Milliken + Co

Other

Seiin Kobayashi

Thomas D Nord

Akihito Suzuki

Robert C Kerr

Ronald Magee

Amy K Streeton

William O Burke Iii

Yoko Zaikawa

Yuji Nagahama

A multi-component floor mat that, in one embodiment, is comprised of a first base or frame portion, intended to be positioned on the floor, that is dimensioned to accommodate a second flexible textile mat or rug portion that is releasably held in place on or in said base or frame portion by a plurality of magnets associated with one or both portions, thereby allowing for the easy removal or replacement of the textile portion of the mat and the economical laundering of same.

Multiple-component magnetic mat

Renewing, washing, and/or recycling of used carpet tiles is provided. In accordance with one embodiment, carpet tiles are purchased or leased and installed with adjacent tiles being of a different pattern, design, color, shade, and/or the like so that no two identical tiles abut one another. This method of patterning and installing carpet tiles can eliminate the need for shade sorting and site mapping. Also, this method permits the ability to replace one or more damaged or severely stained tiles with new or renewed tiles and without worrying about tile-to-tile shading. The renewed carpet tiles are washed with a high-pressure fluid, and entangling of piles is removed and piles raised.

Method of patterning, installing, renewing and/or recycling carpet tiles

At least one embodiment of this invention relates to a cushioned dust control mat article wherein the mat comprises at least two distinct layers of rubber, one comprising foam rubber, the other comprising solid rubber. The solid rubber layer is present over the foam rubber layer on the side of the mat in which at least one integrated rubber protrusion is present to provide cushioning characteristics. The solid rubber layer acts as a cap or barrier for the foam rubber layer, particularly over the integrated protrusion or protrusions, in order to provide a mat which is resilient, will not easily degrade in its modulus strength after appreciable use and/or washing within industrial cleaning processes, and will not exhibit appreciable cracking or breaking, particularly within the integrated protrusion(s), after standard use for pedestrian traffic. A method of producing such an inventive cushioned floor mat article is also provided.

Cushioned rubber floor mat article and method

A process by which dithering techniques and in situ blending techniques may be used to reproduce a desired multi-colored dyed pattern on a substrate using precisely delivered quantities of liquid colorants that are available in only a relatively few colors. Specific preferred process colors, as well as procedures for expanding the range of reproduced colors using such process colors, are presented Optionally, specific actuation instructions for a specific dye injection machine capable of patterning a moving textile substrate may be generated.

Patterning system using a limited number of process colors

There is provided a modular area rug having a plurality of individual floor covering elements positioned in an aesthetically pleasing tiled configuration. The modular area rug may include a plurality of similar repeating sub-units, each of which may comprise multiple floor covering elements. The modular area rug is free-standing, requiring no contact with a wall to maintain its monolithic nature. Further, the individual floor covering elements may be easily repositioned to satisfy user needs or whims. Each floor covering element has a textile upper surface and a skid-resistant backing of either a sheet material or a fabric-elastomer composite.

Modular area rug and process of manufacture

A dust control mat having a pile surface and a backing layer disposed beneath the pile surface. The pile surface includes segmented portions of pile-forming material salvaged from previously used mat structures and adhered to the backing layer in a predefined arrangement to define a contact surface of recycled material for use in removing dirt from the shoes of a user.

Mat construction incorporating recycled constituents and methods of manufacture

This invention relates to a cushioned dust control mat or article wherein the mat comprises at least two distinct layers of rubber, one comprising foam rubber, the other comprising solid rubber and has a plurality of star-shaped protrusions in the upper surface thereof. Also, the surface of the mat between the protrusions is ribbed or recessed. The solid rubber layer is present over the foam rubber layer on the top side of the mat in which the plurality of star shaped rubber protrusions are present to provide cushioning characteristics. The solid rubber layer acts as a cap or barrier for the foam rubber layer, particularly over the star shaped protrusions, in order to provide a mat which is resilient, will not easily degrade in its modulus strength after appreciable use and/or washing within industrial cleaning processes, and will not exhibit appreciable cracking or breaking, particularly within the star-shaped protrusions, after standard use for pedestrian traffic. A method of producing such an inventive cushioned floor mat is also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Yonezawa, Japan

Seiin Kobayashi