Balanced crimp substrate reinforcement for molded products
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Solution Overview
Problem
Molded rubber products, such as brake diaphragms, suffer from high scrap rates due to indiscriminate fabric selection and incorporation, leading to 'buckling' and structural instability, resulting in material wastage and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A balanced elongation substrate reinforcement is achieved by weaving a fabric without size and overfeeding it during finishing, reducing the number of picks to ensure equal elongation in both length and width directions, combined with an adhesion promoter like resorcinol-formaldehyde, to create a more pliable and isotropic fabric that reduces buckling and creasing during the molding process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If fabric reinforcement is incorporated into molded rubber products, then shape retention and structural stability are improved, but buckling and surface defects occur leading to high scrap rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the fabric by treating it with a balanced elongation substrate reinforcement system. This includes modifying the fabric's elongation characteristics in warp and fill directions to be substantially equal, and applying chemical treatments that enhance the fabric's ability to conform to molded shapes without buckling. These parameter changes resolve the contradiction by maintaining structural stability while eliminating surface defects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system by combining the fabric reinforcement with a balanced elongation substrate reinforcement treatment. This composite approach integrates the mechanical properties of the fabric with the elastic properties of the rubber molding material, and further enhances it through chemical adhesion promoters. The composite material system resolves the buckling issue while preserving structural stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If fabric is woven with high pick density, then structural stability is improved, but elongation becomes unbalanced leading to buckling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by treating the fabric to achieve balanced elongation characteristics. Specifically, the substrate reinforcement treatment modifies the elongation properties in both warp and fill directions to be substantially equal, transforming the fabric from having unbalanced elongation to having isotropic elastic properties. This resolves the contradiction between structural stability and shape conformity.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional fabric selection is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but scrap rates increase due to buckling and creasing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the key parameters of the fabric including its elongation characteristics, pick density, and chemical composition. By treating the fabric with balanced elongation substrate reinforcement and reducing pick density to specific ranges, the fabric becomes more suitable for molding applications. These parameter changes reduce scrap rates while maintaining ease of manufacture through a systematic fabric selection and treatment process.
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 significantly reduces scrap rates by enhancing shape retention and structural stability, achieving balanced elongation characteristics with a modulus difference of less than 100 kPa between warp and fill directions, thereby minimizing defects and material wastage.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesion promoter such as resorcinol-formaldehyde incorporated therein
Data Source
AI summary
A rubber molded product such as a brake cylinder diaphragm with a balanced elongation substrate reinforcement in both the warp and fill directions incorporated therein is provided. The fabric substrate reinforcement is woven without size and overfed after the weaving process leading to balanced crimp and elongation in the length and width directions. The fabric member is also woven with a reduced number of weft threads to start, but which are added back by overfeeding to further render the fabric elongation more isotropic in at least the warp and fill directions. The reinforcement substrate is placed in the mold along with the molding material and formed into the desired shape to assist in shape retention and overall structural stability. A method of forming a molded product including a balanced crimp reinforcement substrate is also provided.