CARRIER MATERIAL COMPRISING A FIRST PART OF A SHAPE-FIT CONNECTION

Abstract

A carrier material is described comprising at least a first layer of thermoplastic fibers (A1) and a second layer of thermoplastic fibers (A2), characterized in that at least a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers at at least one boundary of the carrier material is removed, to provide a first portion of a form-fit connection; the carrier material can be used in bituminous roofing membranes, base layer sheets for roofing, carriers for filtration media, primary backings for tufted carpets and vinyl floor coverings (cushion).

Description

The invention relates to a carrier material and a method of manufacturing said carrier material. Carrier materials comprising layers of thermoplastic fibers are known in the prior art. Such materials can be used in many applications such as, for example, bitumen (asphalt) roofing membranes, roofing underlayment sheets, carriers for filtration media, primary backings for tufted carpets, and vinyl flooring (cushion) coverings. Carrier materials are typically sold as rolled products, so the length of each roll should ideally be the same, regardless of the carrier material type or application. For example, in the manufacturing process for bitumen roofing, tufted carpets, and / or vinyl flooring, the carrier material is used without further treatment. Therefore, a first carrier material, such as a roofing membrane, has a machine-directed end. For a continuous manufacturing process, such as the production of bituminous roofing membranes, tufted carpets, and / or vinyl floor coverings, the beginning of a second carrier material must be joined to the end of the first carrier material. Consequently, the manufacturing process for the final product comprising the carrier material is disrupted as little as possible. A carrier material has a rectangular shape (Figure 10), and thus has four boundaries: two machine-directed (4a / b) and two transverse (5a / b). The carrier material also has a starting point (4a), which is understood to be both a machine-directed boundary and the beginning of the carrier material (progressive attenuation). Simultaneously, the carrier material has a termination point (4b), which is understood to be the opposite boundary from the starting point (4a) and the termination of the carrier material (progressive attenuation). Furthermore, the carrier material has two transverse boundaries, one on one side of the carrier material (5a) and the other on the other side (5b). To connect a first carrier material and a second carrier material, different portions of the carrier materials are butted together or stacked one on top of the other (see Figures 1 and 2A and 2B) and connected to create a continuous material. This connection between two portions of carrier material results in a connection area, comprising a first portion and a second portion of a connection area with greater material thickness and / or a connection area with a different density than the remaining carrier material. Furthermore, an adhesive material, i.e., adhesive tape or textile stitching, could be added between the two portions, which also causes different local properties. This variation in thickness and other properties in the connection area is undesirable for many applications, for example, bituminous roofing membranes, tufted carpets, and / or vinyl floor coverings. Since the bonding areas have different properties depending on the remaining carrier material, these areas will result in different properties in the final product, which must be cut away from it. Examples include bituminous roofing membranes, tufted carpets, and / or vinyl flooring. This creates additional waste that must be recycled or disposed of, resulting in further costs. In addition, connection areas with different properties can disrupt production procedures in which the carrier material is used. WO 82 / 02412 A1 describes a seamless nonwoven fabric consisting of at least two strips of thermoplastic nonwoven fabric, wherein the edges of the strips are melt-shrinked and subsequently pressed together. Since the melt-shrinked material is not removed, the density of the material in the edge portion of the seam is increased. Furthermore, the edge portions that have passed through a melting device and have been melted and shrunk must be pressed together immediately upon contact to form a seam. US patent 2005 / 0013961 describes a flexible fabric structure comprising a plurality of flexible fabric sections, including a plurality of pleats with alternating fiber orientations. The pleats within each fabric section are offset from one another. The fibers in each pleat have only one orientation, so each pleat has limited stability if forces are applied to the fabric section or the pleats. The objective of the present invention is to provide a carrier material that can overcome or at least reduce the disadvantages of the prior art. The objective of the invention is achieved by providing a carrier material comprising at least a first layer of thermoplastic fibers and a second layer of thermoplastic fibers, wherein the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers are non-woven thermoplastic fiber layers, characterized in that at least a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers in at least one boundary of the carrier material is removed, to provide a first portion of a shape-fit connection. Within the scope of the invention, the term thermoplastic fiber layer shall be understood as a layer of fibers, wherein the fibers comprise one or more thermoplastic polymers. In a preferred embodiment, the fibers comprise at least 50% by weight, preferably at least 60% by weight, more preferably at least 70% by weight, even more preferably at least 80% by weight, even more preferably at least 90% by weight, even more preferably at least 95% by weight, and most preferably at least 97% by weight of one or more thermoplastic polymers in view of the weight of all the fibers in the thermoplastic fiber layer. Furthermore, the term “nonwoven” must be understood as defined by the European Disposables and Nonwovens Association (EDANA): a nonwoven is a sheet of fibers, continuous filaments, or cut yarns of any nature or origin, formed into a web by any means and bonded together by any means other than weaving or knitting. Felts obtained by wet milling are not nonwovens. Thus, it is commonly understood that the fibers, continuous filaments, or cut yarns in nonwoven fabric are randomly arranged and do not follow any specific orientation. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that by using a nonwoven fabric in accordance with the EDANA definition, a nonwoven fabric can increase stability against external forces applied to the nonwoven fabric in any direction. The carrier material has a length, a width, and a thickness. The length is oriented in the direction of the machine and is the largest dimension of the carrier material. The width is oriented transversely to the machine and is the second largest dimension of the carrier material. Finally, the carrier material has a thickness, which is perpendicular to the length and width, and the thickness is the third largest dimension of the carrier material. Having a length, a width, and a thickness, the carrier material also has a first principal surface and a second principal surface. The principal surfaces are oriented in the plane of the length and width, and the principal surfaces are parallel to each other and separated from each other by the thickness of the carrier material. The carrier material comprises a first and a second layer of thermoplastic fibers. However, in a first embodiment, the first and second layers of thermoplastic fibers of the carrier material are created from a single (initial) layer of thermoplastic fibers. By removing at least one boundary of the carrier material, or at least part of the first and / or second layers of thermoplastic fibers, a first part of a form-fit connection is created. This first part of a form-fit connection can be connected to a second part of a form-fit connection created in a second carrier material, like pieces of a puzzle. This form-fit connection reduces thickness variation (which would otherwise be necessary to avoid double first and / or second fiber layers in a connection area) and creates a type of strength fit.Due to this type of strength adjustment, it is easier to permanently connect the first carrier material and the second carrier material through (for example) consolidation techniques such as calendering, mechanical punching, hydro-entanglement, ultrasonic bonding, thermal bonding, preferably by hot air, or by any combination thereof (without slippage of different layers during consolidation), and / or a stronger connection is obtained. To create the first part of a form-fit connection, two methods are possible: The first method involves removing at least a portion of the first and / or second thermoplastic fiber layers from at least one boundary of the carrier material using an abrasive method with a milling or similar technique, such as turning. The second method involves a parting step by cutting in a plane through the carrier material, thereby separating it into a top and a bottom portion, and subsequently cutting the top or bottom portion to remove at least a portion of the first and / or second thermoplastic fiber layers, thus creating the first part of a form-fit connection.Using these methods for creating the first part of a form-fit connection, the carrier material is reduced in thickness at least on one side. Preferably, the thickness is reduced to approximately half of the original thickness. In this way, by removing at least a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers at at least one boundary of the carrier material, a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or a portion of the second layer of thermoplastic fibers is removed from the carrier material, so that the density of the remaining portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers is maintained, i.e., not increased. This has the effect that the carrier material retains the ability to be impregnated homogeneously by any suitable material such as bitumen or plastisol, even in the region of the first part of a form-fit connection. An additional advantage of the carrier material is that by removing at least a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers at at least one boundary of the carrier material, the carrier material according to the invention can be transported or stored for a long period without losing any physical properties such as strength or the ability to bond to a second carrier material having a second part of a form-fit connection and the ability to be impregnated by any suitable material such as bitumen or plastisol. In a second embodiment, the carrier material comprises independent first and second layers of thermoplastic fibers. This means that a first layer of thermoplastic fibers and a second layer of thermoplastic fibers are placed in a parallel plane to form the carrier material. In this modality, there are also two methods for removing at least a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers. The first method comprises a separation step to divide a portion of the carrier material at at least one of its boundaries into an upper and a lower portion, and subsequently cutting the upper or lower portion of the carrier material to remove at least a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers to obtain a first portion of a form-fit connection. In this way, it is not necessary for the separation to be performed between the originally independent first layer of thermoplastic fibers and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers.The second method comprises an abrasive-type method that uses a grinding or mill-like technique such as turning, to remove a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers to obtain a first portion of a form-fit connection. Within the scope of the invention, the term "connection" or "connection" shall be understood as a connection or a procedure for establishing a connection between two carrier materials, where at least one joining technique is used. Such joining techniques may be chemical bonding, such as gluing with a liquid adhesive or adhesive tape (including UV-activated adhesive tape), fusion bonding by the application of heat, for example, hot air, microwave irradiation, or calendering, and mechanical bonding, for example, needle stitching, stitching, or hydro-tanglement. In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers is removed at at least two boundaries of the carrier material. This allows a carrier material to have two first portions of a form-fit connection; in this way, the carrier material can be connected to a second and a third carrier material, so that the connection areas are formed with no variation, or at least less variation, in thickness and / or density compared to the remaining carrier material. This concept also applies to a carrier material where a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers is removed at more than two boundaries of the carrier material. Preferably, a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers from opposite edges of the carrier material is removed. In this way, the carrier material comprises two first parts of a form-fit connection. The effect of comprising two first parts of a form-fit connection at opposite boundaries of a carrier material is that the carrier material can be connected at one boundary to a second carrier material and at another boundary to a third carrier material, such that the connection areas are formed with little or no variation in thickness and / or density compared to the remaining carrier material. The second and third carrier materials can also comprise two first parts of a form-fit connection. This also allows the second and third carrier materials to be connected to other carrier materials with little or no variation in thickness and / or density compared to the remaining carrier material.Therefore, a continuous manufacturing process for, for example, bitumen roofing membranes, tufted carpets and / or vinyl floor coverings, could operate indefinitely. Even more preferably, a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers at the beginning and end boundaries of the carrier material is removed. In this way, the carrier material comprises two first parts of a form-fit connection, one at the beginning and one at the end of the carrier material. The effect of comprising two first parts of a form-fit connection, one at the beginning and one at the end of a carrier material, is that the carrier material can be connected at its beginning to a second carrier material and at its end to a third carrier material, such that the connection areas are formed with little or no variation in thickness and / or density compared to the remaining carrier material. The second and third carrier materials can also comprise two first parts of a form-fit connection at their beginnings and ends. This also allows the second and third carrier materials to be connected to other carrier materials with little or no variation in thickness and / or density compared to the remaining carrier material.Therefore, a continuous manufacturing process for, for example, bitumen roofing membranes, tufted carpets and / or vinyl floor coverings could run indefinitely with these carrier materials connected (see Figure 11). In another preferred embodiment, a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers from the boundaries in the transverse direction of the carrier material is removed. In this way, the carrier material comprises two first portions of a form-fit connection, one on one side in the transverse direction of the carrier material and one on the other side in the transverse direction of the carrier material. The effect of comprising two first parts of a form-fit connection, one on one side transverse to the machine and one on the other side of a carrier material, is that the carrier material can be connected on one side transverse to the machine to a second carrier material and on the other side transverse to the machine to a third carrier material, such that the connection areas are formed with no variation, or at least less variation, in thickness and / or density compared to the remaining carrier material. The second and third carrier materials may also comprise two first parts of a form-fit connection on their sides and other sides transverse to the machine.This also allows the second and third carrier material to be connected to other carrier materials, with no variation, or at least less variation, in thickness and / or density compared to the remaining carrier material. Therefore, a continuous manufacturing process of, for example, bitumen roofing membranes, tufted carpets and / or vinyl floor coverings could run indefinitely with these carrier materials connected (see Figure 12), or a wider carrier material can be formed. Preferably, to remove part of the thickness of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers by an abrasive method, a turning device is used. In a preferred embodiment, the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers comprise the same type of thermoplastic fibers. Within the scope of the present invention, the term "fibers" refers to both staple fibers and filaments. Staple fibers are fibers of a specified length, relatively short on the scale of 2 to 200 mm. Filaments are fibers of a length greater than 200 mm, preferably greater than 500 mm, and more preferably greater than 1000 mm. Filaments may even be virtually endless, for example, when formed by the continuous extrusion and spinning of a filament through a spindle hole. Fibers can have any cross-sectional shape, including circular, trilobular, multilobular, or rectangular. In rectangular fibers, the width can be considerably greater than the height, making them ribbon-like. Furthermore, these fibers can be single-component, two-component, or even multi-component. rnnn / ι zoz / e / yl In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of a first part of a connection area is 0% to 90%, preferably 20% to 80%, more preferably 35% to 70%, and most preferably 50% to 60% of the thickness of the remaining carrier material, wherein a part of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers is removed. Having a reduced thickness in the initial portion of the connection area leads to no variation, or at least less variation, in thickness and / or density in the connection area compared to the remaining carrier material. To achieve a near-perfect result, the form-fit connection, at least along one boundary of the initial portion of the connection area, comprises a reduced thickness of approximately 50% of the carrier material thickness. One of the disadvantages of the above technique is that the thickness of the carrier material in the connection area increases when two carrier materials are placed / connected together at the top (see, for example, Figures 1 and 2A and 2B). Preferably, the length and / or width of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers differ by at least 0.5 cm, preferably at least 1.0 cm, more preferably at least 2.0 cm. Due to the difference in length and / or width between the first and second layers of thermoplastic fibers, the contact area of ​​the connection zone is increased, for example, by butting two carrier materials together. The contact area is the area where a first carrier material and a second carrier material are in contact. Because of this increased contact area, a possible form-fit connection with a second carrier material allows for the creation of a connection with increased strength. In a preferred embodiment, the boundary (at least one) of the carrier material comprises at least two regions, wherein the regions comprise different thicknesses of the first part of the connection area and / or different widths and / or lengths of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers. In a further preferred embodiment, a canvas comprising warp and / or weft threads is included in the carrier material. Preferably, the canvas is a woven or laid canvas. The canvas is capable of improving tensile strength, enhancing dimensional stability (i.e., reducing elongation under a specific load applied to the carrier material), and / or improving the tear resistance of the carrier material. Regarding the advantages of using a canvas, the applicant further refers to document WO 2015 / 055619 A1. rnnn / ι zoz / e / yl In this way, the canvas can be located between the first and second layer of thermoplastic fibers or in the first or second layer of thermoplastic fibers, for example, at 50% of the thickness of the carrier material. If the canvas is located between the first and second layers of thermoplastic fibers, the canvas may have the ability to keep the fibers of the first and / or second layer of thermoplastic fibers in their original thermoplastic fiber layer, so that the fibers of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers are not entangled with the fibers of the second layer of thermoplastic fibers, and vice versa. To obtain a connection area with a thickness comparable to that of the remaining carrier material, it is advantageous to remove at least a portion of the first and / or second layer of thermoplastic fibers, representing approximately 50% of the carrier material thickness in the connection area. Therefore, to avoid damaging the canvas embedded within the carrier material, it would be advantageous for the canvas to be located at less than 50% of the carrier material thickness, and preferably at 20%, more preferably at 30%, even more preferably at 40%, and most preferably at 45% of the carrier material thickness. If the canvas is located near 50% of the thickness (e.g., 40% or 45%) of the carrier material, the canvas will be in close proximity to a canvas of a second carrier material if the second carrier material is joined to the carrier material in the connection area. When an adhesive is used to join the carrier material having a first part of a form-fit connection to a second carrier material having a corresponding part of a form-fit connection, because the canvases of the carrier material and the second carrier material are close to each other in the connection area, less adhesive is required to ensure a bond between the canvases.Using less adhesive improves the impregnation of the carrier material, for example, in the manufacture of bituminous roofing membranes, tufted carpets, or vinyl floor coverings, and will prevent or at least reduce product rejection (e.g., bituminous roofing membrane, tufted carpets, or vinyl floor coverings). In another preferred embodiment, the warp and / or weft yarns of the canvas comprise high modulus fibers having a tensile modulus of at least 5 GPa, preferably at least 10 GPa, more preferably at least 15 GPa, even more preferably at least 20 GPa, even more preferably at least 25 GPa, even more preferably at least 40 GPa, even more preferably at least 50 GPa, and most preferably at least 75 GPa. In one embodiment, the warp yarns of the canvas extending in the longitudinal direction of the carrier material comprise high modulus yarns such as, for example, polyester yarns, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarns, polyamide yarns such as polyamide-6 (PAD) yarns, glass yarns, aramid yarns or carbon yarns and / or other high modulus yarns, or any combination thereof. In another modality, the canvas is made of warp and / or weft threads of glass. In a preferred embodiment, a glass canvas with the following specification is used: • 33 warp threads per 25 cm and 21 weft threads per 25 cm The warp threads comprise: • a count of 34 tex • a tensile strength of 110-130 N / 5 cm • an elongation at break of 2.8-3.7% The weft threads comprise: • a count of 34 tex • a resistance of 68-80 N / 5 cm • an elongation at break of 2.5-3.0%. The canvas, positioned on or between the first and / or second layers of thermoplastic fibers, may be located along the centerline of the carrier material's thickness. By having a first portion of the connection area comprising a thickness of more than 50% and at most 85%, preferably at most 75%, and even more preferably at most 60% of the remaining carrier material, the risk of damaging the canvas is reduced, thus improving the dimensional stability of the carrier material. Furthermore, due to the short distance between the canvas on the carrier material and a canvas on a second carrier material, which are connected by a form-fit connection, improved load transfer is permitted in the connection area. The carrier materials of the prior art may comprise a scaffold located on the centerline of the carrier material's thickness. When a connection is made between a first carrier material and a second carrier material by placing the first carrier material on top of the second carrier material (see Figures 1 and 2A and 2B), the distance between the scaffold comprised in the first carrier material and the scaffold comprised in the second carrier material is equal to the total thickness of either the first or the second carrier material.The first and second carrier materials of said carrier materials of the prior art can be connected to each other by applying adhesive tape to the connection area between the first and second carrier materials and applying heat and / or pressure to the connection area to allow the adhesive to flow into the interstices between the fibers of the carrier material and the canvas. However, to obtain sufficient dimensional stability in said carrier materials of the prior art, a relatively large amount of adhesive has to be applied to establish a sufficiently strong connection between the two canvases, the adhesive becoming distributed throughout the entire thickness of the connection area after heat and / or pressure is applied.As a result, the bonding area cannot be impregnated, for example, using bitumen plastisol or PVC, leading to a rejected material during the manufacture of, for example, bitumen membranes, tufted carpets, or vinyl floor coverings, as the bonding area is visible in the bitumen membranes, tufted carpets, or vinyl floor coverings. In a preferred embodiment, the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers comprise at least one type of single-component fibers or two-component fibers. In one embodiment, the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers of the carrier material comprise at least two single-component fibers. In another embodiment, different types of single-component fibers are used, wherein the different types (at least two) of single-component fibers are preferably composed of polymers of different chemical constructions that have different melting points. It is preferred that the melting points of the different polymers (at least two) differ by at least 10°C, preferably by at least 20°C, and more preferably by at least 50°C. Such a product could be thermally bonded, preferably by hot air, by subjecting the carrier material fiber in the bonding area to a temperature on the melting point scale of the polymer with the lowest melting point.When thermally bonding an additional adhesive to connect the carrier material to a second carrier material, it is therefore not required that the properties of the connection area of ​​the carrier material be equal to or at least similar to the properties of the remaining carrier material. In one embodiment, the thermoplastic fiber layers (at least two) comprise bicomponent fibers composed of two polymers of different chemical construction that have different melting points. Bicomponent fibers are preferably fibers composed of two polymers of different chemical construction. A basic distinction is being made between three types of bicomponent fibers: side-by-side bicomponent fibers, core-and-sheath bicomponent fibers, and sea-island bicomponent fibers. In one embodiment, the melting points of the two polymers forming the bicomponent fibers differ by at least 10°C, preferably by at least 20°C, and more preferably by at least 50°C. Such a carrier material comprising bicomponent fibers, particularly when composed of side-by-side, core-and-sheath, and sea-island bicomponent fibers, could be thermally bonded, preferably by hot air, by subjecting the carrier material fibers in the bonding area to a temperature on the melting point scale of the polymer with the lowest melting point.When thermally bonding an additional adhesive to connect the carrier material to a second carrier material, it is therefore not required that the properties of the connection area of ​​the carrier material be equal to or at least similar to the properties of the remaining carrier material. In a preferred embodiment, the carrier material is made predominantly of two-component core-cladding fibers in the first and second layers of thermoplastic fibers, preferably filaments. It is understood that at least 50% of the fibers comprising the thermoplastic fiber layers are two-component core-cladding fibers, preferably at least 75%, more preferably at least 90%, even more preferably at least 95%, and most preferably 100%. Preferably, the core-to-cladding ratio in bicomponent core-to-cladding fibers is between 95 / 5% by volume and 5 / 95% by volume. More preferably, the core-to-cladding ratio is between 50 / 50% by volume and 95 / 5% by volume. In one embodiment, the coating of the bicomponent fibers comprises a polymer from a group of polymers comprising polyamides, polyolefins, halogenated polyolefins, polyesters, polyethers, polyimides, polysulfides, and copolymers or mixtures thereof. In another embodiment, the core of the bicomponent fibers comprises a polymer from a group of polymers comprising polyolefins, halogenated polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polyethers, polyimides, polysulfides, and copolymers or mixtures thereof. In another embodiment, the sheath of the two-component core / sheath fibers consists mainly of a polyamide, preferably a polyamide-6 (PA6), and the core consists mainly of a polyester, preferably a polyethylene terephthalate (PET), for example, for bitumen membranes, tufted carpets, or vinyl flooring material. In another embodiment, the cover of the two-component core / cover fibers consists mainly of a polyolefin, preferably a polypropylene, and the core consists mainly of a polyester, preferably a polyethylene terephthalate (PET), for example, for tufted carpets or filter media. In another embodiment, the cover of the two-component core / cover fibers consists mainly of a polyester, preferably a co-polyester (co-PET), and the core consists mainly of a polyester, preferably a polyethylene terephthalate (PET), for example, for bitumen membranes, tufted carpets, vinyl flooring material, or filtration media. rnnn / ι zoz / e / yl In a preferred embodiment, the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers are non-woven layers of fibers and / or three-dimensional mats of extruded entangled filaments. The carrier material may comprise any type of nonwoven fabric such as, for example, staple fiber nonwovens produced by well-known processes such as carding processes, wet laying processes or air laying processes, or any combination thereof.The carrier material may also comprise a nonwoven fabric composed of filaments produced by well-known spinning bonding procedures, wherein the filaments are extruded from a spinneret and subsequently deposited onto a conveyor belt as a filament web and the web is subsequently bonded to form a layer of nonwoven fibers, or by a two-step procedure wherein the filaments are spun and wound onto bobbins, preferably in the form of multi-filament yarns, followed by the step of unwinding the multi-filament yarns and laying the filaments down onto a conveyor belt as a filament web and bonding the web to form a fiber nonwoven carrier material. Preferably, the fibers in at least the first and / or second layer of thermoplastic fibers of the carrier material are filaments in order to provide greater tensile strength and / or greater tear strength to the carrier material and / or the final (impregnated) product such as, for example, a bitumen roofing membrane, a roofing base layer sheet, a carrier for filtration media, a tufted carpet or a vinyl floor covering (cushion). At least the first and / or second layer of thermoplastic fibers in the carrier material may be composed of thermoplastic fibers comprising at least 50% by weight of the total weight of fibers in the carrier material, preferably at least 75% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and even more preferably at least 95% by weight. Increasing the amount of thermoplastic fibers in at least the first and / or second layer of thermoplastic fibers increases the tensile strength and / or tear strength, and decreases the flexibility of the carrier material and / or the final (impregnated) product. In one embodiment, at least the first and / or second layer of thermoplastic fibers of the carrier material are composed of 100% by weight of thermoplastic fibers of the total weight of the carrier material. The thermoplastic polymer having thermoplastic fibers in at least the first and / or second layer of thermoplastic fibers, may be composed of any type of thermoplastic polymer capable of withstanding high temperatures such as, for example, in manufacturing processes for bitumen roofing membranes, base layer sheets for roofing, carrier for filtration media, tufted carpets and vinyl floor coverings (cushion).The termoplastic fibers are composed of una poliolefina, such as polietileno (PE) or polipropileno (PP), una poliolefina halogenada such as politetrafluoroetileno (PTFE) or difluoruro de polivinilideno (PVDF), a polyester such as, por ejemplo, tereftalato de polietileno (PET) (basado en DMT o PTA), tereftalato de polibutileno (PBT), tereftalato de politrimetileno (PTT), naftalato de polietileno (PEN) and / or ácido poliláctico (PLA), a una poliamida such as, por ejemplo, poliamida-6 (PA6), poliamida-6,6 (PA6,6) and / or Polyamide-6,10 (PA6,10), polyimides (PI), polysulfuro (PS) such as polyphen and sulfur (PPS), polyethyleneimida (PEI) y / o polyoxymethylene (POM), y / o any copolymer or any mixture of them. In one embodiment, a three-dimensional mat of extruded tangled filaments can be provided by supplying filaments and collecting the filaments into a three-dimensional structure allowing the filaments to bend and come into contact with each other, preferably in a molten state. The bending of the filaments can be initiated, for example, by collecting the filaments in a water bath. US patent 5,639,543 describes an example of such a three-dimensional random mat of entangled extruded filaments. The bending of the filaments is random and does not result in any particular arrangement of shapes. In a more preferred embodiment, the filaments of the three-dimensional mat of extruded entangled filaments are thermally bonded at their crossing points, thereby forming a three-dimensional entangled structure of extruded filaments. More preferably, the filaments of the three-dimensional mat of extruded entangled filaments are still in their molten state when they are collected on a profiled surface to form a partially interpenetrating fusion bond at their crossing points. By solidifying the interpenetrating filaments on a profiled surface, a three-dimensional mat of extruded entangled filaments is formed, which is consolidated, thereby having a high void volume. Preferably, the surface on which the filaments are collected is profiled, so that the three-dimensional structured mat of filaments is shaped into a three-dimensional form comprising hills and valleys, hemispheres, positive and / or negative cusps, cups and / or boats, pyramids, U-shaped grooves, V-shaped grooves, cones and / or cylinders topped with a hemisphere. The empty volume of the three-dimensional mat of extruded entangled filaments can be at least 50% by volume, preferably at least 75% by volume, more preferably at least 85% by volume, even more preferably at least 90% by volume, most preferably at least 95% by volume. Preferably, the three-dimensional structured mat of extruded entangled filaments has a thickness on the scale of 5 to 100 mm, preferably 5 to 50 mm, determined in accordance with ISO 9864:2014. The diameter of the extruded entangled filaments in the three-dimensional structured mat of extruded entangled filaments can vary widely. Preferably, the extruded entangled filaments in the three-dimensional structured mat of extruded entangled filaments have an average diameter on the scale of 100 pm to 2000 pm, more preferably on the scale of 200 pm to 1500 pm, even more preferably on the scale of 300 pm to 1100 pm, and most preferably on the scale of 500 pm to 900 pm, measured with a Mitutoyo micrometer, having a circular contact surface with a diameter of 6.35 mm and with an applied load of 5 N. The extruded entangled filaments of the three-dimensional mat of extruded entangled filaments of at least the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers may be composed of any suitable thermoplastic polymer or mixture of thermoplastic polymers.Extruded tangled filaments may comprise a polyolefin, such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP), a halogenated polyolefin such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), a polyester such as, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (based on DMT or PTA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and / or polylactic acid (PIA), a polyamide such as, for example, polyamide-6 (PA6), polyamide-6,6 (PA6,6) and / or polyamide-6,10 (PA6,10), polyimides (PI), polysulfides (PS) such as polyphenyl sulfide (PPS), polyethyleneimide (PEI), polyoxymethylene (POM), elastomers thermoplastics (TPE) such as thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), and / or any copolymer or any mixture thereof. Preferably, the carrier material manufactured in accordance with the manufacturing method may also comprise the properties of the modalities described above. The objective of the invention is further achieved by a method of manufacturing a carrier material, comprising the following steps: a. Provide a carrier material comprising at least a first layer of thermoplastic fibers and a second layer of thermoplastic fibers; b. Remove at least part of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers at at least one boundary of the carrier material, and c. Optionally roll up the carrier material. In a preferred embodiment of the method, the removal in step b is carried out by turning or splitting and cutting. The removal of at least a portion of the first thermoplastic fiber layer and / or the second thermoplastic fiber layer can be performed using a turning machine from Fortuna GmbH. In another preferred embodiment of the method, at least a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers is removed, so that the thickness of a first portion of a connection is 0% to 90%, preferably 20% to 80%, more preferably 35% to 70%, and most preferably 50% to 60% of the thickness of the remaining carrier material. Preferably, the length and / or width of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers differ by at least 0.5 cm, preferably by at least 1.0 cm, more preferably by at least 2.0 cm. In a preferred embodiment of the method, the carrier material comprises a canvas preferably located between the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers. In an additional preferred embodiment of the method, the canvas comprises warp threads and / or weft threads, wherein the canvas is preferably a woven canvas or a laid canvas. In another preferred embodiment of the method, the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers are non-woven layers of fibers and / or three-dimensional mats of extruded entangled filaments. The carrier materials and their modalities described above can be used in various applications, each with its own advantageous properties. Carrier materials are typically used in bituminous roofing membranes, roofing underlayment sheets, filter media carriers, primary backings for tufted carpets, and vinyl flooring (cushion) coverings. The invention is further described by means of the figures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figures 1 to 2B schematically show a combination of two parts of a carrier material of the above technique. Figure 3 schematically shows a side view of a carrier material. Figures 4 to 8 schematically show side views of different modalities of the carrier material. Figure 9 schematically shows a division step of a first layer of thermoplastic fibers and a second layer of thermoplastic fibers. Figure 10 shows a top view of a carrier material. Figures 11 and 12 show perspective views of schematic drawings of a carrier material connected to a second and a third carrier material. Figure 13 shows a side view of a carrier material. Figure 1 schematically shows a connection between a first part A of a connected carrier material 1 and a second part B of the same connected carrier material 1 (prior technique). The first part A has a first layer of thermoplastic fibers A1 and a second layer of thermoplastic fibers A2. The second part B also has a first layer of thermoplastic fibers B1 and a second layer of thermoplastic fibers B2. To connect the first part A and the second part B at a connection area 3, the first part A is placed on top of the second part B. In the connection area 3, four layers of thermoplastic fibers are arranged. As a result, the thickness and weight of the connected carrier material 1 increase in the connection area 3. Figures 2A and 2B show an alternative embodiment of the prior art. The carrier material 1 comprises a first part A with a single layer of thermoplastic fibers and a second part B with a single layer of thermoplastic fibers. Part A is placed on top of part B, and then both parts A and B are permanently bonded together, for example, using a hot wire or an ultrasonic bonding / cutting step to simultaneously cut and bond parts A and B together. Parts A and B are then folded open, so that they are connected at the connection area 3. In this embodiment, the thickness (and weight) of the carrier material 1 is increased at the connection area 3. Furthermore, the strength of the carrier material at the connection area is lower than in the rest of the carrier material. Figure 3 shows a side view of a carrier material 1 comprising a first layer of thermoplastic fibers Al and a second layer of thermoplastic fibers A2. The first layer of thermoplastic fibers Al of the first part A has a different length than the second layer of thermoplastic fibers A2. Because of this, the carrier material 1 forms a first part of a form-fit connection. Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the present description with more than two layers of thermoplastic fibers in the carrier material 1. The carrier material 1 comprises a first layer of thermoplastic fibers Al, a second layer of thermoplastic fibers A2, and a third layer of thermoplastic fibers A3. The length of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers Al differs from the length of the second and third layers of thermoplastic fibers A2 and A3. The carrier material 1 also forms a first part of a form-fit connection; therefore, the present invention also works for carrier materials comprising more than two layers of thermoplastic fibers in one part. It should be understood that one or more of the layers Al, A2, and A3 may be made of materials other than fibers (e.g., thin sheets of metal). Figure 5 shows a side view of a carrier material having an inclined layer boundary with an angle β. The carrier material 1 with the inclined layer boundary also forms a first part of a form-fit connection. Figure 6 shows a side view of a carrier material 1 comprising four layers of thermoplastic fibers (A1-A4). The first layer of thermoplastic fibers A1 has a different length than the second layer of thermoplastic fibers A2. Subsequently, the second layer of thermoplastic fibers A2 has a different length than the third layer of thermoplastic fibers A3, and likewise, the third layer of thermoplastic fibers A3 differs from the fourth layer of thermoplastic fibers A4. The length differences between the layers of thermoplastic fibers alternate, resulting in a zipper-like shape. Therefore, the even-numbered layers A2 and A4 and / or the odd-numbered layers of thermoplastic fibers A1 and A3 do not necessarily need to be the same lengths. Consequently, the carrier material 1 also forms a first part of a form-fit connection. Figure 7 shows a side view of a carrier material having three layers of thermoplastic fibers (A1-A3). The first layer of thermoplastic fibers, A1, has a different length than the second layer, A2. The second layer, A2, also has a different length than the third layer, A3. The length differences between the layers of thermoplastic fibers alternate, resulting in a zipper-like shape. Therefore, the odd-numbered layers, A1 and A3, do not necessarily need to be the same length. Consequently, carrier material 1 also forms the first part of a form-fit connection. Figure 8 shows a schematic perspective view of a carrier material having two layers of thermoplastic fibers (Al, A2). In row XI, the length of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers Al differs from the length of the second layer of thermoplastic fibers, whereas in region XI,2 the length of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers Al is equal to the length of the second layer of thermoplastic fibers A2. Therefore, the length of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers in regions XI and XI,2 is equal to the length of the second layer of thermoplastic fibers in region XI,2 and different from the length of the second layer of thermoplastic fibers in region XI. This embodiment of the carrier material also forms a first part of a shape-fit connection. It is possible for the second layer of thermoplastic fibers in region XI to be longer than the first layer of thermoplastic fibers in regions XI and XI,2 and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers in region XI,2 (shown), but the reverse is also provided for (as a negative form of the first part of the shape-fit connection, not shown). Figure 9 schematically shows a splitting procedure. The carrier material 1 comprises a first layer of Al thermoplastic fibers and a second layer of A2 thermoplastic fibers. A splitting device 5 partially separates the first layer of Al thermoplastic fibers and the second layer of A2 thermoplastic fibers from each other to form an upper part originating from the first layer of Al thermoplastic fibers and a lower part originating from the second layer of A2 thermoplastic fibers, and the upper or lower part is removed, preferably by cutting.In an embodiment not shown, the upper portion may comprise only a part of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers Al from which it originates, or the upper layer comprises the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and a part of the second layer of thermoplastic fibers; thus, the lower portion may comprise only a part of the second layer of thermoplastic fibers Al from which it originates, or the lower portion comprises the second layer of thermoplastic fibers and a part of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers. In this manner, the first layer of thermoplastic fibers Al and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers A2 of the carrier material 1 form a first part of a form-fit connection (as in Figures 4 to 7). The splitting device is part of a splitting machine. For example, Fortuna GmbH sells such splitting machines.Other splitting and cutting methods are included to perform the first described part of a form-fit connection (like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle). Figure 10 shows a top view of a carrier material 1 having four boundaries (4a / b, 5a / b). A first boundary of the carrier material 1 is its starting point 4a in the direction of the MD machine. A second boundary of the carrier material 1 is its ending point 4b in the direction of the MD machine. The carrier material also comprises a third boundary 5a on one side of the carrier material 1 in the direction transverse to the CMD machine, and a fourth boundary 5b on another side of the carrier material 1 in the direction transverse to the CMD machine. Figure 11 shows a carrier material 1, which is connected at its beginning 4a to a second carrier material Ia in the direction of the MD machine. The connection is established in connection area 6a. In addition, carrier material 1 is also connected at its end 4b to a third carrier material Ib in the direction of the MD machine, where the connection is established in connection area 6b. Figure 12 shows a carrier material 1, which is connected on its side 5a to a second carrier material Ia in a direction transverse to the MD machine. The connection is established in connection area 7a. In addition, carrier material 1 is also connected on its other side 5b to a third carrier material Ib in a direction transverse to the CMD machine, where the connection is established in connection area 7b. Figure 13 shows a side view of a composite material 1 comprising a first layer of thermoplastic fibers Al and a second layer of thermoplastic fibers A2, wherein 5 a canvas 8 is arranged between the first layer of thermoplastic fibers Al and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers A2.

Claims

1. - A carrier material comprising at least a first layer of thermoplastic fibers (Al) and a second layer of thermoplastic fibers (A2), wherein the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers are non-woven thermoplastic fiber layers, characterized in that at least a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers at at least one boundary of the carrier material is removed, to provide a first portion of a shape-fit connection.

2. The carrier material according to claim 1, further characterized in that a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers is removed at at least two boundaries of the carrier material.

3. The carrier material according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers is removed from opposite boundaries of the carrier material.

4. The carrier material according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the thickness of a first portion of a connection area is 0% to 90%, preferably 20% to 80%, more preferably 35% to 70%, and most preferably 50% to 60% of the thickness of the remaining carrier material, wherein a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers is removed. 5.- The carrier material according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the length and / or width of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers differ by at least 0.5 cm, preferably by at least 1.0 cm, more preferably by at least 2.0 cm.

6. The carrier material according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that a canvas comprising warp and / or weft yarns is comprised in the carrier material. 7.- The carrier material according to claim 6, further characterized in that the warp and / or weft yarns of the canvas comprise high-modulus fibers having a tensile modulus of at least 5 GPa, preferably at least 10 GPa, more preferably at least 15 GPa, even more preferably at least 20 GPa, even more preferably at least 25 GPa, even more preferably at least 40 GPa, even more preferably at least 50 GPa, and most preferably at least 75 GPa. 11 rnnn / ι 7n7 / E / YL 8. The carrier material according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers comprise at least one type of single-component fiber or two-component fiber. 9.- The carrier material according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers are nonwoven layers of fibers and / or three-dimensional mats of extracted entangled filaments.

10. A method for manufacturing a carrier material, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a. Providing a carrier material comprising at least a first layer of thermoplastic fibers and a second layer of thermoplastic fibers; b. Removing at least a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers at at least one boundary of the carrier material; and c. Optionally winding the carrier material.

11. The method according to claim 10, further characterized in that the removal in step b is carried out by turning or by splitting and cutting.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, further characterized in that at least a portion of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers is removed, such that the thickness of a first portion of a connection is 0% to 90%, preferably 20% to 80%, more preferably 35% to 70%, and most preferably 50% to 60% of the thickness of the remaining carrier material.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, further characterized in that the length and / or width of the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers differ by at least 0.5 cm, preferably by at least 1.0 cm, and more preferably by at least 2.0 cm.

14. The method according to any of claims 10 to 13, further characterized in that the carrier material comprises a preferably mesh located between the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and the second layer of thermoplastic fibers.

15. The method according to any of claims 10 to 14, further characterized in that the first layer of thermoplastic fibers and / or the second layer of thermoplastic fibers are nonwoven layers of fibers and / or three-dimensional mats of extruded entangled filaments.