AU782192B2

AU782192B2 - Floor covering installation system

Info

Publication number: AU782192B2
Application number: AU15448/02A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Paul Anderson
Original assignee: CARPET INSTALLATION AND SUPPLI
Current assignee: CARPET INSTALLATION AND SUPPLIES Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2001-02-06
Filing date: 2002-02-06
Publication date: 2005-07-07
Anticipated expiration: 2022-02-06
Also published as: AU1544802A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant: CARPET INSTALLATION AND SUPPLIES PTY LTD Invention Title: FLOOR COVERING INSTALLATION SYSTEM oooo oo ooo o

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The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 FLOOR COVERING INSTALLATION SYSTEM The present invention relates generally to floor coverings and in particular to flexible floor coverings such as carpets, carpet tiles and the like. More particularly the present invention relates to a new system or method of installing carpets or flooring systems containing a carpet layer or similar material and/or repairing existing carpets or similar floor coverings.

Even more particularly the present invention relates to a method of installing a carpet involving a number of different layers including one layer which is adhered or fastened to the floor or substrate upon which the carpet is applied and another layer which is provided with a 15 suitable fastening means for enabling fastening of the two layers together, such as for example, a releasable fastening such as a velcro fastening or the like between the two layers. The present invention finds particular application in the use of a tape having one side which is adhesive to anchor the tape to either the floor or substrate or to the top carpet layer and the other side which is provided with one part of a velcro fastening or similar to connect the tape to another layer provided with S"a second part of the velcro fastening for releasably securing the two layers together to retain the floor covering in place when in use but allowing the floor covering to be removed and/or replaced when desired without leaving unwanted residual material adhered to the substrate.

Although the present invention will be described with particular reference to the use of a tape having one surface which is an adhesive surface and another surface which is provided with a velcro surface for use in anchoring a floor covering to a suitable substrate and an underlay having a complementary velcro surface for releasable fastening to the tape. It is to be noted that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the 3 described embodiment but rather the scope of the present invention is more extensive so as to include other forms of the floor covering, other installation systems, other repair or replacement systems and the use of all such systems in a wide variety of applications.

Carpet or carpet type floor coverings enjoy widespread use in a number of different locations for a number of different applications. One such application is the use of carpet flooring in retail establishments such as in department stores, bulk stores, discount stores or similar relatively large size establishments and the like.

Owing to the use of the establishments and the location of such floor covering there is very heavy usage and traffic °over the floor covering resulting in wear. Such carpet 15 flooring needs to be replaced at regular intervals due to this wear. In the past, some traditional carpet type e S. floor coverings have consisted of a layer of underfelt or •underlay adhered directly to the flooring or substrate, such as the concrete flooring of the building, by a suitable adhesive. Other floor coverings have involved the use of "smooth edge" gripper strips or similar to locate the top carpet layer. A different or similar adhesive is used to adhere the top layer or carpet layer being the wear and/or decorative layer to the underlay.

When it was time to replace the carpet layer and underlay it was necessary to pull the layers away from the substrate. In many instances owing to the tenacity of the adhesive in bonding the underlay directly to the substrate large clumps or areas of underlay remained adhered to the concrete floor. Alternatively, the underlay delaminated leaving a small covering of underlay material over the concrete floor. The residue or remaining underlay was often left in random patterns on the floor or substrate which necessitated removal of the residual underlay. It was often necessary to clean the floor by grinding the remaining or residual underlay away from the concrete floor. Such grinding operations were time consuming and 4 expensive. Additionally, a considerable amount of dust, grit or the like was produced during the grinding exercise which had a tendency to contaminate the surrounding areas.

If only a small part of the existing carpet flooring needed replacing it was necessary to dust proof the affected area or to remove stock from the entire area so that it would not become contaminated with the dust or grit produced during the grinding operation. Thus, there is a need for a floor covering installation system which does not leave any residue or remainder of underlay or the like when replacing a floor covering and in which the floor or substrate does not need grinding to remove residue or remaining floor covering when it is being replaced with fresh or new floor covering.

15 It is an aim of the present invention to provide a method of installing a flooring system, particularly a carpet based flooring system, which does not require •grinding of the floor during replacement of the flooring system, which allows the existing outer or upper wear and/or decorative layer to be replaced easily and quickly S"°and which allows part of the existing flooring system to be reused.

According to one aspect of the present invention S°there is provided a method of installing a floor covering, including the steps of: a) installing a lower layer of the flooring onto a substrate in an orientation such that the lower layer has an upper surface and a lower surface in which the lower surface of the first layer contacts the substrate to maintain the lower layer securely in place on the substrate and the upper surface is provided with an upwardly facing fastening means; b) laying an intermediate layer onto the lower layer wherein the intermediate layer has a lower surface provided with fastening means for cooperatively engaging with the fastening means of the upper surface of the lower layer to retain the intermediate layer in place on the 5 lower layer in use; c) placing an upper layer of the floor covering onto the intermediate layer to form the floor covering; d) applying a coating of an adhesive material to the lower surface of the lower layer or to the upper surface of the intermediate layer or the lower surface of the upper layer, wherein when the floor covering is to be replaced or removed the lower layer is separable from the intermediate layer without substantially leaving any residue or remaining intermediate layer firmly attached to the substrate and/or to the lower layer.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of repairing a 15 damaged floor covering material including the steps of: a) installing a lower layer of the floor covering onto a substrate in an orientation such that the lower layer has a lower surface which contacts the substrate in use to maintain the lower layer securely in place on the substrate and the lower layer has an upper surface which is provided with an upwardly facing fastening means; b) laying an intermediate layer onto the lower "layer wherein the intermediate layer has a lower surface in use for cooperatively engaging with the upper surface of the lower layer to retain the intermediate layer in place; c) placing the upper layer of the floor covering onto the intermediate layer in order to connect the upper layer and intermediate layer together to form the floor covering, d) applying a coating of an adhesive material to the lower surface of the lower layer, to the upper surface of the intermediate layer or to the lower surface of an upper layer; wherein when the floor covering is to be replaced or removed the intermediate layer is separable from the lower layer without substantially leaving any 6 residue or remaining intermediate layer firmly adhered to the substrate.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a floor covering material including a first layer adherable to a substrate to form a lower layer in use of the floor covering, said first layer being provided with an upwardly facing fastening means, a second layer forming an intermediate layer in use locatable on the first layer wherein said intermediate layer is provided with a downwardly facing fastening means which cooperatively interacts with the upwardly facing fastening means on the upper surface of the first layer to retain the intermediate layer in place against the first layer, a coating of an adhesive material located between the upper surface of the intermediate layer and the lower surface of an upper layer or between the lower surface of the lower layer and the substrate wherein the first and intermediate layers are releasably separable from each other in such a manner so as to leave substantially no residue or remaining intermediate layer .I adhered firmly to the substrate.

Typically, the first or lower layer is a tape material. More typically, the tape is a flexible material provided with an adhesive surface or other "sticky" or 25 "tacky" surface for adhering the first layer to the substrate. Typically, the adhesive layer is covered by a 6 r protective film, until adhesion to the substrate is required, when the protective film can be removed.

Typically, the tape is a plastic tape material, typically a synthetic plastics material. More typically, the tape is made from polyethylene, preferably high density polyethylene.

Typically, the tape is provided with a releasably securable fastening means. More typically, the fastening means is a velcro fastening means. Typically, the tape has from about 100 to 10,000 hooks per square inch, preferably, about 500 to 5000, more preferably about 900 7 hooks per square inch. Typically, the adhesive layer provided on one surface of the tape is rubber based hot melt adhesive. Typically, the width of the tape is up to about 12 inches, more typically, from 2 inch to 6 inches.

Typically the substrate is a floor of a building or similar. More typically the floor is a concrete floor, timber floor or a floor made from cementitious material.

Typically the upwardly facing fastening means provided on the upper surface of the first layer is a plurality of upwardly facing hooks or similar. Even more typically, the upwardly facing hooks are a series of hooks forming one part of a velcro fastening system.

Typically, the first or lower layer is an underlay sheet or layer. More typically, the underlay is stuck to the substrate, preferably with an adhesive.

Typically, the intermediate layer is an underlay layer of material or similar cushioning or resilient layer. More typically the lower surface of the underlay is provided with a plurality of downwardly facing 20 fastening means. Typically, the downwardly facing fastening means are loops or hooks which are complementary to the upwardly facing fastening means of the lower layer.

Even more typically the upwardly facing and downwardly facing fastening means are parts of a velcro fastening system.

Typically, only one of the lower layer or the intermediate layer is an underfelt or underlay layer.

Typically, the underlay is provided in sheets which can be trimmed to size. Typically, the underlay is a rubber material, preferably a foam rubber material.

Typically, the underlay is a styrene butadiene rubber, or a SBR latex foam. More typically, the underlay is a polyester stitch bonded fabric surface which cooperatively interacts with the hooks of the velcro fastenings.

Typically, the underlay layer is separable from the tape layer by releasing the fastening means. More typically, the tape layer remains in place adhered to the 8 floor or substrate by the adhesive layer. More typically, the underlay layer remains in place when the tape layer is removed. Even more typically, the underlay layer is fully removable from the tape layer without any underlay layer remaining in contact with the tape layer or the tape layer is removed from the underlay without any tape layer remaining in contact with the underlay.

Typically, the adhesive material is suitable for use with rubber latex foam or similar materials. More typically, the latex is an styrene butadiene rubber or similar material.

Typically, the upper layer of the floor covering is a carpet layer or similar decorative and/or wearing surface or the like, including carpet, carpet squares, carpet tiles or carpet equivalents, such as for example, woven or tufted carpets using natural fibres, synthetic fibres, organic fibres, metallic fibres or similar including combinations thereof. More typically, the carpet tiles or squares are hard backed, stiff backed or 20 provided with a rigid backing or back layer.

~The present invention will now be described by way of an example with particular reference to the following example.

e° Example 1 When it is desired to lay a new floor covering or to replace an existing floor covering using the method of the present invention for the first time it is often necessary to prepare the substrate. Firstly, the existing floor, typically a concrete floor, is prepared and/or treated to ensure all chips, cracks, indentations, penetrations, projections, undulations or the like are either removed or filled in to produce a flat, smooth or relatively smooth surface. If necessary the existing floor will need to be subjected to a grinding operation to ensure the surface is free from old adhesive, underlay, 9 residue or remaining material left over from removing the old floor covering, and is smooth. Additionally, grinding will ensure that any new adhesive material applied thereto will stick. The surface should be free of all dirt, dust, grease and associated rubbish or the like.

In some circumstances it is possible to install the system of the present invention over old surfaces with existing adhesives if the area where the first layer, typically, the tape layer is to be located is scraped clean or ground clean to remove any residue of or residual adhesive whilst other areas of residual adhesive can be covered with a powder or similar material in order to ***reduce the tackiness of the residual adhesive.

In the event of replacing an existing floor covering, the traditional gripper strips, sometimes .:'referred to as "SMOOTH EDGE", located around the periphery of the existing carpeted floor covering are removed in accordance with requirements of the new flooring of the present invention.

20 It is to be noted that such preparation as described above is usually only required when the installation system and floor covering system of the S" present invention has not been previously used for the floor covering. If the floor covering system of the present invention has been used previously all that is required to replace the worn carpet layer is that the underlay layer together with the attendant worn top layer of carpet be separated from the tape layer to expose the remaining tape layer which stays in place. Using the present invention will not result in any old underlay being left to remove.

When the floor has been prepared strips of securing tape forming the first layer of the present invention are applied to the prepared and/or primed concrete floor around the perimeter of the space or area being repaired or having the new flooring applied thereto.

Additionally, strips of tape are applied along the 10 locations where joins of the top layer will appear and whenever cross joins are used. Typically, the width of the tapes forming the lower layer of the flooring is about 100mm. The tape is also applied around the base of pillars or the periphery of built in fixtures. Lengths of tape are also applied to the concrete floor in the form of a grid pattern or similar cross pattern using 15mm tape at approximately 3m centres along the linear length of the floor to provide for further positive location of the floor covering on the substrate.

The strips of tape are located into position on the primed or prepared substrate or floor after removing o. any protective film from the self-adhesive coating on the lower surface in use of the tape. Alternatively, the protective film may be removed before the tape is located in place. Combinations of removal of the protective film before of after laying the tape strips are possible.

When all of the strips of tape are positioned in the appropriate pattern, the strips may be rolled with an 20 appropriate floor covering/vinyl roller to gain desired adhesion of the strips of tape to the floor substrate by applying pressure to the tapes.

Strips of tape are located where there are joins in the intermediate layer or in the top layer or where extra adhesion or structural integrity is required. The intermediate layer of underlay is placed on the lower layer formed from the pattern of strips of tape. The layer of underlay is located on the lower layer of tapes to ensure the correct fit by ensuring that all joins and abutments are close fitting and that any joins are located immediately above a strip of tape to provide a better quality floor covering. If necessary additional strips of tape can be applied to the substrate.

When the final position of the underlay has been determined the layer of underlay is folded back to expose the underlying tape layer on the substrate surface. The upper surface of the tape is provided with a protective 11 covering, such as for example a fabric covering or film to protect the upwardly facing fastening means. The protective fabric is removed from the upper surface of the tape layer to expose the upwardly facing hooks of the velcro like fastening system formed on the upper surface of each strip of tape. The underlay is pressed into position on the tape so that the downwardly facing hooks or loops of the underlay cooperatively engage with the upwardly facing hooks of the tape to securely fix the underlay layer in position on top of the tape layer. When the underlay is in place on the tape layer the upper surface of the underlay is subjected to rolling or an o o*.increased pressure by use of the floor coverings/vinyl roller or similar to firmly connect the intermediate layer 15 of underlay to the lower layer of tape.

Alternatively, when replacing the floor covering of smaller areas, the underlay layer may be positioned and secured along one linear end of the width of the shape adjacent to a perimeter wall and stretched back from this 20 point physically before securing abutment joint hooks at Sthe cross width edges.

The upper layer which is the wearing and/or decorative surface such as the carpet layer is positioned in place on the top surface of the underlay layer. When the final position of the top or upper carpet layer is determined a portion is folded or rolled back to expose the underside. A coating of suitable carpet adhesive is applied to the under surface of the carpet. Typical adhesive include Roberts 80 Low Odour or Polymer 228 solvent-free adhesive. Alternatively, any other suitable adhesive could be used. The adhesive coating is applied with a notched trowel or similar. In one embodiment when woven carpet forms the top layer the trowel is provided with 3.2mm by 3.2mm gaps or when tufted carpet is being used the trowel is provided with 2.5mm by 2.5mm gaps.

Alternatively, the coating of adhesive may be applied to the upper surface of the underlay or to both 12 the upper surface of the underlay and to the lower surface of the carpet layer to firmly secure the top layer to the intermediate layer.

The coating of adhesive is allowed to dry until the coating becomes just tacky to the touch which is referred to as the tack-off condition or similar. When the adhesive tack-off has been achieved the carpet is repositioned into its final position. Further pressure is applied to the carpet to adhere the carpet to the underlay. The entire area of the new carpet or replacement carpet is rolled with the appropriate floor covering roller to ensure that all layers bind to each other.

Using the system of the present invention it is 15 possible to lay a new floor covering or a new replacement "floor covering quickly, efficiently and at low cost. When the floor covering has been installed using the process of the present invention future replacements or the like can be easily accomplished by pulling on the integral S. combination of the dual layers of carpet covering and underlay which can be removed as a single combined layer due to the releasable fastening of the hooks and loops between the tape layer and the underlay layer. Thus, by S* merely pulling up the combined carpet covering and underlay and leaving the tape layer in place on the substrate, a new underlay and carpet cover can be located in place using the old tape layer without the need to prepare or prime the surface since it is not necessary to remove the tape layer from the substrate. The tape layer can be reused in the new or replacement floor covering.

The new downwardly facing loops of the lower surface of the underlay engage with the upwardly facing hooks of the existing tape layer to secure and maintain the new underlay in place for receiving the new floor covering.

The top layer of the carpet can then be bonded to the underlay by using a suitable carpet adhesive applied to one or more surfaces. As the tape layer does not need to 13 be removed from the floor substrate but rather remains in place there is no residual underlay adhered to the floor or substrate remaining in areas after pulling up the underlay as there would have been with conventional systems. Therefore, there is no need to prepare the floor surface such as by grinding or similar to remove any remaining residual underlay. This obviates the need for this grinding operation which was expensive and time consuming to perform.

The present invention provides a quick and easy method of repairing existing flooring and or replacing existing flooring with a new flooring by merely removing the combined worn top covering and underlay as a single layer and reusing the old tape layer.

15 Advantages of the present invention include that the method is quick and easy, and reduces installation time, provides easy access to under-floor cabling and the like. Does not require floor grinding to remove substrate surface residue or to produce a prepared flat floor which 20 in turn does not require that the area in the immediate vicinity be dust proofed.

Additionally, the uplifted carpet and underlay can be relocated and reused if possible in different S. locations or for different purposes because the carpet and underlay remain intact. The tape layer remains in place and thus is reusable with the new flooring. The use of "the tape layer to securely anchor the floor covering is cost effective in that grinding of the floor to remove residual layers of old flooring covering or the like is not required. The method of the present invention is suitable for a wide range of different floor treatments such as for example woven and tufted carpets or the like.

The flooring system also meets all of the requirements of the Australian standards for fire propagation being AS2404.

The system of the present invention allows any carpet, irrespective of the form of the decorative or 14 wearing surface, to be applied over the substrate using a tape layer and an underlay layer, particularly the underlay as an intermediate layer.

The described arrangement has been advanced by explanation and many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which includes every novel feature and novel combination of features herein disclosed.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described.

It is understood that the invention includes all such **variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope.

15 One modification of the method of the present invention include the use of edging or gripper strips to increase the location of the carpet floor covering with respect to the underlay and/or tape layer if additional strength or structural integrity of the floor covering is required, such as for example, in different areas or high S- wear areas.

EXAMPLE 2 Another modification of the method and/or system of the present invention relates to the installation and/or replacement of carpet tiles, particularly stiff backed or rigid back tiles. In this embodiment the lower layer is the sheet of underlay or similar which is adhered to the floor or substrate by a suitable adhesive. The sheet or layer of underlay remains more or less permanently adhered to the floor at all times because of the use of adhesive. The intermediate layer is the tape layer having an upwardly facing adhesive surface and a downwardly facing fastening surface provided with a plurality of hooks or loops. The upper layer is the carpet tile, preferably having a rigid or stiff backing 15 surface or layer. The adhesive surface of the tape is first exposed by removing the protective film and the exposed adhesive surface stuck to the backing of the carpet tile. The fabric protector of the fastening surface is then removed from the lower surface in use of the tape and the exposed downwardly facing fastening surface of hooks or loops is placed on the upwardly facing surface of the underlay so that the complementary hooks and loops of the respective surfaces cooperatively engage with each other to releasably secure the tape to the underlay. Thus, the combined tape layer and carpet layer can be removed as one unit from the underlay which remains in place. A fresh or new carpet tile with tape attached on the back surface can then be located on the underlay to form the floor covering.

Thus, both arrangements of the three layers of underlay, tape and carpet fall within the scope of the present invention and are examples of the method, system and installations of the present invention. In one 20 arrangement the tape is the lower layer while the underlay S. is the intermediate layer whereas in another arrangement the underlay is the lower layer while the tape is the intermediate layer.

Another modification of the system of the present invention relates to the orientation of the lengths of tape and the seams between individual sheets of underlay and between individual pieces of carpet. The underlay will be installed so as to run out about 900 to the intended direction of the seams between the adjacent pieces of carpet ie. the upper layer. Alternatively, the underlay seams are positioned so as not to correspond to the seams of the upper carpet layer ie. the joins are staggered or the joins run in different directions.

Claims

2. A method of repairing a damaged floor covering material including the steps of: a) installing a lower layer of the floor covering onto a substrate in an orientation such that the lower layer has a lower surface which contacts the substrate in use to maintain the lower layer securely in place on the substrate and the lower layer has an upper surface which is provided with an upwardly facing 17 fastening means: b) laying an intermediate layer onto the lower layer wherein the intermediate layer has a lower surface in use for cooperatively engaging with the upper surface of the lower layer to retain the intermediate layer in place; c) placing an upper layer of the floor covering onto the intermediate layer in order to connect the upper layer and intermediate layer together to form the floor covering; d) applying a coating of an adhesive material to the lower surface of the lower layer, to the upper surface of the intermediate layer or to the lower surface of the upper layer; wherein when the floor covering is to be replaced or removed the intermediate layer is separable from the lower layer without substantially leaving any residue or remaining intermediate layer firmly adhered to the substrate.
3. A floor covering material including a lower layer adherable to a substrate to form a lower layer in use of ooe o the floor covering, said lower layer being provided with an upwardly facing fastening means, an intermediate layer in use locatable on the lower layer, and an upper layer ego 25 locatable on top of the intermediate layer to form the ooeo upper layer of the floor covering, wherein said *o :intermediate layer is provided with a downwardly facing :fastening means which cooperatively interacts with the upwardly facing fastening means on the upper surface of the lower layer to retain the intermediate layer in place against the lower layer, a coating of an adhesive material located between the upper surface of the intermediate layer and the lower surface of the upper layer or between the lower surface of the lower layer and the substrate, wherein the lower and intermediate layers are releasably separable from each other in such a manner so as to leave substantially no residue or remaining intermediate layer 18 adhered firmly to the substrate.
4. A floor covering material or method according to any preceding claim in which the upwardly facing fastening means of the lower layer includes a plurality of upwardly facing fastening means. A floor covering material or method according to any preceding claim in which the downwardly facing fastening means of the upper layer includes a plurality of downwardly facing fastening means.
6. A floor covering or method according to any preceding claim in which the lower layer is a tape material or an underlay material.
7. A material or method according to claim 6 in which the tape is a flexible material provided with an adhesive surface for adhering the lower layer to the substrate.
8. A material or method according to claim 7 in S•.owhich the adhesive layer of the tape is covered by a protective film which is removable immediately prior to o oo 20 adhering the tape into position on the substrate.
9. A material or method according to claim 7 or 8 in oooo which the adhesive tape is a plastic tape material. A material or method according to claim 9 in S: which the plastic tape is made from polyethylene, or high o 25 density polyethylene. oooo
11. A material or method according to any one of claims 7 to 10 in which the tape has one surface having .see O: from 100 to 10,000 hooks per square inch.
12. A material or method according to claim 11 in which the tape has one surface having from 500 to 5000 hooks per square inch.
13. A material or method according to claim 11 in which the tape has one surface having about 900 hooks per square inch.
14. A material or method according to any one of claims 7 to 18 in which the tape has a width of up to about 12 inches. 19 A material or method according to claim 14 in which the tape has a width from about half an inch to six inches.
16. A material or method according to any preceding claim in which the substrate is a floor of a building or similar construction in the form of a concrete, timber or floor made from cementitous material.
17. A material or method according to any preceding claim in which the upwardly facing fastening means provided on the upper surface of the lower layer is a plurality of upwardly facing hooks.
18. A material or method according to claim 17 in which the upwardly facing hooks are a series of hooks forming one part of a velcro® fastening system.
19. A material or method according to any preceding claim in which the lower layer of the floor covering is an underlay sheet or underlay layer. .20. A material or method according to claim 19 in which the underlay is adhered to the substrate.
21. A material or method according to claim 20 in which the intermediate layer is an underlay layer of oeoo• material or a layer of cushioning or resilient material or is a tape layer. •22. A material or method according to claim 20 or 21 in which the lower surface of the underlay or tape layer is provided with a plurality of downwardly facing fastening means.
23. A material or method according to claim 22 in which the downwardly facing fastening means of the intermediate layer are loops or hooks which are complementary to the upwardly facing fastening means of the lower layer.
24. A material or method according to claim 23 in which the upwardly facing and downwardly facing fastening means are complementary parts of a velcro® fastening system. A material or method according to any one of 20 claims 19 to 24 in which the underlay is provided in sheets which can be trimmed or otherwise cut to size.
26. A material or method according to any one of claims 19 to 25 in which the underlay is of a rubber material or a foam rubber material, a styrene butadiene rubber or an SBR latex foam.
27. A material or method according to any one of claims 19 to 26 in which the underlay is a polyester stitch bonded fabric surface which cooperatively interacts with the hooks of the velcro® fastenings.
28. A material or method according to any one of claims 21 to 27 in which the underlay layer is separable from the tape layer by releasing the fastening means.
29. A material or method according to any one of claims 21 to 28 in which the tape layer remains in place adhered to the floor or substrate by the adhesive layer *0 :when the remainder of the floor covering is removed. A material or method according to any one of claims 21 to 29 in which the underlay layer remains in *4* 20 place when the tape layer is removed.
31. A material or method according to any one of claims 21 to 30 in which the underlay layer is fully removable from the tape layer without any underlay layer remaining in contact with the tape layer or the tape layer is removed from the underlay without any tape layer remaining in contact with the underlay.
32. A material or method according to any one of o claims 26 to 31 in which the adhesive material is suitable for use with a rubber latex foam or a styrene butadiene rubber latex.
33. A material or method according to any preceding claim in which the upper layer of the floor covering is a carpet layer or a decorative surface and/or a wearing surface.
34. A material or method according to claim 33 in which the upper layer of the floor covering is a carpet layer, carpet squares, carpet tiles or carpet equivalent. 21 A material or method according to claim 33 or 34 in which the carpet layer includes woven or tufted carpets using natural fibres, synthetic fibres, organic fibres, metallic fibres, or combinations thereof.
36. A material or method according to claim 34 or in which the carpet tiles or squares are hard-backed, stiff-backed or provided with a rigid backing or back layer.
37. A material or method according to any preceding claim in which the lower layer is an underlay layer directly adhered to the substrate and the intermediate layer is a tape layer in which the upper surface of the tape layer is adhered to the lower surface of the upper layer and the lower layer of the tape layer is provided with a releasable securing means for connecting to the upper layer of the underlay.
38. A material or method according to any preceding pw claim in which the lower layer is a tape layer directly adhered to the substrate so that the upper surface of the 20 tape layer is provided with a releasable securing fastening means and the intermediate layer is an underfelt layer in which the upper surface is adhered to the lower surface of the top layer wherein the upper surface of the tape layer is provided with a releasable securing means 25 for releasably securing to the lower surface of the •eoo underlay layer.
39. A material or method according to any preceding *44* claim further including gripper strips to increase the location of the floor covering with respect to the underlay and or tape layer where additional strength or structural integrity of the floor covering is required. A method of installing a floor covering substantially as herein before described with reference to any one of the foregoing examples.
41. A method of repairing a damaged floor covering material substantially as herein before described with reference to any one of the foregoing examples. 22
42. A floor covering material including a lower layer adherable to a substrate substantially as herein before described with reference to any one of the foregoing examples. Dated this 12th day of May 2005 CARPET INSTALLATION AND SUPPLIES PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia *e e *e *e