Self-adhesive membrane

Abstract

A decoupling assembly for positioning between an underlying surface and a flooring material, the decoupling assembly including a decoupling membrane having a base panel having opposing upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of projections extending from the lower surface for contacting an underlying surface and supporting the base panel above the underlying surface. Each projection includes a bottom surface. The assembly further includes a plurality of adhesive fasteners, each adhesive fastener having an inner surface fixed to the bottom surface of a respective one of the plurality of projections, and an adhesive outer surface opposite the inner surface. The assembly further includes a plurality of release members, each release member covering the outer surface of one respective adhesive fastener, each release member being removable to expose the outer surface of the respective adhesive fastener for adhering the decoupling membrane to the underlying surface.

1 . A decoupling assembly for positioning between an underlying surface and a flooring material, the decoupling assembly comprising:
 a) a decoupling membrane comprising a base panel having opposing upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of projections extending from the lower surface for contacting an underlying surface and supporting the base panel above the underlying surface, each projection comprising a bottom surface;   b) a plurality of adhesive fasteners, each adhesive fastener comprising an inner surface fixed to the bottom surface of a respective one of the plurality of projections, and an adhesive outer surface opposite the inner surface; and   c) a plurality of release members, each release member covering the outer surface of one respective adhesive fastener, each release member being removable to expose the outer surface of the respective adhesive fastener for adhering the decoupling membrane to the underlying surface.   
     
     
         2 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the combined area of the outer surfaces of the adhesive fasteners measured in a first plane containing the outer surfaces of the adhesive fasteners is between about 35% and about 65% of an area of the base panel projected in the first plane. 
     
     
         3 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the release members are removable independently from others of the release members. 
     
     
         4 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the release members are joined together to form a release sheet, the release sheet being removable in a single piece. 
     
     
         5 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one adhesive fastener is fixed to the bottom surface of each projection. 
     
     
         6 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein adhesive fasteners are fixed on the bottom surfaces of only a portion of the plurality of projections. 
     
     
         7 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 6 , wherein adhesive fasteners are fixed on the bottom surfaces of between about 40% and 95% of the plurality of projections. 
     
     
         8 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive fastener comprises a hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive. 
     
     
         9 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base panel and release members are rollable while coupled together to configure the decoupling assembly in a rolled configuration that includes radially alternating layers of the base panel, the adhesive fastener and the release member. 
     
     
         10 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 9 , wherein in the rolled configuration at least one release member is positioned radially between the outer surface of adhesive fastener on the bottom surface of one projection and at least a portion of the upper surface of the base panel. 
     
     
         11 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each projection comprises a root portion adjacent the lower surface of the base panel, and a tip portion comprising the bottom surface and spaced apart from the lower surface of the base panel, and wherein each projection generally tapers laterally inwardly from the tip portion to the root portion. 
     
     
         12 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each projection includes at least one sidewall extending between the root portion and the tip portion, and wherein the at least one sidewall is inclined at a first angle relative to a vertical plane. 
     
     
         13 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one sidewall comprises a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall, and wherein the first and second sidewalls are non-parallel and converge toward the root portion. 
     
     
         14 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first angle is between about 0 and about 15 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each projection comprises a root portion adjacent the lower surface of the base panel, and a tip portion comprising the bottom surface and spaced apart from the lower surface of the base panel, and wherein each projection generally tapers laterally inwardly from the root portion to the tip portion. 
     
     
         16 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each projection extends between a root portion adjacent the lower surface of the base panel, and a tip portion spaced apart from the root portion and comprising the bottom surface, and wherein the bottom surface is spaced apart from the lower surface by a projection height that is between about 1 mm and about 5 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the decoupling membrane is formed from a resilient plastic material. 
     
     
         18 . The decoupling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the decoupling membrane is liquid impermeable. 
     
     
         19 . A method of installing a decoupling membrane onto an underlying surface, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a decoupling membrane having a base panel having opposing upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of projections extending from the lower surface, each projection comprising a bottom surface, a plurality of adhesive fasteners, each adhesive fastener comprising an inner surface fixed to the bottom surface of one projection and an adhesive outer surface, and a plurality of release members, each release member covering one adhesive outer surface;   b) removing the release members to expose the adhesive outer surfaces;   c) positioning the decoupling membrane over the underlying surface; and   d) bonding the exposed adhesive outer surfaces directly to the underlying surface to adhere the decoupling membrane to the underlying surface.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein step d) is completed in the absence of an intervening bonding agent. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the release members are individually removable. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein step b) includes removing all of the release members in unison. 
     
     
         23 . A method of producing a decoupling assembly for covering an underlying surface, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) forming a decoupling membrane having base panel having opposing upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of projections extending from the lower surface, each projection comprising a bottom surface;   b) fixing an adhesive fastener to bottom surface of at least some of the projections, each adhesive fastener comprising an inner surface fixed to the bottom surface of the respective projection and an adhesive outer surface; and   c) covering each adhesive outer surface with a removable release member.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the step of rolling the base panel and release members together to provide a generally cylindrical rolled member, wherein at least one removable release member is positioned radially intermediate one adhesive fastener and a portion of the upper surface.