Drywall tape

• US 5,687,523 A
• Filed: 08/10/1995
• Issued: 11/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: E-Z Taping System Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E-Z Taping System Incorporated
• Inventors: Stough, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Wynn E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALLO, LAURA ANTOINETTE
• Application Number:
  US08/513,386
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 52/417, 52/420, 52/479, 428/61, 428/110, 428/343, 428/352, 428/354, 428/906
• US Class Current: 52/417
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 29/02 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/10 characterised by a discontinuous layer, i.e. formed of separate pieces of material
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2301/18 characterized by perforations in the adhesive tape
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2400/263 in the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2400/283 in the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/21 Paper; Textile fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/00 Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildings; Wall construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted to walls connections for building structures in general E04B1/38; insulation for buildings in general E04B1/62; building elements of relatively thin form for parts of buildings E04C2/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/042 Joint tapes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/906 Roll or coil
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/197 with noncoplanar reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24099 On each side of strands or strand-portions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2839 with release or antistick coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 Three or more layers

Abstract

To assist in rapid taping of seams between adjacent drywall units, a tape is provided in rolls. The tape has a first layer of flexible paper material with an inwardly facing pressure-sensitive adhesive coating thereon. A second layer of reinforcing woven fiber material overlies the first layer. A third layer of flexible material overlies the woven fiber material to encapsulate the fiber material between the first layer and the second layer. The third layer has an outwardly facing release coating such that the first layer adhesive will releasably engage the third layer for manual separation of the tape when rolled upon itself. The adhesive is formulated to maintain adhesion even when wetted by an overlying layer of drywall mud. Furthermore, the release coating on the third layer accepts and allows the adherence of drywall mud. The tape may be used in fire wall applications. Perforations may be provided in the tape to facilitate adhesion.

Claims

1. A fire wall comprising:

a) a supportive substructure;

b) a first sheet of drywall fastened to the supportive substructure;

b) a second sheet of drywall fastened to the supportive substructure adjacent to the first sheet to define a seam therebetween; and

c) a strip of drywall tape affixed to the first sheet and the second sheet to bridge the seam, wherein the drywall tape has a pressure-sensitive adhesive which joins a first paper layer to the drywall sheets and an adhesive joins a second layer of paper to the first layer of paper with a reinforcing layer therebetween, and wherein the second layer of paper has a release layer thereon.

2. The fire wall of claim 1 wherein the reinforcing layer comprises a web of fiber strands between the first paper layer and the second layer of paper.

3. The fire wall of claim 1 wherein the reinforcing layer comprises a plurality of stands running in a first direction between the first paper layer and the second layer of paper and a plurality of strands running in a second direction different than the first direction.

4. A wallboard assembly comprising:

a) a first sheet of drywall;

b) a second sheet of drywall positioned adjacent to the first sheet to define a seam therebetween;

c) a strip of drywall tape affixed to the first sheet and the second sheet to bridge the seam, wherein the drywall tape has a pressure-sensitive adhesive which joins a first paper layer to the drywall sheets and an adhesive joins a second layer of paper to the first layer of paper with a reinforcing web of fiber strands therebetween, wherein portions of the strip define a plurality of perforations which extend through the drywall tape; and

d) a coating of mud which extends over the strip of drywall tape and extends through the perforations to contact the first sheet of drywall and the second sheet of drywall.

5. A wall comprising:

a) a supportive substructure;

b) a first sheet of drywall fastened to the supportive substructure;

c) a second sheet of drywall fastened to the supportive substructure and positioned adjacent to the first sheet to define a seam therebetween; and

d) a means for bridging the seam between the first sheet of drywall and the second sheet of drywall, wherein the seam bridging means has a means for adhering to the first sheet and the second sheet in response to the application of pressure, and a paper layer is connected to the means for adhering, and a means for releasing an adhesively attached tape is connected to the first paper layer and a means for reinforcing the tape is positioned between the means for adhering and the means for releasing.