Composite table top
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional table tops made of wood or substitutes like fiberboard are environmentally unfriendly, costly to maintain, and lack optimal mechanical properties, while existing synthetic materials do not fully meet modern design requirements for toughness, durability, and low carbon footprint.
Innovation Solution
A composite table top structure using a bottom plate with vacuum-formed projections and concave pits arranged alternately, combined with a reinforcing frame, which provides elastic resistance and simplifies manufacturing and assembly, suitable for various synthetic materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional wood or fiberboard is used for table top, then natural appearance is achieved, but environmental friendliness deteriorates and maintenance cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials consisting of a bottom plate with projections, a top plate with concave pits, and a reinforcing frame. This composite structure provides both environmental friendliness (using recyclable synthetic materials instead of wood) and superior mechanical properties (through the reinforced grid structure that resists deformation and torsion).
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom plate features locally varied geometry with projections distributed across its surface, creating areas of increased stiffness where needed. The reinforcing frame is strategically positioned at the periphery and intermediate regions to provide localized structural support, optimizing mechanical properties while maintaining material efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If synthetic material is used for table top, then environmental friendliness and low maintenance cost are achieved, but mechanical properties and toughness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple synthetic material components (bottom plate, top plate, reinforcing frame) into a composite structure that achieves superior mechanical properties. The grid-like arrangement of projections and concave pits creates a torsion-resistant structure that rivals or exceeds traditional wood strength, while maintaining the environmental and maintenance advantages of synthetic materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The table top is segmented into discrete components: a bottom plate with projections, a top plate with concave pits, and a reinforcing frame. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and assembled into a unified structure with enhanced mechanical properties, particularly resistance to bending and torsion.
3Strength
If reinforcing structure is added to improve mechanical properties, then strength increases, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the reinforcing structure with the bottom plate itself by forming projections directly on the bottom plate surface. This integration eliminates the need for separate reinforcing elements attached to the bottom plate, reducing assembly steps and structural complexity while maintaining strength. The reinforcing frame is also integrated into the overall design as a peripheral element rather than an add-on.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom plate and top plate are designed as thin-walled structures with geometric features (projections and concave pits) that provide structural strength without requiring thick material sections. This approach reduces material usage and manufacturing complexity while achieving the necessary mechanical properties through smart geometric design rather than brute-force thickening.
4Strength
If projections and concave pits are arranged alternately, then compression and bending resistance improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes geometric parameters of the projections and concave pits (such as height, width, spacing, and depth) to achieve the desired mechanical performance. By carefully selecting these parameters, the structure achieves high compression and bending resistance while remaining compatible with standard manufacturing tolerances for vacuum forming and molding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The alternating arrangement of projections and concave pits creates a controlled porous or honeycomb-like structure within the plate. This geometry provides high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent resistance to compression and bending, similar to engineered porous materials used in aerospace and civil engineering, while being manufacturable through vacuum forming techniques.
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 structure offers improved mechanical properties, low production and assembly costs, enhanced compression and bending resistance, and versatility, including portability and usability in limited spaces, while maintaining a modern appearance.
Implementation Method 1
When the table top is deformed by a force in the vertical direction, the side walls of the projection and/or the concave pit can provide an elastic force to counter the deformation force
Implementation Method 2
the bottom plate use vacuum forming technology, the bottom surface thereof is disposed with concave pits with same shape as the projections of the top surface
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
Disclosed is a structure of a composite desk panel (10), comprising: a face plate (100), the face plate (100) having an even outer and inner surface; and a bottom plate (200), the bottom plate (200) being provided with an array of protrusions (201), with the protrusions (201) being arranged spaced apart in rows and columns, and provided with a planar engagement surface mating with the inner surface; and also a reinforcing frame (300), the reinforcing frame (300) being fixed to the peripheries of the face plate (100) and the bottom plate (200). The face plate (100), the bottom plate (200) provided with the array of protrusions (201), and the reinforcing frame (300) along the peripheries thereof simplify the structure of the composite desk panel (10) and enable same to be adaptive to various synthetic materials and to have a considerable mechanical strength.