SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR MAGNETIC SURFACE COVERINGS

Abstract

The present invention pertains to the art of floor coverings, and, more particularly to an apparatus for use in securing floor covering units to an underlay and a method of manufacturing said floor covering units and said underlay. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus, method, and method of manufacturing magnetized floor covering units and magnetized underlays for securing magnetized floor covering units.

Claims

1) A system for manufacturing an underlayment, the system comprising: a hopper adapted to store a binding compound, the binding compound having an isotropic metallic component; an outlet adapted to dispense the binding compound in a thin sheet; a squeegee adapted to evenly distribute the binding compound; and an oven adapted to heat the binding compound to set the binding compound forming an underlayment.

2) The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a magnetizer adapted to magnetize the metallic component in the binding material forming a magnetic underlayment.

3) A system for manufacturing a magnetically receptive underlayment, the system comprising: a hopper adapted to store a binding compound, the binding compound having a magnetically receptive component; a set of nozzles adapted to dispense the binding compound in a single layer; a set of rollers adapted to evenly distribute and compress the binding compound; and a heating element adapted to heat the binding compound to set the binding compound forming a magnetically receptive underlayment.

4) A system for manufacturing a calendered isotropic underlay, the system comprising: a polymer mixture and a metallic compound mixture; a blender adapted to mix the polymer mixture and a metallic compound mixture to form an underlayment mixture; a fluxer adapted to heat the underlayment mixture; a set of forming rollers adapted to form the underlayment mixture into an underlayment sheet of a desired thickness; and a final set of rollers adapted to form a surface finish on the underlayment sheet.

5) The system of claim 3, further comprising a pulse magnetizer adapted to isotropically magnetize the underlayment sheet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] In order to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are referenced with like numerals. These drawings should not be construed as limiting the present invention, but are intended to be exemplary and for reference.

[0066] FIG. 1 is a side cross-section view of an embodiment of a carpet layer and magnetic underlay of the present invention.

[0067] FIG. 2 is a cutaway plan view of an embodiment of a carpet layer and magnetic underlay of the present invention.

[0068] FIG. 3 is a detailed cross-sectional view of a carpet layer and magnetic underlay of the present invention.

[0069] FIG. 4 is a simplified view of an embodiment of the process for manufacturing a magnetic underlay of the present invention.

[0070] FIG. 5 is a simplified view of an embodiment of the process for manufacturing a magnetized carpet layer of the present invention.

[0071] FIG. 6 is a side cross-section view of an embodiment of a wall frame, support layer, magnetic underlayment, and wall covering unit of the present invention.

[0072] FIG. 7 is a front view of three phases in the installation process of the present invention.

[0073] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of in interchangeable box system comprising modular floor and wall covering units according to the present invention.

[0074] FIG. 9 is a front view of a billboard having a magnetic layer and a plurality of modular decorative panels according to the present invention.

[0075] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a swimming pool having a magnetic underlayment and a modular liner panel according to the present invention.

[0076] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a typical row house and a row housing having modular magnetic wall and roofing panels according to the present invention.

[0077] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a cabinet installation having a magnetic layer for securing countertops having a magnetically attractive backing layer according to the present invention.

[0078] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an athletic field having a magnetic underlayment and a plurality of modular floor panels according to the present invention.

[0079] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a cubicle having magnetically attractive wall panels and modular decorative panels according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0080] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments as shown in the accompanying drawings. While the present invention is described herein with reference to the exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to such exemplary embodiments. Those possessing ordinary skill in the art and having access to the teachings herein will recognize additional implementations, modifications, and embodiments, as well as other applications for use of the invention, which are fully contemplated herein as within the scope of the present invention as disclosed and claimed herein, and with respect to which the present invention could be of significant utility.

[0081] With reference now to FIG. 1, a side cross-section view of an embodiment of an installed floor covering unit 100 comprising a floor covering layer 110 and magnetic underlay layer 120 is provided. The top layer is the floor covering layer 110. The floor covering layer 110 is placed on the magnetic underlay layer 120. The magnetic underlay layer 120 comprises the magnetized layer 122 and the vapor barrier 126. An embodiment of the process for producing the magnetic underlay layer 120 is shown in detail in FIG. 4 and an embodiment of the process for producing the floor covering layer 110 is shown in detail in FIG. 5.

[0082] With reference now to FIG. 4, an embodiment of the process 400 for manufacturing a magnetic underlay layer 120 is provided. Three primary components comprise the magnetic underlay layer 120: the fiberglass scrim component 123, shown in FIG. 3, from the roll of fiberglass scrim 410, the vapor barrier component 126 from the roll of silicone vapor barrier 420, and the semi-solid liquid blend124, shown in FIG. 3, from the hopper 430.

[0083] The magnetic underlayment 120 may be magnetized to a set number of poles according to the process 400. First, a scrim layer 123, made from fiberglass or various other suitable compounds and blends typically used in the industry, is unrolled from a roll 410 through a set of rollers 412 that stretch and apply a tension to the scrim layer 123. The bottom layer in this process may be a vapor barrier 126 unrolled from the roll 420. The vapor barrier 126 provides the underlayment 120 with moisture resistance. A blending of the compounds described above for the manufacture of a carpet layer, e.g., PVC, polypropylene, rubber, fiber glass, graphite, and various other compounds, is blended in the hopper 430. An additional metal, metallic, or ferro-magnetic compound which may comprise extra fine granules of iron powder or stainless steel powder or any other ferromagnetic alloy is also combined with the mixture in the hopper 430.

[0084] The underlay 120 is combined by first stretching the scrim 123 through rollers 412 and then passing the scrim over a conveyor belt 414 to the hopper 430 and the one or more nozzles 432 containing the compound blend. The blended raw materials compound with the additional blended alloys component is heated up to a semi solid form in the hopper 430 and is squirted onto the scrim layer 123 by the one or more nozzles 432. This layer of heated compound is shown as compound layer 124 in FIG. 3. The scrim 123 and compound 124 layers pass underneath a squeegee 434 to evenly distribute the compound layer 124 over the scrim layer 123. The squeegee 434 may also press the semi-solid compound layer 124 into the scrim layer 123. Optionally, an additional set of rollers may press the layers 123 and 124 together to form a cohesive layer of both scrim 123 and compound 124. The compound 124 and scrim 123 layers then pass through oven 440 to set the semi-solid compound layer 124. The underlayment is baked at a set temperature and passed through the oven 440 at the speed of assembly line belt, causing the compound 124 and scrim 123 layers meld together into the scrim and compound layer 127, shown in FIG. 3, and transition to a solid state.

[0085] After passing through the oven 440, a vapor barrier 126 unrolled from the roll 420 and tensioned by the rollers 422 is combined with into the scrim and compound layer 127 by the sandwich rollers 452. The now complete underlayment 120 then passes over a strong high powered magnet(s) roller 450, which may comprise Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB or NIB), Samarium Cobalt (SmCo), Alnico, Ceramic or Ferrite, or Super Magnet type magnets. In another embodiment the powered magnet roller 450 may be a pulse magnetizer. The alloy powder that is trapped in the now solid raw materials of the compound 124 and scrim 123 layers is polarized by passing over the magnetized rollers 450. This complete and magnetized underlayment 120 may then be rolled up and/or modularized.

[0086] With reference now to FIG. 5, an embodiment of the process 500 for manufacturing a magnetized carpet layer 110 is provided. First, a bonding agent is created by first blending either a proprietary or standardized blend of raw materials that may be either pelletized or powered or both in the hopper 530. The type of materials used may vary and depends on the intended use of the carpet but may include PVC, polypropylene, rubber, fiber glass, graphite, and various other compounds. A metallic alloy component is also added to the compound blend. The alloy component may be any iron, steel, or other suitable ferro-magnetic compound. Carpet or modular carpet for the carpet layer 112 is typically tufted and further comprises a primary backing as part of the carpet layer. Initially, the carpet 112 comprises the tufted fabric with a primary backing. The carpet enters the manufacturing line pre tufted and may be on a 12 or 15 roll 520. The carpet 112 is unrolled from the roll 520 is put through a series of rollers 522 to be stretched out to the desired tension. This tensioning reduces the likelihood of wrinkles forming in the finished carpet 110 when the secondary backing or scrim layer 114 is bound to the tufted fabric and primary backing of the carpet layer 112.

[0087] At the same time as the tufted fabric 112 is being tensioned by rollers 522, a scrim layer 114 is unrolled from a roll of scrim tape 510, which may comprise a fiberglass scrim tape, and tensioned by rollers 512. The pellet and powder mix described above is also blended and heated in the hopper 530 to form a semi solid compound that may have a viscosity and consistency similar to a caulking material. The fiberglass scrim tape 114, which is under a tension force and stretched flat on the assembly line 514, is constantly moving at a set forward speed through the assembly process.

[0088] The blended semi solid compound is squirted out of one or more nozzles 532 directly into a compound layer 116 onto the fiber glass scrim tape 114 and subsequently squeegeed by squeegee 534 to a desired height and thickness. The squeegeeing process may be guided by a set of edge dividers. The squeegeeing process causes the semi-solid compound 116 to join with and be pressed into the fiberglass scrim tape 114, forming a single fiber tape and semi-solid compound layer 115. This fiber glass scrim with the semi-solid compound layer 115 is then compressed beneath the tufted fabric layer 112 by a series of rollers 552 forming a sandwiched layer of tufted fabric and primary backing 112, semi-solid compound 116, and fiberglass scrim tape 114. After these components have been joined or bonded together by rollers 552, the layers are baked in an oven 550 at a constant temperature while still being moved along the assembly line.

[0089] The process 500 combines the alloy into the backing of the finished floor covering unit 110. However, after the baking in the oven 550 in the process 500, unlike after the baking in the process 400, the carpet layer 110 would not pass over a high powered magnet like magnet 450. After the baking process, one or more coatings may be applied to the now finished backing system and carpet roll. The finished product 110 may be kept in a roll or it could be cut into modular floor covering units. After the compression and baking stages of the process, the now finished carpet moves 110 may be laser cut. The cut carpet may also be buffed on the edges to remove the stray tufts of fabric and bits of scrim or fuzzies from said cut carpet.

[0090] In another embodiment, the underlay 120 or primary backing 112 and semi-solid compound 114 may be produced as a sheet of material that may be hot-pressed or otherwise combined with a top layer to produce a magnetic underlayment layer or magnetically receptive layer that may be applied to or combined with any other layer. In this embodiment the underlayment layer or magnetically receptive layer may be produced by a calendering method. A calender is a device used to process a polymer melt into a sheet or film. The same method may be used to make a magnetically receptive layer.

[0091] The calendar disperses a heat softened polymer (e.g., rubber, PVC) between two or more rollers to form a continuous sheet. To begin the process a polymer is first blended and fluxed. Blending is a process that creates the desired polymer and fluxing heats and works the blended polymer to a desired consistency. The polymer is then processed through the calender and is extruded at a thickness determined by the gap size between a final set of rollers. The final set of rollers also determine the surface finish (e.g., glossy, textured). A double sided peel and stick layer or other adhesive layer may also be added to the underlayment layer or magnetically receptive layer produced by the calendaring process. A cushion or other insulating layer may also be attached to the underlayment layer or magnetically receptive layer produced by the calendaring process. The underlayment layer or magnetically receptive layer produced by the calendaring process may be combined with another layer in a method similar to that shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0092] When the calendering method is used to produce a magnetic underlayment a blend of materials that may be magnetized must be added to the polymer mixture prior to forming the layer. One of iron powder, iron granules, steel granules, steel powder, anisotropic powder, isotropic powder, or strontium ferrite powder may be added to the polymer mixture. After the calendered layer is formed it may be magnetized. The calendered layer may then be magnetized by a pulse magnetizer or by a set of magnetic rollers.

[0093] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a method for installing the modular floor covering 110 using the magnetized underlayment 120 on a subfloor may be as follows.

[0094] The underlayment 120 would first be placed on the subfloor. The underlayment 120 may either float, that is not be secured, or may be directly glued to the subfloor. The vapor barrier 126 would be placed closest to the subfloor with the magnetized scrim layer 122 facing upwards, away from the subfloor. The carpet layer 110 with the embedded magnetically attractant layer, which may either be a rolled carpet layer or a set of modular flooring units, is placed or laid over the underlayment 120. Because of the alloy powder in the backing on the carpet layer 110, the carpet layer 110 will be significantly magnetically attracted to the underlayment 120. In this way the finished flooring 100 will not have to be seamed at all. The installation method according to present invention eliminates the need to seam (or hold in place) the carpet layer 110, which may be either modular flooring units or longer rolled goods carpet.

[0095] Installing a carpet layer 110 using the magnetized underlayment 120 provides several benefits over the prior art. First it solves the problem of curling floor tiles and broadloom. The carpet layer 110 will always lay flat due to the magnetic attraction between the underlayment 120 and the carpet layer 110. There will be no need to seam two pieces of carpet layer 110 together regardless of whether the carpet layer 110 is a modular floor covering unit or broadloom rolled goods carpet. With sufficient magnetization, the carpet layer 110 will resist tension forces from foot traffic, furniture, machinery, etc. on three axes.

[0096] This manufacturing method may be used for most floor covering applications and is not be limited to carpet based floor covering units. This same method with small variations may be used with, for example, magnetized underlayment and vinyl flooring; the powdered alloy may be applied to the backing or it may be added to the vinyl blend during the manufacturing process. A plasticizer or other compound or chemical may be added to the compound layer to enable the compound layer to either stick to or be embedded in the floor covering unit. This system may also be used in vinyl composition tiles (VCT), luxury vinyl tile (LVT) or luxury vinyl plank (LVP) tiles, as well as other various floor covering units including ceramic tiles, stone tiles, hardwood, laminate wood, engineered hardwood, and porcelain tiles. A similar modified method may also be used to manufacture hardwood floor coverings with an embedded magnetic or magnetized compound or with a magnetic or magnetized backing. A magnetic or magnetized compound or backing as described herein may be applied to any suitable floor covering. These non-carpet floor coverings with magnetic layers, backings, or embedded compounds may be installed in a manner similar to that used for installing carpet floor coverings.

[0097] With reference now to FIG. 6, a side cross-section view of an embodiment of a modular magnetic wall covering system 600 comprising a wall frame 1000, support layer 900, magnetic underlayment 800, and wall covering unit 800 of the present invention is provided.

[0098] The modular magnetic wall covering system 600 may use a support layer 900 comprising a wall board 910 that does not need to be finished and also does not need to be made from Gypsum. The wall board 910 of the present invention may be comprised of a lighter, thinner, board, which in a preferred embodiment is comprised of mineral wool. Mineral wool is a premium insulation productmade from volcanic rock melted at high temperatures and spun into a mat or batt of fine fibers. Mineral wool only burns at temperatures in excess of 850 Celsius so in effect is very resistant to fire and provides a fire barrier for a roof, walls, or floor. A mineral wool wall board 910 dramatically increases the fire rating and the R value for insulating and acoustics over a traditional gypsum drywall board. The support layer 900 does not have to be finished like a drywall board would. Because of this, the support layer 900 may comprise different materials than a typical drywall board. The support layer 900 may comprise a wall board 910 which may comprise mineral wool, a cover layer 930 which may comprise a fire retardant webbing, and an insulation layer 920 which may comprise acoustic dampening raw material sheeting. The cover layer 930, insulation layer 920, and wall board 910 may be incorporated into one sheet as a support layer 900 because the support layer 900 does not need to be the finish coat like drywall which must be hung, finished, primed, textured and then finally painted.

[0099] The magnetic underlayment 800 is disposed between the support layer 900 and the wall covering unit 700 and abuts the cover layer 930 of the support layer if one is used or the wall board 910 if no insulation layer 920 or cover layer 930 are used. The magnetic underlayment 800 may be attached to the wall board by a fastener, such as nails, stapes, screws, or clips, or by adhesives such as glues, silicone adhesives, etc. The magnetic underlayment may also be fastened to the support layer 900 and/or the wall frame 1000 by a fastener device 600 shown in FIG. 2. The magnetic underlayment 800 may be anisotropic or isotropic magnetic sheeting. The magnetic underlayment 800 is applied over the support layer 900. Optionally, the magnetic underlayment 800 may be incorporated into the support layer 900 in a single board removing the need to separately attach, hang, or affix the magnetic underlayment o the support layer 900. The support layer 900 and magnetic underlayment 800 together as a single board have a high R value and substantially reduce unwanted noise pollution and echo.

[0100] In the support layer 900, mineral wool with a hardening additive such as fiberglass may be used to give the board comparable stiffness to a gypsum board. Not only does mineral wool have desirable acoustic properties, but the magnetic underlayment 800, which may comprise anisotropic powder for stronger magnetic remanence, but may be isotropically independent to the magnetically receptive material, is an additional sound barrier in the system. Mineral wool is an inert material and provides many advantages when used in building construction. Mineral wool insulation may be made from basaltan igneous rock.

[0101] A support layer 900 primarily comprised of mineral wool or slag wool would eliminate most mold and/or moisture issues that result from trapped moisture under flooring materials. In high rise construction, currently wall construction cannot begin until the building has been hung with the exterior glass and cast materials. This is because of problems that exist with typically used gypsum based walls. Furthermore, dehumidifiers and/or heaters must be brought into the building process for gypsum walls in the winter/summer to remove the conditions that allow for mold growth and provide the ability to allow the seaming of the gypsum boards to dry in an acceptable time frame. The ability to work on the inside of a building before the outside of the building is finished using a mineral wool support layer 900 will result in time and monetary savings in construction.

[0102] The outer layer is the wall covering unit 700 which is the finish coat. The wall covering unit 700 may be manufactured in a manner similar to a resilient flooring product. The wall covering unit 700 may have an attractant layer 720 hot pressed as a backing to a decorative surface layer 710. The top layer or outer layer of the modular magnetic wall covering system 600 is the decorative surface layer 710, the Decor layer. The decorative surface layer 710 may be made to imitate the appearance of any surface or covering type. The finish of the decorative surface layer 710 may be virtually any finish as desired by the end user such as tile, plaster, wood, slate, granite, flat or matte color, wall paper, Venetian plaster, traditional wainscoting and trim wood, brands, art etc. Since there is no traffic on the modular wall covering unit 700, it may be manufactured thinner than a similarly sized modular floor covering unit.

[0103] With reference now to FIG. 7, a front view of three phases in the installation process of the modular magnetic wall covering system 600 of the present invention is provided. The wall frame 1000 comprising a set of wood, metal, or plastic frame members 510 is the support structure for the modular magnetic wall covering system 600. A support layer 900 comprising only a wall board 910 is secured to the frame using fasteners 940 which may be screws, nails, staples, or other suitable fastening means. The magnetic underlayment 800 is affixed to the support layer 900 and would be disposed on the front of the surface layer 900 and behind the back of the modular wall covering units 700. As described herein, the magnetic underlayment may be affixed to the support layer 900 by fasteners such as fastening units 600 or by adhesives. Fastening units 1100 may be preferred over adhesives to provide additional support for the weight of the magnetic underlayment 800 and wall covering units 700 to prevent sagging or drooping. The wall covering units 700 with decorative outer layers 710 may be placed on the magnetic underlayment 800 after the magnetic underlayment 800 is affixed to the support layer 900. Additional trim pieces such as trim piece 1200 may be used to hide seams, provide additional support, or provide decoration. The trim piece 1200 may be placed anywhere along the magnetic underlayment 800 including at the middle as a wainscoting or chair rail, at the top as a crown molding, or at the bottom as a baseboard.

[0104] The modular magnetic wall covering system 600 of the present invention is not limited to being used on boards such as the support layer 900 or in new construction. The modular magnetic wall covering system 600 of the present invention may be used on any suitable magnetic underlayment 800. The magnetic underlayment 800 may be installed on existing wall boards such as drywall or on ceilings or other existing walls or surfaces. For example, a magnetic underlayment 800 may be installed on the collapsible walls of a convention center divider or above doors, openings, or walkways. A wall covering unit 700 could then be easily placed and removed on the magnetic underlayment 800 as desired.

[0105] With reference now to FIG. 8, a perspective view of a room having an interchangeable box system 1300 is provided. The interchangeable box system 1300 combines features of the wall covering system 600 and modular floor covering 100. The magnetic underlayment 800 on the walls is adapted to receive wall covering units 700, trim pieces 1200, and may also be adapted to mount additional fixtures such as television 1310 either directly or by a frame or other supporting structure affixed to the television and magnetically secured on the underlayment 800. The floor of the interchangeable box system 1300 comprises the underlayment 120 and a set of floor covering layers 110. A room implementing the interchangeable box system 1300 may have any aspect of the floors or walls changed and redecorated with minimal effort and would not require demolition or tear down of existing decorations or fixtures. To construct a room with the interchangeable box system 1300 a support layer 900, shown in FIG. 7, would be attached to a wall frame. The magnetic underlayment 800 could be attached to the support layer, the support layer could be impregnated with a magnetic component, a magnetic underlayment 800 could be laminated to the exterior of the support layer 900, or the support layer 900 could be fully coated in a magnetically attractive coating. Wall covering units 700, trim pieces 1200, and other fixtures may then be magnetically, semi-permanently, and releaseably secured to the magnetic underlayment 800. The underlayment 120 for the modular floor covering 100 may be secured to a supporting surface as described hereinabove. Floor covering units 110 may then be placed on the underlayment 120. Additionally, a magnetic underlayment may be attached to a ceiling in a similar manner to the underlayment 800 on the walls. Ceiling tiles may be secured to the ceiling underlayment in a similar manner to the wall covering units 700.

[0106] The magnetic underlayment 800 and underlayment 120 may have the following properties: thickness of 0.060 inches (1.52 mm), hardness of Shore D60, specific gravity of 3.5, a shrinkage 1.5% caused by heating at 158 F for seven days, tensile strength of 700 psi (49 Kg/cm2), and may have parallel poles (north south) along the length at 2.0 mm intervals. The floor covering unit 110 and wall covering unit 600 may have a magnetically isotropic receptive material laminated onto the surface to be placed on the underlayment 120 or magnetic underlayment 800 respectively while the underlayments may either use an anisotropic or istropically magnetized flexible layer laminated onto or incorporated in the underlayment at the time of manufacture. Specifically, the manufacturing process described above in FIGS. 4 and 5 may use pulse magnetization to isotroprically magnetize the underlayment 120 or magnetic underlayment 800. Pulse magnetization utilizes a coil and a set of capacitors to create short pulse bursts of energy to slowly increase the magnetic field and to completely penetrate the underlayment 120 or magnetic underlayment 800. The pulse magnetization may also be used to anisotropically magnetize the underlayment 120 or magnetic underlayment 800 if desired.

[0107] If the magnetically attractive layer is incorporated into the underlayment 120 or underlayment 800, a dry mixture of strontium ferrite powder and rubber polymer resin (e.g., rubber, pvc, or other like materials to make a thermoplastic binder), is mixed, calendered and ground then formed by a series of rollers to give it the correct width and thickness. The material is then magnetized on one side only as shown above in FIG. 4.

[0108] The magnetic performance of bonded magnets is limited by the amount of polymer used (typically between 20-45% by volume) as this significantly dilutes the remanence of the material. In addition, the melt-spun powder has an isotropic microstructure. The dilution effect is overcome by incorporating an anisotropic magnetic powder. By inducing texture in the magnetic powder or milling it to a fine micrometer-scale particle size, and then preparing the magnet in an aligning field, the bonded magnet can then have an enhanced remanence in a particular direction. In the present invention, the magnetic underlayment, such as underlayment 120 or underlayment 800, is magnetized directionally to give it a stronger remanence. However, the magnetically receptive sheeting is not pole oriented and therefore does not need to be oriented in any one direction. The optimal temperature range for long term durability of the underlayment 120 or underlayment 800 is from 95 C to 40 C.

[0109] For an extruded flexible magnet, the flexible granular material is heated until it begins to melt and is then forced under high pressure using a screw feed through a hardened die which has been electrical discharge machine (EDM) wire eroded to have the desired shape of the finished profile. Flexible magnets can be extruded into profiles which can be coiled into rolls and applied or combined as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The non-magnetized face of a flexible magnet may be laminated with a double sided adhesive tape, or laminated with a thin vinyl coating so that a printed layer may be applied. An attached cushion may also be applied for flooring purposes. Anisotropic permanent flexible magnets may have a Residual Magnetic Flux Density (Br) of T(G): 0.22 to 0.23 or (2250-2350) and a Holding Power (BHC) of 159 to 174 kA/m or 2000-2180 (Oe) while Isotropic permanent flexible magnets have a residual magnetic flux density (Br) of 0.14 to 0.15 T or 1400-1550 (G) and a holding power(BHC) of 100 to 111 kA/m or 1250-1400 (Oe). An Anisotropic permanent flexible magnet may be 40% stronger in magnetic remanence then an Isotropic one.

[0110] For the floor covering units 110 and wall covering units 700, the magnetically receptive material of the attractant layer 720 or semi-solid compound 116, shown in FIGS. 6 and 3 respectively, may have the following properties: a thickness of 0.025 inches (0.64 mm), a hardness of Shore D60, a specific gravity of 3.5, a shrinkage 1.5% caused by heating at 158 F for seven days, tensile strength of 700 psi (49 Kg/cm2), and a hold strength of 140 grams/cm2.

[0111] In the interchangeable box system 1300 all components are quasi permanently secured to the underlayment. Due to the immense surface area the magnetic resonance between the underlayment 120 or underlayment 800 and the floor covering unit 110 or wall covering unit 700, the materials have an extremely strong bond, making the installation quasi permanent. However, the bond may be broken by catching a corner and prying upwards to break the bond, thereby allowing the floor covering unit 110 or wall covering unit 700 to be changed on demand, something currently unavailable with any existing technology. In the interchangeable box system 1300, any building material with a flat backing (for optimal magnetic remanence) can be utilized in this system. A floor covering unit 110 made from wood, for example, may also be utilized as a wall covering unit 700 or vice versa.

[0112] The ability to remove any piece at any given time during the construction process is highly desirable. If a wall panel 700 in the interchangeable box system 700 does not match correctly or needs to be trimmed, as may be the case in many installations, one can simply remove a wall piece 700 and reattach on demand with no abatement.

[0113] In the Flooring industry, the prevailing method of seaming a rolled carpet requires affixing a tack strip on the perimeter of the room, hot melt taping the seams and stretching or tensioning the rolled floor covering to keep the product in place. This allows for product failure by the actual carpet delaminating due to tension (primary backing of the flooring pulling away from the secondary backing), heat distortion of the finished goods, peaking of the seam, etc. There are many ways that the conventional method can fail. The system 1300 eliminates all of these failures and eliminates the need for tackstrip, as the floor covering unit 110 no longer has to be tensioned. Magnetic remanence due to immense surface area, prevents the floor covering unit 110 from peaking or moving under stress.

[0114] In the event that an existing wall or a new construction wall has a defect; such as a bow or concave limiting magnetic remanence, one could simply use a double sided magnetically receptive and magnetic backed shim to alleviate the problem as an accessory to the interchangeable box system. The floor covering units 110 and wall covering units 700 can provide different designs, logos, textures, colors, acoustic properties, reflective properties, or design elements in a room. The floor covering units 110 and wall covering units 700 may also incorporate corporate or other branding or sponsorship information and may be used for advertising or as signage. Homeowners, business owners, or designers may change out any aspect of any room using the interchangeable box system 1300 on demand at any time.

[0115] The flexible nature of the interchangeable box system 1300 would also provide benefits in the film, television, and theatre industries. In these industries, TV sets, movie sets and the like are built in a modular fashion and typically emulate a real location in a more cost effective manner. Unfortunately these sets are built for their specific use on a frame and then that frame must be stored for another like use of the same set or a new set must be built each and every time to suit the scene. With the interchangeable box system 1300, it would be highly cost effective and highly beneficial to change the scene of a room on demand utilizing the same frames. It is also cost effective in large studios that must have a western town set for a first scene and then a New York City set for another scene. The ability to use the same frames but change the wall coverings 700 and floor covering units 110 to simulate what is needed would be desirable and cost effective.

[0116] With reference now to FIGS. 9 to 14, several additional embodiments of the present invention are provided.

[0117] FIG. 9 provides a front view of a billboard 1400 having a frame 1410 supported by a support pillar 1430. One or more magnetically attractive panels 1420 are secured to the frame 1410. A plurality of modular magnetic decorative panels 1440, 1442, and 1440 may be installed on the magnetically attractive panels 1420. The magnetically attractive panels 1420 may be constructed in a manner similar to the support panels 900 and magnetic underlayment 800 described above and the modular magnetic decorative panels 1440, 1442, and 1440 may be similar to the wall panels 700 or modular floor covering units 110. When the modular magnetic decorative panels 1440, 1442, and 1440 are placed on the attractive panels 1420 a design or designs 1450 will be formed from the outward face of the modular magnetic decorative panels 1440, 1442, and 1440. In a typical billboard, poster panels are pasted onto a billboard frame. Once an advertising campaign is finished or the panels need to be changed, the poster panels are covered with the next advertisements image. Hand-painted billboards are painted on plywood panels that are secured to the frame. Once the campaign is complete, the plywood panels are whitewashed in preparation for the next design. Replacing designs or images on existing billboards is time consuming and expensive and requires constant maintenance. The billboard 1400 of the present invention provides a magnetic interchangeable system that allows a stronger bond using magnetic remanence. A flexible magnetic sheeting can be adhered to an underlying substrate, laminated to the substrate as one board or any other suitable configuration to form the panels 1420. A flexible magnetically receptive sheeting with and adhered printable vinyl or other suitable material comprise the modular magnetic decorative panels 1440, 1442, and 1440.

[0118] The strong magnetic remanence provided by the present invention reduces the possibility of failure due to the strength of the magnetic bond. The billboard 1400 may also incorporate LED, OLED, LCD, or electroluminescence embedded in the thermoplastic binder of the modular magnetic decorative panels 1440, 1442, and 1440 and controlled by a controller board in the billboard 1400. This could enable spot lighting and sequencing of artwork, logos etc. in the modular magnetic decorative panels 1440, 1442, and 1440.

[0119] FIG. 10 provides a perspective view of a swimming pool 1500 having a magnetic underlayment 1520 and modular liner panels 1530 placed on the exterior surface 1510 of the pool 1500. A ferrite material encased in a polymer binder may also be added into the structure of the exterior surface 1510 to eliminate the need for a magnetic underlayment 1520. In this configuration the liner panels 1530 would need to be magnetically attractive. The magnetic underlayment 1520 may either be laminated into the surface 1510 itself, or adhered as a lining. The panels 1530 could have magnetically receptive sheeting as the base layer of the flexible panel and may be made from printable vinyl or any other material. The panels 1530 could also have ferrite in the extruded mix trapped in a polymer to make the ferrite impervious to rust or any other configuration of materials. The panels 1530 may have designs that resemble traditional tile, patterns, brands, word art, or any other feature that a consumer would desire. The panels 1530 may also incorporate LED, OLED, LCD, or electroluminescence embedded in the thermoplastic binder.

[0120] FIG. 11 provides a perspective view of a typical row house 1600 having a standard exterior 1602 and a row house 1700 having an exterior 1702 with a modular front facade 1712 and modular roof 1720. One or more modular panels 1710 may be used on the modular front facade 1712. The panels 1710 may comprise a magnetically receptive layer and the facade 1712 may comprise a flexible magnetic sheeting attached to a support structure or may comprise a supporting surface with an embedded ferromagnetic layer. The modular roof 1720 may comprise a flexible magnetic sheeting attached to a support structure or may comprise a supporting surface with an embedded ferromagnetic layer. Roofing tiles 1730 may be magnetically secured to the roof 1720. Additionally, magnetically secured flashing 1734 and gutters or drain spouts 1732 may also be attached to the modular roof 1720. The roof 1720 may either comprise a magnetic layer adhesively secured to a substrate or a substrate layer having magnetic properties such as a mineral wool board with a magnetic coating. The magnetic layer or outer surface of the roof 1720 is water resistant because of the thermoplastic binder that encapsulates the strontium ferrite powder in the underlayment or finish coat. The magnetic sheeting thickness for the roof 1720 is determined based on the magnetic remanence desired. For example, a wind shear strength to withstand a category 5 hurricane before failure. A modular roof 1720, would be made from safer, environmentally conscious products and would be easy to recycle. Builders and users would be able to obtain green credits for a building system that is not only safer to construct (on the installation side) easier to install, easier to replace and cleaner for the environment, giving the end user endless choices for an overall cheaper product than is currently available.

[0121] FIG. 12 provides a perspective view of a cabinet system 1800 having a magnetic layer 1810 for securing countertops 1820 having a magnetically attractive backing layer. The system 1800 may further comprise a magnetic layer 1812 for securing a backsplash 1822 and a plurality of cabinet doors 1852 that may have magnetically attractive layers on the exteriors of the doors. A sink cutout 1824 may be placed in the countertop 1820 and magnetic layer 1810. The top of the cabinets 1850 may be laminated with independently directional magnetic sheeting to form the magnetic layer 1810 as a one board system or the magnetic layer 1810 could also be glued independently of the substrate or any other configuration. If a tile product is used then the independently directional magnetic sheeting of the magnetic layer 1810 can be adhered to the top of the cabinets 1850 as one unit. If a ceramic tile product is used, a non-sanded grout (which would provide additional support to a tile countertop) can be used. When removal is desired for renovation or if breakage of a tile were to occur, a knife can be utilized to cut the non-sanded grout in between the tiles and the individual tile or the entire countertop 1820 can be removed in a simple, quick and nondestructive manner. A magnetically receptive sheeting can be applied to the backside of the countertop 1820, whether that layer is a solid piece of granite, a tile, Formica or any other material that constitutes a finished countertop. The magnetic bond will have enough magnetic remanence to hold tremendous weight in place because of the large surface. This enables the replacement of a countertop 1820 by only changing the countertop 1820 in a nondestructive way saving any underlying substrate(s) and cabinets1850 from harm. The cabinet system 1800 enables an end user to modernize their countertops 1820 with minimal effort, saves a significant amount of time on installation and offers interchangeability, something not currently possible with the prevailing bonding and installation methods.

[0122] FIG. 13 provides a perspective view of a modular athletic surface 1900 having a magnetic underlayment 1910 and a plurality of modular floor panels 1920 forming a floor pattern 1922. For example if a sports complex has a sports surface, they currently know the dimensions of that space. With a modular magnetic surface 1900, the same space could be utilized for multiple purposes. For example, the sports facility could have an indoor tennis court with the modular floor panels 1920 being a specific color, texture, brands, logos, word art, and lines all in a single rolled sheeting, much like a resilient flooring product or sheet good, or in a set of modular panels. When the area is finished for a given day or use, the floor panels 1920 could be rolled up or removed for storage and a completely new set of floor panels 1920 could be installed quickly for a basketball court for example or any other configuration desired. The ability to have a quasi permanent set of floor panels 1920 that can be changed to meet the demands of the desired facility would be highly beneficial. This athletic surface 1900 may also be rubberized for use in playgrounds or play areas.

[0123] FIG. 14 provides a perspective view of a cubicle 2000 having magnetically attractive inner 2020 and outer 2022 walls attached to a frame 2010 and modular decorative panels 2030. The cubicle 2000 may also comprise a desk surface 2040, cabinet 2050, shelf 2052, and drawers 2054. A cubicle is typically made from an alloy, is modular in design, has legs for support, conduit for wiring, and units can be configured in numerous ways and are adaptable for changing office needs. Panels may be free-standing or attached directly to ready-made. Existing panel surface options provide sound absorption, visibility, and tackable surfaces with a fabric or laminated covering. In the cubicle 2000 of FIG. 14, an isotropically independent magnetic sheeting is applied to the outside of the interior 2020 and exterior 2022 walls of the individual pieces that comprise the cubicle 2000. In existing cubicles fabric is typically glued to the frame or the outside covering is a permanent laminated composite. As described with respect to FIG. 8, the independent magnetic orientation of the sheeting can either be glued or otherwise attached directly to the walls 2020 and 2022 or fastened directly the frame 2010 that is magnetically receptive in nature. The cubicle 2000 enables a business, corporation or individual to change the look and feel and the office environment to adapt to their needs, or corporate changes in logos and designs, events etc. An individual working inside of the cubicle would have the ability to design the inside with any covering that may be secured to the magnetic walls 2020 and 2022. For example, an employee of a corporation could print a photo, secure it to a magnetically receptive thin sheeting and then secure the photo the interior wall 2020. A business or corporation could change the exterior wall 2022 of the cubicle 2000 to suit corporate uniformity needs and demands.

[0124] While the invention has been described by reference to certain preferred embodiments, it should be understood that numerous changes could be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concept described. Also, the present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. It is fully contemplated that other various embodiments of and modifications to the present invention, in addition to those described herein, will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Thus, such other embodiments and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the following appended claims. Further, although the present invention has been described herein in the context of particular embodiments and implementations and applications and in particular environments, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that its usefulness is not limited thereto and that the present invention can be beneficially applied in any number of ways and environments for any number of purposes. Accordingly, the claims set forth below should be construed in view of the full breadth and spirit of the present invention as disclosed herein.