Hot melt adhesive bonded pile fabrics

Abstract

A hot melt adhesive bonded pile fabric is provided which comprises a liquid permeable base layer; a pile forming yarn adjacent to the base layer in pile forming fashion but not tufted through the base layer; the pile forming element having been bonded to the base layer by means of a hot melt adhesive applied to the back of said base layer. A method and apparatus for making fusion bonded, pile fabrics are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A hot melt adhesive bonded pile fabric which comprises a liquid-permeable base layer, a pile forming yarn adjacent to but not tufted through the base layer in pile forming fashion, the pile forming yarn having been bonded to the base layer by means of a hot melt adhesive applied to the back of said base layer and forced through the base layer into contact with said pile forming yarn. 
     
     
       2. The pile fabric of claim 1 wherein said pile forming yarn is provided adjacent to said base layer in folded fashion. 
     
     
       3. A carpet tile comprising a liquid-permeable base layer, a pile forming yarn adjacent to, but not tufted through the base layer in folded, pile forming fashion, the pile forming yarn having been bonded to the base layer by means of a hot melt adhesive applied to the back of said base layer and forced through the base layer into contact with said pile forming yarn; said carpet tile including a backing layer of thermoplastic material having been bonded to said base layer by means of said hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
       4. The carpet tile of claim 3 wherein said backing layer includes at least one stiffening and stabilizing membrane. 
     
     
       5. The carpet tile of claim 4 wherein the stiffening and stabilizing membrane comprises glass fibers.