Overmolded Plastic Frame for Outdoor Floor Tile Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building elements for outdoor flooring lack a uniform and aesthetically pleasing joint pattern, and often fail to provide stable horizontal support, leading to potential displacement and instability in the flooring.
Innovation Solution
A building element featuring a rectangular covering plate made of stoneware, glass, or metal, with a frame-like plastic material formation around the edge, where the underside of the covering plate is free of formations except for sprue strands and/or webs, allowing for a uniform joint pattern and enhanced stability through the overmolded plastic frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the covering plate surface has formations or protrusions, then connection stability is improved, but the joint pattern uniformity and aesthetic appearance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The connection function is segmented from the covering plate surface and transferred to the frame-like formation. The frame structure contains embedded connection elements (such as hooks, lugs, or interlocking features) that provide mechanical connection stability without any formations on the visible covering plate surface, thus maintaining joint pattern uniformity and aesthetic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection elements are moved from the two-dimensional surface of the covering plate to the three-dimensional frame structure surrounding the plate. This dimensional transition allows connection features to be positioned on the frame's perimeter and underside, ensuring they do not interfere with the uniform joint pattern while still providing stable mechanical connection between adjacent building elements.
2Ease of operation
If the frame-like formation is simple and thin, then ease of installation is improved, but horizontal support stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The frame-like formation exhibits local quality variation with different thicknesses and densities at different locations. The frame is thicker and more rigid at the corners and along the edges where it contacts the bed material, providing enhanced horizontal support stability. The frame can be thinner in less critical areas, maintaining ease of installation while ensuring structural stability where most needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame-like formation is made from plastic material that can be injection-molded and/or foamed, creating a composite structure that combines the rigidity needed for horizontal support with the flexibility for easy installation. The foamed plastic material provides both structural integrity and lightweight properties, allowing the frame to be sufficiently robust for stability while remaining easy to handle and install.
3Strength
If the covering plate is thick, then mechanical strength is improved, but manufacturing cost and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The frame-like formation is injection-molded and/or foamed directly onto the covering plate in a single integrated manufacturing process. This merging of the frame and plate into one composite component eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps, reducing overall manufacturing cost while providing both the strength of a thick plate and the structural benefits of the frame reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of the covering plate material (stoneware, glass, or metal) with the plastic frame material creates a composite building element that optimizes strength-to-weight ratio. The frame provides additional structural reinforcement that allows the covering plate to be thinner than it would need to be if standalone, reducing material quantity while maintaining or improving mechanical strength through the synergistic composite structure.
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 enables the creation of a uniform, aesthetically pleasing joint pattern and provides stable horizontal support by allowing the frame-like overmold to penetrate into the bed of sand and/or gravel, resulting in a more stable and high-quality outdoor flooring system.
Implementation Method 1
the frame-like circumferential formation is injection-molded and/or foamed onto the covering plate while arranging the covering plate in a mold cavity
Implementation Method 2
the frame-like circumferential formation is injection-molded and/or foamed onto the covering plate
Implementation Method 3
one or more sprue strands and/or webs which project inwards from the frame-like circumferential formation
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a structural element for forming a ground covering, in particular in an outdoor area, comprising a rectangular tile (1). According to the invention, a molded-on portion (2) which is made of a plastic material and runs around the edge of the tile like a frame is preferably injection-molded and/or foamed onto the tile.