PVC-Free Window Slat Material Using Mineral-Polyolefin Composites

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional window covering materials, such as wooden and PVC slats, pose environmental concerns due to resource depletion and flammability issues, and existing environment-friendly alternatives lack suitable mechanical properties.

Innovation Solution

A material comprising 60-80 wt% inorganic mineral pellets (calcium carbonate and polyethylene or polypropylene) and 15-35 wt% polyolefin with 2 or 3 carbon atoms, along with 5-10 wt% auxiliary additives, providing a PVC-free, cost-effective, and mechanically suitable option for window covering slats.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wooden slats are used for window coverings, then light sheltering and heat isolating functions are provided, but wood resource depletion and environmental damage occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight sheltering and heat isolating functionsVSAvoidwood resource depletion and environmental damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials consisting of inorganic mineral powder (60-80 wt%), polyethylene (15-35 wt%), and auxiliary additives (5-10 wt%) to create slats that provide the necessary light sheltering and heat isolating functions while avoiding the environmental damage associated with wood resource depletion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If PVC plastic slats are used for window coverings, then material availability and cost are improved, but dioxin production during incineration occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial availability and costVSAvoiddioxin production during incineration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates PVC from the material composition entirely, replacing it with polyethylene-based composite materials that maintain manufacturing ease and cost-effectiveness while removing the harmful dioxin production issue during incineration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by substituting PVC with polyethylene and inorganic mineral powders, fundamentally altering the material properties to eliminate dioxin generation while maintaining the desired ease of manufacture and cost characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If paper-based environment-friendly materials are used for slats, then environmental friendliness is improved, but mechanical toughness is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental friendlinessVSAvoidmechanical toughness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite material system combining inorganic mineral powder with polyethylene and auxiliary additives, achieving both environmental friendliness and sufficient mechanical toughness for window covering slats, overcoming the limitations of purely paper-based materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different material properties to different components of the composite: inorganic mineral powder provides structural framework and toughness, while polyethylene provides flexibility and environmental friendliness, creating a material with locally optimized properties throughout

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3315550B1Environment-friendly material and window covering slat made of the same

Publication Date: 2020.07.01 CHEN CHIN FU

Figure 1

AI summary

The present invention provides an environment-friendly material which comprises 60 to 80 wt% of inorganic mineral pellet, 15 to 35 wt% of polyolefin, and 5 to 10 wt% of auxiliary additive. Thus, necessary mechanical properties of producing window covering are fulfilled without using PVC and cost of the environment-friendly material can be controlled easily.