COVER TAPE

Abstract

A cover tape includes first and second basal layers, a first adhesive layer having a low peeling-strength and disposed between the first and second basal layers, and a second adhesive layer having a high peeling-strength and disposed on the other surface of the second basal layer. The cover tape adheres to two ends of a carrier tape. Two vertically-extending notches are disposed at two ends of the second basal layer and correspond in position to points of coupling to the carrier tape, respectively. Defined on the second basal layer are a centrally-located central release portion and fixing portions disposed at two ends of the second basal layer. Peeling off the cover tape entails separating the first basal layer from the two fixing portions of the second basal layer under a stable, small pulling force and separating the central release portion and the first basal layer from the carrier tape.

Claims

1. A cover tape, for sealing a predetermined carrier tape, comprising: a stripelike first basal layer; a sheetlike second basal layer similar to the first basal layer in shape; a first adhesive layer disposed on a surface of the first basal layer and positioned proximate to the second basal layer to adhere to the first and second basal layers and generate a corresponding first peeling strength such that the first basal layer peels off the second basal layer when pulled; a second adhesive layer disposed on a surface of the second basal layer and positioned distal to the first basal layer to adhere to the second basal layer and the carrier tape and generate a corresponding second peeling strength, the second peeling strength being greater than the first peeling strength; wherein two vertically-extending notches are disposed at two ends of the second basal layer, respectively, such that the second basal layer is divided to thereby define a centrally-located central release portion and fixing portions located at the two ends of the second basal layer, respectively, to adhere to fixing portions of the carrier tape, so as to peel the cover tape off the carrier tape by separating the first basal layer from the two fixing portions of the second basal layer under a pulling force of the first peeling strength while keeping the two fixing portions of the second basal layer adhered to the carrier tape and allowing the central release portion to separate from the carrier tape together with the first basal layer.

2. The cover tape of claim 1, wherein a surface of the first basal layer is covered with a functional coating layer positioned distal to the second basal layer.

3. The cover tape of claim 2, wherein the functional coating layer is an anti-static layer.

4. The cover tape of claim 1, wherein the first and second basal layers are made of PET or OPP.

5. The cover tape of claim 1, wherein the first adhesive layer is a lightly-adhesive PSA with a low peeling strength.

6. The cover tape of claim 5, wherein the peeling strength imposed by the first adhesive layer on between the first basal layer and the two fixing portions falls within 2080 g.

7. The cover tape of claim 1, wherein the second adhesive layer is a heavily-adhesive heat-melting adhesive or a heavily-adhesive PSA, with a high peeling strength.

8. The cover tape of claim 7, wherein the peeling strength imposed by the second adhesive layer on between the carrier tape and the two fixing portions of the second basal layer is above 100 g.

9. The cover tape of claim 8, wherein a surface of the second adhesive layer is covered with a functional coating layer positioned distal to the second basal layer and corresponding in position to the central release portion.

10. The cover tape of claim 9, wherein the functional coating layer is an anti-static layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART) is a lateral cross-sectional view of a conventional release cover tape structure;

[0026] FIG. 2 (PRIOR ART) is a lateral cross-sectional view of a conventional central release cover tape structure;

[0027] FIG. 3 is a lateral cross-sectional view of a cover tape according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the cover tape being peeled off according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG. 5 is a partial enlarged view of region X shown in FIG. 4;

[0030] FIG. 6 is a lateral cross-sectional view of the cover tape according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the cover tape being peeled off according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0032] FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged view of region Y shown in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] Referring to FIG. 3 through FIG. 5, the first embodiment of the present disclosure is exemplified by a heat-sealing cover tape A which essentially comprises a first basal layer 1, a second basal layer 2, a first adhesive layer 3 and a second adhesive layer 4. The first basal layer 1 is a stripelike structure made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or O-phenylphenol (OPP). In a variable embodiment of the present disclosure, the first basal layer 1 is made of polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), or polycarbonate (PC) and formed by heating, injection and lamination to ensure that the first basal layer 1 has satisfactory physical properties, such as toughness, mechanical strength, and resistance to impacts.

[0034] The second basal layer 2 is a sheetlike structure which is similar or identical to the first basal layer 1 in terms of size and shape. The second basal layer 2 lies beneath the first basal layer 1 and is made of the same material as the first basal layer 1.

[0035] The first adhesive layer 3 is disposed between the first and second basal layers 1, 2. Thanks to the adhesiveness of the first adhesive layer 3, a proportionate first peeling strength is generated between the first and second basal layers 1, 2.

[0036] In this embodiment, the first adhesive layer 3 is a lightly-adhesive pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA).

[0037] The second adhesive layer 4 is disposed below the second basal layer 2 and faces away from the first basal layer 1. The second adhesive layer 4, a heavily-adhesive heat sealing adhesive (with stronger adhesiveness than the first adhesive layer 3), undergoes a heat sealing process and adheres to two sides of a predetermined carrier tape B, so as to generate a second peeling strength greater than the first peeling strength.

[0038] In this embodiment, the second adhesive layer 4 is a heavily-adhesive heat-melting adhesive or any other adhesive which generates a great sealing force when subjected to heat adhesion.

[0039] In a practical embodiment, a penetrating, cutting notch 23 is disposed at each of the two ends of the second basal layer 2. The two notches 23 extend vertically along the edges of the second basal layer 2, respectively, such that the second basal layer 2 is divided to thereby define a centrally-located central release portion 21 corresponding in position to the receiving space B1 and fixing portions 22 located at the two ends of the second basal layer 2, respectively, and corresponding in position to the lateral side portions B2, respectively.

[0040] The plurality of receiving spaces B1 is centrally disposed at the carrier tape B and equidistantly spaced apart to accommodate predetermined electronic parts and components (not shown). A flat lateral side portion B2 is disposed at each of the two ends of the carrier tape B. In practice, a heat sealing process is performed on the two fixing portions 22 such that the second adhesive layer 4 of the two fixing portions 22 is heated up, pressed and adhered to the lateral side portions B2 at the two ends of the carrier tape B.

[0041] Regarding the aforesaid structure, the second adhesive layer 4 of the fixing portions 22 at the two ends of the second basal layer 2 of the cover tape A undergoes a heat sealing process and thereby adheres to the lateral side portions B2 of the carrier tape B. The other surface of each fixing portion 22 is adhered to the first basal layer 1 through the first adhesive layer 3. The second adhesive layer 4 has a greater peeling strength than the first adhesive layer 3. Since the first adhesive layer 3 has a lower peeling strength than the second adhesive layer 4, when the cover tape A is subjected to an external force (pulling acting force, as shown in FIG. 5) exerted in a direction away from the carrier tape B, the two fixing portions 22 of the second basal layer 2 separate from the first basal layer 1 by separating from the first adhesive layer 3. Afterward, the other sides of the fixing portions 22 are still adhered to the two lateral side portions B2 of the carrier tape B through the second adhesive layer 4. The central release portion 21 separates from the carrier tape B together with the first basal layer 1 to finalize the operation of peeling off the cover tape A and opening the receiving space B1 of the carrier tape B.

[0042] Regarding the aforesaid structure of the present disclosure, the peeling operation is rendered easy and efficient by the two fixing portions 22 of the second basal layer 2 and the first basal layer 1, that is, a bilayer layer structure, and effective in controlling the peeling strength between the first basal layer 1 and the second basal layer 2 by selecting appropriating materials of the first basal layer 1 and the second basal layer 2 and employing the adhesive characteristics of the first adhesive layer 3, so as to optimize the peeling strength between the cover tape A and the carrier tape B (controllably allowing the peeling strength achieved by the first adhesive layer 3 and imposed between the first basal layer 1 and the two fixing portions 22 to fall within 2070 g, 2080 g, 2090 g, preferably 2080 g for the sake of advantages and cost control.) Furthermore, the two fixing portions 22 of the second basal layer 2 are separable and sealed on the carrier tape B; hence, the second adhesive layer 4 is implemented as a heavily-adhesive heat-melting adhesive so as to effectuate complete sealing and thus is not restricted to the materials of the carrier tape B (the peeling strength imposed by the second adhesive layer 4 on between the carrier tape B and the two fixing portions 22 of the second basal layer 2 is controllably set to be above 100 g or above 120 g, at the very least). Owing to the difference in the peeling strength between the two separable fixing portions 22 and the flanking first and second adhesive layers 3, 4, the overall design is effective in ensuring the stability of the peeling process, applying to carrier tapes made of different materials, and precluding shifts and jerks of parts and components which might otherwise arise from uneven peeling strength.

[0043] In practice, a surface of the first basal layer 1 is covered with a functional coating layer 10 (which is a conductive layer or anti-static layer) positioned distal to the second basal layer 2, as needed. The functional coating layer 10 is made of resin (for example, acrylic resin, polyoxy resin, polyurethane resin, unsaturated polyester resin, saturated polyester resin, or epoxy resin) which contains an additive, that is, a conducting agent (for example, carbon nanotube or conductive polymer). The resin is coated on the surface of the first basal layer 1 by dip coating, roll coating or spray coating. The resin and the first basal layer 1 together not only effectuate satisfactory compatible adhesion but also acquire a conductive or anti-static function in the presence of the conducting agent to prevent ambient static electricity from damaging electronic parts and components inside the receiving space B1. In practice, a surface of the second adhesive layer 4 is covered with a functional coating positioned distal to the second basal layer 2, so as to form the conductive layer or anti-static layer and thus augment the protection for electronic parts and components inside the receiving space B1.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 6 through FIG. 8, the second embodiment of the present disclosure is exemplified by a self-adhesive cover tape C. In addition to the first basal layer 1, second basal layer 2 and first adhesive layer 3 of the first embodiment, the cover tape C of the second embodiment comprises a second adhesive layer 40. As shown in the diagrams, the first basal layer 1, second basal layer 2 and first adhesive layer 3 are connected and coupled together in the second embodiment in the same way as they are in the first embodiment except that, in the second embodiment, the second adhesive layer 40 is made of an adhesive with a greater peeling strength than the first adhesive layer 3 (made of lightly-adhesive PSA), and the adhesive is a heavily-adhesive PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive) disposed on the lower surface of the second basal layer 2, positioned distal to the first basal layer 1 and, at the very least, disposed between the two fixing portions 22 and the two ends of the carrier tape B such that the fixing portions 22 at the two ends of the second basal layer 2 are pressed and sealed on the lateral side portions B2 of the carrier tape B by the second adhesive layer 40, whereas the other surfaces of the fixing portions 22 are coupled to the first basal layer 1 through the first adhesive layer 3, and the second adhesive layer 40 has a greater peeling strength than the first adhesive layer 3.

[0045] Since the first adhesive layer 3 has a lower peeling strength than the second adhesive layer 40, when the cover tape C is subjected to an external force (pulling acting force, as shown in FIG. 8) exerted in a direction away from the carrier tape B, the two fixing portions 22 of the second basal layer 2 separate from the first basal layer 1 by separating from the first adhesive layer 3. Afterward, the two fixing portions 22 are still adhered to the two lateral side portions B2 of the carrier tape B by the second adhesive layer 40, respectively, and the central release portion 21 separates from the carrier tape B together with the first basal layer 1 to finalize the operation of peeling off the cover tape A and open the receiving space B1 of the carrier tape B.

[0046] Like the first embodiment, the second embodiment provides a self-adhesive cover tape characterized in that the peeling operation is rendered easy and efficient by the two fixing portions 22 of the second basal layer 2 and the first basal layer 1, that is, a bilayer layer structure, and effective in controlling the peeling strength between the first basal layer 1 and the second basal layer 2 by selecting appropriating materials of the first basal layer 1 and the second basal layer 2 and employing the adhesive characteristics of the first adhesive layer 3, so as to optimize the peeling strength between the cover tape A and the carrier tape B (controllably allowing the peeling strength achieved by the first adhesive layer 3 and imposed between the first basal layer 1 and the two fixing portions 22 to fall within 2070 g, 2080 g, 2090 g, preferably 2080 g for the sake of advantages and cost control.) Furthermore, the two fixing portions 22 of the second basal layer 2 are separable and sealed on the carrier tape B; hence, the second adhesive layer 40 is implemented as a heavily-adhesive pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) so as to effectuate complete sealing and thus is not restricted to the materials of the carrier tape B (the peeling strength imposed by the second adhesive layer 40 on between the carrier tape B and the two fixing portions 22 of the second basal layer 2 is controllably set to be above 100 g or above 120 g, at the very least). Owing to the difference in the peeling strength between the two separable fixing portions 22 and the flanking first and second adhesive layers 3, 40, the overall design is effective in ensuring the stability of the peeling process, applying to carrier tapes made of different materials, and precluding shifts and jerks of parts and components which might otherwise arise from uneven peeling strength.

[0047] In practice, a surface of the first basal layer 1 is covered with a functional coating layer 10 (which is a conductive layer or anti-static layer) positioned distal to the second basal layer 2, as needed, to prevent ambient static electricity from damaging electronic parts and components inside the receiving space B1. A surface of the second adhesive layer 40 is covered with a functional coating layer 5 positioned distal to the second basal layer 2. The functional coating layer 5 is made of the same material and has the same structure as the functional coating layer 10. The functional coating layer 5 corresponds in position to the central release portion 21 substantially to not only provide an anti-static effect but also prevent the second adhesive layer 40 on the surface of the second basal layer 2 from adhering to the electronic parts and components inside the receiving space B1.

[0048] In conclusion, a cover tape of the present disclosure has wide application, maintains a stable adhesion force, and thus effectively prevents shifts, jerks and adhesion of parts and components in the course of peeling off the cover tape. Therefore, the present disclosure has novelty and non-obviousness. However, the above description is just about preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. All variations, modifications, changes and equivalent replacements made to the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure in accordance with the technical measures and scope of the present disclosure are deemed falling within the scope of the claims of the present disclosure.