Method of laying a carpet with a carpet fixing strip

Abstract: A carpet fixing strip is in two parts 23, 25. The upper part 23 has pins 36 on one surface for gripping a carpet, and hooks 29 of a hook and loop fastener on its underside. A complementary loop part 25 of the fastener is secured to a floor, for example with adhesive 35. The upper part 23 is then releasably mounted on the floor 3, allowing it to be readily removed without damage if the carpet 3 is removed.

Description: The present invention relates to a method for fixing a carpet to a floor with a carpet fixing strip. Fitted carpets are popular in many homes and offices as they provide a safe floor covering which is not prone to slipping. It is known from EP-A-321 978 to hold a carpet in position by providing a loop pile backing layer on the carpet, and a hook fastener part is then fixed to the floor. The carpet is simply pressed down onto the hook fastener part to secure the hooks and loops together. Similar arrangements are described in US-A-5 382 462, W098/03104 and W094/00043. These arrangements require special treatment of the carpet. More typically, the carpet is fixed to the floor or the edges of the room or corridor by a carpet fixing strip or gripper rod. Most commonly, the strip is a flat rod of wood or metal which is nailed or glued to the floor. Pins project from the upper surface of the rod at an angle and the carpet is fixed on the pins. This conventional type of strip has its problems. For example, when a fitted carpet is removed from the pins, the carpet fixing strip may also be pulled out of the floor at the same time, damaging the strip. This means that the strip will either need to be re-fixed or replaced which is not desirable. Also, when the carpet is removed from the strip, the strip is left attached to the floor with pins sticking out which are dangerous, and the strip may be damaged if it is removed. The present invention addresses the above problems. The present invention provides a method of laying a carpet, the method comprising attaching a first part (25) of a surface fastener to a floor (3) on which the carpet (1) is to be laid, providing a strip (23) having on one major surface means (37) for gripping a carpet and on the opposite major surface a second, complementary surface fastener part (29), pressing the second surface fastener part (29) of the strip onto the first surface fastener parts (25) to attach the carpet fixing strip (23) to the floor (3), and engaging the underside of the carpet (1) on the carpet gripping means (37). Typically the strip has a plurality of projecting pins or spikes which engage the carpet. Preferably the surface fastener is releasably engageable to allow the strip to be removed from the floor so that there are no projecting pins or spikes if the carpet is temporarily removed. Preferably, the surface fastener is a hook and loop type fastener. The use of a surface fastener also provides another advantage, in that if either the first (lower) part of the surface fastener or the (upper) strip needs to be replaced for some reason, a complementary fastener part can be easily obtained as an exact match is not required. It is more preferable if the surface fastener part on the strip is provided by a hook type fastener. Preferably the strip is made of plastics and preferably, the hook type fastener part is integral with the strip. The integral strip and hook type fastener can be formed by injection molding. Preferably, the carpet fixing means is (also) integral with the strip. Again, this can be achieved by injection molding of plastics material. As mentioned, typically the carpet fixing means are a plurality of sharp projections e.g. pins which project out of the upper surface of the strip. Usually, the fixing strip is located close to an edge of the carpet and the projections point towards the edge of the carpet. The carpet is fitted to the strip by stretching it and pressing it onto the pins to anchor the carpet. The carpet will try to shrink back. When a hook and loop type fastener is used it is preferable if the hooks are oriented such that the crook portion faces away from the edge of the carpet, if on the strip, or towards the edge of the carpet if on the lower part of the surface fastener. A hook and loop fastening is particularly strong in shear and moulded type hooks can provide a very strong connection. Thus, it is particularly preferred if the plurality of sharp projections which project out of the upper surface of the strip point towards a first elongate edge of the strip, the hooks of the hook type fastener are oriented such that hooks generally face towards the opposite elongate edge of the strip. The lower part of the surface fastener may be nailed or pinned to the floor. However, it can simply be glued to the floor. It is preferable if it comprises a strip of contact adhesive type material. Thus, no nails need to be used and there is no danger of damaging under floor wiring. Also, a single elongate upper strip may engage a plurality of spaced apart lower surface fastener parts of shorter length, or vice versa. The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a carpet with a carpet fixing strip according to the prior art; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a carpet fixing strip shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a carpet fixed by a carpet fixing fastener according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the carpet fixing fastener of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a carpet fixing fastener in accordance with the present invention with a single upper strip and a plurality of lower faster parts. A conventional carpet fixing strip or gripper rod is shown in Figure 1. A carpet 1 is laid on top of a floor 3 with the carpet edge adjacent a wall 5. The carpet 1 is held in place by a fixing strip 7. Carpet fixing strip 7 has a flat, elongate wooden rod 9 which is fixed to floor 5 by nails or pins 11. The fixing strip 7 also has a plurality of pins 13 which project out of the upper surface 15 of the rod 9. The pins 13 point towards the wall 5. The carpet 1 is fixed over the pins 13. As the carpet 1 is laid, it is stretched and pressed onto pins 13 to anchor the carpet. A perspective view of the carpet fixing strip of Figure 1 is shown in Figure 2. This construction is well known in the art. A carpet fixing fastener used in an embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 3 & 4. In Figure 3, the carpet 1 is laid on the floor 3 against wall 5. The carpet is fixed in position by carpet fixing strip 21 which forms an embodiment of this invention. A perspective view of carpet fixing fastener 21 is shown in Figure 4. The carpet fixing fastener has an elongate upper strip or grip member 23 and a lower or fixing member 25. The upper strip 23 is integrally moulded of plastics material. On the lower surface 27 of the upper strip 23 are a plurality of hooks 29 which form the hook part of a hook and loop type surface fastener. On the upper surface 31 of the lower fastener part 25 are a plurality of loops 33. The hooks 29 are releasably engagable with the loops 33 such that members 23, 25 can be releasably engaged with each other. The plurality of hooks 29 and the plurality of loops 33 are engaged by pushing the upper strip 23 and the lower fastener part 25 together. The upper strip 23 can be peeled away from the lower fastener part 25 but will be strongly held by the lower fastener part if a shearing force is applied in the direction of the arrows S. The lower fastener part 25 is provided with a touch sensitive adhesive layer 35 (Figure 4). The layer 35 is applied to the lower fastener part 31 during manufacture and covered by a strip of backing paper. To fix the lower fastener part 25 to the floor 3, the strip of backing paper is removed and the lower fastener part 25 is pressed onto the floor 3. The upper strip 23 has a plurality of pins 37 integrally formed on its upper surface. The pins 37 project away from the upper surface of upper strip 23 and in the direction of a first elongate edge 41 which, in use, is placed closest to wall 5 when the carpet 1 is fitted (Figure 3). The hooks 29 are oriented to best prevent the upper strip 23 moving relative to the lower fastener part 31 under the tension of the carpet. The hooks 29 are oriented so that their crooks or open side 28 faces towards a second elongate edge 43 opposite the edge 41. Thus, as the carpet 1 tends to relax back to its original size after being stretched, the hooks 29 and loops are in shear as denoted by the arrows S. Some hooks may be arranged to face in other directions to secure the upper strip against more general movement. Returning to Figure 3, the carpet fixing fastener is shown with the upper strip 23 engaged with the lower fastener part 25. The carpet is fixed as follows. The lower fastener part 25 is fixed to the floor 3 at a small distance from the wall 5 by adhesive layer 35. The upper strip 23 is then fixed to the floor 3 by pushing the upper strip 23 down onto the lower fastener part 25. This causes the hooks 29 of the upper strip 23 to engage with the loops 33 of the lower fastener part. The carpet 1, is then stretched in the usual manner and pressed onto the pins 37 of the upper strip 23. When it is desired to remove the carpet for any reason it can be lifted away from the floor. The upper strip 23 may peel away from the lower fastener part 25 with the carpet or, be peeled away afterwards so that no exposed pins 37 are left on the floor. The lower fastener part 25 may be formed of relative rigid material or it may be flexible depending on the degree of strength required and the desired manner of forming the loops 33. A composite structure may be used as is well known in the art. In Figure 4, a single elongate upper strip 23 and a single elongate lower fastener part 25 are shown. However, the lower fastener part 25 can be a plurality of discrete, short lengths 26 which can be used to fix a single elongate upper strip 23 to a floor 3, as illustrated in Figure 5.

Claims: A method of laying a carpet, the method comprising the steps performed in the following order: attaching a first part (25) of a surface fastener to a floor (3) on which the carpet (1) is to be laid, providing a strip (23) having on one major surface means (37) for gripping a carpet and on the opposite major surface a second, complementary surface fastener part (29), pressing the second surface fastener part (29) of the strip onto the first surface fastener part (25) to attach the carpet fixing strip (23) to the floor (3), and engaging the underside of the carpet (1) on the carpet gripping means (37). The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface fastener parts (25, 29) are of a hook and loop type. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein hooks (29) are provided on the strip (23). The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the hooks (29) are integrally moulded with the strip (23). The method as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the carpet gripping means comprises a plurality of sharp projections (37) which project away from an upper surface of the strip (23) towards a first edge (41) of the strip (23), and wherein the hooks (29) are oriented such that the hooks generally face in the direction of an opposite edge (43) of the strip (23). The method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the strip (23) is of plastics material. The method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first part (25) of the surface fastener is attached to a floor (3) by means of an adhesive strip (35).

Inventors: NAKAHARA HIROSHI, NAKAHARA, HIROSHI
Applicants: YKK EUROP LTD, YKK EUROPE LIMITED
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A47G27
IPC codes: A47G27