Low profile touch fastener
View Patent ↗A releasable touch fastener includes a loop component and a hook component, with a particularly small overall engaged thickness in combination with a high fastening strength, both in peel and shear. The loop component is a woven material, while the hook component may be woven or molded. The molded hook component includes a scrim reinforcement for tear resistance and sewability. The fastener is useful for high cycle applications, such as on non-disposable garments, footwear and luggage.
1. A releasable touch fastener comprising
a loop component having a sheet-form loop base and an array of female fastener elements extending from the loop base; and
a hook component having a sheet-form hook base and an array of male fastener elements extending from the base and configured to releasably engage the female fastener elements of the loop component;
wherein the touch fastener has an Engaged Thickness of less than about 0.11 inch, and
wherein the hook and loop components are so configured to provide a Final Peel Resistance of at least 0.3 pound per inch of closure width.
2. The releasable touch fastener of claim 1 wherein the hook and loop components are so configured to provide an Initial Peel Resistance of at least 0.5 pound per inch of closure width.
3. The releasable touch fastener of claim 1 wherein the hook and loop components are so configured to provide an Initial Shear Resistance of at least 10 pounds per square inch.
4. The releasable touch fastener of claim 1 wherein the hook component has a Stitch Hole Tear Strength of at least 2.0 pounds.
5. The releasable touch fastener of claim 4 wherein the hook base comprises a sheet of resin and the male fastener elements have stems extending contiguously from the sheet of resin, and wherein the Stitch Hole Tear Strength is at least 5.0 pounds.
6. The releasable touch fastener of claim 5 wherein the hook base includes a fabric backing laminated to a side of the hook base opposite the fastener elements.
7. The, releasable touch fastener of claim 1 wherein the hook base comprises a sheet of resin, and wherein the male fastener elements have stems extending contiguously from the sheet of resin.
8. The releasable touch fastener of claim 7 wherein the male fastener elements have molded crooks.
9. The releasable touch fastener of claim 8 wherein each male fastener element has two crooks extending in opposite directions along the hook base.
10. The releasable touch fastener of claim 7 wherein the fastener elements are arranged in a density of at least 350 fastener elements per square inch of the base.
11. The releasable touch fastener of claim 7 wherein the stems have opposing surfaces defined by severed resin.
12. The releasable touch fastener of claim 1 wherein the loop component comprises a woven fabric.
13. The releasable touch fastener of claim 12 wherein the hook base comprises a sheet of resin, and wherein the male fastener elements have stems extending contiguously from the sheet of resin.
14. The releasable touch fastener of claim 1 wherein the Engaged Thickness is less than 0.10 inch.
15. The releasable touch fastener of claim 14 wherein the Engaged Thickness is less than 0.09 inch.
16. The releasable touch fastener of claim 15 wherein the Engaged Thickness is less than 0.08 inch.
17. The releasable touch fastener of claim 1 wherein the Final Peel Resistance is at least 0.4 pound per inch of closure width.
18. The releasable touch fastener of claim 17 wherein the Final Peel Resistance is at least 0.5 pound per inch of closure width.
19. A releasable touch fastener comprising
a loop component having a sheet-form loop base and an array of female fastener elements extending from the loop base; and
a hook component having a sheet-form hook base and an array of male fastener elements extending from the base and configured to releasably engage the female fastener elements of the loop component;
wherein the touch fastener has an Engaged Thickness of less than about 0.11 inch, and
wherein the male and female fastener elements are so configured to provide an Initial Peel Resistance of at least 0.5 pounds per inch of closure width.
20. The releasable touch fastener of claim 19 wherein the hook and loop components are so configured to provide an Initial Shear Resistance of at least 10 pounds per square inch.
21. The releasable touch fastener of claim 19 wherein the hook component has a Stitch Hole Tear Strength of at least 2.0 pounds.
22. The releasable touch fastener of claim 21 wherein the hook base comprises a sheet of resin and the male fastener elements have stems extending contiguously from the sheet of resin, and wherein the Stitch Hole Tear Strength is at least 5.0 pounds.
23. The releasable touch fastener of claim 22 wherein the hook base includes a fabric backing laminated to a side of the hook base opposite the fastener elements.
24. The releasable touch fastener of claim 19 wherein the hook base comprises a sheet of resin, and wherein the male fastener elements have stems extending contiguously from the sheet of resin.
25. The releasable touch fastener of claim 24 wherein the male fastener elements have molded crooks.
26. The releasable touch fastener of claim 24 wherein each male fastener element has two crooks extending in opposite directions along the hook base.
27. The releasable touch fastener of claim 24 wherein the fastener elements are arranged in a density of at least 350 fastener elements per square inch of the base.
28. The releasable touch fastener of claim 24 wherein the stems have opposing surfaces defined by severed resin.
29. The releasable touch fastener of claim 19 wherein the loop component comprises a woven fabric.
30. The releasable touch fastener of claim 29 wherein the hook base comprises a sheet of resin, and wherein the male fastener elements have stems extending contiguously from the sheet of resin.
31. The releasable touch fastener of claim 19 wherein the Engaged Thickness is less than 0.10 inch.
32. The releasable touch fastener of claim 31 wherein the Engaged Thickness is less than 0.09 inch.
33. The releasable touch fastener of claim 32 wherein the Engaged Thickness is less than 0.08 inch.
34. The releasable touch fastener of claim 19 wherein the Initial Peel Resistance is at least 0.6 pound per inch of closure width.
35. The releasable touch fastener of claim 34 wherein the Initial Peel Resistance is at least 0.69 pound per inch of closure width.
36. The releasable touch fastener of claim 35 wherein the Initial Peel Resistance is at least 0.8 pound per inch of closure width.
37. A releasable touch fastener comprising
a loop component having a sheet-form loop base and an array of female fastener elements extending from the loop base; and
a hook component having a sheet-form hook base and an array of male fastener elements extending from the base and configured to releasably engage the female fastener elements of the loop component;
wherein the touch fastener has an Engaged Thickness of less than about 0.11 inch, and
wherein the male and female fastener elements are so configured to provide an Initial Shear Resistance of at least 10 pounds per square inch.
38. The releasable touch fastener of claim 37 wherein the hook component has a Stitch Hole Tear Strength of at least 2.0 pounds.
39. The releasable touch fastener of claim 38 wherein the hook base comprises a sheet of resin and the male fastener elements have stems extending contiguously from the sheet of resin, and wherein the Stitch Hole Tear Strength is at least 5.0 pounds.
40. The releasable touch fastener of claim 39 wherein the hook base includes a fabric backing laminated to a side of the hook base opposite the fastener elements.
41. The releasable touch fastener of claim 37 wherein the hook base comprises a sheet of resin, and wherein the male fastener elements have stems extending contiguously from the sheet of resin.
42. The releasable touch fastener of claim 41 wherein the male fastener elements have molded crooks.
43. The releasable touch fastener of claim 41 wherein each male fastener element has two crooks extending in opposite directions along the hook base.
44. The releasable touch fastener of claim 41 wherein the fastener elements are arranged in a density of at least 350 fastener elements per square inch of the base.
45. The releasable touch fastener of claim 41 wherein the stems have opposing surfaces defined by severed resin.
46. The releasable touch fastener of claim 37 wherein the loop component comprises a woven fabric.
47. The releasable touch fastener of claim 46 wherein the hook base comprises a sheet of resin, and wherein the male fastener elements have stems extending contiguously from the sheet of resin.
48. The releasable touch fastener of claim 37 wherein the Engaged Thickness is less than 0.10 inch.
49. The releasable touch fastener of claim 48 wherein the Engaged Thickness is less than 0.09 inch.
50. The releasable touch fastener of claim 49 wherein the Engaged Thickness is less than 0.08 inch.
51. The releasable touch fastener of claim 37 wherein the Initial Shear Resistance is at least 15 pounds per square inch.
52. The releasable touch fastener of claim 51 wherein the Initial Shear Resistance is at least 20 pounds per square inch.
53. The releasable touch fastener of claim 52 wherein the Initial Shear Resistance is at least 25 pounds per square inch.