Carpet, carpet backings and methods

Abstract

The present invention pertains to carpet and method of making it. In one aspect, the carpet includes (a) a primary backing which has a face and a back surface, (b) a plurality of fibers attached to the primary backing and extending from the face of the primary backing and exposed at the back surface of the primary backing, (c) an adhesive backing, (d) an optional secondary backing adjacent to the adhesive backing, and (e) at least one homogeneously branched linear ethylene polymer. The method includes extrusion coating at least one homogeneously branched linear ethylene polymer onto the back surface of a primary backing to provide an adhesive backing. The method can include additional steps or procedures, either separately or in various combinations. Additional steps and procedures include preheating the primary backing prior the extrusion step, multilayer adhesive backings, washing or scouring the primary backing prior the extrusion step, and utilizing adhesive polymeric additives, high heat content fillers, blowing agents and / or implosion agents. The constructions and methods described herein are particularly suited for making carpet tile.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 039,217 filed Feb. 28, 1997, which application was in turn related to pending applications: Serial No. ______, entitled "ETHYLENE POLYMER CARPET, CARPET BACKINGS AND METHODS"; Serial No. ______ entitled "CARPET BACKINGS AND METHODS USING SUBSTANTIALLY LINEAR ETHYLENE POLYMERS METHODS"; Serial No. ______ entitled "CARPETS, CARPET BACKINGS AND METHODS USING SUBSTANTIALLY LINEAR ETHYLENE POLYMERS METHODS"; and Serial No. ______ entitled "CARPETS, CARPET BACKINGS AND METHODS USING HOMOGENEOUS LINEAR ETHYLENE POLYMERS," all four of which were filed on Feb. 28, 1997, and the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to carpets and methods of making carpets, wherein, for each, the carpets comprise at least one flexible ethylene polymer backing material. In a particular instance, the ...

Examples

examples

[0186] Test Methods

[0187] The primary performance criteria determined for the various Examples included: tuft bind, abrasion resistance, Velcro rating, flexibility and lamination strength. Tuft bind testing was conducted in accordance with ASTM D-1335-67.

[0188] Moduli for the ethylene polymers used in the present invention were measured in accordance with ASTM-790.

[0189] Abrasion resistance was based on a qualitative Velcro fuzzing test. In this test, a 2 inch (5.1 cm) diameter, 2 pound (0.91 kg) roller coated with the loop side of standard Velcro was passed 10 times over the face side of coated carpet samples. The fuzz on the abraded carpet was then compared to a set of carpet standards and rated on a 1-10 scale wherein a rating of 10 denoted zero fuzzing.

[0190] Flexibility rating was also based on a qualitative assessment. Lamination strength was based on manual qualitative assessment in which a good delamination rating was given if the various layers of a carpet sample could not ...

examples 1-12

[0194] Table 2 summarizes the polymers, extrusion conditions and carpet sample performance results for Inventive Examples 1-8 and Comparative Runs 9-12. The extrusion coating equipment consisted of a two-extruder Black Clawson coextrusion line equipped with a 31 / 2 inch (8.9 cm) diameter primary extruder having a 30:1 L / D and a 21 / 2 inch (6.4 cm) diameter secondary extruder with a 24:1 L / D. For these examples, only the large extruder was operated at 90 rpms (250 lbs. / hr). A 76 cm slot die was attached to the extruder and was deckled to 69 cm with a 20-mil (0.51 mm) die gap and a 6-inch (15.2 cm) air / draw gap. The nip roll pressure was set at 85 psi (0.58 MPa) and the chill roll was controlled at 60.degree. F. (15.6.degree. C.). The targeted extrusion temperatures, line speed and coating thicknesses are listed in Table 2.

[0195] Greige good swatches of polypropylene (26 OSY (919.6 cm / m.sup.2), tufted, loop pile, straight stitch greige goods available from Shaw Industries under the desi...

examples 13-22

[0198] Table 3 summarizes the polymers, extrusion conditions, and carpet performance results for Inventive Examples 13-22. These examples used the same extrusion equipment, extrusion conditions and greige goods listed for Examples 1-12.

3TABLE 3 Pre- Melt Line Tuft Temp Thick Temp Speed Bind .degree. F. mil .degree. F. ft / min Lamination lbs. Ex. Resin (.degree. C.) (mm) (.degree. C.) (m / min) Flex Strength (kg) 13 C 175 7 425 65 Good Good 3.6 (79) (0.18) (218) (19.8) (1.6) 14 C 175 7 500 65 Good Good 5.4 (79) (0.18) (260) (19.8) (2.4) 15 C 175 7 550 65 Good Good 6.3 (79) (0.18) (288) (19.8) (2.9) 16 C 175 7 575 65 Good Good 6.6 (79) (0.18) (302) (19.8) (3.0) 17 C 175 7 600 65 Good Good 5.3 (79) (0.18) (316) (19.8) (2.4) 18 C 175 15 425 30 Good Good 6.9 (79) (0.38) (218) (9.1) (3.1) 19 C 175 15 500 30 Good Good 6.8 (79) (0.38) (260) (9.1) (3.1) 20 C 175 15 550 30 Good Good 8.3 (79) (0.38) (288) (9.1) (3.8) 21 C 175 15 575 30 Good Good 6.2 (79) (0.38) (302) (9.1) (2.8) 22 C 175 15 600 3...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 039,217 filed Feb. 28, 1997, which application was in turn related to pending applications: Serial No. ______, entitled "ETHYLENE POLYMER CARPET, CARPET BACKINGS AND METHODS"; Serial No. ______ entitled "CARPET BACKINGS AND METHODS USING SUBSTANTIALLY LINEAR ETHYLENE POLYMERS METHODS"; Serial No. ______ entitled "CARPETS, CARPET BACKINGS AND METHODS USING SUBSTANTIALLY LINEAR ETHYLENE POLYMERS METHODS"; and Serial No. ______ entitled "CARPETS, CARPET BACKINGS AND METHODS USING HOMOGENEOUS LINEAR ETHYLENE POLYMERS," all four of which were filed on Feb. 28, 1997, and the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to carpets and methods of making carpets, wherein, for each, the carpets comprise at least one flexible ethylene polymer backing material. In a particular instance, the ...

Examples

examples

[0186] Test Methods

[0187] The primary performance criteria determined for the various Examples included: tuft bind, abrasion resistance, Velcro rating, flexibility and lamination strength. Tuft bind testing was conducted in accordance with ASTM D-1335-67.

[0188] Moduli for the ethylene polymers used in the present invention were measured in accordance with ASTM-790.

[0189] Abrasion resistance was based on a qualitative Velcro fuzzing test. In this test, a 2 inch (5.1 cm) diameter, 2 pound (0.91 kg) roller coated with the loop side of standard Velcro was passed 10 times over the face side of coated carpet samples. The fuzz on the abraded carpet was then compared to a set of carpet standards and rated on a 1-10 scale wherein a rating of 10 denoted zero fuzzing.

[0190] Flexibility rating was also based on a qualitative assessment. Lamination strength was based on manual qualitative assessment in which a good delamination rating was given if the various layers of a carpet sample could not ...

examples 1-12

[0194] Table 2 summarizes the polymers, extrusion conditions and carpet sample performance results for Inventive Examples 1-8 and Comparative Runs 9-12. The extrusion coating equipment consisted of a two-extruder Black Clawson coextrusion line equipped with a 31 / 2 inch (8.9 cm) diameter primary extruder having a 30:1 L / D and a 21 / 2 inch (6.4 cm) diameter secondary extruder with a 24:1 L / D. For these examples, only the large extruder was operated at 90 rpms (250 lbs. / hr). A 76 cm slot die was attached to the extruder and was deckled to 69 cm with a 20-mil (0.51 mm) die gap and a 6-inch (15.2 cm) air / draw gap. The nip roll pressure was set at 85 psi (0.58 MPa) and the chill roll was controlled at 60.degree. F. (15.6.degree. C.). The targeted extrusion temperatures, line speed and coating thicknesses are listed in Table 2.

[0195] Greige good swatches of polypropylene (26 OSY (919.6 cm / m.sup.2), tufted, loop pile, straight stitch greige goods available from Shaw Industries under the desi...

examples 13-22

[0198] Table 3 summarizes the polymers, extrusion conditions, and carpet performance results for Inventive Examples 13-22. These examples used the same extrusion equipment, extrusion conditions and greige goods listed for Examples 1-12.

3TABLE 3 Pre- Melt Line Tuft Temp Thick Temp Speed Bind .degree. F. mil .degree. F. ft / min Lamination lbs. Ex. Resin (.degree. C.) (mm) (.degree. C.) (m / min) Flex Strength (kg) 13 C 175 7 425 65 Good Good 3.6 (79) (0.18) (218) (19.8) (1.6) 14 C 175 7 500 65 Good Good 5.4 (79) (0.18) (260) (19.8) (2.4) 15 C 175 7 550 65 Good Good 6.3 (79) (0.18) (288) (19.8) (2.9) 16 C 175 7 575 65 Good Good 6.6 (79) (0.18) (302) (19.8) (3.0) 17 C 175 7 600 65 Good Good 5.3 (79) (0.18) (316) (19.8) (2.4) 18 C 175 15 425 30 Good Good 6.9 (79) (0.38) (218) (9.1) (3.1) 19 C 175 15 500 30 Good Good 6.8 (79) (0.38) (260) (9.1) (3.1) 20 C 175 15 550 30 Good Good 8.3 (79) (0.38) (288) (9.1) (3.8) 21 C 175 15 575 30 Good Good 6.2 (79) (0.38) (302) (9.1) (2.8) 22 C 175 15 600 3...

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