Flooring System

Abstract

This invention relates to a flooring system comprised of a plurality of washable, multi-component floor mats. The floor mats contain a textile component and a base component. The textile component and the base component are attached to one another by a variety of mechanisms, including magnetic attraction. The magnetic attraction is provided by incorporation of magnetic particles in both the textile and base components. The textile component is designed to be soiled, washed, and re-used, thereby providing ideal end-use applications in areas such as building entryways.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A flooring system comprised of at least two multi-component floor mats, wherein the multi-component floor mat is comprised of (a) a textile component comprising (i) a first layer of tufted pile carpet formed by tufting face yarns through a primary backing layer, (ii) a second layer comprised of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic and thermoset elastomers, and (iii) at least one attachment means; and (b) a base component comprised of (i) materials selected from the group consisting of: at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomers and thermoset elastomers, a metal material, a cellulose-containing material, and combinations thereof and (ii) at least one attachment means that works in corresponding relationship to the attachment means of the textile component; wherein the textile component and the base component are releasably attachable to one another via the at least one attachment means; and wherein the at least two multi-component floor mats are releasably attachable to one another via at least one attachment means. 
     
     
         2 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the flooring system is comprised of a number of interconnected multi-component floor mats in the range from at least two to less than twenty. 
     
     
         3 . The flooring system of  claim 2 , wherein the flooring system is comprised of a number of interconnected multi-component floor mats in the range from two to ten, or in the range from two to eight, or in the range from two to six, or in the range from two to four. 
     
     
         4 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attachment means is selected from mechanical attachment, cohesive attraction, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the base component further includes sensing mechanisms selected from the group consisting of electronic sensors, mechanical sensors, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . A flooring system comprised of at least two multi-component floor mats, wherein the multi-component floor mat is comprised of (a) a textile component comprising (i) a first layer of tufted pile carpet formed by tufting face yarns through a primary backing layer and (ii) a second layer comprised of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic and thermoset elastomers and magnetic particles; and (b) a base component comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of: at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomers and thermoset elastomers, a metal material, a cellulose-containing material, and combinations thereof, wherein the material contains magnetic particles or has a magnetic coating applied thereto; wherein the textile component and the base component are releasably attachable to one another via at least one attachment means; and wherein the at least two multi-component floor mats are releasably attached to one another via at least one attachment means. 
     
     
         7 . The flooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the textile component of the floor mat can withstand at least one wash cycle in a commercial or residential washing machine whereby the textile component is suitable for re-use after exposure to the at least one wash cycle. 
     
     
         8 . The flooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the face yarns are selected from the group consisting of synthetic fiber, natural fiber, man-made fiber using natural constituents, inorganic fiber, glass fiber, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The flooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the face yarns are selected from nylon  6 ; nylon  6 , 6 ; polyester; polypropylene; or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The flooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the face yarns comprise cut pile, loop pile, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The flooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the face yarns are dyed, undyed, printed, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The flooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the primary backing layer is selected from the group consisting of woven material, nonwoven material, knitted material, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The flooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the primary backing layer is selected from the group consisting of synthetic fiber, natural fiber, man-made fiber using natural constituents, inorganic fiber, glass fiber, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The flooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one polymer is vulcanized rubber. 
     
     
         15 . The flooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one polymer contains 0% to 40% recycled rubber material. 
     
     
         16 . The flooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one attachment means is selected from mechanical attachment, cohesive attraction, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The flooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the base component further includes sensing mechanisms selected from the group consisting of electronic sensors, mechanical sensors and combinations thereof.