Adhesive Tape Cartridge Gradient Particle Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Adhesive tapes with added particles for desired properties, such as color, face challenges in maintaining adhesiveness due to the reduction in adhesiveness caused by particle inclusion, making it difficult to achieve desired advantages while preserving adhesion.

Innovation Solution

An adhesive tape cartridge design where a particle-containing adhesive layer is divided into two regions, with a higher volume proportion of particles in one region and a lower proportion on the surface side, maintaining adhesiveness by reducing particle concentration on the surface and increasing it within the tape, allowing for desired aesthetic effects without thickness increase.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If particles are added to the adhesive layer to obtain desired aesthetic effects, then the aesthetic properties are improved, but the adhesiveness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic propertiesVSAvoidadhesiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive layer is designed with non-uniform particle distribution, where the particle concentration varies through the thickness of the layer. Specifically, the volume proportion of particles is higher in the inner region (away from the surface) and lower near the surface, creating different local properties: the surface region maintains high adhesiveness while the inner region provides aesthetic effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The adhesive layer is virtually divided into two regions based on particle concentration: a surface region with lower particle volume proportion that ensures adhesiveness, and an inner region with higher particle volume proportion that provides aesthetic effects. This segmentation allows each region to fulfill its specific function independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If more particles are added to the adhesive layer, then the aesthetic effects are enhanced, but the adhesiveness is further reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparticle quantityVSAvoidadhesiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly distributing particles throughout the adhesive layer, the invention creates a gradient distribution where particle concentration is higher in the inner region and lower at the surface. This allows maximizing particle quantity for aesthetic effects while protecting adhesiveness by keeping the surface region relatively particle-free.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Quantity of substance

If the thickness of the adhesive layer is increased to accommodate more particles, then the aesthetic effects are improved, but the overall tape structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparticle quantityVSAvoidlayer structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of increasing the thickness of the adhesive layer to accommodate more particles, the invention utilizes the thickness dimension strategically by creating a gradient distribution. The particle concentration varies through the thickness, with higher concentration in the inner region and lower at the surface, allowing sufficient particle quantity without excessive thickness increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

This approach allows for the achievement of desired aesthetic effects while maintaining or enhancing adhesiveness, allowing for longer tape lengths in a compact cartridge without degrading adhesion performance.

Implementation Method 1

by making a solid content concentration or an application speed lower than usual at the time of adhesive application, or by taking a drying time longer than usual after the application, the volume proportion of the particles is made smaller in the region on the one side that is the side exposed on the surface side

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSedimentation: Sedimentation

Data Source

PatentEP3521391B1Adhesive tape cartridge and method of manufacturing an adhesive tape roll
Publication Date: 2022.11.09 BROTHER KOGYO KK
  • EP3521391B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3521391B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3521391B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

OBJECT To obtain desired advantages from particle addition while suppressing a reduction in adhesiveness. SOLVING MEANS An adhesive tape 150 has a film layer 151, and an adhesive layer 164 disposed on one side in a thickness direction of the film layer 151 that includes an adhesive to which particles having an average particle diameter of 10 µm or more are added, and on condition that the adhesive layer 164 is virtually divided into two equal parts as a one-side region 164o on one side in the thickness direction and an other-side region 164i on the other side in the thickness direction, the volume proportion of the particles to the adhesive in the other-side region 164i is larger than the volume proportion of the particles to the adhesive in the one-side region 164o.