Carpeting

Claim 2

In an antistatic carpet system where at least one out of every 40 carpet yarns is electrostatically conductive, the carpet yarns are tufted into a primary backing having a non-conductive polymer coating applied thereto securing the carpet yarns and a secondary backing, the system characterized in that the secondary backing further comprises a polymer conductive layer that is in direct contact with the polymer coating of the primary backing but is electrically isolated and not in direct contact with the carpet yarns or the electrostatically conductive yarns.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein the conductive polymer layer comprises a mixture of carbon black and latex and wherein the surface resistivity thereof is less than 10 11 ohms per square.

Claim 4

A process for making an anti-static secondary carpet backing material comprising the steps of: (a) providing a fabric backing material; (b) coating an aqueous solution onto the backing, the solution containing approximately 14 to 20 percent by weight solid materials, the solid materials comprising from 15 to about 60 weight percent carbon black and at least 40 weight percent latex; and, (c) drying the coating.

Claim 5

A process for making an anti-static secondary carpet backing material comprising the steps of: (a) providing a fabric backing material; (b) coating an aqueous solution onto the backing, the solution containing approximately 14 to 20 percent by weight solid materials, the solid materials comprising from 15 to about 60 weight percent carbon black and at least 40 weight percent latex; and, (c) drying the coating.

Claim 6

The process of claim 3 wherein the surface resistivity of the coating ranges from 10 7 to about 10 10 ohms per square.

Claim 7

A process for making an anti-static carpet comprising the steps of: (a) providing an unfinished tufted carpet where face yarns have been tufted into a primary fabric backing material; (b) coating the carpet back with a non-conductive polymer latex layer; (c) providing a composite secondary backing made of a base and a conductive polymeric composition containing particulate carbon, the composition having a surface resistivity of less than 10 11 ohms per square; (d) contacting the polymeric composition of the secondary backing with the non-conductive layer of unfinished carpet; (e) pressing the unfinished carpet and secondary backing into intimate contact but preventing the face yarns from coming into direct contact with the conductive composition; and, (f) drying the non-conductive layer to form a finished anti-static carpet.

Claim 8

A process for making an anti-static carpet comprising the steps of: (a) providing an unfinished tufted carpet where face yarns have been tufted into a primary fabric backing material; (b) coating the carpet back with a non-conductive polymer latex layer; (c) providing a composite secondary backing made of a base and a conductive polymeric composition containing particulate carbon, the composition having a surface resistivity of less than 10 11 ohms per square; (d) contacting the polymeric composition of the secondary backing with the non-conductive layer of unfinished carpet; (e) pressing the unfinished carpet and secondary backing into intimate contact but preventing the face yarns from coming into direct contact with the conductive composition; and, (f) drying the non-conductive layer to form a finished anti-static carpet.

Claim 9

The process of claim 5 wherein the particulate carbon black ranges from 15 to 60 weight percent of the conductive polymeric composition.

Claim 10

The process of claim 6 wherein in addition to the carbon black the composition comprises not less than 20 weight percent of the polymeric component which is latex.

Claim 11

The process of claim 5 wherein at least one out of every 40 face yarns is conductive.

Claim 12

An anti-static carpet comprising: (a) a non-conductive primary carpet fabric backing; (b) a plurality of carpet face yarns tufted into the primary backing; (c) a composite secondary backing comprising a fabric base uniformly coated with a polymeric composition containing particulate carbon, the composition having a surface resistivity of less than 10 11 ohms per square; (d) a non conductive polymer layer securing the face yarns to the primary backing and the coated surface of the secondary backing to the primary backing yet preventing the coating and face yarns from direct contact with each other.

Claim 13

An anti-static carpet comprising: (a) a non-conductive primary carpet fabric backing; (b) a plurality of carpet face yarns tufted into the primary backing; (c) a composite secondary backing comprising a fabric base uniformly coated with a polymeric composition containing particulate carbon, the composition having a surface resistivity of less than 10 11 ohms per square; (d) a non conductive polymer layer securing the face yarns to the primary backing and the coated surface of the secondary backing to the primary backing yet preventing the coating and face yarns from direct contact with each other.

Claim 14

The carpet of claim 9 wherein polymeric composition comprises from about 15 percent to 60 percent by weight carbon black and at least 40 percent by weight latex.

Claim 15

The carpet of claim 9 wherein the non-conductive layer is dried latex.

Claim 16

The carpet of claim 11 wherein the cured latex has a resistivity of 10 13 ohms or greater and the resistivities are measured under conditions of about 20 percent relative humidity and about 70 degrees F.

Claim 17

The carpet of claim 9 wherein at least one of every 40 carpet face yarns is conductive.

Claim 18

The carpet of claim 9 wherein the polymeric composition weights from 0.1 ounce per square yard to 1 ounce per square yard.