A PROTECTIVE FILM

Abstract

The present invention provides an adhesive protective film for protecting pipework, the film comprising: a protection layer; a release layer; and an adhesive between the protection and release layer. The release layer comprises a first plurality of uniformly spaced failure initiation locations provided along a first edge of the release layer for initiating tearing of the protective film; and the release layer is at least 50 μm thick.

Claims

1. An adhesive protective film for protecting pipework, the protective film comprising: a protection layer; a release layer includes a first plurality of uniformly spaced failure initiation locations along a first edge of the release layer, the first plurality of uniformly spaced failure initiation locations configured and arranged to initiate tearing of the protective film along the first edge; and an adhesive between the protection and release layer; wherein the release layer is at least 50 μm thick.

2. The protective film of claim 1, further comprising a second plurality of uniformly spaced failure initiation locations provided along the first edge of the release layer, each of the second plurality of uniformly spaced failure initiation locations being adjacent to a corresponding one of the first plurality of uniformly spaced failure initiation locations.

3. The protective film of claim 1, wherein the protective film is substantially rectangular with the release layer defining outer boundaries of the protective film and the first edge forms one of the long edges of the rectangle, such that the protective film is configured and arranged to be rolled with the first edge generally perpendicular in the longitudinal direction of the roll.

4. The protective film of claim 3, wherein the failure initiation locations are only provided along the first edge.

5. The protective film of claim 1, wherein the release layer is a polyester.

6. The protective film of claim 1, wherein each failure initiation location is formed as a symmetrical notch in the release layer.

7. The protective film of claim 6, wherein each failure initiation location has a triangular wave profile forming a notch in the release layer.

8. The protective film of claim 7, wherein the amplitude of the triangular wave profile is between 1 and 3 mm.

9. The protective film of claim 7, wherein the wavelength of the triangular wave profile is between 5 and 7 mm.

10. The protective film of any of claims 6, wherein each failure initiation location of the first plurality of failure initiation locations includes a slit cut into the release layer at an apex of a symmetrical notch in the release layer.

11. protective film of claim 1, wherein: the adhesive covers substantially all of the protection layer; and the release layer extends beyond the protection layer such that the first edge of the release layer is spaced from a first edge of protection layer and configured and arranged for initiating a tear in the release layer before the protection layer.

12. The protective film of claim 1, wherein: (i) the protection layer has a thickness of between 100 and 1000 μm; and/or (ii) the adhesive has a thickness of between 500 and 1500 μm.

13. The protective film of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is bonded more strongly to the protection layer than the release layer.

14. A method of applying one or more layers of a protective film to a surface, the method comprising the steps of: peeling a first length of a release layer off the protective film from an adhesive and a protection layer; applying the first length of adhesive and protection layer of the protective film to a surface; applying a force at or near to a point of weakness of the release layer to tear the release layer and remove the first length of release layer.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of: peeling a second length of the release layer of the protective film from the adhesive and protection layer; applying the second length of adhesive and protection layer of the protective film to the surface; and applying a force at or near to a further point of weakness of the release layer to tear the release layer and remove the second length of release layer.

16. (canceled)

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the protective film includes: the protection layer; the release layer includes a first plurality of uniformly spaced failure initiation locations along a first edge of the release layer, the first plurality of uniformly spaced failure initiation locations configured and arranged to initiate tearing of the protective film along the first edge; and the adhesive between the protection and release layer; wherein the release layer is at least 50 μm thick.

18. A method of using a protective film including the steps of: providing a protective film including a plurality of uniformly spaced failure initiation locations along a first edge of a release layer of the protective film; initiating tearing along the release layer via the plurality of uniformly spaced failure initiation locations; wherein the release layer is at least 50 μm thick.

Description

[0032] The present invention will now be described with respect to the Figures in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a protective release film according to the present invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows an alternative example of a protective film;

[0035] FIG. 3 shows an alternative example of the protective film of FIG. 1; and

[0036] FIG. 4 shows an example roll of the protective film of the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a protective film 100 according to the present invention. The protective film 100 is formed of a protection layer 14 an adhesive 12 and a release layer 16. The adhesive 12 is provided between the protection layer 14 and release layer 16. The release layer 16 is generally stronger than the other two layers and protects these two layers, particularly in transit.

[0038] The release layer 16 is provided with a plurality of failure initiation locations 18. Only two of these are provided with reference numerals in FIG. 1 for brevity. However, as can be appreciated from this Figure these failure initiation locations 18 extend generally along the length of a first edge 17 of the release layer 16. Each failure initiation location 18 is evenly spaced from an adjacent failure initiation location 18. In particular, in the embodiment of FIG. 1 each failure initiation location 18 is provided as a symmetrical notch in the first edge 17 of the release layer 16. These symmetrical notches are formed with a triangular wave profile as shown in FIG. 1. The triangular wave profile has an aptitude of between 1 and 3 mm and, preferably 2 mm. The triangle wave profile further has a wavelength of between 5 and 7 mm, preferably 6 mm. Each of these failure initiation locations 18 enhances the ease of tearing the release layer 16.

[0039] In the depicted embodiment these failure initiation locations 18 are only provided along the first edge 17 of the release layer 16 and not on any of the remaining edges 19A, 19B, 19C. The release layer 16 is generally rectangular in shape and, as such, can be readily rolled into a cylindrical roll 400 as depicted in FIG. 4 with the failure initiation locations 18 (only one indicated in FIG. 4) provided on one edge of the roll 400.

[0040] In use, the release layer 16 is processively peeled from the adhesive 12 and protection layer 14 to expose the adhesive 12 which is sandwiched between the other two layers. The adhesive 12 is more strongly bonded to the protection layer 14 than to the release layer 16 and as such is retained by the protection layer 14 when the release layer 16 is removed. The protection layer 14 and adhesive 12 are then applied to a surface which is to be protected by the protection layer 14. In particular, the present invention is envisioned to be used to protect pipework. In this case, the adhesive 12 and protection layer 14 will be applied to the pipework such that the adhesive 12 bonds the protection layer 14 to the pipework. The protection layer 14 then forms an outer surface of the pipework and protects it from damage.

[0041] As the protection layer 14 and adhesive 12 are applied to the surface a build-up of spent release layer 16 will be formed as the other layers are removed therefrom. Once the application is complete, or when the excess of release layer 16 becomes too unwieldy, the installer initiates a tear in the release layer 16 at one of the failure initiation locations 18. This tear is then propagated across the rest of the release layer 16 to detach the excess spent release layer 16 from the protective film 100. This allows the excess release layer 16 to be easily removed and disposed of either at completion of application, or when it is getting in the way.

[0042] By providing the failure initiation locations 18 in the release layer 16, the release layer 16 can be made thicker than traditional release layers. In particular, the release layer 16 may be at least 50 μm thick. Such a thick release layer would not be readily tearable without the use of additional tools but for the failure initiation locations 18. As such, the thicker release layer 16 provides enhanced protection to the protection layer 14 underneath.

[0043] FIG. 2 depicts an alternative arrangement of failure initiation locations 18 on a release layer 16A. The adhesive 12 and protection layer 14 have been omitted from FIG. 2 as they are generally identical to those shown in FIG. 1. Each failure initiation location 18 is generally formed as in the embodiment of FIG. 1. However, in this embodiment a portion 17A of the first edge 17 is provided between first and second sets 28A, 28B of failure initiation locations 18. The portion 17A of the first edge 17 between these regions 28A, 28B is provided without any failure initiation locations 18. In certain examples, this portion 17A may be approximately 1 metre long to allow for discrete 1 metre strips of release layer 16A to be removed.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the failure initiation locations 18 of a further release layer 16B. Again, the adhesive 12 and protection layer 14 have been omitted from this Figure as they are generally identical to FIG. 1. Each of the failure initiation locations 18 is further provided with a notch 18A in the release layer 16B. The notch 18A may be formed as a slit which encourages propagation of the tear in a direction generally perpendicular to the first edge 17.

[0045] Each of the embodiments described above achieves the advantages set out in the statement of invention with respect to an easier application and the ability to use a thicker release layer than would traditionally be applied.

[0046] Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention or of the appended claims.