WO2011131708A1

WO2011131708A1 - Covering element

Info

Publication number: WO2011131708A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/056300
Authority: WO
Inventors: Heike NEUHÄUSER; Cetin Yasar; Johannes Schulte
Original assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding Gmbh
Priority date: 2010-04-20
Filing date: 2011-04-20
Publication date: 2011-10-27
Also published as: DE102011002188A1; EP2561134A1

Abstract

The invention initially relates to a covering element (1), in particular carpet tiles, provided with a first layer (2) forming a visible side and a second joining layer (3), said joining layer (3) being designed such that the covering element (1) can be removably attached to the base (6) without leaving traces. For a development that is advantageous in regard to use, it is proposed that the joining layer (3) is made of foam, said foam being adjusted such as to give a surface with a rugged structure resulting in an adhesion effect when the covering element (1) is pressed onto the substrate (6). In another embodiment, it is proposed that the joining layer (3) be made of foamed latex, said latex foam being adjusted such that the membranes of the foam pores (5), at least in the outermost layer of the joining layer (3), burst when the covering element (1) is pressed onto the substrate (6), and a low pressure suction effect is produced in the burst pores (5), due to the elastic return of the foam layer, when the pressure (P) is no longer applied.

Description

covering element

The invention relates firstly to a covering element, in particular a carpet tile having a first layer forming a visible side and a second joining layer, wherein the connecting layer is formed on a substrate for removal of the covering element which is as free of residue as possible. Such covering elements, ie those without special training to residue-free removability after a first-time installation are already known, for example in the form of flooring tiles in various configurations. For example. Reference is made in this respect to DE 3906776 Ul.

To adhere such covering elements to a substrate, it is already known to bond these, for example, with a liquid adhesive, further also, for example, with a double-sided adhesive tape, this further, for example, for adhering tiles, especially carpet tiles. In addition, a single edition on the floor or other preferably smooth-surface bearing surfaces is already performed. This bothers, however, the occasional resulting automatic lifting or offsetting the covering element. It is searched for a covering element that can be applied in a simple manner to a substrate, such that it does not stand out or move in daily use, but on the other hand can also be removed without residue. A possible solution to this problem is given by a first inventive concept by the subject of claim 1, wherein it is aimed that the connecting layer is formed by a foam, including the adjustment of the foam is made so that superficially a gives rugged structure, which results in a clinging effect when pressed onto the substrate. Accordingly, the covering element is provided with respect to its connection position with a structured surface which is determined in the course of pressing on the covering element on the ground, further after lifting the contact pressure according to preferred elastic recovery of the foam layer according to suction vacuum effect. The superficially provided fissured structure leads to suction cup-like areas, which are not necessarily geometrically uniquely defined suction cups, but rather, as further preferred, to the surface structure actually resulting suction cups, which can obviously have different sizes and dimensions. In this case, the bionic principle of the adhesion of suction-foot-like adhesive surfaces to smooth surfaces is advantageously used. The connecting layer formed from a foam is elastic and soft. When placed on a preferably hard and more preferably smooth surface, the air is pressed out of the suction cup regions formed as a result of the fissured, preferably macroscopic structure by pressing the lining element on the substrate for at least a short time, with the result being a negative pressure effect. The covering element absorbs itself almost on the ground.

In a further preferred embodiment of the subject invention, it is provided that the fracture is achieved according to open foam pores. Thus, it is further preferred in this regard that the connection layer is formed by a closed-cell foam, further example. By a latex foam. The attached rugged structure is formed by a superficial layer of open pores. The connection layer is preferably foamed on the backing side on the backing material, further in accordance with the layer forming the visible side, wherein fine bubbles or pores are formed on the the free surface, corresponding to the later contact surface, easily burst.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a covering element according to the features of the preamble of claim 1, wherein it is proposed for the solution of the object initially stated that the connecting layer is formed by a foamed latex, including the setting of the latex foam is made so that in a Pressing of the covering element to a substrate at least in the outermost layer located diaphragm of the foam pores are burst and wherein a lifting of the Anspres- tion due to elastic recovery of the foam layer results in a suction suction effect in such popped pores. With regard to its connection position, the covering element is designed, as it were, with a multiplicity of suction cups, which, however, are only produced during the application of the covering element, for example, to a floor. However, these are not geometrically clearly defined suction cups, but due to the destruction of individual pores of the preferably at least predominantly closed-cell foam formed actually resulting suction cups, which can obviously have different sizes and dimensions.

The covering element can be used several times according to the above-described solution. It can on a substrate, eg. A screed of a house, in this regard, preferably on hard floor surfaces such as linoleum or parquet, further on other smooth surfaces, such as walls, ceilings or facades in indoor and outdoor spaces, also on glass, polished plasters, Artificial stone or natural stone can be fixed by pressing firmly. The attachment is such that there is no slippage or lifting of the covering element during daily use, especially in the case of floor covering elements Moving the same according to exposure to persons or objects. The attachment takes place here advantageously not by a bond but rather only by a multiple suction cup effect. The covering element is always residue-free and can be taken up or removed again without auxiliary means.

In particular, in the case of an embodiment as a floor covering tile, the covering element usually has a dimension in the range from 10 to 100, possibly even 150 cm. In this case, this may be square or rectangular, in addition to span a free-form surface. With regard to the dimensions mentioned, whether for the long side or the narrow side in the case of a rectangular design or in the case of a square design, all intermediate values given with respect to the stated range, in particular in increments of one millimeter, also apply to the narrowing of the region from below and / or or for disclosing singular values within said range, hereby incorporated by reference into the disclosure.

In addition, the covering element can also be formed elongated rectangular, so for example. Under training as a wall covering element, further example. In the form of a wallpaper web, further example. With a length / width ratio of 3: 1 to 7: 1st

An upper visible surface of the covering element may initially be formed by a carpet material. But it can also be formed by a natural material such as leather or artificial leather. In addition, by materials such as cork or wood and also, for example, by a technical fabric, further example. By a film, felt, fabric, metal, plastic or glass, so on For example, when using the covering element as a decorative element, further example. For the arrangement of vertical surfaces such as. Walls.

Further features of the invention are described below, also in the figure-description and the drawing, often in their preferred assignment to the explained claim concept or illustrated, but they can also be assigned to only one or more individual features described here or are represented graphically, or independently or in another overall concept of importance.

In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the connecting layer is formed with respect to its support surface facing the ground in assignment position so that on a glass plate, an adhesive force of the unloaded covering element, ie after a limited only for adhering, temporally limited loads and hereafter only by the Surface weight of the lining element acting self-loading, from 2.5 to 50 kN / m ² results, more preferably 12 to 25 kN / m ² . This ensures that the cohesion forces of the foam are above these holding forces, and thus destruction of the foam layer, in particular when the lining element is removed from the substrate, is prevented. The adhesive forces and cohesive forces preferably remain unchanged in a temperature range of 5 to 60 ° C. Experimental measurements under laboratory conditions have a maximum vertical force Fv, corresponding to a withdrawal vertical force, for a covering element with a contact area of 40 cm × 20 cm, for example on a substrate in the form of a polished granite floor covering having an area of> 40 cm × 25 cm. necessary for lifting the covering element adhered to the ground, of 8 N and a maximum static frictional force FHmax, corresponding to a horizontally acting force (sliding force) required for the loading To shift lagelement against the adhesive force parallel to the surface of the substrate, at the beginning of the sliding movement of 880 N result, resulting in a coefficient of static friction μΗ (2.8 N) of the unloaded covering element based on a vertical force of 2.8 N results. In the course of the measurement, the lining element is unloaded, acts accordingly only with its own weight of preferably 2.8 N on the ground, wherein before the start of the coating element is loaded over the entire surface at least one minute with about 80 kg. The measuring device used is a force measuring plate (KISTLER 9281A), whereby a hand drill with a drive shaft and a cable was used as the pulling device. The cable here acts centrally on a over the entire, shorter, here 20 cm long edge of the lining element, further the cable acts centrally on a terminal strip, which detects the element edge edge clamping. By means of the cable pull and the terminal strip, the covering element adhering to the substrate is subjected to a strict horizontal load, ie tensile stress parallel to its areal extent. The test measurement is carried out at a temperature of 22 to 24 ° C and a relative humidity of 40 to 50%.

Further measurement results under the above-described laboratory conditions are listed in Table 1 below:

Table 1:

Covering element unloaded (2,8N)

Flooring substrate

Fv Ftlmax UH (2.8N)

Laminate smooth, book structure 2.5 N 480 N 171

Matt laminate, fine structure I N 400 N 143

Laminate strong wood structure 5 N 520 N 186

Parquet sealed, painted 2.5 N 400 N 143

The high adhesion, in particular on a smooth surface glass plate-like surface is achieved in particular by the fact that the bearing surface of the connecting layer is smoothed. As a result, both the adhesive force and the static friction value are substantially improved over the known solutions. The structure of the foam is preferably modified in the region of the support surface by a shaping process that adjusts a permanent smooth surface surrounding the suction cup-like areas, so that virtually of a total at least approximately glass plate-like smooth, flat bearing surface of the connecting layer crater or riefenartige deepen set without their posing a crater rim or the like. The contact areas of the support surface surrounding the suction cup-like areas preferably accordingly preferably span a common plane overall, from which plane no regions of the foam connection layer which restrict the adhesive force according to the suction effect protrude.

The preferably smoothed bearing surface has an (average) surface roughness Rz of preferably 3 to 10 μπι, more preferably 4 to 8 μιτι, in particular 6 to 7 μιτι, this particular measurement under laboratory conditions and using a roughness meter from Mahr. The roughness depth Rz of the smoothed contact surface of the connecting layer thus corresponds preferably to 20% to 50%, more preferably 30% to 40%, in particular one third of the roughness depth of a conventional connection bearing surface which is not modified accordingly by a corresponding shaping method.

With regard to all the specified ranges of values, in particular with regard to the holding forces, such as in particular with regard to the vertical forces Fz and / or the maximum static frictional force FHmax, and also with regard to the static friction coefficient μΗ (2.8 N) and the roughness depth Rz, all intermediate values, in particular in FIG or 0.1-N steps, more particularly in 1-steps with respect to the coefficient of static friction and preferably in 0.1 m increments with respect to the roughness, both with respect to a single or multiple narrowing of the specified range limits in, for example, the specified step size. from above and / or from below, as well as to represent singular values within the stated ranges, are hereby included in the disclosure. Very good values are also assumed to be results corresponding to 4 to 10 times the respective lower value indicated. More preferably, the latex is a styrene-butadiene rubber, an acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, a nitrile rubber, a silicone rubber or an ethylene-vinyl acetate rubber. It is preferably a carboxylated, chlorinated or brominated rubber which is present as emulsion rubber or thermoplastic rubber.

Thus it is preferred that the latex is carboxylated. In the organic compound of the latex, a carboxyl group is introduced. Preferred here is carbonylation with a carbon dioxide. However, it is also possible to carboxylate with metal complexes such as nickel tetracarbonyl or with phosgene.

Furthermore, it is preferred that the latex is an SBR latex. A styrene-butadiene latex is a kind of high-polymer emulsion which is polymerized by butadiene and styrene and optionally further elements. It is initially a liquid. There may be a foaming and / or vulcanization. The vulcanizability of this latex used here is also preferred as such.

The use of soft, carboxylated, vulcanizable SBR latexes generates a slip-resistant property that can be adjusted even more easily by adding soft acrylates. A possible coloring takes place by addition of pigments (eg TiO2, Al (OH) 3 etc.). Furthermore, the use of an open-pore foam can provide a large surface area which, by adhesion, allows the covering element to adhere to a smooth surface. In a further preferred embodiment, the connecting layer is at least partially formed by a memory foam. This is an energy-absorbing foam, for example. Polyurethane foam, which is also referred to as viscoelastic foam, further known under the trade name Tempur. Such memory foams are characterized by a slow recovery after deformation and a high vibration damping. The connection layer is completely or as further preferably partially formed by such a memory foam, so on, for example, in the form of line-like zones in the connection layer, further example. In the way that between the zones of memory foam island-like zones with superficial fissured structure and corresponding adhesion effect remain. By means of such a memory foam layer it is possible to compensate for irregularities in the substrate on which the covering element is applied, such as, for example, jointing of a tile floor or cracks in a wall.

More preferably, the connection layer, further according to the foam layer on a perpendicular to the support surface considered thickness of 0.1 mm to 10 mm, this further with a preferred pore size between 100 nm to 10 mm, more preferably 0.1 mm to 1 mm. In this regard as well, with regard to the aforementioned dimensions, be it with respect to the foam thickness or the pore size, all intermediate values given with respect to the mentioned ranges, in particular in 1 mm or 1 nm increments, are valid for delimiting the region from below and / or above or for disclosure singular values within said range, hereby included in the disclosure. The invention will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, which, however, only two embodiments. 1 shows a schematic side view of a covering element in the form of a

Flooring tile, more particularly in the form of a carpet tile, relating to a first embodiment;

Fig. 2 and

Fig. 3 detail enlargements from the article gem. 1, with regard to the structure of the foam as such (FIG. 2) and, in principle, the mechanism of action with regard to adhesion (FIG. 3); 4 shows a schematic vertical section through a covering element in a second embodiment;

Fig. 5 is a detail enlargement of the area V in Fig. 4; 6 shows the enlarged detail of the region VI in Figure 4, an intermediate position in the course of adherence of the covering element on the ground.

Fig. 7 is a representation corresponding to FIG. 6, the Anhaftstellung

concerning; in a schematic sectional view of the bottom view against the adhesive surface of the covering element. Shown and described is first with reference to the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, a covering element 1 in the form of a carpet tile. This lining element 1 has a first end 2 and a second back 3. The first legs 2 and the second back 3 represent the above-mentioned, forming a visible side layer and a second connecting layer.

In between, even more layers can be provided. In the first legs 2, a velor-forming fibers 4 are anchored in the embodiment. You can, for example, be tufted.

The bonding layer 3 of the first embodiment consists of a foamed, carboxylated and vulcanized latex. The setting of the latex is in this case made so that initially in the course of production closed pores 5 result, however, by a conventional application force P when laying such a covering element 1 on a substrate 6 at least in their outermost, the substrate 6 facing layer can be burst. The latter is shown in Fig. 3. This results in suction cup-like cavities 7, which are then due to elastic recovery of the foam or the latex layer then deducted from surrounding areas 8 from the substrate 6, resulting in the areas of the cavities 7, a negative pressure and thus a sticking effect of the covering element 1 total on the ground 6 results. The areas 8 at the same time provide the required sealing surrounding the areas 7. The setting of the foam is preferably such that comparatively large forces when pressing the covering element on the substrate 6, the described partial destruction of cells or pores 5 sets to form the Saugnapfstrukturen, but in daily use, for example. When overflowing as a carpet tile trained covering element 1 no such further reactions arise.

Figures 4 to 7 show an alternative, preferred embodiment, in which the setting is made from home so that the destruction of said cells or pores 5 does not result in the formation of the suction cups by pressing or substantial force, but this factory are so formed. The pressing of the covering element 1 on the base 6 then has to produce only the effect described by suction cups, that initially air is forced out (see FIG. 6), as a result of which elastic resilience results in the adhesive effect on the base 6 (see FIG. 7).

For this purpose, the foam 9 is foamed in the course of production on the first layer 2, for example. Supine a carpet layer, with fine pores 5 arise, which automatically burst on the surface 6 to be assigned surface. This foam coating is correspondingly elastic and soft. When placed on the substrate 6 is pressed by brief pressing (application force P), the air from the cavities 7 of the burst pores 5, creating a negative pressure effect. Adhesive forces of 2.5 to 50 kN / m ² , more preferably 12 to 25 kN / m ² , are preferably achieved in the case of an at least glass-plate-like surface of the substrate 6. This high adhesive force is more preferably also achieved in that the bearing surface 10 of the connecting layer 3, the, the sucker-like effect performing, the support surface 10 toward open pores 5 is smoothed surrounding. The bearing surface 10 is preferably modified by a shaping method such that the regions 8 of the bearing surface 10 surrounding the pores 5 which are open toward the contact surface 10 extend in a common plane E (see FIG. 5). Accordingly, there is preferably a total first glass plate-like, smooth bearing surface 10, which is interrupted by the suction cup-like cavities 7 forming depressions. FIG. 8 shows a section of a bottom view of the support surface 10 of the covering element 1, more preferably of a covering element 1 according to the second embodiment. As can be seen, superficially a rugged structure results from zones with closed pores 5, which extend on the bearing surface side within a common, spanned plane E and zones of pores, cavities 7 forming pores, wherein the pore size both in terms of their area in the support plane E and with respect to their depth considered perpendicular thereto.

All disclosed features are essential to the invention. The disclosure content of the associated / attached priority documents (copy of the prior application) is hereby also incorporated in full in the disclosure of the application, also for the purpose of including features of these documents in claims of the present application. The subclaims characterize in their optional sibling version independent inventive development of the prior art, in particular to make on the basis of these claims divisional applications. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 covering element

2 location

3 connection position

4 fiber

5 pores

6 underground

7 cavity

8 area

9 foam

10 contact surface

E level

P application force

Claims

1. covering element (1), in particular carpet tile with a first, a visible side forming layer (2) and a second connecting layer (3), wherein the connecting layer (3) for residue as possible again removable application of the covering element (1) on a substrate (6 ), characterized in that the connecting layer (3) is formed by a foam, to which the adjustment of the foam is made so that superficially results in a fissured structure, whereby when pressed onto the substrate (6) results in a clinging effect.

2. covering element according to claim 1 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the fracture is achieved according to open foam pores (5).

3. covering element according to the features of the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that the connecting layer (3) is formed by foamed latex, including the setting of the latex foam is made so that upon pressing of the covering element (1) on a substrate (6 ) are brought to burst at least in the outermost layer of the connecting layer (3) membrane of the foam pores (5) and wherein in a repeal of the contact pressure (P) due to elastic recovery of the foam layer, a suction suction effect in the so-pored pores (5) results.

Covering element according to one or more of the preceding claims, or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the connecting layer (3) with respect to its support surface (10) is formed so that on a glass plate, an adhesive force of the unloaded covering element (1) from 2.5 to 50 kN / m ² .

Covering element according to one or more of the preceding claims, or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the bearing surface (10) of the connecting layer (3) is smoothed.

Covering element according to one or more of the preceding claims, or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the latex is carboxylated and / or that the latex is an SBR latex.

Covering element according to one or more of the preceding claims, or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the latex is vulcanizable or vulcanized.

Covering element according to one or more of the preceding claims, or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the connecting layer (3) is foamed onto the first layer (2).

Covering element according to one or more of the preceding claims, or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the connecting layer (3) is at least partially formed by a memory foam.

10. covering element according to one or more of the preceding claims, or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the first layer (2) made of leather, a technical fabric, carpet fabric, foil, felt, fabric, metal, plastic, glass, wood or paper ,

11. covering element according to one or more of the preceding claims, or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the latex acrylate is added.

12. covering element according to one or more of the preceding claims, or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the acrylate is a soft acrylate.