Patents by Inventor Benjamin Clement

Benjamin Clement has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10549550
    Abstract: Panels having a decorative surface may include a substrate and a top layer, and the top layer may include a paper layer having a printed pattern. A method for manufacturing such panels may involve providing the paper layer with a treatment that includes providing the paper layer with an ink receiving substance, and providing the treated paper layer with at least a portion of the printed pattern. The printed paper layer may be provided with thermosetting resin. Providing the portion of the printed pattern may involve depositing pigment containing inks on the treated paper layer using a digital inkjet printer. The printed pattern may be provided in a single continuous relative movement of the paper layer with respect to the digital inkjet printer. The pigments may be color pigments. The digital inkjet printer may include print heads with nozzles for firing droplets of the pigment containing inks onto the treated paper layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: UNILIN, BVBA
    Inventors: Benjamin Clement, Luc De Boe
  • Publication number: 20200016922
    Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a printed paper layer. The method may involve providing the paper layer with a printed pattern. Providing the printed pattern may involve depositing water based inks using a digital inkjet printer. The water based inks may be pigment containing inks. The dry weight of the deposited pigment containing inks may be lower than 9 grams per square meter. The paper layer may include an inkjet receiver coating, such that the inks are deposited on the inkjet receiver coating. The inkjet receiver coating may include a pigment having a pore volume of 0.5 to 3 ml/g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: UNILIN, BVBA
    Inventor: Benjamin CLEMENT
  • Patent number: 10532597
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing paper or thermoplastic foil printable with an inkjet printer for use as a decor paper, respectively decor foil in a laminate or laminated panel may involve providing a paper layer, respectively a thermoplastic foil. At least one side of the paper layer, respectively the foil may be coated with an inkjet receiver coating that includes pigment and binder. Application of the inkjet receiver coating may involve applying a first layer with a first composition and, subsequently, applying a second layer with a second composition. Both the first and the second compositions may include the binder. Papers and foils may also be obtained. A method of manufacturing panels may involve providing the paper or foil with a printed pattern and used as a decor in the panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: UNILIN, BVBA
    Inventor: Benjamin Clement
  • Patent number: 10471769
    Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing panels having a decorative surface, wherein the panels at least include a plate shaped substrate and a top layer, and wherein the top layer includes a printed pattern. The method may involve providing the plate shaped substrate with at least a portion of the printed pattern. Providing the portion of the printed pattern may involve depositing water based inks using a digital inkjet printer. The plate shaped substrate may include one or more intermediate layers at the surface to be printed. And the intermediate layers may include an inkjet receiver coating, such that the inks are deposited on the inkjet receiver coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: UNILIN, BVBA
    Inventor: Benjamin Clement
  • Patent number: 10465391
    Abstract: A method may be provided for manufacturing a floor panel having a decorative upper side formed by a top layer. The top layer may have at least a decorative layer that includes a digital print and a transparent or translucent wear layer. The method may involve providing a plurality of pigmented liquid inks. The pigmented liquid inks may include a first binding agent. A film may be provided. The digital print may be provided on the film by jetting one or more of the pigmented liquid inks onto the film using a digital inkjet printer. A second binding agent may be provided on the top of the digital print or the bottom of the translucent or transparent wear layer. The film and the transparent or translucent wear layer may be laminated such that the digital print is in between the film and the transparent or translucent wear layer, and the second binding agent is between the digital print and the bottom of the transparent or translucent wear layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: UNILIN, BVBA
    Inventor: Benjamin Clement
  • Publication number: 20190143717
    Abstract: Panels having a decorative surface may include a substrate and a top layer, and the top layer may include a paper layer having a printed pattern. A method for manufacturing such panels may involve providing the paper layer with a treatment that includes providing the paper layer with an ink receiving substance, and providing the treated paper layer with at least a portion of the printed pattern. The printed paper layer may be provided with thermosetting resin. Providing the portion of the printed pattern may involve depositing pigment containing inks on the treated paper layer using a digital inkjet printer. The printed pattern may be provided in a single continuous relative movement of the paper layer with respect to the digital inkjet printer. The pigments may be color pigments. The digital inkjet printer may include print heads with nozzles for firing droplets of the pigment containing inks onto the treated paper layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicant: UNILIN, BVBA
    Inventors: Benjamin CLEMENT, Luc DE BOE
  • Patent number: 10233655
    Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer located above the substrate. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed synthetic material layer with fillers, and have an average density of more than 300 kilograms per cubic meter. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film above the back layer, and a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer above the printed synthetic material film. The back layer may include a vinyl compound with fillers, and have a thickness of at least 45 percent of the thickness of the top layer. The floor panel may include first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges. The first mechanical coupling parts may allow horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a turning movement along the respective long edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent Meersseman, Martin Segaert, Bernard Thiers, Benjamin Clement, Christophe Maesen
  • Publication number: 20190063078
    Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer located above the substrate. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed synthetic material layer with fillers, and have an average density of more than 300 kilograms per cubic meter. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film above the back layer, and a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer above the printed synthetic material film. The back layer may include a vinyl compound with fillers, and have a thickness of at least 45 percent of the thickness of the top layer. The floor panel may include first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges. The first mechanical coupling parts may allow horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a turning movement along the respective long edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
  • Publication number: 20190063079
    Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer. The top layer may include a printed thermoplastic film and a thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer provided on the printed thermoplastic film. The substrate may be a synthetic material board including a filler. The substrate may include coupling means provided at edges of the synthetic material board. The coupling means may enable locking with a similar floor panel and prevent separation in a horizontal direction using locking parts with horizontally active locking surfaces. The horizontally active locking surfaces may be oriented at an angle A of more than 90 degrees with the horizontal direction. A first one of the locking parts may be an upstanding part at a bottom lip of a first one of the edges. The angle A may be between (a) a tangent of the horizontally active locking surfaces, and (b) a direction in a horizontal plane that points away from an open curved surface of the upstanding part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
  • Patent number: 10214028
    Abstract: Panels having a decorative surface may include a substrate and a top layer, and the top layer may include a paper layer having a printed pattern. A method for manufacturing such panels may involve providing the paper layer with a treatment, and providing the treated paper layer with at least a portion of the printed pattern. Providing the portion of the printed pattern may involve depositing pigment containing inks on the treated paper layer using a digital inkjet printer. The pigments may be color pigments. The digital inkjet printer may include print heads with nozzles for firing droplets of the pigment containing inks onto the treated paper layer. A contact angle at the interface between the droplets of pigment containing ink and the treated paper layer may be between 0° and 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: UNILIN, BVBA
    Inventors: Benjamin Clement, Luc De Boe
  • Publication number: 20190040634
    Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer located above the substrate. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed synthetic material layer with fillers, and have an average density of more than 300 kilograms per cubic meter. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film above the back layer, and a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer above the printed synthetic material film. The back layer may include a vinyl compound with fillers, and have a thickness of at least 45 percent of the thickness of the top layer. The floor panel may include first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges. The first mechanical coupling parts may allow horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a turning movement along the respective long edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
  • Publication number: 20190023047
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing paper or thermoplastic foil printable with an inkjet printer for use as a decor paper, respectively decor foil in a laminate or laminated panel may involve providing a paper layer, respectively a thermoplastic foil. At least one side of the paper layer, respectively the foil may be coated with an inkjet receiver coating that includes pigment and binder. Application of the inkjet receiver coating may involve applying a first layer with a first composition and, subsequently, applying a second layer with a second composition. Both the first and the second compositions may include the binder. Papers and foils may also be obtained. A method of manufacturing panels may involve providing the paper or foil with a printed pattern and used as a decor in the panels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: UNILIN, BVBA
    Inventor: Benjamin CLEMENT
  • Publication number: 20190016153
    Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing panels having a decorative surface, wherein the panels at least include a substrate and a top layer, and wherein the top layer includes a paper layer having a printed pattern. The method may involve providing the paper layer with an inkjet receiver coating by transporting the paper layer relative to a coater in a coating direction. The coated paper layer may be provided with at least a portion of the printed pattern using a digital inkjet printer that includes a housing containing print heads. The printed pattern may be a wood motif having wood nerves extending generally in a nerve direction that substantially corresponds to the coating direction. Providing the printed pattern may involve a relative motion between the digital inkjet printer and the paper layer during a printing operation in a printing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicants: UNILIN, BVBA, AGFA, NV
    Inventors: Benjamin CLEMENT, Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Patrick VAN DEN BERGEN, Rudi VANHOOYDONCK
  • Patent number: 10124603
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing panels having a decorative surface, wherein the panels at least comprise a substrate and a top layer, wherein the top layer comprises a paper layer having a printed pattern, and wherein the method at least comprises the step of providing the paper layer with thermosetting resin by transporting the paper layer through a resin application device in a resin application direction, and the step of providing the paper layer with at least a portion of the printed pattern by means of a digital inkjet printer, wherein the printed pattern comprises a wood motif having wood nerves extending generally in a nerve direction substantially corresponding to the resin application direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignees: UNILIN, BVBA, AGFA, NV
    Inventors: Benjamin Clement, Laurent Meersseman, Patrick Van Den Bergen, Rudi Vanhooydonck
  • Patent number: 10100533
    Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer located above the substrate. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed synthetic material layer with fillers. The closed cell foamed synthetic material layer may have an average density of more than 300 kilograms per cubic meter. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film located above the back layer, and a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer located above the printed synthetic material film. The back layer may include a vinyl compound with fillers. The back layer may have a thickness of at least 45 percent of the thickness of the top layer. The floor panel may be rectangular and oblong and may include a pair of long edges and a pair of short edges. The floor panel may include first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent Meersseman, Martin Segaert, Bernard Thiers, Benjamin Clement, Christophe Maesen
  • Patent number: 10094123
    Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed PVC layer. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film, a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer, and a surface layer. The printed synthetic material film may be a printed PVC film. The transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer may include a vinyl layer, and have a thickness of 1 millimeter or less. The surface layer may include a UV hardened substance. The floor panel may include a pair of long edges with first mechanical coupling parts and a pair of short edges with second mechanical coupling parts. The first mechanical coupling parts may have vertically active locking surfaces, and horizontally active locking surfaces formed in the material of the closed cell foamed PVC layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent Meersseman, Martin Segaert, Bernard Thiers, Benjamin Clement, Christophe Maesen
  • Publication number: 20180258650
    Abstract: A panel may include a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate. The top layer may include a printed motif provided on a paper sheet and a transparent or translucent synthetic material layer. The paper sheet may be impregnated with polyurethane or polyisocyanate. The synthetic material of the transparent or translucent synthetic material layer may be polyurethane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
  • Publication number: 20180245354
    Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed PVC layer. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film, a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer, and a surface layer. The printed synthetic material film may be a printed PVC film. The transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer may include a vinyl layer, and have a thickness of 1 millimeter or less. The surface layer may include a UV hardened substance. The floor panel may include a pair of long edges with first mechanical coupling parts and a pair of short edges with second mechanical coupling parts. The first mechanical coupling parts may have vertically active locking surfaces, and horizontally active locking surfaces formed in the material of the closed cell foamed PVC layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
  • Publication number: 20180245353
    Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer located above the substrate. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed synthetic material layer with fillers. The closed cell foamed synthetic material layer may have an average density of more than 300 kilograms per cubic meter. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film located above the back layer, and a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer located above the printed synthetic material film. The back layer may include a vinyl compound with fillers. The back layer may have a thickness of at least 45 percent of the thickness of the top layer. The floor panel may be rectangular and oblong and may include a pair of long edges and a pair of short edges. The floor panel may include first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
  • Publication number: 20180155937
    Abstract: A method may be provided for manufacturing a floor panel having a decorative upper side formed by a top layer. The top layer may have at least a decorative layer that includes a digital print and a transparent or translucent wear layer. The method may involve providing a plurality of pigmented liquid inks. The pigmented liquid inks may include a first binding agent. A film may be provided. The digital print may be provided on the film by jetting one or more of the pigmented liquid inks onto the film using a digital inkjet printer. A second binding agent may be provided on the top of the digital print or the bottom of the translucent or transparent wear layer. The film and the transparent or translucent wear layer may be laminated such that the digital print is in between the film and the transparent or translucent wear layer, and the second binding agent is between the digital print and the bottom of the transparent or translucent wear layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: UNILIN, BVBA
    Inventor: Benjamin CLEMENT