Trim Panel with Cell Structure Intermediate Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for renewable energy sources and rising costs of wood-based materials have led to a need to reduce wood consumption in trim panels, while maintaining structural integrity and aesthetic appeal.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an intermediate layer with a cell structure, where the walls are made of lightweight materials like paper or cardboard, impregnated with thermoplastics, and filled with gas or stabilizing media, which reduces wood usage without compromising stability or aesthetics, and can be connected to both the decoration and contact sides via a tongue and groove connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the entire volume of the trim panel is composed of wood material (MDF or HDF boards), then structural integrity and stability are maintained, but wood consumption and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a connecting layer made of wood material (MDF, HDF, particle board, or chipboard) with an intermediate layer having a cell structure made of lightweight materials (paper, cardboard, or paperboard). This composite structure reduces overall wood consumption while maintaining structural integrity through the synergistic properties of the combined materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes porous materials by incorporating an intermediate layer with a cell structure that contains gas-filled cells. This porous structure reduces the density and wood content of the panel while maintaining sufficient structural strength through the cellular framework, thereby reducing wood consumption without compromising integrity.
2Loss of substance
If an intermediate layer with cell structure is introduced to reduce wood consumption, then wood usage decreases, but structural stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials by integrating the cell structure intermediate layer (made of paper, cardboard, or paperboard) with the connecting layer (made of wood material). This composite construction maintains structural stability through the combined strength of both materials while achieving wood reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical and chemical properties of the intermediate layer materials (paper, cardboard, or paperboard) through impregnation with thermoplastic or thermosetting plastics. This treatment enhances the structural stability and load-bearing capacity of the cell structure, ensuring it can support the panel's overall integrity despite reduced wood content.
3Loss of substance
If lightweight materials (paper, cardboard) are used in the intermediate layer, then wood consumption and weight are reduced, but material strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining lightweight intermediate layer materials (paper, cardboard, or paperboard) with a wood-based connecting layer. This composite structure allows the lightweight materials to reduce overall wood consumption and weight while the wood layer provides the necessary structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by impregnating the lightweight intermediate layer materials with thermoplastic or thermosetting plastics. This chemical modification significantly enhances the material strength, rigidity, and durability of the paper-based cells, enabling them to bear structural loads despite their lightweight nature.
4Weight of moving object
If the cell structure walls are made of paper or cardboard, then weight is reduced, but resistance to mechanical deformation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by impregnating the paper or cardboard cell walls with thermoplastic or thermosetting plastics. This treatment fundamentally alters the material properties, increasing rigidity, strength, and resistance to mechanical deformation while maintaining the lightweight characteristic of the paper-based structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining paper or cardboard cell walls with thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic impregnations. This composite construction provides both the lightweight advantage of paper and the high strength-to-weight ratio of plastic-reinforced structures, effectively resisting mechanical deformation.
Data Source
AI summary
Trim panel including a decoration layer having a decoration side provided with a decoration, a contact layer having a contact side structured and arranged for contact with a substrate, and an intermediate layer having a cell structure and being at least one of: connected one of indirectly or directly to the decoration layer and connected one of indirectly or directly to the contact layer. A connecting layer is produced from a wood material and formed in one piece with at least one connecting element formed on at least two opposing sides of the connector layer in the form of complementary tongue and groove connectors. Intermediate layer is one of: arranged on a side of connecting layer facing towards decoration layer or on a side of connecting layer facing towards contact layer, and is exposed on edges of trim panel running orthogonally to panel plane.