Recoverable articles

Claim 2

A flexible, shrinkable, hollow article which comprises (1) a hollow inner member which is composed of an elastomeric material and which is in a radially extended condition; and (2) a hollow outer restraining means (a) whose inner surface is secured to the outer surface of said inner member and which maintains said inner member in said radially extended condition, said inner and outer surfaces being secured to each other by a bond whose peel strength is less than 50 lb. per linear inch width at 21° C.; (b) whose outer surface forms the outer surface of said article and is free of score lines whose depth is 5 to 90% of the thickness of the restraining means; and (c) is composed of a material which (i) has a 2% secant modulus at 21° C. of 4,000 to 120,000 psi; (ii) has an ultimate elongation at 21° C. of at least 20% at a separation speed of 200% per minute and at most 150% at a separation speed of 2,000% per minute; and (iii) has a notch sensitivity such that when there is formed in the outer surface of the restraining means a score line whose depth is 5 to 90% of the thickness of the restraining means, then by distorting the article so as to exert a bending moment about the axis of the score line, the depth of said score line can be substantially increased.

Claim 3

An article according to claim 1 wherein said restraining means is composed of a material which has a 2% secant modulus at 21° C. of 15,000 to 100,000 psi.

Claim 4

An article according to claim 2 wherein said restraining means is composed of a material which has a 2% secant modulus of 15,000 to 40,000 psi.

Claim 5

An article according to claim 2 wherein said restraining means is composed of a material which has an ultimate elongation at 21° C. of 35 to 120% at a separation speed of 200% per minute.

Claim 6

An article according to claim 4 wherein said restraining means is composed of a material which has an ultimate elongation at 21° C. of 50 to 100% at a separation speed of 200% per minute.

Claim 7

An article according to claim 1 wherein said restraining means is composed of a material having a % Torn Depth of at least 40%.

Claim 8

An article according to claim 4 wherein said restraining means is composed of a material having a % Torn Depth of at least 40%.

Claim 9

An article according to claim 7 wherein said restraining means is composed of a material having a % Torn Depth of at least 50%.

Claim 10

An article according to claim 8 wherein the value of the term T-0.002S+0.054E+0.54P is 10 to 60 where T is the % Torn Depth, S is the 2% secant modulus at 21° C. in psi, E is the ultimate elongation at 21° C. and P is the peel strength at 21° C. in pli.

Claim 11

An article according to claim 9 wherein the value of said term is 15 to 35.

Claim 12

An article according to claim 1 wherein the value of the term T-0.002S+0.054E+0.54P is 10 to 60 where T is the % Torn Depth, S is the 2% secant modulus at 21° C. in psi and is less than 40,000 psi, E is the ultimate elongation at 21° C. and P is the peel strength at 21° C. in pli.

Claim 13

An article according to claim 11 wherein the value of said term is 15 to 35.

Claim 14

An article according to claim 1 wherein the peel strength of said bond at 21° C. is 5 to 25 pli.

Claim 15

An article according to claim 13 wherein the peel strength of said bond is 7 to 15 pli.

Claim 16

An article according to claim 1 wherein said restraining means is composed of a material which comprises a first polymer having a modulus greater than 20,000 psi and a second polymer having a modulus less than 10,000 psi, the ratio by weight of said first polymer to second polymer being 1.5:1 to 4:1.

Claim 17

An article according to claim 1 wherein said restraining means is composed of a material which comprises 25 to 75% by weight of a particulate filler.

Claim 18

An article according to claim 1 wherein the peel strength of said bond at 49° C. is at least 4 pli and the restraining means is composed of a material which has a 2% secant modulus at 49° C. of at least 4,000 psi.

Claim 19

A flexible, shrinkable, hollow article which comprises (1) a hollow inner member which is composed of an elastomeric material and which is in a radially extended condition; and (2) a hollow outer restraining means (a) whose inner surface is secured to the outer surface of said inner member through a layer of a hot melt adhesive and which maintains said inner member in said radially extended condition, said inner and outer surfaces being secured to each other by a bond whose peel strength is 4 to 30 pli at 21° C. and at least 4 pli at 49° C.; (b) whose outer surface forms the outer surface of said article and is free of score lines whose depth is 5 to 90% of the thickness of the restraining means; and (c) is composed of a material which (i) comprises an organic polymer; (ii) has a 2% secant modulus of 15,000 to 100,000 psi at 21° C. and at least 4,000 psi at 49° C.; (iii) has an ultimate elongation at 21° C. of 35 to 120% at a separation speed of 200% per minute; and (iv) has a % Torn Depth of at least 40%.

Claim 20

A flexible, shrinkable, hollow article which comprises (1) a hollow inner member which is composed of an elastomeric material and which is in a radially extended condition; and (2) a hollow outer restraining means (a) whose inner surface is secured to the outer surface of said inner member through a layer of a hot melt adhesive and which maintains said inner member in said radially extended condition, said inner and outer surfaces being secured to each other by a bond whose peel strength is 4 to 30 pli at 21° C. and at least 4 pli at 49° C.; (b) whose outer surface forms the outer surface of said article and is free of score lines whose depth is 5 to 90% of the thickness of the restraining means; and (c) is composed of a material which (i) comprises an organic polymer; (ii) has a 2% secant modulus of 15,000 to 100,000 psi at 21° C. and at least 4,000 psi at 49° C.; (iii) has an ultimate elongation at 21° C. of 35 to 120% at a separation speed of 200% per minute; and (iv) has a % Torn Depth of at least 40%.

Claim 21

An article according to claim 18 wherein said restraining means is composed of a material which has a 2% secant modulus of 15,000 to 40,000 psi at 21° C., an ultimate elongation of 50 to 100% at 21° C. at a separation speed of 200% per minute, and a % Torn Depth of at least 50%.

Claim 22

An article according to claim 19 wherein the value of the term T-0.002S+0.054E+0.54P is 10 to 60 where T is the % Torn Depth, S is the 2% secant modulus at 21° C. in psi, E, is the ultimate elongation at 21° C. and P is the peel strength at 21° C. in pli.

Claim 23

An article according to claim 20 wherein the value of said term is 15 to 35.

Claim 24

An article according to claim 1 or 18 which is in the form of a tube, the restraining means being longer than the inner member and at least one end of the restraining means forming an overlapping lip at one end of the article.

Claim 25

An article according to claim 22 which comprises at least one score line which extends to said end of the restraining means and whose depth is at least 5% of the thickness of the restraining means.

Claim 26

A flexible, shrinkable, hollow article which comprises (1) a flexible hollow inner member which is composed of an elastomeric material and which is in a radially extended condition; and (a) whose inner surface is bonded to the outer surface of the inner member and which maintains the inner member in the radially extended condition, the inner and outer surfaces being bonded to each other by a bond whose peel strength is 7 to 15 lbs. per linear inch width at 21° C.; (b) whose outer surface forms the outer surface of said article and is free of linear indentations whose depth is 5 to 90% of the thickness of the restraining means; and (c) is composed of a material which (i) has a notch sensitivity such that, when there is formed in the outer surface of the restraining means at least one linear indentation whose depth is 50 to 90% of the thickness of the restraining means, they by distorting the article so as to exert a bending moment about the axis of such a linear indentation, the depth of such linear indentation can be substantially increased to provide at least one section of the restraining means which can be pulled away from the inner member; and (ii) has a 2% secant modulus at 21° C. of 15,000 to 40,000 psi and has an ultimate elongation at 21° C. of 50 to 100% at a separation speed of 20% per minute, wherein the material has sufficient flexibility that (a) the cross-section of the restraining means can be deformed without breaking the bond between the inner member and the restraining means and (b) such a pulled away section can bend through at least a 90° angle without cracking.

Claim 27

A flexible, shrinkable, hollow article which comprises (1) a flexible hollow inner member which is composed of an elastomeric material and which is in a radially extended condition; and (a) whose inner surface is bonded to the outer surface of the inner member and which maintains the inner member in the radially extended condition, the inner and outer surfaces being bonded to each other by a bond whose peel strength is 7 to 15 lbs. per linear inch width at 21° C.; (b) whose outer surface forms the outer surface of said article and is free of linear indentations whose depth is 5 to 90% of the thickness of the restraining means; and (c) is composed of a material which (i) has a notch sensitivity such that, when there is formed in the outer surface of the restraining means at least one linear indentation whose depth is 50 to 90% of the thickness of the restraining means, they by distorting the article so as to exert a bending moment about the axis of such a linear indentation, the depth of such linear indentation can be substantially increased to provide at least one section of the restraining means which can be pulled away from the inner member; and (ii) has a 2% secant modulus at 21° C. of 15,000 to 40,000 psi and has an ultimate elongation at 21° C. of 50 to 100% at a separation speed of 20% per minute, wherein the material has sufficient flexibility that (a) the cross-section of the restraining means can be deformed without breaking the bond between the inner member and the restraining means and (b) such a pulled away section can bend through at least a 90° angle without cracking.

Claim 28

An article according to claim 24 wherein the value of the term T-0.002S+0.054E+0.54P is 10 to 60, where T is the % Torn Depth, S is the 2% secant modulus at 21° C. in psi, E is the ultimate elongation at 21° C. and P is the peel strength at 21° C. in pli.

Claim 29

An article according to claim 25 wherein the value of said term is 15 to 35.

Claim 30

An article according to claim 24 wherein said restraining means is composed of a material which comprises a first polymer having a modulus greater than 20,000 psi and a second polymer having a modulus less than 10,000 psi, the ratio by weight of said first polymer to second polymer being 1.5:1 to 4:1.

Claim 31

An article according to claim 24 wherein said restraining means is composed of a material which comprises 25 to 75% by weight of a particulate filler.

Claim 32

The article of claim 1, 18 or 24 in which the inner member, when fully recovered, has a thickness of from 0.02 to 0.5 inch.

Claim 33

The article of claim 25 in which the inner member, when fully recovered, has a thickness of from 0.02 to 0.25 inch.

Claim 34

The article of claim 30 in which the inner member, when fully recovered, has a thickness of from 0.05 to 0.15 inch.

Claim 35

The article of claim 1 or 24 in which the inner member, when fully recovered, has an internal diameter of from 0.1 to 3 inches

Claim 36

The article of claim 32 in which the inner member, when fully recovered, has an internal diameter of from 0.4 to 2 inches.

Claim 37

The article of claim 1 or 24 in which the inner member, in the extended state, has an internal diameter of from 0.125 to 4 inches.

Claim 38

The article of claim 34 in which the inner member, in the extended state, has an internal diameter of from 0.75 to 3 inches.

Claim 39

The article of claim 1, 18 or 24 in which the inner member has an extension ratio of 1.3:1 to 3:1.

Claim 40

The article of claim 36 in which the inner member has an extension ratio of 1.7:1 to 2.3:1.

Claim 41

The article of claim 1, 18 or 24 in which the inner member is in the form of a tube.

Claim 42

The article of claim 38 in which the inner member has a circular cross-section.

Claim 44

The method of claim 40 in which the step of distorting takes place before the step of placing.

Claim 45

The method of claim 40 in which the step of forming takes place after the step of placing.

Claim 46

The method of claim 40 in which the step of pulling away comprises applying solvent to the bond between the inner member and the outer restraining means.

Claim 47

A method of covering a substrate which comprises: (a) forming at least one linear indentation in the outer surface of the restraining means of a flexible, shrinkable, hollow article as claimed in claim 24, said linear indentation having a depth of 5 to 90% of the thickness of the restraining means; (b) after the step of forming, distorting the article to exert a bending moment about the axis of the liner indentation, thereby substantially increasing the depth of the linear indentation; (c) placing the article around the substrate; and (d) pulling away from the inner member a section of the restraining means adjacent the linear indentation whose depth has been increased by the step of distorting for recovery of the inner member toward the substrate.

Claim 48

The method of claim 44 in which the step of distorting takes place before the step of placing.

Claim 49

The method of claim 44 in which the step of forming takes place after the step of placing.

Claim 50

The method of claim 44 in which the step of pulling away comprises applying solvent to the bond between the inner member and the outer restraining means.

Claim 51

The Article of claim 1, 18 or 24 in which the inner member and the outer restraining means are of oval cross-section.