Textured composite material
AssigneeDZS Inc.
InventorDimitri Peter Zafiroglu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A laminated multilayer textured composite has an embossed fibrous outer layer bonded to one side of an adhesive layer to form a three-dimensional structure defined by all of fibers in depressed areas between elevated areas being fully embedded in the adhesive and most of the fibers in the elevated areas of the elevated areas being free of adhesive. The composite provides an abrasion resistant, surface stable material for covering floors, walls, furniture and the like. An optional backing layer can be simultaneously adhered to the second side of the adhesive layer primarily for improved cushioning and dimensional stability. The composite can be formed by a simultaneous pressure embossing and thermal laminating process.
Claims23
A textured composite material comprising a fibrous outer layer comprising fibers, and an adjacent adhesive layer in which the composite material is defined by a surface area comprising (i) depressed areas within which all the fibers of the outer layer are fully embedded in the adhesive layer, and (ii) elevated areas within which a major fraction of the lengths of the fibers of the outer layer are substantially free of inter-fiber bonding by the adhesive layer, and in which fibrous outer layer more than half of the fibers are included in chains of one or more fibers that define two chain ends, such that the chain ends extend into two depressed areas and the chain between the chain ends is within an elevated area that separates the two depressed areas.
A method of making a textured composite material comprising the steps of
- (a) providing a web of fibers,
- (b) placing a layer of activatable adhesive uniformly on a side of the web,
- (c) compressing the web and adhesive layer between an embossing tool having a plurality of protrusions directed toward the web and an opposing backup tool, thereby forming (i) depressed areas where the protrusions contact the web and adhesive layer and (ii) elevated areas where the web is free of contact with the protrusions,
- (d) activating the adhesive in contact with the protrusions such that all of the fibers within the depressed areas become embedded in the activated adhesive, and
- (e) relieving compression of the web and adhesive thereby forming a composite material having a three-dimensional texture in which more than half of the fibers of the fibrous outer layer extend into at least two depressed areas separated from each other by at least one elevated area.
A textured composite material formed by a method comprising the steps of
- (a) providing a web of fibers adapted to form an outer fibrous layer of the textured composite material,
- (b) depositing a layer of activatable adhesive uniformly on a side of the web,
- (c) compressing the web and adhesive layer between an embossing tool having a plurality of protrusions directed toward the web and an opposing backup tool, thereby forming (i) depressed areas where the protrusions contact the web and adhesive layer and (ii) elevated areas where the web is free of contact with the protrusions,
- (d) activating the adhesive in contact with the protrusions such that all of the fibers within the depressed areas become embedded in the activated adhesive, and
- (e) relieving compression of the web and adhesive to activate the adhesive, and
- (f) forming a composite material having a three-dimensional texture in which more than half of the fibers of the fibrous outer layer are included in chains of one or more fibers that define two chain ends, such that the chain ends extend into two depressed areas and the chain between the chain ends is within an elevated area that separates the two depressed areas, and in which the fibers in the elevated areas are substantially free of inter-fiber bonding by the adhesive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.