Covering Material With a Curable Fixing Layer for Buckling Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing covering materials for objects with complex contours face issues of buckling and creasing due to compressive stress, limiting design freedom and material choices, especially in concave areas.
Innovation Solution
Applying a curable plastic as a fixing layer to the back of the surface material in a deformed state, allowing it to maintain tension and equilibrium with the material, preventing undesirable buckling and creasing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the cover material is deformed to follow a concave area with small radius of curvature, then the covering material can adhere to complex contours, but the surface material buckles and creates creases due to compressive stress
Solution Approach 1:
The method applies a fixing layer to the back of the surface material before the material is installed on the object. This preliminary application of the fixing layer creates initial tension that counteracts the compressive stress that will occur during subsequent deformation, preventing buckling and creases when the material is deformed to follow complex contours
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure by applying a fixing layer (plastic, varnish, or lacquer) to the back of the surface material. This composite of surface material plus fixing layer provides both the aesthetic qualities of the surface material and the structural stability needed to resist buckling during deformation
2Stability of the object's composition
If a seam is provided at the transition edge to firmly bond the upholstery fabric, then the fabric adheres tightly to both seat surface and border, but the design and aesthetics of the object are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the bonding function from the visible surface by applying the fixing layer to the back of the surface material. This allows the front surface to remain seamless and aesthetically pleasing while the back provides the necessary bonding and stabilization, removing the need for visible seams at transition edges
3Reliability
If the surface material is selected to reduce buckling risk, then buckling is reduced, but the number of available surface materials for covering the object is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing layer acts as an intermediary between the surface material and the substrate. It provides the mechanical stability and buckling resistance that would otherwise require special selection of surface materials, thereby freeing the choice of surface materials from this constraint and allowing a broader range of aesthetic options
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
Enhances the material's ability to deform without creasing, increasing design freedom and available material options for covering complex objects.
Implementation Method 1
A curable plastic is applied in flowable form to the back of the surface material while the surface material is in its deformed state. This application creates a fixing layer on the back of the surface material. The plastic or fixing layer then hardens
Implementation Method 2
Once the plastic has hardened, the deformed state of the surface material is released, and the elastic restoring forces cause the surface material to spring back towards its previously unstressed original state
Data Source
Figure 1A~1D
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for providing a covering material (1) which is used to cover an object and is deformed during the covering of the object in such a way that an upper side (13) of a surface material (10) of the covering material (1) is subjected to compressive stress in a region (2) at risk of buckling, the method comprising: a) producing the surface material (10); b) converting the surface material (10) into a deformed state in which the upper side (13) of the surface material (10) is subjected to compressive stress in the region (2) at risk of buckling, c) applying a curable plastic in flowable form to a rear side (14) of the surface material to form a rear-side fixing layer (30); d) curing the plastic; and e) dissolving the deformed state of the surface material (10) after the plastic has cured. Furthermore, the invention relates to the cover material (1) as such.