Skid resistant moisture barriers and process for making same

Abstract

Skid-resistant moisture barriers of the invention, such as house wrapping, waterproofing membranes, and roofing underlayments, have a carrier sheet with polymer nodules deposited thereon through a rotating screen roll or by transfer means such as a gravure roll. Precise coating levels and polymer distribution can be achieved more easily when compared with prior art coating and embossing methods.

1 . A moisture barrier, comprising: a carrier sheet having two opposing major faces, one face thereof having a repeating pattern of shapes deposited thereupon through a screen or transfer roll, said shapes being defined by or containing polymer nodules formed by said screen or transfer roll.  
   
   
       2 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  wherein said repeating pattern of shapes comprising shapes of diamonds, squares, lines, grid lines, dots, or combination thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  wherein said nodules comprise a hot melt polymer deposited by a gravure.  
   
   
       4 . The moisture barrier of  claim 3  wherein said gravure roll has a circumferential surface having an image portion and non-image portion, said image portion defined by cells arranged to print said repeating pattern of shapes.  
   
   
       5 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  wherein said shapes are deposited in rows and columns.  
   
   
       6 . The moisture barrier of  claim 3  wherein said carrier sheet has two parallel opposed edges defining a width dimension, and said pattern of shapes comprise rows and columns that are diagonally oriented with respect to said carrier sheet edges.  
   
   
       7 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  wherein said polymer nodules are deposited in a line grid pattern.  
   
   
       8 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  wherein said carrier sheet comprises a polyethylene film, and said polymer nodules are arranged in clusters of 2-36 nodules.  
   
   
       9 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  wherein said carrier sheet has a continuous waterproofing adhesive on the other of its major faces.  
   
   
       10 . The moisture barrier of  claim 9  wherein said waterproofing adhesive layer comprises a pressure-sensitive, self-sealing rubber-modified bituminous material.  
   
   
       11 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  wherein said shapes are incompletely filled out with polymer, and said nodules are beaded, papillary, or tendrilous.  
   
   
       12 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  wherein said polymer nodules have a generally teardrop shape.  
   
   
       13 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  wherein the average height of said nodules is no less than 0.5 mil and no greater than 20 mils as measured from the surface of the carrier sheet.  
   
   
       14 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  wherein the average height of said nodules is no less than 100%, and no greater than 1000%, based on the average thickness of said carrier sheet.  
   
   
       15 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  wherein the polymer used for depositing said nodules is coated upon the carrier sheet at a coverage rate not less than 5 grams per square meter and not greater than 35 grams per square meter.  
   
   
       16 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  wherein said polymer nodules have surfaces substantially coated with finely divided particulate material.  
   
   
       17 . The moisture barrier of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of fabric strips embedded into said polymer nodules.  
   
   
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       30 . A waterproofing membrane comprising: a carrier sheet, a waterproofing adhesive layer, and release sheet, wherein the width of the carrier sheet is less than the width of the waterproofing adhesive layer, and wherein the width of the waterproofing adhesive layer is less than or equal to the width of the release sheet; the waterproofing adhesive layer being positioned within the waterproofing membrane such that each of its two longitudinally-extending edges extends beyond the longitudinally-extending edges of the carrier sheet; the release sheet having a first major face positioned against said waterproofing adhesive layer and being coated with a silicon or wax coating, said release sheet having a second side having silicon or wax coating strips extending along each of its two longitudinally-extending edges, whereby a substantial portion of said second side is uncoated.  
   
   
       31 . A method, comprising installing a first waterproofing membrane onto a building or civil engineering surface, said first waterproofing membrane having a first carrier sheet and a first waterproofing adhesive layer which extends beyond the edges of said first carrier sheet and thus provides an exposed waterproofing bead portion; and overlapping onto said exposed waterproofing bead portion a second waterproofing membrane comprising a second carrier sheet and a second waterproofing adhesive layer which extends beyond the edges of said second carrier sheet, said second waterproofing membrane having releasably attached to said second waterproofing adhesive layer a release sheet; said release sheet having a first major face coated with silicon or wax and being releasably attached to said second waterproofing adhesive layer, said second waterproofing adhesive layer thereby being temporarily attached to said release sheet and sandwiched between said second carrier sheet and said release sheet; said release sheet further having a second major face opposite said first major face, said second major face being partially coated with silicon or wax along longitudinally-extending edges of said release sheet, said partial coatings operative to provide releasable contact with said exposed waterproofing bead portion of said first waterproofing membrane.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising removing said release sheet from said second waterproofing membrane by pulling said release sheet in a lateral direction, whereby said second waterproofing membrane is lapped into adhesive contact onto said first waterproofing membrane.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31  wherein said first and second waterproofing membranes further comprise coatings on said carrier sheet operative to resist skidding of foot traffic on said membranes.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said coatings are embossed polymer coatings.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said coatings are gravure roll transferred polymer coatings whereby said polymer is formed on said carrier layers.