TWO-SIDED TOUCH FASTENER MATERIAL

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/575,080, filed Apr. 5, 2024, the entire content of which application is hereby incorporated by references in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002]This invention relates to two-side touch fastener material in which one side of the material is engageable with the other side of the material, to strips made of such material, and to methods of wrapping such strips about objects.

BACKGROUND

[0003]Touch fasteners often feature an array of very miniature hooks, which can be of practically any shape so long as it has an overhang for snagging fibers, and a field of fibers configured to be releasably engaged by the hooks. Strips of fastening material are made that have one type of fastener element on each side, so that they can be wrapped about something and overlapped, with the two sides in direct engagement and forming a releasable fastening to hold the strip about the object. Such strips can be found in use in many applications, including agriculture and viticulture, where such strips can be used as ties to support a growing vine to a trellis or support cable in such a way that the tie does not hamper growth of the vine or damage the plant material. The tie can be removed and repositioned as needed.

[0004]Installation of such ties is usually a manual process. Improvements are sought to simplify and speed up the installation of such ties for agricultural use, and the installation of touch fastening strips more generally.

SUMMARY

[0005]Various aspects of the invention feature a two-sided touch fastener material includes a resin base having a front surface, an array of loop-engageable fastener elements extending from the front surface of the strip-form base and having stems of resin contiguous with resin of the front surface of the base, and a backing secured to the resin base on a side opposite the front surface. The backing extends across the resin base and includes a web of non-woven fibers including fiber segments embedded in resin of the base. The backing also includes a plurality of longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers and/or monofilaments extending through the web with fiber portions of the longitudinally continuous bundles exposed as loop elements engageable by the loop-engageable fastener elements. The longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers and/or monofilaments extend along a length of the base, are spaced apart across a width of the base, and are partially embedded in resin of the base such that a thickness of resin of the base at the continuous bundles of fibers and/or monofilaments is less than between the continuous bundles of fibers and/or monofilaments. The longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers and/or monofilaments correspond to areas of weakened tear resistance of the touch fastener material.

[0006]In some embodiments, the web of non-woven fibers includes a batt of non-woven fibers.

[0007]In some examples, the backing includes a stitchbond fabric, of which the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers and/or monofilaments include stitching yarns stitched through the web of non-woven fibers.

[0008]In some cases, the stitching yarns are stitched through the web of non-woven fibers at a stitching density of 15 to 25 stitches per square centimeter.

[0009]In some instances, each stitching yarn is stitched through the web of non-woven fibers to define stitches of one to ten millimeters in length along the touch fastener material.

[0010]In some examples, each longitudinally continuous bundle of fibers and/or monofilament is part of a line of stitches that encircle groupings of staple fibers of the web.

[0011]In some cases, the non-woven fibers of the web are of a material different from a material of the fibers of the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers.

[0012]In some instances, the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers and/or monofilaments are of polyethylene terephthalate and the non-woven fibers are of polypropylene.

[0013]In some embodiments, the loop elements extend to a distance of between 0.5 to 1.6 millimeters from the resin base.

[0014]In some examples, the loop elements include portions of fibers having a denier of between 40 and 400.

[0015]In some instances, the fibers of the non-woven web of fibers have fiber portions exposed for hook engagement.

[0016]In some embodiments, the fibers of the non-woven web of fibers have a fiber diameter between 15 and 25 micrometers.

[0017]In some cases, the backing has a basis weight of between 40 to 50 grams per square meter.

[0018]In some examples, the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers have a distribution of between one and ten bundles per centimeter of width of the touch fastener material.

[0019]In some instances, the loop-engageable fastener elements are arranged in spaced- apart columns extending in parallel with the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers.

[0020]In some embodiments, the columns have a density of between 15 to 25 columns per centimeter of width of the touch fastener material.

[0021]In some examples, at least some of the columns of loop-engageable fastener elements overlay respective ones of the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers.

[0022]In some cases, the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers include at least one longitudinally continuous bundle of fibers disposed completely between two adjacent columns of loop-engageable fastener elements.

[0023]In some examples, the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers occupy between 20 and 90 percent of an overall thickness of the resin base.

[0024]In some instances, the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers are completely covered by the front surface of the strip-form base.

[0025]In some embodiments, one of the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers is presented at a longitudinal edge of the touch fastener material.

[0026]In some examples, the touch fastener material has two opposite longitudinal edges, with one of the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers disposed at each longitudinal edge.

[0027]In some cases, the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers form rip stops configured to laterally confine propagation of longitudinal tears.

[0028]Another aspect of the invention features a method of forming a strip-form fastener product. The method includes forming a two-sided fastener material as described above, and then tearing the formed fastener material longitudinally at one of the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers to form two strip-form fastener products with longitudinal edges formed by the tearing, such that the one longitudinally continuous bundle of fibers is exposed at one of the formed longitudinal edges.

[0029]In some embodiments, tearing the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers confine tear propagation to a longitudinal direction.

[0030]In some instances, the two-sided fastener material includes sewing the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers into the web of non-woven fibers.

[0031]Various embodiments of the invention can improve the manual installation of touch fastening strips by providing improved tearing of the touch fastening strips along longitudinal fibers.

[0032]The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

[0033]DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034]FIG. 1 is a top view of an elongated touch fastening strip.

[0035]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a roll of the touch fastening strips of FIG. 1.

[0036]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a torn piece of an elongated touch fastening strip.

[0037]FIG. 4 illustrates the touch fastening strip of FIG. 1 being wrapped around a supporting wire and a vine.

[0038]FIG. 5 shows the touch fastening strip after wrapping.

[0039]FIG. 6 is a side view of the elongated touch fastening strip of FIG. 1.

[0040]FIGS. 6A and 6B are enhanced views of a cross-section of the elongated touch fastening strip of FIG. 1.

[0041]FIGS. 7A-E illustrate methods for forming longitudinal fibers in the touch fastening strip of FIG. 1.

[0042]FIGS. 8 illustrates a method for forming the touch fastening strip of FIG. 1. Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043]Referring first to FIG. 1, an elongated touch fastening strip 10 has a body 12 of flexible material 14 with two opposite faces (16 showing and 18 on the obverse). The flexible material 14 can include, e.g., a web of non-woven fibers embedded in resin. For example, the web of non-woven fibers can include a batt of non-woven fibers, spunbond non-woven fibers, flashspun non-woven fibers, air-laid non-woven fibers, etc. The body is bounded by lateral edges 20 and 22 extending along the length of the body of flexible material. As will be discussed in more detail below, the strip has mutually engageable touch fastener elements carried on the opposing faces of the flexible material, to releasably fasten overlapping portions of the fastener material together with the fastening strip wrapped about an object.

[0044]The showing face 16 can form a backing of the body 12 and features an engageable contiguous area, e.g., an area that is unitary and that it is essentially covered with touch fastener elements, whether hooks or loops. In the example of strip 10, the showing face 16 is covered with fibers 24 arranged in parallel lines that traverse the width of the body of flexible material. For example, the flexible material 14 can be a stitchbond material including longitudinal fibers 24 that are stitched into the web of non-woven fibers. For example, the fibers 24 can be stitched through the web of non-woven fibers at a stitching density of 15-25 stitches per square centimeter. In some implementations, the fibers 24 are stitched through the web of non-woven fibers to define stitches of one to ten millimeters in length along the touch fastener material. The stitching of the fibers 24 can form a line of stitches that encircle and wrap around groupings of staple fibers of the web. In some implementations, one or both of the lateral edges 20 and 22 can be formed by a longitudinal fiber 24. The fibers 24 can be at least partially embedded in the resin of the flexible material 14, as discussed further below. In some implementations, the longitudinal fibers 24 have a distribution of between one to ten bundles per centimeter of width of the touch fastener material. An example of a stitching process to form the longitudinal fibers 24 is discussed below with reference to FIGS. 7A-E. In some implementations, the backing has a basis weight of between 40 to 50 grams per square meter.

[0045]In some implementations, the non-woven fibers of the web can include a material different from a material of the fibers 24. For example, the fibers 24 can include polyethylene terephthalate and the non-woven fibers can include polypropylene. In some implementations, the non-woven fibers can include a polylactic acid (PLA) based material, and the fibers 24 may include cotton fibers, PLA, or Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA).

[0046]The fibers 24 correspond to frangible tear lines of weakened tear resistance of the flexible touch fastener material. For example, in some implementations, the resin embedding the web of non-woven fibers can be thinner at and around the fibers 24 than the resin in between the fibers 24. In some implementations, the punctures from the stitching of the fibers 24 weaken the resin and web of non-woven fibers to create frangible tear lines of weakened tear resistance. In some embodiments, the fibers 24 are not arranged in parallel lines and are arranged in other formations (e.g., non-parallel lines or cross-stitched). In some implementations, the fibers 24 can form rip stops configured to laterally confine of longitudinal tears, e.g., such that a user can easily tear the material 14 longitudinally to at least one predefined distance. In some implementations, the fibers 24 can have a denier in a range of 40 to 400. In some implementations, the fibers of the non-woven web of fibers have a fiber diameter between 15 and 25 micrometers. In some implementations, the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers occupy between 20 and 90 percent of an overall thickness of the resin base. In some implementations, the longitudinally continuous bundles of fibers are completely covered by the front surface of the strip-form base.

[0047]Portions 26 of the fibers 24 can be exposed, e.g., exposed from the resin, as loop elements which are engageable by loop-engageable fastener elements. For example, the portions 26 of the fibers 24 extend from one of the fibers 24 to another one of the fibers 24. The portions 26 of the fibers 24 can extend perpendicularly to the fibers 24. In other implementations, the portions 26 of the fibers 24 extend at an angle between 0°-90° relative to the fibers.

[0048]The portions 26 of fibers 24 forming loops can include a single strand of yarn having four plies twisted about each other in helical form, such that fibers of each of the four plies extend both into the resin of the base and away from the resin to form engageable loops. In some implementations, the loop elements extend to a distance of between 0.5 to 1.6 millimeters from the resin base. Alternatively, the portions 26 can include two parallel strands of yarn extending along the closure strip and separated by a small distance. In some implementations, the portions 26 can include monofilaments.

[0049]In this example, the contiguous area is void of apertures extending through the body of flexible material, and is engageable over its entirety. Moreover, it is engageable over its entire width over its engageable head length, meaning that at any point along its engageable head length it is engageable across its entire width. The engageable area need not extend across the entire width of the strip, meaning that there may be non-engageable edge regions in the strip. The engageable area need not extend across the entire length of the strip.

[0050]The opposing face 18 can include fastener elements configured to engage and retain the portions 26 of the fibers 24 forming loop elements. The fastener elements are integrally molded with and extend from the face 18. In this embodiment, these fastener elements are in the form of J-hooks that extend, in rows, along the length of the closure strip. Some of the J-hooks face in opposite directions along the strip. Other fastener element shapes may also be employed, including other types of hooks, and fastener elements that overhang the substrate in a widthwise direction. For example, some embodiments include T-hooks. A suitable fastener element shape is the CFM29 hook shape (of about 0.015 inch in height), available in various products sold by Velcro USA Inc., Manchester, New Hampshire.

[0051]The lateral edges 20 and 22 of the strip are formed by severing as a sheet of the material is die cut into the shape shown. The two opposite ends are also formed by severing as a sheet of the material is cut. The material can then be rolled up into a stable roll 44, as shown in FIG. 2. As needed in the field, the roll can be unwound, and a user can cut a strip of material from the roll.

[0052]Referring to FIG. 3, the fastening strip 10 has a longitudinal tear 40 along one of the longitudinal fibers 24. In the illustrated example, the fastening strip 10 is partially torn, but the fastening strip 10 can also be fully torn to form multiple fastening strips. As discussed above, the fibers 24 correspond to frangible tear lines of weakened tear resistance of the flexible touch fastener material. The longitudinal fibers 24 confine the longitudinal tear propagation to a longitudinal direction via the frangible tear lines of weakened tear resistance. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the longitudinal tear 40 extends along the longitudinal fiber 24 and is confined to the longitudinal direction by the longitudinal fiber 24. The longitudinal tear 40 does not extend in the lateral direction, e.g., to another longitudinal fiber, because the tear propagation is confined to the longitudinal direction. For example, as needed in the field, a user can tear the fastening strip 10 along one of the longitudinal fibers 24 to form two strip-form fastener products with longitudinal edges formed by the tearing. Because the fastening strip 10 is torn along the longitudinal fibers 24, one longitudinally continuous bundle of fibers is exposed at one of the formed longitudinal edges. The fastening strip 10 can be torn along any of the longitudinal fibers 24 to form multiple strip-form fastener products of equal or unequal width. For example, the fastening strip 10 can include a second longitudinal tear 28. If the longitudinal tear 40 and the longitudinal tear 28 extended to fully tear the fastening strip 10, multiple strip-form fastener products of unequal widths would form as a result.

[0053]The fastening strips can be manually wrapped about, for example, vines, support wires, branches, or other objects requiring fastening. As shown in FIG. 4, a first end of the strip 10 is held by one hand, such as between thumb and forefinger, while the other end of the strip is wrapped about an adjacent vine and support wire, to overlap at least a portion of the strip. The overlapped strip is held in that wrapped configuration by cooperative effect of the mutually engageable fastener elements on the opposite surfaces, as shown in FIG. 5. The vine can thus be wrapped loosely, with plenty of room for growth. In other implementations, the vine can be wrapped tightly.

[0054]As discussed above, the fastening strip 10 can also be torn to form multiple fastening strips. For example, as needed in the field, a user can tear the fastening strip 10 along any of the longitudinal fibers 24 to form multiple strip-form fastener products of equal or unequal width. Thus, different widths of fastening strips 10 can be used for different purposes in the field as desired.

[0055]Referring to FIG. 6, a side view of the fastening strip 10 shows the portions 26 of the fibers 24 exposed from the resin and extending from the front face 16 of the resin base to form loop elements which are engageable by loop-engageable fastener elements 30 extending from the opposite face 18. For example, the fastening strip 10 can be held in a wrapped configuration by cooperative effect of the loop elements and the loop-engageable fastener elements 30, as discussed above with reference to FIG. 6. The portions 26 of fibers exposed as loop elements can extend to a distance of, e.g., between 0.5-1.6 millimeters from the resin base. In some implementations, the loop portions 26 of fibers exposed as loop elements can have a denier of, e.g., 40 to 400.

[0056]FIGS. 6A and 6B are enhanced views of a cross-section of the fastening strip 10 to illustrate the fastening strip 10 in greater detail. The longitudinal fibers 24 form a line of stitches that encircle and wrap around groupings of non-woven fibers of the web 32. The web 32 is embedded in resin 34. Loop-engageable fastener elements 30 extend from the opposite face 18 of the fastening strip 10. As illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the resin 34 embedding the web 32 of non-woven fibers is thinner at and around the fibers 24 than the resin 34 in between the fibers 24. For example, the thickness of the resin 34 can be reduced to about half of the total thickness (e.g., about 150 μm-200 μm). The thinner resin 24 can create frangible tear lines of weakened tear resistance of the flexible touch fastener material, as discussed above.

[0057]FIGS. 7A-E illustrate an example of a method and apparatus for stitching continuous longitudinal fibers into a web of non-woven fibers. The apparatus 200 includes a stitching needle 202, e.g., a compound needle, that sews a fiber 204, e.g., a yarn, into the web 206 non-woven fibers. As illustrated in FIG. 7A, the stitching needle 202 penetrates the web 206, bringing the fiber 204 from a first side 214 of the web 206, through the web 206, and to a second side 216 of the web 206. Once the stitching needle 202 brings the fiber 204 through the web 206 to the second side 216 of the web 206, a closing wire 208 operates in conjunction with a sinker 210 to lap the fiber 204 about the stitching needle 202, as illustrated in FIG. 7B. The stitching needle 202 and the closing wire 208 operate to close the loop of fiber 204 lapped about the stitching needle 202, as illustrated in FIG. 7C. In some implementations, the fiber 204 can be closed through previously formed stitches. Then, the stitching needle 202 pulls the fiber 204 back through the web 206 of non-woven fibers to the first side 214 of the web 206, as illustrated in FIG. 7D. The stitching needle 202 operates in conjunction with a guide rail 212 to form stitches on the first side of the web 206, as illustrated in FIG. 7E. This method can be repeated to continue stitching continuous longitudinal fibers into the web. The guide rail 212 and sinker 210 also guide the web 206 to the stitching needle 202. The guide rail 212 and sinker 210 also guide the sown fabric 218 away from the stitching needle 202 after the stitching is completed.

[0058]Referring next to FIG. 8, fastener product 100 is formed in a continuous process in which the resin base layer is first formed with an array of molded fastener elements on the web of non-woven fibers. The fastener elements are hooking structures in that they are capable of snagging fibers. Molten resin 118 is introduced into a nip 120 between a mold roll 122 and a counter-rotating pressure roll 124. Substrate 102 is trained around pressure roll 124 to enter the nip with the resin, such that pressure in nip 120 laminates the resin to the web of non-woven fibers. As discussed in more detail below, mold roll 122 defines discrete, closed cavities extending inward from its cylindrical outer surface, in which the fastener elements are molded of the same flow of resin that forms the base layer on the surface of the mold roll. Pressure in nip 120 forces some of resin 118 into the mold roll to fill the cavities. Mold roll 122 is chilled to solidify the resin as it is carried on the periphery of the roll, until it is stripped from the roll by passing the substrate and molded resin about a stripping roll 126.

[0059]A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.