Adhesive transfer device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an adhesive transfer device for selectively making a repositionably adherable substrate from a selected substrate. The device comprises a base substrate, a layer of pressure-sensitive repositionable adhesive disposed on the base substrate, a layer of pressure-sensitive permanent adhesive disposed adjacent to the repositionable adhesive layer opposite the base substrate, and structure providing a release surface. The release surface is removably engaged with the permanent adhesive layer opposite the repositionable adhesive layer and the base substrate so as to cover the permanent adhesive layer. The nature of the release surface is such that the base substrate and the structure providing the release surface can be moved apart from one another so as to separate the release surface from the permanent adhesive layer and leave both of the adhesive layers on the base substrate with the permanent adhesive layer exposed, thereby enabling the selected substrate to be adhesively bonded to the exposed permanent adhesive layer. The adhesive layers are provided such that, after the selected substrate has been adhesively bonded to the permanent adhesive layer, the base substrate and the selected substrate can be moved apart from one another so as to separate the base substrate from the repositionable adhesive layer and leaving both the adhesive layers on the selected substrate with the repositionable adhesive layer exposed, thereby allowing the selected substrate to be repositionably adhered to a contact surface by engaging the exposed repositionable adhesive layer with the contact surface. A number of various devices embodying the principles of the present invention are disclosed in the present application, including a tablet having a plurality of adhesive transfer sheets, an adhesive transfer cartridge for use with an adhesive transfer apparatus, and a dispenser for dispensing a length of the base substrate.

1 . An adhesive transfer device for selectively making a repositionably adherable substrate from a selected substrate, said device comprising: 
 a base substrate;    a layer of repositionable adhesive provided on said base substrate;    a layer of permanent adhesive provided adjacent to said repositionable adhesive layer opposite the base substrate; and    a release liner substrate having a release surface, said release liner substrate, said base substrate and said adhesive layers being arranged in substantially flat parallel relation to define an adhesive transfer sheet with said release surface being removably engaged with said permanent adhesive layer opposite said repositionable adhesive layer and said base substrate so as to cover said permanent adhesive layer;    the nature of said release surface being such that said base substrate and said release liner substrate can be moved apart from one another so as to separate said release surface from said permanent adhesive layer and leave both of said adhesive layers on said base substrate with said permanent adhesive layer exposed, thereby enabling the selected substrate to thereafter be adhesively bonded to said exposed permanent adhesive layer by engaging the selected substrate with said exposed permanent adhesive layer;    said adhesive layers being provided such that, after the selected substrate has been adhesively bonded to said permanent adhesive layer, said base substrate and the selected substrate can be moved apart from one another so as to separate said base substrate from said repositionable adhesive layer and leave both said adhesive layers on the selected substrate with said repositionable adhesive layer exposed, thereby allowing the selected substrate to (a) be repositionably adhered to a contact surface by engaging said exposed repositionable adhesive layer with the contact surface and (b) thereafter be removed from the contact surface and repositionably adhesively bonded to another contact surface;    said adhesive transfer device further comprising an adhesive mask substrate positioned adjacent said release liner substrate opposite said adhesive layers, the nature of said adhesive mask substrate being such that, after the release liner substrate has been moved apart from said base substrate so as to separate said release surface from said permanent adhesive layer and the selected substrate has been adhesively bonded to said permanent adhesive layer but before the selected substrate has been moved apart from said base substrate so as to separate said base substrate from said repositionable adhesive layer, said adhesive mask substrate can be positioned in covering relation over the selected substrate with a portion of the adhesive substrate mask engaging the selected substrate and a portion of the adhesive substrate mask engaging peripheral portions of the permanent adhesive layer that are exposed around the periphery of the selected substrate so that the peripheral portions of said permanent adhesive layer are bonded to said adhesive substrate mask in such a manner that said adhesive substrate mask can thereafter be moved away from said base substrate and the selected substrate so as to remove the peripheral portions of the permanent adhesive layer and corresponding peripheral portions of said repositionable adhesive layer from said base substrate, thereby leaving the selected substrate on said base substrate with portions of the permanent and repositionable adhesive layers disposed therebetween and substantially no adhesive disposed on said base substrate around the periphery of the selected substrate.    
   
   
       2 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of said adhesive transfer sheets bound together.  
   
   
       3 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 2 , wherein each of said adhesive transfer sheets is generally rectangular.  
   
   
       4 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 1 , wherein the nature and thickness of said permanent adhesive layer is such that said permanent adhesive layer can be securely adhesively bonded to a selected substrate having a textured surface.  
   
   
       5 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 4 , wherein said adhesive layers are bonded directly to one another with no intervening layers therebetween and wherein a weight ratio of the weight of said repositionable adhesive layer to the weight of said permanent adhesive layer is greater than 1:1.  
   
   
       6 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 5 , wherein said adhesive layers have a combined density greater than 20 grams per square meter.  
   
   
       7 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 6 , wherein said repositionable adhesive is an acrylic microsphere adhesive.  
   
   
       8 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 7 , wherein the combined density is greater than 25 grams per square meter.  
   
   
       9 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 8 , wherein the combined density is approximately 27 grams per square meter.  
   
   
       10 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 1 , wherein said permanent adhesive is an acrylic-based emulsion.  
   
   
       11 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 1 , wherein said repositionable adhesive is an acrylic microsphere adhesive.  
   
   
       12 . An adhesive transfer device for selectively making a repositionably adherable substrate from a selected substrate, said device comprising: 
 a base substrate;    a layer of repositionable adhesive provided on said base substrate;    a layer of permanent adhesive provided adjacent to said repositionable adhesive layer opposite the base substrate; and    a release liner substrate having a release surface, said release liner substrate, said base substrate and said adhesive layers being arranged in substantially flat parallel relation to define an adhesive transfer sheet with said release surface being removably engaged with said permanent adhesive layer opposite said repositionable adhesive layer and said base substrate so as to cover said permanent adhesive layer;    the nature of said release surface being such that said base substrate and said release liner substrate can be moved apart from one another so as to separate said release surface from said permanent adhesive layer and leave both of said adhesive layers on said base substrate with said permanent adhesive layer exposed, thereby enabling the selected substrate to thereafter be adhesively bonded to said exposed permanent adhesive layer by engaging the selected substrate with said exposed permanent adhesive layer;    said adhesive layers being provided such that, after the selected substrate has been adhesively bonded to said permanent adhesive layer, said base substrate and the selected substrate can be moved apart from one another so as to separate said base substrate from said repositionable adhesive layer and leave both said adhesive layers on the selected substrate with said repositionable adhesive layer exposed, thereby allowing the selected substrate to (a) be repositionably adhered to a contact surface by engaging said exposed repositionable adhesive layer with the contact surface and (b) thereafter be removed from the contact surface and repositionably adhesively bonded to another contact surface;    said release liner substrate having a stripping surface opposite said release surface with a higher affinity for adhesive bonding than said release surface, the nature of said stripping surface being such that, after the release liner substrate has been moved apart from said base substrate so as to separate said release surface from said permanent adhesive layer and the selected substrate has been adhesively bonded to said permanent adhesive layer but before the selected substrate has been moved apart from said base substrate so as to separate said base substrate from said repositionable adhesive layer, said release liner substrate can be reoriented and positioned in covering relation over the selected substrate with a portion of the stripping surface engaging the selected substrate and a portion of the stripping surface engaging peripheral portions of the permanent adhesive layer that are exposed around the periphery of the selected substrate so that the peripheral portions of said permanent adhesive layer are bonded to said stripping surface in such a manner that said release liner can thereafter be moved away from said base substrate and the selected substrate so as to remove the peripheral portions of the permanent adhesive layer and corresponding peripheral portions of said repositionable adhesive layer from said base substrate, thereby leaving the selected substrate on said base substrate with portions of the permanent and repositionable adhesive layers disposed therebetween and substantially no adhesive disposed on said base substrate around the periphery of the selected substrate.    
   
   
       13 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of said adhesive transfer sheets bound together.  
   
   
       14 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 13 , wherein each of said adhesive transfer sheets is generally rectangular.  
   
   
       15 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 12 , wherein the nature and thickness of said permanent adhesive layer is such that said permanent adhesive layer can be securely adhesively bonded to a selected substrate having a textured surface.  
   
   
       16 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 15 , wherein said adhesive layers are bonded directly to one another with no intervening layers therebetween and wherein a weight ratio of the weight of said repositionable adhesive layer to the weight of said permanent adhesive layer is greater than 1:1.  
   
   
       17 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 16 , wherein said adhesive layers have a combined density greater than 20 grams per square meter.  
   
   
       18 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 17 , wherein said repositionable adhesive is an acrylic microsphere adhesive.  
   
   
       19 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 18 , wherein the combined density is greater than 25 grams per square meter.  
   
   
       20 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 19 , wherein the combined density is approximately 27 grams per square meter.  
   
   
       21 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 12 , wherein said permanent adhesive is an acrylic-based emulsion.  
   
   
       22 . An adhesive transfer device according to  claim 12 , wherein said repositionable adhesive is an acrylic microsphere adhesive.