Polyurethane pipe thread tape assembly
Some embodiments include a polyurethane pipe thread tape and a pipe thread tape assembly including the pipe thread tape and a paper liner, and in some instances a casting layer. The pipe thread tape can include a polyurethane film and an adhesive. The pipe thread tape can be wrapped around external threads at an end region of a first piping component. The wrapped end region of the first piping component can be attached to an internally threaded end region of the second piping component. The pipe thread tape can be separated from a paper liner by stretching a pipe thread tape assembly lengthwise, the paper liner initially being coupled with the pipe thread tape via the adhesive, and the pipe thread tape having greater stretchiness than the paper liner. The pipe thread tape can be provided in and dispensed from packaging, in some instances.
1 . A method of installing pipe thread tape between a first piping component and a second piping component, the method comprising:
wrapping the pipe thread tape around external threads at an end region of the first piping component, resulting in a wrapped end region of the first piping component, wherein:
the pipe thread tape comprises a polyurethane film and an adhesive, such that the adhesive is at a first side of pipe thread tape, and the wrapped end region of the first piping component has the first side of the pipe thread tape against the end region of the first piping component such that the adhesive contacts the external threads,
the polyurethane film having an elongation upon breaking between 5 inches and 24 inches, wherein the elongation upon breaking is measured as a difference between an original length of the polyurethane film and a final length of the polyurethane film at break, in combination with the adhesive having a peel strength between 125 g/25 mm and 225 g/25 mm; and
attaching the wrapped end region of the first piping component to an internally threaded end region of the second piping component.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pipe thread tape is devoid of a base layer that comprises fabric, felt and/or nonwoven web.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is acrylic adhesive, and the peel strength is between 150 g/25 mm and 200 g/25 mm.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyurethane film has a thickness between 20 microns and 75 microns.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pipe thread tape has a thickness between 0.03 mm and 0.10 mm.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein wrapping the pipe thread tape around the external threads comprises stretching the pipe thread tape into grooves of the external threads at the end region of the first piping component.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein once the wrapped end region of the first piping component is attached to the internally threaded end region of the second piping component, the pipe thread tape creates a seal between the external threads at the end region of the first piping component and the internally threaded end region of the second piping component.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to wrapping the pipe thread tape around the external threads at the end region of the first piping component, the adhesive of the pipe thread tape is adhered removably to a paper liner, and the method further includes, prior to wrapping the pipe thread tape around the external threads at the end region of the first piping component, separating the pipe thread tape from the paper liner.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the pipe thread tape has greater stretchiness than the paper liner.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein separating the length of the pipe thread tape from the paper liner includes stretching the pipe thread tape lengthwise such that an entire width of the paper liner tears without tearing the polyurethane film.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the paper liner comprises a siliconized paper liner.
12 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the pipe thread tape has a single coat of the acrylic adhesive on the polyurethane film.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pipe thread tape has a width between 0.25 inch and 1.0 inch.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the elongation upon breaking for the polyurethane film is between 10 inches and 24 inches.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the polyurethane film has a breaking force of between 50 grams/millimeter width and 150 grams/millimeter width.
16 . A method of using pipe thread tape, the method comprising:
separating pipe thread tape from a paper liner, the pipe thread tape comprising a polyurethane film and an adhesive, such that the adhesive is at a first side of pipe thread tape, the paper liner initially being coupled with the pipe thread tape via the adhesive, such that the coupled paper liner and pipe thread tape together form a pipe thread tape assembly, the pipe thread tape having greater stretchiness than the paper liner, wherein separating the pipe thread tape from the paper liner comprises:
stretching the pipe thread tape assembly to elongate it lengthwise such that an entire width of the paper liner tears without tearing the polyurethane film, thereby creating a loose torn end of the paper liner, and
grabbing the loose torn end of the paper liner and pulling it away from the pipe thread tape to separate the paper liner from the pipe thread tape; and
wrapping the pipe thread tape around external threads at an end region of a piping component, such that the first side of the pipe thread tape is against the end region of the piping component with the adhesive contacting the external threads.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the adhesive has a peel strength between 125 g/25 mm and 225 g/25 mm.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the adhesive is acrylic adhesive, and the peel strength is between 150 g/25 mm and 200 g/25 mm.
19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the polyurethane film has an elongation upon breaking between 5 inches and 24 inches, wherein the elongation upon breaking is measured as a difference between an original length of the polyurethane film and a final length of the polyurethane film at break.
20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the paper liner is a siliconized paper liner.
21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the adhesive is a single-coat acrylic adhesive.
22 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the polyurethane film has a thickness between 20 microns and 75 microns.
23 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the pipe thread tape assembly further comprises a polyethylene casting layer, the polyethylene casting layer initially being coupled to a second side of the polyurethane film, and the adhesive being on a first side of the polyurethane film, the first and second sides of the polyurethane film being opposed sides, the method further comprising removing the polyethylene casting layer from the polyurethane film prior to wrapping the pipe thread tape around the external threads at the end region of the piping component.
24 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the pipe thread tape has a width between 0.25 inch and 1.0 inch.
25 . A method of using pipe thread tape, the method comprising:
providing a pipe thread tape assembly in packaging, the pipe thread tape assembly comprising:
a pipe thread tape, the pipe thread tape comprising a polyurethane film and an adhesive, such that the adhesive is at a first side of pipe thread tape, and
a paper liner coupled to the pipe thread tape via the adhesive, dispensing the pipe thread tape assembly from the packaging;
separating the paper liner from the pipe thread tape, thereby exposing the adhesive, wherein separating the pipe thread tape from the paper liner comprises:
stretching the pipe thread tape assembly lengthwise such that an entire width of the paper liner tears without tearing the polyurethane film; and
wrapping the pipe thread tape around external threads at an end region of a piping component, such that the first side of the pipe thread tape is against the end region of the piping component with the adhesive contacting the external threads.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein:
the pipe thread tape assembly further comprises a casting layer coupled to the polyurethane film; and
dispensing the pipe thread tape from the packaging comprises:
separating the casting layer from the pipe thread tape using a mechanism of the packaging, such that the paper liner remains coupled to the pipe thread tape after separating the casting layer from the pipe thread tape.
27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein:
the packaging comprises a dispenser box;
the mechanism comprises a tab; and
once the casting layer is threaded through the tab, separating the casting layer from the pipe thread tape comprises:
pulling the casting layer to guide additional length of the casting layer through the tab, thereby separating the additional length of the casting layer from the pipe thread tape.
28 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the pipe thread tape assembly is configured in roll form in the packaging, resulting in a pipe thread tape roll.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the pipe thread tape roll is a core-less roll.
30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the pipe thread tape roll comprises a core and the pipe thread tape assembly wound around the core.