Longitudinal bead molding

A method of making a continuous flexible strip of substrate carrying a bead of resin along an edge thereof, the method comprising:

• continuously passing a flexible substrate sheet through a nip defined between two counter-rotating rolls;
• introducing a flow of moldable resin into the nip between the flexible substrate and a first of the two rolls, in an area in which an outer surface of the first of the two rolls defines a peripheral molding recess;
• and
• molding the resin in the peripheral molding recess to form a profiled bead bonded to a side of the flexible substrate and extending along the substrate between exposed regions of substrate surface, the formed profiled bead having a cross-section that increases in thickness across a tapered region of the profiled bead to a longitudinal shoulder defining an abrupt transition in bead thickness;
• and then
• longitudinally severing the substrate adjacent the tapered region of the profiled bead along a line spaced from the shoulder, thereby forming a strip of the substrate carrying a bead of molded resin adjacent a severed longitudinal edge of the strip.

An edge-beaded fastener product comprising:

• an elongated, flexible strip having opposite longitudinal edges;
• and
• a molded profiled bead secured to and extending along the flexible strip adjacent one of the longitudinal edges of the strip, the profiled bead having an inboard sidewall extending away from the strip,
• wherein the flexible strip has a reinforced region, inboard of the inboard sidewall of the profiled bead, in which resin contiguous with resin forming the profiled bead encapsulates surface features of the strip, the reinforced region being of finite width and having an inboard edge spaced from the profiled bead and the longitudinal edges of the strip.