US 12,006,606 B1
Patterned tufted articles, surface coverings comprising same, and systems and methods of making same
William Neil Vaughan, Rydal, GA (US); Philipe C. F. Aldahir, Chattanooga, TN (US); Jeffrey J. Wright, Cartersville, GA (US); James Jarrett, Cartersville, GA (US); and Kyle Andrew Aylor, Cartersville, GA (US)
Assigned to Columbia Insurance Company, Omaha, NE (US)
Filed by Columbia Insurance Company, Omaha, NE (US)
Filed on Sep. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/476,870.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/079,312, filed on Sep. 16, 2020.
Int. Cl. D05C 15/04 (2006.01); D05C 17/02 (2006.01); E01C 13/08 (2006.01)
CPC D05C 17/026 (2013.01) [D05C 15/04 (2013.01); E01C 13/083 (2013.01); D10B 2507/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tufted article having a length along a first axis and width along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, the first and second axes being perpendicular to a vertical axis, the tufted article comprising:
a backing having a continuous structure; and
a plurality of tufts extending through at least a portion of the backing, the plurality of tufts distributed among a plurality of patterned regions, wherein each patterned region comprises at least one tuft of the plurality of tufts, wherein the tufts of each patterned region differ from the tufts of at least one other patterned region of the tufted article in at least one of color, pile height, yarn type, or yarn density, and wherein at least one patterned region forms a discontinuity in a color pattern of the tufted article moving along the first axis,
wherein the tufted article does not comprise a seam within or associated with the continuous structure of the backing; and
wherein the length of the tufted article is greater than 160 feet.