Molded foam-backed carpet assembly and method of producing same

Claim 2

A molded foam-backed carpet assembly suitable for use in automobiles and characterized in that the foam backing thereon is present only in localized preselected areas of the carpet assembly to reduce weight, provide better fit and conformity while providing the desired padding, cushioning and sound deadening where most needed, said carpet assembly comprising a carpet having a backing and pile yarns carried by the backing and extending from one face thereof to form a pile surface, said carpet having a nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration adapted to conform to the contours of the automobile; a moldable thermoplastic polymer layer covering the opposite face of said carpet backing and imparting moldability to the carpet for maintaining the carpet in said nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration; and at least one foam pad carried by said thermoplastic polymer layer and bonded thereto, said at least one pad extending over less than the entire surface of said thermoplastic polymer layer and providing desired cushioning and sound and thermal insulation only in preselected areas of the carpet.

Claim 3

A carpet assembly according to claim 1 wherein said at least one foam pad varies in thickness at differing locations within said preselected areas.

Claim 4

A carpet assembly according to claim 2 wherein the variation in thickness of the foam pad includes a step thickness change.

Claim 5

A carpet assembly according to claim 1 including a plurality of said foam pads, and wherein at least one of the foam pads differs in thickness from the other foam pads.

Claim 6

A carpet assembly according to claim 1 including a plurality of said foam pads, and wherein at least one of the foam pads differs in density from the other foam pads.

Claim 7

A molded foam-backed carpet assembly suitable for use in automobiles and characterized in that the foam backing thereon is present only in localized preselected areas of the carpet assembly to reduce weight, provide better fit and conformity while providing the desired padding, cushioning and sound deadening where most needed, said carpet assembly comprising a carpet having a backing and pile yarns carried by the backing and extending from one face thereof to form a pile surface, said carpet having a nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration adapted to conform to the contours of the floor of an automobile; a moldable layer of a thermoplastic polymer adhered to and covering the opposite face of said carpet backing, said thermoplastic polymer containing a filler material for imparting a high density and sound deadening properties to the layer, and said layer also serving to impart moldability to the carpet for maintaining the carpet in said nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration; and at least one foam pad carried by said thermoplastic polymer coating and fusibly bonded thereto, said foam pad having a thickness which varies at different locations in the pad and which is substantially greater than the thickness of said thermoplastic polymer layer and said pad extending over less than the entire surface of said thermoplastic polymer coating and providing cushioning and sound and thermal insulation only in preselected desired areas of the carpet.

Claim 8

A molded foam-backed carpet assembly suitable for use in automobiles and characterized in that the foam backing thereon is present only in localized preselected areas of the carpet assembly to reduce weight, provide better fit and conformity while providing the desired padding, cushioning and sound deadening where most needed, said carpet assembly comprising a carpet having a backing and pile yarns carried by the backing and extending from one face thereof to form a pile surface, said carpet having a nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration adapted to conform to the contours of the floor of an automobile; a moldable layer of a thermoplastic polymer adhered to and covering the opposite face of said carpet backing, said thermoplastic polymer containing a filler material for imparting a high density and sound deadening properties to the layer, and said layer also serving to impart moldability to the carpet for maintaining the carpet in said nonplanar three dimensional contoured configuration; and at least one foam pad carried by said thermoplastic polymer coating and fusibly bonded thereto, said foam pad having a thickness which varies at different locations in the pad and which is substantially greater than the thickness of said thermoplastic polymer layer and said pad extending over less than the entire surface of said thermoplastic polymer coating and providing cushioning and sound and thermal insulation only in preselected desired areas of the carpet.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 7 wherein the step of forming in situ at least one foam pad comprises depositing a foamable polymer composition in a confined space on the back of the molded carpet, said confined space having predetermined dimensions corresponding to the desired shape of the pad and allowing the composition to foam, expand and harden in said confined space to form a pad therein fusibly bonded to the thermoplastic layer.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 8 wherein the foamable polymer composition is a polyurethane.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 10 including introducing into the cavities at least two different foamable polymer compositions to thereby produce foam pads of differing physical characteristics.