Dry Powder Wear-Resistant Layer for Embossed Floor Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing wear-resistant surfaces in fibre-based panels, such as laminate flooring, are costly and do not adequately address wear resistance issues in deeply embossed products, where protruding parts are prone to high wear, and often result in surface appearance issues.
Innovation Solution
A cost-effective method involving a dry powder layer comprising processed wood fibres, a binder, and wear-resistant particles, applied and cured with heat and pressure to form a transparent wear-resistant layer that is homogeneously distributed throughout the surface, providing enhanced wear resistance and improved appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional overlay methods are used to provide wear resistance, then wear-resistant particles can be applied to the surface, but the particles are not evenly distributed and protruding parts in deeply embossed products are prone to high wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the binder from liquid to powder form. The powder binder has different flow and distribution characteristics that enable more uniform distribution of wear-resistant particles throughout the surface layer, particularly in deeply embossed areas, resolving the contradiction between wear resistance and particle distribution uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite powder mixture comprising wear-resistant particles (such as aluminium oxide), powder binder, and optionally processed wood fibres. This composite formulation ensures homogeneous distribution of wear-resistant particles while maintaining good surface appearance and wear resistance, even in deeply embossed products
2Ease of manufacture
If liquid overlay is used to create wear-resistant surface, then the process is simpler, but the surface appearance is compromised and wear resistance is insufficient in deeply embossed areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the binder from liquid to powder form, which fundamentally alters the application characteristics. The powder mixture can be applied dry and distributes more evenly in embossed areas, maintaining both ease of manufacture and improved wear resistance in deeply embossed products
Solution Approach 2:
The patent discards the liquid overlay approach and recovers/adopts a powder-based system. This transition eliminates the surface appearance issues and insufficient wear resistance associated with liquid overlays while maintaining a simple application process
3Illumination intensity
If transparent overlay is applied to maintain surface appearance, then aesthetics are improved, but wear resistance is reduced in protruding parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a powder binder system that enables wear-resistant particles to be uniformly distributed throughout the surface layer thickness. This ensures that protruding parts in embossed areas contain sufficient wear-resistant particles while maintaining transparency, thus resolving the contradiction between appearance and wear resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The composite powder mixture of wear-resistant particles, powder binder, and optionally processed wood fibres creates a homogeneous layer that maintains transparency while providing adequate wear resistance to protruding parts, unlike conventional overlay methods
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
This method significantly increases wear resistance and maintains a good surface appearance, even in deeply embossed products, by ensuring wear-resistant particles are evenly distributed and securely embedded within the surface layer, outperforming conventional overlay methods.
Implementation Method 1
applying heat and pressure on the powder layer to obtain a decorative surface layer, wherein said transparent wear resistant layer is formed by the powder layer and covers the entire front side of the floor panel
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A method is disclosed of manufacturing a transparent wear resistant surface layer (1). The method comprising the steps of, applying a decorative material on a carrier, applying a dry powder layer comprising a mix of processed wood fibres, binder and wear resistant particles above the decorative layer, curing the mix to a decorative surface, comprising the transparent wear resistant layer, by applying heat and pressure on the mix. In a preferred embodiment the method comprises the step of pressing the mix against an embossed matrix to create an embossed decorative surface with high wear resistance.