Nonwoven female component for refastenable fastening device and method of making the same

Claim 2

A female component for a refastenable fastening device, said female component having a planar outwardly facing surface capable of engaging a complimentary hook fastening component which has a base with individual hooks having blunt heads extending outward from said base, said female component comprising: a backing, and a non-woven fibrous web having a basis weight between about 6 and about 42 g/m 2 so that there is space between the fibers in said fibrous non-woven web to allow said hook fastening component to penetrate said nonwoven web, said nonwoven web comprised of a plurality of fibers, wherein the plan view area occupied by any inter-fiber bonds of said nonwoven web is less than about ten percent of the total area of said nonwoven web, said nonwoven web being secured to said backing by bonds so that the total plan view bonded area occupied by both any inter-fiber bonds of said nonwoven web and by the bonds between said nonwoven web and said backing is between about 10 percent and about 35 percent of the total area of the female component.

Claim 3

The female component of claim 1 wherein the nonwoven web has a basis weight of between about 12 and about 36 g/meter 2 .

Claim 4

The female component of claim 2 wherein the nonwoven web has a basis weight of between about 18 and about 24 g/meter 2 .

Claim 5

The female component of claim 1 wherein the plan view area occupied by any inter-fiber bonds of said nonwoven web is less than about six percent of the total area of said nonwoven web.

Claim 6

The female component of claim 4 wherein the plan view area occupied by any interfiber bonds of said nonwoven web is less than about 21/2 percent of the total area of said nonwoven web.

Claim 7

The female component of claim 1 wherein the total plan view bonded area is between about 10 percent and about 18 percent of the total area of the female component.

Claim 8

The female component of claim 1 wherein the fibers in said nonwoven web have a denier of between about 0.5 and about 15.

Claim 9

The female component of claim 1 wherein the fibers in said nonwoven web have a denier of between about 2 and about 15.

Claim 10

The female component of claim 1 wherein the fibers in said nonwoven web have a denier of between about 3 and about 9.

Claim 11

The female component of claim 1 wherein the fibers in said nonwoven web have a denier of between about 3 and about 6.

Claim 12

The female component of claim 1 wherein said nonwoven web is secured to said backing by bonding means that form bonded areas that are spaced apart less than or equal to a distance of about 1/2 the length of the fibers in the nonwoven web.

Claim 13

The female component of claims 1 or 11 wherein said bonded areas are intermittent.

Claim 14

The female component of claim 12 wherein said intermittent bonded areas have breaks between said bonded areas, and said breaks are less than or equal to about 11/2 times the diameter of the smallest diameter fibers in said nonwoven web.

Claim 15

The female component of claims 1 or 11 wherein said bonded areas are continuous.

Claim 16

The female component of claim 14 wherein said continuous bonds are disposed in a pattern.

Claim 17

The female component of claim 1 wherein said nonwoven web is carded, and is comprised of fibers that have lengths between about 1 cm. to about 13 cm.

Claim 18

The female component of claim 16 wherein said fibers have lengths between about 5 cm. to about 8 cm.

Claim 19

The female component of claim 1 wherein said nonwoven web is spunbonded, and is comprised of continuous length fibers.

Claim 20

The female component of claims 1 or 16 wherein fibers in said nonwoven web are crimped with a crimping frequency of at least about 4 crimps/cm.

Claim 21

The female component of claim 1 wherein the fibers in said nonwoven web are randomly oriented.

Claim 22

The female component of claim 1 wherein the fibers in said nonwoven web are primarily oriented in a single direction.

Claim 23

The female component of claim 1 wherein said nonwoven web is resilient.

Claim 24

The female component of claim 1 wherein said backing comprises a film.

Claim 25

The female component of claim 1 wherein said backing comprises a nonwoven web.

Claim 26

The female component of claim 1 wherein said backing comprises a woven fabric.

Claim 27

The female component of claim 1 wherein said backing and the fibers comprising said nonwoven web are comprised of similar materials.

Claim 28

The female component of claim 26 wherein said backing and the fibers comprising said nonwoven web are comprised of polyester.

Claim 29

The female component of claim 26 wherein said backing and the fibers comprising said nonwoven web are comprised of polypropylene.

Claim 30

The female component of claim 1 wherein said nonwoven web is adhesively bonded to said backing.

Claim 31

The female component of claim 1 wherein said nonwoven web is autogenously bonded to said backing.

Claim 32

The female component of claim 30 wherein said nonwoven web is bonded to said backing by a heat/pressure process.

Claim 33

The female component of claim 30 wherein said nonwoven web is bonded to said backing by an ultrasonic process.

Claim 34

The female component of claim 1 wherein at least some of the fibers in said nonwoven web are fused to said backing in such a manner that the portions of said fibers adjacent said backing comprise necked-down portions which are thinner than the remaining portions of said fibers so that said necked-down portions of said fibers will be the weakest portion of said fastening device when subjected to the removal of the hooks of said complementary hook fastening component.

Claim 35

The female component of claim 1 additionally comprising a layer of 3 denier fibers positioned on the surface of said nonwoven web that faces away from the backing.

Claim 36

A female component for a refastenable fastening device, said female component being capable of engaging a complimentary hook fastening component which has a base with individual hooks having blunt heads extending outward from said base, said female component comprising: a backing, and a nonwoven fibrous web having a basis weight of between about 18 and about 24 g/m 2 so that there is space between the fibers in said fibrous nonwoven web to allow said hook fastening component to penetrate said nonwoven web, said nonwoven web comprised of a plurality of fibers having a denier of between about 0.5 and about 15, wherein the plan view area occupied by any interfiber bonds of said nonwoven web is less than about six percent of the total area of said nonwoven web, said nonwoven web being fused to said backing by bonds in such a manner that the portions of said fibers adjacent said backing comprise necked-down portions which are thinner than the remaining portions of said fibers so that said necked-down portions of said fibers will be the weakest portion of said fastening device when subjected to the removal of the hooks of said complimentary hook fastening component and so that the total plan view bonded area occupied by both any inter-fiber bonds of said nonwoven web and by the bonds between said nonwoven web and said backing is between about 10 percent and about 35 percent of the total area of the female component, said nonwoven web being secured to said backing by bonding means that form bonded areas that are spaced apart less than or equal to a distance of about 1/2 the length of the fibers in a nonwoven web.

Claim 37

A female component for a refastenable fastening device, said female component being capable of engaging a complimentary hook fastening component which has a base with individual hooks having blunt heads extending outward from said base, said female component comprising: a backing, and a nonwoven fibrous web having a basis weight of between about 18 and about 24 g/m 2 so that there is space between the fibers in said fibrous nonwoven web to allow said hook fastening component to penetrate said nonwoven web, said nonwoven web comprised of a plurality of fibers having a denier of between about 0.5 and about 15, wherein the plan view area occupied by any interfiber bonds of said nonwoven web is less than about six percent of the total area of said nonwoven web, said nonwoven web being fused to said backing by bonds in such a manner that the portions of said fibers adjacent said backing comprise necked-down portions which are thinner than the remaining portions of said fibers so that said necked-down portions of said fibers will be the weakest portion of said fastening device when subjected to the removal of the hooks of said complimentary hook fastening component and so that the total plan view bonded area occupied by both any inter-fiber bonds of said nonwoven web and by the bonds between said nonwoven web and said backing is between about 10 percent and about 35 percent of the total area of the female component, said nonwoven web being secured to said backing by bonding means that form bonded areas that are spaced apart less than or equal to a distance of about 1/2 the length of the fibers in a nonwoven web.

Claim 38

The female component of claim 35 wherein the plan view area occupied by any inter-fiber bonds of said nonwoven web is less than about 21/2 percent of the total area of said nonwoven web.

Claim 39

The female component of claim 35 wherein the total plan view bonded area is between about 10 percent and about 18 percent of the total area of the female component.

Claim 40

The female component of claim 35 wherein said bonded areas are continuous and disposed in a pattern.

Claim 41

The female component of claim 35 wherein said nonwoven web is carded, and is comprised of randomly oriented fibers that have lengths between about 5 cm. and about 8 cm.

Claim 42

The female component of claim 35 wherein said nonwoven web is spunbonded, and is comprised of continuous length fibers primarily oriented in a single direction.

Claim 43

The female component of claim 35 wherein fibers in said nonwoven web are crimped with a crimping frequency of at least about 4 crimps/cm.

Claim 44

The female component of claim 35 wherein said nonwoven web is resilient.

Claim 45

The female component of claim 35 wherein said backing comprises a film.

Claim 46

The female component of claim 35 wherein said nonwoven web is bonded to said backing by a heat/pressure process.

Claim 47

The female component of claim 35 wherein said nonwoven web is bonded to said backing by an ultrasonic process.

Claim 48

The female component of claim 35 additionally comprising a layer of 3 denier fibers positioned on the surface of said nonwoven web that faces away from the backing.

Claim 49

The female component of claim 35 wherein said female component has a planar outwardly facing surface.