Patents by Inventor Stephen E. Becker

Stephen E. Becker has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Ornamented tile surface covering
    Patent number: 4791015
    Abstract: The process for making a dimensionally stable, embossed, ornamented surface covering suitable for use as a floor or wall tile, involving, inter alia, laminating and embossing a resinous thermoplastic top layer having a plurality of openings extending through its thickness to allow the escape of air and extending to base material or substrate of pre-formed, low-density, reinforced, porous thermoplastic material. The base material may include hollow non-thermoplastic particles. The composite structure is subjected to heat and pressure in a flatbed press to emboss the structure without deformation, fuse the resins and render the top layer substantially impermeable. The improvement comprises the use of a rigid vinyl wear layer in a two step embossing operation involving a first embossing step in a heated press and immediately thereafter a second embossing step in a cooled press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Assignee: Armstrong World Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen E. Becker, John S. Forry, Walter J. Lewicki, Jr., Richard M. Ringer
  • Process for making a dimensionally stable, embossed, ornamented tile surface covering
    Patent number: 4778547
    Abstract: The process for making a dimensionally stable, embossed, ornamented surface covering suitable for use as a floor or wall tile, involving, inter alia, laminating and embossing a resinous thermoplastic top layer having a plurality of openings extending through its thickness to allow the escape of air and extending to a base material or substrate of pre-formed, low-density, reinforced, porous thermoplastic material. The base material may include hollow non-thermoplastic particles. The composite structure is subjected to heat and pressure in a flatbed press having a cooled embossing plate and a cooled back-up plate, to emboss the structure without deformation, fuse the resins and render the top layer substantially impermeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Assignee: Armstrong World Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen E. Becker, Walter J. Lewicki, Jr.
  • Process for making a stress-free embossed and ornament surface covering
    Patent number: 4747901
    Abstract: The process for making a dimensionally stable, embossed, ornamented surface covering suitable for use as a floor or wall tile, involving, laminating and embossing a resinous thermoplastic top layer having a plurality of openings extending through its thickness to allow the escape of air and extending to a base material or substrate of pre-formed, low-density, reinforced, porous thermoplastic material. The composite structure is subjected to heat and pressure in a flatbed press to emboss the structure without deformation, fuse the resins and render the top layer substantially impermeable. The improvement comprises the use of a rigid vinyl wear layer in a two step embossing operation involving a first embossing step in a heated press and immediately thereafter a second embossing step in a cooled press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1988
    Assignee: Armstrong World Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen E. Becker, John S. Forry, Walter J. Lewicki, Jr., Richard M. Ringer