Loop fabric
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A loop composite comprising:
- a nonwoven loop layer formed from a nonwoven web comprised of fibers formed from thermoplastic polymers, copolymers or blends; and
an oriented film layer bonded to the nonwoven loop layer where the composite has bonded regions and unbonded regions and the film is oriented at least between the bonded regions, the unbonded regions forming arcuate mounds wherein the nonwoven web is autogenously bonded to the film layer by some of the fibers of the nonwoven web being encapsulated within the film layer at the bonded regions.
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Abstract
This invention relates to a low cost loop material for a hook and loop fastener having at least one sheet of flexible nonwoven material intermittently bonded to inelastic oriented film. The invention further relates to methods for producing these loops.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A loop composite comprising:
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a nonwoven loop layer formed from a nonwoven web comprised of fibers formed from thermoplastic polymers, copolymers or blends; and an oriented film layer bonded to the nonwoven loop layer where the composite has bonded regions and unbonded regions and the film is oriented at least between the bonded regions, the unbonded regions forming arcuate mounds wherein the nonwoven web is autogenously bonded to the film layer by some of the fibers of the nonwoven web being encapsulated within the film layer at the bonded regions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of forming a loop composite (1) providing a first sheet of flexible nonwoven material (e.g., nonwoven web of natural and/or polymeric fibers, and/or yarns);
- (2) forming the sheet of flexible nonwoven material to have arcuate portions projecting in the same direction from spaced anchor portions of the first sheet of flexible nonwoven material;
(3) extruding a sheet of thermoplastic material that is inelastic (e.g., polyesters, polyolefins, nylons, polystrenes) onto the first sheet of flexible loop material;
(4) providing the sheet of thermoplastic material while still molten to at least the spaced anchor portions of the first sheet of flexible nonwoven material to bond the extruded thermoplastic sheet to the nonwoven material at bond sites at the anchor portions; and
(5) orienting the extrusion bonded nonwoven fabric sheet composite in at least the longitudinal direction of the sheet thereby orienting the sheet and reducing the height of arcuate portions of the nonwoven.
- (2) forming the sheet of flexible nonwoven material to have arcuate portions projecting in the same direction from spaced anchor portions of the first sheet of flexible nonwoven material;
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25. A loop composite formed by the process of (1) providing a first sheet of flexible nonwoven material (e.g., nonwoven web of natural and/or polymeric fibers, and/or yarns);
- (2) forming the first sheet of flexible nonwoven material to have arcuate portions projecting in the same direction from spaced anchor portions of the first sheet of flexible nonwoven material;
(3) extruding a sheet of inelastic thermoplastic material onto the first sheet of flexible loop material;
(4) providing the sheet of thermoplastic material, while still molten, to at least the spaced anchor portions of the first sheet of flexible nonwoven material to autogenously bond the extruded thermoplastic sheet to the nonwoven material at bond sites at the anchor portions by encapsulating at least some of the fibers of the flexible nonwoven material into the extruded thermoplastic sheet at the bond sites; and
(5) orienting the extrusion bonded nonwoven fabric sheet composite in, at least the longitudinal direction of the sheet, thereby orienting the sheet and reducing the height of the arcuate portions of the flexible nonwoven material.
- (2) forming the first sheet of flexible nonwoven material to have arcuate portions projecting in the same direction from spaced anchor portions of the first sheet of flexible nonwoven material;
Specification