Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or... – Composite having voids in a component
Patent
1997-05-14
1999-08-03
Copenheaver, Blaine R.
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or...
Composite having voids in a component
428413, 428414, 428480, B32B 532, B32B 2738, C09D16300
Patent
active
059323370
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention is directed to the subject matter recited in the patent claims.
The invention is particularly directed to a multi-layer planar structure made from renewable raw materials such as, for example, floor coverings or tiles. The inventive planar structure is composed of a carrier layer (I) and of at least one transparent cover coat, for example, the wear layer. Further, a back coat, and optionally a compact coat or priming coat arranged between the carrier layer and the cover coat and/or between carrier layer and back coat can be provided in the inventive surface structure. Optionally, a chemically foamed layer can also be arranged under the cover coat. This chemically foamed layer can be chemically embossed.
The invention is therefore particularly directed to softener-free floor coverings based on renewable raw materials, with optional chemically or mechanically foamed foam layers, which can also be chemically embossed.
Due to their wide range of decorative possibilities, far-reaching resistance to wear, easy care and inexpensive nature, PVC plastic coverings are currently employed to great extent.
CV (cushion vinyls) floor coverings are manufactured from PVC plastisols in a coating process on a carrier layer or release paper support and subsequent gelling. The plastisols are composed of PVC particles, softeners, stabilizers and standard auxiliaries and fillers that sinter together to form a matrix in the gelling oven.
A layer can also be additionally thermally foamed by adding chemical foaming agents, wherein additional structuring can be achieved by applying inhibitors to specific areas.
Of course, mechanical foams can also be used in these coverings, as is generally known and shown later in examples.
It is also possible to vary the properties within extremely broad scope by applying a plurality of layers having different composition.
Although PVC is an ideal material in terms of its economic feasibility and its properties, the ecological aspects--avoiding volatile softeners and solvents (VOC) and products containing halogens, as well as, recyclability--which are being taken more and more into consideration, make it necessary to search for floor coverings that are free of PVC and softener.
For technical and economical reasons, however, it is meaningful to retain the existing production equipment.
Further, the floor covering should also be patternable and should be composed of different layers of which one or more are foamed.
The above-described demands have hitherto not been satisfied by any known system.
It is known according to what is referred to as the Furukawa method to manufacture crosslinked PE foams in which polyethylene, azodicarbonamide and dicumene peroxide are extruded with the assistance of an extruder and a sheet die to form a film or a sheet, wherein the extrusion must ensue at a temperature at which the PE is liquid but at which the crosslinking agent and the foaming agent are not yet decomposed.
The polyethylene is foamed in a subsequent foaming furnace and is simultaneously crosslinked.
An economical manufacture of floor coverings, however, is not established according to this method.
It is also known that mixtures of EVA with PE or pure EVA can be mixed with fillers, activators, expanders and, optionally, crosslinking agents below 100.degree. C. After these mixed compounds are granulated and filled into forms, parts that are thermally foamed and have a complicated shape can be obtained therefrom by heating to the decomposition temperature of the expander.
Unfortunately, this method can only be applied for smaller parts.
It is also known to produce softener-free polyurethane foams by mechanically foaming the components by the compressed introduction of air; however, the foaming can not be inhibited within this method and a structure cannot be produced as a result thereof.
DE 39 03 669 A1 also discloses how a floor covering of polymethylmethacrylate, softeners and the standard fillers and additives can be manufactured similar to a PVC-CV floor covering. What is disadvantageous a
REFERENCES:
patent: 3819438 (1974-06-01), Witman
patent: 5082708 (1992-01-01), Kauffman et al.
Baumgartner Susanne
Edinger Sabine
Kastl Bernd
Mauer Frank
Schulz Ditmar
Copenheaver Blaine R.
DLW Aktiengesellschaft
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