Low-Temperature Heat Lamination for Olefin-Based Floor Tiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional resilient floor tiles face issues with plasticizer release during manufacture and end-use, poor recyclability, hazardous combustion products, and high material costs due to the use of PVC and the need for tie layers in non-PVC tiles, which lead to increased emissions and structural issues like shrinkage and curling.
Innovation Solution
A method for producing tiles with layered sections using olefin-based polymers for the wear, décor, and base layers, eliminating tie layers and employing low-temperature heat lamination (≤140°C) to bond these sections, reducing emissions and improving recyclability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high temperature lamination is used to bond layered sections, then strong adhesion between layers is achieved, but tile components shrink and the tile curls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from conventional high temperature (typically 160-180°C) to low temperature (≤140°C) lamination. This parameter change allows the tile layers to be bonded with strong adhesion while preventing the shrinkage and curling that occur at higher temperatures, thus resolving the contradiction between achieving strong adhesion and maintaining tile shape stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material formulations in the tile layers that are specifically designed to be compatible with low temperature lamination. These composite materials enable strong interlayer bonding at reduced temperatures, allowing both strong adhesion and shape stability to be achieved simultaneously
2Strength
If tie layers are added to bond wear layer to décor layer and décor layer to base layer, then adhesion between layers is improved, but material cost increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the tie layers from the tile structure. By using low temperature lamination methodology, the patent achieves strong adhesion between the wear layer, décor layer, and base layer without requiring intermediate tie layers, thus reducing manufacturing complexity and material cost while maintaining layer bonding strength
Solution Approach 2:
The low temperature lamination process serves multiple functions simultaneously: it bonds the wear layer to the décor layer and the décor layer to the base layer in a single process step, eliminating the need for separate tie layers and additional bonding steps, thereby reducing both material cost and manufacturing complexity
3Ease of operation
If PVC is used as primary component with plasticizers, then flexibility is achieved, but plasticizer release occurs during manufacture and end-use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition by replacing plasticized PVC with olefin-based polymers. This compositional change eliminates the plasticizer component entirely, preventing plasticizer release emissions during manufacture and end-use while maintaining the necessary flexibility through the inherent properties of the olefin-based polymer materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful aspect of plasticizer-dependent flexibility into a beneficial plasticizer-free solution. By using olefin-based polymers, the patent achieves flexibility without the harmful emissions associated with plasticizer release, thus transforming a harmful material system into a beneficial environmentally-friendly system
4Ease of operation
If PVC formulations are used, then flexibility is achieved, but recyclability is poor and reprocessing is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition from plasticized PVC to olefin-based polymers. This compositional change fundamentally improves recyclability and reprocessing capability while maintaining flexibility, as olefin-based polymers are more easily recycled and reprocessed compared to plasticized PVC formulations
5Use of energy by moving object
If conventional PVC tiles are burned, then energy is released, but hazardous halogen containing combustion products are emitted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition from PVC to olefin-based polymers. This compositional change fundamentally alters the combustion characteristics, eliminating halogen-containing emissions while maintaining energy release properties, thus resolving the contradiction between energy release and hazardous emissions
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
This approach significantly reduces emissions during manufacture and end-use, enhances recyclability, and prevents structural issues like shrinkage and curling, while maintaining strong adhesion between layers without deteriorating the tile structure.
Implementation Method 1
heat laminating compositional layer A to compositional layer B1, at a temperature T1 ≤ 140°C
Implementation Method 2
heat laminating compositional layer B2 to compositional layer C, at a temperature T2 ≤ 140°C
Data Source
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AI summary
A method to produce a tile comprising at least the following layered sections: a wear layered section, a decor layered section and a base layered section; and wherein the wear layered section comprises the following: A) a compositional layer A formed from a composition A comprising at least one olefin-based polymer; wherein the decor layered section comprises the following: B1) a compositional layer B1 formed from a composition B1 comprising a propylene-based polymer; B2) a compositional layer B2 formed from a composition B2 comprising an olefin-based polymer; wherein the base layered section comprises the following: C) a compositional layer C formed from a composition C comprising an olefin- based polymer; wherein the method comprises the following step(s): i) heat laminating compositional layer A to compositional layer B1, at a temperature T1 ≤ 140°C; and wherein, for a continuous production of the tile, T1 is the temperature at the surface of the compositional layer with the highest, or equivalent, surface temperature; and for a batch production of the tile, T1 is the interfacial temperature between the two compositional layers; ii) heat laminating compositional layer B2 to compositional layer C, at a interfacial temperature T2 ≤ 140°C; and wherein, for a continuous production of the tile, T2 is the temperature at the surface of the compositional layer with the highest, or equivalent, surface temperature; and for a batch production of the tile, T2 is the interfacial temperature between the two compositional layers.