Hollow and closed-section profiles and their production methods

Abstract

A hollow closed-section profile and its production method for architecture and interior decoration, using veneered MDF sheets of at least 2 mm thickness. To provide a specific cross-sectional area of desired shape, solve the heaviness of solid profiles or problems related to wooden section preparation, and deliver a product without need for machining or post-cutting processing, V-shaped milling is applied to said thin MDF sheets such that only the MDF core is milled and the veneer remains uncut. Consequently, the milled sections of the target surface are folded without rupture and perpendicularly to each other to yield a hollow cross-sectional area.

Description

Hollow and Closed-Section Profiles and Their Production Methods

[0001] This patent pertains to the production of hollow and closed-section profiles and their manufacturing methods in the domain of industrial engineering, involving working with components such as wood and various types of profiles, in the areas of architecture, interior decoration, and decorative structures.

[0002] B27N - B29C - B44C - E04F

[0003] Patent with Application Number US 2005 / 0115175 A1, titled "Construction compositions and methods":

[0004] This invention proposes various composite wood designs intended for use in door and window structures, enhancing the strength of the panels against bending.

[0005] Difference from the claimed product and method:

[0006] Structure: This invention features two components—solid wood and low-grade wood such as MDF, OSB, LVL, or plywood—each with a triangular cross-section, which are connected to form a final rectangular cross-section. In contrast, the claimed product uses MDF with a minimum thickness of 2mm, coated with a surface that is precisely V-shaped cut with high sensitivity to avoid cutting through the coating. Consequently, this invention has a higher weight compared to the claimed product.

[0007] Purpose: The invention aims to prevent bending and swelling of panels used in door and window structures, whereas the claimed product is designed to create a hollow cross-section to reduce weight and address issues associated with heavy solid panels. Additionally, it eliminates the need for lengthy preparation steps typically required for wood sheets.

[0008] Patent with Application Number US20180363304B2, titled "Decorative panel and method for producing same":

[0009] This invention is a solid, decorative panel with a layered structure including a decorative layer, a decorative substrate, and a support layer made of orthogonal material.

[0010] Difference from the claimed product and method:

[0011] Structure: As mentioned, this invention features a solid layered structure with a decorative layer and a support layer of orthogonal material. In contrast, the claimed product is a coated MDF sheet with a minimum thickness of 2mm, which, through highly precise V-shaped chip removal or milling and perpendicular alignment of the cut sections, produces a hollow cross-section.

[0012] Purpose: The layer types in this invention are intended to enhance strength, whereas the claimed product and its manufacturing method are focused on producing a lightweight profile with a hollow cross-section, allowing various designs and shapes to be implemented without the need for finishing or secondary processing.

[0013] Patent with Application Number US20050102920B2, titled "multi-functional assembly including a panel and stud with oppositely configured 'V' notches along a cross-sectional configuration":

[0014] This invention pertains to the method of connecting and perpendicular alignment of panels using V-shaped cuts.

[0015] Difference from the claimed product and method:

[0016] Structure: This invention utilizes solid panels, whereas the claimed product features hollow cross-sectional profiles.

[0017] Purpose: This invention employs V-shaped cuts for connecting and aligning multiple panels to form a design, while in the claimed product, the V-shaped chip removal or milling process creates a hollow panel or cross-sectional profile. This technique reduces the need for additional processing and multiple panels to realize the desired shape, offering a more integrated solution.

[0018] This invention pertains to a hollow, closed-profile made from MDF sheets with a minimum thickness of 2 millimeters, coated with paper or PVC, designed for decorative and architectural applications. The core idea involves performing precise V-shaped chip removal or milling on the MDF surface at specified intervals, leaving only the coating layer uncut. This process creates interconnected, foldable segments that form a hollow, cross-sectional profile capable of being folded and aligned at right angles without cracking or detachment, thus producing a lightweight, hollow structure that mimics solid profiles in cross-sectional area.

[0019] The primary purpose is to provide a cost-effective, lightweight substitute for heavy solid materials like thick MDF, wood, metal, or stone in interior decorations and structural elements. Traditional solid materials are heavy, costly, and difficult to manipulate, while existing hollow profiles often require complex manufacturing or risk material failure.

[0020] This invention solves these problems by enabling the creation of a durable, hollow profile through a precise, error-free chip removal or milling process that maintains the coating integrity. The resulting product is lightweight, easy to assemble, and capable of forming complex shapes, offering a versatile, efficient alternative for interior design and decorative structures. It simplifies manufacturing, reduces costs, and enhances flexibility in architectural applications, without compromising structural integrity or aesthetic quality.

[0021] In the industry, to produce products required for interior decorations or various types of ornamental structures, solid and heavy materials such as natural wood, solid profiles or MDF, or hollow metal profiles are used. The trunk of a tree, which has a cross-section close to a circular shape, is typically cut into sections that are often rectangular or square with various dimensions, resulting in some material waste.

[0022] Additionally, the obtained sections must be completely dried to prevent shrinkage, warping, or deformation after use. Drying can be done either naturally or industrially. In the natural drying method, cut wooden sections are placed in shaded environments, arranged longitudinally and transversely with gaps between them, allowing gradual drying over time through air circulation. In industrial drying, the sections are placed in specialized kilns and dried by applying heat. After drying, depending on the intended application, the wood sections are machined and finished. To enhance durability and aesthetic appeal, specific coatings are applied to the surface.

[0023] Considering the above, using natural wood faces several issues:

[0024] Significant waste and scrap

[0025] Presence of moisture

[0026] Cracking due to drying, requiring repairs

[0027] Heterogeneous structure caused by knots

[0028] Multiple-stage painting and coating processes

[0029] To address these issues and work with lighter raw materials such as MDF, it is important to note that MDF sheets are solid and have uniform thickness, providing a consistent cross-sectional surface. To create angled shapes, these surfaces are simply placed side by side with the same thickness. Cutting the surface involves cutting the veneer or overlay, which is also associated with the cutting process.

[0030] Hollow profiles also exist, typically metal, but the claimed product is not only hollow but also made of MDF, which makes it very lightweight. This product consists of MDF sheets with a minimum thickness of 2mm, coated with paper or PVC. These are designed to produce a specific cross-sectional profile through a chip removal or milling process, where the MDF sheet is V-shaped cut, leaving the coating intact without cuts. By folding and aligning the cut surfaces perpendicularly, a hollow and lightweight cross-section is created. Thus, the problems associated with heavy solid profiles or wood—such as weight, drying issues, moisture, warping, etc.—are eliminated in the claimed product. Moreover, since the coating is not cut, the cut surfaces remain intact and separated, eliminating the need for reprocessing or recoating.

[0031] The final product, in the claimed method, exhibits minimal waste, requires no machining or finishing, drying, or moisture removal, and has a homogeneous, warp- and crack-free structure. Furthermore, due to the variety of patterns and colors available in this product, there is no need for painting or surface coatings.Solution of Problem

[0032] Explanation and Description of the Invention:

[0033] One of the materials used for decoration and façade construction in architecture, interior and exterior decoration, is wood, thick MDF boards, or solid and heavy profiles. Regarding wood, in addition to its weight, there are issues such as waste during extraction of the desired cross-section due to the circular shape of the log, the processes of moisture removal and drying, the presence of knots or cracks in the wood grain, warping, and bending.

[0034] MDF sheets can serve as a good substitute for wood, but solid MDF is still used to achieve specific cross-sections. When bending is required to create the desired pattern, MDF must be cut, which leads to cutting the surface veneer or overlay, or necessitates additional processing, assembly, and re-coating.

[0035] The product and manufacturing method claimed not only address the problem of using heavy materials such as wood or solid MDF for producing specific cross-sectional profiles but also provide a hollow profile with the same cross-section. This is achieved by cutting and chip-removing a thin MDF sheet in a V-shape, such that only the MDF chips are removed, and the coating remains uncut. As a result, the cut sections remain connected in a continuous, perpendicular arrangement, creating a hollow cross-section.

[0036] Detailed Explanation of Usage and Functionality of Each Part:

[0037] The hollow and closed profile of the claimed invention, as shown in—which depicts a cross-sectional view of the product—is a sheet of MDF (11) with a minimum thickness of 2 mm, coated (12). To produce the desired product with specified cross-sections and faces of certain dimensions, the MDF sheet is machined (chip-removed) in a V-shape (13) at specified intervals using a milling machine (chip removal or milling device). The V-shaped cuts (13) are made at points with two 45-degree cuts (21) relative to the surface of the MDF sheet (11), which are at a 90-degree angle to each other.

[0038] As shown in, the V-shaped cuts (13) are performed with two 45-degree cuts (21) relative to the MDF sheet (11), which are at right angles to each other. It can be seen that the chip removal or milling process only affects the MDF sheet (11), and the high-sensitivity cut does not cut through the coating (12). Consequently, by machining the MDF sheet (11) and folding and aligning the cut sections (21) perpendicularly, the cut sections remain connected due to the uncut coating (12), forming a continuous, hollow cross-section. Furthermore, the product requires no additional processing after manufacturing.

[0039] shows a top view of the product before folding the machined sections (13), illustrating the specified cross-sectional shape.

[0040] As depicted in, once the machined sections (21) are folded perpendicularly, the faces of the product (41) are aligned perpendicularly, resulting in a cross-section (42) with specified dimensions. This product provides a lightweight alternative to wood or other solid profiles, enabling the creation of specific cross-sectional patterns without further processing.

[0041] ,, andshow front views of samples (50), (60), and (70), illustrating the fold lines (51) and the machined surfaces of the coated MDF sheet (11). These samples demonstrate various basic, grid, and other designs, indicating the capability to produce profiles with diverse patterns.

[0042] It is clear from the illustrations that the hollow sections in the claimed product are inside solid profiles in other similar products, which tend to be heavier. Additionally, creating specific designs in other products requires fully cutting the sheet or wood, reassembling the pieces, and further processing. In contrast, in the claimed product, due to the chip-removal method and uncut coating, the faces remain interconnected, allowing the creation of desired models merely by perpendicular folding without additional processing or reassembly.

[0043] Based on, the manufacturing process of the hollow cross-sectional profile is as follows:

[0044] Initial chip removal or milling at the beginning and end, or at the start and part of the MDF sheet, in a half-V shape, so that the coating remains uncut.

[0045] Chip removal or milling at specified intervals from the surface of the MDF sheet in a V-shape, without cutting the coating.

[0046] Applying wood glue to the machined sections.

[0047] Folding the faces of the MDF sheet onto each other at the machined sections so that the two V-shaped cuts align.

[0048] Placing the start and part of the sheet, machined in a half-V shape, to close the cross-section according to the desired pattern.Advantage Effects of the Invention

[0049] • The final product has the minimal amount of waste.

[0050] • Requires no machining or finishing.

[0051] • Requires no drying or moisture removal.

[0052] • Possesses a homogeneous structure without warping or cracking.

[0053] • Offers a variety of patterns and colors, eliminating the need for painting or coating.

[0054] • Can be used to create various cross-sectional shapes and geometric forms.

[0055] • Chip removal or milling is performed without cutting the coating, resulting in no separation of the machined parts from each other.

[0056] Innovative Step and Distinguishing Features of the Invention:

[0057] The hollow and closed profile and its manufacturing method incorporate an inventive step by utilizing MDF with a minimum thickness of 2 mm to produce a hollow profile with a variable cross-section and different geometric shapes, intended to replace cross-sections made of wood or other solid and heavy materials.

[0058] To achieve such a product, V-shaped chip removal or milling is performed on the MDF sheet in such a way that only the coating is not cut, which prevents separation of the faces and enables folding and perpendicular alignment of one face onto another. This process ultimately results in a hollow product with the desired cross-sectional shape and geometric form.

[0059] A view of the coated MDF sheet after V-shaped and half-V-shaped chip removal or milling, prior to forming the desired cross-section.

[0060] A view highlighting the machined section of the coated MDF sheet.

[0061] A top view of the entire machined MDF sheet with specified length and width, before forming the final cross-section.

[0062] A top view of the entire claimed product, presented as a closed hollow MDF profile with a specified cross-section.

[0063] A front view of the claimed product’s cross-section in the closed state, in the basic pattern.

[0064] A front view of the claimed product’s cross-section in the closed state, in the desired pattern.

[0065] A front view of the claimed product’s cross-section in the closed state, in a grid pattern.

[0066] Flowchart of the manufacturing process for the claimed product.

[0067] Shows the initial coated MDF sheet after V-shaped and half-V-shaped chip removal or milling, before forming the final cross-sectional shape, wherein:

[0068] (11): Coated MDF sheet

[0069] (12): Surface coating layer

[0070] (13): V-shaped and half-V-shaped chip removal or milling lines (cut lines)

[0071] Close-up view of the specific machined section on the coated MDF sheet, focusing on the chip removal or milling area, wherein:

[0072] (11): Coated MDF sheet

[0073] (12): Coating layer

[0074] (21): Specific cut line (chip removal or milling line)

[0075] (22): glue application area (cut v line)

[0076] Top view of the entire coated MDF sheet after machining, showing the surface with specified length and width, prior to folding or assembly, wherein:

[0077] (11): Coated MDF sheet

[0078] (12): Coating layer

[0079] (13): V-shaped and half-V-shaped chip removal or milling lines (cut lines)

[0080] Perspective view of the fully assembled hollow profile, showing the cross-section after folding the machined parts, wherein:

[0081] (41): Assembled hollow profile

[0082] (42): Cross-sectional shape of the profile

[0083] Front view of the cross-section of the product in the closed state, displaying the basic pattern with faces aligned, wherein:

[0084] (51): Fold lines or joints

[0085] (11): Coated MDF sheet

[0086] (12): Coating layer

[0087] Front view of the cross-sectional profile in the closed state, showing the pattern designed for the final product, wherein:

[0088] (51): Fold lines or joints

[0089] Front view of the cross-sectional profile with a grid or mesh pattern in the final product.

[0090] Flowchart of the manufacturing process for the hollow profile.Examples

[0091] The primary material composing the claimed product is MDF sheets with thicknesses of 2, 3, 4, or 5 millimeters, coated with paper or PVC.

[0092] MDF sheets of the aforementioned thicknesses are available in the market with standard dimensions, for example, a length of 2440 mm and a width of 1830 mm are among the standard sizes.

[0093] The manufacturing process involves first cutting the MDF sheet longitudinally according to the desired product size, then feeding it into a high-precision milling machine to perform V-shaped chip removal or milling. The milling is carried out to a depth that reaches the surface of the coating, so that the faces of the final cross-section are connected only through the coating layer.

[0094] Next, the machined sections are coated with wood glue, joined together, and the final cross-sectional shape is formed.

[0095] The size range of the product is such that all cross-sections with outer perimeters from 8 centimeters to 60 centimeters can be produced.

[0096] The hollow, closed profile and its manufacturing method are used in the wood industry, MDF, and any profile intended for use in architecture, interior building decorations, and consequently in workshops that produce interior building facades, woodworking workshops, and decorative wooden or profile products.

Claims

A hollow closed-section profile product and its manufacturing method, made from MDF with a minimum thickness of 2 mm coated with materials such as paper or PVC, used in decorative applications including interior building decorations and architectural ornamentation, as a substitute for wood, heavy solid materials such as MDF with thicknesses of 8 mm or more, or heavy hollow metal or stone materials, wherein V-shaped milling is performed at specified intervals on the MDF sheet such that only the coating remains uncut, and despite the milling, the MDF sections remain connected without separation, forming a closed hollow cross-section when folded perpendicularly.According to Claim 1, wherein the milling includes half-V cuts at both ends and connection points of the MDF sheet, and full V-shaped milling at specified intervals on its surface.According to Claims 1 and 2, wherein the milling is performed with high precision such that the coating layer is not cut through the entire MDF sheet.According to Claims 1–3, wherein due to the uncut coating during milling, the machined surfaces of the MDF sheet can be folded perpendicularly without cracking or detachment, resulting in a hollow product with a cross-sectional area equivalent to a solid product.

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