Patents Examined by Cheryl Juska
  • Patent number: 11992141
    Abstract: A tufted carpet comprising a secondary backing which defines a volume being a parallelepiped having three pair of parallel faces, a first pair of parallel faces defining a upper surface of the secondary backing and a lower face of the tufted carpet, at least a second pair of parallel faces being inclined with respect to the first pair of parallel faces under an angle ?1 less than 90°, preferably in the range of 10 to 87°, the angle being the smallest angle measured between the planes defining the first pair of parallel faces and second pair of parallel faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Bejon Sethna, Christopher Lee Craig, Luke Adam Bryson
  • Patent number: 11987939
    Abstract: The invention provides for a method of manufacturing artificial turf (1000). The method includes creating a polymer mixture, such as polymer mixture (400), where the polymer mixture is at least a three-phase system. The polymer mixture includes a first polymer, a second polymer and a compatibilizer. The first polymer is a polyamide (PA) and the second polymer is a polyethylene (PE). The first polymer is included in an amount of 0.125 percent to 5 percent by weight, the second polymer is included in an amount of 60 percent to 97 percent by weight and the compatibilizer is included in an amount of 0.375 percent to 15 percent by weight. The first polymer and the second polymer are immiscible, and the first polymer forms polymer beads surrounded by the compatibilizer within the second polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Polytex Sportbeläge Produktions—GmbH
    Inventor: Stephan Sick
  • Patent number: 11926970
    Abstract: An artificial turf system (100) provides an existing artificial turf (102) including a plurality of existing artificial turf fibres (104) and an existing artificial turf backing (106) configured to carry the plurality of existing artificial turf fibres, a new artificial turf comprising a plurality of artificial turf fibres and an artificial turf backing layer, where the artificial turf backing layer comprises a carrier structure (302) configured to carry the plurality of artificial turf fibres, and a geogrid (114) positioned between the existing artificial turf and the backing layer of the new artificial turf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: APT Advanced Polymer Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Kris Brown
  • Patent number: 11903542
    Abstract: A cleaning article defining an XY plane and a Z direction perpendicular to the plane. The cleaning article has discrete tufts of tow fibers disposed on a carrier sheet. The discrete tufts have bond lines external to the tufts. The bond lines interrupt the Z-direction thickness of the tufts, to provide channels for improved collection and retention of debris from a target surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Nicola John Policicchio
  • Patent number: 11905652
    Abstract: Disclosed is composite comprising four layers, two of the layers is a polymer film and two of the layers are non-woven materials, that is suitable for use as a primary backing material and/or a secondary backing material in the manufacture of textile carpet compositions. Also disclosed is a method for making the disclosed composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company
    Inventor: Kam C. Lui
  • Patent number: 11878491
    Abstract: A textile fabric with a three-dimensional contour that blocks fluid penetration at the surface is created by attaching a solid liquid-blocking polymeric layer conforming to the contours of the surface to a fabric layer. The surface includes elevated areas, depressed areas, a plurality of surface fibers and gaps among the plurality the plurality of surface fibers. The liquid-blocking polymeric layer is forced to follow the contours of the surface fibers and gaps using vacuum, heat and forced air. The resulting textile fabric maintains a textile appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: ENGINEERED FLOORS LLC
    Inventors: John Joseph Matthews Rees, Dimitri Zafiroglu, Anthony Daniell
  • Patent number: 11859352
    Abstract: An artificial turf includes an artificial turf infill. The artificial turf infill includes natural fiber mixed with rubber granulate. The artificial turf infill includes between 10% and 40% of the natural fiber by weight. The natural fiber includes any one of hemp fiber, cotton fiber, burlap fiber, sisal fiber, elephant grass fiber, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Melos GmbH
    Inventor: Jorg Siekmann
  • Patent number: 11851796
    Abstract: A carpet product including a primary backing layer and a plurality of yarn tufts. The plurality of yarn tufts are tufted in and extend upwardly from a top surface of the primary backing layer to form a tufted carpet product. The carpet product has an inner portion and a peripheral portion surrounding at least a portion of the inner portion and extending along at least one of the edges of the primary backing layer. The plurality of yarn tufts include a plurality of peripheral yarn tufts positioned within the peripheral portion of the tufted carpet product. A portion of the peripheral yarn tufts are anchored to other peripheral yarn tufts. At least a portion of each anchored peripheral yarn tuft is entangled with one or more of the other peripheral yarn tufts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: COLUMBIA INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventor: Tom Odum
  • Patent number: 11846075
    Abstract: An underlayment layer is configured to support an artificial turf assembly. The underlayment layer comprises a core with a top side and a bottom side. The top side has a plurality of spaced apart, upwardly oriented projections that define channels suitable for fluid flow along the top side of the core when the underlayment layer is positioned beneath an overlying artificial turf assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Brock USA, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Lee Sawyer, Daniel C. Sawyer, Richard R. Runkles
  • Patent number: 11840809
    Abstract: There is provided a hybrid turf support for use with natural grass to form a stable hybrid turf system, the hybrid turf support comprising a knitted reticulated support; and a plurality of grass-like fibers extending upwardly from the knitted reticulated support, the grass-like fibers comprising groups of fibers extending upwardly at intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: STADIA Turf Systems Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyo-Sang Lee, Hamish Ross Sutherland, Mark A. Heinlein
  • Patent number: 11788237
    Abstract: An artificial turf fiber comprising at least one monofilament, each monofilament comprising a cylindrical core and a cladding. The core comprises a core polymer and threadlike regions formed by a thread polymer and embedded in the core polymer. The cladding is formed by a cladding polymer surrounding the core. It has a non-circular profile and is miscible with the core polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Polytex Sportbelage Produktions—GMBH
    Inventors: Stephan Sick, Dirk Sander, Ivo Lohr
  • Patent number: 11779144
    Abstract: This invention relates to installation methods for a multi-component floor mat. The floor mat typically contains a textile component and a base component. Alignment and deployment of the textile component with the base component in an efficient manner is described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Franklin S. Love, III, Sudhanshu Srivastava, Venkatkrishna Raghavendran, Brandon T. Roberts, Padmakumar Puthillath, Dale S. Kitchen, Ty G. Dawson, Xin Li, Christopher A. DeSoiza
  • Patent number: 11771253
    Abstract: This invention relates to installation methods for a multi-component floor mat. The floor mat typically contains a textile component and a base component. Alignment and deployment of the textile component with the base component in an efficient manner is described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Franklin S. Love, III, Sudhanshu Srivastava, Venkatkrishna Raghavendran, Brandon T. Roberts, Padmakumar Puthillath, Dale S. Kitchen, Ty G. Dawson, Xin Li, Christopher A. DeSoiza
  • Patent number: 11746467
    Abstract: The present invention relates polyester tufted carpet where the tufts are engaged with a primary polyester backing and where a polyester extrusion coating is applied to the backside of the primary backing to lock the tufts which therefore avoids the use of a latex adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: AURIA SOLUTIONS UK I LTD
    Inventors: Ernest Franklin Wilson, Timothy Joel Allison, Sean Bracken Simmons
  • Patent number: 11692308
    Abstract: Floor coverings having a greige good, an adhesive layer, and a secondary backing material. The greige good has a primary backing component having adjoined first and second portions, and a plurality of fibers. The secondary backing material has an attached portion and a first exposable portion, with the attached portion adhered to the first portion of the primary backing component by contact with the adhesive layer. The second portion of the primary backing component is unattached to the first exposable portion of the secondary backing material, and the first exposable portion defines a portion of the first end edge of the floor covering. The second portion of the primary backing component is selectively moveable relative to the first portion to a position in which at least a portion of the second portion of the primary backing component does not overlie the first exposable portion of the secondary backing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: COLUMBIA INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Fain Alexander Cochran, III, Jill Glascock Suhm
  • Patent number: 11678757
    Abstract: This invention relates to a washable multi-component magnetic floor mat with a hidden base component. The floor mat contains a textile component and a base component. The textile component and the base component are attached to one another by magnetic attraction. The magnetic attraction is provided by incorporation of magnetic particles in both the textile and base components. The textile component is designed to be soiled, washed, and re-used, thereby providing ideal end-use applications in areas such as building entryways. The present invention eliminates the need to wash the base component of the floor mat which results in environmental, cost and labor conservation. Alignment and deployment of the textile component with the base component in an efficient manner is also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Padmakumar Puthillath, Franklin S. Love, Dale S. Kitchen, Ty G. Dawson, Barry R. McClure, Michael D. Bishop
  • Patent number: 11608572
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing artificial turf creating a liquid polymer mixture, wherein the polymer mixture is at least a two-phase system. A first one of the phases includes a first polymer and a first dye, and a second one of the phases of the polymer mixture includes a second polymer and a second dye. The second dye has a different color than the first dye, the second polymer being of the same or of a different type as the first polymer. The first and the second phase are immiscible, the first phase forming polymer beads within the second phase. The method further includes extruding the polymer mixture into a monofilament including a marbled pattern of the first and second color; quenching the monofilament; reheating the monofilament; stretching the reheated monofilament to deform the polymer beads into threadlike regions and to form the monofilament into an artificial turf fiber; and incorporating the artificial turf fiber into an artificial turf backing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Polytex Sportbelage Produktions-GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Sick, Dirk Sander, Bernd Jansen, Dirk Schmitz
  • Patent number: 11525210
    Abstract: A knitted spacer fabric has a tightly knitted bottom layer, a more loosely knitted upper layer and linking fibres extending across the space between the lower and upper faces. Settable material, e.g. cement, is introduced into the space between the upper and lower faces and can be caused to set by the addition of a liquid, e.g. water. Until set, the fabric is flexible and can be shaped but after the material in space has set, the fabric is rigid and can be used as a structural element in a wide range of situations. The bottom layer has an extension that extends beyond the upper face and is connected to the upper face by elastic connecting fibres that draw the extension towards the other face, thereby at least partly closing the space at the edge of the cloth and preventing the settable material from spilling out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Concrete Canvas Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: William Campbell Crawford, Peter Eric Brewin
  • Patent number: 11512525
    Abstract: Pile articles (20,22), especially pile weather stripping, and a method and apparatus (10) for making such articles where the backing (24) and the pile (26) are of unlike material, especially nylon yarn for the pile (26) and polypropylene containing material for the backing (24), wherein prior to the welding of the pile (26) to the backing (24) the pile is first pre-heated using ultrasonic energy to melt the pile in a region (65) thereof where the pile is ultrasonically welded to the backing and before the weld is made. The ultrasonic melting occurs upstream of the location where the pile (26) is welded to the backing (24) so that the ultrasonically pre-heated melted region (65) of the pile (26) can cool and become at least partially solidified. Then pile (26) at the pre-heated melted region (65) is welded to the backing (24) and causes a reactive or chemical weld to occur, thereby attaching the pile (26) to the backing (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: ULTRAFAB, INC.
    Inventors: David M Loughney, John F Scherlein, Akira Chanthabandith
  • Patent number: 11473249
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an artificial turf includes creating fluid polyurethane mass. The creation including reacting first and second polyols with an isocyanate. The first polyol is a polyether polyol and/or a polyester polyol having at least 2 hydroxyl groups per molecule, the second polyol being polybutadien diol. The isocyanate including isocyanate monomers, isocyanate polymers or isocyanate prepolymers or a mixture thereof, the isocyanate monomers, isocyanate polymers and the isocyanate prepolymers having two or more isocyanate groups per molecule. The method further includes incorporating an artificial turf fiber into a carrier such that a first portion of the fiber protrudes to the front side of the carrier and that a second portion of the fiber is located at the back side of the carrier, adding the fluid polyurethane mass on the back side of the carrier, and hardening the fluid polyurethane mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: Advanced Polymer Technologies Corp., Synthetic Turf Resources Corp.
    Inventors: Stephan Sick, Frank Lucarelli, Axel Hinrichs, Andreas Schulze-Ising, Matthew Lee Henson, Erin Anderson Tidwell