Decorative Panel UV Coating for High-Gloss Texture Control

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing decorative panels, particularly those with high gloss levels, are limited by surface roughness and texture matching, leading to visible creases and unevenness, and traditional methods like curtain coating are costly and environmentally harmful.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the application of a texture layer with lower surface energy than the coating layer, followed by UV curing, allows for controlled surface roughness and texture transfer, enabling high gloss levels without visible creases.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If roller coating is used to apply UV coating, then production speed and abrasion resistance are improved, but surface roughness increases and gloss level is limited to maximum 60%

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction speedVSAvoidsurface roughness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a leveling agent to the UV coating before curing to pre-level the surface. This preliminary action removes micro-creases and surface unevenness caused by roller coating, enabling the surface to achieve high gloss levels (up to 100%) after curing without the visible creases that would otherwise limit gloss to 60% maximum.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the coating system by incorporating a leveling agent with specific surface tension properties. This parameter change allows the coating to self-level during the curing process, reducing surface roughness Ra from 0.5-3.5 μm to below 0.05 μm, thereby enabling high gloss finishes while maintaining roller coating productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If UV coating is applied to match existing surface texture, then coating adhesion is improved, but visible wavy patterns and macro-undulations occur on the panel surface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating adhesionVSAvoidsurface flatness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a leveling agent to the UV coating before curing to pre-level the surface. This preliminary action removes micro-creases and surface unevenness caused by roller coating, enabling the surface to achieve high gloss levels (up to 100%) after curing without the visible creases that would otherwise limit gloss to 60% maximum.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the coating system by incorporating a leveling agent with specific surface tension properties. This parameter change allows the coating to self-level during the curing process, reducing surface roughness Ra from 0.5-3.5 μm to below 0.05 μm, thereby enabling high gloss finishes while maintaining roller coating productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If curtain coating is used to cover surface undulations, then surface uniformity is improved, but production cost increases and environmental impact worsens due to large quantities of VOCs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface uniformityVSAvoidVOC emissions

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the harmful VOC-containing thick coating layer from the process. Instead of applying 100-200 g/m2 of VOC-rich coating material as in curtain coating, the invention uses a thin UV coating layer (5-20 μm) combined with a leveling agent that has minimal or no VOC content, thereby eliminating the harmful emissions while achieving surface uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical curtain coating system (which requires large quantities of material to fill undulations) with a chemical self-leveling mechanism. The leveling agent chemically modifies the coating's surface tension to enable automatic flow and leveling of the thin UV coating layer, achieving surface uniformity without the need for excessive coating material or VOC emissions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method achieves decorative panels with predictable and repeatable surface textures, allowing gloss levels up to 100% while reducing production costs and environmental impact.

Implementation Method 1

subjecting at least part of the uncured coating layer to ultraviolet light such that at least part of the coating layer is cured, in particular via UV curing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUV curing: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 2

wherein the surface energy of the texture layer is lower than the surface tension of the uncured coating layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface energy differential: Surface Tension

Data Source

PatentUS20260070084A1Decorative panel and method for producing a decorative panel

Publication Date: 2026.03.12 CHAMPION LINK INT

AI summary

The invention relates to a decorative panel and to a method for producing a decorative panel, in particular a floor panel, wall panel or ceiling panel. The method comprises the steps of providing at least one decorative panel, the panel comprising a core layer comprising an upper surface and a bottom surface, applying at least one uncured coating onto the upper surface of the panel such that a coating layer is formed, creating a surface texture in the coating layer and curing the coating layer via UV curing.