Mold-in touch fastening product

• US 9,826,801 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2015
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velcro IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Velcro BVBA
• Inventors: Mascarenhas, Karl S., Cina, Michael, Voigt, Paul Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandy, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERCADO, LOUIS A
• Application Number:
  US14/972,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20160366991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• 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 18/0061 Male or hook elements A44B18/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0065 of a mushroom type
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0076 Adaptations for being fixed to a moulded article during moulding
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/008 Hooks or loops provided with means to reinforce the attachment, e.g. by adhesive means tab fastener elements for absorbent pads combining adhesive and mechanical fastening A61F13/581
• CPC Class Codes: A44D 2203/00 Fastening by use of magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/16 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1233 the preformed parts being supported during expanding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1261 Avoiding impregnation of a preformed part
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1271 the preformed parts being partially covered
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/588 with means for venting, e.g. releasing foaming gas
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/58 Upholstery or cushions, e.g. vehicle upholstery or interior padding mattresses, cushions B29L2031/751

Abstract

A male touch fastener strip includes an elongated base and a field of male fastener elements each having a stem extending from a broad face of the base and a head for engaging fibers. The fastener element stems and broad face of the base together form a unitary mass of resin, such as a resin containing a magnetically attractable substance. Wings extend from respective longitudinal edges of the base and define discrete corrugations extending in a series along the fastener strip and forming corresponding undulations in the rear face of the strip along its longitudinal edges. The corrugated wings can also support a foam gasket.

Claims

1. A male touch fastener strip having a front fastening face and a rear face, the strip comprising:

an elongated base;

a field of exposed male fastener elements each having a stem extending from the base on the front fastening face of the strip; and

a pair of wings, each wing extending from a respective longitudinal edge of the base outboard of the field of fastener elements, and having a rear surface forming a portion of the rear face of the strip;

wherein each wing defines discrete corrugations extending in a series along the fastener strip and forming corresponding undulations on its rear surface and along a corresponding longitudinal edge region of the fastener strip,

the wings extending along opposite sides of a non-undulating portion of the rear face.

2. The touch fastener strip of claim 1, wherein the corrugations feature a saw tooth profile at outboard edges of the wings.

3. The touch fastener strip of claim 1, wherein each wing carries a respective strip of foam adhered to the wing on a same side of the fastener strip as the fastener elements.

4. The touch fastener strip of claim 3, wherein the strips of foam overlay the corrugations.

5. The touch fastener strip of claim 3, wherein the fastener strip has longitudinal end regions in which the front fastening face of the strip is covered by foam forming, in cooperation with the strips of foam, an end barrier of the fastener strip.

6. The touch fastener strip of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each undulation extends at least partially rearward of the base.

7. The touch fastener strip of claim 1, wherein the series of the corrugations comprises a frequency of between 4 and 20 corrugation cycles per inch along the fastener strip.

8. The touch fastener strip of claim 1, wherein the wings are each angled, in an unloaded state, toward the rear face of the strip.

9. The touch fastener strip of claim 8, wherein the wings each form a midpoint angle of between about 5 and 80 degrees with respect to the base.

10. The touch fastener strip of claim 1, wherein the corrugations define a corrugation amplitude, at outer edges of the wings, of at least twice a nominal edge thickness of the wings.

11. The touch fastener strip of claim 1, wherein the base is of a material comprising a magnetically attractable substance dispersed throughout a synthetic resin.

12. The touch fastener strip of claim 11, wherein the magnetically attractable substance comprises between about 30 and 40 percent of the material, by weight.

13. The touch fastener strip of claim 11, wherein the wings are formed of the material, the wings and base together forming a contiguous mass of the synthetic resin.

14. The touch fastener strip of claim 1, further comprising longitudinal walls rising from the base on either side of the field of male fastener elements and inboard of the wings.

15. A male touch fastener strip having a front fastening face and a rear face, the strip comprising:

an elongated base;

a field of exposed male fastener elements each having a stem extending from the base on the front fastening face of the strip; and

a pair of wings, each wing extending from a respective longitudinal edge of the base outboard of the field of fastener elements, and having a rear surface forming a portion of the rear face of the strip;

wherein each wing carries a respective strip of foam adhered to the wing on a same side of the fastener strip as the fastener elements; and

wherein each wing defines discrete corrugations extending in a series along the fastener strip and forming corresponding undulations on its rear surface and along a corresponding longitudinal edge region of the fastener strip.

16. The touch fastener strip of claim 15, wherein the strips of foam overlay the corrugations.

17. The touch fastener strip of claim 15, wherein the fastener strip has longitudinal end regions in which the front fastening face of the strip is covered by foam forming, in cooperation with the strips of foam, an end barrier of the fastener strip.

18. A male touch fastener strip having a front fastening face and a rear face, the strip comprising:

an elongated base;

a field of exposed male fastener elements each having a stem extending from the base on the front fastening face of the strip; and

a pair of wings, each wing extending from a respective longitudinal edge of the base outboard of the field of fastener elements, and having a rear surface forming a portion of the rear face of the strip;

wherein each wing defines discrete corrugations extending in a series along the fastener strip and forming corresponding undulations on its rear surface and along a corresponding longitudinal edge region of the fastener strip; and

wherein the wings are each angled, in an unloaded state, toward the rear face of the strip.