KR20070089741A - Ion-generating floor covering and method for forming same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a floor covering having a surface that forms a boundary with an ambient environment, and that includes a structure comprising an effective quantity of electrically polarizable, pyroelectric particles disposed substantially below that surface. A method for generating negative ions is also provided that includes positioning a flooring cover within a building, where the floor covering includes a surface that forms a boundary with the ambient environment of the building. The floor covering comprises an effective quantity of pyroelectrically polarizable material disposed no more than one millimeter from the surface, so that when a person or thing travels across that surface so as to frictionally heat the pyroelectrically polarizable material, negative ions are generated. Such generation of negative ions neutralizes or reduces odor, airborne bacteria, mold spores, pollens, and other harmful particles in the air.

Description

Ion-Generating Floor Covering And Method for Forming Same}

This application is part of an ongoing application of pending patent application No. 11 / 036.941, filed Jan. 14, 2005, entitled "Ionic or Ion Generation Floor Covering and Methods for Embedding Ionic Particles in a Floor Covering." Claim the interests of

The present invention relates to floor coverings and, more particularly, to floor coverings that generate ions and methods of forming the same.

The surrounding atmosphere is composed of gas molecules that can be positively or negatively charged in some cases by electrostatic discharge and / or other natural causes. High concentrations of negatively charged molecules, often referred to as "anions" or "minus ions," are frequently found in nearby waterfalls, rural pastures, beaches, and mountains. High concentrations of positively charged molecules, often referred to as "cations", are frequently found in contaminated areas such as cities, office buildings, factories, and other urban environments.

Scientists now recognize that the concentration of negative ions in the ambient atmosphere we breathe can be beneficial. For example, high levels of negative ions in the surrounding atmosphere are generally positively charged harmful particulate contaminants, such as pollens, mold spores, smoke, dust particles, airborne pathogens, and microorganisms. Has the beneficial effect of removing it from the atmosphere. These pollutants are frequently removed from the atmosphere through collisions between anions and pollutants. Collisions between anions and airborne contaminants cause the anions to lose their fluidity and efficiency. As a result of these collisions, airborne contaminants slow down and sink out of the surrounding atmosphere. The use of negatively charged ions to purify the air in a room is well known, as seen in US Pat. Nos. 3,973,927 and 6,610,127.

The air inside a building is prone to stale, partly due to the depletion of the anion content in the air, and tends to create a discomfort to breathing. Various conventional air ionizers have been developed to counteract the depletion of anions and to neutralize the air by leaving the air and causing precipitation of particulate contaminants on top of nearby surfaces. Such conventional air ionizers typically include a pointed electrode connected to a high voltage supply that generates a strong electric field adjacent to the pointed electrode. Depending on the polarity of the high voltage on their electrodes, the neutral gas molecules in the region adjacent to these strong electric fields are converted to cations or anions. Electrostatic repulsion from an electrode with similar charge along the air blower causes negative charge ions to dissipate into the discharger, which precipitates particulate contaminants from the air and consequently promotes a beneficial physiological effect.

This technology is being introduced into everyday household and healthcare products such as hairbrushes, toothbrushes, footwear, cosmetics, air conditioners, clothing, water treatment systems, toilets, hair dryers and other electrical appliances. Examples of ion implantation in plastic materials are disclosed in US Pat. Nos. 4,526,832 and 4,743,493. In US Pat. No. 6,964,808 issued to Shintome, a volcanic sediment consisting of mineral silicates comprising at least one silicic acid and aluminum oxide is added a predetermined amount of binder and water, kneaded together and then applied to the wall surface. A wall material formed by this is disclosed. Through the natural reaction of cations contained in the mineral silicate and moisture from the atmosphere, charges are exchanged and negatively charged ions are generated at the wall surface. Moisture control devices have also been proposed as negatively charged ion generating systems so that the ion exchange rate can be controlled through adjustment of the amount of moisture contained in the atmosphere. In one embodiment, volcanic ash precipitates comprising titanium oxides that react with hydrogen or oxygen to generate reactive oxygen species or oxygen free radicals have been employed. Generation of reactive oxygen species provides an air filter.

 While all of the above benefits associated with anion generation without the need for high voltage or moisture, there is a need in the art for flooring materials that can produce an efficient amount of anion as a byproduct of general use.

The present invention is directed to a structure comprising an effective quantity of electrically polarized pyroelectric particles having a surface defining a boundary with the surrounding environment and disposed substantially below the surface. It provides floor covering. In some embodiments, a portion of the effective amount of electrically polar particles is exposed to the surrounding environment. In another embodiment, a wear layer is placed on the top of the surface to allow placement of exposed portions of electrically polar particles of less than 1 millimeter from the surface.

In a preferred embodiment, a bottom covering is provided comprising a surface defining an interface with air and a layer of tourmaline particles disposed substantially below the surface.

A method is provided for generating negative ions comprising covering a floor covering in a building that includes a surface defining a boundary with the building's surroundings. The floor covering includes an efficient amount of pyroelectrically polarizable material disposed less than 1 millimeter from the surface, so that when a person or object moves across the surface, Anion is generated by heating through friction.

In another method, when a person or object crosses a floor covering to frictionally engage a surface defining a boundary with the surroundings, due to the frictional heat of the superelectrically polar material located substantially below that surface Negative ions are generated by the bottom covering.

Such features and advantages of the present invention, which will become apparent within or by the description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention described below, will be fully disclosed, and such features and advantages will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be considered that like reference numerals in the drawings refer to like parts.

1 is a cut perspective view showing a person walking across a floor covering formed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view of a person walking across the floor covering similar to FIG. 1, including movement of a rolling object across the floor covering.

3 is a perspective view, partially cut, partially cross-sectioned, and partially perspective, of a floor tile formed in accordance with the present invention.

4 is a cross-sectional view of the floor tile shown in FIG. 3 taken along line 4-4 of FIG.

5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the floor tile shown in FIG.

6 is a cut sectional view of one embodiment of a floor tile formed in accordance with the present invention.

7 is a cut sectional view of one embodiment of a floor tile formed in accordance with the present invention.

8 is a cut end shaving of another alternative embodiment of a floor tile formed in accordance with the present invention.

9 is a cut sectional view of one embodiment of a floor tile formed in accordance with the present invention.

10 is a cut sectional view of one embodiment of a floor tile formed in accordance with the present invention.

11 is a cut sectional view of one embodiment of a floor tile formed in accordance with the present invention.

12 is a partially cut, partially sectioned, partially perspective view of a floor tile formed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention, including a decorative image.

13 is a cut sectional view of a floor tile formed in accordance with the present invention, taken along line 13-13 of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a cut sectional view similar to that shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

The description herein of the preferred embodiments is intended to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered as part of the entire written description in connection with the present invention. The drawings in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and certain features of the invention may be exaggerated in size or shown in somewhat schematic form for purposes of clarity and simplicity. In the description herein, "horizontal", "vertical", "up", "down", "top", "bottom", Or relative terms such as horizontally (vertically, vertically, downwardly, upwardly, etc.) should be construed to refer to their direction as described or illustrated in the relevant figures in question. These relative terms are for convenience of description and are generally not intended to require a particular direction. Terms including “inwardly” versus “outwardly”, “longitudinal” versus “lateral”, and the like, are appropriately relative to each other or to an extended axis, or It should be interpreted relative to the axis of rotation or to the center of rotation. Terms relating to attachment, coupling, and the like, such as "connected" and "interconnected", etc., unless otherwise explicitly stated herein, are directly or indirectly through intervening structures. As well as the relationship in which the structures are secured or attached to each other, it is referring to both structures that are movable or rigid attachment or relationship. The term "operatively connected" refers to an attachment, engagement, or connection that is an attachment, engagement, or connection that causes related structures to operate as intended by such a relationship. In the claims, if used, the means-plus-function phrases will be explained, implied and evident by the written description or drawings for carrying out the described functions, including structural equivalents as well as equivalent structures. It is intended to include structures that are made.

The present invention provides a floor covering 5 comprising air-purifying properties by having the ability to continuously generate negative ions 7 into the air without the use of electrodes or electricity. As the person 9 walks over the floor covering 5, the negative ions 7 with very high mobility move and circulate within the surrounding environment. The floor covering 5 has one or more tile, sheet, flank or strip floor tiles, sheets or flank shapes, including floor tiles, sheets, flanks or sections of various sizes, Polyvinyl chloride, rubber, linoleum, polymer resins, reinforced resins, vinyl composites, or these composites of other elastic materials, carpets, stones, ceramics, metals, glass, textiles, wood, desired combinations, desired combinations In the form of shapes and surfaces comprising these veneers, and materials made from these laminates of the desired combination.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom covering 5 is a natural material that continuously emits ionized particles or anions 7 with negative charge into the base layer 12, the aesthetic layer 14 and the surrounding environment. In the form of a tile 10 having a mixture of mineral or ceramic components 16 which are ionized into. Base layer 12 includes a substantially planar top surface 20 and bottom surface 22, optionally with polymeric binders, fillers, stabilizers, and optionally plasticizers. And flat sheets formed from a single layer comprising a mixture of processing aids, pigments and the like. In one example, plasticizers are required when the polymer is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) homopolymer. Of course, the composition of the base 212 may include one or more polymers, such as PVC / vinyl acetate copolymers. Acceptable polymeric binders may include PVC homopolymers and copolymers, polyolefin homopolymers and copolymers including metallocene polyolefins, acrylic polymers, polyesters, or other thermoplastic polymer materials. Other acceptable polymer binders may include thermosetting polymers such as rubber, linoleum, epoxy, acrylics, polyesters, and the like, but the process for preparing the base layer 12 may vary with the choice of polymer binder. Top surface 20 may be bounded by or surrounded by additional layers.

If the base 12 is monochrome, its composition can be mixed in Banbury ^™ or a conventional extruder (form of which is well known in the art) and at least one calendars By transporting the heated mixture through, it can be formed by making a consolidated sheet that can be cut into separate floor tiles 10 if desired. Selective planning or finishing rolls may be present in the process. If a single layer of multicolored base 12 is desired, i.e., if the base layer 12 also provides aesthetic value as a bottom covering, then sheets of different colors are made as mentioned above, and sheets of these different colors Are each continuously broken into particles, chips or cut into different shapes. In one embodiment, these particles or chips are then mixed together and heat treated through calendering to form a single, multicolored base layer 12 that is integrated. Typically, such calendaring results in a visual with directional veining or shape distortion. One example of this type of structure is a resilient flooring, vinyl composition tile as described in Federal Specification SS-T-312b, Type IV, Composition I. Among other techniques known in the art, flat bed pressing processes can be used that produce a non-directional visual form. Through these processes, solid layers with patterned areas such as squares, chips, etc. can be made. Of course, the base layer 12 may include, but is not limited to, felts, glass mats, abrasions, fabrics, filled or unfilled solid layers, filled or unfilled foam layers, or theirs. Other known flooring substrate structures can be included, including combinations.

Plastering layer 14 optionally includes a flat, substantially planar sheet formed from a single heat treated layer comprising polymeric binders, fillers, stabilizers, and optionally plasticizers, processing aids, pigments, and the like. It is similar in composition to the base layer 12 and includes an upper surface 26 and a lower surface 28. Top surface 26 can be bounded by or surrounded by one or more additional layers. In order to impart a predetermined color or color pattern to the upper surface 26, a polymer binder of a plaster layer 14 having a predetermined pattern, colors, textures and quantities, in some cases, having a particle or chip form The above pigment is added. The plastering layer 14 is attached to the base layer 12 so that the top surface 20 of the base layer 12 is firmly attached or bonded to the bottom surface 28 of the plastering layer 14. The tile 10 is formed. In some embodiments, the plaster layer 14 may include a printed layer 50 (FIGS. 12-14) having a color design or pattern visible on the top surface 26. The print layer is separate from depositing the polar material 16 to form part of the rotogravure, screen, flexographic, intaglio, inkjet, or print layer 50. Or by other printing techniques that can be used at the same time. The print layer 50 may be bounded by or surrounded by one or more additional layers.

The present invention relates to a polar material 16, i.e. an efficient amount of electrical, that can be buried within a shallow region (relative to the upper surface 26 of the plaster layer 14) to naturally release the anions 7 from ambient temperature to the surrounding environment. A bottom covering 5 is provided comprising polar particles. The preferred depth in installing the layer 30 of polar material 16 for proper anion generation and cost-effective manufacturing is that of the surface defining the boundary with the surrounding environment, for example the top surface 26 of the plastering layer 14. 8, 9, 10, 11) less than 1 millimeter. Installing a layer 30 of polar material 16 exposes a portion of the polar particles to the surrounding environment (FIGS. 5, 10), while the remainder of the polar particles is located substantially downward with respect to the surface, thus providing desirable results. Can be. This structure allows the sole 31 to roll across the outermost surface or wear surface 35 of the bottom covering 5, the surface 31 of the sole 29, the boot, or the wheel 33. Contact causes direct frictional heating of the pyroelectric polar particles.

The polar material 16 exhibits a "pyroelectric effect", ie a spontaneous change in polarity in response to changes in temperature in both directions, and thus "static electric charge" to the surface of the material and the surrounding environment. It can include any mineral, compound or mixture of materials that leads to build-up of. Electrical polarization of the polar material 16 due to frictional heating of the polar material 16 through the movement of the vehicle or the movement of the vehicle across the outermost or wear surface 35 made of urethane and It will be appreciated that this facilitates the generation of negative ions 7. In some embodiments of the invention, moving across the bottom covering 5 at a speed of about 150 centimeters per minute at a pressure of 995 mPa, frictional forces are applied to the wear surface 35 such that 40 to 140 per cubic centimeter of the ambient atmosphere. Anions are generated. In the case of grounding conditions that include the surface resistance of the floor covering 5 of less than about 1 megaohm, the time required to achieve this equilibrium is about 5% at 60% humidity and 25 ° C. Minutes. These results were detected using an anion measurement system (measurement system based on ITC-403A) of the type provided by Industrial Technology Research Institute, Materials Research laboratories, Taiwan.

Some examples of mineral types that can be used as the polar material 16 with the present invention include tourmaline, serpentine and zeolite as well as other polar compounds including Ti, Na, Zn and Si. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In some cases a mixture of tourmaline, serpentine and other minerals may be used together to generate the desired amount of anions 8. The polar material 16 may also include volcanic ash and ceramic product grade ceramic component forms that are known to promote the generation of negative ions 7 in sufficient amounts to have an effect. The tourmaline is known to exhibit a strong pyroelectric effect which promotes the generation of negative ions 7 in effective quantities, ie from about 100 particles per cubic centimeter to about 650 particles per cubic centimeter. Generally preferred for use in Polar materials are typically purified into particles having a size in the range of about 0.25 to about 0.35 microns, preferably particles having a size of about 0.30 microns on average.

Referring to FIG. 6, an embodiment of the present invention places a layer 40 of polar material 16 adjacent to the top surface 16 of the plastering layer 14 to form a boundary with the surrounding environment. A portion of polar material 16 is exposed at 26. In this embodiment, the polar material 16 may be embedded into the top surface 26 (FIG. 6) or applied to the top surface (FIG. 7) such that each particle of the polar material 16 is At least partially exposed at top surface 26. In this embodiment, the use of polar material 16 with particles in the size range of about 0.6 to 0.8 millimeters is possible. Of course, the polar material 16 may be mixed with the plaster layer 14 so that it can be distributed over its thickness. In one embodiment, having an effective amount of about 10% by weight relative to the polymer system yields appropriate results (FIGS. 8 and 9).

In another embodiment of the present invention, a relatively thin protective coating 42 having a wear surface 35 to reduce the wear of the system, as a covering for the polar material 16, is not always employed if Is adopted as the upper surface 26. The protective coating 42 may be bounded by or surrounded by one or more additional layers. Types of coatings that may be used to protect and maintain layer 40 include, but are not limited to, finishes, polishes, urethanes, acrylics, urethane acrylates, polyester acrylates, rubber , Thermoplastic rubber, thermoplastic ethylene, and other coatings well known in the art, such as alumina and alumina compounds. In one embodiment, solvent base, heat cured urethane coatings containing acrylic polyols are used with appropriate results. In order to ensure more robust durability to the product at a thickness of 0.15 mm to 0.3 mm, a polyurethane coating 42, which is often made of two coats, is applied to the bottom covering 5. Hot press lamination is optionally used as the bottom covering 5 with a protective coating 42 to increase the ion generation density of the final product. Protective coating 42 may also include a pre-treated film such as transparent PVC, surlyn, urethane, which is applied to top surface 26. Of course, layer 40 of polar material 16 may be disposed within coating 42 (FIG. 11), or polar material 16 may be mixed with coating 42 to spread over its thickness with appropriate results. May be (FIG. 5). In this embodiment, it helps to reduce discoloration of the material because of uniform dispersion through complete mixing of the polar material. In addition, when the polar material 16 is disposed adjacent to or above the bottom surface of the coating 42 (FIG. 10), (as shown in FIGS. 12-14, the decorative printed layer 50 is coated. If adopted as one layer at the very bottom of 42), the polar material may be back-coated or mixed in the printing ink.

It is to be understood that the invention is in no way limited to the specific structures disclosed herein and shown in the drawings, but also includes any modifications and equivalents within the scope of the claims.

The present invention proposes a floor covering comprising electrically polar particles or pyroelectric particles disposed below a surface defining a boundary with the surrounding environment, and a method of generating negative ions as such floor covering is heated due to friction.

The generation of negative ions can reduce or neutralize odors present in the air, microorganisms carried in the air, mold spores, pollen and other harmful particles.

Claims (33)

The surface defining the boundary with the surroundings, A bottom covering comprising an effective amount of electrically polar particles disposed substantially below the surface. The method of claim 1, At least a portion of the effective amount of electrically polar particles is exposed to the surrounding environment. The method of claim 2, And a wear layer disposed on an upper surface of the surface to be positioned on top of the exposed portion of the electrically polar particles. The method of claim 3, wherein The wear layer has a thickness of less than 1 millimeter. The method of claim 1, The electrically polarizing particle is selected from the group consisting of tourmaline, serpentine and zeolite. The method of claim 1, The electrically polarizing particles exhibit superelectrical properties. The method of claim 1, Said electrically polarizing particles comprise an average size in the range of about 0.25 to about 0.35 microns. A floor covering comprising an efficient amount of electrically polar particles disposed in a wear layer having a surface that defines a boundary with the surrounding environment, the bottom covering comprising: The electrically polarizing particles are distributed throughout the wear layer. The method of claim 3, wherein The electrically polar particles comprise an average size in a range from about 0.60 millimeters to about 0.8 millimeters. The method of claim 8, Said electrically polarizing particles comprise an average size in the range of about 0.25 to about 0.35 microns. A surface defining a boundary with the surrounding environment; A bottom covering comprising an effective amount of electrically polar particles disposed less than 1 millimeter from the surface. A floor covering comprising an efficient amount of tourmaline particles disposed within a wear layer having a surface that defines a boundary with the surrounding environment, And the tourmaline particles are distributed throughout the wear layer. A surface defining a boundary with the surrounding environment; A floor covering comprising an effective amount of pyroelectric material disposed less than 1 millimeter from the surface. The method of claim 13, And a portion of said efficient amount of pyroelectric material is exposed to said ambient environment. The method of claim 14, And a wear layer disposed between the surrounding environment and the surface to be disposed on top of the exposed portion of the pyroelectric material. The method of claim 15, The wear layer has a thickness of less than 1 millimeter. The method of claim 13, And the pyroelectric material is selected from the group consisting of tourmaline, serpentine and zeolite. The method of claim 13, And the pyroelectric material comprises particles having an average size in the range of about 0.25 to about 0.35 microns. The method of claim 15, And the pyroelectric material is distributed throughout the wear layer. The method of claim 15, Wherein the pyroelectric material comprises particles having an average size ranging from about 0.60 millimeters to about 0.8 millimeters. The method of claim 15, And the pyroelectric material comprises particles having an average size in the range of about 0.25 to about 0.35 microns. A floor covering having a layer of tourmaline particles comprising a surface bounded by air and disposed less than 1 millimeter from the surface. A floor covering comprising a surface bordering air and having a layer of tourmaline particles disposed substantially below the surface such that a portion of the tourmaline particles is exposed to the surrounding environment. A layer having a surface defining a boundary with the surrounding environment, A bottom covering comprising an efficient amount of electrically polar particles distributed throughout the layer. The method of claim 24, And a wear layer disposed on an upper surface of the surface to be positioned above the exposed portion of the electrically polar particles. A first layer having a surface defining a boundary with the surrounding environment, A bottom covering comprising an efficient amount of electrically polar particles distributed throughout the first layer. (A) installing in the building a floor covering comprising (i) a surface defining a boundary with the building's surroundings, and (ii) an effective amount of superelectric polar material disposed less than 1 millimeter from the surface; ; (B) moving across the surface to heat frictionally heat the hyperelectric polar material. The method of claim 27, Movement across the surface is a speed of about 150 centimeters per minute at a pressure of about 995 mPa. (A) traversing the floor covering so as to engage through friction the surface defining the boundary with the surrounding environment; And (B) frictionally heating the pyroelectric material located substantially below the surface. A floor covering comprising an effective amount of pyroelectric particles selected from the group consisting of tourmaline, serpentine and zeolite and disposed in a wear layer having a surface defining a boundary with the surrounding environment, the effective amount of pyroelectric particles being less than 1 millimeter in thickness, The pyroelectric particles are distributed throughout the wear layer and comprise an average size in the range of about 0.60 millimeters to about 0.8 millimeters. The method of claim 30, And the pyroelectric particles comprise an average size in the range of about 0.25 to about 0.35 microns. At least two stacked layers; A surface defining a boundary with the surrounding environment; Efficient amounts of pyroelectric material disposed adjacent to the surface Floor covering comprising a. At least two layers stacked together; A surface defining a boundary with the surrounding environment; A floor covering comprising an effective amount of pyroelectric material disposed throughout at least one layer of the layer.

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