METHOD OF MAKING AND USING WRAPPING TAPE

Abstract

One closure strip is applied by a nozzle to one face of a textile support tape along one of the face's edges. Another closure strip is applied to the tape's other face offset transversely from the one closure strip and extending parallel to the edges of the tape. Then a fixing strip formed of an adhesive compound is applied to the inner face offset from the one closure strip and from the other closure strip and parallel to the edges. The fixing strip or the other closure strip extending along the other of the edges. Thereafter the taps is wrapped around the object with the inner face against the object, the fixing strip engaging the object and adhering the tape to the object, and the closure strips engaging and stuck to each other

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of: providing a textile support tape formed of textured threads, extending longitudinally, and having an inner face and an outer face and a pair of opposite longitudinal edges, the tape being of single-layer design and having a class D abrasion resistance according to LV 312-1; applying with a nozzle one closure strip formed of an adhesive compound to one of the faces along one of the edges; applying with a nozzle another closure strip formed of an adhesive compound to the other face offset transversely from the one closure strip and extending parallel to the edges; applying with a nozzle a fixing strip formed of an adhesive compound to the inner face offset from the one closure strip and from the other closure strip and parallel to the edges, the fixing strip or the other closure strip extending along the other of the edges; and thereafter wrapping the tape around the object with the inner face against the object, the fixing strip engaging the object and adhering the tape to the object, and the closure strips engaging and stuck to each other.

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

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the textile support tape is a woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, or knitted fabric.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the textile support tape is made of polyester fibers and/or polyamide fibers.

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

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

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: consolidating the support tape chemically and/or physically after application of the fixing strip and before wrapping around the object.

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

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

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

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fixing strip is situated mirror-symmetrically with respect to a center line of the support tape.

14. The method 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 object, 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 that 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 object 1 is encased in the longitudinal or axial direction so that overall an elongated sheath 2 of the elongated object 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 object 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 object 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 object 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 object 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 object 1 on both faces so as to encircle it, thus providing the necessary wrapping where 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 object 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 object 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.