Mineral-Based Panel with Polymer Reinforcement and Mechanical Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mineral-based building panels, such as magnesium oxide and cement boards, are brittle and lack robust locking systems, requiring improvements in flexibility, tensile strength, and ease of forming mechanical locking systems while maintaining dimensional stability and resistance to temperature and moisture variations.
Innovation Solution
A mineral-based panel with a mechanical locking system featuring a locking strip and element that allows for folding displacement without flexing or compression, combined with reinforcement fibers and a polymer compound to enhance tensile strength and flexibility, and a method of producing the panel by mixing magnesium oxide with a filler and polymer, then drying to form a flexible and robust layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a mechanical locking system is formed in a mineral-based layer, then the locking system can provide horizontal locking between panels, but the mineral-based layer is brittle and may break during forming of the locking system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical and chemical properties of the mineral-based layer through the addition of a polymer compound. This polymer compound changes the material's parameters to reduce brittleness and increase flexibility, allowing the locking system to be formed without breaking the mineral-based layer. The polymer compound alters the material's mechanical properties to enable bending and forming operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining the mineral-based layer with a polymer compound. This composite structure integrates the fire resistance and dimensional stability of the mineral-based material with the flexibility and toughness provided by the polymer, creating a hybrid material that can withstand the forming process while maintaining its structural integrity.
2Ease of manufacture
If the mineral-based layer is made more flexible to facilitate locking system formation, then ease of forming improves, but dimensional stability under temperature and moisture variations may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The composite material structure resolves this contradiction by combining materials with complementary properties. The mineral-based layer provides dimensional stability and fire resistance, while the polymer compound contributes flexibility and toughness. Together, they achieve both ease of forming and dimensional stability under temperature and moisture variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymer compound changes the physical parameters of the mineral-based layer, specifically increasing flexibility and reducing brittleness. This parameter change allows the material to be formed into locking systems while maintaining sufficient dimensional stability through the synergistic effect of the composite structure.
3Strength
If reinforcement fibers are added to increase tensile strength, then the panel becomes more robust, but the complexity of the panel structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by incorporating reinforcement fibers into the mineral-based layer. This creates a multi-component composite structure where the fibers provide tensile strength and robustness. While this does increase structural complexity, the fibers are integrated into the existing material matrix, allowing the enhancement to be achieved through a relatively straightforward manufacturing process.
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 provides a more flexible and robust mineral-based panel with improved tensile strength, ease of forming locking systems, and enhanced resistance to temperature and moisture variations, addressing the brittleness and locking system limitations of existing panels.
Implementation Method 1
The mineral-based layer may further comprise a polymer compound. The polymer compound may be configured to enhance the flexibility of the mineral-based layer and/or the tensile strength of the mineral-based layer.
Implementation Method 2
one or more of said mineral-based layers comprises reinforcement fibres embedded in a mineral-based matrix, wherein the fibres are configured to increase the tensile strength of the mineral-based layer
Implementation Method 3
drying the slurry to form a mineral-based layer
Data Source
AI summary
A panel, such as a floor panel, including a core, an optional upper arrangement and an optional lower arrangement. One or more of the core, the upper arrangement (5) and the lower arrangement includes a mineral-based layer, preferably including magnesium oxide. One or more of the mineral-based layers includes reinforcement fibres embedded in a mineral-based matrix, preferably including magnesium oxide. The fibres are configured to increase the tensile strength of the mineral-based layer.