1. An article comprising a substrate having a first surface and a melt coated layer having a first major surface and a second major surface, the first major surface of the melt coated layer being disposed upon the first surface of the substrate, wherein the melt coated layer is substantially continuous and comprises a melt coated composition selected from the group consisting of:
(a) one or more acrylic polymers having a collective molecular weight of at least about 200,000, and the melt coated layer has a coating weight less than about 25 gm2, is free of solvents, and contains no more than about 1% by weight of gelled acrylic polymer;
(b) one or more thermoplastic elastomers having a collective melt viscosity greater than about 20,000 cP, measured at any temperature suitable for hot-melt coating and at shear rates less than 100 sec\u22121 or frequencies less than 100 radsec, and the melt coated layer has a coating weight less than about 12 gm2;
(c) one or more natural rubbers or synthetic rubbers, none of which are thermoplastic elastomers, having a collective molecular weight of at least about 200,000 gmol and a collective melt viscosity greater than about 50,000 cP, measured at any temperature suitable for hot-melt coating and at shear rates less than 100 sec\u22121 or frequencies less than 100 radsec, and the melt coated layer has a coating weight less than about 29 gm2; and
(d) one or more nonelastomeric thermoplastic polymers having a collective molecular weight of from about 50,000 to about 3,000,000 gmol, and the melt coated layer has a coating weight less than about 17 gm2 and is free of solvents.
2. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer is substantially free of liquid medium.
3. (canceled)
4. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer exhibits pressure-sensitive adhesive properties.
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. The article of claim 1 wherein the second major surface of the melt coated layer has a plurality of raised striations.
8. The article of claim 7 wherein the coating density of the melt coated layer is from about 60 to about 95% of the melt coated composition density.
9. (canceled)
10. (canceled)
11. The article of claim 7 wherein the raised striations are irregularly spaced, and no pair of adjacent raised striations has a spacing more than ten times the spacing of any other pair of adjacent raised striations.
12-20. (canceled)
21. The article of claim 1 wherein the article is in the form of roll goods, and wherein the coated layer has no edge bead before slitting or converting.
22. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer consists essentially of one or more acrylic polymers.
23. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer comprises acrylic polymer selected from the group consisting of polymers and copolymers of isooctyl acrylate.
24. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer comprises one or more acrylic polymers and the melt coated layer is substantially free of tackifiers, oils, and plasticizers.
25-31. (canceled)
32. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer comprises one or more thermoplastic elastomers selected from the group consisting of styrene block copolymers.
33. The article of claim 32 wherein the styrene block copolymer comprises a styrene-isoprene-styrene triblock copolymer or a styrene-ethylenebutylenes-styrene triblock copolymer.
34. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer comprises one or more thermoplastic elastomers and further comprises a tackifying resin.
35. (canceled)
36. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer comprises one or more thermoplastic elastomers and is substantially free of oil and plasticizers.
37-40. (canceled)
41. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer consists essentially of natural or synthetic rubber.
42. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer comprises one or more rubbers selected from the group consisting of natural rubbers and synthetic rubbers and contains no more than about 1% by weight of gelled natural or synthetic rubber.
43. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer comprises one or more rubbers selected from the group consisting of natural rubbers and synthetic rubbers and further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of tackifiers and plasticizers.
44-48. (canceled)
49. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer comprises one or more rubbers s elected from the group consisting of isoprene, butadiene, nitrile rubber, and styrene-butadiene rubber.
50. (canceled)
51. (canceled)
52. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer consists essentially of nonelastomeric thermoplastic polymer.
53. (canceled)
54. (canceled)
55. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer comprises one or more nonelastomeric thermoplastic polymers selected from the group consisting of polyolefins and aliphatic polyesters.
56. The article of claim 1 wherein the melt coated layer comprises one or more semicrystalline nonelastomeric thermoplastic polymers.
57. A process for making articles with a melt coated layer thereon, the process comprising the steps of:
(a) conveying a molten coating composition comprising a polymer through a die slot having a thickness less than about 35 mils;
(b) directly contacting the molten composition to the entry side of a nip point between a rotating rod having a diameter less than about 3 inches (7.6 cm) and a moving substrate supported on a backup roller, wherein a sufficiently small nipping pressure is employed such that the surface of the backup roller is deformed by no more than a depth of about 20 mils; and
(c) obtaining a substrate with a melt coated layer thereon on the exit side of the nip point;
wherein the rotating rod and the compressible backup roller are each rotating in the direction of motion of the moving substrate; and
wherein the rotating rod is rotating at greater than about 20 rpm, and has surface speed that is between about 1 and about 20% of the speed of the moving substrate.
58. The process of claim 57 wherein the molten coating composition is selected from the group consisting of:
(a) one or more acrylic polymers having a collective molecular weight of at least about 200,000, the composition being free of solvents and containing no more than about 1% by weight of gelled acrylic polymer; or
(b) one or more thermoplastic elastomers having a collective melt viscosity measured at any temperature suitable for hot-melt coating and at shear rates less than 100 sec\u22121 or frequencies less than 100 radsec is greater than about 20,000 cP; or
(c) one or more natural rubbers or synthetic rubbers having a collective molecular weight of at least about 200,000 gmol and which is not a thermoplastic elastomer, and having a melt viscosity measured at any temperature suitable for hot-melt coating and at shear rates less than 100 sec\u22121 or frequencies less than 100 radsec greater than about 50,000 cP; or
(d) one or more nonelastomeric thermoplastic polymers having a collective molecular weight of from about 50,000 to about 3,000,000 gmol, the composition being free of solvents.
59. The process of claim 57 wherein the die slot has a thickness less than about 15 mils (380 micrometers).
60-62. (canceled)
63. The process of claim 57 wherein the rotating rod has a diameter less than about 2 inches (5 cm).
64-71. (canceled)
72. The process of claim 57 wherein the rotating rod has a tangential surface speed that is between about 1 and about 15% of the speed of the moving substrate.
73-78. (canceled)
79. The process of claim 57 wherein the viscosity of the molten composition is greater than about 10,000 cP.
80-82. (canceled)
83. The process of claim 57 wherein the rotating rod is smooth or has a surface texture having a value of RA less than about 1000 microinches (25 \u03bcm).
84. (canceled)
85. (canceled)
86. The process of claim 57 wherein the coated substrate has no visible edge bead before slitting or converting.
87. The process of claim 57 wherein the moving substrate is moving at over about 200 feetminute (60 metersminute).
88. (canceled)
89. (canceled)
90. The process of claim 57 wherein there is no visible rolling bank created by contacting the molten composition to the entry side of the nip point.
91. The process of claim 57 wherein the thickness of the die slot, the surface speed of the rotating rod, and the nipping pressure are set within ranges such that, within the ranges, the thickness of the coated substrate depends on the thickness of the die slot and the surface speed of the rotating rod, and is independent of the nipping pressure.
92-95. (canceled)
96. The process of claim 57 further comprising:
(d1) winding the substrate with melt coated layer thereon onto itself in roll form.
97. The process of claim 96 wherein the melt coated layer is not dried between step (c) and step (d1).
98. The process of claim 57 further comprising cross linking the melt coated layer after step (c).
99. (canceled)
100. The process of claim 98 wherein the melt coated layer is not dried between step (c) and step (d2).
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system for establishing a conversation group among a number of hearing aids used by different users, said system comprising:
a number of hearing aids each providing compensation for a hearing impairment of its respective user, and each adapted for wireless bidirectional communication,
means for detecting hearing aids available for participation in the conversation group,
means for selecting at least one but less than all of the available hearing aids for participation in said conversation group, and
a shared wireless communication unit adapted for transmitting to and from the hearing aids selected for inclusion in said conversation group thereby establishing said conversation group, such that users of hearing aids included in said conversation group can converse with one another via said shared wireless communication unit.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein a first hearing aid participating in the conversation group comprises a relay device for communicating on one hand with said first hearing aid and communicating on the other hand with said shared communication unit.
3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said relay device comprises means for displaying hearing aids available for participation in said conversation group, and means for manually selecting at least one of said hearing aids for participation in said conversation group.
4. The system according to claim 1, comprising means for detecting the range to a second hearing aid, and said means for selecting automatically selects said second hearing aid for inclusion into said conversation group based on the range detection.
5. The system according to claim 2, wherein said relay device is integrated in a remote control for operating said first hearing aid.
6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said shared wireless communication unit is a router of a wireless Local Area Network.
7. A system for establishing a conversation group among a number of hearing aids used by different users, said system comprising:
a number of hearing aids each providing compensation for a hearing impairment of its respective user, and each adapted for wireless bidirectional communication,
means for detecting hearing aids available for participation in the conversation group,
means for selecting hearing aids for participation in said conversation group, and
a shared wireless communication unit adapted for transmitting to and from the hearing aids selected for inclusion in said conversation group thereby establishing said conversation group, such that users of hearing aids included in said conversation group can converse with one another via said shared wireless communication unit,
wherein a first hearing aid participating in the conversation group comprises a relay device for communicating on one hand with said first hearing aid and communicating on the other hand with said shared communication unit, and
wherein said shared wireless communication unit is a router of a wireless Local Area Network, and wherein all hearing aids connected to said Local Area Network are displayed for selection on said relay device.
8. A system for establishing a conversation group among a number of hearing aids used by different users, said system comprising:
a number of hearing aids each providing compensation for a hearing impairment of its respective user, and each adapted for wireless bidirectional communication,
means for detecting hearing aids available for participation in the conversation group,
means for selecting hearing aids for participation in said conversation group, and
a shared wireless communication unit adapted for transmitting to and from the hearing aids selected for inclusion in said conversation group thereby establishing said conversation group such that users of hearing aids included in said conversation group can converse with one another via said shared wireless communication unit,
wherein said shared wireless communication unit is a router of a wireless Local Area Network, and
said system comprising a control unit adapted for registering and keeping a record of hearing aids connected to said wireless Local Area Network.
9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said control unit is adapted for keeping track of conversation groups established on said Local Area Network and their participants.
10. The system according to claim 2, wherein said relay device comprises at least one built in microphone.
11. A method for establishing within a communication network a conversation group that includes a number of hearing aids used by different users, said method comprising:
providing a number of hearing aids each providing compensation for a hearing impairment of its respective user, and each adapted for wireless bidirectional communication,
providing a means for detecting hearing aids available for participation in the conversation group,
providing a means for selecting at least one but less than all of the available hearing aids for participation in said conversation group,
providing a shared wireless communication unit, and
transmitting communication signals to and from the hearing aids participating in said conversation group via said wireless communication unit such that users of hearing aids participating in said conversation group can converse with one another via said wireless communication unit.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein a first hearing aid participating in the conversation group uses a relay device for communicating on one hand with said first hearing aid and communicating on the other hand with said shared communication unit.
13. A method for establishing within a communication network a conversation group that includes a number of hearing aids used by different users, said method comprising:
providing a number of hearing aids each providing compensation for a hearing impairment of its respective user, and each adapted for wireless bidirectional communication,
providing a means for detecting hearing aids available for participation in the conversation group,
providing a means for selecting hearing aids for participation in said conversation group,
providing a shared wireless communication unit, and
transmitting communication signals to and from the hearing aids participating in said conversation group via said wireless communication unit such that users of hearing aids participating in said conversation group can converse with one another via said shared wireless communication unit,
wherein a first hearing aid participating in the conversation group uses a relay device for communicating on one hand with said first hearing aid and communicating on the other hand with said shared communication unit, and
wherein said hearing aids available for participation in said communication network are displayed on said relay device, and at least one of said hearing aids is manually selected for inclusion in said conversation group.
14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the range from a first hearing aid to a second hearing aid is detected, and said means for selecting automatically selects said second hearing aid for inclusion into said conversation group based on said range detection.
15. The method according to claim 11, wherein a router of a wireless Local Area Network is used as said shared wireless communication unit.
16. A method for establishing within a communication network a conversation group that includes a number of hearing aids used by different users, said method comprising:
providing a number of hearing aids each providing compensation for a hearing impairment of its respective user, and each adapted for wireless bidirectional communication,
providing a means for detecting hearing aids available for participation in the conversation group,
providing a means for selecting hearing aids for participation in said conversation group,
providing a shared wireless communication unit, and
transmitting communication signals to and from the hearing aids participating in said conversation group via said wireless communication unit such that users of hearing aids participating in said conversation group can converse with one another via said shared wireless communication unit,
wherein the range to a second hearing aid is detected, and said means for selecting automatically selects said other hearing aid for inclusion into said conversation group based on said range detection, and
wherein a control unit is used for registering and keeping a record of hearing aids connected to said wireless Local Area Network.
17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said control unit is used for keeping track of conversation groups established on said Local Area Network and their participants.
18. The method according to claim 12, wherein said relay device comprises at least one built-in microphone.
19. The method according to claim 11, wherein at least one hearing aid uses a microphone adapted for picking up sounds in the ear canal of a user.
20. The system according to claim 1, wherein sound picked up by each hearing aid in said conversation group is wirelessly transmitted from an associated relay device to each other hearing aid in said conversation group.
21. The method according to claim 11, wherein sound picked up by each hearing aid in said conversation group is wirelessly transmitted from an associated relay device to each other hearing aid in said conversation group.
22. The system according to claim 1, wherein said shared wireless communication unit communicates with hearing aids included in said conversation group via a Bluetooth\xae wireless link.
23. The system according to claim 1, including means for displaying hearing aids available for participation in a conversation group with a first hearing aid.
24. The system according to claim 1, wherein said hearing aids selected for inclusion in said conversation group consist of hearing aids separated by no more than about two meters.