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US 2026/0139433 A1Published application
Carpet tiles with improved dimensional stability
AssigneeJohns Manville
InventorsZhihua Guo, Philip Christopher Sharpe, Rui Ferreira
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A carpet tile includes a pile fabric layer, a primary backing, a latex precoat applied to the primary backing, a nonwoven mat positioned directly adjacent to the latex precoat, and a thermoplastic secondary backing applied to the nonwoven mat so that the thermoplastic secondary backing encapsulates a bottom surface of the nonwoven mat and saturates through the nonwoven mat to couple the nonwoven mat with the primary backing. The nonwoven mat includes a plurality of entangled fibers and a binder that bonds or adheres the entangled fibers together. At least some of the fibers of the nonwoven mat directly contact either the latex precoat or some of the yarns of the pile fabric layer.
Claims33
A carpet tile, comprising:
- a pile fabric layer that includes a plurality of yarns;
- a primary backing;
- a latex precoat applied to the primary backing and pile fabric layer to couple the pile fabric layer with the primary backing;
- a nonwoven mat that is positioned directly adjacent to the latex precoat, the nonwoven mat including a plurality of entangled fibers and a binder that bonds or adheres the entangled fibers together;
- and
- a thermoplastic secondary backing applied to the nonwoven mat so that the thermoplastic secondary backing encapsulates a bottom surface of the nonwoven mat within the thermoplastic secondary backing and so that the thermoplastic secondary backing saturates through the nonwoven mat in order to couple the nonwoven mat with the primary backing;
- wherein at least some of the fibers of the nonwoven mat directly contact either the latex precoat or some of the yarns of the pile fabric layer.
4 more elements
A method of forming a carpet tile comprising:
- providing a pile fabric layer that includes:
- a plurality of yarns;
- a primary backing;
- and
- a latex precoat applied to the primary backing and plurality of yarns to couple the plurality of yarns with the primary backing;
- positioning a nonwoven mat directly adjacent to the latex precoat, the nonwoven mat including a plurality of entangled fibers and a binder that bonds or adheres the entangled fibers together;
- and
- applying a thermoplastic secondary backing to the nonwoven mat so that the thermoplastic secondary backing encapsulates a bottom surface of the nonwoven mat within the thermoplastic secondary backing and so that the thermoplastic secondary backing saturates the nonwoven mat to couple the nonwoven mat with the primary backing;
- wherein at least some of the fibers of the nonwoven mat directly contact the latex precoat or some of the yarns of the pile fabric layer.
6 more elements
A carpet tile forming system comprising:
- a pile fabric delivery mechanism comprising one or more rollers that provide a pile fabric, the pile fabric including:
- a plurality of yarns;
- a primary backing;
- and
- a latex precoat applied to the plurality of yarns and pile fabric layer to couple the plurality of yarns with the primary backing;
- a reinforcement delivery mechanism comprising one or more rollers that provide a nonwoven mat directly adjacent to the pile fabric so that an inner surface of the nonwoven mat directly contacts the latex precoat of the pile fabric, the nonwoven mat including:
- a plurality of entangled fibers;
- and
- a binder that bonds or adheres the entangled fibers together;
- a secondary backing applicator that applies an extrudate to an outer surface of the nonwoven mat as the pile fabric and nonwoven mat are concurrently passed through the secondary backing applicator;
- and
- an extrudate press mechanism comprising one or more rollers that press the extrudate through the nonwoven mat so that the extrudate encapsulates the outer surface of the nonwoven mat and so that the extrudate saturates the nonwoven mat to couple the nonwoven mat with the primary backing of the pile fabric.
9 more elements
A reinforced pile fabric comprising:
- a plurality of yarns;
- a primary backing;
- a nonwoven mat that is positioned directly adjacent to the plurality of yarns and the primary backing, the nonwoven mat including a plurality of entangled fibers and a binder that bonds or adheres the entangled fibers together;
- and
- a latex precoat applied to the plurality of yarns, primary backing, and nonwoven mat to couple or adhere the plurality of yarns, primary backing, and nonwoven mat together;
- wherein the latex precoat is saturated through the nonwoven mat to couple or adhere the plurality of yarns, primary backing, and nonwoven mat together;
- wherein at least some of the fibers of the nonwoven mat directly contact at least some of the yarns and/or the primary backing.
4 more elements
A reinforced pile fabric forming system comprising:
- a Greige goods delivery mechanism comprising one or more rollers that provide Greige goods, the Greige goods including:
- a plurality of yarns;
- and
- a primary backing;
- a reinforcement delivery mechanism comprising one or more rollers that provide a nonwoven mat adjacent to the Greige goods, the nonwoven mat including:
- a plurality of entangled fibers;
- and
- a binder that bonds or adheres the entangled fibers together;
- a precoat applicator that applies a latex precoat to the Greige goods and nonwoven mat;
- a press mechanism comprising one or more rollers that press the Greige goods, the nonwoven mat, and the latex precoat so that the latex precoat saturates the nonwoven mat and a lower surface of the Greige goods;
- and
- an oven or heater that is configured to cure the latex precoat and thereby couple or adhere the Greige goods and nonwoven mat together;
- wherein at least some of the fibers of the nonwoven mat directly contact the plurality of yarns and/or primary backing of the Greige goods.
10 more elements
A method of forming a reinforced pile fabric, the method comprising:
- providing Greige goods that include:
- a plurality of yarns;
- and
- a primary backing;
- positioning a nonwoven mat adjacent to the Greige goods, the nonwoven mat including:
- a plurality of entangled fibers;
- and
- a binder that bonds or adheres the entangled fibers together;
- applying a latex precoat to the Greige goods and nonwoven mat;
- pressing the Greige goods, the nonwoven mat, and the latex precoat so that the latex precoat saturates the nonwoven mat and a lower surface of the Greige goods;
- and
- curing the latex precoat to thereby couple or adhere the Greige goods and nonwoven mat together;
- wherein at least some of the fibers of the nonwoven mat directly contact the plurality of yarns and/or primary backing of the Greige goods.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.