Hidden Injection-Molded Locking Frame for Wood Floorboards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional solid wood floors face issues with hygroexpansion, leading to damage from environmental temperature and humidity changes, and existing treatments compromise the natural characteristics of wood, while also being prone to moisture prevention failures and aesthetic issues with exposed plastic locks or incomplete surface coverage.
Innovation Solution
A production method for a floor with a hidden injection-molded locking frame under bosses, ensuring high locking accuracy and firm assembly, achieved through precise sorting, curing, sanding, cutting, surface treatment, and plastic encapsulation with a molten material injection process that prevents excess glue on the surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If paint or wax is applied to tongues and grooves for moisture prevention, then moisture resistance is improved, but the treatment is incomplete and the wax film breaks during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the moisture prevention function from surface coatings (paint/wax) and relocates it to the locking frame structure itself. The locking frame is designed with a closed-loop structure that physically blocks moisture pathways, providing reliable moisture prevention without relying on coatings that can break or be applied incompletely.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction by combining the wooden floorboard with an integrated locking frame structure. The locking frame acts as a separate functional component that provides both mechanical locking and moisture prevention, eliminating the need for additional coating materials.
2Ease of operation
If exposed plastic locks are used for assembly, then ease of installation is improved, but appearance quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking frame is nested within the floorboard structure, specifically integrated into the groove and tongue features. The locking frame is positioned inside the groove and covered by the tongue when assembled, making it invisible from the surface while maintaining its full locking function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different visibility characteristics to different parts of the locking mechanism. The locking frame is designed to be hidden in specific locations (within grooves and under tongues) while the visible surface areas maintain their natural wood appearance, achieving local optimization of both appearance and function.
3Temperature
If heat treatment is applied to enhance heat resistance, then temperature resistance is improved, but natural characteristics of wood are lost and color darkens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the floorboard into distinct functional zones: the main wood body retains its natural characteristics and appearance, while the locking frame (a separate component) provides the heat and moisture resistance functions. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromising the overall aesthetic.
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 method provides high locking accuracy and firm assembly without secondary treatments, reduces costs, and maintains the natural appearance of the wood by preventing excess glue on the surface, while ensuring dimensional accuracy and quality.
Implementation Method 1
after injection, water is immediately pumped to cool the lower molding cavity of the lower mold; an injection-molded frame and injection-molded locks formed on the injection-molded frame are formed at the periphery of the floor blanks
Data Source
AI summary
A production method of a floor for quick side-slide installation includes the following steps: step 1: sorting of floor blanks; step 2: curing of the floor blanks; step 3: sanding of the floor blanks; step 4: cutting-to-thickness of the floor blanks; step 5: surface treatment of the floor blanks; step 6: cutting-to-length and molding of the floor blanks; step 7: spraying of anti-cracking oil on the floor blanks; step 8: plastic encapsulation of the floor blanks; step 9: application of a paint to back surfaces of the floor blanks; and step 10: application of the paint or vegetable oil to the floor blanks. A locking frame is hidden under bosses of a floor blank after being injection-molded, which achieves high locking accuracy and firm assembly.