NZ254033A

NZ254033A - Carpet construction; has interposed layer of foam and a loop backing

Info

Publication number: NZ254033A
Application number: NZ254033A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Joseph R Pacione
Original assignee: Tac Fast Systems Sa
Priority date: 1992-06-30
Filing date: 1993-06-30
Publication date: 1995-12-21
Also published as: JP3307643B2; PL170948B1; RU2104874C1; HUT69534A; GR3025562T3; HU9403834D0; HU218066B; CZ332894A3; ATE157521T1; CA2136210C; EP0647111A1; EP0647111B1; SK161694A3; ES2108288T3; HK1002820A1; DE69313637T2; AU665664B2; CZ284062B6; CA2136210A1; WO1994000043A1

Abstract

A carpet construction having an interposed layer of foam and a loop backing. The foam layer is manufactured with a fabric covering on both of its sides, the bottom covering having loops. A carpet backing is affixed to the foam sandwich using conventional methods. The foam sandwich can be secured to the carpet pile layer at the same time and with the same material that binds and seals the carpet pile layer. Alternatively, the foam sandwich can be manufactured, stored and later attached to the carpet which has previously been pre-coated with a binder.

Description

, o 254033 New Zealand No. 2 5 403 3 International No.

PCT/CA9 3/0 02 75 TO BE ENTERED AFTER ACCEPTANCE AND PUBUCATION Priority dates: 1101 ^ ^ Internationa/filing date: 3-=>l ^ I ^ 3 Classification: Q G- 2~7 /o "2. 6W63/oo-, ri3^S33/oO- Publication date: 2 1 DEC 1995 Journal No.: NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Title of invention: Carpet construction Name, address and nationality of applicant(s) as La international application form: TAC FAST SYSTEMS SA, 15> route du Bugnon, Case postale 06, CH-1752 Villars-sur-Glane 2, Switzerland. A- ^wiss • .WO 94/00043 PCT/CA93/00275 > * CARPET CONSTRUCTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a new carpet construction and particularly to a carpet for use with a 5 hook and loop installation device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As shown in my U.S. Patent 4,822,65 8, I have found that it is possible to produce a new carpet to be installed, as for instance in wall to wall carpeting, by 10 the use of a hook and loop system. With this previous invention, in the preferred embodiment, a carpet is manufactured with an undersurface substantially covered with loops, and this carpet is installed with a -complementary tape containing hooks which are 15 temporarily covered. The tapes are put in place on the floor and along the edges at intervals corresponding to the width of the carpet or wherever additional affixation to the floor is required. The tapes are covered so that they do not pre-maturely attach to the 20 loops when the carpet is put in place, cut and fitted.

The tape covering is then pulled off to expose the hooks and to adhere the carpet to the floor.

My earlier patent also discloses the possibility of incorporating a foam layer between the 25 primary layer containing the carpet tufts and the underlying looped backing.

My earlier patent 4,822,658 shows a carpet with a foam interposed layer. In-line lamination can work to achieve a carpet construction as shown in 30 4,822,658. In such process, the bottom loop layer is laminated onto the foam while the foam is formed onto the layer so that the foam cures on the back of the 4 0 33 carpet resulting in attachment of the underloop layer to the top tufted layer of the carpet.

A principle drawback of such an arrangement is that the unfinished carpet has to be brought to a foamer 5 so that the lamination can be done on a foaming line or, alternatively, the carpet manufacturer has to invest in foaming machinery for his factory.

Further, there is considerable stress on the foam in use when it is directly attached to the carpet.

Without a covering to give the foam some dimensional stability, the unsupported foam can easily shear, tear or delaminate from the carpet.

In addition, it would be highly desirable in many applications if a lower density foam could be used.

However, when this method of direct application of the foam to a carpet primary layer is used, higher density foam is normally needed to give the foam enough stability.

Some carpet does have a backing such as an "action backing" of polypropylene or jute over the back of the carpet. Affixing the foam directly to such backing could reduce the stress on the foam but attempts to achieve this have caused delamination problems between the foam and the action backing.

Finally this application of foam directly to a carpet primary layer "in-line" normally requires that any covering or loop backing on the foam be placed there while the foam is setting which can create additional disadvantages.

JVO 94/00043 PCT/CA93/00275 25403 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention attempts to create an improved carpet construction containing an interposed layer of foam and a loop backing.

It has been discovered that this can be achieved by manufacturing the foam layer with a fabric covering on both sides of this layer (the bottom covering having loops) and then subsequently affixing this foam sandwich to a carpet backing using 10 conventional methods. The foam sandwich can be secured to the carpet pile layer at the same time and with the same material that binds and seals the carpet pile layer, i.e. "in line" or the foam sandwich can be made, stored and attached in a subsequent step to the carpet 15 which had previously been pre-coated with a binder.

This improvement can enable carpet containing a loop backing to be manufactured with existing machinery so that a pre-existing, earlier manufactured foam layer can be attached by a binder or adhesive to 20 the back of a carpet by the use of currently available conventional carpet machinery.

Further different thicknesses or gauges of foam can be retained by a carpet manufacturer for later attachment to different carpet pile layers, as required.

A fabric covering placed on both sides of a pre-manufactured foam layer also can increase the dimensional stability of the foam to allow lower density foam to be used and can also allow, in a preferred embodiment, the use 3 0 of foam not formed in-line, such as slab foam. 254033 0WO 94/00043 PCT/CA93/00275 Fabric is preferable to a chemical or polymer covering because it can impart dimensional stability to the foam while at the same time providing some flexibility and protection to the foam from ripping and 5 breaking.

Further, in the preferred embodiment, the upper surface fabric covering is a fabric which can have a rough outer surface, such as a hairy or loopy fabric, with upstanding threads, which will improve adhesion to 10 the carpet backing.

While the fabric covering can be placed on the foam using conventional methods, it is desirable, in the preferred embodiment, to place the covering on the surface of the foam after the foam has formed. This 15 prevents infiltration of the foam into the fabric covering, which is usually not desirable, particularly with respect to the lower covering of the foam layer which has the loops needed to attach the carpet to the floor.

Thus the present invention in one aspect consists of a laminated carpet for attachment to a floor without a separate underpad comprising (i) a primary layer having pile elements substantially covering a first side of the primary layer, (ii) a foam layer 25 having a first fabric covering on an upper surface of such layer and a second covering having exposed loops on a lower surface of such layer, (iii) means for securing the first and second covering to the foam layer, and (iv) means for securing the upper surface of the first 3 0 covering of the foam layer to the primary layer so that the pile elements and the loops are exposed on opposite faces of the carpet.

O 94/00043 4 03 j In another aspect the invention consists of a carpet comprising a primary layer having pile elements tufted into and through such layer and substantially covering a first side of the primary layer, a foam layer 5 having a first fabric covering exposing threads outstanding from the upper surface of such layer and a second fabric covering exposing loops on the lower surface of such layer, and adhesive means for securing the first fabric covering of the foam layer to the primary layer so that the outstanding threads of the upper surface of the first covering and the tufts extending through the primary layer are sealed together, and so that the pile elements and the loops of the lower surface of the foam layer are exposed on opposite faces of the carpet lamination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Certain embodiments of the invention are described with reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein: FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of a preferred laminated carpet embodiment in accordance with the present invention prior to the installation of the foam layer onto the carpet backing; and FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of this preferred laminated carpet embodiment in which the foam layer and carpet backing have been attached together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings, fi conventional carpet backing 1 of polyp 94/00043 conventional material forming a primary layer containing yarn 3 needled through the backing to form tufted bundles 5.

A foam layer 7 is shown. Such foam layer can 5 be made by any conventional means such as by chemically blown, frothed or pre-manufactured slab or any other means that would produce the necessary resilience, shear strength and tensile strength. In the preferred embodiment, a loopy woven or non-woven fabric covering 9 10 and 11 is affixed to the foam, after the foam is made, by using adhesives, flame lamination or ultrasound or any other method which produces a satisfactory peel-delamination strength without undue infiltration into the loop fabric covering, thus maintaining a high 15 degree of flexibility.

However in some cases, it is possible, though not usually preferable, to place the covering on the foam while the foam is being formed or setting up. In this case, the benefits of gauge control and of 20 non-penetration of the covering will not be equal to a carpet construction in which the foam has formed first, but there will still be advantages derived from the separate covering and manufacture of the foam as previously described.

Placing the covering on the foam before the foam has set has drawbacks in that the loop fabric is sometimes infiltrated to a degree that is not preferable and a board-like effect can be created as the foam hardens around and in the loop fabric. 3 0 The infiltration which can occur may also destroy or impede all or some of the loops from performing their function as was intended, due to loss of directional movement. Further, this method of O 94/00043 in-line lamination reduces the ability to lower the weight of the loop fabric by opening the gauge. Opening the gauge to reduce the weight of the loop fabric can cause further penetration of liquid foam which could 5 cause "bleeding" of the liquid foam to the other side of the loop fabric thus eliminating the use of some or all of the loops.

It is advantageous to have the loop layer maintain its ability to stretch in length and width. A 10 more open gage and less penetration of the foam into the loop layer can allow the loop layer to give. This can allow completed carpet product with its attached interposed foam pad to be rolled more easily and be more flexible.

Additionally, the in-line method of depositing foam while attaching it to the carpet yarn backing does not produce the most efficient form of foam gauge control. Since the in-line lamination requires the manufacturing of the foam at the same time as its 20 attachment to the back of the carpet, it is difficult to control the exact gauge or height of the foam during this process.

Nevertheless the principal advantages of the invention can be achieved by covering the foam on both 25 sides with fabric as described, and it may initially be easier for some manufacturers, with their existing machinery, to add this covering while the foam is setting up notwithstanding the other disadvantages.

Preferably the loop fabric 11 is a locked loop 3 0 by which is meant that the loops are firmly set into the loop backing either by the adhesive used to attach the covering to the foam, the form of loopy material that is used, or (in the non-preferred embodiment) by the 94/00043 PCT / CA93/00275 infiltration of the foam into the fabric. It has been found that a knit is ideal, especially a warp or tricot knit, for having the proper degree of locked loop in the fabric. Such a warp or tricot knit is preferably used 5 for both loop layers, however a woven or other material may also be used. The term "fabric" means any woven, non-woven, pressed material of natural or artificial fibres.

The loop layers 9 and 11 do not need to be of the same material or strength. The loop layer 9 is less critical and preferably has loops or upstanding threads to assist adhesion to the backing 5. Many coverings would be suitable if they have the desired strength, flexibility and ability to adhere to the foam.

As previously stated, the upper loop covering 9 is preferably a knit or other "locked loop" material but it could also be a fabric which has upstanding threads rather than loops such as many needle punched materials or felt or other kinds of loopy fabric in 2 0 which the loops are not firmly locked in place. It is thought that the upstanding threads fill in the carpet primary layer and assist in adhesion of the foam layer to the carpet primary layer. Normally the carpet will have a "backing" of polypropylene but the invention would work equally well with a carpet without a distinct backing in which the warp and weft of the carpet forms the primary layer.

With the embodiment of figure 1 the foam material can be transported and stored, after it is 3 0 covered on both sides with a loopy fabric, in an easier way than with uncovered foam. Uncovered foam rips, tears and soils easily and is not as suitable for handling, transportation and storage. In addition, the loop covering on both sides of the foam gives the foam greatly increased sheer and tensile strength while retaining and possibly even improving the foam's natural resilience.

The preferred construction uses slab foam 5 because gauge or thickness control is easier with slab foam than with other methods of foam manufacture.

Figure 2 shows the carpet with the foam installed on a carpet backing. The foam can be installed using conventional techniques by the use of 10 any binder or adhesive 13. If a loopy fabric is used it is preferable if the adhesive infiltrates and seals the loop material 9 and the carpet tufts 5 together.

This adhesive can be applied using conventional carpet machinery in either a one pass 15 system in which the binder being used does both the job of encapsulation, tuft-bind and secondary backing lamination of the pre-manufactured covered foam layer, or in an end of line or post-laminate off-line system whereby a conventional primary backing with yarn needled 20 through is backed using a light coat (e.g. "kiss-coat") of adhesive binder to laminate the pre-manufactured slab foam sandwich. The resulting product can have increased dimensional stability, better tuft-bind and more flexibility.

The carpet can be manufactured as tiles or in rolls for wall-to-wall installation. However, the invention finds its greatest benefit in wall-to-wall installation where the dimensional stability of long runs of carpet and the difficulties of installation are 30 more significant problems. 254 033 WO 94/00043 PCT/CA93/00275

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A laminated carpet for attachment to a floor without a separate underpad, comprising: a primary layer having pile elements substantially covering a first side of the primary layer: a foam layer having a first fabric covering on an upper surface of the layer and a second fabric covering having exposed loops on a lower surface of the layer; means for securing the first and second covering to the foam layer;and means for securing the upper surface of the first covering of the foam layer to the primary layer so that the pile elements and the loops are exposed on opposite faces of the carpet.

2. The carpet of claim 1 in which the exposed loops substantially cover the lower surface of the foam layer.

3. The carpet of claim 2 in which the exposed loops of the second covering are locked into the fabric of the covering.

4. The carpet of claim 3 in which the second covering is a knitted fabric.

5. The carpet of claim 3 in which the second covering is a woven fabric. (ii) (iii) (iv) WO 94/00043 ft - 11 - PCT/CA93/00275

6. The carpet of claim 3 in which the first covering is a fabric with exposed upstanding threads

7. The carpet of claim 6 in which the first covering is~ secured to the primary layer by means of an adhesive 5 coated along substantially the entire surface of the second side of the primary layer and infiltrated into the upstanding threads of the first covering.

8. The carpet of claim 7 in which the upstanding threads of the first covering are loops locked into the 10 fabric of the covering:

9. The carpet of claim 2 in which the loops of the second covering are locked into the foam layer during setting of the foam.

10. The carpet of claim 9 in which the first covering 15 has exposed loops projecting upwardly from its upper surface and such loops are bound to the covering and locked by the foam layer during setting of the foam.

11. The carpet of claim 2 in which the carpet is produced with a substantially uniform cross-section so 20 that it can be cut and fit in place as wall-to-wall carpeting.

12. The carpet of claim 3 in which the fabric coverings are secured to the surface of the foam without substantial penetration of foam into the fabric. 25

13. The carpet of claim 12 in which the foam layer is a pre-manufactured slab foam.

14. The carpet of claim 12 in which the foam layer is chemically blown. 25 4 033 WO 94/00043 PCT/CA93/00275 - 12 -

15. A laminated carpet for attachment to a floor comprising: (i) a primary layer having pile elements tufted into and through such layer and substantially covering a first side of the primary layer; (ii) a foam layer having a first fabric covering having exposed threads outstanding from the upper surface of such layer and a second fabric covering having exposed loops on the lower surface of such layer; and (iii) adhesive means for securing the first fabric covering of the foam layer to the primary layer so that the exposed threads of the upper surface of the first covering and the tufts extending through the primary layer are sealed together and so that the 'pile elements and the loops of the lower surface of the foam layer are exposed on opposite faces of the carpet lamination.

16. The carpet of claim 15 in which the loops are locked into the fabric of the second covering.

17. The carpet of claim 16 in which the second covering is adhered to the surface of the foam layer without substantial penetration of foam into the second covering.

18. The carpet of claim 17 in which the first covering is adhered to the surface of the foam layer without substantial penetration of foam into the first covering. WO 94/00043 25 4 033 PCT/CA93/00275 - 13 -

19. A method of making a laminated carpet comprising the steps of: (i) manufacturing a foam sandwich having a foam layer in the middle and two outer fabric coverings at least one of which coverings has loops on substantially the whole of its surface; (ii) manufacturing a carpet pile layer, having exposed carpet pile on one surface; and (iii) securing the foam sandwich to the pile layer so that the carpet pile and the loops are exposed on opposite faces of the carpet:

20. The method of claim 19 comprising the additional step of first setting the foam before securing the coverings so as to prevent substantial penetration of the foam into the fabric coverings.

21 . A method of making a laminated carpet, substantially as herein described with reference to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

22. A laminated carpet whenever made according to the method of any one of claims 19 to 21 .

23. A laminated carpet for attachment to a floor, substantially as herein described with reference to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. sa bY the —,——~ A J SON Pe* If, r/. A OJ/ziS