Closure system and method of manufacture

Abstract

A closure system that combines a base tab with a stable carrier tab for supporting a fastening component and methods of manufacturing the closure system are disclosed. The carrier tab overlaps only one side of the base tab and is connected to the base tab by a bonding tape. The bonding tape is located over the inner edge of the carrier tab with a portion of the bonding tape being attached to the base tab and another portion of the bonding tape being attached to the carrier tab. As a result, a portion of the carrier tab is located between the bonding tape and the base tab.

1 . A closure system comprising: 
 a base tab comprising an outer edge and first and second major surfaces;    a carrier tab comprising first and second major surfaces, an inner edge, and an opposing outer edge, the inner edge and the outer edge defining a length of the carrier tab;    a fastener component attached to at least one of the first and second major surfaces of the carrier tab;    an overlap region in which a portion of the first major surface of the carrier tab faces the second major surface of the base tab such that the outer edge of the base tab is located between the inner and outer edges of the carrier tab; and    bonding tape attached to the second major surface of the base tab adjacent the overlap region, the bonding tape further attached to the first major surface of the carrier tab within the overlap region, wherein the inner edge of the carrier tab is located between the bonding tape and the second major surface of the base tab.    
   
   
       2 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein no adhesive is located between the first major surface of the carrier tab and the second major surface of the base tab within the overlap region.  
   
   
       3 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the base tab exhibits elasticity.  
   
   
       4 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bonding tape is adhesively attached to the base tab and the carrier tab.  
   
   
       5 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bonding tape is welded to the base tab and the carrier tab.  
   
   
       6 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bonding tape is adhesively attached and welded to the base tab and the carrier tab.  
   
   
       7 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bonding tape comprises a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive facing the base tab and the carrier tab.  
   
   
       8 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrier tab is inelastic.  
   
   
       9 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bonding tape is inelastic.  
   
   
       10 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein the base tab comprises an integral portion of a disposable garment.  
   
   
       11 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastener component is adhesively attached to the carrier tab.  
   
   
       12 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastener component comprises a mechanical fastener component.  
   
   
       13 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bonding tape is coextensive with a width of the carrier tab as measured transverse to the length of the carrier tab.  
   
   
       14 . A closure system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastener component is coextensive with a width of the carrier tab as measured transverse to the length of the carrier tab.  
   
   
       15 . A closure system comprising: 
 an elastic base tab comprising an outer edge and first and second major surfaces;    a carrier tab comprising first and second major surfaces, an inner edge, and an opposing outer edge, the inner edge and the outer edge defining a length of the carrier tab, wherein the carrier tab is inelastic;    a fastener component attached to at least one of the first and second major surfaces of the carrier tab;    an overlap region in which a portion of the first major surface of the carrier tab faces the second major surface of the elastic base tab such that the outer edge of the elastic base tab is located between the inner and outer edges of the carrier tab; and    a bonding tape adhesively attached and welded to the second major surface of the elastic base tab adjacent the overlap region, the bonding tape further adhesively attached and welded to the first major surface of the carrier tab within the overlap region, wherein the inner edge of the carrier tab is located between the bonding tape and the second major surface of the elastic base tab, and further wherein the bonding tape is inelastic.    
   
   
       16 . A method of manufacturing a composite web for closure systems, the method comprising: 
 providing a base tab web comprising an outer edge and first and second major surfaces;    providing a carrier tab web comprising first and second major surfaces, an inner edge, and an opposing outer edge;    aligning the base tab web and the carrier tab web to form an overlap region in which a portion of the first major surface of the carrier tab web faces the second major surface of the base tab web such that the outer edge of the base tab web is located between the inner and outer edges of the carrier tab web;    aligning a bonding tape over the inner edge of the carrier tab web, wherein the inner edge of the carrier tab web is located between the bonding tape and the second major surface of the base tab web;    attaching the bonding tape to the second major surface of the base tab web adjacent the overlap region;    attaching the bonding tape to the first major surface of the carrier tab web within the overlap region; and    attaching a fastener component web to at least one of the first and second major surfaces of the carrier tab web.    
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein no adhesive is located between the first major surface of the carrier tab web and the second major surface of the base tab web within the overlap region.  
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the base tab web comprises elastic sheet material.  
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein attaching the bonding tape to the base tab web and the carrier tab web comprises adhesively attaching the bonding tape to the base tab web and the carrier tab web.  
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein attaching the bonding tape to the base tab web and the carrier tab web comprises welding the bonding tape to the base tab web and the carrier tab web.  
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein attaching the bonding tape to the base tab web and the carrier tab web comprises adhesively attaching the bonding tape to the base tab web and the carrier tab web and welding the bonding tape to the base tab web and the carrier tab web.  
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the bonding tape comprises a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive facing the base tab web and the carrier tab web.  
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the carrier tab web is inelastic.  
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the bonding tape is inelastic.  
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein attaching the fastener component web to the carrier tab web comprises adhesively attaching the fastener component web to the carrier tab web.  
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the fastener component web comprises a mechanical fastener component web.  
   
   
       27 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising separating the composite web into a plurality of discrete closure systems after attaching the bonding tape web to the base tab web and the carrier tab web and attaching the fastener component web to the carrier tab web, wherein each discrete closure system of the plurality of discrete closure systems comprises a base tab, carrier tab, a bonding tape, and a fastener component.  
   
   
       28 . A method of manufacturing a composite web for closure systems, the method comprising: 
 providing an elastic base tab web comprising an outer edge and first and second major surfaces;    providing a carrier tab web comprising first and second major surfaces, an inner edge, and an opposing outer edge, wherein the carrier tab web is inelastic;    aligning the elastic base tab web and the carrier tab web to form an overlap region in which a portion of the first major surface of the carrier tab web faces the second major surface of the elastic base tab web such that the outer edge of the elastic base tab web is located between the inner and outer edges of the carrier tab web;    aligning a bonding tape over the inner edge of the carrier tab web, wherein the inner edge of the carrier tab web is located between the bonding tape and the second major surface of the elastic base tab web, and wherein the bonding tape is inelastic, and further wherein the bonding tape comprises a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive facing the elastic base tab web and the carrier tab web;    adhesively attaching and welding the bonding tape to the second major surface of the elastic base tab web adjacent the overlap region;    adhesively attaching and welding the bonding tape to the first major surface of the carrier tab web within the overlap region; and    attaching a fastener component web to at least one of the first and second major surfaces of the carrier tab web.