Wheel weight/tape article and a method of using

• US 6,413,626 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2000
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Wollner, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stormer, Russell D.
• Application Number:
  US09/581,059
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 301/5.21, 745/73.R, 428/40.1, 428/40.9, 428/41.7, 428/41.8, 428/317.3
• US Class Current: 428/317.3
• 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 7/20 characterised by their carriers
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/324 the rotating body being a vehicle wheel F16F15/36 takes precedence; tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for B60C19/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249983 As outermost component

Abstract

Easily removable, pressure-sensitive adhesive tape/wheel weight articles are provided. The articles of the invention comprise (a) a stretchable tape, wherein the tape has a first major surface and a second opposing major surface; and (b) a weight attached to the first major surface of the tape; wherein said tape is capable of being firmly bonded to a wheel via the second major surface of the tape and further being capable of being removed from the wheel and the weight after being stretched at an angle no greater than about 35 degrees from the surface of the wheel.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

(a) a stretchable tape, wherein the tape has a first major surface and a second opposing major surface; and

(b) a weight bonded to the first major surface of the tape;

wherein said tape is capable of being firmly bonded to a wheel via the second major surface of the tape and further being capable of being removed from the wheel and the weight after being stretched at an angle no greater than about 35 degrees from the surface of the wheel, wherein a tab extends from the tape from at least one end, wherein said tab is capable of being gripped in a manner to stretch the tape at an angle no greater than 35°

from the surface of the wheel,

wherein the cohesive strength of the tape is greater than its adhesive strength to the weight and the wheel.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein the tape comprises a backing, wherein the backing has a first major surface and a second opposing major surface, wherein the backing bears on each of the first and second major surfaces a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive.

3. The article of claim 2 wherein the backing is selected from the group consisting of plastic and elastic backings.

4. The article of claim 2 wherein the backing is a stretchable material which is a laminate comprising at least one layer of polymeric foam and at least one layer of polymeric film.

5. The tape of claim 2 wherein the backing is a stretchable material selected from the group consisting of polymeric film, polymeric foam, polymeric film laminated to polymeric foam, and two polymeric films laminated to opposite sides of a layer of polymeric foam.

6. The article of claim 1 wherein the tape is a single layer of a solid adhesive.

7. The article of claim 1 wherein the tape is a controlled sequential release tape.

8. The article of claim 1 wherein the weight is a metal weight of about 7 to about 85 grams.

9. The article of claim 1 wherein the weight comprises lead.

10. An assembly comprising:

a wheel having the article of claim 1 bonded thereto via the second major surface of the article.

11. An assembly comprising:

a vehicle having the article of claim 1 bonded to a wheel of the vehicle via the second major surface of the article.

12. An article comprising:

(a) a stretchable tape, wherein the tape has a first major surface and a second opposing major surface; and

(b) a bracket bonded to the first major surface of the tape; and

(c) a weight interlocked into the bracket, wherein the weight is not directly bonded to the tape;

wherein said tape is capable of being firmly bonded to a wheel via the second major surface of the tape and further being capable of being removed from the bracket after being stretched at an angle no greater than about 35 degrees from the surface of the wheel, wherein a tab extends from the tape from at least one end, wherein the weight extends over the tab, wherein the weight is capable of being subsequently removed from the bracket to expose the tab, wherein said tab is capable upon removal of the weight of being gripped in a manner to stretch the tape at an angle no greater than 35°

from the surface of the wheel,

wherein the cohesive strength of the tape is greater than its adhesive strength to the bracket and the wheel.

13. The article of claim 12 wherein the tape comprises a backing, wherein the backing has a first major surface and a second opposing major surface, wherein the backing bears on each of the first and second major surfaces a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive.

14. The article of claim 13 wherein the backing is selected from the group consisting of plastic and elastic backings.

15. The article of claim 13 wherein the backing is a stretchable material which is a laminate comprising at least one layer of polymeric foam and at least one layer of polymeric film.

16. The tape of claim 13 wherein the backing is a stretchable material selected from the group consisting of polymeric film, polymeric foam, polymeric film laminated to polymeric foam, and two polymeric films laminated to opposite sides of a layer of polymeric foam.

17. The article of claim 12 wherein the tape is a single layer of a solid adhesive.

18. The article of claim 12 wherein the tape is a controlled sequential release tape.

19. The article of claim 12 wherein the weight is a metal weight of about 7 to about 85 grams.

20. The article of claim 12 wherein the weight comprises lead.

21. An assembly comprising:

a wheel having the article of claim 12 bonded thereto via the second major surface of the article.

22. An assembly comprising:

a vehicle having the article of claim 12 bonded to a wheel of the vehicle via the second major surface of the article.

23. An article comprising:

(a) a stretchable tape, wherein the tape has a first major surface and a second opposing major surface; and

(b) a weight bonded to the first major surface of the tape; and

(c) a bracket interlocked into the weight, wherein the bracket is not directly bonded to the tape;

wherein said tape is capable of being firmly bonded to a wheel via the second major surface of the tape and further being capable of being removed from the wheel and the weight after being stretched at an angle no greater than about 35 degrees from the surface of the wheel, wherein a tab extends from the tape from at least one end, wherein the bracket extends over the tab, wherein the bracket is capable of being subsequently removed from the weight to expose the tab, wherein said tab is capable upon removal of the bracket of being gripped in a manner to stretch the tape at an angle no greater than 35°

from the surface of the wheel,

wherein the cohesive strength of the tape is greater than its adhesive strength to the weight and the wheel.

24. The article of claim 23 wherein the tape comprises a backing, wherein the backing has a first major surface and a second opposing major surface, wherein the backing bears on each of the first and second major surfaces a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive.

25. The article of claim 24 wherein the backing is selected from the group consisting of plastic and elastic backings.

26. The article of claim 24 wherein the backing is a stretchable material which is a laminate comprising at least one layer of polymeric foam and at least one layer of polymeric film.

27. The tape of claim 24 wherein the backing is a stretchable material selected from the group consisting of polymeric film, polymeric foam, polymeric film laminated to polymeric foam, and two polymeric films laminated to opposite sides of a layer of polymeric foam.

28. The article of claim 23 wherein the tape is a single layer of a solid adhesive.

29. The article of claim 23 wherein the tape is a controlled sequential release tape.

30. The article of claim 23 wherein the weight is a metal weight of about 7 to about 85 grams.

31. The article of claim 23 wherein the weight comprises lead.

32. An assembly comprising:

a wheel having the article of claim 23 bonded thereto via the second major surface of the article.

33. An assembly comprising:

a vehicle having the article of claim 23 bonded to a wheel of the vehicle via the second major surface of the article.

34. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an article comprising

(i) a stretchable tape, wherein the tape has a first major surface and a second opposing major surface; and

(ii) a weight bonded to the first major surface of the tape;

wherein said tape is capable of being firmly bonded to a wheel via the second major surface of the tape and further being capable of being removed from the wheel and the weight after being stretched at an angle no greater than about 35 degrees from the surface of the wheel, wherein a tab extends from the tape from at least one end, wherein said tab is capable of being gripped in a manner to stretch the tape at an angle no greater than 35°

from the surface of the wheel,

wherein the cohesive strength of the tape is greater than its adhesive strength to the weight and the wheel; and

(b) applying the article to a wheel via the adhesive on the second major surface of the article.

35. The method of claim 34 which farther comprises the step (c) of subsequently removing the tape from the wheel and the weight by grasping the tab and stretching the tape at an angle no greater than about 35°

from the surface of the wheel in order to remove the tape from the wheel and the weight, wherein no or substantially no pressure sensitive adhesive from the article remains on the wheel.

36. The method of claim 34 which further comprises the step (c) of subsequently removing the tape from the wheel and the weight by grasping the tab and stretching the tape at an angle no greater than about 35°

from the surface of the wheel in order to remove the tape from the wheel and the weight, wherein no pressure sensitive adhesive from the article remains on the wheel.

37. A method comprising the steps of

(a) providing a tape comprising

(i) a stretchable tape, wherein the tape has a first major surface and a second opposing major surface;

and

(ii) a bracket bonded to the first major surface of the tape; and

(iii) a weight interlocked into the bracket, wherein the weight is not directly bonded to the tape;

wherein said tape is capable of being firmly bonded to a wheel via the second major surface of the tape and further being capable of being removed from the bracket after being stretched at an angle no greater than about 35 degrees from the surface of the wheel, wherein a tab extends from the tape from at least one end, wherein the weight extends over the tab, wherein the weight is capable of being subsequently removed from the bracket to expose the tab, wherein said tab is capable upon removal of the weight of being gripped in a manner to stretch the tape at an angle no greater than 35°

from the surface of the wheel,

wherein the cohesive strength of the tape is greater than its adhesive strength to the bracket and the wheel; and

(b) applying the article to a wheel via the adhesive on the second major surface of the article.

38. The method of claim 37 which further comprises the step (c) of subsequently removing the tape from the wheel and the bracket by grasping the tab and stretching the tape at an angle no greater than about 35°

from the surface of the wheel in order to remove the tape from the wheel and the bracket, wherein no or substantially no pressure sensitive adhesive from the article remains on the wheel.

39. The method of claim 37 which further comprises the step (c) of subsequently removing the tape from the wheel and the bracket by grasping the tab and stretching the tape at an angle no greater than about 35°

from the surface of the wheel in order to remove the tape from the wheel and the bracket, wherein no pressure sensitive adhesive from the article remains on the wheel.

40. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a tape comprising

(i) a stretchable tape, wherein the tape has a first major surface and a second opposing major surface; and

(ii) a weight bonded to the first major surface of the tape; and

(iii) a bracket interlocked into the weight, wherein the bracket is not directly bonded to the tape;

wherein said tape is capable of being firmly bonded to a wheel via the second major surface of the tape and further being capable of being removed from the wheel and the weight after being stretched at an angle no greater than about 35 degrees from the surface of the wheel, wherein a tab extends from the tape from at least one end, wherein the bracket extends over the tab, wherein the bracket is capable of being subsequently removed from the weight to expose the tab, wherein said tab is capable upon removal of the bracket of being gripped in a manner to stretch the tape at an angle no greater than 35°

from the surface of the wheel, wherein the cohesive strength of the tape is greater than its adhesive strength to the weight and the wheel; and

(b) applying the article to a wheel via the adhesive on the second major surface of the article.

41. The method of claim 40 which further comprises the step (c) of subsequently removing the tape from the wheel and the weight by grasping the tab and stretching the tape at an angle no greater than about 35°

from the surface of the wheel in order to remove the tape from the wheel and the weight, wherein no or substantially no pressure sensitive adhesive from the article remains on the wheel.

42. The method of claim 40 which further comprises the step (c) of subsequently removing the tape from the wheel and the weight by grasping the tab and stretching the tape at an angle no greater than about 35°

from the surface of the wheel in order to remove the tape from the wheel and the weight, wherein no pressure sensitive adhesive from the article remains on the wheel.