Adhesive constructions; and, methods

Abstract

Adhesive constructions are provided. In general, the adhesive constructions include first and second fields pressure sensitive adhesive. The amount of adhesive or coverage of adhesive in the two fields differs to advantage. A particular preferred adhesive construction is provided which includes a flexible substrate defining an outer perimeter edge and having on a side thereof an adhesive pattern which includes at least two adhesive fields, preferably arranged as: an outer perimeter adhesive field adjacent to the outer perimeter edge; and an inner adhesive field spaced from the outer perimeter edge and completely surrounded by the outer perimeter adhesive field. The preferred outer perimeter adhesive field is a discontinuous pattern of adhesive with adhesive covering no more than 80% of an area of a portion of the side of the flexible substrate defined by the outer perimeter adhesive field; and, the preferred inner adhesive field has adhesive covering at least 90% of an area of a portion of the side of the flexible substrate defined by the inner adhesive field, preferably in a continuous pattern. In typical preferred adhesive constructions, the inner adhesive field surrounds an adhesive-free region. Also provided are a preferred roll stock with such an adhesive construction secured to it, and preferred methods for constructing such arrangements.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An adhesive construction comprising: 
 (a) a flexible substrate defining a having a first side;    (b) a first adhesive field comprising pressure sensitive adhesive; 
 (i) the first adhesive field being a discontinuous pattern of adhesive with adhesive covering no more than 80% of an area of a portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the first adhesive field; the area of a portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the first adhesive field being at least 10 sq. mm. and,  
   (c) a second adhesive field comprising pressure sensitive adhesive; 
 (ii) the second adhesive field covering at least 90% of an area of a portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the second adhesive field; the area of a portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the second adhesive field being at least 10 sq. mm.  
   
     
     
         2 . An adhesive construction according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 (a) the flexible substrate defines an outer perimeter edge;  
 (b) the first adhesive field comprises an outer perimeter adhesive field positioned on the flexible substrate first side and adjacent the outer perimeter edge; 
 (i) the outer perimeter adhesive field having a width, in direction inwardly from the perimeter edge, of at least 0.8 mm.; and,  
 
 (c) the second adhesive field comprises an inner adhesive field spaced from the outer perimeter edge and completely surrounded by the outer perimeter adhesive field; 
 (i) the inner adhesive field comprising adhesive covering at least 95% of an area of the portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the inner adhesive field.  
 
 
     
     
         3 . An adhesive construction according to  claim 2  wherein: 
 (a) the inner adhesive field comprises a continuous adhesive field over the area of the portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the inner adhesive field.  
 
     
     
         4 . An adhesive construction according to  claim 3  including: 
 (a) an adhesive-free region on the first side of the flexible substrate; 
 (i) the adhesive-free region being completely surrounded by the inner adhesive field.  
 
 
     
     
         5 . An adhesive construction according to  claim 4  wherein: 
 (a) the adhesive-free region comprises at least 40% of a perimeter area defined by the flexible substrate outer perimeter edge.  
 
     
     
         6 . An adhesive construction according to  claim 5  wherein: 
 (a) the outer perimeter edge defines a rectangular pattern.  
 
     
     
         7 . An adhesive construction according to  claim 6  wherein: 
 (a) the adhesive-free region of the flexible substrate is transparent.  
 
     
     
         8 . An adhesive construction according to  claim 7  wherein: 
 (a) the outer perimeter adhesive field defines a rectangular frame.  
 
     
     
         9 . An adhesive construction according to  claim 8  wherein: 
 (a) the inner adhesive field defines a rectangular frame.  
 
     
     
         10 . An adhesive construction according to  claim 2  wherein: 
 (a) the outer perimeter edge has no segment of extension of greater than 8 mm., at which there is not adhesive on the substrate first side and immediately adjacent the outer perimeter edge.  
 
     
     
         11 . An adhesive construction according to  claim 11  wherein: 
 (a) the outer perimeter edge has no segment of extension of greater than 5 mm., at which there is not adhesive on the substrate first side and immediately adjacent the outer perimeter edge.  
 
     
     
         12 . An adhesive construction according to  claim 1  including: 
 (a) a release liner to which the flexible substrate is secured by the first adhesive field and the second adhesive field.  
 
     
     
         13 . A roll of adhesive constructions; the roll comprising: 
 (a) an extension of release liner;    (b) at least 10 spaced adhesive constructions secured to the extension of release liner; each adhesive construction comprising: 
 (i) a flexible substrate having a first side;  
 (ii) a first adhesive field comprising pressure sensitive adhesive; 
 (A) the first adhesive field being a discontinuous pattern of adhesive with adhesive covering no more than 80% of an area of a portion of the first site of the flexible substrate defined by the first adhesive field; the area of a portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the first adhesive field being at least 10 sq. mm.; and,  
 
 (iii) a second adhesive field comprising pressure sensitive adhesive; 
 (A) the second adhesive field covering at least 90% of an area of a portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the second adhesive field; the area of a portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the second adhesive field being at least 10 sq. mm.  
 
   
     
     
         14 . A roll of adhesive constructions according to  claim 13  wherein: 
 (a) the flexible substrate of each adhesive construction defines an outer perimeter edge;  
 (b) the first adhesive field of each adhesive construction comprises an outer perimeter adhesive field positioned on the associated flexible substrate first side and adjacent the outer perimeter edge; 
 (i) each outer perimeter adhesive field having a width, in direction inwardly from an associated perimeter edge, of at least 0.8 mm.; and,  
 
 (c) the second adhesive field of each adhesive construction comprises an inner adhesive field spaced from an associated outer perimeter edge and completely surrounded by an associated outer perimeter adhesive field; 
 (i) each inner adhesive field comprising adhesive covering at least 95% of an area of the portion of the first side of an associated flexible substrate defined by the inner adhesive field.  
 
 
     
     
         15 . A roll of adhesive constructions according to  claim 14  wherein: 
 (a) each inner adhesive field comprises a continuous adhesive covering over the area of an associated portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by that inner adhesive field.  
 
     
     
         16 . A method of preparing an adhesive construction; said method including the steps of: 
 (a) preparing a laminate stock comprising a release liner layer secured to a flexible substrate layer, with an adhesive pattern of pressure sensitive adhesive therebetween; 
 (i) the adhesive pattern defining: 
 (A) a first adhesive field comprising a discontinuous pattern of adhesive with the adhesive covering no more than 80% of an area of a portion of a side of the flexible substrate layer defined by the first adhesive field; and,  
 (B) a second adhesive field comprising adhesive covering at least 90% of an area of a portion of a side of the flexible substrate layer defined by the second adhesive field;  
 
   (b) die cutting the laminate stock by cutting a die cut perimeter pattern completely through the flexible substrate layer but not completely through the release liner layer; 
 (i) the perimeter pattern being die cut through a region in overlap with adhesive in the first adhesive field and surrounding adhesive in the second adhesive field,  
 (ii) the step of die cutting defining: 
 (A) waste flexible substrate layer outside of the die cut perimeter pattern; and,  
 (B) a die cut adhesive construction within the die cut perimeter pattern; and,  
 
   (c) stripping the waste flexible substrate from the laminate stock, while leaving at least one die cut adhesive construction on the release liner layer.    
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16  wherein: 
 (a) the second adhesive field is an inner adhesive field comprising adhesive covering at least 95% of the area of the portion of the flexible substrate layer defined by the second adhesive field; and,  
 (b) the first adhesive field is an outer perimeter adhesive field completely surrounding the first inner adhesive field.  
 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein: 
 (a) the adhesive pattern defines a first adhesive-free region completely surrounded by the second adhesive field.  
 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein: 
 (a) said step of die cutting comprises cutting to form a die cut perimeter pattern spaced at least 0.8 mm. from the inner adhesive field completely around the first inner adhesive field.  
 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19  wherein: 
 (a) said method comprises a process of generating a series of spaced adhesive constructions adhered to the release liner; 
 (i) each one of the series of spaced adhesive constructions comprising: 
 (A) a flexible substrate defining an outer perimeter edge; the flexible substrate having a first side;  
 (B) an outer perimeter adhesive field adjacent the outer perimeter edge; 
 (I) the outer perimeter adhesive field having a width, in direction inwardly from the perimeter edge, of at least 0.8 mm.;  
 (II) the outer perimeter adhesive field being a discontinuous pattern of adhesive with adhesive covering no more than 80% of an area of a portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the outer perimeter adhesive field; and,  
 
 (C) an inner adhesive field spaced from the outer perimeter edge and completely surrounded by the outer perimeter adhesive field; 
 (I) the inner adhesive field comprising adhesive covering at least 95% of an area of a portion of the first side of the flexible substrate defined by the inner adhesive field; and,  
 
 
 (ii) each one of the series of spaced adhesive constructions being formed in a die cutting operation which involves cutting die cut perimeter patterns each of which is: 
 (A) completely through the flexible substrate layer but not completely through the release lines layer; and,  
 (B) cut through a region in overlap with adhesive in an outer perimeter adhesive field and surrounding and not in overlap with adhesive in an inner adhesive field.