Abstract: A fluid absorbent tape is formed from a fluid permeable strip which is folded to form overlapping portions enclosing an area filled with a band of a fluid absorbent particulate material lying on at least a part of a width of the upper surface of the strip. In one example, the strip is folded along one longitudinally extending fold line centrally between the side edges of the strip such that the side edges overlie on another and are bonded together by a bead of hot melt adhesive, a strip of EAA or other suitable method. In another arrangement, the side edges are folded together to form a butt joint which is bonded by an overlying or underlying strip of EAA or similar material. A second band of material can be provided in a second folded portion overlying the first to form an S-shape with both being maintained encapsulated by the bonding of the side edges of the strip.

Abstract: The winding of tape into pads is effected on a machine which controls the tension in the tape as it is laid onto the pad by a lay-on roller which also drives the rotation of the pad. A pad is a spiral winding of tape in which each turn of tape is laid directly on top of the previous turns. The machine includes a series of cores one for each tape mounted on a shaft for independent rotation of each core relative to the shaft. The tape is directed from common guide rollers to a series of individual arms one for each tape with each arm being mounted on a shaft for individual adjustment along the length of the shaft to a position associated with the particular core. The shaft drives a lay-on roller at an outer end of the arm and the arm can pivot about the shaft to accommodate changes in diameter of the package as built.

Abstract: A packaged product includes an overwrap material wrapped around the product and overlapped to form a seam bonded to prevent ingress of moisture and a tear tape to tear the overwrap material. The tear tape has a first pressure sensitive layer for bonding to the overwrap and a second layer opposite the first having characteristics such that it acts as a release coat to inhibit bonding of the tear tape to itself and such that it acts to bond the substrate to the overwrap material. The second layer converts by heat from the release coat condition to the bonding condition by being absorbed into the first sub-layer or by including a hard rough surface arranged to inhibit bonding to the first layer which is melted.

Abstract: A wrapped package carries a transparent overwrap material and a tear tape attached to the overwrap material for effecting tearing of the overwrap material. The tear tape has a layer of adhesive on one side of the tape substrate for adhesion to the overwrap material and a layer of ink arranged to provide visible markings for the tear tape. The ink is applied on the side of the adhesive which is remote from the tape so that when the tear tape is attached to the overwrap material by the adhesive, the second surface of the adhesive and the layer of ink thereon are in contact with the overwrap material and the markings are visible through the transparent overwrap material without viewing through the adhesive and without viewing through the tape.

Abstract: A narrow tape of high strength and low elongation to break for use for example as a tear tape or packaging tape is formed by extruding continuously from preferably polypropylene a strip of tape and applying to the strip an adhesive layer on one surface. After extrusion and after application of the adhesive strip, the tape is drawn longitudinally by an amount sufficient to substantially fully orient the tape in the longitudinal direction to provide the required low elongation to break and high strength. The tape is extruded in a width so that when drawn the width of the drawn tape is equal to the required width of the finished tape. Instead of slitting the tape from a wide web, therefore, the tape is extruded directly in tape width without slitting or trimming thus obviating any waste. In addition the longitudinal drawing of the tape reduces the thickness of the adhesive to a thickness just sufficient to provide the required level of pressure sensitive adhesion without use of excess materials.