Elastic fastening system

Abstract

A hook and loop fastener comprising a hook component and a loop component. The hook component includes a hook backing and a plurality of hooks protruding from the hook backing. The hook backing includes an extensible material. The loop component includes a loop backing and a plurality of loops protruding from it. The loop backing also includes an extensible material.

1 . A hook and loop fastener comprising separate hook and loop components; 
 the hook component including a hook backing and a plurality of hooks protruding from the hook backing, wherein the hook backing includes an extensible material; and    the loop component including a loop backing and a plurality of loops protruding from it, wherein the loop backing includes an extensible material.    
     
     
         2 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of hooks are aligned in at least two rows.  
     
     
         3 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 2 , wherein the extensible material included in the hook backing includes pleats parallel to the rows of hooks, the pleats located between the rows of hooks.  
     
     
         4 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the hook component further comprises a strip of material between at least some of the hooks and the hook backing.  
     
     
         5 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 4 , wherein the strips of material are co-formed with the hooks.  
     
     
         6 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 4 , wherein the strips of material are stretchable in a longitudinal direction and the hook backing is biaxially stretchable.  
     
     
         7 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the hook backing comprises an elastic nonwoven web.  
     
     
         8 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the loop backing comprises an elastic woven web.  
     
     
         9 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the hook backing comprises a neck-bonded laminate.  
     
     
         10 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the loop backing comprises a neck-bonded laminate.  
     
     
         11 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the hook backing can be stretched between about 50% and about 200%.  
     
     
         12 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the hook backing can be stretched between about 70% and about 170%.  
     
     
         13 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the hook backing can be stretched between about 100% and about 150%.  
     
     
         14 . An absorbent article comprising the hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         15 . A diaper comprising the hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         16 . A training pant comprising the hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         17 . A feminine hygiene product comprising the hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         18 . An incontinence product comprising the hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         19 . A medical garment comprising the hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         20 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 , wherein at least one extensible material is creped.  
     
     
         21 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the hooks include heads that overhang the hook backing in one or more discrete directions.  
     
     
         22 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the hooks include heads that overhang the hook backing in multiple directions.  
     
     
         23 . A hook component comprising: 
 an extensible, sheet-form substrate having first and second regions; and    a multiplicity of spaced-apart resin bases disposed on a front side of the substrate, the spaced-apart resin bases having integrally molded stems extending therefrom;    wherein bases in the first region are arranged to provide different overall extensibility than in the second region.    
     
     
         24 . The hook component of  claim 23 , wherein the resin bases are non-contiguous with each other.  
     
     
         25 . The hook component of  claim 23 , wherein the resin bases are arranged to form areas of the substrate having asymmetric extensibility.  
     
     
         26 . The hook component of  claim 23 , wherein the bases extend in discrete, longitudinal rows.  
     
     
         27 . The hook component of  claim 23 , wherein the bases extend in discrete, transverse rows.  
     
     
         28 . The hook component of  claim 23 , wherein the bases form spaced-apart patches of hooks.  
     
     
         29 . The hook component of  claim 23 , wherein the substrate material is biaxially extensible having an extensibility in a first direction and a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction.  
     
     
         30 . The hook component of  claim 29 , wherein the bases are arranged to limit the level of extensibility of the extensible substrate more in one of the first and second directions than the other direction in the first region.  
     
     
         31 . The hook component of  claim 29 , wherein the bases are arranged to limit the level of extensibility of the extensible substrate in both the first and second directions in the first region.  
     
     
         32 . The hook component of  claim 23 , wherein the base portions are substantially non-extensible.  
     
     
         33 . The hook component of  claim 23  further including at least two regions having different extensibilities.  
     
     
         34 . The hook component of  claim 23 , wherein the extensible substrate comprises an elastic nonwoven web.  
     
     
         35 . The hook component of  claim 23 , wherein the extensible substrate comprises an elastic woven web.  
     
     
         36 . The hook component of  claim 23 , wherein the extensible substrate comprises a neck-bonded laminate.  
     
     
         37 . The hook component of  claim 23 , wherein the extensible substrate can be stretched between about 50% and about 200%.  
     
     
         38 . The hook component of  claim 23 , wherein the extensible substrate can be stretched between about 70% and about 170%.  
     
     
         39 . The hook component of  claim 23  further including head portions extending radially from a distal end of the stems.  
     
     
         40 . The hook component of  claim 39 , wherein the head portions overhang the base in one or more discrete directions.  
     
     
         41 . The hook component of  claim 39 , wherein the head portions overhang the base in multiple directions.  
     
     
         42 . A hook and loop fastener comprising: 
 a hook component including 
 an extensible, sheet-form substrate having first and second regions; and  
 a multiplicity of spaced-apart resin bases disposed on a front side of the substrate, the spaced-apart resin bases having fastener elements including stems extending outwardly from and integrally molded with the resin bases;  
 wherein bases in the first region are arranged to provide different overall extensibility than in the second region; and  
 a loop component including  
 an extensible loop backing and a plurality of loops protruding therefrom, the loops of the loop component sized to engage the fastener elements of the hook component.  
   
     
     
         43 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 42 , wherein the extensible loop backing includes spaced-apart material disposed on a broad surface of the loop backing.  
     
     
         44 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 43 , wherein the spaced-apart material disposed on the broad surface of the loop backing is arranged to provide different overall extensibility in a first region than in a second region.  
     
     
         45 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 44 , wherein fastener elements disposed in the first region of the hook component are engaged with loops in the first region of the loop component.  
     
     
         46 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 42 , wherein the fastener elements include head portions that overhang the base in one or more discrete directions.  
     
     
         47 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 42 , wherein the fastener elements include head portions that the base in multiple directions.  
     
     
         48 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 42 , wherein at least one of the extensible sheet-form substrate and the extensible loop backing are biaxially extensible having an extensibility in a first direction and a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction.  
     
     
         49 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 42 , wherein the sheet-form substrate comprises an elastic nonwoven web.  
     
     
         50 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 42 , wherein the loop backing comprises an elastic nonwoven web.  
     
     
         51 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 42 , wherein the sheet-form substrate comprises a neck-bonded laminate.  
     
     
         52 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 42 , wherein the loop backing comprises a neck-bonded laminate.  
     
     
         53 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 42 , wherein the sheet-form substrate can be stretched between about 50% and about 200%.  
     
     
         54 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 42 , wherein the sheet-form substrate can be stretched between about 70% and about 170%.  
     
     
         55 . The hook and loop fastener of  claim 42 , wherein the sheet-form substrate can be stretched between about 100% and about 150%.  
     
     
         56 . A method of forming a hook and loop fastener product comprising: 
 providing a sheet-form extensible first substrate having first and second regions;    attaching a multiplicity of spaced-apart resin bases on a front side of the substrate in the first region, the spaced-apart resin bases having fastener elements including stems extending outwardly from and integrally molded with the resin bases, to provide different overall extensibility in the first region than in the second region; and    engaging the fastener elements with matable elements extending from a discrete second substrate.    
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the matable elements are loops.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the second substrate is extensible.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the second substrate is biaxially extensible having an extensibility in a first direction and a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59  further including attaching a multiplicity of discrete, spaced-apart material on a broad surface of the second substrate in a first region to provide a different overall extensibility in the first region relative to a second region of the second substrate.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the fastener elements include head portions that overhang the base in one or more discrete directions.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the fastener elements include head portions that overhang the base in multiple directions.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the resin bases are non-contiguous with each other.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the resin bases are arranged to form areas of the substrate having asymmetric extensibility.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the matable elements are nonwoven fibers.