Solid-core panel incorporating decorative and/or functional material

Abstract

A panel includes a fiberglass substrate encapsulating an aesthetic material. The fiberglass substrate and the aesthetic material are both impregnated with resin to form the solid-core of the panel. The solid-core panel can be manufactured by arranging multiple layers of a fiberglass material between multiple plates, interleaving aesthetic material between at least two of the layers of fiberglass material, applying resin to the multiple layers of fiberglass material and the aesthetic material, and then allowing the combination of the resin, multiple layers of fiberglass material, and the aesthetic material to cure between the plates, forming a solid-core panel encapsulating the aesthetic material.

1 . A method comprising:
 arranging between first and second form plates at least a pair of fiberglass material layers with interleaved aesthetic material;   applying resin to the fiberglass material layers with interleaved aesthetic material such that the resin combines with the fiberglass material layers and the interleaved aesthetic material to form during a curing period a panel substrate encapsulating the aesthetic material and having first and second substrate surfaces at the respective first and second form plates;   removing the first and second form plates after the curing period; and   applying a protective material to at least one of the first and second substrate surfaces, wherein the protective material is a different material than the resin and the protective material cures to form a protective coating that is integrated with the panel substrate to form a solid-core panel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protective material is a polyurethane-based material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying resin to the fiberglass material layers with interleaved aesthetic material is performed in an injection mold process. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying a protective material to at least one of the first and second substrate surfaces includes applying the protective material to both of the first and second substrate surfaces. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , arranging between the first and second form plates at least a pair of fiberglass material layers with interleaved aesthetic material includes arranging between the first and second form plates plural fiberglass material layers with plural interleaved layers of aesthetic material. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interleaved aesthetic material includes at least one of a solar cell device or a solar fabric. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interleaved aesthetic material is a decorative organic material including at least one of a paper, tissue, fabric, or plant material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising pressing the first and second plates together during the curing period. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the protective material to at least one of the first and second substrate surfaces includes spraying the protective material on at least one of the first and second substrate surfaces. 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 arranging between first and second form plates plural fiberglass material layers with a layer of interleaved aesthetic material;   applying resin to the fiberglass material layers with the layer of interleaved aesthetic material and pressing the first and second form plates together such that the resin combines with the fiberglass material layers and the interleaved aesthetic material to form during a curing period a panel substrate encapsulating the aesthetic material and having first and second substrate surfaces at the respective first and second form plates;   removing the first and second form plates after the curing period; and   applying a protective material to at least one of the first and second substrate surfaces, wherein the protective material is a different material than the resin and the protective material cures to form a protective coating that is integrated with the panel substrate to form a solid-core panel.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the protective material is a polyurethane-based material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein applying resin to the fiberglass material layers with interleaved aesthetic material is performed in an injection mold process. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein applying a protective material to at least one of the first and second substrate surfaces includes applying the protective material to both of the first and second substrate surfaces. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , arranging between the first and second form plates plural fiberglass material layers with a layer of interleaved aesthetic material includes arranging between the first and second form plates plural interleaved layers of aesthetic material with the plural fiberglass material layers. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the interleaved aesthetic material includes at least one of a solar cell device or a solar fabric. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the interleaved aesthetic material is a decorative organic material including at least one of a paper, tissue, fabric, or plant material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein pressing the first and second plates together during the curing period includes clamping the first and second plates together. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein applying the protective material to at least one of the first and second substrate surfaces includes spraying the protective material on at least one of the first and second substrate surfaces. 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 arranging between first and second form plates plural fiberglass material layers with a layer of interleaved aesthetic material;   applying resin to the fiberglass material layers with the layer of interleaved aesthetic material and pressing the first and second form plates together such that the resin combines with the fiberglass material layers and the interleaved aesthetic material to form during a curing period a panel substrate encapsulating the aesthetic material and having first and second substrate surfaces at the respective first and second form plates;   removing the first and second form plates after the curing period; and   applying a protective material to the first and second substrate surfaces, wherein the protective material is a polyurethane-based material that is different material than the resin and cures to form a protective coating that is integrated with the panel substrate to form a solid-core panel.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , arranging between the first and second form plates plural fiberglass material layers with a layer of interleaved aesthetic material includes arranging between the first and second form plates plural interleaved layers of aesthetic material with the plural fiberglass material layers.