Carpet tiles and systems and methods of making same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021032808-A1
Application number	US-202017068108-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 12, 2020
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Feb 4, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A carpet tile having a greige good, an adhesive layer, and a secondary backing material. The greige good has a primary backing component and a plurality of fibers attached to the primary backing component. The adhesive layer has an adhesive composition and a reinforcement material that is at least partially embedded within the adhesive composition. The adhesive layer is applied to a back surface of the primary backing component. The secondary backing material is adhered to the primary backing component by contact with a portion of the adhesive composition that flows through the reinforcement material. The reinforcement material and the secondary backing material are co-laminated onto the adhesive composition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of making a carpet tile, comprising:
(a) extruding an adhesive composition onto a back surface of a primary backing component of a greige good, the greige good further comprising a plurality of fibers attached to the primary backing component and extending from a face surface of the primary backing component; and (b) co-laminating a reinforcement material and a secondary backing material onto the adhesive composition, wherein the reinforcement material has an open structure and opposed first and second sides that are spaced apart relative to a vertical axis; (c) allowing the adhesive composition to flow through the reinforcement material from the first side of the reinforcement material to the second side of the reinforcement material such that the adhesive composition on the second side of the reinforcement material contacts the secondary backing material; and (d) cooling the adhesive composition to define an adhesive layer in which the reinforcement material is at least partially embedded within the adhesive composition, wherein the secondary backing material is adhered to the primary backing component by contact with the adhesive composition of the adhesive layer.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, following cooling of the adhesive composition, cutting the greige good, the adhesive layer, and the secondary backing material to form the carpet tile.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the greige good is provided at a first width greater than a width of the carpet tile, the method further comprising, following cooling of the adhesive composition:
cutting the greige good, the adhesive layer, and the secondary backing material to a second width that is less than the first width; positioning a portion of the greige good, the adhesive layer, and the secondary backing material having the second width within a cutting machine configured to receive material having the second width; and operating the cutting machine to form the carpet tile from the portion of the greige good, the adhesive layer, and the secondary backing material within the cutting machine.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first width is about 12 feet, and wherein the second width is about 6 feet.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive composition is the only portion of the carpet tile that is extruded, and wherein the method does not comprise any additional extrusion steps.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers comprises a polyamide, an olefin, a polyester, or combinations thereof.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers are present in yarn.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the plurality of fibers are exposed at the back surface of the primary backing component.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying a precoat layer between the back surface of the primary backing component and the adhesive layer, wherein the precoat layer at least partially encapsulates the plurality of fibers of the greige good.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the precoat layer comprises latex.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the precoat layer comprises an acrylic material.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the precoat layer is provided at a coating weight ranging from about 10 to about 25 ounces/sq. yard.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive composition comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the adhesive composition is provided at a coating weight ranging from about 8 to about 30 ounces/sq. yard.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the adhesive composition comprises filler in an amount ranging from about 0% to about 80% by weight of the adhesive composition.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement material of the adhesive layer comprises a fiberglass scrim.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the secondary backing material comprises a non-woven material.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the non-woven material comprises a fleece material.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the secondary backing material comprises polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, or combinations thereof.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the secondary backing material is needle-punched.

21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the secondary backing comprises a PET or polypropylene needlebond pad.

Assignees

• Columbia Insurance Co

Inventors

• Segars Jeffery Wayne
• Suhm Jill Glascock
• Davis Joseph K
• Main Jr William

Classifications

• B32B2309/10

  linear, e.g. length, distance, width · CPC title

• B32B2305/30

  Fillers, e.g. particles, powders, beads, flakes, spheres, chips · CPC title

• B32B2305/28

  in the form of a mat · CPC title

• B32B2305/20

  in the form of a non-woven mat · CPC title

• B32B2305/10

  Fibres of continuous length · CPC title