HIGH TEMPERATURE RESISTANT MASKING DEVICES WITH TABS

Abstract: A high temperature resistant masking device (10) comprising a substrate having a top surface (26) and a bottom surface (28) with an adhesive applied to the bottom surface (28) of the substrate for removable attachment to a masking surface. The masking device (10) includes a pull tab (12) extending upwardly from the device's center portion for facilitating easy placement and removal of the masking device (10) from the masking surface. The masking devices (10) are die-cut into various shapes and sizes, and placed on rolls of release liner so that they may be readily applied to parts requiring masking during a painting or coating process.

Description: HIGH TEMPERATURE RESISTANT MASKING DEVICES WITH TABS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to masking devices, and more particularly, to high temperature resistant masking devices having pull tabs extending upwardly therefrom to facilitate easy removal of the masking devices from a masking area. Masking plays a vital role in the painting or coating of parts used in the automotive, aerospace, electronics and other industries. The painting or coating of parts may involve liquid coating, plating, powder coating or electroplating. The coating may be applied by a variety of methods including brushing, rolling, spraying, dipping, flow-coating, electro-static coating, and submersion in deposition tanks. The liquid, powder or plating material may be applied to wood, fiberglass, or metal surfaces in order to protect and strengthen those surfaces. The coating protects the surface of a part by preventing electrical leakage, oxidation, corrosion and decay. Once the coating is applied, it is often cured at temperatures between 200-600° Fahrenheit to harden and cross-link the coating on the surface. After the curing process is complete, the cured coating forms a very strong protective layer on the surface that is highly resistant to scratching and chipping. In most applications, a protective coating is to applied to certain areas of a surface but not to other areas of the surface. The areas where the coating is not to be applied must be covered or masked off. Typically, a paper or polyester film element in the form of masking tape is applied to the surface areas to be masked. The masking tape generally has an adhesive on one side so that it may be affixed to the surface to be masked. Once the painting or coating process has been completed, the masking tape is removed from the surface. There are problems associated with masking areas of a surface during painting or coating. One problem is that the masking tape is often hard to remove from the surface after it has been through the coating process. This is due, at least in some part, to the temperatures used in the curing process. The masking tape must withstand high curing temperatures of approximately 200-600° Fahrenheit. Usually, a great deal of time and effort is required to remove the tape from the masking area. Technicians often use razor blades, knives, screw drivers or other devices to remove the masking tape. These devices often cause scratches or cuts on the surface of the coated part. Second, occasionally the thickness of the coating is so thick that it covers a standard masking device making it impossible to remove. Thus, it is desirable to provide masking devices which are easily removable from the masking surfaces and masking devices. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides masking devices for masking certain areas of a surface during liquid coating, powder coating, plating or electroplating. The masking devices are preferably die-cut from sheet material into substrates, an adhesive is applied to the bottom surface of the substrates, a tab is formed extending upwardly from the top surface of the substrate, and the substrate is affixed to a release liner. The masking devices are then removed from the release liner and applied to a masking surface. The masking devices comprise a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface, with an adhesive applied to the bottom surface. A tab extending upwardly from the top surface of the substrate is provided to facilitate easy removal of the masking device from the masking surface. The tab consists of two side members which are formed when the substrate is pushed inwardly from two opposite sides towards the center. The two side members become affixed together when the bottom surfaces of each side member come in contact with each other. The adhesive is preferably only applied to a portion of the bottom surface of the side members to ensure that the side members are securely bonded together. The process of creating the tabs also creates two folding lines along the base of the tab and a center apex at the top of the tab. The masking devices are preferably made from a unitary substrate material, but could also be made from two separate substrates which are joined together during formation of the tab. The two substrates are affixed together when the bottom surfaces of the side members having adhesive applied thereto come in contact with each other. The method of making the masking devices involves die-cutting a sheet of flexible material into desired substrate shapes, applying adhesive to the bottom surface of the die-cut substrates, forming a pull tab from the substrate that extends upwardly from the top surface of the substrate, and applying the tabbed substrates to a release liner for use in masking surface areas of parts that are to be painted or coated. Various other features, aspects and advantages of the invention may be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following drawings and detailed description of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a masking device in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the masking device of Fig. 1 in its unfolded form. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the masking device of Fig. 1 in its folded form. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a plurality of masking devices affixed to a release liner. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides masking devices that are used for masking off areas of a surface during liquid coating, powder coating, plating or electroplating. The masking devices are die-cut into various shapes and sizes, and placed on rolls of release liner so that they may be readily used for masking. The masking devices are removed from the release liner and applied to the surface areas to be masked. Fig. 1 shows a masking device 10 having a pull tab 12 extending upwardly from the device's center portion 14. The pull tab 12 is used to ease the application and, particularly, the removal of the masking device from the masking area. The masking device 10 is simply applied to the desired masking area by gripping the tab, removing it from the release liner and applying it to the masking surface. The masking device 10 has a top surface 26 and a bottom surface 28. Adhesive is applied to the bottom surface 28 so that the masking device may be affixed to the masking area. After a part has been coated, the masking device is removed from the part by pulling upwardly from the tab. The masking device 10 can be of any shape and size, the circular shape shown in the drawings is only one example. The masking device 10 is preferably made of a thin flexible material such as crepe paper, vinyl, polyester, mylar, kapton, etc. Fig. 2 shows the masking device 10 in its unfolded form. The masking device 10 preferably consists of a unitary paper substrate having a top surface 26 and a bottom surface 28. As stated above, an adhesive is applied to the bottom surface 26 of the device 10 for removable attachment to a masking surface. The tab 12 is created by folding the masking device 10 close to the device's center portion 14 and along folding lines 16, 18 and 20. The two ends of the device opposite the center portion 14 are pushed inwardly toward the center of the device to create a tab 12 which rises upwardly from folding lines 16 and 18. It is also possible for the masking device 10 to be made from two separate substrates that come together along line 20. The two substrates are joined together by tab 12. The tab is created by pushing the two substrates inwardly toward line 20 so that a tab rises upwardly from folding lines 16 and 18. Adhesive applied to the bottom surface of side members 22 and 24 cause the two substrates to be joined together at tab 12. Fig. 3 shows a side view of the masking element 10 in its folded form. The pull tab 12 consists of side members 22 and 24 that are folded together at the center apex 20. Preferably, adhesive is only applied to the bottom surface of one side member to ensure that the two side members are securely bonded together. So for example, side member 22 may have adhesive applied to its bottom surface while side member 24 does not, and vice versa. Fig. 4 shows a plurality of masking devices 10 applied to a release liner 30. The release liner 30 has a coating on its top surface 32 that allows the masking devices 10 to be easily removed for attachment to the masking area of a part that is to be painted or coated. The release liner provides any easy way to package the masking devices for sale or use. The masking devices 10 are die-cut from sheet material to form substrates of various shapes and sizes. Adhesive is applied to the bottom surface of the die-cut substrates and tabs are formed which extend upwardly from the top surface of the substrates. The tabbed substrates are then placed on the release liner 30 and rolled up into rolls to be used by various industries that require masking devices for powder or liquid coating. The masking devices shown in the drawings are typically of those used to cover recessed reflectors on automobiles and trucks, grounding points on bus bars, and other areas where paint or another coating is not desirable. It is recognized that various alternatives, modifications and equivalents may be apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the following claims should be interpreted to cover such alternatives, modifications and equivalents.

Claims: CLAIMS I claim: 1. A masking device comprising: a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface; an adhesive applied to the bottom surface of the substrate for removable attachment of the substrate on a masking surface; and a tab extending upwardly from the top surface of the substrate for easy removal of the substrate from the masking surface. 2. The masking device of claim 1, wherein the tab consists of two side members, the side members having a top surface and a bottom surface, and the side members being bonded together along their bottom surfaces by an adhesive applied to their bottom surfaces. 3. The masking device of claim 2, wherein the adhesive is applied to only a portion of the bottom surfaces of the side members. 4. The masking device of claim 3, wherein the adhesive is a silicone adhesive. 5. The masking device of claim 3, wherein the adhesive is a rubber based adhesive. 6. The masking device of claim 2, wherein the side members are formed by applying pressure to opposite sides of the substrate inwardly towards the center of the substrate, the side members extending upwardly from the top surface of the substrate along fold lines created in the substrate. 7. The masking device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is die-cut from sheet material into various shapes and sizes. 8. The masking device of claim 1 , wherein the tabbed substrate is placed on a release liner for application to surfaces to be masked. 9. The masking device of claim 1, wherein the tab extends upwardly from a center portion of the substrate. 10. The masking device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is made of crepe paper. 11. The masking device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is made from a material which is high temperature resistant. 12. The masking device of claim 11 , wherein the substrate can withstand temperatures of approximately 200 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. 13. A masking device comprising: at least one substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface; an adhesive applied to the bottom surface of the substrate for removable attachment of the substrate on a masking surface; and a tab extending upwardly from the top surface of the substrate for easy removal of the substrate from the masking surface. 14. The masking device of claim 13, wherein the substrate is a single unitary structure. 15. The masking device of claim 13, wherein the substrate comprises two substrates bonded together. 16. The masking device of claim 15, wherein the substrates are bonded together by joining a portion of the bottom surfaces of the two substrates creating the tab. 17. The masking device of claim 13, wherein the tabbed substrate is placed on a release liner for application to surfaces to be masked. 18. A method of forming a masking device comprising the steps of: die-cutting a substrate from sheet material, the substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface; applying an adhesive to the bottom surface of the substrate; forming a tab in the substrate by applying pressure to opposite sides of the substrate inwardly towards the center of the substrate, the tab extending upwardly from the top surface of the substrate; and applying the substrate to a roll of release liner for removable attachment of the substrate to an area of a part to be masked.

Inventors: SARAJIAN KISSAK T, SARAJIAN, KISSAK, T.
Applicants: ENGINEERED PRODUCTS & SERVICES, SARAJIAN KISSAK T, ENGINEERED PRODUCTS & SERVICES INC., SARAJIAN, KISSAK, T.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: C09J7
IPC codes: B05B15, C09J7