Colored Particle Agitation for Long-Grained Patterned Flooring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing materials handling systems fail to achieve uniform distribution of colored particles, leading to undesirable visual quality and lack of desired long-grained simulations in patterned flooring products, as particles tend to adhere or settle in clumps, resulting in short-grained striated patterns that do not maintain visual quality over time.
Innovation Solution
A materials handling system with an agitation portion equipped with agitators and a grid to mix colored particles into a uniform distribution, combined with a processing portion using calendering rolls to form products with long-grained or striated patterns, ensuring through-color and through-pattern uniformity throughout the product thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If colored particles are fed directly into the intake without agitation, then the system is simple, but the particles adhere or settle in clumps resulting in non-uniform distribution and short-grained patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The agitation system is divided into multiple independent agitators (first and second agitators) with different functions: one for mixing particles and another for breaking up clumps. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system manageability and effectiveness in achieving uniform particle distribution.
2Manufacturing precision
If colored particles are used to create through-color flooring, then visual quality improves with wear, but the particles form clumps that create short-grained patterns instead of desired long-grained simulations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary mixing and clump-breaking actions on the colored particles before they are discharged and before the forming process begins. The first agitator pre-mixes particles upon entry, and the second agitator continues mixing and breaking clumps during discharge, ensuring uniform distribution is established before the particles enter the forming section, thereby preventing short-grained pattern formation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If particles are mixed vigorously to break up clumps, then uniform distribution is achieved, but particles may become overly dispersed losing the desired striated pattern formation
Solution Approach 1:
The agitation system applies different mixing intensities and durations to different portions of the particle stream. The first agitator provides initial gentle mixing upon entry, while the second agitator provides more intensive clump-breaking action during discharge. This localized variation in agitation intensity ensures clumps are broken without excessive dispersion, maintaining conditions favorable for long-grained striated pattern formation.
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 system achieves a substantially uniform distribution of colored particles, maintaining the desired visual quality and pattern integrity even as the surface wears, simulating natural patterns like wood or marble, and meets ASTM standards for through-pattern classification.
Implementation Method 1
an agitation portion having one or more agitators, the agitators arranged and disposed to mix colored particles into a substantially uniform distribution
Implementation Method 2
the process further comprises breaking up the colored particles (110) by passing through grid (15) downstream from the agitator (106)
Implementation Method 3
A processing portion includes a receiving portion arranged and disposed to receive the substantially uniform distribution of the colored particles to form a product with a predetermined pattern, wherein the processing portion includes two calendering rolls to form the product
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a materials handling system, a patterned product, and process of fabricating a patterned product. The materials handling system includes an agitation portion having one or more agitators, the agitators arranged and disposed to mix colored particles into a substantially uniform distribution. A processing portion includes a receiving portion arranged and disposed to receive the substantially uniform distribution of the colored particles to form a product with a predetermined pattern. The predetermined pattern is a long-grained, striated or jaspe-grained color pattern. The process includes fabricating a product having such a predetermined pattern. The predetermined pattern is through-patterned as to include colors and textures distributed uniformly throughout the thickness of the product.