Fastener cap for lumber wrap

Abstract

A fastener cap assembly for securing protective wrap to lumber includes a plurality of fastener caps spaced from one another by breakable tabs along a first axis extending through a center of the fastener caps, with each of the fastener caps and breakable tabs comprising a substrate formed from a paper-based material. The fastener cap assembly further includes a groove extending across a center portion of the breakable tabs and penetrating inward from the top surface of the breakable tabs to a predetermined depth, and a protective material applied to at least the top surfaces of the substrates that forms a non-waxy and moisture-resistant protective barrier when cured.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A repulpable fastener cap for securing protective wrap to lumber, the fastener cap comprising:
 a substrate formed from dried paper-based material having a top surface, a bottom surface, side edges, and a thickness between the top surface and the bottom surface; and   a protective material applied to the substrate to maintain the structural integrity of the substrate in a wet environment,   wherein the substrate and the protective material are degradable within a pulp manufacturing process.   
     
     
         2 . The fastener cap of  claim 1 , wherein the protective material, when cured, forms a hard outer coating layer having a thickness between about 0.002 inch and about 0.010 inch. 
     
     
         3 . The fastener cap of  claim 2 , wherein the protective material is an over-print varnish. 
     
     
         4 . The fastener cap assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the protective material further comprises a repulpable resin that impregnates the thickness of the substrate to imbue the paper-based material with water-resistant properties. 
     
     
         5 . The fastener cap of  claim 1 , wherein the protective material further comprises a repulpable wet strength resin that maintains the structural integrity of the paper-based material when wet. 
     
     
         6 . The fastener cap of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the substrate is between about 0.020 inch and about 0.040 inch. 
     
     
         7 . The fastener cap of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate further comprises a plurality of plies of paper-based material laminated together. 
     
     
         8 . The fastener cap of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of plies of paper-based material are laminated together with a lignin-based adhesive. 
     
     
         9 . A fastener cap assembly for securing protective wrap to lumber, the fastener cap assembly comprising:
 a plurality of fastener caps spaced from one another by breakable tabs along a first axis extending through a center of the fastener caps, each of the fastener caps and breakable tabs comprising a substrate formed from paper-based material having a top surface, a bottom surface, side edges, and a thickness between the top surface and the bottom surface; and   a protective material applied to at least the top surfaces of the substrates, wherein the protective material, when cured, forms a non-waxy and moisture-resistant protective barrier,   wherein the substrate and the protective barrier are degradable within a pulp manufacturing process.   
     
     
         10 . The fastener cap assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the protective material, when cured, forms a hard outer coating layer having a thickness between about 0.002 inch and about 0.010 inch. 
     
     
         11 . The fastener cap assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the protective material is an over-print varnish. 
     
     
         12 . The fastener cap assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the protective material is applied prior to cutting the plurality of fastener caps from a sheet of paper-based material. 
     
     
         13 . The fastener cap assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the protective material further comprises a repulpable resin that impregnates the thickness of the paper-based material to imbue the entire substrate with water-resistant properties. 
     
     
         14 . The fastener cap assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the thickness of the substrate is between about 0.020 inch and about 0.040 inch. 
     
     
         15 . The fastener cap assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising a groove extending across a center portion of the breakable tabs and penetrating inward from the top surface of the breakable tabs to a predetermined depth. 
     
     
         16 . The fastener cap assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined depth of the groove is equal to or greater than ⅓ of the thickness of the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The fastener cap assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the groove is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. 
     
     
         18 . The fastener cap assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the protective material is substantially transparent and the top surfaces of the substrates are printed underneath the protective coating. 
     
     
         19 . The fastener cap assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the substrate further comprises a plurality of plies of paper-based material laminated together. 
     
     
         20 . The fastener cap assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of plies of paper-based material are laminated together with a lignin-based adhesive.