Patent Application
20100285257
This invention relates to an improved core reinforced, self-adhering, construction tape. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel, construction tape that has application as a see through, flashing tape around building windows and other vertically oriented openings and the like where a concealed, reinforced, flashing application is necessary or desirable.
In building construction, such as for example residential homes, vertical openings are created within exterior wall surfaces for installation of windows and the like with essentially junctions or joints that lie in a plane essentially normal to a ground surface such as between a factory assembled window, with framing, and stick or factory assembled building wall studs. The factory windows are mounted onto the building studs by staples or nails around a periphery of the windows.
In at least one study by the University of Illinois regarding Residential Heat Loss it was determined that heat loss through windows and doors during winter months is as much as 70% and air conditioning loss in the summer as much as 46%. This is attributable in large part by cracks and leaks around the periphery of windows which way be as much as 1/16th of an inch or more.
In order to complete a window installation with enhanced seal characteristics concealed flashing is usually used to create a moisture, vapor and air barrier around the window framing. In the past concealed window flashing included sheet metal or water proofing membranes such a bituminous fabric or plastic tapes depending on the anticipated site requirements.
This concealed construction flashing at least partially functioned to seal the window mounting against the ingress of dust and egress of heat or cool air flow into an ambient environment provided the seal is maintained.
In addition to the ingress and egress of air and heat and cooling losses, water intrusion around inadequately sealed window junctions can be problematic. In this, rain driven moisture that is able to migrate past an initial barrier can travel by capillary action and dry rot framing, stain interior wall board and even damage flooring materials and interior furnishings. Accordingly it would be highly desirable to provide an enhanced window flashing tape that would be secure in application and rugged against tearing so that air and moisture would be effectively blocked from undesirable transmission around window and framing junctions.
It would be highly desirable to provide an enhanced self adhering peripheral surface for window flashing and a concomitant ability to accurately see that the flashing tape is being applied along approximately the center of a peripheral window frame seam.
As a building or home settles concealed flashing is subject to stress and possible rupture or release from the surfaces of initial application creating the possibility of unwanted drafts or moisture invasion around the perimeter of a window installation. In this self-adhering plastic tape may be subject to release around the initial sealed edge surfaces. Alternatively the center of the tape may skew and tear as framing tends to sag or cant from an initial plumb condition—even by a relatively small degree of travel.
In addition to age related issues initial application of flashing tape in an accurate position can have an impact upon long term suitability of the concealed flashing for the intended purpose of application. Accordingly it would be desirable to be able to accurately apply a flashing tape during initial installation to provide the most optimum long term functionality for the construction.
Still further an effective window seal should be capable of accommodating a wide range of temperature gradients and remain tacky to facilitate a secure seal between a window frame and adjacent framing.
The problems suggested in the preceding are not intended to be exhaustive but rather are among many which may tend to reduce the effectiveness of concealed window flashing known in the past. Other noteworthy problems may also exist; however, those presented above should be sufficient to demonstrate that concealed window or other vertical junction flashing appearing in the past will admit to worthwhile improvement.
One embodiment of the invention that is operable to provide a secure and long lasting concealed window flashing function comprises a see through construction tape that is formed with a flexible, transparent strip having a first and second side and first and second longitudinally edges. A layer of transparent adhesive coextensively covers one side of the flexible, transparent strip. A core layer of reinforcing is positioned upon a center portion of the transparent adhesive leaving edge margins on each side of the core layer. The width of the edge margins are such that in combination they comprise between approximately twenty five and fifty percent of the width of the construction flashing tape. The core layer is composed of a plurality of fiber bundles that are positioned along the center of the tape with lateral gaps between adjacent bundles so that it is possible to see through the center of the tape. Finally a release strip is coextensively applied along the tape surface so that the tape can be stored in a roll and the release strip removed on site to apply the tape, as concealed flashing, around a window junction or the like.
Other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Turning now to the drawings,
In order to complete a window installation and seal the window in place a laminated, see through, concealed, construction tape 300 is applied along the junction seam of the building framing studs 202 and 204 and window framing 206.
Turning now specifically to
A layer of transparent adhesive 312 is applied to the second side 304 of the polyester strip 302 along a central core region of the strip without extending to the edges 308 and 310 of the strip 302. In a preferred form the first layer of adhesive 312 is composed of water based ethylene vinyl acetate adhesive.
The lateral margins “B” and “C” that extend along the strip 302 can vary in width but in a preferred form comprise, in sum, between approximately twenty five percent (25%) and fifty percent (50%) of the width of the entire strip 302 with a preferred dimensional ratio being approximately thirty percent (30%). The total width of the laminated construction tape 300 can vary in accordance with the intended construction applications but the width is preferably about four inches in most applications. The sum of the laterally dimensions of the margins “B” and “C” in the most preferred form is approximately one point two inches for a four inch tape.
A core layer of reinforcing 314 comprises a band of substantially parallel, high denier, polyester yarns 316 extending coextensively with and are embedded within the first layer of transparent adhesive 312 along the center of the transparent polyester strip 302. In a preferred embodiment the substantially parallel polyester yarns have a denier of approximately 1513 grams per nine kilometers. The reinforcing provides structural integrity to the center region “D” of the strip 302 and is held in position by the first layer of transparent adhesive 312.
A second layer 320 of pressure sensitive, transparent, adhesive overlays the margins “B” and “C” as well as the core area “D” of the polyester strip 312 and thus across the core layer of reinforcing polyester yarns 314. The second layer of pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) is composed of a transparent, acrylic pressure sensitive transfer adhesive having a high shear strength (dynamic shear of 14.7 psi to 17.4 psi) and a low glass transition (tacky to solid) temperature “Tg” of approximately minus 30 degrees centigrade so that the transparent, laminated construction tape 300 can be used in cold weather applications. The thickness of the margin regions “B” and “C” is enhanced and greater than the thickness of the core portion “D” of the pressure sensitive adhesive. One pressure sensitive adhesive that applicant has found suitable is VT 3600 or 3604 manufactured by the Venture Tape Corp. of Rockland, Mass. 02370.
As best seen in
Finally the flexible, transparent construction tape 300 is provided with an outer release strip 324 that overlays the second layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 320. The release strip is composed of a high density polyethylene coated with a silicone release coating on the side adjacent to the second layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 320. In this form the laminated, see through, construction tape 300 is suitable to be manufactured and stored on a spool 330 for storage and delivery to a job site.
The release strip 324 includes, in one embodiment, an x-y pre-marked grid 332 to facilitate cutting and accurate application to a window frame seam or joint or the like. In addition the release strip is selected to by easily marked with a conventional ball point pen or carpenter's pencil to facilitate cutting and shaping to fit construction junctions.
A method of application of the laminated, see through, construction tape 300 of the subject invention includes unrolling a length of the tape 300 from spool 330 with a length calculated to fit the particular construction purpose. Exact lengths can be measured and marked on the release paper side of the tape. The tape 300 is then cut to length, as measured, and the release layer at one end is peeled away to permit initial see through application where the center of the tape 300 is applied to the seam line of the window building frame. As the laminated construction tape 300 is aligned and positioned for application the release layer 332 is pulled away permitting the second adhesive layer 320 to directly and firmly self adhere to the underlying construction junction. The relatively thicker edge margin areas “B” and “C” (approximately twice the thickness of a central region of the tape) provide secure adhesive contact with an underlying construction component which provides a water tight seal against lateral and/or longitudinal movement while the central portion of the tape 130 provides dimensional stability for the flashing project. In certain instances staples may be added along the margin regions “B” and “C” and in those instances the thickness of the margin adhesive acts as a self sealing compound around the staple or nail punctures into adjacent framing.
In the preceding specification use of the terms first and second are expressions of differentiation and while first has been used with respect to a side surface of the see through flashing construction tape 300 the designation is relational. In addition, preferred thicknesses and weight of components have been express as approximately. In this, although the ranges and specific values are preferred it is intended that the scope of the disclosure and claims are not to be limited to exactly the stated ranges and values but would also include equivalent values for the recited functions.
The preceding description has been presented to illustrate and describe the invention and some examples of its implementation. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to any precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible and would be envisioned by one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above teaching.
The various aspects were chosen and described in order to best explain principles of the invention and its practical applications. The preceding description is intended to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and aspects and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims; however, it is not intended that any order be presumed by the sequence of steps recited in the method claims unless a specific order is directly recited.
