WO2008087669A1

WO2008087669A1 - A backing plate for coverings and a process for realising the plate

Info

Publication number: WO2008087669A1
Application number: PCT/IT2007/000034
Authority: WO
Inventors: Massimo Bonezzi
Original assignee: INIZIATIVA OTTO Srl
Current assignee: INIZIATIVA OTTO Srl
Priority date: 2007-01-17
Filing date: 2007-01-17
Publication date: 2008-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 2009-07-17
Also published as: EP2101992A1

Abstract

A plate for coverings comprises: a continuous first layer (2), predisposed to perform a supporting function, which is associable at a first surface (2a) thereof to a support structure (10); a second layer (3), associated to a second surface (2b) of the first layer (2), is made of natural and/or synthetic leather. The invention further relates to a process for realising plates for coverings, comprising following stages: predisposing a continuous first support layer (2); associating a second layer (3) to a surface (2b) of the first layer (2), which second layer (3) is made of natural and/or synthetic leather; shaping the first layer (2) and the second layer (3). A further object of the invention is a process for covering surfaces, comprising a stage of arranging and associating a plurality of plates (1) for coverings, obtained using the described process, to a surface to be covered.

Description

A Backing Plate for Coverings and a Process for Realising the Plate.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a backing plate for coverings and a process for realising the plate for covering surfaces.

In particular the invention relates to the covering of a surface with leather, either natural or synthetic. Background Art

The covering of a surface with leather is usually realised by means of upholstery operations. If the surfaces to be covered are soft, as in the case of cushions or other supports which exhibit a textile surface layer, the leather can be sewn or attached in other ways directly onto the surfaces to be covered. If the surfaces to be covered are made of hard and compact materials, such as for example masonry walls and floors, the covering is generally achieved using a plurality of stretcher frame panels, in which a layer of leather is fixed to a support frame which is typically made of wood. These stretcher panels are first realised and then fixed to the surface to be covered using nails, screws or other fastening means.

The stretcher panels of the above-described type cannot be subjected to loads exhibiting a component which is directed perpendicular to the layer of leather. The layer of leather is in fact fixed to a support frame which exhibits at least a central zone which is empty, i.e. in which the leather is not directly supported. The application of a load in this zone could therefore lead to the stretching or even the laceration of the layer of leather. A fUrther drawback of the stretcher panels of known type is the production of the support frames, which is especially laborious and slow as is the following fastening of the layer of leather. The panels also exhibit planarity defects due to the poor rigidity of the support frames. This means that the fastening of the panels to the surface to be covered is performed with considerable care and consequently is relatively slow, the aim being at least in part to re-establish and compensate the panels' planarity.

A further drawback of the above methods is that they must be carried out by specialised personnel, for example upholsterers, and cannot be used by operatives, for example floor-layers and tilers, who normally lay floors and coverings and do not have the special skills required for realising upholstery products.

The main aim of the present invention is to provide a backing plate for coverings which rapidly and easily enables a surface to be covered with natural or synthetic leather, and which is applicable by personnel who would normally apply surface coverings.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a plate for natural or synthetic leather coverings which can support surface loads which would normally be excessive in the case of the known-type panels. Further characteristics and advantages will better emerge from the detailed description that follows, made with reference to the accompanying figures of the drawings, given by way of non-limiting example, and in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plate of the invention, in which the layer of leather is illustrated in a partially raised position with respect to a support layer;

Figure 2 is a lateral view of the plate of the invention.; Figure 3 illustrates a surface partially covered with a plurality of plates of the present invention. Disclosure of Invention

With reference to the figures of the drawings, the backing plate 1 of the present invention comprises a continuous first layer 2, predisposed to perform a supporting function, which is associable at a first surface 2a thereof to a support structure 10. A second layer 3 is associated to a second surface 2b of the first layer 2. The second layer 3 is made of leather, either synthetic or natural, preferably natural. The second layer 3 is preferably associated to the second surface 2b of the first layer 2 by means of a layer of glue 5. A glued connection ensures perfect adherence of the leather layer to the first layer 2. The surface of the second layer 3 which does not enter into contact with the layer of glue is subject to no further change in state, so that the surface characteristics of the leather are not altered in any way.

The characteristics of the first layer 2, in particular the fact that it exhibits a continuous structure without holes or other openings, enable the plate of the present invention to be used very simply for covering surfaces. The plate can be associated to a support structure by gluing, in an entirely similar way to that used for attaching ceramic tiles. It is possible, for example, to cover a wall, either completely or partially in combination with ceramic tiles or the like, without any need for using stretcher panels, typical in upholstery work, which as known provide very limited surface rigidity characteristics. The support layer 2, being continuous, completely supports the second layer 3, keeping the leather very well stretched and adherent, so that the plate 1 can also support loads of a certain entity without the leather being subject to stretching or tearing, as would instead be the case should a stretcher panel be -A-

used as backing. Thanks to these characteristics the plate of the present invention can also be used for covering floors.

The first layer 2 is preferably made of a material which exhibits sufficiently good characteristics of resistance and rigidity to permit a stable connection of the plate to the support structure 10. For this purpose it may be suitable to use a plastic material which offers the advantage of considerable lightness together with good adhesive properties to the layer of glue. Alternatively a synthetic resin could be used, provided with improved resistance characteristics, or a metal material, especially in a case in which the plate exhibits holes for fastening by means of screws or bolts.

The plates of the present invention can be produced using the process which will now be described. This process can also be performed continuously on an automatic production line. The process comprises the main stages of predisposing a continuous first support layer 2, associated at a surface thereof to a second layer 3 made of natural or synthetic leather, shaping the first layer 2 and the second layer 3 in order to fashion a predetermined edge shape of the plate. The association of the first and the second layers 2, 3 is preferably done using glue, laying a coat of glue between the two layers 2 and 3; the glue is spread on a surface of the first layer 2 or on a surface of the second layer 3. After the coating of glue has been applied, the two layers are coupled together, by exerting on one thereof a predetermined pressure.

The spreading of the coat of glue on the surface of the first layer. 2 or on a surface of the second layer 3 and the coupling of the two layers 2 and 3 can be done continuously on automatic production lines provided with work stations that are suitable for the purpose. The first layer 2 can for example be advanced on a mobile conveyor plane along which a glue-spreading station is arranged. The glue-spreading station can comprise, for example, a roller which is continually wet with the glue and is made to roll contactingly with the first layer 2. Downstream of the glue-spreading station a coupling station of the first layer 2 to the second layer 3 can be positioned. The coupling station can be constituted, for example, by a roller on which the second layer 3 is wound; the roller bearing the second layer 3 drags contacting against the first layer 2 in order to unwind the second layer 3 as it goes onto the first layer 2. Alternatively, the glue-spreading station and the coupling station could be located together in a same work station, in which the glue is sprayed or spread in another way on the first layer 2 or the second layer 3 before they are brought into contact.

In a preferred embodiment of the process, the first and the second layers 2, 3 are initially continuous elements, for example the first layer 2 could be a long piece and the second layer 3 a sheet. In this case, following the coupling thereof, the first layer 2 and the second layer 3 must be shaped in order to obtain a piece having a predetermined shape. The shaping of the two layers 2, 3 could be achieved by including a cutting stage of the layers 2, 3, possibly performed in a cutting station arranged along the previously-described conveyor plane, in a position downstream of the coupling station of the two layers 2, 3. If the edge of the plates 1 is to be relatively regular and constant, the cut can be performed by one or two fixed blades, while in a case in which the edge of the plates is more complex, or not constant in all the plates, cutting heads can be used, for example laser cutters, which are mobile in space and which can be freely set to follow cutting plans. Covering a surface using the plates of the present invention is extremely simple. It is sufficient to associate to the surface to be covered a plurality of plates 1, in an entirely similar way to the way ceramic tiles are applied. The plates 1, thanks to the presence of the continuous first layer 2, can be directly glued side-by-side onto the surface to be covered, or can be positioned in such a way as to afford fugue lines between them.

Claims

Claims.

1). A plate for coverings, comprising: a continuous first layer (2), predisposed to perform a supporting function, which is associable at a first surface (2a) thereof to a support structure (10); a second layer (3), associated to a second surface (2b) of the first layer (2), is made of natural and/or synthetic leather.

2). The plate of claim I₅ wherein the second layer (3) is associated to the second surface (2b) of the first layer (2) by a coat of glue (5).

3). The plate of claim 1, wherein the first layer (2) is made of a plastic material.

4). The plate of claim 1, wherein the first layer (2) is made of a metal.

5). The plate of claim 1, wherein the first layer is made of a synthetic resin.

6). A process for realising plates for coverings, comprising following stages: predisposing a continuous first support layer (2); associating a second layer

(3) to a surface (2b) of the first layer (2), which second layer (3) is made of natural and/or synthetic leather; shaping the first layer (2) and the second layer (3).

7). The process of claim 6, wherein the stage of associating a second layer (3) to the first layer (2), the second layer (3) being made of natural and/or synthetic lather, comprises a stage of spreading a coat of glue (5) on a surface of the first layer (2) and a stage of coupling the first layer (2) and the second layer (3).

8). The process of claim 7, wherein the stages of spreading a coat of glue on a surface of the first layer (2) or on a surface of the second layer (3) and coupling the first layer (2) and the second layer (3) are performed in a continuous process. 9). The process of claim 6, wherein the stage of shaping the first layer (2) and the second layer (3) is obtained by cutting the first layer (2) and the second layer (3) following the coupling thereof.

10). A process for covering surfaces, comprising a stage of arranging and associating a plurality of plates (1) for covering to a surface to be covered, the plurality of plates (1) being obtained from the process described in at least one of claims from 6 to 9.