Universal Floor Covering Backing for Dimensional Stability and Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing textile floor coverings, such as broadloom and modular carpets, face issues with stability, particularly in the machine direction, due to inherent instability of tufted yarns and shrinkage of primary backing substrates, leading to problems like 'creep' in broadloom carpets and curling in modular tiles, along with challenges in recycling and high material costs from multiple disparate backing layers.
Innovation Solution
A dimensionally stable floor covering with a universal fiber-reinforced polymer backing system, featuring a tufted textile substrate and a wet-laid, overlapping, laminated reinforcement layer of fibers aligned parallel to the machine direction, which simplifies manufacturing and reduces costs by eliminating pre-formed reinforcement layers, and includes a method for applying adhesive and fibers to provide stability and facilitate recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If multiple backing layers and preformed reinforcement layers are used to improve dimensional stability, then stability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the reinforcement layer and backing layer into a single integrated structure. The warp knit fabric serves as both the reinforcement element (providing dimensional stability) and the backing substrate (providing structural support), eliminating the need for separate preformed reinforcement layers and reducing the total number of layers while maintaining stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The warp knit fabric performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides dimensional stability through its knit structure, serves as the backing substrate for tufting, and acts as the base layer for adhesive application. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized separate components.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple disparate materials are used in backing layers to improve stability, then stability is improved, but ease of manufacture and recycling difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a single material type (polyester yarn) for both the tufted yarns and the warp knit fabric backing. This homogeneity simplifies manufacturing processes, reduces material handling complexity, and facilitates recycling by eliminating the need to separate disparate materials.
Solution Approach 2:
By integrating the reinforcement and backing functions into a single warp knit fabric layer, the patent reduces the number of manufacturing steps required. Instead of producing separate reinforcement layers and backing layers and then assembling them, the single fabric is produced and directly used as the backing substrate.
3Stability of the object's composition
If heavy backing layers are used in modular tiles to improve stability, then stability is improved, but the tiles become stiff and tend to cup or curl
Solution Approach 1:
The warp knit fabric backing provides dimensional stability through its knit structure rather than through heavy weight. The flexible nature of the knit fabric allows the modular tiles to remain flat and resistant to cupping or curling, while still providing the necessary stability during installation and use.
4Device complexity
If broadloom carpet is made without separate reinforcement layers to reduce complexity, then manufacturing is simplified, but the carpet tends to creep leading to undesirable growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the same polyester yarn material for both the tufted pile and the warp knit backing, creating a homogeneous structure that provides consistent dimensional stability throughout the carpet construction, preventing creep without requiring additional reinforcement layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The warp knit fabric creates a composite structure where the interlocking knit pattern of warp and weft yarns provides reinforcement equivalent to separate layers. The knit structure itself acts as the reinforcement mechanism, integrating support and backing functions in one homogeneous material system.
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 provides enhanced dimensional stability, reduces material costs, and simplifies manufacturing and installation processes, allowing for the use of the same primary backing substrate across various products, while enabling efficient recycling and improved attachment to support surfaces through a gecko-like releasable adhesive system.
Implementation Method 1
improved attachment to support surfaces through a gecko-like releasable adhesive system
Data Source
AI summary
A dimensionally stable universal floor covering includes a tufted textile having stitches and a reinforcement layer operatively connected to the stitches to provide dimensional stability for the entire floor covering. The reinforcement layer is made of fibers and adhesive that are formed into a reinforcement layer of laminated fibers that is operatively connected to the stitches and/or the fibers and adhesive are formed into a layer of fibers and adhesive that is contained within the stitches. The fibers and adhesive are mixed and then moved by an applicator toward the stitches. A curved slip path is formed on a curved portion of the applicator to improve the movement of the fibers and adhesive toward the stitches. A removable tip portion on the end of the curved portion of the applicator improves the penetration of the adhesive and provides compression of the fibers towards the ends of the stitches. A releasable adhesive cover system is provided to cover the layer of fibers for providing additional strength and stability and for providing a releasable attachment of the universal floor covering to a supporting surface.