Plastic Flooring With 3D Embossing and Digital Printing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional plastic flooring lacks three-dimensional embossing in its printing and abrasion-resistant layers, resulting in a non-customizable aesthetic appearance.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a rolling unit, digital print unit, coating unit, and baking machine to roll and print a substrate and printing layer together, creating three-dimensional embossing on the printing layer, followed by coating with wear-resistant materials, enhancing the aesthetic appeal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional printing and embossing methods are used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the aesthetic appearance is flat and non-customizable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidaesthetic customization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies three-dimensional embossing to the printing layer, transforming flat two-dimensional patterns into raised three-dimensional relief patterns. This dimensional change creates realistic textures (wood grain, stone, fabric) that enhance aesthetic appearance while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through integrated rolling embossing technology

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements localized embossing patterns in specific regions of the printing layer, allowing different areas to have different textures and depths. This enables customized aesthetic designs while maintaining ease of manufacture through selective pattern application

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If separate printing and embossing processes are used, then each layer can be processed independently, but the printing patterns do not correspond to the embossing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent layer processingVSAvoidpattern alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the printing and embossing processes into a single integrated operation where the printing layer receives both printed patterns and embossed relief patterns simultaneously. This ensures precise correspondence between printing patterns and embossing while maintaining ease of operation through consolidated processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent pre-configures the embossing patterns to match the printing patterns before the actual printing and embossing occur. This preliminary alignment ensures that the printing patterns and embossing correspond perfectly during the integrated processing operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3437864B1Method of making plastic flooring having three-dimensional patterns

Publication Date: 2020.10.21 WUXI BOYU PLASTIC MACHINERY

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

A method of making the plastic flooring contains steps of: A. providing the substrate (10) and delivering the substrate (10) toward a rolling unit (40); B. delivering a printing layer (20), wherein the printing layer (20) is blank and is delivered toward the rolling unit (40) by way of a second delivery roller mechanism (21); C. rolling, wherein the rolling unit (40) rolls the substrate (10) and the printing layer (20), and the printing layer (20) has three-dimensional embossing; D. digital printing, wherein color material (95) being printed on three-dimensional embossing (22) by using the digital print unit (50); E. coating an abrasion resistant layer (30), wherein a coating unit (60) coats wear-resistant materials of the abrasion resistant layer (30) on the printing layer (20); and F. shaping, wherein the plastic flooring material (1') is shaped so as to dry and harden the abrasion resistant layer (30).