Milliken + Co

Milliken Research Corporation

William O Burke, Iii

Robert C Kerr

James N Rockwell, Jr

Amy B Streeton

Bhawan Patel

Geoffrey R Haas

John G Lever

Roy Phillip Demott

Aage Lang

William H Stewart

David L Morris

James B Nichols

The present disclosure relates to a continuous process for making floor mats having a textile upper surface and a rubber or rubber-like backing. In the one embodiment of the present process, a continuous roll of unvulcanized rubber is joined to a continuous roll of textile material during vulcanization. In an alternate embodiment, textile panels are positioned onto a continuous roll of unvulcanized rubber, later being joined during vulcanization. After vulcanization of either a textile roll or textile panels to a rubber backing, the resultant mat composite is cut into individual mat units.

Continuous mat making process and product

The present invention relates to specific methods of producing cleated rubber-backed floor mats (such as dust control or rubber mats) through the utilization of the combination of a perforated coated woven fabric article and a cushioned platen liner between the article and the metal platen of an in-line dust control mat manufacturing machine. Such a procedure permits a more efficient manner of producing cleated anti-creep dust control mats than previously followed. In particular, the fabric article is in the form of a conveyor belt and is preferably constructed from Teflon&reg;-coated woven fiberglass which will not adhere to the tacky rubber component of the target mat and can withstand the extremely high vulcanization temperatures and pressures required during the production of a dust control mat. The cushioned platen liner, which is preferably comprised of or coated with silicon, is utilized as a separator between the metal platen of the manufacturing machine, as well as cushion for the molten rubber as it is pressed through the conveyor belt perforations during vulcanization. Such a cushioned liner material substantially eliminates any problems due to the force of the metal platen against the molten rubber as it passes through the article perforations. Further, a method for utilizing the conveyor belt to produce foam rubber cleated anti-creep mats is disclosed. The cleats of these mats have a thicker skin than the rest of the mat, thereby imparting enough strength and structural integrity so that the foam rubber mats may withstand the daily rigors of use, combined with periodic launderings. The produced mat as well as the woven fabric article/cushioned platen liner combination are also encompassed within this invention.

Cleat-forming woven fabric article for the manufacture of anti-creep floor mats

Certain non-silicone vulcanized rubber articles made from at least a majority by weight of ethylene-propylene-diene modified (terpolymer) rubber (such as, without limitation, EPDM and/or NBR) that include silver-based compounds to provide highly desirable long-term antimicrobial characteristics within the cured rubber articles, at least a portion of which exhibits a color other than black, are provided. Such articles are in either solid or blown (foam or sponge) state (or combinations of both in multilayered forms, either all colored or individual layers colored) that can be utilized in a variety of different applications. As silver-based compounds are deleteriously affected by utilization of standard curing agents and curing accelerators, such as sulfur-based compounds and/or systems, the ability to provide such an effective antimicrobial vulcanized rubber article is rather difficult. However, this invention encompasses the presence of different non-sulfur-based curing systems and agents, such as peroxides, as one example, that permit vulcanization and do not irreversibly bind silver ions thereto, thereby resulting in long-term antimicrobial performance of the ultimate rubber article itself. The rubber articles must also comprise fillers and may also include plasticizers to provide desired characteristics of dimensional stability, stiffness, flexural modulus, tensile strength, abrasion resistance, elongation, and the like, for the ultimate rubber article, while simultaneously and surprisingly both enhancing the control of antimicrobial efficacy of the rubber article and not deleteriously binding to the available silver to permit coloring of the target rubber as well.

Colored antimicrobial vulcanized rubber articles

The present invention is a floor mat made from a rubber composite, the composite having a foam rubber core positioned between dense rubber layers. Protrusions or cleats, which are produced during the vulcanization process, extend outwardly from the lower surface of the mat. The present mat offers mat users desirable anti-fatigue characteristics that are achieved by (a) a combination of dense rubber and foam rubber layers and (b) the spaced positioning of a plurality of cleats over one surface of the mat. Such a mat is anticipated to be useful in service environments, such as hair styling salons, retail outlets, or restaurant kitchens, for example.

Cushioned rubber floor article for use in hair styling salons and other service environments

The present disclosure relates to an anti-fatigue flooring article having inherent properties of electrostatic dissipation. Further, this disclosure relates to flooring article having at least two layers, wherein a first layer (comprised of dense rubber) is calendered to a second layer (comprised of foam rubber). Each layer has a different electrical conductivity, thereby creating a mat having an appropriate range of conductivity when combined. The present flooring article may also include a layer of static dissipating scrim, a grounding means, and/or a colored marking.

Electrostatic dissipating flooring article

This invention relates to a cushioned floor covering article wherein the mat includes a tufted carpet placed on the top side of a foam rubber sheet and at least one foam rubber protrusion integrated within at least a portion of the bottom side of the foam rubber sheet. Such an article provides effective removal of moisture, dirt, and debris from the footwear of pedestrians through the utilization of a carpet pile component. Furthermore, the utilization of a foam rubber backing also allows for either periodic heavy duty industrial-scale laundering in such standard washing machines or periodic washing and drying in standard in-home machines, both without appreciably damaging the inventive floor covering article, such as a floor mat. Additionally, the presence of integrated foam rubber protrusions within the mat structure provides an effective cushioning effect for pedestrian comfort as well as a means to prevent slippage of the article from its contacted surface. A method of producing such an inventive cushioned floor covering article is also provided.

Cushioned carpeted floor covering article comprising at least one integrated rubber protrusion

Certain butadiene and/or natural rubber articles, such as acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), natural rubber, and derivatives thereof, that exhibit highly desirable long-term effective antimicrobial characteristics. Such formulations are intended to be vulcanized to provide solid or foam rubber articles which can be utilized in a variety of different applications. Preferably such butadiene rubber formulations comprise silver-based antimicrobial compounds. As such silver-based compounds are deleteriously affected by utilization of standard non-silicone-rubber curing agents, such as sulfur-based catalysts, the ability to provide such an effective antimicrobial vulcanized rubber article is rather difficult. However, the invention encompasses the utilization of different catalyst species that permit vulcanization and silver stability for long-term antimicrobial performance of the silver-based compounds. Articles and specific vulcanizing procedures in accordance with such a novel antimicrobial vulcanized rubber are also included within the scope of this invention.

Antimicrobial articles made from nitrile or natural rubber

Cushioned carpeted floor mat with at least one cushioning integrated rubber protrusion

A process for the application of tear resistant side and edge strip materials to a rubber base sheet of a launderable dust control mat is provided. The process involves the in-line mating of first and second strips of carboxylated rubber to the longitudinal borders of a rubber sheet and the in-line mating of third and fourth strips of carboxylated rubber to the leading and tailing edges of a rubber sheet, respectively, all by means of a series of pressure rolls. The process permits separate rubber sheet and side strip materials to be joined in a continuous or semicontinuous operation immediately prior to assembly of a mat thereby enhancing material handling efficiencies. Dust mats produced thereby are also provided.

Process for manufacturing a dust control mat including reinforcing

A process for the application of tear resistant edge strip material to a rubber base sheet of a launderable dust control mat is provided. The process involves the in-line mating of first and second strips of carboxilated rubber to the longitudinal borders of a rubber sheet by means of a series of pressure rolls. The process permits separate rubber sheet and side strip materials to be joined in a continuous or semi-continuous operation immediately prior to assembly of a mat thereby enhancing material handling efficiencies. An apparatus for carrying out the invention is also provided.

Process for manufacturing a dust control mat including side strips for

A machine and method to operate the machine to provide a plurality of valve-like perforations in the rubber-like backing of a nap mat or carpet by delivering the nap mat or carpet to and under a spiked roll. The machine includes a plurality of narrow bands located longitudinally of the machine to guide the nap mat or carpet away from the spiked roll after the spikes or pins on the roll have entered the rubber-like backing material to form the valves therein.

Growing community of inventors

LaGrange, GA, United States of America

William O Burke, Iii