Acrylic Panel Reinforcing String Embedding via Spacer Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for manufacturing acrylic panels with embedded reinforcing strings fail to ensure consistent placement, leading to potential emergence of strings from the panel surface during external impacts, resulting in uneven reinforcement and mechanical stress distribution.

Innovation Solution

The method involves using two opposing spacers with a filler, such as an acrylic binder or prepolymer, to position reinforcing strings evenly within the panel, allowing for controlled placement and distribution during the manufacturing process, ensuring the strings are submerged throughout their length and evenly spaced from the panel surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If monofilament threads are stretched through a mould and prepolymer is poured in, then anti-noise panels with embedded reinforcing threads are manufactured, but the threads may be too close to the surface and emerge during external impacts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethread embedding stabilityVSAvoidthread position control
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces spacers as intermediary elements between the monofilament threads and the mold walls. These spacers act as positioning devices that maintain a specific distance between the threads and the mold surfaces, ensuring threads are embedded at an optimal depth (10-50% from the surface) to prevent emergence during impact while maintaining manufacturing feasibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The spacers are pre-positioned on the mold walls before the monofilament threads are stretched through the mold. This preliminary placement ensures that when the threads are subsequently positioned and the mold is filled with prepolymer, the threads are automatically held at the correct distance from the surface, eliminating the need for post-manufacturing adjustment and ensuring consistent thread embedding depth

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If threads are placed at different positions from the panel surface, then reinforcement against mechanical stresses varies by side, but this requires the panel to be defined as two-sided with specific exposure requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantifragmentation propertiesVSAvoidpanel orientation flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric placement of spacers on opposite mold walls at different distances. This creates a symmetric thread embedding configuration where threads are positioned at optimal depths from both sides simultaneously, making the panel equally resistant to impact from either side and eliminating the need to define the panel as two-sided with specific exposure requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

3Strength

If threads are arranged in parallel or net form at fixed distances, then structural reinforcement is provided, but consistent placement is difficult to achieve during manufacturing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepanel reinforcementVSAvoidthread placement consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The spacers serve as intermediary positioning devices that physically guide and constrain the monofilament threads during the stretching process. By providing fixed reference surfaces on the mold walls, the spacers ensure that threads are placed at consistent intervals and distances from the surface, significantly improving placement consistency without complicating the manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The spacer-threads-mold system is designed so that the spacers automatically perform the positioning function during the normal thread stretching and mold filling process. The threads themselves serve as the reinforcing elements while being positioned by the spacers, and the prepolymer fills the remaining space to complete the embedding, with all components working together in a self-organizing manner

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach ensures consistent reinforcement across the panel, enhancing anti-noise and safety properties by preventing string emergence during impacts and providing uniform mechanical properties, independent of the collision side, while allowing for transparent or opaque panel production.

Implementation Method 1

Said filler is preferably selected from an acrylic binder, a prepolymer partially polymerized MMA (methylmethacrylate), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), or a mixture of other acrylic monomers. Said filler is capable of indoor and/or thermal curing.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentEP3426844B9Method for panel manufacturing, particularly Anti-noise
Publication Date: 2020.10.14 AKRIPOL PROIZVODNJA IN PREDELAVA POLIMEROV D D
  • EP3426844B9 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3426844B9 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~3
  • EP3426844B9 patent drawingFigure 4(a)~4(c)

AI summary

Method for panel manufacturing, in particular anti-noise, in particular safety panel, in particular at least partially translucent, in particular transparent, as well as completely non-transparent, solves technical problem of manufacturing panels with strings as part of acrylic panels which are too close to a surface, and may, under certain conditions, such as strike from outside, emerge from said panel surface, this technical problem solved in a way that the reinforcing strings are positioned inside said panel means of two opposing spacers, preferably double seals. First, a first spacer (2) is positioned onto a first base plate (1). Then, reinforcing strings (4) are placed onto said first spacer. Then, a second spacer (5) is placed on said reinforcing strings, and finally, a second base plate is placed onto said second spacer. In such a way there is an intermediate space formed between said first base plate and said second base plate. This intermediate space is then filled with a filler, at least partially fluid and / or able to creep. This filler is preferably selected from an acrylic binder, a prepolymer partially polymerized MMA (methylmethacrylate), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), or a mixture of other acrylic monomers. Said filler is capable of indoor and/or thermal curing. Essential property of said filler is in that after said curing it forms appropriate material for said panel, in particular anti-noise, in particular safety panel, in particular at least partially translucent, in particular transparent, as well as completely non-transparent, said material preferably polymethylmethacrylate (hereinafter referred to as PMMA), but it may be also any material that is used for said panels. It is desirable if the plate is transparent, translucent or at least partially translucent, and PMMA allows for this, but it is not the only such material with such properties. After curing, preferably hardening, both said base plates are removed, and if necessary, panel is trimmed to desired dimensions, removing said spacers, preferably seals, in the process.