Needle Felt Floor Covering With Low-Moisture Polyamide Wear Layer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing needle felt floor coverings with high polyamide fiber content experience undesirable dimensional changes due to moisture absorption and release, leading to time-consuming and expensive installation and potential contamination from heavy coatings used for stability.
Innovation Solution
A needle felt floor covering with a wear layer composed of more than 40% by weight polyamide fibers having a water absorption of less than 2.0% according to DIN EN ISO 62, allowing for removable laying without heavy coatings, using a seam tape or anti-slip fixation, and featuring a backing layer of polypropylene, polyester, or polyethylene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high polyamide fiber content is used in the wear layer, then wear resistance and durability are improved, but dimensional stability deteriorates due to moisture absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the key parameter of water absorption from the conventional >5% to <2.0% for polyamide fibers. This parameter change maintains the wear resistance benefits of high polyamide content while eliminating the dimensional instability caused by moisture absorption, allowing the floor covering to be laid without permanent adhesive bonding
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fiber structure combining polyamide fibers with low water absorption (<2.0%) and other fibers (polypropylene, polyester, or natural fibers) in specific ratios. This composite approach maintains the durability advantages of polyamide while the low-absorption properties prevent excessive dimensional changes, resolving the contradiction between wear resistance and dimensional stability
2Stability of the object's composition
If permanent adhesive bonding is used to prevent dimensional changes, then dimensional stability is improved, but installation time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the water absorption parameter of polyamide fibers to <2.0%, the patent eliminates the need for permanent adhesive bonding to maintain dimensional stability. This allows for quick, removable installation using only seam tapes or anti-slip coatings, dramatically reducing installation time and cost while maintaining adequate dimensional stability
3Stability of the object's composition
If heavy coating is applied to ensure dimensional stability, then dimensional stability is improved, but contamination from undesirable substances occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the water absorption parameter of the fiber material to <2.0%, which intrinsically provides dimensional stability without requiring heavy bitumen coatings. This eliminates the contamination problem from PAHs and other undesirable substances in heavy coatings, as the stability is achieved through the fiber properties themselves rather than through contaminating coating materials
4Ease of operation
If removable laying is implemented, then installation flexibility is improved, but dimensional stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By reducing the water absorption parameter of polyamide fibers to <2.0%, the patent achieves a breakthrough where removable laying and dimensional stability are compatible. The low-absorption fibers maintain sufficient dimensional stability even without permanent bonding, enabling both installation flexibility and adequate dimensional stability to coexist
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 enables cost-effective, time-efficient installation and removal of needle felt floor coverings with reduced dimensional changes and no heavy coating, maintaining stability and preventing contamination.
Implementation Method 1
Polyamide fibers can reversibly absorb or release (air) moisture. The water from the environment is stored in the amorphous areas of the polyamide. This results in a material-typical swelling and shrinking behavior of the polyamide fiber.
Implementation Method 2
A needle felt floor covering having at least one wear layer which contains more than 40% by weight, preferably more than 50% by weight, more preferably 95% by weight, or even all, polyamide fibers with a water absorption of less than 2.0% according to DIN EN ISO 62 (method 4).
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to: a fibrebonded floor covering having at least one wear layer made from more than 70% by weight of polyamide fibres, with at least 50% by weight of the polyamide fibers used having a water absorption of less than 2.0% according to DIN EN ISO 62 (method 4), as well as - a method for the removable laying of a needle felt floor covering with at least one wear layer made of more than 70% by weight of polyamide fibers, with at least 50% by weight of the polyamide fibers used having a water absorption of less than 2.0% according to DIN EN ISO 62 (method 4), with the floor covering being laid loosely with a seam tape or removable with a non-slip brake or an adhesive fixation, and - the at least partial use of polyamide fibers according to the invention for the production of a wear layer of a Fibrebonded Flooring.