Adhesive Tape for Cable Harnesses Resolving Flagging and High-Temperature Compatibility

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Adhesive tapes for cable harnesses in automobiles face challenges in easy unwindability, flagging resistance, and compatibility across all temperature classes, with existing solutions either failing to meet these requirements or causing cable insulation to become brittle at high temperatures.

Innovation Solution

A pressure-sensitive adhesive tape with a polymer dispersion composed of ethylene, alkyl acrylate esters, vinyl acetate, and a tackifier, applied to a textile carrier, which provides improved flagging resistance and compatibility across all temperature classes without increasing unwindability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If adhesive tapes based on natural rubber are used, then flagging resistance is improved, but cable compatibility at high temperatures deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflagging resistanceVSAvoidcable insulation brittleness at high temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the adhesive from natural rubber to a specific synthetic polymer dispersion containing ethylene (5-25 wt%), alkyl acrylic esters (30-69 wt%), and vinyl acetate (20-55 wt%). This parameter change enables the adhesive to maintain flexibility and adhesion at high temperatures while preventing cable insulation brittleness, thus resolving the contradiction between flagging resistance and high-temperature cable compatibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite adhesive system by combining multiple polymer components (ethylene, alkyl acrylic esters, vinyl acetate) with specific proportions, along with optional additives like plasticizers and stabilizers. This composite material approach allows the adhesive to simultaneously achieve good flagging resistance through its polymer matrix while maintaining cable compatibility at high temperatures through the synergistic effects of its components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If adhesive tapes with high adhesion strength are used, then flagging resistance is improved, but ease of unwinding deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflagging resistanceVSAvoidunwinding ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by formulating the adhesive as a polymer dispersion that exhibits temperature-dependent behavior. At room temperature during storage and handling, the adhesive maintains sufficient tack for easy unwinding. During application and at elevated temperatures, the adhesive develops optimal bonding strength to prevent flagging. This dynamic response to temperature changes resolves the contradiction between ease of unwinding and flagging resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes parameter changes in the adhesive's viscosity and tack properties as a function of temperature and time. The polymer dispersion is formulated to have lower viscosity and easier unwinding characteristics at ambient conditions, while developing optimal adhesion strength at application temperatures. This parameter optimization across different conditions resolves the contradiction between unwinding ease and flagging resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If adhesive tapes meet high temperature classes, then cable compatibility is improved, but flagging resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable insulation brittleness resistanceVSAvoidflagging resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the polymer composition parameters to achieve a balance between high-temperature stability and adhesive performance. The specific ratios of ethylene (5-25 wt%), alkyl acrylic esters (30-69 wt%), and vinyl acetate (20-55 wt%) are selected to ensure the adhesive maintains its bonding properties at elevated temperatures while preventing cable insulation degradation, thus achieving both cable compatibility and flagging resistance simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a composite polymer system that combines the thermal stability benefits of ethylene with the adhesive properties of vinyl acetate and alkyl acrylic esters. This composite material formulation enables the adhesive to meet high temperature classes (providing cable compatibility) while maintaining sufficient tack and cohesion to prevent flagging, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The adhesive tape ensures easy unwinding, minimal flagging, and maintains cable insulation integrity at high temperatures, meeting stringent requirements for noise attenuation, abrasion resistance, and temperature resistance.

Implementation Method 1

an adhesive tape, as set out in the main claim... consisting of a preferably textile carrier and a pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to at least one side of the carrier

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP2520627B1Use of an adhesive tape for sheathing elongated goods, in particular cable sets and elongated goods sheathed with the adhesive tape
Publication Date: 2014.01.29 TESA SE
  • EP2520627B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2520627B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2520627B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an adhesive tape, in particular for wrapping cables, comprising a preferably textile carrier and an adhesive compound applied to at least one side of the carrier in the form of a dried polymer dispersion, wherein the polymer is composed of: (a) 5 to 25 wt.%, preferably 10 to 22 wt.% ethylene (b) 30 to 69 wt.%, preferably 40 to 60 wt.% alkyl acrylates with C4 to C12 alkyl groups (c) 20 to 55 wt.%, preferably 28 to 38 wt.% vinyl acetate (d) 0 to 10 wt.% other ethylene unsaturated compounds and the adhesive compound contains between 15 and 100 parts by weight of a tackifier (based on the mass of the dried polymer dispersion).