CA2245421A1 - Easy clean glue formulation for flooring and method of using same - Google Patents
Easy clean glue formulation for flooring and method of using same Download PDFInfo
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- CA2245421A1 CA2245421A1 CA 2245421 CA2245421A CA2245421A1 CA 2245421 A1 CA2245421 A1 CA 2245421A1 CA 2245421 CA2245421 CA 2245421 CA 2245421 A CA2245421 A CA 2245421A CA 2245421 A1 CA2245421 A1 CA 2245421A1
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Abstract
A glue formulation for installing flooring comprising an adhesive and a soluble composition blended with the adhesive. A typical adhesive used for installing floors is polyvinyl acetate. The soluble composition comprises a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid.
The glue formulation provides the benefits of improved ease of cleanability and reduced chalk temperature.
The glue formulation provides the benefits of improved ease of cleanability and reduced chalk temperature.
Description
EASY CI~~N GIrtJE FORMULATION FOR FLOORING
1~ND I~T80D OF ZTSING $~:
~1C1CGROUND OF THE I~lVEi~2~rrnt The present invention relates to a glue formulation used in the installation of laminate floors. The glue formulation is applied to the seams formed between adjacent floor panels or planks when those panels or planks are laid side by side during the installation of a floor.
The glue formulation is comprised of an adhesive blended with a soluble composition comprised of a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid. The invention also relates to a method of installing a floor using the glue formulation.
Description Of R~lat~d art A variety of materials are available for use as floorings. Several of these materials are sold in the form of panels or planks including laminate and natural wood materials. A floor of this type may generally be installed by laying appropriately sized panels of flooring material side by side and connecting the panels to each other and, sometimes, 6248650.1 40398 1419C 98447626 to the underlying surface onto which the floor is being installed.
Frequently, flooring material comprised of panels are connected together by a "tongue and groove" method. The panels employed in this process typically are narrow and rectangular in shape having a length substantially greater than their width, but can be square in shape and, in some instances, triangularly shaped. Most commonly, the two panels are positioned in adjacent abutting relationship and connected together along their lengths. Along one lengthwise side of a panel there is a protrusion formed by the panel material commonly referred to as a "tongue". Along the other lengthwise side of the same panel there is a groove or recess formed into the panel material. When two such panels are laid next to each other along their lengthwise sides, the tongue side of one panel fits into the groove side of the other panel. The fitting of the tongue side of the first panel into the groove side of the second panel forms a first physical connection between the two panels. The tongue and groove arrangement aligns the top surfaces of the panels.
Likewise formed panels can be similarly added and connected to the first two panels until a desired area is covered by the connected panels to form a floor. The length of the panels can be adjusted to fit the size of the room in which the floor is being installed without losing the tongue and groove mechanism of connecting the panels.
621A650.1 10398 1419C 9811626 Typically, a second physical connection is made at the seams between adjacent panels by using glue, mastic, screws, or nails. Glue is also used to seal and waterproof the seams.
The installation of a floor having panels fitted together by the tongue and groove method and sealed with glue generally requires additional steps including the removal of excess glue. For example, the first three rows of panels of the floor must not only be glued, but clamped together to establish a straight line. Additional panels are also glued at the seams, but do not require clamping. While the glue is necessary to seal the seams created between panels by the tongue and groove connections, excess glue is extruded through the seam onto the surface of the panels. Consequently, a significant amount of time is needed to clean the glue off of the decorative surface of the panels. Removal of the glue from panel surfaces is a very significant issue for the laminate floor industry. If not removed, excess glue creates a haze on the surface of the floor and is cosmetically undesirable.
Until now, excess glue has been very difficult to remove. It is currently desirable to remove as much of the excess glue as possible when the top surface of the glue is hardened and the glue against the flooring surface is still soft. The glue is typically in this state approximately 1 to 1 ~ hours after the glue is applied. As much of the glue as 6218650.1 10398 1119C 98417626 _ 3 possible is removed using a glue scoop to physically lift the excess glue away from the seams. As much of the remaining excess glue is then removed using a sponge. Typically, in spite of efforts to remove excess glue with both the scoop and the sponge, some amount of excess glue remains on the flooring surface. Once this glue dries and hardens, it is extremely difficult to remove. While commercially available solvent products may remove some of the dried, hardened glue, in all likelihood some will remain on the flooring surface.
Additionally, time is lost when installers have to plan on removing all of the excess glue within the initial one to one and a half hour time period after installation.
Further, extra time is needed when solvents must be used to remove the dried excess glue from the seams between the panels. For these reasons, the need to quickly remove partially dried glue and the need to rely on solvents to remove dried glue are undesirable.
In addition to the clamping and cleaning steps, floors formed by panels that are glued together require expansion joints approximately every twenty feet. A wood floor comprised of panels that are glued together essentially forms a solid structure. The expansion joints compensate for the natural expansion and contraction of the wood. A raised molding is installed as an expansion joint every twenty feet in a glued floor. As with the gluing step, the installation of expansion joints increases the overall installation time 6248650.1 40398 1419C 98147626 _ 4 for the floor. The expansion joints create areas where excess glue is more likely to accumulate. The installation of an expansion joint creates a pooling spot where a larger quantity of excess glue spread over a larger area accumulates.
In view of the above, there remains a need for a glue formulation that is more easily removed from the seams of a floor while providing a waterproof joint and without compromising the strength of the bond that the glue forms between the flooring panels or planks. There also remains a need for a glue formulation that can be easily removed at any time from a floor surface.
O
The purpose and advantages of the invention will be set forth in and apparent from the description that follows, as well as will be learned by practice of the invention.
Additional advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the elements of the formulation and method particularly pointed out in the appended claims_ The present invention relates to a glue formulation used for the installation of laminate and other types of floors. Laminate and other types of floors are typically comprised of panels or planks that are laid next to each to form the surface of the floor. The edges of the panels fit together by a tongue and groove arrangement described above.
The glue formulation of the invention is applied to the edges 6248650.1 40398 1419C 98447626 of the panels when the "tongue" of one panel is fit into the "groove" of an adjacent panel. The glue formulation of the invention does not bond to the surface of the flooring panels, thereby making it easier to clean excess glue from the surface of the newly installed floor. In fact, the glue formulation can be easily removed even when the glue formulation has completely dried. Even though it is easier to clean, the glue formulation of the invention still provides a waterproof joint between the panels. In addition, the glue formulation creates a sufficiently strong bond between adjacent floor panels.
The glue formulation comprises an adhesive and a soluble composition. The adhesive and soluble composition are blended and mixed together to form a uniform, single phase formulation. Further, the glue formulation comprises from about 1 to about 10% soluble composition blended with the adhesive. The soluble composition comprises a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive of the glue formulation comprises polyvinyl acetate adhesive.
The surfactant of the soluble composition can comprise a blend of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant. In a preferred embodiment, the anionic surfactant is sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate. Further in a preferred embodiment, the nonionic surfactant is an amine oxide such as cocamidopropylamine oxide. The esterified polyol of the soluble composition can comprise glycol stearate.
6248650.1 40398 1419C 98147626 _ 6 The soluble composition can further comprise a foam booster. An example of a suitable foam booster is an alkanolamide such as cocamide DEA. The soluble composition can comprise additional components including antioxidants, salts, and preservatives.
The objects and advantages of the present invention are further achieved by a method of using the glue formulation during installation of a floor. The method is comprised of positioning at least two floor panels or planks adjacent each other such that a seam is formed between them. The floor panels each have a top surface, a bottom surface, and two length sides. One of the length sides has a recess formed into it and the other of the length sides has a protrusion formed on it, the protrusion sized to fit into the recess. A
glue formulation is applied to the recess and the protrusion of the length sides. The glue formulation is comprised of an adhesive and a soluble composition. The glue formulation selectively adheres to the raw wood fiber of the recess and the protrusion of the panels. However, the glue formulation does not adhere, and, in fact, easily releases from the top surface of the panels. This is significant because the top surface of the floor panels is often decorative.
The soluble composition comprises a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid. The protrusion formed on the length side of one of the floor panels is fitted into the recess formed in the length side of the other floor 624H650.1 40398 1419C 98147626 _ 7 panel. The glue formulation is allowed to dry or partially dry and then the excess glue formulation is removed from the top surfaces of the floor panels using a glue scoop and a cloth moistened with water.
In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive of the glue formulation of the method is a polyvinyl acetate adhesive.
The surfactant of the soluble composition of the method can comprise a blend of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant. In a preferred embodiment, the anionic surfactant is sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and the nonionic surfactant is an amine oxide such as cocamidopropylamine oxide. Further in a preferred embodiment of the method, the esterified polyol of the soluble composition is glycol stearate.
Use of the glue formulation of the invention in the installation of a floor reduces the amount of time needed for installation of the floor and provides a glue-free surface without compromising the strength of the bond formed between adjacent floor panels. In addition, the excess glue formulation can be easily removed from the floor surface regardless of the extent to which the glue formulation has dried.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and provided for purposes of explanation only, and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
6218650.1 40398 1419C 98447626 _ a DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the glue formulation of the invention, examples of which are provided. The method of the present invention will be described in conjunction with the detailed description of the glue formulation.
In the installation of a floor, individual panels or planks of laminate or natural wood material are positioned adjacent to each other to form the flooring surface. Seams are formed between adjacent panels or planks. Each panel or plank has a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least two sides by which the panel or plank can be connected to an adjacent panel or plank. While the panels can have a variety of polygonal shapes, including hexagonal and triangular, typically the panels are rectangular. With rectangular panels, at least two of the sides are formed to be connected to adjacent panels. One side, usually a length side, has a recess formed into it and the opposite length side has a protrusion formed on it. The protrusion is sized to fit into the recess. Therefore, the protrusion of one panel fits into the recess of an adjacent panel. This arrangement forms a first physical connection between the panels. Also, the tongue and groove arrangement aligns the top surfaces of the panels.
Likewise formed panels can be similarly added and connected to the first two panels until a desired area is 6218650.1 10398 1419C 98117626 _ 9 covered by the connected panels to form a floor. The length of the panels can be adjusted to fit the size of the room in which the floor is being installed without losing the tongue and groove mechanism of connecting the panels.
Typically, a second physical connection is made at the seams between adjacent panels by using a glue that creates a strong physical and chemical bond between the panels forming the floor. The glue is also used to seal and waterproof the seams. The present invention is directed to a glue formulation used to form a second physical connection between adjacent panels. The glue formulation comprises an adhesive and a soluble composition that is blended with the adhesive.
The glue formulation further comprises from about 1 to about 10~ soluble composition blended with adhesive. A preferred adhesive for the glue formulation is polyvinyl acetate such as is supplied by Franklin International of Columbus, OH.
The soluble composition of the glue formulation is comprised of a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid. These components of the soluble composition, together with the adhesive, provide a glue formulation that is easy to remove from the flooring surface while still forming a strong bond between floor panels. The surfactant of the soluble composition can be a blend of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant. In a preferred embodiment, the anionic surfactant is sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and the nonionic surfactant is an amine oxide. A suitable amine oxide 6218650.1 10398 1119C 98417626 - 1 O -is cocamidopropylamine oxide. Further in a preferred embodiment, the esterified polyol is glycol stearate.
The soluble composition can further comprise other compounds providing various benefits to the glue formulation.
For example, the soluble composition can contain a foam booster. An exemplary foam booster is an alkanolamide such as cocamide DEA. Depending on the application of the glue formulation, the soluble composition can further comprise antioxidants, salts, and preservatives.
It is presently believed that the components of the soluble composition combine with the adhesive to form a glue formulation that remains sufficiently soluble in water to permit easy removal of the glue formulation from a flooring surface, regardless of the extent to which the glue formulation becomes dry and hardens. In addition to being easy to remove from the flooring panel surfaces, the glue formulation of the invention has a lower chalk temperature.
At low temperatures, conventional adhesives develop a chalky appearance and have a weaker bonding strength. A standard adhesive, such as polyvinyl acetate, has a chalk temperature between 60 and 65 deg. F. The glue formulation of the invention has a chalk temperature of about 53 to about 57 deg.
F. The lower chalk temperature permits the glue formulation of the invention to be used for installations being performed at an ambient temperature in the 60s, without the formation of 6248650.1 40398 1419C 9A147626 - 1 1 -"... .~. , ~ . ~.~ ~. ,~ ,..n ~A, . , i , , "". ~. . . ~ ., ~.
a chalky appearance and without a weaker bond being formed between panels.
When the glue formulation of the invention is used for installation, the bond strength between flooring panels is as strong as that formed when conventional glue is used. The strength of the bond formed between panels (seam adhesion) is measured by the force (pounds/inch) needed to break the panels apart. An Instron device is used for making such measurements. The floor panels used for testing are two (2) inches wide by eight (8) inches long. Two of the panels are glued together along their two inch width. The two inch width of the panels also has the tongue-and-groove arrangement described above. The attached panels are then positioned in the Instron device where the force needed to pull the panels apart is measured. The seam adhesion test results in Table 1.
were obtained for samples prepared with conventional adhesives as well as glue formulations of the invention:
6248650.1 10398 1419C 98447626 - 1 2 -Table 1.
SERM SEPARATION
SAI~1.~ LQAD E F71ILUR~ LQ7lD ~i l7l.IL~ POSITION
L~tY TIET~
Formica~ Hrand 158 lbs/in of seam112 lbs/in of board seam-dry seam Control Adhesive 28 kg/cm of seam 20 kg/cm of seam board seam-wet Franklin White 95 lbs/in of seam 61 lbs/in of seamboard seam-dry Adhesive 17 kg/ca of seam 11 kq/cm of seam board seam-wet Stel 51 3159 Adhesive 44 lbs/in of seam 39 lbs/in of seamglue seam-dry 8 kg/an of seam 7 kg/cm of seam glue seam-wet Stel 52 1223 Adhesive 28 lbs/in of seam 17 lbs/in of seamglue seam-dry 5 kg/cm of seam 3 kg/aa of seam glue seam-wet Glue Formulation-~1 116 lba/in of seam78 lbs/in of seamboard seam-dry 21 kg/c~a of seam 14 kg/cm of seam board seam-wet 1 0 Glue Formulation-2233 lbs/in of seam166 lbs/in of board seam-dry seam 42 kg/cm of sewn 30 kg/cn of seam board seam-wet soaked in 23-26C tap water for 1 hour The "adhesive" samples in Table 1. are examples of adhesives that are currently available for providing a second physical connection between flooring panels. The "Franklin White"
adhesive was provided by Franklin International of Columbus, Ohio and the "Stel" adhesives were provided by Stel of Seattle, Washington. The seam adhesion strengths were measured when the panels were dry and when they were wet, that is soaked in water for an hour. The force necessary to separate dry panels glued together using the existing adhesives ranged from 2B to 158 lbs./in. The average force necessary to separate dry panels bonded together with conventional adhesives is 80-90 lbs./in. As is shown, significantly less force is needed to separate panels that have been soaked in water.
The dry and wet results for the two samples having the glue formulations (#1 and #2) of the invention are 6248650.1 10398 1419C 98117626 - 1 3 -comparable to the results obtained for the samples having conventional adhesives. These results show that the glue formulation of the invention provides an adequate bond strength between floor panels while providing the benefits of easy cleanability and low chalk temperature. The "seam separation position" is an indication of the location of the break in the bond between the panels. "Board seam" indicates that the bond broke between one of the panels and the adhesive/glue formulation. "Glue Seam" indicates that the bond broke within the adhesive/glue formulation (that is, the failure occurred within the cohesive force of the glue and there was still adhesive/glue formulation attached to both panels after the test).
The seam adhesion strength is not dependent on the amount of soluble composition that is blended with the adhesive. Seam adhesion tests were performed for a control adhesive and three samples of the glue formulation of the invention having varying amounts of soluble composition. The results are provided in Table 2.
6248650.1 40398 1419C 98417626 - 1 4 -Table 2.
SEAM S~P~4R~1TION
s~r.~ raan a axrsau~ rcv~n a suzv~ rosr~roN
t~ wEr Formica~ Brand 101 lbs/in of 35 lba/in of seamboard seam-dry seam Control Adhesive 18 kg/cm of seam 6 kg/cm of seam board seam-wet Glue formulation 130 lbs/in of 61 lbs/in of seamboard seam-dry w/ seam 1% soluble 23 kg/cm of seam il kg/~ of asam board seam-wet composition Glue formulation w/ 103 lbs/in of 63 lba/in of seamboard seam-dry seam 5% soluble 19 kg/aa of seam 11 kg/csa of seamboard seam-wet composition Glue formulation w/ 119 lbs/in of 2d lbs/in of seamboard seam-dry seam 10% soluble 21 kg/ca of seam 4 kg/cm of seam board seam-wet composition ;soaked in 26C tap water for 1 hour As can be seen in Table 2., the seam adhesion strength does not change dramatically as the amount of soluble composition blended with adhesive is increased. The results of the seam adhesion tests in Tables 1. and 2. show that the glue formulation provides significant benefits without compromising the strength of the second physical connection formed between flooring panels.
The present invention is also directed to a method of using a glue formulation during the installation of a floor. The method is perfoaned by first positioning at least two floor panels adjacent to each other such that a seam is formed between them. The floor panels each have a top surface, a bottom surface, and two length sides. The length sides are configured to have the tongue and groove arrangement previously described so that adjacent panels can fit together.
Therefore, one length side has a recess formed in it and the other length side has a protrusion farmed on it. The 6248650.1 d0398 1419C 98117626 - 1 5 -protrusion formed on the length of one panel fits into the recess formed into the length of the other panel. After the panels are positioned adjacent to each other, a glue formulation is applied to the recess and the protrusion of the length sides that will fit together. The glue formulation selectively adheres to the raw wood fiber of the recess and the protrusion of the panels. However, the glue formulation does not adhere to and, in fact, easily releases from the top surface, Which may be decorative, of the floor panels.
The glue formulation comprises an adhesive and a soluble composition. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive is a polyvinyl acetate adhesive. The soluble composition comprises a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid. In a preferred embodiment, the surfactant is a blend or mixture of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant. An example of a suitable anionic surfactant is sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate. An example of a suitable nonionic surfactant is an amine oxide, such as cocamidopropylamine oxide. In the preferred embodiment, the esterified polyol is glycol stearate.
After the glue formulation is applied to the recess and the protrusion of the adjacent floor panels, the protrusion is fit into the recess. This tongue and groove arrangement provides a first physical connection between the floor panels and the glue formulation provides a second physical connection. The glue formulation is then permitted 6248650.1 40398 1419C 98147626 - 1 6 -to dry. While dependent on atmospheric conditions, the glue formulation will dry like conventional adhesives. Therefore, it will be partially dry in 1 to 1 ~ hours and completely dry within 24 hours of application.
Once the glue formulation has reached the desired stage of dryness, the excess glue formulation that is squeezed onto the surfaces of the floor panels is removed. An initial amount of excess glue formulation is removed using a glue scoop. The glue scoop is maneuvered along the seam between the floor panels to collect the excess glue formulation that is collected there. After the initial amount is removed, the remainder of the excess glue formulation is removed using a cloth, sponge, or other suitable material for Wiping that has been moistened with Water or a cleaning liquid. The remainder of the excess glue formulation is easily removed with the dampened cloth.
In view of the description above, it is evident that the present invention provides a glue formulation useful in the installation of laminate and other types of floors. The 2D glue formulation is used to form a second physical connection between adjacent floor panels or planks. The excess amount of the glue formulation that is squeezed out at the seam is easily removed using a glue scoop and moistened cloth or sponge. While the glue formulation is substantially easier to remove from the floor surface than conventional adhesives, it 6218650.1 10398 1419C 98417626 _ 1 7 still provides a strong bond between the panels and forms a waterproof seal.
Although reference has been made to the use of the present invention for the installation of floors for the purpose of explanation, it is understood that alternative uses may exist. It also will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the composition of the glue formulation, as well as in the performance of the method, without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.
Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein.
It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
6218650.1 10398 1419C 98117626 - 1 8 -" ~, " , ~ ,
1~ND I~T80D OF ZTSING $~:
~1C1CGROUND OF THE I~lVEi~2~rrnt The present invention relates to a glue formulation used in the installation of laminate floors. The glue formulation is applied to the seams formed between adjacent floor panels or planks when those panels or planks are laid side by side during the installation of a floor.
The glue formulation is comprised of an adhesive blended with a soluble composition comprised of a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid. The invention also relates to a method of installing a floor using the glue formulation.
Description Of R~lat~d art A variety of materials are available for use as floorings. Several of these materials are sold in the form of panels or planks including laminate and natural wood materials. A floor of this type may generally be installed by laying appropriately sized panels of flooring material side by side and connecting the panels to each other and, sometimes, 6248650.1 40398 1419C 98447626 to the underlying surface onto which the floor is being installed.
Frequently, flooring material comprised of panels are connected together by a "tongue and groove" method. The panels employed in this process typically are narrow and rectangular in shape having a length substantially greater than their width, but can be square in shape and, in some instances, triangularly shaped. Most commonly, the two panels are positioned in adjacent abutting relationship and connected together along their lengths. Along one lengthwise side of a panel there is a protrusion formed by the panel material commonly referred to as a "tongue". Along the other lengthwise side of the same panel there is a groove or recess formed into the panel material. When two such panels are laid next to each other along their lengthwise sides, the tongue side of one panel fits into the groove side of the other panel. The fitting of the tongue side of the first panel into the groove side of the second panel forms a first physical connection between the two panels. The tongue and groove arrangement aligns the top surfaces of the panels.
Likewise formed panels can be similarly added and connected to the first two panels until a desired area is covered by the connected panels to form a floor. The length of the panels can be adjusted to fit the size of the room in which the floor is being installed without losing the tongue and groove mechanism of connecting the panels.
621A650.1 10398 1419C 9811626 Typically, a second physical connection is made at the seams between adjacent panels by using glue, mastic, screws, or nails. Glue is also used to seal and waterproof the seams.
The installation of a floor having panels fitted together by the tongue and groove method and sealed with glue generally requires additional steps including the removal of excess glue. For example, the first three rows of panels of the floor must not only be glued, but clamped together to establish a straight line. Additional panels are also glued at the seams, but do not require clamping. While the glue is necessary to seal the seams created between panels by the tongue and groove connections, excess glue is extruded through the seam onto the surface of the panels. Consequently, a significant amount of time is needed to clean the glue off of the decorative surface of the panels. Removal of the glue from panel surfaces is a very significant issue for the laminate floor industry. If not removed, excess glue creates a haze on the surface of the floor and is cosmetically undesirable.
Until now, excess glue has been very difficult to remove. It is currently desirable to remove as much of the excess glue as possible when the top surface of the glue is hardened and the glue against the flooring surface is still soft. The glue is typically in this state approximately 1 to 1 ~ hours after the glue is applied. As much of the glue as 6218650.1 10398 1119C 98417626 _ 3 possible is removed using a glue scoop to physically lift the excess glue away from the seams. As much of the remaining excess glue is then removed using a sponge. Typically, in spite of efforts to remove excess glue with both the scoop and the sponge, some amount of excess glue remains on the flooring surface. Once this glue dries and hardens, it is extremely difficult to remove. While commercially available solvent products may remove some of the dried, hardened glue, in all likelihood some will remain on the flooring surface.
Additionally, time is lost when installers have to plan on removing all of the excess glue within the initial one to one and a half hour time period after installation.
Further, extra time is needed when solvents must be used to remove the dried excess glue from the seams between the panels. For these reasons, the need to quickly remove partially dried glue and the need to rely on solvents to remove dried glue are undesirable.
In addition to the clamping and cleaning steps, floors formed by panels that are glued together require expansion joints approximately every twenty feet. A wood floor comprised of panels that are glued together essentially forms a solid structure. The expansion joints compensate for the natural expansion and contraction of the wood. A raised molding is installed as an expansion joint every twenty feet in a glued floor. As with the gluing step, the installation of expansion joints increases the overall installation time 6248650.1 40398 1419C 98147626 _ 4 for the floor. The expansion joints create areas where excess glue is more likely to accumulate. The installation of an expansion joint creates a pooling spot where a larger quantity of excess glue spread over a larger area accumulates.
In view of the above, there remains a need for a glue formulation that is more easily removed from the seams of a floor while providing a waterproof joint and without compromising the strength of the bond that the glue forms between the flooring panels or planks. There also remains a need for a glue formulation that can be easily removed at any time from a floor surface.
O
The purpose and advantages of the invention will be set forth in and apparent from the description that follows, as well as will be learned by practice of the invention.
Additional advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the elements of the formulation and method particularly pointed out in the appended claims_ The present invention relates to a glue formulation used for the installation of laminate and other types of floors. Laminate and other types of floors are typically comprised of panels or planks that are laid next to each to form the surface of the floor. The edges of the panels fit together by a tongue and groove arrangement described above.
The glue formulation of the invention is applied to the edges 6248650.1 40398 1419C 98447626 of the panels when the "tongue" of one panel is fit into the "groove" of an adjacent panel. The glue formulation of the invention does not bond to the surface of the flooring panels, thereby making it easier to clean excess glue from the surface of the newly installed floor. In fact, the glue formulation can be easily removed even when the glue formulation has completely dried. Even though it is easier to clean, the glue formulation of the invention still provides a waterproof joint between the panels. In addition, the glue formulation creates a sufficiently strong bond between adjacent floor panels.
The glue formulation comprises an adhesive and a soluble composition. The adhesive and soluble composition are blended and mixed together to form a uniform, single phase formulation. Further, the glue formulation comprises from about 1 to about 10% soluble composition blended with the adhesive. The soluble composition comprises a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive of the glue formulation comprises polyvinyl acetate adhesive.
The surfactant of the soluble composition can comprise a blend of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant. In a preferred embodiment, the anionic surfactant is sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate. Further in a preferred embodiment, the nonionic surfactant is an amine oxide such as cocamidopropylamine oxide. The esterified polyol of the soluble composition can comprise glycol stearate.
6248650.1 40398 1419C 98147626 _ 6 The soluble composition can further comprise a foam booster. An example of a suitable foam booster is an alkanolamide such as cocamide DEA. The soluble composition can comprise additional components including antioxidants, salts, and preservatives.
The objects and advantages of the present invention are further achieved by a method of using the glue formulation during installation of a floor. The method is comprised of positioning at least two floor panels or planks adjacent each other such that a seam is formed between them. The floor panels each have a top surface, a bottom surface, and two length sides. One of the length sides has a recess formed into it and the other of the length sides has a protrusion formed on it, the protrusion sized to fit into the recess. A
glue formulation is applied to the recess and the protrusion of the length sides. The glue formulation is comprised of an adhesive and a soluble composition. The glue formulation selectively adheres to the raw wood fiber of the recess and the protrusion of the panels. However, the glue formulation does not adhere, and, in fact, easily releases from the top surface of the panels. This is significant because the top surface of the floor panels is often decorative.
The soluble composition comprises a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid. The protrusion formed on the length side of one of the floor panels is fitted into the recess formed in the length side of the other floor 624H650.1 40398 1419C 98147626 _ 7 panel. The glue formulation is allowed to dry or partially dry and then the excess glue formulation is removed from the top surfaces of the floor panels using a glue scoop and a cloth moistened with water.
In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive of the glue formulation of the method is a polyvinyl acetate adhesive.
The surfactant of the soluble composition of the method can comprise a blend of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant. In a preferred embodiment, the anionic surfactant is sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and the nonionic surfactant is an amine oxide such as cocamidopropylamine oxide. Further in a preferred embodiment of the method, the esterified polyol of the soluble composition is glycol stearate.
Use of the glue formulation of the invention in the installation of a floor reduces the amount of time needed for installation of the floor and provides a glue-free surface without compromising the strength of the bond formed between adjacent floor panels. In addition, the excess glue formulation can be easily removed from the floor surface regardless of the extent to which the glue formulation has dried.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and provided for purposes of explanation only, and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
6218650.1 40398 1419C 98447626 _ a DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the glue formulation of the invention, examples of which are provided. The method of the present invention will be described in conjunction with the detailed description of the glue formulation.
In the installation of a floor, individual panels or planks of laminate or natural wood material are positioned adjacent to each other to form the flooring surface. Seams are formed between adjacent panels or planks. Each panel or plank has a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least two sides by which the panel or plank can be connected to an adjacent panel or plank. While the panels can have a variety of polygonal shapes, including hexagonal and triangular, typically the panels are rectangular. With rectangular panels, at least two of the sides are formed to be connected to adjacent panels. One side, usually a length side, has a recess formed into it and the opposite length side has a protrusion formed on it. The protrusion is sized to fit into the recess. Therefore, the protrusion of one panel fits into the recess of an adjacent panel. This arrangement forms a first physical connection between the panels. Also, the tongue and groove arrangement aligns the top surfaces of the panels.
Likewise formed panels can be similarly added and connected to the first two panels until a desired area is 6218650.1 10398 1419C 98117626 _ 9 covered by the connected panels to form a floor. The length of the panels can be adjusted to fit the size of the room in which the floor is being installed without losing the tongue and groove mechanism of connecting the panels.
Typically, a second physical connection is made at the seams between adjacent panels by using a glue that creates a strong physical and chemical bond between the panels forming the floor. The glue is also used to seal and waterproof the seams. The present invention is directed to a glue formulation used to form a second physical connection between adjacent panels. The glue formulation comprises an adhesive and a soluble composition that is blended with the adhesive.
The glue formulation further comprises from about 1 to about 10~ soluble composition blended with adhesive. A preferred adhesive for the glue formulation is polyvinyl acetate such as is supplied by Franklin International of Columbus, OH.
The soluble composition of the glue formulation is comprised of a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid. These components of the soluble composition, together with the adhesive, provide a glue formulation that is easy to remove from the flooring surface while still forming a strong bond between floor panels. The surfactant of the soluble composition can be a blend of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant. In a preferred embodiment, the anionic surfactant is sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and the nonionic surfactant is an amine oxide. A suitable amine oxide 6218650.1 10398 1119C 98417626 - 1 O -is cocamidopropylamine oxide. Further in a preferred embodiment, the esterified polyol is glycol stearate.
The soluble composition can further comprise other compounds providing various benefits to the glue formulation.
For example, the soluble composition can contain a foam booster. An exemplary foam booster is an alkanolamide such as cocamide DEA. Depending on the application of the glue formulation, the soluble composition can further comprise antioxidants, salts, and preservatives.
It is presently believed that the components of the soluble composition combine with the adhesive to form a glue formulation that remains sufficiently soluble in water to permit easy removal of the glue formulation from a flooring surface, regardless of the extent to which the glue formulation becomes dry and hardens. In addition to being easy to remove from the flooring panel surfaces, the glue formulation of the invention has a lower chalk temperature.
At low temperatures, conventional adhesives develop a chalky appearance and have a weaker bonding strength. A standard adhesive, such as polyvinyl acetate, has a chalk temperature between 60 and 65 deg. F. The glue formulation of the invention has a chalk temperature of about 53 to about 57 deg.
F. The lower chalk temperature permits the glue formulation of the invention to be used for installations being performed at an ambient temperature in the 60s, without the formation of 6248650.1 40398 1419C 9A147626 - 1 1 -"... .~. , ~ . ~.~ ~. ,~ ,..n ~A, . , i , , "". ~. . . ~ ., ~.
a chalky appearance and without a weaker bond being formed between panels.
When the glue formulation of the invention is used for installation, the bond strength between flooring panels is as strong as that formed when conventional glue is used. The strength of the bond formed between panels (seam adhesion) is measured by the force (pounds/inch) needed to break the panels apart. An Instron device is used for making such measurements. The floor panels used for testing are two (2) inches wide by eight (8) inches long. Two of the panels are glued together along their two inch width. The two inch width of the panels also has the tongue-and-groove arrangement described above. The attached panels are then positioned in the Instron device where the force needed to pull the panels apart is measured. The seam adhesion test results in Table 1.
were obtained for samples prepared with conventional adhesives as well as glue formulations of the invention:
6248650.1 10398 1419C 98447626 - 1 2 -Table 1.
SERM SEPARATION
SAI~1.~ LQAD E F71ILUR~ LQ7lD ~i l7l.IL~ POSITION
L~tY TIET~
Formica~ Hrand 158 lbs/in of seam112 lbs/in of board seam-dry seam Control Adhesive 28 kg/cm of seam 20 kg/cm of seam board seam-wet Franklin White 95 lbs/in of seam 61 lbs/in of seamboard seam-dry Adhesive 17 kg/ca of seam 11 kq/cm of seam board seam-wet Stel 51 3159 Adhesive 44 lbs/in of seam 39 lbs/in of seamglue seam-dry 8 kg/an of seam 7 kg/cm of seam glue seam-wet Stel 52 1223 Adhesive 28 lbs/in of seam 17 lbs/in of seamglue seam-dry 5 kg/cm of seam 3 kg/aa of seam glue seam-wet Glue Formulation-~1 116 lba/in of seam78 lbs/in of seamboard seam-dry 21 kg/c~a of seam 14 kg/cm of seam board seam-wet 1 0 Glue Formulation-2233 lbs/in of seam166 lbs/in of board seam-dry seam 42 kg/cm of sewn 30 kg/cn of seam board seam-wet soaked in 23-26C tap water for 1 hour The "adhesive" samples in Table 1. are examples of adhesives that are currently available for providing a second physical connection between flooring panels. The "Franklin White"
adhesive was provided by Franklin International of Columbus, Ohio and the "Stel" adhesives were provided by Stel of Seattle, Washington. The seam adhesion strengths were measured when the panels were dry and when they were wet, that is soaked in water for an hour. The force necessary to separate dry panels glued together using the existing adhesives ranged from 2B to 158 lbs./in. The average force necessary to separate dry panels bonded together with conventional adhesives is 80-90 lbs./in. As is shown, significantly less force is needed to separate panels that have been soaked in water.
The dry and wet results for the two samples having the glue formulations (#1 and #2) of the invention are 6248650.1 10398 1419C 98117626 - 1 3 -comparable to the results obtained for the samples having conventional adhesives. These results show that the glue formulation of the invention provides an adequate bond strength between floor panels while providing the benefits of easy cleanability and low chalk temperature. The "seam separation position" is an indication of the location of the break in the bond between the panels. "Board seam" indicates that the bond broke between one of the panels and the adhesive/glue formulation. "Glue Seam" indicates that the bond broke within the adhesive/glue formulation (that is, the failure occurred within the cohesive force of the glue and there was still adhesive/glue formulation attached to both panels after the test).
The seam adhesion strength is not dependent on the amount of soluble composition that is blended with the adhesive. Seam adhesion tests were performed for a control adhesive and three samples of the glue formulation of the invention having varying amounts of soluble composition. The results are provided in Table 2.
6248650.1 40398 1419C 98417626 - 1 4 -Table 2.
SEAM S~P~4R~1TION
s~r.~ raan a axrsau~ rcv~n a suzv~ rosr~roN
t~ wEr Formica~ Brand 101 lbs/in of 35 lba/in of seamboard seam-dry seam Control Adhesive 18 kg/cm of seam 6 kg/cm of seam board seam-wet Glue formulation 130 lbs/in of 61 lbs/in of seamboard seam-dry w/ seam 1% soluble 23 kg/cm of seam il kg/~ of asam board seam-wet composition Glue formulation w/ 103 lbs/in of 63 lba/in of seamboard seam-dry seam 5% soluble 19 kg/aa of seam 11 kg/csa of seamboard seam-wet composition Glue formulation w/ 119 lbs/in of 2d lbs/in of seamboard seam-dry seam 10% soluble 21 kg/ca of seam 4 kg/cm of seam board seam-wet composition ;soaked in 26C tap water for 1 hour As can be seen in Table 2., the seam adhesion strength does not change dramatically as the amount of soluble composition blended with adhesive is increased. The results of the seam adhesion tests in Tables 1. and 2. show that the glue formulation provides significant benefits without compromising the strength of the second physical connection formed between flooring panels.
The present invention is also directed to a method of using a glue formulation during the installation of a floor. The method is perfoaned by first positioning at least two floor panels adjacent to each other such that a seam is formed between them. The floor panels each have a top surface, a bottom surface, and two length sides. The length sides are configured to have the tongue and groove arrangement previously described so that adjacent panels can fit together.
Therefore, one length side has a recess formed in it and the other length side has a protrusion farmed on it. The 6248650.1 d0398 1419C 98117626 - 1 5 -protrusion formed on the length of one panel fits into the recess formed into the length of the other panel. After the panels are positioned adjacent to each other, a glue formulation is applied to the recess and the protrusion of the length sides that will fit together. The glue formulation selectively adheres to the raw wood fiber of the recess and the protrusion of the panels. However, the glue formulation does not adhere to and, in fact, easily releases from the top surface, Which may be decorative, of the floor panels.
The glue formulation comprises an adhesive and a soluble composition. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive is a polyvinyl acetate adhesive. The soluble composition comprises a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid. In a preferred embodiment, the surfactant is a blend or mixture of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant. An example of a suitable anionic surfactant is sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate. An example of a suitable nonionic surfactant is an amine oxide, such as cocamidopropylamine oxide. In the preferred embodiment, the esterified polyol is glycol stearate.
After the glue formulation is applied to the recess and the protrusion of the adjacent floor panels, the protrusion is fit into the recess. This tongue and groove arrangement provides a first physical connection between the floor panels and the glue formulation provides a second physical connection. The glue formulation is then permitted 6248650.1 40398 1419C 98147626 - 1 6 -to dry. While dependent on atmospheric conditions, the glue formulation will dry like conventional adhesives. Therefore, it will be partially dry in 1 to 1 ~ hours and completely dry within 24 hours of application.
Once the glue formulation has reached the desired stage of dryness, the excess glue formulation that is squeezed onto the surfaces of the floor panels is removed. An initial amount of excess glue formulation is removed using a glue scoop. The glue scoop is maneuvered along the seam between the floor panels to collect the excess glue formulation that is collected there. After the initial amount is removed, the remainder of the excess glue formulation is removed using a cloth, sponge, or other suitable material for Wiping that has been moistened with Water or a cleaning liquid. The remainder of the excess glue formulation is easily removed with the dampened cloth.
In view of the description above, it is evident that the present invention provides a glue formulation useful in the installation of laminate and other types of floors. The 2D glue formulation is used to form a second physical connection between adjacent floor panels or planks. The excess amount of the glue formulation that is squeezed out at the seam is easily removed using a glue scoop and moistened cloth or sponge. While the glue formulation is substantially easier to remove from the floor surface than conventional adhesives, it 6218650.1 10398 1419C 98417626 _ 1 7 still provides a strong bond between the panels and forms a waterproof seal.
Although reference has been made to the use of the present invention for the installation of floors for the purpose of explanation, it is understood that alternative uses may exist. It also will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the composition of the glue formulation, as well as in the performance of the method, without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.
Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein.
It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
6218650.1 10398 1419C 98117626 - 1 8 -" ~, " , ~ ,
Claims (19)
1. A glue formulation for installing flooring comprising:
an adhesive; and a soluble composition blended with the adhesive, the soluble composition comprising a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid.
an adhesive; and a soluble composition blended with the adhesive, the soluble composition comprising a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid.
2. The glue formulation of claim 1 wherein the adhesive is a polyvinyl acetate adhesive.
3. The glue formulation of claim 1 wherein the surfactant is a blend of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant.
4. The glue formulation of claim 3 wherein the anionic surfactant is sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate.
5. The glue formulation of claim 3 wherein the nonionic surfactant is an amine oxide.
6. The glue formulation of claim 5 wherein the amine oxide is cocamidopropylamine oxide.
7. The glue formulation of claim 1 wherein the esterified polyol is glycol stearate.
8. The glue formulation of claim 1 further comprising a foam booster.
9. The glue formulation of claim 8 wherein the foam booster is an alkanolamide.
10. The glue formulation of claim 9 wherein the alkanolamide is cocamide DEA.
11. A method of using a glue formulation during installation of a floor comprising:
positioning at least two floor panels adjacent each other such that a seam is formed between them, the floor panels each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two length sides, one of the length sides having a recess formed therein and the other of the length sides having a protrusion formed on it, the protrusion sized to fit into the recess:
applying a glue formulation to the recess and the protrusion of the length sides, the glue formulation comprising a blend of an adhesive and a soluble composition, the soluble composition comprising a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid;
fitting the protrusion formed on the length side of one of the floor panels into the recess formed in the length side of the other floor panel:
allowing the glue formulation to dry: and removing the excess of the glue formulation from the top surfaces of the floor planks using a glue scoop and a cloth moistened with water.
positioning at least two floor panels adjacent each other such that a seam is formed between them, the floor panels each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two length sides, one of the length sides having a recess formed therein and the other of the length sides having a protrusion formed on it, the protrusion sized to fit into the recess:
applying a glue formulation to the recess and the protrusion of the length sides, the glue formulation comprising a blend of an adhesive and a soluble composition, the soluble composition comprising a surfactant, an esterified polyol, glycerin, and citric acid;
fitting the protrusion formed on the length side of one of the floor panels into the recess formed in the length side of the other floor panel:
allowing the glue formulation to dry: and removing the excess of the glue formulation from the top surfaces of the floor planks using a glue scoop and a cloth moistened with water.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the adhesive is a polyvinyl acetate adhesive.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the surfactant of the soluble composition is a mixture of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the anionic surfactant is sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the nonionic surfactant is an amine oxide.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the amine oxide. is cocamidopropylamine oxide.
17. The method of claim 11 wherein the esterified polyol is glycol stearate.
18. The method of claim 11 wherein the glue formulation selectively adheres to the recesses and the protrusions of the length sides.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein the glue formulation easily releases from the top surfaces of the panels.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US5466498A | 1998-04-03 | 1998-04-03 | |
| US09/054,664 | 1998-04-03 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2245421A1 true CA2245421A1 (en) | 1999-10-03 |
Family
ID=29418200
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2245421 Abandoned CA2245421A1 (en) | 1998-04-03 | 1998-08-24 | Easy clean glue formulation for flooring and method of using same |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2245421A1 (en) |
-
1998
- 1998-08-24 CA CA 2245421 patent/CA2245421A1/en not_active Abandoned
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