Fastener products and their production

A method of forming a fastener product having a continuous, sheet-form base and rows of discrete fastener elements that extend from a side of the base, head portions of the fastener elements overhanging stem portions of the fastener elements in a longitudinal, the method comprising

• extruding a molten polymer through an extrusion die defining a die opening comprising a base opening for extrusion of the base of the product, and, contiguous therewith, a series of fastener element openings for extrusion of the rows of fastener elements, each fastener element opening having a profile configured to form oppositely directed sides of the discrete fastener elements of one row and having a stem-forming portion and a head-forming portion;
• while
• periodically interrupting flow of the polymer through the fastener element openings while continuing flow of the polymer through the base opening, thereby forming rows of upstanding fastener elements integrally extruded with a sheet-form base, flow of the polymer through the stem-forming portion being controlled independently of flow through the head-forming portion.

A method of forming a fastener product having a continuous, sheet-form base and rows of discrete fastener elements that extend from a side of the base, the method comprising

• extruding a molten polymer through an extrusion die defining a die opening comprising a base opening for extrusion of the base of the product, and, contiguous therewith, a series of fastener element openings for extrusion of the rows of fastener elements, each fastener element opening comprising first and second contiguous regions and having a profile configured to form oppositely directed sides of the discrete fastener elements of one row;
• while
• periodically interrupting flow of the polymer through the fastener element openings by moving a first gate to interrupt the flow of polymer through the first regions of the fastener element openings, and, independent of moving the first gate, moving a second gate to interrupt the flow of polymer through the second regions of the fastener element openings, while continuing flow of the polymer through the base opening, thereby forming rows of upstanding fastener elements, having first and second contiguous regions formed by the first and second regions of the fastener element opening integrally extruded with a sheet-form base.

A method of forming a fastener product having a continuous, sheet-form base and rows of discrete fastener elements that extend from a side of the base, head portions of the fastener elements overhanging stem portions of the fastener elements in a longitudinal direction, the method comprising

• simultaneously co-extruding two different molten polymers through an extrusion die defining a coextrusion die opening comprising a base opening for extrusion of the base of the product, and, contiguous therewith, a series of fastener element openings for extrusion of the rows of fastener elements, each fastener element opening having a profile configured to form oppositely directed sides of the discrete fastener elements of one row;
• while
• periodically interrupting flow of the polymer through the fastener element openings while continuing flow of the polymer through the base opening, thereby forming rows of upstanding fastener elements integrally extruded with a sheet-form base.