Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090010735 | ARRAYS OF FASTENER ELEMENTS - A molded area fastener product, such as a self-engaging fastener, has a strip-form base of resin with a broad surface from which an array of discrete fastener elements extends. The fastener elements each include a molded stem extending from the broad surface of the base to a curved head that extends toward a front side of the fastener element, forms a crook and ends in a distal tip. In some examples the curved head protrudes beyond the stem on the back side of the fastener element to form an overhang defined by an overhang surface of the head directed toward the base, and the crook is defined in part by an underside head surface that overhangs a lower portion of the stem. In some examples the fastener elements are arranged to provide a high distension overlap when mated with an identical fastener product. | 01-08-2009 |
20090022840 | MOLDING APPARATUS AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS - This invention relates to molding apparatus and related systems and methods. In one aspect of the invention, a mold roll, assembly includes an inner member and multiple molding tools disposed about a circumference of the inner member, each molding tool including at least one molding plate that at least partially defines a molding cavity. | 01-22-2009 |
20090095411 | MOLDING TOUCH FASTENER ELEMENTS - A product comprising a base layer and a multiplicity of protruding hollow formations, the protruding formations unitarily formed with and extending upward from an upper surface of the base layer, the hollow formations and base layer formed of thermoplastic applied under pressure against a forming surface having forming cavities and the base layer having a back surface including interior surfaces of the hollow formations comprising a parting surface from which a second thermoplastic filling the hollow formations has been peeled. | 04-16-2009 |
20090217492 | RELEASABLE FASTENING ARRANGEMENT - The present disclosure provides embodiments of a releasable fastening arrangement that can include a first fastening strip secured to and extending over a substrate surface and having a first surface carrying first fastening elements extending from the surface. The releasable fastening arrangement can also include:a second fastening strip having a second surface carrying second fastening elements that are engageable by the first fastening elements to form a releasable fastening. The first surface can include a flexible flap that is formed therein, and that is surrounded by other portions of the first surface. The flap can carry at least one of the first fastening elements, and can flap have a distal edge that is displaceable from the substrate surface under peel loads applied to the at least one first fastening element carried by the flap. | 09-03-2009 |
20090282654 | Fastener Products and Related Methods - Fastener products and related methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the fastener products include an elongate strap defining an aperture and a row of projections extending from the elongate strap. A portion of the elongate strap including one or more of the projections can be passed through the aperture to retain the fastener product in a fastened state. | 11-19-2009 |
20110265293 | Male Touch Fastener Element - A touch fastener has a base and an array of discrete fastener elements each extending from the base and together forming with the base a contiguous mass of resin. Each discrete fastener element includes a stem rising from the base, and a head overhanging the base from a front side of the stem to a distal edge, the front side of the stem, an underside of the head, and an upper surface of the base together forming, in side profile, a generally curved retention space boundary surface such that the boundary surface forms, at its innermost extent, a retention cavity defined between curvature discontinuities spaced from both the base and the distal edge. | 11-03-2011 |
20120009380 | COMPOSITE FASTENER PRODUCTS - 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. | 01-12-2012 |
20120266421 | Arrays of Fastener Elements - A molded area fastener product, such as a self-engaging fastener, has a strip-form base of resin with a broad surface from which an array of discrete fastener elements extends. The fastener elements each include a molded stem extending from the broad surface of the base to a curved head that extends toward a front side of the fastener element, forms a crook and ends in a distal tip. In some examples the curved head protrudes beyond the stem on the back side of the fastener element to form an overhang defined by an overhang surface of the head directed toward the base, and the crook is defined in part by an underside head surface that overhangs a lower portion of the stem. In some examples the fastener elements are arranged to provide a high distension overlap when mated with an identical fastener product. | 10-25-2012 |
20130219677 | Male Touch Fastener Element - A touch fastener has a base and an array of discrete fastener elements each extending from the base and together forming with the base a contiguous mass of resin. Each discrete fastener element includes a stem rising from the base, and a head overhanging the base from a front side of the stem to a distal edge, the front side of the stem, an underside of the head, and an upper surface of the base together forming, in side profile, a generally curved retention space boundary surface such that the boundary surface forms, at its innermost extent, a retention cavity defined between curvature discontinuities spaced from both the base and the distal edge. | 08-29-2013 |
20130256954 | Blown Film Fastening - A method for forming a film of plastic material includes urging molten resin through a die head opening to form a stalk having an extrusion profiled rail of resin material extending radially outward from a tubular wall, the die head opening including an annular orifice that defines a thickness of the tubular wall and a cross-sectional shape of the rail; cutting the rail to form discrete elements while leaving the tubular wall un-punctured; and inflating the stalk with a gas bubble maintained within an interior space of the tubular wall to form a thin film tube. | 10-03-2013 |
20130318752 | RELEASABLE FASTENINGS WITH BARRIERS - A releasable fastening features a first fastening strip including an elongated, flexible base carrying an array of discrete fastener elements arranged in rows and columns, and a second fastening strip configured to releasably engage with the first fastening strip. The first fastening strip also includes a longitudinally continuous rib supported by the upper surface of the base of the first fastening strip, the rib extending sufficiently far from the base of the first fastening strip to engage a sealing portion of the second fastening strip, and of a bending strength sufficiently low that the rib is placed in an elastically bent state, when the first and second fastening strips are in the engaged state, thereby forming with the sealing portion of the second fastening strip a non-interlocking barrier to resist flow across the fastening with the first and second fastening strips in the engaged state. | 12-05-2013 |
20140103567 | TOUCH FASTENING - A method of forming a touch fastener product having a sheet-form base and an array of discrete fastener elements each extending from the base includes providing a molded sheet-form base and an array of discrete fastener element preforms, each preform extending from the base and including both a stem portion rising from the base and a head portion both contiguous with a distal end of the stem portion and having an upper surface directed away from the base, the head portion including at least one laterally directed extension overhanging the base in a primary lateral direction between exposed sides of the fastener element preform and ending at a distal, free tip; and then forming respective caps, of a cap material of a higher flex modulus than the resin of the preforms, on the upper surfaces of at least some of the molded fastener element preforms to form the discrete fastener elements. | 04-17-2014 |
20140237779 | TOUCH FASTENER STRUCTURES - Touch fastener products, as well as apparatus and methods for manufacturing such products, are described. The methods and apparatus feature certain mold cavity shapes that are designed to facilitate demolding of hammer hook touch fastener elements exhibiting desirable fastening properties. Such mold cavity shapes can be combined with particularly soft molding resins to produce useful fastening products. | 08-28-2014 |
20150052710 | Male Touch Fastener Element - A touch fastener has a base and an array of discrete fastener elements each extending from the base and together forming with the base a contiguous mass of resin. Each discrete fastener element includes a stem rising from the base, and a head overhanging the base from a front side of the stem to a distal edge, the front side of the stem, an underside of the head, and an upper surface of the base together forming, in side profile, a generally curved retention space boundary surface such that the boundary surface forms, at its innermost extent, a retention cavity defined between curvature discontinuities spaced from both the base and the distal edge. | 02-26-2015 |