Reinforced foam anti-fatigue floor tile module and method of making same
AssigneeCompo Industries, Inc.
InventorsDavid K. Slosberg, Gilbert S. Nowell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reinforced, anti-fatigue foam floor tile module which comprises first and second resilient foam layers, and in between the foam layers, at a distance of about 55% to 65% of the thickness from the back surface of the mat, is a dimensionally-stabilizing, fibrous, particularly glass, scrim sheet material. The foam floor tile module has a foam density ranging from about 20 to 40 pounds per cubic foot, comprises a substantially closed cell foam and has an embossed face surface having a decorative or non-slip pattern thereon with the foam layer densified under the embossed areas.
Claims33
A reinforced vinyl-foam, anti fatigue floor module of defined dimensions, which comprises:
- (a) a resilient, substantially closed cell, vinyl-foam layer of sufficient thickness to provide anti-fatigue cushioning properties, said layer having a face surface and a back surface, the foam layer having a density of about 20 pounds per cubic foot or more, and one surface having an embossed, anti-friction or design pattern thereon;
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- (b) a reinforcing fibrous sheet material within the foam layer and positioned between 55% to 65% of the depth of the foam layer from the non-embossed surface to provide a dimensionally stable floor module characterized by laying flat on a floor surface and which has a shrinkage of less than about two-tenths of one percent on aging.
A reinforced, vinyl-foam, anti-fatifue floor module which module comprises in combination:
- (a) a first resilient foam layer having a face surface;
- (b) a second resilient, vinyl-foam layer integrally and directly bonded to the first foam layer, the second foam layer having a back surface, the first and second foam layers having a foam density of greater than 20 to 40 pounds per cubic foot and comprising substantially closed-cell foam to act as a vinyl-foam, anti-fatigue cushioning layer with a thickness of about 250 to 600 mils;
- (c) a reinforcing fibrous sheet material comprising an open glass fiber tissue or scrim material between the first and second foam layers and positioned between 55% to 65% of the depth of the module from the back surface to provide a dimensionally stable and anti-fatigue floor module which lies flat and is characterized by a shrinkage, on aging, of less than about one-tenth of one percent;
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- (d) an embossed patterned face surface, the embossing to a depth of about 10 to 150 mils on the first foam layer, the first foam layer having densified foam areas under the embossed sections, and the pattern comprising a non-slip or design pattern thereon.
A method of preparing a reinforced, vinyl-foam, anti-fatigue floor module, which method comprises:
- (a) placing a reinforcing fibrous sheet material within a substantially closed cell, vinyl-foam layer, which layer has a face and a back surface, and having a foam density of about 20 pounds per cubic foot or more and of sufficient thickness to provide an anti-fatigue and cushioning layer;
- (b) embossing a pattern on one of the surfaces of the foam layer;
- (c) cutting the embossed, reinforced foam layer into floor modules of defined size;
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- (d) the reinforced sheet material position within the foam layer at a depth of from 55% to 65% of the thickness of the foam layer, measured from the non-embossed surface, thereby providing a floor module which has a high dimensional stability and lies flat during use and is characterized by less than two-tenths of one percent shrinkage, on aging.
A method of preparing a reinforced, vinyl-foam, anti-fatigue floor module, which method comprises:
- (a) forming a first layer of an expandable liquid vinyl resin plastisol composition;
- (b) placing a fibrous reinforcing sheet material onto the top surface of the gelled first layer;
- (c) forming a second layer of an expandable liquid vinyl resin plastisol composition over the fibrous sheet material;
- (d) heating the first and second layers to form a substantially closed cell, integrally bonded, anti-fatigue, cushioning, vinyl-foam layer having a top and back skin layer surface, the foam layer having a foam density of greater than 20 to 40 pounds per cubic foot, and the foam layer having a thickness of about 250 to 600 mils, and the fibrous sheet material positioned 55% to 65% of the depth of the mat from the back surface of the foam layer;
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- (e) embossing the top surface of the foam layer to form a decorative or non-slip friction pattern thereon;
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- (f) die cutting the embossed foam layer into floor modules of defined size.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.