Carpet products and methods of making same

Abstract

A carpet product including a primary backing layer and a plurality of yarn tufts. The plurality of yarn tufts are tufted in and extend upwardly from a top surface of the primary backing layer to form a tufted carpet product. The carpet product has an inner portion and a peripheral portion surrounding at least a portion of the inner portion and extending along at least one of the edges of the primary backing layer. The plurality of yarn tufts include a plurality of peripheral yarn tufts positioned within the peripheral portion of the tufted carpet product. A portion of the peripheral yarn tufts are anchored to other peripheral yarn tufts. At least a portion of each anchored peripheral yarn tuft is entangled with one or more of the other peripheral yarn tufts.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carpet product comprising:
 a primary backing layer having a top surface and a plurality of edges; and   a plurality of yarn tufts tufted in and extending upwardly from the top surface of the primary backing layer to form a tufted carpet product, the tufted carpet product having an inner portion and a peripheral portion surrounding at least a portion of the inner portion and extending along at least one of the edges of the primary backing layer,   wherein the plurality of yarn tufts comprises a plurality of peripheral yarn tufts positioned within the peripheral portion of the tufted carpet product,   wherein the plurality of peripheral yarn tufts comprises a first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts and a second plurality of peripheral yarn tufts, wherein at least a portion of each peripheral yarn tuft of the first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts is entangled with one or more of the peripheral yarn tufts of the second plurality of peripheral yarn tufts.   
     
     
         2 . The carpet product of  claim 1 , wherein the carpet product is a broadloom carpet. 
     
     
         3 . The carpet product of  claim 1 , wherein the carpet product is a carpet tile. 
     
     
         4 . The carpet product of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral portion of the tufted carpet product completely surrounds the inner portion of the tufted carpet product. 
     
     
         5 . The carpet product of  claim 4 , wherein the peripheral portion extends inwardly from the edges of the primary backing layer and has a width that is less than about 30% of the operative width of the tufted carpet. 
     
     
         6 . The carpet product of  claim 1 , wherein, following entanglement with the second plurality of peripheral yarn tufts, the peripheral yarn tufts of the first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts have a mechanical stand fastness sufficient to prevent radial displacement of any peripheral yarn tuft of the first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts beyond a reference plane that is positioned at a selected angle relative a vertical plane that is perpendicular to the primary backing layer, wherein the selected angle is less than about 40 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The carpet product of  claim 6 , wherein the selected angle is less than about 30 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The carpet product of  claim 6 , wherein the selected angle is less than about 20 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The carpet product of  claim 6 , wherein the selected angle is less than about 10 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The carpet product of  claim 6 , wherein the selected angle is less than about 5 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The carpet product of  claim 6 , wherein the selected angle is about 0 degrees. 
     
     
         12 . The carpet product of  claim 6 , wherein the selected angle is negative such that at least a portion of the peripheral yarn tuft of the first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts is angled inwardly away from an edge of the carpet product. 
     
     
         13 . The carpet product of  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of at least one peripheral yarn tuft of the first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts is entangled with one or more yarn tufts within the inner portion of the tufted carpet product. 
     
     
         14 . The carpet product of  claim 1 , wherein each peripheral yarn tuft of the first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts is entangled with at least two other yarn tufts of the tufted carpet product. 
     
     
         15 . The carpet product of  claim 1 , wherein each peripheral yarn tuft of the first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts comprises at least one filament that has a tip that is displaced inwardly by a selected distance when the peripheral yarn tuft of the first plurality of yarn tufts is entangled with other yarn tufts, and wherein the selected distance ranges from about 0.1 inch to about 1.0 inch. 
     
     
         16 . The carpet product of  claim 1 , wherein no peripheral yarn tufts of the first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts extends radially beyond a reference plane that is positioned at a selected angle relative a vertical plane that is perpendicular to the primary backing layer, wherein the selected angle is less than about 40 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 displacing a first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts of a tufted carpet product in an inward direction to entangle a second plurality of peripheral yarn tufts of the tufted carpet product, each of the peripheral yarn tufts being tufted in and extending upwardly from a top surface of a primary backing layer of the tufted carpet product,   wherein the entanglement of the yarn tufts of the first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts with the yarn tufts of the second plurality of peripheral yarn tufts anchors the first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts in a desired orientation relative to the primary backing layer.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first plurality of yarn tufts and the second plurality of yarn tufts are positioned within a peripheral portion of the tufted carpet product, and wherein the peripheral portion of the tufted carpet product surrounds at least a portion of an inner portion of the tufted carpet product. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first plurality of peripheral yarn tufts are displaced using at least one needle that is inserted into the peripheral yarn tufts in the inward direction. 
     
     
         20 . A carpet product comprising:
 a primary backing layer having a top surface; and   a plurality of yarn tufts tufted in and extending upwardly from the top surface of the primary backing layer to form a tufted carpet product,   wherein the plurality of yarn tufts comprises a plurality of substantially vertical yarn tufts that are oriented substantially perpendicularly to the primary backing layer and a plurality of anchored yarn tufts, wherein at least a portion of each anchored yarn tuft is entangled with one or more of the substantially vertical yarn tufts.