BE1028454B1 - FILM WITH ADHESIVE COATING AND THEIR MANUFACTURING METHOD - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a composite film material consisting of a breathable film layer, a continuous adhesive cover layer on the breathable film layer and a removable protective layer, characterized in that after removal of the protective layer the breathable properties of the film layer are preserved. The invention also relates to its manufacturing method.

Description

_ 1 _ BE2020/5953

FOIL MATERIAL WITH AN ADHESIVE COATING AND DE MANUFACTURING METHOD OF THEM

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the general field of protective film material having an adhesive layer, such as especially the adhesive protective material used for application to the skin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Protective film material is known for therapeutic applications such as the treatment and rehabilitation of scar tissue, burns, etc.

References for this are, for example, the US patents

4,838,253, European patents EP 0 261 167 (US 5,340,363), EP 0 633 757, EP 0 633 758, EP 0 782 457 (US 5,891,076) and EP 0 409 587 and the publications WO 02/45698 and WO 2005/048911.

Typical commercial products include safetac ® products from MÖLNLYCKE, ScarBan ® products from TRICOLAST and COMPEED ® products from Johnson & Johnson, etc.

In many applications of adhesive, protective film material intended for application or the skin, it is essential that the self-adhesive film material has good "breathing" properties, in other words that the breathability of the film material is not adversely affected by the adhesive layer that is applied to it to allow good breathing of the skin.

However, the production of protective materials comprising a breathable film layer and an adhesive cover layer on one side of said film layer without affecting its breathability properties is a fundamental problem of the prior art.

The well-known approach to prevent the adhesive coating from interfering with the breathability of the foil layer involves

_ 2 _ BE2020/5953 techniques such as blowing an air stream through an adhesive coating during application to the breathable textile material.

For example, EP 0 922 130 describes an "open" textile material in strip form containing a friction generating layer which "follows" the open structure of the fabric such as in socks or stockings without suspenders. WO 2004/082935 describes a similar "open" fabric that conforms to the skin and includes a treated, adhesive silicone layer that "follows" the open structure of the fabric wherein a barrier layer between the fabric and the silicone layer prevents the absorption of the silicone into the fabric. avoid textiles. Other methods involve the use of specific (hydrophilic) tackifying resins for application to specific ("net") substrates to open the air permeability in the substrate as described in EP 0 497 607 or the use of a specific liquid pre-gel mixture for an adhesive layer, for application to specific web substrates and a coating with a surface energy lower than liquid pre-gel mixtures as described in EP 1 175 527. The present invention now proposes a completely new approach to the problem of manufacturing of this foil material.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION This approach includes a breathable film layer and an adhesive cover layer on one side of said film layer having a differential adhesive force as further characterized hereinafter, as well as a method of preparing such a composite film material. The object of this invention was achieved by a composite film material as described in claim 1. According to the first embodiment of the invention, this

_ 3 _ BE2020/5953 composite film material comprising a substantially continuous adhesive backing layer applied to one side of the film layer and a release liner that adheres to the adhesive backing layer on the other side and away from the film layer, the continuous adhesive cover having a differential shows adhesion with respect to the foil layer or protective layer, with a stronger adhesion to the foil layer or to the protective layer. As a result of this differential adhesion, when the protective layer is removed, the adhesive layer will be pulled away from the foil layer at those places where the adhesion of the adhesive layer to the protective layer is stronger than to the foil layer, i.e. at these places where the foil layer is more porous.

In the context of this invention, the term "adhesive coating" broadly refers to any type of coating that is tacky/tacky to any kind of surface, such as to the surface of the skin (specifically human or animal skin), including layers with a tacky therapeutic gel material (such as silicone gel/silicone gel elastomer, adhesives based on natural or synthetic rubber, acrylic polymers, rubber/acrylate adhesives, etc.) Also the term "foil layer" or "breathable film layer" broadly refers to any type of textile , foil or other material that allows good breathability of the foil layer (including elastic textile materials (knitted, woven or non-woven) so-called "plastic netz" material, open cell polymer foam foil, non-woven materials, breathable elastic material, with perforated breathable polyurethane film material, extruded "netz" material and extruded film agent and similar).

Depending on their ultimate use, the adhesive layer of the materials according to the invention can cover the entire surface of (the foil layer/or part of the foil layer of) the

_ 4 _ BE2020/5953 or alternatively cover part or specific portions of such materials.

The adhesive layer can be applied / available in a quantity of 10 - 300 g/m? 'depending on the nature of the protective layer (or "carrier" material / transfer paper" or transfer foil material), most commonly in an amount of 20 - 200 g/m2, the most suitable final thickness is between 10 µm and 50 µm. Film layers are preferably rather thin and with a preferred thickness (without the adhesive backing) between 0.02 to 0.06 mm. material consisting of paper, polyester or other carrier material) has a "thickness" ranging between 1 µm and 50 µm, or more generally expressed in the technique of the film material, with a weight in the range of 100-200 g/m2 Preferably, thin thicknesses of the protective layer are chosen to achieve the lowest possible overall weight of the finished composite film product.Further, "adhesive film material" is described as comprising a breathable film layer and an adhesive film. the cover layer applied to one side of said breathable foil layer (such as without a removable protective layer) wherein the breathability of the foil layer is maximally preserved by the adhesive layer partially remaining on the protective foil layer which is temporarily bonded to the adhesive foil material to form said protective layer will be removed. The invention also specifically relates to a method for manufacturing this composite film material and the respective adhesion layers within the meaning of the invention as defined above and comprises the steps

BE2020/5953 * for applying a layer of untreated adhesive material to a breathable foil layer and a protective layer, wherein the adhesive layer, if treated, and the protective layer have a first adhesive capacity A; show in relation to each other.

Said breathable film layer and the adhesive material, when treated, exhibits a second adhesive capacity A: which is greater than the first adhesive capacity A: and the adhesive material whereby the layer with the adhesive material preferably adheres to the breathable film layer but is not adsorbed in this breathable film layer and adheres to the protective layer at least in those places where the adhesion of the breathable film layer to the adhesive layer is lower than the adhesion with the protective layer, thus the composition contains a release liner which, after removal, contains adhesive elements of the adhesive cover layer corresponding to the locations on the breathable film layer where the adhesion with the breathable film layer with the adhesive layer is lower than the adhesion with the protective layer.

The curing of the uncured adhesive layer is preferably carried out in an oven with air and heat between 60-200°C.

More specifically, according to the first embodiment of this method and according to the invention, this method involves applying a layer of untreated adhesive material to a layer of protective film material. * applying a breathable foil layer to the layer with untreated adhesive material,

BE2020/5953 * assembling the obtained composite film material, comprising the breathable film layer, a layer of untreated adhesive material and a layer of protective film material before a curing process for the adhesive material.

As indicated, the adhesive film material must have a good breathability, expressed by the air permeability (according to ISO 9237-2) or at least 50 1/min.dm?2 (-85 1/m2.s), preferably at least 250 1/min. dm? (=> 420 1/m2.s) and/or as expressed by a high vapor permeability corresponding to a water vapor transmission rate (according to ASTM E96) or at least 200 g/m2/day, preferably at least 1000 g/m2/day) , or an evaporation rate through the material of at least 30% per 24 hours (at a relative humidity of 50% and a temperature of 32°C). The breathability of the materials of the invention can be expressed by a penetration resistance parameter "R" as measured by, for example, a KES-F8 Air Permeability Tester, commercialized by KATO TECH CO.

LTD.

The preferred film materials in the invention have a penetrating resistance parameter "R" in the range lower than 1 KPa.s/m and preferably 0.01 KPa.s/m.

The material of the breathable foil layer has a breathability which results from the fabrication of the foil layer itself or some other technique for manufacturing a breathable textile / foil / the "netz" material.

An optional aspect of the breathable film layer can consist of a bi-elastic behavior (same or different elasticity in the longitudinal and transverse directions) of the

_ 7 _ BE2020/5953 foil layer, so that a part of the adhesive foil layer according to the invention can optimally follow the body where it is applied / adhered (with an elasticity of 150% and more).

According to a further feature of the invention, the adhesive coating may, for example, consist of a silicone gel-elastomeric coating resulting from a two-component silicone system for adhering to the skin, adequately formulated in suitable proportions and treated to adhere well to the skin. Such preferred silicone systems are known in the art (reference hereto is 5891076USAUS 5891.076 as mentioned above) and available commercially for various applications involving adhesion to the skin (such as specific breast prosthesis applications and for treatment of burns etc. .) and referenced in the patent documents GB-A 2 192 142, EP-A 0 399 520, EP-A 0 251 810 and US 5,919, 476. The essence in the context of the present invention is the optimal skin compatibility, the optimal attachment to the skin / and skin relaxation properties and a good balance between the adhesive capacity A: of the adhesive material, if treated, to the protective film material, the adhesive capacity A»: of the adhesive material, if treated, to the breathable film layer and the inherent internal cohesion of the adhesive coating.

According to the invention, the specific balance between the adhesiveness A: of the adhesive material, when treated, with the protected film material and the adhesiveness A: of the adhesive material, when treated, with the breathable film layer is achieved by balancing the formula of the adhesive coating composition, the choice of the film material and its possible end products, the thickness of the applied, untreated, adhesive

_ 8 —

BE2020/5953 coating, the choice of the protective film layer and other special preparation steps of the said protective film material (or carrier material / transfer layer / transfer "paper" as explained in detail in the disclosure of the manufacturing process, below) that affect the adhesive properties.

Suitable silicone adhesive systems are available, for example, from WACKER Silicones (especially the reference "ELASTOSYL © P 7010") and from DOW CORNING (especially the reference "DOW CORNING ® 3631"). The proportions of the two components of the silicone system will depend on the required adhesiveness and flexibility of the coating and the relative adhesiveness of A1 and Az, with respect to the curing time applied, curing temperatures, etc.

The adhesive foil material with an (uncoated) breathable foil layer and with a thickness between 0.01 mm and 2 mm, preferably between 0.02 mm and 0.6 mm, and with an adhesive cover layer with a thickness between 10 µ and 50 h, such as a gel layer of a 100 g/nm?, i.e. a general thickness (foil layer + adhesive coating) between 0.01 mm and 0.5 mm (between 10 h and 50 h) and/or a general specific weight of about 10 to 850 g/m 2 , such as specifically an adhesive film material (film layer + adhesive cover layer) with a thickness of about 0.03 mm (30 µ) and a weight between 20 and 200 g/m.

The elastic properties of the textiles used for the adhesive film material according to the invention have an interesting advantage in the specific use of said material in sports and/or medical applications in view of the muscle compression that this film material can provide.

_ 9 _ BE2020/5953 The method for manufacturing these adhesive foil materials, the composite foil materials with a protective foil layer, can be performed as the so-called "transfer method" or alternatively as the so-called "direct" method.

Both techniques are explained in more detail in the following disclosure. We refer to the accompanying drawings: + Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the production of an adhesive film material according to the invention and using the "transfer method"; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the production of an adhesive film material according to the invention and using the "transfer method"; * Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the production of an adhesive film material according to the invention and using the "direct method"; All corresponding elements / properties in these images are named with the same or similar reference numbers.

A first embodiment - as shown in figure 1 - of the variant "transfer method" of the process according to the invention for producing the adhesive foil material containing a foil layer (reference number 1) with a high air permeability (symbolically indicated by reference number 2) and a continuous adhesive coating (reference number 3), involves adding a liquid or paste-like uncured adhesive composition/mixture/compound (5) such as a therapeutic

_ 10 _

BE2020/5953 silicone gel (specially a silicone gel composition sold as Elastosil P7010), as a continuous layer (3) on a protective foil layer (4) such as specially prepared transfer "paper" (consisting of paper or

"plastic" material) and acts as a carrier, having a "thickness" of about 74 g/m2, using a technique or device (6) for adding liquid cured systems (5) as they are known in this prior art. of technology.

In the specific example disclosed herein, the adhesive coating layer is applied with a preferred silicone foil layer composition of about 50-200 g/m.

Next, the foil layer (1), which may be any breathable foil material such as non-perforated breathable polyurethane foil materials, etc., is applied and pressed onto the still "wet" (untreated) adhesive cover layer (3), using a smoothing roller (7 ) with controlled pressure (8). Immediately thereafter, the composite/laminate enters an oven (not shown in the embodiment shown in Figure 1) with drying air and a temperature in the range of 60-200°C°. The use of temperatures for the curing step requires longer curing times / long curing ovens which may include the risk of the uncured adhesive composition "penetrating" the other side of the foil layer (1) and this is undesirable.

An optional further foil layer (10) can be applied from the distribution roller (11) on the second side of the foil layer (1) far away from the protective layer and thus before or after the passage into the curing oven.

_ 11 _ BE2020/5953 The composite/laminate is finally cured again by conveying over a heated metal roller (not shown), cooled and rolled into a roller (roll (13) not shown in figure 1).

A second embodiment - as shown in figure 2 - of the "transfer method" variant of the process according to the invention for manufacturing adhesive film material or a composite film material, respectively, differs from the first embodiment as shown in figure 1 in that the breathable foil layer (1), and more specifically consisting of a very thin breathable foil layer (such as a breathable polyurethane foil) is introduced into the coating installation together with a supporting foil 10a (from a roll (12) not shown in figure 2), which is removed and can be rolled up on a collecting roll 11a, as soon as the protective foil (4) has been joined with the adhesive cover layer (3) and offers sufficient support to said very thin foil layer (1).

Because of the preferential adhering of the adhesive layer (3) to the material of the film layer (1) with respect to the adherence of the adhesive layer to the protective layer (4), and preferentially adhering the adhesive layer to the protective layer with respect to the inherent internal cohesion of the treated continuous coating, portions (24) of the adhesive layer, after removing the protective layer (4), will separate from the continuous adhesive layer and stick to the protective layer {(4), reducing air permeability (2) in the foil layer (1) is only influenced to a limited extent. The "direct method" - as depicted in Figure 3 - of this inventive process for producing an adhesive layer or a composite film layer differs in degree from the method shown in 1 and 2 in that the breathable film layer (1) is fed in the

_ 12 _ BE2020/5953 coating installation together with the protective layer (4), from a roll (12) and in it that the liquid or paste-like untreated adhesive mixture/mixture/composition (5) is applied directly to the foil layer (1) on the side that separated from the protective layer (3), as a continuous layer.

In the specific example disclosed herein, the adhesive coating layer is applied at a preferred "thickness" of about 20-200 g/m 2 . Immediately afterwards, the composite/laminate is pushed through an oven (9).

A further protective layer (10) is then applied from the distribution roll to the adhesive cover. The composite/laminate is finally cured once more by conveying over a heated metal roll (not shown), cooled and rolled onto a roll {roll (13).

The invention has been disclosed above with respect to its essential features required by a person skilled in the art to put this invention into practice. Many variants of this invention will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, in addition to the specific features and details set forth in this disclosure, so that starting with the basic concept of this invention is not necessary.

In particular, the method of applying the adhesive coating to the breathable film layer can be performed in one or more steps, optionally using the known techniques for applying a multilayer system of a substrate.

Suitable further properties can be added to the adhesive film materials according to the invention, by suitable treatment and/or processing of the suitable

_ 13 _ BE2020/5953 ingredients in the (composite parts) of the foil layer material or the adhesive layer material used.

This can be achieved, for example, through the use of nanotechnology resources.

The textile can be treated so that antibacterial properties or nanocapsules can be added. It is also possible to add nanocapsules to the adhesive coating to provide skin care properties to the protective accessory (using medical, homeopathic, pharmaceutical or cosmetic preparations). The following (non-limiting) examples are intended to further illustrate the invention.

Example 1 A breathable polyurethane film (commercial medical grade film with a thickness of about 20 h, a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 1000 g/m? / 24 h) of about 50-80 g/n2, provided with a paper protective layer with a thickness of approximately 100-200 g/m²2, was coated (at the laboratory level) with ELASTOSYL ® P 7010, using the "direct method" as described above, with an uncured silicone gel mixture and applied with a coating thickness of 20-100 g/m2, on the PU foil side and away from the protective paper layer.

The composite film consisting of an adhesive backing / PU film / plastic protective film was cured for 5 minutes at about 150°C in an oven, after which a plastic protective film of about 40 g/m² was formed. was applied to the cured adhesive coating.

The product showed excellent adhesive properties to the skin / skin relaxation properties and an extraordinary

_ 14 _ BE2020/5953 reusability (several adhesive/removal cycles, even after washing the adhesive film.

Claims (6)

_ 15 _ BE2020/5953 CONCLUSIONS A composite film material comprising a breathable film layer, a continuous adhesive cover layer on the breathable film layer and a release liner that adheres at least partially to the adhesive cover layer, characterized by an adhesive cover layer comprising a continuous layer and having a first adhesive ability shows after curing of A with respect to the protective layer and a second adhesive capacity A2 with respect to the breathable foil layer, this second adhesive capacity A2 is greater than said first adhesive capacity A1, characterized in that the adhesive foil material has a general thickness (film layer + adhesive cover layer) between 10um and 50um. A composite film material according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesive layer is present in a thickness between 10 µm and 50 µm. A composite film material according to claim 1, characterized by a breathable film layer with a water vapor transmission rate (according to ASTM E96) of at least 200 g/m°/day, preferably at least 1000 g/m 2 /day). A composite film material according to claim 1, which is characterized by a protective film layer with a weight per surface comprised between 5 - 200 g/m 2 . The method for manufacturing a film layer consisting of a breathable film layer and a continuous adhesive cover layer characterized by any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the method comprising the following _ 16 _ BE2020/5953 steps involves: applying a layer of untreated adhesive material to a breathable foil layer such that the general thickness of foil layer + adhesive material is between 10 µm and 50 µm; and a protective layer, wherein the adhesive layer, when treated, and the protective layer exhibit a first adhesiveness A i with respect to each other. Said breathable film layer and the adhesive material, when treated, exhibits a second adhesive capacity A» which is greater than the first adhesive capacity A1: and ° joining the breathable film layer, a protective layer and the layer with the untreated adhesive material in a curing process for the adhesive material, whereby the layer with the adhesive material preferably adheres to the breathable film layer but is not adsorbed in this breathable film layer and adheres to the protective layer at least in those places where the adhesion of the breathable film layer to the adhesive layer is lower than the adhesion with the protective layer, thus the composition contains a release liner which, after removal, contains adhesive elements of the adhesive cover layer corresponding to the locations on the breathable film layer where the adhesion with the breathable film layer with the adhesive layer is lower than the adhesion with the protective layer. The method according to claim 5 for manufacturing the film material consisting of a breathable film layer and a continuous adhesive applied to one side of the breathable film layer and characterized by _ 17 _ BE2020/5953 * applying a layer of untreated adhesive material to a layer of protective foil material. + applying a breathable foil layer to the layer with untreated adhesive material, + assembling the resulting composite film material comprising the breathable film layer, a layer of untreated adhesive material and a layer of protective film material before a curing process for the adhesive material.