Decorative surface articles
AssigneeArmstrong World Industries, Inc.
InventorsJohn R. Eshbach, Richard E. Felter, Thomas Posipanko
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article which has utility as a decorative surface for materials such as resilient flooring, furniture, walls, ceilings, counter tops and the like is produced by aligning and embedding a plurality of fibers in a translucent binder, curing the binder and thereafter subjecting the binder to tension which is applied in such a manner to thereby create aligned air pockets along the surface of at least some of the fibers. The article, thus produced, is typically in the form of a film, sheet, or board.
Claims13
A process for producing an article suitable for use as a decorative surface covering, said process comprising:
- (a) embedding, in a unidirectional orientation, a plurality of translucent solid fibers in a translucent binder;
- (b) curing the binder;
- and
- (c) subjecting the cured binder to pressure which is applied in such a manner to create aligned tubular air pockets adjacent to the surface of the fibers.
A surface covering article suitable for use as a floor covering which comprises a flexible solid translucent binder having an inner and outer surface, said binder having intimately associated therewith a plurality of translucent, solid fibers that are aligned in a unidirectional orientation wherein at least some of the fibers have adjacent to their surface aligned tubular air pockets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.