Removable Floor Layer With Controlled Adhesion For Easy Renovation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor coverings with integrated intelligent functions, such as sensors and heating, are difficult to renovate without causing noise, dust, and damage to the underlying support, leading to high renovation costs and downtime, especially in high-traffic areas like hospitals and schools.
Innovation Solution
A multilayer structure with a removable surface layer having a higher adhesive strength to itself than to the underlying layer, allowing for easy peeling and replacement, while maintaining the integrity and functionality of the underlying intelligent and acoustic layers, which are not disturbed during renovation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the floor covering is installed using bonded method with acrylic adhesive, then high resistance to traffic and waterproofing is achieved, but renovation becomes complex and disruptive requiring removal of old structure and scraping off adhesive
Solution Approach 1:
The floor covering is divided into two separable layers: a permanent sub-layer containing intelligent functions (sensors, heating elements) and a removable top layer with wear-resistant surface. This segmentation allows the top layer to be replaced independently during renovation, avoiding damage to the underlying support and intelligent components while maintaining bonded installation benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive layer is strategically positioned between the top layer and sub-layer, creating a controlled weak point that allows selective removal of the top layer. During renovation, the top layer can be peeled away without requiring scraping of adhesive from the support, as the adhesive remains on the removable top layer or sub-layer rather than bonding directly to the support in a way that requires scraping.
2Ease of repair
If the old multi-layer structure is removed and adhesive scraped off during renovation, then the original substrate is exposed, but this generates noise, dust, and may damage the substrate requiring its replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive layer is extracted from the bonding interface between the support and the floor covering system, and instead positioned between the top layer and sub-layer. This allows the top layer to be removed without disturbing the support-adhesive-sub-layer bond, eliminating noise, dust, and substrate damage associated with traditional adhesive scraping.
Solution Approach 2:
Different adhesive properties are applied at different locations: the adhesive between top layer and sub-layer has controlled adhesion strength to allow easy separation, while the bond between sub-layer and support remains strong and permanent. This local differentiation of adhesive characteristics enables clean separation during renovation without affecting the support.
3Ease of repair
If loose-lay installation without adhesive is used, then quick and easy removal and replacement is achieved, but the floor coverings are not perfectly waterproof against cleaning water and unsuitable for heavy traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The floor covering system is segmented into a sub-layer that provides waterproofing and traffic resistance (bonded to support) and a removable top layer that can be easily replaced. This segmentation allows the permanent protective functions to remain bonded while the decorative/wear layer can be loosened and replaced without adhesive.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the bonded installation method (for waterproofing and traffic resistance) with the loose-lay removal method (for ease of replacement). The top layer can be installed and removed without adhesive like loose-lay flooring, while the sub-layer provides the bonded waterproofing and structural integrity needed for heavy traffic applications.
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
Enables rapid, cost-effective, and nuisance-free renovation of floor coverings with high resistance to traffic and waterproofing, preserving the functionality of intelligent and acoustic layers, and ensuring the underlying support remains undamaged and reusable.
Implementation Method 1
The removable layer comprises an adhesive layer on its underside facing the sub-layer. The adhesive strength of the adhesive layer to the removable layer is greater than its adhesive strength to the sub-layer
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a multilayer structure (1) for creating a floorcovering or similar; the said multilayer structure (1) comprises a removable layer (2) consisting of at least one surface layer (2a) made of plastics material, the said removable layer (2) being connected to a sublayer (3) which is intended to be stuck to the floor or similar; the sublayer (3) is made up of at least one ply (8) containing electrodes or electronic sensors incorporating heating, person-detection or energy recovery functions. According to the invention, the removable layer (2) comprises a layer of adhesive (4) on its underside facing the sublayer (3), the adhesion between the adhesive layer (4) and the removable layer (2) being greater than the adhesion between the adhesive layer (4) and the sublayer (3) so that the removable layer (2) is to be able to be removed and replaced.