GB2191209A - Backing floor coverings - Google Patents

Backing floor coverings Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2191209A
GB2191209A GB8612621A GB8612621A GB2191209A GB 2191209 A GB2191209 A GB 2191209A GB 8612621 A GB8612621 A GB 8612621A GB 8612621 A GB8612621 A GB 8612621A GB 2191209 A GB2191209 A GB 2191209A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
backing
mixture
layer
facing material
floor covering
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB8612621A
Other versions
GB8612621D0 (en
GB2191209B (en
Inventor
John Granville Kay
Paul Julian Cooke
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
HALSTEAD JAMES Ltd
Original Assignee
HALSTEAD JAMES Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by HALSTEAD JAMES Ltd filed Critical HALSTEAD JAMES Ltd
Priority to GB8612621A priority Critical patent/GB2191209B/en
Publication of GB8612621D0 publication Critical patent/GB8612621D0/en
Publication of GB2191209A publication Critical patent/GB2191209A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2191209B publication Critical patent/GB2191209B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N—WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N3/00—Artificial leather, oilcloth or other material obtained by covering fibrous webs with macromolecular material, e.g. resins, rubber or derivatives thereof
    • D06N3/0086—Artificial leather, oilcloth or other material obtained by covering fibrous webs with macromolecular material, e.g. resins, rubber or derivatives thereof characterised by the application technique
    • D06N3/0088—Artificial leather, oilcloth or other material obtained by covering fibrous webs with macromolecular material, e.g. resins, rubber or derivatives thereof characterised by the application technique by directly applying the resin
    • D06N3/0093—Artificial leather, oilcloth or other material obtained by covering fibrous webs with macromolecular material, e.g. resins, rubber or derivatives thereof characterised by the application technique by directly applying the resin by applying resin powders; by sintering
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N—WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N7/00—Flexible sheet materials not otherwise provided for, e.g. textile threads, filaments, yarns or tow, glued on macromolecular material
    • D06N7/0063—Floor covering on textile basis comprising a fibrous top layer being coated at the back with at least one polymer layer, e.g. carpets, rugs, synthetic turf
    • D06N7/0071—Floor covering on textile basis comprising a fibrous top layer being coated at the back with at least one polymer layer, e.g. carpets, rugs, synthetic turf characterised by their backing, e.g. pre-coat, back coating, secondary backing, cushion backing
    • D06N7/0076—Floor covering on textile basis comprising a fibrous top layer being coated at the back with at least one polymer layer, e.g. carpets, rugs, synthetic turf characterised by their backing, e.g. pre-coat, back coating, secondary backing, cushion backing the back coating or pre-coat being a thermoplastic material applied by, e.g. extrusion coating, powder coating or laminating a thermoplastic film
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N—WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N2201/00—Chemical constitution of the fibres, threads or yarns
    • D06N2201/02—Synthetic macromolecular fibres
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N—WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N2201/00—Chemical constitution of the fibres, threads or yarns
    • D06N2201/04—Vegetal fibres
    • D06N2201/042—Cellulose fibres, e.g. cotton
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N—WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N2201/00—Chemical constitution of the fibres, threads or yarns
    • D06N2201/08—Inorganic fibres
    • D06N2201/082—Glass fibres
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N—WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N2203/00—Macromolecular materials of the coating layers
    • D06N2203/04—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
    • D06N2203/042—Polyolefin (co)polymers
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N—WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N2205/00—Condition, form or state of the materials
    • D06N2205/04—Foam
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N—WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N2205/00—Condition, form or state of the materials
    • D06N2205/06—Melt
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N—WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N2205/00—Condition, form or state of the materials
    • D06N2205/10—Particulate form, e.g. powder, granule
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N—WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N2207/00—Treatments by energy or chemical effects
    • D06N2207/08—Treatments by energy or chemical effects using gas
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N—WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N2207/00—Treatments by energy or chemical effects
    • D06N2207/12—Treatments by energy or chemical effects by wave energy or particle radiation
    • D06N2207/123—Treatments by energy or chemical effects by wave energy or particle radiation using electromagnetic radiation, e.g. IR, UV, actinic light, laser, X-ray, gamma-ray, microwave, radio frequency
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N—WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06N2211/00—Specially adapted uses
    • D06N2211/06—Building materials
    • D06N2211/066—Floor coverings

Abstract

Floor coverings incorporating a facing material and a backing layer are produced by mixing a powdered polymeric material and at least one powdered filler to produce a homogeneous mixture, applying the mixture to the facing material as uniform layer and then melting to form the backing. The layer may be formed either directly on the facing material or may be formed on a carrier and then applied to the facing material after melting on the carrier.

Description

SPECIFICATION Floor covering The present invention relates to a floor covering incorporating a facing material and a backing layer and to a process for manufacturing such a floor covering.
Floor coverings have a variety of characteristics depending upon the type of application in which they are intended to be used. For example, where a floor covering is to be used to cover a large area without joints it is in normal circumstances essential for the floor covering to be flexible so that it can be rolled for transport and handling. On the other hand if the floor covering is to be used in relatively small pieces, for example as in the case of floor tiles, it is essential that the floor covering is both relatively bulky and rigid so as to ensure that the covering does not curl up at the edges. Where a floor covering is manufactured so as to be flexible it is difficult to use a backing layer on such floor coverings which incorporates a lot of filler material as the incorporation of filler tends to reduce the flexibility of the backing.This is an advantage in the case of floor coverings which are intended to be used in small pieces as in the case of floor tiles but it is difficult to load a large quantity of filler into a backing layer as the material from which the backing layer is manufactured becomes excessively viscous and cannot be easily handled during the manufacturing process.
By way of example, four conventional processes for producing a substantial and rigid backing layer on a floor covering suitable for use in tile form are described below.
The first conventional process uses a filled rubber latex. A latex precoat is applied to the back of a carpet material and bulk latex is then spread onto the precoated carpet. The backing is then cured by drying off water from the latex mixture.
In the second conventional process, a PVC plastisol is spread onto a carrier and a carpet which has been precoated so as to lock the carpet tufts is laid onto the wet plastisol. The plastisol is then cured by passing it through an oven.
In the third conventional process, a bitumen compound incorporating fillers is heated to a temperature at which it becomes a viscous liquid. This liquid is then applied to the back of a carpet and the carpet is cooled and cut into tiles.
The fourth conventional method is similar to the third method but uses filled atactic polypropylene rather than bitumen. Atactic polyproylene has a random orientation of molecules which is normally undesirable but which makes it suitable for the particular use described.
In the known processes it is very difficult to achieve a high percentage of filler in the backing material because the percentage content of filler increases so does the viscosity of the liquid and as a result it is very difficult during production to handle the material. Furthermore, it is not possible to introduce blowing agents into the material during manufacture so as to increase the volume of the backing material without increasing the quantities of material contained within it.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved floor process for manufacturing a floor covering incorporating a backing layer and to an improved floor covering manufactured in accordance with that process.
According to the present invention, there is provided a process for manufacturing a floor covering incorporating a facing material and a backing layer, wherein the backing layer is produced by mixing a powdered polymeric material and at least one powdered filler to produce a homogenous mixture, forming a uniform layer of the mixture, and melting the mixture to form the backing.
The present invention also provides a floor covering manufactured in accordance with the above process.
The mixture layer may be formed directly on the facing material of the floor covering and melted in situ providing the characteristics of the facing material do not result in it becoming damaged due to heating. Alternatively, where it is undesirable to melt the mixture layer in situ the mixture layer may be formed on a carrier, melted on the carrier, and then combined with the facing material.
Generally a secondary backing will be applied to the backing layer on the side of the backing remote from the facing material. The secondary backing can be applied in any convenient manner.
Preferably, the mixture incorporates additives which release gas when the mixture is melted, thereby causing the backing layer to foam and assume a stable expanded state.
The polymeric material may be for example polyethylene. If polyethylene has 20% or more filler incorporated therein it becomes very viscous when melted and makes handling very difficult in any circumstances other than those outlined above in accordance with the invention. The invention provides similar benefits with other polymeric materials which exhibit similar viscosity characteristics when filled, for example polyester, polyamide, EVA, atactic polypropylene or the like.
In one example of the present invention, polyethylene incorporating a blowing agent is reduced to a powdered form by cryogenically grinding the material to produce a typical particle size of 100 to 800 ,um. This powder is then combined with a mineral filler to give desired weight and volume characteristics, the mineral filler also being in powdered form and having a similar particle size to the particle size of the polyethylene. Fillers such as CaCO3, barytes, clay, silicates, micas or the like can be used.
The polyethylene and filler are combined by a dry blending process to achieve a stable homogenous blend. This can be achieved using a high speed or ribbon blender.
The resulting mixture is applied either directly to the carpet facing material or onto a supporting heat stable carrier such as glass, polyester, cellulose or the like. The mixture layer may be formed using a conventional powder applicator, for example, a scatter coater or a screen coater.
The mixture layer is melted using heat directed onto the mixture by for example infrared heaters. As a result, in the case where the mixture layer is applied directly to the carpet facing material, the backing material melts and becomes securely attached to the facing material. A secondary backing can then be applied on the side of the product remote from the facing material. In the case where the mixture layer is applied to a carrier, the molten backing material is brought into contact with the carpet facing material and can securely adhere thereto as a result. The use of the carrier makes it possible to adjust the temperature of the backing material to suit the characteristics of the facing material.
The floor covering is then cooled and cut into carpet tiles. Because of the presence of the blowing agent in the mixture layer the backing is foamed in situ and can therefore have a thickness equivalent to the thickness which could only be obtained otherwise by significantly increasing the quantity of material and therefore the cost of material incorporated into the backing.

Claims (8)

1. A process for manufacturing a floor covering incorporating a facing material and a backing layer, wherein the backing layer is produced by mixing a powdered polymeric material and at least one powdered filler to produce a homogenous mixture, forming a uniform layer of the mixture, and melting the mixture to form the backing.
2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the mixture layer is formed directly on the facing material of the floor covering and melted in situ.
3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the mixture layer is formed on a carrier, melted on the carrier, and then combined with the facing material.
4. A process according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein a secondary backing is applied to the backing layer on the side of the backing remote from the facing material.
5. A process according to any preceding claim, wherein the mixture incorporates additives which release gas when the mixture is melted, thereby causing the backing layer to foam and assume a stable expanded state.
6. A process according to any preceding claim, wherein the polymeric material is polyethylene.
7. A floor covering manufactured in accordance with the process according to any one of the preceding claims.
8. A process for manufacturing a floor covering substantially as hereinbefore described.
GB8612621A 1986-05-23 1986-05-23 Floor covering Expired GB2191209B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8612621A GB2191209B (en) 1986-05-23 1986-05-23 Floor covering

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8612621A GB2191209B (en) 1986-05-23 1986-05-23 Floor covering

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8612621D0 GB8612621D0 (en) 1986-07-02
GB2191209A true GB2191209A (en) 1987-12-09
GB2191209B GB2191209B (en) 1989-12-13

Family

ID=10598352

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8612621A Expired GB2191209B (en) 1986-05-23 1986-05-23 Floor covering

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2191209B (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0520151A1 (en) * 1991-06-28 1992-12-30 Tarkett Pegulan Aktiengesellschaft Latex-, PVC- and plasticiser-free, foamed floor and wall coverings
US5407617A (en) * 1991-10-31 1995-04-18 Tarkett Pegulan Ag Method of forming latex-, PVC- and plasticizer-free foamed floor or wall coverings
EP0678618A1 (en) * 1994-04-19 1995-10-25 Sarna Patent- Und Lizenz-Ag Plastic web which prevents or reduces essentially water vapour diffusion
EP0780207A2 (en) 1995-12-23 1997-06-25 Tarkett Aktiengesellschaft Method for the fabrication of multilayer polyolefin coverings having foamed interlayers

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1239475A (en) * 1967-07-17 1971-07-14
GB2108990A (en) * 1981-10-26 1983-05-25 Nippon Oil Co Ltd Composition for backing carpets

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3645949A (en) * 1968-04-04 1972-02-29 Union Carbide Corp Procfss for constructing tufted carpets and rugs and bonding agent useful therein

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1239475A (en) * 1967-07-17 1971-07-14
GB2108990A (en) * 1981-10-26 1983-05-25 Nippon Oil Co Ltd Composition for backing carpets
EP0079813A2 (en) * 1981-10-26 1983-05-25 Nippon Oil Co. Ltd. Composition for backing carpets

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0520151A1 (en) * 1991-06-28 1992-12-30 Tarkett Pegulan Aktiengesellschaft Latex-, PVC- and plasticiser-free, foamed floor and wall coverings
US5407617A (en) * 1991-10-31 1995-04-18 Tarkett Pegulan Ag Method of forming latex-, PVC- and plasticizer-free foamed floor or wall coverings
EP0678618A1 (en) * 1994-04-19 1995-10-25 Sarna Patent- Und Lizenz-Ag Plastic web which prevents or reduces essentially water vapour diffusion
EP0780207A2 (en) 1995-12-23 1997-06-25 Tarkett Aktiengesellschaft Method for the fabrication of multilayer polyolefin coverings having foamed interlayers
DE19548681A1 (en) * 1995-12-23 1997-06-26 Pegulan Tarkett Ag Process for the production and multi-layer coverings based on polyolefin with foamed intermediate layers
DE19548681C2 (en) * 1995-12-23 1998-01-22 Pegulan Tarkett Ag Process for the production of foamed layers from polyolefin on calenders
US5763501A (en) * 1995-12-23 1998-06-09 Tarkett Aktiengesellschaft Process for the production of multi-layer constructed coverings based on polyolefins with foamed intermediate layers

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8612621D0 (en) 1986-07-02
GB2191209B (en) 1989-12-13

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 19960523