EP-4741466-A1 - METHOD FOR ATTACHING A PRE-GLUED JOINT DOWEL TO A PANEL

EP4741466A1EP 4741466 A1EP4741466 A1EP 4741466A1EP-4741466-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for attaching a pre-glued joint dowel (S) to a panel (P). Said pre-glued joint dowel (S) is a joint dowel on which an amount of glue, activatatable by an activating substance, has been applied, wherein the activating substance is a gel or a sol or a foam or an emulsion, Said method comprising the following steps: A) creating a hole (H) on a surface of said panel (P) B) inserting said activating substance (G) into said hole (H) to activate at least a portion of said amount of glue in contact with said activating substance; C) inserting said pre-glued joint dowel (S) into said hole (H) such that an end portion of said pre-glued joint dowel (S) is received by said hole (H), so that an amount of said activating substance (G) contacts a portion of said amount of glue and activates said portion of said amount of glue, allowing said pre-glued joint dowel (S) to be attached to said panel (P).

Inventors

BASSI, Enrico
PACCIONE, Vincenzo
CECCARELLI, PAOLO

Assignees

SCM Group S.p.A.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20251103

Claims (7)

Method for attaching a pre-glued joint dowel (S) to a panel (P), said pre-glued joint dowel (S) being a joint dowel on which an amount of glue, activatable by an activating substance, has been applied, wherein said activating substance (G) is a gel or a sol or a foam or an emulsion, said method comprising the following steps: A) creating a hole (H) on a surface of said panel (P); B) inserting said activating substance (G) into said hole (H) to activate at least a portion of said amount of glue in contact with said activating substance (G); C) inserting said pre-glued joint dowel (S) into said hole (H) such that an end portion of said pre-glued joint dowel (S) is received by said hole (H), so that an amount of said activating substance (G) contacts a portion of said amount of glue and activates said portion of said amount of glue, allowing said pre-glued joint dowel (S) to be attached to said panel (P).
Method according to the previous claim, wherein said hole (H) is a blind hole.
Method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said pre-glued joint dowel (S) is provided with a plurality of grooves (SG).
Method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein, when said activating substance (G) is a gel, said gel comprises a polymer (Q) and a fluid (F).
Method according to claim 4, wherein said polymer (Q) is a superabsorbent polymer.
Method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said fluid (F) is water.
Method according to any one of claims 4-6, wherein said gel is obtained through the following steps: providing a mixing device comprising: a receptacle (R) for receiving am amount of polymer (Q), a tank (T) for receiving an amount of fluid (F), wherein said tank (T) is fluidly coupled to said receptacle (R) in such a way that the amount of polymer (Q) at the exit of said receptacle (R) falls into said tank (T), a dispenser (DP) arranged between said receptacle (R) and said tank (T), a mixer (M) for mixing said polymer (G) and said fluid (F), inserting an amount of polymer (Q) in said receptacle (R), inserting an amount of fluid (F) in said tank (T), dosing, through said dispenser (DP), the amount of polymer (Q) at the exit of the receptacle (R) based on the amount of fluid (F) present in said tank (T), mixing said polymer (Q) and said fluid (F) present in said tank (T) using said mixer (M).

Description

The present invention relates to a method for attaching a pre-glued joint dowel to a panel. In particular, the invention relates to a method comprising a step of creating a hole, preferably a blind hole, on a surface of said panel and a step of inserting into said hole an activating substance to activate an amount of glue, placed on the outer surface of said pre-glued joint dowel, to attach said pre-glued joint dowel to said panel. The expression "joint dowel" refers to a pin that serves to join two pieces or two panels together. In general, the shape of the pin is cylindrical. However, the shape of the pin can be different from the cylindrical shape. For example, the pin may have a tapered shape. Furthermore, said pin may be provided with grooves on its outer surface. In particular, such a pin comprises a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the pin is to e inserted into a first hole of a first panel. To couple said first panel to a second panel, the second end portion of the pin is to be inserted into a second hole in a second panel. In general, the pin is made of wooden material, such as beech wood. Said joint dowel can be pre-glued or not. The expression "pre-glued joint dowel" means a joint dowel on which an amount of glue has been applied and is activatable when it contacts an activating substance. With reference to the amount of glue, said amount of glue has been applied to the outer surface of said joint dowel. Pertanto, uno strato di colla riveste la superficie esterna della spina di giunzione. Therefore, a glue layer coats the outer surface of the joint dowel. With reference to the activating substance, said activating substance can be a gel or a sol or a foam or an emulsion. In the present patent application, reference will be made exclusively to a pre-glued joint dowel. The diameter of a joint dowel is sized based on the diameter of the holes in the panels to be coupled. The diameter of the holes in the panels is sized based on the thickness of the panels. In particular, the diameter of a joint dowel should not be larger relative to the diameter of the hole to avoid weakening one or both panels, nor smaller relative to the diameter of the hole to avoid an unstable coupling between the two panels. Furthermore, in the embodiment that will be described below, reference will be made to an activating substance which is a gel. However, the same advantages can be achieved with an activating substance that is a sol or a foam or an emulsion. Prior art It is known to couple two panels via a joint dowel. In a first case, when the joint dowel to couple two panels is not a pre-glued joint dowel, it is known that before inserting a respective end portion of the joint dowel into a respective hole of a respective panel, a respective an amount of glue is inserted into each hole of said two panels. In this way, once an end portion of the joint dowel is inserted into a hole in a panel, said joint dowel is attached to said panel. In a second case, when the joint dowel to couple two panels is a pre-glue joint dowel, a respective amount of water is inserted into a respective hole of said two panels. The contact between an end portion of the pre-glued joint dowel and the water present in the hole "activates" the amount of glues present on the outer surface of said pre-glued joint dowel. In other words, the water is an activating substance capable of activating the amount glue on the outer surface of the pre-glued joint dowel. A disadvantage is that when an end portion of a pre-glued joint dowel is inserted into a hole, a pressure is exerted by the pre-glued joint dowel on at least a portion of the said amount of water present within the hole. This pressure pushes said portion of said amount of water to the bottom of the panel hole. As a result of the pressure exerted by the joint dowel on said part of said amount of water, the water is predominantly absorbed by the surface of the panel, without properly activating the amount of glue on the outer surface of the pre-glued joint dowel. Aim of the invention Aim of the present invention is to overcome said disadvantage by providing a method of attaching a pre-glued joint dowel to a panel, in order to reduce the amount of activating substance that is absorbed by a surface of said panel. Object of the invention It is object of the invention a method for attaching a pre-glued joint dowel, wherein said pre-glued joint dowel is a joint dowel to which an amount of glue activatable by an activating substance has been applied and said activating substance is a gel or a sol or a foam or an emulsion. Said method comprises the following steps: A) creating a hole on a surface of said panel;B) inserting said activating substance G into said hole to activate at least a portion of said amount of glue in contact with said activating substance;C) inserting said pre-glued joint dowel S into said hole such that an end portion of said pre-glued joint dowel is r