BONDING PLASTIC FLOOR PIECES TOGETHER

Abstract

A method of bonding plastic floor pieces together includes several steps. One step involves laying plastic floor pieces near each other in order to produce a seam between neighboring plastic floor pieces. Another step involves cutting a groove into and along a part or more of the seam. Yet another step involves filling the groove with a bonding compound that can be composed of, among other constituents, methyl methacrylate.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/915,131, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to floor constructions, and more particularly relates to ways of joining plastic floor pieces together.

BACKGROUND

Because of their general durability, plastic floor pieces are commonly used in areas and rooms that undergo an unusually high degree of wear and tear such as in building entrances, gymnasium weight rooms, locker rooms, commercial kitchens, basements, livestock trailers, and patios. Plastic floor pieces are also used because they present softer walking and running surfaces, and hence are easier on a person's joints. When laid down side-by-side on a sub-floor or underlayment during installation, a seam is produced at edges between neighboring and touching floor pieces. To join the plastic floor pieces together, in the past an installer performed a heat welding procedure. First, a groove was formed at the seam and then a heat gun melted a plastic rod to put the rod's material in the groove. Additional finishing steps may have also been performed.

While this procedure made an acceptable joint between plastic floor pieces, the strength and quality of the joint oftentimes depended largely on the skill of the installer performing the heat weld. For instance, a poorly skilled installer could make a poor quality and weak joint. Also, the heat welding procedure normally took more time than installers would have liked—typically one-and-a-half to two linear feet along the seam per minute.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a method of bonding plastic floor pieces together includes the step of laying plastic floor pieces adjacent each other to produce a seam between the plastic floor pieces. Another step involves cutting a groove into and along a part or more of the seam. And yet another step involves filling the groove with a bonding compound that comprises methyl methacrylate.

In another embodiment, a method of bonding plastic floor pieces together includes several steps. One step involves laying plastic floor pieces near each other in order to produce a seam between neighboring plastic floor pieces. Another step involves cutting a groove into and along part or more of the seam. The groove is cut part way into the seam in a direction generally orthogonal with top surface planes of the plastic floor pieces. An extent of the seam remains uncut. Yet another step involves dispensing a bonding compound into the groove. The bonding compound is composed of, among other constituents, a resin part with methyl methacrylate and an activator part. The resin and activator parts mix together as the bonding compound is in the midst of being dispensed into the groove. The bonding compound is also dispensed into the uncut extent of the seam.

In yet another embodiment, a method of bonding plastic floor pieces together includes several steps. One step involves laying plastic floor pieces near each other in order to produce a seam between neighboring plastic floor pieces. Another step involves providing a groove along part or more of the seam. The groove is provided part way into the seam in a direction generally orthogonal with top surface planes of the plastic floor pieces. An extent of the seam remains without a groove. Yet another step involves using a dispenser gun to dispense a bonding compound into the groove and into the extent of the seam that remains without a groove. The dispenser gun has a first cartridge and a second cartridge. The bonding compound is composed of a resin part and an activator part. The resin part is held in the first cartridge and the activator part is held in the second cartridge. The resin and activator parts mix together as the bonding compound is in the midst of being dispensed into the groove and into the extent of the seam that remains without a groove. And yet another step involves allowing the bonding compound to cure in the groove and in the extent of the seam that remains without a groove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a room with a floor construction including plastic floor pieces;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view taken at the circle denoted by numeral 2 in FIG. 1, showing a groove being cut into a seam of neighboring plastic floor pieces;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the groove being filled with a bonding compound;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the bonding compound after it is filled in the groove;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing a protruding portion being removed from the bonding compound after the bonding compound is cured; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the bonding compound and plastic floor pieces after the protruding portion is removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The figures depict steps performed in one example of a method of bonding plastic floor pieces together. The method uses a bonding compound that can be applied by a dispenser gun, instead of the heat gun and heat welding procedure previously known. The bonding method can be easier to perform in many ways compared to the heat welding procedure, and makes a more consistently strong and high quality joint between plastic floor pieces than the previous procedure. Because it can be more readily performed, the bonding method depends less on the skill of the installer doing the work. Also, compared to the heat welding procedure, installers can make a joint using the bonding method much quicker—for example, typically about twenty-one linear feet per minute.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 1, a plastic flooring assembly 10 can be installed in areas and rooms R that undergo an unusually high degree of wear and tear, such as in a building entrance, a gymnasium weight room, a locker room, a commercial kitchen, a residential basement, a patio, as well as in other areas and rooms. Other reasons for installing the plastic flooring assembly 10 include its relative softness and accompanying ease on a person's joints. The plastic flooring assembly 10 is made up of numerous individual and initially discrete plastic floor pieces that are subsequently joined together. In the example of FIG. 1, a first plastic floor piece 12 is ultimately joined to a second plastic floor piece 14. The phrase “floor piece(s)” is used broadly herein as a genus phrase for floor sheets, tiles, mats, coverings, and other similar floor items. The plastic floor pieces 12, 14 are usually made of the same plastic material, though need not be, and can be made out of various kinds of plastic materials including, but not limited to, a thermoplastic material, a vinyl material, or a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material. Still further, the plastic floor pieces 12, 14 could include an embedded fiber reinforcement or some other reinforcement to augment its strength and durability. One specific example of a floor piece that can be used in the bonding method detailed in this description are floor pieces sold under the product name PROTECT-ALL® by Oscoda Plastics, Inc., the original assignee of this patent. And the plastic floor pieces 12, 14 can have different shapes and sizes, but are perhaps most commonly provided as rectangles and squares with a size of approximately 5 feet by (×) 8 feet.

As mentioned, the method of bonding the plastic floor pieces 12, 14 together detailed in this description makes a strong and high quality joint more consistently than previously known, and at a quicker pace. The method can include different steps in different examples. Indeed, the exact steps performed in a particular example may depend upon—among other considerations—the material used for the floor pieces, the size and thickness of the floor pieces, and the composition of the bonding compound used. Moreover, though described below with certain steps in a certain order, other examples of the bonding method could include more, less, and different steps, and the steps described could be performed in a different order.

In the example of the figures, the method of bonding the plastic floor pieces 12, 14 together includes several steps: laying the plastic floor pieces down, cutting a groove at a seam of the floor pieces, masking the sides of the groove, filling the groove with a bonding compound, smoothing out the bonding compound, pulling the masking off, allowing the bonding compound to cure, and removing any protruding portion of the cured bonding compound. Again, not all of these steps need to be carried out. For instance, the masking can be omitted in some examples.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in an initial step, the first and second plastic floor pieces 12, 14 are laid down next to each other (in FIG. 1 in particular, a third plastic floor piece 15 is shown in the midst of being laid down). Their side edges 16, 18 produce a seam 20 between the first and second plastic floor pieces 12, 14 that runs vertically from bottom surfaces 22, 24 upward to top surfaces 26, 28 of the floor pieces. The seam 20 is produced by the confronting and in some cases abutting side edges 16, 18. The first and second plastic floor pieces 12, 14 are depicted as set on top of a sub-floor 30, though this may not always be the case. In other examples there could be an underlayment instead of, or in addition to, the sub-floor 30.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 2, in this example once the plastic floor pieces 12, 14 are in place, a groove 32 is cut into and along a part or more of the seam 20. The groove 32 is cut into both of the plastic floor pieces 12, 14. The groove 32 can be cut in different ways. The cutting could be performed with a piece of equipment like a power groover or a router P as depicted in the figure, or could be performed manually by an installer's hand and a utility knife or straight edge; still, other ways of cutting are possible. However cut, the groove 32 could have different shapes in cross-sectional profile including a U-shape as shown, a V-shape, a square, a rectangle, or a half-circle. It has been found that a U-shape in particular contributes to providing a consistently strong joint. In general, the strength of a joint could be determined by conducting what-is-known-in-the-industry as a pull test in which a test plate or some other component is secured to floor pieces at or near the joint, and a force is exerted to pull up on the floor pieces away from the sub-floor beneath the floor pieces; of course, other techniques for checking joint strength are possible. A depth D of the groove 32 measured from the top surfaces 26, 28 down to the groove's bottom or lowermost point may vary in different examples depending on, among other considerations, the overall thickness of the first and second plastic floor pieces 12, 14 and the desired strength of the resulting joint. In one specific example, the groove's depth D is approximately three-fourths (75%) of the overall thickness of the first and second plastic floor pieces 12, 14. The three-fourths depth D has been found to result in a consistently strong joint, but of course other depth values are possible. In another specific example, the groove's depth D is approximately three-sixteenth of an inch. In the example of the figures, and perhaps best shown by FIG. 4, an extent 34 of the seam 20 remains uncut. Furthermore, in another example, the groove 32 could be cut before the plastic floor pieces 12, 14 are laid down—here, one-half of the groove 32 would be cut in separate procedures in each of the side edges 16, 18 of the plastic floor pieces. Still, the groove 32 could be provided in other ways apart from cutting.

Referring now to FIG. 3, in the next step in this example, masking can be carried out such as by applying adhesive tape 36 to the top surfaces 26, 28 and on both sides of the groove 32. The adhesive tape 36 is optional and need not be applied in all cases. The adhesive tape 36 is applied in order to mask the top surfaces 26, 28 against inadvertent and unwanted contact with bonding compound in the next step.

After masking (if indeed carried out), the groove 32 is filled with a bonding compound 38. The bonding compound 38, after it is completely cured, produces a bonded joint between the first and second plastic floor pieces 12, 14. In this example the bonding compound 38 is a methyl methacrylate-based composition. Initially, and before the bonding compound 38 is set into the groove 32, the bonding compound includes two discrete and separate parts that are mixed together as the groove is filled. The parts then chemically react and cure in the groove 32 to ultimately produce the bonded joint. In FIG. 3, a resin part 40 is temporarily held in one cartridge 42 of a dispenser gun 44, and an activator part 46 is temporarily held in another cartridge 48 of the dispenser gun. The dispenser gun 44 can be manually-operated, battery-operated, or can be another type of gun. Once the gun is actuated, the resin part 40 and activator part 46 are pressed out of their respective cartridges and flow into applicator tips or nozzles 50, 52 where, upon ejection, the resin and activator parts come together and mix as they are filled into the groove 32. The filling produces a stream or bead of bonding compound 38, as depicted in FIG. 3. The resin and activator parts 40, 46 may be mixed in a 10:1 ratio, or at another mixing ratio. Or, the mixing could occur within the dispenser gun 44, or within an applicator tip or nozzle. Of course, other ways of dispensing and mixing the resin and activator parts 40, 46 are possible, including ways that do not necessarily involve a dispenser gun. These steps can be performed at room temperature and without the application of heat.

In one specific example, the resin part 40 is composed of approximately 40-85 concentration percentage of methyl methacrylate, 1-10 concentration percentage of methacrylic acid, and 5-15 concentration percentage of 2-chloro-1,3 butadiene. And the activator part 46 is composed of approximately 10-40 concentration percentage of benzoyl peroxide, 10-30 concentration percentage of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether resin, 10-30 concentration percentage of dibutyl phthalate, and 1-10 concentration percentage of other non-hazardous ingredients. Resin and activator parts like these can be supplied by ASI Adhesive Systems, Inc. with an office at 9411 Corsair Road, Frankfort, Ill. 60423, U.S.A. In addition to the groove 32, the bonding compound 38 can also be filled and inserted into the uncut extent 34 of the seam 20 if a space is defined at the uncut extent by confronting side edges 16, 18. When the uncut extent 34 is filled, the bonded joint between the plastic floor pieces 12, 14 can be enhanced compared to a joint with only its groove filled with bonding compound.

In the specific example set forth above, the bonded joint is held together by more than a mere adhesion via adhesive, and instead is held together via a chemical weld. The chemical weld intermixes the materials of the first and second plastic floor pieces 12, 14 with the composition of the bonding compound 38, and chemically fuses the plastic floor pieces together at the seam 20.

As described, the bonded joint has a more consistently strong and high quality hold between the plastic floor pieces 12, 14 because the bonding compound 38 can be more readily filled in the groove 32 than the previous heat welding procedure. That is, comparatively less skill is needed to fill the groove 32 with the bonding compound 38 than that needed for a proper heat weld. This can be by way of the dispenser gun 44, or by another technique. Previous heat welds can also exhibit strength and quality discrepancies among different welds as a result of the needed skills and different installer abilities, whereas it has been observed that the bonded joints of bonding compound 38 exhibit little or no discrepancies among different welds and among different installers. Indeed, in one specific observation, different bonded joints endured pull test forces of up to approximately 1,150 pounds. This result is considered acceptable according to industry standards.

Shortly after the groove 32 is filled with the bonding compound 38, and before the bonding compound is completely cured, the installer may flatten and smooth out an exposed surface 54 (FIG. 4) of the bonding compound. This action can help ensure that the groove 32 is fully filled with the bonding compound 38, and the action might also urge the bonding compound into the uncut extent 34 of the seam 20, if an uncut extent is present and intended to be filled. The flattening and smoothing can be carried out via a putty knife or some other tool.

If the masking was carried out in an earlier step, the masking could now be taken away by the installer or at a later time such as when the bonding compound 38 is allowed to completely cure and harden. In the case of the adhesive tape 36, the adhesive tape could be pulled off of the top surfaces 26, 28. The curing may occur at room temperature and without external accelerants or facilitators like heat. The exact curing duration will depend on the exact composition of the bonding compound 38. In the specific example set forth above with the resin and activator parts 40, 46, for instance, an initial and non-final cure time is up to approximately three to five minutes and a final cure time is approximately thirty minutes. Still, some typical cure times have been shown to be approximately ten minutes.

And as a possible last step, and referring now to FIG. 5, the installer can remove a portion 56 of the bonding compound 38 projecting and bulging above the top surfaces 26, 28 of the plastic floor pierces 12, 14. The portion 56 is also denoted in FIG. 4 by the portion located above the broken line in the figure. This action can be carried out via a skiving knife S and blade B, or some other tool or technique. The installer can remove the protruding portion 56 after final curing, or after an initial and non-final cure when the bonding compound 38 is semi-hardened. Whenever performed, the finished bonded joint as depicted in FIG. 6 has its exposed surface 54 substantially flush within workmanship precision and tolerances with the top surfaces 26, 28 of the plastic floor pieces 12, 14. Furthermore, in another example, the portion 56 need not be removed or simply may not be present.

The foregoing description is considered illustrative only. The terminology that is used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art in view of the description. Thus, the foregoing description is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments described above. Accordingly the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of bonding plastic floor pieces together, comprising:

laying plastic floor pieces adjacent each other to produce a seam between the plastic floor pieces;

cutting a groove into and along at least a part of the seam; and

filling the groove with a bonding compound comprising methyl methacrylate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying tape on top surfaces of the plastic floor pieces and at both sides of the groove before filling the groove with the bonding compound.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising smoothing out an exposed surface of the bonding compound once the bonding compound is filled in the groove and before the bonding compound is cured.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing a portion of the bonding compound protruding above top surfaces of the plastic floor pieces once the bonding compound is at least partly cured, wherein an exposed surface of the bonding compound after removal is substantially flush with the top surfaces of the plastic floor pieces.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the bonding compound to cure in the groove.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein cutting the groove comprises cutting the groove via a power groover.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the groove is cut part way into the seam in a direction generally orthogonal with top surface planes of the plastic floor pieces, leaving an extent of the seam uncut, and the bonding compound is filled in the uncut extent of the seam before the bonding compound is cured.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the groove has a depth that measures approximately three-fourths of the overall thickness of the plastic floor pieces at the seam, and the uncut extent of the seam constitutes the remaining extent of the groove.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the groove cut into and along at least part of the seam is a U-shaped groove.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein filling the groove comprises dispensing the bonding compound in the groove via a dispenser gun.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the dispenser gun has a pair of cartridges and the bonding compound comprises a resin part with the methyl methacrylate and an activator part, the resin part being held in one of the pair of cartridges and the activator part being held in the other of the cartridges, the resin part and the activator part mixing together as the bonding compound is being dispensed in the groove.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic floor pieces are polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonding compound forms a chemical weld comprising intermixed materials of the plastic floor pieces.

14. A method of bonding plastic floor pieces together, comprising:

laying plastic floor pieces adjacent each other to produce a seam between the plastic floor pieces;

cutting a groove into and along at least part of the seam, wherein the groove is cut part way into the seam in a direction generally orthogonal with top surface planes of the plastic floor pieces, leaving an extent of the seam uncut; and

dispensing a bonding compound into the groove, the bonding compound comprising a resin part with methyl methacrylate and an activator part, the resin and activator parts mixing together as the bonding compound is being dispensed into the groove, the bonding compound dispensed into the uncut extent of the seam.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein dispensing the bonding compound is performed via a dispenser gun, the dispenser gun having a first cartridge and a second cartridge, the resin part held in the first cartridge and the activator part held in the second cartridge.

16. A method of bonding plastic floor pieces together, comprising:

laying plastic floor pieces adjacent each other to produce a seam between the plastic floor pieces;

providing a groove along at least a part of the seam, wherein the groove is provided part way into the seam in a direction generally orthogonal with top surface planes of the plastic floor pieces, leaving an extent of the seam without a groove;

using a dispenser gun to dispense a bonding compound into the groove and into the extent of the seam without a groove, the dispenser gun having a first cartridge and a second cartridge, the bonding compound comprising a resin part and an activator part, the resin part held in the first cartridge and the activator part held in the second cartridge, the resin and activator parts mixing together as the bonding compound is being dispensed into the groove and into the extent of the seam without a groove; and

allowing the bonding compound to cure in the groove and in the extent of the seam without a groove.