Securing a filamentous extrudate into a base material matrix at least one of which is expandable

Abstract

An extrudate element is inserted into a base material so that a portion of the extrudate enters into or traverses the base material. The inserted extrudate element, the constituent of the base material, or both are composed of an expandable extrudate containing an expansion agent. The expansion agent is activated during or after insertion of the extrudate element to cause enlargement of the expandable extrudate and/or the substrate or base. This enlargement fixes the extrudate element into the base material by tightening the inserted element against the base material to wedge it in place, as by causing portions of the inserted element to enter interstices of the base material, or by causing the inserted element to expand on both sides of the insertion opening to a diameter greater than that of the insertion opening. The insertion and subsequent fixing into a base material of a plurality of elements produces a pile surfaced article. In one embodiment a plurality of elements composed of a foamable material containing a suitable foaming agent is extruded directly through a base material and foamed, thereby locking the foamed elements into the backing to form a pile surface of foamed extrudate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.