PROCESS FOR FORMING DECORATIVE SURFACE COVERINGS AND PRODUCT THEREOF

摘要

1473512 Coated decorative sheet ARMSTRONG CORK CO 30 April 1974 [30 April 1973] 18839/74 Heading B2E [Also in Division B5] Decorative surface coverings are made by forming cohesive porous layer of a resinous dry blend on a release substrate; producing a design thereon by applying heat-setting or chemically-curing ink so as to at least partially penetrate the layer; setting or curing the ink before or after applying a permanent backing layer to the inked surface; and heat-fusing the resinous material before or after removing the substrate. The cohesive layer is formed from resin granules by sintering or by activating adhesive coatings. Any non-inked portions may be removed by brushing or sandblasting away the granules before fusion, a solvent being applied if necessary to loosen the intergranular bonds, thus producing a deep relief surface. Alternatively these portions may remain to give a smooth-surfaced covering. The design may be applied by stack-printing, in which successive ink applications at the same point penetrate less but cover a larger area, or by in-register printing of different colours, penetrating to different depths if desired. The ink penetration may simulate a chip pattern. Different printing patterns, combined in some cases with the removal of un-inked resin, are illustrated. The ink may be a thermoplastic or thermosetting gellable or settable resin and may be set below the resin layer fusion temperature. The backing layer may be a resinous material, e.g. a resin dry blend optionally containing a reinforcement or blowing agent. Preferably an adhesive plastisol coat or a sealing coat is applied to the inked resin layer or the backing layer; the backing layer, e.g. an asbestos or glass fibre mat which may be impregnated or bonded, may be pressed into a coating on the resin layer. The coatings, which may contain pigments, fillers or blowing agents for texture and colour effects can be gelled simultaneously with the ink. An extra foamable or pre-formed foam or non-woven layer may be placed over the backing layer. Foamable materials may be blown during the fusion step. The wear surface of the product may be coated or textured; e.g. a clear resin layer may be applied. The resin dry blends, inks and coating and adhesive materials may be PVC- plasticiser-stabiliser blends, with pigments and fillers as required. The release substrate may be a release-coated impregnated felt.