U.S. patent application number 16/569123 was filed with the patent office on 2020-03-12 for floorcoverings stabilized with pressed-in fibrous layers.
The applicant listed for this patent is ENGINEERED FLOORS LLC. Invention is credited to John Joseph Matthews REES, Douglas P. SCHNELLER, Dimitri ZAFIROGLU.
Application Number | 20200080258 16/569123 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 69720657 |
Filed Date | 2020-03-12 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200080258 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
REES; John Joseph Matthews ;
et al. |
March 12, 2020 |
FLOORCOVERINGS STABILIZED WITH PRESSED-IN FIBROUS LAYERS
Abstract
Reinforcing fibers insensitive to thermal and hydroscopic
expansion or contraction are inserted into the backside of a
textile fabric using embossing with a fine and deep pattern of
projections or cupped needles and held in place with adhesive. The
process allows the stabilization of layers having a high
sensitivity to variations in temperature or humidity in
constructions when the stabilizing fibers cannot be included in the
original fabric-forming process, as in the case of a tufted fabric
using fiberglass fibers for stabilization.
Inventors: |
REES; John Joseph Matthews;
(Chattanooga, TN) ; SCHNELLER; Douglas P.;
(Dalton, GA) ; ZAFIROGLU; Dimitri; (Centreville,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ENGINEERED FLOORS LLC |
Dalton |
GA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
69720657 |
Appl. No.: |
16/569123 |
Filed: |
September 12, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62730310 |
Sep 12, 2018 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06N 7/0071 20130101;
D06N 2201/082 20130101 |
International
Class: |
D06N 7/00 20060101
D06N007/00 |
Claims
1. A textile fabric comprising: a top face; a back face spaced from
the top face by a thickness; a plurality of textile fibers located
within the textile fabric between the top face and the back face;
and a stabilized layer extending into the textile fabric and
partially along the thickness from the back face, the stabilized
layer comprising a plurality of dimensionally stable fibers
intermeshed with a portion of the textile fibers and an
inter-bonding adhesive; wherein each dimensionally stable fiber
maintains dimensional stability upon exposure to changes in
moisture, changes in temperate or changes in moisture and
temperature.
2. The textile fabric of claim 1, wherein the inter-bonding
adhesive comprises a low-melt adhesive comprising an adhesive
melting point lower than a textile fiber melting point.
3. The textile fabric of claim 1, wherein the inter-bonding
adhesive comprises a liquid adhesive introduced after the
dimensionally stable fibers have been inserted into the back face
of the fabric and cured.
4. The textile fabric of claim 1, wherein the dimensionally stable
fibers comprise glass or aramid fibers.
5. The textile fabric of claim 1, wherein the dimensionally stable
fibers comprise a low coefficient of thermal expansion.
6. The textile fabric of claim 1, wherein: the textile fabric
comprises a tufted fabric comprising a primary backing between the
top face and the back face; the textile fibers comprise yarns
tufted into the primary backing at a plurality of yarn insertion
points to define face loops extending from a first side of the
primary backing to the top face and back-laps extending from a
second side of the primary backing opposite the first side to the
back face; the stabilized layer extends from the back face through
the back-laps to the primary backing; and the dimensionally stable
fibers are intermeshed with the back-laps and at least a portion of
individual fibers within the back-laps.
7. The textile fabric of claim 6, wherein the dimensionally stable
fibers are intermeshed with backlaps in accordance with a pattern
of insertion points comprising an insertion point frequency across
the back face that exceeds a yarn insertion point frequency across
the primary backing.
8. The textile fabric of claim 6, wherein the inter-bonding
adhesive extends from the back face through the back-laps and at
least partially through the primary backing from the second
side.
9. The textile fabric of claim 6, wherein the inter-bonding
adhesive is a low-melt adhesive
10. The textile fabric of claim 1, wherein the textile fabric
further comprises an additional layer attached to the bottom face
and in contact with the stabilized layer.
11. The textile fabric of claim 1, wherein the textile fabric
comprises a needle-punched fabric.
12. A method for stabilizing a textile fabric, the method
comprising: placing a stabilizing fiber layer and an inter-bonding
adhesive layer adjacent a back face of a textile fabric, the
stabilizing fiber layer comprising a plurality of dimensionally
stable fibers having a low coefficient of thermal expansion, a low
coefficient of moisture expansion or a low coefficient of thermal
expansion and a low coefficient of moisture expansion; using heat,
pressure or heat and pressure to embed the dimensionally stable
fibers and the inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric and
to form a stabilized layer in the textile fabric.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein: the inter-bonding adhesive
comprises a liquid adhesive; and the method further comprises
curing the inter-bonding adhesive after embedding the dimensionally
stable fibers into the back face of the textile fabric.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein: the textile fabric is a tufted
fabric comprising a primary backing between face loops and
back-laps; and using heat, pressure or heat and pressure to embed
the dimensionally stable fibers and the inter-bonding adhesive into
the textile fabric further comprises using heat, pressure or heat
and pressure to embed the dimensionally stable fibers and to melt
the inter-bonding adhesive into the back-laps from the back
face.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein using heat, pressure or heat
and pressure to embed the dimensionally stable fibers and the
inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric comprises using
heat, pressure or heat and pressure to embed the low-melt adhesive
through the back-laps and at least partially into the primary
backing.
16. The method of claim 12, wherein: the inter-bonding adhesive
comprises a liquid adhesive; and the method further comprises
applying the inter-bonding adhesive to the back face of the tufted
fabric after the stabilizing fibers have been intermeshed with the
back-laps.
17. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises
attaching a second low-melt adhesive layer to the stabilized layer
of the textile fabric.
18. The method of claim 12, wherein the textile fabric comprises a
needle-punched felt.
19. The method of claim 12, wherein the stabilizing fiber layer
comprises a staple web, a warp of yarns, a warp of filaments, or a
fabric or scrim containing glass or aramid fibers,
20. The method of claim 12, wherein the stabilizing fiber layer
comprises a blend of low-melt adhesive fibers and dimensionally
stable fibers.
21. The method of claim 12, wherein using heat, pressure or heat
and pressure to embed the dimensionally stable fibers and the
inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric further comprises
using a plurality of discrete applications of heat, pressure, or
heat and pressure to embed the dimensionally stable fibers and
inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric.
22. The method of claim 12, wherein using heat, pressure or heat
and pressure to embed the dimensionally stable fibers and the
inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric and to form a
stabilizing layer in the textile fabric further comprises:
contacting the stabilizing fiber layer or the inter-bonding
adhesive layer with a heated plate comprising a pattern of
projections; and pressing the projections toward the back face to
embed the dimensionally stable fibers and the inter-bonding
adhesive into the textile fabric.
23. The method of claim 12, wherein using heat, pressure or heat
and pressure to embed the dimensionally stable fibers and the
inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric and to form a
stabilizing layer in the textile fabric further comprises:
contacting the stabilizing fiber layer or the inter-bonding
adhesive layer with a heated roller comprising a pattern of
projections; and rolling the heated roller over the stabilizing
fiber layer or inter-bonding adhesive layer and pressing the
projections toward the back face to embed the dimensionally stable
fibers and the inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric.
24. The method of claim 12, wherein using heat, pressure or heat
and pressure to embed the dimensionally stable fibers and the
inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric further comprises
using a plurality of discrete applications of heat, pressure or
heat and pressure.
25. The method of claim 12, wherein using the plurality of discrete
applications of heat, pressure or heat and pressure further
comprises using a separate pattern of projections for each
application of heat, pressure or heat and pressure.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 62/730,310, filed Sep. 12, 2018, the entire
contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention is directed to stabilization of
floorcoverings containing at least one fibrous layer through
insertion of highly stable fibrous elements insensitive to
temperature and humidity variations into the back face of the
fibrous floorcovering in a post-formation step.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Floorcoverings are required to lay flat on a floor and stay
flat, without substantially expanding, contracting or warping
out-of-plane as mechanical stressing caused by traffic or changes
in thermal and hygroscopic conditions affect their dimensions and
their flatness. Previous attempts at avoiding these problems added
stabilizing layers including highly stable woven or nonwoven layers
and other forms of fiberglass and similar materials unaffected by
temperature and humidity to floorcoverings. For some fibrous
flooring structures, these stabilizing layers are added to the
floor coverings above or below fibrous layers to which the
reinforcing elements could not be added during the original fabric
formation process. For example, in tufted structures and
needle-punched structures, layers such as glass fiber layers can
interfere with the tufting or needling process. This interference
can result in problems such as the projection of glass fibers onto
the surface of the floorcovering, nonuniformities in the product,
and damage to needles.
[0004] However, attaching the stabilizing layers above or below the
fibrous layers leaves substantial layers of the fabric free to
expand and contract. As a result, these fibrous layers remain
susceptible to substantial dimensional changes during use, and the
composite floorcovering itself remains susceptible to warping, or
to gaping between seams when installed on the floor. Therefore, a
need exists for methods that stabilize fibrous floor coverings
against deformations caused by changes in temperature and moisture
content using dimensionally stable materials.
SUMMARY
[0005] Exemplary embodiments are directed to stabilized fibrous
floorcoverings containing dimensionally stable fibers embedded in a
textile fabric. In one embodiment, the dimensionally stable fibers
are brittle fibers, e.g., fiberglass. The dimensionally stable
fibers are introduced into the back face and lower layers of the
floorcovering by pressing a layer of dimensionally-stable fibers
into and through the back face and lower layers of the
floorcovering. The inserted stabilizing layer can be in the form of
a staple fiber web, a warp of filaments or yarns, or a woven or
nonwoven fabric. Low-melt adhesive binder may be present in the
original fabric, may be added prior to the embedding process, or
may be added after the embedding process and activated after the
insertion of the stabilizing fibers. Alternatively, melted or
dissolved binder is added to the back face receiving the
stabilizing fibers after the insertion and activated to secure all
fibers together. The dimensionally stable fiber layers are inserted
or embedded by pressing with plates or calender rolls equipped with
three-dimensional patterns of surface projections. For example, the
calender rolls and plates have patterns of relatively deep face
projections. Alternatively, the plates or rolls are equipped with
an arrangement of shallow cupped needles, or very shallow
heavy-gage barbed needles. Insertion and embedding may require
several passes or a large number of shallow strokes. These patterns
embed the dimensionally stable fibers into the textile fabric from
the back face and stabilize the previously unstable back layers
adjacent the back face. This process is useful for fabrics that
could not tolerate the introduction of dimensionally stable and
brittle fibers during the initial process of forming the textile
fabric and floor covering. Dimensionally stable fibers such as
glass or aramid fibers tend to be brittle and abrasive and tend to
damage the finer stitching or needle-punching or tufting needles,
to interfere with the initial fabric formation, and to appear on
the surface of the fabric or floorcovering.
[0006] Exemplary embodiments can be used with textile fabrics such
as needle-punched textile fabrics, tufted textile fabrics and woven
textile fabrics. For example, dimensionally stable fibers are
forced through the face or back of a needle-punched textile fabric
and along a portion of the thickness of the fabric. Alternatively,
an arrangement of cupping needles on a plate or roll are used to
embed the dimensionally stable fibers into a needle-punched textile
fabric to a relatively shallow depth. The layer of dimensionally
stable fibers can be in a loose web form or in an entangled,
bonded, inter-woven or inter-knit form. Insertion of the
dimensionally stable fibers may also simultaneously break,
disentangle, and reorient the stabilizing fibers and intermesh them
with the fibers within the fabric being stabilized either randomly
or systematically to achieve multi-directional planar
stabilization. In another example, a layer of dimensionally stable
glass, aramid or similar fibers are embedded not only around but
also into the back-laps of a tufted textile fabric, and between the
filaments or fibers forming the back-lap yarns, either before or
after the application of an adhesive precoat to the back-laps. This
is followed by a second adhesive coat to stabilize fibers
projecting from the back surface.
[0007] Exemplary embodiments are directed to a textile fabric
having a top face, a back face spaced from the top face by a
thickness and a plurality of textile fibers located within the
textile fabric between the top face and the back face. In one
embodiment, the textile fabric is a needle-punched fabric.
[0008] A stabilized layer extends into the textile fabric and
partially along the thickness from the back face. The stabilized
layer includes a plurality of dimensionally stable fibers
intermeshed with a portion of the textile fibers and an
inter-bonding adhesive. In one embodiment, the dimensionally stable
fibers are glass or aramid fibers. In one embodiment, the
dimensionally stable fibers have a low coefficient of thermal
expansion. In one embodiment, the inter-bonding adhesive is a
low-melt adhesive. Each dimensionally stable fiber maintains
dimensional stability upon exposure to changes in moisture, changes
in temperate or changes in moisture and temperature. In one
embodiment, the inter-bonding adhesive is a low-melt adhesive
having an adhesive melting point lower than a textile fiber melting
point. In one embodiment, the inter-bonding adhesive is a liquid
adhesive introduced after the dimensionally stable fibers have been
inserted into the back face of the fabric and cured. In one
embodiment, the textile fabric includes an additional layer
attached to the bottom face and in contact with the stabilized
layer.
[0009] In one embodiment, the textile fabric is a tufted fabric
having a primary backing between the top face and the back face.
The textile fibers are yarns tufted into the primary backing at a
plurality of yarn insertion points to define face loops extending
from a first side of the primary backing to the top face and
back-laps extending from a second side of the primary backing
opposite the first side to the back face. The stabilized layer
extends from the back face through the back-laps to the primary
backing, and the dimensionally stable fibers are intermeshed with
the back-laps and at least a portion of individual fibers within
the back-laps. In one embodiment, the dimensionally stable fibers
are intermeshed with the backlaps in accordance with a pattern of
insertion points having an insertion point frequency across the
back face that exceeds a yarn insertion point frequency across the
primary backing. In one embodiment, the inter-bonding adhesive
extends from the back face through the back-laps and at least
partially through the primary backing from the second side.
[0010] Exemplary embodiments are also directed to a method for
stabilizing a textile fabric. A stabilizing fiber layer and an
inter-bonding adhesive layer are placed adjacent a back face of a
textile fabric. The stabilizing fiber layer contains a plurality of
dimensionally stable fibers having a low coefficient of thermal
expansion, a low coefficient of moisture expansion or a low
coefficient of thermal expansion and a low coefficient of moisture
expansion. In one embodiment, the inter-bonding adhesive is a
liquid adhesive that is applied and cured after embedding the
dimensionally stable fibers into the back face of the textile
fabric.
[0011] Heat, pressure or heat and pressure are used to embed the
dimensionally stable fibers and the inter-bonding adhesive into the
textile fabric and to form a stabilized layer in the textile
fabric. In one embodiment, the textile fabric is a tufted fabric
having a primary backing between face loops and back-laps, and
heat, pressure or heat and pressure are used to embed the
dimensionally stable fibers and to melt the inter-bonding adhesive
into the back-laps from the back face. In one embodiment, heat,
pressure or heat and pressure are used to embed the low-melt
adhesive through the back-laps and at least partially into the
primary backing.
[0012] In one embodiment, the inter-bonding adhesive is a liquid
adhesive, and the inter-bonding adhesive is applied to the back
face of the tufted fabric after the stabilizing fibers have been
intermeshed with the back-laps. In one embodiment, a second
low-melt adhesive layer is attached to the stabilized layer of the
textile fabric. In one embodiment, the textile fabric is a
needle-punched felt. In one embodiment, the stabilizing fiber layer
is a staple web, a warp of yarns, a warp of filaments, or a fabric
or scrim containing glass or aramid fibers. In one embodiment, the
stabilizing fiber layer is a blend of low-melt adhesive fibers and
dimensionally stable fibers. In one embodiment, a plurality of
discrete applications of heat, pressure, or heat and pressure are
used to embed the dimensionally stable fibers and inter-bonding
adhesive into the textile fabric.
[0013] In one embodiment, the stabilizing fiber layer or the
inter-bonding adhesive layer is contacted with a heated plate
having a pattern of projections, and the projections are pressed
toward the back face to embed the dimensionally stable fibers and
the inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric. In one
embodiment, the stabilizing fiber layer or the inter-bonding
adhesive layer is contacted with a heated roller plate containing a
pattern of projections, and the heated roller is rolled over the
stabilizing fiber layer or inter-bonding adhesive layer to press
the projections toward the back face to embed the dimensionally
stable fibers and the inter-bonding adhesive into the textile
fabric. In one embodiment, a plurality of discrete applications of
heat, pressure or heat and pressure is used. In one embodiment, a
separate pattern of projections is used for each application of
heat, pressure or heat and pressure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a plurality of
embodiments and, together with the following descriptions, explain
these embodiments.
[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a
composite containing a textile fabric with an integrated stabilized
layer;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an arrangement of a
tufted fabric, a low-melt adhesive layer and a stabilizing fiber
layer placed over a patterning tool containing a fine and deep
surface pattern;
[0017] FIG. 3 is schematic representation of the tufted fabric,
low-melt adhesive layer and stabilizing fiber layer of FIG. 2 after
heated embossing with the patterning tool with the stabilizing
fibers intermeshed with the back-laps and the individual fibers
within the yarns forming the back-laps;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of an arrangement of a
tufted cut pile fabric, a low-melt adhesive layer and a stabilizing
fiber layer;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of another arrangement
of a cut pile fabric, a low-melt adhesive layer and a stabilizing
fiber layer;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a
tufted fabric containing the stabilized layer and an optional
thermoplastic layer attached to the bottom of the tufted
fabric;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of an arrangement of a
bulky needle-punched fabric, a low-melt adhesive layer and a
stabilizing fiber layer placed over a patterning tool containing
cupped needles;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of the arrangement of
FIG. 7 after the stabilizing fibers are embedded into the
needle-punched fabric; and
[0023] FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a
needle-punched fabric containing embedded stabilizing fibers and an
optional thermoplastic layer attached to the bottom of the
needle-punched fabric.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] The following description of the embodiments refers to the
accompanying figures. The same reference numbers in different
figures identify the same or similar elements. Reference throughout
the whole specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment"
means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic
described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least
one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed. Thus, the
appearance of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment"
in various places throughout the specification is not necessarily
referring to the same embodiment. Further, particular features,
structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable
manner in one or more embodiments.
[0025] Exemplary embodiments are directed to stabilized textile
fabrics containing integrated and embedded stabilizing fibers, to
floorcoverings containing the stabilized textile fabrics, and to
methods for making the stabilized textile fabrics and the
floorcoverings containing the stabilizing fibers. The resulting
textile fabrics and floorcoverings are stabilized against warping,
curling and inter-tile gap formation that can occur due to
dimensional instability caused by changes in temperature and
moisture. The integrated stabilized layers include a plurality of
dimensionally stable fibers or filaments embedded among the fibers
of the textile fabric. Dimensionally stable fibers are fibers or
filaments having a low coefficient of thermal expansion, a low
coefficient of moisture expansion or a low coefficient of thermal
expansion and a low coefficient of moisture expansion. Therefore,
exposure to changes in temperature or moisture, e.g., humidity,
will not result in appreciable dimensional changes in any dimension
of the stable fibers. Embedding the dimensionally stable fibers
within the dimensionally unstable fibers and filaments of the
textile fabric counters the dimensional instability
[0026] Referring initially to FIG. 1, exemplary embodiments are
directed to a textile composite 300 containing a textile fabric
301. Suitable textile composites include, but are not limited to,
floor coverings and flooring tiles. While illustrated as part of a
textile composite, exemplary embodiments are directed to the
textile fabric itself without any of the additional layers found in
the composite. Suitable textile fabrics include woven fabrics,
stitch-bonded fabrics, needle-punched fabrics, needle-punched
felts, looped tufted fabrics and cut-pile tufted fabrics.
[0027] The textile fabric includes a top face 309 and a back face
308 opposite the top face. The top face is spaced from the top face
by a thickness 301 of the textile fabric. Before the textile fabric
is stabilized, the thickness is the original thickness of the
textile fabric. The textile fabric includes a plurality of textile
fibers disposed between the top face and the bottom face. Suitable
textile fibers include yarns, filaments, and staple fibers.
[0028] A stabilized layer 305 extends into the textile fabric from
the bottom face. The stabilized layer extends through the bottom
308 into the fabric by a given distance 307 from the back face. The
given distance 307 is dependent upon the structure of the
floorcovering. Preferably, the given distance is limited to the
lower strata to avoid interfering with the fibrous cushion or
softness of the textile front. The stabilizing fiber layer includes
a plurality of inserted dimensionally stable fibers 306, which are
intermeshed or interspersed with the portion of the textile fibers
contained in the portion of the textile fabric into which the
stabilized layer extends. The weight of the stabilizing fibers
sufficient for stabilization is relatively low. In one embodiment,
the weight of stabilizing fibers is less than 100 gm/m.sup.2. Each
dimensionally stable fiber maintains dimensional stability upon
exposure to changes in moisture, changes in temperature or changes
in moisture and temperature because, as compared to the remainder
of the structure, each dimensionally stable fiber has a
substantially lower low coefficient of thermal expansion, usually
lower by an order of magnitude, as well as a much lower tendency to
be affected by humidity. Suitable dimensionally stable fibers
include, but are not limited to, glass fibers, aramid fibers,
carbon fibers and combinations thereof.
[0029] The stabilized bottom layer also includes an inter-bonding
adhesive interspersed with the original textile fibers and the
dimensionally stable fibers. Suitable inter-bonding adhesives
include polymeric low-melt adhesives include any adhesive having a
melting point below the melting point of the yarns, e.g., the
tufted yarns in a tufted fabric, and any additional layers in the
textile fabric, e.g., the primary backing layer of the tufted
fabric. The low-melt adhesive layer can start as a film or a low
melt fabric. In one embodiment, the low melt adhesive layer is a
layer of powder, a layer of particles, or a layer of staple fibers.
In one embodiment, the low-melt adhesive has a very high melt
index. In one embodiment, adhesive is introduced into the
back-layer containing the stabilized fiber as a solution or
suspension and activated after embedding the stabilizing fibers. In
one embodiment, the adhesive is in the form of a latex suspension.
In one embodiment, the stabilizing fibers are inserted into a
fabric that has already been treated with a latex binder, followed
by a second application of binder. In one embodiment, the
inter-bonding adhesive is a liquid adhesive that is applied and
cured.
[0030] In one embodiment, the stabilized textile fabric is part of
a textile composite or textile flooring covering that also contains
one or more additional layers in contact with and extending from
the back face 308. Suitable additional layers include, but are not
limited to, additional thermoplastic resin layers 302, e.g., low
melt-adhesive layers, fluid barrier layers 303 and cushioning
layers 304. The additional layers can be attached in any desired
order. Suitable cushioning layers, including felts and foam layers,
and fluid barriers, including films, dense fabrics, and cast
membranes, are known and available in the art.
[0031] Exemplary embodiments are also directed to a method for
stabilizing a textile fabric. A textile fabric to be stabilized is
selected, and at least one of a layer containing stabilizing
fibers, i.e., a stabilizing fiber layer, and an inter-bonding
adhesive layer are placed adjacent the back face of the textile
fabric. In one embodiment, the inter-bonding adhesive is placed
between the back face and the stabilizing fiber layer containing
stabilizing fibers. Alternatively, the stabilizing fiber layer
containing the stabilizing fibers is placed between the back face
and the inter-bonding adhesive. Suitable textile fabrics and
inter-bonding adhesives are discussed herein. The stabilized layer
contains the plurality of dimensionally stable fibers having a low
coefficient of thermal expansion, a low coefficient of moisture
expansion or both a low coefficient of thermal expansion and a low
coefficient of moisture expansion. Suitable stabilizing fiber
layers include, but are not limited to, staple webs, woven or
nonwoven fabrics, warps of yarns, warps of filaments and blends of
low-melt adhesive fibers and stabilizing fibers, such as glass or
aramid fibers.
[0032] Heat, pressure or heat and pressure are applied to the
combined textile fabric, the stabilizing fiber layer and the
inter-bonding adhesive layer to embed the dimensionally stable
fibers and the inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric. This
forms the stabilized layer in the textile fabric. In one
embodiment, a single application of heat, pressure or heat and
pressure are used to embed the dimensionally stable fibers and the
inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric. Alternatively, a
plurality of discrete applications of heat, pressure, or heat and
pressure is used to embed the dimensionally stable fibers into the
textile fabric. Embedding of the dimensionally stable fibers is
followed by the introduction of liquid adhesive and the setting or
curing of the liquid adhesive. In one embodiment, each application
is an identical application of heat, pressure or heat and pressure.
Alternatively, the amount of heat and the amount of pressure are
varied among the plurality of applications.
[0033] In addition, the application can be varied with regard to
whether heat, pressure or heat and pressure are applied in a given
application. For example, heat is applied in a first application
followed by pressure before cooling. In one embodiment, multiple
applications are used to embed the stabilizing fiber layer and the
adhesive layer separately. For example, the inter-bonding adhesive
is placed adjacent the bottom face of the textile fabric. Heat,
pressure or heat and pressure are applied to embed the
inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric. Then, the
stabilizing fiber layer is placed adjacent the bottom face, and a
second application of heat, pressure or heat and pressure is used
to embed the stabilizing fiber layer containing stabilizing fibers
into the inter-bonding adhesive and textile fabric. In one
embodiment, after the inter-bonding adhesive layer and the
stabilizing fiber layer containing stabilizing fibers are embedded
into the textile fabric to form the stabilized layer within the
textile fabric, a second adhesive layer is applied to the
stabilized surface layer containing the embedded stabilizing fibers
of the textile fabric.
[0034] For a tufted fabric having a primary backing between face
loops and back-laps, heat, pressure or heat and pressure are used
to embed the dimensionally stable fibers and the inter-bonding
adhesive into the back-laps from the back face. In one embodiment,
a sufficient amount of heat, pressure or heat and pressure is
applied to the textile fabric to embed the inter-bonding adhesive
through and into the back-laps and partially into the primary
backing. Suitable methods for applying heat include using radiant
heat, using hot air and using a heated contact surface. Suitable
heated contact surfaces include plates or rollers containing a
three-dimensional pattern. The three-dimensional patterns include a
plurality of protrusions, projections or raised areas. In one
embodiment, a plurality of needles, for example, cupped needles,
extend from the plate or roller by a given distance. In one
embodiment, this given distance corresponds to the distance that
the dimensionally stable fibers and inter-bonding adhesive are
embedded into the textile fabric.
[0035] In one embodiment, a heated plate containing a pattern of
projections is pressed against the stabilizing fiber layer
containing the dimensionally stable fibers or against the
inter-bonding adhesive layer adjacent the back face of the textile.
The heated plate is pressed towards the back face, which presses
the projections into the textile from the back face to embed the
dimensionally stable fibers and the inter-bonding adhesive into the
textile fabric. Alternatively, a heated roller with a pattern of
projections on its periphery is pressed against the stabilizing
fiber layer containing the stabilizing fibers or inter-bonding
adhesive layer adjacent the back face of the textile to embed the
dimensionally stable fibers and the inter-bonding adhesive into the
textile fabric. In one embodiment, the heated roller or heated
plate is in a single application to embed the dimensionally stable
fibers and the inter-bonding adhesive into the textile fabric.
Alternatively, a plurality of discrete applications of the heated
plate or heated roller is used. The plurality of discrete
applications includes applying the same heated plate or heated
roller for each application and using a separate pattern of
projections for each application of heat, pressure or heat and
pressure or using both flat plates and rollers in combination with
plates and rollers containing patterns of projections.
[0036] Exemplary embodiments are directed to a tufted fabric
containing the integrated layer of stabilizing fibers and to the
method for integrating the stabilizing layer into the tufted
fabric. In one embodiment, stabilization is achieved after the
formation of the tufted fabric. Referring now to FIG. 2, a tufted
fabric 100 having a primary backing 104 between the top face 130
and the back face 132 is illustrated. The textile fibers in the
tufted fabric are the yarns 101 tufted into the primary backing at
a plurality of yarn insertion points 134. The yarns are tufted into
the primary backing at a yarn insertion point frequency between
adjacent yarn insertion points. The tufted yarns define face loops
102 extending from a first side 136 of the primary backing to the
top face 130 and back-laps 103 extending from a second side 138 of
the primary backing opposite the first side to the back face 132.
The tufted fabric contains relatively tall face loops 102 and
relatively shallower back-laps 103. The face loops extend up from
the primary backing an original height 111. Any suitable yarns,
primary backings and methods for forming a tufted product known and
available in the art can be used to form the tufted fabric.
[0037] When used in a flooring application, the back-laps are
adjacent to the floor and generally flattened. Even though the
back-laps are relatively shallower than the face loops, the
percentage of tufted yarns within the back-laps that are planarly
oriented with respect to the floor is substantial, in particular
for highly-patterned tufted flooring constructions. This percentage
of planarly oriented yarns in the back-laps frequently exceeds, by
weight, the weight of yarns within the face loops, i.e., the pile
over the primary backing. Independent expansion and contraction of
the yarns and filaments in the flattened back-lap layer is a
contributing factor to the effects of thermal and moisture
instability of tufted floor coverings. The most commonly used
tufting yarns are polyamides, which have a high coefficient of
thermal expansion and susceptibility to expansion and contraction
with moisture. The use of polyamides increases the effects of
back-lap expansion and contraction. Polyolefin yarns are also
frequently used as tufted yarns. While polyolefin yarns are not
affected by moisture, these yarns have a particularly high
coefficient of thermal expansion.
[0038] Expansion and contraction of the flattened back-lap layer is
reduced through integration of the stabilizing fibers into the
backlaps of the tufted fabric. In one embodiment, to integrate the
stabilizing layer into the tufted fabric, a inter-bonding adhesive
layer 105 and a textile layer 106 containing a plurality of
dimensionally stable fibers are placed adjacent the back-laps. As
illustrated, the inter-bonding adhesive layer is placed between the
stabilizing fiber layer and the back-laps. Alternatively, the
stabilizing fiber layer is placed between the inter-bonding
adhesive layer and the back laps.
[0039] Suitable inter-bonding adhesive layers are disclosed herein
and include adhesive layers having a melting point below the
melting point of the yarns and backing layer of the tufted fabric.
These low-melt adhesive layers can be a loose web of low-melt
fibers, a film or a low melt fabric. In one embodiment, the
inter-bonding adhesive layer is a layer of powder, a layer of
particles, or a layer of staple fibers. In one embodiment, the
low-melting fibers, fibrils, or particles are chosen to have a very
high melt index to enable them to melt and proceed into the
back-laps along with the reinforcing fibers. In one embodiment, the
melted fibers, fibrils or particles also enter the primary
backing.
[0040] Suitable stabilizing fiber layers containing stabilizing
fibers include nonwovens, for example, a layer of wet-laid
fiberglass fibers. The fiberglass fibers in the stabilizing fiber
layer can be bound together using low-melt resin. Alternately, a
low melt layer is absent, and following the insertion of the
stabilizing fibers into the backlaps, adhesive is applied in a
liquid or powder form and melted or cured with heat or heat and
pressure. Alternately, the stabilizing fibers in the stabilizing
fiber layer are in the form of a woven scrim, a warp of yarns or a
weft of yarns, disentagled and broken into shorter lengths and
intermeshed with the back-laps. In one embodiment, the inserted
stabilizing fiber layer of stabilizing fibers includes low-melting
fibers; therefore, a single layer of combined low-melt adhesive and
dimensionally stable fibers is pushed and inserted into the
back-laps. In one embodiment the inserted layer also includes
regular fibers such as polyesters serving to carry shorter or finer
stabilizing fibers in a web.
[0041] A heated tool 107, e.g., a heated embossing tool, is applied
against the layer 106 containing stabilizing fibers. Suitable
heated tools include, but are not limited to, a heated roller and a
heated flat plate. In one embodiment, the heated tool includes a
plurality of projections 108 extending out from a contact face 116
a projection height 110. The plurality of projections is arranged
in a pattern of projections and are spaced from each other along
the heated tool by a projection spacing 109. The projection height
and the projection spacing are selected to enable the heated tool
to melt the inter-bonding adhesive layer and intermesh the melted
adhesive, back-laps and dimensionally stable fibers without
damaging the primary backing. In one preferred embodiment,
projections are spaced with a planar frequency to create in the
tufted fabric a pattern or insertion points having an insertion
point frequency that exceeds the yarn insertion point frequency of
tufted yarn insertions into the primary backing. In one embodiment,
the projection frequency is at least 50% higher than the loop
insertion frequency into the primary backing.
[0042] The heated tool is maintained at a temperature above the
melting point of inter-bonding adhesive layer 105 and under the
melting point of the yarns and filaments in the back-laps 103 and
the melting point of the primary backing 104. To intermesh the
melted adhesive, back-laps and dimensionally stable fibers, the
heated tool is pressed against the stabilizing fiber layer in the
direction of arrow A. In one embodiment, an opposing plate (not
shown) is also applied to the top face 130 of the face loops 102 to
achieve the desired application pressure of the heated tool. In one
embodiment, the opposing plate is cooled to avoid softening and
crushing the pile of the face loops. In one embodiment, the
movement of the heated tool breaks the relatively brittle
continuous filaments or longer fibers present in the inserted layer
into smaller filaments and fibers to enable the insertion and
embedding of the dimensionally stable fibers into the
back-laps.
[0043] The heated tool is held at the desired application pressure
against the stabilizing fiber layer, inter-bonding adhesive layer
and back-laps for a dwell time. The dwell time under pressure, and
the extent or depth of motion of the heated tool are adjusted to
achieve full melting of the inter-bonding layer and propagation of
the melted resin into and around the yarns and between filaments of
the back-laps and the dimensionally stable fibers. In one
embodiment, the dwell time under pressure and the extent or depth
of motion of the heated tool are adjusted to achieve propagation of
the melted resin partially or slightly into the primary
backing.
[0044] Application of the heated tool, i.e., calendering, and the
associated insertion of adhesive and dimensionally stable particles
can be performed in one or more steps. In one embodiment, the
heated tool is repeatedly applied to the tufted fabric, for
example, randomly as in a needle-punching process, using a stroke
of limited depth. In one embodiment, the bottom or back-laps are
preheated with radiation, and a cold, i.e., unheated, tool is
applied to the back-laps. In one embodiment, the heated tool is a
heated roller, and hot roll embossing is performed using multiple
passes of the tufted fabric between a heated roller and a cooled
roller. In one embodiment, the tufted fabric passes over the heated
roller and under an unheated or cooled roller placed against the
pile side. Each pass uses either the same process conditions or
different process conditions. These process conditions include
set-gap, temperature, stroke and pattern. The process conditions
are selected to optimize formation of the stabilized layer. In one
embodiment, multiple heated tools or heated rollers, or a
combination of heated tools and heated rollers are used during
multiple discrete applications of heat, pressure or heat and
pressure.
[0045] In one embodiment, the tufted fabric is cooled or allowed to
cool. Preferably the tufted fabric is placed in a flat
configuration and cooled. Referring to FIG. 3, the intermeshed
melted adhesive, back-laps and dimensionally stable fibers produce
the stabilized layer 115 in the tufted fabric. In one embodiment,
the stabilized layer is located under the primary backing and
includes the back-lap yarns and the dimensionally stable fibers
dispersed and embedded among the back-lap yarns and the yarn
filaments. In one embodiment, the stabilized layer includes the
inter-bonding adhesive interspersed around the back-lap yarns,
filaments and dimensionally stable fibers. In one embodiment, the
stabilized layer extends from the back face through the back-laps
to the primary backing, and the dimensionally stable fibers are
intermeshed with the back-laps in accordance with a pattern of
insertion points having an insertion point frequency across the
back face that exceeds a yarn insertion point frequency across the
primary backing. In one embodiment, the stabilizing layer includes
the inter-bonding adhesive, and the inter-bonding adhesive extends
from the back face through the back-laps and at least partially
through the primary backing from the second side.
[0046] Heat reaching the bottom of the primary backing does not
exceed the melting point of the primary backing. Cushioning offered
by the pile is only marginally affected, with the ratio of the
final height 112 (FIG. 3) of the face loops to the original height
111 (FIG. 2) being greater than or equal to 0.75, preferably
greater than or equal to 0.90.
[0047] Referring now to FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the textile
fabric is a cut pile fabric 400. The cut pile includes yarns 410
that are inserted or tufted through the primary backing 404 to
create the face loops 402 that are cut during the tufting process
and the back laps 403 as in the tufted loop fabric. In one
embodiment, the inter-bonding adhesive layer 405 is placed below
the stabilizing fiber layer 406 containing the stabilizing fibers,
which is placed against the back face 432 of the cut pile fabric as
illustrated. Heat, pressure or heat and pressure are then applied
as described herein.
[0048] Referring to FIG. 5, in one embodiment, the cut pile
includes yarns 410 that are inserted or tufted through the primary
backing 404 to create the face loops 402 and the back laps 403. An
adhesive layer 418 is initially applied to the back-laps at the
back face 432 of the cut file fabric, i.e., the back-laps are
pre-coated with adhesive or pre-embedded with adhesive. The
adhesive layer may also be coated onto the back laps as a liquid
adhesive. Alternatively, the inter-bonding adhesive layer is placed
against the back face, and heat, pressure or heat and pressure are
used to embed the back-laps in the low melt adhesive. The
stabilizing fiber layer containing stabilizing fibers is placed
against the back-laps and the inter-bonding adhesive layer. Heat,
pressure or heat and pressure are then applied to form the
stabilized bottom layer.
[0049] Referring now to FIG. 6, the textile fabric is a tufted
fabric 500 having the loops 502 and back laps 503, and the
stabilized layer 515 has been created in the back-laps 503. An
additional adhesive layer 520 is applied to or attached to the
integrated stabilized layer 515. This additional adhesive layer
secures or further stabilizes the bottom surface 522 of the
stabilized layer, increases cushion and friction between the floor
and the bottom surface, and prevents the release of broken or
loosened dimensionally stable fibers as the floorcovering
containing the tufted fabric is subjected to repeated local
intermitted pressure during use.
[0050] Referring now to FIG. 7, the textile fabric is a
needle-punched fabric 200. The needle punched fabric is formed as a
relatively thick and bulky layer having an original height or
thickness 210 and containing a plurality of fibers 205. Suitable
materials and methods for making needle-punched fabrics are known
and available in the art. A inter-bonding adhesive layer 201 is
brought into contact with a bottom surface 207 of the needle
punched fabric, and a stabilizing fiber layer 202 containing
stabilizing fibers is placed into contact with the inter-bonding
adhesive layer such that the inter-bonding adhesive layer is
disposed between the stabilizing fiber layer 202 and the needle
punched fabric. Suitable inter-bonding adhesive layers and
stabilizing fiber layers containing stabilizing fibers are
disclosed herein.
[0051] A heated tool 203, e.g., a heated roller or a heated plate,
is moved into contact with the stabilizing fiber layer in the
direction of arrow B. The heated tool includes the plurality of
projections 204 arranged in accordance with the pattern of
projections and insertion points and the desired insertion point
frequency. In one embodiment, the projections in the plurality of
projections are cupped needles. In one embodiment, the cupped
needles extend out from the heated tool a height 216 corresponding
to a desired depth of insertion of the inter-bonding adhesive and
dimensionally stable fibers into the needle-punched fabric. The
heated tool and cupped needles turn the inter-bonding adhesive
layer into molten adhesive resin, and the cupped needles drive the
dimensionally stable fibers and molten resin into the bottom
surface of the needle-punched fabric.
[0052] The heated tool is pressed against the stabilizing fiber
layer and the back surface in the direction of arrow B to achieve a
desired depth of insertion of the cupped needles into the
needle-punched fabric. The heated tool is held against the
stabilizing fiber layer at the desired depth of insertion of the
cupped needles for a length of time sufficient to produce molten
inter-bonding adhesive and to drive the molten inter-bonding
adhesive into the needle-punched fabric. The heated tool is
removed, and the needle-punched fabric is cooled. Referring to FIG.
8, the resulting stabilized needle-punched fabric includes the
integrated stabilized layer 215. The final overall height 211 of
the stabilized needle-punched fabric including the stabilizing
layer is equal to at least 75% of the original height 210 (FIG. 7)
of the needle-punched fabric. The stabilized needle punched fabric
of FIG. 8 can also be produced by omitting the inter-bonding
adhesive layer 201, and after inserting the stabilizing fibers,
adding liquid adhesive to the back of the fabric.
[0053] Referring now to FIG. 9, in one embodiment, an additional
low-melt adhesive layer 214 is applied to or attached to the
integrated stabilizing layer 215 of the needle-punched fabric 200.
This additional low-melt adhesive layer secures or stabilizes the
bottom surface 212, increases cushion and friction between the
floor and the bottom surface, and prevents the release of broken or
loosened dimensionally stable fibers and yarn filaments as the
floorcovering is subjected to repeated local intermitted pressure
during use.
[0054] The foregoing written description uses examples of the
subject matter disclosed to enable any person skilled in the art to
practice the same, including making and using any devices or
systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable
scope of the subject matter is defined by the claims, and may
include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such
other examples are intended to be within the scope of the
claims.
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