Hook fasteners and methods of manufacture

A method for making fastener members comprising:

• extruding molten resin and applying said resin to a molding roller having forming cavities around its perimeter;
• applying pressure to said resin to cause said resin to fill said cavities, thereby forming a fastener member preform, said fastener member preform comprising a base and a multiplicity of discrete fastener element preforms aligned in at least one row, integrally molded with and extending from said base at a substantially acute angle, said fastener element preforms comprising stem portions with outermost ends lying over said base substantially only in planes aligned with its row,
• stripping said fastener member preforms from said molding roller;
• and
• flattening said outermost portions of at least some of said fastener element preforms, thereby forming generally plate-shaped portions disposed at said outermost ends and generally parallel to said base and perpendicular to the row.

A method for making fastener members comprising:

• extruding molten resin and applying said resin to a molding roller having forming cavities around its perimeter;
• applying pressure to said resin to cause said resin to fill said cavities, thereby forming a fastener member preform, said fastener member preform comprising a base and a multiplicity of discrete fastener element preforms aligned in at least one row, integrally molded with and extending from said base at a substantially acute angle, said fastener element preforms comprising stem portions with outermost ends lying over said base substantially only in planes aligned with its row, the outermost portions of some fastener elements being farther away from the base, as formed, than the outermost portions of at least some of other fastener elements;
• stripping said fastener member preforms from said molding roller;
• and
• flattening at least some of said outermost portions farthest away from said base, thereby forming generally plate-shaped portions disposed at said outermost ends and generally parallel to said base and perpendicular to the row.

A disposable absorbent garment having first and second opposed longitudinal end portions, said garment comprising:

• an outer cover;
• a body-side liner;
• an absorbent core located between said outer cover and said body-side liner;
• a loop member operably associated with said garment;
• and
• a fastener member operably associated with said garment for separable engagement with said loop member, said fastener member comprising:
• a base;
• and
• multiple rows of molded hook-form fastener elements extending from said base and exposed for engagement with said loop member, each said hook-form fastener element comprising a stem portion joined at one end to said base and at least one fiber-engaging hook-form portion joined at the opposite-end of said stem portion and having a free end,
• said hook-form fastener elements lying substantially only in planes aligned with respective rows,
• at least some or said fastener elements including a fiber-engaging plate portion at the outer most portion of said hook-form portion, said plate portion lying generally parallel to said base,
• said plate portion providing an overhang portion in the direction perpendicular to its row.

A disposable absorbent garment having first and second opposed longitudinal end portions, said garment comprising:

• an outer cover;
• a body-side liner;
• an absorbent core located between said outer cover and said body-side liner;
• a loop member operably associated with said garment;
• and
• a fastener member operably associated with said garment for separable engagement with said loop member, said fastener member comprising:
• a base;
• and
• multiple rows of molded fastener elements extending from said base, each said fastener element comprising a stem portion joined at one end to said base, said stem being inclined at a substantially acute angle relative to the base, in the direction of the respective row of said fastener element and lying substantially only in planes aligned with its respective row, and
• fiber-engaging plate portions disposed at the opposite, outermost end of the stem portions of at least some of said plate portions extending transversely to the direction of the respective row to form overhang portions.