CA2218098A1 - Tufted articles and method of making same - Google Patents
Tufted articles and method of making same Download PDFInfo
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- CA2218098A1 CA2218098A1 CA002218098A CA2218098A CA2218098A1 CA 2218098 A1 CA2218098 A1 CA 2218098A1 CA 002218098 A CA002218098 A CA 002218098A CA 2218098 A CA2218098 A CA 2218098A CA 2218098 A1 CA2218098 A1 CA 2218098A1
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- mat
- pile layer
- filaments
- loops
- substrate
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- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D05—SEWING; EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
- D05C—EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
- D05C17/00—Embroidered or tufted products; Base fabrics specially adapted for embroidered work; Inserts for producing surface irregularities in embroidered products
- D05C17/02—Tufted products
- D05C17/026—Tufted products characterised by the tufted pile surface
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Textile Engineering (AREA)
- Carpets (AREA)
- Dry Formation Of Fiberboard And The Like (AREA)
- Making Paper Articles (AREA)
- Automatic Embroidering For Embroidered Or Tufted Products (AREA)
- Laminated Bodies (AREA)
Abstract
A tufted mat and a method for its manufacture are described. The mat is suitable for use as a floor mat and comprises a sheet-like substrate and a pile layer comprising tufted bundles of textured synthetic resinous filaments, each having a linear density of at least 800 denier, the filaments in each bundle formed into loops of random shapes and orientations and intermingled with loops in adjacent bundles of filaments in the pile layer.
Description
WO 9~ 5836 PCTIUS~G~6~C~
1 U~ ARTICLES AND METElOD OF MAKING SAME~
The present invention relates to tufted articles suitable for use as floor mats for pl~~Pm~nt at the e"l,yw~y~, of b~ ing.e and to a method of making such 5 articles.
Ba- k~ ru. nd Of The Invention Because oftheir eYc~ nt wear reciet~nce, pile fabrics made with sy~llhelic fibers (e.g., nylon) are widely used as floor mats employed at the ellllyways ofb~ ing~e or as artificial lawns, for e ~"ple. Such articles are p,~re,ably 10 constructed to ~ their shape against repeated loads from pedestrian foot traffic and the like. Floor mats, for c,.a",~lc, typically inc1ude a fibrous or fabric surface to provide a desired wiping function to remove soil or sand from the shoe soles of pedestrians. Many available mats, however, are less than s~tief~ctQry because of their generally limited capacity to retain or store removed soil and water.
15 Such mats may require frequent .eh~kin~ and washing to rejuvenate the mat for subsequ~nt use.
J~p~nese U~ -..;l-ed Utility Model Publication No. 2-122092 discloses an article having loop piles comprised of resinous synthetic fil~m~nt bundles. The loop piles are formed on a substrate sheet to provide a pile layer comprising regularly arranged piles wherein the fil~m~nt.e within each of the piles are neither randomly oriented nor i~lt~u~gled with fil~mçnt loops in a~j~cçnt bundles.
U.S. Patent Nos. 4,351,683 and 3,837,988 describe resilient, open porous three rlim~ncional fibrous webs used as mats. The mats comprise a multiplicity of coarse uncrimped fil~m~nte having a tli~metçr from 0.1 to 4 mm wherein the fil~m~nts are interçng~gçd to form rigid porous nonwoven structures. These webs do not include a tufted loop pile layer with random void spaces therein.
U.S. Patents 4,893,439 and 4,820,566 describe the use of large denier fibers to remove dirt. U.S. Patent 4,893,439 describes an abrasive article made of a nonwoven web comprised of helically crimped fibers ranging in linear densities from about 6 to 400 denier per fil~m~nt ("dpf'). U.S. Patent 4,820,566 and related J~p~nese Un~Y~mined Patent Publication No. 63-288262 describe a tufted carpet WO 96135836 PCT/US9GlCC1Cq comprising a plurality of tufts of fine denier fibers (e.g., having linear densities from about 15 to 50 dpf) and a plurality of stiff CoOEse denier fibers (e.g., having linear ~ien~ities from about 150 to S00 dpf).
Pile yarns used in floor coverings are generally made of textured or S ~.h..ped fibers having a liner density of 500 denier or less. Various known crimping methods have been employed to impart a desired texture or crimp to the fibers. These methods include stuffer box or airjet crimping, for example, to form a pile structure compri.cing textured fibers in an unopened state. These known textured fibers, however, are generally of a linear density no greater than 800 10 denier, generally have less than c,~in~ , crimp rigidity and have not been completely s~ticf~ctory for forming a durable pile layer in a mat.
It is desirable to provide an improved construction for a tufted mat or like article with a pile layer thereon comricin~ tufted textured fibers having linear~len~ities of at least 800 dpf and having an improved void structure so that the mat 15 is capable of wiping and absorbing dirt such as moist soil or sand and ~ the same within the mat. It is also desirable to provide the fc,r~goillg mat to be durable enough to with~t~n~l the repeated hllpa ;~ by pedestrian traffic.
~--mm~ry Of T~~ ~nvention The present invention provides a tufted article suitable for use as a floor 20 mat that is capable of with.~t~n-ling significant pedestrian traffic and is useful for placement at the entryway of a building, for example, to wipe wet and/or dirty shoe soles. The mat of the invention will retain dirt and water therein to prevent the retracking of retained dirt.
In one aspect, the invention provides an article suitable for use as a floor 25 mat compricing a sheet-like substrate and a tufted pile layer exten~lin~ from one side of the substrate, the pile layer comprising tufted bundles of textured synthetic resinous fil~ment~, each fil~ment having a linear density of at least 800 denier, the fil~ment~ in each tufted bundle arranged in loops of random shapes and orientations and i"l~"";"gled with loops in adjacent tufted bundles of fil~ment~ in 30 the pile layer.
WO 96/35836 PCT/US5G~'0'~6~1 The pile layer preferably has a thickness when measured outward from the surface of the ~iU~ ldLt~ of at least 5 mm and preferably b~;lweell 5 mm and 15 mm.
The face weight of the tufted pile layer is preferably between 600 and 2000 g/m2and more preferably b~lw~t;ll 900 and 1300 g/m2, and the void ratio of the pile S layer is ~r~,~ably within the range between 50% and 80%, and more preferably between 60% and 80%, to provide a pile layer with a desired ability to retain soil and which is resilient and durable enough to with~t~nd pedeskian kaffic without significant deterioration. The synthetic resinous fil~ment~ preferably c~mpn~e thermoplastic materials such as nylon, polyolefin, polyester, polycarbonate, 10 poly~Lyl~ne or the like, and the individual fil~mentc have a ~l~r~ d linear density within the range from 1000 to 1800 denier. The sheet-like subskate may be a woven or nonwoven fabric comprising fibers made from natural or synthetic m~teri~l~ selected from jute, cotton, polyester, polypropylene, polyester and combinations thereof. A seCc?n~l~ry backing may be affixed to the :iub~LIdLe and is 15 ~l~ r~dbly a cured coating formed from vinyl plastisol, polyurethane, rubber latex or like m~t~ri~l.
As used herein, 'pile layer" means the surface layer of the mats described herein comrri~ing tufted bundles of coarse denier fibers. "Void ratio", ~ essed as a percentage, is a value relating to the volume of empty space within the pile 20 layer of an article det~rminc~l according to the procedure set forth below. "Denier"
refers to the finenes~ of a fiber, sometimes also referred to as linear density, and is defined as the weight in grams of a 9,000 meter fiber. "Face weight" refers to the weight of the tufted pile layer per unit of area. In referring to fiber loops of"random" shapes and orientations, it will be understood that the shapes and 25 orientations of the fiber loops are not ordered or of a fixed configuration.
"Tufting" refers to a process which inserts portions of yarn into a woven or nonwoven backing material, as known to those in the art. "Bundle" refers to the portion of yarn inserted into a woven or nonwoven backing material in the tufting operation. A plurality of bundles ~oxten-ling from a surface of the woven or 30 nonwoven backing material collectively form a pile layer. "Textured" or "crimped" in referring to the fil~ment~ of fibers herein refers to the waviness of the WO 96/35836 PCT/US!)CICC~G~
filament or fiber. "Fiber" and "fil~mPnt" are used interchangeably and refer to a threadlike structure comprising the m~t~ri~l~ described herein.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method for producing an article suitable for use as a mat, comprising: providing a textured yarn comrri~in~ a 5 plurality of textured fil~mentc, the fil~m~ntc each having a linear density of at least 800 denier; and tufting the ya~n to a substrate to form a plurality of bundles on one side of the substrate, the plurality of bundles forming a pile layer on the one side of the substrate, and each bundle of the pile layer compri~inP loops of the textured fil~ment.c wherein the loops are randomly shaped and oriented and are intermingled 10 with loops in ~ e~nt bundles of the pile layer.
In this aspect of the invention, tufting is carried out to provide the pile layer with a thickness of at least 5 mm and preferably in the range between 5 mm and 15 mm with a void ratio in a range b~lw~en 50% and 80% and a face weight between 600 and 2000 g/m2, as mentioned above. The pile layer is formed using yarn made 15 of two to twelve fibers, preferably four to ten fibers, having the aforementioned linear density. The yarn is tu*ed on a sheet-like substrate or cloth b~( l,ing such as a woven or nonwoven fabric, using a general purpose tufting m~hine The tufting density and height of the loop pile above the backing are selected so that the above-described void ratio is satisfied. A pile layer having a desired void ratio is 20 pr~ed by selecting a suitable gauge and stitch of the tufting m~chine while taking into consideration the size of fil~mPnt, the number of crimps per fil~ment and the number of fil~ment~ in the yarn, as known by those skilled in the art. The method preferably further compri~e~ fnrming a secondary backing on another side of the substrate opposite the pile layer, the secondary backing preferably comprises 25 a cured coating of a m~teri~l selected from vinyl plastisol, polyurethane, rubber latex and similar m~t~ris~
The invention provides articles useful as floor mats, for example, having excellent wiping ability and which have a significant void volume to retain dirtsuch as soil or sand therein. The articles of the invention are tough and resilient 30 and are able to withstand significant use, including repeated pedestrian traffic over the pile layer of the article, without substantial deterioration. In applications such WO 96/35836 PCT/US9''.~C~C~
as floor mats, for example, the thickness and density of the pile layer can be constructed to acco.,ll..odate expected levels of pedestrian traffic and associated levels of soil or dirt expected thc.er .lll. Those skilled in the art will further understand and appreciate the various features and advantages of the invention ~ S upon further consideration of the rem~in-l~r of the disclosure, including the detailed description of the ~l~ r~ d embodiment and the appended claims.
Brief Des ~ io~ Of The nr.~
In describing the ~lcr~lled embodiment of the invention, reference is made to the various figures wherein:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a mat according to the present invention, Figure 2 is an elevated view, in cross section, of the mat shown in Figure 1, taken along the 2-2 line thereof, and Figure 3 is an elevated view, in cross section, of the mat shown in Figure 2, taken along the 3-3 line thereof.
nç~ed n~s~ n Of The Pref~ ~ed ~mbo~ en~
The details of the ~ ;re.l~d embodiment will now be described with reference to the various figures wherein the structural features of the embodiment are identified by reference numerals and wherein like l~fere~,ce numerals indicate like structures.
The tufted mat of the present invention may be produced by conventional carpet m~king eqllipm~nt and specifically by the use of known tufting technology.
Tufting is a process which inserts tufts of yarn into a woven or nonwoven backing material. Yarn is a collection of textured fibers of an a~ pliate size, in continuous or discontinuous lengths. The yarn is tufted to a substrate by inserting portions of the yarn through the backing material using vertically reciprocatingneedles, similar to the action of a conventional sewing machine. In the present invention, yarns comprising a plurality of coarse denier fibers of at least 800 denier, are fed to a collection of spaced needles on a needle bar. The coarse fibers are inserted into a primary backing to create continuous areas comprising tuftedbundles of the coarse denier fibers, typically in side by side rows.
CA 022l8098 l997- lO- lO
WO 96/35836 PCT/US~)G/OC161 Referring to Figure 1, a surface 10 of a pile layer c-lmpri~e~ a random arrangement of tufted loops of coarse fil~n~f~nte 1 wherein the filaments 1 eachhave a fin.?n.os~ or linear density of at least 800 denier and preferably between 1000 and 1800 denier. The loops of fil~mentc assume random shapes and orientations, 5 so that the individual loops are ;1~ led with one another throughout the pile layer. The int~rmingled loops of filarnents 1 collectively forrn a pile layer having an open structure capable of lec~iving and ~ dirt.
As shown in Figure 2, the pile layer comprises loops 12 of synthetic fil~mentc 1 çxt~n-ling from tufted bundles 14. The bundles 14 are the tufted portions of the aforementioned yarn which protrude through a primary sheet-like substrate 16 as a result of the tufting operation. The bundles 14 are arrange along a surface of the ~ub:iLIale 16 with the textured fil~ment~ 1 deployed in loops 12 which extend ouLw73,d from the center of each bundle 14. The bundles 14 are spaced apart in an orderly fashion on the surface of the primary substrate 16 with arlj2qcent bundles 14 spaced sufficiently close to one another that loops 12 from adjacent bundles 14 are i..le....;..gled to form a pile layer 20 (Figure 3) with a bs~ lly ullirulln face weight and thickness per unit area and which es~ a s~bst~nti~lly uniform surface of fibrous material suitable for use as a floor mat, for example.
A secondary backing member 18 is preferably affixed to a side of the primary subskate 16 opposite the pile layer 20. The secondary backing member 18 comprises a cured resin layer and is typically included in the article to provide weight or body to the article. When the article is used as a floor mat, for ex~mple, the secondary b~rl~in~ member 18 is nonn~lly included in the construction to 25 prevent the mat from slipping or otherwise being displaced when it is walked over by pedeskians during normal use. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the filaments 1 ofthe tufted bundles 14 form loops 12 of random shapes and orientations. Each of the loops 12 extend up from the center of a bundle 12 along one side of the primarY
subskate 16. The loops 12 of each of the bundles 14 extend randomly from the 30 center ofthe bundle 14, illlf ~ glinp~ with the loops 12 in ~ cçnt or surrounding bundles 14. In this manner, the intennin~led loops 12 form a cooperative or interrelated structure, collectively forming the pile layer 20 with a thickness T
(Figure 2) which, preferably, is within the range from 5 mm to 15 mm.
Articles of the invention, when used as floor mats, will typically have a face weight of the tufted pile layer 20 between 600 and 2000 g/m2 and preferably between 900 and 1300 g/m2. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the face weight of the pile layer 20 may be adjusted to provide a desired value by yarn sp~cinp (or machine gauge) as well as by tuft length to provide a desired pile height, yarn or fil~ment denier, and the like. A pile height higher than the aforementioned upper limit (e.g., greater than 15 mm) is generally not desired because it may present a tripping hazard. Conversely, a pile layer shorter than the aforementioned lower limit (e.g., less than 5 mm) is similarly undesired bec~use it may have insufficient capacity or void space for the storage of dirt and moisture.
Also, if the stitch spacing is too tight, the resulting pile layer 20 may comprise bundles 14 which are too closely spaced to one another, again resulting in an article (e.g., a mat) that may not have sufflcient volume (e.g., void volume) for the storage of dirt and moisture. As mentioned, a suitable void volume for the articles of the invention is between 50 and 80% and preferably between 60 and 80%.
Void volume, as used herein, is CA~ ssed as a pclcc~ ge and is a measure of the capacity of an article (e.g., a mat) for holding dirt, sand, water and the like within the open space of the pile layer formed by the loops of the aforementioned tufted bundles. The ~letennin~tion of void volume is based on the capacity of the article for holding dry sand having a known a~palcllt density (e.g., 1.4 g/cm3), and the void volume is determined according to the formula:
K(%)=[(W-Wo)/(1.4xSxT)]x 100 where WO is the initial weight (grams) of the article (e.g., free of retained dirt or moisture);
W is the weight (g) of the article after the pile layer has been filled with dirt, sand, water or the like;
T is the thickness of the pile layer; and S is the area of the article (e.g., 100 cm2).
CA 022l8098 l997- lO- lO
The pile layer 20 in the articles of the invention is a durable and resilient ~llU~i~Ulc, comprised of randomly shaped spaces formed by the looped coarse filaments 1. The loops 12 provide the pile layer ~0 with the capacity for the storage of dirt and moisture while also providing a resilient surface that can 5 function as a mat and which is strong and resilient enough to withstand significant and repeated pe~lestri~n traffic.
Suitable fil~m~nte for use in the articles of the invention can compriee any of a variety of m~t~ri~le inclll~ling any of a variety of cured or hardened thermoplastic synthetic resins, such as nylon, polyolefin (e.g., poly~lo~ylene),10 polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephth~l~te-)~ polycarbonate or poly~lyl~ne. The fil~m~nte 1 used in the articles of the invention preferably are crimped, continuous, coarse fil~mPnt~ having a finPn.-ss or a linear density of at least 800 denier and preferably in a range bc~ eell 1000 and 1800 denier. Such crimped filaments having the linear densities within the aforementioned ranges provide the rigid 15 durable pile layer 20, as mentioned. One ~.~;rel.ed material suitable for use in the articles of the invention is the 1300 denier nylon 6 fiber available under the trade dPei~n~tion "Tufgrass NMK" from Hagiwara Industry, Japan.
The aforementioned fibers used in the articles of the invention may be of any cross sectional configuration. Preferably the cross sectional configuration of 20 the fibers are circular, polygonal or oval rather than flat, so as to avoid the generation of anisotropy in rigidity. Fil~mentc less than 800 dpf are undesirable because they will tend to flatten more readily when exposed to foot traffic traversing the article. Fl~ttenin~ of the pile layer is undesired because the ability of the layer 20 to wipe and retain soil riimini~hes as the layer is fl~ttenP~I Fi1~nnentc 25 having linear densities greater than 2000 dpf are not recommended because of the difficulty in imparting crimp to fibers of such sizes, and crimping is desired because coarse crimped fibers provide the aforementioned open loops 12 having random configurations and orientations in the pile layer so that loops 12 in each bundle ofthe pile layer i~ gle with the loops 12 in adjacent bundles.
30 Continuous fil~ment~ are desired due to the requirements of the conventional eql-ipmPnt employed in the m~nuf~rtnre of the articles of the invention.
WO 96135836 PCI'lU~7g610C~C4 Specifically, collvelllional tufting eq11ipment generally requires coarse yarns to be made of continuous fi1~mente The plllll~ ~ b~rl~in~ used in the articles of the invention is a fabric which may be woven or nonwoven and may be formed of natural fibers, synthetic fibers S or combinations of natural and synthetic fibers. Pl~ f~ d fibers include natural fibers co.~ ;e;~-g cotton or jute and synthetic fibers comprising polypropylene or polyester. The fibers of the primary b~rl~in~ may be made from any of a variety known processes, and the backing may be needlet~r~ to another m~teri~l, such as a nonwoven mat, to provide a locking effect for the tufts and to prevent the b~r~ing m~teri~1 from unraveling, all in a known lll~neL. A suitable backing m~t~ri~1 for use in the articles of the invention includes the nonwoven polyester m~teri~1 comlll~ rcially available from Hagiwara Industry, Japan, under the ~1esi~n~tion "TUFPET CLOTH 22x13".
The tufted articles of the present invention preferably also include a l 5 secondary backing which provides weight or body to the article so that when the articles are provided as mats, for example, the secondary backing prevents the article from being displaced when it is walked over. The secondary b~cl~ing may be made from conventional materials, including cured materials selected from vinyl plastisol, polyurethane, rubber latex and similar materials. The secondarybacking may be foamed, patterned or ribbed and may be filled with materials conventionally used in b~ckinge for mats and/or for carpeting m~1çri~le. One commercial material suitable material for use in the formation of the secondary backing is poly(vinylchloride) plaetisol available under the trade ~leeign~tion "Raditex VL-1070" from Higashi Chemical Co., Japan.
As mentioned, the filaments used in the articles of the invention are textured (e.g., crimped). To achieve the desired degree of ~;lhlll)ing of the filaments, any known t~Luli~ g method may be used. Such methods include twist-heating, twist-heat-detwisting, airjet texturizing, knit-deknit, edge-~,lhllpillg~
gear-clhllping and the like. The Clilllpillg method selected should be one that , 30 produces crimps in the filaments sufficient to allow the filament loops, after tufting to the primary substrate, to easily open or deploy, thereby forming the above g CA 022l8098 l997- lO- lO
WO 96/35836 PCT/US~6/0616 described structure of randomly oriented fil~ment loops collectively forming a pile layer.
Suitable t~l... ;"p of the fil~mentc. may be accomrli~he~l by using a combination of twist-heating and knit-deknit. In this process, a plurality of S continuous fil~mf~ntc~ is collected, typically two to t~,velve fil~ment~ The fil~ment~
are arranged in a parallel manner and the collection of fil~ment~ is twisted about the longitllrlin~l axis of the collected fibers. The continuous fil~mentc~ are typically twisted more than ten turns per meter of fil~ment preferably more than twenty turns per meter, and more preferably about 40 turns per meter. Twisting may be in the "Z" direction (e.g., counterclockwise) or in the: "S" direction (e.g., clockwise).
In this manner, the fil~mentc are formed into a coarse yarn, and preferably all of the yarn used in the forrnation of the pile layer have been formed by twisting the fil:lment~ in the same direction (e.g., either in the S or Z directions).
The twisted fil~ment~ are then supplied to a conventional knitting m~ehinc where it is knitted into a fabric, and the knitted fabric is heated to set the texture of the fil~m~nt~ A knitted fabric compri~in~ nylon 6 fibers, for example, is typically heated at a te~ Lu~c: of about 130~C for a period of about 40 minlltes For otherm~teri~l~, the temperature at which the heat set operation is p~.ro~ ed will typically be b~;~w~l about 100~C and the softening point of at least one of the filament components in the bundle. The ~ tion of the a~lvp-iate heat set temperature is well within the skill of those in the art. Thereafter, the fabric is allowed to cool to room te~ e.dLu.e, typically for 8 to 10 hours. The cooled fabric is then unraveled or "tleL nitte~l" to provide a textured yarn suitable for use in the articles of the invention.
The textured yarn is supplied to a tufting m~ehine and tufted through a primary substrate to form the pile layer, described above. The linear densities of the fibers (e.g., at least 800 denier) used in forming the pile layer in the articles of the present invention provide a coarse yarn which, when tufted through the primary substrate, provides bundles that open naturally (e.g., without an additional opening operation). Once opened, the filament loops assume random shapes and orientations wherein the loops in one bundle are intermingled with the loops from CA 022l8098 l997- l0- l0 WO 96/35836 PCT/US~)6/OC46~1 r~nt tufted bundles. As mentioned, the twist in~l~d to the fil~ment.~ is preferably ul..fo~lnly one-directional to provide a loop pile structure with thearolelllentioned random shapes and orientations.
Commercially available textured yarns may be used in the m~nllf~-~.tllre of 5 the articles of the invention. Textured yarns made from the aforementioned 1300 denier nylon 6 fibers ("Tufgrass NMK"), for example, are commercially available from Hagiwara Industry.
The articles of the invention may be used in any of a variety of applications where a resilient pile layer with an ability to retain soil and / or moisture is desired.
10 The articles of the invention are particularly well suited for use as floor mats for pl~-~ernPnt at the e..l. ~w~,y of buildings or the like, and such mats may be used in both indoor ~ well as outdoor applications. The articles of the invention may also be used as splash preventive members (e.g., splash guards or mud guards) for automobiles by ~tt~ching the article to the automobile in a conventional manner 15 (e.g., to the inner side of an automobile wheel-arch).
TF.ST MFTHQnS
The articles made and described in the Examples were evaluated according to the procedures set forth below.
Soil/S~n~l Wipir~ Test This test procedures provides a determination of the amount of material that can be retained within the pile layer of a mat. Each mat tested was weighed before the test and all of the mats were of the same surface area, measuring 0.9 meters in width and 3.6 meters in length. In this determination, one adult wearing rubber soled shoes first stepped with both feet in a pan filled with dry sand. The dry sand had an average particle size of less than 640 microns and an a~palellt density of 1.4 g/cm3. After stepping in the pan, the adult walked on the surface of the mat to be tested, placing six steps (three per each foot) on each mat using a normal walking step and without wiping.. After repeating this sequence 500 times, the weight (in 30 grams) of sand left on the mat was measured. This test was repeated three times per mat. The same adult ~ .led the testing of all mats herein. The average -Il-WO 9613S836 PCI'IUS96/06 161 weight of retained sand for the three tests was recorded and the results were compaled to evaluate the relative wiping abilities of each test mat.
Thickn~ R~ lrtion Pelce..~ e ByDyr~mic T oad This test measure the reduction in the thickness of the pile layer for the mats tested, in acco~ ce with J~p~ se Industrial Standard test method JIS L-1021-1979 entitled "Testing Methods For Textile Floorcoverings", I~tili7in~ the rotary method described therein. Conditions included a load of 1 kg/arm (impact rotor) and the measurement of thickness reduction was made after 10,000 revolutions of the test mat on a rotary dynamic load tester. Three samples per test mat were evaluated according to the test method. The thickness reduction, e~lJressed as a ptl~;elllage, for each sample was ~let~rrnined according to the following formula:
Thickness Reduction (%) = [(to - tl)/ to] x 100 where to is the thickness (mm) of the test specimen prior to impact loading, and tl is the thickness of the test specimen (mm) after impact loading for 10,000 revolutions of the test specimen.
Meas-lrement Of Void Ratio (%) This test measured the empty space within the pile layer of the test mats, providing a measure of the capacity of the mats for the storage of soil. Test specimens of 100 cm2 (S) (10 cm x 10 cm) were weighed and the thickn~s~es of the pile layers (T) were measured for each specimen. The values for the initial weights (W0) and the thicknesses were recorded. The pile layer of each test specimen was filled with dry sand having an ~pa~elll density of 1.4 g/cm3 so that the outer surface of the pile layer was concealed by the sand. The final weights(W) of the specimens were measured and recorded. The void ratio (K%) was deterrnine~l for each test specimen according to the following formula: -K(%)=[(W-Wo)/(1.4xSxT)]x 100 CA 022l8098 l997- lO- lO
The advantages and fcdlulcs of the present invention are further described below with reference to the following non-limitinFJ F.x~mples.
FXAMP~
A textured yarn was obtained from Hagiwara Industry, Japan, comprieing six nylon fil~m~nt.e (commercially available from Asahi Chemical Industry, Japan, under the trade design~tion "Leona Special:") of circular cross-section, each fil~ment having a linear density of 1300 dpf. The yarn was prepared by twisting the six filaments in the Z-direction (right hand twist) at 40 turns/meter using a ring type general twist machine. ThCl~dr~, the twisted fil~mente were fed to a knitting m~rhine configured with 1 needle/cm to form a knitted fabric. The fabric was heated at a tel"p~,ldlu~c of 130~C for 40 ~ rs and then cooled at room tClll~)Cld~Ul~, for 8-10 hours and deknitted to provide a textured yarn. The yarn was fed to a tufting m~rhine (5/32 gauge) to form tufted bundles 14 mm long at a stitch of 3.2 mm on a woven substrate of polyester fibers (commercially available from Hagiwara Industry under the ~ireign~tion "Tufpet Cloth 22x13"). The resulting pile layer had a thickness (T) of 9 mm and a face weight of 1226 g/m2. A plastisol of polyvinyl chloride ("Raditex VL-l 070" from Higashi Chemical Co.) was coated on the side of the woven substrate opposite the pile layer and cooled to form a secondary backing 2 mm thick.
The pile layer of the mat had a random void structure formed by the filament loops from of the tufted bundles. The fil~mçnt loops had random shapes and orientations, and loops from each of the bundles were intermin~led with similar loops of adjacent bundles in the pile layer. The ~lOp~l lies of the mat are reported in Table 1. Colll~a.dli~e testing of this mat established that the mat of Example 1 had a durable structure able to withstand repeated pedestrian traffic, ha~l an excellent ability to wipe sand from shoe soles and was able to retain the sand in the structure of the pile layer.
WO 96135836 PCT/US!~6/OC~6;J
FX~,MPT,F, 2 A mat was prepared as in Example 1 except that: the nylon fil~m~nt~ had a linear density of 1000 dpf; the bundle was twisted in the S-direction (left handtwist) at 60 turns/m; and the tufting operation was con-luct~ under conditions to 5 provide loops 14 mm long at a stitch of 3.2 mm. Thus, the mat of this Example had a pile layer 9 mm thick, a face weight of 926 g/m2 and a secondary backing 2mm thick.
The pile layer of the mat had a random void structure formed by the fil~ment loops from of the tufted bundles. The fil~ment loops had random shapes 10 and orientations, and loops from each ofthe bundles were i..l~ . ,.,i..gled with similar loops of ~ nt bundles in the pile layer. The plo~ ies of the mat are reported in Table 1. Col~lp~aLi~re testing of this mat established that the mat of Example 2 had a durable structure able to withct~n~ repeated pedestrian traffic, had an excellent ability to wipe sand from shoe soles and was able to retain the sand in 15 the ~Ll~ Lule of the pile layer.
l;X~MPT,F, 3 A mat was prepared as in Example 1 except: the nylon fil~m~nt~ had a linear density of 1800 denier; the textured filament bundle was fed to a tufting20 m~ ine (5/32 gauge) to form loop piles 7 mm long on a woven backing of polyester fibers; and the tufting operation was conducted at a stitch of 3.2 mm so that a pile layer 6 mm thick and a face weight of 1244 g/m2 was obtained. The secondary backing was 2 mm thick.
The pile layer of the mat had a random void structure formed by the 25 filament loops from of the tufted bundles. The filament loops had random shapes and orientations, and loops from each of the bundles were intermingled with similar loops of adjacent bundles in the pile layer. The properties of he mat are reported in Table 1. Comparative testing of this mat established that the mat ofExample 3 had a durable structure able to withstand repeated pedestrian traffic, had 30 an excellent ability to wipe sand from shoe soles and was able to retain the sand in the structure of the pile layer.
WO 96135836 PCT/US~ C 1 C1 COMP~RATIVF FX~MPT FS 1 - 3 Three known tufted pile mats, all including a polymeric secondary backing, were evaluated with respect to con.p~ ion of the pile layer, void ratio and weight 5 of wiped soil according to the test methods previously describedThe test results are given in Table 1.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1 was a commercial mat sold under the trade clesi~n~tion "Power Cell" by Teramoto Company of Japan. The mat had a cut pile layer 6 mm thick. The pile filament was a stuffer-box crimped nylon filament with a circular cross section and a linear density of 75 dpf. The mat also had a polyvinyl chloride backing that was 3 mm thick.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2 was a commercial mat sold under the trade ~le~i~n~tion "Loop Runner" by Teramoto Company of Japan. This artificial lawn mat had a 1 mm thick foamed polyvinyl chloride backing layer. The loop pile was crimped poly~io~ylene fil~ment~, flat in cross section and having a linear density of 200 dpf. (cl;lll~illg method is unknown) COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 3 was a commercial mat available from the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minnesota under the trade ~lecign~tion "ENHANCE" #500. The mat was a carpet mat comprising tufts of flat polypropylene fil~nnentc having a linear density of 30 dpf and tufts of stuffer-box crimped polypropylene filaments each having a linear density of 300 dpf.
As seen from the Table 1, all the mats of Co~ ~dLi~e Examples exhibit greater reduction in thickness of the pile layer as compal~d with those of Examples 1 - 3. Additionally, the void ratios for the mats of the Colllp~dlive Examples were about half those for the inventive mats of Examples 1 - 3. The inventive mats ofExample 1-3 were also able to hold a higher volume of soil than the mats of the Colllpalc.~ives. The pile layer in all of the inventive mats comprised loops of textured synthetic resinous filaments of random shapes and orientations, each r 30 having a linear density of at least 800 denier. The mats of the invention have a WO 96/35836 PCTrUS~G/CCqGq high rt~ci~t~nl~e to cc,n~ cs~ e load and a desired ability to wipe and retain soil therein, making the mats very well suited for use as floor mats.
Table 1 Example co~ lalh~e Example Filament nylonnylon nylonnylon PP' PP PP
(denier) (1300)(1000)(1800)(75)(200)(300) (30) Me shape loop loop loop cut loop loop loop Thickness of pile 9 9 6 6 5 8 8 layer (mm) Thick, red. % of 2.3 3.0 0.7 5.8 14.5 P layer Void ratio (o/O) 71.7 74.3 89.5 34.8 47.5 41.9 Weightofwiped 271.6269.7 261.8232.5240.3 258 soil (g) 5E Polypropylene.
The articles of the invention provide a tough, resilient random pile structure with significant void space for the retention of soil or moisture while the tough pile layer is desirably resistant to conlpl. s~ e loads. Although the l,lef~ d 10 embodiment of the invention has been described in some detail herein, variouschanges and modifications to the described embodiment will be ap~ t to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
1 U~ ARTICLES AND METElOD OF MAKING SAME~
The present invention relates to tufted articles suitable for use as floor mats for pl~~Pm~nt at the e"l,yw~y~, of b~ ing.e and to a method of making such 5 articles.
Ba- k~ ru. nd Of The Invention Because oftheir eYc~ nt wear reciet~nce, pile fabrics made with sy~llhelic fibers (e.g., nylon) are widely used as floor mats employed at the ellllyways ofb~ ing~e or as artificial lawns, for e ~"ple. Such articles are p,~re,ably 10 constructed to ~ their shape against repeated loads from pedestrian foot traffic and the like. Floor mats, for c,.a",~lc, typically inc1ude a fibrous or fabric surface to provide a desired wiping function to remove soil or sand from the shoe soles of pedestrians. Many available mats, however, are less than s~tief~ctQry because of their generally limited capacity to retain or store removed soil and water.
15 Such mats may require frequent .eh~kin~ and washing to rejuvenate the mat for subsequ~nt use.
J~p~nese U~ -..;l-ed Utility Model Publication No. 2-122092 discloses an article having loop piles comprised of resinous synthetic fil~m~nt bundles. The loop piles are formed on a substrate sheet to provide a pile layer comprising regularly arranged piles wherein the fil~m~nt.e within each of the piles are neither randomly oriented nor i~lt~u~gled with fil~mçnt loops in a~j~cçnt bundles.
U.S. Patent Nos. 4,351,683 and 3,837,988 describe resilient, open porous three rlim~ncional fibrous webs used as mats. The mats comprise a multiplicity of coarse uncrimped fil~m~nte having a tli~metçr from 0.1 to 4 mm wherein the fil~m~nts are interçng~gçd to form rigid porous nonwoven structures. These webs do not include a tufted loop pile layer with random void spaces therein.
U.S. Patents 4,893,439 and 4,820,566 describe the use of large denier fibers to remove dirt. U.S. Patent 4,893,439 describes an abrasive article made of a nonwoven web comprised of helically crimped fibers ranging in linear densities from about 6 to 400 denier per fil~m~nt ("dpf'). U.S. Patent 4,820,566 and related J~p~nese Un~Y~mined Patent Publication No. 63-288262 describe a tufted carpet WO 96135836 PCT/US9GlCC1Cq comprising a plurality of tufts of fine denier fibers (e.g., having linear densities from about 15 to 50 dpf) and a plurality of stiff CoOEse denier fibers (e.g., having linear ~ien~ities from about 150 to S00 dpf).
Pile yarns used in floor coverings are generally made of textured or S ~.h..ped fibers having a liner density of 500 denier or less. Various known crimping methods have been employed to impart a desired texture or crimp to the fibers. These methods include stuffer box or airjet crimping, for example, to form a pile structure compri.cing textured fibers in an unopened state. These known textured fibers, however, are generally of a linear density no greater than 800 10 denier, generally have less than c,~in~ , crimp rigidity and have not been completely s~ticf~ctory for forming a durable pile layer in a mat.
It is desirable to provide an improved construction for a tufted mat or like article with a pile layer thereon comricin~ tufted textured fibers having linear~len~ities of at least 800 dpf and having an improved void structure so that the mat 15 is capable of wiping and absorbing dirt such as moist soil or sand and ~ the same within the mat. It is also desirable to provide the fc,r~goillg mat to be durable enough to with~t~n~l the repeated hllpa ;~ by pedestrian traffic.
~--mm~ry Of T~~ ~nvention The present invention provides a tufted article suitable for use as a floor 20 mat that is capable of with.~t~n-ling significant pedestrian traffic and is useful for placement at the entryway of a building, for example, to wipe wet and/or dirty shoe soles. The mat of the invention will retain dirt and water therein to prevent the retracking of retained dirt.
In one aspect, the invention provides an article suitable for use as a floor 25 mat compricing a sheet-like substrate and a tufted pile layer exten~lin~ from one side of the substrate, the pile layer comprising tufted bundles of textured synthetic resinous fil~ment~, each fil~ment having a linear density of at least 800 denier, the fil~ment~ in each tufted bundle arranged in loops of random shapes and orientations and i"l~"";"gled with loops in adjacent tufted bundles of fil~ment~ in 30 the pile layer.
WO 96/35836 PCT/US5G~'0'~6~1 The pile layer preferably has a thickness when measured outward from the surface of the ~iU~ ldLt~ of at least 5 mm and preferably b~;lweell 5 mm and 15 mm.
The face weight of the tufted pile layer is preferably between 600 and 2000 g/m2and more preferably b~lw~t;ll 900 and 1300 g/m2, and the void ratio of the pile S layer is ~r~,~ably within the range between 50% and 80%, and more preferably between 60% and 80%, to provide a pile layer with a desired ability to retain soil and which is resilient and durable enough to with~t~nd pedeskian kaffic without significant deterioration. The synthetic resinous fil~ment~ preferably c~mpn~e thermoplastic materials such as nylon, polyolefin, polyester, polycarbonate, 10 poly~Lyl~ne or the like, and the individual fil~mentc have a ~l~r~ d linear density within the range from 1000 to 1800 denier. The sheet-like subskate may be a woven or nonwoven fabric comprising fibers made from natural or synthetic m~teri~l~ selected from jute, cotton, polyester, polypropylene, polyester and combinations thereof. A seCc?n~l~ry backing may be affixed to the :iub~LIdLe and is 15 ~l~ r~dbly a cured coating formed from vinyl plastisol, polyurethane, rubber latex or like m~t~ri~l.
As used herein, 'pile layer" means the surface layer of the mats described herein comrri~ing tufted bundles of coarse denier fibers. "Void ratio", ~ essed as a percentage, is a value relating to the volume of empty space within the pile 20 layer of an article det~rminc~l according to the procedure set forth below. "Denier"
refers to the finenes~ of a fiber, sometimes also referred to as linear density, and is defined as the weight in grams of a 9,000 meter fiber. "Face weight" refers to the weight of the tufted pile layer per unit of area. In referring to fiber loops of"random" shapes and orientations, it will be understood that the shapes and 25 orientations of the fiber loops are not ordered or of a fixed configuration.
"Tufting" refers to a process which inserts portions of yarn into a woven or nonwoven backing material, as known to those in the art. "Bundle" refers to the portion of yarn inserted into a woven or nonwoven backing material in the tufting operation. A plurality of bundles ~oxten-ling from a surface of the woven or 30 nonwoven backing material collectively form a pile layer. "Textured" or "crimped" in referring to the fil~ment~ of fibers herein refers to the waviness of the WO 96/35836 PCT/US!)CICC~G~
filament or fiber. "Fiber" and "fil~mPnt" are used interchangeably and refer to a threadlike structure comprising the m~t~ri~l~ described herein.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method for producing an article suitable for use as a mat, comprising: providing a textured yarn comrri~in~ a 5 plurality of textured fil~mentc, the fil~m~ntc each having a linear density of at least 800 denier; and tufting the ya~n to a substrate to form a plurality of bundles on one side of the substrate, the plurality of bundles forming a pile layer on the one side of the substrate, and each bundle of the pile layer compri~inP loops of the textured fil~ment.c wherein the loops are randomly shaped and oriented and are intermingled 10 with loops in ~ e~nt bundles of the pile layer.
In this aspect of the invention, tufting is carried out to provide the pile layer with a thickness of at least 5 mm and preferably in the range between 5 mm and 15 mm with a void ratio in a range b~lw~en 50% and 80% and a face weight between 600 and 2000 g/m2, as mentioned above. The pile layer is formed using yarn made 15 of two to twelve fibers, preferably four to ten fibers, having the aforementioned linear density. The yarn is tu*ed on a sheet-like substrate or cloth b~( l,ing such as a woven or nonwoven fabric, using a general purpose tufting m~hine The tufting density and height of the loop pile above the backing are selected so that the above-described void ratio is satisfied. A pile layer having a desired void ratio is 20 pr~ed by selecting a suitable gauge and stitch of the tufting m~chine while taking into consideration the size of fil~mPnt, the number of crimps per fil~ment and the number of fil~ment~ in the yarn, as known by those skilled in the art. The method preferably further compri~e~ fnrming a secondary backing on another side of the substrate opposite the pile layer, the secondary backing preferably comprises 25 a cured coating of a m~teri~l selected from vinyl plastisol, polyurethane, rubber latex and similar m~t~ris~
The invention provides articles useful as floor mats, for example, having excellent wiping ability and which have a significant void volume to retain dirtsuch as soil or sand therein. The articles of the invention are tough and resilient 30 and are able to withstand significant use, including repeated pedestrian traffic over the pile layer of the article, without substantial deterioration. In applications such WO 96/35836 PCT/US9''.~C~C~
as floor mats, for example, the thickness and density of the pile layer can be constructed to acco.,ll..odate expected levels of pedestrian traffic and associated levels of soil or dirt expected thc.er .lll. Those skilled in the art will further understand and appreciate the various features and advantages of the invention ~ S upon further consideration of the rem~in-l~r of the disclosure, including the detailed description of the ~l~ r~ d embodiment and the appended claims.
Brief Des ~ io~ Of The nr.~
In describing the ~lcr~lled embodiment of the invention, reference is made to the various figures wherein:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a mat according to the present invention, Figure 2 is an elevated view, in cross section, of the mat shown in Figure 1, taken along the 2-2 line thereof, and Figure 3 is an elevated view, in cross section, of the mat shown in Figure 2, taken along the 3-3 line thereof.
nç~ed n~s~ n Of The Pref~ ~ed ~mbo~ en~
The details of the ~ ;re.l~d embodiment will now be described with reference to the various figures wherein the structural features of the embodiment are identified by reference numerals and wherein like l~fere~,ce numerals indicate like structures.
The tufted mat of the present invention may be produced by conventional carpet m~king eqllipm~nt and specifically by the use of known tufting technology.
Tufting is a process which inserts tufts of yarn into a woven or nonwoven backing material. Yarn is a collection of textured fibers of an a~ pliate size, in continuous or discontinuous lengths. The yarn is tufted to a substrate by inserting portions of the yarn through the backing material using vertically reciprocatingneedles, similar to the action of a conventional sewing machine. In the present invention, yarns comprising a plurality of coarse denier fibers of at least 800 denier, are fed to a collection of spaced needles on a needle bar. The coarse fibers are inserted into a primary backing to create continuous areas comprising tuftedbundles of the coarse denier fibers, typically in side by side rows.
CA 022l8098 l997- lO- lO
WO 96/35836 PCT/US~)G/OC161 Referring to Figure 1, a surface 10 of a pile layer c-lmpri~e~ a random arrangement of tufted loops of coarse fil~n~f~nte 1 wherein the filaments 1 eachhave a fin.?n.os~ or linear density of at least 800 denier and preferably between 1000 and 1800 denier. The loops of fil~mentc assume random shapes and orientations, 5 so that the individual loops are ;1~ led with one another throughout the pile layer. The int~rmingled loops of filarnents 1 collectively forrn a pile layer having an open structure capable of lec~iving and ~ dirt.
As shown in Figure 2, the pile layer comprises loops 12 of synthetic fil~mentc 1 çxt~n-ling from tufted bundles 14. The bundles 14 are the tufted portions of the aforementioned yarn which protrude through a primary sheet-like substrate 16 as a result of the tufting operation. The bundles 14 are arrange along a surface of the ~ub:iLIale 16 with the textured fil~ment~ 1 deployed in loops 12 which extend ouLw73,d from the center of each bundle 14. The bundles 14 are spaced apart in an orderly fashion on the surface of the primary substrate 16 with arlj2qcent bundles 14 spaced sufficiently close to one another that loops 12 from adjacent bundles 14 are i..le....;..gled to form a pile layer 20 (Figure 3) with a bs~ lly ullirulln face weight and thickness per unit area and which es~ a s~bst~nti~lly uniform surface of fibrous material suitable for use as a floor mat, for example.
A secondary backing member 18 is preferably affixed to a side of the primary subskate 16 opposite the pile layer 20. The secondary backing member 18 comprises a cured resin layer and is typically included in the article to provide weight or body to the article. When the article is used as a floor mat, for ex~mple, the secondary b~rl~in~ member 18 is nonn~lly included in the construction to 25 prevent the mat from slipping or otherwise being displaced when it is walked over by pedeskians during normal use. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the filaments 1 ofthe tufted bundles 14 form loops 12 of random shapes and orientations. Each of the loops 12 extend up from the center of a bundle 12 along one side of the primarY
subskate 16. The loops 12 of each of the bundles 14 extend randomly from the 30 center ofthe bundle 14, illlf ~ glinp~ with the loops 12 in ~ cçnt or surrounding bundles 14. In this manner, the intennin~led loops 12 form a cooperative or interrelated structure, collectively forming the pile layer 20 with a thickness T
(Figure 2) which, preferably, is within the range from 5 mm to 15 mm.
Articles of the invention, when used as floor mats, will typically have a face weight of the tufted pile layer 20 between 600 and 2000 g/m2 and preferably between 900 and 1300 g/m2. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the face weight of the pile layer 20 may be adjusted to provide a desired value by yarn sp~cinp (or machine gauge) as well as by tuft length to provide a desired pile height, yarn or fil~ment denier, and the like. A pile height higher than the aforementioned upper limit (e.g., greater than 15 mm) is generally not desired because it may present a tripping hazard. Conversely, a pile layer shorter than the aforementioned lower limit (e.g., less than 5 mm) is similarly undesired bec~use it may have insufficient capacity or void space for the storage of dirt and moisture.
Also, if the stitch spacing is too tight, the resulting pile layer 20 may comprise bundles 14 which are too closely spaced to one another, again resulting in an article (e.g., a mat) that may not have sufflcient volume (e.g., void volume) for the storage of dirt and moisture. As mentioned, a suitable void volume for the articles of the invention is between 50 and 80% and preferably between 60 and 80%.
Void volume, as used herein, is CA~ ssed as a pclcc~ ge and is a measure of the capacity of an article (e.g., a mat) for holding dirt, sand, water and the like within the open space of the pile layer formed by the loops of the aforementioned tufted bundles. The ~letennin~tion of void volume is based on the capacity of the article for holding dry sand having a known a~palcllt density (e.g., 1.4 g/cm3), and the void volume is determined according to the formula:
K(%)=[(W-Wo)/(1.4xSxT)]x 100 where WO is the initial weight (grams) of the article (e.g., free of retained dirt or moisture);
W is the weight (g) of the article after the pile layer has been filled with dirt, sand, water or the like;
T is the thickness of the pile layer; and S is the area of the article (e.g., 100 cm2).
CA 022l8098 l997- lO- lO
The pile layer 20 in the articles of the invention is a durable and resilient ~llU~i~Ulc, comprised of randomly shaped spaces formed by the looped coarse filaments 1. The loops 12 provide the pile layer ~0 with the capacity for the storage of dirt and moisture while also providing a resilient surface that can 5 function as a mat and which is strong and resilient enough to withstand significant and repeated pe~lestri~n traffic.
Suitable fil~m~nte for use in the articles of the invention can compriee any of a variety of m~t~ri~le inclll~ling any of a variety of cured or hardened thermoplastic synthetic resins, such as nylon, polyolefin (e.g., poly~lo~ylene),10 polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephth~l~te-)~ polycarbonate or poly~lyl~ne. The fil~m~nte 1 used in the articles of the invention preferably are crimped, continuous, coarse fil~mPnt~ having a finPn.-ss or a linear density of at least 800 denier and preferably in a range bc~ eell 1000 and 1800 denier. Such crimped filaments having the linear densities within the aforementioned ranges provide the rigid 15 durable pile layer 20, as mentioned. One ~.~;rel.ed material suitable for use in the articles of the invention is the 1300 denier nylon 6 fiber available under the trade dPei~n~tion "Tufgrass NMK" from Hagiwara Industry, Japan.
The aforementioned fibers used in the articles of the invention may be of any cross sectional configuration. Preferably the cross sectional configuration of 20 the fibers are circular, polygonal or oval rather than flat, so as to avoid the generation of anisotropy in rigidity. Fil~mentc less than 800 dpf are undesirable because they will tend to flatten more readily when exposed to foot traffic traversing the article. Fl~ttenin~ of the pile layer is undesired because the ability of the layer 20 to wipe and retain soil riimini~hes as the layer is fl~ttenP~I Fi1~nnentc 25 having linear densities greater than 2000 dpf are not recommended because of the difficulty in imparting crimp to fibers of such sizes, and crimping is desired because coarse crimped fibers provide the aforementioned open loops 12 having random configurations and orientations in the pile layer so that loops 12 in each bundle ofthe pile layer i~ gle with the loops 12 in adjacent bundles.
30 Continuous fil~ment~ are desired due to the requirements of the conventional eql-ipmPnt employed in the m~nuf~rtnre of the articles of the invention.
WO 96135836 PCI'lU~7g610C~C4 Specifically, collvelllional tufting eq11ipment generally requires coarse yarns to be made of continuous fi1~mente The plllll~ ~ b~rl~in~ used in the articles of the invention is a fabric which may be woven or nonwoven and may be formed of natural fibers, synthetic fibers S or combinations of natural and synthetic fibers. Pl~ f~ d fibers include natural fibers co.~ ;e;~-g cotton or jute and synthetic fibers comprising polypropylene or polyester. The fibers of the primary b~rl~in~ may be made from any of a variety known processes, and the backing may be needlet~r~ to another m~teri~l, such as a nonwoven mat, to provide a locking effect for the tufts and to prevent the b~r~ing m~teri~1 from unraveling, all in a known lll~neL. A suitable backing m~t~ri~1 for use in the articles of the invention includes the nonwoven polyester m~teri~1 comlll~ rcially available from Hagiwara Industry, Japan, under the ~1esi~n~tion "TUFPET CLOTH 22x13".
The tufted articles of the present invention preferably also include a l 5 secondary backing which provides weight or body to the article so that when the articles are provided as mats, for example, the secondary backing prevents the article from being displaced when it is walked over. The secondary b~cl~ing may be made from conventional materials, including cured materials selected from vinyl plastisol, polyurethane, rubber latex and similar materials. The secondarybacking may be foamed, patterned or ribbed and may be filled with materials conventionally used in b~ckinge for mats and/or for carpeting m~1çri~le. One commercial material suitable material for use in the formation of the secondary backing is poly(vinylchloride) plaetisol available under the trade ~leeign~tion "Raditex VL-1070" from Higashi Chemical Co., Japan.
As mentioned, the filaments used in the articles of the invention are textured (e.g., crimped). To achieve the desired degree of ~;lhlll)ing of the filaments, any known t~Luli~ g method may be used. Such methods include twist-heating, twist-heat-detwisting, airjet texturizing, knit-deknit, edge-~,lhllpillg~
gear-clhllping and the like. The Clilllpillg method selected should be one that , 30 produces crimps in the filaments sufficient to allow the filament loops, after tufting to the primary substrate, to easily open or deploy, thereby forming the above g CA 022l8098 l997- lO- lO
WO 96/35836 PCT/US~6/0616 described structure of randomly oriented fil~ment loops collectively forming a pile layer.
Suitable t~l... ;"p of the fil~mentc. may be accomrli~he~l by using a combination of twist-heating and knit-deknit. In this process, a plurality of S continuous fil~mf~ntc~ is collected, typically two to t~,velve fil~ment~ The fil~ment~
are arranged in a parallel manner and the collection of fil~ment~ is twisted about the longitllrlin~l axis of the collected fibers. The continuous fil~mentc~ are typically twisted more than ten turns per meter of fil~ment preferably more than twenty turns per meter, and more preferably about 40 turns per meter. Twisting may be in the "Z" direction (e.g., counterclockwise) or in the: "S" direction (e.g., clockwise).
In this manner, the fil~mentc are formed into a coarse yarn, and preferably all of the yarn used in the forrnation of the pile layer have been formed by twisting the fil:lment~ in the same direction (e.g., either in the S or Z directions).
The twisted fil~ment~ are then supplied to a conventional knitting m~ehinc where it is knitted into a fabric, and the knitted fabric is heated to set the texture of the fil~m~nt~ A knitted fabric compri~in~ nylon 6 fibers, for example, is typically heated at a te~ Lu~c: of about 130~C for a period of about 40 minlltes For otherm~teri~l~, the temperature at which the heat set operation is p~.ro~ ed will typically be b~;~w~l about 100~C and the softening point of at least one of the filament components in the bundle. The ~ tion of the a~lvp-iate heat set temperature is well within the skill of those in the art. Thereafter, the fabric is allowed to cool to room te~ e.dLu.e, typically for 8 to 10 hours. The cooled fabric is then unraveled or "tleL nitte~l" to provide a textured yarn suitable for use in the articles of the invention.
The textured yarn is supplied to a tufting m~ehine and tufted through a primary substrate to form the pile layer, described above. The linear densities of the fibers (e.g., at least 800 denier) used in forming the pile layer in the articles of the present invention provide a coarse yarn which, when tufted through the primary substrate, provides bundles that open naturally (e.g., without an additional opening operation). Once opened, the filament loops assume random shapes and orientations wherein the loops in one bundle are intermingled with the loops from CA 022l8098 l997- l0- l0 WO 96/35836 PCT/US~)6/OC46~1 r~nt tufted bundles. As mentioned, the twist in~l~d to the fil~ment.~ is preferably ul..fo~lnly one-directional to provide a loop pile structure with thearolelllentioned random shapes and orientations.
Commercially available textured yarns may be used in the m~nllf~-~.tllre of 5 the articles of the invention. Textured yarns made from the aforementioned 1300 denier nylon 6 fibers ("Tufgrass NMK"), for example, are commercially available from Hagiwara Industry.
The articles of the invention may be used in any of a variety of applications where a resilient pile layer with an ability to retain soil and / or moisture is desired.
10 The articles of the invention are particularly well suited for use as floor mats for pl~-~ernPnt at the e..l. ~w~,y of buildings or the like, and such mats may be used in both indoor ~ well as outdoor applications. The articles of the invention may also be used as splash preventive members (e.g., splash guards or mud guards) for automobiles by ~tt~ching the article to the automobile in a conventional manner 15 (e.g., to the inner side of an automobile wheel-arch).
TF.ST MFTHQnS
The articles made and described in the Examples were evaluated according to the procedures set forth below.
Soil/S~n~l Wipir~ Test This test procedures provides a determination of the amount of material that can be retained within the pile layer of a mat. Each mat tested was weighed before the test and all of the mats were of the same surface area, measuring 0.9 meters in width and 3.6 meters in length. In this determination, one adult wearing rubber soled shoes first stepped with both feet in a pan filled with dry sand. The dry sand had an average particle size of less than 640 microns and an a~palellt density of 1.4 g/cm3. After stepping in the pan, the adult walked on the surface of the mat to be tested, placing six steps (three per each foot) on each mat using a normal walking step and without wiping.. After repeating this sequence 500 times, the weight (in 30 grams) of sand left on the mat was measured. This test was repeated three times per mat. The same adult ~ .led the testing of all mats herein. The average -Il-WO 9613S836 PCI'IUS96/06 161 weight of retained sand for the three tests was recorded and the results were compaled to evaluate the relative wiping abilities of each test mat.
Thickn~ R~ lrtion Pelce..~ e ByDyr~mic T oad This test measure the reduction in the thickness of the pile layer for the mats tested, in acco~ ce with J~p~ se Industrial Standard test method JIS L-1021-1979 entitled "Testing Methods For Textile Floorcoverings", I~tili7in~ the rotary method described therein. Conditions included a load of 1 kg/arm (impact rotor) and the measurement of thickness reduction was made after 10,000 revolutions of the test mat on a rotary dynamic load tester. Three samples per test mat were evaluated according to the test method. The thickness reduction, e~lJressed as a ptl~;elllage, for each sample was ~let~rrnined according to the following formula:
Thickness Reduction (%) = [(to - tl)/ to] x 100 where to is the thickness (mm) of the test specimen prior to impact loading, and tl is the thickness of the test specimen (mm) after impact loading for 10,000 revolutions of the test specimen.
Meas-lrement Of Void Ratio (%) This test measured the empty space within the pile layer of the test mats, providing a measure of the capacity of the mats for the storage of soil. Test specimens of 100 cm2 (S) (10 cm x 10 cm) were weighed and the thickn~s~es of the pile layers (T) were measured for each specimen. The values for the initial weights (W0) and the thicknesses were recorded. The pile layer of each test specimen was filled with dry sand having an ~pa~elll density of 1.4 g/cm3 so that the outer surface of the pile layer was concealed by the sand. The final weights(W) of the specimens were measured and recorded. The void ratio (K%) was deterrnine~l for each test specimen according to the following formula: -K(%)=[(W-Wo)/(1.4xSxT)]x 100 CA 022l8098 l997- lO- lO
The advantages and fcdlulcs of the present invention are further described below with reference to the following non-limitinFJ F.x~mples.
FXAMP~
A textured yarn was obtained from Hagiwara Industry, Japan, comprieing six nylon fil~m~nt.e (commercially available from Asahi Chemical Industry, Japan, under the trade design~tion "Leona Special:") of circular cross-section, each fil~ment having a linear density of 1300 dpf. The yarn was prepared by twisting the six filaments in the Z-direction (right hand twist) at 40 turns/meter using a ring type general twist machine. ThCl~dr~, the twisted fil~mente were fed to a knitting m~rhine configured with 1 needle/cm to form a knitted fabric. The fabric was heated at a tel"p~,ldlu~c of 130~C for 40 ~ rs and then cooled at room tClll~)Cld~Ul~, for 8-10 hours and deknitted to provide a textured yarn. The yarn was fed to a tufting m~rhine (5/32 gauge) to form tufted bundles 14 mm long at a stitch of 3.2 mm on a woven substrate of polyester fibers (commercially available from Hagiwara Industry under the ~ireign~tion "Tufpet Cloth 22x13"). The resulting pile layer had a thickness (T) of 9 mm and a face weight of 1226 g/m2. A plastisol of polyvinyl chloride ("Raditex VL-l 070" from Higashi Chemical Co.) was coated on the side of the woven substrate opposite the pile layer and cooled to form a secondary backing 2 mm thick.
The pile layer of the mat had a random void structure formed by the filament loops from of the tufted bundles. The fil~mçnt loops had random shapes and orientations, and loops from each of the bundles were intermin~led with similar loops of adjacent bundles in the pile layer. The ~lOp~l lies of the mat are reported in Table 1. Colll~a.dli~e testing of this mat established that the mat of Example 1 had a durable structure able to withstand repeated pedestrian traffic, ha~l an excellent ability to wipe sand from shoe soles and was able to retain the sand in the structure of the pile layer.
WO 96135836 PCT/US!~6/OC~6;J
FX~,MPT,F, 2 A mat was prepared as in Example 1 except that: the nylon fil~m~nt~ had a linear density of 1000 dpf; the bundle was twisted in the S-direction (left handtwist) at 60 turns/m; and the tufting operation was con-luct~ under conditions to 5 provide loops 14 mm long at a stitch of 3.2 mm. Thus, the mat of this Example had a pile layer 9 mm thick, a face weight of 926 g/m2 and a secondary backing 2mm thick.
The pile layer of the mat had a random void structure formed by the fil~ment loops from of the tufted bundles. The fil~ment loops had random shapes 10 and orientations, and loops from each ofthe bundles were i..l~ . ,.,i..gled with similar loops of ~ nt bundles in the pile layer. The plo~ ies of the mat are reported in Table 1. Col~lp~aLi~re testing of this mat established that the mat of Example 2 had a durable structure able to withct~n~ repeated pedestrian traffic, had an excellent ability to wipe sand from shoe soles and was able to retain the sand in 15 the ~Ll~ Lule of the pile layer.
l;X~MPT,F, 3 A mat was prepared as in Example 1 except: the nylon fil~m~nt~ had a linear density of 1800 denier; the textured filament bundle was fed to a tufting20 m~ ine (5/32 gauge) to form loop piles 7 mm long on a woven backing of polyester fibers; and the tufting operation was conducted at a stitch of 3.2 mm so that a pile layer 6 mm thick and a face weight of 1244 g/m2 was obtained. The secondary backing was 2 mm thick.
The pile layer of the mat had a random void structure formed by the 25 filament loops from of the tufted bundles. The filament loops had random shapes and orientations, and loops from each of the bundles were intermingled with similar loops of adjacent bundles in the pile layer. The properties of he mat are reported in Table 1. Comparative testing of this mat established that the mat ofExample 3 had a durable structure able to withstand repeated pedestrian traffic, had 30 an excellent ability to wipe sand from shoe soles and was able to retain the sand in the structure of the pile layer.
WO 96135836 PCT/US~ C 1 C1 COMP~RATIVF FX~MPT FS 1 - 3 Three known tufted pile mats, all including a polymeric secondary backing, were evaluated with respect to con.p~ ion of the pile layer, void ratio and weight 5 of wiped soil according to the test methods previously describedThe test results are given in Table 1.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1 was a commercial mat sold under the trade clesi~n~tion "Power Cell" by Teramoto Company of Japan. The mat had a cut pile layer 6 mm thick. The pile filament was a stuffer-box crimped nylon filament with a circular cross section and a linear density of 75 dpf. The mat also had a polyvinyl chloride backing that was 3 mm thick.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2 was a commercial mat sold under the trade ~le~i~n~tion "Loop Runner" by Teramoto Company of Japan. This artificial lawn mat had a 1 mm thick foamed polyvinyl chloride backing layer. The loop pile was crimped poly~io~ylene fil~ment~, flat in cross section and having a linear density of 200 dpf. (cl;lll~illg method is unknown) COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 3 was a commercial mat available from the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minnesota under the trade ~lecign~tion "ENHANCE" #500. The mat was a carpet mat comprising tufts of flat polypropylene fil~nnentc having a linear density of 30 dpf and tufts of stuffer-box crimped polypropylene filaments each having a linear density of 300 dpf.
As seen from the Table 1, all the mats of Co~ ~dLi~e Examples exhibit greater reduction in thickness of the pile layer as compal~d with those of Examples 1 - 3. Additionally, the void ratios for the mats of the Colllp~dlive Examples were about half those for the inventive mats of Examples 1 - 3. The inventive mats ofExample 1-3 were also able to hold a higher volume of soil than the mats of the Colllpalc.~ives. The pile layer in all of the inventive mats comprised loops of textured synthetic resinous filaments of random shapes and orientations, each r 30 having a linear density of at least 800 denier. The mats of the invention have a WO 96/35836 PCTrUS~G/CCqGq high rt~ci~t~nl~e to cc,n~ cs~ e load and a desired ability to wipe and retain soil therein, making the mats very well suited for use as floor mats.
Table 1 Example co~ lalh~e Example Filament nylonnylon nylonnylon PP' PP PP
(denier) (1300)(1000)(1800)(75)(200)(300) (30) Me shape loop loop loop cut loop loop loop Thickness of pile 9 9 6 6 5 8 8 layer (mm) Thick, red. % of 2.3 3.0 0.7 5.8 14.5 P layer Void ratio (o/O) 71.7 74.3 89.5 34.8 47.5 41.9 Weightofwiped 271.6269.7 261.8232.5240.3 258 soil (g) 5E Polypropylene.
The articles of the invention provide a tough, resilient random pile structure with significant void space for the retention of soil or moisture while the tough pile layer is desirably resistant to conlpl. s~ e loads. Although the l,lef~ d 10 embodiment of the invention has been described in some detail herein, variouschanges and modifications to the described embodiment will be ap~ t to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims (20)
1. An article suitable for use as a floor mat comprising a sheet-like substrate and a tufted pile layer extending from one side of the substrate, the pile layercomprising tufted bundles of textured synthetic resinous filaments, each filament having a linear density of at least 800 denier, the filaments in each tufted bundle arranged in loops of random shapes and orientations and intermingled with loops in adjacent tufted bundles of filaments in the pile layer, wherein the pile layer has a void ratio in a range between 50% and 80%.
2. A mat as defined by claim 1, wherein the pile layer has a thickness in arange between 5 mm and 15 mm.
3. A mat as defined by claim 1, wherein the synthetic resinous filaments comprise a thermoplastic material.
4. A mat as defined in claim 3 wherein the thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of nylon; polyolefin, polyester, polycarbonate and polystyrene.
5. A mat as defined in claim 4 wherein the polyolefin is polypropylene.
6. A mat as defined in claim 4 wherein the polyester is polyethylene terephthalate.
7. A mat as defined in claim 1 wherein the filaments have a linear density within the range from 1000 to 1800 denier.
8. A mat as defined in claim 1 wherein the substrate is selected from woven and nonwoven fabrics.
9. A mat as defined in claim 8 wherein the woven and nonwoven fabrics comprise fibers selected from natural and synthetic materials consisting of jute, cotton, polyester, polypropylene, polyester and combinations thereof.
10. The mat as defined in claim 1 further comprising a secondary backing affixed to the substrate, the secondary backing comprising materials selected from the group consisting of vinyl plastisol, polyurethane and rubber latex.
11. A method for producing a mat, comprising: providing a textured yarn comprising a plurality of textured filaments, the filaments each having a lineardensity of at least 800 denier; and tufting the yarn to a substrate to form a plurality of bundles on one side of the substrate, the plurality of bundles forming a pilelayer on the one side of the substrate, and each bundle of the pile layer comprising loops of the textured filaments wherein the loops are randomly shaped and oriented and are intermingled with loops in adjacent bundles of the pile layer such that the pile layer has <->
12. The method defined in claim 11, wherein tufting is carried out to provide the pile layer with a thickness in the range between 5 mm and 15 mm.<a void ratio in a range between 50% and 80%.>
13. The method defined in claim 11, wherein the synthetic resinous filaments comprise a thermoplastic material.
14. The method defined in claim 13 wherein the thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of nylon; polyolefin, polyester, polycarbonate and polystyrene.
15. The method defined in claim 14 wherein the polyolefin is polypropylene.
16. The method defined in claim 14 wherein the polyester is polyethylene terephthalate.
17. The method defined in claim 11 wherein the filaments have a linear density within the range from 1000 to 1800 denier.
18. The method defined in claim 11 wherein the substrate is selected from woven and nonwoven fabrics.
19. The method defined in claim 18 wherein the woven and nonwoven fabrics comprise fibers made from natural and synthetic materials selected from the group consisting of jute, cotton, polyester, polypropylene, polyester and combinationsthereof
20 The method defined in claim 11 further comprising applying a material to another side of the substrate to provide a secondary backing useful to prevent slipping of the article along a surface, the material selected from the group consisting of vinyl plastisol, polyurethane and rubber latex.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP7/109477 | 1995-05-08 | ||
| JP7109477A JPH08302556A (en) | 1995-05-08 | 1995-05-08 | Loop pile sheet |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2218098A1 true CA2218098A1 (en) | 1996-11-14 |
Family
ID=14511239
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002218098A Abandoned CA2218098A1 (en) | 1995-05-08 | 1996-05-07 | Tufted articles and method of making same |
Country Status (9)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0824614A1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JPH08302556A (en) |
| KR (1) | KR19990008401A (en) |
| CN (1) | CN1185185A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU698610B2 (en) |
| BR (1) | BR9608295A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2218098A1 (en) |
| MX (1) | MX9708446A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1996035836A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (13)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6468622B1 (en) * | 1994-04-29 | 2002-10-22 | Kleen-Tex Industries Inc. | Track control mat and method of making the same |
| JP4602009B2 (en) * | 2004-06-30 | 2010-12-22 | 株式会社大和 | Structure to prevent misalignment of first carpet and floor mat |
| IL177140A0 (en) * | 2006-07-27 | 2006-12-10 | Caesarea Creation Ind Ltd | Anti-skid floor covering |
| KR101006238B1 (en) * | 2006-10-12 | 2011-01-07 | 코오롱글로텍주식회사 | Artificial turf using shaped fiber |
| KR200470081Y1 (en) * | 2009-07-31 | 2013-11-26 | 코오롱글로텍주식회사 | Tufted floor mat |
| JP5742286B2 (en) * | 2010-10-08 | 2015-07-01 | 有限会社 四季園 | Tongue Moss Cleaning Tool |
| CN102578894B (en) * | 2012-03-15 | 2013-11-13 | 冯建兵 | Patch embroidery tufting floor mat and production method thereof |
| WO2015157380A1 (en) * | 2014-04-10 | 2015-10-15 | Invista North America S.A.R.L. | Multicolor carpet and method of making same |
| CN104278426B (en) * | 2014-09-29 | 2016-07-13 | 东华大学 | The preparation method of refining jute fiber antiseptic printed woolen blanket |
| CN108532023A (en) * | 2018-04-20 | 2018-09-14 | 重庆市联宝维美地毯制造有限公司 | A kind of composite fibre carpet and preparation method thereof |
| CN108677353A (en) * | 2018-06-15 | 2018-10-19 | 青岛百花旺塑料科技有限公司 | A kind of crude fibre nylon yarn carpet and its mode of production |
| DE102019127675B4 (en) | 2019-10-15 | 2022-06-02 | Audi Ag | Doormat with increased dirt absorption function |
| EP4234806A1 (en) | 2022-02-28 | 2023-08-30 | Covestro (Netherlands) B.V. | A method for manufacturing a carpet product, and a product obtainable using this method |
Family Cites Families (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2315557A1 (en) * | 1975-06-24 | 1977-01-21 | Smith Ass Carpet Peter | MATERIAL FOR CARPET |
| US4617208A (en) * | 1983-07-19 | 1986-10-14 | Modern Fibers, Inc. | Non-directional, synthetic, outdoor carpet |
| US4711191A (en) * | 1986-11-04 | 1987-12-08 | Techniservice | Monofilament-wrap texturizing method and product |
| US4820566A (en) * | 1987-05-08 | 1989-04-11 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Tufted carpet with tufts of fine fibers and tufts of crimped coarse fibers |
| US5055333A (en) * | 1989-01-09 | 1991-10-08 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Tufted carpet |
| JPH02191733A (en) * | 1989-01-17 | 1990-07-27 | Kawashima Textile Manuf Ltd | Pile yarn and carpet |
| EP0760875B1 (en) * | 1994-04-29 | 2004-06-23 | Kleentex Industries, Inc. | Improved track control mat and method of making the same |
-
1995
- 1995-05-08 JP JP7109477A patent/JPH08302556A/en active Pending
-
1996
- 1996-05-07 CA CA002218098A patent/CA2218098A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1996-05-07 AU AU56386/96A patent/AU698610B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1996-05-07 CN CN96193696A patent/CN1185185A/en active Pending
- 1996-05-07 KR KR1019970707928A patent/KR19990008401A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1996-05-07 WO PCT/US1996/006464 patent/WO1996035836A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1996-05-07 BR BR9608295-0A patent/BR9608295A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1996-05-07 MX MX9708446A patent/MX9708446A/en unknown
- 1996-05-07 EP EP96913366A patent/EP0824614A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CN1185185A (en) | 1998-06-17 |
| KR19990008401A (en) | 1999-01-25 |
| EP0824614A1 (en) | 1998-02-25 |
| WO1996035836A1 (en) | 1996-11-14 |
| MX9708446A (en) | 1998-02-28 |
| BR9608295A (en) | 2000-03-28 |
| JPH08302556A (en) | 1996-11-19 |
| AU698610B2 (en) | 1998-11-05 |
| AU5638696A (en) | 1996-11-29 |
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