Temporary Carpet Protection Sheet With Releasable Edge Fasteners

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing carpet protection methods, such as adhesive films and makeshift coverings, often damage carpets during removal and fail to provide adequate protection against wear, spills, and moisture, while also limiting the curing of newly installed carpet adhesives.

Innovation Solution

A temporary fibrous surface protection sheet with a resin backing and male touch fastener elements that releasably engage with carpet fibers, avoiding adhesives and allowing for easy removal and repositioning, while providing air permeability to prevent moisture trapping and facilitate adhesive curing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If adhesive film is used to protect carpet, then the carpet is held in place, but the carpet is damaged during removal and adhesive residue remains

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarpet protection effectivenessVSAvoidcarpet damage and adhesive residue

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the harmful adhesive component from the protection system and replaces it with a mechanical fastening mechanism (touch fasteners) that achieves secure attachment without chemical bonding, thereby eliminating residue and damage associated with adhesive removal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The touch fastener system acts as an intermediary between the protection sheet and carpet, providing a mechanical connection mechanism that secures the sheet without directly bonding to the carpet fibers, thus preventing fiber damage and residue accumulation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If impermeable protection sheet is used, then moisture protection is improved, but adhesive curing is prevented

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoisture protectionVSAvoidadhesive curing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The protection sheet incorporates a porous structure that allows vapor transmission, enabling moisture protection while permitting adhesive vapors to pass through for proper curing. The porosity is controlled to block liquid moisture while allowing vapor permeability for adhesive off-gassing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

3Reliability

If heavy duty protection sheet is used, then protection effectiveness is improved, but ease of installation and removal is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection effectivenessVSAvoidinstallation and removal ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The protection system is segmented into modular components (protection sheet with integrated touch fasteners) that can be independently handled and installed. The touch fasteners are distributed in multiple regions, allowing progressive attachment and easy detachment without requiring forceful removal of the entire sheet

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively protects carpets from wear and moisture, prevents adhesive residue, and allows for proper adhesive curing, while minimizing carpet damage during installation and removal, and can be customized with graphics for aesthetic purposes.

Implementation Method 1

male touch fastener elements extending along the backing and arranged in spaced apart fastening regions adjacent the longitudinal edges of the fibrous material. The male touch fastener elements are configured to be both releasably engageable with the hook-engageable fibers of the fibrous material, when the protection sheet is arranged in overlapping fashion, and releasably engageable with the fibrous surface to be protected

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical interlocking: Mechanical Fastener

Implementation Method 2

a resin backing into which at least portions of fibers of the fibrous material are embedded, or to which resin of the fibers is directly and chemically fused

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical fusion: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentUS8048507B2Temporary surface protection

Publication Date: 2011.11.01 VELCRO IP HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

A carpeted surface is protected with a temporary carpet protection sheet that includes a lightweight non-woven or knit fibrous material laminated with a resin backing into which at least portions of fibers of the fibrous material are embedded, or to which resin of the fibers is directly and chemically fused. Male touch fastener elements extend along the backing and are arranged in spaced apart fastening regions adjacent the longitudinal edges of the fibrous material. The male touch fastener elements are configured to be both releasably engageable with the hook-engageable fibers of the fibrous material, when the protection sheet is arranged in overlapping fashion, and releasably engageable with looped carpet tufts. A protection system features multiple lengths of such protection sheet joined by hook seaming tape.