Fastening System Having Multicomponent Fiber Component Providing Enhanced Separation Resistance

Abstract

A fastening system including a landing zone formed at least in part of a nonwoven web formed of multicomponent fibers is disclosed. The landing zone may be operable to fastenable engage a cooperating fastening component. The multicomponent fibers may have a polyolefin fiber component and a non-polyolefin fiber component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fastening system, comprising:
 a landing zone having an outer fastening surface operable to fastenably engage a cooperating fastening component, the outer fastening surface being formed of a section of a nonwoven web formed at least in part of multicomponent fibers, wherein the multicomponent fibers have a polyolefin fiber component and a polyamide fiber component.   
     
     
         2 . The fastening system of  claim 1  wherein the cooperating component is patch of hooks operable to engage the multicomponent fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The fastening system of  claim 1  wherein the section of nonwoven web has a machine direction, the multicomponent fibers have a machine direction bias, and the section of nonwoven web bears an impressed pattern of thermal bonds. 
     
     
         4 . The fastening system of  claim 1  wherein the pattern of thermal bonds has an average frequency along any line that can be identified in the machine direction, of at least 0.5 bonds per cm. 
     
     
         5 . The fastening system of  claim 1  wherein the section of nonwoven web is formed in at least two layers of fibers including an underlying layer and an outer layer, and at least the outer layer comprises the multicomponent fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The fastening system of  claim 1  wherein the multicomponent fibers comprise from 1.0% to 50% by weight of the polyamide fiber component. 
     
     
         7 . The fastening system of  claim 1  wherein the polyamide fiber component is selected from the group consisting of polyamide 6, polyamide 6-6, a copolymer of polyamide 6 and polyamide 6-6, polyamide 6-10, polyamide 6-12, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The fastening system of  claim 1  wherein the respective melting points of the polyolefin fiber component and the polyamide fiber component are within 40° C. to 120° C. of each other. 
     
     
         9 . The fastening system of  claim 1  wherein the respective densities of the polyolefin fiber component and the polyamide fiber component are within 0.11 g/cm 3  to 0.45 g/cm 3  of each other. 
     
     
         10 . A hook-and-loop fastening system, comprising:
 a patch of hooks; and   a landing zone having an outer fastening surface operable to fastenably engage the hooks, the outer fastening surface being formed of a section of a nonwoven web formed at least in part of multicomponent fibers, wherein the multicomponent fibers have a polyolefin fiber component and a non-polyolefin fiber component.   
     
     
         11 . The fastening system of  claim 10  wherein the section of nonwoven web has a machine direction, the multicomponent fibers have a machine direction bias, and the section of nonwoven web bears an impressed pattern of thermal bonds. 
     
     
         12 . The fastening system of  claim 11  wherein the pattern of thermal bonds has an average frequency along any line that can be identified in the machine direction, of at least 0.5 bonds per cm. 
     
     
         13 . The fastening system of  claim 10  wherein the non-polyolefin fiber component is a polyester or a polyamide. 
     
     
         14 . The fastening system of  claim 10  wherein the section of nonwoven web is formed in at least two layers of fibers including an underlying layer and an outer layer, and at least the outer layer comprises the multicomponent fibers. 
     
     
         15 . The fastening system of  claim 10  wherein the non-polyolefin fiber component is a polyamide fiber component and the multicomponent fibers comprise from 10% to 50% by weight of the polyamide fiber component. 
     
     
         16 . The fastening system of  claim 10  wherein the non-polyolefin component is selected from the group consisting of polyamide 6, polyamide 6-6, a copolymer of polyamide 6 and polyamide 6-6, polyamide 6-10, polyamide 6-12, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The fastening system of  claim 10  wherein the polyolefin is a polypropylene. 
     
     
         18 . The fastening system of  claim 10  wherein the melting points of the polyolefin fiber component and the non-polyolefin fiber component are within 40° C. to 120° C. of each other. 
     
     
         19 . The fastening system of  claim 10  wherein the respective densities of the polyolefin fiber component and the non-polyolefin fiber component are within  0 . 11  g/cm 3  to  0 . 45  g/cm 3  of each other.