Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Pile or nap type surface or component – With particles
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-03
2001-11-13
Copenheaver, Blaine (Department: 1775)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Pile or nap type surface or component
With particles
C428S091000, C428S095000, C428S096000, C428S297400, C428S323000, C428S327000, C428S908800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06316075
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to backings for surface coverings, and more particularly relates to backings which contain recycled material as well as methods of making such products and incorporating them into surface coverings.
At the present time, most of the post-consumer vinyl backed carpets and carpet manufacturing waste go to landfills or are destroyed by other means such as burning. With the environment being of a global concern, the disposal of vinyl backed carpets and manufacturing waste which is currently done is not an acceptable option.
Further, recycling of vinyl backed carpets has been attempted but at most, manufacturers have taken recycled material and reduced it to liquid plastisol form in order to form a carpet backing with conventional coating and curing processes. However, such a process has limitations in that only very small amounts of recycled material can be incorporated into a plastisol mix, such as about 5% or less by weight, and because the oil absorption of recycled material is very high, high levels of plasticizers in plastisols are needed which can lead to further problems. With high levels of plasticizers and plastisols, further processing by conventional methods can become difficult, if not impossible.
Thus, there is a desire by manufacturers to develop ways to use recycled material like carpet backing, such that large amounts of recycled material can be incorporated into products.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
A feature of the present invention is to provide a material, e.g., a surface covering, that can contain up to 100% recycled material in one or more components or layers.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a backing for a surface covering containing recycled material.
An additional feature of the present invention is to provide a surface covering containing a backing or intermediate layer which uses up to 100% recycled material.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide a method of making a backing from recycled material and incorporating the backing into surface coverings.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the present invention. The objectives and other advantages of the present invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the written description and appended claims.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention relates to a backing or an intermediate layer for a surface covering which contains a fused recycled powder. The recycled powder contains at least a thermoplastic material and the backing or intermediate layer can optionally include other materials, including virgin thermoplastic materials.
The present invention further relates to a surface covering which contains the backing described above.
The present invention, in addition, relates to a method of making a backing or intermediate layer for a surface covering and includes the steps of applying at least recycled powder to a substrate to form a layer, where the recycled powder contains at least one thermoplastic material; and fusing the recycled powder to form a continuous backing or intermediate layer.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are intended to provide a further explanation of the present invention, as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and together with the descriptions serve to explain the principles of the present invention.
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Chen Hao A.
Desai Peter
Zerebecki Nicholas
Bahta Abraham
Copenheaver Blaine
Kilyk & Bowersox P.L.L.C.
Mannington Mills Inc.
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