Composite webs and closure systems

Abstract

Composite webs having one or more polymeric structures located on a substrate, closure systems comprising composite webs, and methods of attaching articles are disclosed. The polymeric structures are formed using thermoplastic compositions and are attached to a surface of a substrate. The polymeric structures include an area that is attached to the substrate and a detached area that is not attached to a surface of a substrate.

1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
   
   
       15 . A composite web comprising:
 a substrate comprising a first major surface; and   one or more polymeric structures of a thermoplastic composition attached to the first major surface of the substrate;   wherein each polymeric structure of the one or more polymeric structures occupies an area of the first major surface of the substrate;   and wherein the area occupied by at least one polymeric structure of the one or more polymeric structures comprises a bonded area in which the thermoplastic composition of the polymeric structure is attached to the first major surface and three or more distinct detached areas extending from the bonded area, wherein the three or more distinct detached areas are cantilevered over but not attached to the first major surface of the substrate.   
   
   
       16 . A composite web according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the distinct detached areas comprises a stem comprising a free end supported above the first major surface of the substrate, wherein the free end is adapted to engage fibers of a loop material. 
   
   
       17 . A composite web according to  claim 15 , wherein the first major surface of the substrate comprises polymeric material with a melt processing temperature at or below a melt processing temperature of the thermoplastic composition of the one or more polymeric structures. 
   
   
       18 . A composite web according to  claim 17 , wherein the polymeric material comprises polymeric film. 
   
   
       19 . A composite web according to  claim 15 , wherein the first major surface of the substrate comprises a porous surface, and wherein the thermoplastic composition in the bonded areas of the one or more polymeric structures infiltrates into the porous first major surface of the substrate. 
   
   
       20 . A composite web according to  claim 15 , wherein the first major surface of the substrate comprises polymeric fibers with a melt processing temperature at or below a melt processing temperature of the thermoplastic composition of the one or more polymeric structures. 
   
   
       21 . A composite web according to  claim 15 , wherein the first major surface of the substrate comprises fibers, and further wherein at least a portion of at least some of the fibers are encapsulated in the thermoplastic composition within the bonded area. 
   
   
       22 . A composite web according to  claim 15 , wherein the thermoplastic composition of the one or more polymeric structures comprises one or more elastomeric polymeric components such that the one or more polymeric structures exhibit elastic behavior. 
   
   
       23 . A composite web according to  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the distinct detached areas comprises a barb. 
   
   
       24 . A composite web according to  claim 15 , wherein the first major surface of the substrate comprises one or more raised portions and surrounding valleys, wherein the bonded area of the at least one of the one or more polymeric structures is attached to one of the one or more raised portions. 
   
   
       25 . A closure system comprising:
 a first closure element comprising a thermoplastic polymeric structure attached to a first major surface of a first substrate, wherein the first closure element occupies an area of the first major surface of the first substrate, wherein the area occupied by the first closure element comprises a bonded area in which the thermoplastic polymeric structure is attached to the first major surface of the first substrate and a detached area in which the thermoplastic polymeric structure is not attached to the first major surface of the first substrate, wherein a portion of the thermoplastic polymeric structure in the detached area comprises a first cantilevered tab supported above the first major surface of the first substrate; and wherein the bonded area of the first closure element, the cantilevered tab of the first closure element, and the first major surface of the first substrate form a first pocket; and   a second closure element comprising a thermoplastic polymeric structure attached to a first major surface of a second substrate, wherein the second closure element occupies an area of the first major surface of the second substrate, wherein the area occupied by the second closure element comprises a bonded area in which the thermoplastic polymeric structure is attached to the first major surface of the second substrate and a detached area in which the thermoplastic polymeric structure is not attached to the first major surface of the second substrate, wherein a portion of the thermoplastic polymeric structure in the detached area comprises a second cantilevered tab supported above the first major surface of the second substrate, and wherein the bonded area of the second closure element, the cantilevered tab of the second closure element, and the first major surface of the second substrate form a second pocket;   wherein the cantilevered tab of the first closure element is located in the second pocket and the cantilevered tab of the second closure element is located in the first pocket when the closure system is in a closed configuration.   
   
   
       26 . A closure system according to  claim 25 , wherein the bonded area of the thermoplastic polymeric structure of the first closure element comprises a U-shaped bonded area, and wherein at least a portion of the cantilevered tab of the second closure element is located within the U-shaped bonded area when the closure system is in the closed configuration. 
   
   
       27 . A closure system according to  claim 25 , wherein the bonded area of the thermoplastic polymeric structure of the first closure element comprises a U-shaped bonded area, and wherein at least a portion of the cantilevered tab of the second closure element is located within the U-shaped bonded area of the first closure element when the closure system is in the closed configuration;
 and wherein the bonded area of the thermoplastic polymeric structure of the second closure element comprises a U-shaped bonded area, and wherein at least a portion of the cantilevered tab of the first closure element is located within the U-shaped bonded area of the second closure element when the closure system is in the closed configuration.   
   
   
       28 .- 31 . (canceled) 
   
   
       32 . A closure system comprising:
 a substrate comprising a first major surface and one or more polymeric structures attached to the first major surface of the substrate, wherein each polymeric structure of the one or more polymeric structures occupies an area of the first major surface of the substrate, and wherein the area occupied by at least one polymeric structure of the one or more polymeric structures comprises a bonded area in which the thermoplastic composition of the polymeric structure is attached to the first major surface and three or more distinct detached areas extending from the bonded area in which the polymeric structure is not attached to the first major surface of the substrate, and further wherein, in the three or more distinct detached areas, the at least one polymeric structure is cantilevered over the first major surface of the substrate; and   a complementary surface comprising one or more openings capable of receiving the distinct detached areas of the one or more polymeric structures;   wherein in a closed configuration, the first major surface of the substrate faces the complementary surface, and further wherein at least one of the distinct detached areas of the at least one polymeric structure is located within the one or more openings of the complementary surface such that movement of the complementary surface and the substrate relative to each other is restricted.   
   
   
       33 . A closure system according to  claim 32 , wherein the one or more openings of the complementary surface comprise fiber loops. 
   
   
       34 . A closure system according to  claim 32 , wherein each of the distinct detached areas comprises a stem comprising a free end supported above the first major surface of the substrate, wherein the free end of at least one distinct detached area is located within one opening of the one or more openings of the complementary surface when the closure system is in the closed configuration.