Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02858588 2014-08-07
FIBRE MAT AND PRODUCTS CONTAINING FIBRE MATS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fibre mat. The invention further relates to
products
containing fibre mats, in particular a cushioned vinyl floor covering which
comprises a
fibre mat as a structural layer.
Fibre mats are known in many different embodiments and for various
applications. For
example, glass fibre mats are widely available. Different methods exist for
the production
thereof from glass fibres and binding agents.
A principal application of fibre mats is the use as a carrier material in
floor coverings,
namely in CV (cushioned vinyl) floor coverings. The fibre mats used here
typically
consist of glass fibres, the use of specific mixtures of different glass
fibres also being
known for producing corresponding glass fibre mat carriers (see DE
102011011056 Al,
the disclosure thereof being made for the contents of the present
application).
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a fibre mat which is able to
be produced
in a cost-effective manner and which, due to properties which in this respect
are
particularly advantageous, is suitable, in particular, for the application as
a carrier
material in floor coverings and in this application advantageously influences
the
properties of the finished floor covering.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This object is achieved according to the present invention, as set forth in
claim 1, by a
fibre mat which is designed as a hybrid fibre mat, by said mat comprising
glass fibres,
polymer fibres and binding agents, the glass fibres having a mean diameter of
between
6 and 13 pm and a mean length of between 6 and 15 mm, the polymer fibres being
staple fibres having a mean fineness of between 0.2 and 0.6 dtex and a mean
length of
between 2 and 4 mm and the percentage by weight of the polymer fibres being
between
5 and 20% of the dry fibre mat.
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,
In other words, therefore, a specific combination of synergistically
interacting features is
characteristic of the fibre mat according to the invention, such that both
with regard to
the material and with regard to the typical length and thickness dimensions
said fibre
mat consists of various fibres connected together by means of a binding agent,
namely
relatively short and - in the polymers principally under consideration here
for the polymer
fibres, with thicknesses of between approximately 1.2 and 1.6 g/cm3 - thinner
polymer
fibres, on the one hand, and relatively long and thicker glass fibres, on the
other hand,
the percentage by weight of the polymer fibres being substantially less than
the
percentage by weight of the glass fibres, the polymer fibres only constituting
between 5
and 20, preferably between 10 and 15 percentage by weight of the dry fibre
mat. The
ratio between the percentage by weight of the glass fibres and that of the
polymer fibres
in the fibre mat is typically between 5 and 8, for example approximately 6.5 -
with a
percentage by weight of the binding agent of approximately between 20 and 30%.
Surprisingly, the hybrid fibre mat according to the invention is characterised
by a series
of very advantageous properties. Thus, due to the particular mixture of
specific glass
fibres used and specific polymer fibres, physical properties (mechanical
strength,
density, pore volume, hollow structure, etc.) are produced, such that
particularly thin
hybrid fibre mats according to the invention already satisfy the requirements
which are
applicable, in particular, to the structural materials of floor coverings.
This is specifically
an advantage which is not to be underestimated, therefore, as in this manner
(already
due to the reduced thickness of the fibre mat) the quantity of impregnating
agent with
which the fibre mat is to be treated may be reduced. This results in
corresponding
economic advantages relative to the prior art and namely without adversely
affecting the
performance. In contrast, the fibre mat according to the invention has a
surface structure
of particular quality and homogeneity, such that a floor covering produced by
the
application thereof is also characterised by a particular surface quality.
This is a great
advantage for surface finishing, namely by printing.
In other words, the present invention provides outstanding fibre mats with
regard to the
properties thereof and namely - for example an additional coating of the
fibres, which is
a drawback in terms of material expenditure and complexity of method, may be
avoided
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- with minimal cost and without the use of respirable micro-glass fibres which
are
dangerous to the health.
Although the use of the hybrid fibre mat according to the invention is
paramount when
producing floor coverings, as far as the particular suitability of the hybrid
fibre mat
according to the invention is concerned, this does not constitute in any way
the only
possible use. Various features set forth above which characterise the hybrid
fibre mat
according to the invention are also able to be used particularly
advantageously for a
series of other applications. Here may be cited in particular the use as a
paintable ceiling
and wall covering (corresponding to a conventional wallpaper), in which due to
the
properties of the hybrid fibre mat an excellent surface quality may be
achieved with a
very small (subsequent) application of paint, moreover the exceptionally low
tendency
for the paint to pass through the fibre mat having a very advantageous effect
on the
adhesion of the hybrid fibre mat as a ceiling covering and/or wall covering on
the
relevant substrate. The fact that a very good surface quality may be achieved
with a very
small quantity of wall and/or ceiling paint is not only an economic aspect in
this case.
The weight of the ceiling covering and wall covering, together with the coat
of paint, i.e.
the painted ceiling covering and wall covering, also remains relatively low,
which in turn
assists the adhesion of the hybrid fibre mat onto the substrate. When using
the hybrid
fibre mat according to the invention as a visible face of a ceiling panel, a
mineral coating
is advantageously used.
These advantageous aspects apply in a very similar manner when using the
hybrid fibre
mat according to the invention as a surface coating of a construction panel,
in particular
a mineral ceiling panel or wall panel, such that the hybrid fibre mat is
applied to the
preformed panel in the factory (in particular by adhesive bonding and/or
laminating); the
specific structure of the hybrid fibre mat according to the invention thus
prevents the
penetration of the adhesive from the rear face to the front surface, i.e. the
visible face, so
that the surface quality of the visible face and the paint adhesion are not
adversely
affected by traces of adhesive. In addition, due to its advantageous
properties, as set
forth, the hybrid fibre mat according to the invention may be used
particularly
advantageously as a covering for interior elements, in particular as a ceiling
panel or
other interior cladding element.
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=
With regard to production technology, it is advantageous if the polymer fibres
consist of
a polymer with a density of approximately 1.2 and 1.6g/cm3. It is particularly
advantageous if the polymer fibres consist entirely or at least substantially
of PET
(polyethylene terephthalate). When using such a material for producing the
polymer
fibres, said polymer fibres have such properties which are suitable for the
production of
the mat, the production of pure glass fibre mats providing experience thereof.
In this
sense, according to a preferred feature of the present invention, the hybrid
fibre mat
according to the invention is produced by the glass fibres and the water
containing the
polymer fibres being passed in a circuit through a band screen, the fibre
mixture in the
form of a fibre layer with a predetermined layer thickness then being
deposited on the
band screen, excess circuit water being removed from the fibre layer, binding
agent
being added to the fibre layer and the fibre layer to which binding agent has
been added
being dried.
The particular advantages set forth above of the glass fibre mat according to
the
invention are particularly pronounced when the mean fineness of the polymer
fibres is
between 0.3 and 0.4 dtex. Excellent results may be achieved, for example, by
using PET
fibres with a fineness of 0.33 dtex and a mean length of between 2.5 and 3.5
mm.
Moreover, according to a further preferred development of the present
invention, it is
particularly advantageous if the mean fibre diameter of the glass fibres is
between 7 and
10 pm and/or the mean length of the glass fibres is between 7 and 9 mm.
Specifically in
combination with the preferred dimensions of the polymer fibres, as set forth
above,
particularly outstanding material properties result, which make the
corresponding hybrid
fibre mat particularly attractive for the applications set forth above. For
different
applications it is advantageous if the glass fibres are not longer than 15 mm
and not
thicker than 10 pm; since in the case of dimensions above these values the
surface
properties of the hybrid fibre mat are impaired. Particularly preferably, the
glass fibres
consist of C-glass and/or E-glass.
According to a further preferred development of the present invention - for
typical
applications of the hybrid fibre mat according to the invention - the surface
weight of the
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,
glass fibre mat is between 25 and 80g/m2, particularly preferably between 40
and
60g/m2. Once again, in this case quite particularly advantageous properties of
the hybrid
fibre mat according to the invention result, in particular with regard to the
possible use
thereof as a carrier material in cushioned vinyl floor coverings with
outstanding
properties.
There is considerable flexibility here as regards the binding agent of the
hybrid fibre mat
according to the invention, which in particular may take into account the
subsequent use
of the hybrid fibre mat according to the invention. Particularly advantageous
binding
agents are urea resins and polyacrylic acid binders. The binding agent may,
however,
also comprise polyacrylic acid. Outstanding properties result when the binding
agent
comprises a mixture of urea resin and a polymer dispersion or a mixture of
polyacrylic
acid binders and a polymer dispersion.
Likewise, there is considerable flexibility as regards the percentage by
weight of the
binding agent in the hybrid fibre mat, in this regard the specific binding
agent
respectively used and also the use of the hybrid fibre mat also being able to
play a role.
For the potential use as a carrier material of a cushioned vinyl floor
covering, which is
paramount here, a percentage by weight of the binding agent of between 15% and
35%,
preferably between 20% and 30% of the total weight of the hybrid fibre mat is
advantageous.
The binding agent, depending on the designated subsequent use of the
respective
hybrid fibre mat according to the invention, may contain an additive (or a
plurality of
additives) which may constitute up to 50% of the total weight of the binding
agent. The
additive(s) may in this case specifically modify and/or optimise the
properties of the
binding agent with regard to the individual purpose of the hybrid fibre mat.
Typical
additives are, for example, kaolin and h02. However, additives are not only
capable of
optimising the binding agent in technical terms but additives are also capable
of reducing
costs by being able to reduce the need for expensive binding agents.
The present invention according to the above embodiments does not relate
exclusively
to the untreated hybrid fibre mat. On the contrary, the invention also
relates, in particular,
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to a hybrid fibre mat pre-treated for subsequent specific further processing,
in particular
provided with an additional impregnation, the impregnating agent, in
particular, being
able to be plastisol or another PVC-based agent. Moreover, the present
invention also
extends to the finished cushioned vinyl floor covering produced using the
hybrid fibre
mat according to the invention, said cushioned vinyl floor covering comprising
a useable
layer and a structural layer, the structural layer comprising a hybrid fibre
mat according
to the invention provided with an impregnation (see above).
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