Translucent Corrugated Cardboard Tiles Manufacturing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies do not effectively utilize the aesthetic and structural qualities of corrugated cardboard, limiting recycling possibilities and not addressing the environmental concern of waste accumulation in landfills.

Innovation Solution

A manufacturing process that transforms corrugated cardboard into a translucent, decorative, and structural material by saturating corrugated cardboard pieces with an impregnating agent and applying a transparent outer layer, allowing the material to be used for various applications such as lighting installations, interior decoration, and building components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If corrugated cardboard is used directly, then it is readily available and easy to obtain, but it lacks aesthetic appeal and structural suitability for decorative applications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveavailability of materialVSAvoidaesthetic quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines corrugated cardboard with transparent resin to create a composite material that retains the structural properties of cardboard while gaining aesthetic qualities like translucency and gloss. This composite approach allows the material to be used in decorative applications where appearance matters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the physical and chemical parameters of corrugated cardboard by saturating it with resin, changing its translucency, surface finish, and structural integrity. This parameter transformation enables the material to transition from a purely functional packaging material to an aesthetically pleasing decorative material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If corrugated cardboard is processed into translucent material, then aesthetic appeal and structural strength are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary saturation of corrugated cardboard with resin before final assembly or installation. This preliminary action strengthens the material in advance, allowing for simpler subsequent handling and installation processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The transparent resin acts as an intermediary substance that binds corrugated cardboard layers together, providing structural strength while maintaining aesthetic qualities. The resin mediates between the structural requirements and aesthetic requirements of the final product.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of substance

If traditional recycling methods are used, then waste cardboard is disposed of, but environmental accumulation in landfills continues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewaste disposalVSAvoidlandfill accumulation

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent recovers discarded corrugated cardboard and transforms it into a valuable decorative material. Instead of simply discarding cardboard waste, the process recovers it and reprocesses it into translucent panels, giving waste material a new life and reducing landfill accumulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harm of cardboard waste accumulation into the benefit of creating eco-friendly decorative materials. By transforming waste cardboard into aesthetically pleasing translucent panels, the process turns an environmental problem into a sustainable solution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

4Adaptability or versatility

If corrugated cardboard is saturated with impregnating agent, then structural strength and translucency are improved, but material consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctional versatilityVSAvoidresin consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies resin saturation locally to the corrugated cardboard structure, focusing the impregnating agent where it is most needed for structural reinforcement and aesthetic effect. This localized approach reduces overall material consumption while achieving the desired functional versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 process creates a versatile, recyclable material that combines the structural strength and aesthetic appeal of cardboard, enabling its use in diverse applications while reducing waste accumulation in landfills.

Implementation Method 1

saturating the rough block with an impregnating agent to form a working block

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS11472155B2Translucent building material

Publication Date: 2022.10.18 METACOMB

AI summary

A manufacturing process, and related products, for fabricating translucent articles in the form of tiles. The manufacturing process includes holding together a stack of corrugated cardboard pieces and saturating the cardboard pieces with an impregnating agent. Additional steps may include machining the cardboard pieces to define a block of a desired shape, slicing the block into tile components, and/or coating one or more tile components with a coating material to produce the article. Articles include translucent tiles made of corrugated cardboard pieces saturated with an impregnating agent. The tiles may be arranged to define a surface, such as a floor, a wall, a roof, a lighting installation, an architectural construction element, an architectural aesthetic element, or a solar panel.