Decorative Material Production Preventing Air Entrapment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing decorative materials with a pattern of protrusions and depressions on a transparent resin film face challenges in preventing air entrainment, which degrades the design quality of the final product.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the application of an adhesive to the shallower pattern side of a transparent resin film, which has a pattern of protrusions and depressions, before bonding it to a sheet printed matter with a picture layer. This ensures that the adhesive wets the entire surface, preventing air entrainment and maintaining design quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a transparent resin film with a pattern of protrusions and depressions is embossed to meet three-dimensional design demand, then design quality is improved, but air entrainment occurs during bonding which deteriorates picture layer quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different surface characteristics to different sides of the transparent resin film. The first surface (picture layer side) has a pattern of protrusions and depressions for three-dimensional design effect, while the second surface (substrate side) is kept substantially flat. This local differentiation allows the film to provide both aesthetic value and bonding quality without air entrapment.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making both surfaces of the transparent resin film have the same embossed pattern, the patent inverts the approach by making only one surface (the first surface) have the pattern while keeping the other surface (second surface) substantially flat. This inversion solves the air entrainment problem while preserving the three-dimensional design effect.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a decorative sheet is laminated to a substrate with a picture layer for flexible production, then production flexibility is improved, but the decorative sheet cannot provide sufficient three-dimensional design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent concentrates the three-dimensional design function locally on the first surface of the transparent resin film that contacts the picture layer, while keeping the second surface substantially flat for bonding purposes. This allows flexible production methods to be used while still achieving the desired three-dimensional aesthetic effect.
3Strength
If adhesive is applied to a substrate with a picture layer and a transparent resin film is bonded thereto, then bonding is achieved, but air enters the pattern of protrusions and depressions reducing design quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent localizes the bonding function to the second surface of the transparent resin film, which is kept substantially flat to prevent air entrapment during adhesive bonding. The first surface maintains the embossed pattern for design quality. This spatial separation of functions resolves the contradiction between bonding strength and design quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The substantially flat second surface of the transparent resin film acts as an intermediary bonding surface between the adhesive and the substrate, preventing air entrapment. This intermediary surface enables strong bonding without compromising the three-dimensional design effect on the first surface.
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 method effectively reduces or prevents air entrainment, thereby enhancing the design quality of the decorative material by ensuring a clear and undistorted visual representation of the picture layer.
Implementation Method 1
application of the adhesive to the transparent resin film allows the adhesive to enter the depressions of the pattern of protrusions and depressions on the transparent resin film to favorably wet the entire surface
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for producing a decorative material excellent in design quality, which can prevent or reduce occurrence of air entrainment even when a transparent resin film having a pattern of protrusions and depressions is bonded to a sheet printed matter including a substrate and a picture layer on one surface of the substrate. Provided is a method for producing a decorative material, including: a preparation step of preparing sheet printed matters each including a substrate and a picture layer on one surface of the substrate and a roll of a transparent resin film having a first surface and a second surface opposing to each other, the first surface having a pattern of protrusions and depressions, the second surface having a pattern of protrusions and depressions that is shallower than the pattern of protrusions and depressions on the first surface; an application step of winding off the transparent resin film from the roll of a transparent resin film and applying an adhesive to the second surface of the transparent resin film; and a bonding step of bonding the second surface of the transparent resin film and the picture layer of each of the sheet printed matters with the adhesive and cutting the transparent resin film in front and at the back of the sheet printed matters to obtain laminates.