US4491616A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Resinous polymer sheet material having surface decorative effects of contrasting gloss and method of making the same
Assignee: Congoleum Corp
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Filing: 1984-02-27
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Granted: 1985-01-01
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Expires: 2004-02-27
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a resinous polymer sheet material having surface decorative effects of contrasting gloss and to the method of making the same. The material is made by applying to a base a printing composition layer forming a pattern with designated areas containing a photoinitiator and then applying to said printing composition layer a resinous polymer wear layer having therein an actinic radiation curable polymerizable and cross-linkable monomeric materials. The composite thus produced is exposed to actinic radiation so that the areas above where the photoinitiators were applied are cross-linked. The product is then heated to form the composition. The resulting product has a lower gloss in such areas as compared to the remainder of the surface of the sheet.
Inventors
- 👤 Claude J. Schmidle
- 👤 Seevaram N. Varadhachary
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 17:40
CPC Classifications
B; B32; B32B; B32B5/00; B32B5/22; B32B5/24; B32B5/245; B32B5/18; B32B5/20; B32B27/00; B32B27/06; B32B27/065; B32B27/30; B32B27/304; B32B38/00; B32B38/14; B32B38/145; B44; B44C; B44C1/00; B44C1/20; B44C1/205; B44F; B44F1/00; B44F1/02; D; D06; D06N; D06N3/00; D06N3/04; D06N3/06; D06N3/08; D06N7/00; D06N7/0005; D06N7/0007; D06N7/0023; D06N7/0028; B32B2266/00; B32B2266/02; B32B2266/0214; B32B2266/0221; B32B2266/0235; B32B2451/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/913; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24479; Y10T428/24496; Y10T428/24504; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24851; Y10T428/24942; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249953; Y10T428/249955; Y10T428/249958
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
248 words
A process for the production of a surface covering having both dull areas and glossy areas on its surface, which process comprises the steps of: (a) laying down a base layer, (b) selectively applying to said base layer in the form of a design having defined areas where a dull surface appearance is desired, a photoinitiator, (c) applying a resinous composition wear layer uniformly over the surface prepared in step (b), said resinous composition containing a curable monomeric material therein, (d) subjecting the surface prepared in step (c) to a sufficient amount of heat for a sufficient amount of time to gel the resinous composition wear layer, thereby providing said wear layer with a dull overall appearance, but without providing sufficient thermal energy to cure the monomeric material contained uniformly therein, (e) subjecting the surface of the gelled wear layer to actinic radiation to selectively cure and harden the monomeric material over those areas where the photoinitiator was selectively applied, thereby permanently securing a dull appearance to the wear layer over such defined areas, and (f) subjecting the composition of step (e) to a sufficient amount of thermal energy to permit the remaining uncured resinous composition to flow from a dull appearance into a glossy appearance and cure and harden in such a condition, without affecting the dull appearance of the surface on those areas cured and hardened by actinic radiation in step (e) thereby providing a surface covering having both dull and glossy areas on its surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
248 words
A process for the production of a surface covering having both dull areas and glossy areas on its surface, which process comprises the steps of: (a) laying down a base layer, (b) selectively applying to said base layer in the form of a design having defined areas where a dull surface appearance is desired, a photoinitiator, (c) applying a resinous composition wear layer uniformly over the surface prepared in step (b), said resinous composition containing a curable monomeric material therein, (d) subjecting the surface prepared in step (c) to a sufficient amount of heat for a sufficient amount of time to gel the resinous composition wear layer, thereby providing said wear layer with a dull overall appearance, but without providing sufficient thermal energy to cure the monomeric material contained uniformly therein, (e) subjecting the surface of the gelled wear layer to actinic radiation to selectively cure and harden the monomeric material over those areas where the photoinitiator was selectively applied, thereby permanently securing a dull appearance to the wear layer over such defined areas, and (f) subjecting the composition of step (e) to a sufficient amount of thermal energy to permit the remaining uncured resinous composition to flow from a dull appearance into a glossy appearance and cure and harden in such a condition, without affecting the dull appearance of the surface on those areas cured and hardened by actinic radiation in step (e) thereby providing a surface covering having both dull and glossy areas on its surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the base layer is a foamable resinous composition containing a heat decomposable blowing agent and the thermal energy provided in step (f) is sufficient to decompose said blowing agent and form a foam layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the curable monomeric material is trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the base layer is selectively over printed with a printing composition containing a compound which inhibits the action of the blowing agent, such that after the provision of thermal energy in step (f), the areas directly underneath said printing composition will exhibit a foam layer lower in thickness.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 4 further characterized in that the photoinitiator is contained in the same printing composition with the blowing inhibitor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the resinous composition is a polyvinylchloride composition.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the provision of actinic radiation is carried out in two stages, with a first stage being carried out in air, and a second stage being carried out under a nitrogen atmosphere.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the photoinitiator employed is thioxanthone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
187 words
An intermediate resinous polymeric sheet material for use in making a surface covering product having both dull areas and glossy areas on its surface, which intermediate sheet comprises: (a) a base layer or substrate, (b) a photoinitiator selectively applied over said base layer or substrate in the form of a design having defined areas where a dull surface appearance is desired, (c) a resinous polymeric wear layer uniformly covering the product defined in step (b) containing a curable monomeric material therein, which resinous polymeric wear layer is gelled to produce a uniform dull appearance on its surface, wherein, the sheet material may first be exposed to actinic radiation to selectively polymerize the monomeric material directly over those areas where the photoinitiator has been selectively applied, to permanently secure the dull appearance on the surface of such areas, and may thereafter be exposed to sufficient thermal energy to cause the uncured monomeric material in the remaining areas to flow from a dull appearance to a glossy appearance and polymerize in that condition to provide a surface covering product having both dull areas and glossy areas on its surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
187 words
An intermediate resinous polymeric sheet material for use in making a surface covering product having both dull areas and glossy areas on its surface, which intermediate sheet comprises: (a) a base layer or substrate, (b) a photoinitiator selectively applied over said base layer or substrate in the form of a design having defined areas where a dull surface appearance is desired, (c) a resinous polymeric wear layer uniformly covering the product defined in step (b) containing a curable monomeric material therein, which resinous polymeric wear layer is gelled to produce a uniform dull appearance on its surface, wherein, the sheet material may first be exposed to actinic radiation to selectively polymerize the monomeric material directly over those areas where the photoinitiator has been selectively applied, to permanently secure the dull appearance on the surface of such areas, and may thereafter be exposed to sufficient thermal energy to cause the uncured monomeric material in the remaining areas to flow from a dull appearance to a glossy appearance and polymerize in that condition to provide a surface covering product having both dull areas and glossy areas on its surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The product of claim 9 wherein the resinous polymeric wear layer is a polyvinylchloride composition.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The product of claim 9 wherein the curable monomeric material is trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-01-01 | 1988-07-02 | 1989-01-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-01-01 | 1992-07-02 | 1993-01-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-01-01 | 1996-07-02 | 1997-01-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |