U.S. patent application number 10/421811 was filed with the patent office on 2003-10-23 for method and apparatus for forming textile pad for laminate floor underlayment.
Invention is credited to Collison, Alan B., Collison, Chad A..
Application Number | 20030196762 10/421811 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24135825 |
Filed Date | 2003-10-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030196762 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Collison, Alan B. ; et
al. |
October 23, 2003 |
Method and apparatus for forming textile pad for laminate floor
underlayment
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for forming textile pads
from a textile batt. The method includes the steps of splitting an
incoming single textile batt and forming partial thickness textile
batts, applying an adhesive to outer surfaces of the partial
thickness textile batts, and adhering vapor barriers to the partial
thickness textile batts. The apparatus comprises a pair of feed
rollers for receiving a textile batt, a splitting knife downstream
of the pair of feed rollers, adhesive appliers positioned
downstream of the splitting knife and capable of applying an
adhesive to outer surfaces of the partial thickness textile batts,
vapor barrier supply positioned downstream of the adhesive appliers
and capable of supplying vapor barriers that contact the outer
surfaces of the partial thickness textile batts, pressure rollers
positioned downstream of the pair of vapor barrier supply
rollers.
Inventors: |
Collison, Alan B.; (Pierce,
NE) ; Collison, Chad A.; (Pierce, NE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROTHWELL, FIGG, ERNST & MANBECK, P.C.
1425 K STREET, N.W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
24135825 |
Appl. No.: |
10/421811 |
Filed: |
April 24, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10421811 |
Apr 24, 2003 |
|
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|
09535802 |
Mar 28, 2000 |
|
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6562173 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
156/510 ;
156/517 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 156/1067 20150115;
D04H 1/70 20130101; Y10T 156/1087 20150115; B32B 5/08 20130101;
E04F 15/18 20130101; D04H 1/64 20130101; Y10T 428/237 20150115;
Y10T 156/1322 20150115; Y10T 156/12 20150115; E04F 15/182
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
156/510 ;
156/517 |
International
Class: |
B32B 031/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for forming textile pads from a textile batt,
comprising: a pair of feed rollers for receiving said textile batt;
a splitting knife downstream of said pair of feed rollers and
capable of splitting said textile batt to produce partial thickness
textile batts; adhesive appliers positioned downstream of said
splitting knife and capable of applying an adhesive to outer
surfaces of said partial thickness textile batts; a vapor barrier
supply positioned downstream of said adhesive appliers and capable
of supplying vapor barriers that contact said outer surfaces of
said partial thickness textile batts; and pressure rollers
positioned downstream of said pair of vapor barrier supply
rollers.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pair of feed rollers are
positioned about zero to about 2 millimeters from said splitting
knife.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feed rollers and said
splitting knife comprise a splitting machine.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feed rollers and said
splitting knife comprise a Mercier Turner Scimatic NT6 splitting
machine.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further
comprises a pair of tension rollers downstream of said splitting
knife and upstream of said adhesive appliers, said tension rollers
capable of controlling tension in said two partial thickness
textile batts.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further
comprises two take-up rollers downstream of said pressure
rollers.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a textile pad of said two
textile pads formed according to said method comprises a laminate
floor underlayment.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said textile batt comprises
natural fibers.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said textile batt comprises
man-made fibers.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said textile batt is selected
from the group consisting of polyester, nylon, acrylic, and cotton,
polypropolene or combinations thereof.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a partial thickness textile
batt is about {fraction (1/16)} to about 1/8 inch in thickness.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a partial thickness textile
batt is about {fraction (1/16)} to about {fraction (7/16)} inch in
thickness.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said two partial thickness
textile batts are of unequal thickness.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said two partial thickness
textile batts are of equal thickness.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a vapor barrier of said two
vapor barriers comprises plastic.
16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a vapor barrier of said two
vapor barriers comprises coextruded polyethylene.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a vapor barrier of said two
vapor barriers is about 1/2 to about 1 mil in thickness.
18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said partially compressing
step comprises passing said two partial thickness textile batts and
said two plastic vapor barriers through a pair of pressure
rollers.
19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said partially compressing
step further comprises passing said two partial thickness textile
batts and said two plastic vapor barriers through a pair of
pressure rollers which apply a pressure of about 400 psi.
20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said partially compressing
step comprises passing said two partial thickness textile batts and
said two plastic vapor barriers through a pair of pressure rollers
and said pair of pressure rollers are maintained at a temperature
of about 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a divisional of application Ser. No.
09/535,802, filed Mar. 28, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to a method and
apparatus for forming a textile pad for laminate floor
underlayment. More specifically, the invention relates to a method
and apparatus for splitting a textile batt and forming two textile
pads therefrom.
[0004] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0005] Textile pads are widely used in flooring applications. A pad
is desirable when a flooring is applied over a sub-flooring.
[0006] Pads used in flooring applications serve multiple purposes.
They may absorb impact, such as from persons walking on the
flooring. They may provide sound deadening, and may provide
insulating properties against heat transfer. Pads also may
accommodate roughness, unevenness, or other flaws in the
sub-flooring, and may provide a barrier against moisture and dirt.
Finally, pads may lessen impact stresses on the flooring to
lengthen the life of the flooring and make the flooring appear to
be more durable and of a higher quality.
[0007] In the related art, a textile pad is not commonly used under
laminate flooring. This is because a pad would have to be
relatively thin so as to not cause any unevenness in transition
areas (i.e., areas of flooring type transition, such as in
doorways, etc.). In order to be acceptable, therefore, it is
desirable that a laminate flooring pad be less that about 1/4 of a
inch in thickness, and more preferably about 1/8 inch in
thickness.
[0008] In the related art, commercially available textile batts
generally do not exist in thicknesses less than about 1/4 of an
inch. This is due to the soft, compressible, and pliable nature of
the textile batt which heretofore has made a smaller thickness
textile batt difficult to manufacture, if not impossible. As a
result, related art laminate floors use something other than a
textile pad.
[0009] What is needed, therefore, are improvements in methods and
apparatus for forming textile pads for a laminate floor
underlayment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] A method for forming textile pads from a textile batt is
provided according to a first aspect of the invention. The method
comprises the steps of feeding a textile batt in a first direction,
splitting the textile batt longitudinally as the textile batt is
fed, thereby forming a plurality of partial thickness textile
batts, applying an adhesive to an outer surface of each of the
partial thickness textile batts as the partial thickness textile
batts are fed, and adhering a vapor barrier material to the
adhesive coated surface of each of the partial thickness textile
batts to form a plurality of textile pads. In preferred aspects of
this method, the partial thickness textile batts and plastic vapor
barriers are passed through pressure rollers and partially
compressed. The pressure rollers are maintained at an elevated
temperature.
[0011] A method for forming two textile pads from a textile batt is
provided according to a second aspect of the invention. The method
comprises the steps of splitting the textile batt as the textile
batt is fed, forming two partial thickness textile batts, wherein
the textile batt is selected from the group consisting of
polyester, nylon, acrylic, and cotton, or combinations thereof,
applying an adhesive to outer surfaces of the two partial thickness
textile batts as the two partial thickness textile batts are fed,
and passing the two partial thickness textile batts and the two
plastic vapor barriers through a pair of pressure rollers and
partially compressing the two partial thickness textile batts and
the two plastic vapor barriers at a pressure of about 400 psi and
maintaining the pair of pressure rollers at a temperature of about
200 degrees Fahrenheit during bonding of the adhesive to form the
two textile pads.
[0012] An apparatus for forming a plurality of textile pads from a
textile batt is provided according to another aspect of the
invention. The apparatus comprises a pair of feed rollers for
receiving a textile batt, a splitting knife downstream of the feed
rollers and capable of splitting the textile batt to produce
partial thickness textile batts, adhesive appliers positioned
downstream of the splitting knife and capable of applying an
adhesive to an outer surface of each of the partial thickness
textile batts, vapor barrier supply positioned downstream of the
adhesive appliers and capable of supplying vapor barrier material
that contacts the outer surfaces of the partial thickness textile
batts, and pressure rollers positioned downstream of the vapor
barrier supply and capable of partially compressing the partial
thickness textile batts to bond of the vapor barrier adhesive.
[0013] The above and other features and advantages of the present
invention will be further understood from the following description
of the preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a side or cross-sectional view of a portion of
a textile batt;
[0015] FIG. 2 shows two textile batts bonded to vapor barriers to
form the two textile pads; and
[0016] FIG. 3 shows an apparatus for forming two textile pads from
the textile batt.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a side or cross-sectional view of a portion of
a textile batt 100. The textile batt 100 is commonly available in
rolls of widths of about six feet and may range in thickness from
about 1/4 of an inch and up. This is too thick for a laminate floor
underlayment for reasons given above.
[0018] The present invention solves the problem in the related art
by providing a method and apparatus for splitting the textile batt
100 in order to form a plurality of textile pads of a desired
thickness. The present invention is capable of splitting a textile
batt 100 to achieve for example a thickness of about {fraction
(1/16)} of an inch, and forming textile pads therefrom.
[0019] The textile batt 100 may be manufactured from any of a wide
variety of textile compositions, such as, for example, polyester,
nylon, acrylic, cotton, polypropolene etc., or combinations
thereof, including both natural and man-made fibers. The textile
batt 100 is comprised of textile components, but does not have to
be a woven material.
[0020] FIG. 2 shows two textile batts 200' and 200 bonded to vapor
barrier layers 206' and 206 to form the two textile pads 210' and
210. The resulting pads may be used as a laminate flooring
underlayment or as a pad for other types of flooring or for other
purposes. The commercially available textile batt 100 has been
split into two partial thickness batts 200' and 200, and each batt
has been bonded to a vapor barrier layer 206' and 206.
[0021] Each partial thickness batt 200' and 200 may be of equal
thickness (i.e., the textile batt 100 is split in half), or may be
of unequal thicknesses. The present invention is capable of forming
a partial thickness batt of about {fraction (1/16)} of an inch or
greater. The starting textile batt may be split longitudinally to
provide two, three or more partial thickness batts.
[0022] FIG. 3 shows an apparatus 300 for forming two textile pads
from the textile batt 100. The apparatus includes a splitting
machine 114, a pair of tension rollers 118, adhesive appliers 123,
a pair of vapor barrier supply rollers 126 providing the vapor
barrier layers 206, a pair of pressure rollers 129, and a pair of
take-up rollers 132.
[0023] The splitting machine 114 in the preferred embodiment is a
Mercier Turner Scimatic NT6 splitting machine, and includes a pair
of feed rollers 104 and a splitting knife 107. Alternatively, the
apparatus 300 may include a set of feed rollers 104 and a splitting
knife 107 in place of the splitting machine 114.
[0024] The feed rollers 104 receive the textile batt 100 and pass
it to the splitting knife 107, where the textile batt 100 is split
into the two partial thickness batts 200' and 200. The thickness of
each partial thickness batt is determined by the both thickness of
the textile batt 100 and the position of the splitting knife 107 in
relation to the feed rollers 103. When the splitting knife 107 is
substantially centered between the feed rollers 104, the textile
batt 100 will be split into two substantially equal partial
thickness batts.
[0025] In the present invention, it has been found that the textile
batt 100 maybe controllably and accurately split if the feed
rollers 104 are within a predetermined distance from the splitting
knife 107. The distance is important because of the compressible
and pliable nature of the textile batt 100. In the preferred
embodiment, the predetermined distance is from about zero to about
two millimeters.
[0026] In a preferred embodiment using the Mercier Turner splitting
machine 114, the splitting machine 114 is modified by adjusting the
feed rollers 104 to a position as close as possible to the
splitting knife 107, and removing feed guides so that the splitting
knife 107 may be moved closer. In addition, the splitting machine
114 is modified by changing the feed rollers 104 from a serrated
surface type of multiple sections to a smooth surface type of a
single piece construction.
[0027] The tension rollers 118 maintain a predetermined amount of
tension on the two partial thickness batts 200' and 200.
[0028] The adhesive appliers 123 are downstream of the tension
rollers 118 and apply adhesive to outer surfaces of the two partial
thickness batts. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive appliers
123 spray a layer of adhesive onto the two partial thickness batts.
Alternatively, the adhesive appliers 123 may apply the adhesive
directly, such as, for example, wipers or brushes.
[0029] The adhesive is preferably a high viscosity, low melting
point adhesive that is applied hot and forms a bond as it cools
(i.e., a "hot melt" adhesive). Such adhesives are available from H.
B. Fuller, from Swift Adhesive, and from Western Adhesive (the
Western Adhesive product is sold under the product name of RHM542).
Alternatively, any other adhesive capable of bonding the textile
batt to the vapor barrier may be used.
[0030] The pair of vapor barrier supply rollers 126 are also
downstream of the tension rollers 118 and supply a vapor barrier
206' and 206 to each of the two partial thickness batts 200' and
200.
[0031] The vapor barrier preferably is a plastic sheet material,
typically about 1/2 to about 1 mil in thickness. The vapor barrier,
as the name implies, prevents the travel of vapor (usually water
vapor) through the textile pad 210' or 210. In the preferred
embodiment the vapor barrier 206' and 206 is coextruded
polyethylene, but alternatively any flexible vapor barrier of a
suitable thickness may be used.
[0032] The pair of pressure rollers 129 are downstream of the
adhesive appliers 123 and the vapor supply rollers 126. The pair of
pressure rollers 129 bring together the two partial thickness batts
200' and 200 and the two vapor barriers 206' and 206 to form the
two textile pads 210' and 210. The pair of pressure rollers 129
heat and partially compress the batts during the bonding of the
adhesive to form the two textile pads.
[0033] In the preferred embodiment, the pressure rollers 129 apply
about 400 psi (pounds per square inch) of pressure to the two
partial thickness textile batts 200' and 200 and to the vapor
barriers 206' and 206. In addition, the pressure rollers 129 are
maintained at a temperature of about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The
heating partially softens or breaks down the vapor barrier to make
it pliable and to aid in penetration of the vapor barrier by the
adhesive.
[0034] Downstream of the pressure rollers 129 is a pair of take-up
rollers 132. The pair of take-up rollers 132 may be used to roll up
the finished textile pads 210' and 210. The finished textile pads
210' and 210 may be used as a floor underlayment, a laminate floor
underlayment, as part of a paint drop cloth, etc.
[0035] While the invention has been described in detail above, the
invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments
as described. It is evident that those skilled in the art may now
make numerous uses and modifications of and departures from the
specific embodiments described herein without departing from the
inventive concepts.
* * * * *