Particle board
The present invention relates to a particle board comprising a lower and an upper surface layer ( 9, 11 ) having a finer fraction of particles ( 4 ), and between these surface layers ( 9, 11 ) an intermediate layer ( 13 ) having a coarser fraction of particles ( 5 ). The intermediate layer ( 13 ) has a varying density.
1. A method for the manufacture of a multi-layer particle board, said method comprising the steps of:
evenly distributing a plurality of a finer fraction of particles so as to form a first particle mat, the first particle mat forming a lower surface layer of the particle board;
distributing, via a distribution arrangement, a plurality of a coarser fraction of particles so as to form a second particle mat on top of the lower surface layer, the second particle mat forming an intermediate surface layer of the particle board, the intermediate surface layer having one or more first regions of relatively more thickly applied particles and one or more second regions of relatively more thinly applied particles;
evenly distributing a plurality of the finer fraction of particles so as to form a third particle mat on top of the intermediate surface layer, the third particle mat forming an upper surface layer of the particle board; and
compressing the first, second, and third particle mats until the intermediate surface layer acquires an essentially constant thickness and a varying density, wherein the one or more first regions have a relatively higher density than the one or more second regions.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of distributing the plurality of the coarser fraction of particles comprises the sub-steps of:
dispensing, via said distribution arrangement, a first partial portion of the coarser fraction of particles on top of the lower surface layer;
prepressing the first partial portion of the coarser fraction of particles; and
dispensing, via said distribution arrangement, a second partial portion of the coarser fraction of particles on top of the prepressed first partial portion, the first and the second partial portions forming the intermediate surface layer of the particle board.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distribution arrangement comprises at least one adjustable spreader element configured to dispense the coarser fraction of particles more thinly across a desired distance between two successively positioned first regions of the one or more first regions of the intermediate surface layer.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distribution arrangement comprises one or more adjustable spreader elements configured to directly dispense the coarser fraction of particles more thickly in the one or more first regions than in the one or more second regions of the intermediate surface layer.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distribution arrangement comprises one or more exchangeable modular units configured to perform the step of distributing the plurality of the coarser fraction of particles.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distribution arrangement comprises one or more adjustable spreader elements configured to be selectively movable so as to spread the coarser fraction of particles in at least one of a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein movement of the one or more adjustable spreader elements in solely the lateral direction forms at least one transverse strand.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein movement of the one or more adjustable spreader elements in at least some degree of the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction forms at least one diagonal strand.