Flexible Polymer Floor Elements for Stable Removable Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing polymer floor elements, such as wall-to-wall vinyl and PVC planks, require complete replacement when damaged or worn, which is costly and labor-intensive due to their permanent adhesion methods.
Innovation Solution
Development of flexible polymer floor elements with dimensions allowing easy handling and use of nonpermanent glue, featuring a decorative top layer on a polymer substrate with specific hanging characteristics to ensure stability and ease of removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If polymer floor elements are glued with permanent glue to provide stable adhesion, then the floor elements remain firmly in place, but the entire surface must be removed for repair or replacement, which is labor-intensive and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The floor covering system is segmented into individual modular floor elements that can be independently replaced. Each floor element functions as a separate unit, allowing damaged sections to be swapped without affecting the entire surface, thus resolving the contradiction between stable adhesion and ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from static permanent adhesion to dynamic reversible adhesion using nonpermanent glue. This allows the floor elements to remain stable during normal use while enabling easy removal and replacement when needed, balancing adhesion stability with repair accessibility.
2Area of stationary object
If large surface floor elements are used to cover more area, then fewer elements are needed, but handling, laying, and replacing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The floor covering is divided into multiple smaller modular elements that maintain adequate coverage area while improving handling characteristics. Each element is sized to be manageable during installation and replacement operations, resolving the contradiction between coverage area and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the dimensional parameters of floor elements to achieve an optimal balance between coverage area and handling ease. By carefully selecting size parameters, the system provides sufficient coverage while maintaining manageable dimensions for installation and replacement operations.
3Stability of the object's composition
If rigid polymer floor elements are used to provide structural stability, then the floor elements maintain their shape, but they curl upward when laid and require permanent glue to keep in place
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible polymer materials with controlled plasticizer content that provide sufficient shape stability while maintaining flexibility for easy laying. The material flexibility prevents curling issues during installation and eliminates the need for permanent adhesion, resolving the contradiction between shape stability and ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor elements utilize composite polymer formulations combining rigid and flexible components. This composite structure provides the necessary shape stability while incorporating flexibility characteristics that facilitate easy handling and laying without requiring permanent glue, balancing structural integrity with manufacturing ease.
Data Source
AI summary
A polymer floor element includes a decorative top layer on a substrate made of polymer. The floor element has a rectangular or square surface, for which it is valid that for a strip of the floor element with a first point Q defined as a vertex of the strip, and a point P at a distance of 40 cm with respect to Q along a side of the strip, suspended over a rod with diameter 2 cm with its side on which P and Q are defined, perpendicular to the axis of the rod, so that P is located in the vertical direction at the highest point where the floor element touches the rod. The strip, with point Q along one side, hangs down from the rod under the strip's own weight; the straight line PQ intersects the vertical through P at an angle less than 15°.