Corner Cladding with Elastic Edge and Injection Reinforcement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing corner cladding methods for wall and floor joints are prone to damage from cleaning machines, require additional components, and are costly, while not ensuring long-term mechanical stress resistance and aesthetic appeal.

Innovation Solution

A method involving two strip-shaped components made from the same material as the wall and floor, bent and coated with a permanently elastic plastic edge support, then bonded and reinforced with a plastic injection molding compound on the back, allowing for factory prefabrication and easy on-site installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If welding is used to ensure tightness in the corner area, then tightness is improved, but the joint becomes vulnerable to mechanical stress from cleaning machines

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovetightnessVSAvoidmechanical stress resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The corner cladding uses a composite structure combining a flexible PVC cover strip with a rigid support strip. The support strip provides mechanical strength to withstand cleaning machine stress, while the cover strip ensures tightness and aesthetic continuity with the floor covering. This composite material approach resolves the contradiction by distributing functional requirements across different material properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The support strip is positioned specifically at the corner joint area where mechanical stress occurs, providing localized reinforcement. The cover strip is applied over the support strip in the visible area to provide tightness and aesthetic quality. This local differentiation of material properties addresses both tightness and mechanical strength requirements in their respective critical zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If metal edge trims are used to protect the corner area, then mechanical stress resistance is improved, but aesthetic appeal and cost are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical stress resistanceVSAvoidaesthetic appeal and cost

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cover strip is made from the same PVC material as the floor covering, creating visual homogeneity and aesthetic continuity. The support strip is concealed beneath the cover strip and screed, so only the homogeneous floor covering material is visible. This eliminates the aesthetic disruption and additional cost associated with visible metal trims while maintaining mechanical protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

3Strength

If multiple components are used for the corner cladding, then mechanical stress resistance is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical stress resistanceVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The corner cladding merges the support function and the covering function into a two-component system where the support strip and cover strip are closely integrated. The support strip is positioned directly beneath the cover strip, and both are installed as a coordinated unit. This reduces complexity compared to multi-component systems with separate mounting hardware, clips, or fasteners.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Adaptability or versatility

If corner cladding is installed on-site, then adaptability is improved, but assembly effort and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization to local conditionsVSAvoidassembly effort

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The corner cladding components are prepared in advance with pre-cut dimensions and pre-formed shapes that match standard corner configurations. The support strip and cover strip are manufactured to specific lengths and angles before installation. This preliminary preparation maintains adaptability to different corner dimensions while significantly reducing on-site assembly effort and time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 provides a flexible, cost-effective, and durable corner cladding that maintains the aesthetic continuity of the floor covering, withstands mechanical stress, and reduces assembly effort by eliminating the need for additional components and on-site processing.

Implementation Method 1

the joint on the back of the corner panel is coated with a plastic injection molding compound to form a reinforcement

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInjection molding:

Implementation Method 2

is heated in a bending area therein

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP2527562B1Method for producing a corner covering for the impact area of a wall bonding and corner covering produced according to the method

Publication Date: 2016.10.12 PRO FIL KUNST

Figure 1
Figure 2

AI summary

The corner cladding is made of two strip-shaped portions (1,2) that are successively introduced into shaping device for bending along the longitudinal axis. The protrusion of bending portion (3) is coated with permanently elastic plastic, after heating process, and is then cut on a narrow side to form a contact line along a wall edge. The contact lines in bending area of strip-shaped portions are formed to receive round transition such as impact zone, such that impact zone on back of corner cladding is coated with a plastic injection molding material, to form reinforcement (9). An independent claim is included for corner cladding.