A WPC wall panel anti-deformation flat corner protector component and its packaging process

Abstract

This invention proposes a flat corner protector assembly and packaging process for WPC wall panels, relating to the field of decorative panel packaging. The flat corner protector assembly is a straight strip structure with a thickness of 3mm and a height of 20mm. Its length matches the side length of the WPC wall panel, and it is made of wood-plastic composite material. The height is equal to the sum of the thicknesses of two WPC wall panels and a 2mm thick pearl cotton cushioning layer. The process includes: stacking two 9mm thick WPC wall panels face-to-face, with a 2mm thick pearl cotton cushioning layer between them to form an assembly with a total height of 20mm; attaching the two flat corner protector assemblies to the left and right sides of the assembly, with their height flush with the total height of the assembly; wrapping the entire assembly with EB corrugated paper and reinforcing it with stretch film to form a single package unit; and neatly stacking multiple single package units on a pallet. This application can accurately adapt to a 20mm assembly height, possesses moisture-proof and mildew-proof properties, and has sufficient rigidity, significantly reducing storage and transportation losses.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of decorative panel packaging, and more specifically, to a WPC wall panel anti-deformation flat corner protector component and its packaging process. Background Technology

[0002] WPC (wood-plastic composite) wall panels are widely used in interior and exterior decoration due to their environmental friendliness, water resistance, and insect resistance. Typically, 9mm thick, 900mm wide, and 3m long WPC wall panels are designed with grooved sides for easy splicing and installation. Traditionally, packaging involves two panels per bundle, L-shaped corner protectors for side protection, and then stacking 50 bundles per pallet. However, in actual warehousing and transportation, this packaging method has been found to easily cause irreversible deformation of the wall panels: the central area sags after stacking, while the sides bulge. Long-term storage leads to a significant decrease in the flatness of the wall panels, resulting in a large number of products being scrapped.

[0003] In addition, in the early stages, we tried to cut 5mm high-density board into 20mm high narrow corner protectors. Although the height was suitable, the high-density board was very susceptible to moisture and mold in humid environments. The mold would contaminate the surface of the wall panel and could not meet the cleaning requirements for long-term storage and long-distance transportation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a WPC wall panel anti-deformation flat corner protector component and packaging process, which can accurately adapt to a 20mm assembly height, has moisture-proof and mildew-proof properties, and has sufficient rigidity, completely solving the problems of wall panel deformation and corner protector mold, and significantly reducing storage and transportation losses.

[0005] The embodiments of the present invention are implemented as follows: This application provides a WPC wall panel anti-deformation flat corner protector assembly for packaging two WPC wall panels with a thickness of 9mm each. The flat corner protector assembly is a straight strip structure with a thickness of 3mm, a height of 20mm, and a length matching the side length of the WPC wall panel. The material is wood-plastic composite material. The height of the flat corner protector assembly is equal to the sum of the total thickness of the two WPC wall panels and a 2mm thick pearl cotton buffer layer.

[0006] Furthermore, based on the aforementioned scheme, the flexural strength of the wood-plastic composite material is ≥30MPa, the flexural modulus is ≥3000MPa, and the 24h water absorption rate is ≤0.5%.

[0007] Furthermore, based on the aforementioned scheme, the flat corner protector component and the WPC wall panel have the same length, both being 3m.

[0008] Furthermore, based on the aforementioned solution, the mating surface of the flat corner protector assembly is provided with anti-slip texture or longitudinal grooves to increase the friction between it and the side of the wall panel.

[0009] Furthermore, based on the aforementioned solution, the mating surface of the flat corner protector component is provided with at least one longitudinal rib, which is used to embed into the groove on the side of the WPC wall panel to achieve positioning and anti-slip.

[0010] A WPC wall panel anti-deformation packaging process, using the WPC wall panel flat corner protector assembly as described above, includes the following steps: Two 9mm thick WPC wall panels are stacked face to face, and a 2mm thick pearl cotton cushioning layer is placed between the two wall panels to form a combination with a total height of 20mm. The two flat corner protectors are respectively attached to the left and right sides of the assembly, so that the height of the flat corner protectors is flush with the total height of the assembly. The assembly with the flat corner protectors is wrapped entirely with EB corrugated paper and then reinforced with stretch film to form a single-package unit. Multiple single-package units are neatly stacked on a tray.

[0011] Furthermore, based on the aforementioned scheme, the stacking quantity of the single package unit is 50 packages.

[0012] Furthermore, based on the aforementioned solution, after attaching the flat corner protector components to the left and right sides of the assembly, the method further includes using tape or removable adhesive to pre-fix the flat corner protector components to the sides of the assembly.

[0013] Furthermore, based on the aforementioned scheme, a rigid spacer is set every 5-15 layers of single-pack units during the stacking process.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of the present invention have at least the following advantages or beneficial effects: This application sets the flat corner protector component as a straight strip structure with a height of 20mm, and this height is precisely equal to the sum of the thickness of two 9mm thick WPC wall panels and a 2mm thick pearl cotton buffer layer. This allows the flat corner protector to be completely flush with the upper and lower surfaces of the assembly after it is attached to the side of the assembly. This ensures uniform force distribution among the individual units during stacking, avoiding localized stress concentration caused by height mismatch, and fundamentally solving the deformation problem of the wall panel being concave in the middle and convex on both sides. At the same time, by using a 3mm thick wood-plastic composite material, the corner protector can maintain a narrow structure while having sufficient support rigidity to fit the 20mm thin assembly. Furthermore, the excellent moisture-proof and mildew-proof properties of the wood-plastic composite material itself prevent traditional high-density board corner protectors from becoming damp and moldy, thus contaminating the wall panel and meeting the cleanliness requirements for long-term storage and transportation. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the WPC wall panel anti-deformation flat corner protector assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the packaging and stacking of the wall panels according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the wall panel packaging process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Icons: 1-Flat corner protector assembly, 2-WPC wall panel, 3-EPE foam, 4-EB corrugated paper, 5-Single package unit, 6-Pattern. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Please refer to Figure 1 The image shows a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the WPC wall panel anti-deformation flat corner protector assembly. This embodiment provides a WPC wall panel 2 anti-deformation flat corner protector assembly 1, which is specifically designed for packaging and protecting two 9mm thick WPC wall panels 2 (with a 2mm pearl cotton 3 in between). The aforementioned flat corner protector assembly 1 is a straight strip structure with a thickness of 3mm, a height of 20mm, and a length that matches the side length of the WPC wall panel 2, preferably 3m. The material of the aforementioned flat corner protector assembly 1 is a high-density hardwood-plastic composite material. The height of the flat corner protector assembly 1 is exactly equal to the sum of the total thickness of the two 9mm wall panels and one 2mm pearl cotton 3 (9mm + 2mm + 9mm = 20mm). This precise dimensional fit ensures that when the corner protector is attached to the side of the assembly, the upper and lower end faces of the corner protector are completely flush with the upper and lower surfaces of the assembly. Therefore, during subsequent stacking, the weight of the upper single-pack unit 5 can be evenly transferred to the side of the lower unit's wall panel through the corner protector, avoiding depressions or bulges caused by localized stress concentration.

[0020] This invention breaks through the lower limit of conventional corner protector height by using 3mm thick high-density hardened WPC material for cutting, filling a market gap. At the same time, by replacing high-density board with WPC, the material combines the workability of wood with the water resistance of plastic, has an extremely low water absorption rate, and will not grow mold due to moisture absorption, thus avoiding contamination of the wall panel surface and solving the moisture and mold prevention problem from the material source.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment, the aforementioned wood-plastic composite material exhibits a flexural strength ≥30MPa, a flexural modulus ≥3000MPa, and a 24-hour water absorption rate ≤0.5%. These quantitative performance parameters represent an optimal range obtained through extensive screening. Conventional WPC materials typically have a flexural strength between 20-25MPa, a flexural modulus of approximately 2000-2500MPa, and a water absorption rate of approximately 1-2%. This invention significantly improves the material's mechanical properties by employing high-density, hardened materials, such as by increasing the plastic ratio, adding coupling agents, or rigid fillers. This ensures that the corner protectors do not creep or crush under long-term pressure from a stack of 50 bags (total weight reaching hundreds of kilograms); simultaneously, the ultra-low water absorption rate (≤0.5%) ensures that the corner protectors remain undeformed and mold-free even after months of storage in high-humidity environments (such as relative humidity above 90%).

[0022] As a preferred implementation, the length of the aforementioned flat corner protector component 1 is the same as the length of the WPC wall panel 2, both being 3m. One corner protector can completely cover the entire side of the wall panel without splicing, providing uninterrupted protection and simplifying packaging operations.

[0023] As a preferred implementation, to enhance the adhesion stability between the corner protector and the side of the wall panel and prevent slippage or detachment during packaging or transportation, the bonding surface can be provided with anti-slip textures, such as fine diamond patterns, horizontal lines, or dotted protrusions, or longitudinal grooves. These microstructures significantly increase the coefficient of friction between the corner protector and the side of the wall panel, ensuring that the corner protector maintains its initial alignment even under vibration or tilting conditions, guaranteeing that the corner protector height remains flush with the assembly. Furthermore, the longitudinal grooves also provide some air guidance, preventing residual air on the bonding surface from causing localized loose adhesion.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the mating surface of the aforementioned flat corner protector component 1 is provided with at least one longitudinal rib. The cross-sectional shape and size of the longitudinal rib match the groove on the side of the WPC wall panel 2, allowing it to be embedded within the groove. Since the side of the WPC wall panel 2 itself has a grooved structure for splicing, typically a U-shaped or rectangular groove with a width of approximately 3-5 mm and a depth of approximately 2-3 mm, this invention cleverly utilizes this existing groove as a positioning structure. The longitudinal rib on the corner protector engages with the groove during mating, achieving mechanical interlocking. This not only prevents the corner protector from sliding along its length but also prevents it from detaching in the thickness direction (i.e., perpendicular to the panel surface), while ensuring precise alignment between the corner protector and the side of the wall panel. This structure significantly improves the stability and reliability of the packaging without adding any additional processes.

[0025] Reference Figures 1-3 The present invention also provides a deformation-resistant packaging process for WPC wall panels 2, which uses the flat corner protector component 1 of any of the above-mentioned methods, and specifically includes the following steps: S110, Assembly Formation: Two WPC wall panels 2, each 9mm thick, are stacked face to face, and a 2mm thick pearl cotton 3 buffer layer is inserted between the two wall panels to form an assembly with a total height of 20mm.

[0026] Stacking the panels face to face allows the outer surface (decorative surface) of the wall panels to face outwards, preventing them from scratching each other; the pearl cotton 3 in the middle acts as a buffer to prevent the panels from colliding during transportation.

[0027] S120, Corner Protection Fitting: Take two flat corner protection components 1 and attach them to the left and right sides of the assembly, that is, the two long sides where the groove of the wall panel is located.

[0028] Because the height of the flat corner protector component 1 is precisely 20mm, after fitting, the upper end face of the corner protector is flush with the upper surface of the assembly, and the lower end face is flush with the lower surface. When stacked, the pressure of the upper unit is directly transmitted to the side end face of the wall panel of the lower unit through the corner protector, rather than through the thin-walled side of the wall panel, thus avoiding indentation caused by pressure on the side wall.

[0029] S130, Overall Packaging: The assembly with flat corner protectors 1 is wrapped with EB corrugated paper 4 and then reinforced with stretch film to form a single package unit 5.

[0030] EB Corrugated Paper 4 is a high-strength electron beam cured corrugated paperboard with compressive strength and burst strength far exceeding that of ordinary corrugated paper, effectively resisting external impacts; the stretch film plays a role in waterproofing, dustproofing and binding, tightly fixing the corner protectors, wall panels and corrugated paper together.

[0031] S140, Stacking: Neatly stack multiple single-package units 5 on the tray 6.

[0032] Because the side corner protectors of each single-pack unit 5 are flush with the end face of the wall panel, the upper and lower layers make contact with each other through corner protectors or corner protectors and the end face of the wall panel after stacking. This results in a large and uniform stress area, and the entire stack will not experience any central depression or convexity on the sides. Even after stacking 50 packs (approximately 1 meter high), the wall panel will remain flat after long-term storage.

[0033] As a preferred implementation, the number of stacked single-package units 5 is 50 packages, which makes full use of the area and load-bearing capacity of the pallet 6 and ensures stacking stability.

[0034] As a preferred implementation, to prevent accidental displacement of the corner protectors during the wrapping process with EB corrugated paper 4, a pre-fixing step is added in step S120: the flat corner protector assembly 1 is temporarily fixed to the side of the assembly using tape (such as transparent tape or masking tape) or removable adhesive (such as micro-adhesive double-sided tape). This pre-fixing operation is simple and quick, and the tape or adhesive is covered by the corrugated paper during subsequent wrapping, preventing contamination of the wall panel surface. This treatment ensures that the corner protectors remain flush with the assembly throughout the wrapping process, guaranteeing consistent packaging quality.

[0035] As a preferred implementation, to further optimize the long-term deformation resistance of the stack, a rigid spacer is installed every 5-15 layers of single-pack units 5 during the stacking process. The rigid spacer can be made of high-strength corrugated board, PVC board, or thin steel plate, and its planar dimensions are slightly larger than the horizontal projection of the single-pack unit 5. The function of the rigid spacer is to redistribute the load from the upper part evenly and prevent the lower unit from deforming due to long-term creep.

[0036] Experiments show that for a stack of 50 packs, placing a 3mm thick high-density corrugated board every 10 layers reduces the wall panel deformation rate by more than 60% after 6 months compared to the control group without partitions.

[0037] To make the technical solution and effects of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. However, the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Example 1

[0038] Wall panel specifications: 9mm thick × 900mm wide × 3m long, with U-shaped grooves on both sides, groove width 4mm and groove depth 2.5mm.

[0039] Pearl cotton 3: 2mm thickness, 25kg / m³ density.

[0040] Flat corner protector component 1: Made of high-density hardened WPC material (formula: 60% wood flour, 35% high-density polyethylene, 5% maleic anhydride graft compatibilizer and calcium stearate lubricant, extruded). Measured bending strength is 32MPa, bending modulus is 3100MPa, and 24h water absorption rate is 0.4%. Cut into straight strips with a length of 3m, a height of 20mm, and a thickness of 3mm.

[0041] Packaging process: Two wall panels are stacked face to face with pearl cotton 3 in between; two flat corner protector components 1 are attached to the left and right sides of the assembly respectively; masking tape is wrapped around each end of the corner protector for pre-fixation; then EB corrugated paper 4 (five-layer double corrugated, EB cured) is used to wrap the entire assembly, and the seams are sealed with tape; finally, two layers of PE stretch film are wrapped for reinforcement to form a single package unit 5. 50 single package units 5 are neatly stacked on a standard pallet 6.

[0042] Immediately after stacking, the stack surface was inspected and found to be flat, without any depressions or protrusions. After 60 days of storage in a warehouse at 30℃ and 85% relative humidity, the flatness of the wall panels was tested upon unpacking (measured according to GB / T 24508-2020 method, by measuring the maximum bending sagging of the panel surface). Of the 50 wall panels, only one had a bending sagging of 1.2mm (less than the standard allowable 2mm), while the rest were all less than 0.8mm, with a deformation rate of 2% and no mold growth. In contrast, the control sample packaged with traditional L-shaped corner protectors showed a deformation rate of 12% under the same conditions, and some high-density fiberboard corner protectors showed mold contamination. Example 2

[0043] The method is basically the same as in Example 1, except that: two longitudinal ribs are provided on the flat corner protector's bonding surface. The ribs have a semi-circular cross-section, 1.5mm high and 2mm wide, spaced 3cm apart, corresponding to the grooved position of the wall panel. Removable double-sided tape is used for pre-fixing. After 60 days of storage, the maximum bending sagging of the wall panel was less than 1.5mm, with no mold growth and a deformation rate of 4%, still far superior to traditional packaging. Example 3

[0044] The method is essentially the same as in Example 1, except that the stacking quantity is 40 packs. After 90 days of storage, the maximum bending sag of the wall panels is less than 1.0 mm, the deformation rate is 2.5%, and the corner protectors show no deformation or mold. This indicates that the packaging process of this invention can maintain excellent performance for up to 50 packs.

[0045] Comparative Example 1 5mm thick high-density fiberboard was cut into 20mm high narrow strips as corner protectors, with the rest following the same procedure as in Example 1. After 30 days of storage, the high-density fiberboard corner protectors showed significant moisture absorption and expansion, green mold spots appeared on the surface, the sides of the wall panels were contaminated, and some wall panels showed slight deformation. This indicates that high-density fiberboard is not suitable for high-humidity environments.

[0046] Comparative Example 2 Commercially available 5cm wide and 20mm high standard flat corner protectors (made of recycled PVC foam board) were used, with the rest the same as in Example 1. Due to the large width of the corner protectors, they extended significantly beyond the side of the wall panel after being attached. During stacking, the lower corner protectors were pressed down by the upper units, causing the corner protectors to tilt and resulting in uneven actual support height. After 45 days of storage, the wall panel showed a significant central indentation (maximum bending deflection of 3.5mm), with a failure rate of 15%. This indicates that even with a suitable height, excessively wide extensions can cause uneven stress.

[0047] Furthermore, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" in this application embodiment should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a detachable connection or a non-detachable connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. The terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," and "side," etc., are merely for reference to the direction in the accompanying drawings or the usual placement of the product during use. They are only for clearly describing this application and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. They should not be construed as limitations on this application. The terms "first," "second," etc., are only used for distinguishing descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance; "multiple" refers to at least two. In this application embodiment, the limitations on relative positional relationships such as parallel, perpendicular, and aligned are all relative to the current technological level and are not absolutely strict limitations. Slight deviations are allowed; approximations of parallel, perpendicular, and aligned are all acceptable. For example, "A and B are parallel" means that A and B are parallel or approximately parallel, and the angle between A and B can be between 0 degrees and 10 degrees.

[0048] The above are only some embodiments and implementation methods of this application. The protection scope of this application is not limited thereto. In the absence of conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other. Any combination of features in different embodiments is also within the protection scope of this application. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A WPC wall panel anti-deformation flat corner protector component, characterized in that, This is used for packaging two WPC wall panels with a thickness of 9mm each; the flat corner protector is a straight strip structure with a thickness of 3mm, a height of 20mm, and a length that matches the side length of the WPC wall panel, and is made of wood-plastic composite material; wherein, the height of the flat corner protector is equal to the sum of the total thickness of the two WPC wall panels and a 2mm thick pearl cotton buffer layer.

2. The WPC wall panel anti-deformation flat corner protector assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wood-plastic composite material has a flexural strength ≥30MPa, a flexural modulus ≥3000MPa, and a 24h water absorption rate ≤0.5%.

3. The WPC wall panel anti-deformation flat corner protector assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flat corner protector assembly has the same length as the WPC wall panel, both being 3m.

4. The WPC wall panel anti-deformation flat corner protector assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mating surface of the flat corner protector assembly is provided with anti-slip texture or longitudinal grooves to increase friction with the side of the wall panel.

5. The WPC wall panel anti-deformation flat corner protector assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mating surface of the flat corner protector component is provided with at least one longitudinal rib, which is used to embed into the groove on the side of the WPC wall panel to achieve positioning and anti-slip.

6. A WPC wall panel anti-deformation packaging process, characterized in that, The WPC wall panel flat corner protector assembly as described in any one of claims 1-5 includes the following steps: Two 9mm thick WPC wall panels are stacked face to face, and a 2mm thick pearl cotton cushioning layer is placed between the two wall panels to form a combination with a total height of 20mm. The two flat corner protectors are respectively attached to the left and right sides of the assembly, so that the height of the flat corner protectors is flush with the total height of the assembly. The assembly with the flat corner protectors is wrapped entirely with EB corrugated paper and then reinforced with stretch film to form a single-package unit. Multiple single-package units are neatly stacked on a tray.

7. The WPC wall panel anti-deformation packaging process according to claim 6, characterized in that, The number of packages stacked in a single unit is 50.

8. The WPC wall panel anti-deformation packaging process according to claim 6, characterized in that, After attaching the flat corner protector components to the left and right sides of the assembly, the process also includes using tape or removable adhesive to pre-fix the flat corner protector components to the sides of the assembly.

9. The WPC wall panel anti-deformation packaging process according to claim 6, characterized in that, A rigid spacer is installed every 5-15 layers of single-pack units during the stacking process.

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