Process of thermal transfer using hot melt adhesive lamination for forming a carpet backing and finished carpet or tile product

Abstract

A method for binding a greige carpet and a secondary backing material using a hot melt adhesive is disclosed. A heated application roll may be provided and the secondary backing material may be contacted with the hot melt adhesive and greige carpet and pressed against the heated application roll.

1 . A method for binding a greige carpet comprising a face side and a back side with a secondary backing material using a hot melt adhesive, comprising: 
 providing a heated application roll;    applying the hot melt adhesive to the secondary backing material to form an adhesive-loaded secondary backing material;    contacting the adhesive-loaded secondary backing material with the heated application roll to form a secondary backing material on the heated application roll; and    pressing the greige carpet against the secondary backing material on the heated application roll to form a finished carpet.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the greige carpet comprises fiber tufts looped around a primary backing fabric.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the fiber tufts are selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyesters, acrylics, rayon, cotton fibers, and combinations or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the primary backing fabric is selected from the group consisting of nonwoven and woven polyesters, polypropylene, nylon fabrics, and combinations or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary backing material is selected from the group consisting of woven and nonwoven polyester, polypropylene, nylon-coated polyester fibers, and combinations or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the secondary backing material is a thermoset polyester.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary backing material is a woven textile with thread counts between 20 and 80 threads per inch in both the warp and weft directions.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary backing material exhibits dimensional thermal stability at temperatures up to 350° F.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hot melt adhesive is selected from esters of polyethylene terephthalate and a modifying polymer, or esters of polyethylene naphthalate and a modifying polymer.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the modifying polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, trimethylol propane, phthalic anhydride, oleic acid, adipic acid, and combinations or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the hot melt adhesive additionally comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of fire retardants, fillers, weighters, oxidization stabilizers, antibacterial agents, antimicrobial agents, antifungal agents, UV stabilizers, and combinations or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the hot melt adhesive comprises applying the adhesive at a coating weight of from about 4 to about 240 ounces of hot melt adhesive per square yard of secondary backing material.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a heated doctor bar disposed generally above the point of contact between the secondary backing material and the heated application roll.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus for producing finished carpet, comprising: 
 a heated application roll;    a means for providing a greige carpet to the heated application roll;    a means for providing a secondary backing material to the heated application roll, the means being positioned upstream of the heated application roll from the means for providing the greige carpet;    a means for providing a hot melt adhesive to the secondary backing material;    at least one unheated nip roll positioned adjacent to the heated application roll where the greige carpet first contacts the heated application roll;    a chill roll positioned downstream from the heated application roll;    an idler tension roll positioned adjacent to the chill roll; and    a means for collecting the finished carpet positioned downstream from the chill roll.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the means for providing a hot melt adhesive comprises a heated doctor bar disposed generally above the point of contact between the secondary backing material and the heated application roll, the means being capable of metering the amount of hot melt adhesive contacted with the secondary backing material.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the means for providing a hot melt adhesive additionally comprises a heated extrusion die extending the width of the heated application roll that delivers the hot melt adhesive to the heated doctor bar.