CA1155750A

CA1155750A - Decorative moulding

Info

Publication number: CA1155750A
Application number: CA000337879A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Ciro Madonia; Christopher Hatzikelis; Cesare C. Cosentino
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-10-18
Filing date: 1979-10-18
Publication date: 1983-10-25

Abstract

IMPROVED DECORATIVE MOULDING This decorative moulding for protecting auto bodies consists of an extruded polyvinyl chloride strip fastened directly to a novel laminated tape without using an intervening barrier layer to prevent plasticizer migration into the tape. The novel tape consists of an expanded neoprene layer having a polyvinyl chloride layer on one side for direct heat-sealing to the extruded strip and an adhesive layer on its other side for adhesion to an auto body.

Description

1 ~5~7~0

2 The present invention relates to elongated decorative mouldings

3 for protecting the bodies of land and water vehicles and the like

4 from damage caused by minor impacts. In particular, the invention relates to mouldings of this type which comprise an extruded strip 6 having affixed thereto a laminated tape which carries adhesive means 7 for fastening the moulding to a vehicle body.
8 One type of prior art moulding which is in common use comprises 9 an extruded strip of polyvinyl chloride which has a first, general ` I
flat, surface and an impact-absorbing second surface which spans 11 the first surface. This prior art moulding also comprises a laminated 12 tape consisting of a layer of expanded neoprene having layers of 13 pressure-sensitive adhesive on both sides thereof for fastening the tape 14 to the first surface of the extruded strip and to the vehicle body, respectively. Unfortunately the polyvinyl chloride material of the 16 extruded strip contains plasticizers which tend to migrate out of the 17 first surface and into the adjacent layer of pressure-sensitive 18 adhesive, thereby reducing its adhesiveness. For this reason a 19 chemical barrier layer is applied over the first surface of the extruded strip to prevent plasticizers from contaminating and 21 degrading the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the adjacent side of 22 the neoprene carrier layer. L
23 This chemical barrier layer is generally applied as a liquid 24 solution containing noxious and highly flammable solvents such as methyl ethyl ketone (commonly called "MEK"). The use and even the r 26 stocking of MEK in a manufacturing plant is highly undesirable not 27 only because of the danger to life and property but also because 28 it invo~es significantly higher insurance premiums.
29 Although the pressure sensitive adhesive on the vehicle body side of the tape is typically covered by a removable sheet of waxed 31 paper or other non-adherent material, the pressure-sensitive adhesive 32 on the other side is exposed during storage to contamination from . _ _ dust, and consequent reduction in adhesiveness, until it is actually 2 affixed to the barrier layer covering the first surface of the 3 extruded strip. For this reason, relatively small (e.g. 300 feet) 4 rolls of tape are generally used, requiring frequent roll-changing t during bonding of the tape to the extruded strip, and therefore causing 6 undesirab1y short production runs.
7 A further disadvantage of this prior art moulding is that it 8 tends to deteriorate because of shrinkage of the extruded strip. ' 9 This occurs because the adhesion of the tape to the vehicle body is greater than to the extruded strip, causing the adhesive to 11 separate from the extruded strip and to become exposed to dust and 12 weathering, thereby causing continued deterioration.
13 A further disadvantage of this moulding is that the weak 14 adherence of the tape to the barrier layer is often insufficient to hold them together when ends of the moulding are split and rejoined 16 to form the tips or terminations of the moulding.
17 A second type of prior art moulding is disclosed in Canadian 18 Patent 885,708, issued November 16, 1971 to Norman C. Jackson and 19 assigned to the Standard Products Company. In the Jackson moulding, the chemical barrier layer described above is replaced by an 21 aluminum barrier sheet which is attached to the extruded strip in 22 some fashion and the usual two sided tape is, in turn, fastened 23 to the aluminum sheet. As will be apparent, the Jackson moulding is 24 made more inflexible, expensive, and complex by the use of the aluminum sheet. r 26 Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to 27 provide a moulding which overcomes the foregoing disadvantages of L
28 prior art mouldings.
29 It is a further object of the invention to form a moulding by fastening a novel tape directly to the first surface of the extruded 31 strip, the novel tape having a neoprene or other barrier carrier 32 layer with an adhesive layer on the vehicle body side and a layer of 1 polyvinyl chloride other material which is compatible with ànd is heat 2 and pressure sealable directly to, both the material of the extruded 3 strip and the material of the barrier carrier layer.
4 A further object is to provide a novel tape of the type described above.

7 The invention therefore provides an elongated decorative moulding 8 for protecting vehicle bodies from minor impacts, said decorative 9 moulding comprising:
a) an extruded strip of synthetic material having a first 11 surface and an impact-absorbing second surface spanning 12 said first surface, said synthetic material containing 3 migratory plasticizers therein, and 4 b) a laminated tape sealed to said extruded strip, said '.
laminated tape comprising:
16 i) a carrier layer formed from a material which 17 inhibits the migration of plasticizers there-18 through;
19 ii) a layer of synthetic material sealable directly to one surface of said carrier layer, said synthetic 21 material layer being directly sealable to said 22 first surface; and 23 iii) adhesive layer means carried by the other surface 24 of said carrier layer and, adapted to adhere to a vehicle body.
26 Preferably, the synthetic material layer is directly sealable to 27 the first surface of the extruded strip under elevated temperature or 28 pressure. In particular, it is preferred that both the extruded strip 29 and the synthetic material layer be composed of polyvinyl chloride.
The invention further provides a laminated tape adapted for 31 sealing to a surface of a member formed of synthetic material contain-32 ing migratory plasticizers therein, said laminated tape comprising:

i 1 i) a carrier layer formed from a material which inhibits 2 the migration of plasticizer therethrough, E
3 ii) a layer of synthetic material sealable directly to 4 one surface of said carrier layer, said synthetic material layer being directly sealable to said 6 surface; and 7 iii) adhesive layer means carried by the other surface F
8 of said carrier means and adapted to adhere to 9 a vehicle body.
INTRODUCTION TO THE DRAWINGS
11 For a better understanding of the invention and its advantages, 12 reference may be made to the following detailed description, taken 3 together with the appended drawings, wherein:
4 Figure 1 is a lateral cross-sectional view of one prior art decorative moulding and the laminated tape thereof immediately before 16 the tape is fastened to the extruded strip;
7 Figure 2 is a lateral cross sectional view of a second prior 18 art decorative moulding and the laminated tape thereof immediately 19 before the tape is fastened to the extruded strip; and Figure 3 is a lateral cross-sectional view of a decorative 21 moulding and the novel laminated tape thereof in accordance with 22 a preferred embodiment of the invention immediately before the tape 23 is fastened to the extruded strip.

Throughout the figures of the drawings, like reference characters 26 have been used to indicate corresponding parts illustrated therein.
27 Figure 1 shows the formation of one type of prior art decorative 28 moulding from an extruded strip 1 and a laminated tape 2a. Extruded 29 strip 1 is composed of polyvinyl chloride, vinyl, or other synthetic F
material which is sufficiently pliable to conform to the gradually 31 curved surfaces of a vehicle body. For this reason, such a synthetic 32 material generally contains migratory plasticizers which are capable 1 1 5~750 of migrating into contiguous adhesive layers and reducing their 2 adhesiveness. As shown in Figure 1, extruded strip 1 has a first 3 surface la, which is preferably substantially flat, and an impact-4 absorbing second surface lb.
Figure 1 also shows a conventional laminated tape 2a which 6 consists of a carrier layer preferably of expanded neoprene 3 having 7 layers 4, 5 of pressure-sensitive adhesive on both sides thereof 8 for fastening tape 2a to extruded strip 1 and to the vehicle body, 9 respectively. The vehicle-side layer 5 typically remains covered by a removable sheet 6 of wax paper or other non-adherent material which 11 can be removed before contacting layer 5 to the vehicle body.
12 Because the structure of prior art tape 2a causes juxtaposition 13 of adhesive layer 4 next to first surface la and thereby permits its 14 contamination, with consequent reduction in adhesiveness, by plasticizers migrating from surface la to adhesive layer 4, it is necessary 16 interpose between them a barrier which inhibits plasticizer migration t 17 therethrough. In the prior art moulding of Figure 1, this barrier F
18 is a chemical barrier layer 7a is formed by applying a liquid solution19 containing noxious and highly flammable solvents such as methyl-ethyl- ketones (commonly called "MEK").
21 The second prior art moulding disclosed in ~ackson's afore-22 mentioned Canadian patent 885,708 is illustrated in Figure 2. The 23 fundamental difference between the mouldings of Figures 1 and 2 is L
24 that the chemical barrier layer 7a of Figure 1 has been replaced by an aluminum metal sheet 7b which is shown in Figure 2 as being 26 moulded into extruded strip 1. Tape 2a is then adhered to aluminum 27 sheet 7b by means of pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 4.
28 As illustrated in Figure 3, the approach of the invention 29 represents a distinct departure from the prior art approaches of r Figs. 1 and 2. In particular, Figure 3 uses no barrier of any kind 31 between extruded strip 1 and tape 2b. This absence of a barrier 32 layer is made possible by the use of a novel laminated tape 2b in 1 1557~0 1 which the usual adhesive layer 4 has been replaced by a layer 8 of 2 synthetic material which is compatible with, and directly sealable to, 3 both the carrier layer 3 (which is preferably of expandable neoprene) 4 and the extruded strip 1. Preferably, layer 8 is composed of polyvinyl chloride, as is extruded strip 1, and is directly sealable to first 6 surface la under elevated temperature and/or pressure. Such a layer 7 8 is a1so heat and/or pressure sealable to one surface of neoprene 8 layer 3 to form the illustrated embodiment 2a of the novel laminated 9 tape of the present invention. L
In general, carrier layer 3 of novel tape 2b is formed from a 11 material which inhibits the migration of plasticizers therethrough.
12 The preferred material is expanded neoprene having a closed-call 13 structure. The other surface of carrier layer 3 carries adhesive 14 layer means, illustrated by the preferred combination of pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 5 and a removable sheet 6 of wax paper or 16 other non-adherent material, which is adapted to adhere to a vehicle r17 body.
18 The manufacture of the novel moulding can advantageously be 19 carried out at the lip mold of the extruder for extruded strip 1.
At this point, strlp 1 is hot as it extrudes from the mold and its heat 21 can be used to seal or mold polyvinyl chloride layer 8 directly to 22 polyvinyl chloride surface la.
23 Because such heat-sealing is much less sensitive to atmospheric 24 contamination by dust and the like than is adhesion by adhesive layers, it is possible to use much longer rolls of novel tape 2b than 26 of convential tape 2a, whereby much longer production runs are 27 attainable. Moreover, the greater tape-to-strip adhesion of directly 28 sealed tapes 2b ~ermits improved f~rmation of moulding tips without the 29 usual non-adherence of tape to strip at these tips. , As will be understood, once strip 1 and tape 2b are directly 31 sealed together, platicizers may freely migrate without affecting the 32 bond between them and between tape 2b and carrier layer 3. Moreover, carrier layer acts a barrier layer in its conventional fashion to prevent migration of plasticizers into, and consequent deteri-oration of, adhesive layer 3.
The resultant moulding of the invention remains flexible, avoids the fire hazards during manufacturing associated with MEK-type chemical barrier layers, permits simplified longer run manufacturing, permits manufacture of superior moulding tips, forms a very strong direct bond between the extruded strip and the novel tape, and is generally believed to be superior to prior art mouldings.
The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings. Obvious modi-fications and changes will suggest themselves to those having ordinary skill and it is intended that these modifications and changes be encompassed by the invention insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims.
SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE.
In carrying out the invention it has been found that as an alternative to expanded neoprene for use as the carrier tape, an open cell foam tape may be substituted, possessing the capability of substantially inhibiting the pas-sage of migratory plasticizers between the opposed faces of the tape. In practice the open cell foamed tape is provided on one ace with a layer of synthetic material, generally poly-vinyl chloride secured in heat and/or pressure. The synthetic material is inherently compatible and readily sealable to the extruded moulding section.
The other face of the tape readily accepts pressure sensitive adhesive layer in adherent relation therewith, the construction serving to substantially preclude the migration of plasticizers from the moulding section to the adhesive layer, thus preserving the adhesiveness of that layer.

'~ ~-

Claims

WHAT I CLAIM BY LETTERS PATENT IS:

1. An elongated decorative moulding for protecting vehicle bodies from minor impacts, said decorative moulding comprising:
a) an extruded strip of synthetic poylvinyl chloride material having a first surface and an impact-absorbing second surface spanning said first surface, said syn-thetic material containing migratory plasticizers therein;
and b) a laminated tape sealed to said extruded strip, said laminated tape comprising i) a carrier layer formed from neoprene which inhibits the migration of plasticizers therethrough;
ii) a layer of polyvinyl material sealable directly to one surface of said carrier layer, said extruded strip being directly sealed to said first surface;
and iii) adhesive layer means carried by the other surface of said carrier layer and adopted to adhere to a vehicle body.

2, A moulding as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said extruded strip is formed of poyvinyl chloride.

3. A moulding as set forth in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said adhesive layer means comprises a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive covered by a removable sheet of non-adherent material.

4. A moulding as set forth in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said neoprene tape carrier layer is formed of expanded neoprene having a closed cell structure.

5. A moulding as set forth in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said tape is affixed to said extruded strip immediately after extrusion thereof by sealing said synthetic material layer to s said strip first surface under elevated temperature or pressure.

6 A laminated tape adapted for sealing to a surface of a member formed of polyvinyl chloride material containing migratory plasticizers therein, said laminated tape comprising;
i) a carrier layer formed from neoprene material which inhibits the migration of plasticizers therethrough;
ii) a layer of polyvinyl chloride material sealed directly to one surface of said carrier layer, said polyvinyl chloride material layer being directly sealed to said surface; and iii) adhesive layer means carried by the other surface of said carrier layer and adapted to adhere to a vehicle body.

7. The combination as set forth in Claim 6 wherein said polyvinyl chloride layer is sealed to said carrier layer under elevated temperature or pressure.

8. The combination construction according to Claim 7, wherein said migratory plasticizers are capable of reducing the adhesiveness of said adhesive layer means, being isolated therefrom by said carrier layer.

9. A tape as set forth in Claim 8 wherein said carrier layer is formed of expanded neoprene having a closed cell structure.
CLAIMS SUPPORTED BY SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE.

10. The tape as set forth in Claim 6 wherein said carrier layer is formed of open cell foamed neoprene tape.

11. The construction as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 6, said tape carrier layer being formed of open cell foamed neoprene tape.