Register emboss and method

• US 4,210,693 A
• Filed: 12/20/1977
• Issued: 07/01/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Armstrong World Industries Incorporated Charlotte and Libert Steets Lancaster PA 17604
• Original Assignee: Dowdflor Corporation
• Inventors: Regan, Ernest E., McCann, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thibodeau, Paul
• Application Number:
  US05/862,627
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 428/156, 428/282, 428/159-161, 428/310, 428/315, 428/331, 428/334, 428/152, 428/162, 428/320, 427/44, 427/54, 427/55, 427/56, 427/373, 427/398 D, 427/407 R, 156/78, 156/79
• US Class Current: 428/152
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/0235 Vinyl halide, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/28 characterised by a layer comprising a deformed thin sheet , i.e. the layer having its entire thickness deformed out of the plane, e.g. corrugated, crumpled B32B29/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/20 foamed in situ
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 10/10 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/0081 by wave energy or particle radiation D06N3/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/08 with a finishing layer consisting of polyacrylates, polyamides or polyurethanes or polyester
• CPC Class Codes: D06Q 1/00 Decorating textiles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24446 Wrinkled, creased, crinkled or creped
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24521 with component conforming to contour of nonplanar surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24529 and conforming component on an opposite nonplanar surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249992 Linear or thermoplastic

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to decorative flexible sheet goods and a method for making the same, such as sheet vinyl floor and wall coverings, wherein a crinkle finish is created on a decorative pattern on a flexible substrate in varying thicknesses and also in register with said decorative pattern. The method is accomplished by means of printing an actinic radiation curable coating which is essentially solvent-free and comprises at least one organic compound having at least two photopolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated groups per molecule and capable of curing upon exposure to actinic radiation. The actinic radiation cured registered coating serves the novel purpose of creating the desired relief to the pattern in register, and also forms a durable wear layer with superior stain and wear characteristics as well as gloss retention properties.

Claims

1. The process for providing a crinkle finish on a decorative pattern on a flexible substrate comprising the steps of:

coating said substrate with a foamable vinyl composition and heating to gel the foamable composition,

applying a decorative pattern to the surface of the gelled composition,

coating a vinyl overlay over the decorative pattern,

heating to gel the vinyl overlay,

passing the flexible coated substrate through a printer where an actinic radiation curable coating of lower elongation properties than that of the vinyl overlay is applied at varying thicknesses in preselected areas of the substrate in register with the decorative pattern,

curing said coating upon exposure to actinic radiation,

passing the flexible coated substrate through a fusion and expansion oven, whereby upon exiting, the foamable coat has expanded to a cellular foam, the vinyl overlay is fused, and the product exhibits a crinkled surface texture which has been created on the surface of the flexible substrate by permitting the differential elongation properties of the overlay and the printed actinic radiation cured coatings to interact to give the crinkle surface texture.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the foamable vinyl composition contains polyvinyl chloride resins, plasticizers, blowing agent, pigment and activators proportioned to provide a blowing capability of at least 200%.

3. In the process of claim 1,

applying a thinner layer of said curable coating to grout simulated printed patterns and,

applying a thicker layer of said curable coating to tile simulated printed areas.

4. The product of the process of claim 1.

5. A flexible sheet good having a crinkle finish and emboss surface in register with a decorative pattern comprising, in combination,

a foamable vinyl composition applied atop a substrate which has been heated to gel the foamable composition,

a decorative pattern applied to the surface of the gelled composition,

a vinyl overlay applied atop the decorative pattern,

said vinyl overlay being gelled,

said gelled overlay having a printed actinic radiation cured coating of lower elongation properties than that of the vinyl overlay,

said actinic radiation curable coating being applied at varying thicknesses in preselected areas of the substrate in register with the decorative pattern,

said actinic radiation curable coating being cured by exposure to actinic radiation,

said flexible coated substrate being fused whereby the foamable coat expands to a cellular foam, the vinyl overlay has been fused, and the product exhibits a crinkled surface texture which has been created on the surface of the flexible substrate by permitting the differential elongation properties of the overlay and the printed actinic radiation cured coating interact to give the crinkled surface texture.

6. The product of claim 5, wherein

a carrier of felt like material is provided for the flexible substrate.