Engineered wood and methods therefor

Abstract

A method of making a molded wood part having a wood-grain pattern includes providing a mat made of wood fiber and heat-activated resins, and molding the mat using pressure and heat to form a wood fiber substrate having an outer surface. The outer surface of the wood fiber substrate is made water-impermeable by the heat-activated resins used in the molding process, or by coating the outer surface of the wood fiber substrate with a water-impermeable sealant. A wood veneer may be applied over the outer surface of the wood fiber substrate. A hydrographic process is then used to transfer a wood-grain pattern from a liquid soluble film onto the outer surface of the wood fiber substrate and a protective clear coat is applied over the wood grain pattern.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of making a wooden part comprising: 
 providing a wood fiber substrate having an outer surface;    applying a water-impermeable sealant over the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate;    using a hydrographic process to transfer a pattern from a liquid soluble film to the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate.    
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the providing a wood fiber substrate comprises: 
 providing a mat comprising wood fibers and a heat-activated resin;    molding said mat using pressure and heat to form said wood fiber substrate, wherein the water-impermeable sealant over the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate prevents said wood fibers from absorbing moisture.    
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pattern from said liquid soluble film is a wood-grain pattern.  
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the hydrographic process comprises: 
 printing the wood-grain pattern on said liquid soluble film;    floating said liquid soluble film atop a liquid;    feeding said floating liquid soluble film toward a transfer point, wherein said liquid soluble film is at least partially dissolved at the transfer point with said wood-grain pattern floating atop said liquid;    abutting said wood fiber substrate having the liquid-impermeable sealant over the outer surface thereof against said liquid soluble film so as to transfer said wood-grain pattern from said liquid-soluble film to said wood fiber substrate.    
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising generating a flow direction over the top surface of said liquid for floating said liquid soluble film toward the transfer point, wherein the liquid soluble film is substantially dissolved upon reaching the transfer point.  
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising at least partially interrupting the feeding of said liquid soluble film toward the transfer point while abutting said wood fiber substrate against said film.  
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the providing a water-impermeable sealant step includes coating the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate with said water-impermeable sealant.  
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said mat further includes a water-impermeable sealant forming a watertight seal over the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate, wherein said water-impermeable sealant cover the wood fibers at the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate.  
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said liquid soluble film is an elongated strip.  
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said liquid is water and said liquid soluble film is water-soluble.  
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising removing residue of said film from said wood fiber substrate after the pattern has been transferred to said wood fiber substrate.  
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising applying a protective top coat over the pattern on the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate after the film residue has been removed therefrom.  
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said protective top coat is selected from the polymer based group of coating materials consisting of polyester and polyurethane materials.  
     
     
         14 . A method of making a wooden part comprising: 
 providing a mat including wood fibers and a heat-activated resin;    molding said mat using pressure and heat to form a molded wood fiber substrate having an outer surface;    providing a water-impermeable sealant over the outer surface of said molded wood fiber substrate;    using a hydrographic process to transfer a pattern from a liquid soluble film onto the outer surface of said molded wood fiber substrate.    
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the pattern transferred onto the outer surface of said molded part is a wood-grain pattern.  
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the using a hydrographic process includes proving a liquid soluble film having the transferable pattern printed thereon.  
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the providing a water-impermeable sealant includes coating the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate with the water-impermeable sealant.  
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said wood fiber mat further comprises a water-impermeable sealant mixed with the wood fiber and the heat-activated adhesive.  
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the using a hydrographic process step comprises: 
 floating said liquid soluble film over a top surface of a liquid toward a transfer point at which said pattern is transferable to said wood fiber substrate;    moving said wood fiber substrate against the liquid soluble film floating atop said liquid for transferring said pattern onto the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate.    
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the floating step includes feeding said liquid soluble film toward the transfer point.  
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising interrupting the feeding of said liquid soluble sheet toward the transfer point while said molded wood fiber part is moved against the liquid soluble film.  
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said liquid soluble film is an elongated strip.  
     
     
         23 . The method as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising generating a flow direction over the top surface of said liquid for moving said floated liquid soluble film toward the transfer point, wherein the liquid soluble film is substantially dissolved in said liquid at the transfer point.  
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said liquid is water and said liquid soluble film is water soluble.  
     
     
         25 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising after the pattern has been transferred to said wood fiber substrate removing residue of said liquid soluble film on the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate.  
     
     
         26 . The method as claimed in  claim 25 , further comprising after the removing residue of said liquid soluble film applying a protective top coat over the pattern on the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate.  
     
     
         27 . The method as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein said protective top coat is selected from the group consisting of polyester and polyurethane materials.  
     
     
         28 . A method of making molded wood having a wood-grain pattern comprising: 
 providing a mat comprising wood fiber and a heat-activated resin;    molding said mat using pressure and heat to form a wood fiber substrate having an outer surface;    coating the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate with a water-impermeable sealant;    providing a liquid soluble film having a wood-grain pattern printed on said film;    using a hydrographic process to transfer the wood-grain pattern from said liquid soluble film to the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate.    
     
     
         29 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein said water-impermeable sealant is selected from the group consisting of latex-based and chemical-based sealants.  
     
     
         30 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein said mat further comprises a water-impermeable sealant that is activated during the molding step for coating the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate with said water-impermeable sealant.  
     
     
         31 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the providing a liquid soluble film step includes printing the wood-grain pattern on said liquid soluble film.  
     
     
         32 . The method as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the using a hydrographic process step comprises: 
 floating said liquid soluble film over a top surface of a liquid toward a transfer point, wherein the wood-grain pattern is transferable to said wood fiber substrate at the transfer point;    abutting said wood fiber substrate against the liquid soluble film floating atop the liquid at the transfer point for transferring the wood-grain pattern to the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate.    
     
     
         33 . The method as claimed in  claim 32 , further comprising washing said molded wood fiber substrate with a liquid before abutting said wood fiber substrate against the liquid soluble film.  
     
     
         34 . The method as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the floating step includes feeding said liquid soluble film toward the transfer point.  
     
     
         35 . The method as claimed in  claim 34 , further comprising interrupting the feeding of said liquid soluble film toward the transfer point during the abutting step.  
     
     
         36 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the wood-grain pattern printed on said liquid soluble film includes one or more non-water based inks.  
     
     
         37 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , further comprising after the wood-grain pattern has been transferred to said wood fiber substrate removing residue of said liquid soluble film remaining on the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate.  
     
     
         38 . The method as claimed in  claim 37 , further comprising after the removing residue of said liquid soluble film applying a protective top coat over the wood-grain pattern.  
     
     
         39 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the molding said mat step includes molding said mat to form a wood fiber substrate having the shape of a control knob or stick shift knob.  
     
     
         40 . A method of making a wood steering wheel comprising: 
 providing a wood fiber substrate in the shape of a steering wheel, wherein said wood fiber substrate has an outer surface;    applying a liquid-impermeable sealant to the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate;    using a hydrographic process to transfer a pattern from a liquid soluble film to the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate; and    providing a protective top coat over the pattern on the outer surface of said wood fiber substrate.    
     
     
         41 . The method as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein said pattern is a wood-grain pattern.  
     
     
         42 . The method as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein the providing a wood fiber substrate step includes: 
 providing a circular core;    forming the wood fiber substrate over said circular core.    
     
     
         43 . The method as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein said circular core comprises metal.  
     
     
         44 . The method as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the forming the wood fiber substrate step comprises: 
 wrapping one or more mats of wood fiber and heat-activated adhesive over said circular core;    compressing and heating said one or more mats to form said wood fiber substrate, wherein said wood fiber substrate conforms to said circular core.    
     
     
         45 . The method as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein said transferred pattern is a wood-grain pattern.  
     
     
         46 . The method as claimed in  claim 45 , further comprising applying a substantially transparent protective top coat over said wood-grain pattern and curing said protective top coat.  
     
     
         47 . The method as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein the providing a wood fiber substrate in the shape of a steering wheel includes: 
 providing a circular core made of metal or plastic;    forming a two-piece wood fiber substrate, each piece of the two-piece wood fiber substrate being adapted for assembly with said circular core; and    assembling said two-piece wood fiber substrate around said circular core.