Hand-tearable non-elastic tape

Abstract

A laminated non-elastic tape is provided. The laminated tape may include two layers of material, each layer having warp yarns extending longitudinally of the tape and weft yarns extending transversely of the tape. The warp yarns may be non-elastic. The two layers of material having warp yarns and weft yarns may be, for example, warp-knitted weft-insertion fabrics, scrim woven fabrics, or any other suitable material that facilitates hand-tearing of the tape. The tape may include a layer of nonwoven material positioned, for example, between the two layers of material. The layers of material may be bonded together with a binder. In some embodiments, the binder may be a latex- or non-latex-based cohesive agent.

1 . A laminated non-elastic tape, comprising: 
 two layers of material, each layer comprising warp yarns extending longitudinally of the tape and weft yarns extending transversely of the tape, wherein the warp yarns are non-elastic; and    a layer of nonwoven material positioned between the two layers of material.    
   
   
       2 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns is a warp-knitted weft-insertion fabric.  
   
   
       3 . The laminated tape of  claim 2 , wherein both of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns are warp-knitted weft-insertion fabrics.  
   
   
       4 . The laminated tape of  claim 2 , wherein the warp yarns of the at least one of the two layers of material comprise a plurality of longitudinally-spaced knitted loops and the weft yarns extend transversely of the tape through the loops of the warp yarns.  
   
   
       5 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns is a scrim woven fabric.  
   
   
       6 . The laminated tape of  claim 5 , wherein both of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns are scrim woven fabrics.  
   
   
       7 . The laminated tape of  claim 5 , wherein adjacent warp yarns of the at least one of the two layers of material extend longitudinally of the tape on opposing sides of a plane defined by the weft yarns.  
   
   
       8 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns is a warp-knitted weft-insertion fabric and the other of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns is a scrim woven fabric.  
   
   
       9 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the warp yarns and weft yarns comprise polyolefin yarns.  
   
   
       10 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the warp yarns and weft yarns comprise polyester yarns.  
   
   
       11 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the warp yarns and weft yarns comprise polycotton yarns.  
   
   
       12 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the warp yarns and weft yarns comprise cotton yarns.  
   
   
       13 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns comprises weft yarns having texturized filament yarns.  
   
   
       14 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns comprises warp yarns spaced at a density in the range of 12 to 24 yarns per inch measured transversely of the tape.  
   
   
       15 . The laminated tape of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns comprises warp yarns spaced at a density of about 18 yarns per inch measured transversely of the tape.  
   
   
       16 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns comprises warp yarns having a denier in the range of 30 to 80.  
   
   
       17 . The laminated tape of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns comprises warp yarns having a denier of about 50.  
   
   
       18 . The laminated tape of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns comprises warp yarns having a denier of about 40.  
   
   
       19 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns comprises weft yarns that are spaced at a density in the range of 9 to 18 yarns per inch measured longitudinally of the tape.  
   
   
       20 . The laminated tape of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns comprises weft yarns that are spaced at a density of about 12 yarns per inch measured longitudinally of the tape.  
   
   
       21 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns comprises weft yarns that have a denier in the range of 50 to 200.  
   
   
       22 . The laminated tape of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns comprises weft yarns that have a denier of about 150.  
   
   
       23 . The laminated tape of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns comprises weft yarns that have a denier of about 70.  
   
   
       24 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein each layer of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns has a weight of not more than about 1.5 ounces per square yard.  
   
   
       25 . The laminated tape of  claim 24 , wherein each layer of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns has a weight in the range of 0.3 to 0.8 ounces per square yard.  
   
   
       26 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the warp yarns of at least one of the two layers of material comprise a plurality of longitudinally-spaced knitted loops;    the weft yarns of the at least one of the two layers of material extend transversely of the tape through the loops of the warp yarns; and    the warp yarns of the at least one of the two layers of material are knitted such that the loops formed by the warp yarns include three yarn portions.    
   
   
       27 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , further comprising a binder bonding the layers together.  
   
   
       28 . The laminated tape of  claim 27 , wherein the binder is a cohesive or adhesive agent.  
   
   
       29 . The laminated tape of  claim 28 , wherein the binder is a cohesive agent.  
   
   
       30 . The laminated tape of  claim 29 , wherein the binder is a latex-based cohesive agent.  
   
   
       31 . The laminated tape of  claim 30 , wherein the binder is a natural rubber latex-based cohesive agent.  
   
   
       32 . The laminated tape of  claim 29 , wherein the binder is a synthetic water-based cohesive agent.  
   
   
       33 . The laminated tape of  claim 32 , wherein the synthetic water-based cohesive agent comprises: 
 an elastomer having an inherently crystalline structure and selected from the group consisting of polychloroprene, polyester polyurethane, and polycaprolactone polyurethane; and    at least one tackifying agent in an amount effective to disrupt the crystalline structure of the elastomer in a partial polycrystalline state such that the elastomer possesses a cohesive property.    
   
   
       34 . The laminated tape of  claim 27 , wherein the binder impregnates each of the layers.  
   
   
       35 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , further comprising a cohesive agent.  
   
   
       36 . The laminated tape of  claim 35 , wherein the cohesive agent is a latex-based cohesive agent.  
   
   
       37 . The laminated tape of  claim 35 , wherein the cohesive agent is a synthetic water-based cohesive agent.  
   
   
       38 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven material is a synthetic spunbonded nonwoven material.  
   
   
       39 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven material has a weight of no more than about 1.0 ounce per square yard.  
   
   
       40 . The laminated tape of  claim 39 , wherein the nonwoven material has a weight in the range of 0.3 to 0.5 ounces per square yard.  
   
   
       41 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven material is a synthetic spunbonded nonwoven material selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, polypropylene, and rayon and has a weight of not more than about 0.3 ounces per square yard.  
   
   
       42 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein the laminated layers of material yield a longitudinal tensile strength in the range of 30 to 60 pounds per inch.  
   
   
       43 . The laminated tape of  claim 42 , wherein the laminated layers of material yield a longitudinal tensile strength of about 40 pounds per inch.  
   
   
       44 . The laminated tape of  claim 43 , wherein the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns each have a tensile strength of about 20 pounds per inch.  
   
   
       45 . The laminated tape of  claim 43 , wherein one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns has a tensile strength of about  18  pounds per inch and the other of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns has a tensile strength of about 22 pounds per inch.  
   
   
       46 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , wherein the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns facilitate transverse and longitudinal hand tearing of the tape.  
   
   
       47 . The laminated tape of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive coated on the outer side of one of the two layers of material comprising warp yarns and weft yarns.  
   
   
       48 . A laminated non-elastic tape, comprising: 
 a first layer of material comprising warp yarns extending longitudinally of the tape and weft yarns extending transversely of the tape, wherein the warp yarns are non-elastic; and    a second layer of nonwoven material positioned adjacent to the first layer.    
   
   
       49 . The laminated tape of  claim 48 , further comprising: 
 a third layer of material comprising warp yarns extending longitudinally of the tape and weft yarns extending transversely of the tape, wherein the warp yarns are non-elastic.    
   
   
       50 . The laminated tape of  claim 49 , wherein the second layer of material is positioned between the first and third layers of material.  
   
   
       51 . The laminated tape of  claim 49 , wherein the first layer of material is positioned between the second and third layers of material.  
   
   
       52 . A laminated non-elastic tape, comprising: 
 first and second layers of warp-knitted weft-insertion material to facilitate transverse and longitudinal hand tearing of the tape, each layer comprising polyester non-elastic warp yarns extending longitudinally of the tape and texturized polyester filament weft yarns extending transversely of the tape, the warp yarns comprising a plurality of longitudinally-spaced knitted loops through which the weft yarns extend,    a layer of polypropylene spunbonded nonwoven material positioned between the first and second layers of warp-knitted weft-insertion material, and    a binder that impregnates each of the layers to bond the layers together.    
   
   
       53 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein the warp yarns of at least one of the first and second layers of warp-knitted weft insertion material are spaced at a density of about 18 yarns per inch measured transversely of the tape.  
   
   
       54 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein the weft yarns of at least one of the first and second layers of warp-knitted weft insertion material are spaced at a density of about 12 yarns per inch measured transversely of the tape.  
   
   
       55 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein at least one of the first and second layers of warp-knitted weft insertion material has a weight of 0.6 to 0.8 ounces per square yard.  
   
   
       56 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein at least one of the first and second layers of warp-knitted weft insertion material has warp yarns of a denier of about 50.  
   
   
       57 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein at least one of the first and second layers of warp-knitted weft insertion material has weft yarns of a denier of about 150.  
   
   
       58 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein at least one of the first and second layers of warp-knitted weft insertion material has warp yarns of a denier of about 40.  
   
   
       59 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein at least one of the first and second layers of warp-knitted weft insertion material has weft yarns of a denier of about 70.  
   
   
       60 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein at least one of the first and second layers of warp-knitted weft insertion material has a weight of 0.3 to 0.5 ounces per square yard.  
   
   
       61 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein at least one of the first and second layers of warp-knitted weft insertion material has a weight of about 0.7 ounces per square yard.  
   
   
       62 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein the nonwoven material has a weight of about 0.4 ounces per square yard.  
   
   
       63 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein the binder is a natural rubber latex-based cohesive agent.  
   
   
       64 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein at least one of the first and second layers of warp-knitted weft insertion material has a tensile strength of about 22 pounds per inch.  
   
   
       65 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein at least one of the first and second layers of warp-knitted weft insertion material has a tensile strength of about 18 pounds per inch.  
   
   
       66 . The laminated non-elastic tape of  claim 52 , wherein the overall tensile strength of the laminated non-elastic tape is about 40 pounds per inch in the longitudinal direction.