IP Library Granted Patent US 7,175,904
Granted Patent B2
US 7,175,904 · App. 10/653,006 · Granted Feb 13, 2007

Non-vinyl flooring and method for making same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,175,904
App. No.
10/653,006
Granted
Feb 13, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one embodiment or the present invention, a non-vinyl flooring is described comprising a flooring substrate having a non-vinyl composition comprising a terpolymer comprising ethylene, methyl acrylate and acrylic acid and a copolymer comprising ethylene and methacrylic acid. In one embodiment of the present invention, the non-vinyl flooring comprises a resilient non-vinyl floor tile comprising a non-vinyl composition comprising a terpolymer and a copolymer. In another embodiment of the present invention, the non-vinyl flooring comprises a resilient non-vinyl sheet flooring comprising a non-vinyl composition comprising a terpolymer and a copolymer. Methods for making the non-vinyl tile and non-vinyl sheet flooring are described.

Claims (67)

1. A non-vinyl flooring, comprising:

a flooring substrate having a non-vinyl composition comprising a terpolymer comprising ethylene, methyl acrylate and acrylic acid and a copolymer comprising ethylene and methacrylic acid.

2. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 1 , further comprising a pigment.

3. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 1 , further comprising a mottle.

4. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 3 , wherein said mottle comprises a pigment.

5. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 3 , wherein said mottle comprises flakes having the same composition as said flooring substrate.

6. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 3 , wherein said mottle comprises trim.

7. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 1 , further comprising a mottle on a top surface of said flooring substrate.

8. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 1 , wherein said terpolymer comprises approximately 8–30% by weight of said flooring substrate.

9. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 1 , wherein said copolymer comprises approximately 0.1–16% by weight of said flooring substrate.

10. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 1 , further comprising a protective layer on a top surface of said flooring substrate.

11. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 1 , wherein said protective layer comprises urethane.

12. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 1 , wherein said flooring substrate comprises a sheet flooring.

13. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 12 , wherein said flooring substrate further comprises a backing substrate attached to said non-vinyl composition.

14. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 1 , wherein said flooring substrate comprises a floor tile.

15. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 14 , further comprising:

a first mottle; and

a second mottle below said first mottle on a top surface of said floor tile.

16. A non-vinyl flooring, comprising:

a flooring substrate having a non-vinyl composition comprising a terpolymer comprising ethylene, methyl acrylate and acrylic acid, a copolymer comprising ethylene and methacrylic acid, and limestone, wherein said terpolymer comprises approximately 8–30% by weight of said body, said copolymer comprises approximately 0.1–16% by weight of said tile body, and said limestone comprises over 50% by weight of said body.

17. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 16 , further comprising a mottle.

18. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 17 , wherein said mottle is on a top surface of said flooring substrate.

19. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 18 , further comprising a second mottle below said mottle on said top surface.

20. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 16 , wherein said flooring substrate comprises a tile body.

21. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 16 , further comprising a protective layer on a top surface of said flooring substrate.

22. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 21 , wherein said protective layer comprises urethane.

23. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 16 , wherein said flooring substrate comprises a sheet flooring.

24. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 23 , wherein said flooring substrate further comprises a backing substrate attached to said non-vinyl composition.

25. A non-vinyl flooring made by a process comprising:

blending a terpolymer comprising ethylene, methyl acrylate and acrylic acid, a copolymer comprising ethylene and methacrylic acid, limestone and a tackifier to form a blended mixture;

mixing said blended mixture, thereby forming a heated blended mixture;

forming a first sheet from said heated blended mixture;

separating said first sheet into a plurality of pieces;

forming a second sheet from said plurality of pieces, wherein said second sheet has a predetermined thickness;

reducing said predetermined thickness of said second sheet; and

forming a smooth surface on a top surface of said second sheet.

26. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 25 , wherein said second sheet comprises a sheet flooring.

27. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 26 , further comprising laminating a backing substrate to said second sheet.

28. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 25 , further comprising cutting said second sheet into a plurality of tiles.

29. The non-vinyl tile of claim 25 , further comprising:

adding a plurality of pigmented particles to said plurality of pieces before said forming of said second sheet, wherein said forming of said second sheet thereby creates a mottle in said sheet.

30. The non-vinyl tile of claim 29 , further comprising:

adding a second plurality of pigmented particles to a top surface of said second sheet prior to said reducing, wherein a second mottle is thereby created on said top surface of said second sheet.

31. A non-vinyl sheet flooring made by the process comprising:

blending a terpolymer comprising ethylene, methyl acrylate and acrylic acid, a copolymer comprising ethylene and methacrylic acid to form a blended mixture;

applying said blended mixture to a backing substrate;

adhering said blended mixture to said backing substrate;

consolidating said backing substrate and said blended mixture; and

forming a sheet flooring having a predetermined thickness from said backing substrate and said blended mixture.

32. A non-vinyl flooring, consisting essentially of:

a flooring substrate comprising a terpolymer comprising ethylene, methyl acrylate and acrylic acid, a copolymer comprising ethylene and methacrylic acid and limestone.

33. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 32 , further consisting essentially of:

pigmented particles that form a mottle.

34. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 32 , wherein said flooring substrate is a tile.

35. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 32 , wherein said flooring substrate is a sheet flooring.

36. A non-vinyl flooring, comprising:

a flooring substrate having a non-vinyl composition comprising a terpolymer comprising ethylene, methyl acrylate and acrylic acid; a copolymer comprising ethylene and methacrylic acid; and a filler consisting of limestone.

37. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 36 , further comprising a mottle.

38. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 37 , wherein said mottle comprises flakes having the same composition as said flooring substrate.

39. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 37 , wherein said mottle comprises trim.

40. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 36 , wherein said terpolymer comprises approximately 8–30% by weight of said flooring substrate.

41. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 36 , wherein said copolymer comprises approximately 0.1–16% by weight of said flooring substrate.

42. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 36 , wherein said flooring substrate comprises a sheet flooring.

43. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 36 , wherein said flooring substrate comprises a floor tile.

44. The non-vinyl flooring of claim 43 , further comprising:

a first mottle; and

a second mottle below said first mottle on a top surface of said floor tile.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 1, 2020
From: CONGOLEUM ACQUISITION LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 054555/0097 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2018
From: CONGOLEUM CORPORATION
To: DELAWARE TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 045655/0708 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2010
From: CONGOLEUM CORPORATION
To: LAW DEBENTURE TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
Reel/Frame 024804/0344 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 16, 2010
From: CONGOLEUM CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 024697/0421 →
RECORD TO CORRECT SPELLING OF INVENTOR RISI OSHILAJA'S NAME WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY SPELLED ON PREVIOUSLY RECORDED COVER SHEET ON APRIL 6, 2004 AT REEL 015192 FRAME 0036. Recorded May 12, 2005
From: OSHILAJA, RISI; PEARSON, JOHN; LAN, DAVID
To: CONGOLEUM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 016559/0676 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2004
From: OSJILAJA, RISI; PEARSON, JOHN; LAN, DAVID
To: CONGOLEUM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015192/0036 →