JP7282429B2 - hard flooring - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a novel hard flooring material.

For example, in commercial facilities such as shopping malls, convenience stores, supermarkets, department stores, condominiums, hotels, hospitals, etc., in areas where visitors come and go (entrance halls, corridors, etc.), hard materials such as stone or ceramics have traditionally been used. A flooring material consisting of At these locations, floor surfaces are formed by abutting multiple tiled floorings of hard flooring. A flooring material made of such a hard material can create a high-class appearance, and is also characterized by being excellent in strength against high heels and the like. In fact, various floor materials using such hard materials have been proposed so far.

For example, there is a flooring material comprising a plate-like flooring material body made of ceramic or stone, and a reinforcing layer made of a hardened adhesive directly attached to the back surface of the flooring material body (Patent Document 1). .

Further, for example, a floor tile having at least three sides, comprising a tile body containing minerals represented by ceramics and stone, and a frame constituting joints disposed on the outer periphery of the tile body. , a joint protrusion formed on at least one side of the frame, a joint recess formed on a side different from the joint protrusion, and a cushioning material provided on the floor surface side of the tile body. A floor tile characterized by this is known (Patent Document 2).

Floor materials using stone or ceramics as described above are excellent in that they can straddle recesses due to unevenness in the floor surface with sufficient strength due to their high rigidity. I have a problem.

For example, if there are local protrusions such as very small grains of sand or broken glass on the surface of the subfloor, or if there are protrusions or unevenness due to a gentle slope, the hard flooring material should not be used. difficult to absorb. In particular, since the surface of the underlying mortar or concrete is rough and has large irregularities, the presence of protrusions or irregularities cannot be denied. In the case of a hard flooring material such as plate-shaped ceramics or stone, the shape of the underfloor surface is directly reflected in the hard flooring material, so that the flooring material itself is inclined. As a result, when a plurality of hard flooring tiles are butted against each other to form a floor surface, the gaps between the inclined tiles are conspicuous, making it impossible to obtain a floor surface with a good appearance. In addition, if there is a relatively large step at the butted part, it will hinder walking, and in some cases, cause overturning. It is possible.

For example, as shown in FIG. 13, when there is a convex portion formed by a gentle slope on the surface of the underfloor 20, if hard floor materials 30a and 30b such as ceramics are laid on that surface, each floor material will be level. In some cases, a part of the floor material may be lifted from the floor surface, resulting in a relatively deep gap G or a step U at the butted portion.

In this regard, it is conceivable to provide a cushioning layer of resin, rubber or the like under the hard material such as stone or ceramic. In this case, if the surface of the underfloor has projections made of very small grains of sand, etc., it can be absorbed to some extent, but if the surface of the underfloor has unevenness due to a gentle slope, it will not be sufficiently dealt with. I can't cut it.

Conventionally, as a method of constructing hard materials such as stone and ceramics so that each floor material is horizontal, there is a method of fixing with metal fittings. Construction methods such as ~c) are generally adopted.
a) Spread 30 to 40 mm thick so-called mortar on the roadbed concrete base, apply cement paste (slag) while still unhardened, use a level or a device with a similar function, and level b) Lay a layer of 3-7mm thick mortar on top of the mortar base, and lay out the hard tiles while adjusting the level. c) Apply organic adhesive to the plywood base. A method in which hard tiles are laid out while adjusting the horizontality after applying to the comb.

In both the fixing method using metal fittings and the above construction methods a) to c), when hard materials such as stone and ceramics are used, it is necessary to level each floor building material.

In addition to adjusting the horizontal level by applying leveling material to create a horizontal level, the work of creating a smooth surface for the entire leveling material requires a high level of skill, so specialized craftsmen are required. is required. In addition, since it takes considerable time and effort to level each floor building material, it requires a considerable amount of time and manpower, resulting in a long construction period. Moreover, if it is difficult to arrange for specialized craftsmen, the construction period will be further extended.

In particular, the above methods a) to b) are so-called "wet construction methods", and in order to create a smooth surface, a base mortar or a leveling material such as an adhesive, a resin material, or a resin is spread over the entire floor surface. A method is adopted in which a plurality of floor building materials are adhered one by one after the entire floor surface has been leveled by application. In other words, in the wet construction method, a curing period is required while the leveling material hardens. It requires a relatively long construction period.

On the other hand, construction methods aimed at reducing the work load such as horizontal level adjustment have also been proposed. For example, by providing a floor building material support between the building foundation and the floor building material, the surface of the building foundation and the floor building material can be leveled horizontally and smoothed. If it is not possible to obtain a horizontal level just by using A method has been proposed in which a horizontal level can be easily obtained by using a member, inserting a screw or bolt into the female screw hole, and adjusting the entry and exit of the member (Patent Documents 3 and 4).

JP 2005-299148 A Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-1802 JP-A-11-270104 JP-A-11-311014

However, even if a construction method such as Patent Documents 3 and 4 is adopted, as long as the process of adjusting the horizontal level is required, there is no change in the need for a specialized craftsman. It is the present condition that it has not reached the fundamental solution to the problem which may arise.

Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide a floor material that is less susceptible to the surface condition of the underfloor even if the surface of the underfloor has unevenness, and that can form a floor surface that is flatter and has an excellent appearance. It is in.

As a result of intensive research in view of these problems of the prior art, the present inventor found that the above objects can be achieved by adopting a flooring material having a specific layer composition and layer structure, and completed the present invention. reached.

That is, the present invention relates to the following hard flooring material.
1. A flooring material composed of a laminate including a lower layer in contact with an underfloor surface and an upper layer partially laminated on the lower layer,
(1) The planar shape of the upper layer and the lower layer is rectangular, and the upper surface of the lower layer has a joint area where the upper layer is not laminated,
(2) the upper layer includes a hard resin-containing layer, and the amount of dents on the upper surface of the upper layer is less than 0.2 mm according to JIS A1454 "dent test method B (2016)";
(3) The lower layer includes a soft resin-containing layer as the lowermost layer, and the lower surface of the lower layer has a dent amount of 0.2 mm or more according to the above test.
A hard flooring material characterized by:
2. 2. The hard flooring material according to item 1, wherein the joint region is L-shaped.
3. A method of forming a floor surface by laying a plurality of hard flooring materials according to item 1 or 2 on an underfloor surface, wherein the hard flooring materials are butted together so that continuous joints can be formed by mutual joint regions. A construction method for a floor, comprising a step of
4. A floor structure in which a plurality of hard floor materials according to item 1 or 2 are laid on an underfloor, characterized in that each floor material is arranged so that the joint area of each floor material is continuous. Floor structure with hard flooring material.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a hard flooring material that is not easily affected by the surface condition of the underfloor even if the surface of the underfloor has unevenness, and that can form a floor surface that is flatter and has an excellent appearance. As a result, even if there is unevenness on the underfloor surface, such unevenness can be absorbed, and the visual effect makes it possible to easily and efficiently form a floor surface that looks flat in appearance.

In particular, the flooring material of the present invention includes a lower layer containing a soft resin-containing layer as the lowest layer, and an upper layer containing a hard resin-containing layer having extremely high hardness and strength, and the uppermost layer of the lower layer has a joint region. It has a structure exposed to the outside. As a result, the following superior effects can be obtained compared to conventional stone or ceramic tiles (floor materials).

In the flooring material of the present invention, for example, a) when the surface of the underfloor has protrusions (local convex portions) caused by sand grains, glass edges, etc., b) the surface of the underfloor is composed of a gentle slope. When there is some unevenness on the underfloor surface, such as when there is unevenness (unevenness, etc.), the lower layer (soft resin-containing layer) can absorb all or part of the unevenness. It is possible to effectively suppress or prevent the inclination of the floor material itself.

Moreover, even if the uneven shape cannot be completely absorbed and the flooring itself is inclined, even if there are some gaps or steps in the butted portions of the floorings, the flooring of the present invention has a joint area. Therefore, it is possible to adopt a structure in which the joint area of the flooring material is positioned below the outermost surface of the upper layer of the adjacent flooring material. It is possible to create a floor surface with a high flatness that does not exist.

On the other hand, since a hard resin-containing layer with extremely high hardness and strength is used as the upper layer, even if high pressure is applied partially by high heels, walking sticks, etc., it can withstand it sufficiently, and there is no noticeable dent It does not leave scratches on the surface of the flooring material.

In addition, in construction using stone materials of the prior art, deep gaps are generated at the butted portions of the tiles, and dust, dust, sand, etc. enter deep into the gaps and become difficult to clean. Since joints can be formed on the floor surface depending on the area, even if dust or the like accumulates on the joints, it can be easily removed by cleaning.

Furthermore, unlike flooring materials made of stone or ceramics, the flooring material of the present invention can be easily cut and processed, so the shape and size of the flooring material (tile) can be appropriately changed according to the site conditions. be able to.

The hard flooring material of the present invention having such characteristics can be more advantageously applied as a substitute material for flooring materials made of conventional stones or ceramics, by constructing floor surfaces to which they have been applied. In addition, as a construction method, the construction using the hard floor material of the present invention makes it possible to construct a desired floor more easily and at a lower cost than construction using conventional hard materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a perspective view which shows an example of the hard flooring of this invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a layer structure viewed from the X direction in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a plan view seen from the Y direction in FIG. 1; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example in which a tapered portion is formed in the upper layer of the hard flooring material of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of another layer structure of the hard flooring of this invention. It is a schematic diagram showing a process of forming a floor surface using a plurality of hard floor materials of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the formation pattern example of the upper layer of the hard flooring of this invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the hard flooring material of the present invention is applied from above the projections of the underfloor. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the hard flooring material of the present invention is applied to an underfloor having projections. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the step and the upper layer when the hard floor materials of the present invention are butted against each other. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an arrangement state of test pieces for evaluating step absorbability in Test Example 1 (1). FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the state of arrangement of test pieces for evaluating the joint hiding effect in Test Example 1 (2). 12(a) shows Comparative Example 1, and FIG. 12(b) shows Example 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the state which butted using the conventional hard tile.

1. Hard flooring material The hard flooring material of the present invention is a flooring material composed of a laminate including a lower layer in contact with an underfloor surface and an upper layer laminated on a part of the lower layer,
(1) The planar shape of the upper layer and the lower layer is rectangular, and the upper surface of the lower layer has a joint area where the upper layer is not laminated,
(2) the upper layer includes a hard resin-containing layer, and the amount of dents on the upper surface of the upper layer is less than 0.2 mm according to JIS A1454 "dent test method B (2016)";
(3) The lower layer includes a soft resin-containing layer as the lowermost layer, and the lower surface of the lower layer has a dent amount of 0.2 mm or more according to the above test.
It is characterized by

1) Basic configuration of the flooring material of the present invention The basic configuration of the flooring material of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the hard flooring material of the present invention (the flooring material of the present invention). FIG. 2 shows the layer structure viewed from the X direction in FIG. FIG. 3 shows a planar configuration of FIG. 1 as viewed from the Y direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the flooring material 10 of the present invention comprises a lower layer B and an upper layer A laminated on a part of the upper surface thereof. The lower layer B is arranged as a layer in contact with the underfloor surface. The upper layer A may have either a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure. The upper layer B may also have either a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure. In the floor material 10 of FIG. 1, the lower layer B has a two-layer structure of the soft resin-containing layer 11 and the adhesive layer 13, and the upper layer A has a single-layer structure of the hard resin-containing layer 12. As shown in FIG. The soft resin-containing layer 11 is arranged as the bottom layer and comes into direct contact with the underfloor surface during construction.

Further, in the flooring material of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, a tapered surface T may be formed at the corner of the upper layer A related to the joint region M, if necessary. Thereby, a smoother floor surface can be formed.

In the present invention, it is desirable that the lower layer B or the upper layer A includes an adhesive layer and are bonded to each other via the adhesive layer. For example, in flooring 10 shown in FIG. 1, lower layer B includes adhesive layer 13 and is joined to upper layer A via it. On the other hand, the adhesive layer 13 may be included in the upper layer A as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3, both the lower layer A and the upper layer B have a rectangular planar shape. More specifically, it has the shape of either a rectangle or a square. As a result, an integrated floor surface can be efficiently constructed by abutting a plurality of the floor materials of the present invention against each other like tiles.

In the flooring material 10 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface of the lower layer B has a joint region M where the upper layer A is not laminated. As a result, the joint area M of the lower layer B becomes a surface exposed to the outside, and serves as a joint when the floor surface is constructed. The joint area M is composed of the exposed surface of the uppermost layer of the lower layer B, and in the case of FIG. 1, the adhesive layer 13 is exposed. In the present invention, the layer below the joint region M is the lower layer B, and the layer above that layer (the layer with the smaller planar area) is the upper layer A.

As described above, the floor material 10 of the present invention has the joint region M, so that when a plurality of floor materials of the present invention are butted against each other, the joints of the constructed floor surface can be created with an integrated appearance. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, four floor materials 10a to 10d of the present invention are prepared (FIG. 6(a)), and these are butted against each other so that the joint areas Ma to Md can be seen integrally. can be formed (FIG. 6(b)). As a result, even if some gaps or the like are generated in the abutted portion, they can be made inconspicuous.

The planar shape of the joint region M is not particularly limited as long as a joint that looks integral when the floor materials of the present invention are butted against each other is formed. For example, as shown in FIG. In addition to the case shown in FIG. 7, for example, a square shape (FIG. 7(a)), a square U shape (FIG. 7(b)), a double square shape (FIG. 7(c)), etc. It may be either.

The joint width W of the joint region M is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately set according to the desired appearance of the floor surface. Normally, the thickness should be in the range of about 1 to 5 mm, but it is not limited to this. As for the joint width W, for example, when there is an L-shaped joint region M extending in two directions as shown in FIG. can be

The size of the floor material of the present invention can be changed according to the construction site, desired design, etc., but generally the size of the lower layer is appropriately within the range of about 30 to 100 cm in length and about 30 to 100 cm in width. can be set. It can also be set to the same size as a commercially available tile-like flooring material.

2) Each Layer Constituting the Flooring Material of the Present Invention The flooring material of the present invention is composed of a laminate including a lower layer in contact with the underfloor surface and an upper layer laminated on the lower layer.

2-1) Upper Layer The upper layer constitutes the surface of the flooring material of the present invention, and functions as a layer that withstands localized pressure from high heels, walking sticks, and the like.

The upper layer includes a hard resin-containing layer, and is characterized in that the upper surface of the upper layer has a dent amount of less than 0.2 mm according to JIS A1454 "dent test method B (2016)".

The upper surface of the upper layer is the surface of the uppermost layer, and for example, the reference numeral 12a corresponds to the upper surface in the flooring material of FIG. The layer forming the upper surface (uppermost layer) may be a layer containing a hard resin, or may be another layer (for example, a protective layer, etc.). As described above, the flooring material of the present invention has an extremely hard surface in which the amount of depression of the upper surface is less than 0.2 mm, so that even under localized pressure as described above, the deformation and damage of the surface of the flooring material can be suppressed or prevented. effect can be obtained.

The amount of depression on the upper surface of the upper layer is usually less than 0.2 mm, preferably 0.15 mm or less, and more preferably 0.1 mm or less. It should be noted that the lower limit of the amount of recession is normally about 0.01 mm, but is not limited to this.

The amount of dent was measured by curing the test piece for 24 hours under conditions of 23 ° C. ± 2 ° C. and humidity of 50 ± 10%, and using a McBurni dent tester (manufactured by Yasuda Seiki Seisakusho Co., Ltd., model number No. 184-A). The result of measuring the dent value according to A1454 is shown. The same applies to the measurement of the amount of depression of the lower surface of the lower layer described later.

Although the thickness of the upper layer is not limited, it is preferably 1 to 5 mm, more preferably 1.5 to 2.5 mm. By setting the thickness to such a value, even if there is a slight gap or gap in the butted portion of the floor materials, it can be made inconspicuous.

Hard Resin-Containing Layer The composition of the hard resin-containing layer is not particularly limited as long as it has the above-mentioned amount of dents.

Examples of the hard resin component include various synthetic resins such as vinyl chloride resins, polyolefin resins, polyurethane resins, and acrylic resins. In particular, at least one of vinyl chloride-based resins, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer-based resins, polypropylene-based resins, and the like can be preferably used in that high hardness can be obtained. More specifically, vinyl chloride resins or vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resins with a degree of polymerization of 1,000 to 3,000, and polypropylene resins with a degree of polymerization of 800 to 1,000 can be used.

Other components may be contained in the above resin composition within a range that does not interfere with the effects of the present invention. Examples thereof include plasticizers, fillers, stabilizers, processing aids, antifungal agents, flame retardants, antioxidants, lubricants, colorants and the like.

Among these, the plasticizer is preferably not substantially contained or added in a small amount from the standpoint of maintaining the hardness of the hard resin-containing layer. More specifically, the amount is 0 to 15 parts by weight, preferably 0 to 10 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the resin component. Thereby, the hardness of the hard resin-containing layer can be more reliably maintained. Examples of plasticizers include dioctyl phthalate (DOP), diheptyl phthalate (DHP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP), trioctyl phosphate (TOP), triphenyl phosphate (TPP), dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP), dioctyl isophthalate ( DOIP), diisononylcyclohexyl phthalate (DINCH), and the like. These can also use a commercial item.

As for the filler, it is preferable that the hard resin component is not contained or is contained in a small amount in order to more effectively exhibit the original performance (hardness, transparency, etc.) of the hard resin component. The filler is not particularly limited, and known or commercially available fillers can be used. Examples thereof include calcium oxide, barium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, clay, talc, mica, heavy calcium carbonate, silica sand, aluminum hydroxide, and light calcium carbonate. The filler is usually in the form of powder, and the average particle size should be about 1 to 300 μm. From the above point of view, the amount of the filler to be used is generally about 0 to 50 parts by weight, particularly 0 to 5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the resin component.

The hard resin-containing layer preferably has transparency. The degree of transparency is not particularly limited, but it is sufficient if the transparency is ensured so that the pattern of the design layer can be visually recognized when the design layer is laminated directly under it. As a result, when a design layer including a design is laminated under the hard resin-containing layer, the design can be visually recognized through the hard resin-containing layer, so that a highly designed floor surface can be formed. In addition, since there is a pattern under the transparent surface layer (hard resin-containing layer), pedestrians' interest and attention are attracted to the pattern. That is, the pedestrian's point of view/focus is guided to a position a certain distance below the actual surface layer. As a result, even if there is some height difference in the abutting portion between the adjacent flooring materials, the visual effect described above can reduce or eliminate discomfort. From the standpoint of effectively exhibiting such a visual effect, the thickness of the transparent surface layer portion (especially the surface layer portion containing the hard resin-containing layer) is usually 0.2 to 3.0 mm, particularly 0.3 mm. It is preferably ~2.5 mm, most preferably 0.4-2.0 mm.

The amount of dents in the hard resin-containing layer itself is not particularly limited as long as the predetermined amount of dents on the top surface of the upper layer can be secured. Both itself and the amount of dents are preferably less than 0.2 mm, more preferably 0.15 mm or less, and most preferably 0.1 mm or less. In this case, the lower limit of the amount of denting is usually about 0.01 mm, but is not limited to this.

The method for forming the hard resin-containing layer is not particularly limited, but usually a preformed sheet can be employed as the hard resin-containing layer. That is, a sheet to be a hard resin-containing layer can be obtained by molding a resin composition as a starting material as it is or after softening or melting into a sheet. The molding method is not particularly limited, and various methods such as extrusion molding, blow molding and calender molding can be employed. The hard resin-containing layer and the adjacent layer can also be formed in the form of a laminate by co-extrusion lamination. Furthermore, a sheet can be obtained by forming a coating film of a mixed liquid in which a hard resin component is dissolved or dispersed.

Other layers Upper layers may contain other layers as needed. Examples thereof include an adhesive layer, a design layer, a surface protective layer, a reinforcing layer and the like. Further, one layer or two or more layers similar to the above hard resin-containing layer may be further laminated. Furthermore, a soft resin-containing layer, which will be described later, may be included as long as the effects of the present invention are not hindered.

Therefore, for example, from the bottom, an upper layer consisting of design layer/hard resin-containing layer, an upper layer consisting of soft resin-containing layer/design layer/hard resin-containing layer, an upper layer consisting of adhesive layer/design layer/hard resin-containing layer, and adhesion An upper layer composed of layer/soft resin-containing layer/design layer/hard resin-containing layer, and the like are included.

In particular, in the present invention, an upper layer that includes at least a combination of a hard resin-containing layer and a surface protective layer in order from the bottom and that has the surface protective layer as the outermost layer can be preferably employed. For example, from the bottom, an upper layer consisting of a design layer/hard resin-containing layer, an upper layer consisting of a soft resin-containing layer/design layer/hard resin-containing layer/surface protective layer, and an adhesive layer/design layer/hard resin-containing layer/surface protection layer. Examples include an upper layer consisting of layers, an upper layer consisting of an adhesive layer/soft resin-containing layer/design layer/hard resin-containing layer/surface protective layer, and the like.

Adhesion Layer An adhesion layer can be formed as necessary to bond the layers. In particular, it can be suitably used for joining an upper layer and a lower layer.

The adhesive layer can be formed using, for example, an adhesive. The type of adhesive can be appropriately selected according to the material of each layer. For example, adhesives containing at least one of urethane-based resins, vinyl acetate-based resins, styrene-butadiene copolymer-based resins, acrylic-based resins, vinyl chloride-based resins and epoxy-based resins as an adhesive component can be preferably used. Among these, adhesives containing urethane-based resin as an adhesive component can be preferably used from the standpoint of excellent moisture resistance and the like.

In addition, the curing type of the adhesive is not limited, and various types of adhesion such as one-component adhesive, two-component adhesive, thermosetting adhesive, hot melt adhesive, and ultraviolet curing adhesive are used. agent can be used. Among these adhesives, it is preferable to use a hot-melt adhesive because it has a short curing time and can achieve high productivity. Reactive hot-melt adhesives are more preferred. As a result, deterioration over time can be more effectively suppressed, and strong adhesiveness can be maintained over a long period of time. Therefore, in the present invention, a reactive hot-melt adhesive containing a urethane-based resin as an adhesive component can be preferably used. It is resistant to humidity, has stable quality for a long period of time, and does not particularly require equipment such as UV irradiation, and can be manufactured with simple equipment or work.

In the present invention, by using such various adhesives, it is possible to suppress the thermal deterioration of the product particularly during the production process, and to more reliably bond the layers even if they are composed of different materials. be able to.

Although the thickness of the adhesive layer is not particularly limited, it is usually 1 to 200 μm, preferably 30 to 100 μm. By setting the thickness within such a range, it becomes possible to bond each layer (especially the upper layer and the lower layer) more effectively.

The adhesive layer can be formed, for example, by applying the above-mentioned adhesive to the lower surface of the base sheet that will be the hard resin-containing layer and then curing the adhesive. The curing method may be appropriately selected according to the curing type of the adhesive used, and various processes such as aging, drying, heating, and ultraviolet irradiation can be employed. The conditions in these steps should follow a known method.

Design layer The design layer is a layer that expresses a desired design, such as a pattern, design, pattern, or character, and has the function of imparting design to the flooring material of the present invention. By providing the design layer, the flooring material of the present invention can be imparted with a desired design in a simple and inexpensive manner. The design layer may be a single colored layer, a colored layer comprising two or more colored regions, or the like.

The design layer is preferably formed of a thermoplastic resin that can be easily bonded to the adjacent layers such as the upper layer and the lower layer. Examples of the thermoplastic resin include acrylic resins such as vinyl chloride resins, olefin resins, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resins, ethylene-methacrylate resins, amide resins, ester resins, vinyl acetate elastomers, and olefin resins. Examples include various elastomers such as elastomers and styrene elastomers, and rubbers.

Among these, it is preferable to form with a vinyl chloride resin. Since it exhibits excellent flexibility and can be easily formed with various designs by mixing a colorant or by printing, the design layer can be easily formed at a low cost.

Various additives are usually added to the thermoplastic resin of the design layer. Conventionally known additives can be used, and examples thereof include fillers, plasticizers, flame retardants, stabilizers, antioxidants, lubricants, coloring agents and foaming agents.

The thickness of the design layer is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 2 μm to 1.50 mm, preferably 3 μm to 1.00 mm, more preferably 5 μm to 15 μm. By setting the upper layer in such a range, it is possible to form a more reliable and colorful design within the predetermined thickness range of the upper layer, thereby further enhancing the visual effect of attracting the attention of passersby. .

A method for forming the design layer is not particularly limited. For example, a) a method of forming a design layer by directly printing a pattern on the upper surface of a thermoplastic resin sheet by a known printing method, b) lamination of a printed pattern film on the upper surface of a thermoplastic resin sheet. and a method of forming a design layer. The design layer may be formed from a thermoplastic resin containing a colorant, or may be formed by kneading a plurality of thermoplastic resins containing colorants of different colors.

In particular, as a method of directly printing a pattern on the upper surface of the thermoplastic resin sheet of the above a), in addition to methods using various devices such as gravure printing, screen printing, and flexographic printing, printing with a transfer sheet, etc. are also adopted. be able to. In addition, a method of laminating a printed film having a design layer formed in advance on a resin film can also be used.

The method b), in which a printed pattern film is attached to the upper surface of a thermoplastic resin sheet, is preferable in that various patterns can be easily expressed. For example, the patterned film allows the flooring material of the present invention to be easily and inexpensively given a complicated design such as a stone grain pattern, a wood grain pattern, or a geometric pattern. The thickness of the patterned film is generally preferably 0.04 to 0.20 mm, more preferably 0.05 to 0.16 mm. If the thickness of the patterned film is too thin, the surface of the thermoplastic resin sheet laminated on the lower surface may be seen through the light, and the design of the patterned film may not be sufficiently expressed. On the other hand, if the thickness of the pattern film is too thin, the boundary portion of the flooring material may stand out when the flooring material is laid.

Furthermore, by replacing the pattern film, the flooring material of the present invention can easily vary appearance factors such as pattern, brightness, saturation, and color tone in the same production facility. By irregularly laying the floor materials with different appearance elements, it is possible to integrally express a unique design on the entire floor surface. As an example of the case where a single design is expressed integrally by flooring materials with different appearance elements, for example, by changing the brightness, saturation, and color of the wood grain pattern, various woods are used to create a floor surface. There is a case where the texture that forms a is integrally expressed on the entire floor surface. In this way, if the floor materials with different appearance elements are laid irregularly, even if the floor materials are partially replaced, there is no sense of incongruity in the design, and various types of wood are used to integrate the floor surface. It is possible to express the texture of the entire floor in an integrated manner.

Surface Protective Layer The surface protective layer has a function of protecting the upper layer in particular from the outside. Therefore, the surface protective layer is preferably formed as the outermost surface layer of the flooring material of the present invention.

The surface protective layer is formed, for example, from a resin composition containing a resin component, but the resin component is not particularly limited. Examples thereof include vinyl chloride resins, polyolefin resins, acrylic resins, polyester resins, and the like. More specifically, thermoplastic resins such as polyvinyl chloride, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polyester, and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer; unsaturated polyesters such as condensates of unsaturated dicarboxylic acids and polyhydric alcohols; Examples include methacrylates such as polyester methacrylate, polyether methacrylate, polyol methacrylate and melamine methacrylate, and UV curable resins such as acrylates such as polyester acrylate, epoxy acrylate, urethane acrylate, polyether acrylate, polyol acrylate and melamine acrylate.

Among these, it is preferable to use an ultraviolet curable resin because it has surface hardness, transparency, and the like. In particular, if the surface protective layer is transparent or translucent, it is possible to further enhance the distinguishability of the design layer formed thereunder.

The thickness of the surface protective layer is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 0.01 to 0.20 mm, preferably 0.01 to 0.10 mm, and more preferably 0.02 to 0.05 mm. . By setting such a range, the upper layer and the lower layer can be more reliably protected from the outside.

As a method for forming the surface protective layer, for example, it can be formed by applying a coating liquid containing a resin component as described above and then curing the coating liquid. The curing method may be appropriately selected according to the type of the resin component, and can be carried out by, for example, aging, drying, ultraviolet irradiation, heating, and the like.

Reinforcement Layer The reinforcement layer has the function of reinforcing the upper layer in the planar direction or the vertical direction. As such a reinforcing layer, in particular, a) a woven or non-woven sheet of organic or inorganic fibers (hereinafter also referred to as "fiber sheet") and b) the fiber sheet and the resin component of the soft resin-containing layer At least one composite material containing

Examples of the fiber sheet a) include synthetic fibers made of high-molecular weight organic compounds, and woven or non-woven fabrics of natural fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, metal fibers, and the like. Nonwovens also include, for example, all spunbonds, felts, and the like.

The composite material of b) includes a material obtained by impregnating the fiber sheet of b) with a synthetic resin. In addition, a material obtained by laminating the sheet-like body of the foam material of the above a) and the fiber sheet of the above b) can also be used.

The thickness of the reinforcing layer can be appropriately set according to the type of material forming the reinforcing layer, and is usually within the range of about 0.2 to 1 mm.

The reinforcing layer may be formed by laminating preformed reinforcing layer sheets at predetermined locations. Lamination may be carried out by bonding with an adhesive layer as described above, or by heat-sealing (heat-sealing) a reinforcing layer sheet containing a resin component having heat-sealing properties to another layer. can also be joined by

2-2) Lower Layer The lower layer includes a soft resin-containing layer as the lowermost layer, and is characterized by having a recess amount of 0.2 mm or more on the lower surface of the lower layer according to the above test. The lower layer is a layer that is in contact with the underfloor surface, and has the function of absorbing unevenness, local inclination, etc. due to unevenness of the underfloor surface, and forming a continuous joint on the floor surface by the joint area.

The lower surface of the lower layer is the surface of the lowest layer, and for example, the reference numeral 11a corresponds to the lower surface of the floor material in FIG. The layer forming the lower surface (lowermost layer) is a soft resin-containing layer. Therefore, if a soft resin-containing layer having a dent amount of 0.2 mm or more is employed, the amount of dent on the lower surface can be set to the same amount. As described above, the flooring material of the present invention has a relatively soft surface with a dent amount of 0.2 mm or more on the bottom surface. Therefore, even if the underfloor surface is not completely flat, the above-mentioned functions can provide a flat appearance. It is possible to form a floor with

The amount of depression on the lower surface of the lower layer is usually 0.2 mm or more, preferably 0.5 mm or more, more preferably 1.0 mm or more. It should be noted that the upper limit of the amount of depression on the lower surface is usually about 5 mm, but is not limited to this, and can be about 4 mm, for example.

Although the thickness of the lower layer is not limited, it is usually in the range of about 1 to 8 mm, particularly 1 to 6 mm, more preferably 1 to 4 mm. The thickness of the lower layer in this case refers to the total thickness of all layers below the joint area.

Soft Resin-Containing Layer The composition of the soft resin-containing layer is not particularly limited as long as it has the above-mentioned amount of dents. For example, it can be composed of a resin composition containing a soft resin component.

The soft resin component is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include vinyl chloride resins, polyolefin resins, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resins, acrylic resins such as ethylene-methacrylate, polyamide resins, polyester resins, Examples include various elastomers such as olefin elastomers and styrene elastomers, and rubbers. Among these, vinyl chloride-based resins are preferably included in terms of excellent flexibility, cushioning properties, durability, and the like.

Also, the soft resin-containing layer may or may not be foamed. In particular, by using a foam as the soft resin-containing layer, it is possible to ensure the amount of dents more reliably. Examples of foams include vinyl chloride resin foams, polyethylene foams, polystyrene foams, polyurethane foams, polypropylene foams, acrylic resin foams, EVA cross-linked foams, ABS foams, phenol foams, and natural rubber foams. chloroprene rubber foam, isoprene rubber foam, styrene-butadiene rubber foam, nitrile rubber foam, silicone rubber foam, and the like. These may be known or commercially available, or may be produced according to a known method using a foaming agent or the like.

Other components may be contained in the above resin composition within a range that does not interfere with the effects of the present invention. Examples thereof include plasticizers, fillers, stabilizers, processing aids, antifungal agents, flame retardants, antioxidants, lubricants, colorants and the like.

As the filler and plasticizer, the same fillers and plasticizers as those mentioned in the hard resin-containing layer can be used, but the amounts to be added are preferably set as follows.

The amount of the filler is about 100 to 1000 parts by weight, preferably 100 to 500 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the resin component.

Regarding the plasticizer, in order to ensure high flexibility and the like, the plasticizer should be about 30 to 100 parts by weight, preferably 40 to 80 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the resin component.

As described above, the amount of depression of the soft resin-containing layer is usually 0.2 mm or more, preferably 0.5 mm or more, more preferably 1.0 mm or more. It should be noted that the upper limit of the amount of denting is usually about 5 mm, but is not limited to this.

The method for forming the soft resin-containing layer is not particularly limited, but usually a preformed sheet can be used as the soft resin-containing layer. That is, the sheet that will be the soft resin-containing layer can be suitably obtained by molding the resin composition as a starting material as it is or by softening or melting it into a sheet shape. The molding method is not limited, and various methods such as extrusion molding, blow molding and calender molding can be employed. Alternatively, the soft resin-containing layer and the adjacent layer can be co-extrusion laminated to form a laminate. Furthermore, a sheet can be obtained by forming a coating film of a mixed liquid in which the soft resin component is dissolved or dispersed.

Other sublayers may contain other layers as needed. Examples thereof include an adhesive layer, a design layer, a surface protective layer, a reinforcing layer and the like. Further, one layer or two or more layers similar to the above soft resin-containing layer may be further laminated. For each of these layers, the same ones as those employed in the upper layers can be used.

In the present invention, for example, from the bottom, the lower layer consisting of the non-foaming soft resin-containing layer/reinforcing layer/non-foaming soft resin-containing layer, the foaming soft resin-containing layer/reinforcing layer/non-foaming soft resin-containing layer a lower layer consisting of a single layer of a non-foaming soft resin-containing layer, a lower layer consisting of a single layer of a foaming soft resin-containing layer, and the like.

3) Method for producing the flooring material of the present invention The flooring material of the present invention can be produced into upper and lower layers by forming each layer as described above. That is, for lamination of each layer, in addition to the method of applying an adhesive agent, a method of joining the layers by heat fusion without applying an adhesive agent can be employed. Therefore, for example, the upper layer and the lower layer can be joined by an adhesive layer formed on at least one surface of the upper layer and the lower layer, or the upper layer and the lower layer can be joined by heat sealing.

In the case of applying an adhesive, the adhesive layer described above for the upper layer can be employed. The adhesive layer may be formed on at least one of the layers to be bonded. In particular, when joining the upper layer and the lower layer, for example, a method of forming an adhesive layer as the uppermost layer of the lower layer as shown in FIG. 2 or a method of forming an adhesive layer as the lowest layer of the upper layer as shown in FIG. 5 is adopted. can do.

In addition, in the present invention, when bonding is performed by heat fusion without applying an adhesive, the heat fusion method is not particularly limited. For example, the upper layer and the lower layer may be superimposed and melted and softened under heat and pressure for bonding. More specifically, each layer can be joined by heat press processing or continuous press that performs it continuously. Bonding by heat-sealing is advantageous in that the material of each layer is not plasticized, is less likely to deteriorate over time, and can be firmly bonded for a long period of time.

In the case of joining by heat sealing, it is desirable that at least one of the layers to be joined contains a component having heat sealing properties. Examples include, but are not limited to, polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene.

Furthermore, when each layer is joined by heat sealing, two or more layers can be molded by extrusion lamination. The laminate thus obtained can be employed as part of the layer structure of the flooring material of the present invention.

Further, in the present invention, by applying (dispersing) a coating liquid containing a resin component that constitutes the surface protective layer to the laminate obtained by bonding the upper layer and the lower layer, at least a) the upper layer and its A surface protective layer can also be formed on the side surfaces and b) the lower layer and its side surfaces including the joint area. As a result, the laminate as a whole can be covered with the surface protective layer, so that a high protective effect can be obtained.

After laminating each layer, the laminate may be cut, processed, etc. according to a known method, if necessary. Further, in the present invention, the upper layer and the lower layer may be cut to a predetermined size in advance before being laminated, and then the upper layer and the lower layer cut to a predetermined size may be joined.

2. Floor construction method The present invention is a method of forming a floor by laying a plurality of the flooring materials of the present invention on an underfloor surface, wherein the hard floor materials are placed together so that continuous joints can be formed by mutual joint regions. A floor construction method comprising the step of abutting.

As described above, since the floor material of the present invention has a joint area, the floor surface can be constructed by butting the floor materials together so that the joint area is continuously connected. For example, when a plurality of flooring materials having L-shaped joint regions are used as tiles, as shown in FIG. The floor surface can be constructed by a method including a step of abutting any one of two sides other than the two sides forming the L-shaped region of the hard floor material. In this case, the butted portions of the flooring materials are generally not joined to each other. Also good.

7 and 8 show cross-sectional states of two flooring materials of the present invention butted against each other during construction.

FIG. 8 shows the case where the underfloor has projections S due to sand grains or the like (that is, the case where local protrusions exist on the surface of the underfloor). In such a case, the conventional hard flooring material cannot absorb the projections S and lifts the flooring material itself. On the other hand, in the flooring material of the present invention, the lower layer can absorb almost all of the projections, so that the flooring material 10a does not float and a flat floor surface can be formed together with the flooring material 10b.

In addition, FIG. 9 shows a case where the underfloor has a convex portion with a relatively gentle slope. Even in such a case, although the lower layer of the flooring material of the present invention can partially absorb the convex portion, it cannot completely absorb it, and the flooring material itself floats up to some extent. However, since the joint region M is still below the top surface of the upper layer of the adjacent floor material 10b after construction, a floor surface that looks like an integral joint can be created as a result. FIG. 10 shows a schematic diagram of the butted portion of the floor materials of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 10, even if the flooring materials 10a and 10b are inclined to each other at the butted portion, the height of the apex of the upper layer of the adjacent flooring 10b is higher than the height H2 of the apex of the joint region M of the flooring 10a. H1 can ensure a higher state. As a result, even though the floor materials 10a and 10b actually float to some extent at the abutted portion, it is possible to create an appearance in which the state cannot be recognized. As a result, the gaps or steps become inconspicuous, and a floor surface having a flat appearance as a whole can be constructed.

When the flooring material of the present invention is installed on the underfloor, it may be installed in the same manner as in the case of installing known or commercially available flooring materials. For example, an adhesive, an adhesive, an adhesive tape (double-sided adhesive tape), or the like may be used for construction. Commercially available products can also be used for these adhesives and the like.

3. The floor structure using hard flooring materials of the present invention is a floor structure in which a plurality of hard flooring materials are laid on an underfloor, and the flooring materials are arranged so that joint areas of the flooring materials are continuous. It includes a floor structure with hard flooring that is characterized.

1 above. As described above, one of the features of the flooring material of the present invention is that it has a joint area. Therefore, when forming a floor surface by abutting a plurality of flooring materials of the present invention against each other like tiles, each flooring material is arranged so that the joint area of each flooring material is continuous without being cut off by the upper layer. Laying can create an appearance that looks like an integrated joint. As a result, even if unevenness or the like exists in the underfloor, it is possible to form a floor surface having an appearance in which the unevenness is inconspicuous.

In addition, the layer structure of this floor structure consists of "a lower layer containing a soft resin-containing layer as a lowermost layer/an upper layer containing a hard resin-containing layer" in the same manner as the layer structure of the flooring material of the present invention, and the uppermost layer of the lower layer. It has a structure in which the surface of is exposed as a joint. As a result, the unevenness of the underfloor can be absorbed to the maximum extent, and the portion that cannot be absorbed can be made inconspicuous by the joint region, so that high designability can be exhibited. Moreover, since the upper surface of the upper layer has an extremely hard surface with a dent amount of less than 0.2 mm, it can sufficiently withstand localized pressure from, for example, high heels, walking sticks, and the like.

In the present invention, particularly when constructing a floor structure, it is preferable to use a flooring material having an L-shaped joint area as shown in FIG. More preferably, a floor material having an L-shaped joint region M in which the joint widths W1 and W2 shown in FIG. 3 are substantially the same is used. By using a plurality of such floor materials in combination, as shown in Fig. 6, it is relatively easy to create a floor surface that has a sense of unity because it has joints of the same width and, in turn, exhibits a highly flat feeling. can do.

EXAMPLES Examples and comparative examples are shown below to describe the features of the present invention more specifically. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the examples.

Example 1
As shown in FIG. 1, a hard flooring material was produced which had three layers as a basic structure consisting of "soft resin-containing layer/adhesive layer/hard resin-containing layer" from the bottom.

(1) Fabrication of lower layer A sheet-like foam (4 mm thick) of a soft vinyl chloride resin was used as the soft resin-containing layer of the lower layer. This is obtained by blending 50 parts by weight of DOP as a plasticizer, 300 parts by weight of calcium carbonate as a filler, and 3 parts by weight of a Ba/Zn stabilizer into 100 parts by weight of a vinyl chloride resin having a degree of polymerization of 1000. It is a foam obtained by molding and foaming a resin composition. The amount of depression of this soft resin-containing layer was 1.27 mm.
An adhesive layer was formed on the surface of the foam sheet that was in contact with the upper layer. A laminate composed of "soft resin-containing layer/adhesive layer" thus obtained was used as a lower layer. The size of the lower layer was 50 cm×50 cm. The adhesive layer was formed using a commercially available polyurethane-based reactive hot-melt adhesive.

(2) Preparation of upper layer A sheet of hard vinyl chloride resin (thickness: 2 mm) was used as the upper hard resin-containing layer. This was prepared by extruding a resin composition containing 10 parts by weight of DOP as a plasticizer and 3 parts by weight of a Ba/Zn stabilizer with respect to 100 parts by weight of a vinyl chloride resin having a degree of polymerization of 1000. The amount of recession of this hard resin-containing layer was 0.06 mm.
Next, a printed film (thickness: 0.07 mm) in which printing was performed on a resin film as a design layer was laminated with an adhesive on the surface of this sheet that was in contact with the lower layer. A laminate composed of "design layer/hard resin-containing layer" thus obtained was used as an upper layer. The size of the upper layer was 49.7 cm×49.7 cm.

(3) Joining the upper layer and the lower layer After applying a polyurethane-based reactive hot-melt adhesive as the lower adhesive layer, as shown in Fig. 3, apply the L-shaped joint area from above the lower layer adhesive coated surface. The upper layer was placed and joined so that M was formed. A flooring material of the present invention was prepared by curing the adhesive. That is, a hard flooring material of the present invention having a layer structure of "soft resin-containing layer/adhesive layer/design layer/hard resin-containing layer" in order from the bottom was produced.

Test example 1
Two sheets of the hard flooring material obtained in Example 1 were prepared, each of which was cut into 30 cm squares, leaving an L-shaped joint region M, to obtain a test piece. As Comparative Example 1, two commercially available ceramic tiles (30 cm square) were also prepared.

(1) Step absorbability As shown in FIG. 11, two test pieces 42 are arranged on a smooth glass plate 41, one side is turned over, and the glass is 10 cm from the center of the joint side and one tile end. Each iron ball 43 having a predetermined diameter was placed on the board, and the tile was returned to its original position. A weight of 20 kg with a lower surface of 14.5 cm×23 cm was left for 1 minute approximately in the center of the tile on which the iron ball was placed, and then the step U of the tile surface at the butted portion of the two tiles was measured. The room temperature at the time of measurement was 23°C. For the test piece of Example 1, two tiles were laid so that the L-shaped joint regions M were not adjacent to each other. Table 1 shows the diameter of each iron ball used and the measurement results thereof.

As is clear from the results in Table 1, with the iron balls with a diameter of 1 to 3 mm, the hard flooring material of Example 1 has the iron balls embedded in the flexible lower layer, absorbing all the steps, and the iron balls with a diameter of 4 mm However, it can be seen that 4 mm - 1.8 mm = 2.2 mm can also be absorbed. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, it can be seen that the size of the iron ball is reflected almost as it is as the step.

(2) Concealing effect of joints As shown in FIG. 12(b), two test pieces 42 are arranged on a smooth glass plate 41, one side is turned over, and a thickness adjustment plate having a predetermined thickness on the side to be the joint 44 was arranged and a step was artificially provided. At the boundary between the two test pieces, the side where the L-shaped joint area M is formed in one tile and the side where the L-shaped joint area M is not formed in the other tile are in contact with each other. laid. Also, as shown in FIG. 12(a), a test piece 42 of Comparative Example 1 was arranged in the same manner.

Sensory evaluation was carried out to confirm whether there was any sense of incongruity in the joints of these test pieces. More specifically, when an evaluator (adult) visually inspects the test piece from the direction of the arrow in FIG. a) If there is no step in the joint and there is no discomfort, "○", b) If there is a step in the joint, but there is no discomfort, "△", c) There is a step in the joint If something is clearly visible and there is a sense of incompatibility, it is marked as “x”. The room temperature at the time of measurement was 23°C. Table 2 shows the thickness of each adjustment plate used and the evaluation results thereof.

As is clear from the results in Table 2, since the hard flooring material of Example 1 has an L-shaped joint region M in particular, there is unevenness in the substrate and a step occurs in the joint. However, it can be seen that if there is a certain level difference, it becomes difficult to be visually recognized by the human eye due to the concealing effect.

Claims (4)

A flooring material composed of a laminate including a lower layer in contact with an underfloor surface and an upper layer partially laminated on the lower layer,
(1) the planar shape of the upper layer and the lower layer is rectangular, the upper surface of the lower layer has a joint area where the upper layer is not laminated, and the joint area is located below the outermost surface of the upper layer;
(2) the upper layer includes a hard resin-containing layer, and the amount of dents on the upper surface of the upper layer is 0.15 mm or less according to JIS A1454 "dent test method B (2016)";
(3) The lower layer includes a soft resin-containing layer as the lowermost layer, and the lower surface of the lower layer has a dent amount of 0.2 mm or more according to the above test.
A tile-like hard flooring material characterized by: 2. A hard flooring according to claim 1, wherein the joint area is L-shaped. 3. A method of forming a floor surface by laying a plurality of hard floor materials according to claim 1 or 2 on an underfloor surface, wherein the hard floor materials are butted against each other so that continuous joints can be formed by the mutual joint areas. A construction method for a floor, comprising a step of A floor structure in which a plurality of hard floor materials according to claim 1 or 2 are laid on an underfloor, characterized in that each floor material is arranged so that joint areas of each floor material are continuous. Floor structure with hard flooring material.

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