Chemically embossed surface coverings using barrier film

Claim 2

a plasticizer for said resin, and

Claim 3

a blowing agent which decomposes when heated at a temperature in the range above the glass transition temperature of the plasticized vinyl resin and below the decomposition temperature of said resin, B. forming said blend into a sheet, C. applying to said sheet in a design covering certain predetermined portions only a barrier which will prevent penetration into said sheet of an activator for reducing the decomposition temperature of said blowing agent in said sheet, D. subsequently applying over the entire surface of said sheet a liquid containing an activator whereby said activator penetrates into said sheet and accelerates the rate of decomposition of the blowing agent in those areas to which said barrier has not been applied, and E. heating said sheet to decompose the blowing agent in contact with the activator.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1 wherein said barrier comprises a thermoset film.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 1 wherein said barrier comprises a chemical compound to inactivate said activator.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 1 wherein said barrier is applied to said sheet in the form of a pre-formed grid.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 1 wherein said activator comprises a zinc salt.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 1 wherein said barrier is applied by gravure printing.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 1 wherein said vinyl resin is poly(vinyl chloride).

Claim 10

The method according to claim 1 wherein said vinyl resin comprises a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer.

Claim 11

An embossed thermoplastic sheet comprising plasticized and fused vinyl resin in sheet form having (1) foamed areas containing the decomposition products of a blowing agent, (2) unfoamed areas containing undecomposed blowing agent and occurring in a predetermined design, and a barrier film impenetrable to a blowing agent activator overlying each of said unfoamed areas.

Claim 12

A process for the manufacture of an embossed wear resistant decorative sheet of resinous composition comprising: applying a first resinous composition containing a blowing agent, but essentially no activator therefor, to the entire surface of a sheet of backing material; pregelling said first resinous composition by heating at a temperature below that required to decompose the blowing agent for a time that will result in a gel strength sufficient to withstand subsequent wind-up operations; applying to portions of the surface of said first resinous composition a barrier ink; coating the entire surface of the pre-gelled resinous composition and the barrier ink with a thin layer of a second resinous composition containing an Activator for said blowing agent; permitting the activator to penetrate substantially all portions of said first resinous composition except those covered by said barrier ink; applying a wear layer over the entire surface of the second resinous composition; solidifying the wear layer; and, uniformly heating the product so obtained under controlled conditions of time and temperature to fuse and foam the product, thereby producing an expanded cellular layer wherein those areas of the surface that have not had the barrier ink applied thereto are elevated above those areas that have been coated with the barrier ink, all of the foregoing resinous compositions and the ink being fluid when applied.

Claim 13

The process of claim 11, wherein said first resinous composition comprises a polymer of vinyl chloride.

Claim 14

The process of claim 11 wherein said blowing agent is azodicarbonamide.

Claim 15

The process of claim 11 wherein said activator is zinc octoate.

Claim 16

An article of resinous composition capable, by application of heat, of forming an embossed resinous layer having first portions of a thickness greater than the thickness of second portions, comprising a first resinous composition layer containing a blowing agent but essentially no activator therefor uniformly dispersed throughout the layer; a barrier ink covering portions of said first resinous layer to form a pattern, a second resinous layer containing an effective amount of an activator for said blowing agent extending over said first resinous layer and barrier ink layer; and a resinous surface wear layer extending over said second resinous layer, said resinous composition being fused to and supported by a backing material.

Claim 17

The product of claim 15, wherein said blowing agent is azodicarbonamide.

Claim 18

The product of claim 15, wherein the activator in said second resinous layer is zinc octoate.