Abstract: A tape for adhering to rough surfaces in which an adhesive layer is adhered to a backing in a manner to allow discontinuities of adhesion between the backing and the adhesive layer. The backing is deformable and recoverable to form a generally smooth surface.

Abstract: This invention relates to an adhesive sheet material, such as an adhesive tape, which is suitable for use on wet surfaces, in particular upon wet skin. The adhesive sheet material effectively binds to the wet surface and moves moisture away from the surface. The adhesive sheet material has a porous backing having opposing sides and is made of non-wettable fibers. The water-insoluble pressure sensitive adhesive is discontinuously coated on one side of the backing to provide areas of the adhesive interspersed with areas of bare backing.

Abstract: A heat-activatable adhesive article is provided. The article, preferably a tape, includes a substantially laterally stable heat recoverable carrier film having at least one surface comprising a recessed surface portion and a raised surface portion therein; and an adhesive layer in the recessed surface portion in an amount such that the adhesive does not extend above the raised surface portion thereby forming an exposed raised surface portion. In use, the carrier film recovers upon exposure to heat thereby allowing the adhesive in the recessed surface portion to contact a substrate. The heat-activatable adhesive article can be positionable, repositionable, or both.

Abstract: The present invention provides adhesive articles that include more than one adhesive, or if one adhesive is used, include more than one adhesive portion, where, in each portion, the extent of cure of the adhesive is varied in a predetermined manner so that each adhesive portion behaves as if it were two or more different adhesives. The adhesive articles of the present invention are typically provided as adhesive tapes, often in the form of a tape having a longitudinal dimension (down-web dimension) that far exceeds its width (cross-web dimension).

Abstract: The present invention provides metal/polymer composites including a plastic substrate having longitudinally extending conductive members, adapted to make bonded electrical connections to an array of closely spaced conductive terminal pads. In general terms, the metal/polymer composites include a thin, flexible sheet-like plastic substrate having a plurality of longitudinally extending, regularly spaced, metal pathways or members on one major surface thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides electrically conductive sheet materials that contain columns of electrically conductive particles aligned to form continuous columns between lateral faces of the conductive sheet material. The particle columns are arranged so that the sheet is conductive through the thickness, but is electrically insulating in lateral directions. The present invention also provides methods by which such electrically conductive sheet materials can be made. The present invention is able to provide conductive pathways in a precise, regular array, at a very fine pitch.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for providing an array of metal microbeads on a substrate, preferably in a regular pattern of very fine, uniform size microspheres or microbeads at precise spacing or scale previously unachievable. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of providing a metal layer on a substrate that is partitioned into metal regions; heating the metal layer to a temperature sufficient to melt the metal and to permit beading of the layer into discrete microbeads.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of making a flexible carrier web, comprising the steps ofa) forming on a planar surface of a flexible backing a pattern consisting of at least one flat land area and at least one recess, said recess having base and walls, said recess having an average depth of at least about 5 micrometers, andb) applying to said land area a layer of a silicone, andc) crosslinking said silicone such that said silicone does not flow into said recess.

Abstract: A carrier web with recesses or pockets therein which contain pressure sensitive adhesive. The recesses in the carrier web maintain the adhesive in a discrete pattern during handling and storage and prevent lateral flow of the pressure sensitive adhesive under ambient conditions. The patterned adhesive may be transferred to an article directly from the recesses in the carrier by pressing the article onto the carrier web or indirectly by transferring the adhesive first to a cover sheet or to the flat backside of the web and thence to the article.

Abstract: The present invention provides electrically conductive sheet materials that contain columns of electrically conductive particles aligned to form continuous columns between lateral faces of the conductive sheet material. The particle columns are arranged so that the sheet is conductive through the thickness, but is electrically insulating in lateral directions. The present invention also provides methods by which such electrically conductive sheet materials can be made. The present invention is able to provide conductive pathways in a precise, regular array, at a very fine pitch.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming an abrasive article comprising the steps of providing an embossed carrier web having a plurality of recesses formed in the front surface thereof; filling the recesses with an abrasive composite slurry that includes a plurality of abrasive grains dispersed in a hardenable binder precursor, hardening the binder precursor to form individual abrasive composite members, laminating a backing sheet to the front surface of the embossed carrier web. The resulting article includes a plurality of precisely spaced abrasive composite members, positioned in a predetermined pattern and orientation on a backing sheet.

Abstract: The present invention provides metal/polymer composites including a plastic substrate having longitudinally extending conductive members, adapted to make bonded electrical connections to an array of closely spaced conductive terminal pads. In general terms, the metal/polymer composites include a thin, flexible sheet-like plastic substrate having a plurality of longitudinally extending, regularly spaced, metal pathways or members on one major surface thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for providing an array of metal microbeads on a substrate, preferably in a regular pattern of very fine, uniform size microspheres or microbeads at precise spacing or scale previously unachievable. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of providing a metal layer on a substrate that is partitioned into metal regions; heating the metal layer to a temperature sufficient to melt the metal and to permit beading of the layer into discrete microbeads.

Abstract: Method of preparing an adhesive sheet comprising (1) a backing, and (2) an adhesive layer having at least one topologically microstructured surface comprising a plurality of pegs, optionally containing one or more beads, substantially uniformly distributed and protruding outwardly from the adhesive layer, wherein the pegs have essentially flat tops that comprise less than 25% of the total surface contact area of the adhesive layer, and have a height of at least 15 .mu.m.

Abstract: A carrier web with recesses or pockets therein which contain pressure sensitive adhesive. The recesses in the carrier web maintain the adhesive in a discrete pattern during handling and storage and prevent lateral flow of the pressure sensitive adhesive under ambient conditions. The patterned adhesive may be transferred to an article directly from the recesses in the carrier by pressing the article onto the carrier web or indirectly by transferring the adhesive first to a cover sheet or to the flat backside of the web and thence to the article.

Abstract: A method of forming a transferable pattern or image of an inorganic film by coating an embossed substrate with an inorganic layer, that may comprise one or more films, over both recessed and raised surface portions, adhesively laminating a transfer substrate to the inorganic layer coating the raised surface portions of the embossed substrate and separating the embossed substrate and the transfer substrate. The adhesive is selected such that the bond between the transfer substrate and the inorganic film on the raised surface portions is greater than the bond between the inorganic layer on the raised surface portions and the embossed substrate.The embossed substrate resulting after removal of the inorganic layer coating the raised surface portions may be modified to include additional inorganic layers over the recessed surface portions by tinning or electroplating methods such that this thickened inorganic layer may also be transferred from the embossed substrate to a transfer substrate as set forth above.

Abstract: A web of adhesive, especially a normally tacky and pressure-sensitive adhesive, is rendered electrically conductive by imparting a pattern of electrically conductive elements that extend from slightly beyond one face of the web to slightly beyond the other face of the web. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive web is sandwiched between release liners formed of uniaxially oriented film and a conductive thread stitched through both the liners and the adhesive web. The liners can be removed, tearing along the stitch lines, to create an electrically conductive adhesive web.

Abstract: Electrically conductive elements on two substrates can be electrically interconnected by an adhesive tape containing electrically conductive equiax particles that are individually positioned in the adhesive layer in a predetermined pattern. Each particle is harder than the elements it is to interconnect, so that hand pressure causes the particles to penetrate into the elements, thus creating a reliable electrical connection. Particularly useful particles are glass beads having a metallic coating that is from 0.1 to 2 .mu.m thick.

Abstract: An adhesive sheet comprising (1) a backing, and (2) an adhesive layer having at least one topologically microstructured surface comprising a plurality of pegs, optionally containing one or more beads, substantially uniformly distributed and protruding outwardly from the adhesive layer, wherein the pegs have essentially flat tops that comprise less than 25% of the total surface contact area of the adhesive layer, and have a height of at least 15 .mu.m.

Abstract: A method of providing patterned, thin-film materials on flexible substrates by depositing a first, etchable, integral mask onto a substrate, depositing a second pattern material over the mask region and then removing the mask, such as by etching. Patterned films useful as printed circuits and the like can be prepared by this method. In an alternate embodiment, patterned particles can be prepared for dispersion in a vehicle or matrix using the described process.