CA2122033A1

CA2122033A1 - Method for producing tufted and bonded carpet material and the carpet so produced

Info

Publication number: CA2122033A1
Application number: CA002122033A
Authority: CA
Inventors: C. Edward Terry; Richard Fuller; Michael A. Howe; Stacey Stillwell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Interface Inc
Priority date: 1991-10-25
Filing date: 1992-10-22
Publication date: 1993-04-29
Also published as: BR9206672A; EP0609385A1; WO1993007790A1; MX9206140A; AU2933992A; JPH06510457A

Abstract

A method for the combined preparation of a tufted and a bonded carpet material which method comprises bonding the top surface of a fibrous, tufted face surface of the tufted carpet material to a layer of an adhesive material secured to a backing layer to form a sandwich-type material, and splitting the sandwich-type material to provide for tufted carpet material and a bonded carpet material, each having a severed, fibrous face wear surface.

Description

W(~ 9~/077g0 P(~ JS~2~09148 ~1--DESCRIPTION
2122~)~3 Method for Producing Tufted and Bonded Carpet Ma~erial and the Carpet So Produced Backqround_ of the Invention 5Carpet material used as a surface covering generally c:omprises a tufted carpet material known as tufted greige goods, or a bonded carpet material, such as a ~usion-bonded carpet material. Greige carpet comprises an uncolored or precolored yarn tuf ted into a primary backing sheet (not precoated). Carpet tiles are usually prepared by bonding a backing to either the tufted carpet material or the fusion-bonded carpet tile material. ~ :
Tufted carpet material is typically~ prepared by employing yarns together with a primary backing sh~eet and sending ~he material through one or more tufting machines, such as for example, a tufting machine to provide for the desirable .tufting:to produce:~ a~ cut pile~ loop pile or combination thereof. The tufted greige carpet material ma~ then be prec:oclted on the back surface, such as~ typlcally by::carboxylated~ styrene-bu~adiene lakex ~ : pr~coat ~to:secure the tufted c~arpet to the primary backing: sheet.
: ~ ~Generally,: tufted greige carpet material is tufted~
: in a~ range~of about 12 to 7:0 ounces o~ fiber ~per~:square :
;~ 25 yard,~ for example from:~ about 16 to 32 ounces per~square yard, ~nd the :~yarn~may~bé of :natural or synthetic material ; and typical~ly may`be a precoIored or a white yarn. Tufted~
carpet ~materlal is desirable Ln ~ that graphics~ ~or:other :: pat~erns can ~be formed on the~ fibrous;face:sur~ace~e~lther during the: original~ tufting operation or~by an~overt~u~tinq~ ;
` opers~l~n, to provide: f~or design capabilities~:to the tufted :carpet :material.:~ The tufted~ product :~;~f~or example :made : ~ with~ a white:or~ light-colored:yarn~can~also be continuously .~ :dyed or printed to provide for ~a~ desirable ~psttern or ~ 35 design theraon.

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W093/077gO 2 1 2 2 0 3 3 -2- PCT/US92/09148 sonded or fusion-bonded carpet material provides for a very high density wear surface at a low cost and comprises the insertion of fibrous yarns into an adhesive layer secured to a backing sheet material. Fusion~bonded or bonded carpet material is generally prepared either from folded yarn insertion, resulting in a "U" tuft, or cut yarn insertion, resulting in an "I" tuft, wherein a non-woven, glass fiber fleece material and a woven material, such as a glass scrim material, are generally coated with an adhesive layer material, but typically comprising a PVC compound, a hot-melt adhesive-type material or a water-based adhesive.
In one embodiment, a p}eater bar pleats yarn materials and the one surface of the pleated fibrous material is inserted into the PVC layer which is then heated to fuse the PVC layer. The process is repeated to insert the other surface of the pleated yarn material into a thermoplastic layerj heated and then to spli~ the layer of fibrous material to produce two rolls of fusion-bonded 2 b carpet, each having~ a cut r fibrous face wear surf ace .
: Fusion-bonded carpet may also be formed by a vertical : technique wherein the pleated yarn has an adhesive layer and backing material on each side, and is passed t~rough a pair of vertica~l heaters and then split. In an~ther ~5 technique, the~;yarn may merely be inserted at one end into the adhesive layex material to form a fusion-bonded carpet material. ~ ~
Fusion-bonded carpet material is characterized by toughness and:: hiyh fiber density. However, the , fusion-bonded processes:do not permit design flexibility in ~providing for a pattern or design on the fibrous face wear su~face ~ of ~the fusion-bo~ded carpet material.
Typically, design surfaces are printed onto the fibrous face surface of the fusion-~onded ~arpet material, which is not wholly desirable.
I~ is desirable to provide for a new and improved method of producing a comhined tufted and ~usion bond~d carpet material, particularly a carpet material having SUBS~lT(Jl~ SHEE~

a tufted design pattern on the face wear surface therPof, which new method is more efficient and provides for greater capabllity to turn out unique tufted products at a high speed operation with cost savings. The resulting tufted and fusion-bonded carpet material may be usefully employed by applyi~g a backing layer to the tufted or fusion-bonded carpet material, which could optionally be cut into tiles.
Summary of the Invention The invention ls concerned wlth a method for the ~0 combined prepara~ion of a tufted and bonded carpet material and to the tu$ted and bonded carpet material produced therefrom. In particular, the invention is directed to a method for the combined preparation of a tufted and a fusion-bonded carpet material havi~ng a design pattern on each of the fibrous~face~su~rfaces and to the carpet and carpet tile materlal produced thereby.
A method for ~the~ combined pr~eparation of a tufted and a bonded carpet material has been discovered which me~thod comprlses bonding the fibrous t~fted face surface of a tufted carpet material~to a layer of an adhesiv~e~material se~aured to a backlng 2-0 ~ayer to f~rm a sandwich-type mate~rlal, and~there;after splitting~
the~fibrous tufted layer of~ehe sandwlch-type materlal to~provide for separate~ufted carpe~t material~and fusion-bonded~carpet ;;~ material, each of which carpet materials has a~;separate, fibrou5, split`~faae wear surface. ~ ;~
According~to the present invention there is prov~lded a~
method for the preparatlon of a tufted carpet material and an adhesive-bonded carpet material, each;having the~same face surface ~esign pattern, whlch~ethod comprisss:~al providing a fi~rst :; : : :

3a 26720-118 tufted carpet material which comprises a primary backing sheet having a plurality of tufted fibers through the primary backing sheet to form a tufted layer having a tufted face wear surface and a fibrous back surface which has an overtufted face surface of the first tufted carpet material with a plurality of tufted fibers which extend through the tufted layer and through the primary backing sheet to form an overtufted face wear surface having a top surface with a pre~elected design pattern thereon, the said desi~n pattern for~ed by a plurality o$ tufted:fiber~ of~different .10 colors; b) providing a backing layer having a layer of adhesive mater~al thereon; c) bondlng the ~ufted:~ace waar surface and the overtufted face wear surface to the layer of the adhesive material to for~ a sandwich material; and d):splitting the sandwich material to form: i) an adhesive-bonded~carpet:material:having a backing layer with a back sur$ace and a :layer of:adhesive thereon :
and:a plura~lity of fibers in ~the adhe~siv~e~ laye~r and~having:a face wear, generally :flat:top surface~of~split, tufte~d and ovértu~ted fibers~wlth~the preselected colo~r~de~sign thereon;:and ll~ a~second tufted carpet~materlal~whlch~:comp;rlse~s~the;primary~backlng~sheet~
~20 ~ ~ith a fibr:ous back:~surface~and:a~plur~ality of:~tufted~:fibers~
extending~through the~prlmary~backing~sheet and having a~spllt~
fib rou;s ~ace~we~ar,~;ge~e~rally ~l~at~:top 5U rface;with the pre~sele:cted -~ color desig~lthe:reon.
;The me~thod ls~particu~larly~adapted~o~r~ the combined~
pre~para~ion ~f a~tufted:and a fus~ion-bonded:carpet~material: :;
whereln a;pre~ele:Gted~design~, imparted~to the ~tufted~carpet :
material:can then~be;:~imparted to the~fusion~-bonded carpet.
Generally,:w~here:the~ tu~te~d carpet greige:gooùs mate:rial employed :~

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3b 26720-118 in the process has been tufted to a particular design or overtufted t~ a particular design, ~he method and the resulting carpet ma.terial of the method overcomes many disadvantages of the prior art in connection with preparing pattern or design fusion-bonded carpet material. :

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W~93/07790 PCT/USgt/0~148 2 122~3~ ~4~
The method of the invention employs a tufted carpe~
material as one layer of a sandwich-type carpet material, and particularly a tufted carpet material, such as a carpet greige material or a precoated material, which has been tu~ed in a particular design or pattern, or even more particularly, overtufted in a particular design, and which design or pattern is desired to be imparted to the other part of the sandwich-type carpet material, to wit, to the fusion-bonded carpet material. The method overcomes th~ disadvantages associated with imprinting a design or pattern on the fibrous face surface of fusion~
~onded carpets, and permits the preparation of fusion-bonded carpets with a wide variety and capability for unique designs or patterns on the face wear surface thereto.
In addition, in the preparation of conventional ~usion-bonded carpet material, either in the U-bo~d process :
where the yarn is placed in a corrugated form prior to being inserted~ into a thermoplastic adhesi~e layer, or in the I-bond process where the~;ends ~of t~he ~fiber are implanted into an adhes`ive' ~layer, the pleating and insertion steps~of the~ process ~are relatively slow speed , steps which ~limit~ the~ ~efficient ~production of `the fusion-bonded carpet~materia~ The~emp~oymen~t~of~ tufted, e.g. grelge ~goods,~ carpet ~materlal in a~fusion-bondlng process in~place~of the~corrugated, that is~, the U-bond ; or I-bond insertion,~permits~a~much higher ~speed op~eration together~ with~ the ~asso~iated~co~st savings of~such~a manufacturing operation. Thus, the~method o~f the~invention provides~for~ the~ preparation~ of ~both;~a~ tufted~ ~: and a ;
fusion-bonded unique ~carpet material in ~a high speed,~
i cost-effisient operation and provides~unique~ design ~or ; pattern~ ~capabilitles for ~ the resulting~fusion-bonded carpet material.
~ The~ tu~ted~ carpet ~materia1 ~employed ~in~ the~method~
may comprise~ tufted~ carpet~ material ~ :uRua~lly produced by tufting yarns; through~a~prlmary backing sheet to~form a ~tufted or ~overtufted carpet with ;or without a design :: ~ :
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W0~3/0779~ 2 1 2 2 0 3 3 ~CT/US92/09148 or pattexn on the tufted face wear surface~ The tufted carpet may be cut, loop or a combination thereof pile on the fibrous face wear surface, and optionally may be precoated in order to secure the stitches to the primary backing employing an adhesive precoat such as by the use of a carboxylated styrene-butadiene latex composition, or other type of latex or adhesive composition. The selected precoat composition should be compatible with the par~icular type of carpet backing layer to be employed on the tufted carpet material, e.g. if used for carpet.
tile, for example an ethylene vinyl acetate precoat latex material, where the backing layer would be composed of a vinyl resin, like polyvinyl chloride.~
In the method of t~e lnvention, a layer of adhesive material is placed onto the sur~ace of a mesh material, typically a glass scrim, adjacent to a non-woven glass fleece material, and then the top surface of: the fibrous tu~ted sheet material inserted into the adhesive material layer. The adh~sive layer~may be composed for example of a ~PVC plastisol which forms~a ~viseous~layer~into~:which the~closed loop or open~ends~of :the fibrou~s ~ufted~face surface of: the tufte:d carpet material are inserted a ~: sh~rt distance~, e.g. 25% to 75~ o~ the depth~of the layer, and~then the ~lay~r~ heated to gel and fuse~the vinyl r~sin.
: 25~ ~ Where~ a thPrmoplastic~ hot-melt ~ adhesive : material is employed, e.g. modlfied~ ethylene~ vinyl acetate,~then~
the hot-melt::;adhesive ~material ls:~heated~to~ form~a~layer,~
~and :after insertion:~ of~::the ~fibrous~:face~:surface of the~
tuf~ed carpet therein, the~:hot: melt:adhesive material ~; 30; is ~hen cooled to solidify the material to:form the bonded, sandwiah carpet material.
In I anothe~ embodiment, the fusion-bonded carpet materiai may~be prepared by~the employment~ of ~a layer o~a ~woven, synthetic fibrous screen-type:mesh::material, such~as ~a ~relatively~closely~woven ~polyester~ material,~
~adjao~nt~to ~a~:~non-woven glass: fleece ~material, which is~then ooated not with a thermoplastic vinyl or hot-melt : adhesive~ material t but rather with a polymeric latex :

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W093J077~0 PCT/US92/09148 2 1 2 2 0~ 6 composition, such as an ethylene vinyl acetate latex composition, subsequently heated and split to form a fusion-bonded carpet having a backing layer of a non-woven glass ~iber tissue sheet laminated to a closely woven, 5 screen-type polyester material and to a polymeric latex layer ~o which the fibrous face surface of the tufted fibrous face carpet has been inserted prior to heating.
After the prepaxation of the sandwich-type carpet material, the sandwich-type carpet material is severed, such as by the employment of a continuous band knife, for example, where a horizontal bonding process is employed or by an oscillating blade, more particula.rly where a vertic:al ~onding process is emp? oyed, se~rering generally intermediate the tufted yarn across the plane or cross section of the fibrous tufted layer~ The resulting method prvvides for a fusion-bonded carpet having a severed or split fibrous face wear surface and with any design pattern imparted by the tufted fibrous face surface of the tuf~ed carpet material, and a pxecoated (optional~
tuf~ed carpet material having a cut fibrous fa`ce surface, either of the "U"-bond yarns or "I"-bond yarns, depending upon whether the tufted carpet material was cut, l~op or combination pile fibers as the startlng material.
The tuf~ed carpet material will also contain the original 25 tufted or overtufted design or pattern on the fibrous face wear surface thereof.
The resulting fusion-bonded carpet material and the tufted carpet material prep~red by the method i5 unique and may subse~uently be back coated :Eor use as broadloom or op~ionally, backed and cut to form carpét tiles. The fusion-bonded carpet and the tufted carpet .~ ~aterial may be back coated in the usual man~er by a vinyl resin, such as a plasticized PVC resin wherein the resin is then heated and fused to form a solid or foam backing layer or by the employment of a thermoplastic material, such as atactic polypropylene or bitumen, which bitumen may be a pol~mer-modified bitumen~ such as a polyethylene-modified or a styrene-butadiene-styrene SUB~ SHEET

W~3/07790 2 1 ~ 2 0 3 ~ PCT/US92/09148 thermoplastic block copolymer-modified bitumen typically containing a limestone filler to form a backing layer.
Alternately, a thermoset polyurethane solid or foam backing may be applied. Whether the backing layer is applied in one or two coats or is of a vinyl resin or of a atactic polypropylene or bitumen material, generally one or more layers of a glass fiber tissue or mesh-type material are employed within the backing layer to impart dimensional stability, and optionally a secondary backing sheet may be employed for example of g1ass fiber, polypropylene or polyes~er. For example, the carpet tile backing may be composed of a polyvinyl chloride backing with a glass fleece mat rial inserted therein; The resulting backed carpet material may be then cut into carpet tiles.
The invention will be described for the purposes of illustration only in connection with certain embodiments however, it is recognized that those persons skilled in the art may make various improvements, additions, modifications and changes in the described and illus~rated embodiments,~ all falling within the spirit and scope of the invention. :
~rief Descripti n of the Drawin~s Fig. 1 i5 a schématic, illustrati~e ~iew of a method of preparing a~fusion-bo~ded carpet and precoated, tufted carpet material~ of the invention~
Fig. 2 is an illustr~ative cross sectional view along line 2-2 of the precoated,~ tufted, greige carpet material used in the me~hod of Pig. 1~
~ Fig. 3 is an illustrative, cross sectional~ vlew along line 3-3 of the sandwich carpet material prepared by the~me~hod of Fig.~
, I Fig. 4 is an ill~strative, cross sectional view along l~ne 4-4~ of the fusion-bonded carpet material prepared by the:method of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5~ is a~ illustrative~ cross sectional view of the fusion-bonded, tufted carpe~ material prepar~d by the method~of Fig. :1.

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W093/077~0 2 1 ~ Q3 ~ -8- PCT/US92/09148 Fig. 6 is an illustrative, sectional view of a carpet tile material prepared employing the fusion-bonded carpet of Fig 3.
Fig. 7 is an illustrative, sectional view of a carpet 5 tile ma~erial prepared by the pre~oated, tufted carpet material of ~ig. 4.
FigO ~ is a schematic, illustrative view of an alternate method of preparing a combined tufted and fusion-bonded carpet mate~ial of the invention.
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With particular reference to Figs. 1-4, there is shown a me~hod for the pr~paration of a combined tufted 30 and fusion-bonded 20 carpet material of the invention with precoated tu~ed carpet material 10 ( see Fig. 2 ~
ha~ing about 16 to 32 ounces per square yard of a fibrous face wear surface loop, predyed yarn 12 and 14, 14 being a different color than yarn 12 to form a pattern on the ibrous face surface. Undyed yarns can also be used for post-dyeing or a mix of predyed or undyed ~ yarns may 20 be used to form the tufted design. The fibers 12 and 14 ~re tufted : through a primary backing sheet 16, such as a polypropylene or jute sheet, and the ends of the yarn belng secured by a latex pxecoat 18~ applied to the bacl~ surface of the primary baclcing sheet 16. A mesh 25 material 24 , such as a fiberglass , open: scrim-type material, together with ::a non-woven glass fiber f leece mateirial 26, such as~a porous, resin-bonded, lightweight fleece material 26 is coated with a PVC resin 22 in two stages~ to form a viscous ~ liquid PVC plastisol layer 30 on the surface of the mesh sheet material 24 which penetrates ~hrough to the porous, non-woven glass fiber ! I sheet m~terial 26.
The closed loop top surfaces of the yarns 12 and 14 of the precoated tufted carpet material 10 are the~
imm~rsed~:in the viscous, liquid layer 22, the PVC coating applied in an amoun~ ranging from about:35 ko 60 ounces per squaxe yard and ~he ends of the closed loops 12 and 14~ inser~ed in the l~yer to ~ depth of about 40% to 60%

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W0~3/0779U 2~ ~2 ~3 ~CT/US~2/09148 and then heated through an oven or infrared heater 32 to gel and fuse the PVC layer 22 and to bond the top loops of the fibers 12 and 14 to the PVC layer 22 thereby forming a sandwich-type carpet material ~Fiy. 3) with the tufted yarns 12 and 14 tufted to the fibrous face material with the primary backing sheet 16 on one side of the sandwich and bonded to the PVC layer 22 on the other side which is backed with the woven glass 26 and the mesh glass 24.
The yarns of the reciulting sandwich are then severed by an oscillating blade, knife or saw 36 genera}ly intermittent the thîckness of the tufted yarns 12 and 14 to provide a fusion-bonded carpet 20 (shown in Fig.

4) and a precoated tufted carpet matexial 30 (shown in ~ig. 5). The fusion-bonded carpet 20 contains a thermoplastic adhesive layer 22 of PVC in which the top loops of the fibers 12 and 14 are bonded, a open mesh material 24 and a glass fiber tissue material 26 laminat~d to the PVC layer 22, and with the ~ops of the fibers 12 and 14 severed by the oscillating blade 36.
Fig. 4 shows the fusion ~onded carpet 20 with fibers 12 and 14 forming a design on the face wear s~rface.
The design of the tufted carpet 10 by the fibers 12 and 14 is retained in the: tufted carpet 30 and transferred in part to the bonded carpet 20.
Fig. 5 shows the precoated tufted carpet materia~
which comprises a primary backing ~sheet 16. with a precoat layer 18 with the closed loop, fibrous yarns 12 and 14 now surface cut to form a cut: face wear surface wi~h th~ original design thereon.
Fig. 6 is an illustration of carpet tile 40 prepared by the-~sion-bonded carpet material 20~ and Fîg. 7 is a carpe~ tile 60 prepared by the precoated tufted carpet material 30, but each showing a backing .layer 42: of a PVC rei~in with a layer of a fiberglass fleece material 44 for dimensional stability in the backing layer, and eaah having a secondary backing sheet 46, such as of polyester~ polypropylene or gla5s fiber sh~et material.

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W093/07790 PCT/US92/09~48 212203~ -lO-Fig~ 8 is an alternate method of preparing tufted and fusion-bonded carpet material of the invention in a vertical configuration wherein a feed roll of tufted, greige sheet material 50 is employed having a primary backing sheet 52 and a clo~ed loop f ibrous surf aces 54 on either side. A glass fiber tissue sheet material 56 is employed on either side, with one. side having adhesive material 62, such as of PVC resin, coated onto the fiberglass tissue sheet material 56 by a blade S8, and the closed loops of each of the fibrous face surfaces 54 inserted in the PVC layer 62. On the opposite side, a precoat adhesive layer, such as a latex layer 60, is applied through a doctor blade 58 onto a glass fiber tissue sheet 56 and secured to the back surface of the lS primary back surface 52. The material is then sent through a pair of vertical heaters 64 to gel and fuse the PVC
layer 62 and to heat and cure the precoat latex layer 60 to se~ure the glass fiber tissue sheet 56 to each back surface.
Th~ sandwich material ;so prepared is then severed or cut with a blade 66 to provide a tuf~ed carpet material 68 ~d a fusion-bonded carpet material 70, each having a cut fiber face wear surface. The carpet materials : 68 and 70 may be used as a free lay carpet or back coated ~5 and cut into carpet tiles.
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Claims

Claim 1. A method for the preparation of a tufted carpet material and an adhesive-bonded carpet material, each having the same face surface design pattern, which method comprises:
a) providing a first tufted carpet material which comprises a primary backing sheet having a plurality of tufted fibers through the primary backing sheet to form a tufted layer having a tufted face wear surface and a fibrous back surface which has an overtufted face surface of the first tufted carpet material with a plurality of tufted:
fibers which extend through the tufted layer and through the primary backing sheet to form an overtufted face wear surface having a top surface with a preselected design pattern thereon, the said design pattern formed by a plurality of tufted fibers of different colors;
b) providing a backing layer having a layer of adhesive material thereon;
c) bonding the tufted face wear surface and the overtufted face wear surface to the layer of the adhesive material to form a sandwich material; and d) splitting the sandwich material to form:
1) an adhesive-bonded carpet material having a backing layer with a back surface and a layer of adhesive thereon and a plurality of fibers in the adhesive layer and having a face wear, generally flat top surface of split, tufted and overtufted fibers with the preselected color design thereon; and ii) a second tufted carpet material which comprises the primary backing sheet with a fibrous back surface and a plurality of tufted fibers extending through the primary backing sheet and having a split fibrous face wear, generally flat top surface with the preselected color design thereon.
Claim 2. The method of claim 1 which includes employing some tufted or overtufted fibers selected from the group consisting of selected twist levels, heat set, entanglement, dye receptivity, fiber size and ply and combinations thereof.
Claim 3. The method of claim 2 which includes employing some undyed, tufted or overtufted fibers in the forming of the preselected design pattern and color dyeing the undyed fibers.
Claim 4. The method of claim 3 which includes post color dyeing the undyed fibers after the splitting step.
Claim 5. The method of claim 1 which includes precoating the back surface ofthe first tufted carpet material with a polymeric coating layer to secure the fibrous back surface to the fibrous primary backing sheet.
Claim 6. The method of claim 1 which includes splitting the fibrous tufted layer of the sandwich material generally intermediate the primary backing sheet and the backing layer.
Claim 7. The method of claim 1 which includes employing tufted fibers with varying fiber dye receptivity and post dyeing the fibers of the second tufted carpet material or the adhesive, bonded carpet material.
Claim 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first tufted carpet material has tufted fibers having a loop fibrous pile surface.
Claim 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the adhesive material is selected from the group consisting of: a hot-melt adhesive material, polyvinyl chloride and a polymer latex composition.
Claim 10. The method of claim 17 which includes applying a polymer backing layer to the back surface of the adhesive-bonded carpet material.
Claim 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the backing layer is selected from the group consisting of: bitumen; atactic polypropylene; polyvinyl chloride; modified ethylene vinyl acetate; thermoplastic elastomer; or polyurethane. ;
Claim 12. The method of claim 10 which includes cutting the polymer-backed, adhesive-bonded carpet material to form carpet tiles.