Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02205403 1997-05-14
WO ~6/15302 1~ 1/13056
DESCRIPI ION
Fusion-Bonded Ca~pet System and Method of ~lion
~ ~l~round of the Inven~iQB
Carpets, such as free-lay carpet or backed carpet tile, have been pr~paled as
S either a tufted or a fusion-bonded carpet material having a wear face surface.Tufted carpet tile generally COlll~liSeS a pAIll~y carpet base sheet material
having a plurality of tufted yarns through the p.i~llaly base sheet material to form a
wear face surface of loop or cut pile, and usually with a precoat, such as of a latex-type
material, like carboxylated styrene-bl)t iien~styrene precoat, on the back surface to
10 bond the yarn to the plilllaly back. Tufted carpet roll goods usually have a secon~y
b~rl~ing of jute, woven poly~,.o~ylene or foam. Tufted carpet tile includes a backing
layer which generally comprises a solid, Ihe.,l-opla;~lic material, such as atactic
polypropylene, bilulll~ll or polyvinyl ~hlori(1e, prertlably with a glass fiber sheet
material, such as a mesh or fleece material, embedded therein to impart ~lim~.n~ n~l
15 stability to the carpet tile. The b~ g may also include a foam-type b~ ;n~ layer,
such as a PVC or urethane foam layer. Non-thermoplastic materials, such as
polyur~lhane, may also be used for the b~c~ing. In additi~n~ the tufted carpet tile may
include a secondary backing sheet, such as of ribel~,làss, poly~.~,~lene or polyester-
type m~teri~l, or in fact, may be l~...;n,lled and/or contain a pres~ure-sensili~e~
20 adhesive, ~ pable layer for applicalion to a ~,ub~llal~.
Fusion-bonded carpet has ~enl;~lly the same bac~illg except that the fusion-
bonded carpet is char~cteri7~ by a plurality of cut pile yarns, for ~...pl~, of nylon
or other natural or ~ylllllelic fibrous-type mateAal, illll,la lled in an adhesive layer,
particularly a thermoplastic, like a polyvinyl chloAde layer, or a hot-melt adhesive
25 layer. Where a polyvinyl chloAde pla,lisol is used, heating of the layer gels and then
fuses the layer into solid form, while with hot-melt adhesive mateAal, a melted layer
is applied and subsequently cooled into solid form. The plurality of fibrous yarns are
bonded to and extend upAght from the adhesive base layer to form a face wear surface.
Generally, a fusion-bonded carpet also in~llldes an ~ -ent ba~ing layer of a glass
30 fiber scAm material having large open areas and a glass fiber fleece which serves as a
st~hili7in~ carrie~.
--1-
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Fusion-bonded carpets may be pr~p~cd employing a llul~lber of well-known, but
dirr~,elll te~hni.lues and m~rhines in both ho-~on~l and vertical pr~cesses known as
the I-bond or U-bond processes. The single-end fiber i...p1~ ;Qn technique, known
as the I-bond process, holds the ends of the severed yarns in place by a layer of an
S adhesive m~t~ri~l on a b~ g m~t~o.ri~l, for ~Y~...p1c, a fibe,~;lass scrim-type m~t.o.ri~l
~dj~sPnt to a non-woven, glass fiber fleece layer. Thel~r~r, the free ends of the
fusion-bonded carpet may be embedded in another adhesive layer as before on the same
or dirr~,r~ b~L;.-g material, and the reY-1ting sandwich-type carpet then cut, for
~Y~mp1~q, with an osc~ ting blade in a vertical fusion-bonding method or by a
10 co.~ band knife in the h~ .u.~l;.l fusion-bonding mPtho~, to form two rolls of
fusion-bonded carpet having a cut wear face surface for b~ç~in~ into carpet tile or used
as roll goods. In anu~l.er I-bond process, the severed yarn has one end i...p1~..1~d
directly into an adhesive layer on a bac~hlg sheet, with the other severed end folll~ g
the wear face surface of the carpet.
The U-bond process generally inc111des a corrugated or pleated layer of yarn,
whelcill each loop end is placed in a layer of adhesive material on barlring sheet
material, and then the sandwich-formed carpet material cut to form two rolls of fusion-
bonded carpet, each roll having cut loops of yarn embedded in the adllesive layer;
hence, the name U-bond process.
The fusion-bonded carpet material prepared by these various prûce~es can then
be used as free-lay carpet or be COIlVt;l ~d into carpet or carpet tile with the application
of a suitable bac~ing layer and cutting or ~ .ing it into suitable form.
It is desirable to provide for a new and i~ luved fusion-bonded carpet material
prepared by a m~ifi~d I-bond process, inr1u-1ing a carpet tile ch~ r~ ;~ by novel
design p"ll~ on the face wear surface and for a method for prcpa~ g such carpet
m~tf~.ri~l .
Summary of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and system for the m~m1f~ctl-re of fusion-
bonded floor covering, such as carpet tile, and particularly to an I-bond, fusion-bonded
carpet tile, having a mn1*t olored pattern on the face wear surface thereon.
The present invention is directed to a fusion-bonded carpet, and more
particularly an I-bond fusion-bonded carpet, and to a method of ~l~ing the fusion-
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Wo 96/lS302 ~ J~4113056
bonded carpet, particularly a carpet tile which fusion-bonded carpet and method provide
for a l~ble or random pattern in the face wear surface, particularly a multicolored
ble or random pattern of s~lect~l design.
The method collll,lises coating a layer of an a&esive material onto a sheet
5 b~ g material, feeding the yarn m~tt.ri~l to a clalllpi~lg means, cutting the yarn
material to a defined height, i...l.! ...I;ng cut yarn material into an adhesive coated layer
in a plane generally perpen(1ir~ r to the b~.L ing material and bonding the i...pl~ A
yarn material into the adhesive coated layer.
The ilu~r~velu~ co...~ ÇS prepa~ g multiple strands of the yarn material in
10 rope form, forming selected bundles of the rope-formed yarn material with the yarn
materi~l con,~osed of yarn of dirrert;lll chal~.c~ri~lics, such as being of dirferelll colors
in the strands of the rope form, s~veli lg the rope-formed bundles and impl~nting one
end of the severed rope bundles in the a&esive layer to form a pattern of the ends of
the rope bundles as the face wear surface of the carpet m~t~.ri~l. Optionally, and
15 prertl~.bly, the other end of the severed rope bundles are implanted in an adhesive layer
on a bac~ing sheet to form a sandwich-type construction and then severing the
implanted yarn mateAal generally il~lt;l..-~J;~e the sandwich to form two sc;p~le rolls
of carpet mateAal. Optionally, the carpet m~t~.ri~l may then have a b~cL-ing applied
thereto and cut when carpet tile is being plepal~d.
The fusion-bonded carpet of the invention colll~lises a carpet having a face wear
surface which is formed in whole or in part by the display of the end view of the yarn
mateAal placed in strands in rope-like forms and bundles, the bundles bonded onto an
adhesive layer m~teri~l on a bac~ g sheet, the severed ends of the rope-formed bundles
follllillg the face wear surface of the carpet m~t~.ri~l.
The invention co.ll~lises a system for the m~nl~f~ctllre of a fusion-bonded carpet,
which system colll~lises a source of multiple strands of yarn material, the yarn m~t~.ri~l
sçlected to have dirfer~lll chal.lcleli~lics; rope making means to receive the mnlt-'~
strands of yarn material from the source and to form the multiple strands in rope form,
which rope form in~ln~s means to ~ in the integrity of the rope form during
subsequent procç~ing; means to include a plurality of the rope forms from the rope
making means into rope form bundles, and inchl(les means to ~ ;nl; in the illl~lily of
the rope form bundles during ~ubse41lenl proce.~ .g; means to sever the rope form
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WO 96/15302 PCI~/US94rl30~i6
bundles to a SPkPCtp~d height and to form cut rope form bundles having a one and other
end; means to i~ the one end of the cut rope form bundle into an adhesive coating
layer on a b~ ing sheet material; and means to secure the illl?la.llcd cut rope form
bundles to the adhesive coating layer to form a fusion-bonded carpet having a face wear
S surface.
The system for the m~mlf~t tnre of a fusion-bonded carpet comprises a plurality
of strands of yarn m~tPri~l arranged in a generally parallel, Ull~Wi~ d, rope form and
a means to ...~;..I;1;n the .,lle~ y of the strands of yarn material in the rope form for
subsequent procec~ing.
- 10 The invention further comprises a yarn rope form bundle adapted for use in the
m~mlf~ctllre of a fusion-bonded carpet, which rope form bundle material comprises a
plurality of rope form materials co,lll~osed of a plurality of strands of yarn material in
rope form and having means to ~ ;r.l;.i,~ the illlcglily of the rope form material; the
rope form materials bundled together ~dj~ Pnt each other to form a rope form bundle;
15 means to ...~i"1,.in the inl~grily of the rope form bundle during procF!~;ng to form a
fusion-bonded carpet; and means whclcin the yarn material of one or more of the rope
form m~tPri~lc have sPlected difrclelll characteristics, the yarn material ~d~pte~ to form
a sPlected design pattern on the face surface of a fusion-bonded carpet.
The invention permits the creation of a selected rcpealablc or random pattern in20 an I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet, particularly of a multicolored pattern as the face wear
surface of the carpet by employing yarn material in strand form with the strands making
up a selected rope form and the ropes bundled together. The rope-like bundles may be
sliced to desired yarn height and implanted at one end in the adhesive layer to display
the other end view of the selectecl ropes in the rope bundle, or plt;f~l~bly both ends
25 hll?lalllt;d and then cut to form two sepa,al~ rolls of carpet material with the selectecl
yarn face wear surface. The method and the res~llting carpet material provides for
easily ready flexibility in the selection le~dlable or random p~lle~ to make up the
face wear surface of I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet.
In the present lechni~lues of pr~il~ I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet, individual
30 yarns are fed from beams to a clamping beam wherein the yarns are accum~ ted to a
desired thi~n~c~ del~lllined by the size and nulllber of the individual yarns, and the
c1~mped yarns are sheared by a guillotine blade and impl~nted into an adhesive coating
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layer on a b~l;ng sheet. The other end of the yarn is then i...~ Pd in an o~)osile
adhesive layer on a b~ in~ sheet, and then the sandwich is cut to form two rolls of
carpet m~teri~l If varied yarn colors are employed, straight lines or pdllelns would be
formed employing this prior art system. Space-dyed yarns can be used to prol.,. le the
5 highli~ht~ on the face wear surface, but the size of contrast color insert is quite limited
in the present I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet ..,~lh~c. In the ill~e~tion, yarn
materials are prep~ed in strands of pre~r....;ned yarns and then formed into a rope
form, and the rope form prepar~ in plede~ ined mlll*rle rope form bundles. The
strands making up the rope-like form and the rope-end bundles are held together to
10 l.~;nl;.in strand, rope-like and bundle illt~,lily. The yarn m~tPri~l may be produced
in mnltirle se1ected strands to make up in rope form, then selP~cted rope formedl6~e~ r to make up sto~ 1 rope bundles which are to be held, clalll~ed and i~ "led
in the a&esive layer, as in a typical I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet methndt
The invention collll.lises a m~ific~ion to t_e co,lvc;~ n~l I-bond m~thods of
15 pr~parillg carpet m~teri~l, and particularly for carpet tile mqt~ri~l, to form carpet
m~tlori~l of ~.,yillg yarn color or cha.~.~tel;~l;cs as the face wear surface. The sheet
bac~in~ m~teri~l e,~ yed in conl-~ ion with the carpet m~t~ri~l may coll,p,ise for
r~ any woven, non-woven, natural or ~,ynlhelic sheet m~teri~l, but particularly
would include sheet m~teri~l as employed in I-bond or in carpet ...~....rAc~ e to inclllde,
20 but not be limited to, natural materials, such as jute, synthetic materials, such as
polyester, woven or non-woven sheet material, such as glass fiber scrim, and in
particular, glass fiber, non-woven tissue material, which ba,~L ;ng sheet m~teri~l~ may
be used alone or in various co"lb;..~liol-~.
The adl,esive m~teri~l employed to form the adhesive coating layer and to retain25 the i...~ nled yarn material in a generally upright and typically perpqn~ic~ r position
may co~Qplise any type of adhesive-type m~tPri~l, to include but not be limited to, vinyl
chloride resin m~t~ri~l, such as a vinyl chloride resin plastisol, which may be applied
as a liquid coating layer and subse lu~"lly on h~ting, gels and fuses to form a solid
polyvinyl chloride layer or a hot-melt adhesive layer composed of a thermoplastic
30 polymer material which on heating melts, and on cooling soli~lffles, such s for e~l~lc
atactic polyl,r~,pylene, b;l.~ n, m~lifie~ b;~ rn~ or other type material. Otherpolymers may include olefinic-vinyl acid ester, such as ethylene vinyl acetate, and
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WO 96/15302 PCTI[JS94/130S6
copolymers, polyule~ e, c~ ic mqtP.riql, styrene-but ~ifAne mqtPriql, SBS
rubber, polyqmi(les, polyurG~ e and various latex-type mqtPriql~ to include SBS
rubber, carbo~yldled SIS rubber and ethylene vinyl acetate. The latex adhesive may
in~ fie7 but not be limited to, various vinyl laffices such as acrylic-vinyl, copolymer
5 and olefin-vinyl esters, such as ethylene vinyl short-chain esters, like e~ylGIlG vinyl
acetate. The adhesive co l ~o~i~ion may be co pounded with other COAA1POIIG11I~7~ fillers
and additives.
The yarn material employed may Colll~lisG any fibrous-type material, natural or
~7ylltLGlic, and co llbin~ thereof, but more typically co,~.ises nylon, polyester or
10 olefinic-type resin, or natural products such as wool and CO l~;n~l ;on~ thereof, and such
fibrous-type mqtP,riql~ as used in plGpa~ g carpet material, particularly caIpet tile
mqtPriql The carpet material so plG~aled may be employed as a free-lay carpet on top
of a sepa,~le solid or foam or other type of carpet support or may have a sepA.,~1e
baçL-ing qttq~hed thereto. Carpet tile material may include a solid or foam m~teri~l
15 secured to the back surface of the b~ L;,-~ sheet, alone or with a secon~l~ry bff~Lil-g
sheet. Thus, the carpet m~ten~l may be employed as a free-lay carpet, or more
particularly, may be further coated, such as with a vinyl chloride resin, atactic
polyplol,ylene or bilul æll or foam material, then cut to form carpet tile. The carpet
tile m~ten~l may be freely laid or may also include pres~u.e-se~iLive adhesives on the
20 secon.1~ry b~rL ;ng or back surface.
For ~,w~oses of illustration only the method will be desclibed with the double
impl~nt~-fion I-bond method ~vlleleill each end of the rope bundles are i ~ el~ed in a
molten or liquid adl~sive layer on a b~L ;l~g sheet to form an I-bond fusion-bonded
carpet. In the double i ~lpl~nl~l;on method as used, both ends of the rope end bundles
25 are employed and placed in an a&esive layer to forrn a sandwich and then the yarn
m~tPri~l severed to form two sepal~le carpet rolls. The selection of materials employed
in the method may vary as desired and to provide co...pd~;l.ility. For example, where
a vinyl plastisol is employed as the a&esive coating layer, the carpet ~ile bAcL ;n~ layer
would employ a vinyl chloride col~dlible material, such as a polyvinyl chloride solid
30 b~cL-ing layer. If the a&esive material colllprises a SIS or carbo~ylaled SIS a&esive
coating layer, then the carpet tile b~L;ng m~teri~l would collprise a colllpdlille
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backing layer of a bilwllell or polymer-modifi~ bilulllen layer to form the carpet tile
material.
The yarn material is selected for a s~lected, de~ignrd face wear surface, for
example, the yarn m~t~ri~l strands thereof or the rope which is made up of the strands
S or the end rope bundles made up of the rope, may vary. The yarn m~t~ri~l is ce~ect~d
to provide for the desired cl~n~lri;~tirs, such as, for example, the yarn m~t~ri~l,
strands or rope so formed from these strands may be formed of multicolored or sep
colors, and then blended in the end rope bundles to form a random or rep~dlable pattern
as desired as the face wear surface of the carpet. For example, the yarn m~t~ri~l
10 employed in either the strands, rope or bundles can vary in a Iwlllbel of dirr~.clll
characteristics to include a multiple texture, random or l~ble pattern on the carpet
tile created by varying for example the yarn sizes, the yarn plies, the twist level, the
yarn twist direction, the yarn heat setting, the yarn color and other fibrous yarn
material characteristics. Thus, the method and the res--lting carpet m~trri~l provide for
15 a wide variety of te~lur~s and p~ on the face surface, inrlu~ling varying the yarn
material, such as blending yarn material of various yarn sizes, colors and plies to arrive
at a desired pattern. The multiple end rope bundles of the yarn materials used in
conj..i~ ;on with the method may be made as the major part or all of the face wear
surface of the carpet material. They can also be used in conjunction with single end
20 yarns of selected chal~çl~ irs~ for t?Y~mple, to fill in the voids or to modify any
desired pattern on the face wear surface of the carpet. The single yarn material may
represelll a major or minor co~ elll of face surface of the carpet. The method is
directed to providing a repeatable, sel.o~cted pattern on the face wear surface. However,
random ~1~ are also possible by ~ust v~yhlg the input and 1oc7~ti( n of the multiple
25 bundles.
In the invention, yarn material is formed into various and multiple strands, forçY~mple, strands of t~,vo to twenty groups of yarn material of the same or di~rere
colors or characteristics. The strands are then fed into a ropem~king ...~chii-~ or may
be formed within the ropem~king m~hine to form a rope material composed for
30 example of four to twelve, for rY~ lr, six to ten strands. The rope material so
elllel~ing may be bundl~ together to form rope bundles which are to be severed and
employed in the invention.
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The yarn strand may be co~ osed of yarn of the same material or multicolored
m~teri~l A rope is then made of various illL~lwmed, woven or twisted or straightstrands, either single or mllltirolored, then the ropes placed together in four to twelve
or more, for example, six to ten or more, rope bundles to form the rope bundles to be
5 c~ ed7 severed and impl~nt~d in the adhesive coating.
It has been found that twisting of the strands in the rope tends to place the fibers
at an angle to the base material, while uul~wi~led rope and rope bundles made ofunlwisled rope with the yarn strands generally parallel permits the fibers to remain
generally upright and erect from the sheet base or b~ ing material. Thelcrore, in one
10 plcÇellcd embo-limPnt, desirable results are achieved by employing rope and rope
bundles conll)osed of straight and parallel yarn material. The straight, parallel rope and
rope bundles are ...~ ;n~ by wl~ppillg the exterior surface of either with pl~crtlably
a yarn m~t~ri~l or a braided wrap to insure rope and rope bundle illl~glily. Anyropem~king ...~hine may be employed into which the yarns are fed to form a rope
15 m~teri~l One r~p~ k;np m~hint~ coll.plises a ropem~king ...~hine de~i~ned to m~e
smaller d;~ el.or ropes l~nging from about 3mm in tli~meter to 13mm in ~ ;le. (rope
501) which is n~ r~ ed and sold by Zima S.p.a. of Italy. Such r~p~....k;ng
...~ch;..es, such as Rope Layer 501, a Zima coll-~und ropem~king m~hin~, employsa plurality of yarn strand spools, then the ...~hine with the run of the s~ands and the
20 rope produced has 4-inch for l-inch twist on the strands and 2-inch for 1-inch twist on
the rope. The rope produced by the ropem~king ...~chin~ may be used directly in the
I-bond mPth~
Optionally, the strands of the yarn material making up the rope as well as the
rope bundles are retained logellær for the ~,ul~oses of rope and rope bundle i..leglily
25 during the carpet m~m-f~ctllring method. The rope and the rope bundles may beretained loge~l~, by a variety of means in~lu(ling an a&esive means, either telll~lalily
or pel ...~n~ ly arranged, or bonded or more particularly, retained together by a yarn
material, such as mono- or mllltifil~mPnt spun wlapped spirally around the ropes and
then around the rope bundle so that the ropes and the rope bundle material may be
30 effectively moved into the cl~...p;ng means and guillotine blade of the I-bond
l-.~cl~;n-o~y. The means to retain the rope and rope bundles together may also include
a heat-slllil~ble fil~m~nt or film wrap material or any other means to retain the rope
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and the rope bundles togc;lh~l wi l~wl adversely ~;rr~g the employment of the strand
or rope and rope end bundles as yarn mqtPriql in the I-bond, fusion-bonded process.
The carpet may be made of single yarns, rope or rope end bundles toge~ r as desired
to make up the face wear surface of the carpet mqtPri~l. Typically, the r~ in~ means
S employed in the rope and the rope end bundles are, particularly where it is a
mfn~filqmPnt or mnltifilqmP,nt type mq,tPriql loosely wrapped around the PYtPrnql
surface of the rope and rope bundled mqter~ are left in place after the cla-llpil,g,
cutting and j",p1 ,-t ~if~l~ of the rope and rope end bundles as they do not ad~ ely
effect the face wear surface of the res -lting carpet material.
The employment of rope and rope bundles of yarn materials in use in the
invention is le~l.ic~ed to I-bond methf~ of m~qn~f~qctllre. The employment of the U-
bond method for providing fusion-bonded carpets does not permit the adhesive layer
to pe~ .te the rope or rope end bundles sufficiently.
The invention will be desclibed and illustrated in CC)~ ;f~n with certain
15 illustrated embofl;...~ ; how~ v~r, it is l~cog,~d that various m~lifi~ation~, ch~ s,
i.n~)r~,vcments and addilions to the illu~llaled el"bf~i...P-nt~ may be made by those
pel~fjlls skilled in the art, all falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Brief Descrip~ion of the Drawir~
Fig. I is a schP~ ;r illustration of the method of the invention.
Fig. 2 is a fr~p.. r.~ , pe,~pe~live view from above of a plurality of strands
of yarn material in rope form.
Fig. 3 is a fr~...e~.~ . y, ~e~ ive view from above of a plurality of rope yarn
material in rope bundle form for use in an I-bond, fusion-bonding mP.thf~
Fig. 4 is a large section~ c.~live view from above of a carpet tile prepdled
25 by the methf-(l of tne i-,vt;"lion.
Fig. S is a schk~ l ;c illustration of the optional final step in tne dual
i...pl~ l;on method of the invention.
Des~ lion of the Embodiments
Fig. 1 is a scl-P~..-li~ illustration of a method of fo."~ an I-bond, fusion-
30 bonded carpet material of the invention, which method 10 employs a plurality of yarnsources 12, 14, 16 and 18 to feed sepa-ale strands of yarn into a lope...~ g ...~ inP
20 as ill~ ted with eight strands of yarn f~lr~ g the r~...Aking ...acl7i~-P and
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WO 96/15302 PCI/US94/130S6
providing the strands in rope form 22 (see Fig. 2), the strands of yarn are held logelLel
for the l~ul~oses of ihll~"ily by spirally winding of a m-)nofil~m~nt 26, such as nylon,
about the e~lGlior surface along the length of the rope æ. Rope 22 is then placed in
a rope pattern bundling ~ P 28 wllGlGby the rope æ made up of various yarn
S strands is then formed into rope bundles 30 (see Fig. 3) in which the ropes within the
bundle are ~ d in the rope bundle i,lt~,lily by the employment also of a
monofil~mPnt nylon 32 spirally wla~l)ed around the exterior surface of the rope bundle
30. The rope bundle 30 is then cn~ d to a clall~ g guill- tin~ blade 48 wLerein
the rope bundle 30 is cut to a pledelG~ ed sFlPcl~ height, for example, about 3mm
to 12mm, with each rope bundle 30 having eight strands and with the yarn material
making up the str~n~s~ for ~ , colll~osed of nylon with one, two, three or more
ropes 22 of dirrelGIl~ color than the other rope making up a rope bundle 30 to provide
a desired landol~l or lepealable pattern on the face surface of the rG~ ;ng carpet.
The I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet is first pl`Gl)al`Gd through a ty-pical technique
of employing a non-woven, glass fiber tissue sheet m~tori~l 34 to~,GlLe~ with a
fibel~,lass mesh material 36 to form the bar~;,-g sheet of the reslllting carpet 44. A
polyvillyl resin pl~icol 38 ~lispen~e~l from a trough 40 to form a thin, liquid, adhesive
coating layer 42 which pGI~llates the open fiber glass mesh m~tto.ri~l 34, but does not
l ellellalG the non-woven glass fiber sheet 34. The coating layer 42 may vary inthirl~nto~es but typically ranges from about 2mm to 10mm, for G~l~le, 2mm to 6mm.
One end of the severed rope bundle ends is then inserted into the liquid plastisol layer
42 and the back surface of the ba~L ;i~ sheet then heated, such as through a hot air oven
or infrared heat 46 to gel and then fuse the pl~.~ti~ol layer so as to retain the end of the
rope bundles in the layer 42. The rope end bnn.lles 30 are ~ulJ~sl~d and moved on
a coll~t;yor belt 50, and the reslllting carpet 44 then rolled up and may be used as a
free-lay carpet with a sep~. ~le indep~ b~. L i..~ or may be coated with a s~
b~ ;.-g and then cut to form carpet tile.
Fig. 2 shows a rope 22 produced by the ropem~kin~ hinP 20 and composed
of a plurality of yarn strands of a continuous nylon fiber in which the fiber has been
30 selP~cted to have desired ch~.,.c~ I;cs, for eY~mrle, of one particular color and with
the strands of yarn m~tPri~l ...~i..~ in~d in the rope form by an exterior monofil~mPnt
of wla~ped nylon fiber 26.
-10-
CA 02205403 1997-05-14
WO 96/15302 ~ 1/130S6
Fig. 3 is a pe.~p~;live of the rope bundles 30 showillg selected ropes 22 of Fig.
2 in a bundled configuration and with the bundle illl~,rily ...~;u~ P~ during the
bonding process through the employment of an exterior monofil~mPnt, like nylon
wla~pmg, 32. One or more the ropes æ within the bundle 30 is of one color and the
5 r~ ing ropes 22 are a dirrelcl,l color or a variety of colors or may have dirrer~l,l
fiber ch5-~tC~ ;cs to provide the desired pattern on the face surface of the carpet 44.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged, section~ el~;live view from above of a carpet tile
56 prepalcd by the method of the invention which has polyvinyl chlori~le solid b~cL ;,-g
layer 52 which has been applied to the back surface of the non-woven riber~,lass tissue
10 sheet material 34. As particularly illustrated on the face su-f~ce, there is shown a
surface colllposed of rope end bundles 30 which are co~llposed of ropes 22 wLe~Gin the
se~ulily binders 32 and 26 are retained in place and whelt;ill as illustrated some of the
rope bundles 22 are of a dirrer~lll color than others in the same rope or in the same
rope bundle to provide a desired pattern. Also, single fibers 54 have been i.~.p~ tell
15 in a typical, regular I-bond process to fill in the voids and to provide a desired dirr~r ~l
pattern in cGlnl)i~alion with the rope end bundles 30.
Fig. S is a scl-.. ~l;c illustration of the I-bond double illl~ ;on method of
the invention wL~eil the I-bond fusion-bonded carpet material 44 is employed with the
other end of the rope end bundles 30 L~ ed in the layer 42, and in Fig. 1 are
implanted in an o~posile layer 42 heated to gel and fuse the layer to form an I-bond,
fusion-bonded sandwich material 64 which is severed by an oscill~ting blade 62 and two
sepalale rolls of carpet n7~teri~1 60 plc~ed. As illustrated, the bacL-ing layers and the
a&esive layers on both sides are the same; howc;ver, the b~rL ;,~g layer and/or adhesive
layer may be dirr~r~ as r~uL~.
The invention as fli~c1osed and illustrated provides for a unique I-bond, fusion-
bonded carpet m~tPri~l, particularly carpet tile, wL~ein the face wear surface layer
maybe co...l osel1 of rope or rope end bundles wLe~ repeatable or random design
p ~ employing said rope or rope end bundles may be used~
