Multiple releasable contact responsive fasteners

• US 6,004,670 A
• Filed: 01/29/1997
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Company
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Malmberg, Eric V., Kobe, James J., Chesley, Jason A., Lu, Shih-Lai, Shaw, Robert G., Zinke, Bradley D., Freeman, Maurice E.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS, JENNA L
• Application Number:
  US08/790,398
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 428/355 AC, 428/354, 428/343, 428/355 BL, 428/355 RA, 428/355 CN, 428/355 N
• US Class Current: 428/343
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/20 characterised by their carriers
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/08 composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements, E04F13/072 takes precedence; borders, skirtings E04F19/02; of webs or fabrics E04F13/002; fixing strips E04F19/06; separate provisional spacers between adjacent tiles E04F21/0092; implements or means for setting tiles E04F21/18
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0885 specially adapted for being adhesively fixed to the wall; Fastening means therefor; Fixing by means of plastics materials hardening after application
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02 Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of webs E04F15/16
• 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 428/2861 having readily strippable combined with readily readhearable properties [e.g., stick-ons, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2883 including addition polymer of diene monomer [e.g., SBR, SIS, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2887 including nitrogen containing polymer [e.g., polyacrylonitrile, polymethacrylonitrile, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2891 including addition polymer from alpha-beta unsaturated carboxylic acid [e.g., acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, etc.] Or derivative thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2896 including nitrogen containing condensation polymer [e.g., polyurethane, polyisocyanate, etc.]

Abstract

A multi-cycle refastenable contact responsive non-tacky fastener system and method of use with a field of a contact responsive fastening layer having essentially no surface tack. The fastening layer is multiply releasable and refastenable against a non-tacky target surface, and has substantially constant 90° peel strength of less than about 5 kN/m when in contact with the target surface. A mounting layer comprises a field of a pressure sensitive adhesive onto which the field of the contact responsive layer is directly attached.

Claims

1. A covering system comprising in order:

a) a substrate;

b) a multi-cycle refastenable contact responsive fastener system which comprises;

i) a fastening layer having essentially no surface tack and low 90°

peel strength of at least 0.061 kN/m to about 5.0 kN/m to a glass target surface after a 2 minute and a 24 hour dwell time at room temperature; and

c) a covering for said substrate.

3. A system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said fastening layer has a substantially constant 90°

peel strength.

4. A system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said fastening layer has high shear strength.

5. A system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said fastening layer is crosslinked.

7. A system according to claim 1, 2 or 6 wherein the composition of said fastening layer comprises a butadiene-acrylonitrile-isoprene polymer.

8. A system according to claim 1, 2 or 6 wherein the composition of said fastening layer comprises a butadiene-acrylonitrile polymer.

9. A system according to claim 1, 2 or 6 wherein the composition of said fastening layer comprises an ethylene-containing polymer.

10. A system according to claim 1 or 6 wherein the composition of said fastening layer comprises a urethane polymer.

11. A system according to claim 1 or 6 wherein the composition of said fastening layer comprises an acrylic or acrylate polymer.

12. A system according to claim 1 or 6 wherein the composition of said fastening layer comprises a urethane-acrylate polymer.

13. A system according to claim 1, 2 or 6 wherein the composition of said fastening layer comprises a butyl rubber.

14. A system according to claim 1, 2 or 6 wherein the composition of said fastening layer comprises a block copolymer.

17. The system according to claims 1, 2 or 6 wherein the covering comprises a material other than the contact responsive fastener.

18. The system according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the substrate comprises a material other than the contact responsive fastener.

20. The system according to claims 1, 2 or 6 wherein the low 90°

peel strength is maintained after at least 2000 unfastening and refastening operations.

21. The system according to claims 1, 2 or 6 wherein the contact responsive fastening layer comprises a material capable of being coated directly onto the covering.

22. The system according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the contact responsive fastening layer comprises a material capable of being coated directly onto the substrate.

24. The system according to claims 1, 2 or 6 further comprising a target portion capable of being functionally attached to the covering opposite the fastening layer.

25. The system according to claims 1 or 2 further comprising a target portion capable of being functionally attached to the substrate opposite the fastening layer.

2. A floor and wall covering system comprising, in order;

a) a substrate;

b) a multi-cycle refastenable contact responsive fastener system which comprise a fastening layer having essentially no surface tack and low 90°

peel strength of at least 0.061 kN/m to about 5.0 kN/m to a glass target surface after a 2 minute and a 24 hour dwell time at room temperature, the fastening layer being free of radiation-curable, addition-polymerizable, crosslinkable, organic oligomeric resins having one or more like or different hard segments, one or more like or different soft segments, and one or more like or different monovalent moieties containing a radiation-sensitive, addition-polymerizable, functional groups and a photoinitiator, and

c) a covering for said substrate.

15. A system according to claim 2 wherein said substrate comprises a floor.

16. A system according to claim 2 wherein said substrate comprises a wall.

6. A covering system comprising, in order:

a) a surface;

b) a contact responsive fastening layer having essentially no surface tack, low 90°

peel strength of at least 0.061 kN/m to about 5.0 kN/m to a glass target surface after a 2 minute and a 24 hour dwell time at room temperature, and a high shear strength; and

c) a covering for said surface.

19. The system according to claim 6 wherein the surface comprises a material other than the contact responsive fastener.

23. The system according to claim 6 wherein the contact responsive fastening layer comprises a material capable of being coated directly onto the surface.

26. The system according to claim 6 further comprising a target portion capable of being functionally attached to the surface opposite the fastening layer.

27. A system for releasably attaching a covering to a substrate comprising a multi-cycle refastenable contact responsive fastener system which comprises a fastening layer having essentially no surface tack and low 90°

peel strength of at least 0.061 kN/m to about 5.0 kN/m to a glass target surface after a 2 minute and a 24 hour dwell time at room temperature.

29. The system according to claims 27 or 28 wherein the fastening layer comprises a material capable of being coated directly onto the covering.

30. The system according to claims 27 or 28 wherein the fastening layer comprises a material capable of being coated directly onto the substrate.

31. The system according to claims 27 or 28 further comprising a target portion capable of being functionally attached to the covering opposite the fastening layer.

32. The system according to claims 27 or 28 further comprising a target portion capable of being functionally attached to the substrate opposite the fastening layer.

33. The system according to claims 27 or 28 wherein the covering comprises a material other than the fastener layer.

34. The system according to claims 27 or 28 wherein the substrate comprises a material other than the fastener layer.

35. The system according to claim 27 further comprising a target portion capable of being coated on the covering opposite the fastening layer.

37. The system according to claim 27 further comprising a target portion capable of being coated on the substrate opposite the fastening layer.

39. The system according to claim 27 wherein the 90°

peel strength of the contact responsive fastener system can be controlled by appropriate selection of a target surface to which it is to be fastened.

28. A system for applying a covering to a substrate comprising:

a covering; and

a multi-cycle refastenable contact responsive fastener system which comprises a fastening layer having essentially no surface tack and low 90°

peel strength of at least 0.061 kN/m to about 5.0 kN/m to a glass target surface after a 2 minute and a 24 hour dwell time at room temperature.

36. The system according to claim 28 further comprising a target portion capable of being coated on the covering opposite the fastening layer.

38. The system according to claim 28 further comprising a target portion capable of being coated on the substrate opposite the fastening layer.

40. The system according to claim 28 wherein the 90°

peel strength of the contact responsive fastener system can be controlled by appropriate selection of a target surface to which it is to be fastened.