TOUCH FASTENER PRODUCTS

• US 20090276986A1
• Filed: 05/12/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Velcro Industries BV (Chartwell Industries Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Velcro Industries BV (Chartwell Industries Ltd)
• Inventors: Janzen, Daniel Lee
• Application Number:
  US12/119,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20090276986A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 24/442
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0076 Adaptations for being fixed to a moulded article during moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/16 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1261 Avoiding impregnation of a preformed part
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/58 Upholstery or cushions, e.g. vehicle upholstery or interior padding mattresses, cushions B29L2031/751
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/771 Seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5833 by hook-and-loop type fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/27 including readily dissociable fastener having numerous, protruding, unitary filaments randomly interlocking with, and simultaneously moving towards, mating structure [e.g., hook-loop type fastener]

Abstract

Touch fasteners for use as mold inserts in molding seat foam buns include a strip-form base a magnetically attractable material disposed on the strip-form base; and film selvedges biased to depend downward from the strip-form base toward the fastening side, such that they will be deflected away from the fastening side as the fastener is pressed into an associated trench.

Claims

1. A touch fastener strip comprising:

a strip-form base comprising a first face and a second opposing face extending between lateral edges;

a plurality of fastener elements extending in an array from the second face of the strip-form base;

a magnetically attractable material attached to the strip-form base;

a flexible backing secured to the first face of the base and extending beyond the lateral edges to form selvedges; and

wherein the backing is shaped such that the selvedges extend, in an unloaded state and in the direction of the fastener elements, beyond the second face of the strip-form base.

2. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the selvedges are deflectable towards the first face between about 10 and 160 degrees when placed in sealing engagement with a mold surface.

3. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the selvedges extend away from a plane of the first face of the strip-form base between about 20 and 70 degrees.

4. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the selvedges extend away from the plane of the first face of the strip-form base between about 25 and 35 degrees.

5. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the selvedges comprise a single continuous film secured to the strip-form base.

6. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the selvedges extend away from the base in a curve.

7. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the selvedges include a region of reduced stiffness to localize deflection of the selvedges.

8. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the selvedges deflect to lay in face-to-face contact with a mold surface.

9. The touch fastener of claim 8, wherein the mold surface is flat and the selvedges deflect into a mold contact position substantially parallel to the plane of the strip-form base.

10. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the selvedges are formed from a film attached to the first face of the sheet form base and cover the magnetically attractable material.

11. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the selvedges comprise a film less than about 0.010 inch (0.254 mm) thick.

12. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the selvedges are a woven or a non-woven fabric.

13. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the magnetically attractable material is disposed in a strip extending substantially an entire length of the touch fastener and substantially centered in a width of the touch fastener.

14. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the magnetically attractable material is disposed on the second face of the strip-form base.

15. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the magnetically attractable material is a frangible composite material.

16. The touch fastener of claim 1, wherein the strip-form base includes a peripheral portion that is free of fastener elements for forming a primary sealing interface with the mold and the selvedges extend beyond the base to form a secondary sealing interface with the mold.

17. A method of forming a seat foam bun, the method comprising:

providing a mold cavity having a shape corresponding to a desired shape of the foam bun;

positioning a touch fastener in the mold cavity, the touch fastener comprising a strip-form base comprising a first face and a second opposing face;

a plurality of fastener elements disposed in an array on the second face of the strip-form base;

a magnetically attractable material attached to the strip-form base;

flexible lateral selvedges extending in an unloaded state beyond the second face of the strip-form base in the direction of the fastener elements at an angle θ

between 10 and 80 degrees from the plane of the strip-form base; and

delivering a foamable resin into the mold cavity to form a seat foam bun, the resin flowing across the selvedges of the touch fastener.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising deflecting the selvedges towards the first face between about 10 and 160 degrees into face-to-face contact with a mold surface.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the touch fastener further comprises a material disposed on the second face of the base, the material surrounding the plurality of fastener elements and forming a gasket between the base and a surface of the mold cavity.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the selvedges extend at an angle θ

between about 25 and 35 degrees.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the selvedges extend beyond the base in a curve.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the selvedges include a region of reduced stiffness to localize deflection of the selvedges.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the mold surface is flat and the selvedges deflect into a mold contact position substantially parallel to the strip-form base.

24. A seat foam bun comprising:

a foam bun; and

positioned onto the foam bun, a touch fastener comprising

a strip-form base comprising a first upper face and a second lower opposing face;

a plurality of fastener elements disposed in an array on the lower face of the strip-form base;

a magnetically attractable material secured to the strip-form base; and

flexible lateral selvedges extending beyond the strip-form base and being deflected upwards between about 10 and 160 degrees from an unloaded downward angle θ

of between 10 and 80 degrees relative to the plane of the strip-form base.