John H Eby

7014802, Mar 21, 2006

Apr 7, 1999

09/287631

John M. Eby - Pennsville NJ, US
Hao A. Chen - Chadds Ford PA, US

Mannington Mills, of Delaware, Inc. - Wilmington DE

B29C 44/06

264 465, 156 79, 264 451, 264 464, 264 52, 264250, 264293

A method for making a surface covering is disclosed which includes providing a surface covering having a backing layer, a foamable layer, and a design layer, wherein the design layer includes a portion of a pattern printed with at least one retarder composition. A wear layer is then provided on the design layer and the wear layer is cured. The foamable layer is thereby expanded to form a foam layer, and the pattern printed with at least one retarder composition is chemically embossed. The cured product is subsequently cooled to ambient temperature and then the top surface of the wear layer is subjected to a sufficient temperature to soften the wear layer. After being softened the wear layer is mechanically embossed with a surface texture, the embossed surface texture is set in the wear layer, and a top coat may then be provided on the embossed set wear layer. A surface covering having the various features described above is also disclosed. Preferably, the surface covering and the method for making the surface covering have a natural wood, stone, marble, granite, or brick appearance wherein the design layer includes one or more joint or grout lines created with at least one retarder composition and the wear layer is mechanically embossed with the surface texture of a wood, stone, marble, granite, or brick surface.

54947073, Feb 27, 1996

Dec 5, 1994

8/353264

C. David Wang - Wilmington DE
John M. Eby - Pennsville NJ
David Lan - Arundel DE
Hao A. Chen - Glen Mills PA
Richard E. Judd - Woodstown NJ
Richard D. Joslin - Gibbstown NJ

Mannington Mills, Inc. - Salem NJ

B05D 136
B05D 302
C08F 246
C08J 704

4274121

This invention is directed to a method of coating to make a resilient, flexible surface covering that has a wear surface having stain, mar, scuff, and soil resistance. The improved resilient surface covering comprises (a) a resilient support surface; and (b) a resilient wear surface adhered to the resilient support surface, the resilient wear surface comprising an underlying wear layer base coat and an overlying wear layer top coat adhered to the wear layer base coat, the wear layer base coat comprising a flexible, thermoset, polymeric composition having a flexibility such that the wear layer base coat passes a 1 inch mandrel diameter face out mandrel bend test when applied at a nominal dry film thickness of 1. 0 mil over a flexible 80 mil underlying substrate, the wear layer top coat comprising, a hard, thermoset, UV-curable blend of acrylic or acrylate monomers, the wear layer top coat having a glass transition temperature of greater than 50. degree. C. The present invention is also directed to a method of making a resilient surface covering that has a strengthening layer that provides strength, toughness, resistance to breakage, especially resistance to tearing, and resistance to deformation, especially resistance to indentation and sliding gouging.

54056748, Apr 11, 1995

Dec 21, 1993

8/170851

C. David Wang - Wilmington DE
John M. Eby - Pennsville NJ
David Lan - Arundel DE
Hao A. Chen - Glen Mills PA
Richard E. Judd - Woodstown NJ
Richard D. Joslin - Gibbstown NJ

Mannington Mills, Inc. - Salem NJ

B32B 900

428158

This invention is directed to a resilient, flexible surface covering that has a wear surface that meets the highest standards of stain, mar, scuff, and soil resistance and a method of making the same. The improved resilient surface covering comprises (a) a resilient support surface; and (b) a resilient wear surface adhered to the resilient support surface, the resilient wear surface comprising an underlying wear layer base coat and an overlying wear layer top coat adhered to the wear layer base coat, the wear layer base coat comprising a flexible, thermoset, polymeric composition having a flexibility such that the wear layer base coat passes a 1 inch mandrel diameter face out mandrel bend test when applied at a nominal dry film thickness of 1. 0 mil over a flexible 80 mil underlying substrate, the wear layer top coat comprising, a hard, thermoset, UV-curable blend of acrylic or acrylate monomers, the wear layer top coat having a glass transition temperature of greater than 50. degree. C. The present invention is also directed to separately or in combination with the improved wear surface, a resilient surface covering that has a strengthening layer that provides improved strength, toughness, resistance to breakage, especially resistance to tearing, and resistance to deformation, especially resistance to indentation and sliding gouging, and a method of making the same.

59619031, Oct 5, 1999

Dec 23, 1997

8/996701

John M. Eby - Pennsville NJ
Hao A. Chen - Chadds Ford PA
Alonzo M. Burns - Mauricetown NJ

Mannington Mills, Inc. - Salem NJ

B29C 4406

264 465

A method for making a surface covering is disclosed which includes providing a surface covering having a backing layer, a foamable layer, and a design layer, wherein the design layer includes a portion of a pattern printed with at least one retarder composition. A wear layer is then provided on the design layer and the wear layer is cured. The foamable layer is thereby expanded to form a foam layer, and the pattern printed with at least one retarder composition is chemically embossed. The cured product is subsequently cooled to ambient temperature and then the top surface of the wear layer is subjected to a sufficient temperature to soften the wear layer. After being softened the wear layer is mechanically embossed with a surface texture, the embossed surface texture is set in the wear layer, and a top coat may then be provided on the embossed set wear layer. A surface covering having the various features described above is also disclosed. Preferably, the surface covering and the method for making the surface covering have a natural wood, stone, marble, granite, or brick appearance wherein the design layer includes one or more joint or grout lines created with at least one retarder composition and the wear layer is mechanically embossed with the surface texture of a wood, stone, marble, granite, or brick surface.

54589533, Oct 17, 1995

Sep 12, 1991

7/758621

C. David Wang - Wilmington DE
John M. Eby - Pennsville NJ
Richard D. Joslin - Gibbstown NJ

Mannington Mills, Inc. - Salem NJ

B32B 900

428195

This invention is directed to a resilient, flexible surface covering that has a wear surface that meets the highest standards of stain, mar, scuff, and soil resistance and a method of making the same. The improved resilient surface covering comprises (a) a resilient support surface; and (b) a resilient wear surface adhered to the resilient support surface, the resilient wear surface comprising an underlying wear layer base coat and an overlying wear layer top coat adhered to the wear layer base coat, the wear layer base coat comprising a flexible, thermoset, polymeric composition having a flexibility such that the wear layer base coat passes a 1 inch mandrel diameter face out mandrel bend test when applied at a nominal dry film thickness of 1. 0 mil over a flexible 80 mil underlying substrate, the wear layer top coat comprising, a hard, thermoset, UV-curable blend of acrylic or acrylate monomers, the wear layer top coat having a glass transition temperature of greater than 50. degree. C. The present invention is also directed to separately or in combination with the improved wear surface, a resilient surface covering that has a strengthening layer that provides improved strength, toughness, resistance to breakage, especially resistance to tearing, and resistance to deformation, especially resistance to indentation and sliding gouging, and a method of making the same.