US-12623391-B2 - Surface finish manufacturing system and process

US12623391B2US 12623391 B2US12623391 B2US 12623391B2US-12623391-B2

Abstract

This invention relates to a surface finish manufacturing system and process and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a contrast surface finish manufacturing system and process for producing boards with a wood texture finish. The surface finish manufacturing system comprises a top layer and a bottom layer where part of the top layer is removed to expose part of the bottom layer.

Inventors

Wesley Raymond Chapman
Donghui Huang
Daoyuan Tang
Tangyong Dan
Gareth Wade Gadsby CHAPMAN

Assignees

Eva Last Hong Kong Limited

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20201024
Priority Date: 20191024

Claims (5)

1 . A surface finish manufacturing process comprising the steps of: extruding a bottom layer onto a surface of a board and extruding a top layer onto the bottom layer, wherein the top layer comprises UV-resistant material and the bottom layer comprises an opaque composite material; and removing part of the top layer, or part of the top layer and part of the bottom layer, to form a wood-grain finish on the surface of the board with part of the bottom layer exposed by the removal of the part of the top layer, wherein the top and bottom layers are configured to produce a combination of abrupt and gradual transitions in colour, texture, and pattern on the surface of the board.
2 . The surface finish manufacturing process as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising removing part of the top layer or part of the top layer and part of the bottom layer of the board by abrading.
3 . The surface finish manufacturing process as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising removing part of the top layer or part of the top layer and part of the bottom layer of the board by sanding.
4 . The surface finish manufacturing process as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising removing part of the top layer or part of the top layer and part of the bottom layer of the board by burning.
5 . The surface finish manufacturing process as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising removing part of the top layer or part of the top layer and part of the bottom layer of the board by embossing.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is the U.S. National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/IB2020/060009, filed Oct. 24, 2020, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application CN 201911016758.3, filed Oct. 24, 2019. The content of each of these applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a surface finish manufacturing system and process and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a contrast surface finish manufacturing system and process for producing boards with a wood texture finish. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION There are many articles that have a wood-like finish. Such articles include cladding boards, floorboards, deck boards and the like. Whilst a natural, wood-like finish is desired, it is not always easy to achieve. The characteristics of natural wood influences the appearance of planks or boards that are cut from logs. These characteristics include summer and winter growth rings which differ both in thickness and colour; sap wood and core or hardwood also have colour as well as texture differences; natural flaws or injuries and branching locations along a log, show up in planks cut from a log. The method of sawing planks from a log also influences the appearance of planks. Refer, for example, to FIG. 1 which shows flat sawing, or FIG. 2, which shows quarter sawing. An alternative, which is quite similar to quarter sawing is rift sawing. These sawing methods will obviously influence the visual appearance and finish of planks. An example of a wooden plank is shown in FIG. 3. A log can also have colour, thickness and texture differences along the length of the log. All of these factors contribute and make it difficult to imitate a natural wood finish. Natural wood planks thus have different colours, textures and patterns. The transition from one colour, texture and/or pattern can be gradual or abrupt, in the same plank. It has been found that an abrupt change in colour, texture and/or pattern in a plank or an abrupt change in colour, texture and/or pattern together with gradual changes of these qualities, in other areas of the same plank, is the most difficult to emulate. Colour contrasts can also change gradually and/or abruptly in the same plank. This is also an important characteristic to imitate. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide surface finish manufacturing system and process that, at least partially, alleviate some of the above-mentioned difficulties. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention there is provided a surface finish manufacturing system comprising a top layer and a bottom layer where part of the top layer is removed to expose part of the bottom layer. There is provided for part of the top layer and/or part of the top layer and part of the bottom layer to be planed and/or brushed off and/or sanded off and/or burned away and/or embossed. There is provided for part of the bottom layer and/or part of the top layer to be uneven. There is provided for the uneven bottom layer and/or top layer to be embossed with a pattern. There is provided for the bottom layer and/or top layer to be extruded to form an uneven profile. There is further provided for the top layer and/or bottom layer to be manufactured from an opaque material. There is further provided for the top layer and/or bottom layer to be a UV resistant material. There is provided for the top layer and/or bottom layer to be a composite material. There is further provided for the top layer and/or bottom layer to be an acrylic material. There is also provided for a contrast in colour between part of the top layer and part of the bottom layer when part of the top layer is removed. There is further provided for the contrast between part of the top layer and part of the bottom layer to resemble year rings of a tree. There is provided for the top layer and bottom layer to form a deck board. The deck board includes a top layer and a bottom layer. Alternatively, the deck board may include a top layer, a bottom layer and a lower base layer. The base layer is a material such as wood, synthetic material, aluminium or the like. In accordance with this invention there is provided a surface finish process comprising the steps of: Co-extruding a top layer and a bottom layer;andremoving part of the top layer or part of the top layer and part of the bottom layer. A further step of the above process includes embossing part of the top layer and/or part of the top layer and part of the bottom layer. A further step of the above process includes co-extruding the top layer and/or the top layer and the bottom layer to have an uneven profile. A further step of the above process includes part of the top layer or part of the top layer and part of the bottom layer to be removed by planing and/or brushing and/or sanding and/or burning and/or embossing. A further step of the above process includes exp