Underlay mat for floor coverings

Abstract

An underlay mat (10) for floor coverings, includes a polyurethane layer (14), a self-adhesive film (20) on the topside of the polyurethane layer (14) and which includes a carrier film (12), a layer of adhesive (22) applied to carrier film (12), and a mesh structure (24) made of fibers which is embedded in the adhesive layer (22), and a removable protective film (26) on the topside of self-adhesive film (20).

Claims

1. An underlay mat for floor coverings, comprising: a polyurethane layer, a self-adhesive film on a topside of the polyurethane layer, the self-adhesive film comprising a carrier film, a layer of adhesive applied to the carrier film, and a mesh structure made of fibers which is embedded in the adhesive layer, and a removable protective film on a topside of the self-adhesive film, wherein the adhesive in the self-adhesive film is an acrylic adhesive which, after removal of the protective layer, permits sidewards movement of the floor coverings thereon when the floor coverings are initially installed thereon and which hardens thereafter to affix the flooring coverings thereon.

2. An underlay mat according to claim 1, wherein the polyurethane layer includes polyurethane, and mineral fillers to add weight.

3. An underlay mat according to claim 2, wherein the polyurethane layer including fillers has a specific weight up to 1800 kg/m.sup.3.

4. An underlay mat according to claim 1, wherein the polyurethane layer includes polyurethane having a specific weight of 800 to 1200 kg/m.sup.3.

5. An underlay mat according to claim 1, wherein the polyurethane layer has a thickness of 1 to 5 mm.

6. An underlay mat according to claim 4, wherein the polyurethane layer has a thickness of approximately 2 mm.

7. An underlay mat according to claim 1, wherein the carrier film is made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

8. An underlay mat according to claim 1, wherein the carrier film is applied directly to the topside of the polyurethane layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawing.

(2) The one and only drawing is a schematic cross-section through an embodiment of the underlay mat according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) The underlay mat shown in this drawing is designated as a whole by the number 10. It takes the form of a layered structure containing layers of different materials with different mechanical and chemical properties and which will be explained in more detail below.

(4) The underlay mat 10 is shown as oriented during the process of installation, i.e. the side in contact with the substrate (e.g. screed) is its underside, which is at the bottom of the drawing, whilst a floor covering not shown in further detail is placed on its topside. The terms “underside” and “topside” as used here and elsewhere in the application should not, however, be understood as limiting the present invention to a specific orientation of underlay mat 10, but serve solely to visually differentiate the opposite sides of underlay mat 10. Further, the thicknesses of the layers and the proportions are not presented to scale in the drawing and are similarly not limiting.

(5) Specifically, underlay mat 10 comprises a polyurethane layer 14, made from polyurethane (PU) and additional mineral fillers 16 such as sand or chalk, which have a higher density than the polyurethane and hence increase the weight of the polyurethane layer 14 and the entire underlay mat 10. Fillers 16 are distributed within the polyurethane layer 14 in a relatively homogeneous fashion. They are shown in a purely schematic manner in the drawing, which does not provide a to-scale representation of the density of their distribution.

(6) Polyurethane layer 14, including fillers 16, has a density of up to 1800 kg/m.sup.3. The polyurethane contained therein has a density of between 800 and 1200 kg/m.sup.3. Its thickness is between 1 and 5 mm, and is advantageously around 2 mm.

(7) The underside of polyurethane layer 14, which, in FIG. 1, is disposed at the bottom as would usually be the case when laying underlay mat 10, is covered by a nonwoven backing 18. Nonwoven backing 18 forms a relatively soft fiber mat which can be stuck to the underside of polyurethane layer 14 by means of a spray adhesive, for example. Hence the underside of underlay mat 10 is made of relatively soft materials. In this manner, any unevenness in the substrate on which underlay mat 10 is laid can press into nonwoven backing 18 and even into polyurethane layer 14. Underlay mat 10 thus ensures good compensation of this sort of unevenness.

(8) Attached to the topside of polyurethane layer 14 there is a self-adhesive film 20 comprising a carrier film 12, a layer of adhesive 22 disposed on top of carrier film 12 and a mesh structure 24 embedded therein. Mesh structure 24 consists of loosely arranged fibers, i.e. arranged with relatively large spacing, which are easily permeated by the adhesive. The adhesive of the adhesive layer 22 may be an acrylic adhesive, for example. Hence the bonding properties and fluidity are not impaired by mesh structure 24. Further, mesh structure 24 ensures additional stability of the layer structure of underlay mat 10 in its upper cross-section area.

(9) The topside of self-adhesive film 20 is covered by a protective film 26, which can be removed by hand. Protective film 26 is thus attached only to adhesive 22 of self-adhesive film 20 and is not solidly bonded to the latter. Once the protective film 26 is removed, self-adhesive film 20 provides an adhesive surface for receiving and bonding with a floor covering to be placed on top of it.

(10) When using an acrylic adhesive for adhesive layer 22, as in the present embodiment example, the position of a floor element such as a floor panel placed on top of self-adhesive film 20 can be corrected immediately after removing protective film 26, i.e. it can be moved sidewards to a certain extent until it reaches a final position. After the acrylic adhesive hardens, a solid layer bonding is formed between the floor covering and the underlay mat 10 disposed underneath, which ensures advantageous properties for the finished laid floor. Given that nonwoven backing 18 on the underside of underlay mat 10 simply lies loose on top of the substrate, the flooring can be removed without leaving any residual material.

(11) Acrylic adhesive is also very resistant to plasticizers, which can be emitted from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) floor coverings in particular. Hence this underlay mat 10 is well suited to laying PVC floor coverings of this type.

(12) Despite relatively low thickness, underlay mat 10 is heavy with good flexibility and resilience, so that it can easily be rolled up and transported for use on site. The layers in the top cross-section area, in particular carrier film 12 and mesh structure 24 embedded in self-adhesive film 20, provide it with high stability and good resistance to occasional mechanical loads. The polyurethane layer 14 underneath ensures sufficient elasticity.

PRODUCT EXAMPLE

(13) A product with the layer structure according to the present invention, as described above and illustrated in the drawing, may have e.g. the following technical specifications.

(14) TABLE-US-00001 Thickness: DIN CEN/TS 16354 ~1.80 mm (±0.15 mm) Weight per unit area: ~2.60 kg/m.sup.2 (±0.15 kg/m.sup.2) Length: DIN CEN/TS 16354 up to 8,500 mm (±15.00 mm) Width: DIN CEN/TS 16354 1,000 mm (±1.00 mm) Walking noise reduction: EPLF Norm WD 021029-5 up to 6% (±2%) Footstep noise reduction: DIN EN 16251-1 up to 15 dB (±2 dB) Thermal resistance: DIN CEN/TS 16354 0.01 m.sup.2K/W (suitable for underfloor heating) Residual indentation: (DIN EN 3385) <0.20 mm Resistance to pressure: DIN EN 826 >45 t/m.sup.2 (>450 kPa) Resistance to pressure-creep deformation: DIN CEN/TS 16354 >55 kPa Resistance to dynamic loads: DIN CEN/TS 16354 >100,000 cycles Resistance to impact: DIN CEN/TS 16354 ~750 mm Compensation of occasional unevenness: DIN CEN/TS 16354 ~0.55 mm Fire classification: DIN EN 13501-1 (without Efl top layer)

(15) This product can easily be cut to shape using a cutter. The product is permanently resistant to plasticizers and the adhesive layer exhibits low initial adhesion to allow any corrections that might be necessary. The adhesive action increases until complete solid bonding of the top layer. This underlay mat is suitable for use underneath PVC cuts (dryback), LPT, LUT and laminate systems.