Patent Application
20080020181
Referring first to
Multiple recesses 104 are disposed within the body 102 of the adhesive strip 100. The recess 104 is the absence of body mass that is configured on the body 102 to form a decorative pattern. The recesses 104 shown in
In
The recesses 104 of the present invention are portions of the body that have been previously excised, or were never in existence. The recess is the absence of body. The recesses exist to allow the passage of paint through, or past, the body. It is preferred that there is no covering, or additional layers covering the recesses; and it is generally preferred that the body 102 of the decorative adhesive strip 100 consist of a single layer.
The body 102, possessing the dorsal surface 108 and the ventral surface 110, further includes an adhesive compound 106 disposed upon the ventral surface 110. The body height 102h of the decorative adhesive strip 100 is uniform. By uniform height, it is meant that for most significant points of the dorsal surface 108, there will be a point directly beneath on the ventral surface 110. This allows for paint to be propelled accurately through the recesses 104 of the body 102 and on to a target surface. The adhesive compound 106 can be situated on the ventral surface 110 of the body 102 in a distinct layer, or the adhesive 106 can be spread upon the ventral surface 110 in amounts effective merely to both bind the adhesive strip 110 to a predetermined target surface and prevent substantial unwanted paint migration. Unwanted paint migration occurs when paint bound for either a target surface exposed by a recess or portions of the target surface exposed along the perimeter of the adhesive strip seeps under the ventral surface of the adhesive strip. This paint “bleeding” occurs typically when an adhesive compound is used that lacks the chemical bonding strength to seal tape to a surface, or bleeding could occur because the adhesive compound is not spread appropriately upon the ventral surface of tape. Such inappropriate adhesive compounds and inadequate distributions are to be avoided in the present invention.
General tape adhesives are inadequate for the adhesive strip 100 of the present invention. The purpose of most conventional tapes is to bond two articles in close relation for an indefinite amount of time. The adhesive of the present invention adheres in a specific fashion: cleanly. As a primary purpose of the present invention is to allow simple paint decoration, it is likely that the adhesive strip 100 will be placed on multiple varieties of target surfaces. By target surfaces, it is meant any type of surface commonly painted in a decorative fashion, including doors, window casings, wood, walls, metals, cloth, etc.
The adhesive compound is a substance capable of bonding to a surface for a limited period of time leaving only an insubstantial amount of residue. The ideal adhesives for the present invention include those found, or capable of use, in painters' tape. Painters' tape adhesives are made for use in projects where the tape will adhere to a surface for less than a specified period of time, and if released prior to that specified period of time, with leave substantially no residue on the target surface. Although conventional tapes are capable, to a certain extent, of shielding a surface from paint, when removed, the conventional tape will leave a sticky, unsightly residue where the conventional tape formerly resided. Painters' tape, however, when removed prior to its rating time will leave no substantial residue. That is to say, any clean up time or work will be minimal, and the average viewer would not be able to ascertain the portion of the surface that had previously been covered by the painters' tape.
Painters' tape can be purchased with various adhesive compositions. The primary system used in grading painters' tape adhesive compositions is by stating the number of days that the tape can be left on a surface without residue remaining after tape removal. The prominent painters' tape strengths are 7 and 14. However, many other grades of painters' tape exist such as grades 1, 3, 30 and 60. Each grade of adhesive has its own sets of strengths and weaknesses; grade 60 adheres minimally and is generally only for use with very smooth, delicate surfaces such as vinyl wallpaper or freshly painted walls, grade 1 for example can be used with common wood surfaces and metals.
Most of the adhesive compounds currently used with painters' tape would apply to the present invention. Painters' tapes typically include an adhesive comprised of a pressure-sensitive acryl-based resin. Acrylic adhesives have a low initial bonding strength, and it typically takes many hours—and depending upon additives, possibly days—for the compound to reach its maximum adhering strength. Acryl-based adhesives have a small initial tacking property and therefore can be repeatedly peeled off and stuck from and to a surface. Additionally, rubber-based adhesives and other adhesives commonly used with masking tape may be used with the present invention. Common masking tape adhesives, however, tend to only work on smooth surfaces, it does not work reliably on wood trim, and interior wall surfaces without environmental assistance, e.g. heating a room to approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit prior to painting to increase the sealing properties of the tape to the target surface. For this reason, masking tape adhesive compositions are not preferred, but do apply to the present invention. The adhesives common in duct tape, electrical tape, packaging tape, or any of the other tapes on the market that are designed for purposes other than painting are generally incapable of sealing sufficiently to hold back paint, and more often than not, such adhesive compounds will adhere so well that damage accrues to the underlying surface when removed.
The adhesive compound necessary to the present invention fulfills two requirements lacking in ordinary tapes. The adhesive compound must seal to a degree necessary to hold back paint, but not seal to such an extent that damage to the underlying surface occurs upon removal. The particular amount of tack required for the adhesive will depend upon the particular embodiment of the adhesive strip. As the choices of adhesive compounds as they relate to tack and sealing properties are well established in the art, it would inappropriate to catalogue them here.
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.
