GB2108044A - A separable self holding mount - Google Patents

Abstract

A surface mount for removably adhesively attaching an object to a smooth supporting surface, the mount comprising a laminated structure having a medial layer (12) of paper tissue or the like, a PVC layer (14, 16) on each side of the tissue layer and bonded thereto by the application of heat, said PVC layers impregnating the adjacent surface portion of the tissue layer (12), an optional plastics foam layer bonded to the PVC layer at least on one side of the medial layer, an adhesive coating on the outer surface of each PVC layer (14, 16) with respect to the tissue layer (12) or if the plastic foam layer is present on the outer surface of that, and an outer removable protective strip overlaying each coating of adhesive. The protective strips are removed before use. In order to remove the mount from a supporting surface, the mount is separated into two halves by tearing apart the paper tissue layer. The portion left attached to the supporting layer is then removed in a normal manner. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A separable self holding mount This invention relates to a holding member particularly in the form of a readily separable and removable adhesive mount for securing objects to a supporting surface.

There are in common use adhesively secured mounts for holding objects to a supporting surface. Generally such mounts are made to have both shear strength and tear strength whether made of a unitary piece of material or formed as a laminated structure having layers fused or bonded together. This is indicated generally in the prior U.S. patents Nos. 3,098,272, 3,241,795, 3,311,339, 3,856,249, 3,885,768 and 4,003,538.

It is desirable to have an adhesively surfaced mount which has substantial shear strength but only slight tear strength for the ready removal of a held object.

Accordingly the invention relates to an improvement in a holding member or mount whereby an object is removably adhesively secured to a supporting surface and which provides for the ready removal of the object held and for the ready removal of the mount or holding member from the supporting surface without a deposit of residue on or damage to the supporting surface.

The purpose of such a mount is for general use such as mounting signs or posters onto a store window or display surface or other supporting surface, that is in applications where the shear strength of the mount is sufficient to provide a very substantial vertical hold but where the mount has a very small tear strength and is readily separable response to outward exertion upon the sign for its removal.To meet this requirement there is provided a holding member or mount comprising an intermediate layer of a non-fusible rupturable material, at least one layer of a fusible material overlaying each side of said intermediate layer, surface portions of said layers of fusible material facing said intermediate layer impregnating said intermediate layer, means adhesively coating the surface portions of parts of said holding member remote from and facing outwardly of said intermediate layer, and removable protective strips overlaying said last mentioned adhesively coated surface portions.

The outer portion of the mount attached to the object being supported separates readily from a central layer thereof whereby the remainder of the mount may be carefully removed from the supporting surface without having the sign or other object held to deal with in removing the remainder of the mount.

The invention therefore provides a mount comprising a plurality of dissimilar layers having outer opposed adhesive surfaces for attachment to a supporting surface and for attachment thereto of an object to be held, and having an intermediary layer having only a relatively small tear strength for a medial separation whereby the outer portion of the mount is readily separated from the remainder thereof by an outward pull upon the outer layer thereof or upon the object held by said outer layer.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the mount comprises a piurality of layers of plastic material and a central layer thereof consisting of tissue or tissue-like paper, the adjacent layers at each side thereof being of flexible PVC. During manufacture the mount is subjected to such heat and pressure as to impregnate said tissue paper with the adjacent surface portions of the PVC layers to cause said mount to have substantial shear strength but having very little tear strength and thus providing a ready medial separation.

Hereinafter the invention is described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a view in plan with portions thereof shown in dotted line and a portion thereof in a partially separated position; Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 as indicated; Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section with a portion thereof in a partially removed condition taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 as indicated; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective; Fig. 5 is an exploded view in side elevation; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective shown in an operating position; Fig. 7 is an end view bf the device herein diagrammatically shown in a press; Fig. 8 is a magnified fragmentary view showing a detail of structure;; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view showing a modification; and Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view showing another modification.

Referring to the drawings, the holding member or mount, which is the subject matter of the invention herein, is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10.

In Fig. 5, said mount 10 is shown in an exploded view to separate the several layers comprising the mount for a clear showing thereof and for purpose of description.

As here shown, said mount 10 comprises a central layer 1 2 which is here indicated as being formed of a thin layer of non-fusible porous material such as tissue or tissue-like paper.

At each side of said layer 12 are layers 14 and 1 6 of a suitable flexible preferably plastic material such as a suitable form of PVC. It is essential that the layers 14 and 1 6 be formed of material which is fusible under suitable heat and pressure and said layers will be put under such heat and pressure as to have their respective surface portions 1 4a and 1 6a impregnate said layer 12 to become secured thereto.

At the outward or remote surface portion 1 4b and 1 6b of said layers are adhesive coatings 18 and 20 which are applied in a manner well known to the art.

Overlying said adhesive coatings 1 8 and 20 are conventional protective cover strips 22 to protect the underlying adhesive coatings 1 8 and 20.

As indicated in Fig. 7, the mount 10 as above described is positioned in a suitable press 30 as diagrammatically shown. There will be an application of suitable heat and pressure as required by the material used to cause the surface portions 1 4a and 1 6a to impregnate their respective facing surface portions of the layer 12 for the purpose which represents essential novelty of the mount herein.

In one representative example, the layers 14 and 1 6 were of 4 mil thickness, the tissue paper 12 was of a 2 mil thickness, heat applied was 1 95 degrees Fahrenheit at a pressure of 100 P.S.I.

with a dwell time of ten minutes. This relatively low degree of temperature minimizes plasticizer migration and does not degrade the adhesive material coating the outer holding surface.

The impregnation 1 7 of the layer 12 by the adjacent surface portion of the layers 14 and 1 6 which is also indicated in Fig. 8 creates a bond which provides said mount with a considerable shear strength but with very nominal tear strength. Thus the layer 16 and the object held thereby are readily separable from said layer 12 as the impregnation breaks away or the layer 12 ruptures or separates responsive to an outward pull as upon the object held by the layer 1 6 as indicated in Fig. 3. Said layer 12 in addition to being formed of a non-fusible porous material is also preferably formed of a readily rupturable or separable material such as tissue paper.

Referring to Fig. 4, the mount 10 is shown ready for use prior to the removal of the protective strips 22 and subsequent to the removal of said strips, said mount in Fig. 6 is shown in operating position secured to the supporting surface 23 as of a window or a wall and attached to said mount and adhesively held by said layer 1 6 is an object 26 indicated here as being a sign.

Once the layer 1 6 and the object held thereby are removed by separation of or from the tissue layer 12, the layer 14 is readily removed by being peeled away as indicated in Fig. 3. Thus the object held is readily removed without damage and the remainder of the mount can be peeled away conveniently from the supporting surface leaving no residue. There is no need to tear or jerk the sign and mount away from a supporting surface. The layer 12 provides substantial shear strength but very little tear strength.

The illustration of Fig. 3 is intended to indicate a two step removal. After the object 26 held is removed with a portion of the mount, then the remaining portion of the mount will be removed from the supporting surface. It will be understood that if the object 26 is rigid, that it will be removed accordingly and will not be curved upon removal as illustrated.

The above-described embodiment of the invention herein has a very small cross-sectional dimension or thickness and is most effectively used under the conditions in which the supporting surface and/or the object held have smooth surfaces. It has been found that the addition of one or more foam layers provides a more secure holding to an embossed or an irregular surface.

With reference to Fig. 9, a modification 10' is shown in which there has been substituted for the layers 14 and 16 foam layers 32 and 33 each having a thin PVC layer of surface covering facing said layer 12 and which are secured to the layer 12 as above described and said foam layers have outward facing adhesive surface coating 34 and 35.

Thus when said mount 10' is applied to a surface, the operator will press against the outer side thereof for an intimate engagement of the adhesive coating of said foam layer 32 and the adjacent supporting surface and in like manner an object is held by layer 33 by its adhesive coating 35. Said foam material may be made as of a suitable density of polyurethane.

Referring to Fig. 10, a modification is shown in which the structure of Fig. 6 is shown with a foam layer such as 32, indicated here as 32' having an adhesive coating 34' for adherence to the textured or embossed wall surface 23' and being added to overlay the outer adhesive side of the PVC layer 14 to provide a degree of yielding effect for intimate adherence to a textured surface.

It will be undersood that within the concept herein is the combination of a foam layer and a PVC layer as may be desired for specific applications.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be n1ade in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the product without departing from the scope of applicant's invention which, generally stated, consists in a product capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, such as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Claims (5)

1. A holding member or mount for removably securing an object onto a supporting surface comprising an intermediate layer of a non-fusible rupturable material, at least one layer of a fusible material overlaying each side of said intermediate layer, surface portions of said layers of fusible material facing said intermediate layer impregnating said intermediate layer, means adhesively coating the surface portions of parts of said holding member remote from and facing outwardly of said intermediate layer, and removable protective strips overlaying said last mentioned adhesively coated surface portions.

2. A holding member according to Claim 1, wherein said intermediate layer is formed of paper tissue or like material.

3. A holding member according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said layers of fusible material are formed of a PVC material.

4. A holding member according to any preceding claim, wherein a layer of suitable foam material overlays the outward side of at least one of said layers of fusible material, and means adhesively coat the outward side of said foam layer.

5. A separable self holding mount substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.