Removable adhesive tape

• US 5,516,581 A
• Filed: 06/06/1994
• Issued: 05/14/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Company
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Hager, Patrick J., Rickert, James H., Kreckel, Karl W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Jenna L.
• Application Number:
  US08/259,747
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 428/343, 428/40, 428/230, 428/231, 428/317.3, 428/354
• US Class Current: 428/317.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/175 Stretch releasing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2301/308 the adhesive tape or sheet losing adhesive strength when being stretched, e.g. stretch adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/24 based on macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions involving only carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1147 Using shrinking or swelling agent during delaminating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1303 Paper containing [e.g., paperboard, cardboard, fiberboard, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24752 Laterally noncoextensive components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249983 As outermost component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2839 with release or antistick coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 Three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2861 having readily strippable combined with readily readhearable properties [e.g., stick-ons, etc.]

Abstract

A removable adhesive tape comprising a highly extensible and substantially inelastic backing and a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive. The backing has a high tensile strength, has a lengthwise elongation at break of at least about 150% with less than about 50% elastic recovery after stretching. The adhesive can be a normally tacky and pressure-sensitive adhesive and is coated on at least one surface of the film backing. The adhesive is preferably highly extensible, does not separate from the backing during stretching, and has higher cohesion than adhesion to any suitable substrate. After being applied to a substrate, the adhesive tape of the present invention becomes firmly bonded, but can be easily removed without damaging the substrate by simply stretching it in a direction substantially parallel, i.e., less than about 35°, to the surface of the substrate.

Claims

1. A tape comprising a plastic backing bearing on at least one major surface thereof a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive, said backing having a lengthwise elongation at break of from about 150% to about 1200% and a Young'"'"'s modulus of at least about 2,500 psi but less than about 72,500 psi, said tape being capable of being firmly bonded to a substrate and further being capable of being removed therefrom after being stretched at an angle no greater than about 35°

from the surface of the substrate, said backing having a tensile strength at break sufficiently high so that said backing will not rupture prior to the removal of said tape from the surface of the substrate and having an elastic recovery of less than about 50% after being stretched and removed.

2. The tape of claim 1, wherein said pressure-sensitive adhesive has an adhesion value of from about 3 N/dm to about 200 N/dm at a peel angle of 180°

at a peel rate of 12.7 cm/min.

3. The tape of claim 1, wherein said backing is selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, vinyl copolymers, olefinic copolymers, acrylic polymers and copolymers, and combinations thereof.

4. A label comprising the tape of claim 1.

5. The tape of claim 1, wherein both major surfaces of said backing bear a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive.

6. The tape of claim 1, wherein said lengthwise elongation at break is from about 350% to about 1200%.

7. The tape of claim 1, wherein said tensile strength at break of said backing is at least about 4,300 psi.

8. The tape of claim 1, wherein said tensile strength at break of said backing is at least about 5,300 psi.

9. The tape of claim 1, wherein said tensile strength at break of said backing is at least about 6,300 psi.

14. The tape of claim 1, wherein the plastic backing comprises a layer of polymeric film and a layer of polymeric foam.

10. A tape comprising a plastic backing including a film layer of linear low density polyethylene material, said plastic backing bearing on at least one major surface thereof a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive, said backing having a lengthwise elongation at break of from about 150% to about 1200% and a Young'"'"'s modulus of at least about 2,500 psi but less than about 72,5000 psi, said tape being capable of being firmly bonded to a substrate and further being capable of being removed therefrom after being stretched at an angle no greater than about 35°

from the surface of the substrate, said backing having a tensile strength at break sufficiently high so that said backing will not rupture prior to the removal of said tape from the surface of the substrate, said backing having an elastic recovery of less than about 50% after being stretched and removed.

11. A tape comprising a plastic backing including a backing layer comprised of a plastic unoriented film, said plastic backing bearing on at least one major surface thereof a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive, said backing having a lengthwise elongation at break of from about 150% to about 1200% and a Young'"'"'s modulus of at least about 2,500 psi but less than about 72,500 psi, said tape being capable of being firmly bonded to a substrate and further being capable of being removed therefrom after being stretched at an angle no greater than about 35°

from the surface of the substrate, said backing having a tensile strength at break sufficiently high so that said backing will not rupture prior to the removal of said tape from the surface of the substrate, said backing having an elastic recovery of less than about 50% after being stretched and removed.

12. The tape of claim 11, wherein the plastic unoriented film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of olefin homopolymers, olefin copolymers, vinyl copolymers, acrylic homopolymers, acrylic copolymers, and combinations of the foregoing.

13. The tape of claim 11, wherein the plastic backing further includes a layer of polymeric foam.

15. The tape of claim 12 wherein said olefin homopolymer is selected from the group consisting of high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, linear ultra low density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polybutylene.

16. The tape of claim 12 wherein said olefin copolymer is selected from the group consisting of ethylene/propylene copolymer, ethylene/methacrylate copolymer, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, and combinations of the foregoing.

17. A tape comprising a multilayer plastic backing bearing on at least one major surface thereof a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive, said backing comprising a first layer of polymeric foam and one of a layer of a polymeric film and a second layer of polymeric foam, said backing having a lengthwise elongation at break of from about 150% to about 1200%, said tape being capable of being firmly bonded to a substrate and further being capable of being removed therefrom after being stretched at and angle no greater than about 35°

from the surface of the substrate, said backing having a tensile strength at break sufficiently high so that said backing will not rupture prior to the removal of said tape from the surface of the substrate, said backing having an elastic recovery of less than about 50% after being stretched and removed.

18. The tape of claim 17, wherein said backing comprises a layer of polymeric film.

19. The tape of claim 17, wherein said backing comprises a second layer of polymeric foam.