Mechanical Locking System Guiding Surface Friction Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical locking systems for floorboards are difficult to assemble due to high friction coefficients and coarse surface roughness, making the assembly process challenging, especially for panels with polymer materials.
Innovation Solution
A method for producing a mechanical locking system that involves creating a tongue and tongue groove with specific locking surfaces and guiding surfaces, where the guiding surfaces are treated to reduce friction and surface roughness through processes like milling, polishing, or grinding, allowing for easier assembly by decreasing the surface roughness by 30-50% and friction coefficient.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If mechanical cutting is used to form the locking system, then the locking structure is created, but the guiding surface develops high friction coefficient and coarse surface roughness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing an additional working step on the guiding surfaces after the initial mechanical cutting. This working step (polishing, sanding, grinding, or pressing) is conducted in advance within the same production line to reduce surface roughness and friction coefficient before the panels are assembled, thereby eliminating assembly difficulties without requiring post-production modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the guiding surfaces by reducing surface roughness from approximately 3 Ra to approximately 2 Ra (a 30-50% reduction) and lowering the friction coefficient. This parameter modification is achieved through the working step using fixed tools with hard metal or diamond surfaces, transforming the guiding surfaces from high-friction to low-friction surfaces that facilitate easy assembly.
2Ease of operation
If the guiding surface is smoothed to reduce friction, then assembly becomes easier, but additional processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the locking structure formation and guiding surface smoothing operations into a single integrated production process. Both the mechanical cutting to create the locking system and the subsequent working step to smooth the guiding surfaces are performed in the same milling line, combining multiple functions into one production system without requiring separate production lines or post-assembly processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The working step performed in the milling line serves multiple functions: it smooths the guiding surfaces to reduce friction, prepares the surfaces for assembly, and can be applied to both the first and second panels. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate dedicated smoothing equipment or processes, reducing overall device complexity while achieving the desired assembly ease.
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 facilitates easier assembly of floor panels by significantly reducing the surface roughness and friction, transforming a difficult assembly process into an easy one, even for panels with polymer materials, by using tools like metal or diamond-coated tools to smooth the guiding surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
The working of the first guiding surface and/or the second guiding surface may be polishing, sanding, rolling, grinding and/or pressing by, e.g., a fixed tool
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A method for producing a mechanical locking system for a first panel and a second panel. The method includes providing a tongue (30), including a first locking surface (22), at a first edge of the first panel (1), forming a tongue groove (10), including a second locking surface (23), at a second edge of the second panel, the first locking surface and second locking surface are configured to cooperate for locking the first edge to the second edge in a first direction (D1), providing a first guiding surface (20) at the first edge and a second guiding surface (21)at the second edge, wherein the first guiding surface cooperates with the second guiding surface during an assembling of the first edge and the second edge, and working of the first guiding surface and/or the second guiding surface to reduce the coefficient of friction between the first guiding surface and the second guiding surface and/or a surface roughness.