Rigid Board Plastic Flooring Eliminates Plasticizers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current PVC flooring products contain plasticizers that can leach and pose health risks, and their edges are prone to damage during storage and transportation due to poor strength.
Innovation Solution
A rigid board plastic flooring design that eliminates plasticizers by using an extruded bottom layer and includes a sound and shock-absorbing layer, with layers bonded using heat-activated non-adhesive membranes or double-component adhesives, and a production method involving hot pressing and UV coating to enhance durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plasticizer is used in PVC flooring preparation, then the material becomes flexible and processable, but the product poses health risks due to plasticizer leaching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes plasticizer entirely from the flooring composition and replaces it with an extruded foam core structure that provides the necessary flexibility and cushioning without harmful chemicals. The foam core is created through physical expansion of blowing agents rather than chemical plasticizers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-layer composite structure consisting of rigid PVC layers bonded to a flexible extruded foam core. This composite design combines the dimensional stability of rigid PVC with the flexibility and shock absorption of the foam core, eliminating the need for plasticizers in the rigid layers.
2Ease of operation
If traditional PVC flooring structure is used, then the material is flexible and easy to install, but the edge strength is poor and easily damaged during storage and transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines rigid PVC boards with an extruded foam core to create a composite structure where the rigid edges provide structural strength and damage resistance, while the foam core maintains flexibility for installation. The rigid edges act as protective frames that prevent edge damage during handling and transportation.
Solution Approach 2:
The flooring is divided into distinct functional layers: rigid PVC surface layers for durability and edge strength, and a flexible foam core for cushioning and installation ease. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize its specific function without compromising the other.
3Reliability
If multiple layers are bonded together, then the flooring structure is complete and functional, but the bonding process requires heat and pressure which increases energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the bonding parameters by using lower temperatures and pressures compared to traditional hot press methods. The extruded foam core structure facilitates bonding at reduced energy input while maintaining adequate adhesion between layers, thus lowering energy consumption during the bonding process.
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 results in a more environmentally friendly product with increased edge strength and reduced risk of damage during handling, while maintaining aesthetic resemblance to wood or stone flooring.
Implementation Method 1
Hot press: stick the wear layer, the print film, the middle layer and the back layer together by heating and pressurization
Implementation Method 2
Hot press: stick the wear layer, the print film, the middle layer and the back layer together by heating and pressurization
Implementation Method 3
coating and annealing: conduct UV treatment for the semi-finished product after hot press, making the PVC flooring more wearable
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a method of producing a rigid board plastic flooring. The method includes extruding a bottom layer without adding a plasticizer, overlapping sequentially a back embossment board, the bottom layer, a first connecting layer, a decoration layer, and a wear layer to form a sandwich, hot pressing the sandwich with temperature and pressure and applying a UV treatment to a top surface of the sandwich after hot pressing the sandwich. The method continues by annealing the sandwich after applying the UV treatment, cooling the sandwich to ambient temperature, and cutting the sandwich to size.