Patents by Inventor Bernard Thiers

Bernard Thiers 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).

  • Publication number: 20260071443
    Abstract: Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer including a printed pattern, where the surface of the ceramic tile has a relief having structural features corresponding to the printed pattern. The relief being basically formed as a plurality of excavations present in the generally plane upper surface of the ceramic tile and the structural features have a depth such that they are completely situated above the ceramic base layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2025
    Publication date: March 12, 2026
    Inventors: Bernard THIERS, Christine WALMSLEY-SCOTT, Bart VAN DER STOCKT
  • Patent number: 12497786
    Abstract: Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer including a printed pattern, where the surface of the ceramic tile has a relief having structural features corresponding to the printed pattern. The relief being basically formed as a plurality of excavations present in the generally plane upper surface of the ceramic tile and the structural features have a depth such that they are completely situated above the ceramic base layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2025
    Assignee: UNILIN, BV
    Inventors: Bernard Thiers, Christine Walmsley-Scott, Bart Van Der Stockt
  • Publication number: 20250075514
    Abstract: Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer including a printed pattern, where the surface of the ceramic tile has a relief having structural features corresponding to the printed pattern. The relief being basically formed as a plurality of excavations present in the generally plane upper surface of the ceramic tile and the structural features have a depth such that they are completely situated above the ceramic base layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Bernard THIERS, Christine WALMSLEY-SCOTT, Bart VAN DER STOCKT
  • Patent number: 12241262
    Abstract: A panel may include at a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate. The top layer may include a motif and a transparent or translucent synthetic material layer provided above the motif. The motif may be a print formed by digitally applying inks on the substrate with the intermediary of one or more primer layers extending underneath the print. The transparent or translucent synthetic material layer may include polypropylene and have a thickness of less than 1 millimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Unilin, BV
    Inventors: Laurent Meersseman, Martin Segaert, Bernard Thiers, Benjamin Clement, Christophe Maesen
  • Patent number: 12173514
    Abstract: Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer including a printed pattern, where the surface of the ceramic tile has a relief having structural features corresponding to the printed pattern. The relief being basically formed as a plurality of excavations present in the generally plane upper surface of the ceramic tile and the structural features have a depth such that they are completely situated above the ceramic base layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: UNILIN, BV
    Inventors: Bernard Thiers, Christine Walmsley-Scott, Bart Van Der Stockt
  • Publication number: 20240165941
    Abstract: A decorative paper of a roll of decorative paper is laminated on paper in a continuous pressing operation under pressure and at elevated temperature by means of an aminoplast resin. The roll of decorative paper comprises serially differing decorative finishes. After the continuous pressing operation, the laminate can be divided into sheets. A method is also described for impregnating, with aminoplast resin, decorative paper that comprises serially differing decorative finishes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Bernard THIERS, Veronique HOFLACK, Caroline VAN DE POPULIERE, Benjamin CLEMENT, Benny SCHACHT, Christof VANDEVOORDE
  • Publication number: 20240011305
    Abstract: Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer including a printed pattern, where the surface of the ceramic tile has a relief having structural features corresponding to the printed pattern. The relief being basically formed as a plurality of excavations present in the generally plane upper surface of the ceramic tile and the structural features have a depth such that they are completely situated above the ceramic base layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Bernard THIERS, Christine WALMSLEY-SCOTT, Bart VAN DER STOCKT
  • Patent number: 11851891
    Abstract: Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer including a printed pattern, where the surface of the ceramic tile has a relief having structural features corresponding to the printed pattern. The relief being basically formed as a plurality of excavations present in the generally plane upper surface of the ceramic tile and the structural features have a depth such that they are completely situated above the ceramic base layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Bernard Thiers, Christine Walmsley-Scott, Bart Van Der Stockt
  • Publication number: 20230295933
    Abstract: A panel may include at a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate. The top layer may include a motif and a transparent or translucent synthetic material layer provided above the motif. The motif may be a print formed by digitally applying inks on the substrate with the intermediary of one or more primer layers extending underneath the print. The transparent or translucent synthetic material layer may include polypropylene and have a thickness of less than 1 millimeter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
  • Patent number: 11702849
    Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a panel that includes a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate. The top layer may include a decor film and a transparent film. The decor film may be a printed synthetic material film chosen from the group consisting of a vinyl-based film, a polyethylene based film, a polyurethane based film, and a polypropylene film. A print may be situated on an upper side of the printed synthetic material film. The transparent film may be a thermoplastic synthetic material film the material of which is chosen from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyurethane, and polypropylene. The method may involve providing the decor film and the transparent film on the substrate by performing a first press treatment at an increased temperature to form a package of the substrate, the decor film, and the transparent film. The first press treatment may be performed by a calendar device or a continuous press device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent Meersseman, Martin Segaert, Bernard Thiers, Benjamin Clement, Christophe Maesen
  • Publication number: 20230021735
    Abstract: Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer including a printed pattern, where the surface of the ceramic tile has a relief having structural features corresponding to the printed pattern. The relief being basically formed as a plurality of excavations present in the generally plane upper surface of the ceramic tile and the structural features have a depth such that they are completely situated above the ceramic base layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Bernard THIERS, Christine WALMSLEY-SCOTT, Bart VAN DER STOCKT
  • Patent number: 11492811
    Abstract: Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer including a printed pattern, where the surface of the ceramic tile has a relief having structural features corresponding to the printed pattern. The relief being basically formed as a plurality of excavations present in the generally plane upper surface of the ceramic tile and the structural features have a depth such that they are completely situated above the ceramic base layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Bernard Thiers, Christine Walmsley-Scott, Bart Van Der Stockt
  • Patent number: 11292151
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a board as well as a profiled element for manufacturing the board. The method including the steps of providing a material mass including an organic material and a binding agent for binding the organic material together, pressing the material mass so as to form the board, and removing material from the material mass in one or more material zones before pressing so as to obtain after pressing a lower density in those zones compared to the remainder of the board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Bernard Thiers, Lode De Boe, Peter Hochepied
  • Publication number: 20220074210
    Abstract: A floor panel has two pairs of opposite edges so at least at one pair of opposite edges the floor panel is provided with coupling parts formed in one piece with a substrate of the floor panel. A relief is provided at least with a plurality of embossments in a synthetic transparent material of a top layer of the floor panel. The embossments are performed deeper than the synthetic transparent material, and the printed decor and an underlying layer of the substrate are embossed. The underside of the substrate is undeformed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Christian VANDEVOORDE, Bernard THIERS
  • Patent number: 11208813
    Abstract: A floor panel has two pairs of opposite edges so at least at one pair of opposite edges the floor panel is provided with coupling parts formed in one piece with a substrate of the floor panel. A relief is provided at least with a plurality of embossments in a synthetic transparent material of a top layer of the floor panel. The embossments are performed deeper than the synthetic transparent material, and the printed decor and an underlying layer of the substrate are embossed. The underside of the substrate is undeformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent Meersseman, Christian Vandevoorde, Bernard Thiers
  • Publication number: 20210238865
    Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a panel that includes a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate. The top layer may include a decor film and a transparent film. The decor film may be a printed synthetic material film chosen from the group consisting of a vinyl-based film, a polyethylene based film, a polyurethane based film, and a polypropylene film. A print may be situated on an upper side of the printed synthetic material film. The transparent film may be a thermoplastic synthetic material film the material of which is chosen from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyurethane, and polypropylene. The method may involve providing the decor film and the transparent film on the substrate by performing a first press treatment at an increased temperature to form a package of the substrate, the decor film, and the transparent film. The first press treatment may be performed by a calendar device or a continuous press device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent Meersseman, Martin Segaert, Bernard Thiers, Benjamin Clement, Christophe Maesen
  • Publication number: 20210214957
    Abstract: Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer including a printed pattern, where the surface of the ceramic tile has a relief having structural features corresponding to the printed pattern. The relief being basically formed as a plurality of excavations present in the generally plane upper surface of the ceramic tile and the structural features have a depth such that they are completely situated above the ceramic base layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Bernard THIERS, Christine WALMSLEY-SCOTT, Bart VAN DER STOCKT
  • Patent number: 11015352
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent Meersseman, Martin Segaert, Bernard Thiers, Benjamin Clement, Christophe Maesen
  • Patent number: 10988942
    Abstract: Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer including a printed pattern, where the surface of the ceramic tile has a relief having structural features corresponding to the printed pattern. The structural features are at least partly formed in the surface of the ceramic base layer and manifest themselves through the glaze layer to the upper surface of the tile. Additionally, a method which allows for the manufacturing of such ceramic tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Bernard Thiers, Christine Walmsley-Scott, Bart Van Der Stockt
  • Patent number: 10597876
    Abstract: A floor may include a substrate having a top side and a bottom side. A top layer may be provided on the substrate. The top layer may consist of a printed thermoplastic film and a thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer provided on the printed thermoplastic film. The top layer may be directly adhered to the substrate by heat welding the printed thermoplastic film and the top side of the substrate, in the absence of a glue layer. The substrate may be a synthetic material board including a filler. The substrate at least at two opposite edges may include coupling means provided in the synthetic material board. The thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer may be provided with a structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Laurent Meersseman, Martin Segaert, Bernard Thiers, Benjamin Clement, Christophe Maesen