Milliken Research Corporation

Higgins Research & Development, LLC

Milliken + Co

Kenneth B Higgins

Brian G Morin

Robert Saul Brown

Martin E Cowan

Charles E Willbanks

Walter Engels

Benjamin A Gaddis

Edgar H Pittman

N David Sellman, Jr

Murray L Schine

Benjamine A Gaddis

Thomas Earney Austin

William Tippett

A method of making a floor covering including a tufted textile substrate and a reinforcement backing system. A layer of reinforcement fibers is positioned on the ends of yarn stitches. Applicators are operationally connected such that adhesive is forced into the reinforcement fiber layer towards a primary backing substrate, and adhesive is also substantially simultaneously directed to form a pool of adhesive between the applicators, and a portion of the pool of adhesive is also substantially simultaneously applied as a layer of adhesive on the reinforcement fiber layer.

Floor covering

A method of making a floor covering including a tufted textile substrate and a reinforcement backing system. The backing system includes adhesive layers which are conditioned to include voids. A layer of reinforcement fibers is positioned between the adhesive layers. After drying, the layers of adhesive and reinforcement fibers are compressed to collapse the voids in the layers of adhesive and to encapsulate the reinforcement fibers. The layer of reinforcement fibers is also moved toward the primary backing substrate and into engagement with the ends of the tufts.

A one step method for integrally attaching a backing cover to a universal fiber-reinforced backing before curing. The manufacturing method includes attaching a porous cover to a reinforcement configuration of fibers and adhesive before curing. The cover is pressed against the fibers and adhesive for compressing, collapsing, and flattening the ends of the stitch portions. The compressing and collapsing actions cause adhesive and fibers to be directed toward and forced into the porous cover. Adhesive and reinforcement fibers provide an integral attachment of the cover to the reinforced backing before and after curing.

A dimensionally stable universal floor covering includes a tufted textile having stitches and a reinforcement layer of fibers and adhesive providing dimensional stability for the entire floor covering. The fibers and adhesive are mixed and then moved by an applicator towards the stitches. A slip path is formed to improve the movement of the fibers and adhesive. A releasable adhesive or gecko-like cover system is provided which also provides additional strength and stability and a releasable attachment of the universal floor covering to a supporting surface.

Floor covering with universal backing and methods of making and recycling

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.

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 that are initially contained within a composition of adhesive and fibers. Mixing of the adhesive/fibers composition and/or injection of compressed air, assists in preparing the adhesive and fiber composition to be in the preferred condition and position prior to the forming of the reinforcement layer. Multiple sources of pressure, including vacuum, are applied in a controlled manner for moving the adhesive and fiber composition to form a reinforcement layer of fibers that is operatively connected to the stitches and/or to form a layer of fibers and adhesive that is contained within the stitches. The universal floor covering is selectively cut and transported in a roll for installation, and it can be conveniently recycled if necessary.

A dimensionally stable floor covering comprises a tufted textile substrate and a reinforcement layer attached to the textile substrate. The reinforcement layer includes an adhesive backing compound and reinforcement fibers surrounded by the adhesive backing. The fibers may form a continuous layer on the back side of the floor covering or may be dispersed within the adhesive backing compound. The adhesive backing compound may be hot water-soluble to facilitate recycling of the floor covering. The floor covering may optionally include additional backing layers (including cushions) and may be used as a broadloom carpet, a carpet tile, or other modular floor covering products. Methods of manufacturing, installing, and recycling the present floor coverings are also provided.

Floor coverings with universal backing and methods of making, installing, and recycling

A dimensionally stable universal floor covering includes a tufted textile substrate and a reinforcement layer to provide dimensional stability for the entire floor covering. Vacuum, mixing, and injection of compressed air assists in preparing an adhesive and fiber composition to be in the preferred condition and position before the application of pressure to form the reinforcement layer. The universal floor covering is selectively cut and transported in a roll for installation, and it can be conveniently recycled if necessary.

A dimensionally stable floor covering, comprising a tufted textile substrate and a reinforcement layer wherein vacuum is used to move adhesive into stitch portions of the yarns and into the back side of the primary backing substrate to provide increased dimensional stability for the entire floor covering. Mixing of reinforcement fibers and adhesive takes place before in situ filtration of the adhesive and fibers. Further, compressed air is injected into the adhesive/fiber composition to provide spaces between the fibers before application of pressure to the composition. The vacuum, mixing, and injection of compressed air assist in preparing the adhesive and fiber composition to be in the preferred condition and position before the application of pressure to the composition.

A flooring system for use in a residential environment. The flooring system includes a subfloor adapted to support the mass of a user and modular surface covering elements for disposition in edge to edge covering arrangement across at least a portion of the subfloor. The modular surface covering elements include a pile fabric face with an arrangement of yarns projecting outwardly defining a pile layer for contact by a user. At least one layer of cushioning material is disposed in contacting relation at a position below the pile fabric face.

Flooring system and method

Cushion backed carpet tiles and carpet tile installations which can be installed without adhesives are described. The carpet tiles are manufactured according to rigid specifications in order that no corner of any of the individual tiles is 1/16&#x2033; or greater off the floor due to curl, and no corner on the tile has cup of greater than 3/16&#x2033;. In this way, a substantially to entirely adhesive-free carpet tile installation can be achieved, with the installation being capable of withstanding the rigors of a variety of typical types of wear, such as rolling traffic, etc., without shifting or snowplowing over adjacent tiles.

Adhesive-free carpet tiles and methods of installing adhesive-free carpet tiles

Improvements in preventing heat- and moisture-shrink problems in specific polypropylene tape fibers are demonstrated herein. Such fibers are manufactured through the initial production of polypropylene films or tubes which are then slit into very thin, though flat tape fibers thereafter. Such fibers include rigidifying nucleating compounds that nucleate polymer crystals within the target polypropylene after exposure to sufficient heat to melt the initial pelletized polymer and upon allowing such a melt to cool. Specific methods of manufacture of such inventive tape fibers, as well as fabric articles made therefrom, are also encompassed within this invention.

Method of producing low-shrink polypropylene tape fibers

Refurbishing and/or renewing cut or loop pile carpet products including carpet tiles by passing the product under a high pressure water or liquid dispensing head projecting a stream of water against the subject product at a pressure in the range of 100-2000 p.s.i.g. Improvements to such methods include adding a polymer backing layer to the tile, pre-bulking the face yarns, and/or chemically treating the face yarns.

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LaGrange, GA, United States of America

Kenneth B Higgins