Process of making a refastenable mechanical fastening system

• US 5,318,741 A
• Filed: 06/17/1993
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Thomas, Dennis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B.
• Application Number:
  US08/078,794
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 264/138, 264/145, 264/161, 264/163, 264/164, 264/167, 264/171, 264/237, 264/251, 264/291, 264/296, 264/327, 264/519
• US Class Current: 264/519
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0061 Male or hook elements A44B18/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/222 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/729 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 24/2758 Thermal or adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2783 having filaments constructed from coated, laminated, or composite material

Abstract

The invention is a refastenable mechanical fastening system, made of free formed prongs joined to a substrate. The prongs taper and are nonperpendicularly oriented relative to the plane of the substrate. Each prong has in engaging means projecting laterally from the periphery of the prong. The free formed prongs are manufactured by the process of depositing liquid material onto a moving substrate, stretching the liquid material in a direction parallel to the plane of the substrate and severing the stretched material to form the distal end and engaging means of the prong. The advantageous usage of the fastening system in an article of manufacture, such as a disposable absorbent garment, specifically a diaper, is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A process for making a fastening system comprising one or more free formed prongs, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a molten thermally sensitive material;

providing a substrate;

transporting said substrate in a first direction;

depositing discrete amounts of said molten thermally sensitive material on said transported substrate;

stretching a portion of said discrete amount of said molten thermally sensitive material in a direction having a component parallel to the plane of said substrate so as to form a prong and a moil;

severing said moil from said stretched molten thermally sensitive material to leave said prong;

solidifying said molten thermally sensitive material of said prong, said prong having a base, a shank and an engaging means; and

establishing a second stage temperature differential across said solidified prong so as to change the orientation of said engaging means.

2. A process for making a fastening system comprising one or more free formed prongs, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a thermally sensitive material;

providing a substrate;

transporting said substrate in a first direction;

providing a print roll adapted to rotate about its centerline, which centerline is disposed generally parallel to the plane of said substrate and generally perpendicular to the first direction of transport of said substrate, said print roll having at least one cell disposed in its periphery;

disposing said molten thermally sensitive material in said cell;

providing a backing roll having a centerline generally disposed parallel to said centerline of said print roll;

juxtaposing said print roll and said backing roll to form a nip therebetween;

rotating said print roll and said backing roll at a substantially equal surface velocity at said nip, wherein said substrate is transported through said nip in the first direction;

rotating said print roll until said cell containing said molten thermally sensitive material contacts said substrate;

transferring said molten thermally sensitive material from said cell onto said substrate;

stretching a portion of said discrete amount of said molten thermally sensitive material in a direction having a component parallel to the plane of said substrate so as to form a prong and a moil;

severing said moil from said stretched molten thermally sensitive material to leave said prong;

solidifying said molten thermally sensitive material of said prong, said prong having a base, a shank and an engaging means; and

establishing a second stage temperature differential across said solidified prong so as to change the orientation of said engaging means.

3. A process for making a fastening system comprising one or more free formed prongs, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a thermally sensitive material;

providing a substrate;

transporting said substrate in a first direction;

providing a print roll adapted to rotate about its centerline, which centerline is disposed generally parallel to the plane of said substrate and generally perpendicular to the first direction of transport of said substrate, said print roll having at least one cell disposed in its periphery;

disposing said molten thermally sensitive material in said cell;

providing a backing roll having a centerline generally disposed parallel to said centerline of said print roll;

juxtaposing said print roll and said backing roll to form a nip therebetween;

rotating said print roll and said backing roll at a substantially equal surface velocity at said nip, wherein said substrate is transported through said nip in the first direction, said substrate having a velocity from about 2% to about 10% greater than the surface velocity of said print roll and said backing roll;

rotating said print roll until said cell containing said molten thermally sensitive material contacts said substrate;

transferring said molten thermally sensitive material from said cell onto said substrate;

stretching a portion of said discrete amount of said molten thermally sensitive material in a direction having a component parallel to the plane of said substrate so as to form a prong and a moil;

severing said moil from said stretched molten thermally sensitive material to leave said prong; and

solidifying said molten thermally sensitive material of said prong, said prong having a base, a shank and an engaging means.

4. A process for making a fastening system comprising an array of free formed prongs, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a molten thermally sensitive material;

providing a substrate;

transporting said substrate in a first direction;

providing a print roll adapted to rotate about its centerline, which centerline is disposed generally parallel to the plane of said substrate and generally perpendicular to the first direction of transport of said substrate, said print roll having cells disposed in its periphery;

providing a backing roll having a centerline disposed generally parallel to said centerline of said print roll, said print roll and said backing roll juxtaposed to form a nip therebetween;

transporting said substrate through said nip between said print roll and said backing roll;

disposing said molten thermally sensitive material in said cell of said print roll by contacting said print roll with said molten thermally sensitive material and wiping and/or scraping excess material from said print roll as said print roll is rotated by using a doctor blade positioned in juxtapositional relationship with the periphery of said print roll;

depositing discrete amounts of said molten thermally sensitive material on said transported substrate by rotating said print roll until such cell containing said molten thermally sensitive material contacts said substrate so as to transfer said molten thermally sensitive material on the substrate;

stretching said discrete amounts of said molten thermally sensitive material in a direction having a component parallel to the plane of said substrate to the relative displacement between said substrate and said cell as said print roll and said backing roll continue to rotate and said substrate is transported so as to form a prong and a moil;

severing said prong from said print roll by intercepting said molten thermally sensitive material with a stationary severing means for severing said molten thermally sensitive material so as to divide said molten thermally sensitive material into said prong and said moil, said severing means comprising a heated wire disposed substantially across said substrate and parallel to said centerline of said print roll, wherein said wire is heated to a temperature of at least a melting point of said thermally sensitive material; and

solidifying said molten thermally sensitive material of said prongs by differentially cooling said prong such that said thermally sensitive material contracts and shinks at different rates to curl said thermally sensitive material at said engaging means, said prong having a base, a shank, and an engaging means; and

establishing a second stage temperature differential across said solidified prong so as to change the orientation of said engaging means.

5. The process of claim 4 additionally comprising the step of drawing said substrate away from the plane of said nip at an angle of from 35°

to about 55°

from the plane of said nip toward said backing roll.