The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 15, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 04, 1999
Leon Levitt, Mendota Heights, MN (US);
James J. Kobe, Newport, MN (US);
Robert D. Kampfer, Oakdale, MN (US);
Brian T. Hargrett, St. Paul, MN (US);
Cathleen M. Arsenault, Fridley, MN (US);
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming a mechanical fastener. A preferred embodiment of the method includes moving a substrate along a web path, where the substrate includes a first major surface and a plurality of stems extending from the first major surface of the substrate and each of the stems includes a stem end, radiantly heating the stem ends to form softened ends, and thereafter deforming the softened ends into convex heads with a deformable surface. A preferred embodiment of the apparatus includes a web conveyor, where the web conveyor defines a web path, a heating source located adjacent the web conveyor and a deformable surface located down the web path from the heating source, where the deformable surface includes a durometer hardness of greater than 10 Shore OO and less than 70 Shore A.