Tile product having multiple levels of height, multiple levels of gloss and mortar-line surround
AssigneeArmstrong World Industries, Inc.
InventorsIvan Diamond, James J. Lawson, Walter J. Lewicki, Jr., Stavros C. Stavrinou
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Abstract
A tile product having a substantially non-porous vinyl composition base and a multilevel embossing and gloss which has a mechanically embossed mortar-line surround and which is free of gloss defects formed by pockets of air trapped between the wear layer and embossing mold during embossing is produced by applying a vacuum to the press during embossing. Preferably, the tile is laminated in a hot press heated by RF energy and cooled in a cold press to reduce the temperature of the wear layer to below its glass transition temperature.
Claims16
A tile comprising a substantially non-porous base and a wear layer, wherein said wear layer is a polymeric film laminated to said base, said film being embossed, said film being of substantially homogeneous composition, said film having an exposed surface opposite said base, said exposed surface having multiple levels of height and multiple levels of gloss, the tile having a mortar-line surround around the periphery of the tile, said mortar-line surround being a mechanically embossed depression around the periphery of the tile, the depression being at least 6 mils deep, wherein the mortar-line surround depression is in registration with a pattern printed on the tile, the gloss level difference being at least 20 as measured by a Gardner gloss meter at 60.degree..
A tile consisting essentially of a substantially non-porous base and a polymeric wear layer laminated to said base, said layer being embossed, said layer being of substantially homogeneous composition, said layer having an exposed surface opposite said base, said exposed surface having multiple levels of height and multiple levels of gloss, the tile having a mortar-line surround around the periphery of the tile, said mortar-line surround being a mechanically embossed depression around the periphery of the tile, the depression being at least 6 mils deep, wherein the mortar-line surround depression is in registration with a pattern printed on the tile, the gloss level difference being at least 20 as measured by a Gardner gloss meter at 60.degree..
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.