Sealing and insulating article and method

Abstract

A heat-recoverable article for sealing or insulating the surface of a substrate comprises a dimensionally heat-recoverable member and heat expansible material positioned in the direction of recovery thereof so that when heat is applied the material expands and is urged towards the surface by the recoverable member. The recoverable member may be made from a plastics material or a metal alloy possessing memory properties but is preferably made from a resiliently recoverable member held in a deformed state by fusible retaining means, which in some cases may be made from the heat expansible material itself. Especially preferred are longitudinally split tubular heat-recoverable members in which the fusible retaining means comprises a hot melt adhesive positioned between the overlapping edges. The heat expansible material is typically employed as a layer of polymeric material containing a dissolved or dispersed foaming agent but, in other cases, may comprise a laminate of a layer of foamable material sandwiched between two layers of a mastic or hot melt adhesive.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.