Carpet with scrim reinforced nonwoven primary backing

Abstract

Provided is a carpet comprising a textile top member, which includes carpet yarns and a nonwoven primary backing that is coupled with the carpet yarns so that the primary backing structurally supports the carpet yarns. The nonwoven primary backing includes a scrim reinforcement. The scrim reinforcement is configured to mechanically reinforce and stabilize the carpet yarns. A secondary backing is coupled with the textile top member via a thermoplastic material. The carpet can be a carpet tile or a carpet rug.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carpet comprising:
 a textile top member including:   carpet yarns and a nonwoven primary backing that is coupled with the carpet yarns so that the backing structurally supports the carpet yarns;   the nonwoven primary backing of the textile top member having a layered configuration comprising:
 a first portion of fibers that are randomly oriented and entangled together; 
 a second portion of fibers that are randomly oriented and entangled together; and 
 a scrim reinforcement that is positioned between and separates the first and second portions of polymer fibers so that the scrim reinforcement is entirely covered and concealed by the entangled polymer fibers of the first portion and the second portion, the scrim reinforcement configured to improve the primary backing's ability to mechanically reinforce and stabilize the carpet yarns; and 
   a secondary backing coupled with the textile top member via a thermoplastic material.   
     
     
         2 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers comprise polymeric fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers comprise fiberglass fibers. 
     
     
         4 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the first portion and/or the second portion of fibers comprises polyester fibers, polyolefin fibers, or a combination of polyester and polyolefin fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the first portion and/or the second portion of fibers comprises bicomponent fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the first portion and/or the second portion of fibers comprises nylon or cellulose fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the first and/or second portion of fibers comprises polypropylene fibers. 
     
     
         8 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second fiber portions comprises fiberglass fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the scrim is positioned in the primary backing with 5-95 wt % of the fibers above the scrim and from 5-95 wt % of the fibers below the scrim. 
     
     
         10 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the scrim is a mat having a weight of 5-200 g/m 2  and a thickness between 0.05 and 5 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The carpet of  claim 10 , wherein the scrim is a woven or nonwoven glass mat. 
     
     
         12 . The carpet of  claim 11 , wherein the scrim comprises glass fibers having an average fiber diameter between about 10 and 90 tex. 
     
     
         13 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the scrim comprises bicomponent fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the scrim comprises a binder. 
     
     
         15 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the primary backing is produced by introducing the scrim on top of a first layer of spunbond polymer fibers followed by a second layer of spunbond polymeric fibers placed on top of the scrim. 
     
     
         16 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of fibers are mechanically needled together with the second portion of fibers so that the scrim reinforcement is mechanically bonded to the first portion of fibers and the second portion of fibers. 
     
     
         17 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the first and second portions of the primary backing have an average fiber diameter between 0.5 and 15 denier. 
     
     
         18 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the scrim reinforcement is positioned so that the second portion of fibers is at least 65% by weight of the primary backing and the first portion of fibers is at least 5% by weight of the primary backing. 
     
     
         19 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary backing coupled with the textile top member has a thickness between 0.25 and 5 cm. 
     
     
         20 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary backing coupled with the textile top member has a weight of between 50 and 2500 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         21 . The carpet of  claim 17 , wherein the secondary backing has a thickness between 0.05 and 10 millimeters. 
     
     
         22 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary backing coupled with the textile top member via a thermoplastic material comprises:
 a first portion of polymer fibers that are randomly oriented and entangled together;   a second portion of polymer fibers that are randomly oriented and entangled together;   wherein the thermoplastic material penetrates into the first portion of polymer fibers to couple the secondary backing with the textile top member.   
     
     
         23 . The carpet of  claim 22 , wherein the secondary backing coupled with the textile top member further comprises a scrim reinforcement that is positioned between and separates the first portion of polymer fibers so that the scrim reinforcement is entirely covered and concealed by the entangled polymer fibers of the first portion and second portion of fibers to prevent the scrim reinforcement from exposure to a user, the scrim reinforcement being configured to mechanically reinforce and stabilize first and second portions of polymer fibers and to control penetration of the thermoplastic material so that the thermoplastic material does not penetrate into the second portion of polymer fibers. 
     
     
         24 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the carpet is a carpet tile. 
     
     
         25 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the carpet is a carpet rug.