Polycaprolactone Cable Sheathing Tape for Low-Temperature Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current adhesive tapes used for sheathing cables require high curing temperatures, which can damage PVC insulation and result in high manufacturing costs, and they do not meet the requirements for dimensional stability and ease of integration into the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A method using a polycaprolactone-based adhesive tape with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, applied at a temperature between 60°C to 100°C, which hardens upon cooling, providing the necessary rigidity and dimensional stability, and can be integrated into the manufacturing process without premature curing during storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high curing temperature (175°C) is used to cure the adhesive, then the adhesive achieves proper curing and bonding strength, but the PVC cable insulation is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive composition is modified to change its curing parameters, specifically lowering the curing temperature from 175°C to a maximum of 110°C (preferably 60°C to 100°C). This parameter change allows the adhesive to cure effectively at temperatures that do not damage PVC insulation, resolving the contradiction between achieving proper adhesive curing and protecting the cable insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive is formulated as a composite material containing reactive diluents (such as 1,6-hexanediol diisocyanate and trimethylolpropane triisocyanate) combined with polyurethane prepolymers. This composite composition enables the adhesive to achieve complete curing at lower temperatures while maintaining bonding strength, thus protecting the PVC insulation from thermal damage.
2Stability of the object's composition
If injection-molded parts are attached to provide rigidity, then the cable harness maintains shape and routing stability, but additional material and assembly costs are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive tape integrates multiple functions into a single component: it provides adhesive bonding, structural rigidity through the foam layer, and protective coverage. This merging eliminates the need for separate injection-molded parts to provide rigidity, reducing both material costs and assembly complexity while maintaining cable harness shape stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive tape uses a composite structure with a foam layer providing rigidity and dimensional stability, combined with adhesive layers for bonding. This composite material approach replaces the need for additional injection-molded rigid parts, reducing manufacturing costs while achieving the required shape stability for cable routing.
3Temperature
If the adhesive cures at low temperature (60-100°C), then the PVC insulation is protected and manufacturing costs are reduced, but the adhesive may cure during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive is formulated with reactive diluents that remain dormant during storage and only become active under specific curing conditions (heat and humidity). This preliminary preparation allows the adhesive to maintain stability during storage while being ready to cure completely at low temperatures (60-100°C) when applied, preventing premature curing during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive composition parameters are optimized to distinguish between storage conditions and curing conditions. The reactive diluents require specific triggers (heat and humidity) to activate, allowing the adhesive to remain stable at room temperature during storage while curing effectively at elevated temperatures (60-100°C) during application, thus resolving the contradiction between low-temperature curing and storage stability.
4Loss of time
If the adhesive cures completely at low temperature, then the cable harness can be processed within the manufacturing cycle time, but the adhesive must remain uncured during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive is prepared in advance with reactive components that remain inactive during storage. When applied to the cable harness, the adhesive quickly cures at low temperatures (60-100°C) within the manufacturing cycle time (approximately 6 minutes). This preliminary formulation ensures the adhesive remains stable during storage while achieving complete curing rapidly during processing, resolving the contradiction between fast processing and long shelf life.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive formulation parameters are designed to respond to temperature and humidity changes. During storage at room temperature, the adhesive remains stable. During processing, when exposed to heat (60-100°C) and humidity, the adhesive parameters change to enable complete curing within the manufacturing cycle time (6 minutes), thus achieving both long shelf life and rapid processing.
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 method allows for the efficient and cost-effective sheathing of cables with a tape that hardens within the manufacturing cycle time, maintaining dimensional stability and avoiding damage to PVC insulation, thus reducing manufacturing costs and improving process efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a binder which is thermally softenable at a temperature of 50°C to 100°C
Implementation Method 2
the cables or cable harnesses are held in this arrangement until the adhesive tape has solidified again by cooling
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to an adhesive tape and a method for sheathing elongated goods, in particular cable assemblies. The adhesive tape must cure within the process parameters for further processing, e.g., within 6 minutes, and exhibit the required dimensional stability after curing. On the other hand, the adhesive must not cure during storage, as it would otherwise become unusable. Furthermore, the curing temperatures must not be too high, as this could damage the cable insulation, which is often made of PVC. According to the invention, a tape for sheathing elongated goods is proposed, comprising a tape-shaped carrier characterized in that the tape-shaped carrier is provided on at least one side with a binder that is thermally softenable at a temperature of 50°C to 100°C and comprises a polycaprolactone.The present invention also relates to a method for sheathing elongated goods such as, in particular, cables or cable sets, wherein a coated tape as previously described is softened by the supply of heat at a temperature between 60°C and 100°C and is then guided in a helical line around the elongated goods or the elongated goods are wrapped axially by the adhesive tape, the elongated goods together with the wrapping adhesive tape are brought into the desired arrangement, in particular into the cable set layout, and the elongated goods are held in this arrangement until the adhesive tape has solidified again by cooling.