Method for joining heat-recoverable sheet material and resulting article

Abstract

The ends of heat-recoverable polymeric sheet material are joined by overlapping the ends and bonding them together by means of a laminar panel comprising a layer of a crosslinked hot-melt adhesive coated on one surface of a reinforced polymer layer. The panel has a width approximately that of the sheet material being joined. The panel is disposed, adhesive side down, so that approximately half of its adhesive coated surface contacts the sheet material on either side of the line defined by the uppermost of the overlapping ends. The panel is heated to activate the adhesive and form a secure bond joining the ends. Heat-recoverable sleeves can be made by joining the opposing ends of a single length of heat-recoverable sheet material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.