Soft-substrate carpet made from recycled yarns and method for manufacturing same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current carpet manufacturing methods using PVC or bitumen substrates are hard and uncomfortable, and non-woven substrates suffer from dimensional instability and quality deterioration, while recycling processes consume high energy and cause environmental pollution.
Innovation Solution
A soft-substrate carpet made from recycled yarns with a layered structure comprising tufted carpet fibers and recycled fibers bonded by a PVC-free bonding agent, using a non-woven scrim and latex layer for improved stability and comfort, and categorizing defective fibers for consistent production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If PVC or bitumen substrate is used in carpet manufacturing, then dimensional stability is improved, but comfort and softness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite substrate structure combining non-woven fabric base material with PVC-free bonding agents (such as polyolefin or polyurethane). This composite approach integrates the dimensional stability of the non-woven fabric with the adhesive properties of alternative bonding agents, achieving both stability and comfort without PVC.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the bonding agent from PVC/bitumen to PVC-free alternatives like polyolefin or polyurethane. This parameter change maintains the bonding function while improving comfort and softness, resolving the contradiction between stability and ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If non-woven substrate is used instead of PVC, then softness is improved, but dimensional stability and quality retention deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure where non-woven fabric serves as the base material providing softness, while PVC-free bonding agents are applied to maintain dimensional stability. This composite approach allows the non-woven substrate to provide comfort while the bonding agent system prevents warping and deterioration.
Solution Approach 2:
The PVC-free bonding agent acts as an intermediary between the non-woven fabric layers, providing the necessary adhesion and dimensional stability while allowing the non-woven material to maintain its softness. This mediator resolves the contradiction by enabling both softness and stability to coexist.
3Ease of repair
If conventional recycling process (cutting, melting, granulating) is used for defective fibers, then material reuse is achieved, but energy consumption and environmental pollution increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary processing steps from the conventional recycling process, eliminating cutting, high-temperature melting, and granulating operations. Defective fibers are directly reused in the carpet manufacturing process after minimal treatment, extracting only the essential material recovery function while removing energy-intensive steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows defective fibers to serve themselves by being directly incorporated into new carpet products with minimal processing. The fibers essentially self-reuse in the production process without requiring external high-energy recycling operations, achieving material reuse with minimal energy input.
4Loss of substance
If conventional recycling process is used for defective fibers, then material recovery is achieved, but secondary pollution and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the material recovery function from the conventional recycling process, eliminating steps that generate pollution such as high-temperature melting and granulating. Defective fibers are directly reused with minimal processing, achieving material recovery without the harmful byproducts of traditional recycling.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of treating defective fibers as waste requiring intensive recycling, the patent converts this apparent problem into a benefit by directly incorporating these fibers into new carpet products. The defective fibers become a valuable resource rather than a pollution source, achieving material recovery while eliminating the harmful effects of conventional recycling processes.
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 a comfortable, resilient, and environmentally friendly carpet with reduced energy consumption and pollution, utilizing defective fibers and enhancing the stability and softness of the carpet substrate.
Implementation Method 1
The carpet fiber layer and the recycled fiber layer are bonded together by a bonding agent
Implementation Method 2
A latex layer is disposed between the carpet fiber layer and the recycled fiber layer
Data Source
AI summary
A soft-substrate carpet made from recycled yarns includes a carpet fiber layer and a recycled fiber layer in a top-to-bottom order, wherein the carpet fiber layer comprises carpet fibers and a first non-woven scrim, the carpet fibers being tufted on the first non-woven scrim, and the recycled fiber layer comprises recycled fibers and a second non-woven scrim, the recycled fibers being tufted on the second non-woven scrim; the carpet fiber layer and the recycled fiber layer are permanently bonded.