JP2007536440A - Floor covering containing polyvinyl butyral and method for making it - Google Patents

Abstract

Backings for floor coverings such as carpets, and floor coverings including such backings are provided. The backing includes polyvinyl butyral. Methods of making such backings and floor coverings are also provided. Various aspects of the present invention provide a composition for forming a backing for a floor covering, a floor covering comprising such a composition, and a method of making a backing for such a floor covering. And a method of making a floor covering comprising such a backing. Some of these aspects employ polyvinyl butyral (PVB). Some of these aspects employ recycled materials, unused (not recycled) materials, or combinations thereof.

Description

(Cross-reference of related applications)
This application is a continuation-in-part of US Provisional Application No. 60 / 568,966, filed May 6, 2004.

(background)
Carpets and other floor coverings can include one or more components formed from recycled or recycled thermoplastic polymer materials containing volatile organic compounds (VOC). Carpets and floor coverings containing such recycled or recycled thermoplastic polymer materials must meet strict limits on the level of VOCs emitted from their products.

(Summary)
According to one aspect of the present invention, a reinforced foam backing for floor coverings such as carpets comprises a foam sheet comprising polyvinyl butyral. The foam sheet includes a plurality of cells formed in the foam sheet and at least one reinforcing material joined to the foam sheet. The polyvinyl butyral can include recycled polyvinyl butyral, unused polyvinyl butyral, or any combination thereof.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a floor covering comprises a carpet comprising a plurality of textile fibers at least partially embedded in a polymer precoat layer comprising polyurethane, and a polyvinyl butyral attached to the carpet. Includes reinforced foam backing.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the floor covering comprises recycled polyvinyl butyral. This floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of less than about 1 mg / m < ² > / hour as measured according to ASTM D-5116-1990. The backing used for the floor covering can be a foam.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the floor covering comprises a carpet comprising a plurality of textile fibers, a foam backing comprising polyvinyl butyral joined to the carpet, and the carpet to the foam backing. A polymer precoat layer bonded to the substrate. This floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of less than about 0.5 mg / m ² / hour as measured according to ASTM D-5116-1990. The polymer precoat layer can comprise polyurethane, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl chloride, or any combination thereof.

  The present invention also contemplates a method of manufacturing a floor covering. The method includes the steps of extruding a polymer material mixture comprising melted polyvinyl butyral and a blowing agent or cell-forming material, calendering the extruded polymer material mixture to form a sheet, and heating the sheet. Forming a foamed polyvinyl butyral backing.

The present invention further contemplates a method of making a floor covering comprising recycled PVB foam backing. This floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of less than about 0.5 mg / m ² / hour as measured according to ASTM D-5116-1990. The method includes the steps of extruding a polymer material mixture comprising molten, recycled polyvinyl butyral and cell forming material, calendering the extruded polymer material mixture to form a sheet, and heating the sheet. Forming a foamed polyvinyl butyral backing, wherein at least one of the extruding, calendering, and heating steps removes volatile organic compounds from the polymeric material mixture. Performed at a temperature sufficient to release.

  These and other aspects are set forth in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

(Detailed explanation)
Various aspects of the present invention provide a composition for forming a backing for a floor covering, a floor covering comprising such a backing, a method of making a backing for a floor covering, and the The present invention relates to a method for making a floor covering including such a backing. Some of these aspects employ polyvinyl butyral (PVB). Some of these aspects employ recycled materials, unused (not recycled) materials, or combinations thereof.

  Various aspects of the invention can be used in connection with many types of tufted carpets, woven carpets, tufted carpet tiles, woven carpet tiles, carpets, and flooring tiles. By way of example and not by way of limitation, carpets are described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the various aspects of the invention have broad utility with respect to many types of floor coverings (eg, vinyl, wooden, and composite floor coverings).

  With reference to FIG. 1, an exemplary cushion-lined tuft carpet 100 generally comprises a tufted pile yarn 102 looped through a primary backing 104. This pile yarn 102 may be cut to form a cut pile tuft as illustrated in FIG. 1, or may be left in an uncut loop. A precoat layer 106 may be used to secure the pile yarn 102 on or within the primary backing 104. Secondary backing 110 can be adhered to precoat layer 106.

  The primary backing 104 can be formed using various techniques. In one aspect, primary backing 104 is a woven fabric formed by weaving synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, polyester, PLA, or any combination thereof. In another aspect, the primary backing 104 is a nonwoven such as a spunbonded material, a meltblown material, or a needle punch material. Any of the materials used to form the primary backing 104, whether woven, non-woven, or combinations thereof, are formed from bicomponent fibers having a sheath / core configuration or a side by side configuration. Can be done.

  The precoat layer 106 can be applied to the textile material using any suitable technique that allows the precoat layer to cure, film-form, or fuse to the textile material. In one aspect, this precoat layer is applied to the carpet using an extrusion coating technique. In another aspect, the precoat layer is applied as a dispersion. In yet another aspect, the precoat layer is applied as a hot melt. However, other processes are contemplated by the present invention.

  The precoat layer or back coating 106 may be formed from any material that secures the pile yarn 102 onto or within the primary backing 104. In one aspect, the precoat layer 106 includes a polymeric material. For example, the precoat layer 106 may comprise an ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl butyral, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, tacky polyolefin, or any combination thereof. One example of a polyurethane that may be suitable for use with the present invention is DOW 605.01, commercially available from Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Michigan).

  The polymer used to form this precoat layer has a glass transition temperature of about -15C to about 10C. In another aspect, the polymer used to form the precoat layer has a glass transition temperature of about −10 ° C. to about 5 ° C. In another aspect, the polymer used to form the precoat layer has a glass transition temperature of about −5 ° C. to about 0 ° C. Thus, in one particular aspect, the precoat layer can comprise a polyurethane having a glass transition temperature of about −5 ° C. to about 0 ° C.

  The polymer used to form this precoat layer may have a tensile strength of about 1500 to about 5000 psi. In one aspect, the polymer used to form the precoat layer can have a tensile strength of about 1700 to about 4000 psi. In yet another aspect, the polymer used to form the precoat layer can have a tensile strength of about 2000 to about 3500 psi. Thus, in one particular aspect, the precoat layer may comprise a polyurethane having a tensile strength of about 2500 to about 3000 psi, such as 2840 psi.

  The polymer used to form this precoat layer may have a final elongation of about 700 to about 850%. For example, the final elongation can be about 725 to about 825%, or about 750 to about 800%, such as 776%. The polymer used to form the precoat layer may have a stress at 100% modulus of about 200 to about 400 psi, or about 250 to about 300 psi, such as 290 psi. Thus, in one particular aspect, the precoat layer can comprise a polyurethane having a final elongation of about 750 to about 800% and a stress at 100% modulus of about 250 to about 300 psi.

  The polyurethane used in accordance with the present invention can be applied as an aqueous dispersion or as a molten polymer using, for example, extrusion coating. When applied as a dispersion, the dispersion may have any suitable solid or non-volatile content. In one aspect, the polyurethane dispersion has a solids content of about 60 to about 70%. In another aspect, the polyurethane dispersion has a solids content of about 50 to about 60%. In another aspect, the polyurethane dispersion has a solids content of about 40 to about 50%. In another aspect, the polyurethane dispersion has a solids content of about 30 to about 40%. In another aspect, the polyurethane dispersion has a solids content of about 20 to about 30%.

  The polyvinyl butyral used according to the invention can be applied as an aqueous dispersion or as a molten polymer, for example using an extrusion coating, or as a sticky hot melt. When applied as a dispersion, the polyvinyl butyral dispersion can have any suitable solid or non-volatile content. In one aspect, the polyvinyl butyral dispersion has a solids content of about 20 to about 80%. In another aspect, the polyvinyl butyral dispersion has a solids content of about 70 to about 80%. In another aspect, the polyvinyl butyral dispersion has a solids content of about 60 to about 70%. In another aspect, the polyvinyl butyral dispersion has a solids content of about 50 to about 60%. In another aspect, the polyvinyl butyral dispersion has a solids content of about 40 to about 50%. In another aspect, the polyvinyl butyral dispersion has a solids content of about 30 to about 40%. In another aspect, the polyvinyl butyral dispersion has a solids content of about 20 to about 30%.

  Various polyurethane dispersions or polyvinyl butyral dispersions are provided herein, but the optimum level of solids will depend on the type of equipment used and the type and amount of other ingredients in the formulation. Is understood. When inorganic fillers and flame retardants are used, they are typically dispersed in the aqueous phase. The more filler needed, the less solids needed to wet and disperse the filler. However, if the solids content is very low, additional drying may be required and the linear speed through the drying oven may need to be reduced to the point where manufacturing economy is not justified.

  The polymer precoat may generally be present in an amount of about 5 to about 40%, based on the weight of the carpet (dry / dry basis). In one aspect, the polymer precoat can be present in an amount of about 10 to about 35%, based on the weight of the carpet (dry / dry basis). In another aspect, the polymer precoat may be present in an amount of about 15 to about 30%, based on the weight of the carpet (dry / dry basis). In yet another aspect, the polymer precoat may be present in an amount of about 20 to about 25%, based on the weight of the carpet (dry / dry basis).

  FIG. 2 illustrates a woven floor covering 200 lined with an exemplary cushion. The floor covering 200 includes a woven carpet layer 202, a back coating layer or resin composition layer 208, a backing layer 210 (including cells 212 formed therein), and an optional peelable liner 222. A pressure-sensitive self-releasable adhesive layer 220. The woven carpet layer 202 is formed by knitting warp yarns 204 and weft yarns 206 to provide a decorative surface. The cushioned woven floor covering 200 may be a rolled carpet or cut into a tile shape.

  Secondary backings (also referred to herein as “backing”) 110, 210 comprise any suitable material and in some cases comprise a flexible polymer matrix. The backings 110, 210 typically act as elastic cushions that compress under an external load and recover when the load is removed. According to various aspects, the backings 110, 210 may be open cell structures, partially or substantially closed cell structures, or closed cell foams. In general, the greater the proportion of closed cells in the structure, the better the cushioning properties of the backing. Although the use of a foam backing is described herein, it should be understood that a non-foam backing can also be used, as will be described in more detail below.

  In the exemplary structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the backing 110, 210 comprises a closed cell foam that includes a plurality of gas pockets or cells 112, 212. The cells 112, 212 may be voids, as discussed in detail below, and may contain air or gas (eg, foaming / blowing agents) degradation products. The secondary backing 110, 210 may be bonded to the adjacent layer (s) 106, 208 or using any suitable technique such as, for example, thermal lamination, adhesives, sewing, etc. , May be joined to adjacent layer (s) 106, 208 in other ways.

  According to one aspect of the invention, the backings 110, 210 include polyvinyl butyral (PVB). In another aspect, the backing 110, 210 includes PVB foam. This PVB may be recycled from other products or materials, may be unused, or a combination thereof. As shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, 8, 9, 10 and 12, optionally, the backing 110, 210 comprises a reinforcement or reinforcement layer 82. In one aspect, the reinforcing layer is positioned between the layers 106, 208 and the backing 110, 210. In another aspect, the reinforcing layer is at least partially embedded in the backing 110,210. In yet another aspect, the reinforcing layer is positioned adjacent to the backing on the distal side from the layers 106,208.

  In this and other aspects of the present invention, the reinforcement 82 is a veil, scrim, tissue, felt, nonwoven, or other that has been made using woven, knitted, non-woven or other textile manufacturing processes. It can be a flat fabric. For example, the reinforcement 82 can be an open woven scrim. As another example, the reinforcement 82 can be a knitted fabric including a knitted fabric with weft yarns inserted therein. As yet another example, the reinforcement 82 may be a cross-laid scrim including an over / underlaid scrim or a triaxial scrim.

  Reinforcement 82 is any polymer (eg, polyester) fiber, or glass fiber, any other suitable material that improves the strength and / or dimensional stability of the backing and does not melt or soften in the expansion oven. Or it can be formed from a combination of materials. Although the use of a reinforced backing is described in detail herein, it is understood that a non-reinforced backing also finds wide utility with various other aspects of the invention.

The present invention also contemplates many methods of forming a floor covering. In one aspect, the present invention contemplates a floor covering comprising a foam backing. In another aspect, the present invention contemplates a method of forming a carpet backing from recycled materials, unused materials, or combinations thereof. In yet another aspect, the present invention uses ASTM D-5116-1990 ^{2 in the} following: Contemplates a method of forming a rug product having a total VOC emission factor.

  FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary process for making a foam backing for a floor covering. The composition used to form this backing can be contained in a feeder 55 or other suitable container. In one aspect, the composition comprises a polymeric material, such as PVB. The PVB in the composition may include waste material, unused material, or any combination thereof. This PVB waste may be excess material produced by other processes in making carpets or other products, or may be material recycled from other products after use. The PVB content in the backing formulation can include up to 100 wt% PVB waste, up to 100 wt% unused PVB material, or any combination of waste and unused material.

  In one aspect, the PVB material can include about 90 to about 100 wt% PVB waste and about 0 to about 10 wt% unused PVB material. In another aspect, the PVB material can include about 80 to about 90 wt% PVB waste and about 10 to about 20 wt% unused PVB material. In another aspect, the PVB material can include about 70 to about 80 wt% PVB waste and about 20 to about 30 wt% unused PVB material. In another aspect, the PVB material may include about 60 to about 70 wt% PVB waste and about 30 to about 40 wt% unused PVB material. In another aspect, the PVB material can include about 50 to about 60% by weight PVB waste and about 40 to about 50% by weight unused PVB material. In another aspect, the PVB material may include about 40 to about 50 wt% PVB waste and about 50 to about 60 wt% unused PVB material. In another aspect, the PVB material may include about 30 to about 40% by weight PVB waste and about 60 to about 70% by weight unused PVB material. In another aspect, the PVB material may include about 20 to about 30 wt% PVB waste and about 70 to about 80 wt% unused PVB material. In yet another aspect, the PVB material can include from about 10 to about 20% by weight PVB waste and from about 80 to about 90% by weight unused PVB material. In yet another aspect, the PVB material can include about 0 to about 10% by weight PVB waste and about 90 to about 100% by weight unused PVB material.

  PVB waste can be obtained from various sources for use with various aspects of the present invention. The composition of the PVB scrap material can vary depending on its source. Although specific compositions are described in detail herein, it is understood that many other compositions are contemplated by the present invention.

In one aspect, PVB waste can be recovered from the windshield of the automobile. An example sample of PVB waste taken from a car windshield is
From about 65% to about 90% PVB polymer;
0% to about 35% by weight of tetraethylene glycol di-n-heptanoate;
0% to about 35% by weight of di-n-hexyl adipate;
0% to about 35% by weight of dibutyl sebacate;
0% to about 35% by weight of triethylene glycol dihexanoate;
0% to about 35% by weight of triethylene glycol di-n-heptanoate;
0% to about 35% by weight of triethylene glycol di-2-ethylhexanoate;
0% to about 35% by weight of tetraethylene glycol di-n-heptanoate; and 0% to about 10% by weight of calcium carbonate;
Can be included.

  Although the use of PVB is described in detail herein, it should be understood that other polymer wastes may be used if desired. Examples of such materials are polyolefins (eg, polyethylene and polypropylene), polymers based on vinyl monomers (eg, vinyl esters such as vinyl acetate), acrylic monomers (eg, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, of these acids Esters, and acrylonitrile) based polymers, other thermoplastic polymers, blends and copolymers thereof, and any combination thereof, including but not limited to. Various fibrous polymeric materials can also be included in the mixture.

  Other additives may also be included in the composition. Examples of such additives include extenders or fillers, blowing agents, processing aids, plasticizers, foaming agents, pigments, antioxidants, antibacterial agents, cross-linking agents, Examples include, but are not limited to, a flame retardant and a polymer stabilizer.

  Examples of fillers that may be suitable for use in this backing composition include finely divided glass and other glass-based materials, metal materials and magnetic materials, ATH, dust collection ash, coal ash, energy generation equipment Or other ash products resulting from incineration, carbon black, wollastonite, solid microspheres, hollow microspheres, kaolin, clay-based minerals, bauxite, calcium carbonate, feldspar, nepheline, syenite, barium sulfate, titanium dioxide, Talc, calcite, quartz, natural silica (eg, crystalline silica, microcrystalline silica), synthetic silicates (eg, calcium silicate, zirconium silicate and aluminum silicate (mullite, silimanite, kyanite, red) Columnar and synthetic alkali metal aluminosilicates)), microcrystalline novaculite, diatomaceous silica, -Lite, synthetic silica (eg fused silica and precipitated silica), antimony oxide, bentonite, mica, vermiculite, zeolite and combinations of metals with various salts (eg oxides, sulfates, borates, phosphates) , Calcium, magnesium, zinc, barium, aluminum in combination with carbonates, hydroxides, and the like), and any combination thereof.

  Other fillers that may be included in the backing formulation include bagasse filler, recycled paper filler, coconut shell / fiber filler, cork filler, corn cob filler, cotton-based filler, Gilsonite filler, nut shell (eg peanut) filler, rice husk filler, sisal fiber filler, hemp filler, soybean filler, starch filler, wood flour filler, animal fiber (eg turkey Feather fibers), and any combination thereof.

  Similarly, one or more antioxidants or heat stabilizers can be included in the backing formulation to prevent degradation of the polymer and for other purposes. BHT (2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol), phosphite antioxidants (eg TNPP (tris (monononylphenyl) phosphite)), hindered phenol antioxidants (eg Tetrakis [methylene-3 (3 ′, 5′-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate] methane), and thioesters (eg, DLTDP, DSTDP, DTDTDP) or any combination thereof may be Can be used with inhibitors or heat stabilizers.

  One or more flame retardants can also be included in the backing formulation. Examples of flame retardants that may be suitable include ATH, magnesium hydroxide, boron compounds, zinc borate, AOM, halogenated flame retardants (eg, Deca DBP, PBDPO, TBBPA, HBCD, TBPA, antimony trioxide, phosphorus compounds (For example, red phosphorus, ammonium polyphosphate, triphenyl phosphate, resorcinol diphosphate, bisphenol A diphosphate, 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate), nitrogen-containing compounds, mica, and any combination thereof. It is not limited to.

  The backing formulation may also contain one or more plasticizers. Examples of plasticizers that may be suitable include aromatic diesters (eg, DINP, DIDP, L9P, DOTP, DBP, DOP, BBP, DHP), aliphatic diesters (eg, DINA, DIDA, DHA), aromatic sulfones Amides (eg BSA), aromatic phosphate esters (TCP and TXP), alkyl phosphate esters (TBP and TOF), dialkyl ether aromatic esters (eg DBEP), dialkyl ether diesters, tricarboxylic esters, polymeric Polyester plasticizers, polyglycol diesters, alkyl alkyl ether diesters (eg, DBEG, DBEA, DBEEG and DBEEA), aromatic trimesters (eg, TOTM and TIO) M), epoxidized esters, epoxidized oils (eg, ESO), chlorinated hydrocarbons or chlorinated paraffins, aromatic oils, alkyl ether monoesters, naphthene oils, alkyl monoesters, glyceride oils, paraffin oils, and silicone oils However, it is not limited to these. Linseed oil, citrate plasticizer (eg, tributyl citrate), processed castor oil, raw castor oil, castor oil derivatives (eg, butyl ricinoleate), sebacate plasticizer (eg, dibutyl sebacate), and any of these A combination of these can also be used.

  One or more pigments may also be included in the backing formulation. Examples of pigments that may be suitable include, but are not limited to, carbon black, titanium dioxide, and any combination thereof.

  One or more lubricants may be included in the formulation. Examples of lubricants include fatty acid derivatives, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, stearic acid, saturated fatty acid primary monoamides and unsaturated fatty acid primary monoamides, fatty acid glycerides (eg, C14-C18 monoglycerides and diglycerides, and these Although any combination of these is mentioned, it is not limited to these.

  If desired, the backing formulation may also contain one or more crosslinkers such as phenolic compounds, dialdehydes, aziridines, isocyanates, and melamines, or any combination thereof.

  Thus, according to one aspect of the present invention, the backing formulation comprises about 35 to about 99 weight percent PVB (including unused PVB material and / or PVB waste), about 0 to about 50 weight percent loading. Agent, about 0.1 to about 5% by weight blowing agent, and 0 to about 5% by weight processing aid. According to another aspect of the invention, the backing formulation comprises from about 40 to about 80 wt% PVB, from about 20 to about 25 wt% filler, from about 0.5 to about 5 wt% blowing agent, And 0 to about 1% by weight of a release aid (eg, calcium stearate). According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the backing formulation comprises about 50 to about 60 wt% PVB, about 17 to about 25 wt% plasticizer, about 0.3 to about 0.8 wt%. A foaming agent and about 0.5 to about 0.8 weight percent calcium stearate may be included. In one particular aspect, the backing formulation comprises about 53.7% PVB, about 22.8% plasticizer, about 0.5% foaming agent, about 22.2% carbonic acid. Calcium and 0.8 wt% calcium stearate may be included.

  The polymeric material and optional additives are optionally mixed with a blowing agent and / or other cell generating material. The blowing agent can be added in liquid form, powder form, or pellet form. The temperature at which the blowing agent releases gas can vary depending on the blowing agent selected. Examples of blowing agents that may be suitable for use with the present invention include azodicarbonamide (ADC), expandable microspheres, OBSH (4-oxybisbenzenesulfonyl hydrazide), p-toluenesulfonyl semicarbazide, bicarbonate Examples include, but are not limited to sodium, citric acid, and the like, and combinations thereof.

  One particular example of an ADC blowing agent that may be suitable for use with the various aspects of the present invention is Rit-Chem Company, Inc. Blo-Foam PMA 50 pellets commercially available from (Pleasantville, New York). PMA 50 is heat activated and contains about 50% azo blowing agent (ADC 1200 grade) and 50% PVC. PMA 50 is therefore 50% active. The average particle size (ie, the average diameter of the particles) is from about 3 to about 11 microns. PMA 50 may be added in an amount of about 0.1% to about 5% (weight / weight) based on the percentage of “active” azodialkonamide. For example, PMA 50 can be added in an amount of about 0.5 to about 2.0% by weight (about 0.25% to about 1.0% activity) of the mixture. The decomposition temperature of the active azo component ADC 1200 is about 195 ° C to 220 ° C (383 ° F to 428 ° F). However, the effective decomposition temperature of the activated azodicarbonamide in the pellets is in the range of about 175 ° C. to 185 ° C. (347 ° F. to 365 ° F.).

  The volume of gas produced by the decomposition of azodicarbonamide can be from about 85 to about 115 ml per gram of azodicarbonamide. When the blowing agent is heated to its decomposition temperature, it decomposes to produce various gases including, for example, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and ammonia. These gases expand and create cells or gas pockets in the material. When this material is hardened or cured, permanent bubbles, cavities or voids are established.

  Although the use of azo blowing agents is described in detail herein, other blowing agents having a decomposition temperature as low as about 163 ° C. (325 ° F.) maintain the temperature below the decomposition temperature during processing. It is understood that as long as it can be used, it can be used.

  The activation rate or degradation rate of any of the various blowing agents can be altered through the use of an activator. Suitable activators for azodicarbonamide blowing agents include, but are not limited to, transition metal salts (especially lead, cadmium and zinc salts) or organometallic compounds (eg zinc stearate, barium stearate). Not. Depending on the degradation and activation characteristics of the blowing agent, the activator is typically added in a ratio of activating agent: blowing agent = 1: 1.

  If desired, one or more cell-generating materials can be added to the mixture in addition to or instead of the blowing agent. For example, expandable hollow microspheres (eg, microspheres manufactured by Expancel, Inc.) can be added to the polymeric material. These microspheres are formed as spherical polymer shells that enclose gas. When heated, the shell softens and the gas pressure in the shell increases. As a result, the microspheres expand. When dispersed in an uncured backing layer, the effect of expandable microspheres is similar to that of blowing agents. When this backing layer is heated, the microspheres expand and create cells or voids in the polymer material. These cells or voids are permanently established when the backing layer material is cured or hardened.

  If a non-foam backing is used, no blowing agent is required in the composition. Further, if desired, more filler, for example about 50 to about 60% by weight, may be used. Thus, according to one aspect of the present invention, the backing formulation comprises about 35 to about 99 weight percent PVB (including virgin PVB material and / or PVB waste), about 0 to about 70 weight percent loading. And from 0 to about 5% by weight processing aids. According to another aspect of the invention, the backing formulation comprises from about 40 to about 65 wt.% PVB, from about 40 to about 65 wt.% Filler, and from 0 to about 1 wt. , Calcium stearate). According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the backing formulation comprises about 30 to about 40% by weight PVB, about 11 to about 17% by weight plasticizer, about 45 to about 55% by weight calcium carbonate filler. And about 0.5 to about 1.0% by weight of, for example, calcium stearate. In one particular aspect, the backing formulation comprises about 34.7% by weight PVB, about 14.9% by weight plasticizer, about 49.5% by weight calcium carbonate filler, and about 0.9% by weight. % Calcium stearate.

  The polymeric material and optional blowing agent and / or cell-generating material are then heated to melt and blend the components. In one aspect, the ingredients include recycled and / or unused PVB, calcium carbonate filler, foaming agent concentrate (azadicarbonamide and polyolefin masterbatch), calcium stearate calender stripping aid. Including. The blending step can be accomplished by the use of any suitable batch mixer (eg, Banbury® mixer), extruder, FCM (Farrell Continuous Mixer), or other mixing device.

  In the exemplary process illustrated in FIG. 3, an extruder 50 is used to produce a molten blend of various components. Examples of extruders that may be suitable include Model 2DS-K 57M32 and ZSK-170M 175010G, both commercially available from Werner & Pfleiderer (Germany). A metal capture station (eg, a magnet (not shown)) may be placed at the entrance of the feeder 55. A controller 53 is provided to ensure that the extruder 50 and feeder 55 work together to maintain a constant feed condition throughout the conveying zone to one or more kneading zones. The material passes through an extruder barrel 57 having a degassing or decompression zone. The degassing or decompression zone comprises at least one exhaust that assists in the removal of volatile compounds including water and VOCs. Additional vents are provided throughout the extruder to continue removing volatile compounds from the extrudate.

  This material is then passed through a pumping zone that extrudes this material through a die 58. This pumping zone is used to produce sufficient throughput without creating undesirable back pressure and torque in the preceding zone or on the thrust bearing of the extruder 50.

  The extruder 50 is operated at a temperature high enough to melt the non-fibrous thermoplastic polymer material in the material mixture and produce a uniform blended extrudate 59. However, if a blowing agent is included in the material mixture, the temperature of the extruder 50 is generally maintained below the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent and the blowing agent is not activated during the extrusion process. to be certain. For example, when an azodicarbonamide blowing agent is used, the extruder 50 is generally operated to achieve a melt temperature of about 200 ° F. to about 380 ° F. when the extrudate 59 exits the die 58. . Thus, for example, the temperature at the die head can be about 325 ° F.

  Upon exiting the die 58, the blended extrudate 59 is passed through a metal detector 60 and fed to a calendar unit 80, which feeds the blended material of the extrudate into a uniform sheet or rope. To form. The dimensions of the extrudate 59 can be established to provide ease of handling and feeding of the calendar unit 80. In the illustrated embodiment, the extrudate 59 has a substantially circular cross section with a diameter of about 1 to about 5 inches, such as about 2 inches. This material is calendered at a temperature of about 190 ° F. to 350 ° F., eg, about 325 ° F., and is maintained at that high temperature until the material exits the calendar, thereby further removing VOC.

  If a non-foam backing is used and no blowing agent is included in the composition, the extruder will operate at higher temperatures as needed or desired to remove additional VOCs. Can be done.

  Various calendar types can be used in the methods disclosed herein. As shown in FIG. 4, a standard 3-cylinder inverted J-stack calendar 70 can be used. The extrudate 59 is supplied to a first nip 74 between heating rolls 71, 72 rotating in the first and second opposite directions. The extruder 50 provides a continuous supply of material to the calendar 70 and maintains a constant material pool or deposit 74 in the first nip 74. When the material passes through the gap between the first roll 71 and the second roll 72, an intermediate sheet 61 is formed.

  The first and second rolls 71, 72 are rotated at different speeds so that the blended material deposit 60 in front of the first nip is constantly rolled and of the rotating rolls 71, 72. Kneaded in the direction. In the illustrated embodiment, where the calendar roll has a diameter of about 24 inches, the second roll 72 may be operated at about 5 rpm, while the first roll is operated at about 4.5 rpm.

  The intermediate sheet 61 is passed through a second nip 75 formed between the second roll 72 and the third heated roll 73. The third roll 73 operates at a higher speed than the second roll 72. In the illustrated embodiment where the second roll 72 operates at about 5 rpm, the third roll 73 may operate at about 6 rpm. A second deposit 62 of material collects in front of the second nip 75 and is rolled in the direction of a constantly rotating roll, similar to the first deposit 60. The shear and friction in the second deposit 62 and the tension of the intermediate sheet 61 between the second roll 72 and the third roll 73 tend to align any fiber material present. As the intermediate sheet 61 passes through the second nip 75, it is thinned and widened to form the final calendar sheet 63.

  If necessary, the sheet 63 is passed through a pair of press rolls 76, where the sheet 63 is passed along with the sheet of the reinforcing material 82 supplied from the reinforcing material roll 83 to form the reinforcing sheet 65. The reinforcement 82 may be an open woven scrim material that retains strength at the temperature used to activate the blowing agent. Suitable materials include woven polyester scrims and glass scrims. Nonwoven tissue type materials may also be used, but such materials may require the use of an additional adhesive layer when the final backing layer is bonded to the carpet back.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the reinforcement 82 may be substantially embedded within the calendar sheet 63, although a portion of the reinforcement 82 may be exposed on the surface 64, above which May be extended. The embedded reinforcement 82 provides dimensional stability to the reinforced sheet 65 and prevents an increase in residual stress in the material that can cause non-uniform expansion when the void-generating material is activated. To help.

  An alternative calendar process is illustrated in FIG. The calendering unit 180 uses a calender 170 having first, second and third rolls 171, 172, 173 for processing the blended extrudate 59. Each roll rotates at a different speed. The calendering unit 180 is configured such that the reinforcement 82 (if used) is pulled through the nip 175 between the second roll 172 and the third roll 173 with the intermediate sheet 61. The reinforcement 82 is fed into the nip 175 so that it passes between the surface of the third roll 173 and the material deposit 62 maintained in front of the nip 175. The output is a reinforced calendar sheet 165 in which the reinforcement 82 is at least partially embedded in a polymer material. This optionally reinforced calendar sheet 165 is then passed through an oven 90 (FIG. 3) to produce a foam backing 310 (FIG. 8).

  Yet another alternative calendaring process is depicted in FIG. The calendar unit 580 includes a calendar 570 having four heated rolls 571, 572, 573, 574. The extrudate 59 is fed to the calendar 570 with a first nip 575 between the heated rolls 571, 572 rotating in the first and second reverse directions, and a third and fourth reverse rotating heating. Supplied to a second nip 576 between the rolled rolls 573 and 574. The first and fourth rolls 571 and 574 rotate at a first speed, and the second and third rolls 572 and 573 rotate at a second speed that is faster than the first speed. The first material deposit 560 is maintained at the first nip 575 and the second material deposit 562 is maintained at the second nip 576. The first and fourth rolls 571 and 574 are rotated at a different speed than the second and third rolls so that the blended material deposits 560, 562 are constantly rolled and machine direction. Kneaded into. The first intermediate sheet 561 is formed when the material passes through the gap between the first and second rolls 571, 572, and the second intermediate sheet 563 is formed of the third and fourth rolls 573, Formed when passing through the gap between 574.

  The first and second intermediate sheets 561, 563 are passed together by passing them both through a third nip 577 between the second and third rolls. The reinforcing material 82 is continuously supplied from the supply roll 83 to the third nip 577 between the first and second intermediate sheets 561 and 563. As a result, a reinforced calendar sheet 565 in which the reinforcing material is substantially or completely embedded is obtained. The calendar sheet 565 may then be cooled and rolled, or passed through an oven and expanded there to form a reinforced foam backing.

  In this aspect, the calendar 570 is fed continuously to two locations, so additional changes to the processing line may be required. These may include configuring the line to split the extrudate 59 prior to delivery to the calendar 570 or providing two separate extruders 50. Since the total amount of extruded material required for the foam backing 510 is the same as for the other foam backing embodiments, using multiple extruders can be It will be appreciated that the 50 required throughput is reduced. It is also understood that the composition in each extruder may be the same or different. Thus, for example, the first extruder composition can include a particular polymer (s) and / or additive (s), and a second extruder can be the same or different polymer (s). ) And / or additive (s). In doing so, the properties of the backing can be tailored or enhanced for specific product applications. It is also understood that the reinforcement can be positioned in any manner throughout the thickness of the backing. Thus, for example, the reinforcement may be proximal to one side or the other side of the backing, or may be positioned equidistant or substantially equidistant from both sides, if desired.

  As an alternative to calendering, the sheet of polymeric material may be formed using a sheet, slot, or film die attachment device in combination with an extruder, or using a second extruder with a sheet die. May be formed. If a second extruder is used, the operating temperature of the second extruder is also maintained below the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the reinforcing sheet 65 may be cooled at a cooling station as needed and formed into a roll. This roll can then be transferred to another processing line or stored.

  Alternatively, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the unexpanded reinforcing sheet 65 is conveyed from the calendering unit 80 to the oven 90 where it is heated. If a chemical blowing agent is used, the sheet 65 is heated to a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent. The reinforcing sheet 65 may be supported on the conveyor 91 and conveyed through the oven 90 by the conveyor 91. The reinforcing sheet 65 may be passed through the oven 90 with the reinforcement 82 facing away from the conveyor 91 or the reinforcement 82 facing the conveyor 91.

The oven 90 is generally configured to ensure uniform heating and airflow throughout the reinforced sheet 65. The oven temperature is typically from about 300 ° F. to about 450 ° F., for example 420 ° F. The airflow in the oven is maintained at a level sufficient to draw VOC from the sheet. When the temperature in the reinforced sheet 65 exceeds the decomposition temperature of the foaming agent, gas pockets are formed, thereby reducing the density of the reinforced sheet 65 and increasing its thickness, thereby producing a reinforced foam backing 66. . Using a foaming agent level of about 1.5% by weight (0.75% active) of the backing formulation, the foam backing 66 is 2-4 times the thickness of the unexpanded sheet 65 after activation. The thickness of can be reached. The backing typical carpet, which corresponds to a density reduction to about 27 lbs / ft ³ in a thickness of 150 mils to about 85lbs / ft ³ in a thickness of 50 mils. Similar expansion can be achieved using expandable microspheres. The reinforced foam backing can have a thickness of about 75 to about 200 mils. In another aspect, the backing can have a thickness of about 80 to about 160 mils. In yet another aspect, the backing can have a thickness of about 90 to about 100 mils.

  If a non-foam backing is used, the oven may be maintained at a temperature of about 275 ° F to about 375 ° F, such as about 300 ° F, to remove VOCs.

  After exiting the oven 90, the reinforced backing 66 can be cooled and accumulated in a roll at the accumulation station 92. This roll may be stored for later processing. Alternatively, the roll of backing 66 can be used as a separate pad or cushion for placement under the carpet. Alternatively, the roll may be passed directly to a finishing station (not shown) where the backing is glued to the carpet product prior to finishing. This unfinished carpet can be formed by a number of processes. In one exemplary process, nylon yarn is tufted into a primary backing, thereby forming a fabric. A polyurethane dispersion precoat is then applied to the back side of the fabric to secure the seam and create a surface for bonding to the foam backing. The precoated carpet is then dried in an oven to remove water in the polyurethane and form a precoat into a film. The resulting carpet roll stock is rolled into a roll for subsequent processing by a finishing station (not shown).

  The carpet roll stock and backing are aligned, exposed to heat (eg, infrared heat), and the materials are bonded together. This material can be pressed together and miniaturized using nip rollers. The heat can be infrared heat or any other heat source maintained at a temperature of about 900 ° F. to about 1000 ° F., eg, 950 ° F. This high temperature further removes VOC from the backing.

In one aspect, the resulting floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of 1 mg / m < ² > / hour or less as measured using ASTM D-5116-1990. In another aspect, the floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of 0.75 mg / m < ² > / hour or less as measured using ASTM D-5116-1990. In yet another aspect, the floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of 0.5 mg / m < ² > / hour or less as measured using ASTM D-5116-1990. In yet another aspect, the floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of 0.375 mg / m < ² > / hr or less as measured using ASTM D-5116-1990.

  If necessary, adhesive is applied to the backside of the backing, opposite the carpet before finishing. In one aspect, the adhesive is an acrylic polymer. This adhesive can be applied in any of a number of ways, and in some examples, is applied using a roll coater. The adhesive on the carpet is then dried to form a tacky surface. Any additional VOC is further removed by heating in an oven. A release liner is applied over the adhesive and the carpet is cooled and rolled for transport. If no adhesive is to be applied, the finished carpet is ready for transport.

  FIG. 8 illustrates a floor covering product 300 having a reinforced foam backing 310 produced using the exemplary process described above. The floor covering product 300 comprises a tufted carpet 301 having a looped pile yarn 302 that is tufted or looped through a primary backing 304 and extends upwardly therefrom. A polymer precoat or back coating 306 is used to secure the pile yarn 302 in place on the primary backing 304. The reinforced foam backing 310 includes a foam layer 311 that includes a plurality of substantially uniformly distributed closed cells 312. Partially or wholly open cell foam backings can also be used. The reinforced foam backing 310 also includes a reinforced layer or reinforcement 82 that is at least partially embedded in the top surface of the foam layer 311. The reinforcement 310 can be any material as described above.

  Another floor covering having a reinforced foam backing layer is shown in FIG. The floor covering 400 comprises a tufted carpet 401 having a looped pile yarn 402 that is tufted or looped through a primary backing 404 and extends upwardly therefrom. A polymer precoat or back coating 406 is used to secure the pile yarn 402 to the primary backing 404. The reinforced foam backing 410 includes a foam layer 411 that includes a plurality of substantially uniformly distributed closed cells 412. Substantially or wholly open cell foam backings can also be used. The foam layer 411 can comprise any suitable material or combination of materials as described above.

  The reinforced foam backing 410 may also include a reinforcement 82 that is adhered to the top surface of the foam layer 411 using an adhesive layer 414. The reinforcement 82 can be an open woven fabric or scrim formed from woven polyester fibers or glass fibers, or any other material as described above. Adhesives are generally selected for their ability to retain structural integrity and adhesion to both reinforcement and calendar sheets when exposed to the temperatures required to activate the blowing agent. The The adhesive is generally compatible with both the backing polymer and the precoat polymer to provide a suitable bond. In one aspect, the adhesive is manufactured by Solutia Inc. RS-3120 commercially available from (Springfield, MA). This adhesive may be applied, for example, in an amount of about 1 to about 5 ounces per square yard on a dry / dry basis.

  The reinforced foam backing 410 may be manufactured using a process associated with the processing line shown in FIG. 3, but with the addition of applying an adhesive layer 414 to the calendar sheet 63 prior to applying the reinforcement 82. The process is accompanied. This method can be used when the calendar sheet 63 is cooled and is no longer soft enough to embed the reinforcement in the surface of the sheet. The combined adhesive layer 414 and reinforcement 82 help maintain the dimensional stability of the reinforced calender sheet throughout the expansion process and produce a substantially uniform reinforced foam backing. The adhesive used to attach the reinforcement 82 can also be used to adhere the reinforced foam backing 410 to the precoat 406 using the thermal lamination process described above. Alternatively, additional adhesive may be used.

  Yet another exemplary floor covering is illustrated in FIG. The floor covering 500 includes a tufted carpet 501 having a looped pile yarn 502 that is tufted or looped through a primary backing 504 and extends upward therefrom. A polymer precoat or back coating 506 is used to secure the pile yarn 502 to the primary backing 504. The reinforced foam backing 510 includes a foam layer 511 that includes a plurality of substantially uniformly distributed closed cells 512. Substantially or wholly open cell foam backings can also be used. Foam layer 511 may include scrap material as discussed above (eg, waste polymer carpet or automotive windshield interlayer material discussed above). These materials can include fibrous aliphatic polyamide polymer materials that are at least partially aligned. The reinforced foam backing 510 may comprise a reinforcement 82 that is entirely embedded within the foam layer 511. The reinforcement 82 can be any suitable material as described above.

  It will be appreciated that any of a variety of reinforced foam backings formed in accordance with the present invention can be applied to a woven floor covering of the type depicted in FIG. Both tufted floor coverings and similar lined woven floor coverings can be produced as roll articles or used to produce carpet tiles. In either case, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer and, if desired, a release cover may be applied to the underside of the reinforced foam backing.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a floor covering backing comprising other polymer waste is provided. A process for forming such a backing is depicted in FIG. Some polymer wastes may include thermoplastic materials that are generated during the manufacture and / or disposal of various floor coverings. Unused and / or recycled PVB may also be included. Such materials may be processed as follows, or delivered directly to an extruder as described above.

  Other thermoplastic materials that may be present include polymers based on aliphatic polyamides and / or other fiber materials, polyolefins (eg, polyethylene, polypropylene), vinyl monomers (eg, vinyl esters and vinyl acetals such as vinyl acetate). , Polymers based on acrylic monomers (eg, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, esters of these acids, and acrylonitrile), other thermoplastic polymers, and blends and copolymers thereof. Other materials typically present in scrap materials include various plasticizers, inorganic fillers, inorganic flame retardants, organic flame retardants, glass fibers, foaming agents, polyesters, pigments, stabilizers, oils, and processing aids. Agents, as well as either antisoiling chemicals or antistaining chemicals.

  The fibrous material may be present in the material in an amount of 0 to about 40% by weight of the total amount of material, such as about 12% by weight of the total amount of material. This fiber material is believed to add strength and stability to the final recycled backing product.

  The polymer waste material can include an aliphatic polyamide polymer. As used herein, the term “aliphatic polyamide polymer” refers to any long chain polymer amide or copolymer amide having repeating amide units as an integral part of the polymer backbone or copolymer backbone. Without being limited thereto, the aliphatic polyamide polymer can be in the form of fibers. Examples of aliphatic polyamides include wool, nylon 6 or poly (ω-caprolactam); nylon 66 or poly (hexamethylenediamine-adipic acid) amide; poly (hexamethylenediamine-sebacic acid) amide or nylon 610, and the like. Can be. When present in the final manufactured product in the form of fibers, this alignment of the aliphatic polyamide polymer in the product material increases the strength of the material, in particular the tear strength of the material transverse to the direction of fiber alignment. Can be added.

  It will be appreciated that the polymer waste can be provided in pellets, chips, tiles, sheets, strips or any other form. In some examples, it may be necessary or advantageous to subject the polymeric material to one or more processes that further reduce the size of the waste material. In other examples, the polymer waste can be suitable for direct feeding to an extruder.

  Referring to FIG. 11, polymer waste (“scrap”) 15 is delivered to a cutter 20. The cutter 20 can be any conventional cutter that roughly cuts polymer waste into 3/4 to 1 inch wide sections. One example of a suitable cutting machine is Pieret, Inc. Model CT-60 available from The cut mixture 15A is conveyed to the granulator 40 by, for example, conveyor belts 25 and 26. The granulator 40 breaks the 1 inch portion into fragments that are at least an order of magnitude smaller than the original size of the polymer waste. Typically, this size is less than about 3/8 inch wide. One example of a suitable granulator is Model 24-1, available from the Cumberland Company.

  The granulated material 15B is typically in the form of a fluffy fibrous material and solid polymer particles. The granulated mixture 15B may be conveyed to a densifier or plast compactor 41 that forms the granulated mixture into a compressed material 42. The compressor 41 is designed to heat, melt, and form or downsize the granulated mixture 15B into semi-uniform pellets. These pellets increase the throughput of the extruder 50 and allow the extruder 50 to produce a more uniform blend of molten recycled material. One exemplary compressor that may be suitable for use with the present invention is the Plastcompactor Pellizerizer Model No., commercially available from HERBOLD ZERKLEINERUNGSTTECHNIK GmbH. CV50, which has a volume compression ratio of about 2: 1 (original granulated material volume: compressed material volume). The use of the compressor 41 increases the output of the extruder 50 from about 1,000 lb / hour to about 4,000 to 6,000 lb / hour.

  If needed, if finer material is required, the compressed and pelletized material 42 is sent by a conveyor to a cryogenic grinder (not shown). The low temperature grinder uses liquid nitrogen to freeze and shred the compressed and pelletized material to form a thoroughly cold ground material that is fed to the extruder 50. The cryomilled material may be composed of particles having a diameter of about 0.01 to about 0.20 inches. These particles can be sieved and particles larger than the desired limit can be removed. Cryogenic grinding can also be used in place of or as a pre-process for the compression of granulated material 15B. In such an example, the granulated mixture 15B can be sent by a conveyor 26 to a cryogenic grinder (not shown). The cryomilled material may then be sent to the compressor 41 or directly to the extruder 50.

  The compressed material and / or the cold-milled material 42 can be conveyed to the Gayload filling station 45 and / or the reservoir 46 by air in the conduit 43. If desired, a cleaning process or other suitable process may be used to remove dust and / or fibers and be separated from the compressed and / or cryo-ground material 42. The compressed material and / or the cold-milled material 42 is then conveyed to an extruder feeder 55 that feeds the extruder 50. Additional recycled material (eg, granulated thermoplastic waste) may be added to the polymer waste 42 in the hopper. Unused material may also be added.

  The process continues in a similar manner as discussed in connection with FIG. Various other processing times, temperatures, line speeds, and other conditions will vary depending on the composition of the polymer material used to form the floor covering and the amount of VOC to be removed. It is understood that you get. Thus, while specific processing conditions are described herein, other conditions are contemplated by the present invention.

  Still referring to FIG. 11, after exiting the oven 90, the foam backing 667 can be cooled and collected in a roll at the collection station 92. The roll of reinforced foam backing 667 may then be stored and transported to a carpet finishing line where the backing is glued to the carpet product. In this and other aspects, the reinforced foam backing 667 can also be used as a separate pad or cushion for placement under the carpet.

  Alternatively, after cooling, the reinforced foam backing 667 may be passed directly to a finishing station (not shown) where it is adhered to the carpet product. In order to bond this reinforced foam backing to the unfinished carpet having a polymer precoat layer, heat can be applied to the reinforced side of the reinforced foam backing and to the precoat layer of the carpet. The reinforced side of the reinforced foam backing is then contacted with the precoat layer, and the two layers are pressed together.

In one aspect, the resulting floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of 1 mg / m < ² > / hour or less as measured using ASTM D-5116-1990. In another aspect, the floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of 0.75 mg / m < ² > / hour or less as measured using ASTM D-5116-1990. In yet another aspect, the floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of 0.5 mg / m < ² > / hr or less as measured using ASTM D-5116-1990. In yet another aspect, the floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of 0.375 mg / m < ² > / hour or less as measured using ASTM D-5116-1990.

  FIG. 12 illustrates a floor covering product 600 having a reinforced foam backing 667 formed in accordance with the exemplary process described above. The floor covering 600 comprises a tufted carpet 601 having a looped pile yarn 602 that is tufted or looped through a primary backing 604 and extends upward therefrom. A polymer precoat or back coating 606 is used to secure the pile yarn 602 in place on the primary backing 604. The reinforced foam backing 667 includes a foam layer 611 that may include one or more of the scrap materials discussed above (eg, polymer carpet waste or waste safety glass interlayer material). The foam layer also includes a plurality of substantially uniformly distributed closed cells 612. However, it is understood that foam layers containing open cells can also be used.

  The foam layer 611 includes a fiber material 614 that maintains a fiber form, if necessary. The fibers 614 remain aligned in a direction corresponding to the machine direction 616, despite the presence of the cells 612.

  It will be appreciated that the backing layer 667 may also be used with a woven floor covering of the type depicted in FIGS. Both tufted floor rugs and similar lined woven floor rugs may be produced as roll articles and may be used to make carpet tiles. In either case, a pressure sensitive self-releasable adhesive layer can be applied to the underside of the reinforced foam backing. If an adhesive layer is applied, a release liner can be applied over the adhesive layer.

  Various carpet samples with PVB chips and PVB backing were evaluated to determine the level of VOC present. A PVB chip (Sample 1) was obtained from the Drubak Glass Company. A description of the various carpet samples (Samples 2-5) is provided in Table 1.

サンプル１〜３および５を、ＡＳＴＭ Ｄ−５１１６−１９９０に従って評価した。サンプル４を、Ｃａｌｉｆｏｒｎｉａ ０１３５０指針に従って評価した。従って、「ＮＡ」で示されるように、いくつかのデータは利用可能ではない。結果を表２に提供する。「ＢＤＬ」として示される値は、化合物に対する検出限界を超えていたものである。「ＮＴ」は、特定の化合物についてそのサンプルを試験しなかったことを意味する。すべての値をμｇ／ｍ^２／時間で測定した。サンプル１でのＰＶＢの量は、サンプル２〜５におけるＰＶＢの量よりも１０倍多かったことに注意すべきである。

Samples 1-3 and 5 were evaluated according to ASTM D-5116-1990. Sample 4 was evaluated according to the California 01350 guidelines. Thus, some data is not available, as indicated by “NA”. Results are provided in Table 2. The value indicated as “BDL” is above the detection limit for the compound. “NT” means that the sample was not tested for a particular compound. All values were measured in μg / m ² / hour. Note that the amount of PVB in Sample 1 was 10 times higher than the amount of PVB in Samples 2-5.

従って、上記の本発明の詳細な説明を考慮して、本発明が幅広い有用性および適用を許容することが当業者により容易に理解される。本明細書中に記載されたもの以外の本発明の多くの適応例、ならびに多くのバリエーション、改変、および等価な配列は、本発明の実体または範囲から逸脱することなく、本発明および上記の本発明の詳細な説明から明らかであるか、または本発明および上記の本発明の詳細な説明により合理的に示唆される。

Thus, in view of the above detailed description of the present invention, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention allows for a wide range of utilities and applications. Many adaptations of the invention other than those described herein, as well as many variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements may be made without departing from the substance or scope of the invention and the invention described above. It will be apparent from the detailed description of the invention or may be reasonably suggested by the present invention and the detailed description of the invention given above.

  Although the invention has been described in detail herein with reference to specific aspects, this detailed description is only illustrative or exemplary of the invention and is a sufficient and feasible disclosure of the invention. It should be understood that this is done only for the purpose of providing. The detailed description presented herein is not intended to limit the invention or to exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements of the invention. Nor should it be interpreted as such. The present invention is limited only by the appended claims and their equivalents.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a tufted carpet lined with an exemplary foam according to various aspects of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a woven carpet lined with an exemplary foam in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary processing line for manufacturing a foam backing product according to various aspects of the present invention. FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary calendar unit that may be used in the production line of FIG. FIG. 5A depicts a partial perspective view of an exemplary reinforced calendar sheet that is an intermediate product of a process for forming a floor covering according to various aspects of the present invention. FIG. 5B depicts a cross-sectional view of a portion of the reinforced calendar sheet of FIG. 5A. FIG. 6 depicts another exemplary calendar unit that may be used in a processing line for manufacturing foam backing products according to various aspects of the present invention. FIG. 7 depicts another exemplary calendar unit that may be used in a processing line for manufacturing foam backing products according to various aspects of the present invention. FIG. 8 depicts a cross-sectional view of another exemplary cushioned floor covering according to various aspects of the present invention. FIG. 9 depicts a cross-sectional view of yet another exemplary cushioned floor covering according to various aspects of the present invention. FIG. 10 depicts a cross-sectional view of yet another exemplary cushioned floor covering according to various aspects of the present invention. FIG. 11 depicts another exemplary processing line for manufacturing a foam backing product according to various aspects of the present invention. FIG. 12 depicts a cross-sectional view of yet another exemplary cushioned floor covering according to various aspects of the present invention.

Claims (32)

Reinforced foam backing for floor coverings,
A foam sheet comprising polyvinyl butyral, the foam sheet having a plurality of cells formed in the foam sheet; and at least one reinforcement bonded to the foam sheet; ,
Reinforced foam backing, including The reinforced foam backing of claim 1, wherein the polyvinyl butyral comprises recycled polyvinyl butyral, unused polyvinyl butyral, or any combination thereof. The reinforced foam backing of claim 1, wherein the polyvinyl butyral comprises recycled polyvinyl butyral and optionally comprises unused polyvinyl butyral. 4. A floor covering comprising the reinforced foam backing of claim 3 wherein the floor covering is less than about 1 mg / m < ² > / hour of total volatility as measured according to ASTM D-5116-1990. Floor covering with organic compound emission factor. 4. A floor covering comprising the reinforced foam backing of claim 3 wherein the floor covering is less than about 0.5 mg / m < ² > / hour when measured according to ASTM D-5116-1990. Floor covering with a volatile organic compound emission factor. A floor covering,
A carpet comprising a plurality of textile fibers at least partially embedded in a polymer precoat layer comprising polyurethane; and a reinforced foam backing comprising polyvinyl butyral attached to the carpet;
Including floor coverings. The floor covering of claim 6, wherein the polyurethane has a glass transition temperature of about -15C to about 10C. The floor covering of claim 6, wherein the polyurethane has a glass transition temperature of about -5C to about 0C. 7. The floor covering of claim 6, wherein the polyurethane has a tensile strength of about 1500 to 5000 psi. The floor covering of claim 6, wherein the polyurethane is present on a dry / dry basis in an amount of about 5 to about 40% of the floor covering. 7. The floor covering of claim 6, further comprising a reinforcement at least partially embedded in the foam backing. The floor covering of claim 6, further comprising a reinforcement joined to the foam backing. A floor covering having a backing comprising recycled polyvinyl butyral, wherein the floor covering is less than about 1 mg / m ² / hour of total volatile organic compounds as measured according to ASTM D-5116-1990 Floor covering with an emission factor. 14. A floor covering according to claim 13, wherein the floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of less than about 0.75 mg / m < ² > / hour when measured according to ASTM D-5116-1990. Have a floor covering. 14. A floor covering according to claim 13, wherein the floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of less than about 0.5 mg / m < ² > / hour when measured according to ASTM D-5116-1990. Have a floor covering. 14. The floor covering of claim 13, wherein the floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of less than about 0.375 mg / m < ² > / hour when measured according to ASTM D-5116-1990. Have a floor covering. 14. A floor covering according to claim 13, wherein the backing is a foam. A floor covering,
A carpet comprising a plurality of textile fibers;
A foam backing comprising polyvinyl butyral attached to the carpet; and a polymer precoat layer joining the carpet to the foam backing;
And the floor covering has a total volatile organic compound emission factor of less than about 0.5 mg / m ² / hour as measured according to ASTM D-5116-1990. 19. A floor covering according to claim 18, wherein the polymer precoat layer is polyurethane, polyvinyl butyral or a combination thereof. 19. A floor covering according to claim 18, wherein the polymer precoat layer comprises polyvinyl chloride, a sticky ethylene bililacetate copolymer, a sticky polyolefin or any combination thereof. The floor covering of claim 18, further comprising a reinforcement joined to the foam backing. 19. A floor covering according to claim 18, wherein the polyvinyl butyral in the backing comprises recycled polyvinyl butyral, and optionally comprises unused polyvinyl butyral. The floor covering of claim 18, wherein the polyvinyl butyral in the backing comprises recycled polyvinyl butyral, unused polyvinyl butyral, or any combination thereof. A method of manufacturing a floor covering, the method comprising:
Extruding a polymer material mixture comprising molten polyvinyl butyral and cell-forming material;
Calendering the extruded polymeric material mixture to form a sheet; and heating the sheet to form a foamed polyvinyl butyral backing;
Including the method. 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising embedding a reinforcement in the calendered polymer sheet to form a reinforced backing. 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising adhering a reinforcement to the polyvinyl butyral backing to form a reinforced backing. 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising joining the formed polyvinyl butyral backing to a carpet. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the extruding further comprises removing volatile organic compounds from the polymeric material mixture. A method of making a floor covering comprising recycled PVB foam backing, wherein the floor covering is less than about 0.5 mg / m < ² > / hour as measured according to ASTM D-5116-1990. Having a total volatile organic compound emission factor, the method comprising:
Extruding a polymer material mixture comprising molten, recycled polyvinyl butyral and cell-forming material;
Calendering the extruded polymeric material mixture to form a sheet; and heating the sheet to form a foamed polyvinyl butyral backing;
Wherein at least one of the extruding, calendering, and heating steps is performed at a temperature sufficient to release volatile organic compounds from the polymeric material mixture. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the extruding step is performed at a temperature of about 300 <0> F to 350 <0> F. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the calendering step is performed at a temperature of about 190 <0> F to 350 <0> F. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the heating step is performed at a temperature of about 300 <0> F to 450 <0> F.

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