Removable adhesive tape with foldable pull tab

• US 7,824,753 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Bartusiak, Joseph T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nordmeyer; Patricia L
• Application Number:
  US11/769,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20090004422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 428/40.1, 428/42.2, 428/43, 428/906, 206/411
• US Class Current: 428/40.1
• 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: Y10T 428/14 Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1476 Release layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/149 Sectional layer removable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/15 Sheet, web, or layer weakened to permit separation through thickness

Abstract

A stretch releasing adhesive tape is disclosed comprising a pull tab comprising a single tab film which is adhered to both adhesive surfaces of the stretch releasing adhesive tape. The pull tab is foldable so as to comprise an unobtrusive visual appearance, and may also be extendable so that the pull tab may be grasped to activate the stretch release.

Claims

1. A stretch releasing adhesive tape article with a pull tab, comprising:

an elongate length of stretch releasing tape having first and second oppositely facing major surfaces bearing adhesive; and

, a pull tab attached to a terminal end of the elongate length of stretch releasing adhesive tape and having a portion that protrudes past a terminal edge of the terminal end of the elongate length of stretch releasing adhesive tape;

wherein the pull tab is comprised of a single tab film having first and second oppositely facing major surfaces;

wherein a first area of the first major surface of the tab film is bonded to an area of the first major adhesive surface of the tape to form a first tab/tape bonded area, and a second area of the first major surface of the tab film is bonded to an area of the second major adhesive surface of the tape to form a second tab/tape bonded area;

wherein the tab comprises a folded position such that a part of the protruding tab portion that does not comprise an area of the first major surface of the tab film that is bonded to an area of the first major surface of the tape or an area of the second major surface of the tape, is in overlapping relation with at least a portion of a tab/tape bonded area; and

,

wherein the entirety of the first major surface of the tab film consists of an adherable surface.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the tab is movable from a folded position to an extended position and wherein the extension ratio between the extended and folded positions is at least about five.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the tab comprises a Z-folded configuration.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein when in an extended position the tab protrudes at least 10 mm beyond the terminal edge of the elongate length of adhesive tape.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein the tab comprises a folded position such that a part of the protruding tab portion is adjacent to, and in overlapping relation with, at least a portion of a first tab/tape bonded area, and another part of the protruding tab portion is adjacent to, and in overlapping relation with, at least a portion of a second tab/tape bonded area.

6. The article of claim 5, wherein the tab comprises a dual Z-folded position.

7. The article of claim 6, wherein the protruding portion is extendable from a dual Z-folded position to an extended position and wherein the extension ratio between the extended and dual Z-folded positions is at least about five.

8. The article of claim 7, wherein when in an extended position the tab protrudes at least 10 mm beyond the terminal edge of the elongate length of adhesive tape.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein the tape comprises a releasable liner on at least one major adhesive surface of the tape, wherein the releasable liner covers the area of the adhesive surface that is not covered by the bonded tab film.

10. The article of claim 9, wherein the releasable liner and the tab film are of about the same thickness.

11. The article of claim 9, wherein the releasable liner is about three times as thick as the tab film.

12. The article of claim 1, wherein the stretch releasing property of the stretch releasing adhesive tape may be activated by grasping and pulling the protruding portion of the pull tab without grasping any portion of the adhesive tape itself.

13. An article comprising separable segments of elongate lengths of stretch releasing adhesive tape with pull tabs, comprising:

a continuous length of stretch releasing tape material having first and second side edges and first and second oppositely facing major surfaces bearing adhesive;

a pull tab material which protrudes past the first side edge of the length of tape material;

wherein the pull tab material comprises a tab film material with first and second major surfaces, wherein the first major surface of the tab film material is bonded to both the first and the second opposite major adhesive surfaces of the tape material;

wherein the tape material and the pull tab material comprise aligned, longitudinally spaced, laterally extending, separation zones defined by lines of weakness in the tape material and in the pull tab material such that individual elongated lengths of stretch releasing adhesive tape each with a pull tab attached to a terminal end thereof, can be separated from the continuous length of tape material;

and wherein the individual elongated lengths of stretch releasing adhesive tape each comprise a length that is predetermined by the distance between the first and second side edges of the continuous length of stretch releasing tape material and a width that is predetermined by the distance between adjacent lines of weakness in the tape material.

14. The article of claim 13, wherein the article is a roll.

15. The article of claim 13, wherein the separation zones comprise lines of perforations in the tape material and pull tab material.

16. The article of claim 13 wherein the protruding tab material comprises a folded position such that a part of the protruding tab material is in overlapping relation with at least a portion of a tab/tape bonded area.

17. The article of claim 13, wherein the protruding tab material comprises a folded position such that a first part of the protruding tab material is in overlapping relation with at least a portion of a first tab/tape bonded area, and a second part of the protruding tab material is in overlapping relation with at least a portion of a second tab/tape bonded area.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein the protruding tab material comprises a dual Z-folded position.

19. The article of claim 13, wherein the tape comprises a releasable liner on at least one major adhesive surface of the tape material, wherein the releasable liner covers the area of the adhesive surface that is not covered by the bonded tab film material.

20. The article of claim 13, wherein the wherein the entirety of the first major surface of the tab film consists of an adherable surface.