ADHESIVE STRIP FOR APPLICATION TO AN OBJECT, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SUCH AN ADHESIVE STRIP AND METHOD OF APPLYING SUCH AN ADHESIVE STRIP TO AN OBJECT

Abstract

An adhesive strip for application to an object, more particularly for application to an object with a strongly curved and/or angled surface or an object with a large surface area is disclosed. Methods of manufacturing and applying such an adhesive strip are disclosed as well. The adhesive strip includes a carrier structure with two opposite main expansion surfaces. At least one main expansion surface has an adhesive. Formed in the carrier structure are several weakened points penetrating the carrier structure from one main expansion surface in the direction of the other main expansion surface. The carrier structure is expandable in one tangential plane of one of the main expansion surfaces.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An adhesive strip for application to an object comprising a carrier structure having a first main expansion surface having a first adhesive layer formed thereon and a second main expansion surface opposite the first main expansion surface, the carrier structure having a plurality of weakened points penetrating the carrier structure from the one of the main expansion surfaces in the direction of the other main expansion surface, wherein the carrier structure is expandable in a tangential plane of one of the main expansion surfaces.

17. The adhesive strip according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of weakened points comprises one of an incision, an opening or a mesh.

18. The adhesive strip according to claim 17, wherein the opening and/or mesh are configured as a rhombic, oval or triangular cross-section perpendicular to one of the main expansion surfaces.

19. The adhesive strip according to claim 16, wherein a dimension of the plurality of the weakened points in the non-expanded state of the carrier structure is in a range of 0.1 cm to 5 cm.

20. The adhesive strip according to claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of weakened points are identically and regularly formed in the carrier structure.

21. The adhesive strip according to claim 16, wherein the carrier structure a comprises a continuous marginal area circumferentially surrounding an area of the carrier structure having the weakened points.

22. The adhesive strip according to 16, wherein the carrier structure comprises a deformable material.

23. The adhesive strip according to 16, wherein the carrier structure is a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene foam or acrylate foam.

24. The adhesive strip according to claim 16, further comprising a second adhesive layer formed on the second main expansion surface.

25. The adhesive strip according to claim 24, further comprising a protective film covering at least one of the first or second adhesive layers.

26. A method of producing an adhesive strip having a carrier structure having a first main expansion surface having a first adhesive layer formed thereon and a second main expansion surface opposite the first main expansion surface forming an adhesive strip, the method comprising: providing an initial carrier structure having first and second main expansion surfaces, wherein at least one of the first and second main expansion surfaces has an adhesive layer formed thereon; and penetrating the initial carrier structure from one of the main expansion surface in the direction of the other main expansion surface to form a plurality of weakened points.

27. The method according to claim 26 further comprising inserting the weakened points into the initial carrier structure using a punching process.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising inserting the weakened points into the initial carrier structure using a punching tool, wherein the punching tool contacts the main expansion surface having the adhesive layer in a contacting area of the punching tool having a low-friction material.

29. The method according to claim 28, punching further comprising removing punched areas of the adhesive strip from the punching tool.

30. The method according to claim 27, further comprising displacing the adhesive strip by a given dimension in the longitudinal direction and repeating the punching process.

31. A method of applying a carrier structure having a first main expansion surface having a first adhesive layer formed thereon and a second main expansion surface opposite the first main expansion surface forming an adhesive strip, the method comprising expanding the carrier structure of the adhesive strip by applying a force to a marginal area of the carrier structure in a direction perpendicular to a surface normal of one of the main expansion surfaces and in a tangential plane of one of the main expansion surfaces.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a view from above of a first example of embodiment of the adhesive strip with circular openings in accordance with the arrow I in FIG. 2;

[0033] FIG. 2 shows the adhesive strip according to FIG. 1 in a view in accordance with the arrow II in FIG. 1;

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a view from above as in FIG. 1 of the adhesive strip according to FIG. 1 in an expanded state;

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a view from above of a second example of embodiment of the adhesive strip with straight incisions;

[0036] FIG. 5 shows a view from above of a third example of embodiment of the adhesive strip with cross-shaped incisions;

[0037] FIG. 6 shows a view from above of a fourth example of embodiment of the adhesive strip with triangular incisions;

[0038] FIG. 7 shows a flow chart of the method of manufacturing the adhesive strip;

[0039] FIG. 8 shows an initial adhesive strip and a punching tool with the punching tool in an open state;

[0040] FIG. 9 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 8 with the punching tool in a closed state;

[0041] FIG. 10 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 8 after the application of the weakened points;

[0042] FIG. 11 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 8 after the application of the weakened points and displacement of the initial adhesive strip along a longitudinal direction; and

[0043] FIG. 12 shows and adhesive strip during the expansion procedure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description.

[0045] FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first example of embodiment of the adhesive strip 1, wherein the adhesive strip 1 includes a carrier structure 2 and two opposite main expansion surfaces 5, 6 extending in parallel to one another. Formed in the carrier structure 2 are several weakened points 3 penetrating the carrier structure 2 from one main expansion surface 5 in the direction of the other main expansion surface 6. The weakened points 3 are identical and are in the form of openings wherein the openings have a circular cross-section perpendicularly to the main expansion surfaces 5, 6 and are arranged regularly in the carrier structure 2. The carrier structure 2 also has a marginal area 2 surrounding the weakened points 3. This marginal area 4 is integral and thus free of weakened points 3. One main expansion surface 5 includes an adhesive 7 in the form of adhesive layer 7. The adhesive 7 is covered with a protection structure 8 on the side facing away from the carrier structure 2 and the weakened points 3 also pass through the adhesive 7 and the protection structure 8.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows the adhesive strip 1 according to FIG. 1 in an expanded state. The carrier structure 2 in the expanded state is netlike. Expansion of the adhesive strip 1 can, for example, take place in that a force is exerted in the marginal area 4 of the carrier structure 2. This force 20 acts in a direction perpendicular to a surface normal of the main expansion surfaces 5, 6.

[0047] The expansion of the carrier structure 2 is shown in more detail in FIG. 12. Several hook-shaped tensioning elements 19 engage in marginal area 4 circumferentially surrounding the weakened points. The tensioning elements forces 20 acting on the tensioning elements 19 and perpendicularly to the surface normal of the main expansion surfaces 5, 6 are transmitted to the marginal area 4 and thus to the carrier structure 2, as a result of which the carrier structure 2 is stretched and expands in a netlike manner.

[0048] The weakened points 3 make expansion of the carrier structure 2 of the adhesive strip 1 possible. The proportional area of the openings 2 over the area of the main expansion surfaces 5,6 increases on expansion of the carrier structure 2. On expansion of the carrier structure 2 the dimensions of the weakened areas 3 in the form of openings and the dimensions of the carrier structure 2 in the tangential plane of the parallel main expansion surfaces increase. In FIG. 3 and FIG. 12 the expanded/enlarged weakened areas 3′ and the enlarged carrier structure 2′ are provided with corresponding apostrophized reference numbers.

[0049] After expansion and or during the expansion process, the adhesive strip 1 to be may be positioned relative to the object and/or placed on the object to which it to be adhered. Preferably positioning and/or application takes place by the tensioning element 19.

[0050] FIG. 4 shows a second example of embodiment of the adhesive strip 1. The weakened points 3 are formed as identical, straight incisions and are arranged regularly in the carrier structure 2.

[0051] A third example of embodiment of the adhesive strip 1 is shown in FIG. 5. This third embodiment differs from the second example of embodiment in that the weakened points 3 are in the form of cross-shaped incisions. The example embodiment shown in FIG. 6 includes weakened points 3 in the form of triangular openings.

[0052] According to the flow diagram in FIG. 7 produce the adhesive strip 1 may be produced according to the present disclosure in a process in which an initial adhesive strip 9 is provided at 15 which includes an initial structure 10 with two opposite main expansion surfaces 5, 6 and one main expansion surface 5 has an adhesive 7. Next several weakened points 3 are inserted in the initial carrier structure 10 at 16 penetrating it from one main expansion surface 5 in the direction of the other main expansion surface 6.

[0053] FIGS. 8 to 12 show a preferred form of embodiment of the method for producing the adhesive strip 1, wherein the weakened points 3 are inserted into the initial carrier structure 10 by a punching process. The initial adhesive strip 9 is in the form of a roll rolled up on an adhesive strip core 17.

[0054] Initially a partial area of the adhesive strip is brought into a punching zone of the punching tool 11, 12 as shown in FIG. 8. Bringing in of the partial area of the adhesive strip 1 and unrolling from the roll take place by a gripper device 18.

[0055] The punching tool 11, 12 includes a punching blade 11 and a counter support 12. The counter support 12 faces the one main expansion surface 5 and the punching blade 11 faces the other main expansion surface 6.

[0056] After arranging the initial adhesive strip 9 in the punching zone of the punching tool 11, 12, the punching blade 11 and the counter support 12 are moved towards each other whereby by the punching blade 3 the weakened areas 3 are inserted into the initial carrier structure 10. The initial structure 10 with the inserted weakened points 3 is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

[0057] After the insertion of the weakened points 3, the punching tool 11, 12 is moved back into the initial position and the initial adhesive strip 9 is displaced in the longitudinal direction by a determined amount.

[0058] In order to be able to detach the initial adhesive strip 9 from the punching tool 11, 12 in the best possible way, the counter support 12, in an area of contact 13 with the main expansion surface 5, is made of a low friction material, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene. In this way adherence of the adhesive 7 on the area of contact 13 with the counter support 12 is prevented. In order to remove the initial adhesive strip 9 and/or punching waste from the punching blade 11, the punching blade 11 has a mechanical ejection device 14.

[0059] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.