DRYWALL JOINT TAPE AND METHOD

• US 20150089893A1
• Filed: 08/22/2014
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Gypsum Company (GEBR Knauf Verwaltungsgesellschaft KG)
• Original Assignee: United States Gypsum Company (GEBR Knauf Verwaltungsgesellschaft KG)
• Inventors: ROSENTHAL, Guy
• Granted Patent: US 10,563,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/417
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/14 characterised by the properties of the layers
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/042 Joint tapes
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 21/1657 for applying tape to joints, e.g. drywall taper tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/30 Woven fabric [i.e., woven strand or strip material]

Abstract

A joint tape for drywall includes a substrate layer having an elongate shape in a lengthwise direction and being flexible in the lengthwise direction and in a transverse direction. The tape further includes a covering layer disposed in bonding relation on the substrate layer. The covering layer is rigid in the transverse direction and configured to withstand compressive forces applied generally in the transverse direction and shear stresses applied generally along the transverse direction.

Claims

1. A joint tape for drywall, comprising:

a substrate layer having an elongate shape in a lengthwise direction, the substrate layer being flexible in the lengthwise and in a transverse directions; and

a covering layer disposed in bonding relation on the substrate layer, the covering layer being rigid in the transverse direction and configured to withstand compressive forces applied generally in the transverse direction and shear stresses applied generally along the transverse direction.

2. The joint tape of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer is made of substrate fibers extending in the lengthwise direction.

3. The joint tape of claim 1, wherein the covering layer is made of covering fibers extending in the transverse direction.

4. The joint tape of claim 1, wherein the covering layer is made of covering fibers extending at an angle relative to the transverse direction.

5. The joint tape of claim 1, wherein the substrate and covering layers are woven together into a single fabric layer.

6. The joint tape of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer is made of substrate fibers and the covering layer is made of covering fibers, wherein the substrate and covering fibers intersect at intersection points, and wherein the joint tape further includes an adhesive disposed at each or at least at a majority of intersection points to bond the substrate fibers to the covering fibers to one another.

7. The joint tape of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer and the covering layer are made from different materials.

8. The joint tape of claim 1, wherein substrate layer includes substrate fibers and the covering layer includes covering fibers, wherein the substrate fibers are made of the same material as the covering fibers, and wherein the substrate fibers are thinner and more flexible than the covering fibers, which are thicker and more rigid.

9. The joint tape of claim 8, wherein the substrate layer is fused to the covering layer through a welding operation.

10. A drywall joint between two adjacent drywall panels, comprising:

a layer of joint compound disposed along generally abutting edges of the two adjacent drywall panels;

a joint tape embedded within the layer of joint compound, the joint tape comprising;

a substrate layer having an elongate shape in a lengthwise direction along the generally abutting edges, the substrate layer being flexible in the lengthwise direction and in a transverse direction, which is perpendicular to the lengthwise direction; and

a covering layer disposed in bonding relation on the substrate layer, the covering layer being rigid in the transverse direction and configured to withstand compressive forces applied generally in the transverse direction tending to push the two adjacent drywall panels towards each other, and shear stresses applied generally along the transverse direction tending to slide the two drywall panels relative to one another along the abutting edges thereof.

11. The drywall joint of claim 10, wherein the substrate layer is made of substrate fibers extending in the lengthwise direction.

12. The drywall joint of claim 10, wherein the covering layer is made of covering fibers extending in the transverse direction.

13. The drywall joint of claim 10, wherein the covering layer is made of covering fibers extending at an angle relative to the transverse direction.

14. The drywall joint of claim 10, wherein the substrate and covering layers are woven together into a single fabric layer.

15. The drywall joint of claim 10, wherein the substrate layer is made of substrate fibers and the covering layer is made of covering fibers, wherein the substrate and covering fibers intersect at intersection points, and wherein the joint tape further includes an adhesive disposed at each or at least at a majority of intersection points to bond the substrate fibers to the covering fibers to one another.

16. The drywall joint of claim 10, wherein the substrate layer and the covering layer are made from different materials.

17. The drywall joint of claim 10, wherein substrate layer includes substrate fibers and the covering layer includes covering fibers, wherein the substrate fibers are made of the same material as the covering fibers, and wherein the substrate fibers are thinner and more flexible than the covering fibers, which are thicker and more rigid.

18. The drywall joint of claim 17, wherein the substrate layer is fused to the covering layer through a welding operation.

19. A method for manufacturing joint tape for use in drywall joints, comprising:

providing a substrate layer that is flexible in a lengthwise direction and in a transverse direction;

providing a covering layer that is flexible in the lengthwise direction but is rigid in the transverse direction;

depositing the substrate and covering layers in overlapping relation to create a joint tape preform; and

bonding the substrate layer to the covering layer in the joint tape preform to create a joint tape that is flexible in the lengthwise direction but rigid in the transverse direction.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein bonding the substrate and covering layers is accomplished by at least one of use of adhesive and a welding or fusing operation.