PATTERNED POLYURE-THANE FOAM AND A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TUFTED GOODS WITH PATTERNED FOAM BACKING

This invention relates to a process for the production of patterned polyurethane foam as a backing for tufted goods. This process comprises applying a puddle of a reactive polyurethane mixture to the back side of a greige good, passing the greige good coated with the reactive polyurethane mixture under a doctoring device and curing the polyurethane backed greige good. In one embodiment of the present invention, the doctoring device is patterned or an attachment to the doctoring device is patterned, and forms a corresponding pattern in the polyurethane coating as it passes under the doctoring device. In another embodiment, a woven secondary backing is laminated to the reactive polyurethane mixture after passing under the doctoring device, and pressure is applied against the face of the tufted good such that the urethane is pushed through the windows of the secondary backing. This pressure forms beads of polyurethane on the underside of the woven secondary backing.