Hot Press Cushion Material Resolving Releasability and Work Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hot press cushioning materials suffer from fuzzing and damage during handling and close contact with heating platens and mirror plates, reducing work efficiency due to their high surface smoothness and lack of releasability.

Innovation Solution

A hot press cushioning material with a core layer of heat-resistant nonwoven fibers and a thin front-side resin layer, along with a back-side rubber layer, is developed to prevent fuzzing and close contact, featuring specific air permeability and bulk density properties to maintain surface irregularities and improve releasability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a synthetic resin film is used as surface layer material to provide releasability, then releasability is improved, but the surface becomes too smooth causing close contact with heating platens and mirror plates, reducing work efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereleasabilityVSAvoidwork efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The surface layer is designed with non-uniform structure: a smooth resin film layer provides releasability, while an underlying porous layer with air permeability of 5-50 cm³/(m²·min) maintains surface irregularities. This local quality differentiation allows the smooth resin surface to prevent adhesion while the porous substrate maintains physical irregularities that prevent close contact with heating platens and mirror plates, thereby resolving the contradiction between releasability and work efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the surface layer is made smooth to improve releasability, then releasability is improved, but fuzzing and damage occur during handling

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereleasabilityVSAvoidsurface durability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The surface layer is constructed as a composite material system combining a resin film (for releasability) with a porous fiber substrate (for strength). The resin film provides the smooth releasable surface, while the porous substrate with controlled air permeability provides mechanical strength and damage resistance. This composite structure allows the weak smooth surface to coexist with a strong supportive substrate, resolving the contradiction between releasability and surface durability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If a thick resin layer is used to ensure complete coverage, then coverage is improved, but close contact with heating platens occurs, reducing work efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecoverageVSAvoidwork efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The resin layer thickness is precisely controlled within 1-50 μm, and the porous substrate's air permeability is controlled within 5-50 cm³/(m²·min). These parameter optimizations ensure the resin layer is thin enough to maintain surface irregularities that prevent close contact, while still providing sufficient coverage. The controlled porosity compensates for the thinness, ensuring complete coverage without excessive thickness, thereby resolving the contradiction between coverage and work efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 prevents fuzzing and damage, reduces close contact with heating platens and mirror plates, and enhances work efficiency by maintaining surface irregularities and using conductive fillers to reduce static electricity.

Implementation Method 1

The core layer has an air permeability of 5 cm³/(m²·min) to 50 cm³/(m²·min)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir permeability: Permeation

Implementation Method 2

heat transfer properties for efficiently transferring heat from the heating platen 51 to the laminate 52

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

using conductive fillers to reduce static electricity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentEP3865274B1Cushion material for hot press, and method for producing cushion material for hot press
Publication Date: 2024.06.19 YAMAUCHI CORP
  • EP3865274B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3865274B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3865274B1 patent drawingFigure 7~8

AI summary

A hot press cushioning material (1) includes: a cushioning material body in the form of a plate; and surface materials (3) provided on the front and back sides of the cushioning material body. The surface material (3) includes a core layer (31) composed of a heat resistant fiber material for a nonwoven structure, and a front-side resin layer (32) covering the entire front side of the core layer. The core layer (31) has an air permeability of 5 cm3·cm-2·s-1 or less and a bulk density of 0.8 g/cm3 or more.