GB2188254A - Foamed wallcoverings - Google Patents

Abstract

A foamed wallcovering produced by applying an inhibitor on defined areas (12A) of a base (10) and covering said areas and surrounding areas with a foamable composition (13) which is subsequently foamed with the inhibitor diffusing upwardly into those parts of the composition over the inhibitor. The inhibitor and foamable composition can be applied to a shape (10) in register alongside a similar shape (11) which has no foamable composition applied or is not applied in register. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Foamed wallcoverings This invention relates two foamed wallcoverings.

The invention is concerned with the matterof providing accentuated reliefs and pleasing harmonies in foamed wallcoverings.

Relief on foamed wallcoverings is currently produced by applying (such as buy a printed ink) an inhibitor or an activator on to the exposed surface of a composition foamable when heated.

In accordance with the present invention a foamed wallcovering is produced by applying an inhibitor on defined areas of a base and covering said areas and theirsurrounding areas with a foamable composition which is subsequentlyfoamed with the inhibitor diffusing upwardly into those parts of the composition overtheinhibitor.Thisenables,in oneform ofthe invention,forinhibitionto be applied in the same context ofcoloured pattern printing on the base, such as at one or more rolls of a multiple roll gravure printing system, instead of printing on top of the foamable composition.

The inhibitor can be printed in close-positioned association with a coloured pattern printing. For example, the coloured pattern can be that of leaves with the inhibitor taking the position of narrow veins on some of the leaves. The foamable composition can then be applied in register with those leaves on which inhibitor has been applied and aproduct is obtained in which veined printed leaves exist alongside, or intersecting veined foam covered leaves.

In an extension of the present invention a foamable composition, which maybe non-pigmented, can be used in conjunction with adequate inhibitorto suppress heavy foaming in certain areas or lines ofthe composition immediately above it so that, when heating takes place, the composition becomes sub- stantially opaque, due to gas bubbles in the foam, remote from the inhibitor and translucent above the inhibitor to utilise colouring in the print that existed prior to the foam being applied. Thus, typically, veins could be produced which not only iie below the surface of a foamed leaf but which differ in tone or colourfrom that of the leaf.

The translucence could also be graduated over the surface of an image. Taking again the example of a leaf pattern, the leaves of the pattern could be printed in graduated depth on a base with an ink containing an inhibitor. The printed leaves then have a graduated depth of colour and graduated inhibitor. If some ofthe leaves are now screen printed in register using a foamable composition then, on heating, those leaves will, on the lightly printed parts, give rise to most foaming and hence a light colour presentation whilst the heavier printed parts will give rise to less foaming and a darker presentation. The foam coated leaves will then echo the tonal values ofthe uncoated leaves.

It has been convenientto explain the invention in the context of leaf patterns butthe invention equally has application to other patterns such as for example, tree barks, natural stones and rocks, etched wood grains, and abstracts.

Apparatus for carrying the invention into effect can be conventional and typically comprises a supply of wallcovering base paperwhich is gravure screen or flexo printed with various coloured inks including an inhibitor or overprinted with an inhibitor as required and then screen printed in-registerto apply the foamable composition. A heating oven follows with a conventional piece winding station. Alternatively, the gravure printed base paper can be re-reeled and then taken to a separate screen printing machine, foaming line and piece winding station. The various operations can be in line or separated as required.

The inhibitor could be in one of the coloured inks which would form part ofthe coloured pattern, some of which is to be foam coated and some of which is not, or the inhibitor could be related onlyto a foamed pattern, such as a regular relief lattice, to appear in the finished product as super-imposed on the coloured pattern.

An elementary product in accordance with the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

A leaf pattern of one leaf 10 slightly overlapping a second similar leaf 1 is gravure printed with a light green ink on a paper base with spaces leftforveins 12.

The veins 12 are next printed in with a dark green ink, containing an inhibitor, on both leaves. From the printing station the printed paper base is taken to a screen printing station at which darkgreenfoamable composition coat is applied in registerwith leaf 10.

The printed and coated base is now taken to an oven where foam 13 is created on leaf 10with recessed veins 12A.

The relief at the veins can be well accentuated depending on the amount of inhibitor printed and the presence of two leaves of similarform butwhich have differing texture and reliefs is harmoniously pleasing and visually presents an effect of depth which is not physically present.

In an alternative arrangement the leaves 10 are printed with an ink containing an inhibitor without spaces forveins but with varying depth of colour and hence also with varying "depth" of inhibitor. Certain ofthe leaves are coated with a foamable material and others are not. The depth of colour in the unfoamed leaves will be echoed in the depth offoaming and hence the depth of colour ofthefoamed leaves.

1. Afoamed wallcovering produced by applying an inhibitor on defined areas of a base and covering said areas and their surrounding areaswithafoam- able composition which is subsequently foamed with the inhibitor diffusing upwardly into those parts of the composition over theinhibitor.

2. Awallcovering as claimed in claim 1 in which the inhibitor is printed in the same context as coloured pattern printing, such as at one or more rolls of a multiple roll gravure printing system.

3. Awallcovering as claimed in claim 2 in which the inhibitor is printed in close-positioned association with the colour pattern printing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Foamed wallcoverings This invention relates two foamed wallcoverings. The invention is concerned with the matterof providing accentuated reliefs and pleasing harmonies in foamed wallcoverings. Relief on foamed wallcoverings is currently produced by applying (such as buy a printed ink) an inhibitor or an activator on to the exposed surface of a composition foamable when heated. In accordance with the present invention a foamed wallcovering is produced by applying an inhibitor on defined areas of a base and covering said areas and theirsurrounding areas with a foamable composition which is subsequentlyfoamed with the inhibitor diffusing upwardly into those parts of the composition overtheinhibitor.Thisenables,in oneform ofthe invention,forinhibitionto be applied in the same context ofcoloured pattern printing on the base, such as at one or more rolls of a multiple roll gravure printing system, instead of printing on top of the foamable composition. The inhibitor can be printed in close-positioned association with a coloured pattern printing. For example, the coloured pattern can be that of leaves with the inhibitor taking the position of narrow veins on some of the leaves. The foamable composition can then be applied in register with those leaves on which inhibitor has been applied and aproduct is obtained in which veined printed leaves exist alongside, or intersecting veined foam covered leaves. In an extension of the present invention a foamable composition, which maybe non-pigmented, can be used in conjunction with adequate inhibitorto suppress heavy foaming in certain areas or lines ofthe composition immediately above it so that, when heating takes place, the composition becomes sub- stantially opaque, due to gas bubbles in the foam, remote from the inhibitor and translucent above the inhibitor to utilise colouring in the print that existed prior to the foam being applied. Thus, typically, veins could be produced which not only iie below the surface of a foamed leaf but which differ in tone or colourfrom that of the leaf. The translucence could also be graduated over the surface of an image. Taking again the example of a leaf pattern, the leaves of the pattern could be printed in graduated depth on a base with an ink containing an inhibitor. The printed leaves then have a graduated depth of colour and graduated inhibitor. If some ofthe leaves are now screen printed in register using a foamable composition then, on heating, those leaves will, on the lightly printed parts, give rise to most foaming and hence a light colour presentation whilst the heavier printed parts will give rise to less foaming and a darker presentation. The foam coated leaves will then echo the tonal values ofthe uncoated leaves. It has been convenientto explain the invention in the context of leaf patterns butthe invention equally has application to other patterns such as for example, tree barks, natural stones and rocks, etched wood grains, and abstracts. Apparatus for carrying the invention into effect can be conventional and typically comprises a supply of wallcovering base paperwhich is gravure screen or flexo printed with various coloured inks including an inhibitor or overprinted with an inhibitor as required and then screen printed in-registerto apply the foamable composition. A heating oven follows with a conventional piece winding station. Alternatively, the gravure printed base paper can be re-reeled and then taken to a separate screen printing machine, foaming line and piece winding station. The various operations can be in line or separated as required. The inhibitor could be in one of the coloured inks which would form part ofthe coloured pattern, some of which is to be foam coated and some of which is not, or the inhibitor could be related onlyto a foamed pattern, such as a regular relief lattice, to appear in the finished product as super-imposed on the coloured pattern. An elementary product in accordance with the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. A leaf pattern of one leaf 10 slightly overlapping a second similar leaf 1 is gravure printed with a light green ink on a paper base with spaces leftforveins 12. The veins 12 are next printed in with a dark green ink, containing an inhibitor, on both leaves. From the printing station the printed paper base is taken to a screen printing station at which darkgreenfoamable composition coat is applied in registerwith leaf 10. The printed and coated base is now taken to an oven where foam 13 is created on leaf 10with recessed veins 12A. The relief at the veins can be well accentuated depending on the amount of inhibitor printed and the presence of two leaves of similarform butwhich have differing texture and reliefs is harmoniously pleasing and visually presents an effect of depth which is not physically present. In an alternative arrangement the leaves 10 are printed with an ink containing an inhibitor without spaces forveins but with varying depth of colour and hence also with varying "depth" of inhibitor. Certain ofthe leaves are coated with a foamable material and others are not. The depth of colour in the unfoamed leaves will be echoed in the depth offoaming and hence the depth of colour ofthefoamed leaves. CLAIMS

1. Afoamed wallcovering produced by applying an inhibitor on defined areas of a base and covering said areas and their surrounding areaswithafoam- able composition which is subsequently foamed with the inhibitor diffusing upwardly into those parts of the composition over theinhibitor.

2. Awallcovering as claimed in claim 1 in which the inhibitor is printed in the same context as coloured pattern printing, such as at one or more rolls of a multiple roll gravure printing system.

3. Awallcovering as claimed in claim 2 in which the inhibitor is printed in close-positioned association with the colour pattern printing.

4. A wallcovering as claimed in claim 3 in which there is, in the pattern, at least two adjacent or overlapping similar items (such as leaves) one of which has inhibitor in close-positioned association with the colour pattern printing and said one item has the foamable composition applied in register, and the other item has no foamable composition or the composition is not applied in register.

5. Afoamed wallcovering as claimed in claim 1 in which thefoamable material and the inhibitor are selected so that, afterfoaming, the foam formed from the foamable composition untouched by the inhibitor is subsequently opaque and the foamable compositiontouched by the inhibitor is translucent.

6. Afoamed wallcovering as claimed in claim 5 in which the translucence is graduated.

7. Afoamed wailcovering as claimed in claim 6 in which graduated translucence is derived in conjunction with graduated depth of colouring.