SK161694A3 - Carpet construction and method of its manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

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

Description

Layered carpet and process for its manufacture

Technical field

The invention relates to a new carpet construction, and in particular to a carpet for use with installation hooks and loops.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,658, it has been found that it is possible to produce a new carpet which is housed, such as for a carpet floor covering, using a hook and loop system. The carpet of the present invention, in a preferred embodiment, is made with a bottom surface in a loop covered with a loop and is installed with an additional tape containing hooks that are temporarily covered. The tapes are placed on the floor along the edges at intervals corresponding to the width of the carpet or when additional floor fastening is required. The tapes are covered to prevent them from sticking to the loops prematurely when placing, cutting or matching the carpet. After the tape cover is removed, the hooks and the carpet are exposed to the floor.

This patent also discloses the possibility of attaching a foam layer between a base layer comprising carpet stitching and the actual loop backing.

The foregoing patent 4,822,658 shows a carpet with a foam insert layer. By direct layering (1 amination) the carpet construction shown in patent 4,822,658 can be achieved. In such a process, the bottom loop layer is applied to the foam, the foam being formed on the layer to cure on the back (bottom) surface of the carpet, resulting in attachment lining the lining to the upper quilted carpet layer.

The basic disadvantage of this arrangement is that the unfinished carpet must have been brought to the penny in order to be laminated on the foaming line or, alternatively, the carpet manufacturer has to invest in a foaming machine for its plant.

Furthermore, there is considerable pressure on the foam used when it is directly attached to the carpet. Without a cover layer which provides the foam with a certain dimensional stability, the non-reinforced foam can easily be sheared, torn or peeled from the carpet.

In addition, in many applications it would be highly desirable if a low density foam could be used. However, when using this method of directly applying foam to the carpet base layer, a higher density foam is normally required to provide sufficient foam stability.

Some carpet has a backing as a polypropylene or jute backing over the bottom of the carpet. Attaching the foam directly to such a substrate could reduce the pressure on the foam, but attempts to achieve this will also cause guns to create problems between the foam and the action substrate.

Finally, this application of foam directly to the carpet base layer in-in-normal normally requires that any covering layer or loop backing be placed on the foam when the foam solidifies, which may present other disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention attempts to provide an improved carpet construction comprising an intermediate foam layer and a loop backing.

It has been found that this can be achieved by making a foam layer with a fabric covering layer on both sides of this layer (a looped backing layer) and then attaching the foam sandwich to the carpet backing using traditional methods. The foam sandwich can be secured to the pile layer of the carpet simultaneously and with the same material that binds and seals the pile layer of the carpet, i. in linc - directly or a foam sandwich can be made, stored and attached in a subsequent step to the carpet that was. previously impregnated with binder.

This improvement allows the production of a carpet containing the loop backing by existing machinery so that an already existing, previously manufactured foam layer can be bonded to the underside of the carpet by a binder or adhesive using the currently available traditional carpet making machine.

Furthermore, the different thicknesses or dimensions of the foam s1 may be left by the carpet manufacturer for later connection to the different pile layers of the carpet as desired.

The fabric cover placed on both sides of the foam layer already made can also increase the dimensional stability of the foam so that a lower density foam can be used, and also allows, in a preferred embodiment, the use of a foam not directly formed as a flat (plate) foam.

The fabric is preferable to a chemical or polymeric liner because it can impart dimensional stability to the foam while providing the foam with some flexibility and protection from tearing and breaking.

Further, in a preferred embodiment, the top surface of the fabric sheath is a fabric that may have a rough outer surface, such as a pile or loop fabric, with the erect upright. hair, which improves adhesion to the carpet base.

Although the fabric covering layer may be placed on the foam by traditional methods, it is preferable, in a preferred embodiment, to place the covering layer on the foam surface after it has been formed. This prevents the foam from penetrating into the fabric cover layer, which is usually not desirable, especially with respect to the bottom cover layer of the foam layer, which other loops needed to secure the carpet to the floor.

Thus, in one aspect, the present invention consists of a laminated carpet for fastening to a floor without a separate backing consisting of (i) a base layer with pile elements substantially covering, a first side of the base layer, (ii) a foam layer with a first fabric covering layer on the top (iii) means for securing the first and second cover layers to the foam layer; and (iv) means for securing the top surface of the first cover layer of the foam layer to the base layer so as to boil the top and bottom loops of the layer. . if hair elements and loops are exposed on adjacent carpet faces.

In another aspect, the invention comprises a carpet consisting of a base layer with hair elements stitched through and substantially covering the first side of the base layer, a foam layer with a first fabric covering covering the hair protruding from the top surface of the layer and a second fabric covering covering the loop at the bottom surface of the layer and adhesive means for securing the first fabric foam layer of the jacket to the base layer so that the protruding hair of the top surface of the first layer and the stitches passing through the base layer are joined, and uncover on adjacent effective surfaces of carpet lamination (layering).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments of the invention are described without reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a laminate carpet of the present invention prior to installing the foam layer on a carpet backing; and

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of this preferred carpet embodiment in which the foam layer and the carpet backing have been glued together.

In an embodiment of the invention

The fat as shown in the drawings, Figure 1 shows a traditional carpet backing 1 made of polypropylcene or other traditional base layer material which comprises yarn 3 drawn through the backing to form quilted bundles 5.

Foam layer 7 is shown. Such a chemical layer may be made by any traditional method such as chemical blowing, foam or pre-fabricated or any other method that provides the necessary flexibility, shear strength and tensile strength. In a preferred embodiment, the loop woven or nonwoven fabric cover layer is bonded to the foam after manufacture by using adhesives, flame lamination or ultrasound, or by any other means that provides satisfactory peel-delamination strength without excessive penetration into the loop fabric cover. maintains a high degree of flexibility.

In some cases, however, it is possible, although usually not more advantageous, to place the cover layer 9 on the foam as it is formed. or solidification. In this case, the benefits of controlling the height and non-penetration of the liner are not equal to the construction of the carpet in which the foam was first formed, but there will still be advantages gained from the separate liner and foam production as previously described.

Placing the cover layer 6 on the foam layer 7 before it solidifies has the disadvantage that the loop fabric is sometimes infiltrated to an extent that is not advantageous and a board (cardboard) effect can be produced when the foam hardens around and in the loop fabric.

The infiltration that occurs can also destroy or prevent all or some of the loops from performing their function for which they were intended, due to the loss of directed movement. Furthermore, this direct lamination method reduces the ability to reduce the weight of the loop fabric by opening the height. Opening the height to reduce the weight of the loop fabric may cause further penetration of the liquid foam, which could cause leakage of the liquid foam to the other side of the loop fabric, thereby excluding the use of some or all of the teachings.

It is preferred that the loop layer retains its ability to extend in length and width. A more open height and less penetration of the foam into the loop layer may allow the loop layer to yield. This allows the finished carpet product with its pasted foam layer to be lighter and more flexible to roll.

(i) In addition, the direct method of applying foam to the carpet yarns does not produce the most effective form of foam height control. Since direct lainineas require the production of foam while adhering to the bottom of the carpet, it is difficult to control the exact foam thickness or height during process.

Nevertheless, the basic advantages of the invention can be achieved by double-sided covering the foam as described for some manufacturers, with their existing machine equipment, it may be easier to attach this cover layer when the foam solidifies, regardless of other disadvantages.

Preferably, the loop fabric 11 is a closed loop fabric, whereby the loops are firmly seated in the mesh substrate either by the adhesive used to attach the substrate to the foam, the form of the mesh material being used, or (in a disadvantageous arrangement) penetrating the foam into the fabric. It has been found that for the correct degree of closed loop in the fabric, the ideal knitted fabric, in particular a warp or tricot knit. Such warp or tricot fabric is most preferably used for both loop layers, but woven or other material may also be used. The term fabric means any woven, nonwoven, pressed material of marine or man-made fibers.

The loop layers 9 u ϋ need not be of the same material or strength. The loop layer 9 is less critical and is preferably comprised of loops or upright pile to assist adhesion to the substrate 5. Multiple cover layers would be advantageous if they have the desired strength, flexibility and ability to adhere to the foam.

As mentioned above, the top loop cover layer 9 is most advantageous when it is formed by a knitted or non-closed loop material, but may also be formed by a fabric having an upright pile (yarn) rather than loops such as other inhaled materials. or felt or other types of loop fabric in which the loops are not firmly secured in place. It is believed that the upright pile fills the carpet base layer and aids in adhering the foam layer to the carpet base layer. Normally, the carpet will have a polypropylene backing, but the invention would work equally well with a non-resolved backing carpet in which the warp and fabric of the carpet form a base layer.

According to the arrangement of Figure 1, the foam material can be transported and stored after double-sided, loop fabric, in a simpler manner than with uncoated foam. Uncoated foam is easily torn and dirty and is not suitable for handling, transport and storage. In addition, the loop cover layer on both sides of the foam provides the foam with a significantly increased shear and tensile strength while maintaining or possibly even improving the natural flexibility of the foam.

The preferred construction utilizes flat (plate) foam, since height or thickness control is easier with flat foam than with other foam production methods.

Figure 2 shows a carpet with foam installed on a carpet backing. The foam can be installed using traditional methods using any binder or adhesive 11. If a loop fabric is used, it is most preferred that the adhesive is infiltrated and the L 9 sier mat and the carpet stitching 5 are joined together.

This adhesive can be used with traditional carpet making machinery either by a simple system in which the binder used is embedded (encapsulated), stitched and secondary backed lamination of the already produced covered foam layer, or at the end of the line or independent system for additional lamination, which is a traditional base with stitched yarn reinforced by lightly applying (for example, roller coating) an adhesive binder to a laminate of an already manufactured flat foam sandwich. The resulting product may have increased dimensional stability, improved stitching, and greater flexibility.

The carpet can be made in the form of coverings or in rolls for full-area installation. However, the invention finds its greatest benefit in large-area installations, where the dimensional stability of long carpet sections is a major difficulty of the major lining.

and installation

Claims (18)

PATENT CLAIMS A laminated carpet for anchoring to a floor without a separate substrate, characterized in that it consists of: (i) a base layer with pile elements substantially covering a first side of the base layer, (ii) a foam layer with a first fabric cover layer on top of the layer and a second fabric cover layer with loops exposed on the bottom surface of the layer, (iii) means for securing the first and a second liner to the foam layer, (iv) means for securing the top surface of the first liner layer to the base layer to expose the pile elements and loops on respective carpet fronts. Carpet according to claim 1, characterized in that the exposed loops substantially cover the bottom surface of the foam layer. The carpet of claim 2, wherein the exposed loops of the second cover layer are enclosed in the cover fabric. The carpet of claim 3, wherein the second cover layer is a knitted fabric. The carpet of claim 3, wherein the second cover layer is a woven fabric. Ilo Ilo -C (4 - 10 - The carpet of claim 3, v y from us j ú e i sa in that the first cover layer is a cloth with exposed straight hair. The carpet of claim 6, v y from us j ú e i sa characterized in that the first cover layer is secured to the base layer by means of an adhesive substantially applied over the entire surface of the second side of the base layer and infiltrated into the upright pile of the first cover layer. 8. Carpets according to claim 7, characterized in that the upright pile of the first cover layer is loops enclosed in the cover fabric. The carpet of claim 2, wherein the loops of the second cover layer are enclosed in the foam layer during the foam solidification. The carpet of claim 9, wherein the first cover layer has exposed loops extending upwardly from its play surface, and such loops are bound to the cover surface and sealed by the foam layer during foam leaching. 11. A carpet according to claim 2, wherein the carpet is made of substantially uniform cross-section so that it can be cut and adapted in the form of a full-area carpet covering. The carpet of claim 3, wherein the fabric cover layers are secured to the foam surface without substantially penetrating the foam into the fabric. The carpet of claim 12, wherein the foam layer is a preformed flat foam. i 'j Ib'lb ^f < - 11 14. The carpet of claim 12, wherein the foam layer is chemically blown. 15. Laminated carpet for fixing to the floor, characterized by consisting of: (i) a base layer with hair elements stitched into and through the layer and substantially covering the first side of the base layer; (i.i) a foam layer having a first exposed fabric covering layer extending from the top surface of the layer 17 and a second exposed fabric covering layer on the bottom surface of the layer; (iii) adhesive means for bonding the first fabric covering layer of the foam layer to the base layer such that the exposed pile of the top surface of the first cover layer and the stitching passing through the base layer are joined together so that the pile elements and loops of the bottom surface of the foam layer are exposed on opposite faces of carpet lamination. 16. The carpet of claim 15, wherein the loops are enclosed in a second cover fabric. The carpet of claim 16, wherein the second cover layer is adhered to the surface of the foam layer without substantially penetrating the foam into the second cover layer. 18. The carpet of claim 17, wherein the first cover layer is adhered to the surface of the foam layer without substantially penetrating the foam into the first cover sheet. ·. U 4b 4b -'f - 12 19. A method of making a laminate carpet, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: (.i.) producing a foamed sandwich with a foam layer in the middle and two outer fabric covering layers, of which at least one other cord is substantially on its surface, (ii) producing a carpet pile layer with exposed carpet tail on one surface, (iii) ) attaching the foam sandwich to the pile layer so that the carpet pile and loops are exposed on opposite carpet end faces. 20. The method of claim 19, comprising the additional step of first solidifying the foam prior to joining the cover layers to prevent substantial penetration of the foam into the fabric cover layers.