Rolled Sheets of Floor Covering and Manufacture

Abstract

A roll of a sheet material such as a sheet vinyl floor covering and a process of manufacturing the roll to prevent the leading edge of the floor covering from causing damage to succeeding layers. The process comprises winding the sheet material about the surface of a roll core and inserting a thin sheet of a relatively stiff material, such as paperboard, between the leading edge of the sheet material and the next succeeding layer of sheet material. The relatively stiff material is inserted under tension so that the leading edge of sheet material is pulled down against the surface of the roll core.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A roll of a sheet floor covering material comprising a cylindrical roll core having a length and an outer surface having a circumference,
 a sheet of floor covering material wound around the outer surface of the cylindrical roll core, the floor covering material having a first leading edge, a first thickness, a first width, a first length having a first leading portion, a first upper surface and a first lower surface, and   a sheet of a paper material having a thickness from 3 to 20 mils and having a second leading edge, a second thickness, a second width, a second length and a second lower surface,   the first rawer surface of the first leading portion of the floor covering material being in direct contact with the outer surface of the cylindrical roll core,   the second lower surface of the sheet of paper material being in direct contact with the outer surface of the cylindrical roll core, the first leading edge of the floor covering material and a portion of the upper surface of the sheet material, and   the sheet of paper material is disposed under tension between the first leading edge and the first lower surface,   wherein the sheet of paper material is not a part of the roll core and a ratio of the thickness of the sheet of paper material to the thickness of the sheet of floor covering material is from about 0.015 to about 0.05.   
     
     
         7 . The roll of sheet floor covering material of  claim 6  wherein the second length is sufficient to cover a portion of the outer surface of the roll core, the first leading edge and the adjacent portion of the first upper surface. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The roll of sheet floor covering material of  claim 6  wherein the ratio of the thickness of the sheet of paper material to the thickness of the sheet of floor covering material is from about 0.033 to about 0.28. 
     
     
         10 . A process for manufacturing a roll of a sheet material by winding the sheet material onto a roll core having an outer surface, the sheet material having a first thickness, a width, an upper surface and a lower surface, the process comprising the sequential steps of
 affixing to a portion of the upper surface adjacent a first leading edge of the sheet material and across the width of the sheet material a thin sheet of a relatively stiff material, the relatively stiff material also having a second leading edge extending beyond the first leading edge, the relatively stiff material having a second thickness substantially thinner than the first thickness,   winding the relatively stiff material onto the outer surfaces of the roll core commencing with the second leading edge and rotating the roll core about its axis to cause the relatively stiff material to pull the first leading edge of the sheet material onto the roll core and flatten the first leading edge and an adjacent portion of the lower surface against the outer surface of the roll core, and   continuing rotating the roll core about its axis to cause the sheet material to be wound into a roll.   
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10  wherein the second leading portion has a length about the same as the circumference of the outer surface of the cylindrical roll core. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 10  wherein the second leading portion has a length less than the circumference of the outer surface of the cylindrical roll core. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 10  wherein a ratio of the thickness of the sheet material to the thickness of the thin sheet of relatively stiff material is from about 0.015 to 0.05. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 10  wherein a ratio of the thickness of the sheet material to the thickness of the thin sheet of relatively stiff material is from about 0.033 to 0.28. 
     
     
         15 . A process for manufacturing a roll of a sheet material by winding the sheet material onto a roll core having an outer surface, the sheet material having a first thickness, a width, a first upper surface, a first lower surface and a first leading edge across the width, the process comprising the sequential steps of
 winding a portion of the sheet material onto the roll core,   before the first leading edge makes one revolution, inserting between the roll core outer surface and the first lower surface of the sheet material a relatively stiff material having a length sufficient to cause the first leading edge of the sheet material and an adjacent portion of the first lower surface to be pulled against the outer surface of the roll core upon completion of one revolution, and rotating the roll core about its axis to cause the sheet material to be wound into a roll.   
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the second length is sufficient to cover a portion of the outer surface of the roll core, the first leading edge and the adjacent portion of the first upper surface. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 15  wherein a ratio of the thickness of the sheet material to the thickness of the thin sheet of relatively stiff material is from about 0.015 to about 0.05. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 15  wherein a ratio of the thickness of the sheet material to the thickness of the thin sheet of relatively stiff material is from about 0.033 to about 0.28. 
     
     
         19 . The roll of sheet floor covering material of claim  1  wherein the thickness of the sheet of paper material is from 5 to 14 mils. 
     
     
         20 . The roll of sheet floor covering material of claim  1  wherein the sheet of paper material is paperboard or packaging paper. 
     
     
         21 . The roll of sheet floor covering material of  claim 19  wherein the sheet of paper material is paperboard or packaging paper. 
     
     
         22 . The roll of sheet floor covering material of  claim 6  wherein the thickness of the sheet of paper material is from 5 to 14 mils. 
     
     
         23 . The roll of sheet floor covering material of  claim 6  wherein the sheet of paper material is paperboard or packaging paper. 
     
     
         24 . The roll of sheet floor covering material of  claim 23  wherein the sheet of paper material is paperboard or packaging paper.