The present invention relates to decorative boards with a surface structure of the upper surface.

Products coated with thermosetting laminates are frequent today. They are foremost used where the demand for abrasion resistance is high, but also where resistance towards different chemicals and moisture is required. As an example of such products floors, floor beadings, table tops, work tops and wall panels can be mentioned.

The thermosetting laminate mostly consists of a number of base sheets with a decor sheet placed closest to the surface. The decor sheet can be provided with a desired decor or pattern. The most frequent patterns usually represent the image of different kinds of wood, or minerals such as marble or granite. The surface of the laminate can be provided with a structure during the laminating procedure which will make the decor more realistic. Press plates with structure or structure foils are frequently used when manufacturing such a laminate. A negative reproduction of the structure in the press plate or the foil will be imprinted into the laminate during the laminating procedure.

The structure suitably represents features characteristic for the pattern the decor represents in the laminate. The structure can be made coarse to simulate for example roughly planed stone, or smooth with randomly placed pits and micro cracks to simulate polished marble. A wood surface can for example be simulated by providing the surface with randomly placed thin oblong indentations which imitate pores. These indentations must be oriented in the direction of the growth of the simulated wood, which is indicated by the pattern of the grains, in order to make the result realistic.

It has for a long time been a great need to be able to manufacture a decorative thermosetting laminate with a decor pattern with a surface structure as life like as the decor reproduced.

According to the present invention the above mentioned needs have been met and a decorative board with a decorative surface with a matching surface structure that overlaps adjoining boards has been achieved. The invention relates to embossed decorative boards having a first and a second opposite edge with adjacent third and a fourth edges. The boards includes an upper side decorative surface, an upper side embossing and a base layer. The invention is characterised in that the embossing is comprised by surface structure areas of which at least four are first and second outermost surface structure areas. The first outermost surface structure areas has each one end edge coinciding with the first edge of the board while the second outermost surface structure areas has each one end edge coinciding with the second edge. The second edge is arranged opposite to the first edge. At least two surface structures having different visual characteristics is used, wherein two adjacent outermost surface structure areas within the same board has different surface structures. The different surface structures can be arranged into surface structure groups after its visual characteristics whereby the first outermost surface structure areas of the first edge is numbered L', L", Llll etc. in a subsequent order starting from the third edge. The second outermost surface structure areas of the second edge is numbered R', R", Rlll etc. in a subsequent order starting from the third edge. The end edge of the outermost surface structure areas with the same ordinal number of the first edge and the second edge hereby has mainly the same length. The outermost surface structure area with the same ordinal number of the first edge and the second edge has a similar surface structure.

According to one embodiment of the invention the base layer may consist of a number of conventional dry base layer paper webs or base layer paper sheets which are impregnated with a thermosetting resin. The resin in the uppermost of these is preferably while the rest of the webs or sheets for example may contain melamine-formaldehyde resin or phenol-formaldehyde resin. The decor paper web or decor paper sheet respectively, is hereby placed on top of the conventional base layer webs or base layer sheets after which the different paper webs or a stack of sheets respectively are continuously or discontinuously laminated together at an elevated pressure and an elevated temperature.

The surface layer of the may suitably include a so called overlay paper, placed on top of the decor paper. The overlay paper is suitably impregnated with melamine-formaldehyde resin. At least one of the thermosetting resin impregnated sheets, preferably the uppermost one is preferably coated with hard particles, for example silica, aluminium oxide and/or silicon carbide with an average size of 1- 100 jj. m, preferably around 5-60 pm.

The overlay may alternatively be replaced by, or used together with, a layer of ionomeric polymer where the polymer for example is constituted of ethylene-methacrylateacid-copolymer while the ions for example are constituted of sodium, zinc or lithium even though other ionomeric polymers are usable. It is also in this embodiment suitable to utilise hard particles as described above.

According to one embodiment of the invention the base layer consists of a particle board or a fibre board. Such a base layer may be 5-20 mm thick.

According to one embodiment of the invention the decor pattern consists of a number of sections of parallel rows of bars, where the bars in adjoining rows are mutually offset in the longitudinal direction. The most popular decor used on floor boards is different kinds of wood and minerals. The surface structures narrow indentations in the surface of 0.1-10 mm width which simulates pores, cracks, graining, joints and knots. It is also possible to use micro structures achieving matt or semi gloss surfaces. The latter can also be used in combination with the above.

According to one embodiment of the invention a demarcation consisting of a 1- 20 mm wide, preferably 3-10 mm wide, field without any surface structure is used between adjacent structure areas.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention a demarcation consisting of a 1-20 mm wide, preferably 3-10 mm wide, field were one surface structure gradually transforms into another surface structure The invention is further explained in connection to the accompanying drawings showing different embodiments of the invention where, -figure 1 shows schematically an embossed decorative board 1 in the form of a floor board according to an embodiment of the invention.

-figure 2 shows schematically end parts of two embossed decorative boards 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

-figure 3 shows schematically a rectangular embossed decorative board 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention.

-figure 4 shows schematically quadratic embossed decorative board 1 according to a third embodiment of the invention.

-figure 5 shows schematically a rectangular embossed decorative board 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

-figure 6 shows schematically a rectangular embossed decorative board 1 according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

-figure 7 shows schematically a rectangular embossed decorative board 1 according to a sixth embodiment of the invention.

- figure 8 shows schematically parts of an embossed decorative board 1 mainly corresponding to the embodiment shown in figure 1.

-figure 9 shows schematically the embossing of an installed floor covering according to an embodiment of the invention.

Accordingly, figure 1 and 8 shows schematically an embossed decorative board 1 in the form of a floor board having a first edge 1'and a second opposite edge 1" with a third and a fourth adjacent edge l i"and 1"'respectively. The board 1 include an upper side decorative surface 2, an upper side embossing and a base layer. The embossing is comprised by a flat surface with recesses. The recesses are in the drawing represented by black lines. The embossing is comprised by surface structure areas 10 of which at least four are first and second outermost surface structure areas 10L and 10R respectively. Only the outermost surface structure areas 10'and 10'respectively are for reasons of simplicity provided with structure representation in the drawing. The first outermost surface structure areas lOL has each one end edge coinciding with the first edge 1'of the board 1 while the second outermost surface structure areas 10'has each one end edge coinciding with the second edge 1". The second edge 1"is arranged opposite to the first edge 1'. At least two surface structures having different visual characteristics is used, wherein two adjacent outermost surface structure areas 10'and 10'respectively within the same board 1 has different surface structures. The different surface structures is arranged into surface structure groups after its visual characteristics whereby the first outermost surface structure areas 10'of the first edge 1 is numbered L', L"and L'"in a subsequent order starting from the third edge ltI. The second outermost surface structure areas 10R of the second edge 1t is numbered R', Rt and Rtx in a subsequent order starting from the third edge 1II. The end edge of the outermost surface structure areas 1 oL and 10R respectively with the same ordinal number of the first edge 1'and the second edge 1"has mainly the same length A (see figure 8) while the outermost surface structure area IOL and lOR respectively with the same ordinal number of the first edge 1 and the second edge 1"has a similar surface structure. Accordingly, as shown in figure 8, the length of AL'is mainly the same as the length of AR', the length of AL"is mainly the same as the length of AR"and the length of AL"'is mainly the same as the length of AR"'.

Figure 2 shows schematically end parts of two embossed decorative boards 1, in the form of a floor boards, before joining. The boards 1 have a first edge 1'and a second opposite edge 1"with a third and a fourth adjacent edge 1'"and 1' respectively. The boards 1 includes an upper side decorative surface 2, an upper side embossing and a base layer. The embossing is comprised by a flat surface with recesses. The recesses are in the drawing represented by black lines. The embossing is comprised by surface structure areas 10 of which at least four are first and second outermost surface structure areas 10L and l0R respectively. The first outermost surface structure areas lOL has each one end edge coinciding with the first edge 1 of the board 1 while the second outermost surface structure areas lOR has each one end edge coinciding with the second edge 1". The second edge 1" is arranged opposite to the first edge 1'. At least two surface structures having different visual characteristics is used, wherein two adjacent outermost surface structure areas 10'and 10'respectively within the same board 1 has different surface structures. The different surface structures is arranged into surface structure groups after its visual characteristics whereby the first outermost surface structure areas lOL of the first edge 1'is numbered L', L and LIl in a subsequent order starting from the third edge 1 It. The second outermost surface structure areas l0R of the second edge 1 is numbered R', R"and R... in a subsequent order starting from the third edge 1"'. The end edge of the outermost surface structure areas 10'and 10'respectively with the same ordinal number of the first edge 1' and the second edge 1"has mainly the same length while the outermost surface structure area 10'and 10'respectively with the same ordinal number of the first edge 1'and the second edge 1"has a similar surface structure.

Figure 3 shows schematically a rectangular embossed decorative board 1 with short edge to long edge ratio of one to six. The embossing is comprised by a flat surface with recesses. The recesses are in the drawing represented by black lines.

The embossing represents three longitudinal rows of surface structure areas 10 where three different types of surface structures is used. The board 1 shown in figure 3 corresponds mainly with the embodiments shown in figure 1 and 2 above.

Figure 4 shows schematically quadratic embossed decorative board 1. The embossing is comprised by a flat surface with recesses. The recesses are in the drawing represented by black lines. The embossing represents three longitudinal rows of surface structure areas 10 interrupted by a narrow diagonal bar. Four different types of surface structures is used. The board 1 shown in figure 3 corresponds mainly with the embodiments shown in figure 1, 2 and 3 above.

Figure 5 shows schematically a rectangular embossed decorative board 1 with short edge to long edge ratio of one to six. The embossing is comprised by a flat surface with recesses. The recesses are in the drawing represented by black lines.

The embossing represents two longitudinal rows of surface structure areas 10 where three different types of surface structures is used. The different surface structures is arranged into surface structure groups after its grain direction whereby the first outermost surface structure areas lOL of the first edge 1 is numbered L'and L"in a subsequent order starting from the third edge 1II. The second outermost surface structure areas 10'of the second edge 1'is numbered R' and R"in a subsequent order starting from the third edge lIt. The end edge of the outermost surface structure areas lOL and lOR respectively with the same ordinal number of the first edge 1'and the second edge 1"has mainly the same length while the surface structure of the outermost surface structure area lOL and lOR respectively with the same ordinal number of the first edge 1 and the second edge 1"has a similar surface structure.

Figure 6 shows schematically a rectangular embossed decorative board 1 with short edge to long edge ratio of one to six. The embossing is comprised by a flat surface with recesses. The recesses are in the drawing represented by black lines.

The embossing represents three longitudinal rows of surface structure areas 10 where three different types of surface structures is used. The board 1 shown in figure 6 corresponds mainly with the embodiments shown in figure 1,2 and 3 above. The middle row is however more narrow while the first and the third row is wider.

Figure 7 shows schematically a rectangular embossed decorative board 1 with short edge to long edge ratio of one to six. The embossing is comprised by a flat surface with recesses. The recesses are in the drawing represented by black lines.

The embossing represents rhomboidal surface structure areas 10 where three different types of surface structures is used.

Figure 8 is described together with figure 1 above.

Figure 9 shows schematically the embossing of an installed floor covering consisting of rectangular decorative boards 1 according to the invention. The boards 1 used corresponds mainly with the embodiment shown in figure 3. The joints between the boards 1 are in the drawing illustrated by being drawn with heavier lines. The boards 1 have three longitudinal row of surface structure areas 10 of which the outermost surface structures lOL and 10R respectively are arranged so that a first row B'of each board 1 ends with surface structure type I at both short side ends while the second and the third row B"and B"'respectively ends with surface structure type II and III respectively. The intermediate surface structure areas 10 is arranged in a random order with the provision that two adjacent surface structure areas 10 of the same row is not of the same surface structure type.

The invention is not limited by the shown embodiments since they can be varied in different ways within the scoop of the invention.