Method and Apparatus for Applying Hook and Loop Fasteners to a Coated Webbing

Abstract

A method of applying a fastener to a webbing from a supply of fastener material and a supply of webbing material, the method comprising applying a polymer coating to the webbing material via a heated extrusion die to produce a coated webbing; applying the fastener material to the coated webbing via an applicator assembly as the coated webbing exits the heated extrusion die; and applying a force to the fastener material and the coated webbing to bond the fastener material to the coated webbing. An apparatus for applying a fastener to a coated webbing comprising a fastener feeding assembly that advances a fastener material along a fastener path; a webbing feeding assembly that advances a webbing material along a webbing path; a heated extrusion die disposed along the webbing path that applies a coating to the webbing material to produce a coated webbing; an applicator assembly disposed downstream of the fastener feeding assembly along the fastener path and downstream of the heated extrusion die along the webbing path, the applicator assembly including one or more pressure rollers arranged for applying the fastener material to the coated webbing as the coated webbing exits the heated extrusion die.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.