US 11,987,044 B2
Method for manufacturing panels having a decorative surface
Benjamin Clement, Waregem (BE); and Luc De Boe, Moorslede (BE)
Assigned to Unilin, BV, Wielsbeke (BE)
Filed by Unilin, BV, Wielsbeke (BE)
Filed on May 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/740,586.
Application 16/247,969 is a division of application No. 15/390,641, filed on Dec. 26, 2016, granted, now 10,214,028, issued on Feb. 26, 2019.
Application 17/740,586 is a continuation of application No. 17/035,906, filed on Sep. 29, 2020, granted, now 11,446,938.
Application 17/035,906 is a continuation of application No. 16/925,885, filed on Jul. 10, 2020, granted, now 10,814,648, issued on Oct. 27, 2020.
Application 16/925,885 is a continuation of application No. 16/720,301, filed on Dec. 19, 2019, granted, now 10,807,385, issued on Oct. 20, 2020.
Application 16/720,301 is a continuation of application No. 16/247,969, filed on Jan. 15, 2019, granted, now 10,549,550, issued on Feb. 4, 2020.
Application 15/390,641 is a continuation of application No. 15/075,515, filed on Mar. 21, 2016, granted, now 9,566,823, issued on Feb. 14, 2017.
Application 15/075,515 is a continuation of application No. 14/417,766, granted, now 9,321,278, issued on Apr. 26, 2016, previously published as PCT/IB2013/056310, filed on Aug. 1, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/751,364, filed on Jan. 11, 2013.
Claims priority of application No. 12179400 (EP), filed on Aug. 6, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2022/0266610 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B44C 5/04 (2006.01); B41J 2/01 (2006.01); B41J 3/407 (2006.01); B41J 11/00 (2006.01); B41M 5/52 (2006.01); B44C 3/04 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 11/00214 (2021.01) [B41J 3/407 (2013.01); B41J 11/0015 (2013.01); B41M 5/5218 (2013.01); B44C 3/048 (2013.01); B44C 5/04 (2013.01); B44C 5/0446 (2013.01); B44C 5/0469 (2013.01); B41J 2/01 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacturing panels having a decorative surface, wherein the panels include a plate shaped substrate and a top layer, and the top layer includes a paper layer having a printed pattern, the method comprising:
providing the paper layer with a treatment, including providing the paper layer with an ink receiving substance;
providing the treated paper layer with at least a portion of the printed pattern;
wherein providing the portion of the printed pattern involves depositing pigment containing inks on the treated paper layer using a digital inkjet printer;
wherein the pigment containing inks are water-based;
wherein the digital inkjet printer includes print heads with nozzles, and the depositing involves firing droplets of pigment containing inks from the nozzles onto the treated paper layer;
wherein the paper layer is fed from a roll, printed upon, and rolled back up again, and wherein the paper layer, while printing, is flexible and is attached to the plate shaped substrate only after printing;
providing a layer of thermosetting resin above the paper layer having the printed pattern and above the printed pattern;
wherein providing the layer of thermosetting resin involves a press treatment;
wherein the paper layer is a colored base paper, a pigmented base paper, and/or a dyed base paper;
wherein the dry weight of the deposited pigment containing ink is less than 10 grams per square meter; and
wherein the printed pattern is a wood pattern, wherein the pigment containing inks include colored pigments and comprise only 4 different colors, and wherein the colors comprise cyan, yellow, black, and red.