Decorative Panel With Direct UV Coating for Scratch-Resistant Flooring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Resilient flooring materials lack sufficient scratch resistance due to the use of soft thermoplastic wear layers and conventional UV coatings, leading to issues with deformation and appearance under localized pressure.
Innovation Solution
A decorative panel design featuring a substrate with a Shore D hardness of at least 80 and a coating layer with a Shore D hardness of at least 85, eliminating the need for a separate wear layer, and utilizing a crosslinked polymer-based coating with abrasion-resistant particles and antimicrobial agents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a soft thermoplastic wear layer is used, then the panel provides flexibility and comfort, but the scratch resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the soft thermoplastic wear layer from the panel structure. Instead of using a separate wear layer, the invention applies a UV-cured coating layer directly to the substrate, which provides both the necessary protection and aesthetic appearance without requiring a plasticized PVC layer that compromises scratch resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameters of the coating layer by using UV-cured polymers with specific hardness characteristics (Shore D 80-95). This parameter change allows the coating to provide scratch resistance comparable to laminate flooring while maintaining the flexibility needed for resilient flooring applications.
2Strength
If a UV coating layer is applied on top of a soft wear layer, then the abrasion resistance is improved, but the scratch resistance remains insufficient due to layer deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the intermediate soft wear layer that causes deformation issues. By applying the UV coating directly to the substrate, the invention removes the problematic layer structure where the soft wear layer deforms under localized pressure, causing the UV coating to crack or scratch.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure consisting of a substrate and a UV-cured coating layer with specific polymer compositions. This composite material approach allows the coating to be applied directly to the substrate without requiring a separate wear layer, achieving both abrasion and scratch resistance through the combined properties of the substrate-coating system.
3Reliability
If multiple layers (substrate, wear layer, UV coating) are used, then the protective function is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of the wear layer and UV coating layer into a single integrated UV-cured coating layer applied directly to the substrate. This consolidation maintains the protective function by providing both mechanical protection and aesthetic appearance in one layer, thereby reducing the overall complexity of the panel structure.
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 panel achieves scratch resistance comparable to laminate flooring, withstanding pressures up to 5000-6000 g according to ISO 1518, while maintaining aesthetic appearance and reducing volatile organic compound emissions.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a crosslinked polymer-based coating
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a decorative panel, comprising at least one substrate comprising an upper surface and a bottom surface and two pairs of opposing side edges, wherein the substrate comprises at least one core layer and at least one decorative layer and the panel comprising at least one coating layer, wherein the coating layer is provided upon the upper surface of the substrate, wherein both the upper surface of the substrate and the upper coating surface of the coating layer have a predetermined Shore D hardness.