GB2275629A

GB2275629A - Waxed fabric sheet

Info

Publication number: GB2275629A
Application number: GB9403878A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Spencer
Original assignee: Hasbro International Inc
Current assignee: Hasbro International Inc
Priority date: 1993-03-05
Filing date: 1994-03-01
Publication date: 1994-09-07
Also published as: GB9304726D0; BE1008268A5; FR2702225B1; FR2702225A1; GB9403878D0; IT1272955B; ITRM940119A0; DE4406751A1; ITRM940119A1

Description

2275629 ADHESIVE SHEET The invention relates to a flexible adhesive sheet

material intended for use by a child as a craft/design oriented toy.

In accordance with the present invention, we provide a sheet. formed with fabric having a wax coating andlor impregnated with wax, which is flexible and self supporting. and wherein the wax allows the sheet to adhere to other surfaces.

We have devised a new type of sheet material which is self-adhering, in that it will cling to itself if it is folded over and pressed onto itself, or will adhere to other non-adhesive structures or surfaces if pressed against them.

The sheet material is also sufficiently rigid to be self-supporting and sufficiently strong to prevent ripping, but also flexible to allow folding or moulding into a design.

The sheet material can easily be stuck and unstuck repeatedly without causing damage to the sheet or the structure to which it is attached.

The sheet material may be used to produce two or three dimensional freestanding designs or figures, either on its own or in combination with other materials. It may also be wrapped round an object such as a block or stick material as part of a 3D design,, as a cover, or as decorative feature.

The fabric may be a knitted, woven or non-woven fabric formed from natural, synthetic or mixed fibres. Preferably the fabric is bonded non-woven fabric such as a heat bonded non-woven fabric formed from thermoplastic fibres. An example of such a fabric is sold under the trade name 11Vilenen. Another suitable fabric is sold under the trade name 11Pellonu.

Preferably. the sheet is printed with one or more images.

2 Typically, the sheet is provided on a backing substrate from which it can be removed,, for example by peeling off. Where the sheet is printed with one or more images, and the sheet is provided on a backing substrate, preferably the sheet is cut around the perimeter of the or each image to allow the image(s) to be individually removed from the sheet and backing substrate.

An example of sheet material according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a plan view of a sheet of material; Figure 2 is a cross-section through the sheet of material taken on the line A-A in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an example of a free-standing design, formed with sheet material alone; Figure 4 is an example of a second free-standing design, formed with a combination of sheet and stick materials; and, Figure 5 is an example of the sheet material used as a decorative feature.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the sheet material consists of a flexible, non-rigid A4 sheet 21 of heat bonded non-woven fabric of thermoplastic fibres sold under the trade name of 0Vilenen, with a roller applied wax coating 22 on both sides. The wax is hot when it is rolled onto the fabric, and impregnates the fabric to a certain extent. Thus. when the wax cools. it adheres to the fabric. and gives the sheet a degree of rigidity. The wax sheet is able to survive a rip test of 101bs (4.5Kg).

It must also be flexible enough to be peeled away from backing paper 25, and be easily moulded into a required shape. A thickness of fabric in the range 0.2-1.2mm is suitable. However, different materials may require different thicknesses. The thicknesses of the fabric will also reduce slightly due to the rolling process. The fabric may also be impregnated with wax, giving similar qualities to a wax coating. The wax is food grade (i.e. of 3 cosmetic wax quality), and gives a sticky/tacky texture to the sheet. giving it an adhesive property.

Typically. the wax is a blended wax consisting of a mixture of fully refined, low oil content of petroleum waxes and thermoplastic synthetic tackifier resins. The physical properties of suitable petroleum waxes for this application vary within the range:

Melting Points 50-750C Needle Penetration 12-40min x 10-1 /Ss/250C viscosity 4-18cS The % of wax and the ratio of the waxes used will depend on the properties of the waxes and could vary from 100% to about 60%.

The tackif iers used are again dependant on the overall properties of the basic waxes and on the modification needed to meet the required properties. Percentages can vary from 00 - 400C with melting points varying from liquids at room temperature to 1300C. A range of low colour and low odour resins will give the required result.

These can vary in composition considerably with some being aliphatic others aromatic and others a mixture of the two types. There are different classes of resin that have the same low toxicity and clearance for food contact as the petroleum waxes.

The product is made in the following way. The fabric 21 has one or more coloured shapes 11-16 printed by a 6 colour silk screen process. Other printing processes could be used, for example litho printing or flexo printing. The fabric sheet 21 is then wax coated 22 on both sides, and mounted on silicone backing paper,, consisting of 100 micron thick paper 25, coated with silicone 26 on one side only. The shapes 11-16 are then kiss-cut through the sheet,, but not through the backing paper (25,26), giving a cut 23 which allows the shapes to be easily separated from the surrounding sheet and backing paper 25 by peeling away. The separated shape may then be used to form designs as described in Figures 3-5.

4 Figure 3 illustrates a free standing box 31, formed from sheet material only. The f lat shape 16 shown in Figure 1 is peeled from the backing paper 25, folded along lines 32a-c,, and the joints 33a-c, are crimped or pressed 5 together, either by hand or by a crimping tool. The joints 33ac are held together due to the tackylsticky texture of the wax coating, but may be easily dismantled by hand without causing damage or deformation to the sheet.

Figure 4 illustrates a free standing figure 40, made with a combination of sheet material (consisting of shapes 11 and 12), with self -adhering sticks (as shown for example in US-A-4273537), or pipe-cleaners 41. The shapes 11 and 12 are crimped or pressed together at the joint 42, and adhere to the stick material at points 43-45.

Figure 5 illustrates a block 51. with shapes 13-15 attached as decorative features. The shapes adhere easily to the block and are also easy to peel off without significantly damaging the surface of the block, or leaving any significant deposit.

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Claims

1. A sheet, formed with f abric having a wax coating andlor impregnated with wax, which is f lexible and self supporting, and wherein the wax allows the sheet to adhere 5 to other surfaces.

2. A sheet according to claim 1, wherein the fabric is a bonded non-woven fabric.

3. A sheet according to claim 1, wherein the fabric is a heat bonded nonwoven fabric formed of thermoplastic fibres.

4. A sheet according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric is wax coated on both sides.

5. A sheet according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the sheet can survive a rip test of lolbs.

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6. A sheet according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one or more shapes are printed on the fabric.

7. A sheet according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the sheet is attached to a backing substrate.

8. A sheet according to claim 7,. wherein the backing 20 substrate comprises paper carrying a silicone release layer.

9. A sheet according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the one or more shapes are kiss cut through the sheet but not through the backing substrate.

10. A method of producing a sheet according to claim 9, wherein a fabric sheet is printed with one or more shapes. impregnated with wax andlor coated with wax on one or both sides, attached to a backing substrate, and the one or more shapes are kiss-cut through the sheet but not through the backing sheet.

11. A method of producing a free standing structure using a sheet in accordance with claim 9, whereby a shape is peeled from the backing substrate and separated from the surrounding sheet,, and is folded or moulded into the required shape.

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12. A method according to claim 11,, whereby the free standing structure is formed with a combination of the peeled shape and other materials.

13. A method according to claim 11 or 12, whereby the 5 joints are secured by a crimping tool.

14. A method of decorating a structure or surface using a sheet as described in claim 9, wherein a shape is peeled from the backing substrate, and is wrapped around a structure or pressed onto a surface of the structure and adhered thereto.

15. A sheet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.