Coated structural members having improved resistance to cracking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9920526-B2
Application number	US-201414496567-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2014
Priority date	Oct 18, 2013
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

Structural systems having coated structural members with enhanced durability are provided, along with methods of making and using the same. Structural members including at least one coating material applied to a substrate that comprises at least one protrusion may exhibit increased strength and/or durability and may be less likely fail during use. For example, structural members as described herein exhibit an improved resistance to cracking when a force is applied to the protrusion. Structural systems according to embodiments of the present invention can be suitable for use in a variety of applications, including in ready-to-assemble furniture or cabinetry applications or as building and construction materials such as wall board, flooring, trim, and the like.

First claim

We claim:

1. A structural system comprising:
a structural member comprising a substrate and an extrudable coating material extrusion coated onto at least a portion of said substrate,
wherein said coating material is a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature in the range of from 60 to 150° C. and said coating material is capable of being applied in a molten or melted form,
wherein said substrate is formed of a substrate material selected from the group consisting of medium-density fiber board (MDF), particle board, oriented strand board (OSB), high-density fiberboard (HDF), wood-filled plastic, wood-plastic composites, ultra-light density fiber board (LDF), plywood, and combinations thereof,
wherein said substrate comprises a main body portion and at least one protrusion extending outwardly from said main body portion,
wherein said main body portion presents at least one body surface and said protrusion presents at least one protrusion surface,
wherein said substrate further comprises at least one junction defined at the intersection of said body surface and said protrusion surface,
wherein said coating material is continuously coated between at least a portion of said body surface and at least a portion of said protrusion surface such that said junction is at least partially coated with said coating material,
wherein said structural member exhibits a peak stress tolerance that increases by at least 50 percent, measured along the outer edge of said protrusion, as compared to an identically-configured but uncoated substrate,
wherein a ratio of a maximum thickness of said main body portion to a maximum thickness of said protrusion is in the range of from 1.25:1 and to 5:1 and wherein a ratio of a maximum distance that said protrusion extends outwardly from said main body portion to the maximum thickness of said protrusion is in the range of from 0.10:1 to 5:1 wherein said coating material has a yield stress of at least 5 MPa, and
wherein said coating material comprises a resin selected from the group consisting of polyesters, acrylics, cellulose esters, nylons, polyolefins, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymers, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers (SAN), other styrene-based polymers and copolymers, polycarbonates, and combinations thereof.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one body surface comprises a first body surface and a second body surface and said at least one protrusion surface comprises a first protrusion surface and a second protrusion surface, wherein said junction is defined at the intersection of said first body surface and said first protrusion surface, wherein said substrate further comprises another junction defined at the intersection of said second body surface and said second protrusion surface.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one protrusion comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion each extending outwardly from said main body portion.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein said substrate further comprises a recess at least partially defined by said first and said second protrusions.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second structural member comprising a second substrate and a second coating material coated onto at least a portion of said second substrate, wherein said second substrate comprises a second main body portion that defines at least one recess, wherein said protrusion of said first substrate is configured for insertion into said recess of said second substrate.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the average thickness of said coating material coated onto said first substrate is in the range of from 0.001 to 0.25 inches.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein less than 10 percent of the total surface area of said substrate is not covered by said coating material.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a non-natural wood material.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein said structural member comprises a wall board, a floor board, a portion of a door jamb, a portion of a window jamb, crown molding, a chair railing, a door or window casing, a portion of a frame, a portion of a mantel, a portion of an accent box, or a portion of a cabinet door.

10. A structural system comprising:
a first structural member comprising a first substrate and a first extrudable coating material extrusion coated onto at least a portion of said first substrate,
wherein said first substrate comprises a first main body portion and a first protrusion extending outwardly from said first main body portion,
wherein said first main body portion presents a first body surface and said first protrusion presents a first protrusion surface,
wherein said first substrate further comprises a first junction defined at the intersection of said first body surface and said first protrusion surface; and
a second structural member comprising a second substrate and a second extrudable coating material extrusion coated onto at least a portion of said second substrate,
wherein said second substrate comprises a second main body portion, a second protrusion extending outwardly from said second main body portion, and at least one recess at least partially defined by said second main body portion and said second protrusion,
wherein said second main body portion presents a second body surface and said second protrusion presents a second protrusion surface,
wherein said second substrate further comprises a second junction defined at the intersection of said second body surface and said second protrusion surface,
wherein at least one of said first and said second junctions is at least partially coated with said first or said second coating material, respectively,
wherein said first and second coating materials are both thermoplastic resins having a glass transition temperature in the range of from 60 to 150° C. and each of said first and said second coating materials are capable of being applied in a molten or melted form, and
wherein said first and second substrates are both formed of a substrate material selected from the group consisting of medium-density fiber board (MDF), particle board, oriented strand board (OSB), high-density fiberboard (HDF), wood-filled plastic, wood-plastic composites, ultra-light density fiber board (LDF), plywood, and combinations thereof,
wherein the ratio of the maximum thickness of said first main body portion to the maximum thickness of said first protrusion is in the range of from 1.25:1 and to 5:1 and wherein the ratio of the maximum distance that said first protrusion extends outwardly from said first main body portion to the maximum thickness of said first protrusion is in the range of from 0.10:1 to 5:1
wherein said first substrate further comprises another recess at least partially defined by said first main body portion, said system further comprising a third structural member comprising a third substrate having a third main body portion and a third protrusion extending outwardly from said third main body portion, wherein said third protrusion is configured for insertion into said another recess of defined by said first substrate,
wherein at least one of said first and said second coating materials has a modulus of at least 5 MPa, measured according to ASTM D882, and
wherein at least one of said first and said second coating materials comprises a resin selected from the group consisting of polyesters, acrylics, cellulose esters, nylons, polyolefins, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymers, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers (SAN), other styrene-based polymers and copolymers, polycarbonates, and combinations thereof.

11. The system of c

Assignees

• Eastman Chem Co

Inventors

• Frazier Chad Alan
• Iyer Subramanian Easwaran
• Stafford Steven Lee

Classifications

• E04F13/0878

  the basic insulating layer comprising mutual alignment or interlocking means · CPC title

• B05D3/12

  by mechanical means · CPC title

• E04C2/205 Primary

  of foamed plastics, or of plastics and foamed plastics, optionally reinforced · CPC title

• B27F1/00

  Dovetailed work; Tenons; Making tongues or grooves (slotting B27F5/00); Groove- and- tongue jointed work; Finger- joints (machines or devices for working mitred joints B27G5/00; cutting tools for cutting grooves or tenons B27G13/14) · CPC title

• E04F13/0876

  the covering layer comprising mutual alignment or interlocking means · CPC title