US4090007A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Embossed plastic surface covering and method of preparing same
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-11-26
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Granted: 1978-05-16
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Expires: 1994-11-26
Abstract
Abstract A chemically embossed cellular vinyl chloride resin sheet material is prepared by treating the gelled surface of a vinyl chloride resin plastisol containing a blowing agent and a peroxide catalyst which induces polymerization of an acrylic monomer or resin with a liquid which contains an acrylic monomer or resin subject to polymerization, and subsequently heating the treated gelled vinyl chloride resin sheet material to polymerize the acrylic monomer or resin and to decompose the blowing agent, whereby full expansion of the sheet material is prevented by the polymerization in the treated areas, thereby producing a chemically embossed product.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard P. Crowley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 12:40
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08J; C08J9/00; C08J9/04; C08J9/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S264/00; Y10S264/82; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24479; Y10T428/24496; Y10T428/24504; Y10T428/24595
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
A method of preparing a cellular chemically embossed sheet material, which method comprises: (a) providing a gas-expandable thermoplastic resin sheet material containing an expanding amount of a blowing agent of from about 0.5 to 10 parts per hundred parts of resin and a polymerizable amount of from about 2 to 25% by weight of a free radical catalyst adapted on heating to dissociate into free radicals and to polymerize an acrylic polymerizable monomer, the sheet material essentially free of such acrylic polymerizable monomer; (b) treating the surface of the said sheet material with an acrylic polymerizable monomer in a liquid carrier in a predetermined pattern and permitting the liquid carrier and monomer to penetrate into the depth of the sheet material; and (c) heating the treated sheet material to provide the formation of free radicals with essentially no residual catalyst remaining in the sheet material, the polymerization of the monomer in the sheet material and the expansion of the thermoplastic resin sheet material, the polymerization of the monomer by the catalyst inhibiting full expansion in the treated pattern area, and effecting chemical embossing of the sheet material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
187 words
A method of preparing a cellular chemically embossed sheet material, which method comprises: (a) providing a gas-expandable thermoplastic resin sheet material containing an expanding amount of a blowing agent of from about 0.5 to 10 parts per hundred parts of resin and a polymerizable amount of from about 2 to 25% by weight of a free radical catalyst adapted on heating to dissociate into free radicals and to polymerize an acrylic polymerizable monomer, the sheet material essentially free of such acrylic polymerizable monomer; (b) treating the surface of the said sheet material with an acrylic polymerizable monomer in a liquid carrier in a predetermined pattern and permitting the liquid carrier and monomer to penetrate into the depth of the sheet material; and (c) heating the treated sheet material to provide the formation of free radicals with essentially no residual catalyst remaining in the sheet material, the polymerization of the monomer in the sheet material and the expansion of the thermoplastic resin sheet material, the polymerization of the monomer by the catalyst inhibiting full expansion in the treated pattern area, and effecting chemical embossing of the sheet material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the catalyst is a peroxide or an azonitrile compound.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic resin is plasticized vinyl chloride resin and the blowing agent is azodicarbonamide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the acrylic monomer is an acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, glycol and triol esters of acrylic and methacrylic acid, or alkyl acrylate and alkyl methacrylate or combinations thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the free radical catalyst is incorporated into the thermoplastic resin prior to formation of the thermoplastic resin into a sheet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the catalyst comprises from about 3 to 6% by weight of the thermoplastic resin sheet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the catalyst is applied to the surface in a solution of a thermoplastic resin liquid plasticizer or a volatile organic solvent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
The chemically embossed product produced by the method of claim 1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 which includes providing the catalyst in the thermoplastic resin sheet by treating the surface of the sheet with a catalyst in a liquid carrier, and to penetrate the sheet material to a desired depth prior to treatment of said surface with the acrylic monomer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 9 which includes treating the surface of the resin sheet with the catalyst only in those areas where the polymerizable monomer or resin is to be applied, and subsequently applying the polymerizable monomer or resin in a predetermined pattern only over such catalyst treated areas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 9 which includes applying a peroxide catalyst in an organic solvent to the surface of the resin sheet just prior to the application of the polymerizable monomer or resin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the catalyst penetrates the resin sheet to a depth of from about 40 to 80%.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
186 words
A method of chemically embossing a gas-expandable vinyl chloride resin sheet, which method comprises: (a) incorporating a cross-linking amount of from about 2 to 25% by weight of a peroxide catalyst for an acrylic monomer into a vinyl chloride resin plastisol containing a blowing agent, the peroxide selected to be active above the gelling temperature of the plastisol, the plastisol essentially free of the acrylic monomer; (b) casting a thin layer of the plastisol onto a supporting sheet; (c) heating the layer to gel the plastisol and without substantial decomposition of the blowing agent or activation of the catalyst; (d) treating the surface of the gelled plastisol layer with a cross-linkable polymerizable acrylic monomer in a liquid printing ink composition in a predetermined pattern; and (e) heating the treated sheet material to a temperature to cross-link the acrylic monomer in the treated areas, with essentially no residual peroxide catalyst left in the sheet material, thereby inhibiting full expansion of the sheet, to decompose the blowing agent, thereby expanding the layer and to fuse the resin in the expanded layer, thereby providing a chemically embossed sheet material.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
186 words
A method of chemically embossing a gas-expandable vinyl chloride resin sheet, which method comprises: (a) incorporating a cross-linking amount of from about 2 to 25% by weight of a peroxide catalyst for an acrylic monomer into a vinyl chloride resin plastisol containing a blowing agent, the peroxide selected to be active above the gelling temperature of the plastisol, the plastisol essentially free of the acrylic monomer; (b) casting a thin layer of the plastisol onto a supporting sheet; (c) heating the layer to gel the plastisol and without substantial decomposition of the blowing agent or activation of the catalyst; (d) treating the surface of the gelled plastisol layer with a cross-linkable polymerizable acrylic monomer in a liquid printing ink composition in a predetermined pattern; and (e) heating the treated sheet material to a temperature to cross-link the acrylic monomer in the treated areas, with essentially no residual peroxide catalyst left in the sheet material, thereby inhibiting full expansion of the sheet, to decompose the blowing agent, thereby expanding the layer and to fuse the resin in the expanded layer, thereby providing a chemically embossed sheet material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The chemically embossed product produced by the method of claim 13.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-05-15 | 1981-11-14 | 1982-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-05-15 | 1985-11-14 | 1986-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-05-15 | 1989-11-14 | 1990-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |