Heat-shrinkable article
AssigneeRaychem Corporation
InventorJean-Marie E. Nolf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat-recoverable article, especially a heat-shrinkable polymeric sleeve, is provided with an inner lining of a continuous metal foil to provide protection against inward water vapor transmission. The lining is preferably aluminium foil having a thickness of from 10 to 25 microns and is thus sufficiently thin that, on recovery, it leads to an even surface configuration without itself tearing or otherwise being damaged. The article is also preferably provided with central reinforcing means comprising one or more longitudinally compressible coils and is especially useful in the protection and insulation of splices in communication cables.
Claims32
A heat-recoverable article which comprises a heat-shrinkable sleeve having bonded thereto by a layer of hot-melt adhesive a smooth inner lining of a continuous metal foil, the thickness of the foil being selected so that the foil has a visually even surface configuration upon heat shrinkage of the sleeve and which comprises internal reinforcing means comprising at least one longitudinally compressible coil disposed longitudinally within the sleeve.
A heat-recoverable article which comprises a heat-shrinkable sleeve having bonded thereto a smooth inner lining of a continuous metal foil, the thickness of the foil being selected so that it has a visually even surface configuration upon heat shrinkage of the sleeve, wherein the metal foil is bonded to the heat-shrinkable sleeve by a layer of hot-melt adhesive.
A heat-recoverable article which comprises a heat-shrinkable sleeve having a smooth inner lining of a continuous metal foil, the thickness of the foil being selected so that the foil has a visually even surface configuration upon heat shrinkage of the sleeve and which comprises internal reinforcing means comprising at least one longitudinally compressible coil disposed longitudinally within the sleeve wherein the heat-shrinkable sleeve is provided with an inner layer of a hot-melt adhesive.
A heat-recoverable article which comprises a laminate of heat-shrinkable sheet material having a smooth inner lining of continuous metal foil over at least substantially the whole of its surface, wherein the foil is selected so that upon shrinkage of the sheet material, the foil has a visually even surface configuration, wherein the metal foil is bonded to the heat-shrinkable sleeve by a layer of hot-melt adhesive.
A heat-recoverable article which comprises a heat-shrinkable sleeve having bonded thereto by a layer of hot-melt adhesive a smooth inner lining of continuous metal foil and provided with central reinforcing means, comprising at least one longitudinally compressible coil, the lining being sufficiently thick and strong that upon shrinkage of the sleeve the lining remains continuous and has a visually even surface configuration.
A method of joining or encapsulating one or more substrates which comprises the steps of (a) positioning at least one substrate within a heat-shrinkable sleeve having bonded thereto by means of a hot-melt adhesive a smooth inner lining of a continuous metal foil, the thickness of the foil being selected so that it has a visually even surface configuration when the sleeve is shrunk, and (b) heating said sleeve to cause it to shrink down about said substrate and to cause the adhesive to melt, the foil having a visually even surface configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.