Carpet construction having secondary backing

1. A method for making tufted carpet comprising a primary backing having a back side and a face side and tufts of yarn sewn therein, said method comprising:

(a) selecting a primary backing which does not include an adhesive component;

(b) selecting a yarn to tuft through the primary backing, said yarn being comprised of a thermoplastic material having a yarn melting point;

(c) tufting the selected yarn through said primary backing so as to form face yarns on the face side of the primary backing and a plurality of back stitches on the back side;

(d) providing a secondary backing comprising:

(i) a thermoplastic material in the form of a fluid-impervious film or a fabric having a softening temperature that is no lower than the yarn melting point; or

(ii) a thermoplastic material in the form of a fabric having a softening temperature that is no lower than the yarn melting point; or

(iii) a laminate having an inner layer and an outer layer, said outer layer comprising a thermoplastic material having a softening temperature that is no lower than the yarn melting point;

(e) bringing the secondary backing into contact with at least some of the back stitches on the back side of the primary backing;

(f) heating the combination of the primary backing and the secondary backing to a temperature sufficient to adhere the secondary backing to the yarn of the back stitches by passing the secondary backing around a heated drum to soften the yarn of the back stitches without melting the secondary backing.

2. The method of claim 1 which includes the following step instead of step (b) of claim 1 :

(b) selecting a yarn to tuft through the primary backing, said yarn being comprised of a thermoplastic material having a yarn melting point, said thermoplastic material being selected from the group consisting of polymers and copolymers of nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester.

3. The method of claim 1 which includes the following step instead of step (d) of claim 1 :

(d) providing a secondary backing comprising a thermoplastic material in the form of a fluid-impervious film having a softening temperature that is no lower than the yarn melting point or a thermoplastic material in the form of a fabric having a softening temperature that is no lower than the yarn melting point, said thermoplastic material being selected from the group consisting of:

(i) polyethylene,

(ii) polypropylene,

(iii) polyurethane,

(iv) polyester,

(v) polyvinylchloride,

(vi) nylon, and

(vii) polyethylene vinyl acetate,

(viii) but excluding hot melt adhesives.

4. The method of claim 1 which includes the following step instead of step (e) of claim 1 :

(e) bringing the secondary backing into contact with at least some of the back stitches on the back side of the primary backing without first applying a back coating to the back side of the primary backing.

5. The method of claim 1 which includes the following step instead of step (d) of claim 1 :

(d) providing a secondary backing comprising a laminate in the form of:

(i) a film inner layer and a film outer layer; or

(ii) a film inner layer and a fabric outer layer; or

(iii) a fabric inner layer and a film outer layer; or

(iv) a fabric inner layer and a fabric outer layer;

wherein said outer layer comprises a thermoplastic material having a softening temperature that is no lower than the yarn melting point.

6. The method of claim 1 which includes the following step instead of step (d) of claim 1 :

(d) providing a secondary backing comprising a laminate having an inner and an outer layer, said outer layer comprising a thermoplastic material having a softening temperature that is no lower than the yarn melting point, said thermoplastic material being selected from the group consisting of:

(i) polyethylene,

(ii) polypropylene,

(iii) polyurethane,

(iv) polyester,

(v) polyvinylchloride,

(vi) nylon, and

(vii) polyethylene vinyl acetate,

(viii) but excluding hot melt adhesives.