Laminated hook fastener

• US 6,248,419 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1998
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Velcro Industries BV (Chartwell Industries Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Velcro Industries BV (Chartwell Industries Ltd)
• Inventors: Provest, George A., Kennedy, William J., Rocha, Gerald F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmad, Nasser
• Application Number:
  US09/162,949
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 428/100, 428/99, 243/06, 244/42, 244/45, 244/47, 244/48, 244/50, 244/52, 442/2, 442/6, 442/30, 442/33, 442/38, 442/50
• US Class Current: 428/100
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0003 Fastener constructions A44B18/0023, A44B18/0046 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0007 in which each part has similar elements
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0049 obtained by moulding processes compression moulding or articles of indefinite length characterised by the shape of the surface B29C43/222; screen moulding B29C67/08
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0073 Attaching means
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0084 Double-sided
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0092 flame retardant
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/461 the rollers having specific surface features
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/465 having one or more cavities, e.g. for forming distinct products
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/222 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/46 Rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/025 Fibrous surfaces with piles or similar fibres substantially perpendicular to the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 5/00 Producing elements of slide fasteners; Combined making and attaching of elements of slide fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/729 Hook and loop-type fasteners
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2708 Combined with diverse fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2733 having filaments formed from continuous element interwoven or knitted into distinct, mounting surface fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/275 with feature facilitating or causing attachment of filaments to mounting surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2758 Thermal or adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2775 having opposed structure formed from distinct filaments of diverse shape to those mating therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2792 : having mounting surface and filaments constructed from common piece of material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24008 : including fastener for attaching to external surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24017 : Hook or barb
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249958 : Void-containing component is synthetic resin or natural rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249959 : Void-containing component is wood or paper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/102 : Woven scrim
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/109 : Metal or metal-coated fiber-containing scrim
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/15 : Including a foam layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/155 : Including a paper layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/164 : Including a preformed film, foil, or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/184 : Nonwoven scrim

Abstract

An extruded hook fastener strip is created on a roll having hook forming cavities in its surface by extruding plastic material into the interface between the forming roll and a second strip carried by a backing roll. The second strip is firmly bonded to the fastener strip on that side opposite the formed hooks.

Claims

1. A fastener product having a multiplicity of fastener elements extending from a strip-form base and a performed material bonded to at least part of the strip-form base, the product produced by the method comprising:

continuously introducing molten resin to a gap defined adjacent a peripheral surface of a rotating mold roll, such that the resin forms at least a part of the strip-form base of the product at the peripheral mold roll surface and fills an array of fixed cavities defined in the rotating mold roll to form portions of the fastener elements as projections extending from a side of the sheet-form base;

while

introducing a preformed material to resin on the mold roll under conditions selected to cause the preformed material to become permanently bonded by the resin to at least a portion of the product;

solidifying the resin; and

stripping the solidified resin from the peripheral surface of the mold roll by pulling the projections from their respective cavities.

2. The product of claim 1 wherein the preformed material comprises a non-woven fabric.

3. The product of claim 1 wherein the preformed material is a reinforcing scrim.

4. The product of claim 1 wherein the preformed material is porous, the resin infusing into pores of the sheet material as the resin and material are bonded.

5. The product of claim 1 wherein the preformed material comprises paper.

6. The product of claim 1 wherein the preformed material comprises foam.

7. The product of claim 1 wherein said material is lengthwise-continuous and introduced as at least one running length.

8. The product of claim 1 wherein the gap is defined between the mold roll and a counter-rotating pressure roll.

9. The product of claim 8 wherein the material is lengthwise-continuous and introduced as at least one running length which is delivered to and progresses along at least a portion of the pressure roll before being introduced to the resin.

10. The product of claim 1 wherein stripping the resin from the peripheral surface of the mold roll includes passing the product about a stripping roll.

11. The product of claim 1 wherein the cavities are shaped to form fastener elements and wherein the projections comprise an array of molded fastener elements.

12. The product of claim 1 wherein the cavities are shaped to form fastener elements adapted to engage loops.

13. The product of claim 1 wherein the preformed material forms a backing of the product.

14. The product of claim 1 wherein the preformed material has a first region encapsulated within resin of the base of the product, and a second region free of resin of the base of the product.

15. The product of claim 1 wherein the preformed material has loops or fibers exposed in the product for engaging the fastener elements.

16. The product of claim 1 wherein the preformed material is laminated to resin of the base in the gap.

17. The product of claim 1 wherein the preformed material extends across the back of the product.

18. The product of claim 1 wherein the preformed material is selected from the group consisting of non-woven fabrics, woven and knitted textiles, reinforcing yarns, scrims and nettings, sheets of paper, plastic films and metallic window screening.

19. The product of claim 1 wherein the preformed material is introduced to the resin at the gap.

20. The product of claim 1 wherein the resin is solidified downstream of the point of introduction of the preformed material to the resin.

21. A fastener product comprising

resin forming both a portion of a strip-form base and an array of loop-engageable fastener elements having molded stems rising from a broad surface of the strip-form base;

and

a longitudinally continuous sheet material permanently bonded to the resin during formation of the strip-form base and the molding of the stems by introducing the sheet material to the resin before the base solidifies.

22. The product of claim 21 wherein the sheet material forms a backing of the product, on a broad side of the strip-form base opposite the side from which the stems extend.

23. The product of claim 21 wherein the sheet material carries loops for engagement by the fastener elements.

24. The product of claim 21 wherein the fastener elements are of form molded and cooled simultaneously with contiguous resin of the strip-form base.