Carrier Plate with Conical Chambers for Thermal Stress Decoupling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing support panels for panel-clad floor, wall, or ceiling structures face challenges in decoupling substrates from surface claddings due to thermal expansion stresses, leading to cracking and detachment, as previous solutions either restrict expansion or fail to maintain an intimate bond under stress.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a film-like plastic support panel with indentations and an adhesion-reinforcing web-like layer applied to the panel's surface, allowing for improved stress reduction and secure fixing by enhancing the adhesion between the panel and the adhesive or mortar layer, which is introduced into the indentations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If chambers with undercuts are used to create form-fitting clamping, then adhesive or mortar stilts get caught in the undercuts, but the contact elements crack and detach in the constriction plane

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebond strengthVSAvoidbond reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful stress concentration that causes cracking into a beneficial stress distribution mechanism. By designing chambers without undercuts and using conically tapering wall sections, the stress from thermal expansion is distributed gradually along the conical surfaces rather than concentrating at abrupt undercut transitions, preventing crack formation while maintaining bond strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the chamber walls from vertical or undercut configurations to conically tapering profiles. This parameter change modifies the stress distribution characteristics, allowing the mortar stilts to be compressed uniformly between the conical surfaces without experiencing the stress concentration that leads to cracking at undercut constrictions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If a net-like fleece is provided on the carrier plate to connect to the substrate, then adhesion is improved, but the carrier plate can only expand or compress in a limited direction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidexpansion directionality
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the continuous fleece layer into discrete anchoring elements that are distributed across the carrier plate surface. These segmented anchoring elements allow the plate to expand and compress in multiple directions independently, as each element can deform separately rather than being constrained by a continuous fleece structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a foil-like plastic carrier plate with conically tapering chamber walls that act as flexible stress-absorbing elements. The thin-film structure with its inherent flexibility allows the plate to deform in response to thermal expansion stresses from multiple directions while maintaining structural integrity and bond strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Adaptability or versatility

If intersecting embossments forming closed chambers are used, then the plate can be stretched or pushed together in both directions, but the chambers require complex molding processes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebidirectional stress absorptionVSAvoidmolding complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of creating closed chambers through complex intersecting embossments, the patent inverts the approach by using open depressions with conically tapering wall sections. This inversion simplifies the molding process while achieving the same bidirectional stress absorption function through the conical geometry that allows deformation from multiple directions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 solution enables effective stress reduction between the substrate and cladding, preventing cracking and ensuring a secure, uniform application of force, while maintaining a stable bond through the use of an adhesion-enhancing layer that increases the surface roughness and gripping of the mortar or adhesive.

Implementation Method 1

The adhesion-enhancing layer made of a web-like material serves to increase the surface roughness at least of the indentations or enables improved gripping of the mortar or adhesive layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface roughness enhancement:

Implementation Method 2

Due to different thermal expansions of the cladding and the subsurface, as well as the associated stresses, cracks can occur in the surface cladding

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentEP2372041B1Carrier plate and method for its manufacture
Publication Date: 2016.08.17 INFINEX HLDG
  • EP2372041B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a carrier plate and a carrier plate for a floor, wall or ceiling structure, in particular a panel-clad wall or floor structure, for achieving decoupling between a substrate (31) and a surface covering (37) to be applied to a carrier plate (10), which has a film-like plate (11) made of plastic with a plurality of chambers (12) formed by recesses (14) from a plane of the film-like plate (11), the outer end faces (21) of which form a first plate side and, opposite, a second plate side (26), wherein the recesses (14) are designed to receive a curing contact agent (34), such as mortar or adhesive, for forming a contact layer with the surface covering (37) to be applied, and a fabric or nonwoven fabric (23) arranged on the first plate side (22), wherein at least one plate side (22)26) an adhesion-enhancing layer (27) made of a sheet-like material is applied, which at least lines the recesses (14) of the chambers (12). (See Figure 1)