Floor coverings

• US 6,007,892 A
• Filed: 11/21/1996
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Amtico Company Limited
• Original Assignee: The Amtico Company Limited
• Inventors: Wilson, Gary John, Gansser-Potts, Michael David, Harwood, Ivor C., Jones, Keith Melvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Deborah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahta, Abraham
• Application Number:
  US08/754,579
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 428/516, 428/142, 428/172, 428/195, 428/204, 428/203, 428/207, 428/517, 428/519, 428/521, 428/332, 428/515, 428/462, 428/95, 428/174, 428/391, 156/243, 156/277, 156/79, 156/209, 156/231, 156/235, 156/313, 156/72
• US Class Current: 428/95
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/07 Flat, e.g. panels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/21 the layers being joined at their surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/307 specially adapted for bringing together components, e.g. melts within the die
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/402 Coloured
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/414 Translucent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2471/00 Floor coverings B32B2419/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/20 using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/153 at least one layer is extruded and immediately laminated while in semi-molten state
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 7/0028 characterised by colour effects, e.g. craquelé, reducing gloss terrazzo by sintering D06N7/0057
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 7/0034 two or more different colour layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1023 Surface deformation only [e.g., embossing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23979 Particular backing structure or composition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24876 Intermediate layer contains particulate material [e.g., pigment, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24901 including coloring matter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/26 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31696 : Including polyene monomers [e.g., butadiene, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31909 : Next to second addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

A backing film for incorporation as a backing layer in a resilient floor covering or a floor tile having at least two laminae and a method for making such a backing layer whereby wastage is reduced when the color of the upper lamina is changed. Where there are two backing films having two or three laminae making up the backing layer the intermediately colored film resulting from a change in the color of the upper lamina can be utilized without further processing on the second backing film where color is not essential. Where there are three laminae making up a backing film the desired color is introduced and established in the bottom lamina before the supply of the original color to the upper lamina is stopped. The film can then be turned over for use with the former bottom lamina becoming the upper lamina.

Claims

1. A resilient floor covering which includes a backing layer comprising a coextruded laminate of at least first and second polymer compositions, wherein the backing layer is disposed adjacent to a floor surface that is to be covered.

2. The resilient floor covering according to claim 1, wherein said first polymer composition is a colored polymer composition and said second polymer composition is a masking polymer composition having a color which minimizes the visual effect of matter beneath it.

3. The resilient floor covering according to claim 2 wherein said backing layer further comprises a layer of a third polymer composition.

14. A resilient floor covering according to claim 1, wherein the polymer compositions of the backing layer include about 10 to 75 percent by weight of filler.

19. A resilient floor covering according to claim 3, wherein the first and third polymer compositions of the backing film each include about 10 to 75 percent by weight of filler.

20. A resilient floor covering according to claim 19, wherein the masking polymer composition has a thickness of about 500 to 1000 microns.

21. A resilient floor covering according to claim 19, wherein the first and third polymer compositions of the backing film each include no more than about 30 percent by weight of filler.

22. A resilient floor covering according to claim 19, wherein the first polymer composition includes no more than about 70 percent by weight of filler and the third polymer composition includes no more than about 50 percent by weight of filler.

4. A resilient floor covering comprising a transparent or translucent wear layer and a backing layer wherein said backing layer comprises at least a first backing film which is a coextruded laminate of at least first and second polymer compositions, wherein the backing layer is disposed adjacent to a floor surface that is to be covered.

5. A resilient floor covering according to claim 4 wherein the backing layer comprises in sequential order from the wear layer a first backing film which is a coextruded laminate of the first and second polymer compositions wherein the first polymer composition is a first colored polymer composition that is visible as a face ply through the wear layer and the second polymer composition is a masking polymer composition, and a second backing film of substantially the same thickness as the first backing film, wherein said masking polymer composition comprises a masking color which minimizes the visual effect of matter beneath it.

6. A resilient floor covering according to claim 5 wherein said first colored polymer composition is white, yellow, beige, green, blue, pink or black.

7. A resilient floor covering film according to claim 5 wherein said second backing film is a coextruded laminate of a second colored polymer composition and a second masking polymer composition.

8. A resilient floor covering according to claim 7 wherein said second colored polymer composition is white, yellow, beige, green, blue, pink or black.

9. A resilient floor covering according to claim 7 wherein each of said first and second colored polymer compositions are of substantially the same thickness, and each of said first and second masking compositions are of substantially the same thickness.

10. A resilient floor covering according to claim 5 comprising a printed patterned layer as decorative layer interposed between the wear layer and the first backing film.

11. A resilient floor covering according to claim 4 wherein said first backing film further comprises a layer of a third polymer composition.

12. A resilient floor covering according to claim 11 wherein a second backing film is provided.

13. A resilient floor covering according to claim 12 wherein said second backing film comprises a second colored polymer composition, a second masking polymer composition , and a second layer of a third polymer composition, wherein the first and second colored polymer compositions are of substantially the same thickness, the first and second masking polymer compositions are of substantially the same thickness and the first and second layers of the third polymer composition are of substantially the same thickness.

15. A resilient floor covering according to claim 4, wherein the wear layer has a thickness of about 50 to 1000 microns, and the backing layer has a thickness of about 1 to 4 mm.

16. A resilient floor covering according to claim 4, wherein the polymer compositions of the backing layer include about 10 to 75 percent by weight of filler.

17. A resilient floor covering according to claim 5, wherein the wear layer has a thickness of about 50 to 1000 microns, and the backing layer has a thickness of about 1 to 4 mm, with each backing film having a thickness of between about 0.5 to 2 mm.

18. A resilient floor covering according to claim 5, wherein the polymer compositions of each backing layer include about 10 to 75 percent by weight of filler.

23. A resilient floor covering according to claim 11, wherein the first and third polymer compositions of the backing film each include about 10 to 75 percent by weight of filler, and the masking polymer composition has a thickness of about 500 to 1000 microns.

24. A resilient floor covering according to claim 10 wherein the decorative layer has a thickness of about 25 to 125 microns.