EP0274115B1 - Floor and wall covering - Google Patents

Abstract

The novel floor and wall covering consists in its basic material essentially of natural resin and fillers based on minerals and argillaceous earths. Environmentally friendly aggregates are added as elasticisers and plasticisers. The natural resin is available as tree and/or root resin in a readily replenishable amount. Argillaceous earths and minerals can be taken from virtually unlimited resources. There is no harmful emission in manufacturing or using the covering. The covering is 100 % recyclable by melting to make new coverings. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a floor and wall covering. Known coverings of this type, such as are used on a large scale nowadays, are formed on the basis of plastics. These coverings have proven themselves with regard to handling during transport and storage due to their elastic properties, but also in daily use due to the achievable strength values, their wear resistance, but also with regard to their resistance to the effects of light and weather. It is problematic, however, that they essentially consist of products whose extraction represents a consumption of natural resources which are only available to a limited extent on the earth, and in particular cannot be reproduced. It is also problematic to a considerable extent that their manufacture and, above all, their disposal, and in some cases even their use, entail environmental problems, as shown by the Hazardous Substances Ordinance for the processing of such substances, the Chemicals Act and the corresponding occupational safety directives.

The above explanations regarding environmentally problematic production and disposal also apply to plastic coverings (US Pat. No. 28 02 797), in which the starting products come from natural substances, but which then become plastics through chemical conversion, for example the products mentioned there, formaldehyde and phenol , both ultimately obtained from coal and / or petroleum, although it should be noted that coal and petroleum do not belong to the freely reproducible natural products.

It is also known from US-PS 25 55 901 to produce a synthetic resin based on spruce resin, which is reacted there with hydrocarbons and ethylene oxide and is then to be referred to as a plastic. Insofar as a connection with floor coverings is addressed here, the synthetic resin produced there from spruce resin is to be used as a plasticizer after repeated chemical reaction with fatty acid to form a resin ester.

From US-A-1 858 655 it is known to impregnate a floor covering based on a fibrous material instead of bitumen with an impregnating agent which consists of a resin-plasticizer mixture, in which case modifiers can be added. Either natural or artificial resins are used.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of creating a floor and wall covering which is at least equivalent in all its properties to the known plastic coverings, in some areas even superior and is particularly environmentally friendly with regard to its essential manufacturing materials, its manufacture and its disposal is.

The solution according to the invention results from claim 1.

The essential element of this covering is the natural resin, which is in the form of tree and / or root resin and thus represents a natural substance that can be reproduced in any quantity by appropriate new plantings. The fillers based on clays and minerals are also natural substances, which, in contrast to petroleum products, are available in unlimited quantities on earth. The processing of these materials is extremely environmentally friendly. The production of such a covering is free from the emission of any pollutants. This also applies to the finished product itself, so that no special protective measures need to be taken during manufacture, processing and use.

Of particular note is the completely problem-free disposal. The material can be reused 100% in the recycling process without any pollutant emissions. Due to the natural resin base, the material can be melted down for disposal in a very simple manner. The fillers are also reused in this way. The additives such as elasticizers and plasticizers are specifically selected from the materials available to support this.

In terms of quality and its handling and usage properties, this floor covering is at least equivalent to the currently common plastic coverings. It has surprisingly been found that despite the inherently relatively brittle natural resin, thanks to the fillers mentioned, based on clays and minerals, equivalent compressive strength values and wear resistance values can be achieved, with an additional improvement in values being possible in that even a small amount is special hardening agent silicon dioxide is added, which blends harmoniously due to the fact that it is a mineral.

Stain resistance and light resistance are also of equal value.

To improve the processability of the rather viscous melt from natural resin and fillers, plasticizers are added, which in turn are expediently nature-identical substances or their descendants. A very suitable plasticizer is modified castor oil, which facilitates the production of the mass to be applied in the kneader at a melting temperature of approx. 160 to 200 ° C and viscosity values of approx. 20,000 to 30,000 mPa · s (cp).

The addition of elasticizers results in the elasticity of the covering, which is equivalent to plastic coverings, in the sense of its easy handling during transport, storage and laying. Here too Natural material derivatives are used as materials which in no way impair the properties set out above and in particular the environmental friendliness. Ethyl vinyl acetate, the combination of a petroleum derivative with an acetic acid compound, has proven particularly useful as an elasticizer. The product is so unproblematic that it is even approved for food.

In order to achieve various manifestations, a blowing agent can also be injected into the covering compound, so that a porous structure is obtained in some areas by foaming. The material can be easily processed and embossed compactly to achieve surface structures. The melt can also be applied to carrier webs of the usual type, such as, for example, glass fiber fleece, paper, jute felt or the like, in all desired widths and layer thicknesses. It can be printed and in particular it can be surface-sealed with environmentally friendly lacquers, in particular UV lacquers, which are known to be solvent and emission-free.
The surface can also optionally be provided with additional wear layers consisting of natural raw materials such as glass beads or the like, in one color or colored, using the litter-melt application method.

It should also be emphasized that any desired surface structures and, above all, special surface color effects can be achieved very effectively in a particularly simple manner, for example with melt-mold rotating cylinders. By means of the cylinder, the previously created basic covering is melted in the surface area and it can then in the Repeat or without repeat, basically any figures, for example from the same base material, but in a different color pigmentation, are applied, which after solidification form an intimate bond with the base covering melted again in these areas.

However, special effects can also be easily achieved by applying any shape pattern from filled, color-coded UV varnishes to the remelting base covering with a melt-forming rotary cylinder, which in turn form a very intimate bond with the base covering after curing.

Finally, it should also be emphasized that the covering in question is particularly distinguished by its flame-retardant nature compared to the currently customary plastic coverings due to the carrier materials mentioned at the beginning.

Figur 1

eine vereinfachte Teilperspektive eines Bodenbelages gemäß der Erfindung,

Figur 2

eine vereinfachte Teilperspektive eines weiteren Bodenbelages gemäß der Erfindung.

Various exemplary embodiments for floor and wall coverings according to the invention are described in more detail below. Show in the attached drawing

Figure 1

a simplified partial perspective of a floor covering according to the invention,

Figure 2

a simplified partial perspective of another floor covering according to the invention.

The following composition may be mentioned as a first exemplary embodiment for the composition of a composition for producing the floor and wall covering according to the invention: The composition contains, as an essential component, natural resin, as is customary as tree and / or root resin, namely approximately 125 parts by weight. About 175 parts by weight of aluminum hydroxide and 75 parts by weight of an alumina in the form of china clay are present in the mass as fillers, which provide both the mass volume and the required compressive strength values. A special hardening effect can be achieved by the addition of silicon dioxide. B. in the form of ground quartz with about 15 parts by weight. 25 parts by weight of modified castor oil are added as a plasticizer. 75 parts by weight of ethyl vinyl acetate are added as an elasticizer. Finally, an antioxidant, for example a sterically hindered phenol, is added to a very small extent with 1 part by weight, which reduces the oxygen sensitivity of the natural resins during melt production. As an alternative to the antioxidant, the melt can be generated under a protective gas atmosphere consisting of nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide or the like. A melt of approximately 160 to 200 ° C is produced from the components mentioned, the viscosity values of approximately 20,000 to 30,000 mPa · s (cp), so it can be described as relatively tough. The production takes place in a kneader.

The melt can be applied directly to a cooling bed, but it can also be applied to a commercially available carrier web, glass fleece webs in particular having proven to be particularly suitable. The melt can be smoothed and / or embossed with a surface structure. The result is a plain-colored product. If required, printing can take place, for example using a colored acrylic resin in a layer thickness of approx. 8 mµ.

Finally, it is useful to seal the surface with commercially available UV lacquers approved by the Federal Health Office in a layer thickness of approx. 20 mµ. These UV lacquers consist essentially of oligomers, monomers and photoinitiators. In particular, they are solvent-free. The surface sealing mentioned is essentially provided when ink is printed in order to keep the printing ink abrasion-resistant on the base covering.

A useful total thickness of such a compact covering is approximately 2,500 to 3,000 mµ.

After its solidification, such a covering can be rolled into roll form on account of its elastic properties. It can be processed without any problems. It is wheelchair residual, lightfast and can be cared for with standard soaps and / or waxes.

Such a smoothly designed compact covering is illustrated in FIG. The base covering 1 of the above-mentioned composition is applied to a glass fleece web 2 in this exemplary embodiment. Its printing (not shown) is protected by a surface seal 3 made from a UV varnish.

In a further exemplary embodiment, in deviation from the recipe listed above, the 175 parts by weight of aluminum hydroxide are replaced by only 75 parts by weight of aluminum hydroxide, 45 parts by weight of glass fibers with stack lengths of 1 to 6 mm and 55 parts by weight of glass spheres in the size of up to 0.6 mm.

Such a covering is characterized by a particularly high wear resistance. This example also illustrates that if carrier webs are used, glass fleece webs are particularly suitable. Such deposits are disposed of 100% in the recycling process. Granules are formed from the deposits to be disposed of and melted again. With a carrier web made of glass nonwoven web, the granulate automatically already essentially contains the glass fiber portion of the recipe discussed here.

As a further exemplary embodiment, a melt is listed which contains approximately 80 parts by weight of natural resin, 45 parts by weight of aluminum hydroxide, 75 parts by weight of titanium dioxide and soot-formed color pigment, 25 parts by weight of modified castor oil, 1 part by weight of sterically hindered phenol and as an elasticizer 85 parts by weight of ethyl vinyl acetate and 27.5 parts by weight of nature-identical wax, similar to paraffin wax, as a plasticizer. It should be emphasized that part of the ethyl vinyl acetate as an elasticizer is replaced by nature-identical wax as a plasticizer, which in turn makes a particular contribution to the environmental friendliness of the covering and to the protection of the limited resources of the earth. The addition of wax does not make sense to print on this covering. Therefore a subsequent surface sealing is not necessary. The basic coloring is done by color pigments. In this context, it should also be emphasized that by using metal-modified natural resin, a particular stability against weather influences, against air and light, can be achieved. Environmentally friendly metals like Magnesium or calcium are particularly suitable here.

With regard to the production method and the layer thicknesses, reference is made to the first exemplary embodiment. This covering is also compact and can be smooth or embossed in its surface area.

In a modification of the recipe listed above, the 175 parts by weight of aluminum hydroxide can also be replaced by only 75 parts by weight of aluminum hydroxide and then 45 parts by weight of glass fibers in a stack length of 1 to 6 mm and 55 parts by weight of glass balls of a size of up to 0.6 mm.

On the basis of an existing base covering, for example, which was created from one of the two recipes discussed last, in a further embodiment there is the possibility of applying any geometrically identical or unequal, monochrome or multicolored figures in a repeat or pattern-free relief, in particular, for example, with melt-mold rotation cylinders. The base coating is melted again in the surface area by the melt-forming rotary cylinder, so that after solidification the figures have a very intimate bond with the base coating. The mass for the figures can be the same as the topping mass. In particular, it is possible to inject a blowing agent into the mass for the figures, so that the figures are foamed. In this way, a covering is created which essentially has a porous structure in its surface area. Azodicarbonamide has proven to be particularly suitable and environmentally friendly as a blowing agent for the compositions in question here. FIG. 2 illustrates a covering as discussed above. The basic covering 1 is again applied as a carrier web to a glass fleece web 2. It has no surface sealing, but instead the foamed figures 4 which essentially form the surface.

Special surface effects, be it in terms of the color effect or be it in terms of wear resistance, can also be achieved, for example, by starting from an existing basic covering of one of the mass compositions mentioned, and then the figures or the like, using modified UV, comparable to the exemplary embodiment explained above Applying lacquers by crosslinking with the help of UV or electron beam curing. Here, too, the melting of the surface area of the base material when the UV lacquers are applied, for example by means of a melt-forming rotary cylinder, leads to an integral, integral bond between the base layer and the relief-like protruding surface elevations from the UV lacquers. These are modified with fillers which have special color and / or wear resistance properties, glass beads or silicas being mentioned as examples of such fillers.

Overall, it should be emphasized with regard to the two last-described exemplary embodiments that the technically simple surface design possibility through structured orders of this type, which form an integral, integral bond with the basic covering, is a special feature of the coverings based on natural resin based on the invention. Such a procedure is not economically feasible in the usual plastics for the current floor coverings.

Claims (21)

1. A floor and wall covering substantially containing:

   (A) a natural resin which is present as tree and/or root resin

   (B) filling substances based on argillaceous earths and minerals

   (C) a plasticiser and

   (D) an elasticiser.
2. A floor and wall covering according to claim 1 characterised in that a natural resin modified with metals is additionally contained therein.
3. A floor and wall covering according to claim 2 or claim 2 characterised in that aluminium hydroxide and China clay are provided as filling substances.
4. A floor and wall covering according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that glass fibres of staple lengths of from 1 to 6 mm and glass balls of the order of magnitude of up to 0.6 mm are also added.
5. A floor and wall covering according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that an elasticiser based on a petroleum derivative is added.
6. A floor and wall covering according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that wax which is identical to a natural substance is added as a plasticiser.
7. A floor and wall covering according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that modified caster oil is added as a further plasticiser.
8. A floor and wall covering according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that an additive for increasing hardness is additionally added.
9. A floor and wall covering according to claim 8 characterised in that silicon dioxide is added.
10. A floor and wall covering according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that colouring pigments based on titanium dioxide are added.
11. A floor and wall covering according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that an antioxidant is added.
12. A floor and wall covering according to claim 11 characterised in that sterically hindered phenol is added as the antioxidant.
13. A floor and wall covering according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that the material forming the basic covering is disposed on a carrier web.
14. A floor and wall covering according to claim 13 characterised in that a glass cloth web is provided as, the carrier web.
15. A floor and wall covering according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that it bears printing at its surface.
16. A floor and wall covering according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that it has a surface sealing of an UV-lacquer which can be hardened by means of UV-radiation or electron beam radiation.
17. A floor and wall covering according to one or more of claims 1 to 14 characterised in that the basic covering is caused to begin to melt again and surface-structuring raised portions are applied thereto in a condition of being at least also caused to begin to melt again.
18. A floor and wall covering according to claim 17 characterised in that the raised portions comprise the same basic material as the basic covering but modified by further additive substances in terms of colour and/or in regard to wear resistance.
19. A floor and wall covering according to claim 17 characterised in that the raised portions are formed from filled UV-lacquers.
20. A floor and wall covering according to claim 19 characterised in that the filling substances for the UV-lacquers are adapted to produce particular colour effects and/or to produce a particular level of wear resistance.
21. A floor and wall covering according to one of claims 19 and 20 characterised in that the UV-lacquers are filled with glass beads and silicic acids.

Images