TAPE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the use of an adhesive tape as wrapping tape for sheathing cables in automobiles.

[0002] Adhesive tapes of this type, with a textile backing and an adhesive coating applied to one or both sides, are generally known and are described by way of example in utility model DE 20 2019 100 588 U1 of the applicant. In this case, the textile backing is produced, at least partially, using bio-based polymers. This involves the use of bio-based polymer fibers and / or polymer threads, which can be produced by extrusion.

[0003] The use of bio-based polymers for the production of the textile backing stems from the requirement to achieve particularly resource-efficient manufacturing of such adhesive tapes. These bio-based polymers are produced using renewable raw materials derived from plants. Plants or lactic acid have proven to be suitable for this purpose. However, the production cost of such bio-based polymers is currently not yet competitive, so alternatives for resource-efficient production are being sought.

[0004] The next state-of-the-art report published by Coroplast on March 16, 2021, entitled "Recycled PET as a backing material" (pages 1 to 4, found online at: URL: https: / / www.coroplast-group.com / de / newsroom / artikel / recycledes-pet-als-traegermaterial / ), does not fundamentally change this. While this report describes the general use of recycled PET material as a backing material for adhesive tapes, it does not address whether this will allow for the complete replacement of existing adhesive tapes.

[0005] Further prior art according to EP 0 995 782 A2 concerns an adhesive tape based on a nonwoven fabric thermoset with melt fibers. In principle, recycled plastic fibers can also be used together with melt fibers. The recycled plastic fibers in question can be made of polyester or polypropylene. Furthermore, Example 1 describes a nonwoven carrier with 80% polyester recycled plastic fibers and 20% bicomponent melt fibers.

[0006] German patent BR PI 0 504 419 A discloses an adhesive tape for protecting electrical wiring harnesses in motor vehicles. This tape has a nonwoven backing made from recycled PET fibers. These PET fibers are obtained from packaging material, such as that used for bottles.

[0007] Ultimately, US 2012 / 315473 A1 deals generally with an adhesive tape or self-adhesive material. A main layer can be made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate, defining a corresponding textile backing. Further details regarding the origin of the recycled plastic remain unspecified.

[0008] The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a use in such a way that, taking into account resource-saving production, a marketable and competitive product is provided at the same time.

[0009] To solve this technical problem, a use according to claim 1 is provided.

[0010] In contrast to the prior art according to DE 20 2019 100 588 U1, the invention does not utilize bio-based polymer fibers and / or polymer threads, but rather recycled plastic fibers and / or recycled plastic threads, or plastic fibers and / or plastic threads that are at least partially manufactured from recycled plastic. The recycled plastic is obtained from the processing of plastic hollow bodies, namely PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles. Advantageously, the proportion of recycled plastic in the plastic fibers and / or plastic threads is at least 10% by weight. In most cases, the proportion of recycled plastic is 20% by weight or more. Preferably, proportions of recycled plastic in the plastic fibers and / or plastic threads of at least 30% by weight are observed.

[0011] Furthermore, it has proven advantageous if the proportion of recycled plastic in the plastic fibers and / or plastic threads is a maximum of 80% by weight. Preferably, the proportion of recycled plastic can be a maximum of 90% by weight. Of course, within the scope of the invention, it is also possible for the proportion of recycled plastic in the plastic fibers and / or plastic threads to be 100% by weight, i.e., that the plastic fibers and / or plastic threads in question are made entirely from recycled plastic.

[0012] In this context, it is even conceivable that the recycled plastic consists predominantly of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), whereas the virgin plastic used is PE (polyethylene), and both plastics are mixed together to produce the plastic fibers and / or threads. Generally, however, the virgin plastic and the main component of the recycled plastic are identical. Applied to the previously mentioned example, this means that if PET is the main component of the recycled plastic, any virgin plastic added is also PET, in order to produce the plastic fibers and / or threads.

[0013] The recycled plastic typically contains at least 70% PET by weight, and optionally a maximum of 10% non-plastics by weight, with the remainder being polyolefins. Examples of polyolefins present in the recycled plastic include PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), and others.

[0014] In a preferred variant, the recycled plastic contains at least 80% by weight PET and at least 15% by weight polyolefins, with the remainder being non-plastics. Furthermore, the remaining non-plastic content can be less than 2% by weight. This ultimately depends on the purity of the recycled plastic. It can also contain almost 100% PET.

[0015] In an advantageous embodiment, the invention also relates to an adhesive tape in which the recycled plastic used to produce the plastic fibers and / or threads contains 100% by weight of PET obtained from the processing of hollow plastic bodies. The PET in question is obtained from recycled PET bottles by first separating contaminants such as non-metallic components, due to their higher density in a liquid, using a heavy-duty trap. The plastics contained in the resulting suspension, for example PE and / or PP as well as PET, can then be fed into a further processing stage as a suspension with a lower density. During this further processing, the suspension can be fed into a hydrocyclone, in which the different plastics are separated into floating and sinking solids according to their density.This allows the plastics to be recycled cleanly and in a sorted manner, as is generally described in DE 10 2014 220 330 B4. In any case, the recycled plastic material used to produce the plastic fibers and / or plastic threads can consist entirely of PET, i.e., 100% by weight, whereby the PET in question originates from and is obtained from the processing of hollow plastic containers, and in particular PET bottles.

[0016] The textile carrier produced in this way from the plastic fibers or threads is, according to the invention, a woven fabric. This means that the textile carrier can be designed as a single layer or as a multi-layered fabric. In principle, the textile carrier can also be additionally equipped with a plastic coating on one or both sides. Typically, a back coating opposite the adhesive coating has proven particularly advantageous in order to prevent the adhesive coating from sticking to the textile carrier when the adhesive tape is rolled up.

[0017] According to the invention, the elongated object is encased with the adhesive tape in question. To create the elongated object, the adhesive tape is wrapped lengthwise around the object or cable assembly. However, it is equally conceivable, and also encompassed by the invention, that to create the elongated object, the adhesive tape is wound helically or spirally around the cables of the cable assembly.

[0018] Furthermore, the adhesive tape according to the invention exhibits a temperature resistance of at least temperature class T3 according to LV 312 (10 / 2009). In this context, temperature class T3 expresses that the sheathed cables and their cable insulation withstand the influence of the adhesive tape in combination with the elevated temperature of 125 °C in the example case of temperature class T3 without becoming brittle for a minimum of 3000 hours.

[0019] Furthermore, the adhesive tape according to the invention is designed such that its mechanical properties, namely abrasion, deviate only and at most by 20%, advantageously by a maximum of 10%, from those adhesive tapes whose plastic fibers and / or plastic threads are made entirely from virgin material with the same structure.

[0020] The mechanical properties mentioned above refer, according to the invention, to abrasion resistance and the associated abrasion classes according to standard LV 312 (10 / 2009). In fact, abrasion classes A to G are distinguished here, as described in detail by way of example in DE 20 2014 011 328 U1. A deviation of the abrasion of the adhesive tape according to the invention of a maximum of 20% from an identically constructed adhesive tape in which the plastic fibers and / or plastic threads for the production of the textile backing are made entirely from virgin material or virgin plastic with the same structure means that the abrasion class achieved for the adhesive tape based on virgin plastic is largely maintained, or at most a reduction by one abrasion class is observed.For example, a decrease in abrasion class D (high abrasion protection) can be observed for the adhesive tape made from virgin plastic compared to the adhesive tape based on recycled plastic fibers and / or recycled plastic threads of the same structure, which achieves abrasion class C.

[0021] In contrast to abrasion resistance, with regard to air permeability according to DIN EN ISO 9337, as well as noise reduction according to the previously mentioned LV 312, it can be expected that the adhesive tape according to the invention will show no deviations compared to an identically constructed adhesive tape with a textile backing made of virgin plastic. That is to say, the structural planar composition of the adhesive tape according to the invention corresponds to that of an identically constructed adhesive tape made of virgin plastic.

[0022] Accordingly, the adhesive tape according to the invention can replace previously used adhesive tapes based on virgin plastic in virtually all applications, particularly as wrapping tape for sheathing cables in automobiles, without any significant deterioration in performance. This is where the main advantages lie.

[0023] The basic production of plastic fibers and / or plastic threads based on recycled plastic is generally known, as is their application; for example, see WO 2013 / 106392 A2. This document deals with a fabric made of two different fiber types, including plastic fibers based on recycled plastic. To obtain such recycled plastics, commonly used plastic material is first collected and then usually shredded. In addition, cleaning processes are often necessary to remove any contaminants. Single-use plastic bottles can serve as the basis for the production of such recycled plastics, as described in US 5,554,657 A. In fact, such single-use plastic bottles consist predominantly of PET, which is used to manufacture the bottles themselves.Furthermore, the recycled material typically contains polyolefins resulting from polypropylene or polyethylene caps. It also contains other plastics, including those from labels.

[0024] The recycled plastic obtained in this way is regularly shredded to produce granules suitable for extrusion. These granules can then be processed into plastic fibers or threads using standard methods, such as extrusion.

[0025] It goes without saying that the fabric produced in this way can be manufactured in very different ways.

[0026] In this case, the invention proceeds such that the warp threads of the backing are made of recycled plastic and the weft threads of the backing are made of virgin plastic. In this way, the weft threads, which primarily influence abrasion resistance, are constructed in the same way as in an adhesive tape with a virgin plastic backing, so that comparable abrasion resistance values ​​are observed. At the same time, such an adhesive tape has improved tearability by hand compared to an identically constructed adhesive tape made of virgin plastic, because the warp threads, which are primarily responsible for tearability by hand, are made of recycled plastic with slightly lower tensile strength compared to warp threads made of virgin plastic.

[0027] This makes it clear that by selectively choosing and mixing recycled plastic fibers or threads with virgin plastic fibers or threads, specific desired properties of the adhesive tape produced in this way can be achieved or enhanced.

Claims

1. Use of an adhesive tape as wrapping tape for sheathing cables in automobiles, wherein the adhesive tape is furnished with a fabric having a base of synthetic fibres and / or synthetic threads and with an adhesive coating applied to one or both sides thereof, wherein further the fabric is constructed with recycled synthetic material fibres embodied as warp threads, and new plastic fibres embodied as weft threads, wherein further the recycled synthetic material fibres are at least partly manufactured on the basis of a recycled synthetic material recovered from the processing of PET bottles, wherein further the adhesive tape has a temperature stability of at least temperature class T3 according to LV 312 (10 / 2009), wherein further the adhesive tape deviates in terms of abrasion according to LV 312 (10 / 2009) by not more than 20 % compared with an identically constructed adhesive tape in which the synthetic fibres and / or synthetic threads for producing the fabric are manufactured entirely from new material and / or new plastic with the identical structure, and wherein the adhesive tape in an automobile is wound around a cable harness as a lengthwise wrapping or around a cable harness in a serpentine or spiral arrangement.

2. Use according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fraction of recycled synthetic material in the synthetic fibres and / or synthetic threads is at least 20 % by weight and more.

3. Use according to Claim 2, characterized in that the fraction of recycled synthetic material in the synthetic fibres and / or synthetic threads is at least 30 % by weight.

4. Use according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fraction of recycled synthetic material in the synthetic fibres and / or synthetic threads is not more than 90 % by weight.

5. Use according to Claim 1, characterized in that the new plastic and the primary component of the recycled synthetic material are correlated to each other.

6. Use according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the recycled synthetic material contains at least 70 % by weight PET and optionally up to 10 % by weight non-synthetics, the remainder being polyolefins, and preferably at least 80 % by weight PET and at least 15 % by weight polyolefins, the remainder being non-synthetics.

7. Use according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the recycled synthetic material contains 100 % by weight PET.

8. Use according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the remainder of non-synthetics amounts to less than 2 % by weight.