Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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FLOOR TILE PRODUCT AND P~OC~SS
Background of the Invention
Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a decorative
plastic floor tile and its method of manufacture.
Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the prior art to provide, where
desirable, wear resistant layers. Commercial tile has
been made with a non-skid surface made by heating
individual pieces of ordinary vinyl tile and spraying
the surfaces with carborundum grit. One then embeds the
grit into the surface of the tile, the grit particles
iruparting the non-skid characteristic to the tile. It
is also known from the prior art to provide a slip
resistant surface by providing the plastic flooring
product with a nubbly texture by incorporating
particulate plastic material dispersed in the wear layer
which is cured to form a textured wear layer. This
latter feature is disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
~,196,243~
U.S. Patent No. 3,267,187 discloses a textured
floor covering comprising a base layer, a plastic layer,
and an overlying matrix containing particulate material
embedded ~therein.
U.S. Patent No. 4,196,243 teaches that it is
old in the art to apply wear layers onto floor
. ~
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CoveringS ~ and particularly a non-skid photopolymeri-
zable urethane layer.
V.S. Patent No. 3,928,706 discloses ~he use of
hard quartz particles
Canadian Patent 1,178,135, entltled
"Non-Skid Plastic Flooring Product and Method
of Manufacture", in the name of Jesse D.
Miller, Jr., et al., commonly assigned with
this application, discloses a non-skid decorative
plastic floor covering composed of a decorative plastic
base having a plurality of slip-resistant elements
positioned on the base with a clear or translucent wear
layer overlying the slip-resistant elements and the
exposed intervening base~
There has also been made a decorative plastic
floor covering with a decorative plastic base having
raised and depressed areas. A plurality of elements are
positioned on the raised areas only and then thereover a
cured clear or translucent wear layer overlies both the
elements and the plastic base 7 The elements compr~se
particles embedded in a cured plastic matrix which is
positioned only on the raised areas of the base. The
particles are distributed on the plastic matrix in a
substan~ially abutting relationship with a single layer
of particles. The particles protrude above the matrix,
but are- below the uppermost-level of the wear layer,
The particles are rounded inorganic particles of quartz
and have a Moh hardness greater than 4. The particles
are distributed on the raised area of the base, such
that none of the particles are greater than about 595
microns, with about 55% of the particles being about 149
to 296 microns in size. The wear layer is a cured
urethane composition.
U.S. Patent No. 3,343,975 discloses the
application of granules to a printed vinyl type
substrate, but in all cases, the granules are not of an
agyregate composition but were instead of resinous
, compositionO
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CBP-7122
U.S. Patent No. 4,126,727 discloses the
concept of providing a resinous, polymer material with a
pattern printed thereon. A wear layer is then bonded to
the patterned sheet, and the wear layer contains mica
chips or chips of similar material. The chips are
embedded in a separate preformed sheet which is then
laminated to the pattern layer.
U.S. Patent No. 3,328,231 discloses the
formation of a surface from a hardened cured composition
of a polyest~r, or similar polymerizable resin, and
sand.
U.S. Patents Nos 4,255,480 and 4,263,081
disclose an abrasive resistant laminate formed by
coating a printed paper base with minerial particles and
then impregnating the paper with a laminating resin.
U.S. Patents NosO 3,121,642; 3,135,643;
3,343,975; 3,523,849; 3,562,051; 3,~7,539; 3,660,1~7;
3,661,673; 3,798,111; 4,212,691 and 4,278,483 are other
patents which disclose other methods for forming wear or
abrasive resistant surfaces and are indicative of the
art.
Summary of the Invention
A decorative plastic floor covering in tile
form is provided with a decorative plastic base having
on the upper surface thereof a design printed thereon.
Particles positioned on the upper surface of the tile
are so positioned that at least some of the particles
are placed on the tile surace in registration with the
design printed on the tile surface. A cured clear or
translucent wear layer overlies both the particles and
the plastic base whereby the wear layer surface in the
areas containing particles and in the areas not
containing particles will be of different gloss
characteristics. The particles are rounded particles of
sand, having a Moh hardness of about 7 and a particle
size distribution such that none are greater than about
595 microns and about 55% of the particles are between
149 and 296 microns. I .
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A method is provided for making a tile
product. First a design is printed on the upper surface
of the tile. An adhesive coating is placed in
registration to selected portions of the printed tile
design. Sand particles are sprinkled over the adhesive
coated tile surface. One then removes the excess sand
particles not retained on the tile surface by the
adhesive. The sand particles are consolidated into the
adhesive and then the adhesive may be cured. There is
then applied a wear coating over top of both areas
covered by the sand particles and areas not covered by
the sand particles and this wear layer is cured. There
is then provided a wear surface with areas of
differential gloss where the sand particles exist and
where the sand particles do not exist.
Brief Description of the Drawing
The figure of the drawing is an enlarged
cross-sectional view of the tile base containing the
printed design, the aahesive, sand particles, and a wear
layer.
Description of the Preerred Embodiment
~ he invention i5 directed to a flooring
product which is primarily a durable low-maintenance
floor tile but which, more importantly, possesses unique
visual characteristics. The invention outlined below
results in a particularly good technique for achieving
unexpectedly realistic ceramic-like images on vinyl
composition flooring materials. Decorative ceramic
tile images in vinyl floors are typically simulated by
rotogravure printing a substrate, overcoating with wear
layer material of either vinyl or urethane compositions,
and embossing to provide textures and surface relief.
Although these flooring materials can be very appealing
and attractive, they have the traditional wear
properties of vinyl floor and tend to be visually flat
and one-dimensional. Further, they do not possess the
many visual characteristics, both subtle and otherwise,
generall~ associated with real ceramic tile.
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The invention herein provides a structure and
a process for achieving many of the characteristics of
ceramic tile while, at the same time, offering
outstanding performance properties. The basic process
involves the application of particulate matter of
specific size and color onto a decorative flooring
substrate followed by the application of a UV curable
wear layer. A number of variations have been carried
out and are described briefly below. The particulate
can be a variety of materials. Silica, either clear or
colored, is preferred, although other material such as
garnet, aluminum oxide, etc., can and have been
experimented with. The decorative floor substrate is a
printed vinyl composition and the decoration was done
preferably by transfer printing with a rotogravure-print~d
transfer paper or by flexograph printing directly onto
the substrate. The particulate matter is positioned in
register with the printed side in several wa~s.
For a substrate that has been transfer printed
or flexographically printed, or decorated by some other
printing technique, the UV curable adhesive material is
applied in register with the printed design. T~e~
adhesive can be applied by screen printing, flexographic
printing, etc. The selected particulate is then applied
to the printed substrate with its adhesive by flooding
the entire surface and removing that which does not
stick to the adhesive. The quantity of particulate
material that adheres to the tile can be controlled by
the amount of adhesive that is applied. The retained
particulate layer is then smoothed and consolidated by
passing the material through a pair of rolls. The
adhesive is then cured. An overcoat of UV~curable
material (wear layer) is then applied by roll coating
and/or curtain coating to provide a smooth functional
surfaceb Multiple passes through a process are possible
and desirable. A variety of colors and/or particulate
si~es can be applied to the printed substrate to provide
a broad capability for unlque designs.
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It is also possible to apply the adhesive and
decorate the substrate simultaneously. For example, a
smooth or embossed undecorated surface can be
flexographically printed with the UV curable pigmented
adhesive which serves both to decorate and hold the~
particulate materials. Another option is to uniformly
apply a particulate material over the entire surface of
a decorated substrate followed by a second particulate
application on top of the previously applied layer in
register with a design. Such a structure provides even
better wear characteristics than those with only a
partially covered surface.
Some of the advantages of the invention herein
is that a surface relief or an embossing-in-register
effect with a decoration can be accomplished. The
variable surface textures and the variable surface
glosses are both controllable. The product can be ~ ~
provided with good wearing properties and many visuals
are possible.
Referring now to the drawing, the decorative
plastic ~loor covering tile 2 comprises a plastic base 4
which is composed of a conventional vinyl or vinyl
composition tile material. Normally, the tile product
is 9" x 9" square and has a nominal thickness of 0.096".
A design 6 i5 applied to the upper surface of the tile.
Particles 8 are then placed on the upper surface of the
tile~ and at least some of the particles are placed on
the tile surface in registration with the design printed
on the tile surface. In the structure shown in the
drawing, the design 6 is composed of two components 10
and a third component 12 which is different in
desi~n/color from the two components 10. The particles
are applied in register with the component 12 of the
design. Over the top surface of the tile covering both
the areas containing particles and the areas not
containing particles, there is provided a clear or
translucent wear layer 14. It is noted that those areas
¢ontaining particles have a different gloss
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characteristic than those areas which do not contain
particles. Consequently, that means that the area above
the printed design component 10 will have a different
gloss characteristic than the area above printed design
component 12.
The particles 8 which are applied to the top
surface of the tile are rounded particles of sand which
have a Moh hardness of about 7 and a particle size
distribution such that none are greater than about 595
microns, and ~bout 55 percent of the particles are
between 149 and 196 microns. The particles are
. commercially available as the "Special Bond" grade of
sand which is offered by the Ottawa Silica Co. of
Ottawa, IllinoisO The sand is 99.8% SiO~ and may be a
natural color, or it is possible that the sand could be
colored to provide a colored effect to the end product.
Typical U.S. sieve analysis of the inorganic
silica particles is as follows:
U. S. Sieve Size - Percent
(Mesh)Size of Openings Retained
Screen 30 595 microns --
Screen 40 420 microns 3.0
Screen 50 296 microns 34.0
Screen 70 210 microns 39.0
25 Screen 100 149 microns 18.0
Screen 140 105 microns 5.0
Screen Pan 1.0
The adhesive coating used is as Eollows. To
form the polyester adhesive, the following ingredients
were charged to a 5 liter, 5-necked 1ask condenser
(upright) with still head and total condenser above.
l'he flask was further equipped with mantle, stirrer,
thermometer, temperature controls and gas inlet tube.
The ingredients were heated gradually with stirring to
220 ~ 5~C under nitrogen and held at this temperature
until the acid number fell below 1.5 + .5. The nitrogen
flow was gradually increased after about 70 percent o
the theoretical water was obtained to about 700 ml per
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minute to help remove the water of esterification and
drive the reversible equilibrium reaction to completion.
IngredientsParts by Weight
1,6-Hexanediol 363.52
5 Neopentyl Glycol 661.25
Cyclohexanediomethanol 914.13
Phthalic Anhydride 563.81
Dibutyltin bis Lauryl
Mercaptide Catalyst 2.48
10 Isophthalic Acid 1476.24
Silicone Antifoam (Foamkill 8R) 0.0566
Toluene 650.00
Acrylation of the polyester is carried out by
charging 1.2 equivalents of acrylic acid to an
appropriately sized 4-necked flask containing the
polyester-solvent mixture. Sulfuric acid (0.24 parts
per hundred parts resin) is added and the mixture held
at reflux with a Barrett trap used to remove the water
and return the solvent.
The batch temperature is held at 95 to 110 C.
The reaction was terminated when between 90 and 98 per-
cent of the theoretical water was obtained by cooling to
~0 C and adding 1.3 e~uivalents of magnesium oxide
dispersed in 100 parts by weight isodecyl acrylate with
an additional 600 parts by weight of isodecyl acrylate
also added. The flask was then evacuated to 40 to 50 mm
of mercury to remove solvent. Addition with agitation
of 73.14 parts by weight 1,6-hexane-diol diacrylate,
104.5 parts by weight acrylic acid, 100 parts by weight
isodecyl acrylater 104.5 parts by weight benzophenone
and 62.7 parts by weiqht catalyst 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenyl-
acetophenone (Irgacure 651) completes the curable adhe-
sive preparation. This adhesive 9 is printed on the
design 6 in registration with components of the design.
Positioned in this adhesive 9 are particles 8
which are preferably rounded inorganic particles. The
inorganic particles useful in the practice of the
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invention to form the wear surface are preferably
substantially insoluble in water and have a Moh hardness
of at least 4 and preferably at least 7. They must ~e
of a rounded configuration and preferably have a
particle size distribution wherein none of the particles
are greater than abo~t 595 microns and about 55~ of the
particles are between 149 and 296 microns in size.
To prepare the UV curable coating 14, the
following reactants were charged into a reaction vessel:
Ingredients Parts by Weight
Polyester polyol* 36.15
2 Ethylhexyl acrylate 13.33
1,6 Hexanediol diacrylate 9.07
XReaction product of 34.62 parts by weight
- 15 adipic acidl 13.12 parts by weight isophthalic acid,
48.76 parts by weight 1,6hexanediol and 3.48 parts by
weight glycerine.
23.10 parts by weight of 4,4'diisocyanato
dicyclohexylmethane and 0.08 parts by weight of dibu-
tyltin dilaurate catalyst were then added and the mix-
ture reacted at 45 C to 50 C. hfter the reaction has
proceeded for approximately 45 minutes, 8.67 parts by
weight of 2-hydroxyethylacrylate was added and heating
and stirring of the reaction mixture continued for two
hours at which point the isocyanate functionally is _
constant.
To this reaction product is then added 1.81
parts by weight benzophenone, 0.90 parts by weight
2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone~ 6078 parts by weight
paracresol antioxidant and 0.09 parts by weight gly-
colpolysiloxane (DC-193). This coating could be used
also as the adhesive coating.
The process for carrving out the manufacture
of the above tile product requires first the preparation
of a conventional tile base. Also, there is prepared a
transfer sheet containing a printed design thereon which
it is desired to transfer to the tile base. By an
appro~riate transfer printing operation which is
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conventional in the art, the transfer paper is placed up
against the top surface of the tile base and through
heat and pressure, the image from the transfer sheet is
transferred to the tile base. The tile base is now fed
past a printing unit such as a conventional direct
flexographic printer and an adhesive coating is applied
in register with ~he tile base design. This adhesive
coating is only applied to select areas of the tile
product and these areas that are printed are in register
with the design printed on the tile base. Though it
would be possible, as described abo~e, to overall print
with an adhesive to put a first layer of particles on
and then, subsequently, follow with a second adhesive
coating which would be in coordination with the tile
design to then only partially cover the total tile
surface with a second particulate material.
After the adhesive has been placed in register
with the design on the tile, one then cascades or
sprinkles an excess of a mixture of clear or
artificially colored sand p-articles onto the surface of
the tile base with its uncured adhesive layer. This
uncur~d adhesive layer is the previously described
polye~ter curable adhesive. These sand particles will
ad~l~r~ to the adhesive without special treatment. The
~-x~ess sand is removed with air jets, and then through a
roll pressing operation, the sand particles are
consolidated into the adhesive. The tile is then
conveyed under a conventional UV light source and
exposed to an amount of radiation sufficient to
partially cure or completely cure the UV adhesive and
hold the particles in place. The product now has
adhered to its surface an adhesive which was applied at
the rate of 1.0 to 3.5 grams of material per square foot
of tile surface covered. This is then provided with a
layer ofr particulate material which is applied at the
rate of about 15 grams per square foot covered and which
is of a thickness in the range of 10 mils to 15 mils.
The wear coat is now applied to the tile
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product as two layers. The wear coat is the previously
described UV curable coating. It is first applied using
a conventional forward roll coater that applies the
first coat layer at about 130F with about lO gram per
square foot application rate~ This coating fills in the
space around the laid up sand and i5 done with a minimum
of large bubbles being formed in the coating. A second
layer of the same coating material is then applied at
the rate of about lO grams per square foot using
conventional curtain coating techniques. Both layers
are then cured using.conventional UV light. Typical of
the energy dosage that could be used at this point is a
treatment of UV light at 4.5 ~oules UV energy. There is
now provided a tile product-which-is particularly unique
from the point of view that those areas with the sand
particles are of a differential gloss from those areas
where the sa~d particles do not exist.
