FR2523607A3 - TEXTILE FLOOR COVERING WITH WEAR SHEET AND METHOD FOR FIXING THE SAME - Google Patents

Abstract

A PVC tread protective film is to be attached to a polypropylene carpet by HF welding. For this purpose, between the PVC tread- protective film and the carpet a polyolefin-containing contact layer is provided which heats up in the HF field of the PVC film and is pressed down by means of this onto the carpet.

Description

Textile floor covering with wear sheet and method for fixing it.

 The present invention relates to a textile floor covering containing from 75% to 100%, in particular 100%, of threads formed of filaments or of threads formed of cut fibers or else of cut fibers of polypropylene, and which is covered in certain areas or parts by a wear or protective PVC sheet fixed to it, in particular a vehicle mat formed by thermoplastic means. The invention further relates to a method for fixing the PVC wear layer.

The advantages of polypropylene as a material for the production of car mats have been indicated in the German-language book "Kunststoffe bei der
Innenausstattung von Fahrzeugen "(Plastics in vehicle interior trim) Publisher: VDI-Ges.

Kunststofftechnik, Düsseldorf 1979, page 107. It is mainly the low price of polypropylene yarns and fibers that is advantageous. In addition, the lower specific weight of polypropylene compared to polyamide or polyethylene also represents an advantage.

I1 is also known to provide textile floor coverings in motor vehicles with a PVC wear sheet in the highly stressed parts, that is to say subjected to intense wear. The sheet must be rigidly joined to the carpet in a durable manner. Since propylene cannot be heated and thus cannot be welded in a high frequency field, as opposed to polyamide and PVC, due to its non-polar molecular structure, the wear sheet is, depending on the prior art, fixed to the floor covering by sewing. This operation is so costly that a shaped vehicle mat made of polypropylene with wear sheet fixed by sewing could not prevail in practice despite the properties favorable polypropylene;
Methods by which a high frequency welding ability can be obtained on cellular plastic or foam plastic plates which are not high frequency weldable are described for example in German patent applications NO 2 116 092, 2 327 155 and 2 951 347. In these cases, welding aids are used which become active in a high frequency field. These methods are not applicable to carpets.

 It has been proposed to use, as a material for the production of shaped needled felt carpets, mixtures of fibers having a content of at least 25% to 30% of polyamide or polyester, in order to create a welding faculty in a high frequency field. Such carpets only partially exploit the advantageous properties of polypropylene.

 The object of the invention is to create a textile floor covering of the type mentioned above on which the PVC wear sheet is permanently fixed by high frequency welding. Another object of the invention is to create a method for fixing the PVC wear sheet to the floor covering.

 This is achieved, according to the invention, in the case of a floor covering of the type mentioned above, by the fact that it is provided, between the PVC wear sheet and the compressed bristles of the son or fibers , a contact layer which adheres to the PVC sheet and which is constituted at least in part by a polyolefin, and in that the polyolefin of the contact layer is joined by fusion with the compressed bristles.

 In the case of needle felt carpet and velvet carpet, the pile is made up of fibers directed upwards or through the ends of the cut threads. In the case of a needle loop felt article or a tufting loop article, the bristles are formed by the loops directed towards the top of the carpet.

 The polyolefin of the contact layer is preferably polyethylene and in particular polypropylene.

Since a polyolefin is used in the contact layer, it is certain to obtain, under the effect of heat, a secure and durable bond with the polypropylene of the threads or fibers. It is true that, in the high frequency field, the polyolefin considered in itself is not heated. However, the PVC sheet is heated in the field at high frequency. It then transmits its heat to the contact layer constituted at least in part by a polyolefin, so that this contact layer is joined to the bristles by fusion. In this way, the polypropylene of the threads or fibers is prevented from forming a separation layer on the bristles. This would be generated if the PVC wear sheet rested directly on the bristles. Thanks to the invention, a polypropylene textile floor covering is obtained with PVC wear sheet fixed in a durable manner by a welding process. high frequency
This coating is lighter in comparison with polyamide mats of the same "density", for example, which can result in automobile construction in fuel economy. Furthermore, the wear sheet which is necessary to spare the carpet in the highly stressed areas is fixed with certainty on the carpet without this operation causing an expense exceeding the economy resulting from the low price of polypropylene yarns or fibers.

 A particularly intimate connection between the PVC wear sheet and the contact layer is obtained, according to a feature of the invention, by the fact that the contact layer comprises a textile material made of fabric, knit or nonwoven , which is embedded in the PVC wear sheet and which is provided with a coating layer containing a polyolefin.

 Other advantageous features of the floor covering will appear on reading the description made with reference to the drawings and claims.

 A method for fixing a PVC wear sheet to a polypropylene mat of the type mentioned above is characterized in that the PVC wear sheet is provided on one side with a layer of contact which consists at least in part of a polyolefin and in that the PVC wear sheet provided with the contact layer is pressed on the bristles of the floor covering and is heated in a high frequency field, so that the polyolefin of the contact layer is joined to the bristles by fusion. This process has the advantage of leading to a lasting bond of the wear sheet with the 7th carpet and of being of simple implementation. It is not necessary to prepare the carpet before applying the wear test. This is favorable, since the wear sheet covers only a small part of the carpet.

Other advantageous features of the invention will appear on reading the description below of exemplary embodiments and of the claims, considered alone or in combination. In the drawings:
Fig. 1 shows a pile carpet with sheet
PVC deposited on it, before fixing.

 Fig. 2 shows the carpet visible in FIG. 1 after fixing the PVC wear sheet.

 Fig. 3 shows a part of a mat which is also suitable for the adaptation of a wear sheet.

 Fig. 4 is a representation corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a carpet formed by a looped needled ply.

 Fig. 5 shows a mat formed by a flat needled ply which is also suitable for the adaptation of a wear sheet.

 Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of the invention in the case of a carpet according to FIG. 4.

 The mat 1 according to FIG. 1 is constituted by threads formed from filaments or by threads formed from cut fibers 2 made of polypropylene, which are treated to form a looped article. The loops which are at the top form the hairs 3 of the carpet. The loops are retained by a Tufting support 4. I1 is provided, on the underside, a coating layer 5 of synthetic resin, which maintains the shape of the carpet 1 also during a three-dimensional shaping.

 The mat 1 according to FIG. 3 differs from that of FIG. 1 simply by the fact that the loops have been cut at their upper part, so that the cut ends of the threads formed of filaments or of the threads formed of cut fibers 2 of polypropylene constitute the bristles 3.

 The mat 1 according to FIGS. 4 and 6 and the mat according to FIG. 5 consist of cut fibers 6 made of polypropylene, the mat 1 according to FIGS. 4 and 6 in the form of a needle-punched ply with loops, while the mat according to FIG. 5 is in the form of a flat needled sheet. Instead of the Tuf tint support 4 and the synthetic resin coating layer 5 of the carpet 1 according to FIGS. 1 to 3, provision is made, in the case of a mat according to FIGS. 4 and 6, a synthetic resin impregnation 7.

 A soft PVC sheet 8 with a grained upper face 9 serving as protection against wear must be applied to the carpet 1 in the highly stressed areas. The soft PVC sheet 8 is prepared for this purpose.

 In the case of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 or Fig. 2 and according to FIGS. 4 and 5, a textile layer 10 made of fabric, knitted or non-woven material is provided on the underside of the soft PVC sheet 8 oriented towards the carpet 1. This layer 10 is already incorporated into the soft PVC sheet 8 during its manufacture.

The layer 10 is provided on its face facing the carpet 1 with a polyolefin coating 11. The layer 10 and the coating 11 together form a contact layer 10, 11. In the polyolefin coating 11, polyolefin is used as polypropylene or also polyethylene.

 It is also possible to use, as the contact layer 10, 11, a fabric, a knitted fabric or a nonwoven fabric formed entirely by polyolefin fibers. In this case, an additional coating layer of polyolefin is unnecessary. It is more judicious to provide in this case, as a contact layer, a mixture of polyolefin fibers and other fibers having a higher melting temperature, for example from 2200C to 2600C, than the polyolefin fibers.

 To obtain, from the stack formed by the base mat 1 and the sheet 8 with its contact layer 10, 11 according to FIG. 1, the mat provided with a PVC wear sheet according to FIG. 2, the stacking shown in FIG. 1 in the high frequency field and it is subjected in this field to the effect of a pressure in a mold which is not shown in detail. The mold is arranged in such a way that it compresses the PVC sheet 8 in a marginal zone 12 and in an intermediate zone 13 to a greater degree than in the rest of its surface, in the direction of the underside of the carpet 1. In the high frequency field, the PVC wear sheet 8 is heated and thus plasticized. The heat from the PVC wear sheet 8 is transmitted to the polyolefin coating 11 or to the polyolefin content of the contact layer 10, as well as to the bristles 3. The polyolefin coating 11 or else the polyolefin contained in the contact layer 10, 11, as well as the polypropylene threads 2 or the cut polypropylene fibers 6 in the area forming their bristles 3 then undergo a fusion. The polyolefin of the contact layer 10, 11 is thus intimately bonded to the polypropylene threads or to the polypropylene fibers of the same type of the carpet 1. Under the effect of the pressure exerted, the bristles 3 are more or less compressed (see the Fig. 2).

After cooling, an intimate bond is obtained between the contact layer 10, 11 of the PVC wear sheet 8 and the compressed bristles 3, which is not limited to the marginal zone 12 and to the intermediate zone 13.

 In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 3 and 6, the contact layer of the PVC wear sheet 8 is formed by an adhesive applied to this layer. The adhesive contains a polyolefin.

The stack according to FIG. 6 is, as described with reference to FIG. 2, subjected to the effect of pressure in a high frequency field. The heating of the PVC wear sheet 8 which occurs in the high frequency field softens the polyolefin contained in the adhesive 14
This polyolefin is then combined with polypropylene yarns or fibers.

 In the case of carpets made up of threads formed of filaments or cut fibers of polypropylene 2 according to FIGS. 1 to 3, the threads are made up of 100% by polypropylene. In the case of the plies shown in Figs. 4 to 6, the cut fibers preferably consist of 100% polypropylene, but it is also possible to add up to 25% of fibers of another material. It is not necessary for this fiber content to participate in the welding faculty. Indeed, this welding ability is provided simply by the contact layer described 10, 11 or 14.

 The contact layer described with reference to FIGS.

3 and 6 (adhesive 14) can also be used in the case of carpets according to Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5. Conversely, the contact layer 10, 11 described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 can be used with the mats according to Figs.

3 and 6.

Claims (7)

 1.- Textile floor covering containing from 75% to 100%, in particular 100 t of threads formed of filaments or else threads drilled with cut fibers or even cut fibers in polypropylene and covered in certain parts or areas by a PVC wear sheet attached to it, in particular vehicle mat which can be shaped by thermoplastic deformation, characterized in that it is provided, between the wear sheet in PVC (8) and compressed bristles (3) of threads (2) or fibers (6), a contact layer (10, 11; 14) which adheres to the PVC wear sheet (8) and which is constituted at least in part by a polyolefin, and in that the polyolefin of the contact layer (10, 11; 14) is joined by fusion with the compressed bristles (3).  2. Floor covering according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact layer (10, 11) comprises a fabric, a knitted fabric or a textile nonwoven (10) which is embedded in the PVC wear sheet (8) and which is provided with a coating layer (11) containing a polyolefin.  3.- Floor covering according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact layer consists of a fabric, knitted fabric or non-woven fabric formed of polyolefin fibers, which is embedded in the wear sheet in PVC (8).  4. Floor covering according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact layer consists of a fabric, a knitted fabric or a non-woven fabric incorporated into the PVC wear sheet (8) and which is formed by a blend of polyolefin fibers and other fibers having a higher melting temperature.  5. Floor covering according to claim 1, characterized in that. the contact layer is formed by an adhesive (14) containing a polyolefin.  6. Floor covering according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the polyolefin of the contact layer (10, 11; 14) is polypropylene or polyethylene.  is pressed on the bristles (3) of the floor covering (1) and is heated in a high frequency field, so that the polyolefin of the contact layer (10, 11) is joined to the bristles (3) by fusion.  7.- Method for fixing a PVC wear sheet to a polypropylene mat, characterized in that the PVC wear sheet (8) is provided on one side with a contact layer (10 , 11; 14) which is formed at least partially by a polyolefin, and in that the PVC wear sheet (8) provided with the contact layer (10, 11; 14)