Wood Preservative Marker for Source Identification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wood products treated with wood preservatives face challenges in identifying the source, including the wood preservative composition and manufacturer, due to label separation or degradation from long-term exposure.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the detection of a marker in treated wood products, which can be visually or analytically identified, to determine the source of the wood product, along with a wood preservative composition comprising chromated copper arsenate (CCA), a metal salt or oxide, and an aqueous solvent.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a label is affixed to the treated wood product to identify the manufacturer and preservative type, then the identification information is provided, but the label may separate from or degrade when exposed to long term field conditions (ultraviolet radiation, moisture)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveidentification informationVSAvoidlabel durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The identification information is extracted from the physical label and incorporated directly into the wood preservative composition as a marker substance. This marker is integrated into the treated wood product itself, eliminating the need for a separate label that can detach or degrade.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A marker substance serves as an intermediary carrier of identification information. Instead of using a physical label, the marker substance embedded in the wood product conveys identification data about the manufacturer and preservative type, acting as a durable intermediary between the product and the information needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Duration of action of stationary object

If the label is made more durable to resist degradation from ultraviolet radiation and moisture, then the identification information is preserved longer, but the label may still eventually degrade or the cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelabel lifespanVSAvoidlabel construction

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The identification function and the preservative function are merged into a single integrated system. The marker substance is combined with the wood preservative composition, creating a unified treatment that provides both preservation and identification without requiring separate label components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of investing in complex, expensive, highly durable labels, the patent uses a simple marker substance that is inexpensive and easily incorporated into the preservative composition, providing sufficient identification capability without the complexity of engineered durable labels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS20250052736A1Methods for determining a source of wood products, wood preservative compositions, wood products, and methods of treating wood substrates

Publication Date: 2025.02.13 KOPPERS PERFORMANCE CHEMICALS INC

AI summary

Methods for determining a source of wood products, wood products, wood preservative compositions, and methods of treating wood substrates are provided. The method comprises detecting a presence of a marker in the wood product and determining the source of the wood product based on the detected presence of the marker.