MULTILAYER STRUCTURE FOR PRODUCING A PRINTED AND LINOLEUM-BASED FLOOR OR WALL COVERING

Abstract

The invention relates to a multilayer structure (1) for producing a floor or wall covering comprising a linoleum-based backing layer (2) reinforced by a reinforcing frame (3), a wear layer (4) bonded to the backing layer (2), and a decor printing layer (5) positioned between the wear layer (4) and the backing layer (2).

According to the invention, the wear layer (4) is made of PET, TPU, PP, PETG, or made of ionomer and is transparent at least to visible light.

Claims

1. Multilayer structure (1) for producing a floor or wall covering comprising a linoleum-based backing layer (2) reinforced by a reinforcing frame (3), a wear layer (4) bonded to the backing layer (2), and a decor printing layer (5) positioned between the wear layer (4) and the backing layer (2), characterized in that the wear layer (4) is made of PET, TPU, PP, PETG or made of ionomer, and is transparent at least to visible light.

2. Multilayer structure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the wear layer (4) is bonded to the backing layer (2) by way of a bonding layer (6) such as a hot-melt glue layer, a hot-melt film, a hot-melt mesh or a hot-melt wall, for example non-woven, of copolyester or copolyamide.

3. Multilayer structure (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the bonding layer (6) is a single-layer hot-melt film made of EVA, TPU, copolyamide, polyester or copolyester, or a two-layer hot-melt film (9), for example coextruded, composed of copolyamide and of polyolefin.

4. Multilayer structure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the decor printing layer (5) is a water-based ink or UV ink layer.

5. Multilayer structure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the decor printing layer (5) is positioned on a white ink layer (7).

6. Multilayer structure (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a support layer (8), made of polypropylene or made of paper impregnated with a binder, disposed between the wear layer (4) and the bonding layer (6).

7. Multilayer structure (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the bonding layer (6) is a two-layer hot-melt film (9) comprising an upper layer (9a) made of polyolefin and a lower layer (9b) made of copolyamide.

8. Multilayer structure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing frame (3) is disposed on a lower and/or upper face of the backing layer (2).

9. Multilayer structure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper face of the wear layer (4) is chamfered and/or granulated.

10. Method for manufacturing a multilayer structure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the decor printing layer (5) is made by digital printing on a lower face of the wear layer (4) or on an upper face of the backing layer (2).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a multilayer structure according to a first variant of the invention.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a multilayer structure according to a second variant of the invention.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a multilayer structure according to a third variant of the invention.

[0041] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a multilayer structure according to a fourth variant of the invention.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a multilayer structure according to a fifth variant of the invention.

[0043] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a multilayer structure according to a sixth variant of the invention.

[0044] FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a multilayer structure according to a seventh variant of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0045] In reference to FIGS. 1 to 7, the invention relates to a multilayer structure (1) for producing a linoleum-based floor or wall covering, with a decor printing layer, preferably obtained by digital printing, with no PVC, which resists the abrasion tests in force, and wherein the phenomena of curving are limited, even avoided.

[0046] To this end, the multilayer structure (1) conventionally comprises, a linoleum-based backing layer (2) which could comprise two layers, namely a so-called “noble” upper layer (2a) and a lower layer (2b) containing recycled linoleum. The backing layer (2) has, for example, a thickness comprised between 1.3 and 3 mm and preferably comprised between 1.8 and 2.2 mm. The backing layer (2) is reinforced by a reinforcing frame (3) which can be a hessian, a paper-based frame, a non-woven material or a polyester woven mesh, for example. The noble (2a) and recycled (2b) layers of the backing layer (2) are, for example, calandered together on a reinforcing frame (3) before being crosslinked in a furnace, for example at 80° C. for more than 30 days. The backing layer (2) has, for example, a thickness comprised between 1.5 and 3 mm.

[0047] The invention then consists of providing a wear layer (4), transparent to visible light, with no PVC, in particular made of PET, preferably aliphatic TPU, PP, PETG or made of ionomer, and to bond it to the backing layer (2), by positioning beforehand a decor printing layer (5) between the wear layer (4) and the backing layer (2). For example, the decor printing layer (5) has a thickness comprised between 4 and 300 μm and can be printed on a lower face of the wear layer (4) or on an upper layer of the backing layer (2). The wear layer (4) comprises for example, a density comprised between 0.9 and 1.4, and preferably comprised between 1.15 and 1.25 and a thickness comprised between 50 and 600 μm, and preferably comprised between 200 and 500 μm.

[0048] Several solutions are possible to bind the wear layer (4) to the linoleum-based backing layer (2). For example, the two layers can be laminated together and hot laminated so as to obtain a fusion of the materials at the interface of the two layers or can be bonded by way of a bonding layer (6), possibly transparent to visible light, such as a hot-melt glue layer, a hot-melt film, a hot-melt mesh or a hot-melt wall, for example a non-woven material, of copolyester or copolyamide.

[0049] The hot-melt film comprises for example, an area density of 20 to 300 g/m.sup.2 and can be single-layer, for example made of EVA, TPU, copolyamide, polyester or copolyester, or a two-layer hot-melt film, for example coextruded, composed of a copolyamide layer and a polyolefin layer.

[0050] The hot-melt mesh or hot-melt mesh, for example non-woven, of copolyester or copolyamide comprises for example an area density of 5 to 100 g/m.sup.2.

[0051] The decor printing layer (5) is preferably printed by a digital printing machine, and perhaps a water-based ink or UV ink layer to crosslink under ultraviolet, printed possibly on a white ink layer (7) in order to harmonize and improve the reproducibility of the colors of the decor.

[0052] The wear layer (4) can be varnished to give it good surface properties, in particular shine, resistance to clogging and slipperiness, with a varnish, for example acrylic or polyurethane, of a thickness generally comprised between 7 and 30 μm.

[0053] From the concept to the basis of the invention, several embodiments can be considered.

[0054] For example, the reference in FIG. 1, a decor printing layer (5) can be printed on a lower face of a wear layer (4) made of PET, TPU, PP, ionomer or PETG.

[0055] On top of the decor printing layer (5), a white ink layer (7), of thickness in the range of 5 to 10 μm is then printed, optionally, and preferably also with a digital printing machine.

[0056] The wear layer (4) is then returned and bonded, i.e. hot laminated or by way of a bonding layer (6), with a natural linoleum-based backing layer (2), or composed of a so-called “noble” linoleum upper layer (2a) and a recycled linoleum lower layer (2b), supported by a reinforcing frame (3), such as a hessian, a paper-based frame, a non-woven material, or a polyester woven mesh, intended to be in contact with the floor or the wall to be covered.

[0057] The bonding layer (6) can be a fastening primer, a hot-melt glue layer, or a hot-melt film.

[0058] In a variant, and according to FIG. 2, the reinforcing frame layer (3) can be positioned between the bonding layer (6) and the upper face of the backing layer (2), in order to limit, even remove the phenomenon of curving.

[0059] In a variant, and according to FIG. 3, the multilayer structure (1) comprises a support layer (8), for example of thickness comprised between 70 and 150 μm, made of polypropylene or made of paper impregnated with a binder such as melamine-formaldehyde resin or urea-formaldehyde resin, positioned between the wear layer (4) and the bonding layer (6). More specifically, the wear layer (4), the decor printing layer (5) and the support layer (8) form a complex, which complex is bonded to the backing layer (2) by the bonding layer (6). During the manufacture of the complex, the decor printing layer (5) can be printed on the lower face of the wear layer (4) or printed on an upper face of the support layer (8).

[0060] For example, the complex can comprise a support layer (8) made of paper impregnated with a decor printing layer (5) then bonded by hot lamination with a wear layer (4) made of polypropylene. The wear layer (4) is then varnished.

[0061] In this example, the bonding layer (6) is presented advantageously in the form of a hot-melt glue, for example made of crosslinked polyurethane, the deposition of the glue being preceded by a corona- or plasma-type pretreatment of the surface of the backing layer (2) in order to improve its adherence.

[0062] In another example, the complex can comprise a support layer (8) made of polypropylene printed with a decor printing layer (5) then bonded by hot lamination with a wear layer (4) made of polypropylene. The wear layer (4) is then varnished.

[0063] In this example, the bonding layer (6) is presented advantageously in the form of a two-layer hot-melt film (9) comprising an upper layer (9a) made of polyolefin, due to its good affinity with polypropylene, and a lower layer (9b) made of copolyamide, due to its good affinity with linoleum of the backing layer (2).

[0064] The backing layer (2) is similar to that represented in FIG. 1, with the reinforcing frame (3) positioned on the lower face of the backing layer (2) to be in contact with the floor or the wall to be covered.

[0065] In the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3, the decor printing layer (5) can be printed with water-based inks by rotogravure. The wear layer (4), for example a layer obtained from a Surlyn-type ionomer, i.e. made of ethylene copolymer with a vinyl monomer (methacrylic acid), comprises for example a thickness in the range of 300 μm and is granulated. The complex formed by the wear layer (4), the decor printing layer (5) and the support layer (8) comprises a total thickness comprised between 170 μm and 420 μm according to the desired wear classification.

[0066] The bonding layer (6), which can in particular be a two-layer hot-melt film (9) made of polyolefin (9a)/copolyamide (9b) has for example, a weight comprised between 24 and 95 g/m.sup.2 and allows to assemble the complex with the backing layer (2).

[0067] In a variant, and in reference to FIG. 4, the reinforcing frame (3) can be positioned between the bonding layer (6) and the backing layer (2) in order to decrease, even remove the phenomenon of curving.

[0068] According to another manufacturing variant, illustrated in FIG. 5, the invention consists of printing directly the decor printing layer (5) on an upper layer of the linoleum-based backing layer (2).

[0069] The multilayer structure (1) thus comprises, from the floor or the wall to the surface: [0070] a reinforcing frame (3); [0071] a linoleum-based backing layer (2); [0072] a decor printing layer (5) printed on an upper face of the backing layer (2) or possibly on a polyurethane- or acrylic-type fastening primer (10) deposited on the upper face of the backing layer (2); [0073] a bonding layer (6), in particular transparent to visible light, such as another fastening primer, a hot-melt glue, a hot-melt film; [0074] a wear layer (4) positioned on the bonding layer (6).

[0075] Of course, and as mentioned above, the bonding layer (6) is optional if the wear (4) and reverse (2) layers are laminated together and hot laminated.

[0076] In a variant, and in reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the backing layer (3) can be bonded, by way of a bonding layer (11), to a sublayer (12) comprising male-female bonding or assembling means (13). The bonding layer (11) can be a hot-melt glue layer, or a hot-melt film. The backing layer (2), as well as the layers (3), (4), (5) and (6) are similar to those represented in FIG. 1. Of course, these layers can be replaced by the different layers presented in FIGS. 3 to 5, in order to have a decor layer (5) and a wear layer (4). The multilayer structure (1) is thus presented in the form of tiles or strips which could easily be assembled on the floor or wall to be covered and preferably without glue.

[0077] The sublayer (12) can be single-layer or multilayer and made for example from plastic material such as polypropylene, polyurethane, thermoplastic, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, or any other suitable plastic material, and possibly comprising fillers in the form of fibers, shavings, dust or sawdust and/or mineral fillers, for example chalk, limestone, talc, and one or more plasticizers in order to define the sublayer (12). Preferably, the sublayer (12) does not comprise polyvinyl chloride.

[0078] The sublayer (12), or one or more layers of the sublayer (12) in the case of a multilayer sublayer (12), can possibly be melamine-formaldehyde or urea-formaldehyde resin- and wood resin-based, for example fiber layers of average density (MDF) or fibers of high density (HDF). Each layer of the sublayer (12) can be a laminated wood layer, composite wood layer (WPC (wood plastic composite)).

[0079] The male-female means for bonding or assembling (13) panels are in particular described in documents GB 2 256 023, EP 1 026 341, WO 2012/004701, EP 2 843 153 or also WO 2016/030627.

[0080] According to the variant presented in FIG. 6, the reinforcing frame (3) is positioned on the lower face of the backing layer (2) to be in contact with the bonding layer (11).

[0081] According to the variant presented in FIG. 7, the reinforcing frame (3) is positioned between the bonding layer (6) and the upper face of the backing layer (2), in order to limit, even remove the phenomenon of curving.