PETG Laminated Floor Tile Resolving Adhesion and Environmental Trade-offs

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional PVC floor tiles pose environmental concerns due to hydrogen chloride emission and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and PVC-free alternatives like polypropylene, polyethylene, and Surlyn tiles face issues with adhesion during installation.

Innovation Solution

A floor tile composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) with a laminated structure of a protecting layer, printing layer, and filler layer, which facilitates easy installation and meets environmental friendly requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If PVC-free materials (polypropylene, polyethylene, Surlyn) are used to replace PVC, then environmental friendliness is improved, but adhesion to floors deteriorates due to molecular surface tension

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental friendlinessVSAvoidadhesion during installation

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from conventional PVC-free materials (polypropylene, polyethylene, Surlyn) to PETG material, which has different surface tension properties. This parameter change enables both environmental friendliness and proper adhesion to floors, resolving the contradiction between ecological requirements and installation performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If PVC is used for floor tiles, then ease of processing and low raw material cost are achieved, but environmental harm increases due to hydrogen chloride emission and endocrine-disrupting chemicals

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing ease and material costVSAvoidhydrogen chloride emission and endocrine-disrupting chemicals

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces PVC material with PETG material, changing the chemical composition parameter. PETG does not contain chlorine, eliminating hydrogen chloride emission during combustion, and avoids endocrine-disrupting plasticizers, while maintaining ease of processing and competitive material costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the limitation of PETG material (initially perceived as unknown or problematic) into an advantage by demonstrating its superior environmental performance and installation properties, turning a material substitution challenge into an ecological improvement opportunity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If PETG material is used to manufacture floor tiles, then environmental friendliness and adhesion are improved, but manufacturing process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental sustainabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the floor tile into three functional layers (protecting layer, printing layer, filler layer), all made of PETG material. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function while using the environmentally friendly PETG material throughout, managing complexity through functional division rather than material complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses PETG material for all three layers (protecting, printing, and filler layers), making the material universal across different functional requirements. This multi-functionality approach simplifies the manufacturing process by using a single material type throughout, despite the multi-layer structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 PETG tile provides a solution for easy adhesion during installation and environmental sustainability, compatible with existing PVC tile industries, reducing the need for new processing and eliminating surface tension issues found in other PVC-free materials.

Implementation Method 1

laminating the protecting layer, the printing layer, and the filler layer in a top-to-bottom sequence to form a semi-finished product

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLamination: Lamination

Implementation Method 2

stress-releasing the semi-finished product described above to form a tile

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStress relaxation: Stress Relaxation

Data Source

PatentUS9168721B2Tile and method for manufacturing the same

Publication Date: 2015.10.27 KING TILE CORP

AI summary

A tile includes a protecting layer, a printing layer, and a filler layer. The protecting layer, the printing layer, and the filler layer are laminated to each other in a top-to-bottom sequence. The protecting layer, the printing layer, and the filler layer are made of polyethylene terephthalate (PETG). Hence, the tile made of PETG meets environmental friendly requirements, is suitable for use in different locations, and easy adhesion in installation. A method for manufacturing a tile includes the steps of: providing a protecting layer, a printing layer, and a filler layer, wherein the protecting layer, the printing layer, and the filler layer are made of PETG; laminating the protecting layer, the printing layer, and the filler layer in a top-to-bottom sequence so as to form a semi-finished product; and stress-releasing the semi-finished tile product to form a tile.