Loose Lay Plastic Floor with UV Coated SPC Core

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional loose lay plastic floors face issues with thermal expansion, cold shrinkage, dimensional stability, and poor flatness, which are exacerbated by the need for harmful glues and cumbersome installation methods.

Innovation Solution

A method involving hot-melt compounding and shaping of multiple layers, including a wear layer, printing layer, semi-rigid PVC layer, core layer, and adsorption layer, followed by UV coating, tempering, conditioning, and punching to create a composite board that reduces internal stress and improves structural stability and flatness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional loose lay plastic floor is used without glue or lock, then installation simplicity is improved, but dimensional stability and flatness deteriorate due to thermal expansion and cold shrinkage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation simplicityVSAvoiddimensional stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The floor is divided into multiple functional layers including a wear layer, printing layer, semi-rigid PVC layer, core layer, and adsorption layer. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function, with the adsorption layer specifically designed to absorb excess adhesive and the semi-rigid PVC layer providing dimensional stability while maintaining ease of installation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite materials combining different PVC layers with varying rigidity and composition. The semi-rigid PVC layer provides structural stability to resist thermal expansion and cold shrinkage, while the overall composite structure maintains the loose lay installation method without requiring glue or locks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Stability of the object's composition

If multiple layers are hot-melt compounding and shaped, then structural stability and flatness are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple layers including wear layer, printing layer, semi-rigid PVC layer, core layer, and adsorption layer into a single integrated composite board through hot-melt compounding. This merging process creates a unified structure with improved structural stability and flatness while managing the manufacturing complexity through a standardized multi-step process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If UV coating is applied on the wear layer, then surface quality and durability are improved, but manufacturing time and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface qualityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical surface treatment methods with UV coating technology. The UV coating process uses ultraviolet light to cure the coating material rapidly, providing superior surface quality and durability while reducing manufacturing time and energy consumption compared to conventional heating or drying methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 enhances the dimensional stability and flatness of the loose lay plastic floor at different temperatures, reducing assembly gaps and improving the overall quality and ease of installation.

Implementation Method 1

subjecting a wear layer, a printing layer, a semi-rigid PVC layer, a core layer and an adsorption layer to hot-melt compounding and shaping to obtain a composite board

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHot-melt compounding:

Implementation Method 2

coating one or more layers of UV coating on a surface of the wear layer of the composite board

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUV coating: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 3

subjecting the composite board coated with the UV coating to tempering, conditioning and punching

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTempering: Heat Treatment

Data Source

PatentUS11041317B2Loose lay plastic floor and preparation method thereof

Publication Date: 2021.06.22 JIANGSU ZHONGSHENG NEW BUILDING MATERIALS CO LTD

AI summary

A preparation method of a loose lay plastic floor includes the following steps: (a) subjecting a wear layer, a printing layer, a semi-rigid PVC layer, a core layer and an adsorption layer to hot-melt compounding and shaping to obtain a composite board; (b) coating one or more layers of UV coating on a surface of the wear layer of the composite board; and (c) subjecting the composite board coated with the UV coating to tempering, conditioning and punching to obtain a loose lay plastic floor. The core layer is a stone plastic core (SPC), a wood plastic core (WPC), a high density fiberboard (HDF), or a medium density fiberboard (MDF).