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US 9,119,443 B2Granted
Loop-engageable fasteners and related systems and methods
AssigneeVelcro Industries B.V.
InventorsJames R. Barker, Christopher M. Gallant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of making a sheet-form loop-engageable fastener product includes placing a layer of staple fibers on a first side of a substrate, needling fibers of the layer through the substrate to form loops extending from a second side of the substrate, removing end regions from at least some of the loops to form stems, and forming loop-engageable heads at free ends of at least some of the stems.
Claims28
A method of making a sheet-form loop-engageable fastener product, the method comprising
- placing a layer of staple fibers on a first side of a substrate;
- needling fibers of the layer through the substrate by penetrating the substrate with fork needles that drag portions of the fibers through the substrate during needling, leaving exposed loops of the fibers extending from a second side of the substrate;
- removing end regions from at least some of the loops to form stems;
- and
- forming loop-engageable heads at free ends of at least some of the stems;
- wherein each of the fork needles has a recess formed between tines, and the recess of each of the fork needles has a width that is about 75% to about 125% of a diameter of a circle that circumscribes one of the staple fibers.
3 more elements
A method of making a sheet-form loop-engageable fastener product, the method comprising
- placing a layer of staple fibers on a first side of a substrate;
- needling fibers of the layer through the substrate by penetrating the substrate with needles that drag portions of the fibers through the substrate during needling, leaving exposed loops of the fibers extending from a second side of the substrate;
- removing end regions from at least some of the loops to form stems;
- and
- forming loop-engageable heads at free ends of at least some of the stems,
- wherein the needles are sized so that no more than one fiber is needled through the substrate per needle.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.