ADHESIVE TAPE WITH SHAPED PEEL TAB AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SUCH TAPE

Abstract

Adhesive tapes and methods comprise an adhesive composition and a release material. One adhesive tape may have a release material comprising a peel tab region and an adhesive composition region, the adhesive composition region may bear the applied adhesive composition, the adhesive tape may extend along a lengthwise direction of the adhesive tape, and the peel tab region may extend perpendicularly to the lengthwise direction of the adhesive tape. The one adhesive tape may be configured in such a way that the extent of the peel tab region along the lengthwise direction varies.

Claims

1. An adhesive tape comprising: an adhesive composition; and a release material, wherein the release material comprises a peel tab region and an adhesive composition region, the adhesive composition region bears the applied adhesive composition, where the adhesive tape extends along a lengthwise direction of the adhesive tape, and the peel tab region extends perpendicularly to the lengthwise direction of the adhesive tape, and the adhesive tape is configured such that the extent of the peel tab region along the lengthwise direction varies.

2. The adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the extent varies semicircularly or triangularly or rectangularly or serratedly or trapezoidally or sinusoidally or varies in a combination of at least two of these forms.

3. The adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the extent varies continuously.

4. The adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the extent varies periodically along the longitudinal axis.

5. The adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the release material further comprises a further peel tab region, that is configured oppositely to the peel tab region.

6. The adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the release material is a polymeric film or a release paper.

7. The adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the extent of the peel tab region is at most less than or equal to 25 mm and the extent of the peel tab region is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm.

8. The adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the adhesive composition region has a width of 3 to 40 mm.

9. The adhesive tape of claim 8, wherein the adhesive composition region has a width of 6 to 15 mm.

10. The adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the adhesive tape comprises a carrier, wherein at least part of the adhesive composition is disposed between the carrier and the release material.

11. The adhesive tape of claim 10, wherein the carrier bears the applied adhesive composition, and/or the carrier is embedded in the adhesive composition.

12. The adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the adhesive tape comprises a further release material, that comprises a further adhesive composition region, and the further adhesive composition region bears the applied adhesive composition.

13. The adhesive tape of claim 12, wherein the further release material comprises a further peel tab region.

14. An adhesive tape utility comprising a plurality of the adhesive tapes of claim 1, wherein the respective lengthwise directions of the adhesive tapes are disposed parallel to one another, and a first adhesive tape having a first peel tab region and a second adhesive tape having a second peel tab region are disposed in such a way that the first peel tab region and the second peel tab region border one another.

15. The adhesive tape utility of claim 14, wherein the first peel tab region and the second peel tab region reciprocally engage in one another.

16. A method for producing adhesive tapes, the comprising: a) providing an adhesive tape precursor, wherein the adhesive tape precursor comprises at least one release region that is configured on a release material and that is free from adhesive composition; and b) separating in the release region in such a way that a first peel tab region of a first release material of a first adhesive tape of the adhesive tapes is generated and a second peel tab region of a second release material of a second adhesive tape of the adhesive tapes is generated, wherein the first adhesive tape and the second adhesive tape comprise the adhesive tape of claim 1.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein preparatory to a), in an a), parent adhesive composition (101) which is applied on a parent release material (130) is structured in such a way that at least one release region (134, 234) is exposed and an adhesive tape precursor (103) is generated, more particularly in such a way that a plurality of release regions (134, 234) are exposed and an adhesive tape precursor (103) is generated.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein preparatory to a) or a), in an a), a parent adhesive composition is applied to a parent release material.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein preparatory to a), in an a), adhesive composition is applied to a parent release material in such a way as to form release regions.

Description

[0073] Exemplary embodiments are represented in FIG. 1 to FIG. 7M, in which:

[0074] FIG. 1: shows an adhesive tape with peel tab region according to the prior art.

[0075] FIG. 2: shows an adhesive tape with peel tab region according to the prior art (in different representation).

[0076] FIG. 3: shows an exemplary embodiment of the inventive adhesive tape according to a first variant.

[0077] FIG. 4: shows an exemplary embodiment of the inventive adhesive tape according to a second variant.

[0078] FIG. 5: shows a cross section through the cut edge of an inventive adhesive tape.

[0079] FIG. 6: shows an exemplary production method for a plurality of adhesive tapes with a varying peel tab region.

[0080] FIG. 7A: a semicircular profile.

[0081] FIG. 7B: a triangular profile.

[0082] FIG. 7C: a rounded triangular profile.

[0083] FIG. 7D: a rectangular profile.

[0084] FIG. 7E: a rounded rectangular profile.

[0085] FIG. 7F: a serrated profile.

[0086] FIG. 7G: a rounded serrated profile.

[0087] FIG. 7H: a trapezoidal profile.

[0088] FIG. 7I: a rounded trapezoidal profile.

[0089] FIG. 7J: a sinusoidal profile.

[0090] FIG. 7K: a profile with sectionally combined sinusoidal and rectangular profile.

[0091] FIG. 7L: a profile with sectionally different semicircular profiles.

[0092] FIG. 7M: a profile with sectionally sinusoidal and linear profile.

[0093] FIG. 1 represents a schematic plan view of an adhesive tape according to the prior art. Configured on a release material 3 is an adhesive composition region 10 with adhesive composition. Configured on the release material 3 is also a peel tab region 30. Since the width of the adhesive composition region is smaller than that of the release material, the peel tab region 30 is formed. Since in the lengthwise direction of the adhesive tape 5 there is no variation either in the width of the adhesive composition region 10 or in the width of the peel tab region 30, the contours of adhesive composition region 10 and peel tab region 30 run parallel.

[0094] FIG. 2 represents a perspective detail of two adhesive tapes 11, 12 without shaped peel tab regions 31, 32. The adhesive composition regions 10, 20 are applied on the release material. A release region 34 is free from adhesive composition. The lengthwise direction of the adhesive tape is specified with reference numeral 5.

[0095] FIG. 3 is represented on the same scale as FIG. 2 and represents a perspective detail of two inventive adhesive tapes 11, 12 with two reciprocally configured peel tab regions 131, 132 and two adhesive composition regions 110, 120. In this case, two adhesive tapes 11, 12 are each arranged parallel to one another along their respective lengthwise directions 5. Moreover, the peel tab regions 131, 132 of the first and second adhesive tapes 11, 12 border one another.

[0096] The profiles of the peel tab regions 131, 132 are in varying configurations in the case of the inventive adhesive tapes. The profile of the extent of a peel tab region 131, 132 varies sinusoidally along the lengthwise direction 5 of the inventive adhesive tapes 11, 12. The sinusoidal profile of the first peel tab region 131 and the sinusoidal profile of the second peel tab region 132 exhibit a phase offset of 180 or half a period in this case.

[0097] The reciprocal configuration of the peel tab regions 131, 132 means that the required width of the release region 134 is reduced to half by comparison with an adhesive tape without shaped peel tab region. In this case the width saved amounts to just the maximum extent of a peel tab region 131, 132, and hence in the example to the amplitude of the sinus profile.

[0098] FIG. 4 is represented on the same scale as FIGS. 2 and 3 and represents a perspective detail of an inventive adhesive tape 21, 22 according to a second embodiment with two reciprocally configured peel tab regions 231, 232 and two adhesive composition regions 210, 220. In this case, two adhesive tapes 21, 22 are each arranged parallel to one another along their respective lengthwise directions 5. Moreover, the peel tab regions 231, 232 of the first and second adhesive tapes 21, 22 border one another.

[0099] The profiles of the adhesive composition regions 210, 220 are in varying configurations in the case of the inventive adhesive tapes. The profile of the extent of an adhesive composition region 210, 220 varies sinusoidally along the lengthwise direction 5 of the inventive adhesive tapes 21, 22. The sinusoidal profile of the first adhesive composition region 210 and the sinusoidal profile of the second adhesive composition region 220 exhibit a phase offset of 180 or half a period in this case.

[0100] The reciprocal configuration of the adhesive composition regions 210, 220 means that the required width of the release regions 234 is reduced to half by comparison with an adhesive tape without shaped peel tab region. In this case the width saved amounts to just the maximum extent of a peel tab region 231, 232, and hence in the example to the amplitude of the sinus profile. This width saving is divided in FIG. 3 in equal parts between the upper region with /2 and the lower region of the adhesive tape with /2.

[0101] FIG. 5 represents schematically the production method for the inventive adhesive tapes. Here, a multiplicity of identical adhesive tapes are produced in parallel. The starting material 100 comprises the parent release material 130 and the parent adhesive composition 101, and is worked on by a first separating unit 201 having a squeeze-cutting knife. In this case, the parent adhesive composition 101 is cut into, but not the underlying parent release material 130. As a result, by means of doctor blades or other peeling means, for example, strips of adhesive composition 102 can be lifted from the release material, and the adhesive tape precursor 103 can be provided. The lifted adhesive composition can then be used further in order to provide further starting material. The adhesive tape precursor then has release regions 134 within which the parent release material is later separated. The lifted strips 102 are rejects.

[0102] In a second separating unit 202, within the release regions 134, the peel tab regions 131, 132 are formed, by the separating unit 202 cutting the parent release material 130. This may be done by means of one of the aforementioned separation methods, preferably with a squeeze-cutting knife. In this separating process, the varying extent of the peel tab regions 131, 132 is also formed, and is sinusoidal, for example. The tools of the separating unit 202 here describe the profile of the peel tab regions 131, 132.

[0103] Moreover, the separating unit 202 may separate the adhesive composition region 110, 120 together with the parent release material 130 below it, thus providing a multiplicity of adhesive tapes.

[0104] With the appropriate adaptations, this production method may also be employed analogously for producing adhesive tapes according to the second embodiment.

[0105] FIG. 6 represents a schematic cross section of an adhesive tape 11, 12, 21, 22. In this case the adhesive tape is disposed in such a way that the lengthwise direction of the adhesive tape emerges from and recedes into the plane of the image. On a release material 3, the adhesive composition region 110, 120, 210, 220 and the peel tab region 131, 132, 231, 232 are configured.

[0106] FIGS. 7A-7F, by way of example and not exhaustively, represent a number of preferred profiles of extents of peel tab regions. They show the following: [0107] FIG. 7A semicircular profile [0108] FIG. 7B triangular profile [0109] FIG. 7C rounded triangular profile [0110] FIG. 7D rectangular profile [0111] FIG. 7E rounded rectangular profile [0112] FIG. 7F serrated profile [0113] FIG. 7G rounded serrated profile [0114] FIG. 7H trapezoidal profile [0115] FIG. 7I rounded trapezoidal profile [0116] FIG. 7J sinusoidal profile [0117] FIG. 7K profile with sectionally combined sinusoidal and rectangular profile [0118] FIG. 7L profile with sectionally different semicircular profiles [0119] FIG. 7M profile with sectionally sinusoidal and linear profile

Comparative Experiment

[0120] The potential of this invention can be illustrated by way of example by comparing the materials requirement for adhesive tapes with non-shaped peel tab region with the materials requirement of adhesive tapes produced with the inventive method. The examples which follow start from a parent roll having a parent roll width B.sub.M of 1 m. The width of the adhesive composition region B.sub.K varies in Examples 1-3 between 10 mm and 20 mm. Similarly, the width of the peel tab region B.sub.A varies between 4 mm and 8 mm. Because of the inventive reciprocally configured peel tab regions of the inventive adhesive tapes, it is possible to manufacture considerably more adhesive tapes per adhesive tape utility and to save on release material. In particular, in the case of the parallel arrangement of a plurality of adhesive tape rolls on one adhesive tape utility, the required width of the peel tab region B.sub.A is halved relative to an unshaped peel tab region. The examples also assume that no minimal fingerlift is provided. The effective total width B.sub.G of an adhesive tape is obtained from the width of the adhesive composition region B.sub.K and the width of the peel tab region B.sub.A. This width is the width which an individual adhesive tape has on average (arithmetic mean) over the total running length of a parent roll. For the inventive adhesive tapes, therefore, there is a halving on average in the width of the required peel tab region. Depending on the parameters B.sub.K and B.sub.A, different effective total widths B.sub.Geff result for an individual adhesive tape on the parent roll, and hence there is also a difference in the number of adhesive tapes which can be manufactured from one parent roll.

[0121] On the basis of three examples, the table below represents on an exemplary basis the percentage increase in inventive adhesive tapes per parent roll, relative to adhesive tapes which do not have a shaped peel tab region.

TABLE-US-00001 B.sub.K B.sub.A B.sub.Geff N.sub.K [mm] [mm] [mm] []* [%] Example 1: Non-shaped peel tab 20 4 24 41 region Shaped peel tab region 20 4 22 45 9.7 Example 2: Non-shaped peel tab 14 6 20 50 region Shaped peel tab region 14 6 17 58 16.0 Example 3: Non-shaped peel tab 10 8 18 55 region Shaped peel tab region 10 8 14 71 29.1 *The width of the parent roll, B.sub.M, in Examples 1 to 3 is always 1 m. [0122] B.sub.M width of parent roll [0123] B.sub.K width of adhesive composition region [0124] B.sub.A width of peel tab region [0125] B.sub.Geff effective total width of adhesive tape on the parent roll [0126] N.sub.K number of adhesive tape rolls per parent roll [0127] percentage materials saving per mother roll from the use of the inventive adhesive tapes relative to non-shaped peel tab region

[0128] The three examples illustrate that with the inventive adhesive tapes it is possible to make a considerable saving on material, or that the material which is used is utilized much more efficiently. Because of the halving in the effective width of the peel tab region, there is also a halving in the rejects in the form of lifted adhesive composition, essentially. This also relates to the materials requirement for forming the peel tab region. As a result of the more efficient utilization of material, it is also possible to produce more adhesive tapes from one parent roll.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0129] 11, 21 first adhesive tape [0130] 12, 22 second adhesive tape [0131] 3 release material [0132] 3 release material [0133] 5 lengthwise direction of an adhesive tape [0134] 5 lengthwise direction of an adhesive tape [0135] 10 adhesive composition region [0136] 11, 12 first adhesive tape with non-shaped peel tab region [0137] 20 adhesive composition region [0138] 30 peel tab region [0139] 31, 32 non-shaped peel tab region [0140] 34 release region [0141] 100 starting material [0142] 101 parent adhesive composition [0143] 102 lifted adhesive composition [0144] 103 adhesive tape precursor [0145] 110, 210 first adhesive composition region [0146] 120, 220 second adhesive composition region [0147] 130 parent release material [0148] 131, 231 peel tab region of the first adhesive tape [0149] 132, 232 peel tab region of the second adhesive tape [0150] 134, 234 release region [0151] 201 first separating unit [0152] 202 second separating unit