JPS58117173A - Loose laid floor lining structure and production - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to loose lay flooring, and more particularly to a safe loose lay flooring.

Decorative floor coverings made of 5-elastic materials have been used for many years. Generally, these floor coverings have been adhered to the subfloor with adhesives.

Installation of such covers is time consuming and expensive. Therefore, it is desirable to place the floor covering on the subfloor without the use of adhesives, that is, to lay the cover loosely (without sticking) on the subfloor. In such circumstances, loose-lay floor coverings can be secured to the subfloor by furniture, appliances, and objects placed on top of the floor covering, but the weight of the floor covering will keep them in place. It tends to be fixed.

Floor coverings shall have the following properties: no expansion or contraction over time or under the influence of environmental changes; remaining in the correct position under rolling loads; and without buckling. To withstand or accommodate movement of the subfloor.

The latter problem is particularly challenging because the subfloor is dimensionally stable (e.g., particle board). Another problem depending on the type of subfloor on which the loose lay floor is placed? arise.

Therefore, the flooring industry has devoted much time and effort to developing loose lay flooring materials with the aforementioned properties.

There are various documents in the prior art relating to loose lay flooring. U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,059 discloses a piecewise compliant loose lay flooring consisting of a plurality of rigid bodies that distributes stress within the flooring matrix in a manner that manifests itself as a series of small curvatures. Disclosed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,36q,058 provides a
discloses a composite floor consisting of a top) coat. This composite floor is designed to avoid damage caused by subfloor movement. US Pat. No. 1J, 066.813 discloses a method for reducing the elongation of elastic floor coverings having a fibrous cellulose backing by incorporating small amounts of anti-extension agents. Five additional patents address the problem of stress relief by including a series of deformable geometric shapes in the IJ Lux. For example, U.S. Patent Nos. 14,111 and 666;
No. 55, No. 14. O35,536 and it.
No. 020.205 is exemplified. However, none of the prior art documents adequately teaches how to make a multi-material floor covering that is laid loosely over the surface of a stable or unstable subfloor.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a method for designing and manufacturing a loose lay floor structure that accommodates unstable subfloor movement without backing 9.

Another object of the invention is a method for designing and manufacturing a loose lay floor structure that can accommodate any type of subfloor movement without bending, bulging or curling and that does not move under rolling loads. Our goal is to provide the following.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method by which a flooring material with predictable subfloor adaptation properties can be designed.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a floor structure having the above-mentioned characteristics.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a method by which a product comprising one or more reinforcing layers can be modified in situ to provide suitable bending properties.

These and other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In summary, the present invention relates to a loose lay floor structure consisting of at least two layers of reinforcing material and a method of designing and manufacturing the loose lay floor structure. Loose lay floors are suitable for use over stable subfloors. or be designed to accommodate the movement of highly unstable subfloors. Flooring materials made in accordance with the present invention have the ability to resist buckling curling and bulging, and are capable of resisting movement under rolling loads. Also provided is a method for in-situ modification of a structure consisting of a single reinforcing layer to convert a structure with unacceptable buckling characteristics into a structure with acceptable buckling characteristics.

In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of designing a resilient loose lay floor structure for use over subflooring with identified dimensional changes. This method includes the steps of selecting a target critical buckling strain for the floor structure that is larger than the dimensional change of the subfloor;
~Approx. 5.4 Kf/m” (2~l Otb-yd”)
) Selecting the bending stiffness value from about 0 to 10. '
4 cm-K9 (O to 91n-Lb),
The relaxed compression side is approximately O to approximately 1700Kg 7cm
(l O, OOOtb/in ), the critical buckling strain contour (
Contour) Step of drawing a curve; Approximately 0.12 from the contour curve
cm -Kg (0,11n-4b) and about 104
determining the range defined by the minimum and maximum relaxation compression width values corresponding respectively to the bending stiffness values of an -Kg (91n-4b); the sum of the relaxation compression width values of both materials falling within said determined range; selecting a matrix material and at least two layers of reinforcing materials such that the matrix material and the reinforcing materials have a sum of relaxed compression dimensions of the reinforcing materials that is not less than the sum of relaxed compression dimensions of the matrix materials; and determining from the consoor curve a bending stiffness value applicable to the sum of the relaxed compression lateral values of the reinforcement and matrix material, thereby determining the measured bending stiffness of the floor structure obtained. When said reinforcing material layers are arranged within said matrix such that the stiffness corresponds to the determined bending stiffness, at least one reinforcing layer is substantially above the neutral bending plane of the resulting floor structure; A reinforcing layer is substantially below the neutral bending plane such that the critical buckling strain of the floor structure is substantially equal to the target critical buckling strain and greater than the expected strain caused by dimensional changes in the subfloor.

In a second embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a resilient loose lay floor structure for use over a subfloor that exhibits appreciable dimensional changes. The method includes the steps of selecting a matrix material and at least one reinforcement, and a bending stiffness of the loose lay floor structure of about 0.12 cm -K.
Approximately 10, 11 cm from f (0, 11n-4b) -Kg
(91n-4b), such that at least one layer of reinforcement is substantially above the neutral bending plane of the loose lay floor structure, and at least one layer of reinforcement is substantially below the neutral bending plane. placing at least two layers of reinforcing material within the IJ wax material;
The basis weight of the floor structure is about L1~5.4 th/l (2~10 th/
yd), whereby the critical buckling strain of the loose-lay floor structure is selected to be greater than the strain predicted by dimensional changes in the subfloor.

In a fifth embodiment, the present invention relates to an elastic loose lay floor construction for use over a subfloor that exhibits appreciable dimensional changes. The floor structure is about L1-5. u Kg/
m” (2 to 10 zb/yd2)

It comprises a matrix material and at least two layers of reinforcing material disposed within the matrix material. and at least one layer of the reinforcement is substantially above the neutral bending surface of the loose lay floor structure and at least another layer is substantially below the neutral bending surface. The sum of the relaxation compression dimensions of the reinforcing material is not less than the sum of the relaxation compression dimensions of the matrix material. The floor structure has a thickness of about 0.12 to 10.1jCrn-Ni (0
, 1 to 91n-4b) and a critical buckling strain greater than that predicted by dimensional changes in the subfloor.

In a fourth embodiment, the invention provides about L1-5. uKg
/ m' (2 to 10 zb/y♂), -
at least two layers of reinforcement disposed within the TRIX material, at least one layer of reinforcement substantially above the neutral bending plane of the roux/lay floor structure; Potentially elastic loose-lay floor structure approximately below the bending surface (the structure is used as a loose-lay floor structure above a subfloor with dimensional changes that are confirmed to be approximately 10.4 crn) -Kg (9 in-#I) or more, or critical buckling strain less than the confirmed dimensional change of the underlayment, or both). This method is effective when the bending stiffness of the synthetic floor structure is about 0.12 to 10. lIcm-Kg (0,1~9
1n-a) and modifying at least one of said reinforcing layers by external means such that the critical buckling strain of the floor structure is within the range of 1n-a and greater than the dimensional change of said underlayment identified. Consists of.

In a fifth embodiment, the invention comprises a method of manufacturing a floor structure comprising a single reinforcing layer and accommodating the movement of a subfloor that undergoes appreciable dimensional changes, and the method comprises an encapsulated single 〃The step of selecting a floor structure from the lath reinforcement layer in which the critical buckling strain is smaller than the dimensional change of the underlying floor;
It consists of in-situ modification of the floor structure so that the critical buckling strain is greater than the dimensional change in the underlying floor.

In a sixth embodiment, the present invention provides for a floor structure comprising a single reinforcing layer and modified in situ so that its critical buckling strain is the same as the dimensional change of the underlying subfloor. Become.

The main terms used in this specification will be explained below.

The term "loose-lay floor structure" means a structure that lies flat on a stable or unstable subfloor and does not bulge, curl, buckle, or move under rolling loads, and that: As defined, it is a floor structure that has a rather low structural stability value and does not need to be held in place with adhesives.

The term "conformable floor structure" refers to a structure that conforms in size and shape to conform to the size and shape of an unstable subfloor.
or change) is a loose lay floor structure.

The term "subfloor dimensional change" is a measure of the change in length of a subfloor under environmental conditions, where the change is expressed as change per unit length.

The term "critical buckling strain" is the strain at which a loose-lay floor structure that is compressed flat will buckle.

The term "relaxation compression stiffness" is the compression force expressed as the compression force per width of unit length divided by the strain that occurs, and the value of relaxation compression stiffness is the stiffness of the relaxation compression after 1000 hours of load. The compressive force is applied in a plane and measured in the straight part of the stress-strain curve.

The term "relaxed tensile stiffness" refers to the tensile force per unit length divided by the strain produced, and the value of relaxed tensile stiffness is the tensile force after 1000 hours of load relaxation. is applied in a plane and measured on the straight part of the stress-strain curve.

The term "basis weight" is the weight per unit area (Kg/m' or C/y♂) of loose lay flooring.

The term "matrix material" comprises all components of loose lay flooring excluding reinforcement.

The term "bending stiffness" is the bending resistance of loose lay flooring measured by cantilever or similar methods and is designated -K9 or 1n-i. The term "bending resistance" is a material parameter used in the theoretical derivation of the potential energy expression and describes the bending resistance properties of flooring materials.

The term "structural stability" means 82.2°C (ill! O'p
) for 6 hours and allowed to recover for 1 hour under conditions of 23°C (75,14F) and 50% relative humidity.

The term "neutral bending plane" for a strip subjected to downward bending forces at both ends is an imaginary line within the strip above which the strip is under tension and below which it is under compression. It is.

Loose-lay floor coverings must be kept within acceptable limits for the shape and dimensions of the room in which they are placed.

And it must not shrink away from the wall, leaving unsightly gaps. This requirement applies regardless of the nature of the subfloor. Therefore, a desirable feature of the flooring material is to have a structural stability of less than 0.5%, preferably less than 0.1% under normal conditions.

If the subflooring on which the loose lay floor structure is placed is stable, the characteristics that must be exhibited by the loose lay floor are such that the minimum dimensional change in the subfloor is equal to the minimum planar compression of the floor structure. It is less severe than an unstable sub-V floor as it provides a Nevertheless, problems related to bulging, curling and movement under rolling loads occur.

Conversely, unstable subfloors such as particleboard tend to expand and contract depending on temperature and relative humidity conditions within the structure in which they reside, making them loose.
Dramatically increases requirements for lay floor coverings. In the winter, the dry air from the furnace heating tends to cause the unstable subfloor to contract, whereas in the humid summer months, the subfloor tends to expand. Loose-lay floor structures that are placed in the maximum inflated position on such a lower surface and are binned, installed, or restrained by heavy objects such as appliances may not When it changes, it is subjected to various stresses.

Loose-lay flooring structures made according to the prior art and having the necessary structural stability are often unable to accommodate these stresses, resulting in bulging, buckling or curling of the flooring.

Surprisingly, we have found that loose lay floor structures consisting of at least two layers of reinforcement can be constructed to meet all of the aforementioned criteria. Increasing the basis weight and bending stiffness and lowering the compaction stiffness generally results in a loose lay floor structure with superior compliance properties. Therefore, by the method described below, it is possible to produce loose lay flooring materials with determinable properties when used over subfloors with discernible dimensional changes.The first factors that must be taken into account are: The amount of change expected from a given subfloor. For example, loose
When a lay floor structure is compressed in a plane due to movement of the subfloor, the contraction of the subfloor is expected to give strain to the loose lay floor structure. If the flooring structure is configured with a critical buckling strain that corresponds to the expected dimensional change in the subfloor, and the flooring structure is compressed by the maximum expected contraction of the subfloor, the flooring The material structure will buckle. Therefore, the critical buckling strain of the floor structure must be greater than the expected strain resulting from maximum subfloor movement. Loose-lay floor structures can experience maximum compressive strains when installed over subflooring under conditions of maximum expansion and must therefore be designed to withstand this strain without buckling.

Important parameters of depression influence the buckling tendency of loose-lay floor structures. Those parameters are basis weight, bending stiffness and relaxed compression stiffness as previously defined. The basis weight of commonly used elastic flooring materials is approximately L 1 to 5.1i.
K97m"(2-10zb/ya"). in general,
The greater the instability of the subfloor, the greater the basis weight must be used to prevent buckling because the increased weight of the flooring requires greater compressive force to induce buckling.

The second parameter is the bending stiffness of the loose lay floor covering 9 material, which is a measure of the bending and buckling of the floor covering 9 material. Resilient sheet flooring typically ranges from very soft (i.e., having a bending stiffness of about 0.1 in.
with a bending stiffness of 4 cm-Kg (91n-ai'j)). The latter value (10,4 cm-KV) is used because the sheet flooring material is transported on rolls.
It rarely has a bending stiffness exceeding . If the bending stiffness is greater than 10.4 crn, problems of cracking, bending, and folding occur when the flooring material is rolled into small diameter rolls.

The fifth parameter is the softening compaction agent, which is discussed in more detail below.

The essence of the invention is that once an engineer knows the amount of dimensional change in the subfloor, he can create a loose lay that has a critical buckling strain that is greater than the strain imposed on the loose lay flooring by the subfloor. The ability to design and manufacture floor structures. It is desirable that the loose lay floor structure have adequate structural stability. 1 by varying the relaxation compression agent value and the bending stiffness value, or separately the bending resistance value for a given weight, using formulas derived from buckling theory.
It is possible to draw connur curves with more than one critical bed and bending strain. For convenience, the curve shown in Figure 1 shows the relationship between bending stiffness and softening compression agent at a constant basis weight and a constant critical buckling strain value. By determining the range of applicable compressive agent values from the curve, appropriate matrix materials and reinforcement materials can be selected. A suitable floor structure can then be created by determining the bending stiffness values of the floor structure for these materials and suitably placing at least two layers of reinforcement within said matrix material. .

The relaxed compaction value of a loose lay floor structure approximates the sum of the relaxed compaction values of the floor covering components.

Therefore, by obtaining a relaxed compaction value for a material consisting of a matrix material and at least two reinforcing layers disposed within the matrix material, the sum of the respective relaxed compaction values is represented by a curve. An appropriate material can be selected that falls approximately within the range of values. The actual relaxed compression agent value is then determined by building a test floor structure, and this value is used to determine the bending stiffness value from the curve.

Alternatively, the required bending stiffness can be theoretically predicted using the sum of relaxed compression (tensile) stiffness values. It must be recognized that the results of theoretical calculations for floor structures depend to some extent on experimental measurements as well as other variables that are less predictable, and therefore variations from the theoretical predictions are to be expected. Therefore, this latter method is insufficient.

Once the desired bending stiffness is established, a reinforcing layer is placed within the matrix material to provide a bending stiffness essentially equal to the desired bending stiffness. The resulting loose-lay floor structure should have a critical buckling strain that can withstand the strain caused by the subfloor.

Stiffness (stiffness) is a well-known property that can be measured in a variety of ways. For example, American National Standards Institute/American Society for Testing Materials D7
1i7 (also known as the Olsen Stiffness Test) describes a standard method for determining the stiffness of plastics using a cantilever beam. For the present invention, satisfactory values are obtained by measuring at a bend angle of 20 using a 1 inch span. The bending moment determined by the Olsen stiffness test is equal to the bending stiffness.

It is even more difficult to obtain data on the relaxation properties of materials used in the fabrication of loose lay floor structures. The measurements can be easily made using conventional methods for matrix materials, taking into account the relaxation of the material under stress over time. Relaxed compressive agent values obtained by projecting over 1000 hours of relaxation in a known manner should be used in the practice of this invention.

Conversely, thin and lightweight reinforcements are generally not suitable for such measurements. Therefore, the data can be calculated by measuring the relaxed tensile stiffness of the material and considering the relaxation of the material over time under stress. The relaxed tensile stiffness of the desired material, when properly measured, will be about the same magnitude as the relaxed compressive agent. Therefore, the relaxed tensile stiffness value can be substituted for the relaxed compressive stiffness value.

The aforementioned connur curve can be derived by conventional mathematical means. Theoretical models that determine buckling characteristics are well known. For example, Kel (A, D.

Kerr) reported vertical orbital buckling on paper in the High Speed Ground Transportation Journal (H
igh 5peed Ground, Transpo
tion Journal), Volume 7, Page 351 (1973). Loose lay floor structures can be subjected to such theoretical studies as well. Therefore, the potential energy π of the sheet-like floor structure after buckling can be calculated from the following equation.

where: C = Bending resistance θ = Lift-off angle of buckling Q = Basis weight = Relaxed compression (or tensile) stiffness L0 = % of length of buckled section before application of strain resulting in buckling E- The compressive strain bending resistance C applied to cause buckling is calculated from the bending stiffness measured by the Olsen stiffness test using the following formula: where Mw - the measured bending stiffness S = the stiffness used in the test. Span b - Width φ of the test sample - Measured angle in radians Can be calculated mathematically by applying the principle of minimum potential energy to the critical buckling strain.

The bending resistance value My is converted into a bending resistance value C. Setting the derivatives of π with respect to θ and π with respect to LO to zero, determining the values of E and Q, and varying C and K within known ranges,
The answer is obtained when E becomes the critical buckling strain. For example, this solves a nonlinear system of equations (Newton-Ra
It can be obtained using the thson method. The answers obtained by varying these bending resistance and relaxed compression (tensile) stiffness values within known ranges give a table of critical buckling strain points. From these, one or more consor curves of constant critical buckling strain are plotted as described below. As mentioned above, the contour curves described herein are illustrated in terms of bending stiffness MW and relaxation compressibility K, rather than bending resistance C. The value of C used for calculation is converted from the MwO value. A flowchart for the computer program used to obtain this data is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Of course, the parameters that can be ascertained with reference to the various curves can also be determined by purely mathematical means.

The use of the mathematical means described above to produce the data necessary for carrying out the invention is a matter of choice of the engineer. Thus, terms in the specification and claims that relate to illustrations such as curves and the like are used to describe the specific nature of loose lay flooring that, in the practice of such mathematical invention, undergoes an appreciable dimensional change upon ascertaining the amount of kinking that is observed. or can be made to be used over a subfloor of expected dimensional changes. The expression ``a dimensional change in the subfloor that can be confirmed (or confirmed)'' used herein is considered to include all of these options. In any event, the objective is to create a loose lay floor structure with sufficient critical buckling strain to accommodate anticipated subfloor dimensional changes. At one extreme are extremely stable subfloors such as concrete, where the dimensional change in the subfloor (and therefore the critical buckling strain) is minimal; Buckling strain) is approximately o
There are extremely unstable subfloors, such as particleboard, which are rated at , o o '5.

Once the desired critical buckling strain of a flooring material is known, an approximate basis weight for that flooring material can be selected. Any suitable resilient flooring material may be used, including polyvinyl chloride resins, acrylic resins, vinyl acetate resins, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers, and the like. Additionally, the flooring material can also include wear layers, decorative layers, and the like. Structures made of these materials are typically 11-5. n Kg/m 2~10 el
li/yd2) (in some cases, a lighter or heavier one is required). Since the basis weight is not important when the loose lay flooring is placed on a stable floor, the basis weight for such applications is preferably in the range of about L1 to 2.7Ky/g to save cost. .

Conversely, an unstable subfloor will require approximately 2.7 to 511K.
f/m'' basis weights are preferred. However, these values are only approximations and are not intended as a limitation on the scope of the invention.

Next, using the selected tsubo if, set the bending stiffness value to approximately 0 to 10.
The desired criticality is determined from the data points obtained by varying the relaxation compressibility values over a range of approximately A contour curve of buckling strain is drawn.

As mentioned above, the bending stiffness of elastic flooring materials is usually between 0 and 1.
l O,'l cm -K9 (01~91n-a)
limited to within the range of However, as the dimensional variation of the undersole increases, it is desirable to increase the bending stiffness value. Thus, a high value of 1 may be applied over an unstable subfloor that undergoes a dimensional change of O,OOl 5 (in this case requiring accommodation of large subfloor movements from the floor structure).
For example, about L1~lo, 4cm-9 (1~91n-a)
A value of is desirable. For subfloors with dimensional changes of O,OO25 or more, the bending stiffness of approximately 25 to 10.4 ffi-Ni,
Approximately 5.11 to 10. '4 Crn-Kp (5~9 i
A bending stiffness of n-#1) is desirable.

The actual relaxation compressibility range applicable to floor structures can be determined from the Connur curve. Once this range is known, the matrix material and at least two layers of reinforcement can be selected such that the relaxed compressive (or tensile) stiffness values of these materials are within the indicated range. The sum of these values also gives the target bending stiffness of the floor structure from that curve. Reinforcements can thus be placed within the matrix material to achieve the desired bending stiffness.

Reinforcements are often made of conventionally used fibrous materials. Such materials include eg glass, polyester,
A fiber cloak made of nylon, rayon, etc., or a combination thereof. Approximately 17 g/m" (0.5 oz/y
A”) and extremely lightweight materials are desirable. Reinforcement materials used in loose lay flooring should have a relaxed compaction as uniform as possible in all directions. They tend to have directional strength depending on whether they are compressed or pulled in the right angles. Such directional strength variations are minimized by nonwoven materials, and therefore nonwoven materials are desirable.

Special reinforcement materials with unique properties can also be used. Examples of such non-woven materials include 1)
A glass mat consisting of a binder that dissolves or softens in the presence of plasticizers found in J-Nx materials. The use of such materials is also advantageous, although it makes prediction of relaxed compaction values significantly more difficult. For example, reinforcement materials that include soluble binders are actually heavier and easier to handle in manufacturing environments than materials that do not include such binders. They are therefore used where handling is an issue, but are also desirable in the production of floor constructions with low softening compaction density.

In normal cases, relaxing compression (tension) of anvil covering material
1iiJII Most of the stiffness is provided by the reinforcement. Elastic plastic matrices are usually dimensionally unstable and in most cases stretch or compress quite easily. however.

The reinforcement does not compress or stretch easily. It is desirable that the relaxation compression modulus of the reinforcement material be approximately 5 times, and optimally 10 times, the value of the matrix material. Suitable floor coverings are made with reinforcement and matrix materials having similar relaxing compaction values. However, the sum of the relaxation compression values of the reinforcement should be greater than the sum of the relaxation compression values of the matrix material.

The bending stiffness of loose lay floor structures made in accordance with the present invention varies depending on the placement of the reinforcing layer within the matrix material. In most cases, it is desirable for the reinforcement to be disposed substantially planarly within the matrix material. However, as shown below.

It may be desirable to arrange the reinforcement in a non-planar manner. Although suitable loose lay flooring may be manufactured using more than one reinforcing layer, the use of two reinforcing layers is preferred.

Generally, the further apart the two layers are, the greater the bending stiffness becomes. Therefore, if one of the reinforcing layers is placed near the top surface of the matrix material and the other layer is placed near the bottom surface, the bending stiffness will be lower than if both reinforcing layers were placed near the neutral bending surface of the composite. Yoshi also grows bigger.

Combinations of reinforcements can also be used. Instead of using two layers of the same reinforcing material in the matrix material, a light reinforcing layer and a heavy reinforcing layer are used in combination. The heavier reinforcing layer can be placed closer to the neutral bending plane, yet still provide a bending stiffness that is four times faster than that of a lighter stiffener placed closer to the surface of the matrix material. However, when using heavy materials, care must be taken to avoid overloading the desired softening compaction properties of the final product.

The use of such a combination becomes important, for example, when embossing the surface of a matrix material or when providing wear III. When the lightweight reinforcement is placed close to the surface of the matrix, the embossing tends to alter the reinforcement so that it is no longer planar. It therefore reduces its contribution to the relaxation of the flooring structure. However, if a slightly heavier reinforcement is used, the reinforcement can be placed further away from the surface of the matrix, thereby reducing the effect of embossing.

Similarly, if a wear layer with high pressure capability is provided, the neutral bending surface will be higher in the composite structure than when the wear layer is not a component of the original IJ material. In such cases, it is necessary to place lightweight reinforcement in the wear layer to obtain adequate bending stiffness and cushioning stiffness. nevertheless.

This problem can likewise be avoided by arranging a heavy reinforcing layer on the matrix material.

Other methods of improving the properties of flooring structures are also available. For example, a reinforcement has a maximum relaxed compressive (tensile) stiffness when it is a planar structure. A reinforcing layer is disposed non-planarly on the matrix material. Or, if a significant portion of the reinforcing layer is placed so that it is not coplanar, the relaxed compressive/tensile stiffness is reduced. The former is obtained by arranging the reinforcing layer in a wave-like manner within the matrix (although improvements are also possible in various ways). For example, the reinforcing layer can be deformed from its planar shape by emponsing or other similar processes.

Another method of reducing the relaxed compressive/tensile stiffness of a reinforcement is to modify the material in a manner that does not affect planarity. For example, such modifications may include drilling, cutting, etc., or folding to separate the fibers and flattening the reinforcement again. Therefore, "improvement" as used herein with respect to changing the properties of the relaxed compressor includes all of the aforementioned possibilities and combinations thereof, as well as the use of reinforcing materials with soluble or softenable binders.

These improvements may be made prospectively or as a matter of subsequent inspection. Therefore, reinforcing materials with too high a relaxing compaction value should be pretreated to reduce the relaxing compaction to a satisfactory value before being placed into the matrix material. can be made to measure the relaxed compression and/or bending stiffness. Adjustments are then made by in-situ modification of one or more reinforcing layers. This method provides flooring structures that are otherwise unsuitable for use on a given subfloor with the required bending stiffness and
or) processed to give a relaxed compressed rt411 value.

This method can also be applied to flooring structures consisting of a single reinforcing layer. For example, British patent no.
Discloses a structure consisting of. Similarly, British Patent Application Nos. z012,61gA, 2.013618A and 2,019,253A disclose fibrous tissue having a density of about 10-60 g/g/g.

Related structures of encapsulated glass are also disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,212,380 and US Pat. No. 5,980,511. In addition, nylon, polyester,
Structures of other woven and non-woven materials are known as well.

When heavy gauge reinforcement is used to provide adequate dimensional stability, such structures fail when placed over unstable subfloors. Applicants have discovered that in-situ modifications benefit these structures. For example, a single layer glass reinforcement flooring structure may be physically cut into various patterns as shown in FIGS. 12-11. Figure 12 shows a pattern of square cuts deep enough to penetrate the reinforcing layer, otherwise the structure is left intact. This pattern is based on the continuous reinforcement still available within the flooring structure (e.g.
It is called a continuous improvement pattern because it exists in the vertical direction along the line A-A and the horizontal direction along the line B-B in the figure. A modified continuous pattern is shown in FIG. 13, where the straightness of the reinforcement string is substantially interrupted.

Another type of cutting pattern called a non-delivery pattern is shown in FIG. 111. In this case, cut vertically so that no continuous reinforcement remains.
It is done in both horizontal directions. However, it is understood that the patterns shown here are for illustrative purposes only, and that other geometric patterns may also be useful.

The selection of a particular pattern depends on the engineer's preference as well as structural requirements. Therefore, the design or pattern is primarily a matter of the engineer's choice.

In-situ modification can also be carried out by the embossing method, in which the perfect shape of the reinforcing layer is interrupted by applying an external force. All such methods are included within the definition of "improvement" above.

In order to carry out an in-situ improvement invention for current structures consisting of a single reinforcement 1, it is desirable to adopt essentially the same sequence as previously described for more complex structures. First, consider the actual subfloor instability to select the desired critical buckling strain for the final product (this critical buckling strain is greater than the dimensional change in the subfloor). Next, measure the basis weight of the structure, make El equal to the desired critical buckling strain, set Q equal to the basis weight, and vary the bending stiffness Mw and the relaxed compression agent K, as described above. Create one or more curves of constant critical buckling strain by Next, the bending stiffness and relaxed compressive strength of this structure are measured.

In most cases, it is not possible to relate to the measured relaxed compaction curve, especially when the structure contains very heavy reinforcement. However, the measured bending stiffness can be used in conjunction with the curve to determine the relaxed compression stiffness of the desired final product. Therefore, if the resulting structure is modified in situ so that it has a relaxed compressive strength approximating that determined from the curve, the critical buckling strain of this resulting product is The structure should be usable over the intended subfloor. It has been found that by applying such a method to structures with inadequate buckling properties, structures with very good properties can be obtained.

Although in-situ modification results in a substantial reduction in the relaxed compaction value, in most cases the bending stiffness can be used to predict the required relaxed compaction from the curve. If these are abnormal, such that the bending stiffness shows a significant change, the required relaxation compression stiffness values can be determined from the curve using the bending stiffness values for the modified structure.

The present invention has the advantage of providing a relatively reliable method for predicting the properties of loose lay flooring structures. It also provides guidance on how various parameters can be varied to predictably alter the properties of such structures.

The following examples are illustrative of the advantages of the invention and are not intended to limit it in its entirety.

Embodiment Example 1 This example shows a method of designing a loose lay flooring X material structure to be used on a 00010 dimensional changeable subfloor υ floor. The target critical buckling strain for the desired flooring structure is Q, O
Ol 6, and the weight of the flooring structure is approximately 2.51'4/
(4,6 cities/yd). Therefore, for calculation purposes, let E be the value of the target critical buckling strain (0,0Ol 6 ), and let Q be the basis weight (7 m6 in 2,5). Using all of these settings in the formula shown in this specification, the bending stiffness Mw is O~101
The bending resistance C was changed to vary between 011crn-, and the relaxing compression agent K was changed from 9o to 1700 Ky per l1m width.
/Crn and solving the resulting equation, a series of points of constant critical buckling strain corresponding to varying values of Mw and K is obtained (see FIG. 2). From the curve, it can be seen that the relaxation compression agent strength corresponding to the bending stiffness value of 01 is 5 II kg/(
-q (200 decorations per 1nch of width
, hereinafter referred to as ppiow) and 10.4 cm
The value corresponding to -V4 (91n-6) is 158/
International Paper Company (Inte
Registration number IP01i2DIl! from national Paper Co.) Reinforcing material 1-2 was selected.

°This material consists of 50% glass and 50% polyester fibers 17.1! g/m,” (0,52'u
The relaxed tensile stiffness of this material is measured as follows: A sample 2 inches wide x 12 inches long is cut with a jaw length of 8 inches. Tighten the jaws of the Instron tensile tester so that the spacing is 0.0.
At a speed of 5 cm/'', the sample is strained by 0.5%, that is, the strain of the sample is O.
Pull them apart until they become o○ro. What is the load f on the sample when the jaws stop moving? , monitored for 90 minutes. Next, the load reduction curve was extrapolated to L000 hours using a well-known method, and the relaxation tensile stiffness was 3 g, 6 K17 cm (227 ppiow).
get.

A PVC plastisol matrix material is prepared with the following formulation: PVC homopolymer shelf (molecular weight = 000 to lO)
100-order plasticizer
1i5 secondary plasticizer
15 Organotin stabilizer
2 Silica gel thickener
1 Relaxation tensile D measured using an Instron tensile tester 11! +1 value is 12.6 K17c
m (74 ppiow). Therefore, the ppio of the two reinforcing layers relative to the ppiow value of the matrix material is
The ratio of w values is D5'4:7 or 6.1:1.

The sum of the relaxation compression side lengths of the two-layer reinforcement material and the IJ material is 89.7 Ky/cr/1 (528 ppiow), and from the curve, the bending stiffness corresponding to this value is L9C
r++-Kg (LG 5 in-#1). In other words, a floor-covered structure with a basis weight of 2.5 to 9 layers m (4,6#1/yd”) has one reinforcing layer on the neutral bending surface of the resulting floor structure. 9 (L 6
51n-a) when made from the above material
, should have a critical buckling strain greater than OO1.

To prove this, floor-covered structures are experimentally fabricated using a high-speed air impingement furnace and a reversible roll coater. A layer of reinforcing material is placed on top of the matrix material and saturated, after which the composite is gelled in an oven at a temperature of 155° C. for 2 minutes. After cooling, a second layer of matrix material 0.18 cm (0.07 i'n) thick is applied to the surface of the gelled sample, and the composite structure is gelled for 2 minutes at 155 °C in an oven. be converted into A second layer of matrix material, Q.025 m thick, is added to the gelled matrix and a second reinforcement layer is placed in the wet plastisol and saturated. After saturation of the mantle, the composite structure was heated to 135
After gelling for 2 minutes at a temperature of °C.

Melt at 195°C for 2.5 minutes. After cooling, the molten composite structure is pressed between platens with a total temperature of 160°C to form a gauge (
Thickness) to 0.20 crn (0.08 in).

Pressure fc is maintained for 30 seconds and the basis weight is 2. II8 Kg/m
”(n, 58&/ya”)-tLteANs I/
Bending stiffness measured by A S TMD71i7 is 1
9 cm-Kg (L 65 in-9) of material was obtained.

To confirm its suitability, the sample was
, OO1 is placed on a piece of particle board having a dimension change of . The particle board was placed in the maximum expansion position and the composite of the sample and subfloor was simulated 100
The samples are mounted on particle board so that the urine samples undergo strain caused by subfloor movement when subjected to a 0 hour summer-winter seasonal change. The ability of a floor structure to accommodate an applied strain without buckling indicates that it has a critical buckling strain of O,OO1 or greater. That verification can also be done by using the measured basis weight 1 bending stiffness and relaxed compression siding values of the resulting floor structure and then calculating the critical buckling strain mathematically.

Example 2 This example shows the configuration of a floor structure employing an intermediate test structure.

An expandable polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastisol matrix having the following composition and a viscosity of 1000 cps is prepared in a known manner.

Ingredients PVC homopolymer resin with weight part dispersion grade, Mwt=105.000
56. O' 0 dispersion grade PVC homopolymer resin, Mwt=80.400
36. OO feldspar filler
18U Expected dimensional change is O, O
The following construction is prepared for use over a subfloor that is O15.

The target critical buckling strain of this floor structure is selected as Q, OOl 8. The predicted subfloor dimensional change Q, OO15 indicates that the subfloor is of moderate stability. Therefore, the sample contains 2.2 Kg/m” (n, 1 elt
t/Yd2). Using these data, create a Connor curve as shown in Example 1 (in this case, E is Q, 0O18, Q is 2.2 Kg/m",
M w and K are each 0 to 10. D (m −
Ky and O~1700 are varied between 9 layers m). From the obtained curve (Fig. 5), the bending stiffness is 01 and 10. li
The range of relaxation compression side value corresponding to Crn-Kg is 25
5 and 127.5 Kg/cm.

50% glass fiber and 50% polyester fiber I)
A reinforcement with a basis weight of 17.89 ply m” is chosen, the matrix material is as described above. The relaxed tensile stiffness value of the foamed matrix is 7.1 Kg/cm (u 2 ppiow)
- Reinforcement value is 38.6 Kg/cm (227 ppl
ow). Therefore, because two reinforcing layers are used.

The calculated sum of relaxed tensile stiffness values is 13 as shown below.
4.5 Kg/crn (496 ppiow): Matrix material 71 42 First reinforcement layer (R,) 58.6 227 Second reinforcement 1iij (Rz) 58.6 22
7 This value is calculated from the curve and ranges from 25.5 to 127.5
It is within the range of Kg/crn. Furthermore, the sum of the two reinforcing layers, 77.2 Kg/cm, is about 10 times greater than the measured value of the matrix material, 71, which is 97 cm (this is a desirable relationship).

The actual relaxed compression width of the composite structure is determined experimentally by fabricating test structures according to the following method.

A layer of matrix material 0.051 crn thick is applied onto the releasable carrier and one layer of reinforcement material is placed substantially planar over the wet surface. The reinforcing layer is saturated and the material is gelled at 138° C. for 1.5 minutes.

A second layer of Lastisol matrix material is applied over the gelled substrate to a thickness of 0.0711 crn. A second layer of reinforcement is placed in the wet plastisol and saturated, after which the material is gelled at 138° C. for L5 minutes. After the composite has cooled, a 0.05 Crn thick shell coating of plastisol is placed on top of the gelled surface. This complex is 13
Gelify for 15 minutes at 8°C to obtain a structure with a thickness of 0.19 cm. When melting at 216° C., one blowing agent is fully activated to expand the structure to a final thickness of 0.297 Crn.

This entire structure is shown in Figure 4, R1 and R1 in the figure are reinforcing layers,
And S, and S2 are the bottom surface and the top surface, respectively. The relaxed compression stiffness value of this structure was determined to be 9 L 5 Kp/crn (538 ppiow) compared to the expected relaxed tensile stiffness value of 81 Kg/cm ('496 ppiow).

In Fig. 5, the relaxation compression side value is 538 cities/in.
(91,5 Kg/cm) indicates that the bending stiffness of the final fabricated sample should be 3.31 n-ffi (3,8 cm-Ky). However, the bending stiffness of the test structure is O, B 1 in-#+(0,95 cm-
9), this value is much lower than the desired value, so a second composite is entirely prepared. The spacing between the reinforcing layers in this sample shown in FIG. 5 is widened to increase bending stiffness.

The following steps are essentially the same as those described above.

The layer of matrix material is 0025(7) on the releasable carrier.
Coated in thickness. A layer of reinforcing material R1 is then disposed substantially flat over the coated surface. When saturation is complete, the material gels for 1 minute at 138°C. After cooling, a layer of matrix material having a thickness of 0.127 Crn is applied onto the gelling material and gelling is performed by heating at 158° C. for 2 minutes. A fifth coating of plastisol of thickness Q, 038 Crn is then placed on the gelled surface, and a second layer of reinforcement R1 is placed on the wet plastisol. After saturation is complete,
The material is gelled to obtain a composite structure with a thickness of 0.19 crn.

The resulting structure is then melted at 216° C. to activate the blowing agent and expand the final structure to a thickness of 0.297 crn between S1 and 82. The measured bending stiffness of this structure was 79crn-Kp (3,291n-a).

As mentioned above, this structure has an expected dimensional change of o,
It is intended to be used over a subfloor of 5 g. To demonstrate this compatibility, a sample was placed on and attached to the subfloor in its maximum expansion position. When the urine sample-underlayment composite was subjected to a simulated 100 hour summer-winter seasonal change as shown in Example 1, it did not buckle and therefore it had a critical buckling greater than Q, 0015. Indicates that there is distortion.

The structural stability of this floor structure was determined by measuring the length of the sample, heating it for 6 hours at 82°C, recovering for 1 hour at 25°C and 50% relative humidity, and measuring its length again. Determined by The rate of change in length (structural stability) is -0
,02%. This is a desirable value indicating that the floor structure is dimensionally stable.

EXAMPLE The following additional structures were prepared to demonstrate the change in bending stiffness caused by varying the location of the reinforcement within the matrix. The structure of FIG. 6 is prepared in a single step identical to that described in Example 2, except that a 0.19(7) thick monolayer of plastisol is placed on top of the releasable carrier. The expansion results in a thickness of 0.299 crn between surfaces S1 and 82, and the measured bending stiffness of this structure is 0.50.
It was 9 (0,20 in-city) in Crn-.

R1 and R2 are Manville (Ma) with a basis weight of 20g7m".
A structure similar to that of FIG. 5 was prepared, except that a glass fiber mantra of 100 ml of carbon dioxide was used. 0
．． The structure when expanded to a thickness of 299- is 6.52
It had a bending stiffness of cm-Kg (5,661 na).

The structure of FIG. 7 is prepared by the method used to prepare the structure of FIG. 5 (Example 2), except that the material is not fully heated to expand the plastisol. The obtained non-foamed matrix had a thickness of 0.196 mm, and R1 and R2
The interval was 0.137 crn. The bending stiffness of this structure is 172 m-Kg (1,49 in-3),
The value obtained for the structure in Figure 5 is 3,79crn-Ky (3
, 291n-a).

When comparing the results obtained with these structures.

There are 2.3 general rules. First, the absence of two reinforcing layers results in extremely low bending stiffness values. Second, when comparing FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, as the distance between the reinforcing layers R1 and R2 increases, the bending stiffness increases. The same result is also obtained when replacing relatively lightweight reinforcement with heavier material. Finally, when comparing FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, the bending stiffness can vary depending on the amount of expansion of the matrix material.

Example 4 A structure similar to that of FIG. 5 of Example 2 is prepared, the difference between the two being the addition of a distinct wear layer of PVC plastisol on the top surface of the structure. This structure is shown in Figure 8 and is designed for use over a subfloor varying in size from O,OO15.

Therefore, the target critical buckling strain for this sample is o, oozg
It is. The basis weight of this sample is 2.5 Kg/m (4.7 a/yd) due to the weight increase due to the wear layer.

The contour curve obtained with these parameters as shown in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. From this curve, 27~l
51IKy/cm (160~790el!-1/in
), the range of the relaxation compression agent value is within the bending stiffness range of 0.
It can be seen that 9 (in-a) K can be passed between 1 and 10.11 CIn-. Relaxation tensile υ stiffness value of reinforcement layer is 9K
f/cm (227 #I/in), 7.1 Kf/cm (112 #I/in) for the matrix material and 17 Kg/cm (
10a-1/in) k, the sum of the relaxed tensile stiffness values for the proposed structure is 86 Kg/in
(506elPi/in).

The test structure was made essentially identical to that shown in Example 2 except that it included a wear layer. 1000 of this structure
Time relaxation compression agent value is 97 to 9/cWI (572pp
It is (Yow). The curve in FIG. 9 shows that the bending stiffness corresponding to this relaxed compressive agent is 3.9
). This value is fourfold to the value obtained for the structure described in FIG. 5, so the structure of FIG. 8 was prepared and the surface S.

A reinforcing layer of about 0.025 Crn (0.01 in) is placed on top and 0.025 Crn (0.01 in) below the surface $2. A reinforcing layer of O25crIT is placed. The bending stiffness of this structure is 3.9 c
When this structure was tested as described in Example 1, no buckling occurred.

Q. It has been shown that it is suitable for use over subfloors with dimensional changes of OO15. Furthermore, the structural stability measured as shown in Example 2 was 1006%, indicating that the structure was dimensionally stable.

Example 5 In this example, the side containing the wear layer is mechanically 0.0127 (1
) A sample identical to that prepared in Example 4 is made, except that the depth is embossed. The relaxed compaction density measured for this structure was 97Kqicm (5
72ppiow) compared to 93Kg/(7F+(
546 ppiow). No buckling occurred when this structure was tested in the conventional manner. This indicates that the predicted dimensional change is suitable for use over a 00.0015 subfloor. The structural stability was -0, O1I%.

Example 6 This example demonstrates the use of a reinforcement with a soluble binder where the properties of the reinforcement are altered in situ.

There is a need for a flooring structure for use on a subfloor that has a dimensional change of 0,002. Therefore, the basis weight is 3.3
Kg/CF& (6,0a/yd), the target critical buckling strain is O,OO26. Use these values for E and Q, respectively, and set the relaxation compression side K from 0 to l.
700Ky/crn (0~10,000 ppiow)
The bending stiffness MW was varied between 0 and 10. u
A contour curve as described above is created by varying cm − between 7 (0 and 9 in −81). From the curve (not shown), the range of applicable relaxation compression side values is 23 to 102 Ky/cr/T (155 to 600 ppi
ow). The matrix material used in Example 2 contained 4 parts by weight of butylbenzyl phthalate plasticizer and had a 51 Kf/on (306 h/i
Reinforcement material 5 obtained from Manville by selecting a matrix material having a relaxed tensile stiffness of n)
Used with AF50/2. The reinforcement has a measured relaxed tensile stiffness value of 598/cm (352 ppiow)
Therefore, the expected relaxation compression side length of a structure made of IJ Nox material with two reinforcing layers is 125 /
It has to be crn (734 ppiow). However, it is found that when the reinforcement is placed in a vinyl matrix it loses some of its stiffness contribution due to the softening of the reinforcement binder in the presence of plasticizers present in the plastisol.

M) A test structure consisting of two layers of reinforcing material on IJTx material is fabricated as follows. In order to promote the softening of the binder, the above-mentioned plastisol layer containing butyl benzyl phthalate was coated on the chrome steel to a thickness of ○o3gcrn, and 5AF
A layer of 50/2 reinforcement is placed on the wet plastisol. When the reinforcement is saturated, the material
Gel at 0.11°C for 1 minute and cool. Thereafter, a layer of plastisol approximately 0.114 crn thick is placed over the gelled material and gelled by heating at 2011° C. for L5 minutes. The gelled surface has a thickness of 0.0
Added 58m thick plastisol 5th layer, 5AF50
A second layer of /2 reinforcement is placed into the wet plastisol and saturated. The sample is then heated at 215° C. for 35 minutes to melt the product. The resulting structure is 0.33C
The structure had a thickness of rn and a measured basis weight of 3.2 Kg/m''. The measured relaxed compression sidewall values of this structure were 96 to 7/m.
It was 5 in Crn. This is significantly lower than the sum previously calculated for this structure. From the curve, the bending stiffness corresponding to the relaxation compression side value 96 and 9/Crn is 8.6 cm.
-Kg (7,51n-(ITh). The measured bending stiffness of the structure is a6 cm -Ks+ (7,51n-(ITh).
47tn-a).

The above values are within the expected range. Therefore, to determine its suitability, samples were subjected to a 1000 hour summer-winter heating season test as described above.

No buckling is observed and therefore it is suitable for use on subfloors with dimensional changes of Q, OO2. Structural stability is +00
It was 6%.

Example 7 This example shows that a reinforcement placed within a flooring structure can be improved by external means such that its relaxed compression profile and thus the relaxed compression profile and bending stiffness of the flooring structure are reduced.

Q,001 is required for the floor structure to be used on top of the subfloor, which has a dimensional change.The target critical buckling strain is Q,0015 since the basis weight is 163Kp/m"(30a/yd"). shall be. Draw a consoor curve in the usual way, and from that curve (Figure 10) the range of applicable relaxation compression side values is 264 to 131 Kg/Crn (155 to 77
0 ppiow).

The following materials were selected to fabricate the entire flooring structure.

PVC plastisol 5.1 30 1.5
5 2.85 These materials are used to make flooring structures with reinforcements of similar weight to the backing material. A plastisol coating Q, 038 crn thick is placed on a suitable releasable carrier and the plastisol is saturated with a reinforcement layer of S H-50/10. After saturation of this reinforcement,
The material gels for 1 minute at 138°C. On top of the gelled substrate, a second coating of the same plastisol composition f 0.
081 Crn thickness. A layer of 5H-20/1 reinforcement is placed on the top surface of the plastisol and saturated.

Then, it is melted at 218℃ and the final thickness of the structure is 'i0.3.
Inflate to 8Crn. Upon cooling and separation of the structure from the releasable carrier, L6Kp/m” (3, Oah/y
The basis weight of the structure was 221
K9/cm (1305ppiow) relaxed compression side and 6.3'4 Crn-9 (5,50in-#I
) showed the bending stiffness. From the above range, 221 to 9/
It is clear that the relaxed compressive bending stiffness of Crn is too high and that this structure does not exhibit the desired critical buckling strain.

In order to lower the relaxation compression side of this flooring structure, 5H
- The sample was inserted into the press inverted so that the surface in contact with the 50/10 reinforcement was facing up. A section of plastic material with oriented surfaces like a prism is arranged.

Pressure is applied to the floor structure and plastic to press the prismatic surface into the floor structure to the depth of the prismatic pattern, thereby disrupting the properties of the 5H-50/10 reinforcing layer. The relaxation compression side of the improved sample of the floor structure is 93Kg/
c”F7+ (5117ppiow) and the bending stiffness was 57 cm-Kg (3,21Crn-#I).The critical buckling strain of this structure was determined from the curve as O,OOl5,
Therefore, it shows that it is suitable for use on a subfloor with a dimensional change of about 0.001. Furthermore, the structural stability is −
0.06%, indicating that the structure is dimensionally stable.

Example 8 This example shows the fabrication of a flooring structure consisting of a wear layer, a decorative layer, expanded plastisol and reinforcement.

Q. I use particle board subflooring with OO25 dimension changes. Therefore, since the basis weight is 3.7 Kp/m, the target critical buckling strain of the flooring structure is O, O.
It shall be O36. The entire Consor curve was created in the usual way, and from the curve (Figure 11) the applicable compressive agent range was 15 mm to 71.11 K9/cm (90 mm to U2゜ppiow).
)It can be seen that it is.

The following components are used to create this floor covering 9 structure.

]) PVC [17100, 300560Ω25001 Decorative layer 6.1 36 1,77
3,270.1320.052 PVC foam layer
5.9 35 1.62 3. OOO, 2
5010IPCn2081-2 U9
227 0,017g 0.032750.
The foamable plastisol composition of Example 2 is coated on a 0.007 release carrier to a thickness of 0.025 Crn and the nonwoven reinforcing layer of Example 1 is placed on the surface of the plastisol and saturated. The material is then gelled at 138° C. for 1 minute and cooled to room temperature. A second layer of plastisol with a thickness of 0.088 cm was added to the surface of the gelled layer and heated at 218°C.
The foamable plastisol f is expanded to a thickness of 0.25 cm and cooled to room temperature. The basis weight of this composite material is i, 62
Kg/m”.

A one-component urethane composition film having a thickness of OO5Crn is placed on the cooled structure, and the film is then heated to 121° C. to evaporate the solvent. The urethane adhesive side is 10% by weight urethane block copolymer.

It consists of 88% by weight methyl ethyl ketone and 2% by weight licagel thickener.

The binder/chip cosmetic layer is prepared by cutting the filled PVC composition into fine particles and mixing the resulting chips with a binder composition to create a fine particulate material suitable for deposition using a stencil. The composition of the chip is as follows: Extrusion grade PVC homopolymer 10
0-order phthalate plasticizer 32
5 Epoxy type plasticizer 7
5 Zinc stearate 0
7 limestone 328
The binder/chip composition is a mixture of 1225 parts by weight of the chip composition, 250 parts of solution-polymerized PVC resin, 123 parts of a secondary plasticizer, 7.5 parts of an epoxy-type plasticizer, and 4.5 parts of a stabilizer. Prepare by

Mixing is carried out using a high-pressure mixer equipped with a wire whip, and the mixing time is about 5 minutes.

The 0.25 cm thick foam sample on the peelable carrier previously prepared is punched with a bottle roll that drills holes through the structure at 0.52 crn intervals. The cosmetic binder/chip composition is stenciled onto the perforated foam surface forming a layer approximately 0.216 crn thick. The basis weight of this layer is L 77 KV/m". A second reinforcing layer, identical to that used before, is placed on the surface of the stenciled layer and a perforated layer on a releasable carrier consisting of adhesive is placed. P
A VC wear layer is placed on top of the chip layer with the adhesive layer in contact with the reinforcing layer above. The entire structure is placed in a flat press in which the upper plate is heated to 146°C and the lower plate is water-cooled.

press? Close it and apply the makeup layer brushed with a stencil.
Apply minimum pressure for 8 seconds to solidify from 16(7) thickness to 0.1 to 2 crn thickness. Next, insert the press into the open position. Close the press for 8 seconds and close the structure to o, 04Cr
Apply enough pressure to emboss to n depths.

Next, the composite sample of K(- is removed from the press and cooled to room temperature, after which the upper and lower carrier layers are removed.

The relaxation compression agent strength of this composite structure is 61Kp/Crn (5
5II! ppiow) was measured. For this measurement: 6.5 cm -Kg (
It can be seen that a bending stiffness of 5,51n-i) is required. The measured value of this structure is 6.33 crn-Kp (5,5
0>r+-a), therefore there is no need to improve the structure.

To evaluate the sample, place the -f:1 in the environmental sample chamber.
000 hours, and then subjected to the summer-winter environmental changes as described above. As a result, no buckling occurs and the test results therefore indicate that the structure is suitable for use on subfloors varying in size from O, OO25.

Structures Comprising a Single Reinforcement Layer The following example illustrates a modification in which a singly reinforced floor structure is modified in situ.

A foam structure consisting of a single reinforcing layer and having a total thickness of 02IIIcrn is prepared using the expandable plastisol described in Example 2. A plastisol layer of approximately Q, o3 g-thickness is added to the release carrier, and a non-woven glass fiber-mantle gold having a basis weight of 359/m'' is embedded in the wet plastisol.

Next, 13 plastisols containing embedded glass mats were added.
Gel for 1 minute at 8°C. Once cooled, a 0.68 Crn thick layer of plastisol is placed on the gelled surface and the composite structure is melted at 221° C. for 25 minutes. The resulting structure has a basis weight of L5Kg/m". The bending strength of the bending material was measured to be 0.580tyH-Kg (03501n-6), and the softening compression agent was 182Kg/crn (107Kg/crn).
p i ow) was measured.

To demonstrate the suitability of this method, we arbitrarily choose a subfloor with a dimensional change of Q, 0013 and then a target critical buckling strain i0. By selecting oo15, the song IIi! make money E value is O, OO15, Q value f: 15Kg7m"
(15a/y♂) and the linear bending stiffness Mwff-0
~10,'4 cm-KgO, the relaxation compression agent K was O-1700Ky/cmc○-10,OOOp
15), a constant critical buckling strain curve is created (FIG. 15). From the curve, 03
80cm -Kg (0,5501r+-ai':s)
II5 K9/crn (
It can be seen that a relaxing compressive agent of 2115 ppiow is required. Therefore, the measured relaxed compression agent value is 1. l
If it is greater than 3 Kq/cm (245 ppiow), the modified structure will not meet the target critical buckling strain, and if the measured relaxed compression strain is less than or equal to this value, it will not meet the acceptable critical buckling strain. Buckling strain values are obtained.

The efficacy of this method can be seen in Examples 9-1, in which the control sample was modified in various ways. Modified ppiow (K
g/crn) values indicate that the improvement is sufficient to give a product with adequate critical buckling strain.

Example 9 This example shows a series of in-situ improvements made in a continuous pattern following the pattern shown in FIG.

In all cases, the squares are cut to the dimensions shown in the table below. The mortar line (the distance between the cut squares) is then formed to the dimensions shown.

The area of the squares in the table indicates the % of the total area separated from the continuous reinforcement by cutting. The measured bending stiffness and relaxation compression values for each modification are displayed.

The acceptability of each modification to provide the appropriate critical buckling strain is also indicated.

It is noted that despite rigorous improvements, the bending stiffness values tend to vary only slightly from the originally measured values.

This is true in almost all cases, and the target relaxation compression stiffness values initially calculated from the curve using the measured bending stiffness values are essentially the same. shows.

Example 11 This example shows the mechanical punching of a sample to internally interrupt the reinforcing layer. L27cr with a diameter of 0061Icrn
A wire grid arranged at n intervals is pressed into the sample using a flat press with sufficient pressure to disrupt the reinforcing layer. Splitting is demonstrated by taking a portion of the sample and dissolving the entire plastic material in tetrahydrofuran. Although the reinforcing layer was not completely separated into squares, there were only a few fibers connecting the squares. Relaxed compression side salmon 36Kg/c
m (2111 ppiow). Although these results are not as markedly improved as the hand-cut samples (eg, Example 10), they are quite acceptable.

Example 12 This example demonstrates external mechanical improvement using the prismatic surface described in Example 7. The prism surface is approximately 0.07
A piece of the sample is pressed to a depth of 6 Crn and dissolved in tetrapyrofuran to remove the polymeric material. Examination of the remaining glass fabric shows that it has been deformed (dented) by external modifications, but not cut. Relaxing compression agent height is 89 Kg/cm (52
4 ppiow).

This indicates that the sample does not have a suitable critical buckling strain.

The relaxed compressibility of the sample was found to be reduced by approximately 50% when compared to the unmodified control construction. This shows that the sample can be internally modified by compression without actually separating the reinforcing layer.

This is important because it shows that the entire encapsulated glass structure can be physically modified in situ without affecting its original structural form.

Example 13 This example describes an improved continuous pattern prepared according to the pattern shown in FIG. This pattern is symmetrical and distances C-C, D-D
and E-E are all 06Crn (%in). The measured relaxation compressive agent depth of this structure was 49Kf/cm (
287ppiow), and the target critical buckling strain is 0.
This indicates that sufficient improvements have been made to meet OO15'i. However, this result is quite desirable, especially when compared to the results obtained with structures modified in other ways.

The isolated area in this example is, for example, 41%.

The area of the isolated square of the sample cut according to Example 9B is 45%, and the relaxed compaction value of the sample is 68 Kg/cm ('+01 ppiow), which is less than that of the sample of Example 9. is u 9 K9/cm (287
ppiaw). Therefore, the improved continuous pattern in this example is superior.

The present invention is not limited to the matters described above.

It covers all changes and modifications contemplated by the claims.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1A and 1B are flow diagrams of the computer program used to calculate all of the consoor curves of the present invention. Figure 2 is the consoir curve of Example 1. Figure 5 shows the consoir curve of Example 2. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the structure shown in Example 2. Fifth
The figure is a sectional view of the structure shown in Example 2. FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the structure shown in the figure, for example. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the structure shown as an example. FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the structure shown in Example 4. FIG. 9 shows the contour curve of Example 4. FIG. 10 is the consoir curve of Example 7. FIG. 11 is the connur curve of Example 8. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a continuous improvement pattern. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of an improved continuous pattern. FIG. 111 is an explanatory diagram of a discontinuous pattern. Figure 15 shows a contour curve that can be applied to Examples 9-1. -:- #-5Eaj! l″Ix, KrLssitN no Beni&m
r4IIj, K (LBS//N)1-t4oLI
H#Is, gttas/1N)s, hssIllt,
K (LBS/IN) Continued from page 1 Priority claim @July 26, 1982■United States (US)■
400437 0 Inventor Zoril Lamar Senseni 363 Bursey Hill Road, Mountville, Pennsylvania, United States 0 Inventor James Earley Shudy 4 Box 224 Ephrata R. Day, Pennsylvania, United States of America

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] L. Selecting a target critical buckling strain of the elastic loose lay floor structure that is greater than the dimensional change of the underlay floor to be confirmed. selecting an approximate basis weight of the floor structure within a range of approximately L1 to 5,4 yd (2 to 106/yd); Change the bending stiffness value from about 0 to about 10.4 cm -Kg (0
~9in-#1), and the relaxation compression side value was changed from about 0 to about 1700 per unit length width to 7cm (0 to 1
0. 0OO#I/in) to draw a Connoir curve of the selected critical buckling strain for the selected basis weight. Approximately 0.1 cm -Kg (0,
1tn-#+) and about 10. n cm -Kg (9i
determining a range defined by the minimum and maximum relaxed compression lateral stiffness values corresponding to the bending stiffness values of n-#l), respectively; The matrix material and at least two layers of reinforcing material are selected such that the relaxation compression dimension value of the matrix material and the reinforcing material falls within the selected range, and the matrix material and the reinforcement material have the relaxation compression dimension value of the reinforcement material. selecting such that the sum of the values is not smaller than the sum of the relaxation compression side values of the matrix material. determining from said Connor curve a bending stiffness value that can be applied to the sum of relaxation and compression side values of said reinforcement and matrix material, whereby the measured bending stiffness of the floor structure obtained is determined as the bending stiffness corresponding to, at least one reinforcing layer is located on the neutral bending plane of the obtained floor structure,
When said reinforcing material layer is disposed within said matrix material such that at least one reinforcing layer is below said neutral bending plane, the critical buckling strain of the resulting floor structure is lower than the target critical buckling. of a resilient loose lay floor structure used over a subfloor with confirmed dimensional changes characterized by a strain equal to and greater than the strain due to the expected dimensional change of the subfloor. Design method. 2. Selecting the matrix material and at least one reinforcing material; 5. The bending stiffness of the elastic loose lay floor structure is about 0, 1 to 10.
．． 1 i cm -Kg (0,1 to 9 in-&), and at least one layer of reinforcement is on the neutral bending surface of the loose lay floor structure. is below the neutral bending surface, and arranging at least two reinforcing layers in the IJ tux material. The sum of the relaxed compression dimensions of the reinforcing material is not smaller than the relaxed compression dimensions of the matrix material, and the basis weight of the loose lay floor structure is about L1-5. '4 Ky/m" (2
-10a/ya”), and the method comprises a step of selecting a cross-section material and a reinforcing material according to a dimensional change in the subfloor whereby a critical buckling strain of the loose-lay floor structure is expected. A method for manufacturing an elastic loose lay floor structure used on a subfloor with confirmed dimensional changes.
having a basis weight of is above the neutral bending surface, and at least one other layer is located below the neutral bending surface, and the sum of the relaxation compression side dimensions of the reinforcing material is not less than the relaxation compression side dimension of the matrix material, and about 0. L ~10. '4Crn-Kg (0,1~9 i
Used over subfloors with confirmed dimensional changes, characterized by having a bending stiffness of 100% and a critical buckling strain greater than the expected strain due to dimensional changes in the subfloor. Elastic loose lay floor structure. has a basis weight of approximately L1~5,4~/g (2~10 sides/yd) and has at least two layers of reinforcing material disposed within the matrix material, at least one layer of the reinforcing material being loose.・The neutral bending surface of the lay floor structure is above the V, and at least one layer of the reinforcing material is below the neutral bending surface, about 10,
An underlayment with a confirmed dimensional change due to a bending failure greater than 4 cm (91n-plane), or a critical buckling strain greater than the confirmed dimensional change of the underlayment, or both. A method for treating elastic loose lay floor structures unsuitable for use as loose lay floor structures on floors. The bending stiffness of the obtained floor structure is approximately 0.1 to 10.4 c.
m-Kg (0,1 to 91 n-i), and the above-mentioned method is applied so that the critical buckling strain of the obtained floor structure is υ larger than the dimensional change of the subfloor confirmed above. A method of treating a loose lay floor structure in which at least one of the reinforcing layers is external. 2. Selecting a flooring structure that has a single reinforcing layer and has a critical buckling strain that is smaller than the dimensional change of the subfloor. The method comprises the step of modifying the flooring structure in-situ so that the critical buckling strain is greater than the dimensional change in the subfloor. A method of manufacturing a flooring structure consisting of a single reinforcement layer and suitably accommodating the movement of a subfloor undergoing observed dimensional changes. 6. A flooring structure consisting of a single reinforcing layer, adequately accommodating the movement of a subfloor undergoing observed dimensional changes, and having a critical buckling strain that is small in response to dimensional changes in said subfloor? A flooring structure obtained by being modified in situ to have a critical buckling strain greater than the dimensional change of said subfloor.