SYSTEM FOR WRAPPING ELONGATED OBJECT

Abstract

A support tape extends longitudinally along an elongated object, is wrapped around the object, and has a pair of opposite longitudinal edges, an inner face engaging the object, and an outer face turned outward away from the object. The support tape is of single-layer design and having a class D abrasion resistance according to LV 312-1. One closure strip of an adhesive compound extends along one of the faces at one of the edges, and another closure strip of an adhesive compound extends parallel to the edges, along the other face, and transversely offset on the other face from the one closure strip. It is adhered to the one closure strip. A fixing strip of an adhesive compound extends longitudinally on the inner face, offset thereon from the one and other closure strips, and adheres the tape to the object.

Claims

1. In combination: an elongated object; a support tape extending longitudinally along the object, wrapped around and encasing the object, and having a pair of opposite longitudinal edges, an inner face engaging the object, and an outer face turned outward away from the object, the support tape being of single-layer design and having a class D abrasion resistance according to LV 312-1; one closure strip of an adhesive compound extending along one of the faces at one of the edges; another closure strip of an adhesive compound extending parallel to the edges, along the other face, transversely offset on the other face from the one closure strip, and adhered to the one closure strip; and a fixing strip on the inner face, offset thereon from the one closure strip and other closure strip, and adhering the tape to the object, the fixing strip or the other closure strip extending along the other of the edges.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the support tape is a textile support tape having a weight per unit area of 30 g/m.sup.2 to 300 g/m.sup.2.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein the textile support tape is a woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, or knitted fabric.

4. The combination according to claim 2, wherein the textile support tape is made of polyester fibers and/or polyamide fibers.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein threads produced from the polyester fibers and/or polyamide fibers are textured.

6. The combination according to claim 5, wherein the threads are intermingled.

7. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the support tape is chemically and/or physically consolidated.

8. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive compound for the closure strip is a hot-melt adhesive and/or a viscoelastic adhesive.

9. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the closure strips are of the same width.

10. The combination according to claim 1, wherein a width of the closure strip is approximately 10% to 30% of a width of the support tape.

11. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the closure strip has a strip coating weight of 50 g/m.sup.2 to 150 g/m.sup.2.

12. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the fixing strip in cross section is in a free area between the closure strips.

13. The combination according to claim 13, wherein the fixing strip is situated mirror-symmetrically with respect to a center line of the support tape.

14. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the fixing strip is along the other of the edges on the other face.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0026] The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the drawings that illustrate one embodiment. In the figures:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the covering according to the invention,

[0028] FIG. 2 shows the covering according to one alternative,

[0029] FIG. 3 shows another alternative embodiment of the covering,

[0030] FIG. 4 shows encasing of an elongated object using the covering according to FIG. 1,

[0031] FIG. 5 shows encasing of the elongated good, using the covering according to FIG. 2, and

[0032] FIG. 6 shows encasing by using the covering illustrated in FIG. 3.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] The drawing shows a covering that is used for encasing an elongated object 1. The elongated good 1 includes, for example, but is not limited to, cables, lines, pipes, or also plug-in connectors, terminal devices, etc., that generally extend in the interior of an automobile and that are to be combined by the covering. In addition, the covering in this regard typically provides for abrasion protection. In particular, by use of the covering described in greater detail below, the elongated good 1 is encased in the longitudinal or axial direction so that overall an elongated sheath 2 of the elongated good 1 is thus provided as shown in sectional views in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6.

[0034] On the one hand, the covering as such is shown in detailed sectional views in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. In particular, the covering is made up essentially of a support tape 3 and at least two closure or adhesive strips 4 that are applied to the support tape 3. The closure strips or adhesive strips 4 are produced from an adhesive compound.

[0035] The closure strips 4 may both be placed on an upper face of the support tape 3, as shown in the embodiment according to FIG. 1. In the variants according to FIGS. 2 and 3 the two closure strips 4 are on the upper face of the support tape 3 on the one hand, and on the lower face of the support tape 3 on the other hand. The support tape 3 is a strip as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 in cross section, the same as the closure strips 4. The two closure strips 4 each extend along respective longitudinal edges of the support tape 3 or at a specified spacing therefrom and parallel thereto. In the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the closure strips 4 each adjoin associated support tape edges in lateral flush alignment. This also applies to the left closure strip 4 in the variant according to FIG. 3, whereas according to this embodiment the right closure strip 4 lies at a spacing from the support tape edge and parallel thereto. In addition, the two closure strips 4 define a free area 6 between one another in variants 1 and 2. The embodiment according to FIG. 3 even has two free areas 6, on the one hand between the two closure strips 4 and on the other hand next to the two closure strips 4.

[0036] In the variant according to FIG. 2, a third adhesive strip 5 that in the present case is a fixing strip 5 is situated in the free area 6 between the two closure strips 4. In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the adhesive strip or fixing strip 5 in question is situated next to the two closure strips 4, in the present case next to the right closure strip 4, in the free area 6 at that location. This is discussed in greater detail below. Each of the two closure strips 4 not only extends along the longitudinal edges of the strip-shaped support tape 3, but is also applied to the support tape 3 without an overhang. That is, the two closure strips 4 are situated in flush alignment on the respective longitudinal edge, i.e. the longitudinal edge of the support tape 3, or extend at a constant spacing therefrom and parallel thereto. This applies according to the embodiment, but is not mandatory. The third adhesive strip or fixing strip 5 is also applied to the support tape 3 without an overhang.

[0037] According to the invention, the strip-shaped, elongated support tape 3 now has a single-layer design. In addition, the support tape has a class D abrasion resistance according to LV 312-1 (2009). In the present case, the support tape 3 is a textile support tape provided with a weight per unit area in the range of 30 g/m.sup.2 to 300 g/m.sup.2. According to the embodiment, the textile support tape 3 is a woven fabric.

[0038] In this regard, in particular a woven fabric made of polyester threads and/or polyamide threads is used. The particular polyester or polyamide threads are made of polyester or polyamide fibers. The threads of the woven fabric in question may also be textured and/or intermingled to increase the abrasion resistance of the described covering or of the strip-shaped support tape 3 as described above.

[0039] The closure strip 4 or the two adhesive strips 4 and also the fixing strip or third adhesive strip 5 are in each case strips whose adhesive compound is produced using a hot-melt adhesive. In particular, common UV-curable acrylate adhesives may be used. Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible to use a viscoelastic adhesive compound for implementing the two adhesive strips 4 as well as the third adhesive strip 5.

[0040] The manufacture of the closure strips 4 and of the fixing strip 5 generally takes place using a nozzle process by applying a hot-melt adhesive. As a result, all of the adhesive strips 4, 5 typically are of the same width. The width of the particular adhesive strip 4, 5 may be in the range of approximately 10% to 30% of the width of the support tape. In the invention, a strip coating weight of 50 g/m.sup.2 to 150 g/m.sup.2 is recommended for the adhesive strips 4, 5.

[0041] As stated above, the third adhesive strip or fixing strip 5 is between or next to the two closure strips 4 in the free area 6. In addition, in the embodiment according to FIG. 2 the third adhesive strip or fixing strip 5 is situated and oriented mirror-symmetrically with respect to a central axis Z of the support tape 3, indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 2.

[0042] An overall elongated sheath 2 as illustrated in detail in FIGS. 4 through 6 may be implemented by use of the covering described above. The covering according to FIG. 1 is used to produce the elongated sheath according to FIG. 4. The covering in FIG. 1 is initially fixed once to the elongated good 1 in the axial direction via one of the two closure strips 4. The other closure strip 4 is then fixed to the lower face of the support tape 3 in the present case to form a wrapping. This is because the covering according to FIG. 1 is provided with two closure strips 4 on the upper face of the support tape 3.

[0043] As an alternative to the elongated sheath according to FIG. 4, an elongated sheath corresponding to the view in FIG. 5 may be provided and implemented. A covering as illustrated in FIG. 2 is used. In this case the covering is initially fixed to the elongated good 1 in the axial direction via the fixing strip, i.e., the third adhesive strip 5. The support tape 3 is then placed around the elongated good 1 on both faces so as to encircle it, thus providing the necessary wrapping. The closure of the support tape 3 by the closure strip 4 takes place in such a way that the two closure strips 4 are adhesively bonded to one another. Of course, this is not mandatory, and the two closure strips 4 could also be fixed next to and at a spacing from one another on the lower face or upper face, respectively, of the support tape 3.

[0044] A procedure comparable to that for the elongated sheath according to FIG. 5 is used to produce the elongated sheath according to FIG. 6. In this case, however, the covering according to FIG. 3 is used. Here, in a similar manner the covering in question according to FIG. 3 is initially fixed to the elongated good 1 in the axial direction via the fixing strip, i.e., the third adhesive strip 5. The support tape 3 is then placed around the elongated good 1 on both faces so as to encircle it, thus providing the necessary wrapping, in which the closure of the support tape 3 is effected by the closure strips 4 that are adhesively bonded to one another. In principle, however, the two closure strips 4 may also be fixed next to and at a spacing from one another on the lower face or upper face, respectively, of the support tape 3. In this case as well, the covering in question is initially fixed to the elongated good 1 in the axial direction via the fixing strip, i.e. the third adhesive strip 5. The support tape 3 is then wrapped around the elongated good 1 on both faces so as to encircle it, thus providing the necessary wrapping, in which the closure of the support tape 3 takes place by the closure strips 4 that are adhesively bonded to one another.