Unilin Bvba

Unilin Bv

Flooring Industries Limited, Sarl

Luc De Boe

Benjamin Clement

A method for manufacturing a paper layer having a printed pattern, to be used in the manufacturing of panels may involve providing the paper layer with a treatment, including providing the paper layer with an ink receiving substance. The treated paper layer may be provided with at least a portion of the printed pattern. Providing the portion of the printed pattern may involve depositing pigment containing inks on the treated paper layer using a digital inkjet printer. The pigment containing inks may be water-based. The digital inkjet printer may include print heads with nozzles. The depositing may involve firing droplets of pigment containing inks from the nozzles onto the treated paper layer. The paper layer may be fed from a roll, printed upon, and rolled back up again.

Method for manufacturing panels having a decorative surface

Panels having a decorative surface may include a plate shaped substrate and a top layer, and the top layer may include a paper layer having a printed pattern. A method for manufacturing such panels may involve providing the paper layer with a treatment, including providing the paper layer with an ink receiving substance. The treated paper layer may be provided with at least a portion of the printed pattern by depositing pigment containing inks using a digital inkjet printer. The pigment containing inks may be water-based. The digital inkjet printer may include print heads with nozzles for firing droplets of pigment containing inks onto the treated paper layer. The paper layer may be fed from a roll, printed upon, and rolled back up again. The paper layer, while printing, may be flexible and may be attached to the plate shaped substrate after printing. A layer of thermosetting resin may be applied above the paper layer and the printed pattern. Providing the layer of thermosetting resin may involve a press treatment. The paper layer may be a colored base paper, a pigmented base paper, and/or a dyed base paper.

Panels having a decorative surface may include a plate shaped substrate and a top layer, and the top layer may include a paper layer having a printed pattern. A method for manufacturing such panels may involve providing the paper layer with a treatment, including providing the paper layer with an ink receiving substance. The treated paper layer may be provided with at least a portion of the printed pattern by depositing pigment containing inks using a digital inkjet printer of a single pass type. The printed pattern may have a definition of at least 200 dpi. The pigment containing inks may be water-based. The printed pattern may be a wood pattern. The pigment containing inks may include colored pigments and may comprise up to 8 different colors, including brownish and/or reddish colors. The digital inkjet printer may include print heads with nozzles for firing droplets of pigment containing inks onto the treated paper layer. The paper layer may be fed from a roll, printed upon, and rolled back up again. The paper layer, while printing, may be flexible and may be attached to the plate shaped substrate after printing. A layer of thermosetting resin may be applied above the paper layer and the printed pattern. Providing the layer of thermosetting resin may involve a press treatment.

Panels having a decorative surface may include a plate shaped substrate and a top layer, and the top layer may include a paper layer having a printed pattern. A method for manufacturing such panels may involve providing the paper layer with a treatment, including providing the paper layer with an ink receiving substance. The treated paper layer may be provided with at least a portion of the printed pattern by depositing pigment containing inks using a digital inkjet printer of a single pass type. The printed pattern may have a definition of at least 200 dpi. The pigment containing inks may be water-based. The digital inkjet printer may include print heads with nozzles for firing droplets of pigment containing inks onto the treated paper layer. The paper layer may have a mean air resistance according to the Gurley method of below 30 seconds, and have a weight between 60 and 90 grams per square meter. The paper layer may be fed from a roll, printed upon, and rolled back up again. The paper layer, while printing, may be flexible and may be attached to the plate shaped substrate after printing. A layer of thermosetting resin may be applied above the paper layer and the printed pattern. Providing the layer of thermosetting resin may involve a press treatment.

Panels having a decorative surface may include a plate shaped substrate and a top layer, and the top layer may include a paper layer having a printed pattern. A method for manufacturing such panels may involve providing the paper layer with at least a portion of the printed pattern by depositing pigment containing inks using a digital inkjet printer of a single pass type. The printed pattern may have a definition of at least 200 dpi. The pigment containing inks may be water-based. The digital inkjet printer may include print heads with nozzles for firing droplets of pigment containing inks onto the paper layer. The droplets may have a volume smaller than 50 picoliters. The dry weight of the deposited pigment containing ink may be less than 10 grams per square meter. The printed pattern may cover 80 percent or more the paper layer. The paper layer may have a mean air resistance according to the Gurley method of below 30 seconds, and having a weight between 60 and 90 grams per square meter. The paper layer may be fed from a roll, printed upon, and rolled back up again. The paper layer, while printing, may be flexible and may be attached to the plate shaped substrate after printing. A layer of thermosetting resin may be applied above the paper layer and the printed pattern. Providing the layer of thermosetting resin may involve a press treatment. A counter layer or balancing layer may be applied to the substrate.

Panels having a decorative surface may include a substrate and a top layer, and the top layer may include a paper layer having a printed pattern. A method for manufacturing such panels may involve providing the paper layer with a treatment that includes providing the paper layer with an ink receiving substance, and providing the treated paper layer with at least a portion of the printed pattern. The printed paper layer may be provided with thermosetting resin. Providing the portion of the printed pattern may involve depositing pigment containing inks on the treated paper layer using a digital inkjet printer. The printed pattern may be provided in a single continuous relative movement of the paper layer with respect to the digital inkjet printer. The pigments may be color pigments. The digital inkjet printer may include print heads with nozzles for firing droplets of the pigment containing inks onto the treated paper layer. The pigment containing inks may include a water vehicle that maintains a contact angle, at the interface between the droplets of pigment containing ink and the treated paper layer, between 0&#xb0; and 90&#xb0;. The contact angle may be measured between the droplets and the treated paper layer. The droplets may have a volume of 15 picoliters or less. A definition of at least 200 dpi may be attained in the portion of the printed pattern.

Panels having a decorative surface may include a substrate and a top layer, and the top layer may include a paper layer having a printed pattern. A method for manufacturing such panels may involve providing the paper layer with a treatment, and providing the treated paper layer with at least a portion of the printed pattern. Providing the portion of the printed pattern may involve depositing pigment containing inks on the treated paper layer using a digital inkjet printer. The pigments may be color pigments. The digital inkjet printer may include print heads with nozzles for firing droplets of the pigment containing inks onto the treated paper layer. A contact angle at the interface between the droplets of pigment containing ink and the treated paper layer may be between 0&#xb0; and 90&#xb0;.

Panels having a decorative surface may include a substrate and a top layer, and the top layer may include a paper layer having a printed pattern. A method for manufacturing such panels may involve providing the paper layer with at least a portion of the printed pattern. Providing the portion of the printed pattern may involve depositing pigment containing inks on the paper layer using a digital inkjet printer. The pigments may be color pigments. The digital inkjet printer may include print heads with nozzles for firing the pigment containing ink onto the paper layer. The dry weight of the total volume of the pigment containing inks deposited on the paper layer and contained in the portion of the printed pattern may be lower than 15 grams per square meter.

Panels having a decorative surface may include a substrate and a top layer, and the top layer may include a paper layer having a printed pattern. A method for manufacturing such panels may involve providing the paper layer with thermosetting resin, and providing the resin provided paper layer with at least a portion of the printed pattern. Providing the portion of the printed pattern may involve depositing pigment containing inks on the paper layer using a digital inkjet printer. The dry weight of the total volume of the pigment containing inks deposited on the paper layer is lower than 15 grams per square meter.

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Moorslede, Belgium

Luc De Boe