Floor Panel Edge Recess Design for Deformation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor panels, particularly those made of supple synthetic materials, face challenges with deformations and permanent damage during installation due to frictional and torsional forces, especially when using the 'fold-down' installation technique, which can lead to visible and permanent damage.
Innovation Solution
The floor panel design incorporates coupling parts with longitudinal recesses on the edges, where the shape and position of the recesses differ towards the ends, providing additional material reinforcement and minimizing deformation risks by altering the material distribution to reduce sensitivity to deformations. This design includes features like a central portion with a uniform cross-section and altered end portions, which can be either more material-intensive or less deep, and the use of separate locking elements that can be elastically movable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the floor panel uses a uniform recess shape along the entire edge, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the panel is more prone to deformations and permanent damage during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The recess is designed with different characteristics at different locations along the edge. The end portion of the recess has a different shape or position compared to the central portion, creating local variations in material distribution. This local quality change provides additional material reinforcement at critical areas to resist deformations during installation while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the recess extends uniformly along the entire edge, then the coupling mechanism is consistent, but the panel strength and integrity are reduced due to material removal
Solution Approach 1:
The recess is designed with different characteristics at different locations along the edge. The end portion of the recess has a different shape or position compared to the central portion, creating local variations in material distribution. This local quality change provides additional material reinforcement at critical areas to resist deformations during installation while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
3Ease of operation
If the floor panel is made of supple synthetic material to enable fold-down installation, then the installation flexibility is improved, but the panel becomes more sensitive to frictional and torsional forces causing visible damage
Solution Approach 1:
The recess is designed with different characteristics at different locations along the edge. The end portion of the recess has a different shape or position compared to the central portion, creating local variations in material distribution. This local quality change provides additional material reinforcement at critical areas to resist deformations during installation while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The altered recess shape at the end portion acts as a pre-designed cushioning structure that anticipates and compensates for the harmful effects of frictional and torsional forces during the fold-down installation process, preventing visible damage before it occurs.
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 solution effectively minimizes the risk of temporary and permanent deformations during panel joining, maintaining the panel's strength and integrity, especially in thin, supple synthetic material panels like vinyl tiles, by distributing material to reduce bending and deformation, and allowing for smooth installation even with slight misalignments or tensions.
Implementation Method 1
the shape and/or the position of the recess in the proximity of at least one end of the respective edge is different in respect to a portion of the recess situated more proximally in the longitudinal direction of the edge
Implementation Method 2
these coupling parts allow a locking in a first direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor panels as well as in a second direction perpendicular to the respective edge and in the plane of the floor panels
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~7
Figure 8~10
AI summary
Floor panel for forming a floor covering, wherein the floor panel (1), on at least one pair of opposite edges (4-5), comprises coupling parts (8-9) allowing that two of such floor panels can be joined by means of a downward movement (M) of one floor panel (1) in respect to the other floor panel, wherein these coupling parts (4- 5) allow a locking in a first direction (V) perpendicular to the plane of the floor panels (1) as well as in a second direction (H) perpendicular to the respective edge (4-5) and in the plane of the floor panels (1), wherein on at least one of said edges a longitudinal recess is present underneath the upper surface with a locking element, characterized in that the shape and/or the position of the recess and/or the configuration of the coupling parts is such that deformations are avoided.