US2703764A

US2703764A - Tape with weakened edge

Info

Publication number: US2703764A
Application number: US254535A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clarence W Vogt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-11-02
Filing date: 1951-11-02
Publication date: 1955-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 1972-03-08

Description

March 1955 c. w. VOGT 2,703,764

TAPE'WITH WEAKENED EDGE Filed Nov. 2, 1951 FIG. I. FIG. 2.

IN VEN TOR. CLARENCE W. VOGT United States Patent TAPE WITH WEAKENED EDGE Clarence W. Vogt, Norwalk, Conn.

Application November 2, 1951, Serial No. 254,535

2 Claims. (Cl. 117-37) The present invention relates to tapes formed of synthetic plastic film and embodies an improved form of tape having means formed therein to facilitate transverse tearing or rupturing thereof. The relatively great resistance to tear in directions across the grain of tapes of this character is well known and, in many uses, a characteristic of great value. However, in someinstances, this property becomes a disadvantage and renders the tape unsuitable for use.

Examples of tapes of this type are tapes formed of cellulose derivatives (e. g. regenerated cellulose, and cellulose esters and ethers) and of synthetic resins such as polyvinyl resins, polyethylene and polyacrylic esters. They are now widely used, and their properties well known. In accordance with the present invention, it is proposed to provide tapes of the above character with structural characteristics such that, without appreciably impairing their tensile strength, they may be easlly torn by exerting suitable stresses thereon at one or both edges thereof.

To realize the foregoing object, such synthetic plastic film tapes are formed along one or both edges thereof with structure of a relatively weak nature by means of which tearing will take place with the application of relatively little tearing stress. This may be accomplished by embrittling one or both edges of the tape by applying heat thereto, thus causing such edge or edges to have relatively low resistance to tearing stresses.

In order that the invention may be better understood, it will be described in connection with one specific use thereof and, to that end, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a partial plan view showing a tape formed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a modified form of tape and in which both edges of the tape are embrittled;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a plurality of commodities connected together by means of tapes formed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view similar to Figure 3, but showing the manner in which the top pair of commodities is removed from the assembled group illustrated in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a modified way by means of which the commodities may be removed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the above drawings, a synthetic plastic tape is illustrated at as being provided at the edge 11 thereof with an embrittled portion 12 in order to facilitate the transverse tearing or rupturing of the tape. The embrittlement of the edge portion 12 may be accomplished by subjecting that portion of the tape to an elevated temperature, such temperature being below that temperature at which the structure of thetape is destroyed. It may also be preferable to utilize a temperature such that discoloration of the tape is avoided. Depending upon the nature of the material, a temperature in the range of about 350 F. to 400 F. produces suitable embrittlement, the particular temperature, however, being dependent upon the extent of embrittlement desired. Also, temperatures outside of this range may be used if the nature of the material so requires.

If desired, the embrittlement of the tape may be achieved after the adhesive coating is applied to one side thereof, in which event the elevated temperature utilized 2,703,764 Patented Mar. 8, 1955 See for embrittling the edge portion of the tape also renders inactive the adhesive coating. As a result, that portion of the tape is not tightly adhered to the object to which the tape is applied, and the starting of the tear of the tape transversely of its length is greatly facilitated.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2, the tape 10 is shown as being embrittled not only adjacent the side 11, but at the side 13 thereof in the region indicated at 14. in this form of the invention, the tearing of the tape from either side may be readily started.

Tapes formed with the weakened edge portions hereinabove described are particularly useful in assembling articles and commodities, as illustrated in Figures 3, 4, and 5. In Figures 3 and 4, for example, a plurality of

commodities

15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 are assembled together in pairs and in stacked relationship.

End tapes

21 and 22 serve to connect together each of the

respective pairs

15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, 20. In the stacked relationship illustrated in Figure 3, band tapes 23 serve to maintain all of the pairs effectively as a rigid unit. If desired, spots of any suitable translucent adhesive material 25 may be provided at the meeting edges of one or more of the

respective pairs

15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, 20 in order to anchor the respective pairs more effectively in the assembled position illustrated in Figure 3.

To remove one or more of the pairs from the unit illustrated in Figure 3, for example the upper pair, it is only necessary to twist such pair in either direction (counter-clockwise as illustrated in Figure 4) to cause the tape 23 to tear at the meeting edges of the pairs to be separated and, if adhesive 25 is utilized between adjacent pairs, to rupture such adhesive. The weakened portions in the tape 23 formed by the embrittled portions, as hereinabove described, permits separation of the pairs, as above described, with great ease, whereas if the tape 23 had not been formed with the weakened portions, it would be extremely difficult to separate the pairs by the twisting operation above described.

After one or more pairs have been separated from the multiple unit, individual elements may be separated from each other by splitting apart the bonds formed by the

tapes

21, 22. This is readily done by swinging the articles away from each other about an axis coincidental with the adjacent corner edges of two adjacent articles at a side thereof adjacent embrittled edges of the tapes. Here again the embrittled portions formed in the tapes facilitate such separation.

In the form shown in Figure 5, the tapes of the present invention are utilized to secure a plurality of

commodities

26, 27, 23, and 29 together, end tapes 30 and 31 (of the form of tape shown in Figure 1) being utilized for this purpose. The articles assembled into the unitary structure of Figure 5 are separated from each other by twisting the articles with respect to each other in the meeting planes of the articles to be separated in order to sever the side tape 32 adjacent the plane of the contiguous sides of the articles being separated. In view of the fact that the upper edge only (as seen in Figure 5) of the tapes has been embrittled in order to separate the articles from adjacent articles, it is necessary to swing them outwardly and downwardly to utilize the weakened edge of the tape to facilitate starting of the tear.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a tape of synthetic plastic film material has been provided having the Well known tensile strength inherent in such material, but at the same time having suitably formed weakened portions along one or more edges to facilitate tearing of the tape at a multiplicity of points. The tape may consist of any structure having in substantial degree the properties above mentioned. For example, any plastic film or film having one or more coatings or laminations of other or similar materials may be utilized in accordance with this invention. Moreover, if desired, one or both edges of the tape may be further weakened by forming therein cuts or serrations such as illustrated in my co-pending application Serial No. 241,047, filed August 9, 1951, for Synthetic Plastic Film Tape, wherein a relatively wide band of material is slit into a plurality of tapes. In such an operation, of course, heating mechanism would be utilized either directly with the slitting mechanism or before or after the slitting operation, the

heating mechanism being adapted to form the embrittled areas on the tapes as hereinabove described. As above mentioned, Where embrittlement is accomplished after the adhesive is applied, additional advantages accrue because of the possibility of impairing the effectiveness of the adhesive immediately beneath the embrittled areas, thus facilitating the starting of a desired tear as above mentioned.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited save as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adhesive tape formed of a fiberless plastic film material having a relatively high tear strength transversely and longitudinally, said tape having narrow longitudinally extending edge portions extending throughout the entire length of the tape, said edge portions being weakened substantially continuously throughout their entire length to reduce their resistance to transverse tearing, the remainder of said tape being essentially unimpaired in strength between said edge portions, and a layer of adhesive on one side of said tape, the adhesive being unimpaired in strength between said edge portions, the edge portions being relatively non-adhesive to reduce the tendency of the edge portions to adhere to each other when the tape is coiled.

2. An adhesive tape formed of a cellulose plastic film material having a relatively high tear strength transversely and longitudinally, said tape having narrow longitudinally extending edge portions extending throughout the entire length of the tape, said edge portions embrittled by heating to weaken said edge portions substantially continuously throughout their entire length to reduce their resistance to transverse tearing, and a layer of adhesive on one side of said tape, the adhesive being unimpaired in strength between said edge portions, the edge portions being relatively non-adhesive to reduce the tendency of the edge portions to adhere to each other when the tape is coiled.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,008,659 Salfisberg July 16, 1935 2,047,982 Page July 21, 1936 2,240,274 Wade Apr. 29, 1941 2,281,635 Strauss May 5, 1942 2,358,246 Nicolle Sept. 12, 1944 2,377,118 Weisrnan May 29, 1945 2,460,566 Brown et al. Feb. 1, 1949 2,462,977 Kitchin et al. Mar. 1, 1949 2,508,855 Brown May 23, 1950 2,531,631 Jordan Nov. 28, 1950 2,576,826 Dobbs et al. Nov. 27, 1951

Claims

1. AN ADHESIVE TAPE FORMED OF A FIBERLESS PLASTIC FILM MATERIAL HAVING A RELATIVELY HIGH TEAR STRENGTH TANSVERSELY AND LONGITUDINALLY, SAID TAPE HAVING NARROW LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING EDGE PORTIONS EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE TAPE, SAID EDGE PORTIONS BEING WEAKENED SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUSLY THROUGHOUT THEIR ENTIRE LENGTH TO REDUCE THEIR RESISTANCE TO TRANSVERSE TEARING, THE REMAINDER OF SAID TAPE BEING ESSENTIALLY UNIMPAIRED IN STRENGTH BETWEEN SAID EDGE PORTIONS, AND A LAYER ADHESIVE ON ONE SIDE OF SAID TAPE, THE ADHESIVE BEING UNIMPAIRED IN STRENGTH BETWEEN SAID EDGE PORTIONS, THE EDGE PORTIONS BEING RELATIVELY NON-ADHESIVE TO REDUCE THE TENDENCY OF THE EDGE PORTIONS TO ADHERE TO EACH OTHER WHEN THE TAPE IS COILED.