Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
A process for the production of a heat shrinkable article which comprises forming bonds between regions of at least two superimposed lengths of polymeric material to produce a bonded article so disposed that the desired direction of heat shrinkability lies along the length of the bonded article, cross-linking the bonded article and the bonds between the said lengths of polymeric material, heating the bonded article, stretching the bonded article longitudinally and cooling it in the stretched condition to render the article heat shrinkable.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
A process for the production of a heat shrinkable article which comprises forming bonds between regions of at least two superimposed lengths of polymeric material to produce a bonded article so disposed that the desired direction of heat shrinkability lies along the length of the bonded article, cross-linking the bonded article and the bonds between the said lengths of polymeric material, heating the bonded article, stretching the bonded article longitudinally and cooling it in the stretched condition to render the article heat shrinkable.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the bonded article is hollow and the bonding and stretching steps are carried out so as to render the hollow articles heat shrinkable substantially only in the radial sense.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat-shrinkable article has a wall thickness of at least 0.1 millimetres.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A processs according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the polymeric material is fusion bondable and the bonding is effected by fusion of the said polymeric material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to any of the preceding claims wherein the bonding produces a bonded article in which is defined the configuration of a plurality of the heat-shrinkable articles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process according to any of the preceding claims wherein the bond-forming material includes further material in addition to the said lengths of polymeric material and the cross-linking cross-links the said further material with that of the said lengths.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according':to any of the preceding claims wherein the polymeric material before the cross-linking step has a gel content as measured by test method ANSI/ASTM D2765-68 of less than 5%.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to any of the preceding claims wherein the said two lengths of polymeric material are both parts of the same single body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to any of the preceding claims wherein the heat-shrinkable hollow articles have a wall thickness within the range from 0.1 to 5.0 millimetres.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
10 A process according to any of the preceding claims which is carried out continuously on continuous lengths of polymeric material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process according to any of the preceding claims wherein the cross-linking is effected by means of ionising radiation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
A heat-shrinkable article produced by a process according to any one of the preceding claims.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
A train of interconnected heat-shrinkable articles produced by a process according to any one of claims 1 to 11.