Thermoplastic Wear Layer Transfer for Waterproof Floor Laminate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVTs) lack a cost-effective and efficient way to create a waterproof, abrasion-resistant, and decorative laminate for flexible and rigid floor tiles that synchronizes both optical and haptic properties, while also eliminating the need for a separate print film.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the application of a thermoplastic wear layer as a melt to a flexible carrier, followed by cooling, reverse printing, and transferring the layer to a substrate at elevated temperatures, allowing for the creation of a laminate with a structured and adhesive thermoplastic wear layer that is both decorative and abrasion-resistant, using thermoplastics like polypropylene, polyurethane, or polyamide.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a separate print film is used to provide decorative properties, then the laminate achieves desired visual appearance, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the decorative print function and the haptic structure function into a single integrated carrier foil. The carrier foil carries both the printed decorative pattern and the relief structure that transfers to the wear layer, eliminating the need for a separate print film and simplifying the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier foil serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a support for the wear layer during processing, provides the decorative print pattern, and creates the haptic relief structure on the laminate surface. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed.
2Reliability
If the wear layer is made thick to improve abrasion resistance, then durability increases, but the manufacturing precision required to maintain surface coherence increases
Solution Approach 1:
The decorative print and relief structure are applied to the carrier foil before the wear layer is formed. This preliminary action ensures that when the wear layer is later applied and pressed, the pattern and structure are already in position, making it easier to achieve synchronous optical and haptic properties even with thicker wear layers.
3Strength
If the carrier has strong adhesive properties to ensure wear layer bonding, then the wear layer adheres well to the carrier, but the ease of removing the carrier after transfer decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier foil has differentiated adhesive properties: the side facing the wear layer has adhesive characteristics that allow strong bonding during processing, while the opposite side has release properties that facilitate easy removal after the transfer process. This local differentiation of adhesive quality resolves the contradiction.
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 method produces a laminate that is both waterproof and abrasion-resistant, with synchronized optical and haptic properties, capable of imitating conventional coverings like ceramic tiles or wooden parquet, while eliminating the need for a print film, thus reducing costs and enhancing durability.
Implementation Method 1
Application of a thermoplastic as a melt to a flexible, web-like carrier
Implementation Method 2
cooling the thermoplastic wear layer on the carrier
Implementation Method 3
transferred the wear layer to a substrate fusing the carrier in web form provided with the wear layer onto the substrate at elevated temperature
Implementation Method 4
the thermoplastic wear layer melts, as a result of which it is at least adhesively bonded to the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for producing a decorative, abrasion-resistant laminate in which a thermoplastic use layer (1) is applied to a substrate (3) by means of a transfer method. The present invention also relates to the laminate which is produced with the method according to the invention being used for flexible and rigid floors.