Separable clasp containing high-loft, non woven fabric

Claim 2

In a separable clasp comprising a male fastening member and a female fastening member, said female member containing a plurality of loops and said male member containing a plurality of functional elements which engage with the loops of the female member such that it is difficult to separate the clasp by means of a shearing force but that a peeling force can readily effect separation, the improvement wherein the female member is comprised of a high-loft, nonwoven fabric comprising a substantially continuous backing layer of a consolidated open pattern of flexible adhesive, and a multiplicity of staple length fibers, each of which are individually looped outwardly from said backing layer with the ends of each loop embedded in said backing layer, and said loops being twisted to be in planes extending in the cross direction of the fabric.

Claim 3

The separable clasp of claim 1 wherein the loops of the high-loft, nonwoven fabric vary in height throughout the fabric.

Claim 4

The separable clasp of claim 1 wherein the loops of the high-loft, nonwoven fabric vary regularly in height throughout the fabric.

Claim 5

In a separable clasp comprising a male fastening member and a female fastening member, said female member containing a plurality of loops and said male member containing a plurality of functional elements adapted to engage the loops of the female member such that it is difficult to separate the clasp by means of a shearing force but that a peeling force can more easily effect separation, the improvement wherein the female member is comprised of a high-loft, nonwoven fabric comprising a substantially continuous backing layer of consolidated flexible adhesive and a multiplicity of staple length fibers each of which are individually looped outwardly from said backing layer with the ends of each loop embedded in said backing layer, each of said loops being twisted to lie in planes extending in the cross direction of the fabric, said loops varying in height regularly throughout the fabric and presenting a plurality of loops extending above the average height of all of said loops, said loops extending above said average height being adapted to readily engage said functional elements of said male member when said members were pressed into mutual engagement.

Claim 6

In a separable clasp comprising a male fastening member and a female fastening member, said female member containing a plurality of loops and said male member containing a plurality of functional elements adapted to engage the loops of the female member such that it is difficult to separate the clasp by means of a shearing force but that a peeling force can more easily effect separation, the improvement wherein the female member is comprised of a high-loft, nonwoven fabric comprising a substantially continuous backing layer of consolidated flexible adhesive and a multiplicity of staple length fibers each of which are individually looped outwardly from said backing layer with the ends of each loop embedded in said backing layer, each of said loops being twisted to lie in planes extending in the cross direction of the fabric, said loops varying in height regularly throughout the fabric and presenting a plurality of loops extending above the average height of all of said loops, said loops extending above said average height being adapted to readily engage said functional elements of said male member when said members were pressed into mutual engagement.

Claim 7

In a separable clasp comprising a male fastening member and a female fastening member, said female member containing a plurality of loops and said male member containing a plurality of functional elements adapted to engage the loops of the female member such that it is difficult to separate the clasp by means of a shearing force but that a peeling force can more easily effect separation, the improvement wherein the female member is comprised of a high-loft, nonwoven fabric comprising a substantially continuous backing layer of consolidated flexible adhesive and a multiplicity of staple length fibers each of which are individually looped outwardly from said backing layer with the ends of each loop embedded in said backing layer, each of said loops being twisted to lie in planes extending in the cross direction of the fabric, said loops varying in height regularly throughout the fabric, the lower of said loops tending to fill around and thereby support the higher loops so that the top surface of the fabric is formed by the tops of the higher loops, the higher loops being adapted to readily engage said functional elements of said male member when said members are pressed into mutual engagement.

Claim 8

In a separable clasp comprising a male fastening member and a female fastening member, said female member containing a plurality of loops and said male member containing a plurality of functional elements adapted to engage the loops of the female member such that it is difficult to separate the clasp by means of a shearing force but that a peeling force can more easily effect separation, the improvement wherein the female member is comprised of a high-loft, nonwoven fabric comprising a substantially continuous backing layer of consolidated flexible adhesive and a multiplicity of staple length fibers each of which are individually looped outwardly from said backing layer with the ends of each loop embedded in said backing layer, each of said loops being twisted to lie in planes extending in the cross direction of the fabric, said loops varying in height regularly throughout the fabric, the lower of said loops tending to fill around and thereby support the higher loops so that the top surface of the fabric is formed by the tops of the higher loops, the higher loops being adapted to readily engage said functional elements of said male member when said members are pressed into mutual engagement.

Claim 9

The separable clasp of claim 5 wherein said fibers are heat set in their looped condition such that said loops are less susceptible to collapse or distortion due to repeated openings and closings of said clasp.

Claim 10

The separable clasp of claim 6 wherein said heat set fibers are polyester.

Claim 11

The separable clasp of claim 5 wherein said fibers have a denier within the range of about 1.5 to about 15.

Claim 12

The separable clasp of claim 8 wherein said fibers have a denier within the range of about 4 to about 8.

Claim 13

In a separable clasp comprising a male fastening member and a female fastening member, said female member containing a plurality of loops and said male member containing a plurality of functional elements adapted to engage the loops of the female member such that it is difficult to separate the clasp by means of a shearing force but that a peeling force can more easily effect separation, the improvement wherein the female member is comprised of a high-loft, nonwoven fabric comprising a substantially continuous backing layer of consolidated flexible adhesive and a multiplicity of staple length fibers each of which are individually looped outwardly from said backing layer with the ends of each loop embedded in said backing layer, each of said loops being twisted to lie in planes extending in the cross direction of the fabric, said loops varying in height regularly throughout the fabric, and occurring in sufficient density whereby the lower of said loops fill around and maintain the upper loops in a generally perpendicular position relative to the plane of said backing layer, said functional elements of said male member being readily engaged with said higher loops when said members are brought into mutual engagement subject to a lower contact pressure and engaged with said lower loops when said contact pressure is increased.

Claim 14

In a separable clasp comprising a male fastening member and a female fastening member, said female member containing a plurality of loops and said male member containing a plurality of functional elements adapted to engage the loops of the female member such that it is difficult to separate the clasp by means of a shearing force but that a peeling force can more easily effect separation, the improvement wherein the female member is comprised of a high-loft, nonwoven fabric comprising a substantially continuous backing layer of consolidated flexible adhesive and a multiplicity of staple length fibers each of which are individually looped outwardly from said backing layer with the ends of each loop embedded in said backing layer, each of said loops being twisted to lie in planes extending in the cross direction of the fabric, said loops varying in height regularly throughout the fabric, and occurring in sufficient density whereby the lower of said loops fill around and maintain the upper loops in a generally perpendicular position relative to the plane of said backing layer, said functional elements of said male member being readily engaged with said higher loops when said members are brought into mutual engagement subject to a lower contact pressure and engaged with said lower loops when said contact pressure is increased.