WO1998057023A1

WO1998057023A1 - Sealing tape

Info

Publication number: WO1998057023A1
Application number: PCT/GB1998/001545
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerald William Stern
Original assignee: Alfas Industries Limited
Priority date: 1997-06-13
Filing date: 1998-05-27
Publication date: 1998-12-17
Also published as: GB9805769D0; GB2326185A

Abstract

A sealing tape is disclosed which comprises a continuous strip of cellular compressible resilient material and having substantially flat cross section. At least one (17) of the shorter edges of that section is inclined to the substantially flat faces (11, 12) of the strip and is modified so as to present a generally smooth finish.

Description

Sealing Tape

The present invention relates to sealing tape, and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to glazing tapes. Glazing tapes are strips of cellular material which are designed to be fitted between glass units and the adjacent frame to create a seal and/or cushion and in some forms to enhance the security afforded by the glazed unit.

Glazing tapes of the above-mentioned type are available in various forms but most commonly comprise a continuous flat strip of rectangular cross-section of which one or both of the opposed flat faces is/are coated with an adhesive and of which the exposed surfaces are visibly of cellular construction. Such available tapes are widely used and in general perform their intended function effectively but suffer from certain disadvantages. First of all, the upper narrow flat edge of the tape can support water droplets formed on the glass by condensation and impede the flow away of such water from the glass. Secondly, the exposed cellular edge of the tape is not only of a texture which contrasts with adjacent surfaces but also is more vulnerable to penetration and to chemical attack than such adjacent surfaces and therefore represents a zone of potential early decay of the installation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sealing tape, by means of which at least some of the disadvantages of available tapes are reduced or eliminated.

According to the present invention there is provided a sealing tape comprising a continuous strip of cellular compressible resilient material of substantially flat cross-section, at least one of the shorter edges of that section being inclined to the substantially flat faces of the strip and being modified so as to present a generally smooth finish.

The sealing tape may be a glazing tape. The tape not only counters some at least of the disadvantages of prior available such tapes but, when the tape is used as a glazing tape, by virtue of its shape and finish, contributes to an aesthetically improved glazing installation as compared with current alternative installations.

In a preferred embodiment, the substantially flat cross-section further comprises a protrusion on at least one of said substantially flat faces of the strip.

When the strip is used as a glazing strip, this provides the advantage of assisting correct location of the strip in a glazing unit. In particular, because the exterior portion of a glazing unit is generally not visible during assembly of the sealed unit, the aid to location of the strip provided by said protrusion is particularly advantageous.

The protrusion may be provided on the shorter of said substantially flat faces in the vicinity of said inclined edge.

The tape of the present invention may be made of any of a wide range of cellular plastics or rubber materials, for example polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene or an EPD rubber, and is preferably of a material of which the cells, or a high proportion of the cells, are closed.

The tape is in the form of a continuous strip of generally flat cross-section, i.e. having a section with two essentially parallel longer edges and two much shorter edges. One of the two shorter edges is formed inclined relative to the flat faces. The shape of that inclined edge may be selected to meet functional and/or aesthetic criteria. For example the inclined edge may be rectilinear or it may be curved, concavely or convexly, or formed with corrugations parallel to the length of the tape. Preferably the dimensions of the tape, and the shape of the inclined edge, are such as to form a smooth profile with the adjacent glazing unit and frame when the tape is used as a glazing tape. The inclined flat edge of the tape is modified to present a smooth finish. While the finish may be formed simply by mechanically or otherwise modifying the material of the tape in that area, it is much preferred to apply a separate finish material, for example a film or fabric, to the tape along the inclined edge and to secure that finish material to the tape by welding, heating, painting or gluing or by a combination of these processes. The surface so formed is essentially smooth but may if desired have an embossed pattern for aesthetic purposes.

An adhesive may be applied to one or both of the flat faces of the tape, to assist retention of the tape in its position of use or, for example, to add security to a resulting glazing installation. When used as a glazing tape, the positioning of the tape during assembly is aided by the tape being adhered to the frame or the glass unit. In particular when adhesive is carried by both faces of the glazing tape, the security of the resulting installation is enhanced. The adhesive is selected to meet the specific design requirements of the installation and should be compatible with surrounding substrates and is very preferably resistant to moisture, ultra-violet light, ageing and/or such chemicals as may be encountered during use, for example window-cleaning and industrial or domestic cleaning and polishing chemicals. The adhesive coating is preferably protected by a liner of a plastic material or by a siliconised release paper before the tape is installed.

The tape preferably further comprises a material to inhibit degradation by ultra-violet light.

The material may be in the form of one or more additives and/or coatings and/or films.

The tape according to the invention is preferably provided as a coil or bobbin wound upon a suitable core to assist its subsequent installation by hand or aided by a machine applicator. The manufacture of the tape of the present invention may entail several stages but in particular entails forming the tape with the defined cross-section having an inclined edge and subsequently applying the required finish to that edge. By way of example only, the manufacture of a tape according to the present invention, beginning with the chosen cellular substrate in the form of long rolls, typically one-metre wide, may entail the following five stages: -

A. The substrate in sheet form is fed continuously to a preparation stage, in which it is prepared for application of an adhesive to form a self-adhesive coating on one or both faces of the sheet. The preparation may entail chemical treatment, heat treatment, the application of an electrical charge or discharge or some other form of preparation. After the application of the adhesive, a protective film or release paper is adhered to the exposed adhesive.

B. The sheet material is modified, by cutting, heating, moulding, welding, or vacuum forming so as to produce a selected shape, repeated across the width of the sheet, in those areas which will eventually form the inclined edge of the glazing tape. In the case of a tape having a said protrusion on at least one of the substantially flat faces of the strip, a double strip consisting of a pair of strips having protrusions and having the apexes of their inclined edge faces joined together may be formed by means of one or more temperature controlled rollers of suitable profile. The strips can then subsequently be separated from each other by means 6 a suitable cutting device.

C. A surface finish, in the form of a film, fabric or other material, is applied to the sheet by welding, painting, heating, gluing, embossing or a combination of these processes, to give a strong, permanent bond to what will be the shaped edge of the tape.

D. The sheet material is cut lengthwise into strips of selected width, by means of cutting blades or knives. The typical width of the finished strip may be from 10 to 40 mm.

E. The cut strips are wound on to cores or bobbins.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-

Figs. 1 to 5 illustrate the cross-sectional profiles of five forms of a tape embodying the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a part of a glazing installation incorporating one form of the tape; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the installation of Fig. 6.

The tapes of which the profiles are shown in Figs. 1 to 4 are all of resilient cellular material and have opposed flat faces 11, 12. The upper narrow edge of the tape is in each case inclined to the flat faces. The upper edge 13 in the case of the tape shown in Fig. 1 is rectilinear, while the upper edges 14 and 15 of the tapes of Figs. 2 and 4 are concavely and convexly curved respectively. In the case of the glazing tape shown in Fig. 3, the upper edge 16 is formed with corrugations running parallel to the length of the tape. The corrugations may be decorative but may also have a draining and/or reinforcing function. Referring to Figure 5, the tape has a generally rectilinear upper edge 17, corresponding to the upper edge 13 of the tape of Figure 1, but is also provided with a protrusion in the form of a lip 18 at the upper part of flat face 11 where it meets upper edge 17. The lip 18 assists in location of the tape during assembly of a sealed double glazing unit, as is described in greater detail below. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that each of the tapes of Figures 2 to 4 can be modified by the addition of a lip 18 as shown in Figure 5.

Turning now to Figs. 6 and 7, the illustrated installation comprises a double glazing unit 20 in the form of glass panels 21 and 22 held in spaced relationship by a continuous linear spacer 23 and mounted at intervals upon setting blocks 24 within an extruded frame member 25. As the installation is being assembled, a length of tape 26 of the type illustrated in Fig. 4 is secured to the rebate upstand 28 by means of the layer of adhesive applied to the shorter face of the tape during its manufacture .

The glass unit 20 is then inserted into the appropriate space in the frame member 25 such that it rests on the setting blocks 24. Finally, length 27 of tape is applied and the glazing bead 29 is locked in place to consolidate the installation. Where additional security is required, the tape selected has adhesive on both of its faces and is secured during installation to the glazing unit also.

When the tape 26 shown in Figure 6 is replaced by a tape of the type shown in Figure 5, the lip 18 of the tape is located against the upper edge of the rebate upstand 28. During the initial stages of assembly of the sealed unit 20, the external face of the tape is located away from the person assembling the unit 20 (for example, the external component of the sealed unit may be located on the ground to receive a glass panel therein) , and the provision of the lip 18 on the tape therefore greatly assists in correct location of the tape against the rebate upstand. The glazing tape, among other advantages as compared with forms of such tape already available, displays a reduced tendency to retain upon its upper edge water which condenses on the glazing unit and runs from the unit on to the tape. It also gives a more pleasing appearance to the assembly once installed. In addition, by virtue of its surface finish, it may be used externally and internally, and is generally less liable to deterioration than existing tapes.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only, and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In particular, although the above embodiment relates to the use of the tape as a glazing tape, the tape of the invention may be used in any application where a robust seal is required, for example in sealing baths, kitchen worktops, shower trays and enclosures. In addition, the tape 27 of Figure 6, as well as the tape 26, may be replaced by a tape of the type shown in Figure 5, i.e. the tape of any of Figures 1 to 5 may be used internally or externally.

Claims

1. A sealing tape comprising a continuous strip of cellular compressible resilient material of substantially flat cross- section, at least one of the shorter edges of that section being inclined to the substantially flat faces of the strip and being modified so as to present a generally smooth finish.

2. A tape according to Claim 1, wherein the tape is a glazing tape.

3. A tape according to Claim 1 or _ 2 , wherein said substantially flat cross-section further comprises a protrusion on at least one of said substantially flat faces of the strip.

4. A tape according to Claim 3, wherein said protrusion is provided on the shorter of said substantially flat faces in the vicinity of said inclined edge.

5. A tape according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tape is made of any of a wide range of cellular plastics or rubber materials, for example polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene or an EPD rubber.

6. A tape according to Claim 5, wherein the tape is of a material of which the cells, or a high proportion of the cells, are closed.

7. A tape according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inclined edge is substantially rectilinear.

8. A tape according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 , wherein the inclined edge is curved, concavely or convexly, or formed with corrugations substantially parallel to the length of the tape.

9. A tape according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the generally smooth finish is formed by mechanically or otherwise modifying the material of the tape in that area.

10. A tape according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 , wherein a separate finish material, for example a film or fabric, is applied to the tape along the inclined edge and said finish material is secured to the tape by welding, painting, heating or gluing or by a combination of these processes.

11. A tape according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an adhesive is applied to one or both of the substantially flat faces of the tape.

12. A tape according to Claim 11, wherein the adhesive is resistant to moisture, ultra-violet light, ageing and/or such chemicals as may be encountered during use.

13. A tape according to Claim 11 or 12, wherein the adhesive coating is protected by a liner of a plastics material or by a siliconised release paper before the tape is installed.

14. A tape according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a material to inhibit degradation by ultraviolet light.

15. A tape according to claim 14, wherein said material is in the form of one or more additives and/or coatings and/or films.

16. A tape according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tape is provided as a coil or bobbin wound upon a suitable core to assist its subsequent installation by hand or aided by a machine applicator.

17. A sealing tape, the tape substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings .