Carpet And Method Of Making Same

Abstract

A carpet that can be installed onto a flooring surface without the requirement for registration between adjacent broadloom carpet pieces. The carpet comprises a design member that comprises a plurality of pattern members that are colorized and that define a void area, which has a substantially uniform color and pile height.

1 . A carpet having a production axis, comprising:
 a design member, comprising:
 a plurality of pattern members that defines a void area therebetween, wherein the void area comprises a substantially uniform void color; and 
 at least one line segment that at least partially partitions at least one pattern member of the plurality of pattern members, wherein at least a portion of the void area is formed by the at least one line segment; and 
   a means for colorizing the entirety of the plurality of pattern members with at least one predetermined color pattern, comprising:
 overlying a selected one of the at least one predetermined color pattern thereon the design member to colorize at least a portion of at least one pattern member of the plurality of pattern members; and 
 sequentially overlying at least one of the at least one predetermined color pattern thereon the design member until the entirety of the plurality of pattern members are colorized, 
   
       wherein each predetermined color pattern is formed from a plurality of colors, and wherein each predetermined color pattern is differently patterned with respect to the pattern members of the design member. 
     
     
         2 . The carpet of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one line segment at least partially partitioning at least one of the pattern members, and wherein the at least one line segment forms a portion of the void area. 
     
     
         3 . The carpet of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one line segment extends substantially parallel to the production axis. 
     
     
         4 . The carpet of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one line segment is a substantially linear line segment. 
     
     
         5 . The carpet of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one line segment comprises a plurality of line segments. 
     
     
         6 . The carpet of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of line segments vary in a width dimension substantially transverse to the production axis. 
     
     
         7 . The carpet of  claim 5  or  6 , wherein spacing between adjacent line segments of the plurality of line segments varies in a width dimension substantially transverse to the production axis. 
     
     
         8 . The carpet of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of line segments at least partially partitions each of the respective pattern members. 
     
     
         9 . The carpet of  claim 8 , wherein, in each respective pattern member, the plurality of line segments vary in a width dimension substantially transverse to the production axis. 
     
     
         10 . The carpet of  claim 8  or  9 , wherein, in each respective pattern member, spacing between adjacent line segments of the plurality of line segments varies in a width dimension substantially transverse to the production axis. 
     
     
         11 . The carpet of  claims 8 , wherein designs of the plurality of line segments that partition each pattern member are different. 
     
     
         12 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein each respective pattern member is colored by at least two colors of the plurality of colors. 
     
     
         13 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one predetermined color pattern comprises a plurality of predetermined color patterns, and wherein each respective predetermined color pattern directs the colorization of at least one pattern member. 
     
     
         14 . The carpet of  claim 13 , wherein each predetermined color pattern has a common orientation axis, and wherein each predetermined color pattern of the plurality of predetermined color patterns is substantially different when viewed from the common orientation axis. 
     
     
         15 . The carpet of  claim 14 , wherein each predetermined color pattern of the plurality of predetermined color patterns is differently patterned with respect to the other predetermined color patterns of the plurality of predetermined color patterns. 
     
     
         16 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein the void color differs from the plurality of colors therein the pattern members in at least one of hue, chroma, or value. 
     
     
         17 . The carpet of  claim 1 , wherein each color of the plurality of colors is formed from a predetermined combination of a plurality of yarns. 
     
     
         18 . The carpet of  claim 1 , further comprising a means for applying a predetermined tufting pattern to control the pile height of the carpet across each of the plurality of pattern members. 
     
     
         19 . The carpet of  claim 18 , wherein the tufting pattern is differently patterned with respect to the design member. 
     
     
         20 . The carpet of  claim 18 , wherein the tufting pattern is differently patterned from the color pattern. 
     
     
         21 . The carpet of  claim 18 , wherein the tufting pattern is substantially identical to the design of the pattern members of the design member. 
     
     
         22 . The carpet of  claim 21 , wherein the color pattern is differently patterned from the tufting pattern. 
     
     
         23 . The carpet of  claim 18 , wherein the pile height of the void area is substantially equal. 
     
     
         24 . A floor covering comprising at least two pieces of carpet of  claim 1  positioned abutting on a flooring surface. 
     
     
         25 . A carpet having a production axis produced by a process comprising:
 designing a design member for a carpet web, the design member comprising a plurality of pattern members that defines a void area therebetween, the step of designing a design member further comprising forming at least one line segment that at least partially partitions at least one pattern member of the plurality of pattern members, and wherein at least a portion of the void area is formed by the at least one line segment, wherein the void area comprises a substantially uniform void color;   creating at least one predetermined color pattern, each predetermined color pattern formed from a plurality of colors;   overlying a selected one of the at least one predetermined color pattern thereon the design member to colorize at least a portion of at least one pattern member of the plurality of pattern members;   sequentially overlying at least one of the at least one predetermined color pattern thereon the design member until the entirety of the plurality of pattern members are colorized; and   producing the carpet web with the colorized pattern members,   
       wherein each predetermined color pattern is differently patterned with respect to the pattern members of the design member. 
     
     
         26 . The carpet of  claim 35 , wherein at least a portion of the void area is formed therebetween the plurality of pattern members. 
     
     
         27 . The carpet of  claim 35 , wherein the step of creating the predetermined color pattern further comprises forming a plurality of spaced line segments thereon the predetermined color pattern, each line segment designates blank portions of the predetermined color pattern that are not colored by the plurality of colors, such that, upon overlaying of the predetermined color pattern thereon the design member, the blank portions of the color pattern that overlay the at least one pattern member form a portion of the void area of the design member. 
     
     
         28 . The carpet of  claim 25  or  27 , further comprising:
 creating a predetermined tufting pattern; and 
 overlying the predetermined tufting pattern thereon the design member to control the pile height of the carpet across each of the pattern members. 
 
     
     
         29 . The carpet of  claim 28 , wherein the tufting pattern is differently patterned with respect to the pattern members of the design member. 
     
     
         30 . The carpet of  claim 28 , wherein the tufting pattern is differently patterned from the color pattern. 
     
     
         31 . The carpet of  claim 28 , wherein the tufting pattern is substantially identical to the design of the design member, and wherein the color pattern is differently patterned from the tufting pattern. 
     
     
         32 . The carpet of  claim 28 , wherein the carpet web is produced using a tufting machine. 
     
     
         33 . The carpet of  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of colors comprises a plurality of yarns, wherein the tufting machine comprises needles that are configured to operatively engage select yarns from the plurality of yarns to tuft the carpet web. 
     
     
         34 . The carpet of  claim 33 , wherein the plurality of yarns comprise at least one of space dyed yarns, single color yarns, or barber pole yarns. 
     
     
         35 . The carpet of  claim 35 , wherein the step of overlying the predetermined color pattern comprises applying the predetermined color pattern thereto the plurality of element patterns to direct the colorization of each respective pattern member in the plurality of pattern members. 
     
     
         36 . The carpet of  claim 35 , wherein each respective pattern member is colored by at least two colors of the plurality of colors. 
     
     
         37 . The carpet of  claim 35 , wherein the predetermined color pattern comprises a plurality of predetermined color patterns, and wherein the step of overlying the predetermined color pattern comprises successively applying the plurality of predetermined color patterns thereto the element pattern to direct the colorization of each pattern member, wherein each respective predetermined color pattern directs the colorization of at least a portion of at least one pattern member. 
     
     
         38 . The carpet of  claim 37 , wherein each predetermined color pattern has a common orientation axis, and wherein each predetermined color pattern of the plurality of predetermined color patterns is substantially different when viewed from the common orientation axis. 
     
     
         39 . The carpet of  claim 37 , wherein each predetermined color pattern is differently patterned with respect to the design member. 
     
     
         40 . The carpet of  claim 39 , wherein each predetermined color pattern is differently patterned with respect to the other predetermined color patterns of the plurality of predetermined color patterns.