Plastic Fiber Laminate Bonding Without Synthetic Resin

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing laminate production methods require a separate synthetic resin layer to bond real wood veneer with a carrier board, making the process complex and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the production of a pre-compressed fiber mat with wood and plastic fibers, where the plastic fibers melt during pressing to bind the wood fibers and veneer, eliminating the need for a synthetic resin layer, and allowing the plastic to penetrate the veneer for enhanced moisture resistance and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a separate synthetic resin layer is used to bond real wood veneer with carrier board, then bonding reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing steps increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the bonding agent function into the carrier board itself by incorporating plastic fibers that melt during pressing to create adhesive bonds. This eliminates the separate synthetic resin layer while maintaining bonding reliability, directly resolving the contradiction between bonding reliability and manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the separate synthetic resin layer from the laminate structure, relying instead on the plastic fibers within the carrier board to provide bonding. This simplifies the manufacturing process while preserving the essential bonding function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Strength

If multiple separate layers and binder applications are used, then bonding strength is improved, but manufacturing time and process complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding strengthVSAvoidmanufacturing time
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the bonding agent function into the carrier board's plastic fibers, which melt during the single pressing operation to create strong bonds between veneer layers. This eliminates multiple separate binder application steps while maintaining bonding strength, directly addressing the contradiction between strength and manufacturing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the phase transition of plastic fibers from solid to molten state during pressing to create bonding. This thermal melting process occurs during the single pressing step, providing strong adhesion without requiring separate binder applications, thus reducing manufacturing time while maintaining bond strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

3Ease of manufacture

If plastic fibers are used to bond wood fibers without additional synthetic resin, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but bonding reliability may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidbonding reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the carrier board's plastic fibers to serve their own bonding function, melting during pressing to create adhesive bonds without requiring external synthetic resin layers. This self-bonding mechanism simplifies manufacturing while maintaining reliability, directly resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and bonding reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

Simplifies laminate production by eliminating the need for a synthetic resin layer, while ensuring reliable bonding and increased moisture resistance and dimensional stability of the real wood veneer.

Implementation Method 1

During this process, the fiber mat is reduced from a thickness of, for example, 25 mm to 30 mm to a thickness of, for example, 1.3 mm.For example, it is compressed to 4 mm to 5 mm, resulting in a substrate with a density of, say, 800 kg/m3. During the pressing process, at least the plastic fiber melts from its surface, and the softened or liquefied plastic binds the wood fibers and the plastic fibers to each other.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Implementation Method 2

The softened or liquefied plastic also penetrates at least the outer layer of the veneer that lies against the fiber mat, thus bonding the real wood veneer to the fiber mat or to the substrate made of wood and plastic fibers that is created during the pressing process.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPenetration: Permeation

Implementation Method 3

The fiber mat with the real wood veneer applied to it is transferred to a hot press, preferably a continuous hot press, and pressed at a temperature of 140 °C to 190 °C, advantageously at a temperature of 160 °C to 180 °C, and at a pressure of 10 MPa to 45 MPa, to form a laminate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 4

The fiber mat with the real wood veneer applied to it is transferred to a hot press, preferably a continuous hot press, and pressed at a temperature of 140 °C to 190 °C, advantageously at a temperature of 160 °C to 180 °C, and at a pressure of 10 MPa to 45 MPa, to form a laminate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 5

The laminate is then cooled under pressure in the press.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Data Source

PatentEP3330076B1Method for producing a laminate with veneer on both sides
Publication Date: 2020.04.22 FLOORING TECH LTD
  • EP3330076B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing a laminate comprising the steps of: producing a pre-compressed fiber mat, comprising wood fibers and plastic fibers, as a substrate; applying a real wood veneer to the top surface of the fiber mat; and pressing the real wood veneer, fiber mat, and backing layer together to form a laminate. The invention further relates to a laminate with a substrate comprising wood fibers and plastic fibers, wherein a real wood veneer is applied to the top surface of the laminate.