AU2003200383A1

AU2003200383A1 - Building panel

Info

Publication number: AU2003200383A1
Application number: AU2003200383A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Given Not
Original assignee: Multipanel Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Multipanel Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2002-02-21
Filing date: 2003-02-04
Publication date: 2003-09-11

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): LITE WEIGHT COLUMNS PANELS PTY. LTD.

Invention Title: BUILDING PANEL The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 BUILDING PANEL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a building panel.

BACKGROUND ART Building panels are used to form walls, doors or other partitions, either of a structural or nonstructural nature, in buildings. Building panels are conventionally made from wood. However, in order to reduce costs, in more recent times such panels are made from wood chip or like material. One particular form of board currently in manufacture is MDF (Medium density fibre) panel. These panels are made from fibrous material which is impregnated with resin and cured to form the panel.

In recent times, it is has been found that the resin material used in the manufacture of this type of panel is carcinogenic and such panels have been banned in some jurisdictions.

Panels formed from medium density fibre also have a disadvantage that they are relatively heavy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide an alternative board construction and method of making the panel which overcomes the above problems.

The invention, in a first aspect, may be said to reside in a building panel formed from moulded urethane.

We have found that urethane forms a panel which is rigid and can function in the same manner as conventional panels formed from wood and other material. The panel is able to be cut, painted and laminated or veneered. By forming the panel from urethane, the resin material used in medium H:\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Trenchside PS0674 CAP.doc 04/02/03 3 density fibre panels is not used, and the urethane panel is considerably lighter than similarly sized boards made from medium density fibre.

Preferably, the urethane comprises a part A component and a part B component which comprise: Component A Comp. B (Polyol) (Isocyanate) Specific Gravity (22 0 1.05 0.02 g/ml 1.23 0.02 g/ml Viscosity (22 0 800 100 mPas 210 70 mPas Brookfield LVF Spindle- 4 60 rpm 1 20 rpm Speed: The urethane material, prior to moulding, may be mixed with a fire retardant to fire retard the panel.

The invention may also be said to reside in a method of forming a building panel including the steps of: supplying urethane material to a mould defining the shape of the panel; locating the mould in a press whilst the urethane material cures in the mould; and removing the panel from the mould.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention describe, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view showing the method of forming a panel according to the preferred embodiment; Figure 2 is a view of the panel formed by the method of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view to a further embodiment of the panel according to the invention.

\\melbfiles\homeS\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Trenchside PS0674 CAP.doc 03/02/03 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to Figure 1, urethane supplied as two separate components being component A in drum 10 and component B in drum 12, is supplied via lines 14 to a mixing pot 16. If desired, fire retardant material from a drum 18 can also be supplied to the mixing pot 16 via line The components are mixed in the mixing pot 16 and supplied from the mixer 16 by line 22 to a measuring gun 28. The mixed components are dispensed from the measuring gun 28 into a mould 30. The mould 30 has a generally rectangular shape in plan so as to form the shape of the panel. If desired, the edges of the mould may be contoured or otherwise shaped to perform a particular edge shape on the panel. The mould is closed by a lid 32 which is supplied to the mould 30 after the urethane is supplied from the measuring gun 28.

The mould 30 is then conveyed to press 38 via a roller table 40 so that the mould is pressed to hold the lid 32 on the mould 30 as the urethane material cures in the mould After predetermined time, of, for example, 15 minutes, the mould 30 is opened and the urethane panel removed from the mould.

An embodiment of the urethane panel is shown in Figure 2 in which the panel 45 is merely rectangular in configuration. The moulded panel can be processed in a similar manner to conventional wooden or fibre based panels, by simply painting the panel, veneering or laminating the panel and cutting the panel to size. The panel can be used as walls in a building, facia boards in a building, door panels, cupboard panels, shelves or in any environment in which medium density fibre panels are used.

\\melb_files\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Trenchside PS0674 CAP.doc 04/02/03 5 Figure 3 shows an embodiment in which the panel is provided with a veneer or coating 50 which may be a wooden veneer, plastic veneer or coating, malomine or the like.

The component A and component B of the urethane supply from the drums 10 and 12 comprise: Component A Comp. B (Polyol) (Isocyanate) Specific Gravity (22 0 1.05 0.02 g/ml 1.23 0.02 g/ml Viscosity (22 0 800 100 mPas 210 70 mPas Brookfield LVF Spindle- 4 60 rpm 1 20 rpm Speed: These components, when mixed and moulded, form a rigid panel which has sufficient strength to be used in structured environments in which medium density fibre panels are used, as well as purely decorative environments, such as wall panels and doors, etc.

Most preferably the temperature of the components A and B referred to above should be between 18 0 C and 22°C and the temperature of the mould 30 should be between 30 0 C and 0 C. The production line shown in Figure 1 may include an oven or other heating device in order to heat the mould to this temperature should that be required.

The urethane panels according to the preferred embodiment are considerably lighter than the corresponding side medium density fibre panels and therefore have significant advantage in handling and transport.

The described arrangement has been advanced by explanation and many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which includes every novel feature and novel combination of features herein disclosed.

\\melbpfiles\homeSLuisa\Keep\Speci\Trenchaide PS0674 CAP.doc 03/02/03 6 Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described.

It is understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope.

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Claims

1. A building panel formed from moulded urethane.

2. The building panel of claim 1 wherein the urethane comprises a part A component and a part B component which comprise: Component A Comp. B (Polyol) (Isocyanate) Specific Gravity (22 0 1.05 0.02 g/ml 1.23 0.02 g/ml Viscosity (22 0 800 100 mPas 210 70 mPas Brookfield LVF Spindle- 4 60 rpm 1 20 rpm Speed:

3. The building panel of claim 1 wherein the urethane material, prior to moulding, may be mixed with a fire retardant to fire retard the panel.

4. A method of forming a building panel including the steps of: supplying urethane material to a mould defining the shape of the panel; locating the mould in a press whilst the urethane material cures in the mould; and removing the panel from the mould. \\melbfies\homeS\Luis\Keep\Speci\Trenchside PS0674 CAP.doc 03/02/03