CA2100337A1

CA2100337A1 - Method of reversibly fixing a covering to a supporting surface, and parts and materials suitable for carrying out the method

Info

Publication number: CA2100337A1
Application number: CA002100337A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Helmut Piller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-11-11
Filing date: 1992-10-15
Publication date: 1993-05-12
Also published as: NO180689B; EP0567608A1; JPH06504599A; WO1993010319A1; AU2757992A; NO932488L; GR3020416T3; DK0567608T3; ES2088597T3; DE59205910D1; ATE136343T1; DE4234792A1; NO932488D0; EP0567608B1; NO180689C; AU661866B2

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure In order to in the case of a covering (6) adapted to be attached to a base, and which is secured by magnetic attraction to the base (3), to ensure a high degree of accuracy and ease of attachment, even during pro-duction of the part (8) of the covering (6) adjacent to the base a magneti-cally attracting or magnetically attractable material in the form of a particulate material (9) is integrated therein.

(Single figure).

Description

A Method for the temporary Attachment of a Covering on a base and Parts and Materials suitable for performing the Method The invention relates to a method in accordance with the preamble of claim 1 and furthermore to coverings, attachment sheets, surfacing materi-als, precoats and double floors in accordance with the preambles of claims 22 through 27.
A method of this type is known, see the German patent publication 2,620,095 Al. In this case binding layers comprising iron or magnetic powder are applied to the covering and the base and are caused to cure prior to the attachment of-the covering. This known method therefore leads to results which are unsatisfactory technically and economically, more particularly as regards the covering. In this respect it is namely to be assumed that the application of the binding material on the covering neces-sitates an additional working step following the production of the cover-ing, something which leads to an undue increase in costs. A further, par-ticularly serious disadvantage is to be seen in the Fact that the binding material layer applied to the rear side of the covering ieads to internal stresses within the covering and as a consequence thereof to distortion such as so-called pits etc., something which is disadvantageous as regards the ability of the material to be attached and accuracy of attachment and therefore entails a reduction in quality.
Taking this as a starting point one object b~f the present invention is to avold the disadvantages of the known method using simple and low-cost means and to provide for highly economic performance of the method, for accuracy and furthermore for ease of attachment. ~
This object is attained in a surprisingly simple mann0r by the inven-tion since at least during the production of the covering magnetically .

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attracting or attractable particulate material is integrated in the materi-al part thereof adjacent to the base.
During the production of a multi~layer covering with a support layer receiving at least one face layer it is preferred for the latter layer to be provided with the magnetically attracting or attractable par~iculate material.
These measures offer the advantage of rendering possible an integra-tion of the`application of the magnetic means of the covering in the inher-ently known production of the covering without any additional working step being necessary. In the case of fitted carpets or the like it is possible, instead of the particles so far embedded in the support layer and merely functioning to increase the weight per unit area to improve attachment properties, to simply integrate the magnetically attracting or attractable particles, something which does not make any further working operation necessary. Furthermore it is possible in this manner to automatically arrive at the desired area weight so that the covering in accordance with the invention is in any case able to be attached perfectly and remains in snug contact with any base on which it is arranged. Since the magnetically attracting or attractable particulate material is integrated in the cover-ing or, respectively, in its support layer, there is the further advantageof being certain that internal stresses are not to be feared as a conse-quence of dimensional and geometrical changes. The measures in accordance with the invention accordingly lead to a high degree of accuracy and ease of attachment and therefore generally to a high quality and economic at-tachment.
The method in accordance with the invention may be universally ap-plied and may be readily adapted to the circumstances of a given case.
Thus in many cases it can be expedient to integrate the magnetically at-tracting particulate material in the support layer of the covering. This is more particularly true of a case in which the base consists of magneti-cally attracting material or, respectively, contains such a material, as is for example the case of a base provided with a casing of sheet steel. In the case of magnetically attracting materials provided for the covering, no further preliminary operations are necessary. To the extent khat a base is encountered, which is magnetically neutral 7 the same is simply provided with a magnetically attracted or attracting means prior to attachment of the covering. In this respect it may in many cases turn out to be expedi-ent simply to use magnetically attracted material in the covering so -that in the covering, which is as a rule subjected to wear, the use oF a low-cost material is ensured something which has a generally advantageous ef-- - , ! , , - . : . . ' ~ , ' ~,' ' ' . - ~
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In order to prepare the base it is possible to simply uti'lize a web~
like attachment sheet which contains a magnetically attracting or magneti-cally attractable particulake material and which may consist of foil, non-woven material, fabric or the like. In this respect it is convenient touse a two-layer attachment sheet, in the case o~ which the magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material is placed be-tween the two layers and is secured by an adhesive or binding material.
This ensures that even in the case of a comparatively small overall thick-ness a large quantity of particulate material may be accommodated. Such anattachment sheet will adhere, owing to its comparatively great weight, sufficiently reliably on the base and consequently has the advantage of being able to be attached in a loose state. However it would firstly be possible as well to connect the attachment sheet by means of an interlock-ing join and/or by means of an adhesive joint additionally to the base.
In accordance with a further advantageous deve'lopment of the inven-tion the base can be provided with a suitable surfacing material and/or a suitable precoat, it being convenient in this respect to integrate magneti-cally attractable particulate material, something which facilitates the get-ready operation in a simple manner and renders possible an even distri-bution of the magnetically active material ~hroughout the entire volume.
In this respect ~agnetically attracting particulate materia'l is again pro-vided on the covering.
In order to take into account the requirements in computer rooms and the like it is simply possible to render the means containing the magneti-cally attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material electri-cally conducting. In the case of the use of an attachment sheet the same may for this purpose simply be perforated and/or furnished with a conduct-ing coating on all sides.
An other advantageous feature oF the invention is such that even during the production of the base and more particularly during production of the double floor sheet members constituting the base, magnetically ac-tive particulate material is integrated in the material part adjacent to the surface. In this respect it may conveniently be a question of magneti-cally active particulate material so that adjacent to the covering, which is subjected to wear, it is possible to use the less expensive magnetically attractable material.
In the case of the production of double Floors with double floor sheet members carried on supports it is possible For the covering and the means which magnetically attract each other and are on the covering and the . - . :

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double sheet members, to have them in alignment with the edges of the dou-ble floor sheet members, something which ~acilitates removing individual double floor sheet members.
As a magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material it is an advantage to use a powder-like material. The particle size may in this respect be advantageously so selected that there is no impairment of the covering and strength properties. Furthermore it is thus possible to achieve a good, even distribution of the material and a simple accommodation of a large quantity of particulate material.
As the magnetically attractable material it is simply possible to utilize ferromagnetic iron powder, which is available at an economic price.
As the magnetically attracting material it is furthermore possible to uti-li~e barium ~errite powder, which after application may be permanently magnetized, this being something which ensures simple processing.
In what follows one working embodiment of the invention will be de-scribed ~ith reference to the drawing in more detail. The single figure of the drawing shows a section taken through a covering in accordance with the invention with a base located underneath it -in the form of a suitable dou-ble floor.
The double floor depicted in the drawing consists of an underfloor structure 1, for example in the form of a concrete ceiling or the like, supports 2 mounted thereon and double floor sheet members 3 or boards rest-ing thereon. The supports 2 mean that there is a cavity 4 between the underfloor structure 1 and the double floor sheet members 3 in order to accommodate installed means such as are indicated in the form of pipes 5.
The double floor sheet members 3 may for instance be of chipboard, sheet metal, stone slabs, aerated concrete slabs or the like. In the depicted example chipboard is to be employed.
On the pre-existing double floor a covering 6 is laid which in the drawing may be seen to be arranged at a distance therefrom. This covering consists in the illustrated working embodiment of a plurality of tiles 6a, which are to be laid adjacent to each other and whose edges are aligned with the ed~es of the double floor sheet members 3 and which are so laid that edges in alignment with one another are produced. It is therefore possible in a simple manner to ensure that individual double floor sheet members 3 may be uncovered and removed in order to gain access to the cavi-ty 5. It would however also be possible to lay the tiles 6a with an offset between their joints and the joints between double floor sheet members 3 in order to span any small inaccuracies in the thickness oF the double floor sheet members 3.

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The covering 6 is here in the form of a fitted carpet covering.
Accordingly the tiles 6a are in the form of fitted carpet tiles or panels.
A fitted carpet of this type comprises a pile-like, textile upper layer 7 and a support layer 8 which secures the textile material in place and con-sists of a suitable material such as synthetic resin or the like.
In order to produce magnetic atkraction between the covering 6 and the associated base, here in the form of the double floor sheet members 3, and consequently to ensùre reliable adhesion despite easy removal, the covering with the associated base are furnished with means mutually mag-netically attracting one another. These means are constituted by magneti-cally attracting or, respectively, magnetically attractable par-ticulate material. In the illustrated working embodiment of the invention ferromag-netic iron powder 9 is incorporated in the support layer 8 of the covering 6. This powder is, as shown in the figure, integrated in the support layer 8 with an even distribution in space. The double floor sheet members 3 constituting the base, which in the present case are to be in the form of chipboard, are in the illustrated working embodiment furnished with an attachment sheet 10, in which barium ferrite powder 11 is integrated, which after the putting in place in the layer sheet 10 may be permanently magne-tized by the action of a magnetic field so that the ferromagnetic ironpowder 9 of the covering 6 is attracted by it. However instead of barium ferrite it is possible furthermore to employ strontium ferrite or the like.
The layer sheet 10 consists, in the illustrated working embodiment, of a twin layer foil, between whose upper and lower layers a particulate materi-al, in the present case in the form of the barium ferrite powder, is ar-ranged and by means of an adhesive or a binding material is secured in place. However in lieu of a foil it would furthermore be possible to em-ploy a non-woven material or a fabric or the like. In the case of a foil it is possible for the attachment sheet to be rendered electrically con-ducting in a simple manner, that is to say by being furnished with an elec-trically conducting coating on all sides and/or provided with perforations distributed over its surface and able to be filled with conducting materi-al.
The attachment sheet 10 which here as well has a tile-like form in a 3~ size corresponding to the floor sheek members 3 or, respectively, the tiles 6a on the covering side, may be loosely arranged on the associated base, which here is in the form of the double floor sheet member$ 3, something which means that the same may be readily removed again. The comparakively high area weight, resulting from the integrated metal powder, serves to ensure a reliable anchoring effect so that the sheeting keeps in place. In 2 ~ 3 ~
order to ensure that the parts are particularly firmly kept in place, it would naturally be possible for the attachment s~eet 10 to be furthermore bonded to and/or interlocked with the associated base, ~or exarnple by de-tente knobs 12 thereon, which would fit into detente holes 13 in the floor.
In the installed condition there is practically no wear or only a very small degree of wear of the attachment sheet so underneath the covering 6, whereas the covering is subject to wear on its upper surface and conse-quently has to be replaced from time to time. Accordinyly in the present case the cheaper -iron powder 9 is used in the covering 6 and the more ex-1û pensive barium ferrite powder is employed in the base, in the present casein the attachment sheet 10 on the base side. A reverse arrangement would naturally be possible. The incorporation of magneticallY attracting mate-rial such as barium ferrite powder, which after incorporation can be perma-nently magnetized, in the covering will more particularly come into qwes-tion if the associated base consists of ferromagnetic material, as forexample will be the case with steel sheeting or, respectively, sheeting covered with steel sheet. The same will apply for base, in whose outer layer particulate material can be incorporated, this applying for instance for concrete slabs and the like. In such cases there is naturally no at-tachment sheet of the type illustrated here.
However instead of using an attachment sheet or integrating magneti-cally attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material in the base the same may simply be furnished with a precoat and/or a surfacing material, there being therein a material which is suitable for causing magnetic attraction. In order to facilitate the stirring or mixing of the precoat or, respectively, of the surfacing material, in this case ferromag-netic iron powder is employed for this purpose. In the covering barium ferrite powder is accordingly to be utilized. The precoat and the surfac-ing material may be provided jointly. In many cases however the precoat alone can be sufficient. As a binding material it is in this respect con-venient to employ an epoxy resin which cures quickly and gives a hard, wear-resistant surface, something that is more particularly an advantage, if the surface is exposed for long periods of time as is Frequently the case on construction sites. The iron powder is preferably only stirred into the binding material, like the epoxy resin, on site.
In those cases in which corrosion of the iron powder or the like is likely to occur, the powder may be furnished with a suitab1e protective layer. For this purpose zinc stearate may be used. This material is mixed in a powder form into the iron powder or the like at a rate of approximate-ly 2 %. Following this all the material is heated up to approxima1:ely 70 , - : , . .

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C so that the zinc stearate fuses and forms the desired protective layer.
A preferred field of application for the coverings of the type in accordance with the invention is exhibition stands or booths, gymnasia or the like or removable coverings for floors underneath which cables etc, have been laid. However t~le advantages provided by the invention make themselves felt in connection with stair carpets and stair mats owing to the good sllp-free attachment to the base.

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Claims

1. A method for the temporary attachment of a covering on a base, more particularly a floor covering or wall covering, in the case of which mutually facing sides of the covering and of the base are placed against each other free of adhesive and are secured in relation to one another by magnetic attraction between means of the covering and of the base cooperat-ing magnetically together, characterized in that at least during the pro-duction of the covering in the part of the material thereof nearest to the base magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable particulate mate-rial is integrated.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that during production of such a covering with at least two layers with a face layer preferably in the form of a carpet and at least one support layer carrying the outside layer the magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material is integrated in the support layer.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or in claim 2, characterized in that it is employed in the case of a base consisting at least partly of a magnetically attractable material, preferably a base provided with a steel sheet casing is employed, magnetically attracting particulate material being integrated in the covering.

4. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, charac-terized in that the base is furnished with a magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable means prior to the attachment thereof.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the base is furnished with a weblike attachment sheet, which contains magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material, in the form of a foil, a non-woven material, a fabric or the like.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that a two-layer attachment sheet is utilized in the case of which the magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material is arranged between the two layers and is secured in place by means of an adhesive or a binding material.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, characterized in that the attachment sheet is provided with a magnetically attracting particulate material and the covering is furnished with magnetically attractable par-ticulate material.

8. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 5 through 7, characterized in that the attachment sheet is arranged loosely on the base.

9. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 5 through 8, characterized in that the attachment sheet is provided with detente knobs and the base is provided detente holes into which the detente knobs are fitted.

10. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 5 through 7, characterized in that the attachment sheet is bonded to the base.

11. The method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the base is provided with a surfacing material, in which magnetically attractable particulate material is integrated, the covering being furnished with mag-netically attracting particulate material.

12. The method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the base is provided with a precoat, in which magnetically attractable material is integrated, said covering being provided with magnetically attracting par-ticulate material.

13. The method as claimed in any one of the claims 4 through 12, characterized in that the means comprising the magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material of the base is rendered elec-trically conducting.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that in the case of the use of an attachment sheet the same is perforated.

15. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 through 14, characterized in that in the case of the production of double floors having double floor sheet members resting on supports the covering and the magnetically attracting means of the covering and of the double floor sheet member are provided with edges in alignment with the edges of the double floor sheet members.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 or in claim 2, characterized in that in the case of the production of covering and more particularly in the case of the production of double floor sheet members constituting the cov-ering, magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material is incorporated in the material thereof adjacent to surface.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that magneti-cally attracting particulate material is incorporated adjacent to the sur-face of the double sheet members.

18. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, charac-terized in that as a magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material powder material is utilized.

19. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, charac-terized in that as a magnetically attractable particulate material ferro-magnetic iron powder is employed.

20. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, charac-terized in that as a magnetically attracting particulate material barium ferrite powder and/or strontium ferrite powder is used, which after incor-poration is permanently magnetized.

21. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, charac-terized in that the magnetically attracting and/or magnetically attractable particulate material is provided with a protective layer preferably con-sisting of zinc stearate.

22. A covering, preferably in the form of tiles and more particularly in the form of a fitted carpet having a face layer and a support layer, for performing the method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, char-acterized in that magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable par-ticulate material is incorporated in the lower part of the covering materi-al and more particularly in the support layer.

23. An attachment sheet, more particularly in the form of a foil, a non-woven material or a fabric, for performing the method as claimed in any one of the claims 4 through 21, characterized in that it comprises a mag-netically attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material.

24. The attachment sheet as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of layers and the magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material is arranged between two lay-ers and is held in place by an adhesive or binding material.

25. A surfacing material for performing the method as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that it comprises magnetically attractable iron powder.

26. A precoat for performing the method as claimed in claim 11, char-acterized in that it comprises magnetically attractable iron powder.

27. A double floor comprising double floor sheet members resting on double floor supports, for performing the method as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that a magnetically attracting or magnetically attractable particulate material is integrated in the material, which is adjacent to the face, of the double floor sheet members.