U.S. patent application number 13/592681 was filed with the patent office on 2012-12-20 for attachment system.
This patent application is currently assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company. Invention is credited to Douglas P. Bodziak, Jemes E. Nash, Peter Newbould, Timothy J. O'Leary, David C. Windorski.
Application Number | 20120321852 13/592681 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38923555 |
Filed Date | 2012-12-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120321852 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bodziak; Douglas P. ; et
al. |
December 20, 2012 |
ATTACHMENT SYSTEM
Abstract
A dispenser includes an upper member having a slot and a lower
member attached to the upper member thereby forming a housing, the
lower member having an outer surface; a stack of sheets assembled
in a fan-fold configuration disposed in the housing; and a
polymeric holding film having a first surface attached to the outer
surface of the lower member. The holding film having a flexural
modulus less than about 50 MPa, as measured according to ASTMD790
standard, and a roughness parameter, R.sub.a of less than about 1
micrometer, as calculated according to ASME B46.1 standard.
Inventors: |
Bodziak; Douglas P.; (Lake
Elmo, MN) ; Nash; Jemes E.; (Bloomington, MN)
; Newbould; Peter; (Milan, IT) ; O'Leary; Timothy
J.; (White Bear Lake, MN) ; Windorski; David C.;
(Woodbury, MN) |
Assignee: |
3M Innovative Properties
Company
|
Family ID: |
38923555 |
Appl. No.: |
13/592681 |
Filed: |
August 23, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11775276 |
Jul 10, 2007 |
8261937 |
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13592681 |
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60830979 |
Jul 14, 2006 |
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60830764 |
Jul 14, 2006 |
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60851622 |
Oct 13, 2006 |
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60864169 |
Nov 3, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/141 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K 2201/00 20130101;
Y10T 428/24008 20150115; B42D 5/006 20130101; B65D 83/0817
20130101; F16B 47/00 20130101; Y10T 428/24017 20150115; Y10T 428/14
20150115; Y10T 428/1481 20150115; Y10T 428/24355 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/141 |
International
Class: |
B32B 3/10 20060101
B32B003/10 |
Claims
1. An attachment system comprising: a polymeric holding film having
a first major surface and having a flexural modulus of less than
about 50 MPa, as measured according to ASTM D790 standard and a
roughness parameter, R.sub.a, of less than about 1 micrometer, as
calculated according to ASME B46.1 standard; and an attachment
mechanism disposed on the first major surface of said holding
film.
2. The attachment system of claim 1, wherein the attachment
mechanism is selected from the group consisting of adhesive means,
mechanical means, and a combination thereof.
3. The attachment system of claim 1, wherein the adhesive means is
selected from a group consisting of stretch release adhesive,
double-sided pressure sensitive adhesive tape, and cyanoacrylate
adhesive.
4. The attachment system of claim 1, wherein the holding film has a
first surface area and the attachment mechanism has a second
surface area, wherein the ratio between the first surface area to
the second surface area is from about 10:1 to 3:1.
5. The attachment system of claim 1, wherein the holding film has a
nominal thickness from about 0.01 to 0.1 inch.
6. The attachment system of claim 1, wherein the holding film is
polyurethane or a polymer derived from ethylene-propylene diene
monomer.
7. The attachment system of claim 1 disposed on a base of an
article.
8. The attachment system of claim 1, wherein the attachment
mechanism is disposed centrally on the holding film.
9. The attachment system of claim 1, wherein the holding film has a
flexural modulus of less than about 10 MPa.
10. The attachment system of claim 1, wherein the holding film has
a flexural modulus from about 5 to 7 MPa.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No.
11/775,276, filed Jul. 10, 2007, now allowed, which claims priority
to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 60/830,979 and
60/830,764, both filed on Jul. 14, 2006, Application 60/851,622,
filed Oct. 13, 2006, and Application 60/864,169 filed Nov. 3, 2006
each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The present invention pertains to an attachment system and
to dispensers used in conjunction with the attachment system. The
attachment system, when attached to a dispenser, allows for
one-handed removal of a sheet disposed in the dispenser.
BACKGROUND
[0003] There are many devices that can provide suction between an
article and a surface. For example, suction cups can be used on a
surface, such as windows and doors, for displaying decorations or
to hold an item in a desired place. Typical suction cups have a
circular rim and a concave surface that is intended to be in
contact with a display surface once the suction cup is mounted. In
many cases, the suction cup holds an item in place, whether on a
vertical or horizontal surface. To remove the suction cup from the
surface, a user typically breaks the suction between the suction
cup and the surface, by, e.g., wedging a device between the two.
Other devices used for attaching an item to a surface include
adhesive and ferro-magnetic materials. However, these materials
have limitations regarding relative movement of the device and the
types of surfaces that can be used. For example, use of
ferro-magnetic materials as the attachment device would necessarily
limit a display surface to a metal-based material.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,946 (Gruber) discloses a holding,
retaining, and adhering means comprising a holding member
characterized by a flexible plate connected to a bottom surface of
a comparatively rigid holding member at a fastening point located
at an inner surface of the flexible plate. The flexible plate is
adapted to an unevenness of a surface upon which it is placed such
that when a tilting or tipping force is applied, a drawing-off
force is likewise applied to the rigid holding member.
[0005] There is a need for other attachment systems that are easy
to use and capable of being used on a variety of surfaces spanning
from wood, to metals, to plastic surfaces.
SUMMARY
[0006] The attachment systems of the present invention exhibit
temporary attachment between a work surface, such as a table top.
While the present description focuses primarily on a dispenser used
with the attachment system, non-dispenser items can be used as
well.
[0007] In one aspect, the present invention pertains to an
attachment system comprising (a) a polymeric holding film having a
first major surface and a flexural modulus of less than about 50
MPa, as measured according to ASTM D790 standard, and a roughness
parameter, R.sub.a, of less than about 1 micrometer, as calculated
according to ASME B46.1 standard, and (b) an attachment mechanism
disposed on the first major surface of the holding film. The
holding film has a first surface area. The attachment mechanism has
a second surface area. The ratio of the first to second surface
area is from about 10:1 to 3:1. In one embodiment, the holding film
is circular in geometry while the attachment mechanism is either
square or circular.
[0008] In another aspect, the present invention pertains to a
dispenser comprising (a) an upper member having a slot and a lower
member attached to the upper member thereby forming a housing, the
lower member having an outer surface; (b) a stack of sheets
assembled in a fan-fold configuration disposed in the housing; and
(c) a polymeric holding film having a first surface attached to the
outer surface of the lower member, the holding film having a
flexural modulus less than about 50 MPa, as measured according to
ASTMD790 standard, and a roughness parameter, R.sub.a, of less than
about 1 micrometer, as calculated according to ASME B46.1
standard.
[0009] The attachment system, includes a holding film having
physical properties, as defined by flexural modulus, and surface
roughness, that allow the system to create a vacuum and cling to a
wide variety of surfaces, from smooth surfaces such as metal based
tables, to rougher surfaces such as wood based table tops. When a
dispenser is used in combination with the attachment system such
that the holding film is in direct contact with a work surface, the
dispenser is able to slide across the work surface. It is believed
that the sliding motion may increase the vacuum. The vacuum keeps
the dispenser in place when a sheet material is removed
therefrom.
[0010] In this document, the term "about" is presumed to modify all
numerical values.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The invention can be better explained with reference to the
figures, wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an exemplary dispenser;
[0013] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 in an
assembled form;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of another exemplary
dispenser;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of another exemplary
dispenser;
[0016] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of another exemplary upper
member that can be used with the dispenser;
[0017] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of another exemplary
dispenser;
[0018] FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the dispenser of FIG. 6 in an
assembled form;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view an exemplary exterior surface
of a lower member that can be used with the dispenser;
[0020] FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of another exemplary exterior
surface of a lower member that can be used with the dispenser;
[0021] FIG. 10 is an isometric view of another exemplary dispenser
with an activation card;
[0022] FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the bottom of the dispenser
of FIG. 10; and
[0023] FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing removal of the
activation card of the dispenser of FIG. 10 prior to use.
[0024] These figures are idealized, are not drawn to scale, and are
intended for illustrative purposes only.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] One aspect of the present invention involves an attachment
system that includes a polymeric holding film and an attachment
mechanism. Unlike the traditional suction cup that holds an item in
one place until the suction is broken, the attachment system allows
an item, such as a dispenser, to remain stationary during
dispensing while also allowing it to slide when pushed across a
work surface. In addition to dispensers, the attachment system can
be used with other items, such as, e.g., liquid containing
receptacles such as cans, bottles, jars and the like, tissue boxes,
and pads of papers.
[0026] The holding film has a flexural modulus less than 50 mega
pascals (MPa), preferably less than 25 MPa, more preferably less
than 10 MPa, and most preferably in the range of 5 to 7 MPa, as
tested according ASTM D790 Standard Test Methods for Flexural
Properties of Unreinforced and Reinforced Plastics and Electrical
Insulating Materials. In brief summary, this test method involves a
three-point bend test where the test conditions includes a span of
16 mm and a cross-head speed of 5 mm per minute and where the
sample had a width of 25.4 mm and a length of 50 mm.
[0027] The holding film has an average roughness parameter
(R.sub.a) of less than 1 micrometer, calculated over the entire
sample testing area. The roughness measurement is calculated
according to ASME B46.1 standard. In brief summary, in conducting
this test, a sample of the holding film was first coated with a
gold/palladium film (using a current of 40 mA and 10 second) and
the film's surface topography or roughness was measured using a
Wyko NT3300 optical interferometer operated in VSI mode with a
10.times. objection and a 2% modulation threshold. A useful
polymeric holding film has a Shore A durometer of less than 70. The
film has a thickness of 0.01 to 0.1 inch (0.25 to 2.5 mm). The
preferred ranges of flexural modulus, roughness, Shore A durometer,
and thickness are characteristics of the polymeric film that tends
to exhibit better drape of the film once attached to the dispenser.
Preferably, the holding film has minimal amount of plasticizers,
which could, over time, alter the film's effectiveness to create
and maintain a vacuum. Also, the film should be sufficiently
chemically inert over time so as not to stain the work surface upon
which it is placed or to affect the attachment mechanism used to
attach the film to the article.
[0028] Suitable polymeric films include polyurethane and rubbers
made with ethylene propylene diene monomers (EPDM). Commercially
available EPDM films include those available from McMaster-Carr,
Atlanta, Ga. under product numbers 8610 K81 and 8143 K11.
[0029] The attachment mechanism can be mechanical based or adhesive
based. Selection of the appropriate attachment mechanism depends on
the user's preference as well as the article used. The attachment
mechanism is typically located centrally on the holding film. If
desired, the attachment mechanism can be disposed at multiple sites
of the holding film. A suitable mechanical based attachment systems
include recloseable fasteners, such as those described in U.S. Pat.
No. 6,972,141 (Bries et al.).
[0030] A suitable adhesive based attachment mechanism is a stretch
release adhesive strip with a rounded non-adhesive end tab
available from 3M Company under the Command.TM. brand. The adhesive
strip includes a double-sided adhesive portion where one side
adheres to the exterior surface of the lower member while the other
side adheres to the first surface of the holding film. By pulling
on the non-adhesive end tab, the consumer disengages the stretch
release adhesive from both surfaces. In this way, the holding film
can be reused on a new dispenser, if desired. Yet another suitable
adhesive based attachment mechanism is double sided tape, such as
those commercially available from 3M Company under product number
4462W and 4466W. Yet another suitable adhesive based attachment
mechanism involves the use of a cyanoacrylate adhesive, which is
typically supplied in liquid form. The liquid adhesive can be
dispensed on the holding film and applied to the exterior surface
of the lower member where it will cure thereby bonding the two
layers together. 3M.TM. Scotch-Weld.TM. Instant Adhesive, product
designation CA40H, is a suitable cyanoacrylate adhesive that can be
used in the present invention. This particular adhesive cures at
room temperature (about 23.degree. C.).
[0031] The design and size of the attachment mechanism relative to
the holding film can affect the vacuum between the film and the
work surface when a substantially normal force is imposed on the
article to which the attachment system is attached. For one
embodiment of the present invention, holding films having circular
geometries and attachment mechanism having either circular or
square geometry are suitable. Other geometries for holding films
and attachment mechanisms can also be used in the present
invention. In one embodiment, the ratio of the surface area of the
holding film to the surface area of the attachment mechanism is
from 10:1 to 3:1. The attachment mechanism is typically positioned
nearly at the center of the holding film. After the holding film
has been attached to the dispenser, a side view of the dispenser
would show that the holding film crowns slightly toward the
attachment site.
[0032] Now turning to the figures, FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of
an exemplary dispenser of the present invention, which is
particularly useful for dispensing a large number (greater than
about 50 to 100) of sheets arranged in fan-fold (often referred to
as "z" fold) stack 38. Such a sheet is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
4,907,825 (Miles et. al).
[0033] The dispenser includes a cover (also referred to as an
"upper member") 20 having substantially a circular rim. The upper
member has two side portions 22 extending from opposing halves of
the circular rim and protrusion 24 disposed between the two side
portions. The protrusion is formed by two sidewalls 25 that extend
from the side portions. The protrusion also has two sloping walls
29 that end at opposing regions of the rim. At a top of the
protrusion, there is an opening (commonly referred to as a "slot")
26 that is appropriately sized to allow for removal of a sheet in
the stack. Optionally, the upper member further includes a
depression 27 and a cut-out section 28 on one side portion.
[0034] The dispenser of FIG. 1 further includes base (also referred
to as a "lower member") 30 having a geometry that is substantially
similar to that of the rim of cover 20. A housing is formed when
the upper member is assembled to the lower member. The lower member
also has cutout 31 that is substantially similar to and coinciding
with cutout 28 of the upper member. When the upper and lower
members are assembled, the two cutouts are generally aligned. The
lower member has opposing interior surface 30a and exterior surface
(not shown). Optional biasing mechanism, in this case a spring 32,
rests on the interior surface of the lower member. Optional plate
34 provides a platform for stack of sheets 38, which rests on a
first surface 34a of the plate. The second surface of the plate
contacts the spring. The plate further includes optional ribs 36 at
its opposing ends 35. The ribs provide a stop for the stack as it
shuttles from one end to the other when an individual sheet is
removed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,825 discloses the shuttling concept in
detail. In one embodiment, the upper member is made of a
transparent polymeric material and the lower member is made from
cardstock that has a coating of heat activated adhesive on its rim,
and the two parts are assembled together using heat sealing. Clear
upper members can be used as they allow the users to see inside the
housing.
[0035] A holding film 50 is attached to the exterior surface of the
lower member via an attachment mechanism 40. As stated previously,
the combination of the holding film and the attachment mechanism
make up the attachment system. In this particular embodiment, the
holding film is substantially circular and is generally of the same
dimensions as the lower member, except that the holding film does
not include a cut out section. In one embodiment, the dispenser has
a holding film diameter of 3 inches (7.62 cm) and the attachment
mechanism is a one-inch (2.54 cm) square or one-inch circle
attached centrally to the holding film.
[0036] FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of dispenser 10 of FIG. 1
assembled such that sheet 38a extends through the slot and is ready
for dispensing. As can be seen, because of the cut-outs in the
upper and lower members, a portion of holding film 50 is exposed.
When the user wants to break the vacuum between the holding film
and a work surface, the user lifts the exposed portion of the
holding film. In a dispensing mode, the user exerts a force on the
dispenser by pulling on the sheet in the direction indicated
generally by reference arrow, T.sub.f. The vacuum between the
holding film and the work surface keeps the dispenser stationary
allowing the user to remove the sheet with one hand. In other
words, the user does not need to hold down the dispenser with his
or her free hand while removing the sheet from the dispenser. In
either a dispensing or in a non-dispensing mode, the user can slide
dispenser across a work surface. It is believed that this type of
movement allows air that may be trapped between the holding film
and the work surface to escape thereby increasing the vacuum. The
dispenser can be used on horizontal and vertical work surfaces.
[0037] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of another dispenser 110 similar
to the dispenser of FIG. 1, except that there are no cutouts in the
upper or lower members. The upper member has two side portions 122
extending from opposing halves of the circular rim and a protrusion
disposed therebetween. The protrusion includes two side walls 125
that extend from the side portion two sloping walls 129 that meet
at the rim. In this case, a user can also break the suction of the
holding film on the work surface by e.g., sliding the dispenser to
an edge of the work surface to break the vacuum.
[0038] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of yet another dispenser 210
similar to the dispenser of FIG. 1, except that there are two cut
outs, one on each side of side portions 222. A protrusion with two
side walls 225 is disposed between the side portions. This
particular design allows the user to break the suction on either
side of the dispenser.
[0039] The stacks shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 contain a plurality of
elongated sheets releasably adhered to one another in a fan-fold
configuration. Each sheet has a tab end portion, an adhesive end
portion, and opposing first and second surfaces. The first surface
is adhesive free and preferably writeable. The second surface
includes a repositionable adhesive on its adhesive end portion,
which is larger than the tab end portion and also transparent. If
desired, the tab end portion may contain indicia and or may be
brightly colored. If a sheet has a length L, the tab end portion is
about 30 to 35% of the length while the adhesive end portion is
about 65 to 70% of the sheet's length. The sheets are stacked such
that for any two adjacent sheets, the tab end portion of one sheet
lies at an opposing end of the stack relative to the next
sheet.
[0040] FIG. 5 shows an isometric view of another embodiment of
another upper member 60 that can be used in the present invention.
The upper member 60 is similar to the upper member 20 of FIG. 1,
except that in top region 61 where slot 66 is disposed, two grooves
63 extend from each end of the slot. The grooves lie generally
transverse to the slot along the length of the protrusion.
[0041] FIG. 6 shows an exploded view of another dispenser of the
present invention that is particularly suited for dispensing
repositionable notes, such as Post-it.RTM. Notes commercially
available from 3M Company. Such notes are paper based having a
coating (typically a stripe) of repositionable adhesive across an
edge of the note. The stripe of adhesive typically covers from 25%
to 35% of the note's surface area. The dispenser includes an upper
member 320 having a substantially box like shape with four side
walls 325 disposed substantially orthogonal to one another and
substantially orthogonal to a top 327. The sidewalls have top edge
325a and bottom edge 325b. A slot 326 is disposed on the top. The
slot is sized to sufficiently wide to allow repositionable notes of
desired width to be dispensed. The dispenser further includes
substantially square lower member 330 having opposing interior
surface 330a and exterior surface (not shown). In one embodiment,
the upper and lower members are integrally formed. Spring 332,
disposed on the interior surface of the lower member, acts as the
biasing mechanism to push stack of repositionable notes 338 against
the inside surface of top 327. Using attachment mechanism 340,
circular holding film 350 attaches to the exterior surface of the
lower member. This particular embodiment shows that the geometry of
the holding film can, but does not necessarily have to be similar
to that of the lower member.
[0042] FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of dispenser 310 of FIG. 6
assembled such that flag 338a extends through slot 326 and holding
film 350 is attached to the lower member of the dispenser. In one
embodiment, the dispenser is measures 3.125 by 3.125 inch (7.9 by
7.9 cm) in length and width and has height of 11/2 inch (3.8 cm). A
3 inch (7.6 cm) diameter holding film and a 1 inch diameter (2.5
cm) circular double sided tape or cyanoacrylate adhesive is used to
attach to the holding film and the lower member of the
dispenser.
[0043] FIG. 8 shows a bottom plan view of the exterior surface of a
lower member of yet another embodiment of the present invention.
The exterior surface has a central planar area 331 for receiving
the attachment mechanism. Surrounding the central planar area is
roughened region 332, which can be created by a variety of methods
such as embossing or perforating the lower member. In one
embodiment, the roughened region includes a plurality of distinct
raised dots. The roughened region can also result from applying a
coating that would impart surface roughness to the exterior surface
of the lower member. While this figure shows the roughened region
as a circular pattern, other configurations and layouts can be
used. For example, when using raised dots, they can be scattered
throughout the exterior surface area of the lower member. In one
aspect, the roughened region functions to reduce the contact
surface area between the exterior surface of the lower member and
the first surface of the holding film. Thus, the contact surface
area between the second surface of the holding film to the work
surface is larger than the contact surface area between the
exterior surface of the lower member and the first surface of the
holding film. This situation minimizes, if not reduces, the
unexpected and undesirable situation where the act of removing a
sheet from the dispenser causes the dispenser to dislodge
inadvertently from the work surface.
[0044] FIG. 9 shows a bottom plan view of another exemplary
exterior surface 430b of lower member 430 having cut-out 431 that
can be used in the present invention. In this embodiment, the
contact surface area between the exterior surface of the lower
member and the first surface of the holding film has been reduced
by use of holes 432. If desired, standoff bars 433 can also be used
in addition to the holes.
[0045] FIG. 10 shows an isometric view of another exemplary
dispenser where the dispenser of FIG. 7 further includes an
activation card 360 having a pull tab 360a. The pull tab can
include pre-printed indicia (e.g., "Remove Before Using")
instructing a consumer to remove the card before use. The
activation card can be made from a variety of materials, including,
e.g., paper and plastic film. The activation card lies between the
holding film 350 and the exterior surface of the lower member,
which in one embodiment, includes a roughened region like that
shown in FIG. 8.
[0046] FIG. 11 shows an exploded view of the bottom of the
dispenser of FIG. 11 with holding film 350 having attachment
mechanism 340 centrally located and shown in phantom. The
activation card includes an aperture 364 sized and placed so as to
accommodate the attachment mechanism. The aperture is generally
slightly larger than the dimension of the attachment mechanism. The
activation card further includes an angled slit 362 allowing for
its installation to the dispenser 320. While the design of the
activation card is particularly suited for the dispenser of FIG. 7,
other designs can be used. In one exemplary method of installing
the activation card, one opens the slit 362 and slides the
activation card between the holding film and the exterior surface
of the lower member. In this particular embodiment, the perimeter
of the activation card is substantially the same size as the
perimeter of the lower member and covers a portion, if not
substantially all, of the roughened region 332 on the exterior
surface of the lower member.
[0047] In one embodiment, the activation card is made from paper or
polymeric film, is of square geometry having a side length of 3
inch, a central hole having a diameter of 1.5 inch, a slit length
of 1 inch and a slit gap distance of 0.25 inch. The design for the
activation card shown in FIG. 11 can be made by die cutting the
paper or polymeric film.
[0048] FIG. 12 schematically shows removing the activation card
prior to using the dispenser. With the bottom of the dispenser
generally facing a consumer, he or she lifts the pull tab
(generally in the direction indicated by the arrow) away from the
exterior surface of the dispenser and removes it completely. The
lifting of the activation card causes the holding film to curl away
from exterior surface of the lower member.
[0049] The activation card can be used in any dispenser or any item
that incorporates the use of the attachment system.
EXAMPLES
[0050] The following polymeric films were tested for flexural
modulus and surface roughness, according to the test method
described above.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Sample No. 1 2 3 4 5 Product EPDM Rubber
Polyurethane Santoprene ECH PET Description (epichlorohydrin)
Manufacturer McMaster-Carr, McMaster- McMaster- McMaster-Carr,
DuPont Product No. Carr, Carr, Product No. Teijin Films 8610K81
Product No. Product No. 85765K31 Melinex .RTM. 2178 T22 86215 K11
561 Thickness 1/32 inch 1/32 inch 1/32 inch 1/32 inch 0.007 inch
Flexural 6.17 .+-. 0.07 54.9 .+-. 0.5 6.73 .+-. 0.4 6.80 .+-. 0.40
4,670 .+-. 454 Modulus (MPa) Roughness, R.sub.a 0.429 .+-. 0.003
0.47 .+-. 0.04 1.7 .+-. 0.2 1.2 .+-. 0.3 0.0074 .+-. 0.0008
(micrometer)
[0051] The holding films listed in Table 1 were then subjected to a
test where tension force using an Instron machine using a cross
head speed of 20 inch per minute. A three inch diameter circle of
each type of film was taped using a one inch square double sided
tape to a 3 inch circular shaped lower member of a dispenser
similar to the one shown in FIG. 1. A one inch wide tape was
attached to the top region of the dispenser, the tape functioning
as a lead for the Instron jaw. The dispenser with the holding film
was placed on a different work surfaces, such as panels of oak. The
three types of work surfaces, all wood-based, tested included (a)
cathedral cut oak veneer, (b) oak veneer with a polyurethane
coating, and (c) an oak veneer with a lacquer coating. A cathedral
cut oak veneer is one where the oak wood is sliced tangentially to
the growth rings of the tree, thereby producing distinct peaks or
spires in the grain pattern. The cathedral cut typically requires
centering the wood grain to produce on the face of the veneer a
substantially "V" figure resembling the spires of a cathedral. As
between the three wood-based surfaces cited above, the cathedral
cut veneer is the roughest.
[0052] The amount of force needed to pull the dispenser off the
work surface is then measured. Of the five holding film types
listed in Table 1 above, the EPDM rubber consistently gave the
highest force on all three types of work surface. In terms of
ranking the performance of the five films, the EDPM was the highest
force values, followed by the urethane. As between the Santoprene,
ECH, and PET, they all performed poorer than the urethane.
[0053] Although specific embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, it is understood that these embodiments
are merely illustrative of the many possible specific arrangements
that can be devised in application of the principles of the
invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be devised in
accordance with these principles by those of ordinary skill in the
art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Thus, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to
the structures described in this application, but only by the
structures described by the language of the claims and the
equivalents of those structures.
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