Cover tape and method for manufacture

Abstract

An article includes a cover tape, which includes a base film layer, recessed areas, tear enabling features, and an adhesive. The base film layer has opposed longitudinal edges. The recessed areas extend along the longitudinal edges of the base film layer. The tear enabling features are substantially parallel to the longitudinal edges. The adhesive is disposed on the recessed areas.

1 . An article comprising: 
 a cover tape comprising: 
 a base film layer having opposed longitudinal edges;  
 recessed areas extending along the longitudinal edges;  
 tear enabling features substantially parallel to the longitudinal edges; and  
 an adhesive on the recessed areas.  
   
   
   
       2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the base film layer is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyamides, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyacrylonitrile, polyolefin and polyimide.  
   
   
       3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the base film layer is composed of an oriented film.  
   
   
       4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the base film layer is transparent.  
   
   
       5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is selected from the group consisting of pressure sensitive, heat activated and microencapsulated adhesives.  
   
   
       6 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the article is wound upon itself, and wherein prior to being wound the adhesive has a thickness less than or equal to a depth of the recessed areas.  
   
   
       7 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the article is wound upon itself, and wherein prior to being wound the adhesive has an initial thickness greater than a depth of the recessed areas, and wherein the adhesive can be displaced after being wound such that the article has a substantially flat profile.  
   
   
       8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive has a width equal to or less than a width of the recessed areas.  
   
   
       9 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive in each recess is spaced from the longitudinal edge of the base film layer.  
   
   
       10 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive in each recess is spaced from an adjacent tear enabling feature.  
   
   
       11 . The article of  claim 1 , further comprising a tack-free material on the recessed area.  
   
   
       12 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein two tear enabling features are provided, and each tear enabling feature is continuous.  
   
   
       13 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein each tear enabling feature comprises a weaker zone in the base film layer.  
   
   
       14 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the base film layer comprises a first material and a second material, and the tear enabling features comprise a transition between the first material and the second material.  
   
   
       15 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the tear enabling features provide a substantially consistent tear force.  
   
   
       16 . The article of  claim 1  and further comprising: 
 a carrier tape having compartments formed therein for holding components,    wherein the cover tape can be adhered to the carrier tape for sealing components in the compartments.    
   
   
       17 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein each recessed area is open along an adjacent longitudinal edge of the base film layer.  
   
   
       18 . A method of making a cover tape, the method comprising: 
 providing a base film layer having opposed longitudinal edges;    forming a recessed area in the base film layer extending along each longitudinal edge;    forming tear enabling features in the base film layer substantially parallel to the longitudinal edges; and    applying an adhesive on each of the recessed areas.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of forming a recessed area comprises a process selected from the group consisting of scoring, extrusion, calendaring, micro-replication, laser ablation, ultrasound, chemical etching and stripping.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the base film layer comprises two layers of laminated or coextruded materials that have a weak interface, and wherein the step of forming a recessed area comprises cutting each layer to the interface at offset locations, then separating sections of the two-layer base film layer from each other along the cuts and a portion of the interface.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the base film layer comprises two outer layers of laminated or coextruded materials separated by a intermediate layer of material having a weaker cohesive force than adhesive force with the outer materials, and wherein the step of forming a recessed area comprises cutting each outer layer to the interface with the intermediate layer at offset locations, then separating sections of the three-layer base film layer from each other along the cuts and a portion of the intermediate layer.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of forming tear enabling features comprises a process selected from the group consisting of scoring, extrusion, calendaring, micro-replication, laser ablation, ultrasound, die cutting, and chemical etching.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the base film layer comprises a first longitudinal strip of a film substrate having a plurality of such longitudinal side-by-side strips, and wherein the steps of  claim 18  are performed in parallel to define a plurality of side-by-side cover tapes, and further comprising: 
 separating adjacent cover tapes.