Activator means for pre-applied adhesives

摘要

An activator means for use in activating or re-activating adhesive and sealant compositions that have been pre-applied to a bonding surface prior to mating said bonding surface said means having a plurality of features for directly acting upon the pre-applied composition.

主权项

1. A method of activating a pre-applied adhesive on the surface of a substrate wherein said pre-applied adhesive is present as a band or pattern of a defined width and length whose length-wise dimension corresponds to the orientation of a bond line to be farmed when mating the surface having the activated pre-applied adhesive to another surface or to another portion of the same surface, said method comprising the steps of:
effecting engagement between an activator means and the pre-applied adhesive on the substrate surface and effecting movement of one relative to the other along the length of the pre-applied adhesive band or pattern while maintaining engagement between the activator means and the pre-applied adhesive and the pro-applied adhesive and the substrate surface for at least the length of the desired bond line, wherein the activator means comprises an activator body and at least one activator face attached to, integrated into or forming a part of a surface of the activator body and opposing the substrate surface to which the pre-applied adhesive is applied, said activator face characterized as having (i) a centerline axis and, perpendicular thereto, a transverse axis, said centerline axis being parallel to and aligned with the desired bond line and (ii) a plurality of projections extending from the surface thereof, which projections are (a) adapted to engage and mobilize the pre-applied adhesive on the substrate as the one moves relative to the other and (b) aligned in such a way as to deposit or leave the adhesive in an activated state in a predetermined pattern or configuration and at a predetermined location on the substrate.