IP Library Granted Patent US 10,655,338
Granted Patent B2
US 10,655,338 · App. 15/571,576 · Granted May 19, 2020

Floor board and method for manufacturing such floor boards

Inventors: Dieter D'Hondt (Sint-andries, BE); Aaron Shaw (High Point, NC)
Assignee: UNILIN NORTH AMERICA, LLC
E04F15/02038E04F15/102E04F15/107
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,655,338
App. No.
15/571,576
Granted
May 19, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A floor board including a decorative surface layer applied to a substrate, where the substrate has MDF or HDF material at a side edge thereof, where the side edge is treated both with an impregnation agent and/or a sealing agent based on a superabsorbing material. Also a method for manufacturing such floor boards.

Claims (17)

1. A floor board comprising a decorative surface layer applied to a substrate, wherein said substrate comprises MDF or HDF material at a side edge thereof, wherein said side edge is treated with an impregnation agent,

wherein said MDF or HDF material comprises wax at a rate of 0.1% to 3% by weight,

wherein said impregnation agent is impregnated into said MDF or HDF material over an impregnation depth of at least 1 millimeter, and

wherein said impregnation agent comprises at least a substance chosen from the list consisting of an epoxy resin, a fluorocopolymer and acetic anhydride.

2. The floor board of claim 1 , wherein said impregnation agent comprises methylene diphenyl di-isocyanate (MDI).

3. The floor board of claim 2 , wherein said impregnation agent comprises a solvent.

4. The floor board according to claim 3 , wherein said solvent is chosen from the list consisting of a butylacetate or propylacetate, a dibasic ester, a glycol (di)ether, a benzoate ester, or, a tetramethoxyether.

5. The floor board of claim 1 , wherein said edge is also treated with a sealing agent based on a superabsorbing material comprising crystals of sodium polyacrylate.

6. The floor board of claim 1 , wherein said floor board at said side edge as well as on a side edge opposite thereto comprises mechanical coupling means allowing to couple said floor board at the respective edges with a similar floor board such that said floor board and said similar floor board become locked both in a direction (R 1 ) perpendicular to said decorative surface layer, as well as in a direction (R 2 ) perpendicular to said edge and in a plane formed by said decorative surface layer.

7. The floor board of claim 6 , wherein said edge is also treated with a sealing agent based on a superabsorbing material, wherein said sealing agent seals the joint between the adjacent edges of said floor board and said similar floor board.

8. The floor board according to claim 1 , wherein said impregnation depth is not deeper than a thickness of the MDF or HDF material.

9. The floor board according to claim 8 , wherein said MDF or HDF material comprises wood fibers glued by means of ureumformaldehydeglue or melamineureumformaldehyde, has an average density of more than 750 kg per cubic meter and comprises a higher density region at least near said decorative surface layer, wherein said higher density regions have a density of 900 kilograms per cubic meter or more.

10. The floor board according to claim 6 , wherein said mechanical coupling means are shaped as a tongue-in-groove coupling provided with additional locking means for creating said locking in the direction perpendicular to said edge and in the plane of the panels, wherein said mechanical coupling means allow for creating a tension force pushing the coupled floor board towards each other, by means of a bent-out lower groove lip that pushes on said tongue.

11. The floor board according to claim 1 , wherein said impregnation agent at least penetrates the MDF/HDF material immediately below said decorative layer.

12. The floor board according to claim 1 , wherein said decorative surface layer is formed on paper layers and/or veneer layers.

13. The floor board according to claim 1 , wherein said impregnation depth is between 10 and 100% of a thickness of the substrate.

14. The floor board according to claim 13 , wherein said impregnation depth is between 20 and 75% of the thickness of the substrate.

Assignments (8)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Mar 18, 2024
From: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
To: UNILIN BV
Reel/Frame 066805/0445 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2023
From: MOHAWK FLOORING INVESTMENTS, LLC
To: MOHAWK INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS (DE), LLC
Reel/Frame 063644/0967 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2023
From: MOHAWK INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS (DE), LLC
To: MOHAWK GLOBAL INVESTMENTS S.À.R.L.
Reel/Frame 063645/0028 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2023
From: MOHAWK GLOBAL INVESTMENTS S.À.R.L.
To: MOHAWK INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS S.À.R.L.
Reel/Frame 063645/0049 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2023
From: ALADDIN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
To: MOHAWK FLOORING INVESTMENTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063644/0943 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2023
From: MOHAWK INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS S.À.R.L.
To: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
Reel/Frame 063645/0336 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2020
From: UNILIN NORTH AMERICA, LLC
To: ALADDIN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053014/0455 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2017
From: D'HONDT, DIETER; SHAW, AARON
To: UNILIN NORTH AMERICA, LLC
Reel/Frame 044027/0378 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62160283 · May 12, 2015
Related Publication 20180155934A1 · Jun 7, 2018
Cited By (6)
US 12,221,793 US 12,234,655 US 12,345,519 US 12,352,561 US 12,442,196 US 12,442,197