# US 10,501,591 B2 · Pressure sensitive adhesive assembly suitable for bonding to uneven substrates > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,591 B2 - Document ID: US10501591B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/316,610 - Filed: 2015-07-15 - Published: 2017-07-27 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-17 - Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Applicants: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Inventors: Jan Heimink; Kerstin Unverhau; Andreas Backes; Adrian T. Jung; Dirk Hasenberg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501591B2 ## CPC - C08J 5/06: using pretreated fibrous materials - C09J 7/26: Porous or cellular plastics - C09J 2301/302: the adhesive being pressure-sensitive, i.e. tacky at temperatures inferior to 30°C - C09J 2301/312: parameters being the characterizing feature - C09J 2433/006: in the substrate - C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29) - C09J: ADHESIVES; NON-MECHANICAL ASPECTS OF ADHESIVE PROCESSES IN GENERAL; ADHESIVE PROCESSES NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; USE OF MATERIALS AS ADHESIVES (preparation of glue or gelatine C09H) ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a pressure sensitive adhesive assembly suitable for bonding to a substrate provided with an uneven surface, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) assembly comprises a polymeric foam layer comprising a polymeric base material, and having a complex viscosity comprised between 2,000 Pa·s to 80,000 Pa·s, when measured at 120C according to the test method described in the experimental section. The present disclosure is also directed to a method of applying a pressure sensitive adhesive assembly to a substrate provided with an uneven surface, and uses thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of applying a pressure sensitive adhesive assembly to a substrate provided with an uneven surface, which comprises the steps of: providing a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) assembly suitable for bonding to a substrate provided with an uneven surface, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) assembly comprises a polymeric foam layer comprising a polymeric base material, and having a complex viscosity comprised between 2,000 Pa·s to 80,000 Pa·s, when measured at 120° C. according to the test method described in the experimental section; subjecting the polymeric foam layer to a heating step; contacting the heated polymeric foam layer obtained in step a) to the uneven surface of the substrate; and allowing the polymeric foam layer to cool down on the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the heating step is performed at a heating rate of at least 5 K/s. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the heating step is performed by subjecting the polymeric foam layer to any of thermal heating, radiation heating, convection heating, induction heating, ultrasonic vibration heating, and any combinations thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, which has a complex viscosity comprised between 2,500 Pa·s to 50,000 Pa·s when measured at 120° C. according to the test method described in the experimental section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the polymeric foam layer has a degree of conversion of at least 90% when determined according to the test method described in the experimental section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the uneven surface is provided with at least one structure selected from the group consisting of cavities, holes, apertures, orifices, pits, openings, gaps, troughs, edges, depressions, and any combinations thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method according to claim 6, wherein the structure is selected from the group of spot welds, laser beam welds, rivets, punch rivets, clinch points, round joints, point joints, and any combinations thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the uneven surface is selected from the group of curved surfaces, bended surfaces, twisted surfaces, angled surfaces, arched surfaces, arced surfaces, and any combinations thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a main material selected from the group consisting of metals, plastics, reinforced plastics, composite materials, glass materials, clear coats, wood, coatings, and any combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) method according to claim 1, which is obtainable by subjecting the polymeric foam layer to a heating step. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A method according to claim 10, wherein the heating step is performed at a heating rate of at least 5 K/s. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A method according to claim 10, wherein the heating step is performed by subjecting the polymeric foam layer to any of thermal heating, radiation heating, convection heating, induction heating, ultrasonic vibration heating, and any combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12, wherein the heating step is performed by subjecting the polymeric foam layer to any of induction heating, ultrasonic vibration heating, and any combinations thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the polymer base material is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylates, polyurethanes, polyolefins, polyamines, polyamides, polyesters, polyethers, polyisobutylene, polystyrenes, polyvinyls, polyvinylpyrrolidone, natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers, halogenated polymers and any combinations, copolymers or mixtures thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, which has a tack strength value of more than 150 N when measured at room temperature according to the T-Plug test method described in the experimental section.