Resilient Flooring Tie Layer for UV-Cured Ink Lamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional resilient floor coverings using UV-cured inks in digital printing face challenges in forming a laminated structure due to the inability to adhere additional polymer layers on the ink layer, and there is a need for high adhesive properties between the ink and wear layers.
Innovation Solution
A resilient floor covering comprising a backing portion, a decorative portion with a digitally printed ink layer, a tie layer with an adhesive composition, and a wear layer, where the tie layer enhances adhesion between the ink and wear layers, allowing for a laminated structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If UV-cured inks are used in digital printing, then printing speed and color variation are improved, but the ability to adhere additional polymer layers is lost
Solution Approach 1:
A tie layer is introduced as an intermediary between the UV-cured ink layer and the wear layer. This tie layer comprises a polymer that is compatible with both the cured ink and the wear layer polymer, enabling adhesion between layers that would otherwise be incompatible. The tie layer acts as a chemical bridge, allowing the wear layer to be laminated onto the ink layer while maintaining the benefits of UV-cured digital printing.
2Reliability
If a tie layer is added to enable lamination, then adhesion between layers is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tie layer is designed with specific compositional parameters that enable it to bond with both the UV-cured ink and the wear layer. By carefully selecting the polymer composition and thickness of the tie layer, optimal adhesion is achieved while minimizing the additional complexity. The tie layer parameters are optimized to provide sufficient bonding strength without excessive layer thickness.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional printing methods are used, then lamination is easier, but capital investment and setup time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical printing system (rotogravure or offset presses requiring capital investment and setup) with a digital printing system using UV-cured inks. While this substitution initially creates adhesion challenges, the introduction of the tie layer resolves this issue, allowing digital printing to achieve both flexibility and lamination capability without the need for expensive conventional printing equipment.
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 solution achieves strong adhesion between the ink and wear layers, enabling the formation of a laminated structure with improved pull values and abrasion resistance, overcoming the limitations of UV-cured inks in digital printing.
Implementation Method 1
the Ultra Violet (UV) cured inks that are often used in the digital printing to form an ink layer
Implementation Method 2
a tie layer comprising an adhesive composition... wherein the tie layer substantially overlies the decorative portion such that at least a portion of the second surface of the tie layer contacts and adheres to the first surface of the ink layer
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are resilient floor coverings produced by using digitally printed UV-cured inks and exhibiting high adhesion properties between an ink layer and a wear layer. Also described herein are methods for manufacturing same. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.