Porcelain Laminate with Composite Support for Bending Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Porcelain stoneware's high price, weight, and size limitations, as well as its inadequate thermal and acoustic insulation properties and low bending resistance, restrict its use in large cladding surfaces and specific applications.

Innovation Solution

A porcelain laminate is developed by combining a thin porcelain stoneware sheet with a base or support sheet of varying materials, such as MDF, polyethylene, or metal, to enhance structural strength, reduce weight, and improve thermal and acoustic insulation, while allowing for larger pieces and easier machining.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If porcelain stoneware is used to achieve durability and hygiene, then resistance to bending and impact is improved, but weight and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to bendingVSAvoidweight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a composite structure combining a thin porcelain stoneware layer (2-7mm) with a support sheet made of lighter materials such as MDF, particle board, or foam. This composite laminate maintains the durability and hygiene properties of porcelain while significantly reducing the overall weight compared to using thick porcelain slabs alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If porcelain stoneware is used to achieve durability and hygiene, then resistance to bending and impact is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to bendingVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If thick porcelain stoneware is used to achieve structural strength, then resistance to bending and impact is improved, but thermal and acoustic insulation properties worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to bendingVSAvoidthermal insulation

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a composite structure combining a thin porcelain stoneware layer (2-7mm) with a support sheet made of materials that provide thermal and acoustic insulation, such as foam or MDF. This allows the laminate to achieve both structural strength and improved thermal/acoustic insulation properties simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Ease of manufacture

If thin porcelain stoneware sheets are used to reduce weight and cost, then manufacturing cost and weight are reduced, but structural strength and resistance to bending worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidresistance to bending

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a composite structure combining a thin porcelain stoneware layer (2-7mm) with a support sheet made of stronger materials such as MDF, particle board, or metal. This composite laminate maintains the durability and hygiene properties of porcelain while significantly reducing the overall weight compared to using thick porcelain slabs alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

5Strength

If multiple thin porcelain sheets are assembled to achieve structural strength, then resistance to bending is improved, but device complexity and machining difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to bendingVSAvoidmachining complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS10618256B2Porcelain laminate and procedure for manufacturing it

Publication Date: 2020.04.14 CALVO JUAN LLOVERAS

AI summary

The laminate comprises a porcelain sheet with a thickness of two to three millimetres, adhered to a base or support sheet made of MDF or particleboard or high density foam or polyethylene or polypropylene or ABS or foamed PVC or methacrylate or a metal sheet of aluminium or steel, using as the adhesion means a two-component polyurethane or a PUR adhesive, producing a laminate that encompasses the advantages of the nature of the two materials, the porcelain and the base, as well as saving material, and being lighter, having higher thermal and acoustic insulation levels, improved resistance to bending loads and allowing to add additional layers, such as a metal sheet of thickness from 0.1 to 1 mm in order to obtain a greater flatness, or a combination with rubber or elastomer layers to improve the acoustic insulation level.