Hinged tab for slot and tab closure systems

• US 6,715,188 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Wood, Leigh E., Jackson, Byron M., Alberg, Randall L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAKRAN, VICTOR N
• Application Number:
  US10/253,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20040055123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 243/04, 243/06, 243/21, 243/18, 24/16.PB, 24/17.B, 245/00, 246/981, 604/387, 604/389, 604/390, 604/391
• US Class Current: 24/698.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5622 specially adapted for diapers or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/23 Bedclothes holders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/33 having adhesive fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/342 Buckle having plural receiving slots
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4091 Hook attached
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45969 Hook-shaped projection member passing through cavity

Abstract

There is provided an improved tab member for a closure system comprising a tab portion and a slot member. The slot member includes a slit or a loop, with the slot located between an inboard portion and an outboard portion. The tab portion has a tab member having a length, an inner edge, an outer edge and at least one lip portion. The tab member outer edge is passed through the slot of the slot member to engage the fastening device. Once passed through the slot, at least one lip portion of the tab member overlaps or catches the outboard portion of the slot member to prevent the tab member from disengaging from the slot member. The slot member outward portion is retained between the lip portion(s) and the underlying generally flexible tab carrier substrate.

Claims

1. A fastening tab laminate for use in a slot and tab closure system comprising a tab portion having a tab member and a tab substrate wherein the tab member has a outer edge and an inner edge, the inner edge forming at least one lip portion, the tab member and at least a portion of the tab substrate and the tab members are formed from at least one folded substrate web which substrate web within the tab member is permanently bonded to itself or an optional tab reinforcement element and wherein the lip portion is pivotable from the tab substrate such that it can pivot away from the tab substrate.

2. The fastening tab laminate of claim 1 wherein the at least one flexible substrate web is a porous web.

3. The fastening tab laminate of claim 2 wherein the at least one flexible substrate web is a nonwoven fibrous web.

4. The fastening tab laminate of claim 2 wherein there is a tab reinforcement formed of is a thermoplastic polymer material.

5. The fastening tab laminate of claim 4 wherein the rigid tab substrate thermoplastic material is at least partially penetrated into the porous structure of the flexible substrate web.

6. The fastening tab laminate of claim 5 wherein the at least one flexible substrate web forms the tab members with at least one outer fold and at least one inner fold with said outer fold and said inner fold forming the lip portion, the same at least one substrate web further forms at least a portion of the tab substrate.

7. The fastening tab laminate of claim 6 wherein the substrate web has at least two outer folds forming the tab member outer edge and inner edge.

8. The fastening tab laminate of claim 6 wherein the substrate web is coated with adhesive in at least the portions forming the tab member.

9. The fastening tab laminate of claim 8 wherein the adhesive is as pressure-sensitive adhesive.

10. The fastening tab laminate of claim 1 wherein the substrate web is adhesively laminated.

11. The fastening tab laminate of claim 1 wherein at least one elastic element is attached to the substrate web forming the tab substrate so as to provide an elastic fastening tab laminate.

12. The fastening tab laminate of claim 4 wherein the tab reinforcement has a curved outer edge.

13. The fastening tab laminate of claim 12 wherein the lip portion extends at least 3 to 10 mm from a pivot point or region.

14. The fastening tab laminate of claim 1 wherein the tab member has a Gurley stiffness of from 500 to 8000.

15. The fastening tab laminate of claim 14 wherein the tab substrate has a Gurley stiffness of from 1 to 500.

16. The fastening tab laminate of claim 15 wherein the tab member has a Gurley stiffness at least two times greater than that of the tab substrate.