Composite touch fasteners and methods of their manufacture

Abstract

A composite hook and loop fastener in the form of an elongated strip has an elongated loop component, a hook component permanently affixed to the loop component, and a backing layer disposed on a face of the wrap tie in a discrete region. The backing layer is used for permanent attachment of the wrap tie to a supporting surface. One end of the loop component is available for encircling an object to be wrapped and engaging the fastener elements of the hook component. The loop component has a self-supporting web of entangled fibers, the fibers forming both a sheet-form body and hook-engageable, free-standing loops extending from at least one surface of the body, and the hook component has fastener elements extending from a common base. The backing layer may be a pressure sensitive adhesive or a synthetic resin.

1 - 56 . (canceled)  
   
   
       57 . A method of manufacturing a touch fastener product having loops and loop-engageable elements, the method comprising 
 forming a sheet-form composite by 
 providing at least one running length of pre-formed, flexible material having first and second oppositely directed faces, the material having engageable fastener loops extending from at least one of its faces;  
 introducing molten resin to a predetermined discrete region of a first face of the flexible material, while leaving another predetermined region of the first face substantially free of the resin, including maintaining conditions permitting the molten resin to cool and become permanently bonded to the discrete region of the first face, and  
 causing portions of the resin to be formed into a predetermined pattern of discrete, loop-engageable fastener elements that project outwardly from the first face of the flexible material, and then  
   cutting the formed composite to produce at least one discrete touch fastener product having both a portion with the loop-engageable fastener elements formed of the resin, and a portion that is comprised of the pre-formed flexible material, is free of the resin, and that bears engageable fastener loops positioned to be engageable by the loop-engageable fastener elements.    
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 57  including so selecting the loop-bearing material, so conducting the method of forming the composite, and so cutting the resulting sheet-form composite, as to provide a fastener product capable of being wrapped about one or more objects and secured by engagement of loop-engageable fastener elements with engageable fastener loops of the product.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 57  including applying adhesive to a selected region of the composite to serve to attach the touch fastener product to a disposable article.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 57  in which the loop-engageable fastener elements are disposed only in multiple, spaced-apart regions of said sheet-form composite.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 60  in which the spaced-apart regions comprise continuous bands.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 60  in which the multiple, spaced-apart regions of loop-engageable fastener elements are formed on a single, relatively broad face of the flexible material.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 57  in which a distribution of the loop-engageable fastener elements is produced that is narrower than the predetermined region of the first face that is substantially free of the resin.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 57  in which the second face of the flexible material is entirely covered with engageable fastener loops.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 57  in which the first face of the flexible material bears both engageable fastener loops and the pattern of discrete loop-engageable fastener elements.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 57  in which the region of the flexible material to which the resin is introduced, and the region of the first face of the flexible material that is free of resin, are of identical construction.  
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 66  in which the flexible material comprises a uniform non-woven, woven or knit material defining engageable fastener loops.  
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 57  in which the loop-engageable fastener elements are formed as loop-engageable fastener hooks having crook-form tips.  
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 57  in which the loop-engageable fastener elements are formed as loop-engageable mushrooms.  
   
   
       70 . The method of  claim 57  in which the pattern of the loop-engageable fastener elements is determined by a resin-receiving pattern in a peripheral surface of a first roll.  
   
   
       71 . The method of  claim 70  in which the resin-receiving pattern in the peripheral surface of the roll is continuous about the roll, and produces a corresponding continuous pattern of loop-engageable fasteners.  
   
   
       72 . The method of  claim 70  in which the resin is supplied to the roll continuously in at least one relatively narrow location that corresponds with at least a portion of the pattern in the peripheral surface of the roll.  
   
   
       73 . The method of  claim 70  in which the resin is supplied to the roll at a plurality of locations corresponding with portions of the pattern in the peripheral surface of the roll.  
   
   
       74 . The method of  claim 70  in which the first roll cooperates with a second roll to form a nip, and in which a material path is arranged, along which the running length of flexible material enters the nip, the first face of the material being directed toward the first roll and the second face of the material being directed toward the second roll, the method further comprising: 
 introducing the running length of flexible material via the material path to the nip;    causing the molten resin to be of relatively limited extent, and positioned with respect to the extent of the flexible material moving in the path, such that at least a portion of the resin bonds to a first portion of the first face of the flexible material while a second portion of the first face of the flexible material remains free of the resin; and    employing the nip to leave resin of the limited extent on the composite and in accordance with the pattern in the peripheral surface of the first roll.    
   
   
       75 . A method, using a forming apparatus, of manufacturing a touch fastener product having discrete loop-engageable fastener elements in a selected region, in accordance with a pattern in a peripheral surface of a first roll, the method comprising 
 forming a composite by 
 providing at least one running length of pre-formed, flexible material having first and second oppositely directed faces;  
 causing a resin-supplying part of the forming apparatus to cooperate with the roll, to leave resin, in accordance with the pattern of the roll, bonded to a predetermined, discrete region of the first face of the material, while leaving another predetermined discrete region of the first face of the material substantially free of the resin; and  
 causing portions of the resin, corresponding to the pattern, to be formed into discrete, loop-engageable fastener elements that project outwardly from the first face of the flexible material; and  
   cutting the formed composite in a manner to produce at least one discrete touch fastener product that has both loop-engageable fastener elements and a portion comprised of the pre-formed flexible material that is free of the resin.    
   
   
       76 . The method of  claim 75  including selecting the flexible material to be a material bearing engageable fastener loops, and so forming and cutting the formed composite as to provide a fastener product capable of being wrapped about one or more objects and secured by engagement of loop-engageable fastener elements with engageable fastener loops of the product.  
   
   
       77 . The method of  claim 75  including applying adhesive at a selected region of the composite to serve to attach the touch fastener product to a disposable article.  
   
   
       78 . The method of  claim 75  in which the loop-engageable fastener elements are produced only in multiple, spaced-apart regions of said composite.  
   
   
       79 . The method of  claim 78  in which the spaced-apart regions comprise continuous bands.  
   
   
       80 . The method of  claim 78  in which the multiple, spaced-apart regions of loop-engageable fastener elements are formed on a single relatively broad face of the flexible material.  
   
   
       81 . The method of  claim 75  in which a distribution of the loop-engageable fastener elements is produced that is narrower than the predetermined region of the first face that is substantially free of the resin.  
   
   
       82 . The method of  claim 75  in which the second face of the flexible material is entirely covered with engageable fastener loops.  
   
   
       83 . The method of  claim 75  in which the first face of the flexible material bears both engageable fastener loops and the pattern of discrete, loop-engageable fastener elements.  
   
   
       84 . The method of  claim 75  in which the region of the flexible material to which the resin is introduced, and the region of the first face of the flexible material that is free of resin, are of identical construction.  
   
   
       85 . The method of  claim 75  in which the flexible material comprises a uniform non-woven, woven or knit material defining engageable fastener loops.  
   
   
       86 . The method of  claim 75  in which the loop-engageable fastener elements are formed as loop-engageable fastener hooks having crook-form tips.  
   
   
       87 . The method of  claim 75  in which the loop-engageable fastener elements are formed as loop-engageable mushrooms.  
   
   
       88 . The method of  claim 75  in which the resin-receiving pattern in the peripheral surface of the roll is continuous about the roll, and produces a corresponding continuous pattern of loop-engageable fasteners.  
   
   
       89 . The method of  claim 75  in which the resin is supplied to the roll continuously in at least one relatively narrow location that corresponds with at least a portion of the pattern in the peripheral surface of the roll.  
   
   
       90 . The method of  claim 75  in which the resin is supplied to the roll at a plurality of locations corresponding with portions of the pattern in the peripheral surface of the roll.  
   
   
       91 . The method of  claim 75  in which the resin-supplying part of the forming apparatus comprises an extruder outlet that produces an extrusion of the resin.  
   
   
       92 . The method of  claim 91  in which the extruder is employed to extrude a continuous band of molten resin.  
   
   
       93 . The method of  claim 75  in which the first roll cooperates with a second roll to form a nip, and in which a material path is arranged along which the running length of the flexible material enters the nip with the first face of the material being directed toward the first roll and the second face of the material being directed toward the second roll, the method further comprising: 
 introducing the running length of flexible material via the material path to the nip;    causing the molten resin to be of relatively limited extent and positioned with respect to an extent of the pre-formed, flexible material moving in the path, such that at least a portion of the resin bonds to a first portion of the first face of the material while a second portion of the first face of the material remains free of the resin; and    employing the nip formed by the rolls to leave resin of limited extent on the composite and in accordance with the pattern in the peripheral surface of the first roll.    
   
   
       94 . A composite sheet-form material having a region of touch fastener elements and constructed to be cut into multiple fastener products, the composite material comprising a longitudinally continuous, self-supporting sheet of loop-bearing material having oppositely directed, broad faces, and engageable fastener loops extending from at least one of the faces, a discrete region of the first face of the loop-bearing material supporting discrete, loop-engageable fastener elements formed of melt-deposited synthetic resin and positioned to engage loops located in another region of the loop-bearing material during use, the loop-engageable fastener elements being permanently bonded to said discrete region of the first face of the loop-bearing material as a result of introduction of molten resin to that face of the loop-bearing material without penetrating through the thickness of the loop-bearing material, at least another portion of the first face of the loop-bearing material being substantially free of the synthetic resin.  
   
   
       95 . The composite material of  claim 94  configured to be wrapped about one or more objects and secured by engagement of the loop-engageable fastener elements with engageable loops of the loop-bearing material.  
   
   
       96 . The composite material of  claim 94  including adhesive in at least at one selected region of the composite, to serve to attach a respective touch fastener product severed from the sheet-form material to an article.  
   
   
       97 . The composite material of  claim 94  in which the loop-engageable fastener elements are located only in multiple, spaced-apart regions of the sheet-form composite.  
   
   
       98 . The composite material of  claim 97  in which the loop-engageable fasteners are arranged only in multiple, continuous, spaced-apart bands.  
   
   
       99 . The composite material of  claim 97  in which the multiple, spaced-apart regions of loop-engageable fasteners are formed on a single, relatively wide sheet of loop-bearing material.  
   
   
       100 . The composite material of  claim 94  in which a distribution of the loop-engageable fastener elements is narrower than the portion of the first face that is substantially free of the resin.  
   
   
       101 . The composite material of  claim 94  in which a second face of the flexible material is entirely covered with engageable fastener loops.  
   
   
       102 . The composite material of  claim 94  in which the first face of the material bears both engageable loops and the discrete, loop-engageable fastener elements.  
   
   
       103 . The composite material of  claim 94  in which the region of the preformed material supporting loop-engageable fasteners, and the region of the first face of the preformed material substantially free of resin, are of identical construction.  
   
   
       104 . The composite material of  claim 94  in which the flexible loop-bearing material comprises a uniform non-woven, woven or knit material defining engageable fastener loops.  
   
   
       105 . The composite material of  claim 94  in which the loop-engageable fastener elements are loop-engageable fastener hooks having crook-form tips.  
   
   
       106 . The composite material of  claim 94  in which the loop-engageable fastener elements are loop-engageable mushrooms.  
   
   
       107 . A method, using a forming apparatus including a mold roll, of manufacturing a touch fastener product having discrete loop-engageable fastener elements in a selected region in accordance with a pattern of mold cavities in an outer surface of the mold roll, the mold cavities shaped to form projections, the method comprising 
 forming a fastener composite by 
 providing at least one running length of pre-formed, flexible material having oppositely directed first and second faces;  
 causing the mold roll to act upon molten resin to leave resin molded as discrete projections in accordance with the mold cavities and bonded to a predetermined, discrete region of the first face of the material without the resin penetrating the full thickness of the flexible material, while leaving another predetermined region of the first face of the material substantially free of the resin; and  
 providing loop-engageable fastener features on the molded projections; and  
   cutting the composite to form at least one touch fastener product that has both loop-engageable fastener elements and a portion comprised of the flexible material that is free of the resin.    
   
   
       108 . The method of  claim 107  including selecting the flexible material to bear fastener loops, and so forming and cutting the composite as to provide a fastener product capable of being wrapped about one or more objects and secured by engagement of the loop-engageable fastener features with engageable fastener loops of the product.  
   
   
       109 . The method of  claim 107  including applying adhesive to a selected region of the composite to serve to attach the fastener product to an article.  
   
   
       110 . The method of  claim 107  in which the projections with loop-engageable fastener features are produced only in multiple, spaced-apart regions of said fastener composite.  
   
   
       111 . The method of  claim 110  in which the spaced-apart regions comprise continuous bands.  
   
   
       112 . The method of claim  1   10  in which the multiple, spaced-apart regions of projections with loop-engageable fastener features are provided on a single, relatively broad surface of the flexible material.  
   
   
       113 . The method of  claim 107  in which a distribution of the projections with loop-engageable fastener features is produced that is narrower than the predetermined region of the first face that is substantially free of the resin.  
   
   
       114 . The method of  claim 107  in which the second face of the flexible material is entirely covered with engageable fastener loops.  
   
   
       115 . The method of  claim 107  in which the first face of the flexible material bears both engageable fastener loops and a pattern of the discrete projections.  
   
   
       116 . The method of  claim 107  in which the region of the flexible material to which the resin is bonded, and the region of the flexible material that is substantially free of resin, are of identical construction.  
   
   
       117 . The method of  claim 107  in which the flexible material comprises a uniform non-woven, woven or knit material defining engageable fastener loops.  
   
   
       118 . The method of  claim 107  in which the loop-engageable fastener features are crook-form tips of fastener hooks.  
   
   
       119 . The method of  claim 107  in which the loop-engageable fastener features are heads of loop-engageable mushrooms.  
   
   
       120 . The method of  claim 107  in which the pattern of mold cavities is continuous about the mold roll, and produces a corresponding continuous pattern of projections.  
   
   
       121 . The method of  claim 107  in which the resin is supplied to the roll continuously in at least one relatively narrow location that corresponds with at least a portion of the pattern of cavities.  
   
   
       122 . The method of  claim 107  in which the resin is supplied to the roll at a plurality of locations corresponding with respective portions of the pattern of mold cavities of the roll.  
   
   
       123 . The method of  claim 107  in which the cavities of the mold roll are constructed to mold stem portions of the loop-engageable fasteners integral with a common resin layer that, at least in part, is bonded to the first face of the flexible material.  
   
   
       124 . The method of  claim 123  in which the cavities of the mold roll are constructed to mold loop-engageable fastener hooks having crook-form tips at the outer ends of molded stems.  
   
   
       125 . The method of  claim 107  in which the mold roll cooperates with a second roll to form a nip, and in which a material path is arranged along which the running length of the flexible material enters the nip with the first face of the material being directed toward the mold roll and the second face of the material being directed toward the second roll, the method further comprising: 
 introducing the running length of flexible material via the material path to the nip;    causing the molten resin to be of relatively limited extent and positioned with respect to an extent of the flexible material moving in the path such that at least a portion of the resin bonds to a first portion of the first face of the material while a second portion of the first face of the material remains free of the resin; and    employing the nip to leave resin of limited extent on the formed composite, with portions of the resin shaped in accordance with the mold cavities of the first roll.    
   
   
       126 . The method of  claim 125  in which conditions at the nip are maintained to produce a common base of resin that is bonded to the first portion of the first face of the material, a multiplicity of discrete projections of resin corresponding to the pattern of cavities in the first roll projecting outwardly from the common base.  
   
   
       127 . The method of  claim 126  in which the flexible material comprises non-woven, woven or knit material comprised of fibers, and in which the molten resin forming the common base encapsulates fibers at the first face of the material.  
   
   
       128 . The method of  claim 127  in which fibers of the flexible material are of a thermoplastic resin having a higher melting temperature than a temperature at which the molten resin is introduced to the flexible material.  
   
   
       129 . The method of  claim 126  in which the common base of resin is produced with a linear form.  
   
   
       130 . The method of  claim 126  in which the projections comprise molded fastener elements capable of engaging loops.  
   
   
       131 . The method of  claim 125  further comprising stripping the formed projections from the rotating mold roll.  
   
   
       132 . The method of  claim 125  in which the molten resin is supplied to the nip from an extruder.  
   
   
       133 . A method of manufacturing a touch fastener product, the method comprising: 
 providing a forming apparatus that includes 
 a first rotatable, cooled mold roll defining a peripheral forming surface and a plurality of mold cavities extending inwardly from that surface for molding stems integral with a common base of resin shaped by the forming surface;  
 a second rotatable roll positioned to cooperate with the mold roll to define a nip, the apparatus defining a longitudinal path into the nip for a running length of preformed sheet material; and  
 a resin delivery device arranged to deliver molten resin of limited lateral extent, with an edge of the delivered molten resin disposed over the sheet material in the path while a portion of the sheet material extends laterally beyond the delivered resin;  
   introducing to the nip a running length of preformed sheet material and the resin of the limited lateral extent, the resin disposed between the mold roll and a face of the sheet material directed toward the mold roll;    employing pressure of the nip to cause the resin to fill the cavities to mold stems integral with a common resin base, while causing the resin base to bond under pressure to the face of the sheet material without penetrating the sheet material, there remaining a portion of the sheet material extending laterally beyond the resin and remaining substantially free of the resin;    causing portions of the resin to be formed into loop-engageable fastener features at ends of the stems, thereby forming a fastener composite; and thereafter    cutting the fastener composite to produce at least one touch fastener product having both loop-engageable fastener features and a portion of flexible material that is substantially free of resin.    
   
   
       134 . The method of  claim 133  including selecting the sheet material to be loop-bearing material, and so forming and cutting the composite, as to provide a fastener product capable of being wrapped about one or more objects and secured by engagement of loop-engageable fastener features with engageable fastener loops of the product.  
   
   
       135 . The method of  claim 133  including applying adhesive at a selected region of the fastener composite to serve to attach the touch fastener product to an article.  
   
   
       136 . The method of  claim 133  in which the loop-engageable fastener features are produced only in multiple, spaced-apart regions of the fastener composite.  
   
   
       137 . The method of  claim 136  in which the spaced-apart regions comprise continuous bands.  
   
   
       138 . The method of  claim 136  in which the multiple, spaced-apart regions of loop-engageable fastener features are formed on a single relatively broad surface of the flexible material.  
   
   
       139 . The method of  claim 133  in which a distribution of the loop-engageable fastener features is produced that is narrower than the region of the first face that is substantially free of the resin.  
   
   
       140 . The method of  claim 133  in which a second face of the flexible material is entirely covered with engageable fastener loops.  
   
   
       141 . The method of  claim 133  in which the first face of the flexible material bears both engageable loops and a pattern of discrete loop-engageable fastener features.  
   
   
       142 . The method of  claim 133  in which a portion of the flexible material underlying the resin base is of identical construction to that portion of the flexible material that is substantially free of resin.  
   
   
       143 . The method of  claim 133  in which the flexible material comprises a uniform non-woven, woven or knit material defining engageable fastener loops.  
   
   
       144 . The method of  claim 133  in which the loop-engageable fastener features are crook-form tips of fastener hooks.  
   
   
       145 . The method of  claim 133  in which the loop-engageable fastener features are heads of loop-engageable mushrooms.  
   
   
       146 . The method of  claim 133  in which the pattern of mold cavities is continuous about the mold roll, and is used to produce a corresponding continuous pattern of stems.  
   
   
       147 . The method of  claim 133  in which the resin is supplied to the mold roll continuously in at least one relatively narrow region that contains at least some of the cavities of the mold roll.  
   
   
       148 . The method of  claim 133  in which the resin is supplied to the mold roll in a plurality of spaced-apart regions corresponding with respective regions of the cavities of the mold roll.  
   
   
       149 . The method of  claim 133  in which the cavities of the mold roll are constructed to mold functional, loop-engageable fastener elements each having a respective stem and at least one of the fastening features.  
   
   
       150 . The method of  claim 149  in which the cavities of the mold roll are constructed to mold loop-engageable fastener hooks having crook-form tips at the outer ends of molded stems.  
   
   
       151 . The method of  claim 133  in which the resin-supplying device includes an extruder outlet that produces resin as an extrusion.  
   
   
       152 . The method of  claim 151  in which the extruder is employed to extrude a continuous band of molten resin.  
   
   
       153 . The method of  claim 133  in which the flexible material comprises non-woven, woven or knit material comprised of fibers, and in which the molten resin forming the common base encapsulates fibers exposed at the face of the flexible material to which the resin is bonded.  
   
   
       154 . The method of  claim 153  in which fibers of the sheet material are of a thermoplastic resin having a higher melting temperature than a temperature at which the molten resin is introduced to the nip.  
   
   
       155 . The method of  claim 133  in which the common base of resin is produced as a linear band.  
   
   
       156 . The method of  claim 133  in which the flexible material extends under and is bonded to an entire width of said common base.  
   
   
       157 . The method of  claim 133  in which the molten resin is delivered to the mold roll as multiple, spaced-apart, extruded bands of moldable resin.  
   
   
       158 . A touch fastener product in the form of a flexible member constructed to be permanently attached to a disposable article, the fastener product comprising 
 a flexible support layer having oppositely directed faces; and    a loop-engageable component of thermoplastic resin permanently bonded to only a limited region of one of the faces of the flexible layer, the loop-engageable component comprising 
 a melt-deposited base of the resin bonded on said flexible layer and defining a lateral edge; and  
 a multiplicity of loop-engageable fastener elements having stems molded integrally with and extending from the base;  
   in which at least one portion of the flexible support layer that is adjacent to the edge of the base is substantially free of the deposited resin of which the loop-engageable component is comprised; and    in which the touch fastener product has a mounting region at which the flexible support layer is adapted to be permanently mounted on a disposable article.    
   
   
       159 . The touch fastener product of  claim 158  in which the flexible support layer is a non-woven, woven or knit material.  
   
   
       160 . The touch fastener product of  claim 158  further comprising adhesive disposed in the mounting region.  
   
   
       161 . The touch fastener product of  claim 160  in which the adhesive is pressure-sensitive adhesive.  
   
   
       162 . The touch fastener product of  claim 158  in which the fastener elements comprise molded projections with molded stems and molded heads at distal ends of their molded stems.