Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Donald W Folske

Michael R Gorman

Dennis L Becker

Susan K Nestegard

William L Melbye

Ronald L Ott

John L Barry

Jeffrey R McMahon

David F Slama

Nedlin B Johnson

David E Slama

A method for forming a sheet of loop material in which a sheet of fibers is passed between a first cylindrical forming member having sockets and a second cylindrical forming member having mating posts to generally conform the sheet of fibers to the peripheral surface of the first forming member and retain it there for a distance after which molten thermoplastic material is bonded to it to form a backing layer. Arcuate portions of the sheet of fibers that were in the sockets then projecting from the backing. The formed sheet of fibers is retained along the peripheral surface of the first forming member for said distance by drawing air through those air passageways in the bottoms of the sockets. The first forming member can be heated, and a source of heated air can be supplied to restrict cooling of the first forming member.

Method and equipment for rapid manufacture of loop material

A sheet of loop material adapted to be cut into pieces to form loop portions for fasteners of the type comprising releasably engageable hook and loop portions, or to be incorporated into items such as disposable garments or diapers or into sheets of abrasives. The sheet of loop material includes a sheet of longitudinally oriented fibers having anchor portions and arcuate portions projecting in one direction away from the anchor portions, and a layer of thermoplastic backing material extruded onto the anchor portions to bond to the anchor portions and form at least a portion of a backing for the loop material. The thermoplastic backing material can also bond the sheet of fibers to a sheet of backing material.

Equipment for forming a sheet of loop material

Sheet of loop material, and garments having such loop material

A sheet of coated abrasive material including a backing having abrasive on one surface and loops projecting from its other surface by which the sheet of coated abrasive material can be held by hooks on the support surface of a pad. The backing comprises a polymeric bonding layer defining its rear surface. The sheet of coated abrasive material comprises a nonwoven sheet of longitudinally oriented fibers having anchor portions bonded in the polymeric bonding layer at spaced bonding locations, and arcuate portions projecting from the rear surface of the backing between the bonding locations to provide the loops.

Coated abrasive sheet material with loop material for attachment

A method of providing a sheet of loop material adapted to be cut into pieces to form loop portions for fasteners of the type comprising releasably engageable hook and loop portions, or to be incorporated into items such as disposable garments or diapers or into sheets of abrasives. The sheet of loop material includes a sheet of longitudinally oriented fibers having anchor portions and arcuate portions projecting in one direction away from the anchor portions, and a layer of thermoplastic backing material extruded onto the anchor portions to bond to the anchor portions and form at least a portion of a backing for the loop material. The thermoplastic backing material can also bond the sheet of fibers to a sheet of backing material.

Method for making a sheet of loop material

Growing community of inventors

Oakdale, MN, United States of America

Donald W Folske