US4910062A — Sheet material used to form portions of fasteners

Claim 1

Independent Claim 133 words

An intermediate structure which may be heated to make a sheet material adapted to be cut into smaller ravel resistant pieces to form portions of a fastener, said intermediate structure comprising: base yarns of polymeric material having intersecting portions forming a backing having front and rear major surfaces, at least some of the base yarns being bonding yarns comprising a first portion formed of a polymeric structural material and a second portion formed of a thermoplastic binding material having a significantly lower melting temperature than the softening temperature of the structural material; and pile yarns of polymeric material having portions entwined into the backing and other portions projecting from the front surface of the backing with each of the entwined portions of the pile yarns contacting at least on of the bonding yarns.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 133 words

An intermediate structure which may be heated to make a sheet material adapted to be cut into smaller ravel resistant pieces to form portions of a fastener, said intermediate structure comprising: base yarns of polymeric material having intersecting portions forming a backing having front and rear major surfaces, at least some of the base yarns being bonding yarns comprising a first portion formed of a polymeric structural material and a second portion formed of a thermoplastic binding material having a significantly lower melting temperature than the softening temperature of the structural material; and pile yarns of polymeric material having portions entwined into the backing and other portions projecting from the front surface of the backing with each of the entwined portions of the pile yarns contacting at least on of the bonding yarns.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 40 words

An intermediate structure according to claim 1 wherein said backing is woven and said base yarns comprise generally parallel warp yarns and filling yarns extending transverse to the warp yarns, with said bonding yarns providing all of the filling yarns.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 40 words

An intermediate structure according to claim 1 wherein said backing is woven and said base yarns comprise generally parallel warp yarns and filling yarns extending transverse to the warp yarns, with said bonding yarns providing all of the warp yarns.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

An intermediate structure according to claim 1 wherein said backing is knitted with said bonding yarns providing all of the base yarns.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 45 words

An intermediate structure according to claim 1 wherein the melting temperature of the binding material is generally in the range of 70 to 205 degrees Centigrade and at least 20 Centigrade degrees lower than the softening temperature of said structural material and said pile yarns.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 28 words

An intermediate structure according to claim 1 wherein said bonding yarns each comprise a multifilament of said structural material and a monofilament of said binding material plied together.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 31 words

An intermediate structure according to claim 1 wherein said bonding yarns each comprise a monofilament of said structural material and a cylindrically tubular sheath around said monofilament of said binding material.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 34 words

An intermediate structure according to claim 1 wherein said bonding yarns each comprise a multifilament of said structural material and a sheath of said binding material around and filling the interstices of said multifilament.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 30 words

An intermediate structure according to claim 1 wherein said bonding yarns each comprise a monofilament of said structural material and a monofilament of said binding material laid side by side.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 36 words

An intermediate structure according to claim 1 wherein said bonding yarns each comprise a plied multifilament with some of said filaments being of said structural material and some of said filaments being of said binding material.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 49 words

An intermediate structure according to claim 1 wherein said bonding yarns each comprise a plied multifilament with some of said filaments being of said structural material and some of said filaments being of said binding material and said filaments of said different materials being randomly disposed in said yarn.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 204 words

A sheet material adapted to be cut into smaller ravel resistant pieces to form portions of a fastener, said sheet material comprising: polymeric base yarns having intersecting portions forming a backing having front and rear major surfaces, at least some of the base yarns being bonding yarns comprising a first portion formed of a polymeric structural material and a second portion formed of a thermoplastic binding material having a significantly lower melting temperature than the softening temperature of the structural material; and pile yarns of polymeric material having portions entwined in the backing and other portions projecting from the front surface of the backing, the entwined portions of the pile yarns each contacting at least one of the bonding yarns with the binding material adhered to the structural material along the bonding yarns and to portions of the yarns that contact the bonding yarns to bond the backing together and anchor the pile yarns in the backing, the binding material having a non uniform distribution within the sheet material with the highest concentration of the binding material being adjacent the structural material and its concentration becomes progressively less at portions of the warp yarns and pile yarns spaced farther away from the structural material.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 204 words

A sheet material adapted to be cut into smaller ravel resistant pieces to form portions of a fastener, said sheet material comprising: polymeric base yarns having intersecting portions forming a backing having front and rear major surfaces, at least some of the base yarns being bonding yarns comprising a first portion formed of a polymeric structural material and a second portion formed of a thermoplastic binding material having a significantly lower melting temperature than the softening temperature of the structural material; and pile yarns of polymeric material having portions entwined in the backing and other portions projecting from the front surface of the backing, the entwined portions of the pile yarns each contacting at least one of the bonding yarns with the binding material adhered to the structural material along the bonding yarns and to portions of the yarns that contact the bonding yarns to bond the backing together and anchor the pile yarns in the backing, the binding material having a non uniform distribution within the sheet material with the highest concentration of the binding material being adjacent the structural material and its concentration becomes progressively less at portions of the warp yarns and pile yarns spaced farther away from the structural material.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 68 words

A sheet material according to claim 12 wherein said backing is woven and said base yarns comprise generally parallel warp yarns and filling yarns extending transverse to the warp yarns, with all of the filling yarns being said bonding yarns with the binding material adhered to the structural material along the bonding yarns and to portions of the warp yarns and pile yarns that contact the bonding yarns.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 69 words

A sheet material according to claim 12 wherein said backing is woven and said base yarns comprise generally parallel warp yarns and filling yarns extending transverse to the warp yarns, with all of the warp yarns being said bonding yarns with the binding material adhered to the structural material along the bonding yarns and to the portions of the filling yarns and pile yarns that contact the bonding yarns.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 51 words

A sheet material according to claim 12 wherein said backing is knitted with all of the base yarns being said bonding yarns with the binding material adhered to the structural material along the bonding yarns and to the portions of the bonding yarns and pile yarns that contact the bonding yarns.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 21 words

A sheet material according to claim 12 wherein said portions of said pile yarns projecting from said front surface form loops.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 32 words

A sheet material according to claim 12 wherein said pile yarns are monofilaments, and said portions of said pile yarns projecting from said front surface have enlarged heads at their distal ends.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 34 words

A sheet material according to claim 12 wherein said pile yarns are monofilaments, and said portions of said pile yarns projecting from said front surface are hooks formed by cutting loops along one side.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 45 words

A sheet material according to claim 12 wherein the melting temperature of the binding material is generally in the range of 70 to 205 degrees Centigrade and at least 20 Centigrade degrees lower than the softening temperature of said structural material and said pile yarns.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 156 words

A method for making a sheet material adapted to be cut into smaller ravel resistant pieces to form portions of a fastener, which method comprises the steps of: intersecting portions of polymeric base yarns to form a backing having front and rear major surfaces, at least some of the base yarns being bonding yarns comprising a first portion formed of a polymeric structural material and a second portion formed of a thermoplastic binding material having a significantly lower melting temperature than the softening temperature of the structural material; entwining portions of polymeric pile yarns into the backing while causing portions of the pile yarns to project from the front surface of the backing, with each entwined portion of the pile yarns contacting at least one of the bonding yarns; and heating the backing to melt the binding material so that the binding material will flow and upon cooling will adhere to adjacent portions of the yarns.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 156 words

A method for making a sheet material adapted to be cut into smaller ravel resistant pieces to form portions of a fastener, which method comprises the steps of: intersecting portions of polymeric base yarns to form a backing having front and rear major surfaces, at least some of the base yarns being bonding yarns comprising a first portion formed of a polymeric structural material and a second portion formed of a thermoplastic binding material having a significantly lower melting temperature than the softening temperature of the structural material; entwining portions of polymeric pile yarns into the backing while causing portions of the pile yarns to project from the front surface of the backing, with each entwined portion of the pile yarns contacting at least one of the bonding yarns; and heating the backing to melt the binding material so that the binding material will flow and upon cooling will adhere to adjacent portions of the yarns.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 47 words

A method for making a sheet material according to claim 20 wherein said step of intersecting comprises weaving the backing using base yarns comprising generally parallel warp yarns and filling yarns extending transverse to the warp yarns, with all of the filling yarns being said bonding yarns.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 47 words

A method for making a sheet material according to claim 20 wherein said step of intersecting comprises weaving the backing using base yarns comprising generally parallel warp yarns and filling yarns extending transverse to the warp yarns, with all of the warp yarns being said bonding yarns.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method for making a sheet material according to claim 20 wherein said step of intersecting comprises knitting the backing using generally parallel base yarns, with all of the base yarns being said bonding yarns.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 70 words

A method for making a sheet material according to claim 20 wherein the melting temperature of the binding material is in the range of about 70 to 205 degrees Centigrade, and said step of heating comprises the step of passing the rear surface of the backing along a platen heated to a temperature in that range on the same production line on which said intersecting and entwining steps are performed.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 70 words

A method for making a sheet material according to claim 20 wherein the melting temperature of the binding material is in the range of about 70 to 205 degrees Centigrade and at least 20 Centigrade degrees lower than the softening temperature of the structural material and the pile yarns, and said step of heating is performed in an autoclave which heat sets the backing at a temperature in that range.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-03-19	1993-09-18	1994-03-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-03-19	1997-09-18	1998-03-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-03-19	2001-09-18	2002-03-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Sheet material used to form portions of fasteners

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