Resin panels with large decorative objects and methods of making same
View Patent ↗Implementations of the present invention relate to systems, methods, and apparatus for manufacturing aesthetically pleasing architectural resin panels having a thick three-dimensional interlayer. In particular, at least one implementation includes a layup assembly that includes a decorative interlayer, positioned between resin sheets, that decorative interlayer comprising one or more three-dimensional decorative objects and one or more resin blocks. At least one implementation also includes a single-step lamination or pressing process that uses a combination of heat and pressure to melt the resin sheets and the resin blocks together, forming a decorative resin panel which includes the three-dimensional objects.
1. A decorative architectural resin panel, comprising:
a first resin substrate;
a second resin substrate;
a plurality of discrete decorative objects positioned between the first and second resin substrates, and
a plurality of discrete resin blocks positioned about the decorative objects, the plurality of resin blocks being positioned between and fused to the first resin substrate and the second resin substrate;
wherein:
one or more of the decorative objects comprise organic objects; and
the one or more decorative objects comprise wood slats.
2. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and second resin substrates are planar and are separated by a distance defined by a thickness of the decorative objects.
3. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 2 , wherein a thickness of the decorative objects is approximately half or more of the total thickness of the decorative architectural panel.
4. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 3 , wherein each of the first and second resin substrates have a thickness of ⅛ an inch or 1/16 an inch.
5. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and second resin sheets are transparent.
6. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more decorative objects are hollow and substantially un-deformed.
7. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 6 , wherein the one or more decorative objects comprise bamboo.
8. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 1 , wherein each resin block is separated from adjacent resin blocks by one or more decorative objects.
9. A panel system, comprising:
a decorative resin panel, comprising:
a first resin substrate;
a second resin substrate;
a plurality of discrete resin blocks positioned between the first resin substrate and the second resin substrate, wherein:
a first side of each discrete resin block abuts against and is fused to the first resin substrate;
a second, opposing side of each discrete resin block abuts against and is fused to the second resin substrate;
a plurality of three-dimensional objects positioned between the first and second resin substrates and about the plurality of discrete resin blocks; and
one or more hardware components that attach the decorative resin panel to a support structure;
the one or more hardware components support the decorative resin panel as a partition.
10. The panel system as recited in claim 9 , wherein a plurality of three-dimensional objects extend parallel to an edge of the decorative resin panel.
11. The panel system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the first and second resin substrates are planar and are separated by a distance defined by a thickness of the three-dimensional objects.
12. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the three-dimensional objects is approximately half or more of the total thickness of the decorative architectural panel.
13. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 10 , wherein each of the first and second resin substrates has a thickness of ⅛ an inch or 1/16 an inch.
14. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first and second resin sheets are transparent.
15. A decorative architectural resin panel, comprising:
a first resin substrate;
a second resin substrate;
a plurality of discrete decorative objects positioned between the first and second resin substrates, and
a plurality of discrete resin blocks positioned about the decorative objects, the plurality of resin blocks being positioned between and fused to the first resin substrate and the second resin substrate;
wherein:
the one or more decorative objects are hollow and substantially un-deformed; and
the one or more decorative objects comprise bamboo.
16. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 15 , wherein the first and second resin substrates are planar and are separated by a distance defined by a thickness of the decorative objects.
17. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 16 , wherein a thickness of the decorative objects is approximately half or more of the total thickness of the decorative architectural panel.
18. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 17 , wherein each of the first and second resin substrates have a thickness of ⅛ an inch or 1/16 an inch.
19. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 15 , wherein the first and second resin sheets are transparent.
20. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 15 , wherein one or more of the decorative objects comprise organic objects.
21. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 20 , wherein the one or more decorative objects comprise wood slats.
22. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 15 , wherein each resin block is separated from adjacent resin blocks by one or more decorative objects.
23. A decorative architectural resin panel, comprising:
a first resin substrate;
a second resin substrate;
a plurality of discrete decorative objects positioned between the first and second resin substrates, and
a plurality of discrete resin blocks positioned about the decorative objects, the plurality of resin blocks being positioned between and fused to the first resin substrate and the second resin substrate;
wherein:
the first and second resin substrates are planar and are separated by a distance defined by a thickness of the decorative objects,
a thickness of the decorative objects is approximately half or more of the total thickness of the decorative architectural panel,
each of the first and second resin substrates have a thickness of ⅛ an inch or 1/16 an inch.
24. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 23 , wherein the first and second resin sheets are transparent.
25. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 23 , wherein one or more of the decorative objects comprise organic objects.
26. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 23 , wherein the one or more decorative objects comprise wood slats.
27. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 23 , wherein the one or more decorative objects are hollow and substantially un-deformed.
28. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 27 , wherein the one or more decorative objects comprise bamboo.
29. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 23 , wherein each resin block is separated from adjacent resin blocks by one or more decorative objects.
30. A panel system, comprising:
a decorative resin panel, comprising:
a first resin substrate;
a second resin substrate;
a plurality of discrete resin blocks positioned between the first resin substrate and the second resin substrate, wherein:
a first side of each discrete resin block abuts against and is fused to the first resin substrate;
a second, opposing side of each discrete resin block abuts against and is fused to the second resin substrate;
a plurality of three-dimensional objects positioned between the first and second resin substrates and about the plurality of discrete resin blocks;
one or more hardware components that attach the decorative resin panel to a support structure; and
a plurality of three-dimensional objects extend parallel to an edge of the decorative resin panel.
31. The panel system as recited in claim 30 , wherein the one or more hardware components support the decorative resin panel as a partition.
32. The panel system as recited in claim 31 , wherein the first and second resin substrates are planar and are separated by a distance defined by a thickness of the three-dimensional objects.
33. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 32 , wherein a thickness of the three-dimensional objects is approximately half or more of the total thickness of the decorative architectural panel.
34. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 33 , wherein each of the first and second resin substrates has a thickness of ⅛ an inch or 1/16 an inch.
35. The decorative architectural resin panel as recited in claim 30 , wherein the first and second resin sheets are transparent.