GB2432332A

GB2432332A - Fine lining or striping tape

Info

Publication number: GB2432332A
Application number: GB0622759A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Oliver James Preston Jevons
Original assignee: Jevtec Ltd
Current assignee: Jevtec Ltd
Priority date: 2005-11-22
Filing date: 2006-11-15
Publication date: 2007-05-23
Also published as: GB0622759D0; GB0523694D0

Abstract

A fine-lining or striping tape comprising an adhesive coated soft plastic backing that is flexible so that one edge can be extended as compared to the opposite edge whereby it can be applied to a surface along a curved path yet remain flat against the surface. The tape is scored so that strips of tape may be removed from the surface of a roll leaving adjacent strips still attached. Preferably the tape comprises polyurethane. The masking tape covers a curved surface of a car while it is being painted.

Description

* 1.2432332 Masking Tape This invention relates to masking tape, more

particularly, but not exclusively, to so-called fine-lining or striping tape, which is used to apply fine lines and stripes to automobiles.

JP580776 160 discloses a typical such tape, which has a removable strip between two others in a strip assembly. The assembly is applied to the vehicle body and then the removable strip is removed to reveal an area for painting. A problem with such tapes as are currently available is that, in order to provide lines of different thicknesses, different tapes must be used. The available tapes can only be used to produce straight lines.

The present invention provides tapes that can be used not only to provide curved lines, but also to create fancy shapes, such as flames, popular on customized vehicles.

Moreover, the invention provides single tapes that can be used to produce different thicknesses of line.

The invention comprises, in one aspect, a fine-lining or striping tape comprising an adhesive-coated soft plastic backing that is flexible so that one edge can be extended as compared to the opposite edge whereby it can be applied to a surface along a curved path yet remain flat against the surface.

The invention, in another aspect, comprises a fine-lining or striping tape that is scored lengthwise so s tt i.ib nt wipc sil ips whereby lines of different widths may be achieved by removing different strips and/or combinations of strips.

Such a multiple-score tape may be made of soft plastic, when it may be used for more interesting pattern effects such as flames.

The material of the tape may be polyurethane.

The invention, in another aspect, comprises a fine-lining or striping tape supplied on a roll, the roll carrying adjacent tapes of which at least one is narrow, so that on its own it would be unstable, but which is supported by at least one adjacent tape.

The invention comprises, in another aspect, a method for making a roll of fine-lining or striping tape, comprising scoring an adhesive-coated tape along parallel lines so that strips of tape may be removed from the surface of the roll leaving adjacent strips still attached to the roll. The scoring may be done from the adhesive face of the tape.

The invention also comprises a method for applying a fine-lining or striping tape to a surface comprising separating one or more strips from a roll of the tape, the tape being scored lengthwise so as to be divisible into multiple strips whereby lines of different widths may be achieved by removing different strips and/or combinations of strips, and applying the strip or strips so separated to the surface by attaching a freed end of the strip or strips adhesively to the surface and moving the roll, permitting unwinding, over the * 2 surface in the direction in which the tape is to be applied, guiding the unwinding tape down on to the surface with pressure sufficient to cause it to attach adhesively thereto.

The roll may be moved in a straight line, for making a straight line paint feature on the surface, or along a curvilinear path.

When three or more adjacent strips axe applied in such manner, a centre strip or strips may be removed -accurately spaced and parallel line paint features may be achieved in this way.

Masking tapes, methods of making them and methods of applying them according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an edge-on view of a roll of masking tape according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a cross section through one embodiment of masking tape; Figure 3 is as edge-on view of a roll, like Figure 1, showing strips being removed in a first configuration; Figure 4 is a view like Figure 3, showing strips being removed in a second configuration; Figure 5 is a side-on view shnwng tape bcg u a suriace to be masked 2 and painted; Figure 6 is a view of a tape already applied to a surface to be masked and painted, showing a strip being removed; Figure 7 is a view like Figure 6, showing the tape applied curvilinearly; Figure 8 is an illustration of masking using a tape according to the invention for creating special paint effects; and Figure 9 is an edge-on view of a roll of tape holding three narrow strips.

The drawings illustrate inter a/ia a fine-lining or striping tape 11 comprising a soft plastic backing 12 coated with adhesive 13, that is flexible so that one edge 14 can be extended as compared to the opposite edge 15 whereby it can be applied to a surface 16 to be masked and painted along a curved path yet remain flat against the surface 16.

The drawings, in another aspect, illustrate a fine-Lining or striping tape 11 that is scored lengthwise so as to be divisible into multiple strips I la,, 1 lb, etc., whereby line paint features of different widths may be achieved by removing different strips and/or combinations of strips from a roll 16 of the tape. Figure 3 shows a tape subdivided into eight strips of typically 1,5mm, with five of the strips being removed as a masking tape of 7.5mm width. Figure 4 shows a single 1.5mm strip being removed. A single roll of such tape can, therefore, yield masking tapes of eight different widths, the single roll thus taking the place of eight different rolls. Of course, taking off lengths of different widths wifl inevitably mean that some tape is wasted, because taking off a desired width will leave some tape that is perhaps of a width for which there is no immediate use, which must be removed before wider tape can be taken off. In practice, however, the cost will in most cases be less than would be associated with having to maintain an inventory of rolls of different widths.

This is in any event a practical way of providing very narrow tapes. If a 1.5mm tape is wound on to a roll, not very much can be wound before it becomes unstable and collapses. By providing 1.5mm strips removable from a much wider roll, this problem is avoided. Another way of avoiding this problem is illustrated in Figure 9, where three separate 1,5mm tapes II a, 11 b, 11 c are wound side by side on to a roll 16. Lengths of strip may be removed from each in turn, to keep them reasonably level.

Figure 3 shows a cross section of a multiple-score tape 11, which may be made of a substrate 12 of soft plastic such as polyurethane, with an adhesive coating 13, the adhesive being of the type that can be pressed into adhesive contact with a surface to be masked and painted, but peeled away therefore without leaving any adhesive behind.

The scoring is done though the adhesive 13 and almost through the plastic substrate, so that the individual strips can be easily torn off.

FigureS shows hw the t.pc ray 4phcd to a surface 16 to be masked and painted.

The required width of tape is separated from the surface of the roll 16 and the free end pressed where desired on to the surface 16. The roll 16 is then moved along the direction in which the line feature is required to extend, unrolling tape as it goes, while the unrolled tape is pressed against the surface 16 using finger pressure. With the soft plastic tape, curves can be negotiated, as seen in Figure 7, but the soft tape, as well as an inflexible embodiment, can easily be laid in a straight line, as shown in Figure 6. These two figures also illustrate how, after a multistrip tape width has been applied, a central strip may be removed to mask for enhanced line features.

Flames and other paint effects can also be masked for by spreading out individual strips or combinations of strips from a tape, as illustrated in Figure 8.

Claims

Claims: 1 A fine-lining or striping tape comprising an adhesive-coated

soft plastic backing that is flcdbIc so that one edge can be extended as compared to the opposite edge whereby it can be applied to a surface along a curved path yet remain flat against the surface.

2 A fine.lining or striping tape that is scored lengthwise so as to be divisible into multiple strips whereby lines of different widths may be achieved by removing different strips and/or combinations of strips.

3 A tape according to claim 1 or claim 2, made of soft plastic.

4 A tape according to claim 3) in which the plastic is polyurethane.

A fine-lining or striping tape supplied on a roll, the roll carrying adjacent tapes of which at least one is narrow, so that on its own it would be unstable, but which is supported by at least one adjacent tape.

6 A method for making a roll of fine-lining or striping tape, comprising scoring an adhesive-coated tape along parallel lines so that strips of tape may be removed from the surface of the roll leaving adjacent strips still attached to the roll.

7 A method according to claim 6 in which the scoring is done from the adhesive face of the tape.

8 A method for applying a flne.Uning or striping tape to a surface comprising separating one or more strips from a roll of the tape, the tape being scored lengthwise so as to be divisible into multiple strips whereby lines of different widths may be achieved by removing different strips and/or combinations of strips and applying the strip or strips so separated to the surface by attaching a freed end of the strip or strips adhesively to the surface and moving the roll, permitting unwinding, over the surface in the direction in which the tape is to be applied, guiding the unwinding tape down on to the surface with pressure sufficient to cause it to attach adhesively thereto 9 A method according to claim 8, in which the roll is moved in a straight line, for making a straight line paint feature on the surface, or along a curvilinear path.

10 A method according to claim S or claim 9 in which three or more adjacent strips are applied, and a cenire strip or strips removed.

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