Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to veneers, and in particular to stone veneers for decorative purposes.

Background to the Invention

It is known to use veneers for aesthetic and even structural purposes. It is common to use veneers, and in particular stone veneers, to clad surfaces to give the impression that the surface is made from a certain material even though the surface may in fact be made up of any number of other materials. Stone in particular can be very expensive and therefore good quality stone veneers are desirable to give the same impression. To reduce costs, the veneer may in fact be made of a manufactured material, such as a manufactured stone, or may be a plastic material which is designed to give the impression of a different material. However, in some instances it may still be desirable to use natural materials given the perceived higher level of quality when compared with manufactured alternatives.

Veneers of this type may be used as part of a panel which may be a dashboard panel of a vehicle, for example. It is well known to use wooden or plastic veneers in this sense, but stone veneers are not commonly used as part of a vehicle panel given the cost of stone when compared with other veneer materials. However, it is still desirable to use stone veneers in this way given that the resultant panel has a high quality finish and is therefore aesthetically pleasing.

It would be advantageous to provide a panel, which may be used or suitable for use within a vehicle as a dashboard panel, vehicle trim or otherwise, which incorporates a stone veneer. It would also be advantageous to develop known panels to incorporate one or more further features to improve the overall appearance of the panel, in use.

It is therefore an aim of an embodiment or embodiments of the present invention to provide a decorative panel which is an improvement on the prior art.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a laminated panel comprising a carrier substrate, a light source and a stone veneer; wherein the light source is operable in use to shine light either directly or indirectly onto the stone veneer of the laminated structure.

In use, the configuration of the laminated panel provides a means for the stone veneer to be 'back-lit' by the light source which may be desirable for aesthetic purposes. The panel of the invention may be used for decorative purposes. In presently preferred applications the panel of the invention may be used as a decorative panel within the interior of a car, such as on the dashboard or on a vehicle trim such as the interior surface of a door, for example.

The panel may be configured such that the light source is located between the carrier substrate and the stone veneer. In this way, the position of the light source allows the light therefrom to be shone directly onto at least one side of the stone veneer. Alternatively, the panel may be configured such that the carrier substrate is located between the light source and the stone veneer. In such embodiments, at least a portion of the carrier substrate may comprise a transparent or translucent section such that the light from the light source may pass therethrough and be incident on the stone veneer, in use. At least two of the carrier substrate, light source and stone veneer may be adhesively secured together to form the laminated structure. The adhesive connection between the components may comprise a resin or other adhesive. In such embodiments, the adhesive may be transparent or translucent such that it does not inhibit the transmission of light from the light source onto the stone veneer. In some embodiments each of the components are adhesively secured to at least one further component of the laminated panel.

In some embodiments at least two of the carrier substrate, light source and stone veneer are mechanically connected together to form the laminate structure. The mechanical connection between the components may be provided by one or more mechanical fasteners, such as screws, clips or clamps, for example. In some embodiments each of the components are connected to at least one further component of the laminated panel by means of a mechanical connection.

The light source comprises an electrical light source. For example, the light source may comprise a light guide comprising one or more optical fibres. In some embodiments the light source may comprise one or more optical fibres woven into a textile substrate. In further embodiments the light source may comprise one or more LEDs. The light source may be a combination of two or more different types of electrical light source.

The light source may be powered by a battery or cell which is located within the panel itself. Alternatively, the light source may be powered by the mains, for example, in embodiments wherein the laminated panel is used as a decorative panel within or on the outside of a building. In some embodiments the light source is powered by an external battery, such as a car battery, for example, in embodiments wherein the laminated panel is used as a decorative panel within a car or other vehicle.

In some embodiments the laminated panel may additionally comprise a light diffuser. The light diffuser may be positioned within the laminated structure between the light source and the stone veneer. The light diffuser may be operable in use to scatter light from the light source such that it is incident over substantially all of the stone veneer, or at least substantially all of one side of the stone veneer.

In some embodiments the laminated panel may comprise one or more layers of reflective material. The reflective material may act as the diffuser. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more reflective layers may be configured to direct light from the light source onto a surface of the stone veneer, or onto a separate diffuser.

The stone veneer is preferably formed of natural stone. However, in some embodiments the stone veneer may be formed of a manufactured stone.

The stone may be slate or quartzite slate.

The stone veneer must be sufficiently thin such that it is translucent. In some embodiments the stone veneer may be no more than 0.1mm thick, or no more than 0.2mm thick, or no more than 0.5mm thick, or no more than 1mm thick or no more than 1.5mm thick. In some embodiments the stone veneer may be no more than 2mm thick.

The carrier substrate may be formed from any material. For example, in some embodiments the carrier substrate may be formed from a plastics or metallic material. In other embodiments the carrier substrate is made of wood, such as timber, for example. The carrier substrate may be a composite material. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a panel comprising a laminated structure comprising a translucent layer and a stone veneer; wherein the panel further comprises a light source connected to at least a portion of the translucent layer, the light source being operable in use to shine light either directly or indirectly onto the translucent layer of the laminated structure.

The second aspect of the present invention may incorporate any or all of the features of the first aspect of the invention as is desired or appropriate.

In some embodiments the light source may be adhesively connected to the translucent layer. Alternatively, the light source may be mechanically connected to the translucent layer. The light source may be laminated to the translucent layer.

The light source may comprise a light module which contains one or more individual light sources therein. In some embodiments the light module may be operable to contain and hold the individual light sources therein and may be used to retain the individual light sources in the desired position with respect to the laminated panel. In some embodiments the light module may comprise one or more reflective surfaces which may act to reflect light from the one or more individual light sources onto the stone veneer. In further embodiments at least a portion of the light module may comprise a light diffuser to scatter the light from the one or more individual light sources such that it spreads sufficiently to shine onto a substantial portion of the stone veneer, in use. The translucent layer may form a carrier substrate. The light module may form a carrier substrate to which the translucent layer is connected, preferably laminated. The panel of the first or second aspect of the invention may further comprise a masking layer, located between the stone veneer and light source. The masking layer may comprise opaque regions and transparent or translucent regions. The opaque regions may prevent light from being transmitted from the light source to the stone veneer in these regions, and may form a pattern such as a logo or wording, for example.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle dashboard comprising a panel in accordance with the first or second aspects of the present invention.

The panel of the third aspect of the present invention may incorporate any or all of the features of the first aspect of the invention as is desired or appropriate.

In some embodiments the panel may additionally comprise a means to electrically connect the light source to the electrical circuitry of the vehicle. In this way, the light source of the panel may be powered directly by the vehicle battery, for example. Furthermore, connecting the light source to the electrical circuitry of the vehicle enables the light source to be switched on or off as desired through the vehicle, either automatically or manually by a user.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a schematic side-cross sectional view of a first embodiment of a panel in accordance with the invention. Figure 2 is a schematic side-cross sectional view of a second embodiment of a panel in accordance with the invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic side-cross sectional view of a third embodiment of a panel in accordance with the invention. Figure 4 is a schematic side-cross sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a panel in accordance with the invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic side-cross sectional view of a fifth embodiment of a panel in accordance with the invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic side-cross sectional view of a sixth embodiment of a panel in accordance with the invention.

A first embodiment of a laminated panel 2 in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figure 1. The panel 2 includes a series of layers including, in order, a carrier substrate 4, a light source in the form of light guide 6 and a stone veneer 8. The light guide 6 is suitably connected to the carrier substrate 4, preferably, though not necessarily, by means of an adhesive connection (not shown). Similarly, the light source 6 is connected to the stone veneer 8 by means of an adhesive or other connection. In use, the light guide 6 is operable, upon the introduction of an electrical current, to shine light directly onto the surface of the stone veneer 8 to which the light guide 6 is connected. The stone veneer 8 is sufficiently thin (less than 1mm thick) such that it is translucent and as such, light from the light guide 6 acts to 'back-light' the stone veneer

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Figures 2 and 3 illustrate developments of the laminated panel 2 shown in Figure 1. In particular, the laminated panel 102 of Figure 2 includes a carrier substrate 104, a light source in the form of light guide 106 and a stone veneer 108. In addition, the panel 102 includes a diffuser 110 which is located between the light guide 106 and the stone veneer 108. The embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 also includes a layer of translucent resin 112 between the diffuser 110 and the stone veneer 108 for securely attaching these two components together. The resin layer 112 must be translucent to allow light which has been scattered by the diffuser 110 to shine on the stone veneer 108.

Similarly, Figure 3 shows a laminated panel 202 which comprises a carrier substrate 204 and a stone veneer 208. The panel 202 also includes a light source 206 in the form of a sheet which as a series of optical fibres (not shown) woven therethrough. Light source 206 is configured such that light emanates from a number of locations within the sheet. In this way, there is no need to provide a diffuser (as in Figure 2). The light source 206 and stone veneer 208 are suitably connected together by a layer of translucent resin 212. Figure 4 illustrates a further embodiment of a laminated panel 302 in accordance with the present invention. The panel 302 comprises, in order, a carrier substrate 304, an adhesive layer 316, a masking layer 314, a translucent resin 312 and a stone veneer 308. In further embodiments of the illustrated example there may be provided a further adhesive layer 316 between the masking layer 314 and the translucent resin 312. The panel 302 additionally includes a light source 306 which comprises a series of LEDs within a light module 306'.

The light module 306' may be suitably connected to the carrier substrate 304. In the illustrated embodiment, the carrier substrate 304 further comprises a translucent section 304' which is preferably formed of a translucent plastic material. The translucent section 304' enables light from the light source 306 to travel and pass through the layers of the panel 302 and onto the rear surface of the stone veneer 308.

The masking layer 314 contains opaque regions which mask specific areas underneath the stone veneer 308, preventing light from the light module 306' from being transmitted through the stone veneer 308 in these areas. In this way the masking layer 314 provides a pattern through which light can be transmitted to create an illuminated pattern through the stone veneer 308. The pattern could, for example, be a logo or wording.

Figure 5 illustrates a further embodiment of a laminated panel 402 in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. The panel 402 comprises in order a translucent layer 412 and a stone veneer 408. The panel additionally comprises a light source in the form of light guide 406 suitably connected at one end of the translucent layer 412 with a reflective light module 406' attached thereto. The reflective light module 406' is operable in use to reflect light from the light guide 406 onto and through the translucent layer 412 and onto the rear surface of the stone veneer 408. The light path from the light guide 406 is shown diagrammatically by arrows 418 on the diagram.

Figure 6 illustrates a further embodiment of a laminated panel 502 in accordance with the present invention. The panel 502 includes a translucent layer 512 and a stone veneer 508 suitably joined thereto. The panel 502 additionally includes a light source in the form of a light module 506 which is connected to the opposing side of the translucent layer 512 to the stone veneer 508. The light module 506 includes a masking layer 514 into which may be woven or positioned a series of optical fibres, for example, which produce light which may pass directly through the translucent layer 512 onto the stone veneer 508 or may be reflected off an opposing surface of the light module 506 and back through the translucent layer 512. Providing a light module 506 of this type maximises the amount of light produced in the module 506 being incident, either directly or indirectly, on the stone veneer 508.

The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.