Floor covering from synthetic twisted yarns

Abstract

A woven article of furniture in the nature a floor covering is formed from a weave of woven polymer yarns which include twisted yarns for the weft and/or warp yarns. The floor covering is heat set to provide dimensional stability during the intended use of the floor covering.

1 . A woven floor covering comprising a plurality of warp yarns of polymer material each having an outer surface, a plurality of weft yarns of polymer material each having an outer surface, at least one of said warp yarns or at least one of said weft yarns comprising first and second strands of polymer material twisted together over their length, said plurality of warp yarns and said plurality of weft yarns being woven together to form a weave therefrom, wherein said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns are at least partially adhered to each other along a portion of their outer surfaces.  
     
     
         2 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of warp yarns comprise first and second strands of polymer material twisted together over their length.  
     
     
         3 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of weft yarns comprise first and second strands of polymer material twisted together over their length.  
     
     
         4 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of warp yarns comprise first and second strands of polymer material twisted together over their length and said plurality of weft yarns comprise third and fourth strands of polymer material twisted together over their length.  
     
     
         5 . The floor covering of  claim 4 , wherein said first and second strands are adhered to each other and said third and fourth strands are adhered to each other.  
     
     
         6 . The floor covering of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of said first, second, third and fourth strands differ from the other of said strands in at least one of size, shape, surface configuration, coloration and surface appearance.  
     
     
         7 . The floor covering of  claim 4 , wherein said first and second strands are at least partially adhered to each other over their length along a portion of their outer surfaces and said third and fourth strands are at least partially adhered to each other over their length along a portion of their outer surfaces.  
     
     
         8 . The floor covering of  claim 4 , wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth strands have a deformed outer surface.  
     
     
         9 . The floor covering of  claim 4 , wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth strands have a non-uniform cross-section over their length.  
     
     
         10 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein said weave has a plurality of openings formed between said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns, said openings being of sufficient size to allow the passage of water therethrough.  
     
     
         11 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein said weave is devoid of a backing member, whereby said weave is reversible.  
     
     
         12 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns are uninterruptedly adhered to each other over their entire length.  
     
     
         13 . A woven floor covering comprising a plurality of warp yarns each including a first and second strand of polymer material twisted together, said first and second strands each having a deformed outer surface, and a plurality of weft yarns each including a third and fourth strand of polymer material twisted together, said third and fourth strands each having a deformed outer surface, said plurality of warp yarns and said plurality of weft yarns woven together to form a weave devoid of a backing member, wherein said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns are at least partially adhered to each other over their length along a portion of their outer surfaces, said weave having a plurality of openings formed between said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns of sufficient size to allow the passage of water therethrough.  
     
     
         14 . The floor covering of  claim 13 , wherein said first and second strands are adhered to each other and said third and fourth strands are adhered to each other.  
     
     
         15 . The floor covering of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said first, second, third and fourth strands differ from the other of said strands in at least one of size, shape, surface configuration, coloration and surface appearance.  
     
     
         16 . The floor covering of  claim 13 , wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth strands have a non-uniform cross-section over their length.  
     
     
         17 . The floor covering of  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns are uninterruptedly adhered to each other over their entire length.  
     
     
         18 . A method of making a woven floor covering, said method comprising weaving a plurality of weft yarns of polymer material and a plurality of warp yarns of polymer material to form a weave, at least one of said weft yarns or at least one of said warp yarns comprising first and second strands of polymer material twisted together over their length, and heating said weave to a sufficient temperature wherein said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns are at least partially adhered to each other over their length.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , at least partially adhering said first and second strands to each other over their length during said heating.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further including adhering said first and second strands to each other over their entire length at their outer surfaces during said heating.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each of said plurality of warp yarns comprise first and second strands of polymer material twisted together over their length and said plurality of weft yarns comprise third and fourth strands of polymer material twisted together over their length.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first and second strands are at least partially adhered to each other over their length during said heating and wherein said third and fourth strands are at least partially adhered to each other over their length during said heating.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said first, second, third and fourth strands are adhered contemporaneously with adhering said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns during said heating.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of said first, second, third and fourth strands differ from the other of said strands in at least one of size, shape, surface configuration, coloration and surface appearance.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth strands have a deformed outer surface.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth strands have a non-uniform cross-section over their length.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said temperature is below the melting temperature of said polymer material.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said weave is heated in an environment having a temperature of 200-375° F.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 18 , further including forming a plurality of openings between said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns, said openings being of sufficient size to allow passage of water therethrough.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first and second strands are adhered together and said third and fourth strands are adhered together by heating said strands prior to said weaving of said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns.  
     
     
         31 . A method of making a woven floor covering, said method comprising forming a plurality of weft yarns by twisting together first and second strands of polymer material each having a deformed outer surface and a non-uniform cross-section over their entire length, forming a plurality of warp yarns by twisting together third and fourth strands of polymer material each having a deformed outer surface and a non-uniform cross-section over their length, weaving said plurality of weft and said plurality of warp yarns to form a weave therefrom, and heating said weave to a sufficient temperature wherein said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns are at least partially adhered to each other over their length.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said first and second strands and said third and fourth strands are at least partially adhered contemporaneously with said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns during said heating.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said weave is heated in an environment having a temperature of 200-375° F.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said first and second strands are at least partially adhered together and said third and fourth strands are at least partially adhered together by heating said strand prior to said weaving of said plurality of said weft yarns and said warp yarns.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein at least one of said first, second third and fourth strands differ from the other of said strands in at least one of size, shape, surface configuration, coloration and surface appearance.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , further including forming a plurality of openings between said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns, said openings being of sufficient size to allow the passage of water therethrough.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , further including attaching a binding material around the periphery of said weave.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said heating is sufficient to cause said plurality of weft yarns and said plurality of warp yarns to integrally adhere to each other.  
     
     
         39 . A floor covering made in accordance with the method of  claim 18 .  
     
     
         40 . A floor covering made in accordance with the method of  claim 31 .  
     
     
         41 . A woven floor covering comprising a plurality of yarns of polymer material each having an outer surface, at least one of said yarns comprising first and second strands of polymer material twisted together, said plurality of yarns being woven together to form a weave therefrom, wherein said plurality of yarns are adhered to each other at least intermittently along a portion of their outer surfaces.  
     
     
         42 . The floor covering of  claim 41 , wherein said first and second strands are adhered to each other at least intermittently along a portion of their outer surfaces.  
     
     
         43 . The floor covering of  claim 41 , wherein at least one of said first and second strands differ from the other of said strands in at least one of size, shape, surface configuration, coloration and surface appearance.  
     
     
         44 . The floor covering of  claim 41 , wherein each of said yarns have a deformed outer surface and a non-uniform cross-section over their length.  
     
     
         45 . The floor covering of  claim 41 , wherein said weave has a plurality of openings of sufficient size to allow the passage of water therethrough.  
     
     
         46 . The floor covering of  claim 41 , wherein said weave is devoid of a backing member, whereby said weave is reversible.  
     
     
         47 . A method of making a woven floor covering, said method comprising weaving a plurality of yarns of polymer material each having an outer surface to form a weave, at least one of said yarns comprising first and second strands of polymer material twisted together, and heating said weave to a sufficient temperature wherein said plurality of yarns are adhered to each other along a portion of their outer surfaces.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further including adhering said first and second strands to each other over their length contemporaneously during said heating.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said temperature is below the melting temperature of said polymer material.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said weave is heated in an environment having a temperature of 200-375° F.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein at least one of said yarns differ from another said yarns in at least of size, shape, surface configuration, coloration and appearance.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein each of said yarns have a deformed outer surface.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein each of said yarns have a non-uniform cross-section over their length.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 47 , further including forming a plurality of openings between said plurality of yarns within said weave, said openings being of sufficient size to allow the passage of water therethrough.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said first and second strands are adhered together by heating said strands prior to said weaving.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein at least one of said first and second strands differ from the other of said strands in at least size, shape, surface, configuration, coloration and surface appearance.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said first and second strands have a deformed outer surface.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 47 , further including attaching a binder about the perimeter of said weave.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said yarns are adhered to each other intermittently over their outer surfaces.  
     
     
         60 . A floor covering made in accordance with the method of  claim 47.