Device and a method for producing flooring panels

Abstract

The invention relates to a compression device for compressing a stratified material for producing panels, in particular for a floor, comprising two heated plates, gripping and transport elements, with which a 5 to 12 mm thick stratified material for producing floor panels is gripped and transported between the plates of the compression device. Said device also comprises displacement elements which convey the heated plates to the stratified material in order to compress the latter, whereby the position of the heated plates in relation to the position of the gripping elements is chosen in such a way that the gripping elements are located next to the press plates. The displacement elements are controlled in such a way that both heated plates reach the stratified material simultaneously and are withdrawn from said stratified material in the same manner. The device enables particularly wide, high-quality panels to be produced.

1 . A pressing device for pressing a layer system for the production of panels in particular for a flooring comprising: two heated plates; gripping and conveying means with which a layer system 5 to 12 mm thick for producing flooring panels may be gripped and conveyed between the plates of the pressing device; and moving means to move the heated plates into contact with the layer system and press it, the position of the heated plates relative to the position of the gripping means being selected such that the gripping means are located adjacent to the pressing plates, characterised in that control of the moving means is provided so that the two heated plates arrive at the layer system and are moved away again from the layer system simultaneously.  
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1 , in which the heated plates may be heated up by means of heating devices to a temperature between 150 and 250° C.  
     
     
         3 . A device according to  claim 1  or  2 , in which the surface of a plate with which pressure is exerted on a layer system to be pressed is at least 1 square meter in size.  
     
     
         4 . A device according to  claim 1  or  2 , in which a moving means is provided by which the plates can be brought to the given various temperatures.  
     
     
         5 . A method for producing a panel comprising the steps where: 
 a layer system provided with a meltable adhesive is acted upon in a pressing device with pressure and temperature on both sides in such a way that the layer system is thereby glued together,    the action of temperature on both sides to melt the adhesive takes place simultaneously,    panels are produced from the layer system which are at least 300 mm wide, at least 800 mm long and no thicker than 15 mm.    
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , in which a panel when being pressed, has a different temperature admitted to the upper side compared with that of the underside, whereby the temperature difference is at least 10° C.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 5  or  6 , by which the layer system to be pressed includes a carrier plate.  
     
     
         8 . A panel, produced by means of a method according to  claim 4 ,  5 , or  6  wherein the panel is at least 300 mm wide, at least 800 mm long and no thicker than 15 mm.  
     
     
         9 . A panel according to  claim 8  which is provided on each outer edge both with a groove and also with a tongue arranged one above the other.  
     
     
         10 . A panel according to  claim 5  or  6 , characterised in that the particular groove or tongue located lower down is larger than the tongue or groove located above.  
     
     
         11 . A panel according to  claim 8 ,  9  or  10 , characterised in that the grooves and tongues are conical in cross-section.  
     
     
         12 . A panel according to  claim 5 ,  6 ,  7  or  8 , characterised in that the respectively higher-lying groove and tongue are wedge-shaped.  
     
     
         13 . A panel according to one of the  claims 8  to  12 , characterised in that additional locking elements are intended, by which two panels can be locked together without glue.  
     
     
         14 . A panel according to one of the  claims 8  to  12 , characterised in that additional locking elements are intended by which two panels can be locked together without glue, whereby at least one groove is intended on the underside of a panel and at least one tongue is intended for a further panel, the tongue is intended in such a way that it can be locked into the groove on the underside of two joined together panels.