor chips. The cold-press-molded layer is a layer formed by pressing a base material of the cold-press-molded layer that has been brought to a state above its softening point while being cooled using a mold. The boundary between the surface layer and the cold-press-molded layer is integrated by thermal fusion due to the heat of the base material of the cold-press-molded layer that has been brought to a state above its softening point and the pressure during pressing. In the flooring material of this configuration, the surface side of the surface layer is cooled by the mold, even though it is subjected to pressure during pressing. This prevents thermal deformation on the surface side of the surface layer, thereby preventing the pattern or uneven pattern imparted to the surface side of the surface layer from being crushed, ensuring a high level of design. On the other hand, in the cold-press molded layer, the base material is heated above its softening point and can be molded into any shape until it solidifies by cooling. Therefore, it is possible to achieve both high design quality and flexible moldability, which was not possible with conventional flooring materials.

[0012] In the flooring material according to the present invention, The surface layer and the cold-press molded layer are preferably made of the same type of material.

[0013] In the flooring material of this configuration, the surface layer and the cold-press molded layer are made of the same type of material, so the boundary between the surface layer and the cold-press molded layer can be more firmly integrated by heat fusion.

[0014] In the flooring material according to the present invention, It is preferable that the surface layer and the cold-press molded layer are made of different materials, and that both layers are laminated via a bonding layer.

[0015] With this flooring material, the surface layer and the cold-press-molded layer are made of different materials and are laminated together via a joining layer. Therefore, even if the surface layer and the cold-press-molded layer are made of different materials, the surface layer and the cold-press-molded layer can be firmly integrated together via the joining layer.

[0016] In the flooring material according to the present invention, The surface layer preferably has an uneven pattern.

[0017] According to the flooring material of this configuration, the surface layer has a textured pattern. This enhances the eye-catching effect in terms of design, and also enhances the texture to create a luxurious feel. Meanwhile, in terms of functionality, the unevenness of the textured pattern acts as an anti-slip surface, enhancing slip resistance. Furthermore, the elasticity and partial contact of the curved surfaces of the textured pattern provide a comfortable feel that is not possible with a smooth surface.

[0018] In the flooring material according to the present invention, The cold-press molded layer preferably has a three-dimensional structure formed in a direction perpendicular or horizontal to the lamination surface.

[0019] In the flooring material of this configuration, the cold-press-molded layer has a three-dimensional structure formed in a vertical or horizontal direction relative to the lamination surface. Here, "vertical or horizontal" refers not only to a vertical or horizontal direction relative to the lamination surface, but also to an oblique direction inclined relative to the lamination surface. Therefore, the three-dimensional structure includes at least one of a structure having a vertically extending portion, a structure having a horizontally extending portion, and a structure having an obliquely extending portion. This adds a specific function to the function of the surface layer, thereby increasing the added value of the flooring material. Specifically, in the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, as mentioned above, due to manufacturing process constraints, molded products are limited to a flat, sheet-like shape. While it is possible to mold a component corresponding to the surface layer of the flooring material of the present invention, it is not possible to mold a protrusion with a length greater than the thickness of the surface layer. In the present invention, the cold-press-molded layer can be molded into any shape until the base material, which has been brought to a state above its softening point, solidifies upon cooling. Therefore, by setting the shape of the molding cavity of the mold, it is possible to form protrusions in the cold-pressed layer with a protrusion length greater than the thickness of the surface layer. Therefore, the flooring material of this configuration combines the uneven pattern of the surface layer and the three-dimensional structure of the cold-pressed layer, allowing for the formation of relatively large three-dimensional structures superimposed on small three-dimensional structures. This allows for high levels of control over slip resistance and drainage. Furthermore, the curved surface of the uneven pattern and the three-dimensional structure cause diffuse sound reflection, providing soundproofing, sound insulation, and sound absorption effects.

[0020] Next, the characteristic configuration of the manufacturing method of the flooring material according to the present invention is as follows: A method for manufacturing a flooring material comprising laminating a surface layer and a cold-press molded layer, a first placement step of placing the surface layer in a molding die; a second disposing step of disposing a thermoplastic resin in a state of not less than its softening point so as to be in contact with the surface layer; a pressing step of pressing the contents of the mold at a temperature lower than the softening point of the thermoplastic resin; a recovery step of removing the laminated molded body formed in the pressing step from the mold; The purpose is to encompass the above.

[0021] According to this flooring manufacturing method, a surface layer is placed in a mold, and a thermoplastic resin, which is the base material of the cold-press-molded layer and has been heated to or above its softening point, is placed in contact with the surface layer. Then, a pressing process is performed in which the contents of the mold, i.e., the surface layer and the base material of the cold-press-molded layer, are pressed at a temperature below the softening point of the thermoplastic resin. As a result, as the molding of the cold-press-molded layer progresses during the pressing process, the boundary between the cold-press-molded layer and the surface layer during molding is integrated by thermal fusion due to the heat of the base material of the cold-press-molded layer, which has been heated to or above its softening point, and the pressure during pressing. The laminate formed by the pressing process is then removed from the mold and recovered. In this flooring manufacturing method, the surface side of the surface layer is cooled by the mold, even though it is subjected to pressure during pressing. This suppresses thermal deformation of the surface side of the surface layer, thereby preventing the concave-convex pattern imparted to the surface side of the surface layer from being crushed and ensuring high design quality. On the other hand, in the cold-press molded layer, the base material, which has been brought to a state above its softening point, can be molded into any shape until it solidifies by cooling. Therefore, it is possible to achieve both high design quality and free moldability, which was not possible with conventional flooring materials. Furthermore, compared to methods in which the surface layer and the cold-press molded layer are molded separately and then joined together, the manufacturing method of the flooring material of this configuration allows molding in a one-step process, so molding can be done quickly and easily, and even complex structures can be molded accurately, resulting in excellent manufacturing efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view that schematically shows the laminated structure of a flooring material according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the laminated structure of the surface layer, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of a surface layer with enhanced anti-slip properties, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of a surface layer with enhanced cushioning properties. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view that schematically shows the laminated structure of a flooring material according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a specific example (1) of a flooring material to which the present invention is applied, where (a) is an overall perspective view of a staircase flooring material, and (b) is an enlarged view of a main part of the cross section taken along line AA in (a). [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows a molding die for molding a staircase floor material, where (a) is a diagram showing a mold release state and (b) is a diagram showing a mold clamping state. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows the steps of the manufacturing method for staircase flooring, where (a) is an explanatory diagram of the surface layer arrangement process, (b) is an explanatory diagram of the thermoplastic resin arrangement process, (c) is an explanatory diagram of the pressing process, and (d) is an explanatory diagram of the recovery process. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows a specific example (2) of a flooring material to which the present invention is applied, where (a) is a plan view of a flooring material for an entrance hall, and (b) is an enlarged view of a main part of the cross section taken along line BB in (a). [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows a molding die for molding an entrance hall floor material, where (a) is a diagram showing the mold release state and (b) is a diagram showing the mold clamping state. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows the steps of the manufacturing method for molding entrance hall flooring, where (a) is an explanatory diagram of the surface layer placement process, (b) is an explanatory diagram of the thermoplastic resin placement process, (c) is an explanatory diagram of the pressing process, and (d) is an explanatory diagram of the recovery process. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows the bonding layer arrangement process in the manufacturing method of flooring material of the present invention, where (a) is an explanatory diagram of the bonding layer arrangement process in the manufacturing method of flooring material for stairs, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of the bonding layer arrangement process in the manufacturing method of flooring material for entrance halls. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The flooring material and the method for manufacturing the flooring material of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the flooring material of the present invention is shown to be composed of multiple layers, but the thickness relationships of the layers have been appropriately exaggerated or simplified for ease of explanation, and do not strictly reflect the relative thicknesses (scales) of the layers in an actual flooring material.

[0024] In this specification, the "top surface" or "above" of a layer refers to the surface or direction away from the floor surface (horizontal surface) on which the flooring is laid, and the "bottom surface" or "below" refers to the surface or direction on the opposite side (the side closer to the floor surface on which the flooring is laid).

[0025] First Embodiment <Overall composition of flooring materials> Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a laminated structure of a flooring material according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The flooring material 1A shown in Fig. 1 has a surface layer 2 and a cold-press molded layer 3, which are laminated from top to bottom in this order.

[0026] <Surface layer> FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the laminated structure of the surface layer, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of a surface layer with enhanced slip resistance, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of a surface layer with enhanced cushioning. The surface layer 2 has a textured pattern (not shown) formed thereon to enhance the design of the flooring material. Examples of textured patterns include embossing, a foam structure, debossing, and graining. The surface layer 2 can be, for example, either the surface layer 2A shown in FIG. 2(a) or the surface layer 2B shown in FIG. 2(b). The surface layer 2A shown in FIG. 2(a) is used to enhance the slip resistance of the flooring material 1A, and the surface layer 2B shown in FIG. 2(b) is used to enhance the cushioning properties of the flooring material 1A.

[0027] First, the surface layer 2A, which can enhance the slip resistance of the flooring material 1A, will be described with reference to Fig. 2(a). The surface layer 2A shown in Fig. 2(a) is composed of an abrasion-resistant layer 11, a protective layer 12, a design layer 13, an upper resin layer 14, a resin-impregnated glass sheet 15, and a lower resin layer 16, layered in this order from top to bottom.

[0028] [Abrasion resistant layer] The abrasion-resistant layer 11 is the outermost layer and is not an essential component of the surface layer 2A, but it prevents scratches and improves abrasion resistance. The abrasion-resistant layer 11 may be transparent or opaque, but is preferably transparent so that patterns such as the design layer 13 provided on the back side of the protective layer 12 can be seen. The abrasion-resistant layer 11 preferably has a thickness of 2 to 50 μm, more preferably 5 to 35 μm, for the reasons of exhibiting scratch resistance while not becoming brittle overall and having excellent impact resistance. In particular, a layer thickness of 2 μm or more provides sufficient scratch resistance, while a layer thickness of 50 μm or less does not make the overall rigidity of the flooring material too high, making it less likely to crack and providing excellent processability.

[0029] For the abrasion-resistant layer 11, an ionizing radiation-curable resin such as an ultraviolet-curable resin is preferably used because it is versatile. Examples of the curable resin include ionizing radiation-curable resins such as ultraviolet-curable resins, thermosetting resins, and resins cured by non-ionizing radiation. When an ionizing radiation-curable resin composition is used, the abrasion-resistant layer 11 contains a polymerization initiator, various other additives, and, if necessary, an aggregate. As the resin cured by ionizing radiation, ultraviolet-curable resins such as urethane-based, epoxy-based, and acrylic-based resins are preferably used because of their good processability and versatility, and fluororesins, silicone resins, etc. may also be added. Furthermore, inorganic particles such as alumina can be used as the aggregate, which can improve slip resistance, abrasion resistance, and durability.

[0030] [Protective layer] The protective layer 12 is a layer provided to facilitate the removal of dirt adhering to the surface layer 2A. That is, the protective layer 12 imparts dirt removability to the surface layer 2A. The protective layer 12 is provided as needed. The protective layer 12 may be either transparent or opaque, but is preferably transparent so that the pattern and coloring of the design layer 13 provided on the back side of the protective layer 12 can be seen.

[0031] Resin materials are suitable for the material of the protective layer 12. Examples of suitable resin materials include thermoplastic resins such as polyvinyl chloride resins, polyolefin resins, polyacrylic acid resins, and polyester resins, with polyvinyl chloride resins being preferred. The thickness of the protective layer 12 is 0.03 to 1 mm, and preferably 0.1 to 0.8 mm.

[0032] [Design layer] The design layer 13 is a layer that expresses a desired pattern and imparts design to the surface of the surface layer 2A. For example, the design layer 13 is formed from a thermoplastic resin. Examples of the thermoplastic resin include vinyl chloride resin, olefin resin, acrylic resin such as ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and ethylene-methacrylate resin, amide resin, ester resin, vinyl acetate, various elastomers such as olefin elastomer and styrene elastomer, and rubber. Among these, vinyl chloride resin is preferred because of its excellent durability and processability. In addition, various additives such as fillers, plasticizers, flame retardants, stabilizers, antioxidants, lubricants, colorants, and foaming agents may be blended into the thermoplastic resin.

[0033] The design layer 13 may be formed from a printed film, may be molded from a thermoplastic resin to which a coloring agent has been added, or may be formed by adding and kneading together resin chips of multiple colors.

[0034] The thickness of the design layer 13 is 0.50 to 1.50 mm, preferably 0.60 to 1.00 mm, and more preferably 0.65 to 0.80 mm.

[0035] Furthermore, when a pattern is to be revealed by adding a coloring agent or the like to the upper resin layer 14, the design layer 13 may be omitted.

[0036] [Upper resin layer and lower resin layer] The upper resin layer 14 and the lower resin layer 16 are the main components that determine the strength and weight of the surface layer 2A. The thicknesses of the upper resin layer 14 and the lower resin layer 16 are not particularly limited and can be set appropriately. The thickness of the upper resin layer 14 and the thickness of the lower resin layer 16 may be the same or different. The thickness of the upper resin layer 14 is 0.05 to 1.0 mm, preferably 0.1 to 0.8 mm. The thickness of the lower resin layer 16 is 0.5 to 3.0 mm, preferably 0.7 to 2.0 mm.

[0037] Thermoplastic resins are suitable as materials for the upper resin layer 14 and the lower resin layer 16. Examples of thermoplastic resins include polyvinyl chloride resins such as polyvinyl chloride and vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers; polyolefin resins; polystyrene resins; polyvinyl acetate resins such as ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers; polyacrylate resins such as polymethyl methacrylate; polyamide resins; polyester resins; and various elastomers such as olefin elastomers and styrene elastomers. These may be used alone or in combination. At least one of the upper resin layer 14 and the lower resin layer 16 is preferably a resin layer primarily composed of polyvinyl chloride resin, as this layer has excellent flexibility and is easily bonded to the resin-impregnated glass sheet 15. It is more preferable that both the upper resin layer 14 and the lower resin layer 16 be primarily composed of polyvinyl chloride resin. The surface layer 2A, which has a resin layer whose main component is polyvinyl chloride resin, has excellent flexibility, providing a good walking feel and allowing it to be curved while being applied to the floor surface. Polyvinyl chloride resin is inexpensive, and its use simplifies the manufacture of the surface layer 2A. When both the upper resin layer 14 and the lower resin layer 16 are made primarily of polyvinyl chloride resin, the polyvinyl chloride resins may be the same or different in type and degree of polymerization of the monomer.

[0038] In this specification, the term "main component" refers to the resin component excluding additives, and when a layer is made up of multiple components (excluding additives), the term refers to the component with the largest content (by weight). Examples of such additives include plasticizers, fillers, and stabilizers. The content of the main component is greater than 50% by mass, preferably 70% by mass or more, and more preferably 80% by mass or more, assuming that the total components making up the layer are 100% by mass. The upper limit of the content of the main component is 100% by mass. When the content of the main component is less than 100% by mass, the components other than the main component contained in the layer are not particularly limited and may include conventionally known components.

[0039] [Resin-impregnated glass sheet] The resin-impregnated glass sheet 15 is used to suppress size fluctuations of the surface layer 2A due to shrinkage and expansion over time. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, it is a glass sheet containing glass fibers impregnated with resin. The resin-impregnated glass sheet 15 has the properties of glass fibers, such as high strength and minimal size fluctuations due to temperature. This enhances the size stability and mechanical strength, such as rigidity, of the surface layer 2A, and suppresses size changes and warping due to temperature changes and shrinkage and expansion over time. The glass sheet that serves as the base material for the resin-impregnated glass sheet 15 is composed of multiple overlapping fibers forming layers. While glass nonwoven fabrics and glass woven fabrics can be used, glass nonwoven fabrics are preferred. Glass nonwoven fabrics have excellent size stability, which significantly contributes to the overall size stability of the surface layer 2A and can also improve the bending strength and tensile strength of the surface layer 2A. Furthermore, since the fibers of a glass woven fabric are generally regularly arranged, the weave may be visible on the surface of the surface layer 2A, affecting the appearance of the uneven pattern, but when a glass nonwoven fabric is used, the uneven pattern of the surface layer 2A is not affected and can be maintained as is. Note that the resin-impregnated glass sheet 15 may be omitted in cases where large size variations are acceptable or where size variations can be suppressed by other configurations.

[0040] The resin to be impregnated into the glass sheet is not particularly limited as long as it adheres to both the upper resin layer 14 and the lower resin layer 16, and any conventionally known resin can be used. Examples of resins include the thermoplastic resins exemplified for the upper resin layer 14 and the lower resin layer 16. When the upper resin layer 14 and the lower resin layer 16 are primarily composed of a polyvinyl chloride resin, it is preferable that the resin to be impregnated into the glass sheet also be primarily composed of a polyvinyl chloride resin, as this will exhibit excellent adhesion to the upper resin layer 14 and the lower resin layer 16. Regarding the properties of the resin to be impregnated into the glass sheet, a paste-like resin is preferable as it is easy to impregnate and has excellent processability.

[0041] Next, the surface layer 2B, which can enhance the cushioning properties of the flooring material 1A, will be described with reference to Figure 2(b). The surface layer 2B shown in Figure 2(b) includes a foam layer 23, a design layer 24 laminated on the top surface of the foam layer 23, a protective layer 22 laminated on the top surface of the design layer 24, and a glass fiber cloth 21 embedded in the foam layer 23. In the surface layer 2B, the glass fiber cloth 21 is embedded in the foam layer 23 above the center line S of the entire thickness of the surface layer 2B. If necessary, a decorative layer (not shown) having a design property may be provided between the protective layer 22 and the glass fiber cloth 21.

[0042] [Glass fiber cloth] The glass fiber cloth 21 preferably has an appropriate gap so that it can be impregnated with the foamable resin composition. Specifically, the glass fiber cloth 21 has a basis weight of 15 to 80 g / m 2 A sheet-like or mat-like nonwoven or woven fabric having an average thickness of about 0.15 to 0.60 mm can be used. 2 If the weight is less than 80 g / m, the foamable resin composition will easily enter the gaps between the fibers, but the strength will depend mainly on the strength of the foamable resin composition. 2 If the thickness exceeds this value, the foamable resin composition will have difficulty penetrating into the gaps between the fibers, resulting in insufficient entanglement between the fibers and the foamable resin composition. In either case, there is a risk that a sufficient anchoring effect will not be obtained.

[0043] As a method for laminating the glass fiber cloth 21, any method can be applied, such as a method in which a paste-like foamable resin composition in which the glass fiber cloth 21 is embedded is foamed using a normal heater such as an infrared heater, thereby embedding the glass fiber cloth 21 in the foamed product and laminating it; a method in which a foamable resin composition in a fluid state is coated on the glass fiber cloth 21 and forcedly impregnated; or a method in which a carrier such as release paper is coated with a foamable resin composition in a fluid state using a knife coater or the like, and then the glass fiber cloth 21 is placed on top of the carrier, impregnated with the foamable resin composition, and heated to foam it.

[0044] [Protective layer] For the protective layer 22, the components exemplified in the description of the protective layer 11 above can be used.

[0045] <Cold press molding layer> In the flooring material 1A shown in FIG. 1, the cold-press-molded layer 3 is formed by pressing the base material (resin) of the cold-press-molded layer 3, which has been brought to a temperature above its softening point, while cooling it using molding dies 60 (upper die 61, lower die 62) and 90 (upper die 91, lower die 92), which will be described later. Here, the "softening point" refers to the temperature at which a resin becomes plastically deformable when subjected to external stress, and the softening point is typically between the glass transition temperature (Tg) and melting temperature (Tm) of the resin. The base material of the cold-press-molded layer 3 can be any of the thermoplastic resins exemplified in the description of the components of the upper resin layer 14 and the lower resin layer 16, with polyvinyl chloride resins being particularly suitable. Incidentally, polyvinyl chloride, a typical example of polyvinyl chloride resin, has a glass transition point (Tg) of approximately 60 to 85°C and a melting temperature (Tm) of approximately 210°C, although this varies depending on the amount of plasticizer added. Therefore, the softening point can be estimated to be, for example, 60 to 200°C.

[0046] The cold-press molded layer may be formed only from a resin base material, but other materials such as wood or metal can be embedded or joined as a core material or substrate. Suitable wood materials include plywood, MDF, particle board, and hardboard. Suitable metal materials include iron, aluminum, and stainless steel. Forming a cold-press molded layer on a wood or metal substrate allows for easy joining or incorporation into a building, improving convenience.

[0047] In the flooring material 1A of the first embodiment, the surface layer 2 and the cold-press-molded layer 3 are made of the same material. Here, "same material" means that the main components are the same, and "same main components" refers to both the same material and materials of the same type. Examples of materials of the same type include materials in which the monomers constituting the resin repeating units are the same but have different degrees of polymerization, different degrees of crystallinity, or different side chain substituents. By making the surface layer 2 and the cold-press-molded layer 3 out of the same material, the boundary between the surface layer 2 and the cold-press-molded layer 3 can be more firmly integrated by heat fusion.

[0048] The surface layer 2 and the cold-press molded layer 3 may contain components other than resins as necessary. Examples of other components include plasticizers, fibers, fillers, stabilizers, processing aids, antifungal agents, deodorizers, antibacterial agents, flame retardants, antioxidants, lubricants, and colorants. Examples of plasticizers include dioctyl phthalate (DOP), diheptyl phthalate (DHP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP), trioctyl phosphate (TOP), triphenyl phosphate (TPP), dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP), dioctyl isophthalate (DOIP), and diisononyl cyclohexyl phthalate (DINCH). Examples of fibers include short fibers of resins and glass. Among these, short glass fibers are preferred, as they can reduce warping of the product and improve dimensional stability and strength. The fiber length is 0.5 to 10 mm, preferably 2 to 9 mm, and more preferably 4 to 8 mm. Examples of fillers include calcium oxide, barium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, clay, talc, mica, heavy calcium carbonate, light calcium carbonate, silica sand, aluminum hydroxide, etc. In the cold-press molded layer 3, the plasticizer is contained in an amount of 10 to 90 parts, and the filler is contained in an amount of 0 to 400 parts.

[0049] <density> The densities of the surface layer 2 and the cold-press-molded layer 3 are particularly affected by the type and amount of plasticizer and the type and amount of filler, but are also affected by temperature changes during cooling and solidification in cold-press molding using molding dies 60 (upper die 61, lower die 62) and 90 (upper die 91, lower die 92) described below. That is, in cold-press molding using molding dies 60 and 90 described below, the portion of the surface layer 2 that comes into contact with the molding dies 60 and 90 (upper surface portion) is initially cooled by the molding dies 60 and 90, while the portion of the surface layer 2 that comes into contact with the base material of the cold-press-molded layer 3 (lower surface portion) is once heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the softening point of the base material of the cold-press-molded layer 3 through contact with the base material, and then cooled to approach the temperature of the molding dies 60 and 90. In contrast, during the molding stage, the cold-press-molded layer 3, whose base material is at or above its softening point, comes into contact with the molding dies 60, 90 and is rapidly cooled to approach the temperature of the molding dies 60, 90. Because the temperature change of the cold-press-molded layer 3 is greater than the temperature change of the surface layer 2, the density of the cold-press-molded layer 3 tends to be greater than the density of the surface layer 2. This tendency is particularly pronounced when the surface layer 2 contains a foamed resin. This allows the cold-press-molded layer 3 to provide a sturdy structure for the entire flooring material, while softening the surface layer 2 that is directly stepped on by the soles of the feet, improving comfort and reducing leg fatigue.

[0050] <Interlayer peel strength> The interlayer peel strength between the surface layer 2 and the cold-press-molded layer 3, measured in accordance with the interlayer peel strength test method of JIS A 1454, is 8 to 100 N / 50 mm, preferably 20 to 95 N / 50 mm, and more preferably 30 to 90 N / 50 mm. This reliably prevents the surface layer 2 from peeling off from the cold-press-molded layer 3 during normal use of the flooring material 1A, ensuring stable performance of the flooring material 1A over a long period of time. If the interlayer peel strength is less than 8 N / 50 mm, the welded state between the surface layer 2 and the cold-press-molded layer 3 may not be maintained over a long period of time. If the interlayer peel strength exceeds 100 N / 50 mm, the surface layer 2 and the cold-press-molded layer 3, which are made of different materials, cannot be separated, which is undesirable from the standpoint of recyclability. Note that if the surface layer 2 and the cold-press-molded layer 3 are made of the same material, they may or may not be separated during recycling.

[0051] <Hardness> The hardness of the surface layer 2 and the cold-press molded layer 3 refers to the Type A durometer hardness measured in accordance with JIS K 6253. Specifically, the value is measured using a GS-719N made by Teclock Corporation. The hardness of the surface layer 2 is 30 to 118, preferably 35 to 100, and more preferably 40 to 98. If the hardness is less than 30, the flexibility of the surface layer 2 is improved and the comfort of stepping on it is improved, but the surface layer 2 becomes more susceptible to deformation, which may cause the uneven pattern to collapse. If the hardness exceeds 118, the uneven pattern of the surface layer 2 is less likely to collapse, but the comfort of stepping on it may deteriorate. The hardness of the cold-press molded layer 3 is 75 to 115, preferably 90 to 100, and more preferably 94 to 96. If the hardness is less than 75, the flexibility of the cold-press molded layer 3 is improved and the comfort of stepping on the cold-press molded layer 3 improves, but the cold-press molded layer 3 becomes more susceptible to deformation, which may cause the three-dimensional structure to be easily crushed.If the hardness is more than 115, the three-dimensional structure of the cold-press molded layer 3 becomes less susceptible to crushing, but the comfort of stepping on the cold-press molded layer 3 may be worsened.

[0052] Furthermore, by making the hardness of the cold-pressed layer 3 higher than that of the surface layer 2, the cold-pressed layer 3 can provide a strong structure for the entire flooring material, while softening the surface layer 2 that is directly stepped on by the soles of the feet, improving comfort and reducing fatigue in the lower limbs. In this case, the difference in hardness between the cold-pressed layer 3 and the surface layer 2 is preferably 30 or more, more preferably 40 or more. The upper limit is preferably 65 or less, more preferably 50 or less. The hardness difference here can be calculated using the following formula: Hardness difference = (hardness of cold-pressed layer 3) - (hardness of surface layer 2)

[0053] [Modification (1) of the first embodiment] A variation (1) of the first embodiment is a flooring material in which a core material is embedded in a cold-press molded layer. Examples of the core material include a member formed into a plate, lattice, mesh, or other shape, made of metal, wood, resin, or a composite of these materials.

[0054] The core material may be entirely enclosed within the cold-press-molded layer, or may have a protruding portion protruding from the surface of the cold-press-molded layer. Examples of the protruding portion include a screw shank with a male thread. By adopting a configuration in which the screw shank protrudes from the surface of the cold-press-molded layer, the flooring material can be easily and firmly fixed to the installation location by tightening a nut threaded onto the screw shank of the flooring material during installation.

[0055] Alternatively, openings may be provided on the surface of the cold-press-molded layer to expose key areas of the core material, and female threads, for example, may be formed in the core material at the openings. By adopting a configuration in which bolts can be threaded into the female threads formed in the core material through the openings provided on the surface of the cold-press-molded layer, the flooring material can be easily and firmly fixed to the installation location by simply tightening the bolts threaded into the female threads of the flooring material.

[0056] By using wooden boards as the core material, the flooring can be easily and firmly fixed to the installation location using nails or wooden screws. Alternatively, the required portion of the wooden board may be exposed from the cold-press molded layer. In this case, for example, if the floor surface to be installed is a wooden substrate, the flooring can be easily and firmly fixed to the installation location by using an adhesive layer formed with wood adhesive or the like between the exposed wooden portion and the wooden substrate.

[0057] According to the flooring material of the above-mentioned modified example (1), the core material is contained within the cold-press molded layer, which adds strength to the strength of the surface layer and the cold-press molded layer, thereby increasing the strength of the entire flooring material. Furthermore, according to the flooring material of the above-mentioned modified example (1), the core material's functions are added to the functions of the surface layer and the cold-press molded layer, respectively, thereby increasing added value. Furthermore, according to the flooring material of the above-mentioned modified example (1), the core material is contained within the cold-press molded layer, so there is no need to consider the bonding strength between the cold-press molded layer and the core material, and it is possible to use a core material made of a different material, such as metal or wood, than the cold-press molded layer made of a resin material, thereby increasing the options for materials used for the core material.

[0058] The flooring material according to the above modification (1) can be manufactured by a manufacturing method including the following steps (1) to (6). (1) A first placement step of placing a surface layer on a mold (2) a second placement step of placing a thermoplastic resin at a temperature above its softening point so as to contact the surface layer; (3) a third placement step in which a core material is placed so as to be in contact with the thermoplastic resin placed in the second placement step; (4) A fourth placement step of placing a thermoplastic resin at a temperature above its softening point so as to contact the core material. (5) A pressing process in which the contents of the mold are pressed at a temperature below the softening point of the thermoplastic resin. (6) A recovery step of removing the laminated molded body formed by the pressing step from the mold.

[0059] According to the above manufacturing method, it is possible to easily incorporate a core material made of a different material, such as metal or wood, into the cold-press molded layer, while achieving both high design quality and flexible moldability that could not be achieved with conventional flooring materials, and which is made of a different material from the cold-press molded layer made of a resin material.

[0060] [Modification (2) of the first embodiment] A second modification of the first embodiment is a flooring material formed by laminating a surface layer, a cold-press-molded layer, and a substrate in the order listed. By laminating the surface layer, the cold-press-molded layer, and the substrate in this manner, the strength of the flooring material can be increased. Examples of the substrate include a member formed into a plate, lattice, mesh, or other shape, made of metal, wood, resin, or a composite of these materials.

[0061] For example, if the floor surface to be installed has a wooden base, a wooden board can be used as the base material for the flooring, and an adhesive layer formed with wood adhesive or the like can be placed between the base material and the wooden base, allowing the flooring to be easily and firmly fixed to the installation location.

[0062] The flooring material according to the above modification (2) can be manufactured by a manufacturing method including the following steps (1) to (6). (1) A first placement step of placing a surface layer on a mold (2) a second placement step of placing a thermoplastic resin at a temperature above its softening point so as to contact the surface layer; (3) a third placement step in which a substrate is placed so as to be in contact with the thermoplastic resin placed in the second placement step; (4) A pressing process in which the contents of the mold are pressed at a temperature lower than the softening point of the thermoplastic resin. (5) A recovery step of removing the laminated molded body formed by the pressing step from the mold.

[0063] According to the above manufacturing method, it is possible to easily laminate a substrate made of a different material, such as metal or wood, which is different from the cold-pressed molded layer made of a resin material, to the surface layer and cold-pressed molded layer, while achieving both high design quality and flexible moldability that could not be achieved with conventional flooring materials.

[0064] Second Embodiment 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a laminated structure of a flooring material according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the same or similar components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. The following description focuses on the components unique to the second embodiment.

[0065] As shown in Fig. 3, in the flooring material 1B of the second embodiment, a surface layer 2 and a cold-press molded layer 3 are laminated via a bonding layer 4. The surface layer 2 and the cold-press molded layer 3 are made of different types of thermoplastic resins.

[0066] The bonding layer 4 is not particularly limited as long as it is made of a material that can exert an anchoring effect. Examples of materials for the bonding layer 4 include jute, glass fiber nonwoven fabric, spunbond nonwoven fabric, and porous foam resin. An example will be described below, in which a spunbond nonwoven fabric is used for the bonding layer 4. During cold press molding using molding dies 60 (upper die 61, lower die 62) and 90 (upper die 91, lower die 92), which will be described later, the heat of the base material of the cold-press-molded layer 3, which is heated to a temperature above its softening point, and the pressure during pressing cause a portion of the surface layer 2 facing the cold-press-molded layer 3, and a portion of the base material of the cold-press-molded layer 3 facing the surface layer 2, to penetrate in a molten state into the fiber gaps of the spunbond nonwoven fabric. These are then cooled and solidified, resulting in an anchoring effect that firmly integrates the surface layer 2 and the cold-press-molded layer 3 via the bonding layer 4 (spunbond nonwoven fabric). If the surface layer 2 and the cold-press-molded layer 3 are made of different materials, the two may not bond well together. However, by interposing the bonding layer 4 in this way, the surface layer 2 and the cold-press-molded layer 3 can be firmly integrated through the bonding layer 4, even if the surface layer 2 and the cold-press-molded layer 3 are made of different materials.

[0067] <Examples of flooring materials (1)> Figure 4 shows a specific example (1) of a flooring material to which the present invention is applied, where (a) is an overall perspective view of the staircase flooring material, and (b) is an enlarged view of the main part of the cross section taken along line AA in (a). The staircase flooring material 31 shown in Figure 4(a) comprises a surface layer 32 (the part with cross-hatching in the figure) formed in a rectangular sheet shape in a plan view, and a cold-press molded layer 33 that supports the surface layer 32 from below.

[0068] <Surface layer> 4(b), the surface layer 32 has a plurality of recesses 35 and protrusions 36 formed by applying a textured finish resembling a wood grain pattern to the surface (upper surface) of the surface layer 2. The recesses 35 and protrusions 36 mainly constitute the wood grain textured pattern.

[0069] The recesses 35 have slopes that slope downward from the boundaries between the recesses 35 and the protrusions 36 toward the bottom of the recesses 35. The recesses 35 have low gloss and a rough feel. On the other hand, the surfaces of the protrusions 36 have high gloss and a mirror-like feel. As a result, the surfaces of the protrusions 36 resemble the appearance and feel of late wood in natural wood, and the surfaces of the recesses 35 resemble the appearance and feel of early wood in natural wood. In this way, the surface layer 32 reproduces the grain of natural wood, and the feel is also close to that of natural wood.

[0070] <Cold press molding layer> The cold-press-molded layer 33, in the cold-press-molded layer 3 of the first embodiment, comprises a tread laying portion 41 laid on the tread of the stair, a riser surface laying portion 42 laid on at least the upper part of the riser surface of the stair, and a stair nosing laying portion 43 laid on the nosing portion of the stair.

[0071] The surface layer 32 is placed integrally on the upper surface of the tread laying portion 41. The tread laying portion 41 and the nosing laying portion 43 are arranged integrally so as to be continuous in the horizontal direction. The nosing laying portion 43 and the riser laying portion 42 are arranged integrally so as to be approximately perpendicular to each other. The cold-press molded layer 33 has a three-dimensional structure including a portion (riser laying portion 42) that extends vertically and a portion (nosing laying portion 43) that protrudes horizontally relative to the tread laying portion 41, which has a layering surface on which the surface layer 32 is layered.

[0072] The stair nosing portion 43 is formed with a plurality of groove-like recesses 45 and a plurality of streak-like protrusions 46. These groove-like recesses 45 and streak-like protrusions 46 form the uneven portion 50. The groove-like recesses 45 and streak-like protrusions 46 extend horizontally, perpendicular to the direction from the stair nosing portion 43 toward the tread laying portion 41. The groove-like recesses 45 and streak-like protrusions 46 are arranged alternately in the direction from the stair nosing portion 43 toward the tread laying portion 41. The depth of the groove-like recesses 45 is set to be equal to or greater than the thickness of the surface layer 32. The protruding length of the streak-like protrusions 46, when the top surface of the tread laying portion 41 is used as the reference plane, is set to be equal to or greater than the thickness of the surface layer 32.

[0073] In order to ensure that the riser surface laying portion 42 covers at least the upper part of the riser surface of the staircase, the downward protrusion length from the tread surface laying portion 41 is set to 2 to 12 times, preferably 4 to 10 times, and more preferably 6 to 8 times the thickness of the surface layer 32.

[0074] <Molding mold for staircase flooring> Figure 5 shows a molding die for molding a staircase flooring material, where (a) is a diagram of the mold release state and (b) is a diagram of the mold clamping state. As shown in Figure 5(a), a molding die 60 for molding the staircase flooring material 31 comprises an upper die 61 having a convex portion 61a and a lower die 62 having a concave portion 62a corresponding to the convex portion 61a. When the convex portion 61a and the concave portion 62a are combined in the mold clamping state as shown in Figure 5(b), a molding cavity 65 for molding the staircase flooring material 31 is formed between the convex portion 61a and the concave portion 62a.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 5(a), the upper mold 61 has a pressing surface 66 for pressing the base material of the cold-press-molded layer 33, which has been brought to a state above its softening point. The upper mold 61 has a cutout portion 67 for forming the riser surface laying portion 42 (see FIG. 4(a)) in the cold-press-molded layer 33. The lower mold 62 has a surface layer mounting portion 68 in a recess 62a on which the surface layer 32 (see FIG. 4(a)) can be mounted. The lower mold 62 has a concave-convex portion forming portion 69 for forming the concave-convex portion 50 (see FIG. 4(a)) in the cold-press-molded layer 33, formed adjacent to the surface layer mounting portion 68.

[0076] <Method of manufacturing staircase flooring> Figure 6 shows the steps of the manufacturing method for staircase flooring, where (a) is an explanatory diagram of the surface layer arrangement process, (b) is an explanatory diagram of the thermoplastic resin arrangement process, (c) is an explanatory diagram of the pressing process, and (d) is an explanatory diagram of the recovery process.

[0077] [Surface layer placement process] 6(a), in a state where the upper mold 61 is positioned above the lower mold 62 and the molding die 60 is open, the surface layer 32 is placed upside down, with the upper surface of the surface layer 32 facing downward and the lower surface facing upward, on the surface layer placing portion 68 of the lower mold 62. This surface layer placing step corresponds to the "first placing step" of the present invention.

[0078] [Thermoplastic resin placement process] Next, as shown in Figure 6(b), the thermoplastic resin 33M, which is the base material of the cold-press-molded layer 33 and has been plasticized, is placed on the surface layer 32 placed upside down on the surface layer placing section 68. Note that "plasticization" here means that the thermoplastic resin 33M is heated to a plasticization temperature higher than its softening point (for example, in the case of polyvinyl chloride, approximately softening point (90 to 200°C) + (10 to 30°C)) to make it flowable. This thermoplastic resin placing step corresponds to the "second placing step" of the present invention.

[0079] [Pressing process] Next, while cooling the upper and lower dies 61 and 62 using a cooling means (not shown), such as by circulating cooling water through each of the upper and lower dies 61 and 62, the upper die 61 is lowered relative to the lower die 62 to form a clamped state, as shown in FIG. 6(c). The surface layer 32 and the thermoplastic resin 33M (base material of the cold-press-molded layer 33), which are the contents of the molding die 60, are pressed together at a temperature below the softening point of the thermoplastic resin 33M, for example, at or near room temperature. The pressing pressure in this pressing step is 0.1 to 20 MPa, preferably 0.2 to 15 MPa, and more preferably 0.5 to 10 MPa. According to JIS Z8703, "room temperature" is defined as 20°C ± 15°C, i.e., 5 to 35°C. However, "room temperature or near room temperature" can include a wider temperature range than "room temperature," such as 20 to 50°C. If the pressing pressure is less than 0.1 MPa, the thermoplastic resin 33M may not be able to fill the entire molding cavity 65, resulting in molding defects. If the pressing pressure exceeds 20 MPa, the mold releasability may deteriorate.

[0080] In the pressing step, the thermoplastic resin 33M pressed by the convex portion 61a of the upper die 61 is spread on the surface layer 32, and a portion of it fills the concave-convex portion forming portion 69 of the lower die 62, while the remainder fills between the cutout portion 67 of the upper die 61 and the concave portion 62a of the lower die 62. In this way, the molding of the cold-press-molded layer 33 progresses as the pressing step progresses. During the molding of the cold-press-molded layer 33, the boundary between the cold-press-molded layer 33 and the surface layer 32 is integrated by thermal fusion due to the heat of the thermoplastic resin 33M, which has been brought to a state above its softening point (plasticization temperature), and the pressure during the pressing process.

[0081] The surface side of the surface layer 32 (the lower side in FIGS. 6(a) to 6(c)) is cooled by the lower mold 62 despite the pressure during press processing. Therefore, thermal deformation of the surface side of the surface layer 32 is suppressed, and the pattern or textured design (in this example, a wood-grain textured design) provided on the surface side of the surface layer 32 remains intact. Even if the surface layer 32 has a wood-grain design layer, the pattern is not deformed by thermal deformation. In the cold-press molded layer 33, the base material (thermoplastic resin 33M) at a plasticizing temperature spreads along the shape of the molding cavity 65 (see FIG. 5(b)). The base material is solidified by cooling with the molding mold 60 (mainly the upper mold 61), and is molded into a shape corresponding to the shape of the molding cavity 65. Therefore, high design quality and flexible moldability with a three-dimensional effect can be achieved at the same time.

[0082] [Recovery process] Once the pressing step is complete, as shown in Figure 6(d), the upper die 61 is raised relative to the lower die 62 to open the molding die 60, and the laminated molded body (stair flooring material 31) is removed and collected from the molding die 60. At this time, to facilitate the release of the laminated molded body from the molding die 60, the molding die 60 may be vibrated or the laminated molded body may be sucked with air.

[0083] [Joining layer placement process] Figure 10(a) is an explanatory diagram of the bonding layer arrangement step in the manufacturing method for a stair flooring material. The manufacturing method for the stair flooring material 31 described above is applied when the surface layer 32 and the cold-press-molded layer 33 are made of the same type of thermoplastic resin. When the surface layer 32 and the cold-press-molded layer 33 are made of different types of thermoplastic resin, a bonding layer arrangement step is added between the surface layer arrangement step and the thermoplastic resin arrangement step. In the bonding layer arrangement step, a bonding layer 4 that exerts an anchor effect is arranged on the surface layer 32 that has been placed upside down on the surface layer placement section 68 in the surface layer arrangement step. Then, in the thermoplastic resin arrangement step, a plasticized thermoplastic resin 33M (see Figure 6(b)) is arranged on the bonding layer 4.

[0084] A case where a spunbond nonwoven fabric is used as the bonding layer 4 will be described. During the pressing step of cold press molding using a molding die 60, the heat of the thermoplastic resin 33M, which is heated to a temperature above its softening point, and the pressure during pressing cause a portion of the surface layer 32 facing the thermoplastic resin 33M and a portion of the thermoplastic resin 33M facing the surface layer 32 to penetrate in a molten state into the fiber gaps of the spunbond nonwoven fabric. The resulting solidification upon cooling creates an anchor effect, firmly uniting the surface layer 32 and the cold-press-molded layer 33 via the bonding layer 4 (spunbond nonwoven fabric). By providing the bonding layer 4 in this way, even if the surface layer 32 and the cold-press-molded layer 33 are made of different materials, the surface layer 32 and the cold-press-molded layer 33 can be firmly united via the bonding layer 4. The bonding layer 4 may be laminated in advance on the back surface of the surface layer 32.

[0085] <Examples of flooring materials (2)> Figure 7 shows a specific example (2) of a flooring material to which the present invention can be applied, where (a) is an overall perspective view of the entrance flooring material, and (b) is an enlarged view of the main part of the cross-sectional end surface taken along line BB in (a). The entrance flooring material 71 shown in Figure 7(a) comprises a surface layer 72 formed in a rectangular sheet shape in a plan view, and a cold-press molded layer 73 supporting the surface layer 72 from below.

[0086] <Surface layer> As shown in FIG. 7(b), the surface layer 72 has a plurality of recesses 75 and a plurality of protrusions 76 formed by carrying out a cold press molding process described below. The plurality of recesses 75 and the plurality of protrusions 76 are arranged adjacent to each other vertically and horizontally. The plurality of recesses 75 are formed between adjacent protrusions 76. The plurality of recesses 75 and the plurality of protrusions 76 as a whole form a tile-like uneven pattern.

[0087] [Convex] The multiple protrusions 76 are formed in a generally square shape in a plan view. In this specification, "plan view" refers to a view perpendicular to the surface of the surface layer 72, and the "plan view shape" refers to the outline in a plan view. The multiple protrusions 76 all have the same size in a plan view and are regularly arranged at equal intervals vertically and horizontally. This prevents variations in the drainage and slip resistance of the entrance floor material 71 from varying from location to location.

[0088] Each of the protrusions 76 has a generally flat top surface at its protruding end. To enhance design and slip resistance, the top surface is formed with mesh-like protrusions 78 that protrude in a lattice net shape when viewed from above. The mesh-like protrusions 78 form a lattice net-like uneven pattern.

[0089] Recess The plurality of recesses 75 are connected to form drainage grooves 79, which are formed in a grid pattern in plan view so as to surround each of the protrusions 76.

[0090] <Cold press molding layer> 7(a) and (b), the cold-press molded layer 73 includes a rectangular floor-laying portion 81 having a predetermined drainage slope toward the drainage portion 80, a protruding portion 82 that protrudes horizontally from the floor-laying portion 81 toward the drainage portion 80, and waterstop portions 83 that are erected on each of the remaining three sides of the floor-laying portion 81 except for the side on which the protruding portion 82 is provided. As shown in FIG. 7(b), the surface layer 72 is integrally placed on the upper surface of the floor-laying portion 81.

[0091] 7(b), a vertical surface 83a is formed on the outer side of the waterstop portion 83, extending perpendicularly to the upper surface of the floor-laying portion 81, i.e., in a straight vertical direction. An inclined surface 83b is formed on the inner side of the waterstop portion 83, sloping outward in a direction away from the upper surface of the floor-laying portion 81, i.e., upward.

[0092] The cold-press-molded layer 73 has a three-dimensional structure formed in a vertical or horizontal direction relative to the lamination surface. That is, the cold-press-molded layer 73 has a three-dimensional structure including a portion extending vertically (vertical surface 83a of the waterstop portion 83), a portion extending horizontally (extending portion 82), and a portion extending diagonally (inclined surface 83b of the waterstop portion 83) relative to the floor-laying portion 81 having the lamination surface on which the surface layer 72 is laminated. In this way, the present invention can mold flooring materials with any three-dimensional structure. In particular, the three vertical surfaces 83 have a three-dimensional structure in which the surface layer 72 is surrounded on three sides, which is a three-dimensional structure that cannot be obtained by extrusion molding.

[0093] <Molding mold for entrance hall flooring> Figure 8 shows a mold for molding an entrance hall flooring material, with (a) showing the mold release state and (b) showing the mold clamped state. As shown in Figure 8(a), the mold has an upper mold 91 having a convex portion 91a and a lower mold 92 having a concave portion 92a corresponding to the convex portion 91a. When the convex portion 91a and the concave portion 92a are combined as shown in the figure in the mold clamped state as shown in Figure 8(b), a molding cavity 95 for molding the entrance hall flooring material 71 is formed between the convex portion 91a and the concave portion 92a.

[0094] The upper mold 91 has a pressing surface 96 for pressing the base material of the cold-press-molded layer 73, which has been brought to a state above its softening point. The lower mold 92 has a surface layer mounting portion 98 in a recess 92a on which the surface layer 72 can be mounted. The lower mold 92 is formed with a waterstop molding portion 99 adjacent to the surface layer mounting portion 98 for molding the waterstop portion 83 (see FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b)) in the cold-press-molded layer 73.

[0095] <Method of manufacturing entrance flooring> Figure 9 shows the steps of the manufacturing method for molding entrance hall flooring, where (a) is an explanatory diagram of the surface layer placement process, (b) is an explanatory diagram of the thermoplastic resin placement process, (c) is an explanatory diagram of the pressing process, and (d) is an explanatory diagram of the recovery process.

[0096] [Surface layer placement process] 9(a), in a state where the upper mold 91 is positioned above the lower mold 92 and the molding die 90 is open, the surface layer 72 is placed upside down, with the upper surface of the surface layer 72 facing downward and the lower surface facing upward, on the surface layer placing portion 98 of the lower mold 92. This surface layer placing step corresponds to the "first placing step" of the present invention.

[0097] [Thermoplastic resin placement process] 9(b), the thermoplastic resin 73M, which is the base material of the cold-press molded layer 73 in a plasticized state, is placed on the surface layer 72 placed upside down on the surface layer placing section 98. This thermoplastic resin placing step corresponds to the "second placing step" of the present invention.

[0098] [Pressing process] Next, while cooling the upper mold 91 and the lower mold 92 using a cooling means (not shown), such as circulating cooling water through each of the upper mold 91 and the lower mold 92, the upper mold 91 is lowered relative to the lower mold 92 and clamped as shown in FIG. 9(c). The surface layer 72 and the thermoplastic resin 73M (base material of the cold-press molded layer 73), which are the contents of the mold 90, are pressed together at a temperature lower than the softening point of the thermoplastic resin 73M, for example, at or near room temperature. The pressing pressure in this pressing step is 0.1 to 20 MPa, preferably 0.2 to 15 MPa, and more preferably 0.5 to 10 MPa. If the pressing pressure is less than 0.1 MPa, the thermoplastic resin 73M may not fill the entire molding cavity 95, resulting in molding defects. If the pressing pressure is more than 20 MPa, the mold releasability may be impaired.

[0099] In the pressing process, the thermoplastic resin 73M pressed by the convex portion 91a of the upper mold 91 is spread on the surface layer 72, and a part of it is filled into the waterstop portion molding portion 99 of the lower mold 92. In this way, the molding of the cold-press-molded layer 73 progresses as the pressing process progresses. Also, during the molding of the cold-press-molded layer 73, the boundary between the thermoplastic resin 73M and the surface layer 72 is integrated by thermal fusion due to the heat of the thermoplastic resin 73M, which has been brought to a state above its softening point (plasticization temperature), and the pressure during the pressing process.

[0100] The surface side of the surface layer 72 (the lower side in Figures 9(a) to (c)) is cooled by the lower mold 92, even though it is subjected to pressure during press processing. This prevents thermal deformation of the surface side of the surface layer 72, and the pattern or textured pattern (in this example, a tile-like textured pattern or a lattice-like textured pattern) imparted to the surface side of the surface layer 72 remains intact. In the cold-press molded layer 73, the thermoplastic resin 73M, which has been brought to a plasticizing temperature, spreads along the shape of the molding cavity 95 and solidifies by cooling with the molding mold 90 (mainly the upper mold 91), thereby being molded into a shape corresponding to the shape of the molding cavity 95. This makes it possible to achieve both high design quality and flexible moldability with a three-dimensional effect.

[0101] [Recovery process] Once the pressing process is completed, as shown in Figure 9(d), the upper mold 91 is raised relative to the lower mold 92 to open the molding die 90, and the laminated molded body (entranceway flooring material 71) formed by the pressing process is removed from the molding die 90 and collected.

[0102] [Joining layer placement process] FIG. 10(b) is an explanatory diagram of the bonding layer arrangement step in the manufacturing method of an entrance hall flooring material. The manufacturing method of the entrance hall flooring material 71 described above is applied when the surface layer 72 and the cold-press molded layer 73 are made of the same type of thermoplastic resin. When the surface layer 72 and the cold-press molded layer 73 are made of different types of thermoplastic resin, a bonding layer arrangement step is carried out between the surface layer arrangement step and the thermoplastic resin arrangement step. In the bonding layer arrangement step, a bonding layer 4 that exerts an anchor effect is arranged on the surface layer 72 that has been placed upside down on the surface layer placement section 98 in the surface layer arrangement step. Then, in the thermoplastic resin arrangement step, a plasticized thermoplastic resin 73M (see FIG. 9(b)) is arranged on the bonding layer 4.

[0103] An example will be described in which a spunbond nonwoven fabric is used as the bonding layer 4. During the pressing step of cold-press molding using a molding die 90, the heat of the thermoplastic resin 73M, which has been heated to a state above its softening point, and the pressure during pressing cause a portion of the surface layer 72 facing the thermoplastic resin 73M and a portion of the thermoplastic resin 73M facing the surface layer 72 to penetrate in a molten state into the fiber gaps of the spunbond nonwoven fabric. These portions then cool and solidify, creating an anchor effect that firmly integrates the surface layer 72 and the cold-press-molded layer 73 via the bonding layer 4 (spunbond nonwoven fabric). By providing the bonding layer 4 in this way, the surface layer 72 and the cold-press-molded layer 73 can be firmly integrated together, even if they are made of different materials.

[0104] The textured pattern of the surface layer 32, 72 is preferably imparted to the surface layer 32, 72 before lamination. As described above, in the process of laminating the surface layer 32, 72 and the cold-press-molded layer 33, 73 to form the cold-press-molded layer 33, 73, a press process is performed to form the cold-press-molded layer 33, 73. This press process is performed by bringing the textured pattern imparted to the surface layer 32, 72 before lamination into contact with the mold 60, 90. Although the pressure during the press process acts on the textured pattern, the textured pattern is cooled by the mold 60, 90. Therefore, even if the textured pattern is imparted to the surface layer 32, 72 before lamination, thermal deformation of the textured pattern can be suppressed, and the shape of the textured pattern can be maintained. The flooring material 31, 71 eliminates the need to impart a textured pattern to the surface layer 32, 72 by, for example, embossing after the press process, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0105] [Another embodiment] The present invention can also be implemented by partially modifying the configuration of the flooring material according to each of the above-described embodiments (including modified examples). Such modified examples will be described below as other embodiments.

[0106] <Another embodiment 1> In the second embodiment described above, a specific example (1) of a flooring material to which the present invention can be applied is a staircase flooring material in which the stair nosing laying portion 43 and the riser surface laying portion 42 intersect at approximately right angles. However, the connection between the stair nosing laying portion 43 and the riser surface laying portion 42 can be modified in various ways. For example, in FIG. 4, the connection between the stair nosing laying portion 43 and the riser surface laying portion 42 can be curved so that the entire cold-press-formed layer 33 has a rounded shape without corners (not shown). Furthermore, the uneven portion 50 formed in the stair nosing laying portion 43, which is composed of multiple groove-like recesses 45 and rib-like protrusions 46, can also be curved along the longitudinal direction or have the corners of the unevenness chamfered to emphasize a rounded, soft impression.

[0107] <Another embodiment 2> In the second embodiment described above, as a specific example (2) of a flooring material to which the present invention can be applied, a flooring material for an entrance hall having a cold-press-molded layer 73 with a floor-laying portion 81, an overhanging portion 82, and a waterstop portion 83 was shown, but the cold-press-molded layer 73 can also be configured to include a frame for the flooring (flooring). For example, in Figure 7, if the waterstop portion 83 of the cold-press-molded layer 73 is further extended vertically and connected to the edge of the flooring (flooring), not shown, the waterstop portion 83 of the cold-press-molded layer 73 can function as a frame for the flooring (flooring). [Industrial Applicability]

[0108] The present invention can firmly integrate a cold-pressed layer that is hard and capable of being formed into a three-dimensional shape with a flexible surface layer that has a fine uneven structure and is excellent in design. Therefore, the present invention is a technology that can be widely used in the construction industry, renovation industry, etc., and is particularly useful in constructing floor surfaces in various buildings such as ordinary houses, apartment buildings, condominiums, commercial malls, office buildings, factories, stores, stations, schools, hospitals, and public facilities. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 1A, 1B Flooring 2,2A,2B surface layer 3 Cold press molding layer 4 Bonding layer 31 Staircase flooring 32 Surface layer of staircase flooring 33 Cold-pressed molding layer for staircase flooring 35 Concave (wood grain pattern) 36 Convex part (wood grain pattern) 37 Short fiber-containing resin layer (wood-grain textured pattern) 42 Riser surface installation part (three-dimensional structure) 43 Nose laying part (three-dimensional structure) 60 Molding mold (for molding flooring for stairs) 71 Entrance flooring 72 Surface layer of entrance flooring 73 Cold-pressed molding layer for entrance flooring 75 Concave (tile-like uneven pattern) 76 Convex part (tile-like uneven pattern) 78 Reticulated convex part (lattice-like uneven pattern) 82 Overhang (three-dimensional structure) 83 Water stop plate part (three-dimensional structure) 90 Molding mold (for molding entrance flooring)

Claims

1. A flooring material comprising a surface layer and a molding layer laminated together, the boundary between the surface layer and the molding layer is integrated by heat fusion, The molding layer has a portion formed in a vertical direction or a horizontal direction with respect to the lamination surface, the vertically formed portion has a length equal to or greater than the thickness of the surface layer and is formed to bend from a plurality of points on the molding layer, A flooring material in which there are areas on the surface of the flooring material where the surface layer is absent and the molding layer is exposed, and there are also areas where the edge surface of the surface layer is in contact with the molding layer.

2. 2. The flooring material according to claim 1, wherein the vertically extending portions formed so as to bend from a plurality of points on the molding layer are adjacent to each other and integrated together.

3. A flooring material comprising a surface layer and a molding layer laminated together, the boundary between the surface layer and the molding layer is integrated by heat fusion, The molding layer has a portion formed in a vertical direction or a horizontal direction with respect to the lamination surface, the vertically formed portion has a length equal to or greater than a thickness of the surface layer and is formed to bend from the molding layer, and the surface layer is disposed inside the bent portion; A flooring material in which there are areas on the surface of the flooring material where the surface layer is absent and the molding layer is exposed, and there are also areas where the edge surface of the surface layer is in contact with the molding layer.

4. 4. The flooring material according to claim 1, wherein the surface layer and the molding layer are made of the same material.

5. the molding layer has a higher hardness (type A durometer hardness measured in accordance with JIS K 6253) than the surface layer, 5. The flooring material according to claim 1, wherein the difference in hardness between the molding layer and the surface layer is 30 or more.

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