Composite fastener products

US8079995B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Velcro Industries B.V. · NL

Inventors

• Ernesto S. Tachauer · Bedford, US
• Wallace L. Kurtz, Jr. · Lunenburg, US
• Brian Vanbenschoten · Rochester, US
• Joseph E. Pierce · Appleton, US
• Arthur E. Garavaglia · Alpharetta, US
• Scott M. Filion · Newmarket, US
• William Clune · Northwood, US
• Christopher M. Gallant · Nottingham, US
• Nadezhda Efremova · Neenah, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 6, 2003
• Grant date: Dec 20, 2011
• Expiry date: Feb 24, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/24008
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

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.