NL1014079C2 - Method for making laminated art prints, photographs, etc, uses digitally printed image in place of conventional lithographic or screen printed images - Google Patents

Abstract

High Pressure laminated pictures are conventionally made by coating a printed image with a layer of transparent plastic film and compressing it using high temperature and pressure. In the present method, the image is produced by a computer output printer on normal paper, before lamination.

Description

P52161NL00

Title: Method for manufacturing laminates.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing laminates, in which a substrate or substrate material is impregnated with a resin by applying a resin layer to be applied thereon, after which a printed surface layer guided by a resin bath is applied to it and the obtained layer structure is compressed together under elevated temperature and pressure.

Such laminates are often referred to as HPL 10 (high pressure laminates) plates. The resin layer to be applied to the substrate or substrate material, such as, for example, kraft paper, is usually formed by a phenolic resin which is relatively inexpensive, but is colored somewhat yellowish and has relatively poor wear properties. The resin in which the surface layer is soaked before it is applied to the phenolic layer consists of a much more expensive, yet colorless and wear-resistant melamine resin.

The obtained layer structure can be applied under a pressure of approx.

90 kg per cm2 and a temperature of about 150 ° C are pressed together, whereby the resin layers are pressed together. In this way, decorative patterns, texts and images can be applied in the laminate, while the whole is very good dirt and scratch resistant and strongly resistant to discoloration under the influence of light, in particular UV light.

Such a method is used for the mass-production of HPL plates, the surface layer of which is printed using rotary printing or, to a much lesser extent, screen printing techniques. Such techniques are too expensive to use on a small and very small scale, in particular because of the relatively high manufacturing costs of the printing cylinders.

For example, such production on a very small scale can prevent 1014079 2 when very specific prints, plates or photos must be visible in the laminate.

The object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing laminates, which is relatively inexpensive, in particular with small runs, and in which the limitations inherent in rotary printing and screen printing techniques can simply be avoided. For example, in rotary printing techniques, the size of the images to be applied to the laminate is determined by the dimensions of the rotary cylinder.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the method, as described in the preamble, is characterized in that the surface layer is formed by a digitally printed layer. By applying digital printing techniques known per se in the production of laminates, the size of the images on the laminates to be manufactured is more flexible, while more color shading can moreover be obtained.

In particular, the surface layer to be supplied to the resin bath may be formed by a printed sheet of paper delivered by a computer-controlled printer. If the substrate or substrate layer is relatively large, with dimensions in the order of 305 x 130 cm being considered, it is advantageous if several sheets of paper can be applied to the resin-impregnated substrate or substrate layer before the resulting layer structure is pressed together.

In addition to a method, the invention also relates to the laminate manufactured by using the method described above.

1014079

Claims (5)

1. A method for manufacturing laminates, in which a substrate or substrate material is impregnated with a resin layer to be applied thereon, after which a printed surface layer guided by a resin bath is applied thereon and the layer structure obtained under high temperature and pressure pressed into a whole, characterized in that the surface layer is formed by a digitally printed layer. 10 Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface layer to be supplied to the resin bath is formed by a printed sheet of paper delivered by a computer-controlled printer. 15 A method according to claim 2, characterized in that several sheets of paper are applied to the resin-impregnated substrate or substrate layer before the resulting layer structure is pressed together. 20 Laminate manufactured by applying the method according to one of the preceding claims. 1014079 REPORT ON NEWS INQUIRIES OF INTERNATIONAL TYPE IOENTIFIKAT1E OF OE NATIONAL APPLICATION Identity of the applicant ol of the authorized representative P52161NLOO Dutch application no. Filing date 13 January 2000 1014079 Claimed priority date Applicant (Name) Abet B.V. Date of the request for an international type study Awarded by the International Research Authority USA) to an international type study request "No. SN34802EN I. CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBJECT (when using different classifications, indicate all the classification symbols] According to the Intemational Classification (IPC) Int.Cl.7: B32B27 / 10 B44C5 / 04 II. Classification system | Classification symbols_ Int.CI.7: B32B B44C, Undisturbed other documentation of the minimum document requirement insofar as the documents are included in the onoertocfitt m. II NO EXAMINATION POSSIBLE FOR CERTAIN CONCLUSIONS (comments on supplement sheet) “IV. LACK OF UNIT OF INVENTION (comments on supplement sheet) Q ^ - 77 Porni> CT / ISA / 201 <il 07.1 * 79