This invention relates to apparatus comprising sheet material and decoration. This invention also relates to a method of producing the apparatus comprising the sheet material and the decoration.

Apparatus comprising sheet material and decoration is known. One type of such known apparatus is disclosed in WO 2012/136949 A1. In WO 2012/136949 A1 , the apparatus comprises a first sheet of material, a layer of resin on an inside face of the first sheet of material, at least one object which is held in position by the layer of resin and which provides the apparatus with a decorative appearance, a second sheet of material, spacer means which is positioned along at least one edge of the apparatus and between the inside face of the first sheet of material and an inside face of the second sheet of material, and closure means. The apparatus is such that a void is formed between the first and second sheets of material and the spacer means. The void is a closed void. The object is viewable through at least one of the first and second sheets of material. The void causes the viewed object to have a three dimensional appearance irrespective of whether the object is viewed from the front or side of the apparatus. The first and second sheets of material may be glass. The apparatus is especially advantageous in being able to provide the viewed object with a three dimensional appearance. However the apparatus is expensive and it would be an advantage to reduce the cost of the apparatus.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided apparatus comprising sheet material and decoration, which apparatus comprises a sheet of transparent material, at least one layer of resin on a first face of the sheet of transparent material, and at least one formation which is formed in the layer of resin and which provides the apparatus with a decorative appearance, and the apparatus being such that:

(i) the formation is an integral part of the layer of resin;

(ii) the formation is viewable through a second face of the sheet of transparent material;

(iii) the layer of resin is transparent;

(iv) the formation is on a rear face of the apparatus, and the formation has a light reflective surface which reflects light and thereby enables the formation to be viewed from the second face of the sheet of transparent material and through the sheet of transparent material and the layer of resin; and

(v) the second face of the sheet of transparent material is the outside face of the apparatus in use of the apparatus. The apparatus of the present invention is advantageous as compared with the apparatus in WO 2012/136949 A1 in that the apparatus of the present invention does not have the second sheet of material, the spacer means and the closure means. The cost of these materials is able to be saved with the apparatus of the present invention. In addition, because these materials are not present, the apparatus of the present invention is easier and less labour-intensive to manufacture, thereby enabling a saving to be made on manufacturing costs.

The apparatus of the present invention may be one in which the faces of the layer of resin and the formation that are furthest from the sheet of transparent material are uncovered. Alternatively, if desired, the faces of the layer of resin and the formation that are furthest from the sheet of transparent material may be covered by a sheet of material such for example as a layer of a rubber material or a thin backing sheet of material.

The apparatus may be one in which the sheet of transparent material is glass. Other transparent materials may be employed including transparent plastics materials such for example as a transparent polyacrylate plastics material. If the sheet of transparent material is glass, then the combination of the glass with the resin gives a safety feature to the glass similar to that of laminated safety glass.

The apparatus may be one in which the formation has an outer face which is provided with a coating of a material which provides the light reflective surface. The material may be a paint. Preferably the paint is a metallic paint. Other materials and other paints may be employed so that, for example, the material may be a silvered mirror material or a chrome material.

The coating may comprise one or more different colours. Usually there will be a plurality of the formations.

The apparatus may include an object which is held in position by the layer of resin. The object may be a leaf, a petal, a feather, a stone, a fabric, a part of a plant, a metal object, a glass object, or a fabrication.

The apparatus may be one in which the resin in the layer of resin is a resin which is able to be cured by ultraviolet light. Resins which are cured by other means may be employed so that, for example, the resin may be a heat- cured resin, a time-cured resin or a chemical-cured resin which is cured by using two or more chemical components. The transparent resin may be regarded as a clear resin. The resin may also be regarded as one which is compatible with glass as the transparent material, and that may remain pliable. A presently preferred ultraviolet light-cured resin and one that is also a glass-laminating resin and that remains pliable is that manufactured by the company called Cycol.

The layer of resin may be at least 1 mm thick. The layer of resin may be thicker or thinner as desired.

The apparatus may include at least one additional layer of resin positioned on the side of the layer of resin on the first face of the sheet of transparent material which is farthest from the first face of the sheet of transparent material. The additional layer of resin may be transparent. In this case, the resin may be the same as the initial layer of resin, or it may be different to the initial layer of resin. Alternatively, the apparatus may be one in which the additional layer of resin is non-transparent, and in which the additional layer forms a background for the apparatus when the apparatus is in use and is being viewed. The additional layer which is non-transparent may be of a single colour or a plurality of colours, for example in the form of stripes.

The apparatus may include an edging member. The edging member may be formed from strips of transparent material, for example glass. The strips of transparent material may be stuck in position.

The edging member may alternatively be formed from tape which has been stuck around the periphery of the second face of the sheet of transparent material such that the tape overhangs the periphery, and in which the tape is upturned to form a wall which retains the layer of resin. When the layer of resin is cured, the tape can be removed or left in place.

The apparatus may be one in which the sheet of transparent material and the layer of resin are cut from a larger sheet of transparent material and a larger layer of resin. Alternatively, the sheet of transparent material and the sheet of resin may be initially provided in the finally required size.

The apparatus may be in the form of a table top, a work surface, a wall panel, flooring, a wall mounted apparatus, a screen, a balustrading unit, a kitchen splashback screen, a kitchen unit door, a wall tile, or a shower panel. Where the apparatus is in the form of a wall tile, then the wall tile may be employed as a single large wall tile, or as a plurality of smaller wall tiles that may be employed to cover a wall. The apparatus of the present invention may be produced in other forms, and it can also be produced in a wide variety of shapes. The apparatus will usually be rectilinear, for example square, rectangular, hexagonal or octagonal. However, the apparatus may be of a non-rectilinear shape if desired and thus the apparatus may be circular, elliptical, or of irregular form with vanous curved and/or straight peripheral edge portions.

In another non-limiting embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing apparatus comprising sheet material and decoration, which method comprises providing a sheet of transparent material, providing at least one layer of resin on a first face of the sheet of transparent material and with the layer of resin having at least one formation which provides the apparatus with a decorative appearance, and the method being such that:

(i) the formation is an integral part of the layer of resin;

(ii) the formation is viewable through a second face of the sheet of transparent material;

(iii) the layer of resin is transparent;

(iv) the formation is on a rear face of the apparatus, and the formation has a light reflective surface which reflects light and thereby enables the formation to be viewed from the second face of the sheet of transparent material and through the sheet of transparent material and the layer of resin; and

(v) the second face of the sheet of transparent material is the outside face of the apparatus in use of the apparatus.

The method of the present invention may be one in which the sides of the layer of resin and the formation that are furthest from the sheet of transparent material are uncovered. If desired however the sides of the layer of resin and the formations that are furthest from the sheet of transparent material may be covered, as mentioned above in connection with the apparatus of the present invention.

In the method of the present invention, the resin, the sheet of the transparent material, the thickness of the resin, the type of formation or formations, the provision of the object, and the inclusion of at least one additional layer of resin may be as mentioned above in connection with the apparatus of the present invention. The method of the present invention may be employed to produce the various embodiments and types of apparatus of the invention as mentioned above.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a section through part of first apparatus comprising sheet material and decoration, and illustrates how the apparatus is formed;

Figure 2 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a side sectional view showing how a formation is formed in a layer of resin in order to provide the apparatus with a decorative appearance;

Figure 4 is a front view of second apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the part ringed in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a front view of third apparatus of the present invention; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the part ringed in Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown apparatus 2 comprising sheet material and decoration. More specifically, the apparatus 2 comprises a sheet of transparent material 4, a layer of resin 6 on a first face 8 of the sheet of transparent material 4, and at least one formation 10. The formation 10 is formed in the layer of resin 6. The formation 10 provides the apparatus 2 with a decorative appearance.

The apparatus 2 is such that the formation 10 is an integral part of the layer of resin 6. The formation 10 is viewable through a second face 12 of the sheet of transparent material 4. The layer of resin 6 is transparent.

The apparatus 2 is also such that the formation 10 is on a rear face 14 of the apparatus 2. The formation 10 has a light reflective surface 16 which reflects light and thereby enables the formation 10 to be viewed from the second face 12 of the sheet of transparent material 4, and through the sheet of transparent material 4 and the layer of resin 6. The second face 12 of the sheet of transparent material 4 is the outside face of the apparatus 2 in use of the apparatus 2. The faces of the layer of resin 6 and the formation 10 that are furthest from the sheet of transparent material 4 are uncovered. The sheet of transparent material 4 is glass.

The formation 10 has an outer face 18 which is provided with a coating of a material 20. The coating of the material 20 provides the light reflective surface 16. The material 20 is a paint. The paint is a metallic paint.

Figure 1 shows how the material 20 is able to be sprayed from a spray gun 22. The spray gun 22 comprises a handle 24, a trigger 26, a spray nozzle 28 and a container 30 containing the material 20.

As can be seen from Figure 1 , there is a plurality of the formations 10. As can be seen from Figure 2, the apparatus 2 includes an object 32 which is held in position by the layer of resin 6. The object 2 is a leaf but it may be any other suitable and appropriate object including, for example, a petal, a feather, a stone, a fabric, a part of a plant, a metal object, a glass object or a fabrication.

The resin in the layer of resin 6 is a resin which is able to be cured by ultraviolet light. The layer of resin 6 is at least 1 mm thick.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, there is shown second apparatus 34 of the present invention. Similar parts as in the apparatus 2 have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. The second apparatus 34 includes an edging member 36. The edging member 36 is formed from strips 38 of transparent material. The transparent material may be glass or a transparent acrylic material. The transparent material may be the same as or different from the transparent material forming the sheet of transparent material 4. The strips 38 are stuck to the first face 8 of the sheet of transparent material 4. the strips 38 may be stuck by ultraviolet light bonding the piece of transparent material 4, or they may be stuck by other adhesives.

Figure 3 illustrates how a mould 37 having a formation 39 may be pressed into the layer of resin 6 such that the surface of the layer of resin 6 will then be provided with a formation that is a mirror image of the formation 39.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, there is shown third apparatus 40 of the present invention. Similar parts as in Figures 1 and 2 have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. The apparatus 40 includes an edging member 42 which is formed from tape. The edging member 42 in the form of the tape is stuck around the periphery of the second face 12 of the sheet of transparent material such that there is a portion 44 of the edging member 42 adhered to the periphery of the sheet of transparent material 4, and there is a portion 46 which overhangs the periphery and which has been upturned to form a wall which retains the layer of resin 6.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the apparatus 2 may be of a shape different to that shown, and it may have a different object or objects. Where the edging member 16 is a tape, then the tape may be of any suitable and appropriate thickness and width. The light reflective surface may be a silver mirrored surface or a chromed surface. The light reflective surface may be on the front face of the layer of resin 6 rather than the illustrated rear face 14. The layer of resin 6 is shown as a single layer of resin 6. If desired, additional layers of resin may be positioned on the side of the layer of resin 6 remote from the first face 8 of the sheet of transparent material 4. These additional layers of resin may be of the same type of resin as that employed in the layer of resin 6 or they may be different, for example non-transparent in order to form a background when the apparatus 2 is in use and is being viewed. The apparatus 2 may be produced for a wide variety of uses including, for example, table tops, work surfaces, wall panels, flooring, wall mounted apparatus, screens, balustrading units, kitchen splashback screens, kitchen unit doors, wall tiles, and shower panels. The sheet of transparent material and the layer of the transparent resin used in the apparatus and method of the present invention may be of varying degrees of transparency ranging from clear transparency to an opaque transparency which still enables the object or objects to be viewed, but which gives the apparatus a desired aesthetic appearance. The apparatus may have a wide variety of backings for the back of the apparatus, including non- transparent sheet material. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention.