CN105247122A - A surface-covered panel member - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a panel member made from a fibrous slurry and which replicates a structure made from masonry, wood or other finished products. The panel member includes a main body (10), a plurality of decorative portions (12), a plurality of internal filling portions (14), an external filling portion (16), and a plurality of quality control elements (230,240) disposed along the external filling portion. The body is prepared from a substantially uniform size fibrous material.

Description

A surface-covered panel member

technical field

This invention relates to a surface covering panel member and more particularly to a wall covering panel made of molded fiber material having a variety of quality control elements.

Background technique

Traditionally, the practice of coating interior or exterior walls (for example, with stone, brick, planks, tiles, etc.) for aesthetic purposes is associated with standard masonry, carpentry or finishing practices, In it, a mason, carpenter, or other finisher arranges stones, bricks, planks, tiles, or other decorative items on a wall and holds them in place using mortar, paste, adhesives, or nails. The process of arranging and adhering such a surface, which may be of any shape and size, is tedious and requires a great deal of skill. Therefore, attempts have been made to simulate an industry using less costly materials and less labor intensive methods. One such attempt has been related to the use of concrete to construct walls. Concrete can be molded into the shape of stone, bricks, tiles, planks, or other decorative items. Another such practice involves manually adding texture to the concrete before it sets. One problem with using concrete is that it often has a lot of smooth texture, not like natural stone or brick. A further problem with such concrete walls is that the solid concrete is also very heavy.

In other attempts, wall surfaces are made of synthetic resins such as plastic, fiberglass, or styrenic foam, which are molded to conform to the exterior shape of the product to provide masonry, woodwork, or other finished products. Exterior. While plastic and styrofoam are lightweight and cheap to manufacture, their use poses environmental concerns because they are not perishable and do not break down naturally in landfills. Therefore, these plastic facades are usually expansive and brittle.

An alternative to plastic has been found, which is suitable for packaging or cushioning, is a molding made from a mixture of water and paper, forming a fibrous liquid slurry. The fibrous slurry can be molded into finished products with various contour shapes. Such molded components are relatively inexpensive to manufacture in large quantities, are biodegradable, and are readily adaptable. Therefore, it is very satisfying to use this molding process to make faux façades.

Molded components molded from a fibrous slurry, such as liquid pulp, are typically made by a process of first inserting a die into the slurry to bond the pulp fibers to one side of the forming die. The voids are then exploited by passing the water trapped in the slurry through the screen with perforations and through the channels in the die. As a result, a layer of wet fibers deposited on the surface of the die is left behind, and after drawing up sufficient water to obtain the required thickness of the layer of fibers, the die is removed from the slurry. The formed molded article can then be removed from the forming die, and the molded article can be air dried for further finishing, including die cutting and packaging.

A problem with large moldings made with fibrous pastes, such as wall cladding panel members, is the need to prevent bowing which would render the panel members unrealistic. In addition, there is a need for wall covering panel member edges and other elements to line up as completely as possible during assembly. Therefore, die cutting is done to eliminate as much warping, expansion and contraction as possible.

Contents of the invention

The present invention is designed to solve the technical problems mentioned above, and the purpose of the present invention, in particular, is to provide a large wall covering panel composed of a thin layer of fiber pulp, when assembling the panel to the wall surface It doesn't bend. The panel member includes a main body, a plurality of trim portions, a plurality of inner fill portions, an outer fill portion, and a plurality of quality control elements disposed along the outer fill portion. The main body is prepared from a mass of fibrous material of uniform thickness.

Description of drawings

The present invention will be described through specific embodiments with reference to the following drawings:

Figure 1 is a partially enlarged view of a panel member in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a partially enlarged view of the panel member in Figure 1, showing the rear surface of the panel member;

Figure 3 is a front view of panel members in a connected state showing the interlocking joints between the panel members in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the panel members in the connected state along line 5-5;

Figure 5 is a partially enlarged view of another panel member according to the present invention;

Figure 6 is a front view of the panel members in a connected state according to Figure 5, showing interlocking portions between the panel members;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a mold used to make a panel member in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 8 is a front view of another panel member in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a mold used to prepare the panel member shown in FIG. 8 .

detailed description

1 to 4, there is shown a panel member 1 according to the present invention having a main body 10, a plurality of decorative parts 12, a plurality of inner filling parts 14, an outer filling part 16, and extending from the outer filling part 16. Out of the rough edges18.

The panel member 1 is made of a uniform layer of fibrous material, which may be paper or other fibrous materials. In fact, many organic and inorganic materials in a fibrous state, or including paper fibers present in a fibrous material, can be used instead for the panel assembly. In one embodiment, the fibrous material initially utilizes pre-consumer or post-consumer newsprint, kraft paper, and other selected waste papers that are fed into a refiner and mixed with water. The recycled paper is broken down into smaller pieces and then further defibered into a homogeneous slurry of paper and water. During defibration, water is added to dry pulp or paper and agitation is continued so that the dry pulp or clean recycled cardboard is disintegrated and separated into fibers, that is, all fibers are separated . Other additives may also be added to the slurry, including sizing agents (ie, waxes) and binders to ensure proper adhesion of all additives. Other fiber materials may also be used. However, even with 100 percent use of pre-consumer or post-consumer newsprint, kraft paper, and other selected waste paper, the panel member 1 is still economical and environmentally friendly. Therefore, the panel member 1 is lightweight and easy to manage; the panel member 1 can be recycled in a convenient manner.

The panel member 1 may have various shapes, sizes and thicknesses. In the illustrated embodiment, the panel member 1 is generally 4'-1/2" long and 5'-10" wide. Therefore, the panel member 1 should be thick enough so that installation of the panel member 1 on a wall or ceiling is simple and manageable. Furthermore, the thickness will affect any deformation once the panel member 1 is installed. Thus, as shown, the panel member 1 is nominally 1/4".

The main body 10 is composed of dry paste, and includes a smooth upper surface 10a and a naturally left rough lower surface 10b. Its shape and roughness are dependent on and determined by the molding process, which will be described in more detail below. The thickness of the upper surface 10a and the lower surface 10b is controlled by the molding process. However, since the main body 10 depends on the shape of the decorative portion 12, which in turn depends on the type of brick, stone, wood, or other exterior surface being reproduced, the main body 10 may have more or less relief, which Good reproduction of masonry, woodwork, or other finished products.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the decoration part 12 protrudes outward from the inner filling part 14 and the outer filling part 16 , and is formed in the shape of a block, stone, wood board or other decorations. There is provided an appearance in which the trim 12 is separate and/or bonded together by a connecting seam (that is, mortar, paste, or other known seams) through the interior filler 14 and the exterior Filler 16 to replicate. Optionally, an inner padding 14 and an outer padding 16 may be placed between each trim 12, thereby replicating the already prepared appearance, wherein the trim 12 appears to be connected seamlessly (i.e., floating floor tiles). , tin plate, etc.) bonded together.

In FIGS. 1 to 4, the panel member 1 has a brick-shaped decorative portion 12, while the inner filling portion 14 and the outer filling portion 16 are shaped and cut to replicate the size of the brick, having straight lines and uniform dimensions (i.e. , uniform mesh pattern). Other materials that are commonly applied to architectural structures and have decorative features can be replicated, including granite, travertification, limestone, concrete blocks, glass blocks, stucco, tiles, metal panels or even wood. In other embodiments, inner fill portion 14 and outer fill portion 16 are shaped to replicate grout, paste, grout, or other known spacers between trim portions 12 . As discussed above, optionally, interior padding 14 and exterior padding 16 may replicate the appearance of a seamless connection (ie, floating floor tiles, tin plate, etc.).

Although in the illustrated embodiment, the decorative portion 12 is generally uniform, the decorative portion 12 may be provided in different shapes. For example, decorative portion 12 may replicate brick laid in a variety of bonded or titled patterns and stretches over a series of lines, tiles, or planks patched together in a particular pattern . The decoration can also be molded as tiles by adding a grout therebetween. The decoration part 12 may be formed in various shapes. In FIGS. 5 and 6, the decorative part 12 is shaped as a rock part like a stone wall, having irregular shapes, concave-convex surfaces, and textures. The inner fill 14 and outer fill 16 are more irregular in shape than those in Figures 1 to 4 and replicate the mortar mix and design typically applied to stone wall masonry.

Referring back to FIG. 2 , the decorative portion 12 is hollow, and a cavity 20 is formed along the lower surface 10 b of the main body 10 and located between the inner filling portion 14 and the outer filling portion 16 . This reduces the overall weight of the panel member 1 and makes the panel member 1 easier to install. However, since the overall weight of the panel member 1 is reduced, the panel member 1 becomes more likely to be bent, so that the reproduction of the appearance is deteriorated. Accordingly, the stuffers 14, 16 are configured and dimensioned to provide support to the panel member 1 and reduce bowing. As discussed, the inner fill portion 14 and the outer fill portion 16 are shaped as grout, paste, concrete or spacers that replicate between the trim portions 12 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the inner filler portion 14 is substantially the same thickness as the outer filler portion 16 . However, according to the present invention, the thickness of the outer filling portion 16 cannot be greater than the thickness Tg of the inner filling portion 14 . If the outer grout line 16 was thicker, the panel member 1 would buckle. Furthermore, the thickness of the outer filling portion 16 cannot be smaller than the thickness Tg of the inner filling portion 14 . If the outer grout line 16 is generally relatively small, the panel member 1 will also bend. According to such a design and its variants, the interior of the body 10 is bowed either inwards or outwards, so that the appearance is poor and the panel members do not look like a wall made of masonry. As shown in FIG. 4 , the thickness Tg of the inner filling part is substantially equal to the thickness To of the decoration part, which is caused by the hollowness of the decoration part 12 and the molding process, which will be further described in detail below. The main body thickness Tb is measured from the upper surface 10a to the lower surface 10b, and is equal to the thickness Tg of the inner filling part and the thickness To of the decorative part, because the flash 18 is extended from the outer filling part 16 and is in the same direction as the main body. The upper and lower surfaces 10a, 10b of 10 are parallel.

Typically, flash is formed during the molding process, which is leftover material attached to a molded, forged or cast product that typically needs to be removed. Flashing occurs when material leaks between the two surfaces of the mold or between the substrate and the mold.

Although the thickness of the outer filling portion 16 is substantially equal to the thickness of the inner filling portion 14 , the width We of the outer filling portion 16 is smaller than the width Wi of the inner filling portion 14 . As shown in FIG. 4, because the burrs 18 are directed away from the outer filler 16, the connection between adjacent panel members 1 may be hindered or strongly restricted by the width of the burrs 18 and the outer filler 16. . Therefore, the width We of the outer filling portion 16 is limited to about half of the width Wi of the inner filling portion 14 . However, other dimensions are also possible as long as the width We of the outer filling portion 16 is smaller than the width Wi of the inner filling portion 14 .

As with most molding processes, flashing occurs when the panel member 1 is molded from the fiber slurry. In most cases, where a mold is used, the direction of the flash is generally perpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces 10a, 10b of the body 10 . This creates an uneven mounting surface against a wall, ceiling or other structure because the burrs are not uniform and do not allow the panel member 1 to lay flat.

The process of removing burrs, called deburring, is usually done by cutting, breaking, grinding or rolling. Some foundries use robotic automated grinders to remove this unwanted material. However, deburring requires additional steps that are cumbersome, time-consuming and expensive. In the illustrated embodiment, according to the invention, the direction of the flash 18 is parallel to the planar upper surface 10a of the body 10 . Considering that the width We of the outer filling portion 16 is smaller than the width Wi of the inner filling portion 14, the burr 18 does not contribute to the bending because the burr 18 is remote from the main body 10 and is small enough to hinder the connection between adjacent panels 1 .

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the panel members 1 are shown interconnected.

For each panel member 1, the opposite side (other than the upper surface 10a or the lower surface 10b) has a first connection portion A or a second connection portion B. As shown in FIG. The first connection part A is integral to the connection part B and vice versa. Therefore, when the first connecting portion A of one panel member is disposed close to the second connecting portion B of the other panel member 1, the first connecting portion A and the second connecting portion B are gathered together, and the mutual connection is completed. The connection between each panel member 1 .

As shown, the first and second connection portions A, B include finger joints 30, which are complementary rectangular protrusions 32 and cutouts 34, thereby connecting finger joints 30 on mutually adjacent panel members 1. Lock. In addition, since the burr 18 is parallel to the flat upper surface 10a of the main body 10 and is minimized, and the width We of the outer filling portion 16 is smaller than the width Wi of the inner filling portion 14, the first edge of the adjacent panel member 1 can be formed. and second joints A, B, and provide a realistic appearance of structures made of masonry, wood or other finished products.

5 and 6, another embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the panel member 1 includes a main body 10, a plurality of decorative parts 12, a plurality of inner filling parts 14, an outer filling part 16 and from the outer filling part 16 protruding burr 18, but the shape of the first and second connecting portion A, B is different from the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4. In fact, the first and second connection parts A, B can be bonded silhouette edges, which are connected to the corresponding first and second edges on the adjacent panel members 1 when adjacent panel members 1 are arranged adjacent to each other. Connectors A and B are matched. There are no finger joints 30 .

For a panel member 1 with an additional grid pattern, it may only have two connection portions A, B on opposite sides of the panel member. However, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the panel member may have first and second connection portions A, B provided on all sides of the main body 10 . Thus, for example a panel element 1 replicating a stone wall can be matched in different ways with adjacent panel elements 1 resulting in a less uniform and consistent appearance.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown an apparatus of the subject invention, generally designated 100, for molding a panel member 1 from a fibrous slurry, comprising a die 110 having a molding screen 112, and for A vacuum mechanism 130 drives the slurry into the die 110 and further removes water from the slurry.

Die 110 may be composed of a material that is water-insoluble and porous. The material must also be hard enough to withstand the vacuum pressure required and easily formable to allow the surface of the die 110 to be molded, as opposed to being constructed by hand using simple hand-held cutting tools, or by machine using relatively simple hand tools, or using Computer-controlled cutting tools are built in reverse to the usual practice. These materials include, but are not limited to, phenol-formaldehyde resin foams, polyurethane resin foams, and urea resins; ceramics; metal foams; and other similar materials. Thus, the die 110 of the present invention can be manufactured with a significant reduction in time and cost relative to conventional forming dies that require relatively labor intensive, time consuming, expensive casting, fabrication and drilling or electroforming operations. Furthermore, it may now be apparent that the die 110 of the present invention may be easily and inexpensively modified using materials having the characteristics described above to allow tooling on shaped articles to incorporate various variations of design styles.

In the illustrated embodiment, the die 110 includes a screen 112 , and a plurality of perforations 114 projecting inwardly through the die 110 . The perforations 114 are introduced as channels into the die 110 and are then connected to the vacuum unit 130 .

The screen 112 is a fine mesh that provides a smooth upper surface 10A of the body 10 and allows water to pass through the perforations 114 when sucked through the perforations 114 by the vacuum mechanism 130 . The screen 112 simultaneously prevents the fibrous material from being sucked through the perforations 114 . Screen 112, perforations 114, and vacuum mechanism 130 allow the fiber material to be molded onto the die 110 surface and then remove enough moisture from the fiber material to make the molded fibers self-supporting once removed from die 110.

Die 110 also includes inner filler wall 116 , outer filler wall 118 , and support wall 119 . The inner filler wall 116 forms the inner filler portion 14 and the outer filler wall 118 forms the outer filler portion 16 . According to the above description, the inner filling portion 14 and the outer filling portion 16 have substantially the same thickness, and the inner filling wall 116 and the outer filling wall 118 have substantially the same thickness. However, according to the present invention, the thickness of the outer filling portion 16 cannot be greater than the thickness Tg of the inner filling portion 14 . If the outer filling portion 16 is thick, the panel member 1 is bent. The interior of the main body 10 is either curved inwards or outwards, thereby providing a poor appearance, and the panel member 1 does not resemble a wall or appearance prepared from masonry, wood or other finished products. Therefore, the height of the outer filler wall 118 must be less than or equal to the inner filler wall 116 . Furthermore, the width of the outer filler wall 118 must be smaller than the width of the inner filler wall 116 . The upper surface 10 a of the main body 10 is formed along the screen 112 , and the cavity 20 is formed between the inner filling walls 116 .

The support wall 119 is formed on the outer wall of the die 110 and determines the height and shape of the burrs. Therefore, the height of the support wall 119 is defined to be smaller than the height of the outer filler wall 118 . Therefore, the height of the burr 18 is limited, and its direction is parallel to the upper and lower surfaces 10a, 10b of the main body 10 .

Referring now to FIG. 8 , there is shown another panel member 200 according to the present invention, which further includes a plurality of quality control elements, such as a plurality of die-cut positioners 220 and a plurality of size calibrators 240 shown in an embodiment. . For the sake of brevity, the various components of the main body 10, the plurality of trim portions 12, the plurality of inner filling portions 14, the outer filling portions 16, and the finger joints 30 previously discussed and shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 will be omitted. , only the features different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 are described.

As shown in FIG. 8 , panel member 200 differs from panel member 1 (see FIGS. 1 to 6 ) in that panel member 200 avoids the problems associated with conventional material burrs (problems described above) and provides A method of uniformly cutting the edges of the panel member 200 by a punching die (not shown) in a manufacturing step.

As shown in FIG. 8 , the panel member 200 has a plurality of die-cut locators 220 along the outer filler portion 16 which, compared to the panel member 1 shown in FIGS. The plurality of decorative parts 12 further extend outward.

As shown in FIG. 8 , each die cut retainer 220 protrudes outwardly from the upper surface of the outer stuffer 16 . In the exemplary embodiment, each die-cut retainer 220 is shaped as a cylindrical protrusion. In the illustrated embodiment, the height of the die cut retainer 220 is equal to or less than the height of the trim portion 12 . However, each die cut locator 220 may be constructed of other shapes as long as the die cut locator 220 corresponds to the locator that receives the notch in the die. Accordingly, the size of the die cut locator 220 may vary depending on the shape and location of the die cut locator 220 .

Each die cut retainer 220 is hollow having a cavity (not shown) formed along the lower surface 10b of the body 10 and between the inner padding 14 and the outer padding 16 . The cavity is similar in structure to that shown in the decorative part 12 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 . This reduces the overall weight of the panel member 200, making the panel member 200 easier to install. However, in other embodiments, each die-cut positioner 220 may not be hollow.

As shown in FIG. 8 , die cut retainers 220 protrude from the upper surface. However, in another embodiment, the die cut retainers 220 protrude from the lower surface of the outer padding portion 16 away from the plurality of trim portions 12 . In another embodiment, the die cut retainer 220 may be a recess extending through the outer padding 16 . Thus, for either embodiment, the die includes a locator tab (not shown) that replaces the locator receiving the notch such that the locator tab is in contact with the die-cut locator 220 protruding from the lower surface. Corresponding.

In the illustrated embodiment, the panel member 200 includes two pairs of die-cut locators 220, including a first pair of die-cut locators 220a and a second pair of die-cut locators 220b. The die-cut locators 220a are disposed adjacent to the first set of finger joints 30 of the panel member 200, and the second pair of die-cut locators 220b are disposed adjacent to the second set of finger joints 30 opposite the first set of finger joints 30. Shaped joint 30. The first pair of die cut locators 220a are disposed further apart from each other along opposite sides of the panel assembly 200 than the second pair of die cut locators 220b are also disposed further away from each other.

In the illustrated embodiment, each die cut retainer 220 is disposed between the edge of the panel member 200 and the edge of the finger joint 30 so that the outer filler portion 16 is retained by the finger joint 30 and the die cut retainer. Between 220.

Distance-wise, the first pair of die-cut positioners 220a are arranged closer to each other than the second pair of die-cut positioners 220b are disposed closer to each other. Accordingly, the plurality of die-cut positioners 220 are asymmetrically disposed along opposite sides of the panel member 200 .

As shown in FIG. 8 , the plurality of decorative parts 12 are arranged in a staggered manner, therefore, opposite sides of the panel member 200 are not symmetrical. By asymmetrically arranging the plurality of die cut locators 220, the chances of improperly placing the panel member 200 on the die will be minimized because with a single alignment arrangement, the panel member 200 can only be aligned with the die ( not shown) match.

In accordance with the present invention, each die cut locator 220 is positioned and shaped so that the panel member 200 is properly aligned with a die (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of die-cut positioners 220 are aligned asymmetrically along each side of the panel member 200 . However, those skilled in the art should realize that the design is not limited thereto. Of course, one or more die cut locators 220 of different shapes can be used so that these die cut locators 220 can be keyed with correspondingly featured dies. With the die cut locator 220 keyed to the die, the panel member 200 can thus be properly positioned.

In a subsequent step, the die cuts the outer filler portion 16 uniformly by means of the die-cut positioner 220 . The panel member 200 is die cut in a subsequent step to provide a smooth and consistent edge that is completely free of flash, rather than having the flash oriented in the same direction as the outer filler portion 16 as in the panel member 1 . Thus, by providing a consistent die-cut edge, adjoining panel members 200 align seamlessly with each other during assembly.

In particular, the plurality of die-cut locators 220 correspond to notch-receiving locators (not shown) provided on a die (not shown). Accordingly, the corresponding features of the panel member 200 and the die (not shown) are such that errors are avoided when positioning the panel member 200 on the die. Notably, the positioning and shaping of the die cut locators 220 need to match the corresponding locators of the receiving notches on the die. This allows for optimal alignment of the panel member 200 during the subsequent die cutting process. Thus, the problem of flashing is avoided, and the panel member 200 can be cut to provide a uniform, consistent edge of the outer filler portion 16 .

Referring back now to FIG. 8 , a plurality of size aligners 240 are shown which are also disposed along the outer filler portion 16 of the panel member 200 . In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, each size calibrator 240 is positioned adjacent to a corner of the panel member 200 and spaced apart from the plurality of die-cut locators 220 .

As shown in FIG. 8 , each size calibrator 240 is an elongated depression formed in the outer stuffer 16 . In the exemplary embodiment, size calibrator 240 is sized to receive a tape measure or its equivalent. However, the size and shape of size calibrator 240 may vary. For example, the size calibrator 240 may be an elongated protrusion extending through the outer filler, or even a recess through the outer filler 16 .

In the example shown, each dimensional calibrator 240 is used to effect adjustments during the drying process so that variations in the panel member 200 are within specified dimensional tolerances of the final consumer product. For example, each size calibrator 240 has a prescribed length corresponding to the length of the panel member 200 (from side to side). As the length of the panel member 200 shortens during the drying process, which indicates shrinkage or buckling, the length of the size calibrator 240 changes. Thus, an operator can first measure the dimensional calibrator 240 after molding (1) and then (2) control excessive shrinkage and warping of the panel member 200 during subsequent production steps (ie, the drying process). Accordingly, the dimensions of the panel member 200 can be maintained according to acceptable dimensional tolerances.

Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown an apparatus of the subject invention, generally designated 300, for molding a panel member 200 from a fibrous slurry. For the sake of brevity, the die 110 with the molding screen 112 and the vacuum mechanism 130 for driving the slurry into the die 110 and further removing the water from the slurry previously discussed and shown in FIG. 7 will be omitted. , only the features different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 are described.

In particular, the die 110 has extended outer filler walls 118 that provide more spacing between the inner filler walls 116 that create the trim portion of the panel member 200 and support walls 119 . Accordingly, a plurality of die-cut locator profiles 120 and a plurality of size calibrator profiles 140 are disposed along the outer filler wall 118 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of die-cut locator profiles 120 are notches formed on the die 110 , and in particular along opposite sides of the die 110 . Each die cut locator profile 120 extends outwardly from the upper surface of the outer filler wall 118 . In an exemplary embodiment, each die-cut locator profile 120 may be shaped as a cylindrical groove forming die-cut locator 220 as shown above. However, each die cut locator profile 120 may be of other shapes and shaped so that the die cut locator 220 mates with a locator receiving a notch in a die (not shown). Accordingly, the size of the die-cut locator profile 120 may vary depending on the shape and location of the die-cut locator 220 .

As shown in FIG. 9 , a die cut locator profile 120 extends from the upper surface to the die 110 . However, in another embodiment, the die cut locator profile 120 may extend upwardly from the upper surface of the outer filler wall 118 . In another embodiment, where the die cut locator 220 is a depression, the height of the die cut locator profile 120 will extend to or beyond the support wall 119 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the die 110 has two pairs of die-cut locator profile grids 120, including a first pair of die-cut locator profiles 120a on a first side of the die 110 and a pair of die-cut locator profiles 120a disposed opposite the first side. A second pair of die cut locator profiles 120b on a second side of the die 110 . The first pair of die-cut locator profiles 120a are spaced apart from each other by a distance that is greater than the second pair of die-cut locator profiles 120b that are also spaced apart from each other. greater than the separation distance between the second pair of die-cut locator forms 120b. This provides asymmetric positioning of the die cut positioner 220 .

Referring now back to FIG. 9 , a plurality of size calibrator profiles 140 are shown, also disposed along the outer fill wall 118 . In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, each size calibrator profile 140 is disposed adjacent to a corner of the die 110 and separate from the plurality of die-cut locator profiles 120 . In particular, each size calibrator profile 140 is disposed along the four corners of the outer filler wall 118 .

As shown in FIG. 9 , each size calibrator profile 140 is an elongated protrusion extending upwardly from the outer filler wall 118 . In the exemplary embodiment, size calibrator profile 140 is sized to match the width of a tape measure or its equivalent. However, the size and shape of the size calibrator profile 140 can vary. For example, the size calibrator profile 140 may be an elongated depression extending through the outer filler wall 118, or even a larger protrusion whose height extends to the support wall 119, so that the size calibrator 240 is a single element in the panel member 200. sunken.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 9, a method of the present invention for forming a panel member 1, 200 using a fiber slurry will be discussed. First, die 110 comprises a water-insoluble, porous (i.e., screen 112 and perforations 114), and relatively hard, easily formable material with a molding surface spread over a series of Walls of structures made of masonry, wood or other finished products. The die 110 is then set into the vat with the fiber slurry. The vacuum mechanism 130, coupled to the die 110, draws the fiber slurry against the screen 112 and the molding surface of the die 110 to form a substantially uniform layer of fiber stock. Water is drawn through perforations 114 in die 110 . The vacuum pressure required to draw the fiber slurry against the molding surface of the forming die can be readily determined by one skilled in the art and will depend on various process conditions such as the composition and viscosity of the slurry, the temperature of the slurry, and The structure of the product to be produced and the thickness of the walls.

In one embodiment, when the fibrous layers are set at the desired thickness, the panel member 1, 200 is removed for subsequent manufacturing steps which include heating in a temperature-controlled environment (i.e., an oven ) drying panel member 1,200.

For panel members 200 having dimensional calibrator 240 , an operator may measure dimensional calibrator 240 in order to determine a baseline measurement for molded panel member 200 .

After the panel member 1 is sufficiently dried, the panel member 1 can be removed from the die 110 by manually or mechanically applying air pressure through the die 110 to push the panel member 1 away from the die 110 . To reduce drying time, the panel member 1 can be placed in a conventional oven at a temperature below 500°C. The time and specific heating temperature can be readily determined by anyone skilled in the art.

The operator can continuously measure the dimensional calibrator 240 so that the operator can determine adjustments to the drying process that need to be made to avoid excessive shrinkage or bowing of the panel member 200 . For example, an operator may determine that the right side of panel member 200 is shrinking faster than the left side. Therefore, the operator can change the direction and intensity affecting the temperature of the panel member 200 in the drying process. Measurements of the size calibrator may be performed throughout the drying process, subsequent manufacturing steps, and storage, after which the size calibrator 240 may be removed by a die prior to consumer use.

During the die-cutting process, the panel member 200 is mated to a die using a plurality of die-cut positioners 220 . Because the die cut locators 220 are staggered and positioned asymmetrically along the panel member 200, the panel member 200 will not fit until properly aligned with the die.

Once the die cut locators 220 are properly aligned, the panel member 200 is cut to remove the flash. The panel members 200 now have clean edges so that adjacent panel members 200 can be seamlessly connected to each other along corresponding finger joints 30 .

Although a number of embodiments have been shown and described, those skilled in the art can appreciate that what is done in these embodiments does not depart from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope defined in the claims and the scope thereof. Various changes or variations of equivalents.

Claims (20)

1. A panel member comprising: a body made of fibrous material of substantially uniform size; multiple decorative parts; a plurality of interior fillers; external padding; and A plurality of quality control elements disposed along the outer fill. 2. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the outer filler portion has a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the plurality of inner filler portions. 3. The panel member of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of quality control elements include a first die cut locator disposed on one side of the outer fill portion and a die cut locator opposite the first die cut locator. Asymmetrically set second die-cut positioner. 4. The panel member of claim 3, wherein the first die cut retainer is disposed between an edge of the outer filler portion and an edge of a finger joint. 5. The panel member of claim 3, wherein the first die cut retainer projects outwardly from the outer fill portion. 6. The panel member of claim 5, wherein the second die cut retainer projects outwardly from the outer filler portion. 7. The panel member of claim 3, wherein the plurality of quality control elements further have a size calibrator disposed along the outer padding. 8. The panel member of claim 7, wherein the size calibrator is disposed adjacent a corner of the body and spaced from the first and second pair of die-cut locators. 9. The panel member of claim 7, wherein the size calibrator is an elongated depression formed in the outer fill portion. 10. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the plurality of quality control elements includes a first pair of die cut locators adjacent to the first pair of finger joints and opposite to the first pair of finger joints. The second pair of finger joints is adjacent to the second pair of die-cut locators. 11. The panel member of claim 10, wherein the first pair of die cut locators are disposed away from each other along opposite sides of the body. 12. The panel member of claim 11, wherein the second pair of die cut locators are disposed closer to each other than the first pair of die cut locators. 13. The panel member of claim 10, wherein the plurality of quality control elements further comprises a size calibrator disposed along the outer fill portion. 14. The panel member of claim 13, wherein the size calibrator is disposed adjacent a corner of the body and spaced from the first and second pair of die-cut locators. 15. The panel member of claim 13, wherein the size calibrator is an elongated depression formed in the outer fill portion. 16. The panel member of claim 1, wherein said plurality of quality control elements further comprises a plurality of dimensional calibrator disposed along said outer fill portion. 17. The panel member of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of size aligners is disposed adjacent to a corner of the main body. 18. The panel member of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of size aligners is an elongated depression formed on the outer fill portion. 19. The panel member of claim 2, wherein the fibrous material is a liquid slurry formed from pre-consumed or post-consumed paper mixed with water. 20. A panel member as claimed in claim 19, wherein the paper is broken down into smaller pieces and then further defiberized into a homogeneous slurry of paper and water, sizing and binder.