Artificial panel, a method for manufacturing same and furniture articles therefrom

Abstract

A molded panel resembling a natural wickerwork panel, a furniture article comprising such a panel and a method for its manufacture, the panel comprising a plurality of warp strands and a plurality of weft strands interlacing the warp strands, such that at locations where warp and weft strands intersect they form together an integrated, solid molded material location.

1 . A molded, monolithic polymeric panel mimicking natural wickerwork, the molded, monolithic polymeric panel comprising:
 a plurality of polymeric warp strands; and   a plurality of undulating polymeric weft strands, interlacing said plurality of polymeric warp strands to form the molded, monolithic polymeric panel;   the undulating polymeric weft strands are configured to create fine gaps between at least several neighboring warp strands and the undulating weft strands, such that neighboring weft strands are distanced from one another and the gaps form a continuous path extending between the undulating weft strands, the path being parallel to the warp strands,   a height of a weft strand is vertically spaced from a height of a neighboring weft strand at a location intersecting a warp strand, whereby undulating neighboring weft strands give rise to a vertical gap extending between a space adjacent each warp strand and zeroing at a locations where the neighboring weft strands tangentially intersect each other, and   at locations where the warp strands and the weft strands intersect, the warp stands and the weft strands form together an integral, solid molded material location.   
     
     
         2 . The molded, monolithic polymeric panel of  claim 1 , further comprising two opposing faces, at least one of which mimicking natural wickerwork. 
     
     
         3 . The molded, monolithic polymeric panel of  claim 1 , further comprising two opposing faces, each of the opposing faces mimicking natural wickerwork. 
     
     
         4 . The molded, monolithic polymeric panel of  claim 3 , wherein each of the two opposing face mimics a different pattern of natural wickerwork. 
     
     
         5 . The molded, monolithic polymeric panel of  claim 1 , further comprising a polymeric frame that is integrally molded with the molded, monolithic polymeric panel to form a monolithic, polymeric framed panel. 
     
     
         6 . The molded, monolithic polymeric panel of  claim 5 , wherein the polymeric frame includes one or more ornamentation elements to resemble natural wickerwork. 
     
     
         7 . The molded, monolithic polymeric panel of  claim 6 , wherein said one or more ornamentation elements being selected from the group consisting of size, color, texture, and imperfections. 
     
     
         8 . The molded, monolithic polymeric panel of  claim 1 , wherein the warp strands and the weft strands include one or more ornamentation elements to resemble natural wickerwork. 
     
     
         9 . The molded, monolithic polymeric panel of  claim 8 , wherein said one or more ornamentation elements being selected from the group consisting of size, color, texture, and imperfections. 
     
     
         10 . The molded, monolithic polymeric panel of  claim 1 , being substantially planar. 
     
     
         11 . The molded, monolithic polymeric panel of  claim 1 , having a three dimensional shape. 
     
     
         12 . A furniture article or part thereof, comprising one or more panels according to  claim 1 .