Composite floor underlayment with thermoplastic coatings

• US 9,186,869 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Certainteed Gypsum Incorporated (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Certainteed Gypsum Incorporated (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Hauber, Robert J., Boydston, Gerald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): KHAN, TAHSEEN
• Application Number:
  US13/491,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20120308795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 428/218, 442/394
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 13/14 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/04 bonded with or embedded in a plastic substance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/021 Fibrous or filamentary layer layers of natural mineral fibres or particles being impregnated in a plastic substance B32B19/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/044 Water-setting substance, e.g. concrete, plaster
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/046 Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/102 Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/3065 Flame resistant or retardant, fire resistant or retardant
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/51 Elastic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/542 Shear strength
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/56 Damping, energy absorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7265 Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/73 Hydrophobic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/744 Non-slip, anti-slip
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/306 comprising vinyl acetate or vinyl alcohol (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/308 comprising acrylic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/145 Variation across the thickness of the layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/28 impregnated with or embedded in a plastic substance not used
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/42 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00405 : Materials with a gradually increasing or decreasing concentration of ingredients or property from one layer to another
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00612 : as one or more layers of a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/60 : Flooring materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/2623 : Polyvinylalcohols; Polyvinylacetates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/2682 : Halogen containing polymers, e.g. PVC
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/42 : Organo-silicon compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/14 : containing calcium sulfate cements gypsum-paper plates E04C
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/043 : of plaster E04C2/049 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24992 : Density or compression of components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/674 : Nonwoven fabric with a preformed polymeric film or sheet

Abstract

Disclosed is a flooring system consisting of a slab (or base) floor, a floor covering, and a composite underlayment extending between the slab floor and floor covering. The composite underlayment may include, for example, one or more set gypsum layers with embedded fibrous mats. An exterior plastic coating is mechanically adhered to an underlying set gypsum layer. The plastic coating chemically bonds and cross-links with polymer additives within the set gypsum core. The result is an underlayment that is a fully integrated polymer matrix with greatly improved durability and surface strength with only minimal increases in cost or weight.

Claims

1. A flooring system (20) comprising:

a slab (22);

a laminate floor covering (24) overlying the slab (22), the laminate floor covering (24) constituting a walking surface;

an underlayment (28) extending between the slab (22) and the laminate floor covering (24), the underlayment comprising;

a set gypsum core (32) with a polymeric additive, the set gypsum core having an upper surface (34) and a lower surface (36), the lower surface (36) contacting the slab (22);

a mat (38) secured to the upper surface (34) of the set gypsum core (32), the mat (38) formed from non-woven, randomly aligned glass fibers held together by a binder, the mat (38) being porous and having interior and exterior surfaces;

a thermoplastic pre-coating applied to the randomly aligned glass fibers of the mat (38);

a dense gypsum layer (42) formed at the upper surface (34) of the set gypsum core (32), the dense gypsum layer (42) coating and penetrating the mat, whereby the exterior surface of the mat is substantially covered by the dense gypsum layer to form a boundary layer (44), the dense gypsum layer (42) including a polymeric additive;

a coating (46) the majority of which comprises a non-curing hot melt thermoplastic with a melting point between 100°

to 500°

F., the coating mechanically adhered to the boundary layer (44) and having a thickness of between 0.01 to 500 mils;

an adhesive layer (26) securing the laminate floor covering (24) to the coating (46);

the coating (46) being chemically bonded to and cross-linked with the thermoplastic pre-coating and the polymeric additives in the set gypsum core (32), the boundary layer (44), and dense gypsum layer (42) to form a composite polymer matrix.

2. A flooring system (20) comprising:

a slab (22);

a flooring (24) overlying the slab (22);

an underlayment (28) extending between the slab (22) and flooring (24), the underlayment (28) comprising;

a gypsum core (32) having an upper surface (34), the gypsum core including polymeric additives;

a mat (38) having an exterior surface, the mat (38) embedded into the upper surface (34) of the gypsum core (32), whereby gypsum from core (32) substantially covers the exterior surface of the mat to form a boundary layer (44);

a coating (46) the majority of which comprises a non-curing hot melt thermoplastic, the coating (46) being positioned over the exterior surface of the mat (38) and mechanically adhered to the boundary layer (44);

a chemical bond formed between the coating (46) and the polymeric additives within the gypsum core (32) and boundary layer (44), whereby the underlayment (28) forms a laminated composite matrix.

3. The underlayment (28) as described in claim 2 wherein the coating (46) has a thickness of between 0.01 to 500 mils.

4. The underlayment (28) as described in claim 2 wherein mat (38) is formed from non-woven, randomly aligned glass fibers held together by a binder and further wherein the mat (38) is porous and has interior and exterior surfaces.

5. The underlayment (28) as described in claim 4 wherein a thermoplastic pre-coating is applied to the randomly aligned glass fibers of the mat (38).

6. The underlayment (28) as described in claim 5 wherein the pre-coating is formed from a holt melt thermoplastic with a melting point between 100°

to 500°

F.

7. The underlayment (28) as described in claim 2 wherein a dense gypsum layer is formed adjacent the upper surface (34) of core (32).

8. The underlayment has described in claim 7 wherein the underlayment (28) includes a polymeric additive for crossing linking the set gypsum core (32), and dense gypsum layer (42), and the coating (46) to form a composite polymer matrix.