Velcro Industries B.v.

Velero Industries B.v.

Brian J Vanbenschoten

Ernesto S Tachauer

Wallace L Kurtz, Jr

Christopher M Gallant

Richard John Schmidt

Scott M Filion

Alexander J Neeb

Heidi S Tremblay

William P Clune

Joseph Earl Pierce

Arthur Edward Garavaglia

Clinton Dowd

Keith G Buzzell

Nadezhda Efremova

William L Huber

Timothy Ray Martin

Michel Labrecque

Joseph K Parshley

Richard Warren Tanzer

Paul A Dandurand

Hariani Zaki Sepanik

Hariani Bettencourt

Methods and systems including an engageable material with a lane of plastic resin extending across an interface of first and second ends of an article, wherein the plastic resin is bonded to the first and second ends such that the first and second ends are joined by the resin; and an array of fastener elements extending from one side of the plastic resin. The fastener elements include engageable heads on stems integrally formed with the lane of the plastic resin such that the two ends releasably engage the engageable material to secure the article.

Composite fastener products

A method of manufacturing a composite fastener material, the composite fastener material, and products derived from the composite fastener material. The method includes providing two longitudinally continuous sheets of material, positioning the two sheets to form a longitudinal, continuous interface between the two sheets, joining the two sheets by introducing one or more molten plastic resins in at least one lane, one lane of the resin extending across the interface under conditions that cause the resin to bond to the two sheets, molding an array of stems from at least one lane of the resin, the stems extending from an exposed surface of the composite material, and forming engageable heads on the stems to form fastener elements, wherein the two sheets differ from one another by one of material composition, thickness, texture, stretchability, breathability, and compressability.

A skin-friendly hook component of a hook and loop fastener that reduces or eliminates the occurrence of red-marking and/or irritation if brought into contact with a wearer's skin. In one embodiment, the hook component can have a relatively large top surface area among the hooks with respect to a surface area of the hook backing. In another embodiment, the hook backing is highly flexible, attributable to a flexible resin and/or modified topography. In yet another embodiment, a highly flexible polymer, or polymers, can be used to make individual hooks such that the hooks bend in response to a minimum amount of pressure. Various illustrated hook tapes have features along their edges to enhance skin-friendliness. A skin-friendly hook component results any combination of the disclosed embodiments. The hook component is particularly beneficial when used in absorbent articles.

Skin-friendly hook fastening component

A male fastener element extends integrally from a planar base and includes a primary engagement hook and a secondary engagement structure (e.g., a hook). The primary engagement hook has a stem portion that is integrally molded with the planar base and that extends from the planar base to a distal end. The primary engagement hook also has an overhang portion that extends from the distal end of the stem portion and that has an underside surface overhanging an open volume for receiving loops. The secondary engagement structure, which is shorter than the primary engagement hook, is disposed immediately adjacent the primary engagement hook and extends from a side surface of the primary engagement hook. The secondary engagement structure extends from the base to a distal end that is disposed, in side view, below the underside surface of the overhang portion of the primary engagement hook.

Fastener elements and methods of manufacture

A method of making a touch fastener includes coextruding, side-by-side, a plurality of lanes of polymeric material to form a sheet-form base. The sheet-sheet form base includes a lane of a first polymeric material disposed between two lanes of a second polymeric material, the second polymeric material is different from the first polymeric material. The method further includes molding a plurality of discrete fastener element stems extending outwardly from and integral with the sheet-form base in each of the two lanes of the second polymeric mateial and forming engageable heads on the stems.

Hook fasteners and methods of making the same

A male fastener element extends integrally from a planar base and includes a primary engagement hook and a secondary engagement structure (e.g., a hook). The primary engagement hook has a stem portion that is integrally molded with the planar base and that extends from the planar base to a distal end. The primary engagement hook also has an overhang portion that extends from the distal end of the stem portion and that has an underside surface overhanging an open volume for receiving loops. The secondary engagement structure, which is shorter than the primary engagement hook, is disposed immediately adjacent the primary engagement hook and extends from a side surface of the primary engagement hook. The secondary engagement structure extends from the base to a distal end that is disposed, in side view, below the surface of the overhang portion of the primary engagement hook.

A fastening tape has a sheet-form base carrying an array of hooking members () each having a height (h) of about 0.008 inch (0.2 millimeter) or less, as measured from the base, and fiber-engaging features, such as re-entrant tips (), disposed less than about 0.003 inch (0.08 millimeter) from their upper surfaces, as measured normal to the base. Such hooking members are employed to releasably engage directly into foams and fine denier non-woven materials, such as those of insulation, filters, construction moisture barriers, disposable gowns and diapers.

Direct hook engagement

Touch fasteners with different portions having different material properties, and methods and apparatus for making such a product. In one embodiment, the fastener includes a cross-linkable polymer, and a first portion of the fastener is cross-linked and a second portion of the fastener is not cross-linked or is cross-linked to a degree less than said first portion. In another embodiment, the fastener is made in a continuous process on a rotating mold roll having a plurality of fastener element mold cavities extending into the mold roll from its outer circumferential surface. The method includes applying a first polymer to the mold roll and forcing some of the first polymer into the mold cavities, with some of the first polymer remaining on the surface of the mold roll in the form of a film having thickness; with a doctoring blade, removing at least some of the first polymer remaining on the surface of the mold roll to at least reduce the thickness of the film of the first polymer on the mold roll surface (in some cases, substantially all of the polymer on the mold roll surface is removed); and applying a second polymer to the mold roll, the second polymer being compatible with, and adhering to, the first polymer.

Methods of making sheets with arrays of projections

A fastener product includes a planar base, multiple discrete plateaus molded integrally with and extending from an upper surface of the base each plateau having an upper surface that is smaller in area than an overall area of the base covered by the plateau, and an array of discrete fastener elements integrally molded with and extending from the upper surface of the plateau. The product is molded on a mold roll covered by a sleeve either made of a resilient material or having apertures intersecting an inner surface of the sleeve at an inner opening that is smaller than an outer opening of the aperture at an outer sleeve surface to form an edge of the fastener product of decreased sharpness.

Discrete fastener regions

A bi-stable hook component of a touch fastener can bend into, and remain in, a stable concave position. Another stable position enables initial engagement with a mating component (e.g., a loop component). The concave position applies engagement-enhancing tension to the engaged loops, and in some cases forces end portions of the hooks into close proximity with one another to secure the fastening and to produce a curved touch fastener that, as engaged, can better conform to an underlying curved surface, such as the contour of a wearer's body. Absorbent articles having such a bi-stable fastening system are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NH, United States of America

Brian J Vanbenschoten