Resin floor material

Abstract

To provide a resin floor material excellent in non-slip property.SOLUTION: A resin floor material 1 of the present invention is provided with a surface layer 2 having an aggregation part 5 in which multiple vinyl chloride-based resin particles 7 each having a particle size of 20 μm to 300 μm are aggregated, and multiple resin flakes 6 scattered in the aggregation part 5 and fixed to the aggregation part 5. The surface of the surface layer 2 has an aggregation surface part 5F on which the aggregation part 5 is exposed, and a flake surface part 6F on which the resin flakes 6 are exposed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a resin flooring material with excellent anti-slip properties. [Background technology]

[0002] Resin flooring is a flooring material that contains a synthetic resin layer such as vinyl chloride resin as its main component. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a flooring material that includes a sheet containing vinyl chloride resin, a colorant, and a filler, and that has, on the surface of the sheet, a first aggregate portion where a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles are aggregated and exposed and that exhibits a predetermined color, a second aggregate portion where a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles are aggregated and exposed and that exhibits a color different from that of the first aggregate portion, and recesses formed in each of the first aggregate portion and the second aggregate portion, and that filler particles smaller than the vinyl chloride resin particles are collected and attached to the surface of the recesses. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-46777 Summary of the Invention

[0004] The flooring material of Patent Document 1 has an appearance that looks like it has been sprinkled with fine sand. Resin flooring materials are required to have various functions, among which slip resistance is particularly important. Patent Document 1 does not disclose any means for imparting slip resistance. [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a resin flooring material with excellent anti-slip properties. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first form of resin flooring material has a surface layer having an aggregate portion where a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles having particle sizes of 20 μm to 300 μm are aggregated, and a plurality of resin flakes scattered in the aggregate portion and fixed to the aggregate portion, and the surface of the surface layer has an aggregate surface portion where the aggregate portion is exposed, and a flake surface portion where the resin flakes are exposed.

[0007] The resin flooring material of the second embodiment is the resin flooring material of the first embodiment, wherein the flake surface portion protrudes from the aggregate surface portion. A third embodiment of the resin flooring material is the resin flooring material of the second embodiment, wherein the height difference between the flaky surface portion and the aggregated surface portion is 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. The fourth form of resin flooring is a resin flooring material of any one of the first to third forms, in which the aggregate surface portion has a portion formed with fine irregularities caused by the vinyl chloride resin particles. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The resin flooring has an aggregate surface portion and a flake surface portion, and therefore has excellent slip resistance. By laying such a resin flooring on a floor surface, a slip-resistant floor structure can be constructed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a partially omitted plan view of an example of a resin flooring material according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. [Figure 3] Schematic cross-sectional view of a modified resin flooring material according to the same embodiment. [Figure 4] Schematic cross-sectional view of a further modified resin flooring material. [Figure 5] Schematic cross-sectional view of a further modified resin flooring material. [Figure 6] An enlarged plan view of the surface of the resin flooring material (enlarged plan view of part VI in Figure 1). [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6. [Figure 8]This is a photograph of the cross section of a resin flooring product cut in the thickness direction. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a front view of a vinyl chloride resin particle. [Figure 11] Schematic diagram of a resin flooring manufacturing device. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an enlarged plan view of the surface of the resin flooring material of the second embodiment. [Figure 13] 13 is an enlarged end view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12, with a central portion omitted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, a plan view refers to a view from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the resin flooring material, and a plan view shape refers to the shape when viewed from that direction. In this specification, a numerical range expressed as "lower limit X to upper limit Y" means a range from lower limit X to upper limit Y. When a plurality of such numerical ranges are separately described, any lower limit and any upper limit can be selected to set "any lower limit to any upper limit." It should be noted that the thickness of layers, dimensions such as particle size, and various shapes shown in each drawing may differ from the actual ones.

[0011] [First embodiment] <Outline of resin flooring materials> In FIG. 1, a resin flooring material 1 has a surface layer 2 . The resin flooring material 1 of this embodiment may be formed in a long strip shape, as shown in Figure 1, or may be formed in a sheet shape, although this is not specifically shown. The long strip shape refers to a generally rectangular shape in plan view, with one dimension being significantly longer than the other dimensions. The long strip resin flooring material 1 has, for example, a length in the first direction of 1000mm to 4000mm and a length in the second direction of 5m or more, preferably 10m or more. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. The long strip resin flooring material 1 is also called a floor sheet. The "single-shaped" refers to a material formed in a predetermined shape, such as a substantially square shape in plan view, and generally refers to a shape that can be stacked for storage and transportation. Examples of the single-shaped resin flooring material include a substantially rectangular shape with a length in the first direction of 200 mm to 1000 mm and a length in the second direction of 200 mm to 1000 mm. Single-shaped resin flooring materials are also called floor tiles.

[0012] The resin flooring 1 does not have to be flexible, but is preferably flexible. For example, the degree of flexibility is such that the back side of the resin flooring 1 can be wound around a core with a diameter of 10 cm. The thickness of the resin flooring 1 is not particularly limited and is, for example, 2 mm to 7 mm, and preferably 2.5 mm to 5 mm.

[0013] Figure 2 shows a resin flooring material 1 according to one example of the first embodiment, Figure 3 shows a resin flooring material 1 according to a modified version of the first embodiment, Figure 4 shows a resin flooring material 1 according to yet another modified version of the first embodiment, and Figure 5 shows a resin flooring material 1 according to yet another modified version of the first embodiment. Plan views of the resin flooring material 1 of each modified version are omitted because they are similar to Figure 1. In FIG. 2, one example of a resin flooring material 1 has, in order from the surface side, a surface layer 2, a fiber-reinforced layer 3, and a back layer 4. In Figure 3, another example of a resin flooring material 1 has a surface layer 2, a back layer 4 consisting of a two-layer structure of a first back layer 41 and a second back layer 42, and a fiber reinforcement layer 3 interposed between the first back layer 41 and the second back layer 42. In FIG. 4, another example of a resin flooring material 1 has, in order from the surface side, a surface layer 2, a back layer 4, and a fiber-reinforced layer 3. In Figure 5, another example of a resin flooring material 1 has, from the surface side, a surface layer 2 and a back layer 4 consisting of a three-layer structure of a first back layer 41, a second back layer 42 and a third back layer 43.

[0014] <Surface layer> Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of an arbitrary portion of the surface of the resin flooring 1, and Figure 7 is an enlarged end view cut in the thickness direction at a location including the aggregate surface portion and the flake surface portion. The end view shows only the shape of the cut surface and does not show the shape behind the cut surface. Figure 8 is an SEM photograph of an example of the resin flooring 1 cut in the thickness direction and the cross section enlarged 60 times. In Figure 8, the surface portion of the surface layer 2 is enlarged and photographed. Note that Figure 8(a) and Figure 8(b) are the same photograph, but (a) has a symbol added, and (b) has a black line added at the location believed to be the boundary between the aggregate portion 5 and the resin flakes 6. In addition, Figure 7 shows an example of a resin flooring material 1 having a fiber reinforcement layer 3 and a back layer 4 shown in Figure 2 as the layer structure other than the surface layer 2, but the layer structure other than the surface layer 2 can be changed to various examples as described above.

[0015] The surface layer 2 constitutes the surface of the resin flooring 1 . 6 to 8, the surface layer 2 has an aggregation portion 5 in which a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles 7 having particle sizes of 20 μm to 300 μm are aggregated, and a plurality of resin flakes 6 scattered in the aggregation portion 5 and fixed to the aggregation portion 5. The vinyl chloride resin particles 7 constituting the aggregation portion 5 include some that are roughly spherical or roughly elliptical, but most have an irregular three-dimensional shape. Since most of the aggregated vinyl chloride resin particles 7 have an irregular three-dimensional shape, their particle size is determined as follows: The aggregation portion 5 is cut in the thickness direction, and an SEM image (60x magnification) of an arbitrary location on the cut surface is captured. A range of 2000 μm in the horizontal direction and 1500 μm in the vertical direction is arbitrarily extracted from the image. Ten relatively circular vinyl chloride resin particles 7 within the extracted image range are selected, and the maximum lengths of the particles are measured. The average of the ten maximum lengths is taken as the particle size of the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 constituting the aggregation portion 5.

[0016] The surface of the surface layer 2 has, in a plan view, an aggregate surface portion 5F where the aggregate portion 5 is exposed, and a flake surface portion 6F where the resin flakes 6 are exposed. Here, "exposed" means exposed on the surface of the surface layer. In Figure 6, for the sake of convenience, the aggregate surface portion 5F and the flake surface portion 6F are shaded (similar to Figure 12) to make it easier to see. The aggregate surface portion 5F is composed of the surface of the aggregate portion 5, and the flaky surface portion 6F is composed of one side of the resin flakes 6. In a planar view, the flaky surface portions 6F are scattered throughout the aggregate surface portion 5F. Therefore, in a planar view, the surface of the surface layer 2 has a sea-island structure in which the aggregate surface portion 5F forms the sea and the flaky surface portions 6F form the islands. In the example shown in Figure 6, the surface of the surface layer 2 is composed of an aggregate surface portion 5F that forms the sea of ​​the sea-island structure, and multiple flaky surface portions 6F that form the islands. However, the surface of the surface layer 2 may have portions other than the aggregate surface portion 5F and the flaky surface portions 6F. Comparing the rigidity of the aggregate surface portion 5F and the flaky surface portion 6F, the aggregate surface portion 5F is composed of aggregate portions 5 and the flaky surface portion 6F is composed of resin flakes 6, and therefore the rigidity of the flaky surface portion 6F is greater than that of the aggregate surface portion 5F. Because the aggregate surface portion 5F and the flaky surface portion 6F, which have different rigidities, form the surface of the surface layer 2, the flaky surface portion 6F, which has a high degree of rigidity, does not sink easily when stepped on, and the aggregate surface portion 5F, which has a relatively low rigidity, does sink easily when stepped on, and therefore a gripping force is generated for the soles of the feet that come into contact with the aggregate surface portion 5F and the flaky surface portion 6F, making it less likely for the soles of the feet to slip.

[0017] The area ratio of the flaky surface portions 6F is not particularly limited, but for example, when the total surface area of ​​the surface layer 2 is taken as 100%, the area ratio of the flaky surface portions 6F is, for example, 5% to 70%, and preferably 10% to 50%. If the area ratio of the flaky surface portions 6F is too small, the frequency with which the sole of the foot comes into contact with the flaky surface portions 6F will be relatively low, and if the area ratio is too large, the proportion of the aggregated surface portions 5F will be relatively small, which may result in insufficient gripping force. This area ratio allows the flaky surface portions 6F to be present in an appropriate amount within the aggregate surface portions 5F, thereby forming a surface layer 2 having good anti-slip properties. The area proportion of the flake surface portion 6F can be measured as follows: A 15 cm × 15 cm square area is arbitrarily extracted from the surface of the surface layer 2, and the flake surface portion 6F is colored with oil-based ink so that it has a different color from the aggregate surface portion 5F. A surface image of the square area is read at 300 dpi using a commercially available scanner, and the colored portion that is the flake surface portion 6F is selected from the read image using image processing software (software name: ImageJ), and its area proportion is measured.

[0018] The surface layer 2 is composed of a layer of aggregation portions 5, with resin flakes 6 firmly fixed in places on the surface of the aggregation portions 5 forming the layer. Therefore, the main component of the surface layer 2 is the aggregation portions 5. The thickness of the aggregation portions 5 is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 0.3 mm to 5.0 mm. Since the resin flakes 6 are fixed to the surface of the aggregation portions 5, the resin flakes 6 can be confirmed in a planar view. A cavity 58 is formed inside the aggregation portion 5. The cavity 58 is a closed space surrounded by a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles 7, or a closed space surrounded by a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles 7 and resin flakes 6. The formation of the cavity 58 inside the aggregation portion 5 makes it easier for the aggregation portion 5 to sink due to tread pressure when walking. On the other hand, since the resin flakes 6 are difficult to compress, the soles of the feet that come into contact with the aggregation surface portion 5F and the flake surface portion 6F are less likely to slip.

[0019] The size and number of the cavities 58 are not particularly limited, but if they are too large, the strength of the aggregation portions 5 decreases, and if they are too small, the effects of the cavities 58 cannot be achieved. From this perspective, the three-dimensional shape of the cavities 58 is not particularly limited, but they are often approximately spherical. The size of the cavities 58 is 10 μm to 300 μm, and preferably 20 μm to 250 μm. The size of the cavities 58 can be measured in the same manner as in the method for determining the particle size of the vinyl chloride resin particles 7. That is, in the description of the method for determining the particle size of the vinyl chloride resin particles 7, the method for determining the size of the cavities 58 is described by replacing "vinyl chloride resin particles 7" with "cavities 58." The number of cavities 58 is, for example, 2 to 50 within an area of ​​1000 μm × 1000 μm, and preferably 5 to 30. The number of cavities 58 is determined by cutting the aggregation portion 5 in the thickness direction, taking an SEM image (magnified 60 times) of an arbitrary location on the cut surface, and arbitrarily extracting an area of ​​1000 μm in the horizontal direction and 1000 μm in the vertical direction from the image.

[0020] The resin flakes 6 are substantially plate-shaped. Referring to Fig. 7, the corners of the resin flakes 6 are not sharp, but are formed in an arc shape. The end faces (also called thickness faces) and opposite faces of the resin flakes 6 are firmly bonded to the aggregation portions 5. The opposite faces of the resin flakes 6 refer to faces other than the end faces, that is, faces opposite to one face of the resin flakes 6 constituting the flake surface portion 6F.

[0021] The aggregate surface portion 5F has a portion formed with fine irregularities. The irregularities are caused by the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 that make up the aggregate portion 5. The aggregate surface portion 5F is composed of the exposed surfaces of the aggregate portions 5 that make up the surface of the surface layer 2. The aggregate portions 5 are composed of a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles 7, and the irregularities are caused by the outlines of the exposed individual vinyl chloride resin particles 7. In Figures 7 and 8(a), a reference symbol is assigned to a convex portion 5F-1 of the aggregate surface portion 5F, and a reference symbol is assigned to a concave portion 5F-2 of the aggregate surface portion 5F. The level of the irregularities can be indexed, for example, by the surface roughness of the aggregate surface portion 5F. The arithmetic mean height Sa of the aggregate surface portion 5F is, for example, 0.1 μm to 60 μm, and preferably 1.5 μm to 45 μm. The developed area ratio Sdr of the interface of the aggregate surface portion 5F is, for example, 0.1 to 0.7, and preferably 0.3 to 0.6. When the aggregate surface portion 5F is within the above numerical range, the fine irregularities on the surface can exhibit anti-slip properties. The arithmetic mean height Sa and the developed surface area ratio Sdr of the interface are values ​​measured in accordance with ISO 25178:2012. Sa and Sdr can be measured as follows: For example, the surface of the resin flooring material 1 is photographed using a commercially available laser microscope (manufactured by Keyence Corporation, product name "VK-X 3050"), and the surface is observed using the surface roughness measurement function of analysis software (manufactured by Keyence Corporation, product name "VK-X 3000 Multi-File Analysis Application"); measurement areas are selected using the analysis software; and Sa (arithmetic mean height) and Sdr (developed surface area ratio of the interface) can be measured.

[0022] The thin piece surface portion 6F is smooth. The thin piece surface portion 6F is derived from one surface of the resin thin piece 6, and the thin piece surface portion 6F is smooth. In relation to the aggregation surface portion 5F, the flake surface portion 6F protrudes upward above the aggregation surface portion 5F. The end faces of the resin flakes 6 are firmly bonded to the aggregation portion 5, and vinyl chloride resin particles 7 that constitute the aggregation portion 5 are attached to the end faces of the resin flakes 6. Since the aggregation portion 5 (vinyl chloride resin particles 7) is also bonded to the end faces of the resin flakes 6 in this way, the resin flakes 6 are less likely to separate from the aggregation portion 5 at the boundary between the resin flakes 6 and the aggregation portion 5. Therefore, for example, even if the resin flooring 1 is curved with the back side of the resin flooring 1 facing inward, the edges of the resin flakes 6 will not lift up from the aggregation portion 5, and a resin flooring 1 with excellent durability can be provided.

[0023] The height difference H1 between the flake surface portion 6F and the aggregate surface portion 5F is, for example, 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm, or preferably 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm. The height difference H1 can be calculated, for example, using a precision thickness measuring device (Ozaki Seisakusho Co., Ltd., product name "PEACOCK Dial Thickness Gauge 0.01mm Type Model H") to measure the thickness of the floor material 1 at the location corresponding to the flake surface portion 6F and the thickness of the floor material 1 at the location corresponding to the cohesive surface portion 5F, and then subtracting them. However, measurements are taken at any five locations, and the height difference H1 is calculated using the formula: height difference H1 = average value of the thickness of the floor material 1 at the location corresponding to the flake surface portion 6F - average value of the thickness of the floor material 1 at the location corresponding to the cohesive surface portion 5F.

[0024] The flake surface portion 6F may be composed of one resin flake 6 or may be composed of two or more partially overlapping resin flakes 6. In areas where the resin flakes 6 overlap, the flake surface portion 6F protrudes to a greater extent than in areas where the resin flakes 6 do not overlap, and the presence of such areas can improve slip resistance. In addition, partial overlapping of the resin flakes 6 creates differences in the degree of protrusion within the flake surface portion 6F, which can be expected to improve grip on the soles of the feet. The planar shape of the flake surface portion 6F may be regular or irregular as shown. The planar shape of the flake surface portion 6F that is irregular in planar view cannot be specified. The planar shape of the flake surface portion 6F generally matches the planar shape of one resin flake 6 or the planar shape of two or more resin flakes 6 that are partially overlapping.

[0025] (agglomeration part) As described above, the aggregation portion 5 is composed of a layer in which a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles 7 having particle sizes of 20 μm to 300 μm are aggregated. The vinyl chloride resin particles 7 are blended with a colorant and colored to a desired color. The aggregation portion 5 may be composed of a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles 7 of one color, or may be composed of a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles 7 of two or more different colors. The vinyl chloride resin particles 7 may have filler particles scattered on their surfaces, or may not have filler particles scattered on their surfaces. As the vinyl chloride resin particles having filler particles scattered on their surfaces, such as the former, particles disclosed in Patent Document 1 (JP 2021-046777) can be used.

[0026] When vinyl chloride resin particles 7 having filler particles scattered on the surface are used, the filler particles 72 are relatively concentrated and adhere to the recesses (gaps) formed between adjacent vinyl chloride resin particles 7 in the aggregation section 5. In Fig. 7, the areas where the filler particles 72 are relatively concentrated and adhere are indicated by diagonal lines (similar to Fig. 13). Examples of the filler particles 72 include inorganic fillers such as calcium carbonate, titanium oxide, calcium oxide, barium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, clay, talc, and mica, and calcium carbonate is preferred. The size of the filler particles is much smaller than that of the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 . In the aggregation portion 5, a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles 7 are adjacent to each other and bonded to each other to form a layer. Note that although the spaces between adjacent vinyl chloride resin particles 7 are shown by clear solid lines in Fig. 7, it should be noted that adjacent vinyl chloride resin particles 7 may not have clear boundaries due to bonding (fusion).

[0027] The vinyl chloride resin particles 7 contain a vinyl chloride resin and a plasticizer, and optionally contain a filler and / or any suitable additive. Vinyl chloride resins include polymers formed by polymerizing at least vinyl chloride monomer (chloroethylene). Vinyl chloride resins include not only homopolymers (polymers formed by homopolymerizing chloroethylene), but also copolymers (copolymers) of chloroethylene and other monomers copolymerizable with chloroethylene, mixtures of homopolymers and copolymers, and mixtures of two or more copolymers. The term "mixture" refers to a homopolymer and copolymer, or a polymer in which copolymers are kneaded together without substantial polymerization. Examples of vinyl chloride resins include vinyl chloride polymers (homopolymers); chlorinated vinyl chloride; partially crosslinked vinyl chloride; copolymers containing vinyl chloride, such as vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, vinyl chloride-ethylene copolymer, vinyl chloride-propylene copolymer, vinyl chloride-styrene copolymer, vinyl chloride-isobutylene copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinylidene chloride copolymer, vinyl chloride-butadiene copolymer, vinyl chloride-isoprene copolymer, and vinyl chloride-chlorinated propylene copolymer; mixtures of a homopolymer and one or more copolymers; and mixtures of two or more copolymers. Preferably, vinyl chloride polymers (homopolymers) are used. These vinyl chloride resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Virgin materials are used as the vinyl chloride resins, but recycled materials may be used as needed, or a mixture of virgin and recycled materials may be used.

[0028] The vinyl chloride polymer (homopolymer) can be produced by emulsion polymerization, suspension polymerization, solution polymerization, bulk polymerization, or the like, and it is preferable to use a paste vinyl chloride resin and / or a suspension vinyl chloride resin. The vinyl chloride paste resin is a vinyl chloride paste obtained by, for example, emulsion polymerization, and its viscosity can be appropriately adjusted by adding a plasticizer. The average degree of polymerization of the vinyl chloride paste resin is preferably about 1000 to 2000. The suspension vinyl chloride resin is, for example, a vinyl chloride resin obtained by suspension polymerization. The average polymerization degree of the suspension vinyl chloride resin is preferably about 700 to 1500, more preferably about 700 to 1100, and even more preferably about 700 to 1000.

[0029] The plasticizer is added mainly for the purpose of improving the flexibility of the vinyl chloride resin, and examples of the plasticizer include polyester-based plasticizers, glycerin-based plasticizers, polycarboxylic acid ester-based plasticizers, and polyalkylene glycol-based plasticizers. The filler is added mainly for the purpose of improving processability and physical properties. Examples of the filler include those mentioned above. As the additives, conventionally known additives can be used, and examples thereof include colorants, flame retardants, stabilizers, antioxidants, lubricants, antibacterial agents, antifungal agents, surfactants, and the like.

[0030] (resin flake) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an exemplary resin flake 6. The planar shape of the resin flake 6 is, for example, irregular. The thickness of the resin flake 6 is not particularly limited and is, for example, 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm, preferably 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm. If the thickness of the resin flake 6 is equal to or greater than the lower limit, the resin flakes 6 are more likely to align well on the surface of the PVC layer when sprayed during the manufacture of the flooring material described below. If the thickness of the resin flake 6 is equal to or less than the upper limit, the planar shape of the resin flake 6 is maintained while heat is easily applied, allowing for smooth manufacture of the flooring material. In particular, if the thickness of the resin flake 6 is 1.0 mm or less, the shape of the resin flake 6 can be generally maintained before and after the manufacture of the flooring material. The resin flakes 6 may be colored in any color. For example, the resin flakes 6 may be patterned flakes in any one or more colors. For example, by using resin flakes 6 in a color different from that of the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 (aggregation portions 5), a resin flooring material 1 with an innovative design can be provided. The resin flakes 6 are formed from a resin material such as a vinyl chloride resin. The resin flakes 6 are preferably formed from a resin material containing a vinyl chloride resin as a main component, since they are firmly bonded to the aggregation portions 5. As the vinyl chloride resin for the resin flakes 6, the same vinyl chloride resin particles 7 as those exemplified can be used. The resin flakes 6 are obtained by forming a resin material such as vinyl chloride resin into a sheet of the specified thickness by calendar molding or the like, and then randomly crushing the sheet. By using the resin flakes 6 obtained in this manner, a flooring material having an irregular flake surface portion 6F can be obtained. The resin flakes 6 can also be obtained by punching a sheet of the vinyl chloride resin or the like into a regular shape such as a circle, ellipse, or polygonal shape such as a triangle or square in plan view. By using the resin flakes 6 obtained in this way, a flooring material having a regular-shaped flake surface portion 6F can be obtained.

[0031] <Fiber reinforcement layer> The fiber reinforcement layer 3 is provided to impart dimensional stability to the resin flooring 1. Note that the resin flooring 1 may not have a fiber reinforcement layer, for example, as shown in FIG. 2 to 4 show the case where one fiber reinforcement layer 3 is provided, but the resin flooring material 1 may be provided with two or more fiber reinforcement layers 3 (not shown). Examples of the fiber reinforcement layer 3 include nonwoven fabric and woven fabric. The material of the fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric or woven fabric is not particularly limited, and examples include synthetic resin fibers such as polyester and polyolefin; inorganic fibers such as glass and carbon; and natural fibers. In particular, it is preferable to use glass nonwoven fabric or glass woven fabric containing glass fibers as the fiber reinforcement layer 3 because dimensional change due to temperature is small.

[0032] <Backing layer> The back layer 4 is provided on the back side of the front layer 2. The back side of the back layer 4 forms the back side of the resin flooring material 1. The thickness of the back layer 4 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 1 mm to 5 mm, and preferably 1.2 mm to 3 mm. The back layer 4 may have a single layer structure as shown in Figures 2 and 4, or may have a two layer structure as shown in Figure 3, or may have a three layer structure as shown in Figure 5. Although not specifically shown, the back layer 4 may have a multi-layer structure of four or more layers. The backing layer 4 may be foamed or may not be foamed. For example, in the case of a backing layer 4 having a multi-layer structure of two or more layers such as that shown in FIG. 3, all of the layers may be foamed or may not be foamed, or at least one layer may be foamed and the remaining layers may not be foamed.

[0033] The back layer 4 is usually made of a resin layer. Examples of the synthetic resin that forms the back layer 4 include thermoplastic resins, and preferably resins containing vinyl chloride resin as the main component.

[0034] When the backing layer 4 has a multi-layer structure, each layer may be a resin layer having the same main component resin, or each layer may be a resin layer having a different main component resin. For example, when the backing layer 4 has a multi-layer structure, it is preferable that all layers are resin layers having a vinyl chloride resin as the main component resin. In this case, each resin layer having a vinyl chloride resin as the main component may have the same or different composition. "Different compositions" refers to differences in the type of vinyl chloride resin, components other than vinyl chloride resin, content of vinyl chloride resin, and / or content of components other than vinyl chloride resin.

[0035] <Manufacturing method for resin flooring> The resin flooring material 1 can be produced, for example, by the following method. The resin flooring material 1 of this embodiment is obtained through the steps of preparing vinyl chloride resin particles 7 having a particle size of 20 μm to 300 μm, collecting the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 and temporarily shaping them into a layer, scattering resin flakes 6 on a layer of the temporarily shaped particles (hereinafter referred to as a "PVC layered material"), and heating and pressurizing the PVC layered material with the resin flakes 6 on it to form the surface layer 2. Preferably, the resin flooring material 1 is obtained through the steps of preparing vinyl chloride resin particles 7 having a particle size of 20 μm to 300 μm, producing raw material particles in which the surfaces of the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 are dotted with filler particles smaller than the particles, collecting the raw material particles and temporarily shaping them into a layer, scattering resin flakes 6 on the layer of the temporarily shaped particles (PVC layered material), and heating and pressurizing the PVC layered material with the resin flakes 6 on it to form the surface layer 2. In explaining the manufacturing method, for the purpose of distinguishing terminology between the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 and filler microparticles after they have been formed into the resin flooring material 1 and the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 and filler microparticles 72 as raw materials before the resin flooring material 1 is formed, the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 and filler microparticles as raw materials will be referred to as "raw material resin particles A" and "raw material filler microparticles B."

[0036] (Production of raw materials) Examples of vinyl chloride resins constituting the raw material resin particles A include those produced by emulsion polymerization, suspension polymerization, solution polymerization, bulk polymerization, etc. Because they are easily formed into particles, vinyl chloride resins obtained by emulsion polymerization or suspension polymerization are preferred, and vinyl chloride resins obtained by suspension polymerization are particularly preferred. For example, particles made of vinyl chloride resin obtained by the suspension polymerization method are sieved using a screen to extract raw material resin particles A of a desired particle size. The volume average particle size (50% diameter) of raw material resin particles A is preferably 20 μm to 300 μm, more preferably 30 μm to 250 μm, and even more preferably 50 μm to 200 μm. The volume average particle size of the raw material resin particles A can be measured using a laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution analyzer.

[0037] The average degree of polymerization of the vinyl chloride resin constituting the raw material resin particles A is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 650 to 1000, and preferably 700 to 900. The average degree of polymerization can be measured by a solution viscosity measurement method using an Ubbelohde viscometer according to JIS K 6721. The K value of the vinyl chloride resin is also not particularly limited, but is, for example, 58 to 70, and preferably 60 to 65. The K value can be measured in accordance with JIS K 7367-2. The apparent density of the vinyl chloride resin is also not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.45 to 0.75, and preferably 0.5 to 0.7. The apparent density can be measured in accordance with JIS K 7365.

[0038] Furthermore, raw material particles C can be used in which raw material filler fine particles B smaller than raw material resin particles A are scattered on the surface of the raw material resin particles A, as shown in Figure 10. In Figure 10, the areas where multiple raw material filler fine particles B are attached are shown shaded, and the solid areas in Figure 10 indicate areas where the surface of raw material resin particles A is exposed. It is also possible to use raw material particles that do not contain raw material filler fine particles B.

[0039] As the raw filler fine particles B, an inorganic filler that is solid under standard conditions (standard conditions are 25°C and 1 atmosphere) can be appropriately used, and the inorganic fillers described above can be used. Because of their low cost, it is preferable to use calcium carbonate fine particles as the raw filler fine particles B. The volume average particle size (50% diameter) of raw filler fine particles B is, for example, 0.05 μm to 20 μm, preferably 1 μm to 10 μm, and more preferably 2 μm to 6 μm. The volume average particle size of raw filler fine particles B can be measured using a laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution analyzer. The volume average particle size of raw filler fine particles B represents the volume average value of the equivalent sphere diameter. The colorant may be a conventionally known pigment or dye, but a pigment is preferred because it is less likely to fade. The colorant may be in liquid or powder form, but a liquid colorant is preferred because it is more likely to mix with the raw material resin particles A.

[0040] Raw material particles C can be obtained by mixing the raw material resin particles A, raw material filler fine particles B, colorant, plasticizer, and, if necessary, additives. The amount of raw filler particles B is not particularly limited, but if it is too much, the raw filler particles B may adhere to almost the entire surface of the raw resin particles A, while if it is too little, too much of the surface of the raw resin particles A may be exposed. From this perspective, the amount of raw filler particles B is 1 to 100 parts by weight, preferably 1 to 50 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of raw resin particles A. The amount of plasticizer is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 20 to 50 parts by weight, preferably 30 to 40 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of raw resin particles A. The amount of colorant can be appropriately set depending on the type of colorant, and is, for example, 0.1 to 10 parts by weight, preferably 1 to 5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of raw resin particles A.

[0041] The raw resin particles A, raw filler fine particles B, colorant, plasticizer, and optional additives are mixed at a temperature sufficiently higher than room temperature (25°C) but below a temperature at which the vinyl chloride resin does not melt. For example, the mixing is preferably carried out at a temperature in the range of 80°C to 140°C, more preferably 100°C to 130°C, and even more preferably 110°C to 125°C. The mixing is also preferably carried out at normal pressure (particularly without external pressure). By mixing within the above temperature range, the raw resin particles A do not melt but become slightly softer while maintaining their roughly spherical shape, and the raw filler fine particles B and colorant etc. come into contact with the surfaces of the raw resin particles A. In this way, raw material particles C can be obtained, as shown in FIG. 10, in which fine raw material filler particles B smaller than colored raw material resin particles A are scattered on the surface of the particles.

[0042] It is possible to obtain raw material particles having no filler particles attached to their surfaces by mixing raw material resin particles A, a colorant, a plasticizer, and, if necessary, additives without blending raw material filler particles B. As described above, the aggregate portion 5 of the surface layer 2 may be composed of a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles 7 having no filler particles interspersed therein, and such aggregate portion 5 is produced using raw material particles having no filler particles attached to their surfaces.

[0043] (Manufacturing of resin flooring materials) The resin flooring material 1 can be obtained by layering the raw material particles C on a base sheet made of a resin sheet that will become the backing layer 4, which is laminated with a glass nonwoven fabric or the like that will become the fiber reinforcement layer 3, and then placing resin flakes 6 on top and embossing the resulting material while heating and pressurizing it. FIG. 11 shows a manufacturing device for the resin flooring material 1 of this embodiment. 11, the manufacturing apparatus 9 includes a first unwinding section 91 loaded with a long strip-shaped resin sheet 49 that will become the backing layer 4, a second unwinding section 92 loaded with a long strip-shaped sheet 39 such as a glass nonwoven fabric that will become the fiber-reinforced layer 3, a particle feeder 94 that supplies raw material particles C, a flake feeder 93 that supplies resin flakes 6, a leveling tool 95 that smooths the PVC layered material composed of raw material particles C and resin flakes 6, a heating device 96, a pressurizer 97, and a winding section 98 that winds up the resin flooring material 1. The particle feeder 94 includes a hopper 941 and a supply roll. The flake feeder 93 includes a hopper 931 and a supply roll. A resin sheet 49 that will become the back layer 4 is unwound from a first unwinding section 91 and conveyed along the line. A resin sheet containing vinyl chloride resin as a main component can be used as the resin sheet 49. A sheet body 39 that will become the fiber reinforced layer 3 is unwound from a second unwinding section 92 and laminated on the resin sheet 49 to form a laminate 99. Raw material particles C that will become the surface layer 2 are scattered from a particle feeder 94 onto the sheet body 39 of this laminate 99.

[0044] The outlet of a hopper 941 of the particle feeder 94 extends in the width direction (a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the laminate 99). Raw material particles C are placed in the hopper 941. The outlet, which opens downward from the hopper 941, is provided with a pair of feed rolls 942, 943 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the first roll 942 and the second roll 943). For example, the first roll 942 has a smooth peripheral surface, and the second roll 943 has an uneven peripheral surface. As the feed rolls rotate, the raw material particles C in the hopper 941 are scattered and deposited between the first roll 942 and the second roll 943 onto the sheet body 39 of the laminate 99. The deposited raw material particles C move in accordance with the transport of the laminate 99, but are leveled into a layer of approximately uniform thickness by a leveling tool 95 disposed downstream of the hopper 941. In this way, a precursor is obtained which is composed of, in order from the surface side, a layer of raw material particles C (PVC layer) / sheet body 39 (fiber reinforced layer) / resin sheet 49 (back layer).

[0045] Next, resin flakes 6 are sprayed onto the precursor PVC layer. The resin flakes 6 can be obtained, for example, by producing a resin sheet mainly composed of vinyl chloride resin or the like by known calendar molding and randomly crushing this resin sheet. The resin flakes 6 obtained by the crushing may be a mixture of various sizes. In order to use resin flakes 6 of a certain range of sizes, the crushed material may be sieved to select resin flakes 6 of a certain size, as necessary. The outlet of the hopper 931 of the flake feeder 93 extends in the width direction. The resin flakes 6 are placed in the hopper 931 of the flake feeder 93. A pair of feed rolls 932, 933 is provided at the outlet, which opens below the hopper 931. For example, the rolls 932, 933 may both have smooth peripheral surfaces, or one may be a smooth roll and the other an uneven roll, as in the particle feeder 94, or both may be uneven rolls. As the supply roll rotates, the resin flakes 6 in the hopper 931 are scattered onto the precursor PVC layered material. Because the resin flakes 6 are thin and relatively small platelets and the precursor is transported downstream, the resin flakes 6 scattered onto the PVC layered material are arranged in a disordered manner on the PVC layered material, with one side of the flakes approximately parallel to the surface of the PVC layered material. By adjusting the amount of resin flakes 6 scattered per unit time, the resin flakes 6 can be arranged on the PVC layered material with minimal overlap. In this way, a flake-attached precursor consisting of, in order from the surface side, resin flakes 6 / layered material of raw material particles C (PVC layered material) / sheet body 39 (fiber reinforced layer) / resin sheet 49 (back layer) is obtained. This flake-attached precursor is heated in a heating device 96 such as an oven to melt the vinyl chloride resin of the raw material particles C. The solid arrows in Fig. 11 indicate the direction in which the laminate 99 and the like are transported. The heating temperature may be any temperature at which the vinyl chloride resin melts or higher, for example, 170°C to 200°C.

[0046] After heating, the precursor with flakes is pressed in the thickness direction by a press 97 to be processed into a sheet. The pressure is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 1.5 kgf / cm. 2 ~5kgf / cm 2 The pressurizer 97 may be a plate-shaped press, but in the case of an apparatus for continuously producing a long, strip-shaped resin flooring 1 as shown in the figure, it is preferable to use a pressure roll 971 and a backing roll 972. By passing the flake-attached precursor between the pressure roll 971 and the backing roll 972, the raw material particles C are irregularly deformed into an indefinite shape, adjacent raw material resin particles A are bonded, and raw material particles C and resin flakes 6 are bonded together. Since the resin flakes 6 are small pieces of a resin sheet that has been previously molded into a resin, they do not undergo significant shape changes due to the heating and pressurization, and generally maintain their plate shape. Furthermore, when the thickness of the resin flakes 6 is, for example, 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm, the heat generated during heating is sufficiently transmitted to the raw material particles C in contact with the opposite side of the resin flakes 6, allowing for uniform heating and pressurization, resulting in good bonding between the raw material particles C and the resin flakes 6. Therefore, even when the resin flooring 1 is bent with the surface facing outward, the edges of the resin flakes 1 do not curl up, resulting in a resin flooring 1. It is also possible to use a pressurizer 97 heated to a temperature at which the vinyl chloride resin melts, in which case the heating device 96 may be omitted.

[0047] <Effects and uses of resin flooring> The resin flooring material 1 of the present invention is applied to floor surfaces of poolsides, bathrooms, kitchens, toilets, hotels, office buildings, commercial facilities, apartment buildings, hospitals, and the like. In particular, it is effective to apply the resin flooring material 1 of the present invention to places where water may splash. Examples of places where water may splash include indoor, outdoor, or semi-outdoor poolside floors; outdoor or semi-outdoor floors, such as rooftops, outdoor walkways, berms, ship decks, and floors in parks and stadiums. Among these, it is preferable to apply the resin flooring material 1 of the present invention to places where pedestrians can walk barefoot, typically poolside floors. Resin flooring materials laid outdoors or semi-outdoors must be designed to prevent the soles of feet from slipping when wet with water such as rainwater. In addition, resin flooring materials for indoor poolsides must also be designed to prevent the soles of feet from slipping when wet with water. There are no particular limitations on the method for attaching the resin flooring 1 to the floor surface, and examples include using an adhesive to fix the back surface of the resin flooring 1 to the floor surface.

[0048] The surface of the surface layer 2 of the resin flooring 1 has an aggregate surface portion 5F and a flake surface portion 6F. The aggregate portion 5 is made of a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles 7, and the resin flakes 6 are made of crushed resin-molded resin sheets. The surface layer 2 of the resin flooring 1 is formed into a layer by simultaneously heating and pressurizing the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 and the resin flakes 6. Therefore, in the surface layer 2, the aggregate portion 5 has less rigidity than the resin flakes 6. Therefore, the flake surface portion 6F composed of the resin flakes 6 has greater rigidity than the aggregate surface portion 5F composed of the aggregate portion 5. Because the surface of the surface layer 2 is composed of the aggregate surface portion 5F and the flake surface portion 6F, which have different rigidities, a grip force is generated for the soles of feet that come into contact with the aggregate surface portion 5F and the flake surface portion 6F, providing a resin flooring 1 with excellent slip resistance. Furthermore, when the flake surface portion 6F protrudes above the aggregate surface portion 5F, a step is created between the two surface portions, making it easier for the soles of the feet to catch, thereby providing a resin flooring material with even better slip resistance 1. Furthermore, by having portions of the aggregate surface portion 5F formed with fine irregularities, slip resistance can be further improved. Furthermore, by using resin flakes 6 of a different color from the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 (aggregation portions 5), flake surface portions 6F of a different color and forming islands are formed within the aggregate surface portion 5F of the desired color that forms a sea, thereby providing a resin flooring material 1 with an innovative design.

[0049] [Second embodiment] The resin flooring material 1 of the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the surface layer 2 has an embossed uneven pattern formed thereon. The second embodiment will be described below. In this description, the configuration and effects that differ from those of the above-described embodiment will be mainly described. For similar configurations, the terms or symbols will be used as they are, and the description of the configuration may be omitted.

[0050] Fig. 12 is an enlarged plan view of an arbitrary portion of the surface of the resin flooring material 1 of the second embodiment, and Fig. 13 is an enlarged end view cut in the thickness direction at a location including the aggregate surface portion 5F and the flake surface portion 6F. Note that Fig. 13 omits the central portion, which has the same shape. Also, for convenience, Fig. 13 shows the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 of the aggregate portion 5 as circles, but note that in reality, the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 are irregularly deformed.

[0051] In the resin flooring material 1 of this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the surface layer 2 has aggregate portions 5 formed by aggregating a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles 7 having particle sizes of 20 μm to 300 μm, and a plurality of resin flakes 6 scattered among the aggregate portions 5 and fixed to the aggregate portions 5. The surface of the surface layer 2 has aggregate surface portions 5F and flake surface portions 6F in a plan view. The surface layer 2 of this embodiment is provided with an embossed uneven pattern. The embossed uneven pattern is unevenness imparted by mechanical processing such as embossing. The embossed uneven pattern differs from the fine unevenness of the aggregated surface portion 5F caused by the vinyl chloride resin particles 7 and the height difference between the flake surface portion 6F and the aggregated surface portion 5F.

[0052] 12 and 13, a plurality of protrusions 81 and grooves 82 are formed on the surface of the surface layer 2. The protrusions 81 and grooves 82 form an embossed uneven pattern. The grooves 82 are recessed portions relative to the protrusions 81. The planar shapes of the protrusions 81 and the grooves 82 are not particularly limited, and may be a series of regular shapes or may be irregular shapes. In the illustrated example, the protrusions 81 are formed in a polygonal shape in a planar view. The protrusions 81 are all common in the category of polygonal shapes in a planar view, but the multiple protrusions 81 differ from one another in their specific individual shapes. The height of the protrusions 81 is not particularly limited, and any conventionally known height of embossed irregularities can be used. In order to provide a separate embossed irregularity pattern, the height H2 of the protrusions 81 is preferably greater than the difference in height between the flake surface portion 6F and the aggregate surface portion 5F. For example, the height H2 of the protrusions 81 is 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm. The resin flooring 1 of this embodiment can be obtained, for example, by replacing the pressure roll 971 of the pressure machine 97 in the above section <Method for manufacturing resin flooring> with an embossing roll with an embossed plate on its circumferential surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1. Resin flooring 2 Surface layer 5 Agglomeration part 5F Cohesive surface area 6 Resin flakes 6F Thin surface section 7. Vinyl chloride resin particles

Claims

1. The surface layer has an aggregate portion where a plurality of vinyl chloride resin particles having a particle size of 20 μm to 300 μm are aggregated, and a plurality of resin flakes scattered in the aggregate portion and fixed to the aggregate portion, A resin flooring material in which the surface of the surface layer has an aggregate surface portion where the aggregate portion is exposed and a flake surface portion where the resin flakes are exposed.

2. The resin flooring material according to claim 1 , wherein the flake surface portion protrudes from the aggregate surface portion.

3. The resin flooring material according to claim 2, wherein the height difference between the flake surface portion and the aggregate surface portion is 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.

4. The resin flooring material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aggregate surface portion has a portion formed with fine irregularities caused by the vinyl chloride resin particles.

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