Two Part Floor Covering

Abstract

A two part floor covering useful for entranceway is provided having a mat overlaying a base. A fastening system incorporating a mushroom-type fastener is provided, whereby the mat can be laid on the base and positioned as desired, without the fastening system engaging. When the mat is aligned with the base, downward pressure on the mat engages the fastening system and restricts the mat from slipping laterally or lifting vertically. Alignment and deployment of the textile component with the base component in an efficient manner is also described herein.

Claims

1. A method for installation of a floor mat comprising the following steps: (a) Providing a base component, wherein the base component contains at least one attachment means; (b) Providing a textile component, wherein the textile component is comprised of tufted pile carpet and contains at least one attachment means that works in corresponding relationship with the at least one attachment means of step a, and wherein the base component and the textile component are releasably attachable to one another via the at least one attachment means; (c) Aligning the textile component with the base component, wherein the step of aligning is accomplished via the use of at least one alignment or deployment mechanism; and (d) Deploying the textile component onto the base component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one attachment means is achieved via mechanical attachment of the textile component to the base component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein mechanical attachment is achieved via a fastening system that uses mushroom-type hook fasteners.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one alignment and deployment mechanism is selected from the group consisting of textile component configurations that reduce surface area, the use of a film material, the use of a sheeting material, and combinations thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of the mat component of the invention.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the base component of the invention.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the subject two part floor covering with the mat partially pulled back to expose the mushroom-type fastening system.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the mushroom-type fastening system.

[0026] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the subject two part floor covering with the mat partially pulled back to expose the projections extending from both the mat and the base.

[0027] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the projections extending from the tray section of the base component.

[0028] FIG. 7 is an expanded side view of a rolled up textile component ready for deployment to a base component comprising a multi-component floor mat.

[0029] FIG. 8 is a top perspective of one embodiment of an alignment and deployment mechanism in use with a multi-component floor mat.

[0030] FIG. 9A is a partial top perspective of another of an alignment and deployment mechanism in use with a multi-component floor mat.

[0031] FIG. 9B is an expanded planar view of the floor mat of FIG. 3A with a portion of the textile component pulled back from the base component to expose the alignment and deployment mechanism.

[0032] FIG. 10A is an expanded planar view of a properly aligned multi-component floor mat with corner attachment means.

[0033] FIG. 10B is an expanded view of the floor mat of FIG. 4A with the textile component pulled back to expose the corner attachment means.

[0034] FIG. 10C is a top perspective view of another embodiment of a properly aligned multi-component floor mat with corner attachment means.

[0035] FIG. 10D is an expanded side view of the corner attachment means of FIG. 4C.

[0036] FIG. 11A is a top perspective view of a properly aligned multi-component floor mat without corner attachment means.

[0037] FIG. 11B is partial view of a multi-component floor mat with the textile component partially pulled back showing the alignment and deployment mechanism and a variation of corner attachment means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] Without intending to limit the scope of the invention, the preferred embodiments and features are hereinafter set forth. All United States patents cited in the specification are incorporated herein by reference.

[0039] The two part floor covering has a textile mat component and a base component, which are combined by laying the mat over the base, in particular over the tray section of the base. When the base is provided with a border, the mat is seated within the border.

[0040] The present invention also provides the use of alignment and deployment techniques that rely upon temporary reduction in surface area of the textile and/or base component and/or temporary reduction in adherence force between the textile and base components in order to allow efficient installation of the textile component to the base component.

Textile Mat Component

[0041] The textile mat has pile yarns extending from a substrate. The yarns may be tufted into the substrate, as is well known in the art, and optionally secured with an adhesive or precoat, e.g. a hot melt material, applied to the underside of the substrate. The substrate may be a woven or nonwoven sheet, such as a slit-film woven polypropylene substrate or a melt-blown substrate made of a polyolefin, polyester or polyamide fiber, in particular a co-extruded polyester/nylon fiber, having a weight of 2 to 5 oz per yd.sup.2.

[0042] The yarn may be selected from natural and synthetic fibers and combinations thereof. By way of example, the yarn may be cotton, a polyamide, such as nylon, a polyester, such as PET, or a polyolefin, such as polypropylene.

[0043] The mat has a backing layer attached to the underside of the substrate. The backing layer may be a rubber or rubber-like sheet bonded to the substrate, for example, by vulcanization. The backing layer may also react with or be affixed by an adhesive or hot melt material. Examples of suitable compositions for the elastomeric sheet include neoprene rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, polyolefin elastomers, such as ethylene-propylene-diene, propylene elastomers and ethylene elastomers, and other thermoplastic elastomers, such as olefin containing elastomer, thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), poly ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), thermoplastic polyurethane, polyester copolymer elastomer, polyamide elastomer, flex PVC, chlorinated polyethylene. Alternatively, the backing layer may be formed by applying a molten or liquid composition to the substrate and curing the composition in situ. The backing layer may include various additives, as is known in the art. For example, thermoplastic resins designed to impart flexibility, strength, stiffness, etc. may be incorporated into the backing composition. In yet another embodiment, the backing layer may be a textile sheet, such as a nonwoven material, bonded to the substrate, which provides dimensional stability to the mat.

[0044] The weight of the yarn and substrate component of the mat may range from 15 to 50 oz/yd.sup.2, in particular from 15 to 35 oz/yd.sup.2. The backing component of the mat, which may be a latex back coating or a separate sheet laminated to the substrate/yarn components. The backing component may range in weight from 10 to 60 oz/yd.sup.2, in particular from 10 to 30 oz/yd.sup.2. Heavy duty prior art mats typically weigh about 130 oz/yd.sup.2. Thus, it can be understood that the present invention represents a significant weight reduction, with regard to the overall mat weight.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 1, mat 1 has cut pile yarns 2 tufted into substrate 3. Backing layer 4 is bonded to the underside of substrate 3.

Base Component

[0046] The base has a planar-shaped tray, which is sized to accommodate the mat. The base may also include a border surrounding the tray, whereby the border provides greater dimensional stability to the tray, for example, because the border is thicker, i.e. greater in height relative to the floor. Additionally, the border may be angled upward from its outer perimeter towards the interior of the base, so as to provide a recessed area where the tray is located, thereby creating a substantially level area between the inner perimeter of the border and the mat, when the mat overlays the tray. Additionally, the gradual incline from the outer perimeter of the border to the inner perimeter of the border minimizes tripping hazards and the recess created thereby protects the edges of the mat.

[0047] It can be understood that the base may be subdivided into two or more recessed trays, by extending a divider from one side of the border to an opposite side of the border, substantially at the height of the inner perimeter. Accordingly, it would be possible to overlay two or more mats in the recesses created in the base.

[0048] The base, including the border, may be formed in a single molding process as a unitary article. Alternatively, the border and the tray may be molded separately and then bonded together in a second operation. The tray and border may be made of the same or different materials. Examples of suitable compositions for forming the border and the tray are elastomers, such as natural and synthetic rubbers, thermoplastic and thermoset resins and metal.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 2, base 5 has tray 6 surrounded by border 7. Border 7 slopes gradually upward from outer perimeter 8 to inner perimeter 9, to create recess 10 within base 5, corresponding to the area of tray 6.

Two Part Floor Covering

[0050] The mat is placed on the base, overlaying the tray, to create the floor covering of the present invention. The mat can be readily removed for laundering or disposal and replaced with another mat, as desired. Various features are provided to improve the operation of the floor covering, especially with regard to inhibiting relative movement between the mat and the base when the floor covering is deployed on a floor, both with regard to horizontal movement (lateral shifting) and vertical movement (lifting). An advantage of the present invention is that the features employed to inhibit relative movement between the mat and base when the floor covering is in use do not interfere with mat replacement, which requires that the mat be readily shifted laterally and, as necessary, lifted, to position the mat relative to the base and remove wrinkles in the mat prior to deployment.

Mushroom-type Hook Fastener System

[0051] The mat may be temporarily affixed to the base by a mushroom-type fastener system. The system includes a mushroom-type hook strip characterized by a backing, an array of upstanding stems distributed across the face of the backing, with each of the stems having a mushroom head. The mushroom-type hook strips are typically provided as an integrally molded unit. A first mushroom-type hook strip can engage a second mushroom-type hook strip that is configured to interlock with the first strip to create a fastener system, with the first and second strips attached to the mat and base, respectively.

[0052] Alternatively, the mushroom-type hook fastener may engage a loop strip or the mushroom-type hook fastener can be directly fastened to a fabric that can be penetrated by the hooks. It can be understood that the mushroom-type hook fastener may be attached to the base and the loop fabric or the fabric cable of being penetrated by the mushroom-type hooks may be attached to the backing layer of the mat, or vice versa. In one embodiment of the invention, the mushroom-type hook fastener is attached to the base and the backing layer of the mat is a fabric capable of being penetrated by the hooks, such as a scrim or non-woven fabric.

[0053] It is not necessary for the entire surface of the mat and tray to be covered with the mushroom-type hook fastener system. Rather, for economy of manufacture and to balance the requirements of stabilizing the mat without making it overly difficult to separate the mat from the base for servicing, the mushroom-type hook fastener system may be spaced apart in discrete areas, for example spaced around the edges of the mat.

[0054] Examples of suitable mushroom-type hook fastener systems may be found in the following references: U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,183; U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,870; U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,635; U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,735; U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,396 B2; and US Published Patent Application No. 2014/0137377 A1. Commercial products include Microplast and Duotec fasteners, available from Gottlieb Binder GmbH & Co. KG, Dual Lock fasteners from 3M.

[0055] In the foregoing embodiment of the invention, the method of replacing a mat is a two-step process. The mat is first positioned to overlay the tray, within the border of the base. The relatively lightweight mat does not immediately engage the mushroom-type fastener system, which allows the mat to be moved laterally relative to the base by lateral movement, without the need to disengage the fasteners. Once the mat is properly positioned, an operator need only press down on the mushroom-type fastener system, for example, along the perimeter of the mat, to engage the fastener and inhibit relative movement between the mat and base. When the mat is to be replaced, an operator can simply peal back the mat, by lifting an edge.

[0056] Referring FIGS. 3 and 4, mat 11 overlays tray 12 of base 13. A corner of mat 11 is turned back to reveal mushroom-type fasteners 14 attached in discrete strips along the underside edge of mat 11 and mushroom-type fasteners 15 attached in discrete strips along tray 12, within border 16 of base 13. Mushroom-type fasteners 14 and 15 are arranged opposite each other and interlock to inhibit lateral and lifting movement of mat 11 relative to base 13. The mushroom-type fasteners may be attached to the mat and base by various methods known in the art, for example with an adhesive or by mechanical attachment, such as a rivet or high tenacity thread.

High Coefficient of Friction System

[0057] The relative lateral movement between the mat and the base may be inhibited by incorporating one or more of the following techniques to provide a high coefficient of friction between the backing layer and the tray. The techniques to increase the coefficient of friction between the mat and the base may be used alone or in conjunction with the mushroom-type fastening system described herein. Furthermore, where it is feasible, two or more of the techniques to increase the coefficient of friction between the mat and the base may be employed. [0058] 1. Textured Surface(s).

[0059] The surface of the backing layer, i.e. the underside, or the upper surface of the tray, or both can be textured. Broadly, the term texturing is intended to include any physical modification of the surface texture of a component to increase the coefficient of friction between the two surfaces. Of particular interest is texturing a surface to increase its roughness. In one embodiment, the backing layer or tray may be textured by calendaring against an embossed roll. Alternatively, the textured surface may be created by a clam press having an embossed surface.

[0060] In one embodiment, the surface of the backing layer, tray or both may be textured to create a granular surface. By way of example, a granular surface having a surface roughness of from 10 to 50 microns, as measured between the low and high points along the textured area, may be created to increase the coefficient of friction. [0061] 2. Complimentary Surfaces.

[0062] Of particular utility is to provide the surfaces of both the backing layer and the tray with complimentary surface structures, such that raised areas and valleys of the respective surfaces fit together. In one embodiment of the invention, the contact surface area between the mat and the tray is greater than the area covered by the mat itself, for example, because the mat and tray mesh together. The scale of the complimentary surfaces may be adjusted so that the force required to adjust the mat laterally relative to the tray is minimal, when a replacement mat is installed. In that regard, it is believed that the differences in height between raised areas and valley ranging from 10 to 50 microns are particularly useful in the present invention. [0063] 3. Surface Projections.

[0064] The coefficient of friction between the backing layer and the tray may be increased by providing one or both of the surfaces with projections. The projections may be rounded, such as nubs, or pointed, such as spikes. By way of example, the surface projections may extend from the surface of the backing layer or tray a distance of from 10 to 50 microns. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, mat 17 is shown on base 18, overlaying tray 19 within border 20. A corner of mat 17 is lifted to show nubs 21 projecting from backing layer 22. Tray 20 is provided with nubs 23 projecting from its upper surface. Referring to FIG. 6, nub 23 projects a distance d from the surface of tray 20. [0065] 4. Increase Surface Tack.

[0066] The coefficient of friction between the backing layer and the tray may be increased by providing one or both of the surfaces with a layer of tacky material. For example, the tacky material may be a hot-melt thermoplastic material, such as a polyolefin based elastomer, in particular, a propylene, ethylene or ethylene-vinyl acetate based elastomer. The tacky material may be a pressure sensitive adhesive, such as a double-side film.

Alignment and Deployment Mechanisms

[0067] FIG. 7 illustrates an alignment and deployment technique for floor mat 100 whereby textile component 110 is rolled up into a roll and then placed down on the base component 150. This alignment and deployment technique relies upon the property of surface area reduction between textile component 110 and base component 150. This may be achieved by rolling up the textile component prior to placing it (or deploying it) on the base component. When the textile component is rolled up into a fairly tight roll (with the face yarns rolled inward of the roll) and then the rolled up textile component is aligned on the base component, the total attractive force is so reduced that a service person or installer can slide the roll enough to allow good alignment with the base component using only the exposed end of the roll as a guide to align to the base component. This installation method relies upon reduction in surface area between the textile component and the base component.

[0068] Additional alignment and deployment techniques based upon masking or blocking properties are shown in FIGS. 8, 9A and 9B. FIG. 8 illustrates a portion of a floor mat with alignment/deployment means. Floor mat 200 is comprised of a textile component 210 rolled back upon itself. Between textile component 210 and base component 250 lies a sheet of material 275 used to aid in aligning and deploying textile component 210 onto base component 250. The sheet of material 275 is located under an upper portion 211 of textile component 210. The sheet of material 275 is wider than floor mat 200 and is shown overlapping the edges thereof.

[0069] FIG. 9A illustrates a portion of a floor mat with alignment/deployment means. Floor mat 300 is comprised of a textile component 310 rolled back upon itself. Between textile component 310 and base component 350 lies a sheet of material 375 used to aid in aligning and deploying textile component 310 onto base component 350. The sheet of material 375 is located under an upper portion 311 of textile component 310. In this embodiment, the sheet of material 375 is more narrow that the floor mat and therefore does not overlap the edges of floor mat 300. Note that in FIGS. 8, 9A and 9B, base component 250, 350 is flat (planar) and does not contain a recessed area (or tray); the base component 250, 350 is trayless.

[0070] FIG. 9B is the same FIG. 9A, except that entire floor mat is shown and textile component 310 is pulled back to expose sheet material 375.

[0071] The sheet of material 275, 375 is comprised of any film or sheeting material that provides masking or blocking properties to the attachment mechanisms incorporated into or onto the textile and/or base component. For example, the sheet of material may be comprised of cellulose-containing materials, such as paper; polymer films; and combinations thereof. Thus, this installation method utilizes a removable temporary mask that reduces the attractive force between the components comprising the floor mat. This is accomplished by using sheeting, film or paper material that is placed between the base component and the rolled up textile component, but only in the area where the rolled up textile component and the base component contact one another. Now that the total area is greatly reduced by the roll and the force per unit area is reduced by the mask, the ease of moving the roll around to achieve alignment is now even greater. Once alignment is achieved, the masking material is removed by pulling or sliding it out from between the components.

[0072] FIG. 10A illustrates a floor mat 400 comprised of textile component 410 aligned and deployed with base component 450. Corner attachment means 412 are provided as an attachment means for attaching textile component 410 to base component 450.

[0073] The corner attachment means 412 of FIG. 10A are shown in FIG. 10B in an expanded view. Textile component 410 is pulled back to expose the corner attachment means (e.g. corner grommets). Corner attachment means 412 are comprised of a male portion 416 and a female portion 418. The male portion 416 is intended to fit securely into female portion 418. FIG. 10B illustrates male portion 416 contained within base component 450 and female portion 418 contained within textile portion 410. However, it is understood that the inverse arrangement could also be suitable whereby the location of the male and female portions are reversed.

[0074] FIG. 10C is the same as FIG. 10A, except that corner areas 413 of textile component 410 are free from face yarns. Corner attachment means 412 are located in corner areas 413 that are free from face yarns. Corner attachment means 412 attach textile component 410 to base component 450.

[0075] Details of corner attachment means 412 are illustrated in FIG. 10D. As mentioned previously, corner attachment means 412 is comprised of male portion 416 and female portion 418. Female portion 418 is comprised of a cap portion 418a and a head portion 418b. Cap portion 418a is located on the surface of textile component 410 that contains face yarns. Head portion 418b is located on the surface opposite of cap portion 418a. Head portion 418b is inserted into cap portion 418a through an opening 419 in textile component 410 to form female portion 418. Male portion 416 is inserted upward through an opening 421 in base component 450. After female portion 418 is assembled of its cap portion 418a and head portion 418b, then male portion 416 may be inserted into female portion 418, thereby securing textile component 410 to base component 450.

[0076] FIGS. 11A-11C illustrate yet another embodiment of alignment and deployment techniques used in combination with corner attachment means. FIG. 11A shows a properly aligned and deployed multi-component floor mat 500 comprised of textile component 510 and base component 550. Note that no external corner attachment means are visible from the top perspective view. FIG. 11B is an expanded view of floor mat 500 of FIG. 11A with a portion of textile component 510 pulled back to expose sheet material 575. Sheet material 575 is one embodiment of the alignment and deployment mechanism of the present invention and is comprised of material as previously discussed herein. FIG. 11B further illustrates female corner attachment means 516 located in base component 550 and male corner attachment means 518 located in textile portion 510. Both attachment means are useful for aligning textile portion 510 with base component 550. Male corner attachment means 516 is adapted to fit snugly within the circumference of female corner attachment means 518. Female corner attachment means 518 is a hole in base component 550 having a depth that is in the range from 10% to 100% of the height of the base component. Male corner attachment means 516 are peg-like protrusions that fit snugly into the circumference of female corner attachment means 518.

[0077] In summary, the following alignment and deployment techniques may be used for installing the multi-component floor mat:

[0078] In the first case, it has been found that if the top half is rolled up in a fairly tight rollface inand then placed down on the base, that the total attraction force is so reduced that an installer can slide the roll enough to be able to get a good alignment with the base using the exposed end of the roll as a guide to align to the base. This method is mainly envisioned for small two part mats. Alignment marks can be put on the base to assist the top alignment.

[0079] The second method is to use the first method but coupled with a removable temporary mask that reduces the attractive force. This can be accomplished by using film or paper that is placed down on the base between the rolled up top and the base only in the area where the rolled up top will touch. Now that the total area is greatly reduced by the roll AND the force per unit area is reduced by the mask, then the ease of moving the roll around to achieve alignment is now even greater. Once alignment is achieved, the film or paper is slid out.

[0080] A third method, that is a refinement of the removable mask method, is to use a mask that is permanently installed and that selectively masks only the most critical areai.e. the area directly below the roll, and leaves the area near the mat edge alone. One still manually aligns the roll and its edge to the base, but now the alignment is relatively easy and can be done quickly.

[0081] A fourth method can be used in concert with any of the above methods or alone. This method relies on an alignment pins or grommets that can capture two or more of the carpet corners. The pins are located in either the base or top and associated with the pins are complementary holes in the top or base. Once inserted, the pins capture the other half of the carpet requiring such that the two halves cannot be separated without substantial force. Once captured, the top mat can be picked up and gently laid down in alignment with the base. If a mat top should become disturbed or misaligned in the field, it is relatively easy to realign by simply picking the top up and laying it back down. If used in concert with 1-3 above, alignment now becomes not only easy, but quick and precise. Furthermore if care is taken to ensure that the masked area is always below the alignment pins and is sufficient size so that if the top is picked up that where it drapes is masked, then alignment/deployment is always easy.

[0082] A fifth method is a refinement of number 4 whereby the attachment pins are hidden and not visible from the face of the mat top. Methods to accomplish this are tightly fitting grommets or strong magnets molded into or glued to the back of the top mat, or grommets with strong magnetsall associated with complimentary holes with or without magnets in the base. This method can also be used in association with any of the 1-3 methods.

[0083] While the Figures illustrate exemplary embodiments of the alignment and deployment methods for installing the multi-component floor mat of the present invention, certain other aspects and features are contemplated to be obvious variations of the invention described herein. For instance, two or four corner attachment means may be present in the floor mat as used for attaching the textile component to the base component. Further, any combination of alignment and deployment techniques may be used either singularly or combined with others. For example, the method of reducing the surface area of the textile component by rolling it up may be used in combination with the masking technique wherein a sheet of material is placed between the textile and base components to reduce the forces of attraction between the components.

[0084] There are, of course, many alternative embodiment and modifications of the invention intended to be included within the following claims. For example, instead of a mat having a pile yarn upper surface and a backing layer, the mat may be a nonwoven textile surface, a solid rubber material or a substrate having surface bristles, for example, bristles used to scrub dirt and mud from a person's shoes. In another embodiment of the invention, the base may be provided with a pocket or recess formed at the junction of the border and the tray. For example, the border may overhang the tray a short distanced to create a recess and the peripheral edge of the mat may be inserted in the recess.

[0085] Also within the scope of the invention is to provide a base with a border that can be clamped down on part or all of the peripheral edge of the mat. The clamping mechanism may include a clam-shell hinge between the border and the tray. Or, the border function as a snap-ring to engage the periphery of the tray. An O-ring may be inserted between the border and the tray components of the base, over the peripheral edge of the mat to create a seal and to grip the mat.