Method of making a floor panel

Abstract

A method of making a floor panel includes the steps of: providing an adhesive on a release member; laminating or marrying the release member to a bottom layer such that the adhesive is between the release member and the bottom layer; removing a portion of the release member to expose an area of the adhesive; and adhering a top layer to the area such that the top layer is offset with respect to the bottom layer in a direction of length and width and a marginal end portion of a top surface of the bottom layer and a marginal end portion of the bottom surface of the top layer is exposed.

1 . A method of making a floor panel, comprising:
 providing a floor panel having a top layer and a bottom layer, wherein the top layer and bottom layer are coupled together in an offset relationship such that a marginal end portion of the top surface of the bottom layer and a marginal end portion of a bottom surface of the top layer are exposed;   applying an adhesive on at least one of the top surface of the bottom layer or the bottom surface of the top layer such that the adhesive is exposed.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the marginal end portions are substantially L-shaped. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is selected from: a pressure sensitive adhesive; a hot melt adhesive; a structural adhesive; and a reactive adhesive. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive comprises a pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying a release member to the marginal end portion of the top surface of the bottom layer or the marginal end portion of the bottom surface of the top layer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the top layer comprises a mix layer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom layer is a film or tape comprising plastic, vinyl, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polyolefin, or nylon. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom layer has a thickness less than a thickness of the top layer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of thickness of the top layer to a thickness of the bottom layer is about 5 or greater. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ratio of the thickness of the top layer to the thickness of the bottom layer is about 10-100. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the ratio of the thickness of the top layer to the thickness of the bottom layer is about 10-25. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the top layer has a length L 1  and width W 1 , and the bottom layer has a length L 2  and a width W 2 . 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein L1=L2 and W1=W2. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface of the bottom layer or the bottom surface of the top layer is substantially smooth. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is applied by spraying, roll coating, or air knife coating. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an assembly jig is used to couple the top layer to the top surface of the bottom layer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the bottom layer is cut from a continuous sheet, and wherein the adhesive is applied to the top surface of the bottom layer prior to the continuous sheet being cut. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the bottom layer is formed by cutting the continuous sheet substantially perpendicular to a direction of tension of the bottom layer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the direction of tension of the bottom layer is substantially parallel to the width of the bottom layer. 
     
     
         20 . A floating flooring system comprising a plurality of floor panels prepared according to the method of  claim 1 , wherein a marginal end portion having the adhesive is coupled to a marginal end portion of an adjacent floor panel.