ES2383345B1 - PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING A FLEXIBLE MATERIAL. - Google Patents

Abstract

Procedure for obtaining a flexible material, which is constituted by at least two laminated layers of wood veneer glued together and joined to an elastic layer of rubber or similar, whose laminated layer of wood veneer cover is made a series of cuts or grooves of edges more or less separated from each other, directed in different directions and with a variable depth without reaching through the thickness of the veneer, whose cuts delimit areas of trained veneer of individual bending by movement of the material or body friction, while the second sheet of wood veneer can be cut on the opposite side of the joint with the cover layer which increases its flexibility or be free of cuts increasing its resistance.

Description

Procedure for obtaining a flexible material.

Technical scope

The invention relates to a process for obtaining a flexible material that constituted with layers of wood sheets on an elastic rubber base can be used to upholster, line, cover or cover objects, despite being formed with a material that is individually little fl exible but that together with the proposed procedure produces an increase in the fl exibility of the material. Furthermore, by arranging the material obtained on its face, a sheet of veneered wood allows it to be applied to various articles that may be in direct contact with parts of the human body, without causing irritations or skin rashes. Such material is obtained with maximum flexibility so that it can be used satisfactorily as upholstery to cover or line domestic seats and / or car seats, or also as rest covers adaptable to said seats, as well as can be used for shaping. of floor and wall coverings or coverings, carpets and also as raw material for the manufacture of insoles, soles for footwear and orthopedic material. Background of the invention

In the current state of the art the existence of the invention patent number P0239225 is already known, which consists of a "Procedure for obtaining and manufacturing flexible adaptable wood pieces by adhesion", where the option of obtaining sheets or films of Thick wood that is conveniently treated with chemicals, such as hydrogen peroxide, vitriol, nitric acid, etc., softens the wood to give it more flexibility.

These sheets or films of wood are subjected on their faces to the impregnation of an adhesive and then, by means of roller pairs, they can be attached to a fabric, paper or plastic base, intended to cover the walls as if they were wooden panels.

It is also known the existence of the invention patent No. P0355486 for "Improvements introduced in the manufacturing processes of flexible boards based on plastic and woven wood" where a manufacturing procedure is followed very similar to that of the previous patent but which is carried out at certain temperatures and at very specific adhesion pressures.

The material obtained with these patent procedures is intended to be coupled to surfaces.

or flat walls where it is rigid as a decorative board and therefore does not require, nor do they have sufficient flexibility so that the material can bend without cracking, especially when it is intended to adapt to shapes of certain structures that have curves, rounded or protruding areas and angular recesses.

Finally, it is worth highlighting the existence of the invention patent number 201030284 for “Multilayer element” whose holders are the same as those of the present application, and where the con fi guration of a multilayer element whose exposed face is constituted by a series of small pieces of wood or smoothed veneer and treated with variable contours with rounded edges and vertices that are arranged separately on a second layer in the form of a flexible rubber sheet which favors the mobility of the pieces of wood, which make up a series of ventilation channels of the body areas in contact or friction with said cover layer.

The multilayer element to achieve more resistance and flexibility is annexing more layers consisting of pieces of rubber of different resistance to deformation and arranged on another layer of rubber to finish on a base of wear-resistant studs.

This type of element has very good results of flexibility, but it is more complex in its manufacture because it consists of layers of small pieces that must be assembled and adhered to the flexible sheets to achieve the proposed result.

On the other hand it is also known for the state of the art aimed at the footwear industry, the existence of soles for footwear that are made of wood, which is very beneficial for the feet. However, this type of sole has the disadvantage that it is not at all flexible since it is obtained in the form of an integral wooden body, so it is also very heavy and not very breathable, causing excessive sweat on the feet.

It follows that these known solutions present problems with regard to the fl exibility of the material and therefore its application is more restricted in the market due to their fragility. Object of the invention

The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks and provide the market with a method of obtaining a more flexible wood material without losing its resistance that improves on existing materials in the market and that results in a material that can be adapted or adjusted to any irregular shape of different objects, without risk of breakage or cracking in the surface of the material.

It also allows to obtain other additional advantages derived from the fact that the material obtained uses natural components in its conformation, which favors the rubbing or contact of the material with the human body producing well-being, a certain massage and warmth to the touch.

And all this is obtained with a process of special cuts on the surfaces of the wood veneers, which is easy and economical to carry out, which lowers the manufacturing costs of the material and which, by means of its realization, allows the manufacturer to balance the resistance and fl exibility of the material so that there are no breaks in it, in accordance with the application to which it will be intended. Description of the invention

In accordance with the invention, the flexible material to be obtained is constituted by at least two laminated layers of wood veneer of the same or different thickness, which are glued together and joined to a third elastic layer of rubber, sponge or the like.

To increase the flexibility of the material, cuts or indentations are made in the veneer layer of wood veneer, which can be shaped with their edges more or less separated from each other, according to the cutting tools used.

The cuts are made on the surface of the cover layer in different directions and with a variable and limited depth since it must not get through the thickness of the veneer.

The cuts made delimit between them some areas of wood veneer capable of individual bending when there is a movement of the material, especially when there is a pressure or friction with a part of the user's body.

It is envisaged that the second laminated layer of wood veneer will be free of cuts, which allows the use of sheets of less thickness while maintaining the adequate strength of the flexible material obtained.

Another option of the process of obtaining a flexible material is to use a second laminated layer of wood veneer of the same thickness as the cover sheet and make cuts or crevices on the opposite side of the joint with the cover sheet provided also of cuts by his face.

The cuts or grooves made will have their edges more or less separated according to the tool used and will be made in different directions and with a variable and limited depth without going through the thickness of the second layer of wood veneer.

These cuts made in the second sheet layer can be made in vertical coincidence and / or also displaced from the cuts of the cover sheet layer and therefore the areas delimited between the cuts provided with individual fl exion, will be vertically centered and / or offset below of the fl exorous zones of the cover sheet.

When the cuts of the veneer cover sheet coincide with the cuts of the second laminated veneer layer and therefore the flexible areas are centered on the same vertical axis, the material obtained is more flexible than when the cuts They do not match, but it is also more vulnerable to breakage.

On the contrary, when the cuts made in the laminated layers of wood veneer do not coincide in vertical extension and the flexible zones of each layer are displaced with respect to each other, the material loses flexibility but gains in resistance to breakage.

Therefore, a balance can be achieved so that in both laminar layers certain cuts coincide and others are displaced in order to achieve the adequate flexibility and resistance of the material in accordance with the application to which it is to be destined.

The invention has also provided that when the material conforms to the union of more than two laminated layers of wood veneer, cuts or indentations must be made in the alternate layers of veneer, leaving an intermediate layer of veneer. free of cuts between two layered layers with slits.

Said cuts will also be made with different directions and with a variable and limited depth and will be formed and initiated in the first laminar cover layer, to continue in the third laminated layer of wood veneer and leaving the second laminar layer uncut. If there were more layers, the uncut layers would alternate with the cut layers. Said cuts may or may not match those of one layer with those of the other alternating layers to maintain the balance between flexibility and resistance to breakage of the material.

Finally, it is planned that the set of layers that constitute the material have at strategic points a series of perforations in vertical coincidence that cross all the layers constituting aeration passages of the material while producing a greater fl exibility in the material. Description of the drawings

For a better understanding of the above, a set of drawings in which the object of the invention is shown is attached to the descriptive memory, without it being understood that the graphic representation referred to constitutes a limitation of the peculiar characteristics of this application.

Figure 1.- Represents a perspective and sectional view of the flexible material constituted by a laminar cover layer with a combination of different cuts or grooves of very close edges and other more separated ones, which follow different directions and whose depth does not get through lock. Underneath the cover layer there is a second layer of wood of smaller thickness, and below it is an elastic layer of rubber, foam or the like. All layers are crossed by coincidental vertical perforations or aeration holes.

Figure 2.- It shows a perspective and sectional view of a second embodiment of the flexible material consisting of a laminar cover layer and a second laminar layer of wood with different cuts or grooves of very close edges and others more separated, which follow different directions and whose depth does not reach through the plates. Some cuts of the first laminar layer coincide with the cuts of the second laminar layer and others are displaced. A third elastic layer of rubber, foam or the like is located below the second layer.

Figure 3.- Illustrates a perspective and sectional view of a third embodiment of the flexible material consisting of three laminated layers of wood veneer of which the first cover layer and the third layer are provided with cuts or indentations of the same characteristics as in the previous figures, while the second laminar layer of wood or intermediate layer is free of cuts. Below the third layer is a fourth elastic layer of rubber, foam or similar. Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

The different elements that make up the preferred embodiment of the procedure for obtaining a flexible material are set forth and listed below.

Observing the first figure, it can be seen without difficulty that the flexible material is obtained from at least two laminate layers (1) and (2) of veneer of different thickness, which are to be glued together and joined to a third elastic layer (3) of rubber, sponge or the like.

The two laminated layers (1) and (2) of wood veneer are conventionally joined by adhesives, the cover sheet being arranged with the wood grain (1 ') transverse to its surface or exposed face, while the wood veneer of the The second laminar layer is arranged with the wood grain (2 ') in longitudinal arrangement to its surface and therefore orthogonal to the grain of the first layer.

When more than two wood veneers are used to form the fl exible material, the wood grain (1 ') of the transverse roof sheet is arranged and the rest of the lower laminated layers of wood veneer have their grain (2 ') in the longitudinal direction.

To increase the flexibility of the material, it is planned to make cuts or grooves (4) in the cover sheet (1), whose wood veneer has a thickness of approximately 5 mm.

The use of different cutting tools such as blades, cutters, dies, etc., allows the separation of the edges (5) or lips of the cut made on the surface (6) of the cover sheet layer to be varied. With this it has been possible to verify that obtaining a greater separation of the edges of the cut achieves greater flexibility in the material than that achieved with cuts with the edges closer together.

It has also been found that in any direction (7) the cuts are made on the surface (6) of the sheet layer (1), the flexibility of the material is increased, the depth (8) of the cut being variable but limited because no it can get through the thickness of the veneer of the laminate.

The cuts made delimit between them some areas (9) of wood veneer that can be folded individually with the movement of the material, especially when there is a pressure or friction with a part of the human body.

In the second laminate layer (2) of wood veneer, it is planned not to make any cuts so that it gives adequate resistance to the whole of the material without using thicker sheets. In practice it is valid to use a sheet of 1 mm wood veneer. thick

In the second figure, it is observed that the flexible material is obtained with a second laminated layer (2) of wood veneer of the same thickness as the laminated layer

(one)

of cover and in whose laminar layer (2) on the opposite side (10) to that of union with the laminar cover layer, cuts or indentations (11) are made.

The shaped cuts or slits (11) will have their edges (12) more or less separated, according to the tool used, and will be made in different directions (13) and with a depth

(14)

variable and limited without going through the thickness of the second sheet layer (2) of wood veneer.

These cuts (11) made in the second laminate layer (2) of wood veneer can be made in vertical coincidence and / or also displaced from the cuts (4) of the laminate cover layer (1) and consequently the zones (15 ) flexible sheet layer

(2) delimited between the cuts (11), will be vertically centered and / or offset below the flexible zones (9) of the cover sheet (1).

When the cuts (4) of the cover sheet (1) coincide with the cuts (11) of the second sheet (2) and therefore the flexible zones (9) and ( 15) of the layered layers, the material obtained has greater flexibility than when the cuts do not coincide, but it is also more vulnerable to breakage.

On the contrary when the cuts (4) and (11) of the laminar layers (1) and (2) do not coincide in vertical extension and the flexible zones (9) and (15) of each layer are displaced with respect to each other, the material loses some flexibility but gains in resistance to breakage.

Therefore, if in the laminar layers (1) and (2) a combination of cuts is made that match those of the upper laminar layer (1), with those of the lower laminar layer (2) and other mismatches and therefore displaced those of one layer with respect to the other, the adequate flexibility and resistance in the material for the application to which it is to be destined can be controlled.

In the third figure it can be seen that the flexible material conforms to the union of three laminated layers (1), (2) and (16) of wood veneer and the cuts or grooves (4) and ( 11) respectively in the alternating laminar layers (1) and (16), leaving the intermediate laminar layer (2) free of cuts. Said cuts will also be made with different directions (7) and (13) and with a depth (8) and (14) variable and limited, without crossing the respective layers of wood veneer.

If more layers of wood veneer will be used to obtain the flexible material, the layered layers without cuts or crevices would be alternated with the layers with cuts, which can be made to match the cuts of one layer with the cuts of the other layer to save the balance between flexibility and resistance to breakage of the material.

In the first, second and third figures, the existence of perforations (17) that cross all the layers constituting aeration passages of the material, which also improve the flexibility of the same, are observed at strategic points of the material.

Claims (5)

one.

Procedure for obtaining a flexible material, which, being formed of layers, has its wooden face, which favors contact with parts of the human body, characterized in that it is constituted by at least two sheet layers (1) and (2) of sheet metal of wood glued together and attached to an elastic layer (3) of rubber, sponge or similar, whose laminar layer (1) cover is made a series of cuts or indentations (4) of edges (5) more or less separated from each other, which are made on the surface (6) of the layer in different directions (7) and with a variable depth (8) without going through the thickness of the veneer, whose cuts (4) delimit areas (9) of wood veneer capable of individual fl exction by movement of the material or in friction and pressure with a body part, while the second laminate layer (2) of wood veneer, of equal or smaller thickness than the layer of cover, is exempt from cuts.

2.

Method for obtaining a flexible material, according to the first claim, characterized in that the second laminated layer (2) of wood veneer, joined by one of its faces to the laminated cover layer (1), is carried out on its opposite side ( 10) a series of cuts or indentations (11) of more or less separated edges (12) made following different

directions (13) and with a variable and limited depth (14) without crossing the thickness of the second layer of wood, whose cuts (11) can be set in vertical coincidence or displaced from the cuts (4) of the cover layer (1) ), delimiting areas (15) of veneered wood veneer, which can be vertically centered or offset below the flexible zones (9) of the cover sheet.

3.

Procedure for obtaining a flexible material, according to claim one, characterized in that it consists of more than two laminated layers (1), (2) and (16) of wood veneer, the cuts or crevices (4) and (11) made following different directions (7) and (13) and with a variable and limited depth (8) and (14) they are formed in alternate layers (1) and (16), said cuts being initiated in the laminar cover layer (1) and in the third layer (16) of wood veneer leaving between the two layers with cuts, an intermediate layer (2) of veneer free of cuts.

Four.

Moldable and adjustable material for manufacturing, covering, upholstering or wrapping objects, according to previous claims, characterized in that a series of perforations (17) are formed in strategic points of the layer set (1), (2), (3) and (16) ) that pass through all layers constituting aeration steps of the material.

SPANISH OFFICE OF THE PATENTS AND BRAND Application no .: 201031726 SPAIN Date of submission of the application: 24.11.2010 Priority Date: REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE 51 Int. Cl.: See Additional Sheet RELEVANT DOCUMENTS

Category

56 Documents cited Claims Affected

X

ES 2111948 T3 (HECHLER PETER) 16.03.1998, 4

column 2, line 14 - column 4, line 21; Figure 1.

X

EP 0691088 A2 (FREUDENBERG CARL FA) 10.01.1996, 1-3

column 3, line 25 - column 4, line 20; figure 2.

TO

DE 10030678 A1 (HECHLER PETER) 03.01.2002, 1-4

Figure 1; summary.

TO

ES 8703761 A1 (RIGON PIETRO LUC) 16.05.1987, 1-4

page 1, line 16 - page 2, line 20; figure 3.

TO

EP 0895855 A2 (TRIANGLE PACIFIC CORP) 10.02.1999, 1-4

paragraphs [15,26]; figure 3.

TO

DE 10145073 A1 (HECHLER PETER) 03.04.2003, 1-4

Figures 3-4.

Category of the documents cited X: of particular relevance Y: of particular relevance combined with other / s of the same category A: reflects the state of the art O: refers to unwritten disclosure P: published between the priority date and the date of priority submission of the application E: previous document, but published after the date of submission of the application

This report has been prepared • for all claims • for claims no:

Date of realization of the report 01.03.2012

Examiner M. García González Page 1/4

REPORT OF THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE Application number: 201031726 CLASSIFICATION OBJECT OF THE APPLICATION A43B17 / 12 (2006.01) B32B21 / 00 (2006.01) B27M3 / 20 (2006.01) Minimum documentation sought (classification system followed by classification symbols) A43B, B32B, B27M Electronic databases consulted during the search (name of the database and, if possible, terms of search used) INVENES, EPODOC, WPI, TXT State of the Art Report Page 2/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 201031726 Date of Completion of Written Opinion: 01.03.2012 Statement

Novelty (Art. 6.1 LP 11/1986)

Claims Claims 1-3 4 IF NOT

Inventive activity (Art. 8.1 LP11 / 1986)

Claims Claims 1-4 IF NOT

The application is considered to comply with the industrial application requirement. This requirement was evaluated during the formal and technical examination phase of the application (Article 31.2 Law 11/1986).  Opinion Base.- This opinion has been made on the basis of the patent application as published. State of the Art Report Page 3/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 201031726 1. Documents considered.- The documents belonging to the state of the art taken into consideration for the realization of this opinion are listed below.

Document

Publication or Identification Number publication date

D01

ES 2111948 T3 (HECHLER PETER) 16.03.1998

D02

EP 0691088 A2 (FREUDENBERG CARL FA) 10.01.1996

D03

DE 10030678 A1 (HECHLER PETER) 03.01.2002

D04

ES 8703761 A1 (RIGON PIETRO LUC) 05/16/1987

D05

EP 0895855 A2 (TRIANGLE PACIFIC CORP) 10.02.1999

2. Statement motivated according to articles 29.6 and 29.7 of the Regulations for the execution of Law 11/1986, of March 20, on Patents on novelty and inventive activity; quotes and explanations in support of this statement Document D01 discloses a flexible material that consists of a set of layers of sheets of wood and textile material and that presents at strategic points a series of perforations that cross all layers in order to improve the ventilation of the material. (see figure 1 and column 4, lines 14-21) Accordingly, claim 4 regarding the product obtainable by the application process is novel in the light of what is disclosed in document D01. (Art. 6.1 LP) Document D02 discloses a method of obtaining a flexible multilayer material, with its wooden face, consisting of two laminated layers of wood veneer bonded to another elastic layer of a polymeric material (see Figure 2). The difference between this document and the object of the invention is the realization of a series of cuts or indentations in the cover layer, in order to provide flexibility to the material. However, this characteristic is widely known to the person skilled in the art, since the fact of making a series of cuts or crevices in a wood veneer in order to provide flexibility to said material is already included in the state of the technique. (See figure 1, document D03; figure 3, document D04; figure 3, document D05) Accordingly, the person skilled in the art could incorporate this characteristic into the teachings of document D02 without the exercise of inventive activity, resulting in the technical object of claim 1. As for dependent claims 2 and 3, referring to the realization of cuts or indentations in successive layers of wood veneer, it is considered to be within the scope of the person skilled in the art, who would adopt this solution in order to obtain a material with adequate properties of flexibility and resistance without the exercise of inventive activity. Consequently, claims 1-3 of the application lack inventive activity in the light of what is disclosed in the prior art. (Art. 8.1 LP) State of the Art Report Page 4/4