Composite engineered wood material piece

Abstract

A composite engineered wood material piece and its method of fabrication is described. The wood material piece comprises a top wood layer secured to a substrate layer by a binder. The substrate layer has a plurality of grooves formed therein from a bottom surface thereof to enhance the flexibility of the wood material piece. The grooves are spaced from one another by one or more predetermined spaced intervals and have one or more predetermined depth and width calculated to substantially eliminate the effects of telegraphy of the grooves on a top finished surface of the top wood layer.

1 . A composite engineered wood material piece comprising a top wood layer secured to a substrate layer by binding means, said substrate layer having a plurality of grooves formed therein from a bottom surface thereof to enhance the flexibility of said wood material piece, said grooves being spaced from one another by one or more predetermined spaced distances, said grooves having one or more predetermined depth and width calculated based on parameters of said material piece to substantially eliminate the effects of telegraphy of said grooves on a top finished surface of said top wood layer. 
   
   
       2 . A composite engineered wood material piece as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the dimension of said predetermined depth and width and spacing of said grooves is determined by the following parameters of said top wood layer and said substrate layer:
 i) the type of wood of said top wood layer and the intrinsic properties of said substrate layer,   ii) the thickness ratio between said top wood layer and said substrate layer,   iii) the top surface texture of said top wood layer,   iv) the properties of said binding means, and   v) the type of finish coating to be applied to said top surface of said top wood layer.   
   
   
       3 . A composite engineered wood material piece as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said substrate layer is a substrate formed from wood material or other material. 
   
   
       4 . A composite engineered wood material piece as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said wood material substrate is thicker than said top wood layer and constituted by one of laminated wood, or MDF or any suitable wood substrate. 
   
   
       5 . A composite engineered wood material piece as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said binding means is an adhesive binder, said adhesive binder providing a humidity barrier between said top wood layer and said substrate layer and a flexible interconnection. 
   
   
       6 . A composite engineered wood material piece as claimed in claim S wherein said adhesive binder is one of a glue, a polyurethane foam or a contact cement, said adhesive binder having a predetermined elastic property and thickness which constitutes one of said parameters in the determination of said predetermined spaced distances between said grooves. 
   
   
       7 . A composite engineered wood material piece as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said finish coating comprises a clear protective coating having a predetermined lustre. 
   
   
       8 . A composite engineered wood material piece as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said finish coating further comprises a wood stain having a predetermined tone with lighter tones being less conductive of said telegraphy. 
   
   
       9 . A composite engineered wood material piece as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said grooves are formed by one of saw grooves, routed grooves, slitting, or spaces between glued material strips. 
   
   
       10 . A composite engineered wood material piece as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said wood material piece is a floor slat or a sheet. 
   
   
       11 . A composite engineered wood material piece as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said grooves are formed in a rear surface of a composite engineered wood substrate layer, said grooves being oriented in groups which extend at different angles whereby to provide different oriented zones of flexibility to said sheet. 
   
   
       12 . A composite engineered wood material piece as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said characteristics of the intrinsic properties of said substrate layer includes, without limitation:
 i) dimensional stability,   ii) density of said substrate material layer, and   iii) the hygroscopic humidity barrier factor.   
   
   
       13 . A method of fabricating a composite engineered wood material piece having a top wood layer secured to a substrate layer by binding means, said method comprising steps of:
 i) calculating from known parameters of said top wood layer and substrate layer the depth, width and spacing of grooves to be formed in a bottom surface of said substrate layer to enhance the flexibility of said wood material layer while substantially eliminating the effects of telegraphy of said grooves on a top finished surface of said top wood layer, and   ii) forming a plurality of grooves in said bottom surface of said substrate layer having dimensions and spacing as calculated by step (i).   
   
   
       14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said step (i) of calculating is effected by the analysis of the following parameters of said top wood layer and substrate layer;
 i) the type of wood of said top wood layer,   ii) the intrinsic properties of said substrate layer,   iii) the thickness ratio between said top wood layer and said substrate layer,   iv) the top surface texture of said top wood layer,   v) the properties of said binding means, and   vi) the type of finish coating to be applied to a top surface of said top wood layer.   
   
   
       15 . A method as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said step (ii) comprises forming said grooves by one of the use of a saw blade, a routing bit, a slitting blade, or by spaces between glued material strips. 
   
   
       16 . A method as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said composite engineered wood material piece is a sheet of said material, and wherein said step (i) comprises effecting said calculation for specific portions of said sheet to determine the orientation of said spacing as well as said depth and width of said grooves for each said portions whereby to form said sheet with portions thereof having different oriented flexibility while substantially eliminating the said effects of telegraphy on a top surface of said sheet.