JP7540763B2 - Flooring and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flooring material and a method for manufacturing the flooring material. More specifically, the present invention relates to a flooring material having high stain resistance and a method for manufacturing the flooring material.

Carpets with a three-dimensional pile yarn structure, such as tufted carpets and Wilton carpets, require stain resistance. Conventional carpet processing methods for improving the stain resistance of this type of carpet include SG (soil guard) processing and SR (soil release) processing. SG processing is a processing method that covers the surface of the fibers with a fluororesin to create a thin film and eliminate unevenness on the surface of the pile yarn. SR (soil release) processing is a processing method that increases hydrophilicity by processing the surface of the pile yarn with a functional polymer resin, making it easier to remove stains.

The water- and oil-repellent materials made of fluorine-based polymer compounds used in SG processing have a very small surface free energy, which means that there is a large difference in surface tension between the material and water. For this reason, applying the water- and oil-repellent materials made of fluorine-based polymer compounds to the surface of the pile yarns can provide a certain level of stain-resistant effect.

Conventional flooring materials are disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1 below. Patent Document 1 below discloses a carpet in which a composition consisting of a water-absorbent/stain-resistant finishing agent and a water- and oil-repellent agent is applied to the pile portion. The composition is applied to the pile portion by an impregnation method, a spray coating method, or the like.

JP 2013-213298 A

Conventional carpets still have the problem of low stain resistance.

The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a flooring material and a method for manufacturing the flooring material that can improve the stain resistance.

A flooring material according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a base fabric layer, a pile layer fixed to the surface of the base fabric layer, a backing material fixed to the back surface of the base fabric layer, and a water- and oil-repellent layer, the water- and oil-repellent layer covering the surface of the base fabric layer and a root region of the pile layer which is a region within 1 mm from the surface of the base fabric layer, the water- and oil-repellent layer containing fluorine but not silica, and the water- and oil-repellent layer further covering the back surface of the base fabric layer and a tip region of the pile layer which is a region farther from the base fabric layer than the root region.

In the above flooring material, the water- and oil-repellent layer preferably contains fluorine and carbon.

In the above flooring material, preferably, when a mixture of 20% by volume isopropyl alcohol and 80% by volume water is dropped from a height 30 cm away from the surface of the pile layer to form droplets of the mixture having a diameter of 3 mm on the surface of the pile layer, the interfacial contact angle between the droplets of the mixture and the surface of the pile layer 5 minutes after the droplets are formed is less than 150 degrees.

In the above flooring material, preferably, when n-hexadecane is dropped from the surface of the pile layer from a height of 30 cm from the surface of the pile layer to form droplets of n-hexadecane having a diameter of 5 mm on the surface of the pile layer, the interfacial contact angle between the n-hexadecane droplets and the surface of the pile layer 30 seconds after the droplets are formed is less than 150 degrees.

In the above flooring material, the backing material preferably includes a first polymer resin layer provided on the back side of the base fabric layer, a reinforcing material layer provided on the back side of the first polymer resin layer, a second polymer resin layer provided on the back side of the reinforcing material layer, a cushioning material layer provided on the back side of the second polymer resin layer, and an anti-slip layer provided on the back side of the cushioning material layer.

A method for manufacturing a flooring material according to another aspect of the present invention includes the steps of fixing a pile layer to a surface of a base fabric layer, fixing a backing material to the back side of the base fabric layer, and covering the surface of the base fabric layer and a root region of the pile layer, which is a region of the pile layer that is within 1 mm from the surface of the base fabric layer, with a water- and oil-repellent layer, the water- and oil-repellent layer containing fluorine but not silica, the covering step including a step of padding the pile layer obtained by fixing the pile layer to the surface of the base fabric layer with a water- and oil-repellent material, and a step of fixing a backing material to the back side of the base fabric layer is performed after the padding step.

The present invention provides a flooring material and a method for manufacturing the flooring material that can improve the stain resistance.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a flooring material 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of a flooring material 100 as viewed from the anti-slip layer 7 side in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the critical contact angle θ in the second and third methods for confirming the presence of the water-repellent layer 2. 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a method of manufacturing the flooring material 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the flaps 91 obtained in step S1 of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a diagram conceptually illustrating the process of step S2 in FIG. 3. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between a floor material and droplets of dirt DR. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing characteristic X-rays obtained from each of Samples 1 and 2.

Below, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of flooring material 100 in one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of flooring material 100 as viewed from the anti-slip layer 7 side in one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the flooring material 100 (one example of a flooring material) in this embodiment is used as a floor tile placed on the floor. The flooring material 100 may be any material that is placed on the floor FL. When viewed in a plan view, the flooring material 100 has a rectangular shape with, for example, sides of 20 cm to 80 cm. The flooring material 100 is used with the surface layer 1 facing upward (the direction opposite to the floor FL, the upward direction in FIG. 1). In order to prevent the occurrence of various obstacles due to the step between the surface of the floor FL on which the flooring material 100 is not placed and the surface of the flooring material 100, it is preferable that the flooring material 100 has a thickness (length in the vertical direction in FIG. 1) that is greater than 0 and less than 20 mm.

The flooring material 100 comprises a surface layer 1 (an example of a surface layer), a water- and oil-repellent layer 2 (an example of a water- and oil-repellent layer), and a backing material 8 (an example of a backing material). The surface layer 1 is the top layer furthest from the floor FL and is the layer that comes into contact with the user. The surface layer 1 provides the flooring material 100 with design, heat retention, sound absorption, and the like. The surface layer 1 is made of a fibrous material. The surface layer 1 includes a pile layer 11 (an example of a pile layer) and a base fabric layer 12 (an example of a base fabric layer). The surface layer 1 has a thickness of, for example, 4.0 mm or more and 6.0 mm or less.

The pile layer 11 is fixed to the surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12. The pile layer 11 is embedded in the base fabric layer 12 by, for example, tufting. The pile layer 11 is formed of pile yarns made of synthetic fibers such as nylon, acrylic, polyester, or polypropylene, or natural fibers such as wool. In particular, when the pile layer 11 is formed of pile yarns made of nylon, it is possible to impart excellent abrasion resistance, strength, elasticity, and a cool touch to the surface layer 1. The pile layer 11 may be cut pile with the tips cut and aligned, loop pile with the tips looped, or a mixture of cut pile and loop pile.

The base fabric layer 12 is made of synthetic fibers such as polyester or polypropylene. The base fabric layer 12 may be a woven fabric or a nonwoven fabric. The base fabric layer 12 is preferably made of spunbond polyester.

The water- and oil-repellent layer 2 covers the entire pile layer 11, covering the root region RG1 (an example of a root region) and the tip region RG2 (an example of a tip region) of the pile layer 11. The root region RG1 is a region within 1 mm from the surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12 of the pile layer 11. The tip region RG2 is a region further from the base fabric layer 12 than the root region RG1 of the pile layer 11. The water- and oil-repellent layer 2 also covers the entire base fabric layer 12, covering the surface 12a and the back surface 12b of the base fabric layer 12.

The water- and oil-repellent layer 2 preferably contains fluorine and carbon, and is made of a water- and oil-repellent material such as a fluorine-based polymer compound. Specifically, the water- and oil-repellent layer 2 is made of, for example, a long-chain perfluoroalkyl compound (long-chain PFAS) (more specifically, a perfluorocarboxylic acid having 8 or more carbon atoms, or a perfluorosulfonic acid having 6 or more carbon atoms), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), a short-chain perfluoroalkyl compound (short-chain PFAS) (more specifically, a perfluorocarboxylic acid having 6 or less carbon atoms, or a perfluorosulfonic acid having 4 or less carbon atoms), or perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA). The water- and oil-repellent layer 2 may be made of a silicone-based or hydrocarbon-based water- and oil-repellent material.

The water- and oil-repellent layer 2 needs to cover at least the front surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12 and the root region RG1 of the pile layer 11. It is preferable that the water- and oil-repellent layer 2 also covers the back surface 12b of the base fabric layer 12 and the tip region RG2 of the pile layer 11.

The backing material 8 is fixed to the back surface 12b side of the base fabric layer 12. The backing material 8 maintains the shape and size of the surface layer 1. The backing material 8 includes a polymer resin layer 3 (an example of a first polymer resin layer), a reinforcing material layer 4 (an example of a reinforcing material layer), a polymer resin layer 5 (an example of a second polymer resin layer), a buffer layer 6 (an example of a buffer layer), and an anti-slip layer 7 (an example of an anti-slip layer). The polymer resin layer 3, the reinforcing material layer 4, the polymer resin layer 5, the buffer layer 6, and the anti-slip layer 7 are provided in this order from top to bottom. Specifically, the polymer resin layer 3 is provided on the back surface 12b side of the base fabric layer 12 and on the front surface side of the reinforcing material layer 4. The reinforcing material layer 4 is provided on the back surface side of the polymer resin layer 3 and on the front surface side of the polymer resin layer 5. The polymer resin layer 5 is provided on the back surface side of the reinforcing material layer 4 and on the front surface side of the buffer layer 6. The cushioning layer 6 is provided on the back side of the polymer resin layer 5 and on the front side of the anti-slip layer 7. The anti-slip layer 7 is fused to the back side of the cushioning layer 6 and is the part of the flooring 100 that comes into contact with the floor FL.

Each of the polymer resin layers 3 and 5 is a layer containing a polymer resin. Each of the polymer resin layers 3 and 5 contains, for example, a polymer resin, a plasticizer, and required additives. The polymer resin is made of, for example, vinyl chloride resin, ethylene resin, ethylene vinyl acetate resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, amorphous olefin polymer resin, asphalt-based resin, etc. These polymer resins have appropriate stiffness and flexibility, so that the load applied to the flooring material 100 can be borne by the entire polymer resin layer 3 or 5 by using these polymer resins. In addition, since these polymer resins have sufficient adhesive strength, peeling of the adhesive part can be prevented when adjoining adjacent layers. The polymer resin is preferably made of vinyl chloride resin. The plasticizer is preferably liquid at room temperature. The plasticizer is, for example, made of natural wax, synthetic wax, or modified wax. Each of the polymer resin layers 3 and 5 has a thickness of, for example, 1.0 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less.

The materials constituting the polymer resin layers 3 and 5 may be different from each other, but from the viewpoint of simplifying the manufacturing method, it is preferable that they are the same. The thicknesses of the polymer resin layers 3 and 5 may be the same or different from each other. In addition, since the polymer resin layer 5 is farther from the surface layer 1 than the polymer resin layer 3, by making the density of the polymer resin layer 5 higher than the density of the polymer resin layer 3, it is possible to suppress changes in the shape of the flooring material 100 over time (such as curling of the flooring material 100).

The reinforcing layer 4 is a layer that reinforces the surface layer 1. The reinforcing layer 4 is made of a woven or nonwoven fabric of any material. The reinforcing layer 4 serves to prevent elongation due to load. The reinforcing layer 4 also serves to prevent elongation or shrinkage due to temperature changes. The reinforcing layer 4 is preferably made of a glass fiber woven fabric. When the reinforcing layer 4 is made of a glass fiber woven fabric, the reinforcing layer 4 can be embedded inside the polymer resin layer 3 through the mesh of the glass fiber woven fabric.

The polymer resin layer 3 and the reinforcing material layer 4 improve the strength of the flooring material 100. The polymer resin layer 3 and the reinforcing material layer 4 may be omitted.

The buffer layer 6 is a layer that absorbs impact and reduces impact noise. The buffer layer 6 may also function as a heat insulator. The buffer layer 6 includes a plurality of organic fibers that are entangled with each other, and a fusion material that fuses the plurality of organic fibers together. The fusion material may be omitted.

The cushioning layer 6 is preferably made using raw cotton containing regular cotton (solid organic fiber), hollow organic fiber, and heat-fusible fiber, and spunbond nonwoven fabric. Regular cotton is a normal organic fiber with a solid core. Hollow staple fiber is an organic fiber with a hollow core.

The cushioning layer 6 is preferably produced by the following method. First, the mass of regular cotton, hollow organic fibers, and heat-fusible fibers are loosened and mixed in an appropriate ratio to produce raw cotton (cotton blending and opening). Next, the mass of raw cotton is formed into a sheet using a carding machine to produce a web (web forming). Next, the webs are laminated in multiple layers using a cross layer (web lamination). Next, spunbond nonwoven fabric is placed on the upper or lower side of the laminated web (spunbond insertion). Next, the laminated webs and spunbonds are entangled with each other using a special needle with barbs (needle punch). Next, the entangled webs and spunbonds are heated using a drying oven to melt the heat-fusible fibers. The molten heat-fusible fibers act as a fusion material to integrate the entangled webs and spunbonds (fusion).

Regular cotton is a solid organic fiber, and is made of, for example, general-purpose polyester staple fiber. Hollow organic fiber is made of, for example, conjugate fiber containing hollow polyester staple fiber. Thermally adhesive fiber is made of, for example, polyester staple fiber having a low melting point of about 110°C. The thermally adhesive fiber is preferably blended at a ratio of 20 to 50 weight percent with respect to 100 weight percent of organic fiber. Spunbond nonwoven fabric is made of, for example, polyester having a density of 20 g/ ^m2 .

The cushioning layer 6 may have any thickness and density.

In addition, the buffer layer 6 may be made of a material containing urethane instead of a material containing multiple organic fiber layers and a fusion material. Even when made of a material containing urethane, each of the buffer layers 6 exhibits excellent impact sound reduction properties. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of being less susceptible to deterioration over time, it is preferable that the buffer layer 6 is made of a material containing multiple organic fiber layers and a fusion material.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the anti-slip layer 7 is a layer for preventing the flooring material 100 from slipping on the floor FL. The anti-slip layer 7 is made of a resin such as an acrylic resin. When viewed in a plan view (when viewed from below in Figure 1), at least a portion of the anti-slip layer 7 is provided in the form of dots on the back surface of the buffer layer 6. The anti-slip layer 7 has a thickness of, for example, 0.3 mm or more and 0.8 mm or less.

Because resin is slippery, providing an anti-slip layer 7 made of resin can make the flooring 100 less slippery on the floor FL. In addition, because resin strongly fuses to organic fibers, the anti-slip layer 7 can be firmly fixed to the buffer layer 6. This eliminates the need to provide a separate anti-slip material (such as double-sided tape) on the back surface of the buffer layer 6, and provides a greater anti-slip effect than if a separate anti-slip material were provided. In addition, by providing the anti-slip layer 7 in a dot pattern, costs can be reduced and weight can be reduced compared to providing the anti-slip layer 7 over the entire back surface of the buffer layer 6.

The anti-slip layer 7 may be omitted. In this case, the flooring material 100 may be attached to the floor FL using double-sided tape or an anti-slip material.

Necessary layers may be inserted between the layers constituting the flooring 100 as appropriate. Furthermore, the layers constituting the backing material 8 may be made of any material. It is preferable that the backing material 8 contains a water-repellent (hydrophobic) material such as polyvinyl chloride. By making the backing material 8 contain a water-repellent material, the stain resistance of the flooring 100 can be further improved.

The presence of the water- and oil-repellent layer 2 covering the surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12 and the root region RG1 of the pile layer 11 can be confirmed, for example, by the following method. In the first method, the surface layer of the flooring material is cut into three parts: the tip region of the pile layer, the root region of the pile layer, and the base fabric layer. After cutting, characteristic X-rays are obtained for each of the three parts: the root region of the pile layer, the tip region of the pile layer, and the base fabric layer, using an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDX) or SEM-EDX (scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy), and the presence or absence of elements contained in the water- and oil-repellent material is confirmed based on the peak positions of the obtained characteristic X-rays. In the flooring material 100 of this embodiment, when the water- and oil-repellent layer is made of a water- and oil-repellent material containing fluorine and carbon, such as a fluorine-based polymer compound, a fluorine-derived peak is detected at least from each of the root region of the pile layer and the surface of the base fabric layer.

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) or an imaging-type Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer may be used to obtain infrared absorption spectra for each of the three parts, the base region of the pile layer, the tip region of the pile layer, and the base fabric layer, to confirm the presence or absence of absorption peaks derived from the bonds of the materials that make up the water- and oil-repellent material. In the flooring material 100 of this embodiment, when the water- and oil-repellent layer is made of a silicon-based water- and oil-repellent material, absorption peaks derived from silicon-oxygen and the like are detected in the infrared absorption spectra of at least the base region of the pile layer and the surface of the base fabric layer. When the water- and oil-repellent layer is made of a hydrocarbon-based water- and oil-repellent material, absorption peaks derived from carbon-hydrogen and the like are detected in the infrared absorption spectra of at least the base region of the pile layer and the surface of the base fabric layer.

Fluorescent X-rays may also be obtained using X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), and the presence or absence of elements contained in the water- and oil-repellent material may be confirmed based on the peak position of the obtained fluorescent X-rays. In the flooring material 100 of this embodiment, when the water- and oil-repellent layer is made of a water- and oil-repellent material that contains fluorine and carbon, such as a fluorine-based polymer compound, fluorine is detected at least in the base region of the pile layer and on the surface of the base fabric layer.

In addition to the above-mentioned method, the presence or absence of elements contained in the water- and oil-repellent material may be confirmed by obtaining the energy of photoelectrons using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for each of the three portions: the tip region of the pile layer, the base region of the pile layer, and the base fabric layer.

The second method is a method for confirming the presence of a water- and oil-repellent layer by evaluating the water repellency of the surface layer. In the second method, a mixture of 20% by volume of isopropyl alcohol and 80% by volume of water is dropped onto the surface of the pile layer from a height 30 cm away from the surface of the pile layer. This forms a droplet DR of the mixed liquid with a diameter of 3 mm on the surface of the pile layer. Five minutes after the droplet DR of the mixed liquid is formed, the interfacial contact angle θ between the droplet DR of the mixed liquid and the surface of the pile layer is measured.

The second method differs from the conventional alcohol-water mixture method in that the mixture is dropped onto the surface of the pile layer from a height of 30 cm above the surface of the pile layer.

The third method is a method for confirming the presence of a water- and oil-repellent layer by evaluating the oil repellency of the surface layer. In the third method, n-hexadecane is dropped onto the surface of the pile layer from a height of 30 cm from the surface of the pile layer. This forms a droplet DR of n-hexadecane with a diameter of 5 mm on the surface of the pile layer. 30 seconds after the droplet DR of n-hexadecane is formed, the interfacial contact angle θ between the droplet DR and the surface of the pile layer is measured.

The third method differs from the conventional AATCC 118-compliant method in that the mixture is dropped onto the surface of the pile layer from a height of 30 cm above the surface of the pile layer.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing a schematic of the critical contact angle θ in the second and third methods for confirming the presence of the water- and oil-repellent layer 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, in the flooring material 100 of this embodiment, at least the surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12 and the root region RG1 of the pile layer 11 are covered with the water- and oil-repellent layer 2. Therefore, in both the second and third methods, the water- and oil-repellent properties of the surface layer of the flooring material 100 are high. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the liquid droplets DP are repelled by the surface layer and become spherical. As a result, the critical contact angle θ is less than 150 degrees. On the other hand, when the surface of the base fabric layer and the root region of the pile layer are not covered with the water- and oil-repellent layer, the water- and oil-repellent properties of the surface layer are low. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the liquid droplets DP are not repelled by the surface layer and are absorbed by the surface layer. Therefore, the critical contact angle θ is 150 degrees or more.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing a method for manufacturing flooring 100 in one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the lining 91 obtained in step S1 of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a diagram conceptually showing step S2 of Figure 4.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the flooring material 100 is produced, for example, by the following method. First, a long piece of fabric (fabric before finishing processing) 91 is produced by fixing the pile layer 11 to the surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12 (step S1). The piece of fabric 91 is a member that will become the surface layer 1. The pile layer 11 is planted into the surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12, for example, by tufting.

Referring to Figures 4 and 6, next, the water- and oil-repellent layer 2 is formed (step S2). At least the surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12 and the root region RG1 of the pile layer 11 are covered with the water- and oil-repellent layer 2. This step preferably includes padding the ribs 91 with a water- and oil-repellent material. The ribs 91 are padded, for example, by the following method.

The kibata 91 is long and is transported in the direction indicated by the arrow AR by a transport device 92. On the transport path of the kibata 91, a dipping device 93, a mangle 94, and a drying device 95 are provided in this order along the transport direction. The dipping device 93 includes a padding tank 96 and a water- and oil-repellent material 97 filled inside the padding tank 96. The kibata 91 passes through the dipping device 93. When passing through the dipping device 93, the kibata 91 is dipped into the water- and oil-repellent material 97 once or multiple times. This causes the water- and oil-repellent material to adhere to the entire pile layer 11 and the base fabric layer 12.

Next, the ribs 91 pass through the mangle 94. The ribs 91 are squeezed as they pass through the mangle 94. The water- and oil-repellent material that has been applied to the entire pile layer 11 and base fabric layer 12 is uniformly applied.

Then, the kibata 91 passes through a drying device 95. As the kibata 91 passes through the drying device 95, the water- and oil-repellent material attached to the pile layer 11 and the base fabric layer 12 is dried, forming the water- and oil-repellent layer 2. As a result of the water- and oil-repellent material being dried, the entire pile layer 11 and the entire base fabric layer 12 are covered with the water- and oil-repellent layer 2. The long kibata 91 is then cut to the required length.

In the process of forming the water- and oil-repellent layer 2 (step S2), the surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12 and the root region RG1 of the pile layer 11 may be covered with the water- and oil-repellent layer 2. For example, in the process of padding the ribs 91, only a part of the pile layer 11 and a part of the base fabric layer may be immersed in the water- and oil-repellent material 97, so that only the necessary parts of the pile layer 11 and the base fabric layer 12 are covered with the water- and oil-repellent layer 2.

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 1, next, the backing material 8 is prepared (step S3). The backing material 8 is prepared, for example, by the following method.

Prepare the cushioning layer 6 with the anti-slip layer 7 already formed. Next, the raw material paste for the polymer resin layer 5 prepared by the method described above is applied evenly to the surface of the cushioning layer 6 with a doctor knife. Next, the reinforcing layer 4 is attached to the surface of the polymer resin layer 5. Next, the raw material paste for the polymer resin layer 3 is applied evenly to the surface of the reinforcing layer 4 with a doctor knife.

The raw material pastes for the polymer resin layers 3 and 5 are prepared by kneading the polymer resin, such as polyvinyl chloride resin, calcium carbonate, plasticizer, and additives, in an appropriate ratio. For example, when the raw material paste contains polyvinyl chloride resin, the solidification processing of the raw material pastes for the polymer resin layers 3 and 5 is performed, for example, by the following method. The raw material paste is heated in a drying furnace. This causes the polyvinyl chloride resin particles to expand, causing the polyvinyl chloride resin particles to come into contact with each other, lose fluidity, and gel. During gelation, the polyvinyl chloride resin incorporates the plasticizer and calcium carbonate to become one body. When the raw material paste is further heated and the temperature of the raw material paste reaches 130°C to 180°C, the interface between the polyvinyl chloride resin particles disappears and the polyvinyl chloride resin melts. During melting, the polyvinyl chloride resin further incorporates the plasticizer and calcium carbonate. As a result, the raw material paste changes to soft polyvinyl chloride resin and stabilizes. The soft polyvinyl chloride resin is then removed from the drying furnace. This allows the soft polyvinyl chloride resin to harden as it cools, further stabilizing it.

Next, the backing material 8 is fixed to the back surface 12b of the base fabric layer 12 (step S4). The rib 91 is attached to the surface of the reinforcing material layer 4 so that the back surface 12b of the base fabric layer 12 faces the reinforcing material layer 4. The rib 91 becomes the surface layer 1, and a laminate is obtained.

Next, the resulting laminate is placed in a drying furnace, and the raw material pastes of the polymer resin layers 3 and 5 are solidified (step S5). This results in the flooring material 100.

Instead of preparing the buffer layer 6 with the anti-slip layer 7 already formed thereon, the anti-slip layer 7 may be formed on the back surface of the buffer layer 6 after the raw material pastes of the polymer resin layers 3 and 5 are solidified as described above.

[Effects of the embodiment]

This embodiment can improve the stain resistance of flooring materials. This is explained below.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the flooring material and the droplets of dirt DR. Figure 7(a) is a diagram showing the relationship between a conventional flooring material and droplets of dirt DR. Figure 7(b) is a diagram showing the relationship between the flooring material 100 and droplets of dirt DR in one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7(a), conventionally, water- and oil-repellent materials have been applied to the pile layer by impregnation or spray coating. The impregnation method is a coating method in which the pile yarns that make up the pile layer are impregnated with the water- and oil-repellent material. The spray coating method is a coating method in which the water- and oil-repellent material is sprayed from above the pile layer toward the surface of the pile layer.

In the conventional coating method, at least a portion of the pile layer 211 is covered with the water- and oil-repellent layer 202, but the base fabric layer 212 is not covered with the water- and oil-repellent layer 202. In particular, in the spray coating method, only the vicinity of the surface 211a of the pile layer 211 is covered with the water- and oil-repellent layer 202, and the base region RG1 of the pile layer 211 and the base fabric layer 212 are not covered with the water- and oil-repellent layer 202.

When a flooring material is soiled by dirt in an actual use situation, the dirt droplets DR fall from a high place (a height of 30 cm or more above the surface 211a of the pile layer 211) and collide with the surface 211a of the pile layer 211 with considerable kinetic energy. The dirt droplets DR penetrate into the pile layer 211 and reach the root region RG1 of the pile layer 211 and the surface 212a of the base fabric layer 212. However, as described above, since the surface 212a of the base fabric layer 212 of the conventional flooring material does not have a water- and oil-repellent material attached thereto, the surface 212a of the base fabric layer 212 does not repel the dirt droplets DR. As a result, the dirt droplets DR adhere to the surface 212a of the base fabric layer 212 and the root region RG1 of the pile layer 211 and are absorbed. As a result, the dirt resistance of the conventional flooring material is low and it is easily soiled in an actual use situation.

In addition, developers of flooring materials have been unable to focus on the issue of low stain resistance of flooring materials under actual usage conditions. Conventional methods for evaluating the stain resistance of flooring materials include the alcohol-water mixture method and the AATCC 118-compliant method. In the alcohol-water mixture method, water repellency is evaluated by the following method. Using a pipette or the like, a mixture of 20% by volume of isopropyl alcohol and 80% by volume of water is gently placed on the surface of the pile layer. This forms a droplet of the mixture with a diameter of 3 mm on the surface of the pile layer. The interface contact angle between the droplet of the mixture and the surface of the pile layer is measured 5 minutes after the droplet of the mixture is formed.

In the AATCC 118 method, oil repellency is evaluated by the following method. Using a pipette or similar, n-hexadecane is gently placed on the surface of the pile layer. This forms a droplet of n-hexadecane with a diameter of 5 mm on the surface of the pile layer. 30 seconds after the droplet of n-hexadecane is formed, the interface contact angle between the droplet and the surface of the pile layer is measured.

In both the alcohol-water mixture method and the AATCC 118 method, when the droplets are introduced onto the surface of the pile layer, they are placed gently (in other words, without falling) on the surface of the pile layer. When the droplets are introduced in this manner, they do not penetrate into the pile layer. For this reason, good results can be obtained if only the surface area of the pile layer is covered with the water-repellent layer.

For the reasons mentioned above, conventional methods for evaluating the stain resistance of flooring materials have been unable to properly evaluate the stain resistance of flooring materials in actual usage conditions, such as when dirt droplets fall from a high place. Flooring material developers have been obsessed with obtaining a high stain resistance evaluation using evaluation methods that use the alcohol-water mixture method and the AATCC 118-compliant method (in other words, improving the stain resistance near the surface of the pile layer), and have failed to focus on the issue of low stain resistance in actual usage conditions, such as when dirt droplets fall from a high place.

Referring to FIG. 7(b), according to the flooring material 100 of this embodiment, the surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12 and the root region RG1 of the pile layer 11 are covered with the water- and oil-repellent layer 2. Therefore, even if a droplet of dirt DR falls and hits the surface 11a of the pile layer 11 with considerable kinetic energy, the surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12 and the root region RG1 of the pile layer 11 repel the droplet of dirt DR and do not allow the droplet of dirt to penetrate near the surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12. The droplet of dirt DR remains near the surface 11a of the pile layer 11 and can be easily removed by wiping with a dustcloth or the like. As a result, a flooring material 100 with high stain resistance can be realized. Furthermore, according to the flooring material 100 of this embodiment, the stain resistance can be improved regardless of the type of water- and oil-repellent material, so even if a less harmful water- and oil-repellent material is used instead of a water- and oil-repellent material that has high water- and oil-repellent performance but is harmful, a flooring material with high stain resistance can be realized.

In addition, if the back surface 12b of the base fabric layer 12 and the tip region RG2 of the pile layer 11 are further covered with a water- and oil-repellent layer 2, the stain resistance of the flooring material 100 can be further improved.

Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of this embodiment, the rib 91 before the backing material 8 is fixed is padded with a water- and oil-repellent material. The rib 91 is thin and easily deformed, so it can be easily padded. As a result, the surface 12a of the base fabric layer 12 and the root region RG1 of the pile layer 11 can be easily covered with the water- and oil-repellent layer 2. In general carpets, the backing material is fixed to the rib, so a considerable thickness is transferred and it is difficult to deform. For this reason, it is difficult to pad a general carpet.

[Example]

The inventors prepared samples 1 and 2 using the following method and confirmed the presence or absence of a water- and oil-repellent layer.

Sample 1 (Example of the present invention): A flooring material was produced using the method described in the above embodiment. A fluorine-based polymer compound called "AG-E082" (manufactured by AGC Inc. Chemicals Company) was used as the water- and oil-repellent material, which is the raw material for the water- and oil-repellent layer.

Sample 2 (Comparative Example): No water-repellent/oil-repellent layer was formed. Other than this, the flooring material was produced using the same method as described in the above embodiment.

Next, each of samples 1 and 2 was cut into three parts: the tip region of the pile layer, the base region of the pile layer, and the base fabric layer. After cutting, characteristic X-rays were obtained from each of the three parts: the base region of the pile layer, the tip region of the pile layer, and the base fabric layer, using a SEM-EDX (scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) called "Hitachi Tabletop Microscope Miniscope (registered trademark) TM3030Plus" (manufactured by Hitachi High-Tech Corporation), and the presence or absence of fluorine contained in the water- and oil-repellent material was confirmed based on the peak positions of the obtained characteristic X-rays.

As a result, in sample 1, fluorine-derived peaks were detected in the tip region of the pile layer, the base region of the pile layer, and the surface of the base fabric layer, confirming the presence of a water- and oil-repellent layer. In sample 2, no fluorine-derived peaks were detected in the tip region of the pile layer, the base region of the pile layer, or the surface of the base fabric layer, confirming the presence of a water- and oil-repellent layer.

Figure 8 shows characteristic X-rays obtained from each of samples 1 and 2. Figure 8(a) shows characteristic X-rays obtained from the tip region of the pile layer in sample 1. Figure 8(b) shows characteristic X-rays obtained from the root region of the pile layer in sample 1. Figure 8(c) shows characteristic X-rays obtained from the root region of the pile layer in sample 2. In each of Figures 8(a), 8(b), and 8(c), the horizontal axis indicates energy (keV) and the vertical axis indicates intensity.

Referring to Figure 8, it can be seen that in sample 1, a fluorine peak appears near 0.67 keV in both the tip and root regions of the pile layer. On the other hand, in sample 2, it can be seen that no fluorine peak appears in the root region of the pile layer.

[others]

The flooring material 100 may be in the form of a carpet rather than a tile. In other words, the flooring material 100 may be installed over the entire floor surface.

The above-described embodiments should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

1. Surface layer (an example of the surface layer)
2,202 Water- and oil-repellent layer (an example of a water- and oil-repellent layer)
3, 5 Polymer resin layer (an example of the first and second polymer resin layers)
4. Reinforcement layer (an example of a reinforcing layer)
6. Cushioning layer (an example of a cushioning layer)
7. Anti-slip layer (an example of an anti-slip layer)
8. Backing material (example of backing material)
11,211 Pile layer (an example of a pile layer)
11a, 211a: Surface of pile layer 12, 212: Base fabric layer (an example of a base fabric layer)
12a, 212a Surface of base fabric layer 12b Back surface of base fabric layer 91 Kimata (an example of Kimata)
92 Conveyor device 93 Soaking device 94 Mangle 95 Drying device 96 Padding tank 97 Water- and oil-repellent material 100 Flooring material (an example of a flooring material)
FL Floor RG1 Root area of pile layer (an example of the root area)
RG2 Pile layer tip region (an example of the tip region)

Claims (6)

A base fabric layer;
a pile layer fixed to a surface of the base fabric layer;
A backing material fixed to the back surface side of the base fabric layer;
A water- and oil-repellent layer is provided.
the water- and oil-repellent layer covers the surface of the base fabric layer and a root region of the pile layer that is a region that is located within 1 mm from the surface of the base fabric layer,
The water- and oil-repellent layer contains fluorine and does not contain silica,
The water- and oil-repellent layer further covers the back surface of the base fabric layer and a tip region of the pile layer that is farther from the base fabric layer than the root region . The flooring material according to claim 1, wherein the water- and oil-repellent layer contains fluorine. The flooring material according to claim 1, wherein when a droplet of a mixture of 20% by volume of isopropyl alcohol and 80% by volume of water is dropped from a height 30 cm away from the surface of the pile layer to form a droplet of the mixture having a diameter of 3 mm on the surface of the pile layer, the interfacial contact angle between the droplet of the mixture and the surface of the pile layer 5 minutes after the droplet of the mixture is formed is less than 150 degrees. The flooring material according to claim 1, wherein when n-hexadecane is dropped from the surface of the pile layer from a height of 30 cm from the surface of the pile layer to form droplets of n-hexadecane having a diameter of 5 mm on the surface of the pile layer, the interface contact angle between the droplets of n-hexadecane and the surface of the pile layer 30 seconds after the droplets of n-hexadecane are formed is less than 150 degrees. The backing material is
a first polymer resin layer provided on the back surface side of the fabric layer;
A reinforcing material layer provided on a back surface side of the first polymer resin layer;
a second polymer resin layer provided on a back surface side of the reinforcing material layer;
A buffer layer provided on the back side of the second polymer resin layer;
The flooring material according to claim 1 , further comprising an anti-slip layer provided on a rear surface side of the cushioning material layer. a step of fixing a pile layer to a surface of the base fabric layer;
A step of fixing a backing material to a back surface side of the base fabric layer;
covering the surface of the fabric layer and a root region of the pile layer, the root region being an area within 1 mm from the surface of the fabric layer, with a water- and oil-repellent layer ;
The water- and oil-repellent layer contains fluorine and does not contain silica,
The step of covering with the water- and oil-repellent layer includes a step of padding the surface obtained by fixing the pile layer to the surface of the base fabric layer with a water- and oil-repellent material;
A method for manufacturing a flooring material , comprising the steps of: fixing a backing material to the back side of the base fabric layer after the step of padding the lining .

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