Molded carpet assembly with sound deadening foam backing
AssigneeCollins & Aikman Corporation
InventorsClarence A. Peoples, Jr., Jacquelyn S. Hicks, Vernon C. Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A molded foam-backed carpet assembly is provided which is suitable for use in automobiles and which includes a carpet layer, a moldable thermoplastic polymer layer and a sound deadening foam cushion bonded to the thermoplastic polymer layer. The physical properties of the foam are controlled to provide enhanced vibration damping and sound deadening in the carpet assembly.
Claims20
A molded foam-backed sound deadening carpet assembly suitable for use in automobiles and characterized in that the foam cushion layer thereof is designed to provide enhanced sound deadening properties to the carpet assembly, said carpet assembly comprising
- a carpet having a fibrous surface on one face thereof and having a nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration adapted to conform to the contours of the floor of an automobile;
- a moldable thermoplastic polymer layer covering the opposite face of said carpet and imparting moldability to the carpet for maintaining the carpet in said nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration;
- and
- at least one flexible resilient foam cushion foamed in place on said thermoplastic polymer layer and bonded thereto, said at least one foam cushion extending over preselected areas less than the entire surface of said thermoplastic polymer layer, and said foam cushion having a 25% indentation force deflection (ASTM D3574 Test B) of no more than about 70 pounds, and a density of 3 to 10 pounds per cubic foot and providing vibration damping properties in said preselected areas of the carpet.
A molded foam-backed sound deadening carpet assembly suitable for use in automobiles and characterized in that the foam cushion layer thereof is designed to provide enhanced sound deadening properties to the carpet assembly, said carpet assembly comprising
- a carpet having fibrous surface on one face thereof and having a nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration adapted to conform to the contours of the floor of an automobile;
- a moldable thermoplastic polymer layer covering the opposite face of said carpet and imparting moldability to the carpet for maintaining the carpet in said nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration;
- and
- a flexible resilient foam cushion foamed in place on said thermoplastic polymer layer and bonded thereto, said foam cushion having a thickness in certain areas which is different from that of adjacent areas of the cushion so as to better conform to the contours of the automobile floor, and said foam cushion having a 25% indentation force deflection (ASTM D3574 Test B) of no more than about 70 pounds, a density of 3 to 10 pounds per cubic foot and providing vibration damping properties to the carpet assembly of such a magnitude that no more than a 20 mm thickness of such form imparts to the carpet assembly a sound decay rate at 160 HZ of at least 175 dB/second.
A molded foam-backed sound deadening carpet assembly suitable for use in automobiles and characterized in that the foam cushion layer thereof is designed to provide enhanced sound deadening properties to the carpet assembly, said carpet assembly comprising
- a carpet having fibrous surface on one face thereof and having a nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration adapted to conform to the contoours of the floor of an automobile;
- a moldable thermoplastic polymer layer covering the opposite face of said carpet and imparting moldability to the carpet for maintaining the carpet in said nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration;
- and
- at least one flexible resilient foam cushion foamed in place on said thermoplastic polymer layer and bonded thereto, said at least one foam cushion extending over preselected areas less than the entire surface of said thermoplastic polymer layer, and said foam cushion having a resilience (ASTM D3574 Test H) of at least 25 percent, a density of 3 to 10 pounds per cubic foot, and a 25% indentation force deflection (ASTM D3574 Test B) of 20 to 70 pounds, and providing vibration damping properties in said preselected areas of the carpet, and wherein the density and thickness of said thermoplastic polymer layer and of said flexible foam cushion are such that the carpet assembly has a weight of not more than about 1.1 pounds per square foot.
A molded foam-backed sound deadening carpet assembly suitable for use in automobiles and characterized in that the foam cushion layer thereof is designed to provide enhanced sound deadening properties to the carpet assembly, said carpet assembly comprising
- a carpet having a fibrous surface on one face thereof and having a nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration adapted to conform to the contours of the floor of an automobile;
- a moldable thermoplastic polymer layer covering the opposite face of said carpet and imparting moldability to the carpet for maintaining the carpet in said nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration;
- and
- a flexible foam cushion bonded to said thermoplastic polymer layer, said flexible foam cushion having a thickness in certain areas which is different from that of adjacent areas of the cushion so as to better conform to the contours of the automobile, and said foam cushion having a resilience (ASTM D3574 Test H) of at least 25 percent, a density of 3 to 10 pounds per cubic foot, and a 25% indentation force deflection (ASTM D3574 Test B) of 20 to 70 pounds, and providing vibration and sound damping properties to the carpet assembly, and wherein the density and thickness of said thermoplastic polymer layer and of said flexible foam cushion are such that the carpet assembly has a weight of not more than about 1.1 pounds per square foot.
A molded foam-backed sound deadening carpet assembly suitable for use in automobiles and characterized in that the foam cushion layer thereof is designed to provide enhanced sound deadening properties to the carpet assembly, said carpet assembly comprising
- a carpet having a fibrous surface on one face thereof and having a nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration adapted to conform to the contours of the floor of an automobile;
- a moldable thermoplastic polymer layer covering the opposite face of said carpet and imparting moldability to the carpet for maintaining the carpet in said nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration;
- and
- a flexible resilient foam cushion foamed in place on said thermoplastic polymer layer and bonded thereto, said flexible foam cushion having a thickness in certain areas which is different from that of adjacent areas of the cushion so as to better conform to the contours of the automobile, and said foam cushion having a resilience (ASTM D3574 Test H) of at least 25 percent, a density of 4 to 7 pounds per cubic foot, and a 25% indentation force deflection (ASTM D3574 Test B) of 20 to 40 pounds, and providing vibration and sound damping properties to the carpet assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.