Tape

Abstract

A method and apparatus for applying and removing a strip of tape to a surface. The tape having a width dimension and a longer length dimension wherein the tape has a greater tensile strength than a cured compound covering the tape. The tape applicable to panel surfaces and panel joints and removeable after the compound has cured on the tape.

1 . A strip of tape comprising:
 a width dimension; and   a longer length dimension wherein the tape is more resistant to a pulling force along the length than the width and is configured to be removably applied to a panel system.   
     
     
         2 . The tape of  claim 1 , wherein the tape comprises a mesh. 
     
     
         3 . The tape of  claim 2 , wherein the mesh includes a series of width strands which traverse the width of the tape and one or more length strands which traverse the length of the tape. 
     
     
         4 . The tape of  claim 3 , wherein the length strands have a cross-sectional area which is larger than the cross-sectional area of the width strands. 
     
     
         5 . The tape of  claim 3 , wherein there are more length strands per unit area than width strands. 
     
     
         6 . The tape of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the one or more length strands has a tensile strength of greater than 90 LBS/inch. 
     
     
         7 . The tape of  claim 6 , wherein the tensile strength of at least some of the length strands is above 120 LBS/inch. 
     
     
         8 . The tape of  claim 3 , wherein the length strands are arranged under the width strands relative to a surface to which the tape is applied. 
     
     
         9 . The tape of  claim 3 , wherein the length strands are interwoven with the width strands relative to a surface to which the tape is applied. 
     
     
         10 . The tape of  claim 3 , wherein each of the length strands consists of two or more strands interwoven together. 
     
     
         11 . The tape of  claim 3 , wherein the length strands are arranged on top of the width strands relative to a surface to which the tape is applied. 
     
     
         12 . The tape of  claim 2 , wherein the mesh comprise fiberglass multi-filamented strands. 
     
     
         13 . The tape of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive applied to at least one side of the tape for securing the tape to a surface. 
     
     
         14 . The tape of  claim 13 , wherein the adhesive releases the tape during removal of the tape from a surface when the tape is pulled. 
     
     
         15 . The tape of  claim 14 , further comprising a top side of the tape, wherein the top side does not secure to the surface, wherein the top side has a mark to identify the top side. 
     
     
         16 . The tape of  claim 15 , wherein the mark is a color coating. 
     
     
         17 . The tape of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle for gripping the tape after installation. 
     
     
         18 . The tape of  claim 17 , wherein the handle comprises a portion of the tape extending from a finished surface. 
     
     
         19 . The tape of  claim 17 , wherein the handle comprises a portion of the tape within a finished surface. 
     
     
         20 . The tape of  claim 1 , wherein the tape is a tape having a series of substantially parallel width strands, which traverse the width of the tape, and one or more pull-strips which traverse the length of the tape. 
     
     
         21 . A method of removing a strip of tape from a surface comprising:
 applying the tape to the surface, the tape comprising:
 a length dimension having a tensile strength; 
   applying a compound to cover the tape;   allowing the compound to cure;   pulling the tape along the length dimension; and   removing the tape and a part of the compound without breaking the tape.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing a panel joint, the panel joint comprising two or more surfaces having adjacent edges and one or more fasteners for securing the surfaces to a support element. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising exposing a head of the one or more fasteners when the tape is removed in order to facilitate removing the fasteners. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the tensile strength in the length dimension is accomplished by providing a mesh having a plurality of length stands wherein each of the length strands has a tensile strength of greater than 90 LBS/inch. 
     
     
         25 . The tape of  claim 24 , wherein the tensile strength of at least some of the length strands is above 120 LBS/inch. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the tensile strength in the length dimension is accomplished by one or more pull-strips. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the tensile strength of the in the length dimension is greater than a tensile strength in the width dimension. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the length tensile strength is accomplished by providing a mesh having a plurality of length strands and a plurality of width strands and having more length strands per unit area than width strands per unit area. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the length tensile strength is accomplished by providing a mesh having a plurality of length strands and a plurality of width strands the length strands having a greater cross-sectional area than the width strands. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising covering the fasteners with one or more pull-strips. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing a portion of the tape beyond the compound, wherein the portion is adapted to provide a handle to assist in the removing of the tape. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising covering the portion with a material. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the material is a second strip of tape for protecting the portion during assembly. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the material is a floor. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the material is a baseboard. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the material is a ceiling element. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing a panel, the panel being secured to a support by one or more fasteners, wherein the support is located away from an edge of the panel, and wherein removing the tape exposes the fasteners. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising cutting through the cured compound and accessing a portion of the tape within the compound, wherein the portion is adapted to provide a handle to assist in the removing of the tape. 
     
     
         39 . A removable tape comprising:
 a mesh, wherein the mesh has a plurality of length strands which substantially traverse the length of the tape and a plurality of width strands, the length strands having a cross-sectional area larger than a cross-sectional area of the width strands.   
     
     
         40 . The tape of  claim 39 , further comprising one or more pull-strips integral with the mesh wherein the pull strips are configured to increase the resistance to a pulling force along the length of the tape. 
     
     
         41 . A removable tape comprising:
 a mesh, wherein the mesh has a plurality of length strands which substantially traverse the length of the tape and a plurality of width strands, the length strands having a tensile strength greater than 90 LBS/inch.   
     
     
         42 . The tape of  claim 41 , wherein the tensile strength of at least some of the length strands is above 120 LBS/inch. 
     
     
         43 . The tape of  claim 41 , wherein the increased strength is a result of increasing a cross-sectional area of the length strands relative to the width strands. 
     
     
         44 . The tape of  claim 41 , wherein the increased strength is accomplished by increasing the number of length strands per unit area relative to the width strands. 
     
     
         45 . A removeable tape comprising:
 a paper tape having a plurality of holes in the tape, wherein the holes are configured to allow a compound to flow through the tape after the tape is applied to a panel joint, and wherein the tape has a tensile strength in a length dimension greater than 90 LBS/inch.   
     
     
         46 . A removable panel system comprising:
 two or more panels;   a panel joint, wherein the panel joint has an edge of one of the panels adjacent an edge of another panel;   each panel having one or more fasteners for attaching the panel to a support element;   a pull-strip for covering the one or more fasteners on at least one of the panels, the pull-strip constructed to resist a pulling force along the length of the pull-strip; and   a compound applied to the panel joint covering the pull-strip and the fasteners.   
     
     
         47 . The removable panel system of  claim 46 , wherein the pull-strip is integral with a tape. 
     
     
         48 . A panel joint comprising:
 a plurality of panels abutted along at least one edge thereof;   a plurality of fasteners along the at least one edge;   a strip of tape covering a portion of at least one of the panels and a junction along the abutment; and   a compound covering at least a portion of the tape and the junction, wherein the adhesion strength of the compound once the compound has cured is less than a tensile strength of the tape.   
     
     
         49 . The panel joint of  claim 48 , wherein the tensile strength of the tape is the longitudinal tensile strength along the panel joint. 
     
     
         50 . A method of forming a panel joint, the method comprising:
 putting one or more panels on a support structure;   securing the one or more panels to the support structure with one or more fasteners;   putting a tape on the panel;   putting a compound over the tape;   curing the compound; and   removing the tape and thereby removing the compound and exposing the fasteners.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the tape has a tensile strength greater than the cured compound. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the cured compound has a strength great enough to resist a pulling force on the tape of 90 LBS/inch. 
     
     
         53 . A tape for use on a paneling system, the tape comprising:
 a longitudinal strength per unit area greater than the traverse strength per area.   
     
     
         54 . The tape of  claim 53 , wherein the tape is a paper tape. 
     
     
         55 . The tape of  claim 53 , wherein the tape is a mesh tape. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 50 , further comprising moistening the compound before pulling the tape. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 50 , further comprising removing the tape by pulling the tape from the panel and maintaining an angle of less than 155 degrees with the plane of the panel while pulling the tape.