Composite hook and loop fasteners, methods of their manufacture, and products containing them

A wrap tie in the form of an elongated strip, the wrap tie comprising:

• an elongated hook component comprising a base of synthetic resin and an array of fastener elements extending from a first surface of the base;
• a loop component permanently affixed to a first end of the hook component, the loop component comprising a web of fibers forming both a sheet-form body and hook-engageable loops extending from at least a first surface of the body;
• and
• a backing layer permanently affixed to a second surface of the body of loop component for permanent attachment of the wrap tie to a supporting surface, with a second end of the hook component available for encircling an object to be wrapped and engaging the hook-engageable loops of the loop component.

A bag having an open end and an elongated, strip-form wrap tie permanently affixed to an outer surface thereof for closing said open end, said wrap tie comprising

• an elongated loop component having hook-engageable loops extending from at least a first surface of the wrap tie;
• and
• a hook component bonded to the loop component, the hook component having fastener elements extending from a common base;
• the wrap tie permanently bonded to the outer surface of the bag in a discrete region along the length of the wrap tie, one end of the loop component being available for encircling the open end of the bag to secure the bag in a closed state.

A sheet-form composite touch fastener comprising:

• a loop component comprising a self-supporting non-woven web of entangled fibers, the fibers forming both a sheet-form web body and hook-engageable free-standing loops extending from at least one surface of the web body;
• a hook component comprising a base of synthetic resin to which loop-engageable hooks are integrally molded;
• and
• wherein resin of said base of the hook component extends at least partially underneath the loop component and encapsulates fibers of said web body of the loop component.

A method of manufacturing elongated, strip-form wrap ties, each wrap tie having both an array of fastener elements extending therefrom and loops engageable by the fastener elements, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a longitudinally continuous sheet of a loop material of finite width, the loop material having loops extending from at least a first surface thereof;
• permanently bonding a longitudinally continuous strip of plastic hook material to the loop material to form a laminate, with the hook material at least partially overlapping the loop material widthwise and having a width significantly less than the width of the loop material, the hook material having a strip-form base with fastener elements integrally molded with and extending therefrom;
• applying pressure sensitive adhesive to a predetermined region of a side of the laminate opposite the fastener elements;
• and
• cutting the laminate to form said wrap ties, each wrap tie comprising a portion of said loop material, a portion of said hook material, and a layer of said adhesive.

A method of manufacturing elongated, strip-form wrap ties, each wrap tie having both an array of fastener elements extending therefrom and loops engageable by the fastener elements, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a longitudinally continuous sheet of a loop material of finite width, the loop material having loops extending from at least a first surface thereof;
• providing a longitudinally continuous strip of plastic hook material, the hook material having a width significantly less than the width of the loop material, the hook material having a first surface with fastener elements integrally molded with and extending therefrom, and a second surface, opposite the first surface, having a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive;
• bonding the hook material and loop material along their length, with the loop material overlapping a longitudinal edge of the hook material and leaving the layer of adhesive uncovered by loop material;
• and
• cutting the laminate to form said wrap ties, each wrap tie comprising a portion of said loop material, a portion of said hook material, and a layer of said adhesive.

A method of manufacturing a sheet-form composite touch fastener, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a longitudinally continuous sheet of a loop material of finite width, the loop material comprising a self-supporting non-woven web of entangled fibers, the fibers forming both a sheet-form web body and hook-engageable free-standing loops extending from at least one surface of the web body, said loop material having a substantially constant fiber density across its width;
• permanently bonding a longitudinally continuous strip of plastic hook material to the loop material to form a laminate, the hook material having a strip-form base of synthetic resin with fastener elements integrally molded with and extending therefrom and wherein said synthetic resin of the base of the hook component extends at least partially underneath the loop component and encapsulates fibers of said web body of the loop component;
• and
• cutting the laminate to form said composite touch fasteners, each composite touch fastener comprising a portion of said loop material, and a portion of said hook material.

An apparatus for manufacturing elongated, strip-form wrap ties, each wrap tie having both an array of fastener elements extending therefrom and loops engageable by the fastener elements, the apparatus comprising:

• a cooled, rotating forming roll defining a plurality of inwardly extending, fixed fastener element cavities at its periphery;
• a pressure roll positioned to cooperate with the forming roll to define a nip, the pressure roll having an outer surface for supporting a continuous sheet of a loop material fed into the nip;
• an extrusion nozzle positioned to direct a continuous flow of molten resin toward the forming roll, under conditions which cause the resin to fill the fastener element cavities and to form a continuous layer of resin against the forming roll, such that the layer of resin is bonded to the loop material by pressure in the nip, to form a laminate;
• an applicator arranged to apply a longitudinally continuous layer of pressure sensitive adhesive to a discrete region of a side of the laminate opposite the fastener elements;
• a guide arranged to direct a longitudinally continuous release liner to cover the applied layer of adhesive;
• and
• a blade arranged to cut in a transverse direction across the laminate to form individual wrap ties.

A method of releasably securing a container in a closed state, the method comprising:

• providing a wrap tie comprising
• an elongated loop component having a self-supporting web of entangled fibers, the fibers forming both a sheet-form body and hook-engageable, free-standing loops extending from at least one surface of the body;
• a hook component permanently affixed to the loop component, the hook component having fastener elements extending from a common base;
• and
• a backing layer disposed on a face of the wrap tie in a discrete region;
• permanently adhering the backing layer to a surface of the container;
• wrapping one end of the loop component about the container;
• and
• engaging the fastener elements of the hook component with the loops of the loop component to retain the container in a closed state.

A sheet-form composite touch fastener comprising:

• a sheet-form loop component comprising a web of fibers forming both a sheet-form web body and hook-engageable loops extending from at least one surface of the web body;
• a sheet-form hook component comprising a base of synthetic resin to which loop-engageable hooks are integrally molded, one edge region of the hook component being permanently attached to a first edge of the loop component;
• and
• wherein fibers of the first edge of the loop component are encapsulated by resin of said edge region of the hook component, the loop component having a second edge, opposite said first edge, substantially free of resin of the hook material.