CA2205403C

CA2205403C - Fusion-bonded carpet system and method of preparation

Info

Publication number: CA2205403C
Application number: CA002205403A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Wayne M. Hamilton; David K. Slosberg
Original assignee: Interface Inc
Current assignee: Interface Inc
Priority date: 1994-11-14
Filing date: 1994-11-14
Publication date: 2001-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 2014-11-14
Also published as: WO1996015302A1; AU685552B2; AU1177195A; EP0793742A1; DE69421417D1; ATE186086T1; CA2205403A1; EP0793742B1; DK0793742T3; PT793742E; DE69421417T2; ES2143035T3

Abstract

A fusion-bonded carpet system and method of manufacture which method include s providing as all or a portion of the wear face surface cut yarn material in rope form prepared in rope bundles and implanting one or both ends of the ro pe bundle in an adhesive layer on a backing sheet to provide one or two I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet materials having a selected pattern on the wear face surface. The fusion-bonded carpet has a wear face surface composed of all or part of a yarn material in rope bundle form, for example, of a multicolored random or selected pattern. The carpet material may have a backing layer and form carpet tile.

Description

WO ~6/15302 1~ 1/13056 DESCRIPI ION

Fusion-Bonded Ca~pet System and Method of ~lion ~ ~l~round of the Inven~iQB
Carpets, such as free-lay carpet or backed carpet tile, have been pr~paled as S either a tufted or a fusion-bonded carpet material having a wear face surface.Tufted carpet tile generally COlll~liSeS a pAIll~y carpet base sheet material having a plurality of tufted yarns through the p.i~llaly base sheet material to form a wear face surface of loop or cut pile, and usually with a precoat, such as of a latex-type material, like carboxylated styrene-bl)t iien~styrene precoat, on the back surface to 10 bond the yarn to the plilllaly back. Tufted carpet roll goods usually have a secon~y b~rl~ing of jute, woven poly~,.o~ylene or foam. Tufted carpet tile includes a backing layer which generally comprises a solid, Ihe.,l-opla;~lic material, such as atactic polypropylene, bilulll~ll or polyvinyl ~hlori(1e, prertlably with a glass fiber sheet material, such as a mesh or fleece material, embedded therein to impart ~lim~.n~ n~l 15 stability to the carpet tile. The b~ g may also include a foam-type b~ ;n~ layer, such as a PVC or urethane foam layer. Non-thermoplastic materials, such as polyur~lhane, may also be used for the b~c~ing. In additi~n~ the tufted carpet tile may include a secondary backing sheet, such as of ribel~,làss, poly~.~,~lene or polyester-type m~teri~l, or in fact, may be l~...;n,lled and/or contain a pres~ure-sensili~e~
20 adhesive, ~ pable layer for applicalion to a ~,ub~llal~.
Fusion-bonded carpet has ~enl;~lly the same bac~illg except that the fusion-bonded carpet is char~cteri7~ by a plurality of cut pile yarns, for ~...pl~, of nylon or other natural or ~ylllllelic fibrous-type mateAal, illll,la lled in an adhesive layer, particularly a thermoplastic, like a polyvinyl chloAde layer, or a hot-melt adhesive 25 layer. Where a polyvinyl chloAde pla,lisol is used, heating of the layer gels and then fuses the layer into solid form, while with hot-melt adhesive mateAal, a melted layer is applied and subsequently cooled into solid form. The plurality of fibrous yarns are bonded to and extend upAght from the adhesive base layer to form a face wear surface.
Generally, a fusion-bonded carpet also in~llldes an ~ -ent ba~ing layer of a glass 30 fiber scAm material having large open areas and a glass fiber fleece which serves as a st~hili7in~ carrie~.

2 1 ~ 94/130S6 Fusion-bonded carpets may be pr~p~cd employing a llul~lber of well-known, but dirr~,elll te~hni.lues and m~rhines in both ho-~on~l and vertical pr~cesses known as the I-bond or U-bond processes. The single-end fiber i...p1~ ;Qn technique, known as the I-bond process, holds the ends of the severed yarns in place by a layer of an S adhesive m~t~ri~l on a b~ g m~t~o.ri~l, for ~Y~...p1c, a fibe,~;lass scrim-type m~t.o.ri~l ~dj~sPnt to a non-woven, glass fiber fleece layer. Thel~r~r, the free ends of the fusion-bonded carpet may be embedded in another adhesive layer as before on the same or dirr~,r~ b~L;.-g material, and the reY-1ting sandwich-type carpet then cut, for ~Y~mp1~q, with an osc~ ting blade in a vertical fusion-bonding method or by a 10 co.~ band knife in the h~ .u.~l;.l fusion-bonding mPtho~, to form two rolls of fusion-bonded carpet having a cut wear face surface for b~ç~in~ into carpet tile or used as roll goods. In anu~l.er I-bond process, the severed yarn has one end i...p1~..1~d directly into an adhesive layer on a bac~hlg sheet, with the other severed end folll~ g the wear face surface of the carpet.
The U-bond process generally inc111des a corrugated or pleated layer of yarn, whelcill each loop end is placed in a layer of adhesive material on barlring sheet material, and then the sandwich-formed carpet material cut to form two rolls of fusion-bonded carpet, each roll having cut loops of yarn embedded in the adllesive layer;
hence, the name U-bond process.
The fusion-bonded carpet material prepared by these various prûce~es can then be used as free-lay carpet or be COIlVt;l ~d into carpet or carpet tile with the application of a suitable bac~ing layer and cutting or ~ .ing it into suitable form.
It is desirable to provide for a new and i~ luved fusion-bonded carpet material prepared by a m~ifi~d I-bond process, inr1u-1ing a carpet tile ch~ r~ ;~ by novel design p"ll~ on the face wear surface and for a method for prcpa~ g such carpet m~tf~.ri~l .
Summary of the Invention The invention relates to a method and system for the m~m1f~ctl-re of fusion-bonded floor covering, such as carpet tile, and particularly to an I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet tile, having a mn1*t olored pattern on the face wear surface thereon.
The present invention is directed to a fusion-bonded carpet, and more particularly an I-bond fusion-bonded carpet, and to a method of ~l~ing the fusion-Wo 96/lS302 ~ J~4113056 bonded carpet, particularly a carpet tile which fusion-bonded carpet and method provide for a l~ble or random pattern in the face wear surface, particularly a multicolored ble or random pattern of s~lect~l design.
The method collll,lises coating a layer of an a&esive material onto a sheet 5 b~ g material, feeding the yarn m~tt.ri~l to a clalllpi~lg means, cutting the yarn material to a defined height, i...l.! ...I;ng cut yarn material into an adhesive coated layer in a plane generally perpen(1ir~ r to the b~.L ing material and bonding the i...pl~ A
yarn material into the adhesive coated layer.
The ilu~r~velu~ co...~ ÇS prepa~ g multiple strands of the yarn material in 10 rope form, forming selected bundles of the rope-formed yarn material with the yarn materi~l con,~osed of yarn of dirrert;lll chal~.c~ri~lics, such as being of dirferelll colors in the strands of the rope form, s~veli lg the rope-formed bundles and impl~nting one end of the severed rope bundles in the a&esive layer to form a pattern of the ends of the rope bundles as the face wear surface of the carpet m~t~.ri~l. Optionally, and 15 prertl~.bly, the other end of the severed rope bundles are implanted in an adhesive layer on a bac~ing sheet to form a sandwich-type construction and then severing the implanted yarn mateAal generally il~lt;l..-~J;~e the sandwich to form two sc;p~le rolls of carpet mateAal. Optionally, the carpet m~t~.ri~l may then have a b~cL-ing applied thereto and cut when carpet tile is being plepal~d.
The fusion-bonded carpet of the invention colll~lises a carpet having a face wear surface which is formed in whole or in part by the display of the end view of the yarn mateAal placed in strands in rope-like forms and bundles, the bundles bonded onto an adhesive layer m~teri~l on a bac~ g sheet, the severed ends of the rope-formed bundles follllillg the face wear surface of the carpet m~t~.ri~l.
The invention co.ll~lises a system for the m~nl~f~ctllre of a fusion-bonded carpet, which system colll~lises a source of multiple strands of yarn material, the yarn m~t~.ri~l sçlected to have dirfer~lll chal.lcleli~lics; rope making means to receive the mnlt-'~
strands of yarn material from the source and to form the multiple strands in rope form, which rope form in~ln~s means to ~ in the integrity of the rope form during subsequent procç~ing; means to include a plurality of the rope forms from the rope making means into rope form bundles, and inchl(les means to ~ ;nl; in the illl~lily of the rope form bundles during ~ubse41lenl proce.~ .g; means to sever the rope form WO 96/15302 PCI~/US94rl30~i6 bundles to a SPkPCtp~d height and to form cut rope form bundles having a one and other end; means to i~ the one end of the cut rope form bundle into an adhesive coating layer on a b~ ing sheet material; and means to secure the illl?la.llcd cut rope form bundles to the adhesive coating layer to form a fusion-bonded carpet having a face wear S surface.
The system for the m~mlf~t tnre of a fusion-bonded carpet comprises a plurality of strands of yarn m~tPri~l arranged in a generally parallel, Ull~Wi~ d, rope form and a means to ...~;..I;1;n the .,lle~ y of the strands of yarn material in the rope form for subsequent procec~ing.
- 10 The invention further comprises a yarn rope form bundle adapted for use in the m~mlf~ctllre of a fusion-bonded carpet, which rope form bundle material comprises a plurality of rope form materials co,lll~osed of a plurality of strands of yarn material in rope form and having means to ~ ;r.l;.i,~ the illlcglily of the rope form material; the rope form materials bundled together ~dj~ Pnt each other to form a rope form bundle;
15 means to ...~i"1,.in the inl~grily of the rope form bundle during procF!~;ng to form a fusion-bonded carpet; and means whclcin the yarn material of one or more of the rope form m~tPri~lc have sPlected difrclelll characteristics, the yarn material ~d~pte~ to form a sPlected design pattern on the face surface of a fusion-bonded carpet.
The invention permits the creation of a selected rcpealablc or random pattern in20 an I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet, particularly of a multicolored pattern as the face wear surface of the carpet by employing yarn material in strand form with the strands making up a selected rope form and the ropes bundled together. The rope-like bundles may be sliced to desired yarn height and implanted at one end in the adhesive layer to display the other end view of the selectecl ropes in the rope bundle, or plt;f~l~bly both ends 25 hll?lalllt;d and then cut to form two sepa,al~ rolls of carpet material with the selectecl yarn face wear surface. The method and the res~llting carpet material provides for easily ready flexibility in the selection le~dlable or random p~lle~ to make up the face wear surface of I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet.
In the present lechni~lues of pr~il~ I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet, individual 30 yarns are fed from beams to a clamping beam wherein the yarns are accum~ ted to a desired thi~n~c~ del~lllined by the size and nulllber of the individual yarns, and the c1~mped yarns are sheared by a guillotine blade and impl~nted into an adhesive coating WO 96/15302 ~ 94/130S6 layer on a b~l;ng sheet. The other end of the yarn is then i...~ Pd in an o~)osile adhesive layer on a b~ in~ sheet, and then the sandwich is cut to form two rolls of carpet m~teri~l If varied yarn colors are employed, straight lines or pdllelns would be formed employing this prior art system. Space-dyed yarns can be used to prol.,. le the 5 highli~ht~ on the face wear surface, but the size of contrast color insert is quite limited in the present I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet ..,~lh~c. In the ill~e~tion, yarn materials are prep~ed in strands of pre~r....;ned yarns and then formed into a rope form, and the rope form prepar~ in plede~ ined mlll*rle rope form bundles. The strands making up the rope-like form and the rope-end bundles are held together to 10 l.~;nl;.in strand, rope-like and bundle illt~,lily. The yarn m~tPri~l may be produced in mnltirle se1ected strands to make up in rope form, then selP~cted rope formedl6~e~ r to make up sto~ 1 rope bundles which are to be held, clalll~ed and i~ "led in the a&esive layer, as in a typical I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet methndt The invention collll.lises a m~ific~ion to t_e co,lvc;~ n~l I-bond m~thods of 15 pr~parillg carpet m~teri~l, and particularly for carpet tile mqt~ri~l, to form carpet m~tlori~l of ~.,yillg yarn color or cha.~.~tel;~l;cs as the face wear surface. The sheet bac~in~ m~teri~l e,~ yed in conl-~ ion with the carpet m~t~ri~l may coll,p,ise for r~ any woven, non-woven, natural or ~,ynlhelic sheet m~teri~l, but particularly would include sheet m~teri~l as employed in I-bond or in carpet ...~....rAc~ e to inclllde, 20 but not be limited to, natural materials, such as jute, synthetic materials, such as polyester, woven or non-woven sheet material, such as glass fiber scrim, and in particular, glass fiber, non-woven tissue material, which ba,~L ;ng sheet m~teri~l~ may be used alone or in various co"lb;..~liol-~.
The adl,esive m~teri~l employed to form the adhesive coating layer and to retain25 the i...~ nled yarn material in a generally upright and typically perpqn~ic~ r position may co~Qplise any type of adhesive-type m~tPri~l, to include but not be limited to, vinyl chloride resin m~t~ri~l, such as a vinyl chloride resin plastisol, which may be applied as a liquid coating layer and subse lu~"lly on h~ting, gels and fuses to form a solid polyvinyl chloride layer or a hot-melt adhesive layer composed of a thermoplastic 30 polymer material which on heating melts, and on cooling soli~lffles, such s for e~l~lc atactic polyl,r~,pylene, b;l.~ n, m~lifie~ b;~ rn~ or other type material. Otherpolymers may include olefinic-vinyl acid ester, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, and WO 96/15302 PCTI[JS94/130S6 copolymers, polyule~ e, c~ ic mqtP.riql, styrene-but ~ifAne mqtPriql, SBS
rubber, polyqmi(les, polyurG~ e and various latex-type mqtPriql~ to include SBS
rubber, carbo~yldled SIS rubber and ethylene vinyl acetate. The latex adhesive may in~ fie7 but not be limited to, various vinyl laffices such as acrylic-vinyl, copolymer 5 and olefin-vinyl esters, such as ethylene vinyl short-chain esters, like e~ylGIlG vinyl acetate. The adhesive co l ~o~i~ion may be co pounded with other COAA1POIIG11I~7~ fillers and additives.
The yarn material employed may Colll~lisG any fibrous-type material, natural or ~7ylltLGlic, and co llbin~ thereof, but more typically co,~.ises nylon, polyester or 10 olefinic-type resin, or natural products such as wool and CO l~;n~l ;on~ thereof, and such fibrous-type mqtP,riql~ as used in plGpa~ g carpet material, particularly caIpet tile mqtPriql The carpet material so plG~aled may be employed as a free-lay carpet on top of a sepa,~le solid or foam or other type of carpet support or may have a sepA.,~1e baçL-ing qttq~hed thereto. Carpet tile material may include a solid or foam m~teri~l 15 secured to the back surface of the b~ L;,-~ sheet, alone or with a secon~l~ry bff~Lil-g sheet. Thus, the carpet m~ten~l may be employed as a free-lay carpet, or more particularly, may be further coated, such as with a vinyl chloride resin, atactic polyplol,ylene or bilul æll or foam material, then cut to form carpet tile. The carpet tile m~ten~l may be freely laid or may also include pres~u.e-se~iLive adhesives on the 20 secon.1~ry b~rL ;ng or back surface.
For ~,w~oses of illustration only the method will be desclibed with the double impl~nt~-fion I-bond method ~vlleleill each end of the rope bundles are i ~ el~ed in a molten or liquid adl~sive layer on a b~L ;l~g sheet to form an I-bond fusion-bonded carpet. In the double i ~lpl~nl~l;on method as used, both ends of the rope end bundles 25 are employed and placed in an a&esive layer to forrn a sandwich and then the yarn m~tPri~l severed to form two sepal~le carpet rolls. The selection of materials employed in the method may vary as desired and to provide co...pd~;l.ility. For example, where a vinyl plastisol is employed as the a&esive coating layer, the carpet ~ile bAcL ;n~ layer would employ a vinyl chloride col~dlible material, such as a polyvinyl chloride solid 30 b~cL-ing layer. If the a&esive material colllprises a SIS or carbo~ylaled SIS a&esive coating layer, then the carpet tile b~L;ng m~teri~l would collprise a colllpdlille WO 96/15302 ~ 54113056 backing layer of a bilwllell or polymer-modifi~ bilulllen layer to form the carpet tile material.
The yarn material is selected for a s~lected, de~ignrd face wear surface, for example, the yarn m~t~ri~l strands thereof or the rope which is made up of the strands S or the end rope bundles made up of the rope, may vary. The yarn m~t~ri~l is ce~ect~d to provide for the desired cl~n~lri;~tirs, such as, for example, the yarn m~t~ri~l, strands or rope so formed from these strands may be formed of multicolored or sep colors, and then blended in the end rope bundles to form a random or rep~dlable pattern as desired as the face wear surface of the carpet. For example, the yarn m~t~ri~l 10 employed in either the strands, rope or bundles can vary in a Iwlllbel of dirr~.clll characteristics to include a multiple texture, random or l~ble pattern on the carpet tile created by varying for example the yarn sizes, the yarn plies, the twist level, the yarn twist direction, the yarn heat setting, the yarn color and other fibrous yarn material characteristics. Thus, the method and the res--lting carpet m~trri~l provide for 15 a wide variety of te~lur~s and p~ on the face surface, inrlu~ling varying the yarn material, such as blending yarn material of various yarn sizes, colors and plies to arrive at a desired pattern. The multiple end rope bundles of the yarn materials used in conj..i~ ;on with the method may be made as the major part or all of the face wear surface of the carpet material. They can also be used in conjunction with single end 20 yarns of selected chal~çl~ irs~ for t?Y~mple, to fill in the voids or to modify any desired pattern on the face wear surface of the carpet. The single yarn material may represelll a major or minor co~ elll of face surface of the carpet. The method is directed to providing a repeatable, sel.o~cted pattern on the face wear surface. However, random ~1~ are also possible by ~ust v~yhlg the input and 1oc7~ti( n of the multiple 25 bundles.
In the invention, yarn material is formed into various and multiple strands, forçY~mple, strands of t~,vo to twenty groups of yarn material of the same or di~rere colors or characteristics. The strands are then fed into a ropem~king ...~chii-~ or may be formed within the ropem~king m~hine to form a rope material composed for 30 example of four to twelve, for rY~ lr, six to ten strands. The rope material so elllel~ing may be bundl~ together to form rope bundles which are to be severed and employed in the invention.

WO 96/15302 1 ~ 41l3os6 The yarn strand may be co~ osed of yarn of the same material or multicolored m~teri~l A rope is then made of various illL~lwmed, woven or twisted or straightstrands, either single or mllltirolored, then the ropes placed together in four to twelve or more, for example, six to ten or more, rope bundles to form the rope bundles to be 5 c~ ed7 severed and impl~nt~d in the adhesive coating.
It has been found that twisting of the strands in the rope tends to place the fibers at an angle to the base material, while uul~wi~led rope and rope bundles made ofunlwisled rope with the yarn strands generally parallel permits the fibers to remain generally upright and erect from the sheet base or b~ ing material. Thelcrore, in one 10 plcÇellcd embo-limPnt, desirable results are achieved by employing rope and rope bundles conll)osed of straight and parallel yarn material. The straight, parallel rope and rope bundles are ...~ ;n~ by wl~ppillg the exterior surface of either with pl~crtlably a yarn m~t~ri~l or a braided wrap to insure rope and rope bundle illl~glily. Anyropem~king ...~hine may be employed into which the yarns are fed to form a rope 15 m~teri~l One r~p~ k;np m~hint~ coll.plises a ropem~king ...~hine de~i~ned to m~e smaller d;~ el.or ropes l~nging from about 3mm in tli~meter to 13mm in ~ ;le. (rope 501) which is n~ r~ ed and sold by Zima S.p.a. of Italy. Such r~p~....k;ng ...~ch;..es, such as Rope Layer 501, a Zima coll-~und ropem~king m~hin~, employsa plurality of yarn strand spools, then the ...~hine with the run of the s~ands and the 20 rope produced has 4-inch for l-inch twist on the strands and 2-inch for 1-inch twist on the rope. The rope produced by the ropem~king ...~chin~ may be used directly in the I-bond mPth~
Optionally, the strands of the yarn material making up the rope as well as the rope bundles are retained logellær for the ~,ul~oses of rope and rope bundle i..leglily 25 during the carpet m~m-f~ctllring method. The rope and the rope bundles may beretained loge~l~, by a variety of means in~lu(ling an a&esive means, either telll~lalily or pel ...~n~ ly arranged, or bonded or more particularly, retained together by a yarn material, such as mono- or mllltifil~mPnt spun wlapped spirally around the ropes and then around the rope bundle so that the ropes and the rope bundle material may be 30 effectively moved into the cl~...p;ng means and guillotine blade of the I-bond l-.~cl~;n-o~y. The means to retain the rope and rope bundles together may also include a heat-slllil~ble fil~m~nt or film wrap material or any other means to retain the rope WO 96/15302 PCI~/US94/130S6 and the rope bundles togc;lh~l wi l~wl adversely ~;rr~g the employment of the strand or rope and rope end bundles as yarn mqtPriql in the I-bond, fusion-bonded process.
The carpet may be made of single yarns, rope or rope end bundles toge~ r as desired to make up the face wear surface of the carpet mqtPri~l. Typically, the r~ in~ means S employed in the rope and the rope end bundles are, particularly where it is a mfn~filqmPnt or mnltifilqmP,nt type mq,tPriql loosely wrapped around the PYtPrnql surface of the rope and rope bundled mqter~ are left in place after the cla-llpil,g, cutting and j",p1 ,-t ~if~l~ of the rope and rope end bundles as they do not ad~ ely effect the face wear surface of the res -lting carpet material.
The employment of rope and rope bundles of yarn materials in use in the invention is le~l.ic~ed to I-bond methf~ of m~qn~f~qctllre. The employment of the U-bond method for providing fusion-bonded carpets does not permit the adhesive layer to pe~ .te the rope or rope end bundles sufficiently.
The invention will be desclibed and illustrated in CC)~ ;f~n with certain 15 illustrated embofl;...~ ; how~ v~r, it is l~cog,~d that various m~lifi~ation~, ch~ s, i.n~)r~,vcments and addilions to the illu~llaled el"bf~i...P-nt~ may be made by those pel~fjlls skilled in the art, all falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Brief Descrip~ion of the Drawir~
Fig. I is a schP~ ;r illustration of the method of the invention.
Fig. 2 is a fr~p.. r.~ , pe,~pe~live view from above of a plurality of strands of yarn material in rope form.
Fig. 3 is a fr~...e~.~ . y, ~e~ ive view from above of a plurality of rope yarn material in rope bundle form for use in an I-bond, fusion-bonding mP.thf~
Fig. 4 is a large section~ c.~live view from above of a carpet tile prepdled 25 by the methf-(l of tne i-,vt;"lion.
Fig. S is a schk~ l ;c illustration of the optional final step in tne dual i...pl~ l;on method of the invention.
Des~ lion of the Embodiments Fig. 1 is a scl-P~..-li~ illustration of a method of fo."~ an I-bond, fusion-30 bonded carpet material of the invention, which method 10 employs a plurality of yarnsources 12, 14, 16 and 18 to feed sepa-ale strands of yarn into a lope...~ g ...~ inP
20 as ill~ ted with eight strands of yarn f~lr~ g the r~...Aking ...acl7i~-P and providing the strands in rope form 22 (see Fig. 2), the strands of yarn are held logelLel for the l~ul~oses of ihll~"ily by spirally winding of a m-)nofil~m~nt 26, such as nylon, about the e~lGlior surface along the length of the rope æ. Rope 22 is then placed in a rope pattern bundling ~ P 28 wllGlGby the rope æ made up of various yarn S strands is then formed into rope bundles 30 (see Fig. 3) in which the ropes within the bundle are ~ d in the rope bundle i,lt~,lily by the employment also of a monofil~mPnt nylon 32 spirally wla~l)ed around the exterior surface of the rope bundle 30. The rope bundle 30 is then cn~ d to a clall~ g guill- tin~ blade 48 wLerein the rope bundle 30 is cut to a pledelG~ ed sFlPcl~ height, for example, about 3mm to 12mm, with each rope bundle 30 having eight strands and with the yarn material making up the str~n~s~ for ~ , colll~osed of nylon with one, two, three or more ropes 22 of dirrelGIl~ color than the other rope making up a rope bundle 30 to provide a desired landol~l or lepealable pattern on the face surface of the rG~ ;ng carpet.
The I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet is first pl`Gl)al`Gd through a ty-pical technique of employing a non-woven, glass fiber tissue sheet m~tori~l 34 to~,GlLe~ with a fibel~,lass mesh material 36 to form the bar~;,-g sheet of the reslllting carpet 44. A
polyvillyl resin pl~icol 38 ~lispen~e~l from a trough 40 to form a thin, liquid, adhesive coating layer 42 which pGI~llates the open fiber glass mesh m~tto.ri~l 34, but does not l ellellalG the non-woven glass fiber sheet 34. The coating layer 42 may vary inthirl~nto~es but typically ranges from about 2mm to 10mm, for G~l~le, 2mm to 6mm.
One end of the severed rope bundle ends is then inserted into the liquid plastisol layer 42 and the back surface of the ba~L ;i~ sheet then heated, such as through a hot air oven or infrared heat 46 to gel and then fuse the pl~.~ti~ol layer so as to retain the end of the rope bundles in the layer 42. The rope end bnn.lles 30 are ~ulJ~sl~d and moved on a coll~t;yor belt 50, and the reslllting carpet 44 then rolled up and may be used as a free-lay carpet with a sep~. ~le indep~ b~. L i..~ or may be coated with a s~
b~ ;.-g and then cut to form carpet tile.
Fig. 2 shows a rope 22 produced by the ropem~kin~ hinP 20 and composed of a plurality of yarn strands of a continuous nylon fiber in which the fiber has been 30 selP~cted to have desired ch~.,.c~ I;cs, for eY~mrle, of one particular color and with the strands of yarn m~tPri~l ...~i..~ in~d in the rope form by an exterior monofil~mPnt of wla~ped nylon fiber 26.

WO 96/15302 ~ 1/130S6 Fig. 3 is a pe.~p~;live of the rope bundles 30 showillg selected ropes 22 of Fig.
2 in a bundled configuration and with the bundle illl~,rily ...~;u~ P~ during the bonding process through the employment of an exterior monofil~mPnt, like nylon wla~pmg, 32. One or more the ropes æ within the bundle 30 is of one color and the 5 r~ ing ropes 22 are a dirrelcl,l color or a variety of colors or may have dirrer~l,l fiber ch5-~tC~ ;cs to provide the desired pattern on the face surface of the carpet 44.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged, section~ el~;live view from above of a carpet tile 56 prepalcd by the method of the invention which has polyvinyl chlori~le solid b~cL ;,-g layer 52 which has been applied to the back surface of the non-woven riber~,lass tissue 10 sheet material 34. As particularly illustrated on the face su-f~ce, there is shown a surface colllposed of rope end bundles 30 which are co~llposed of ropes 22 wLe~Gin the se~ulily binders 32 and 26 are retained in place and whelt;ill as illustrated some of the rope bundles 22 are of a dirrer~lll color than others in the same rope or in the same rope bundle to provide a desired pattern. Also, single fibers 54 have been i.~.p~ tell 15 in a typical, regular I-bond process to fill in the voids and to provide a desired dirr~r ~l pattern in cGlnl)i~alion with the rope end bundles 30.
Fig. S is a scl-.. ~l;c illustration of the I-bond double illl~ ;on method of the invention wL~eil the I-bond fusion-bonded carpet material 44 is employed with the other end of the rope end bundles 30 L~ ed in the layer 42, and in Fig. 1 are implanted in an o~posile layer 42 heated to gel and fuse the layer to form an I-bond, fusion-bonded sandwich material 64 which is severed by an oscill~ting blade 62 and two sepalale rolls of carpet n7~teri~1 60 plc~ed. As illustrated, the bacL-ing layers and the a&esive layers on both sides are the same; howc;ver, the b~rL ;,~g layer and/or adhesive layer may be dirr~r~ as r~uL~.
The invention as fli~c1osed and illustrated provides for a unique I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet m~tPri~l, particularly carpet tile, wL~ein the face wear surface layer maybe co...l osel1 of rope or rope end bundles wLe~ repeatable or random design p ~ employing said rope or rope end bundles may be used~

Claims

What is claimed is:
Claims

Claim 1. A system for the manufacture of a fusion-bonded carpet, which system comprises:
a) a source of multiple strands composed of a plurality of yarn materials, the yarn material selected to have different characteristics;
b) rope forming means for receiving the multiple strands of yarn material from the source and for forming the multiple strands in rope form;
c) rope bundling means for forming the rope form into rope form bundles;
d) rope bundle securing means for securing the rope form bundles to maintain the integrity of the rope form bundles during subsequent processing:
e) means for supplying a backing sheet material;
f) means for coating onto one surface of the backing sheet material an adhesive coating layer;
g) means for severing the rope bundles to a selected height and for forming severed rope bundles having a one end and an other end;
h) means for implanting the one end of the cut secured rope form bundles into the adhesive coating layer on the backing sheet material; and i) means for heating the adhesive coating layer to fusion-bond the implanted one end of the severed rope form bundles to the adhesive coating layer and thereby form a fusion-bonded carpet having a wear face surface of the other end of the rope form bundles.
Claim 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the source of yarn- material comprises yarn material having selected characteristics of yarn size, yarn ply, yarn twist level, yarn twist direction, yarn color, yarn heat setting and combinations thereof.
Claim 3. The system of claim 1 which includes:
a) means for providing a second backing sheet material coated with a second adhesive coating layer on the other end of the severed rope form bundles to form a sandwich carpet material;

b) means for heating the second adhesive coating layer;
and c) means for cutting the sandwich carpet material to form two separate, severed, fusion-bonded carpets.
Claim 4. The system of claim 1 which includes rope form wrapping means for wrapping filament material about the exterior surface of the rope forms to maintain the integrity of the rope forms.
Claim 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the rope bundling securing means comprises filament wrapping means to spirally wrap filament material about the exterior surface of the rope form bundles to maintain the integrity of the rope form bundles.
Claim 6. The system of claim 1 which includes means for securing a backing layer to the backing sheet material.
Claim 7. The system of claim 6 which includes means for cutting the fusion-bonded backed carpet to form carpet tiles .
Claim 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the rope forming means forms a rope form of two to twenty strands of yarn material and a rope form diameter of about 3 mm to 13 mm.
Claim 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the rope bundling means forms rope form bundles composed of four to twelve rope forms.
Claim 10. The system of claim 1 which includes rope form securing means and said rope form bundle securing means which comprise means to adhesively secure together the rope forms and the rope form bundles.
Claim 11. In a method for the manufacture of a fusion-bonded carpet having a fibrous wear face surface composed of selected yarn materials, which method comprises:
a) coating a layer of adhesive material onto a backing sheet material;
b) clamping and cutting yarn material to a defined height, the yarn material having a one and the other end, the yarn material selected to form the wear face surface of the carpet; and c) implanting into the adhesive coating layer in a plane generally perpendicular to the backing sheet material, one end of the cut yarn material; and d) securing the cut and implanted yarn material in the adhesive coating layer to form a fusion-bonded carpet having a wear face surface, wherein the improvement comprises:
i) forming rope forms, wherein each rope form comprises multiple strands composed of a plurality of yarn materials;
ii) bundling a plurality of the rope forms together to form a plurality of rope form bundles wherein the yarn material of the rope forms or rope form bundles is yarn material having selected characteristics and securing the integrity of the rope form bundles;
iii) cutting the rope form bundles to form a plurality of cut rope form bundles having a one and the other end and having a selected height sufficient to form a fibrous wear face surface; and iv) implanting the one end of a plurality of the secured cut rope form bundles into the adhesive coating layer and securing the one end to the coating layer to provide a fusion-bonded carpet having a selected pattern on the wear face surface.
Claim 12. The method of claim 11 which includes securing the rope forms to maintain the integrity of the rope forms.
Claim 13. The method of claim 12 wherein securing the rope forms includes wrapping a filament about the exterior surface of the rope form to maintain rope form integrity.
Claim 14. The method of claim 11 which includes forming untwisted rope forms wherein each rope form comprises generally straight and parallel yarn material.
Claim 15. The method of claim 11 which includes implanting one and the other end of the plurality of rope form bundles into separate adhesive coated layers on separate backing sheet materials to form a sandwich fusion-bonded carpet material and thereafter severing the sandwich carpet material to form two separate fusion-bonded carpets, each having a wear face surface with a selected pattern.
Claim 16. The method of claim 11 which includes implanting single end yarn material in the adhesive coating layer to provide a carpet having a wear face surface composed of multiple rope bundles and single yarn material.
Claim 17. The method of claim 11 wherein each rope form comprises from about 2 to 20 strands of yarn material.
Claim 18. The method of claim 11 wherein each rope from bundle comprises from about 4 to 12 rope forms.
Claim 19. The method of claim 11 which includes securing a carpet backing layer to the backing sheet material and cutting the fusion-bonded carpet having the carpet backing layer secured thereto to form carpet tile.
Claim 20. The method of claim 11 which includes cutting the plurality of rope bundles to a selected height of about 3 mm to 12 mm.
Claim 21. The method of claim 11 which includes securing the rope form bundles by employing a filament material or an adhesive.
Claim 22. A fusion-bonded carpet having a cut fibrous wear face surface and having a selected pattern on the cut face wear surface, which carpet comprises:
a) a backing sheet;
b) a layer of adhesive material on the backing sheet;
c) yarn material of a defined height having a one end and an other cut end, the yarn material of selected characteristics to form a selected pattern on the wear face surface, one end of the yarn material implanted and secured in the adhesive layer, and the other cut end forming the wear face surface; and d) the wear face surface comprising a plurality of rope forms comprised of multiple strands of yarn material and rope form securing means to maintain the integrity and secure the multiple strands together in each rope form; and a plurality of rope form bundles comprised of a plurality of rope forms and rope bundle securing means to maintain the integrity and secure the rope forms together in each rope form bundle, the rope forms and rope form bundles having yarn material of selected characteristics to form a fibrous wear face surface with a selected pattern.
Claim 23. The carpet of claim 22 which includes single yarn material implanted in the adhesive layer material.
Claim 24. The carpet of claim 22 which includes rope forms and rope form bundles having different colors to form a multicolored selected pattern on the face wear surface of the carpet.
Claim 25. The carpet of claim 22 which comprises a carpet tile having a solid backing layer thereon.
Claim 26. The carpet of claim 22 wherein the rope form securing means and the rope form bundle securing means comprise an adhesive means to secure the multiple strands of the rope form and the plurality of rope forms in each rope form bundle together.
Claim 27. The carpet of claim 22 wherein the rope form securing means and the rope form bundle securing means comprise a filament means to secure the multiple strands of the rope form and the plurality of rope forms in each rope form bundle together.
Claim 28. The carpet of claim 22 wherein each rope form comprises generally straight and parallel yarn material formed into untwisted rope forms.
Claim 29. The carpet of claim 22 wherein the rope forms have a general diameter of from about 3 mm to 13 mm.
Claim 30. The carpet of claim 22 wherein the yarn material of the rope form is yarn material having selected characteristics selected from the group consisting of yarn size, yarn ply, yarn twist level, yarn twist direction, yarn color, yarn heat setting properties and combinations thereof.
Claim 31. The carpet of claim 22 wherein each rope form comprises from about 2 to 20 strands of yarn material.
Claim 32. The carpet of claim 22 wherein each rope form bundle comprises from about 4 to 12 rope forms.
Claim 33. The carpet of claim 22 wherein the rope form securing means or the rope form bundle securing means comprise an adhesive means.
Claim 34. The carpet of claim 22 wherein the multiple strands of yarn material are twisted- to form twisted rope forms, and include spirally wrapped filament about the twisted rope forms to maintain the integrity of the twisted rope forms.