Floor Covering with Resilient Surface

Abstract

A floor covering includes a wear layer having an uppermost surface and a lowermost surface, a fiber layer comprising a plurality of fibers, and a backing. The plurality of fibers have a first portion integrally joined to the lowermost surface of the wear layer, and a second portion projecting upwardly from the backing, such that the fiber layer extends between the wear layer and the backing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A floor covering comprising:
 a wear layer having an uppermost surface and a lowermost surface;   a fiber layer comprising a plurality of fibers; and   a backing,   wherein the plurality of fibers have
 a first portion integrally joined to the lowermost surface of the wear layer, and 
 a second portion projecting upwardly from the backing, 
   such that the fiber layer extends between the wear layer and the backing.   
     
     
         2 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the wear layer comprises a substantially homogenous polymer layer. 
     
     
         3 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the fiber layer are contiguous with the wear layer. 
     
     
         4 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the fiber layer terminate at an interface between the fibers and the wear layer, such that the fibers do not extend into the wear layer. 
     
     
         5 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the wear layer and the fiber layer each have the same chemical composition. 
     
     
         6 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers are formed from a polymer and the wear layer comprises the polymer of the fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the wear layer and the fiber layer define a wear side of the floor covering, wherein the wear side of the floor covering has a thickness, and the wear layer comprises at least about 10% of the thickness of the wear side of the floor covering. 
     
     
         8 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the uppermost surface of the wear layer is substantially smooth. 
     
     
         9 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of pores extending through the wear layer so that the uppermost surface of the wear layer is in communication with the lowermost surface of the wear layer. 
     
     
         10 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the wear layer extends across the entire floor covering. 
     
     
         11 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein the wear layer extends across only a portion of the floor covering. 
     
     
         12 . The floor covering of  claim 11 , wherein the wear layer is configured to define a plurality of resilient areas of the floor covering. 
     
     
         13 . The floor covering of  claim 1 , wherein
 the backing includes an upper side facing the wear layer and a lower side opposite the first side, and   the floor covering further comprises fused backstitch layer integrally joined to the lower side of the backing sheet and to the second portion of the fibers.   
     
     
         14 . The floor covering of  claim 13 , wherein the wear layer, fiber layer, and fused backstitch layer each have the same chemical composition. 
     
     
         15 . The floor covering of  claim 13 , wherein
 the fused backstitch layer integrally joined to the lower side of the backing sheet defines a fused base sheet, and   the floor covering further comprises an adhesive layer applied to a lower side of the fused base sheet, wherein the adhesive is for adhering the fused base sheet to an installation surface.   
     
     
         16 . The floor covering of  claim 13 , further comprising a removable release layer in a facing, contacting relationship with the adhesive layer. 
     
     
         17 . The floor covering of  claim 13 , wherein
 the backing is a primary backing,   the fused backstitch layer integrally joined to the lower side of the backing sheet defines a fused base sheet, and   the floor covering further comprises a secondary backing joined to a lower side of the fused base sheet.   
     
     
         18 . A method of making a floor covering, the method comprising:
 applying heat to a textile, the textile including a plurality of fibers extending through a backing, so that the plurality of fibers have a first portion on a first side of the backing and a second portion on a second side of the backing, wherein the first portion of the fibers includes a free end of the plurality of fibers, wherein applying heat to the textile comprises applying heat to the free end of the plurality of fibers so that the free ends of the plurality of fibers melt into a molten polymer, wherein the molten polymer solidifies and forms a wear layer integrally connected to the plurality of fibers.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein applying heat to the free end of the plurality of fibers comprises applying heat at a temperature greater than a melting point of the fibers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein applying heat at temperature greater than a melting point of the fibers comprises applying heat at a temperature at least about 20° C. greater than a melting point of the fibers. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein applying heat to the free end of the plurality of fibers comprises applying heat for from about 2 to about 10 seconds. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein applying heat to the textile comprises applying heat to the entire surface of the textile, so that the wear layer extends across the entire floor covering. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein applying heat to the textile comprises applying heat to less than the entire surface of the textile, so that the wear layer extends across only a portion of the floor covering. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein applying heat to less than the entire surface of the textile defines portions of the floor covering comprising the wear layer, wherein the portions of floor covering comprising the wear layer are spaced apart by unheated portions of the plurality of fibers. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein applying heat to less than the entire surface of the textile comprises positioning a template between the heat and the textile, wherein the template includes at least one aperture through which a portion of the plurality of fibers is exposed, so that the free ends of the portion of plurality of fibers melt into the molten polymer. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising applying heat to the second portion of the plurality of fibers on the second side of the backing, so that the second portion of the plurality of fibers melt into a molten polymer, wherein the molten polymer solidifies and forms a fused backstitch layer integrally connected to the second side of the backing. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the fused backstitch layer integrally connected to the second side of the backing defines a fused base sheet, and the method further comprises applying an adhesive a side of the fused base sheet opposite the wear layer, wherein the adhesive is for adhering the fused base sheet to a floor surface. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising positioning a removable release layer in a facing, contacting relationship with the adhesive layer. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein
 the backing is a primary backing, and   the method further comprises joining a secondary backing to a side of the fused base sheet opposite the wear layer.