Bar Type Clay Member Shape Retainability via Phase Transitions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bar-type clay for craft lacks shape retainability and uniformity, making it difficult to create and handle, especially in forms requiring flexibility and consistency.
Innovation Solution
A bar-type clay member composed of wax, body pigment, and colorant, formed into a bar-like shape with excellent strength and shape consistency, which can be softened by body temperature and hardened at room temperature, allowing for flexible crafting without a skeleton or stiffener, and can be wound in various shapes for convenient handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional clay for craft is used, then it is easy to manufacture and distribute, but it lacks shape retainability and uniformity making it difficult to create consistent bar-type forms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the clay composition by adding specific components (polymer powder, plasticizer, binding agent) in controlled amounts. This modifies the clay's rheological properties to achieve both shape retainability and ease of forming, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining clay powder, polymer powder, plasticizer, and binding agent. This composite structure provides the necessary strength and shape consistency while maintaining workability, simultaneously improving manufacturing precision without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity
2Ease of operation
If the clay is made flexible for crafting, then it is easy to shape and manipulate, but it loses shape retainability and cannot maintain created forms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase change parameters of the plasticizer and binding agent components. At room temperature, these components provide rigidity for shape retention, while at body temperature they become softer to allow flexible manipulation. This temperature-dependent parameter change resolves the contradiction between flexibility and shape retainability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic properties to the clay composition through temperature-responsive materials. The clay transitions from a rigid state (at room temperature) to a flexible state (at body temperature), allowing it to adapt its properties based on operational conditions. This dynamic behavior enables both shape retention and ease of operation at different stages
3Strength
If the clay is made strong and rigid for shape retention, then it maintains created forms well, but it becomes difficult to soften and reshape for repeated use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent exploits phase transition of the plasticizer and binding agent components between solid (at room temperature) and semi-solid/soft (at body temperature). This phase change enables the clay to be strong and rigid during storage and display, then soft and reshapeable during repeated use, resolving the contradiction between strength and adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic material system that adapts its mechanical properties based on temperature conditions. The clay maintains structural integrity at room temperature but becomes pliable at body temperature, allowing it to cycle between strong and adaptable states for repeated use without degradation
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
The clay composition provides excellent shape retainability and flexibility, enabling various expressions and repeated use, while facilitating handling and packaging through its ability to be wound and unwound as needed.
Implementation Method 1
heating and melting wax
Implementation Method 2
melting and dispersing the body pigment and the colorant in the wax
Implementation Method 3
can be softened by using a body temperature and then hardened at room temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A bar type clay member for craft includes a body formed by heating and melting 50 wt % to 80 wt % of wax, adding 10 wt % to 40 wt % of body pigment and 1 wt % to 10 wt % of a colorant to the melted wax, and then melting and dispersing the body pigment and colorant in the wax, wherein the body has a thickness ranging from 0.3 mm to 10 mm and has a bar-like shape.