Filament reinforced tapes useful as underwater pipe wrap

Abstract

A pressure-sensitive tape comprising a backing, a layer of corrosion-resistant filaments on one surface of the backing, and pressure-sensitive adhesive layer that coats the filaments and binds them to the backing. A method for constructing a member for undersea deployment is provided, which comprises providing at least one tubular member, winding a wire reinforcement about the tubular member(s); and winding a corrosion-resistant filament-reinforced material over the wire reinforcement; and coating the filament reinforced member(s) with a layer of extruded polymer.

1 . A pressure-sensitive tape comprising a backing, a layer of corrosion-resistant filaments on one surface of the backing, and pressure-sensitive adhesive layer that coats the filaments and binds them to the backing.  
     
     
         2 . The tape of  claim 1  wherein the corrosion-resistant filaments are resistant to sea water.  
     
     
         3 . The tape of  claim 2  wherein the filaments are selected from the group consisting of E-CR filament, AR glass filament, S glass filament, E glass filament, LCP filament, aramid filament, UHMW polyethylene or polypropylene filaments, carbon filament, coated filament, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The tape of  claim 3  wherein the filament is an LCP filament.  
     
     
         5 . The tape of  claim 4  wherein the LCP filament is a filament of polyester of 2-naphthalene-6-carboxylic acid and 4-hydroxy benzoic acid.  
     
     
         6 . The tape of  claim 5  additionally including a release layer on the surface of the backing opposite the filaments.  
     
     
         7 . The tape of  claim 1  wherein the tape is constructed such that it provides an initial tensile strengths of at least 1000 lb/in.  
     
     
         8 . The tape of  claim 7  wherein the tape is constructed such that it provides an initial tensile strength of at least 1500 lb/in.  
     
     
         9 . The tape of  claim 8  wherein the tape provides an initial tensile strength of at least 1800 lb/in.  
     
     
         10 . The tape of  claim 4  wherein the filaments are twisted.  
     
     
         11 . The tape of  claim 4  wherein the filaments have a denier of about 200 to 1500.  
     
     
         12 . The tape of  claim 4  wherein the filaments are arranged on the backing in an amount of at least 10 EPI.  
     
     
         13 . The tape of  claim 4  wherein the filaments are arranged on the backing in an amount of at least 20 EPI.  
     
     
         14 . A member for use in undersea applications comprising at least one tubular member wrapped in a tape comprising a backing, a layer of corrosion-resistant filaments on one surface of the backing, and pressure-sensitive adhesive layer that coats the filaments and binds them to the backing.  
     
     
         15 . The member of  claim 14  wherein a plurality of conduits are wrapped in an LCP filament-reinforced tape.  
     
     
         16 . A method for constructing a member for undersea deployment is provided, which comprises: 
 providing at least one tubular member,    winding a wire reinforcement about the tubular member(s);    and winding a corrosion-resistant filament-reinforced material over the wire reinforcement;    and coating the filament reinforced member(s) with a layer of extruded polymer.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the member(s) is/are conduit(s) and the conduit(s) is/are wrapped with a seawater-resistant filament reinforced pressure-sensitive tape.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the filaments are selected from the group consisting of E-CR filament, AR glass filament, S glass filament, E glass filament, LCP filament, aramid filament, UHMW polyethylene or polypropylene filaments, carbon filament, coated filament, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the filament is an LCP filament.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the LCP filament is a filament of polyester of 2-naphthalene-6-carboxylic acid and 4-hydroxy benzoic acid.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the member(s) is/are conduit(s) and the conduit(s) is/are wrapped with a seawater-resistant filament reinforced fabric.