Improved underlay

Abstract

An underlay 100 for use with a carpet, a method of installing an underlay 100, and a flooring system comprising an underlay 100 are described. The underlay 100 comprises a top layer 102, an adhesive layer 104, and a removable layer 106. The top layer 102 of the underlay 100 is configured to contact a carpet. The glue layer 104 is attached to the top layer 102 and is configured to adhere the underlay 100 to an attachment surface. The removable layer 106 is configured to cover the adhesive layer 104. The non-stick layer 106 is further configured to be removed to allow the sticking layer 104 to adhere to said surface. The underlay 100 may also be provided with a second adhesive layer 105 covered by a second removable layer 107 for adhering the carpet to the underlay.Use of the underlay prevents unwanted expansion of a carpet, preventing it from becoming misshapen, without the use of the time-consuming double-stick method.

Description

FIELD

[01] The present disclosure relates to underlays for flooring. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an underlay for improved ease of installation for double-stick carpet installations. BACKGROUND

[02] Underlay is commonly utilised during the installation of flooring materials, such as carpet and laminate. The installation of underlay can improve the performance, comfort, and durability of the flooring material subsequently installed.

[03] Underlay acts as a soft layer between a top flooring material and a subfloor, thereby providing cushioning and enhancing the comfort of the top flooring material. Underlay also absorbs the force of impacting foot traffic across the surface of the floor, thereby reducing the rate of wear of the top flooring material.

[04] The position of the underlay between the subfloor and floor surface prevents rubbing between the flooring material and the subfloor This can further reduce the wear rate of the top flooring material and the likelihood of this material becoming misshapen. For example, carpets that are installed without underlay can become flattened, buckled, or matted overtime. Underlay can also provide acoustic insulation by absorbing vibrations, thereby reducing the sound of footsteps, echoes, and the transmission of vibrations between floors. Underlay provides thermal insulation by acting as a barrier against cold subfloors and improves the heat retention of a room, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the building. The use of underlay can improve the overall appearance of the carpet by providing a smooth and even surface by acting to level out any irregularities that may be present on the subfloor that may otherwise show through the carpet.

[05] Some natural carpet materials, such as sisal, jute, and coir, can expand under different temperatures and humidities. This expansion can increase the likelihood that carpets of this type may become misshapen, thereby reducing their aesthetic appeal. This effect can be reduced by applying the double-stick method during the installation of the underlay. The double-stick method is a well-known technique that can reduce the likelihood of carpet misshaping occurring. This installation method is commonly employed in commercial carpet installations because it can prolong the lifespan of the flooring material. The use of this technique is a British Standards requirement for public spaces such as pubs, bars, offices, hotels, and the like.

[06] The double-stick method involves the use of a slow-release tackifier which is spread across a subfloor. A permanent bond glue is then applied to the top side of the underlay and the underside of the carpet. The underlay and carpet are combined with the subfloor and left to dry, thereby providing a combined carpet / underlay which has improved durability and longevity.

[07] Despite its advantages, the double-stick method is time-consuming and labour-intensive. For example, the slow-release glue may take up to 2 hours to set, thereby reducing the rate at which carpeting work can be carried out. This method also requires significant volumes of slow-release glue and tackifier to be used. This increases the installation costs, the amount of waste materials generated e.g., waste glue / containers, and the emissions generated during the transport of the materials to the installation site. The amount of glue required, and the CO2 emissions associated with the transport of said glue scale with the size of the installation.

[08] The current invention seeks to address one or more of the technical problems associated with existing underlays and their associated installation methods. SUMMARY

[09] According to the present invention, there is provided an underlay for use during the installation of a carpet. The underlay comprises a top layer, configured to face said carpet, in use. The underlay further comprises an adhesive layer attached to a lower surface of the top layer and adapted to adhere the underlay to an attachment surface, in use. The underlay further comprises a removable layer, configured to cover the adhesive layer. The removable layer is further configured to be removed to allow the adhesive layer to adhere to said attachment surface, in use.

[10] Advantageously, this arrangement may allow the adhesive layer to be exposed by removing the removable layer, allowing the underlay to be directly applied to the attachment surface, removing the need to apply tackifier and / or slow-release glue. This may reduce the time, cost, and labour associated with the installation of underlay. The removable layer also allows the underlay to be stored as a roll configuration, without the adhesive layer causing the underlay to adhere to itself.

[11] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the removable layer may be configured to be peeled away from the adhesive layer.

[12] Advantageously, this may improve the ease of use of the underlay during installation.

[13] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the attachment surface may be a subfloor.

[14] Advantageously, this may allow the underlay to be used in conjunction with common flooring materials, such as carpet, laminate, hardwood, linoleum, and the like.

[15] The underlay may further comprise a second adhesive layer attached to an upper surface of the top layer and adapted to adhere the underlay to a flooring material, in use.

[16] The underlay may further comprise a second removable layer, adapted to coverthe second adhesive layer and may be further adapted to be removed to allow the second adhesive layer to adhere to said flooring material, in use.

[17] Advantageously, this arrangement may allow the second adhesive layer to be exposed by removing the second removable layer, allowing a flooring material to be directly applied to the underlay, removing the need to apply tackifier and / or slow-release glue to the top layer of the underlay. This may reduce the time, cost, and labour associated with the installation of underlay and associated flooring materials. The second removable layer also allows the underlay to be stored as a roll configuration, without the second adhesive layer causing the underlay to adhere to itself.

[18] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the adhesive of the adhesive layer may be at least one of a pressure-sensitive adhesive or a contact adhesive.

[19] Advantageously, this may provide an underlay that is easy to install by removing the requirement to apply separate adhesives e.g., glue and / or tackifiers Advantageously, this may provide an underlay that is easy to install by removing the requirement to apply separate adhesives e.g., glue and / or tackifiers.

[20] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the top layer may have a thickness greater than the thickness of the adhesive layer.

[21] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the top layer may have a thickness greater than the thickness of the removable layer.

[22] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the top layer may have a thickness greater than the combined thickness of the adhesive layer and the removable layer.

[23] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the top layer is >0.5 mm, such as <20 mm, or <12 mm.

[24] Advantageously, this may provide an underlay that is compatible with a wider range of common top flooring materials, such as carpets, linoleum, laminate, hardwood, and the like.

[25] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the adhesive layer may be >0.1 mm, such as <10 mm, or< 3 mm.

[26] Advantageously, this may provide the underlay with an effective amount of adhesive in the adhesive layer that is capable of securing the underlay to an attachment surface.

[27] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the removable layer may be >0.1 mm, such as <5 mm, or <2 mm.

[28] Advantageously, this may provide the adhesive layer of the underlay with a suitable amount of protection, while enabling the removable layer to easily be removed.

[29] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the underlay may have a thickness ratio of the top layer to the combined adhesive and removable layers of >1:1, such as <100:1, or< 6:1.

[30] Advantageously, these arrangements may provide an underlay adapted to provide a large amount of cushioning relative to its thickness.

[31] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the removable layer may comprise an anti-stick coating.

[32] Advantageously, this may provide an arrangement whereby the removable layer may be removed from the adhesive layer without becoming irreversibly stuck to the adhesive layer, or without deteriorating the adhesive properties of the adhesive layer.

[33] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the removable layer may comprise a plurality of sections separated by perforations. The perforations may be configured to enable at least one of the plurality of sections of the removable layer to be removed.

[34] Advantageously, this may provide an arrangement whereby an underlay may be adhered to an attachment surface in sections, thereby making the underlay easier to work with.

[35] According to another embodiment ofthe present invention, the underlay may be configured to be stored as a roll.

[36] Advantageously, this may enable the underlay to be stored in a more spatially efficient way that is easier to store, transport, and otherwise handle.

[37] According to another embodiment ofthe present invention, when the underlay is stored as a roll, the removable layer may be configured to prevent the adhesive layer from adhering to adjacent layers ofthe roll of underlay.

[38] Advantageously, this may prevent the underlay from adhering to itself and becoming unusable for its intended purpose.

[39] According to another embodiment ofthe present invention, when the underlay is stored as a roll, the roll of underlay may comprise a diameter of >1 to <100 cm, or >5 to <80 cm, or >10 to <60 cm, or >20 to <50 cm.

[40] According to another embodiment ofthe present invention, when the underlay is stored as a roll, the roll of underlay may comprise a width of >0.1 to <10 m, or >0.2 to <8 m, or >0.5 to <5 m, or> 1 to <3 m.

[41] Advantageously, this may provide underlay in a rolled storage format that is compatible with existing transportation, handling, and storage equipment.

[42] According to the present invention, there is provided a method of installing an underlay. The method includes the steps of removing a removable layer from an adhesive layer of an underlay to expose the adhesive layer. The method further includes the step of affixing the underlay, via the exposed adhesive layer, to a surface.

[43] Advantageously, this method may provide a simplified procedure for installing underlay by removing the requirement of applying slow release tackifier glue to the attachment surface. This may reduce the time, cost, and labour associated with the installation of underlay. The method may further reduce the amount of waste materials produced during installation.

[44] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the removable layer may be removed from the adhesive layer in one piece.

[45] Advantageously, this may provide a quick and simple way of installing an underlay to an attachment surface.

[46] According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the removable layer may be removed from the adhesive layer in sections.

[47] Advantageously, this may allow the underlay to be installed in a more controlled and / or stepwise way.

[48] According to the present invention, there is provided a flooring system. The flooring system comprises an underlay and a carpet. The underlay comprises a top layer, configured to face said carpet, in use. The underlay further comprises an adhesive layer attached to a lower surface of the top layer and configured to adhere the underlay to a surface, in use. The underlay further comprises a removable layer, configured to cover the adhesive layer and configured to be removed to allow the adhesive layer to adhere to said attachment surface, in use.

[49] Advantageously, this system may provide a flooring system that is easier, faster, and more cost-effective to install than existing systems. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[50] Features and examples of the present disclosure will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawings, in which like reference numerals correspond to similar, though perhaps not identical, components. For the sake of brevity, reference numerals or features having a previously described function may or may not be described in connection with other drawings in which they appear.

[51] Figure 1 shows the perspective view of the underlay according to the present invention.

[52] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the underlay according to the present invention positioned relative to an installation surface, such as a subfloor.

[53] Figure 3 shows the perspective view of the underlay according to an aspect of the present invention, further comprising a second adhesive layer and a second removable layer.

[54] Figure 4 shows an exploded perspective view of the underlay according to the present invention.

[55] Figure 5 shows a flow chart outlining a method of installing an underlay according to the present invention.

[56] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a flooring system according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[57] Hereinafter, various examples will be described with reference to the accompanying figures. The examples described below may be modified and implemented in various different forms. To more clearly describe features of the examples, detailed descriptions of matters well known to those skilled in the art to which the following examples belong will be omitted.

[58] In the present disclosure, when an element is described as "connected" or “coupled” with another element, this includes not only “directly connected” or “directly coupled”, but also “connected with another element therebetween” or “coupled with another element therebetween”. In addition, when one element is described to "include" another element, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, the one element may further include other elements rather than excluding other elements.

[59] Figure 1 illustrates an underlay 100 according to the present invention. The underlay 100 is configured for use during the installation of a carpet. The underlay 100 may be compatible with other top flooring materials 312, such as laminate, vinyl, hardwood, and the like.

[60] The underlay 100 may be adapted to provide cushioning between a subfloor 108 and a top flooring surface 312. The underlay 100 may be adapted to absorb the force of impacting foot traffic across the surface of the top flooring material 312. The underlay 100 may be adapted to prevent rubbing between the top flooring material 312 and the subfloor 108. The underlay 100 may be adapted to absorb acoustic vibrations to reduce the transmission of acoustic vibrations through the subfloor 108. The underlay 100 may be adapted to provide thermal insulation between the top flooring material 312 and the subfloor 108. The underlay 100 may be adapted to cover irregularities present in the subfloor 108 to provide an even top flooring surface 312.

[61] As used herein, the term “in use” or “when in use” may refer to the use of the underlay 100 during installation, and / or during usage post-installation.

[62] The underlay 100 comprises atop layer 102. When in use, the top layer 102 of the underlay 100 is configured to face a carpet. The top layer 102 of the underlay 100 may face a lower surface (not shown) of a carpet. In other words, the top layer 102 of the underlay 100 may comprise an upper surface 102a and a lower surface (not shown), wherein the upper surface 102a of the top layer 102 of the underlay 100 may be configured to contact a lower surface or backing layer (not shown) of a carpet.

[63] The top layer 102 may further comprise a top layer cover and a lower layer cover (not shown). The upper and lower covers of the top layer 102 may be configured to protect the top layer 102. The upper and lower covers of the top layer 102 may contact the upper surface 102a of the top layer 102 and the lower surface of the top layer 102, respectively.

[64] The upper and lower covers of the top layer 102 may have a thickness of >1 pm to >1000 pm. The upper and lower surface covers of the top layer 102 may have a density of >1 g / m3to <1000 g / m3. The upper and lower covers of the top layer 102 may be substantially formed from polyethylene. The top layer 102 may be substantially made from at least one of a polyurethane foam, sponge rubber, wool, crumb rubber, flat rubber, and / or any rubber articles thereof, felt, cork, recycled plastic, synthetic and / or naturally occurring fibres, and / or a combination thereof, or the like. Other foams, such as irradiation cross-linked polyethylene (IXPE) foam, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam, and the like, may be used. As used herein, ‘foam’ may refer to any oil-derived synthetic material. The skilled person will appreciate that various other suitable materials may be used. The specific type of underlay material may be dependent upon the top flooring material type, the installation venue, and the intended use of the top flooring material.

[65] The top layer 102 of the underlay 100 may be operable to reduce acoustic energy by >10 to <90 dB, or >20 dB to <80 dB or >30 dB to <70 dB, or >40 dB to <60 dB.

[66] The top layer 102 of the underlay 100 may have a tog (thermal overall grade) rating from >0.1 to <5, or >0.1 to <4, or >0.2 to <3, or >0.5 to <2. The tog rating may be a measure of thermal insulation of a unit area. The skilled person will appreciate that the tog rating of the underlay may be based on other factors, such as the flooring material used, and whether underfloor heating is present in the installation.

[67] The top layer 102 of the underlay may have a density from >0.1 to <1000 kg / m3, or >1 to <800 kg / m3, or >5 to <600 kg / m3, or >50 to <500 kg / m3.

[68] The top layer 102 may have a thickness from >0.5 to <20 mm, or >3 to <18 mm, or >5 to <15 mm, or >7 to <12 mm.

[69] The underlay 100 further comprises an adhesive layer 104. The adhesive layer 104 is attached (for example, connected to, adhered to, coupled with and / or abuts) below the top layer 102 of the underlay 100. In other words, the adhesive layer 104 may comprise an upper surface 104a and a lower surface (not shown), wherein the upper surface 104a of the adhesive layer 104 is configured to be attached (for example, connected to, adhered to, coupled with and / or abut) below a lower surface (not shown) of the top layer 102 of the underlay 100. This layering arrangement is shown in Figure 4.

[70] As shown in Figure 2, when in use, the adhesive layer 104 is configured to adhere the underlay 100 to an attachment surface 108.

[71] The attachment surface 108 may be a subfloor. The subfloor 108 may be the bottom-most structure of the floor which covers the floorjoists to provide a flat and stable surface that is capable of supporting weight. For example, the subfloor 108 should be capable of supporting the top flooring material 312 e.g., laminate, vinyl, hardwood, carpet, and the like.

[72] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 3, the underlay 100 may further comprises a second adhesive layer 105. The second adhesive layer 105 may be attached to (for example, connected to, adhered to, coupled with and / or abut) an upper surface of the top layer 102 of the underlay 100. In other words, the second adhesive layer 105 may comprise an upper surface and a lower surface (not shown), wherein the lower surface of the second adhesive layer 105 is configured to be attached (for example, connected to, adhered to, coupled with and / or abut) to the upper surface 102a or upper cover (not shown) of the top layer 102 of the underlay 100.. The second adhesive layer 105 may be adapted to enable adherence between the upper-most surface of the underlay 100 and a lower surface or backing layer of a flooring material 312.

[73] The adhesive layer 104 comprises an adhesive. The second layer may comprise an adhesive. The adhesive may be naturally or synthetically derived. The adhesive may be a glue, tackifier, or the like. The adhesive may be water based or solvent based. The skilled person will appreciate that various different adhesives may be suitable to provide the same or a substantially similar effect.

[74] The adhesive of the adhesive layer 104 may be capable of permanently attaching the underlay 100 to an attachment surface 108. The adhesive layer 104 may be capable of temporarily attaching the underlay 100 to an attachment surface 108. For example, the adhesive layer 104 may be configured to provide attachment between the underlay 100 and the attachment surface 108 until such a time as the top flooring material 312 and / or underlay 100 need to be replaced.

[75] The adhesive of the second adhesive layer 105 may be capable of permanently attaching the underlay 100 to a flooring material 312, such as carpet, linoleum, laminate, hardwood, and the like. The second adhesive layer 105 may be capable of temporarily attaching the underlay 100 to a flooring material 312. For example, the second adhesive layer 105 may be configured to provide attachment between the underlay 100 and the flooring material 312 until such a time as the top flooring material 312 and / or underlay 100 need to be replaced.

[76] The adhesive used in the adhesive layer 104 and / or second adhesive layer 105 may be a pressure-sensitive adhesive, a contact adhesive, or the like. The skilled person will appreciate that various other types of adhesives may be used to achieve the same or a substantially similar result.

[77] The adhesive layer 104 and / or second adhesive layer 105 may have a thickness from >0.1 mm to <10 mm, or >0.2 to <8 mm, or> 0.5 to <5 mm, or >1 mm to <3 mm.

[78] The top layer 102 of the underlay 100 may have a thickness that is greater than the thickness of the adhesive layer 104. In other words, the adhesive layer 104 and / or second adhesive layer 105 may be thinner than the top layer 102. The adhesive layer 104 and / or second adhesive layer 105 may be substantially formed from an adhesive film.

[79] The underlay 100 may have a top layer 102 to adhesive layer 104 and / or second adhesive layer thickness ratio of >2:1 to <200:1, or >2:1 to <90:1, or> 3:1 to <30:1, or >4:1 to <12:1.

[80] The adhesive layer 104 and / or second adhesive layer 105 may be substantially made from an epoxy-based adhesive, an acrylic-based adhesive, a polyurethane-based adhesive, a polyimide adhesive and the like. The skilled person will appreciate that various other adhesives may be used to provide the same or a substantially similar effect.

[81] The adhesive layer 104 and / or second adhesive layer 105 may be continuously formed across the entirety of a lower surface of the top layer 102 of the underlay 100. Alternatively, the adhesive layer 104 and / or second adhesive layer 105 may be located in discrete portions spaced across a lower surface of the top layer 102 of the underlay 100. The discrete portions of the adhesive layer 104 and / or second adhesive layer 105 may be equally spaced across the lower surface of the top layer 102 of the underlay 100. The discrete portions of the adhesive layer 104 and / or second adhesive layer 105 may be positioned in a patterned arrangement. As used herein, ‘discrete’ may referto a plurality of adhesive sections that may be separated from one another.

[82] The discrete portions of the adhesive layer 104 and / or second adhesive layer 105 may take the form of a strip, spot, zigzag, or plurality thereof. The discrete portions of the adhesive layer 104 may be distributed regularly or irregularly across the lower surface of the top layer 102. Of course, the skilled person will appreciate that various other shapes may be applicable.

[83] As shown in Figure 1, the underlay further comprises a removable layer 106. The removable layer 106 is configured to cover the adhesive layer 104. In other words, the removable layer 106 may act to prevent the adhesive layer 104 from unintentionally coming into direct contact with objects or surfaces and becoming stuck to said objects or surfaces. For example, when the underlay 100 is in a “roll” configuration, the removable layer 106 may prevent the underlay 100 from adhering to itself.

[84] As shown in Figure 3, the underlay 100 may comprise a second removable layer 107. The second removable layer 107 may be configured to cover the and / or second adhesive layer 105. In other words, the second removable layer 107 may act to prevent the second adhesive layer 105 from unintentionally coming into contact with objects or surfaces and becoming stuck to said objects or surfaces. For example, when the underlay 100 is in a “roll” configuration, the second removable layer 107 may prevent the underlay 100 from adhering to itself.

[85] The removable layer 106 may be operable to prevent the ingress of dirt, dust, and the like, which may compromise the adhesive properties of the adhesive layer 104 when used to adhere the underlay 100 to an attachment surface 108, such as a subfloor. The second removable layer 107 may be adapted to prevent the ingress of dirt, dust, and the like, which may compromise the adhesive properties of the second adhesive layer 105 when used to adhere the underlay 100 to a flooring material 312, such as carpet, linoleum, laminate, hardwood, and the like.

[86] The removable layer 106 may further act to prevent degradation of the adhesive layer 104 during periods of storage. The second removable layer 107 may further act to prevent degradation of the second adhesive layer during periods of storage.

[87] The removable layer 106 is configured to be removed from the adhesive layer 104, to thereby expose the adhesive layer 104 to enable the adhesive layer 104 to adhere to said attachment surface 108. The second removable layer 107 may be configured to be removed from the second adhesive layer 105, to thereby expose the second adhesive layer 105 to enable the second adhesive layer 105 to adhere to said flooring material 312.

[88] The removable layer 106 may be configured to be peeled from the adhesive layer 104. In other words, the removable layer 106 may be removable from the adhesive layer 104 in an uninterrupted motion. The second removable layer 107 may be configured to be peeled from the second adhesive layer 105. In other words, the second removable layer 107 may be removable from the second adhesive layer 105 in an uninterrupted motion.

[89] The removable layer 106 may be formed of an anti-stick material. The removable layer 106 may comprise an anti-stick coating. The anti-stick coating may be present on at least one face of the removable layer. The upper face 106a of the removable layer may be arranged to contact the lower surface (not shown) of the adhesive layer 104. The anti-stick coating may be applied to the upper face 106a and be configured to prevent strong adherence between the upper face 106a of the removable layer 106 and the adhesive layer 104. The anti-stick material and / or anti-stick coating may enable uninterrupted removal of the removable layer 106 from the adhesive layer 104 by preventing permanent or strong adherence between the removable layer 106 and the adhesive layer 104.

[90] The second removable layer 107 may be formed of an anti-stick material. The second removable layer 107 may comprise an anti-stick coating. The anti-stick coating may be present on at least one face of the second removable layer 107. The lower face of the second removable layer 107 may be arranged to contact the upper surface of the second adhesive layer 105. The anti-stick coating may be applied to the lower face and be configured to prevent strong adherence between the lower face of the second removable layer 107 and an upper face of the second adhesive layer 105. The anti-stick material and / or anti-stick coating may enable uninterrupted removal of the second removable layer 107 from the second adhesive layer 105 by preventing permanent or strong adherence between the second removable layer 107 and the second adhesive layer 105.

[91] The removable layer 106 and / or second removeable layer 107 may be a surface protection film. The removable layer 106 and / or second removeable layer 107 may be made from polyethylene, such as low-density polyethylene. The adhesive may be a slow-release adhesive.

[92] The removable layer 106 and / or second removable layer 107 may be formed of a first layer and a second layer. The first layer may be a surface protection film. The second layer may be formed of a non-woven material.

[93] The first and second layers of the removable layer 106 and / or removeable layer 107 may be bound together. The first and second layers of the removable layer 106 and / or second removeable layer 107 may be removed from the adhesive layer 104 and / or second adhesive layer 105, respectively, as one component.

[94] The removable layer 106 may be continuously formed across the entirety of a lower surface (not shown) of the top layer 102. Alternatively, the removable layer 106 may be located in discrete, or intermittent, portions associated with discrete, or intermittent, portions of adhesive layer 104 spaced across a lower surface of the top layer 102 of the underlay 100. The discrete portions of removable layer 106 that are associated with the discrete portions of the adhesive layer 104 may be equally spaced across the lower surface of the top layer 102. The discrete portions of the adhesive layer 104 may be positioned in a patterned arrangement.

[95] The second removable layer 107 may be continuously formed across the entirety of an upper surface 102a of the top layer 102. Alternatively, the second removable layer 107 may be located in discrete, or intermittent, portions associated with discrete, or intermittent, portions of the second adhesive layer 105 spaced across the upper surface 102a of the top layer 102 of the underlay 100. The discrete portions of second removable layer 107 that are associated with the discrete portions of the second adhesive layer 105 may be equally spaced across the upper surface 102a of the top layer 102. The discrete portions of the second adhesive layer 105 may be positioned in a patterned arrangement.

[96] As shown in Figure 4, the removable layer may comprise a plurality of sections. The sections may be defined by a plurality of perforations 110. The perforations 110 may be arranged along the length and / or width of the removable layer 106. The perforations 110 may comprise major and minor perforations 110. The second removable layer 107 may comprise a similarly perforated or sectioned arrangement as the removable layer 106.

[97] The perforations 110 may be operable to enable at least one section of the plurality of sections of the removable layer 106 to be removed from the adhesive layer 104. In other words, individual sections of the removable layer 106 may be removed from the adhesive layer 104 independently, without removing the entirety of the removable layer 106 in one piece.

[98] The top layer 102 may have a thickness that is greater than the thickness of the removable layer 106.

[99] The removable layer 106 may have a thickness from >0.1 to <5 mm, >0.2 to <4 mm, or >0.5 to <3 mm, or >1 to <2 mm.

[100] The underlay 100 may have a top layer 102 to removable layer 106 thickness ratio of >4:1 to <20:1, or >4:1 to <90:1, or >5:1 to <30:1, or >6:1 to <12:1.

[101] The top layer 102 of the underlay 100 may have a greater thickness than the combined thickness of the adhesive layer 104 and the removable layer 106.

[102] The underlay 100 may have a thickness ratio of top layer 102 to adhesive layer 104 to removable layer 106 of >1:1 to <100:1, or >1.5:1 to <45:1, or >1.8:1 to <15:1, or >2.4:1 to <6:1.

[103] The underlay 100 may be adapted to be stored as a roll. In other words, the underlay 100 may be rolled along a length direction to improve the ease of storage of the underlay 100 when not in use.

[104] When the underlay 100 is in a rolled configuration for storage, the removable layer 106 may be adapted to prevent the adhesive layer 104 from adhering to adjacent layers of the rolled underlay 100. In other words, the removable layer 106 may prevent the roll of underlay 100 from becoming adhered to itself, and therefore unusable as an underlay 100 for use with a carpet.

[105] When the underlay 100 is in a rolled configuration for storage, the second removable layer 107 may be adapted to prevent the second adhesive layer 105 from adhering to adjacent layers of the rolled underlay 100. In other words, the second removable layer 107 may prevent the roll of underlay 100 from becoming adhered to itself, and therefore unusable as an underlay 100 for use with a carpet.

[106] When the underlay 100 is as a rolled configuration for storage, the roll of underlay 100 may comprise a diameter from >1 cm to <50 cm, or >5 cm to <40 cm, or >10 cm to <30 cm. The rolled underlay 100 may be compatible with existing apparatuses that are used for the storage, and / or transport, and / or installation of underlay 100.

[107] When the underlay 100 is as a rolled configuration for storage, the roll of underlay 100 may have a length of >1 to <30 m, or >2 to <20 m, or >4 to <15 m, or >5 to <12 m.

[108] Figure 5 illustrates a method 200 of installing an underlay 100 according to an aspect of the present invention. The method 200 comprises the steps of removing 202 a removable layer 106 from an adhesive layer 104 of the underlay 100 to expose the adhesive layer 104.

[109] The method 200 may further comprise the step of affixing 204 the underlay 100, via the exposed adhesive layer 104, to an attachment surface 108. The attachment surface 108 may be a subfloor.

[110] The removable layer 106 may be removed from the adhesive layer 104 in one piece.

[111] Alternatively, the removable layer 106 may be removed from the adhesive layer 104 in sections. For example, the sections may be pre-defined via the use of perforations 110 in the removable layer 106.

[112] Figure 6 illustrates a flooring system 300 according to an aspect of the present invention. The floor system 300 comprises an underlay 100.

[113] The underlay comprises a top layer 302. When in use, the top layer 302 of the underlay is configured to contact a carpet 312. In other words, the top layer 302 of the underlay 300 may comprise an upper surface 102a and a lower surface (not shown). When installed, the upper surface 102a of the top layer 302 of the underlay may be configured to contact a backing layer (not shown) of a carpet 312. In some examples, the upper surface 102a of the top layer 302 may comprise an adhesive. The adhesive may promote attachment between the underlay 100 and the carpet 312.

[114] The underlay 100 further comprises an adhesive layer 304. The adhesive layer 304 is attached to a lower surface of the top layer 302 of the underlay 100. In other words, the adhesive layer 304 may comprise an upper surface 104a and a lower surface (not shown), wherein the upper surface 104a of the adhesive layer 304 is attached to the lower surface of the top layer 302 of the underlay 100. This layering arrangement is shown in Figure 4.

[115] The underlay 100 may further comprise a second adhesive layer 105. The second adhesive layer 105 may be formed on an upper face of the top layer 302 of the underlay 100. In other words, the second adhesive layer 105 may comprise a lower surface and an upper surface, wherein the lower surface of the second adhesive layer 105 is attached to the upper surface 102a of the top layer 302 of the underlay 100.

[116] The underlay 100 further comprises a removable layer 106. The removable layer 106 is configured to cover the adhesive layer 104. In other words, the removable layer 106 may act to prevent the adhesive layer 104 from coming into unintentional direct contact with objects or surfaces.

[117] The underlay 100 may further comprise a second removable layer 107. The second removable layer 107 may be configured to cover the second adhesive layer 105. In other words, the second removable layer 107 may act to prevent the second adhesive layer 105 from coming into unintentional direct contact with objects or surfaces.

[118] The flooring system 300 further comprises a carpet 312.

[119] The carpet 312 may be substantially made from nylon, polyester, polypropylene, acrylic, wool, or a combination thereof. More preferably, the carpet 312 may be substantially made from sisal, jute, coir, or a combination thereof. The skilled person will appreciate that the carpet 312 may be made from other suitable materials or combinations thereof not limited to those listed above.

[120] The carpet 312 may comprise an upper surface 312a or face yam. The carpet may further comprise a backing layer (not shown). The carpet fibres may be bound to the backing layer. The backing may comprise a synthetic or natural material. For example, the backing may be made from jute, polypropylene, latex, polyurethane or the like. The backing layer may be formed using a woven or non-woven construction. The skilled person will appreciate that various other suitable backing materials may be used. The carpet backing material may be natural or manmade. The backing layer may comprise a first backing layer and a second backing layer.

[121] The carpet 312 is configured to contact the top layer 302 of the underlay 100. In some embodiments, the carpet 312 may be configured to attach (for example, connect to, adhere to, couple with and / or abut) a second adhesive layer 105 of the underlay 100. The carpet 312 may comprise an upper surface 312a or face yarn that is configured to face substantially upwards away from an attachment surface 108, such as a subfloor. The carpet 312 may comprise a backing layer that is adapted to face an upper surface 102a of the top layer 302 of the underlay 100. The backing layer of the carpet may be further adapted to face an upper surface of the second adhesive layer 105 of the underlay 100.

[122] The carpet 312 may be attached to an upper surface 102a of the underlay 100 via an adhesive, staples, gripper hooks, or the like. In some installations, the carpet and underlay may not be adhered or otherwise joined together, for example, in stretch fitting installations. The skilled person will appreciate that various other methods of securing the carpet 312 to the underlay 100 may be used to achieve the same or a substantially similar result. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[123] As shown in Figure 1, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an underlay 100 for use with a carpet. The underlay has a top layer 102. When in use, the top layer 102 of the underlay is configured to face said carpet.

[124] The underlay 100 has an adhesive layer 104. The adhesive layer 104 is attached to a lower surface of the top layer 102. When in use, the adhesive layer 104 is configured to adhere the underlay 100 to an attachment surface 108.

[125] The underlay 100 has a removable layer 106. The removable layer 106 is configured to cover the adhesive layer 104. When in use, the removable layer 106 is configured be removed from the adhesive layer 104. Removal of the removable layer 106 allows the adhesive layer 104 to adhere to said attachment surface 108.

[126] As shown in Figure 5, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method 200 of installing an underlay 100. The method 200 includes the step of removing the removable layer 106 from the adhesive layer 104. Removal of the removable layer 106 exposes the adhesive layer 104.

[127] The method 200 includes the step of affixing the underlay 100 to the attachment surface 108. The underlay 100 is affixed to the attachment surface 108 using the exposed adhesive layer 104.

[128] As shown in Figure 6, according to a third aspect of the present invention, there is a provided a flooring system 300. The flooring system 300 comprises an underlay 100 and a carpet 312.

[129] The underlay has a top layer 302. When in use, the top layer 302 of the underlay is configured to face said carpet. The underlay 100 has an adhesive layer 304. The adhesive layer 304 is attached to a lower surface of the top layer 302. When in use, the adhesive layer 304 is configured to adhere the underlay 100 to an attachment surface 108. The underlay 100 has a removable layer 306. The removable layer 306 is configured to cover the adhesive layer 306. When in use, the removable layer 306 is configured be removed from the adhesive layer 304. Removal of the removable layer 306 allows the adhesive layer 104 to adhere to said attachment surface 108.

[130] The carpet 312 is arranged to contact the top layer 302 of the underlay 100.

[131] Reference in the specification to “an example”, “an embodiment”, “an aspect” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the example is included in at least one example, but not necessarily in other examples. The various instances of the phrase “in one example” or similar phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same example. In describing and claiming examples disclosed herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[132] While several examples have been described in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosed examples may be modified. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered non-limiting. It should be understood that the examples described herein should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each example should typically be considered as available for other similar features or aspects in other examples. While one or more examples have been described with reference to the figures, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made.

Claims

1. An underlay for use with a carpet, the underlay comprising,a top layer, configured to face said carpet, in use;an adhesive layer attached to a lower surface of the top layer and configured to adhere the underlay to an attachment surface, in use; anda removable layer, configured to cover the adhesive layer and further configured to be removed to allow the adhesive layer to adhere to said attachment surface, in use.

2. The underlay according to claim 1, wherein the removable layer is configured to be peeled away from the adhesive layer.

3. The underlay according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the attachment surface is a subfloor.

4. The underlay of any preceding claim, further comprising:a second adhesive layer, attached to an upper surface of the top layer and configured to adhere the underlay to a flooring material, in use.

5. The underlay of claim 4, further comprising:a second removable layer, configured to cover the second adhesive layer and further configured to be removed to allow the second adhesive layer to adhere to said flooring material, in use.

6. The underlay according to any preceding claim, wherein the adhesive is at least one of a pressure-sensitive adhesive or a contact adhesive.

7. The underlay according to any preceding claim, wherein the top layer has a thickness greater than the thickness of the adhesive layer.

8. The underlay according to any preceding claim, wherein the top layer has a thickness greater than the thickness of the removable layer.

9. The underlay according to any preceding claim, wherein the top layer has a thickness greater than the thickness of the combined thickness of the adhesive layer and the removable layer.

10. The underlay according to any preceding claim, wherein the thickness of the top layer is >0.5 mm, such as <20 mm, or< 12 mm.

11. The underlay according to any preceding claim, wherein the thickness of the adhesive layer is >0.1 mm, such as <10 mm, or <3 mm.

12. The underlay according to any preceding claim, wherein the thickness of the removable layer is >0.1 mm, such as <5mm, or <2 mm.

13. The underlay according to any preceding claim, wherein a thickness ratio of the top layer to the combined adhesive and removable layers is >1:1, such as <100:1, or <6:1.

14. The underlay according to any preceding claim, wherein the top layer substantially comprises at least one of a: polyurethane foam, sponge rubber, wool, crumb rubber, flat rubber, and / or any rubber articles thereof, felt, cork, recycled plastic, synthetic and / or naturally occurring fibres, and / or a combination thereof.

15. The underlay according to any preceding claim, wherein the removable layer comprises an anti-stick coating.

16. The underlay according to any preceding claim, wherein the removable layer comprises a plurality of sections separated by perforations.

17. The underlay of claim 16, wherein the perforations are configured to enable at least one of the plurality of sections of the removable layer to be removed.

18. The underlay according to any preceding claim, wherein the underlay is configured to be stored as a roll.

19. The underlay of claim 18, wherein, when in storage, the removable layer is configured to prevent the adhesive layer from adhering to adjacent layers of the roll of underlay.

20. The underlay of claim 18, wherein the roll of underlay comprises a diameter of >1 cm, such as <100 cm, or <50 cm.

21. The underlay of claim 19, wherein the roll of underlay comprises a width of >0.1 m, such as <10 m, or< 3 m.

22. A method of installing an underlay, comprising the steps of:removing a removable layer from an adhesive layer of the underlay to expose the adhesive layer;affixing the underlay, via the exposed adhesive layer, to an attachment surface.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the removable layer is removed from the adhesive layer is removed in one piece.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the removable layer is removed from the adhesive layer in sections.

25. A flooring system comprising:an underlay, comprising:a top layer configured to contact a carpet, in use;an adhesive layer attached to a lower surface of the top layer and configured to adhere the underlay to an attachment surface, in use; anda removable layer configured to cover the adhesive layer and configured to be removed to allow the adhesive layer to adhere to said attachment surface, in use; anda carpet, configured to contact the top layer.

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