FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of floor coverings, and more specifically to elements of a carpet for providing a composite carpet. The invention further relates to a method for laying a carpet. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A floor covering may be made from carpet tiles, which exist in great varieties offering various shapes and sizes, various top structures, and various backings. Producing such varieties requires adapting the production machines, a setting thereof, and/ or the

infrastructure to suit the customer's needs. As order quantities decrease, costs increase to make the special production arrangements.

In a production facility, a variety of carpet tiles having the same structure or construction may be made. In such a situation, producing one variety of the carpet tile or another variety of the carpet tile requires relatively little modification of the equipment and/or the basic materials, e.g. only different types or colors of yarns may be needed to produce another variety of the carpet tile. However, when the structure or construction needs to be changed, also the production equipment must be converted which leads to high additional costs, in particular when the corresponding order quantity is relatively low.

This situation arises prominently when a variety of a carpet tile of a particular structure or construction is required to have a modified backing instead of a standard backing. The modified backing may e.g. be a cushion backing having a relatively large thickness when compared to the standard backing.

Accordingly, the required modified backing may comprise one or more materials different from the materials of the standard backing. The modified backing further may have a structure or construction which is different from the structure or construction of the standard backing. Also, the modified backing may have dimensions, in particular a thickness, which are different from the dimensions of the standard backing. All of these aspects involve important modifications of a carpet tile production line to produce modified carpet tiles having the modified backing. This is disadvantageous since it not only causes a sharp cost increase for the customer of the modified carpet tiles, but also reduces the availability and effective production time of the production equipment considerably, in particular when orders of modified carpet tiles and orders of standard carpet tiles are manufactured alternately. As a further disadvantage, every production equipment conversion entails material losses when the production equipment is not in a steady state operational state, so that frequent production equipment conversions lead to considerable material losses.

In case of carpet tiles comprising a modified backing having an increased thickness and comprising a cushion layer, a seam between adjacent carpet tiles when laid has a considerable height. Here, a disadvantage is that fraying and damaging of the carpet tiles at their adjacent edges occurs more frequently in use than in the case of carpet tiles having a lower thickness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It would be desirable to provide a carpet to be assembled from carpet tiles, and constructed such that it can be produced at a reasonable price, and without claiming excessive production equipment conversion. It would also be desirable to provide a carpet having a cushion backing, to be assembled using carpet tiles, and providing a reduced fraying and damaging at the edges thereof during use.

To better address one or more of the above concerns, in a first aspect of the invention a composite carpet is provided, comprising a plurality of upper carpet tiles and plurality of lower carpet tiles (hereinafter referred to as lower carpet backing tiles), the plurality of upper carpet tiles forming an upper carpet layer, and the plurality of lower carpet backing tiles forming a lower carpet backing layer, wherein the upper carpet tile comprises a top surface structure and a backing, and the lower carpet backing tile comprises a cushion layer, wherein the upper carpet tile has length and width dimensions, and the lower carpet backing tile has length and width dimensions, and wherein one of the length dimension of the upper carpet tile and the length dimension of the lower carpet backing tile is an integer multiple n (n = 1 , 2, 3, ...) of the other one, and one of the width dimension of the upper carpet tile and the width dimension of the lower carpet backing tile is an integer multiple n (n = 1 , 2, 3, ...) of the other one, wherein the upper carpet tiles are unconnected to the lower carpet backing tiles, and wherein the upper carpet tiles are laid shifted relative to the lower carpet backing tiles, while it is prevented that a seam between adjacent upper carpet tiles overlaps a seam between adjacent lower carpet backing tiles.

The upper carpet tiles forming an upper carpet layer may be standard carpet tiles, i.e. carpet tiles having a standard structure or construction including yarns forming piles or a woven top layer, without modification, and having a standard backing. The lower carpet backing tiles forming a lower carpet backing layer may comprise the intended backing modification, in the form of a cushion layer, thus providing the modified backing for the overlying standard carpet tiles. The lower carpet backing tiles do not comprises yarns in the form of piles or a woven structure. In a corresponding carpet tile production scheme, on the one hand a variety of upper carpet tiles providing a variety of top structures with minimum production equipment conversions may be produced, and on the other hand lower carpet backing tiles may be produced. Any variety of upper carpet tiles can either be used as such to cover a floor, or be used in combination with lower carpet backing tiles thus in fact modifying the backing of the upper carpet tiles. In other words, according to the present invention, carpet tiles with a modified backing are not manufactured as end products, but are assembled from standard upper carpet tiles and lower carpet backing tiles providing the required backing modification. The lower carpet backing tiles may be manufactured in larger quantities to be used whenever required for combination with a specific variety of upper carpet tiles.

The upper carpet tiles are unconnected to the lower carpet backing tiles. The upper carpet tiles may be connected to each other. The lower carpet backing tiles may be unconnected to each other, or may be connected to each other. The resulting carpet lies steadily for the intended use. For repair, maintenance or removal of the carpet, the upper carpet tiles can be removed from the lower carpet backing tiles without the ones damaging the others, since they are unconnected to each other. Here, the term unconnected is taken to indicate that upper carpet tiles may contact lower carpet backing tiles, but do not adhere to each other, or are not attached to each other, i.e. are loose or free from each other. In an existing composite carpet, upper carpet tiles may be replaced with other ones while the lower carpet backing tiles remain and may be covered with a new upper carpet layer. If necessary or desired simultaneously lower carpet backing tiles may be replaced, or even placed if they were not part of the carpet before, without a need to clear the corresponding room from furniture or other objects altogether since the modular concept of carpet tiles (by contrast to broadloom carpet) allows for placing or replacing the carpet locally in the room.

In a further embodiment, the composite carpet comprises carpet tile connectors, each including a film and an adhesive layer coated on one side of the film, each carpet tile connector having its adhesive layer side facing a bottom surface of a carpet tile for interconnecting at least two adjacent carpet tiles, which may be upper carpet tiles, and possibly also lower carpet backing tiles. The carpet tile connectors may have a considerably smaller surface area than the upper or lower carpet backing tiles, and provide an

interconnection between carpet tiles at their lower surfaces, at the sides or corners of two adjacent carpet tiles. The nature of the adhesive may be selected such that the necessary long-time adhesion is obtained while a separation of the carpet tile and the carpet tile connector does not require much effort (e.g. may be done by hand). In a second aspect of the present invention, a method of laying a carpet is provided, comprising:

providing a plurality of upper carpet tiles and a plurality of lower carpet backing tiles, wherein each upper carpet tile comprises a top surface structure and a backing, and each lower carpet backing tile comprises a cushion layer, and wherein the upper carpet tile has length and width dimensions, and the lower carpet backing tile has length and width dimensions, and wherein one of the length dimension of the upper carpet tile and the length dimension of the lower carpet backing tile is an integer multiple n (n = 1 , 2, 3, ...) of the other one, and one of the width dimension of the upper carpet tile and the width dimension of the lower carpet backing tile is an integer multiple n (n = 1 , 2, 3, ...) of the other one,

laying a lower carpet backing layer formed from the plurality of lower carpet backing tiles,

laying an upper carpet layer formed from the plurality of upper carpet tiles, wherein the upper carpet tiles are unconnected to the lower carpet backing tiles, and wherein the upper carpet tiles are laid shifted relative to the lower carpet backing tiles, while it is prevented that a seam between adjacent upper carpet tiles overlaps a seam between adjacent lower carpet backing tiles.

In a third aspect of the invention a lower carpet backing tile is provided for use in the composite carpet or for use in the method of the invention.

These and other aspects of the invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description and considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols designate like parts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 depicts a perspective schematic view of an assembly of an upper carpet tile and a lower carpet backing tile.

Figure 2a illustrates in a perspective schematic view an interconnection of upper carpet tiles to form an upper carpet layer.

Figure 2b illustrates in a perspective schematic view an interconnection of lower carpet backing tiles to form a lower carpet backing layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 depicts an upper carpet tile 10 and a lower carpet backing tile 20 having a length L1 , L2, a width W1 , W2 and a thickness T1 , T2, respectively. In Figure 1 , for explanation of the layered structure, the thickness T1 , T2 of each one of the upper carpet tile

10 and the lower carpet backing tile 20 is shown disproportionally large compared to the length L1 , L2 and the width W1 , W2 thereof.

Each of the length L1 , width W1 and thickness T1 of the upper carpet tile 10 may be the same as, or different from the length L2, width W2 and thickness T2 of the lower carpet backing tile 20. In general, the length L1 may be an integer multiple n (n = 1 , 2, 3, ...) of the length L2 (L1 = n-L2), or the length L2 may be an integer multiple n of the length L1 (L2 = n-L1 ). Similarly, where the width W1 is not the same as the width W2, the width W1 may be an integer multiple n (n = 1 , 2, 3, ...) of the width W2 (W1 = n-W2), or the width W2 may be an integer multiple n of the width W1 (W2 = n-W1 ). With such length and/ or width

relationships between the upper carpet tiles and the lower carpet backing tiles, the upper carpet tiles are laid shifted relative to the lower carpet backing tiles, while it is prevented that a seam between adjacent upper carpet tiles overlaps a seam between adjacent lower carpet backing tiles, since would adversely affect the stability of the composite carpet at such a location, leading to undesired fraying and damage of tile edges. Here, the term shifted is to be understood in a horizontal direction, and implies that a corner point of an upper carpet tile does not lie on a corner point of a lower carpet backing tile.

The upper carpet tile 10 and the lower carpet backing tile 20 are shown as rectangular or square carpet tiles, but they may take other forms as well.

The upper carpet tile 10 comprises a top structure layer 11 and a backing structure layer 12, both of which in turn may comprise further distinctive layers. The top structure layer

11 may e.g. be a tufted or woven structure comprising yarns fit for the intended use of the upper carpet tile 10. The top structure layer 11 may be provided with a pre-coating for anchoring the yarns to a support or backing material included in the top structure layer 1 , and for an improved adherence of the top structure layer 11 to the backing structure layer 12. The backing structure layer 12 may comprise e.g. a latex or bitumen compound layer and a reinforcement (e.g. scrim) and/ or cover layer, such as a layer comprising glass fibers, possibly a non-woven. The upper carpet tile 10 may be a standard type of carpet tile which e.g. is most frequently used in a number of varieties for covering floors.

The lower carpet backing tile 20 comprises e.g. reinforcement or cover layers 21 , 25, such as a layer comprising glass fibers, possibly a non-woven, bitumen compound layers 22, 24, and a foam material layer 23 sandwiched between the bitumen compound layers 22, 24. The lower carpet backing tile 20 functions to provide a modified backing for the upper carpet tile 10, and is manufactured separately from the upper carpet tile 10 to be used with different varieties of upper carpet tiles 10.

The lower carpet backing tile 20 may comprise more or less layers, and layers from different materials than the layers 21-25. In one alternative embodiment, the layers 21 and 22 are absent, or may be replaced by a protective and/ or reinforcing cover layer of a polymer material, such as a material comprising a polyvinylchloride, PVC, or polyolefin material. In a further alternative embodiment, the layers 24 and 25 may be absent, or may be replaced by a protective and/ or reinforcing layer of a polymer material, such as a material comprising a polyvinylchloride, PVC, or polyolefin material.

Figure 2a illustrates a part of an upper carpet layer 35 comprising upper carpet tiles 30. The upper carpet tiles 30 may be interconnected at their lower surface, such as at the corners thereof, by carpet tile connectors 32. For illustration, only one carpet tile connector 32 is shown. The carpet tile connector 32 comprises a film having an adhesive side which is to face the lower surface of the upper carpet tiles 30.

Figure 2b illustrates a part of a lower carpet backing layer 45 comprising lower carpet backing tiles 40. The lower carpet backing tiles 40 may be interconnected at their lower surface, at the comers thereof, by carpet tile connectors 32. The lower carpet backing tiles 40 may be adhered to a floor. It is noted that in some applications the lower carpet backing tiles 40 may be unconnected to each other and/or to the floor.

The carpet tile connectors 32 may be adhesive at one side (facing upwards) only, whereby no connection between the upper carpet tiles 30 and the lower carpet backing tiles 40 exists, when the upper carpet layer 35 comprises the carpet tile connectors 32 and rests on the lower carpet backing layer 45.

When laying a carpet, a plurality of upper carpet tiles 30 and a plurality of lower carpet backing tiles 40 are provided. A lower carpet backing layer 45 is formed from the plurality of lower carpet backing tiles 40. An upper carpet layer 35 is formed from the plurality of upper carpet tiles 30 on the lower carpet backing layer 45, wherein the upper carpet tiles 30 are unconnected to the lower carpet backing tiles 40, and wherein the upper carpet tiles 30 are laid shifted relative to the lower carpet backing tiles 40, while it is prevented that a seam between adjacent upper carpet tiles 30 overlaps a seam between adjacent lower carpet backing tiles 20.

The upper carpet layer 35 or a part thereof can be removed from the lower carpet backing layer 45 without damaging the lower carpet backing layer 45. Upper carpet tiles 30 may be separated from each other by disconnecting the carpet tile connectors 32. After removing the upper carpet tiles 30 of the upper carpet layer 35, the lower carpet backing layer 45 may be left on the floor to be covered later with the same or different upper carpet tiles 30. Thus, the lower carpet backing tiles 40 may be semi-permanently installed on the floor.

As explained above, a composite carpet comprises a plurality of upper carpet tiles and plurality of lower carpet backing tiles. The plurality of upper carpet tiles form an upper carpet layer, and the plurality of lower carpet backing tiles form a lower carpet backing layer. The upper carpet tiles are connected to each other by carpet tile connectors comprising a film and an adhesive layer. The lower carpet backing tiles are also connected to each other by such carpet tile connectors. The upper carpet tiles are unconnected to the lower carpet backing tiles. One of the length dimension of the upper carpet tile and the length dimension of the lower carpet backing tile is an integer multiple n (n = 1 , 2, 3, ... ) of the other one, and one of the width dimension of the upper carpet tile and the width dimension of the lower carpet backing tile is an integer multiple n (n = 1 , 2, 3, ...) of the other one. The upper carpet tiles are laid shifted relative to the lower carpet backing tiles, while it is prevented that a seam between adjacent upper carpet tiles overlaps a seam between adjacent lower carpet backing tiles.

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting, but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention.

The terms "a" or "an", as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term plurality, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term another, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms including and/or having, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language, not excluding other elements or steps). Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims or the invention.

The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.