Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-19
2003-10-07
Knable, Geoffrey L. (Department: 1733)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C106S036000, C156S306300, C156S315000, C238S014000, C523S150000, C524S563000, C526S319000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06630042
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to floor mats, particularly to the stabilization of floor mats against slipping and potentially injuring people.
2. Background of the Art
Floor mats are used in a wide variety of locations in many public and private locations. Floor mats are considered to be any surface covering with a rubber, flexible polymer or elastomeric backing or back surface which is placed on the floor. The surface material may be the same as the backing surface (e.g., where a solid cast, molded, extruded or cast mat system such as a Nomad™ mat [manufactured by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.] is used), or the top surface of the mat may be composed of a substantially different composition or be present in a substantially different form. For example, many floor mats are available with a fabric or fabric appearing surface layer with the rubber, flexible polymer or elastomeric backing or back (hereinafter generally and collectively referred to as a rubber backing) adhered to the bottom or floor contacting side of the mat. The floor mats may be used in entrance ways (e.g., door mats), in transitional areas (e.g., between different rooms or offices), or may be used as decoration or surface protection generally. Many mats are also provided as a safety measure to prevent slippage in areas that may be polished, areas that may become wet and slippery, areas that tend to be slippery because of surfaces which have been worn smooth, and/or to provide antistatic protection. These mats may also referred to as tiles, small area carpets, foot mats and the like in some fields of use.
The rubber, flexible polymer or elastomeric backing or back surface may be comprised of such elastic or elastomeric materials such as those selected from the group consisting of natural rubbers and polymers, blended compositions with natural rubber, synthetic rubbers and polymers (e.g., polyisoprene), and synthetic elastomeric compositions (e.g., polyurethane elastomers, polysiloxane elastomers, and other elastomeric polymeric materials). When a new mat with a rubber backing is first used, it generally tends to display good initial resistance to slippage. When the mat is placed on most surfaces (e.g., concrete, cement, linoleum, vinyl flooring, wood floors, terrazzo, stone, and the like) it resists slipping, even when modest force is applied against the mat with a non-perpendicular (with respect to the floor) component, even when a forty-five degree (50/50 force distribution parallel and perpendicular to the floor) is applied. Unfortunately, rubber backings tend to be subject to various types of deleterious changes with time. They may lose plasticizer, the rubber composition may break down from physical wear (both from flexing and from compression), and chemical changes may occur in the rubber backing because of heat, radiation (especially ultraviolet radiation), and contact with aerial oxygen or cleaners or spilled materials. This change in the properties of the rubber backing often is exhibited as a hardening, cracking, and/or discoloring of the rubber backing, but more importantly, these changes can affect the coefficient of friction between the rubber mat and a floor surface, reducing the ability of the rubber backing to reduce slippage of the mat.
It has been disclosed in the literature to apply adhesives to the rubber back side of the mat when it is first applied and as the mat continues to be used after displaying wear. Typical adhesives used to secure the mats or tiles to a floor include elastomers with tackifying components (e.g., natural gums and resins) as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,807.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,699 describes a mat especially useful for protecting carpeted surfaces which is secured with a bonding resin comprising plastisols based on poly(vinyl chloride) resins, in an amount of from at least 2 pounds per square yard of mat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,293 describes an antislip floor mat used on a floor surface which is useful in food service and industrial areas. The backing layer appears to be an extruded and laminated layer of poly(vinyl chloride), and the surface is a non-slip, abrasive-filled polymeric composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,641 describes a readily removable antislip floor mat with a thermoformed backing layer comprising high density polyethylene, and an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,388 describes an adhesive composition for use with flooring comprising an aqueous dispersion of a film forming resin, finely divided filler, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and a tackifying agent (such as wood resin and esterified resin). A film-forming vinyl resin is preferred, such as acrylic copolymers and an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. Specific ratios of ingredients are also preferred.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,195 describes a rug adapted to be rested on a floor, the rug comprising at least three component layers. A pad is positioned between upper and lower panels, the pad having a coefficient of friction with the floor greater than the coefficient of friction of the panel. This provides for antislip, but slidable contact with the floor.
Japanese Patent No. JP 5 5228067 A describes an antislip bath mat with high friction to the bath floor which eliminates slippage when wet. The composition of the mat is 20-60 parts ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having a vinyl acetate content of at least 10% and 40-80 parts by weight of olefin polymer.
Japanese Patent No. JP 08 112880 A2 (JP 94-278399, 94/1017) describes pads useful as carpets or floor mats in which a series of dots comprising ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer are applied onto the back of a fiber based pad and the copolymer is hot-pressed.
Japanese Patent No. 08 053657, JP 94-209268 describes an adhesive composition used for wood floor material comprising acrylic polymer emulsion, elastomer, and particulates.
Many patents describe particular adhesive compositions which are used to secure flooring materials, whether panels, tiles, mats or the like. Some of these patents include U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,511 describing a stabilized latex (e.g., styrene-butadiene rubber latex) and a caustic agent used to provide good adhesive strength, good aging, and fast drying; U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,741 describes flexible wear layers of poly(vinyl chloride, monomeric ester plasticizer, and urethane polymer; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,573 describes a flowable bentonite composition on the back of elastomeric mats which composition can flow into holes and cracks. Some of the Japanese Patents which describe adhesive compositions for use with mats and tiles include, for example, JP 7040777 A describes a mat having a thermoplastic elastomer adhesive having a range of hardness comprising 10-40% styrene and a thermoplastic component free of halogen and sulfur; JP 6057931 A describes the use of vinyl chloride based amorphous particles preferably comprising a vinyl chloride, vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer, and an UV/heat hardening agent for hardening after application.
Japanese Patent No. JP 4341844 A describes an antislipping sheet for bandages and floor mats produced by applying a foamable liquid coating onto the surface of a substrate paper, heat treating the coated sheet to obtain a foamed sheet, applying an adhesive onto the surface of a substrate to obtain an adhesive sheet, bonding the foamed sheet and the adhesive layer of the adhesive sheet to obtain a layered sheet, and stripping the substrate paper from the layered sheet. The coating liquid (the foamable liquid coating) contains an adhesive component (e.g., esterified starch, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyacrylic acid, or ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymer. The liquid composition is not disclosed as being applied directly to the back side of a mat.
It is often necessary to clean or replace individual mats or tiles after use. When an adhesive has been placed between the mat and the floor, the adhesive seal must be broken, usually leaving residue on the floor and on the backing of the tile or mat. These residues can build-u
Falbaum David J.
Mattia Paul J.
Smith Kim R.
Ecolab Inc.
Knable Geoffrey L.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
LandOfFree
Tackifying treatment for floor mats does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Tackifying treatment for floor mats, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Tackifying treatment for floor mats will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3163571