Process for manufacturing a floor covering having a foamed backing formed from recycled polymeric material
AssigneeCollins & Aikman Floorcoverings, Inc.
InventorsMark L. Grizzle, Lynn E. Preston, Wallace J. Hammel, Brian S. Randall, Paul D. Evans, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a cushioned floor covering having a backing material formed from waste polymeric material and a blowing agent wherein the blowing agent may be activated either before or after the backing material is adhered to the floor covering. The waste polymeric material includes from about 0 to 40 percent aliphatic polyamide material and is granulated, densified and extruded at a temperature that does not exceed the temperature at which the blowing agent would be activated.
Claims21
A process for manufacturing a backing material for a floor covering comprising the steps of:
- chopping a mixture of waste polymeric material wherein the waste polymeric material has about 0.1 to 40 percent aliphatic polyamide material having a predetermined melting temperature;
- granulating the chopped mixture into fragments that are smaller than the original size of the waste polymeric material;
- densifying the granulated mixture into pelletized waste polymeric material;
- mixing the waste polymeric material with a blowing agent having a predetermined decomposition temperature;
- extruding the mixed waste polymeric material and blowing agent at a temperature less than the melting temperature of a majority of the aliphatic polyamide material and less than the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent to form an extrudate;
- calendering the extrudate to form a backing sheet;
- adhering the backing sheet to the floor covering;
- and
- heating the backing sheet to a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent, thereby causing the backing sheet to expand to form a cushioned backing layer.
A process for manufacturing a backing material for a floor covering comprising:
- granulating a mixture of waste polymeric material including from about 0.1 to about 40 percent aliphatic polyamide material into a granulated mixture of fragments at least an order of magnitude smaller than the original size of the waste polymeric material;
- densifying the granulated mixture of waste polymeric material;
- mixing the waste polymeric material with a blowing agent having a predetermined decomposition temperature;
- forming a sheet from the mixture of waste polymeric material and blowing agent;
- adhering the sheet to a back surface of the floor covering;
- and
- heating the sheet to a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent, thereby causing the sheet to expand to form a cushioned backing layer,
- wherein the step of forming a sheet is carried out at temperatures below the melting temperature of a majority of the aliphatic polyamide material and below the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent.
A process for manufacturing a backing material for a floor covering comprising:
- cryogenically grinding a mixture of waste polymeric material including from about 0.1 to about 40 percent aliphatic polyamide material;
- densifying the granulated mixture of waste polymeric material;
- mixing the waste polymeric material with a blowing agent having a predetermined decomposition temperature;
- extruding the waste polymeric material at a temperature less than the melting temperature of a majority of the aliphatic polyamide material and less than the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent;
- calendering the extruded waste polymeric material to form a sheet;
- adhering the sheet to a back surface of the floor covering;
- and
- heating the sheet to a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent, thereby causing the sheet to expand to form a cushioned backing layer.
A process for manufacturing a backing material for a floor covering comprising:
- cryogenically grinding a mixture of waste polymeric material including from about 0.1 to about 40 percent aliphatic polyamide material to form a powder of waste polymeric material;
- mixing the powder of waste polymeric material with a blowing agent having a predetermined decomposition temperature;
- forming a sheet from the mixture of waste polymeric material and blowing agent;
- adhering the sheet to a back surface of the floor covering;
- and
- heating the sheet to a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent, thereby causing the sheet to expand to form a cushioned backing layer,
- wherein the step of forming a sheet is carried out at temperatures below the melting temperature of a majority of the aliphatic polyamide material and below the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent.
A process for manufacturing a foamed backing material from waste polymeric material derived in part from recycled carpet the foamed backing material having a substantially uniform thickness, for a floor covering comprising:
- granulating a mixture of waste polymeric material derived in part from recycled carpet including from about 0.1 to about 40 percent aliphatic polyamide material into a granulated mixture of fragments at least an order of magnitude smaller than the original size of the waste polymeric material;
- densifying the granulated mixture of waste polymeric material;
- mixing the waste polymeric material with a blowing agent having a predetermined decomposition temperature;
- forming a sheet from the mixture of waste polymeric material and blowing agent;
- heating the sheet to a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent, thereby causing the sheet to expand to form a cushioned backing layer;
- and
- adhering the cushioned backing layer to a back surface of the floor covering,
- wherein the step of forming a sheet is carried out at temperatures below the melting temperature of a majority of the aliphatic polyamide material and below the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent.
A process for manufacturing a foamed backing material from waste polymeric material derived in part from recycled carpet, the foamed backing material having a substantially uniform thickness, for a floor covering comprising:
- cryogenically grinding a mixture of waste polymeric material derived in part from recycled carpet including from about 0.1 to about 40 percent aliphatic polyamide material;
- densifying the granulated mixture of waste polymeric material;
- mixing the waste polymeric material with a blowing agent having a predetermined decomposition temperature;
- extruding the waste polymeric material at a temperature less than the melting temperature of a majority of the aliphatic polyamide material and less than the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent;
- calendering the extruded waste polymeric material to form a sheet;
- heating the sheet to a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent, thereby causing the sheet to expand to form a cushioned backing layer;
- and
- adhering the cushioned backing layer to a back surface of the floor covering.
A process for manufacturing a foamed backing material from waste polymeric material derived in part from recycled carpet, the foamed backing material having a substantially uniform thickness, for a floor covering comprising:
- cryogenically grinding a mixture of waste polymeric material derived in part from recycled carpet including from about 0.1 to about 40 percent aliphatic polyamide material to form a powder of waste polymeric material;
- mixing the powder of waste polymeric material with a blowing agent having a predetermined decomposition temperature;
- forming a sheet from the mixture of waste polymeric material and blowing agent;
- and
- heating the sheet to a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent, thereby causing the sheet to expand to form a cushioned backing,
- wherein the step of forming a sheet is carried out at temperatures below the melting temperature of a majority of the aliphatic polyamide material and below the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.