Co-foamable PVC plastisol composition and co-foamed PVC layer for floor covering
AssigneeBeaulieu International Group NV
InventorDaan De Keyzer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A co-foamable vinyl plastisol composition, a gelled or fused co-foamed vinyl layer, a co-foamed vinyl layer, methods of manufacture of the layer and use of the layer in floor coverings such as sheet vinyl, cushioned vinyl flooring, floor tiles, and laminated planks are described. The co-foaming is preferably a sequential foaming of a single layer such as a single coated layer, such as sequentially applied mechanical foaming or frothing followed by chemical foaming. A co-foamable vinyl plastisol composition is mechanically foamed/frothed before it is applied to a substrate. Once on the substrate, the co-foamable layer can be processed further and is chemically foamed in a later process step.
Claims12
A multi-layered sheet suitable as a floor or wall covering, comprising:
- a porous support layer having an upper surface and a lower surface;
- a co-foamed vinyl layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface of the co-foamed vinyl layer being provided adjacent to the porous support layer, and
- a decorative layer on the upper surface of the co-foamed vinyl layer,
- wherein the co-foamed vinyl layer is impregnated into the porous support layer and through the porous support layer to form a backing layer on a side of the porous support layer opposite from the decorative layer,
- wherein the co-foamed vinyl layer comprises a mixed combination of a froth and a chemically blown foam in one layer, or the co-foamed vinyl layer is a gelled and fused plastisol that has been frothed and chemically blown by a chemical foaming agent in one layer, and
- wherein the co-foamed vinyl layer comprises in the one layer a first type of polyvinyl chloride (“PVC”) that forms the froth and has a higher molecular weight, and a second type of PVC that forms the chemically blown foam and has a lower molecular weight, the second type of PVC being different from the first type of PVC.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.