THERMALLY BONDABLE ADHESIVE TAPE BACKING
The disclosed thermally bondable adhesive tape backing has a pressure-sensitive adhesive at a surface and a thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive at an opposite surface for thermal bonding to a device. The thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive softens and melts at a relatively low temperature. Therefore, melting of thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive is achieved while the pressure-sensitive adhesive remains in place and is not pressed away at the region of the thermal bonding.
1 . An article comprising:
a device; and
a thermally bondable adhesive tape backing comprising:
a first major surface and a second major surface, opposite the first major surface;
a thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive at the first major surface; and
a pressure-sensitive adhesive at the second major surface;
wherein the device is thermally bonded to the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive;
wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive remains in an area underlying the device.
2 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive bonds to a thermoplastic surface of the device.
3 . The article of claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic surface is polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or combinations thereof.
4 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive has a melt temperature less than 140° C.
5 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive has a softening temperature less than 130° C.
6 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive additionally comprises polyether units, polyester units, polycaprolactone units, or combinations thereof.
7 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive continuously extends at the first major surface.
8 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive is discontinuous at the first major surface.
9 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive is a film at the first major surface.
10 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive comprises particles, fibers, fabric, a woven, or a nonwoven.
11 . The article of claim 1 , further comprising a support material adjacent to the pressure-sensitive adhesive and adjacent to the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive.
12 . The article of claim 1 , further comprising a support material adjacent to the pressure-sensitive adhesive and dispersed through the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive.
13 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the support material is a film, fabric, woven, or a nonwoven.
14 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive continuously extends at the second major surface.
15 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive is in a pattern at the first major surface.
16 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive is a film at the first major surface.
17 . The article of any one of the preceding claim 1 , further comprising a liner covering the pressure-sensitive adhesive.
18 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive is an acrylate or a silicone adhesive.
19 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the device is thermally bonded to the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive with heat of greater than 120° C. and less than 140° C., force applied of about 5 pounds/inch 2 , and time of about 5 seconds.
20 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive has a first stick-to-skin peel force and a second stick-to-skin peel force;
wherein the first stick-to-skin peel force is determined prior to applying heat and force to the second major surface for a duration of time and the second stick-to-skin peel force is determined after applying heat and force to the second major surface for a duration of time; and
wherein the second stick-to-skin peel force is at least 85% of the first stick-to-skin peel force.
21 . The article of claim 20 , wherein the second stick-to-skin peel force is at least 90% of the first stick-to-skin peel force.
22 . A method of using the article of claim 1 comprising:
applying the second surface of the thermally bondable adhesive tape backing to the skin of a patient.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the method further comprises removing a liner from the second surface of the thermally bondable adhesive tape backing.
24 . A thermally bondable adhesive tape backing comprising:
a first major surface and a second major surface, opposite the first major surface;
a thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive at the first major surface, wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive has a melt temperature less than 140° C.; and
a pressure-sensitive adhesive at the second major surface.
25 . The thermally bondable adhesive tape backing of claim 24 , wherein thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive has a softening temperature less than 130° C.
26 . The thermally bondable adhesive tape backing of claim 24 , further comprising a support material adjacent to the pressure-sensitive adhesive and adjacent to the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive.
27 . The thermally bondable adhesive tape backing of claim 24 , wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive is an acrylate or a silicone adhesive.
28 . The thermally bondable adhesive tape backing of claim 24 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive comprises particles, fibers, fabric, a woven, or a nonwoven.
29 . The thermally bondable adhesive tape backing of claim 24 , further comprising a support material adjacent to the pressure-sensitive adhesive and adjacent to the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive.
30 . The thermally bondable adhesive tape backing of claim 29 , wherein the support material is a film, fabric, woven, or a nonwoven.
31 . A process for securing a device to the thermally bondable adhesive tape backing of claim 1 comprising:
contacting the device with the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive of the thermally bondable backing;
heating at least a portion of the thermoplastic surface of the device and the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive;
softening the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive to secure the thermoplastic surface of the device and the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive.
32 . The process of claim 31 , wherein a heating element contacts the second major surface of the thermally bondable adhesive tape backing to heat the thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive.
33 . The process of claim 32 , wherein the heating element contacts the second major surface with heat of greater than 120° C. and less than 140° C., force applied of about 5 pounds/inch 2 , and time of about 5 seconds.