Thermoplastic Building Panel Balancing Layer for Curling Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Thermoplastic-based building panels, such as LVT and SPC panels, face issues with excessive weight, dimensional instability due to grooves, and curling under temperature variations, which affect their performance and production costs.

Innovation Solution

A thermoplastic-based building panel design with a balancing layer that is displaced from the rear side, featuring grooves primarily in the lower layer or balancing layer, maintaining the layer's integrity and reducing curling effects, while allowing for reduced material usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If grooves are added to reduce panel weight, then weight is reduced, but dimensional stability deteriorates causing curling under temperature variations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepanel weightVSAvoiddimensional stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The panel is divided into distinct functional layers: an upper layer arrangement, a lower layer arrangement, and a separate balancing layer. The grooves are confined to the lower layer arrangement, segmenting the weight reduction function from the balancing function, allowing independent optimization of each layer's properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A balancing layer is introduced as an intermediary component between the upper and lower layer arrangements. This balancing layer acts as a mediator that compensates for the dimensional instability caused by grooves in the lower layer, maintaining overall panel flatness through its own expansion and contraction characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If material usage is reduced to lower production costs, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but balancing performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidbalancing performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Different layers are assigned different material compositions and thicknesses optimized for their specific functions. The balancing layer uses materials with specific thermal expansion properties tailored for dimensional stability, while the upper layer arrangement can use lighter materials for cost reduction, achieving local optimization without compromising overall performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The panel employs a composite multi-layer structure where each layer can be made from different materials optimized for its function. This allows the use of cost-effective materials in non-critical layers while maintaining high-performance materials in the balancing layer, achieving a balance between manufacturing cost and balancing performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Weight of moving object

If grooves penetrate the balancing layer to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but balancing effectiveness is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepanel weightVSAvoidbalancing effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The panel structure is segmented into distinct layers with the balancing layer positioned separately from the grooved lower layer. This segmentation prevents groove penetration into the balancing layer, allowing the balancing layer to maintain its integrity and effectiveness while the lower layer achieves weight reduction through grooves

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The balancing function is extracted from the lower layer arrangement and placed in a separate balancing layer. This extraction allows the grooves to be fully implemented in the lower layer for weight reduction without compromising the balancing layer's effectiveness, as the balancing layer operates independently

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20250263941A1Thermoplastic-based building panel comprising a balancing layer

Publication Date: 2025.08.21 CERALOC INNOVATION AB

AI summary

A thermoplastic-based building panel, such as a floor panel. The building panel includes an upper layer arrangement, a lower layer arrangement, and a balancing layer provided between the lower and the upper layer arrangement. The building panel further includes a groove arrangement including grooves. A thermoplastic-based building panel including an upper layer arrangement and a balancing layer which is a bottom layer of the building panel. The building panel includes a groove arrangement, wherein a major portion of the grooves therein is provided in the balancing layer only. A thermoplastic-based building panel including a mechanical locking system for horizontally and/or vertically locking the building panel to an adjacent building panel. The mechanical locking system includes a cooperating surface which is situated in a balancing layer and is configured to cooperate with a cooperating surface of an adjacent building panel.