Aesthetic Floor Covering System

Abstract

Moulded floor covering system for acoustic attenuation of an automotive vehicle comprising a surface layer, a thermoplastic elastomeric base layer with a density of at least 0.5 kg/m3, and a decoupling layer, characterised in that the facing layer comprises an adhesive layer jointed to the surface of the base layer and an adherent pile of fibrous flock standing substantially on end in the adhesive forming the surface coverage.

Claims

1. Moulded floor covering system for acoustic attenuation of an automotive vehicle, comprising: a surface layer; a thermoplastic elastomeric base layer with a density of at least 0.5 kg/m3; a decoupling layer; and wherein the facing layer comprises an adhesive layer jointed to the surface of the base layer and an adherent pile of fibrous flock standing substantially on end in the adhesive forming the surface coverage.

2. The moulded floor covering system according to claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing layer adjacent and bonded to the elastomeric base layer, and whereby the reinforcing layer is at least one of a nonwoven scrim layer, a textile layer and a fibrous layer.

3. The moulded floor covering system according to claim 1, whereby the adhesive layer is water based adhesive or acrylic based adhesive.

4. The moulded floor covering system according to claim 1, whereby the adhesive layer has an area weight of between 150 and 300 g/m2.

5. The moulded floor covering system according to claim 1, whereby the thermoplastic elastomeric base layer is impervious and comprises at least inorganic filler and whereby the total filler content is between 65 and 95% by weight.

6. The moulded floor covering system according to claim 1, whereby the impervious elastomeric base layer is made of a thermoplastic material selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, polypropylene, thermoplastic elastomer, thermoplastic rubber and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or any combination of the foregoing.

7. The moulded floor covering system according to claim 1, whereby the fibrous flock comprises solid staple fibers with a length of between 1.5 and 3.5 mm.

8. The moulded floor covering system according to claim 1, whereby the fibrous flock is made of polyamide or polyester.

9. The moulded floor covering system according to claim 1 whereby the fibrous flock has an area weight of between 100 and 500 g/m2, preferably not more than 400 g/m2.

10. The moulded floor covering system according to claim 1, whereby the abrasion is at least 6000 cycles as measured with the Taber test according to ISO SAE J1530.

11. The moulded floor covering according to claim 1, whereby at least 6% and not more than 15% of the fiber length is within the glue for the majority of the fibers.

12. The moulded floor covering according to claim 1, with the height of the fibers sticking out of the adhesive layer forming the pile is between 1.2 and 3 mm.

13. A method of using a moulded floor covering according to claim 1, as a sound insulating floor covering on the main floor of an vehicle with a diesel or petrol engine, battery electric vehicle, hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, or an autonomous driving vehicle.

14. A method of producing the moulded floor covering according to claim 1, comprising: providing a moulded part with at least a thermoplastic face layer, an optionally reinforcing layer and a decoupling layer, whereby all layers are laminated together and formed into the final shape; applying at least once the wet additive to the surface of the thermoplastic base layer facing away from the decoupling layer; applying the flock fibers using electrostatic means such that the fibers are substantially perpendicular to the surface of the thermoplastic base layer and are anchored within the glue layer at least with 6% of the fiber length; and drying the trim part such that the adhesive becomes solidified.

Description

[0080] FIG. 1 is showing a typical moulded floor covering system for acoustic attenuation of an automotive vehicle according to the invention comprising a thermoplastic elastomeric base layer 3 and a decoupling layer 4. It further comprises a surface layer consisting of an adhesive layer 2 jointed to the surface of the base layer 3 and an adherent pile of flock fibers 1 standing substantially on end in the adhesive 2 forming the surface coverage. The flock fibers are positioned substantially perpendicular to the surface of the elastomeric base layer.

[0081] In the following examples of the surface performance are given.

EXAMPLE 1

[0082] A thermoplastic elastomeric base material was formed of polyolefin elastomer (POE) with 80% filler content calendared into a thin flat layer of roughly 1000 g/m.sup.2. The surface was flamed to eliminate any impurities or release agents. The wet adhesive was applied with an initial area weight of 333 g/m.sup.2. Polyamide 6 fibers with a length of 2.5 mm and 11 dtex fineness were used as fiber flock. The fiber flock was applied perpendicular to the surface using a hand held electrostatic flocking machine. The sample was dried and measured for weight and abrasion performance.

[0083] The final flock with an area weight of 259 g/m.sup.2 gave a good surface coverage and a nice haptic soft touch. The amount of adhesive after drying was found to be 171 g/m.sup.2.

[0084] Surprisingly the abrasion already reach an average of 6168 cycles before a failure could be observed (failure means that the background in our case the elastomeric layer can be observed)

EXAMPLE 2

[0085] A second example was made in the same manner as example 1, with same base layer material and adhesive. On an average of 3 samples the 210 g/m.sup.2 initial wet adhesive was applied and 104 g/m.sup.2 was measured after drying.

[0086] Polyamide 6 fibers with a length of 2.5 mm and 17 dtex fineness were used as fiber flock.

[0087] Also here the fibers gave a good coverage, nice and pleasant aesthetics and haptic. The fiber area weight measured was on average 288 g/m.sup.2 and the final adhesive after drying was around 104 g/m.sup.2. For this example an even higher wear performance was observed with an average of 11734 cycles before the surface failed.

[0088] Although this sample has less weight of fibers and adhesive compared to example 1, it performed better in the wear test.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE

[0089] A state of the art needle punched nonwoven moulded carpet sample with a 400 g/m.sup.2 fibrous surface only achieved 850 cycles in comparison.

[0090] A state of the art polyester tufted carpet surface achieved 4900 cycles before failure with a standard surface weight of between 300 to 700 g/m.sup.2.

[0091] From these samples it can be seen that using the moulded floor covering according to the invention would enhance the optics and haptic as well as the wear in comparison to standard used floor systems.