Method for covering an article with a tubular cover member, tubular cover member and covered article
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsMasao Ohtsubo, Hiroyuki Kobayashi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tubular cover member (2) for covering an article (5) is folded longitudinally in a corrugated form and covers the periphery of a cylindrical support (1) in an expanded condition. The tubular cover member (2) has an unfolded length exceeding the length of the cylindrical support (1), and an unexpanded inner diameter approximately equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the article (5). The tubular cover member (2) is composed of a room temperature recoverable material, such that the tubular cover member (2) shrinks to cover the article (5) when the support (1) is unwrapped and withdrawn from inside the tubular cover member (2).
Claims10
A tubular cover member for covering an article extending in a longitudinal direction, the cover member comprising:
- a cylindrical support formed from a spirally formed ribbon having an inner diameter having a sufficient size for the article to pass through the interior of the cylindrical support;
- and
- a tube composed of a room temperature recoverable rubber material or thermoplastic elastomer, the tube having an unfolded length exceeding the length of the cylindrical support and an unexpanded inner diameter equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the article, wherein at least a portion of the tube being supported and carried on the cylindrical support is folded longitudinally in a corrugated form such that the folded portion of the tube covers the periphery of the cylindrical support in an expanded condition to receive the article in the interior of the cylindrical support for covering the article by shrinking the tube when the support is unwrapped and withdrawn from inside the tube.
A tube-covered article comprising:
- an article extending in a longitudinal direction;
- and
- a cylindrical tubular cover member covering the article along a predetermined length thereof, characterized in that:
- the cylindrical tubular cover member is formed from a room temperature recoverable material selected from a rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer that covers the article as a result of room temperature recovery of the cylindrical tubular cover member from an expanded condition wherein a length of the cylindrical tubular cover member is folded longitudinally in a corrugated form and supported and carried on a cylindrical support formed from a spirally formed ribbon to cover the periphery of the cylindrical Support with the cylindrical tubular cover member that recovers as the support is unwrapped and withdrawn from inside the cylindrical tubular member that has an unfolded length exceeding the length of the support and an unexpanded inner diameter approximately equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the article.
A method for forming a tube-covered article, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing the article;
- b) providing a tubular cover member comprising:
- a cylindrical support formed from a spirally formed ribbon having an inner diameter of a sufficient size for the article to pass though the interior of the cylindrical support;
- and
- a tube composed of a room temperature recoverable rubber material or thermoplastic elastomer, the tube having an unfolded length exceeding the length of the cylindrical support and an unexpanded inner diameter approximately equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the article, at least a portion of the tube being supported and carried on the cylindrical support folded longitudinally in a corrugated form, such that the folded portion of the tube covers the cylindrical support in an expanded condition;
- c) inserting at least a portion of the article into the interior of the cylindrical support;
- and
- d) unwrapping and withdrawing the support form the tube whereby the tube whereby the tube recovers to recover its unfolded length and unexpanded inner diameter so as to cover the article extending in a longitudinal direction.
A device for covering an article, comprising:
- a support member formed from a spirally formed ribbon, the support member having a size sufficient for an article to pass through an interior of the support member;
- and
- a tube composed of a room temperature recoverable material, the tube folded longitudinally in a corrugated form and supported on the periphery of the support member in a radially expanded condition, wherein the tube has a folded length shorter than a length of the support member, and an unfolded length longer than a length of the support member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.