The most common form of masking panel gaps when carrying out paint spraying procedures particularly vehicle panel gaps, is the use of open-cell foam masking strips, that are usually attached to the inner part of the panel gap by adhesive. While this method is effective, the adhesive can make the tape difficult to align and also acts as a type of barrier or dam when applying the paint. This can cause a paint ridge to form against the adhesive that. requires correction work after the application, to remove the paint build-up. Also because the manner in which adhesives work, if there is a misalignment when applying the mask it can be difficult to detach to carry out realignment.

Most of the foam masks produced to carry out the masking of vehicle panel gaps is produced with a circular profile with an adhesive track applied to part of the tape for attachment to the object. Shaping of foam is described in a patent belonging to Dunlop Rubber Co Ltd: 849,774, and also shows that it is possible to fuse two or more sheets of foam together. This invention applies the method of fusing sheets of foam together to an advantage for producing a masking foam strip without the need for adhesive and in forming a rounded face on both sides of the strip.

Being that open-cell foam absorbs a lot of the over-spray, but because of the adhesive applied to the foam strip for the purpose of attachment, the adhesive shields part of the open cells, so does cause a paint build-up. This invention does away with the problem of paint build-up in the following way: This new foam mask is produced by a method of bonding two strips of foam together, that are for the purpose of use in this masking application, of a different thickness to each other, but could be the same for other applications. A foam strip is laid along a bench; the strip being of a given width, then a flexible magnetic strip of a lesser width is positioned on top of the foam strip. The second foam strip is then positioned on the top, and the two foam strips are fused together along their lengths using a process of heat fusing, sealing the flexible magnetic strip within. This process could be automated if necessary.

This process creates a foam mask that can be attached to most motor vehicles magnetically when carrying out automotive refinishing procedures. The advantage of this foam strip is that it is simple to align when attaching and when spraying the open- cell foam is in no way shielded, as it is with adhesive, so there is no paint build-up.

I will now describe the invention's specific embodiment with reference to the following drawings in which:- Fig 1 shows a cross-section through an elongate foam strip formed.

Fig 2 shows a cross-section through the three components prior to fusing the two foam sections.

Fig 3 show shows a cross-section view of the fused foams.

Fig 4 shows a cross-section view of the foam-mask applied to the static member of a vehicle body for use as a masking device.

Referring to Fig 2 the two foam strips 6&7 are aligned above and below the flexible magnetic strip 8. In application the thinner foam face is attached to the vehicle body.

Referring to Fig 3 the welding blades 2&3 are applied with heat and pressure to fuse the two foam strips 6&7 together.

Referring to Fig 4 the formed foam-mask 12 is attached to the vehicle static member 11 and the moving member 14 is closed against the foam-mask. The vehicle panel gap 16 is sealed to prevent paint over-spray breaching the gap when carrying out refmishing procedures.

The dimensions, sizes and reference to auto-body masking are for example only and may be altered and or applied to other objects without departing from the true scope of the invention.