Foamed Print Carrier Structure for Uneven Surface Graphics
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional print carriers, such as stickers, are limited in use on uneven surfaces, prone to distortion and wear, difficult to remove without damage, and have adverse environmental impacts due to non-recyclable materials and adhesive residues, which also compromise surface properties like soundproofing and fire protection.
Innovation Solution
A print carrier with a plastic film bonded to a flexible, foamed substrate of at least 1.5 mm thickness, featuring a surface roughness of 10-30 μm and printed with 5-40 ml/m² of dye, allowing for even application on uneven surfaces, reducing wear, and being recyclable and reusable, while avoiding sealing to enhance thermal and mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If stickers are applied directly to uneven surfaces, then they can be easily applied, but they distort the print motif and are prone to wear in edge areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible plastic film as the print carrier that can conform to uneven surfaces while maintaining print quality. The film's flexibility allows it to adapt to surface irregularities without distorting the printed motif, resolving the contradiction between ease of application and print uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a third dimension by creating a raised, three-dimensional print carrier structure with a thickness of 1-5 mm. This dimensional elevation allows the print carrier to bridge surface irregularities, maintaining consistent print quality across uneven substrates while preserving ease of application.
2Productivity
If stickers are applied directly to surfaces, then they provide advertising coverage, but they are difficult to remove without damaging the substrate and are not recyclable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the plastic film print carrier to be removable and recyclable. The film can be detached from the substrate without leaving adhesive residues that would damage the surface, and the material itself can be recovered and recycled, eliminating the harmful effects associated with conventional sticker removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the adhesive layer from the print carrier structure, using mechanical interlocking through the raised structure instead of chemical adhesion. This allows the print carrier to be removed cleanly from the substrate without damaging it or leaving residues, while maintaining effective advertising coverage during use.
3Reliability
If conventional multi-layer structures are used for floor coverings, then they provide durability, but they have high production costs and poor printed image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure combining a plastic film with a raised profile and a substrate material. This composite design provides the durability of multi-layer constructions while simplifying the manufacturing process and improving printed image quality by integrating the print layer directly into the raised structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated structure: the plastic film provides both the printing surface and the protective durable layer, while the raised structure simultaneously provides mechanical strength and adhesion to the substrate. This consolidation reduces production complexity and costs while maintaining durability and print quality.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a print medium with a plastic film made of a polymer composition which at least partially contains polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyolefin (PO), the plastic film carrying a printed layer of at least one dye on one side, characterized in that the plastic film is coated on its unprinted side with a Underlay is cohesively connected, the underlay having a material thickness of at least 1.5 mm and consisting at least partially of a foamed and recyclable polymer composition, and the printed layer having 5 - 40 ml/m2 of the at least one dyestuff being printed onto the plastic film, with the print carrier has a total surface roughness of at least 10 μm on the print layer side.