Mat and mat-base assembly

© Patent Holder (s): Duskin Franchise Co., Ltd. in Osaka, Japan.

Avg .: Ir. Th.AHJ Smulders cs Vereenigde Octrooibureaux Nieuwe Parklaan 97 2587 BN The Hague.

© Application No. 8100321.

© Filed January 23, 1981.

© Claimed priority from 27 August 1980.

© Priority country (s): Japan (JP).

© Number (s) of the priority application (s): Nr. 117041/80.

© Made available for inspection April 1, 1982.

© Disclosed April 18, 1994.

© Released September 16, 1994.

August 19, 1994.

Mat-underlay combination

The invention relates to a mat-underlayment combination, the latter comprising an entirely elastomeric polymer sheet, a protruding strip formed on the periphery of the sheet as well as on the inside of said protruding part mat-containing part and a dust-fighting mat, provided in said mat-containing part is present.

A doormat is usually used to prevent dust from entering. This dust-fighting mat is applied and maintained in a predetermined place, such as near the door, which mat should not be easily moved, even when rubbed vigorously with the sole of a shoe or when several people walk in and out. Furthermore, the end or corner portion of the mat should not easily peel or curl.

Preferably, in order to meet these requirements, a combination of such a dust-fighting mat and a mat-bearing base layer is used. Such a mat-underlay combination is known from the German "Oftenlegungsschritt" 2,647,113.

However, if the mat is placed in such a protruding piece formed on the periphery of the base layer without further measures, the object of preventing the mat from moving or the corner portion from curling up is not satisfactorily achieved. Such mats often employ a system in which a mat is rented to a user for a period of time, the used mat is washed and regenerated by an oil impregnation treatment and the like, after which the regenerated mat is re-rented to a user. When this cycle of use and regeneration has been repeated many times, the mat shrinks and it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to keep the circumferential size of the mat in accordance with the size of the protrusion of the basecoat. In view of this, it is preferred that a temporary anchoring mechanism be positioned between the mat and the backing layer.

As such a temporary anchoring mechanism, a so-called magic tape is often used, i.e. a combination of an anchoring element which comprises coupling pieces implanted on a base fabric, as well as a fiber loop element. With such a mechanism, good results can be achieved when soft materials, such as fiber fabrics, are joined, but if this tape is applied to the above mat-underlay combination, this anchoring mechanism has no satisfactory durability and after the mat has been attached and detached several times , go back quickly.

It is a main object of the invention to provide a mat-underlay combination in which the aforementioned drawbacks are overcome.

Thus, the invention relates to a mat-underlayment combination comprising an anchoring mechanism for a underlayment and a mat that can be detached, the anchoring mechanism comprising an element having connectors implanted in a base fabric secured to the sheet and a fiber loop element, which said connectors are connectable and sewn on the mat, wherein an edge portion of the peripheral portion of the anchoring element is melt-bonded to the underlay sheet, while in the central portion of the anchoring element, the connectors are left in their original state and the melt joining of the edge portion and sheet is performed at a temperature is higher than the softening point of the polymer of the sheet, but lower than the softening point of base fabric of the connectors.

German patent application 2,647,113 describes a carpet material consisting of two parts, namely an upper material consisting of carpet yarn, which upper material is permanently attached to a base material and a velvety fastening material applied to the entire underside of the basic material or to a base material loop material that can be coupled with a velvety fastening material. Thus, this carpet material can be well attached to an underlay or an underlay of foam material. However, the loop material is not attached as described above in accordance with the invention. Moreover, the German patent application does not relate to a carpet material used in a mat-underlay combination, the underlay of which is provided with a frame.

U.S. Patent 4,149,540 describes an adhesive system that can be permanently attached by melting. The patent, however, relates to a divisible belt provided with the adhesive system which as such has no relation to the product of the present invention. In addition, the melting process involves melting a bottom layer of the bonding system itself. Since the same materials are joined together under fusion, this results in the adhesion system, more precisely a bottom layer of the adhesion system, melting. However, according to the invention, the adhesive system itself will not melt.

Figure 1 is a cross-section of a mat-supporting underlay.

Figure 2 is a cross-section of a dust-fighting mat.

Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of a mat-underlay combination in the state with one end of a mat removed.

The invention will now be described in more detail.

Figure 1 shows a mat-bearing bottom layer which is used in the invention, which bottom layer 1 comprises an elongated or oval sheet 2 as well as a framed projection 3 on the periphery of the sheet 2. This sheet 2 and projection or projection 3 are integrally formed from an elastomeric polymer, while a concave blank section 4, in which the dust-fighting mat is received, is formed on the inside of the projection 3.

Examples of the elastomeric polymer are a soft vinyl chloride resin composition, chlorinated polyethylene, chlorinated polypropylene, an ethylene propylene rubber, an ethylene propylene diene rubber, polyisobutylene, butyl rubber, polybutadiene, styrene butadiene rubber, nitrile butadiene rubber, and polyurethane. The sheet formed from an elastomeric polymer should be heat sealable. From this point of view, it is preferred that a soft vinyl chloride resin be used as the elastomer polymer.

Figure 2 shows a dust-fighting mat in the mat-underlay combination of the invention, said mat 5 being a underlay fabric 6, poul yarns 7, which are formed by inserting fibers through the fabric 6 and cutting off the tops of the poul yarns 7, as well as a packing layer 8 for attaching poulter yarns 7 to the fabric 6. The poul yarns 7 may be spun yarns or multi-filament yarns composed of cotton fibers, rayon fibers, polyvinyl alcohol fibers, acrylic fibers and nylon fibers, and combinations thereof. The bottom fabric 6 may be a knitted or woven fabric, non-woven fabric or net composed of the aforementioned fibers, or a plastic net and the like. The pack layer 8 is formed by coating a synthetic rubber latex, such as a nitrile-butadiene rubber latex, on the back of the pierced base fabric and drying the coated latex.

The function of the poul yarns 7 of the dust-fighting mat is to adsorb the material which sticks to the shoe soles by sliding contact with the shoe soles and to hold these fabric parts on the poul yarns 7. To improve the dust pick-up and retention capacity of the poul yarns 7, a dust-adsorbing liquid can be coated on the poul yarns 7 or the poul yarns 7 can be impregnated with such a liquid. Examples of such dust adsorbing liquids are mineral oils, synthetic oils and plant oils, such as liquid paraffin, spindle oil, alkyl benzene oil, diester oil and castor oil, as well as aqueous dust adsorbents as described in Japanese Patent Publications 10194/78 and 37471/78.

In place of the above-mentioned mat into which fibers have been inserted, the mat can also be used in the invention, which is formed by implanting electrostatic fiber flakes on a base fabric.

According to the invention, a temporary anchoring mechanism is provided, with which the bottom layer

I and the mat 5 are releasably attached to each other at a number of points on the peripheral edge of the mat 5.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, this temporary anchoring mechanism includes an anchoring element 11, which includes angular or mushroom-like connectors 10 implanted in a base fabric 9, and a fiber loop element 12, which is connectable to the connectors 10. The combination of the anchoring element 11 and the fiber loop element 12 is known as magic tape (magic tape ”) and is eg marketed under the trade name Belclo Fastener. The connectors 10 of the anchoring element 11 are formed of nylon or polypropylene and they are implanted on a nylon fabric bottom layer or other thermoplastic fibers, while the opposite side of the bottom fabric is coated with a resin, such as polyurethane, to prevent the connectors from falling out. to avoid. The fiber loop element 12 is formed by implanting fibrous yarns in loop-like configurations on a similar underlayer fabric.

In the invention, this loop element 12 is attached to the back of the mat 5 via stitches 13, while the anchoring element 11 is attached to the sheet portion 2 of the underlay 1. Here, as shown in Figure 1, the peripheral portion 14 of the anchoring element 11 is melt-bonded to the underlay sheet 2, while the connectors 11 are left in the remaining central portion of the connector element 11 as they are.

According to the invention, it is possible to melt-bond the peripheral part of the anchoring element

II a very high bonding strength (peel strength) is achieved on the underlay sheet 2, and a bonded structure can be formed, which in the long term is resistant to fixing and loosening, weathering and contact with water or hot water.

Since the anchoring element is melt-bonded to the underlay sheet 2, in the peripheral portion 14 of the anchoring element 11, the coupling pieces 10 are pressed to the underlay sheet. However, in the remaining portion 15 of the anchoring element 11, the connectors 10 remain as they are and a necessary anchoring effect can be achieved between these anchors 10 and the fiber loop element 11.

An important reason why a bonded structure with excellent resistance is formed between the mat underlay 1 and the anchoring element is that the polymer forming the underlay sheet is melt-bonded to the underlay fabric or connectors of the anchoring element 11 or gasket. However, it is believed that another important reason is found in the fact that the elastomeric polymer from which the underlayer sheet is formed penetrates into the underlayer fabric of the anchoring element 11, while the connectors 10 of the anchoring element 11 penetrate into the underlayer sheet 2 via the underlay fabric of the anchoring element 11, whereby the mechanical torque or anchoring effect between the bottom sheet 2 and the anchoring element 11 is enhanced.

The melt bonding of the anchoring element 11 to the mat layer 1 can be easily accomplished by stacking the anchoring element and the bottom layer on top of each other and compressing the combination under heating by a pair of heat sealing bars. The heating temperature may range from the softening point of the polymer forming the underlay sheet 2 to the melting or softening point of the underlay fabric of the anchoring member. Sufficient pressure is applied to bend or compress the coupling pieces 10 of the anchoring element 11, such as e.g. 0.1-20 kg / cm²(overpressure). The heating is preferably carried out by high-frequency means.

When a polyurethane adhesive is placed between the melt-bonding anchor member and the substrate, the bond strength at the interface can be further improved. If the packing of the anchoring element is composed of polyurethane resin, an increase in the adhesive strength is effected by this resin.

Preferably, as polyurethane resin, terminal group resin blocked by an alcohol, phenol or amine is used, ie a heat-sensitive tacky polyurethane resin.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the blocked isocyanate and a polyol, such as polyether polyol and polyester polyol, are mixed in a stoichiometric ratio, which mixture, wherein preferably each of the components is a solid, and which mixture is also solid at room temperature, is mixed in solution or in a molten state at a temperature not higher than 95 ° C applied to the back of the anchoring element, the anchoring element is applied to the underlay sheet in a predetermined position such that the coated surface contacts the surface of the underlay sheet, after which the combination of the anchoring element and the underlay sheet is heated at a temperature of 170-190 ° C under a pressure of 0.1-20 kg / cm² (overpressure) by means of high-frequency heating, whereby the dissociation of the blocked isocyanate into a free isocyanate and then the reaction between the reactivated isocyanate group with the polyol also present, leads to the in situ formation of a polyurethane resin and an increase in the adhesive strength. reached.

As an example, Collonate AP (Nippon Polyurethane Industries, Co.), obtained by reaction of tolylene diisocyanate and trimethylol propane, followed by addition of phenol to block the residual isocyanate groups, is mixed with Placcel 220 (Daicel Chem. Industries Co.), which consists of polyester polyol formed by a ring-opening polymerization of caprolactone, in a mixing ratio of 1: 2 (weight), after which 0.33% by weight of cobalt octenoate is added to this mixture and the whole is added at 95 ° C. molten. This molten composition is applied to the back of the anchoring element in a coating thickness of 0.1-0.8 mm. This coated anchoring element is deposited in the predetermined position of the underlayer such that the coated surface contacts the underlayer and is then heated at 185 ° C for 5 seconds at 2 kg / cm by high-frequency heating means.² (overpressure). By this procedure, the anchoring element is completely bonded to the underlayer surface and can have a peel strength of 20 kg / cm² to resist.

The blocked isocyanate and polyol can be applied to the back of the anchoring element in a solution of tetrahydrofuran or methyl ethyl ketone, after which the solvent can be evaporated.

Other useful blocked isocyanates are 4,4'-diisocyanate diphenyl methane closed by xylenols or methyl ethyl ketone oximes and trimethylolpropane-tolylene diisocyanate adduct closed by 2,4-dichlorophenol.

Useful polyols are Desmophen 650 (Bayer GmbH) and Nippolan 4609 or 4010 (Nippan Polyurethane

Industries Co.) as polyester polyols, while Pluronic Polyol (Wyandotte Chem. Corp.) can also be used as polyether polyol. These polyols must be solid at room temperature, so that they are resistant in all seasons.

In the mat-underlay combination of the invention, the peripheral portion of the anchoring element, which is important from the viewpoint of mechanical strength or avoidance of curling, is melt-bonded to the underlay sheet in an embedded condition, while the connectors of the central portion of the anchoring element be left in their original state. Thus, the mat layer combination of the invention has the advantage that the anchoring action can be stably maintained for long periods of time, even if the fastening and releasing treatment is repeated many times.