GB2332706A

GB2332706A - Self engaging tape having engaging portions and non-engaging portions

Info

Publication number: GB2332706A
Application number: GB9828395A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Toru Yamamoto; Doi Masahi; Mitsuhisa Okawa
Original assignee: YKK Corp
Current assignee: YKK Corp
Priority date: 1997-12-26
Filing date: 1998-12-22
Publication date: 1999-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 2018-12-22
Also published as: JPH11187908A; TW451631U; CN1227736A; DE19855211A1; GB2332706B; GB9828395D0

Abstract

Engaging portions (2) having a large number of engaging elements and non-engaging portions (3) having no engaging elements are alternately disposed on one surface of a tape-shaped substrate sheet (1) which is woven or knitted continuously in a longitudinal direction. In the engaging portions (2), a large number of male engaging elements (2b) made of monofilament (4) and female engaging elements (2a) made of multifilament (5) or monofilament (4) are mingled and provided, such that the same engaging portions (2) can be engaged and disengaged with each other.

Description

0 2332706 SELF ENGAGING TYPE TAPE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIO

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a self engaging type tape made of fiber cloth having a large number of male engaging elements and female engaging elements which can be engaged and disengaged with each other by urging and peeling operations.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, there is a widely known male or female engaging member f or a Hook-and-Loop fastener having a male or female engaging portion provided with a large number of male or female engaging elements standing on one entire surf ace of a substrate sheet of the male or female engaging portion. The male and female engaging members can be engaged and disengaged with each other by urging and peeling operations.

There is a known fastening band utilizing a function of the Hook-and-Loop fastener and comprising a stretch tape-shaped substrate sheet is for example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei. 3215204. The substrate sheet is formed on one surface of its one end with a male engaging portion and on the other surface of its the other end with f emale engaging elements. There is also an engaging tape comprising 1 0 a tape-shaped substrate sheet along a longitudinal direction of which engaging portions having a large number of hook-shaped or loop-shaped engaging elements and a non-engaging portions having no engaging elements are alternately formed, as for example disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. Sho. 50-2507 or Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 9-115814.

Furthermore, there is a known self engaging type Hook-and-Loop fastener comprising a foundation cloth formed with a large number of hook- shaped male and loop -shaped female engaging elements are mingled and standing on one entire surf ace of the foundation cloth, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho. 45-12952, Japanese Utility Model Publication Laid-open No. Sho. 47-46145, or Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2500904.

However, the fastening band disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Application laid-open No. Hei. 3-215204 requires a male Hook-and-Loop fastener piece having a large number of male engaging elements and a female Hook-and-Loop fastener piece having a large number of female engaging elements f or engaging with the male engaging elements to be respectively bonded to or sewn on opposite end portions of the tapeshaped substrate sheet through extremely complicated steps, resulting in expensiveness of products.

The technique disclosed in the above Japanese Patent 2 0 Application No. Hei. 9-115814 relates to a header tape mounted along an upper end edge of a curtain and the like. Similarly to the engaging tape disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. Sho. 50- 2507, in the above header tape, engaging elements of the engaging portions intermittently formed in a longitudinal direction of the upper surface are normally engaged with engaging elements of diff erent shapes from those of the above engaging elements. Therefore, the header tape requires two kinds of Hook-and-Loop fasteners having engaging elements of different shapes.

In the Hook-and-Loop fastener having male and female engaging elements mingled is disclosed in the above Japanese patent Publication No. Sho. 4512952, because the entire fastener is the engaging portion, the fastener can not maintain flexibility of a tape body and is stif f. Theref ore, if the fastener is to be used as the tape body, a range of applications of the fastener is limited.

Thus, the conventional Hook-and-Loop fastener of the above type and the various tapes utilizing functions of the Hook-and-Loop fastener have both advantages and disadvantages, and the advantages are not desirably utilized.

SIZEMARY, OF THE INUNTIO The present invention has been accomplished with the above circumstance in view, and specifically, the invention 3 0 objects to provide a self engaging type tape which has a suf f icient productivity to allow a rational price setting, which is thin and flexible, and which is elastic throughout the entire tape in a longitudinal direction.

To achieve the above objects, according to a f irst aspect of the invention, there is provided a self engaging type tape of f iber cloth comprising engaging portions each having a large number of engaging elements and non-engaging portions having no engaging elements alternately disposed on one surf ace of a tape-shaped substrate sheet continuing in a longitudinal direction, wherein male engaging elements and female engaging elements are mingled in the engaging portions, and the engaging portions can be engaged and disengaged with each other.

The f iber cloth is textile, knitted fabric, or nonwoven fabric. If the fiber cloth is the textile or knitted fabric, the male engaging elements and the female engaging elements of the engaging portions are formed by weaving or knitting the monof ilament or the multifilament simultaneously with weaving or knitting of the substrate sheet. If the f iber cloth is the nonwoven fabric, the monofilament, for example, is thermally set through a gear or the like in a zigzag shape, and fixing a part of the monof ilament by adhesion or bonding on one surf ace of the nonwoven cloth provided with loops, to f orm the engaging portions. Engaging portions may be formed by other known processes.

4 0 The self engaging tapes with the above feature can be engaged with each other by a necessary engaging f orce exhibited by urging the engaging portions having the same feature against each other, and the self engaging tapes can be peeled from each other. In order to mount the tapes on articles to be engaged and disengaged with each other, It is not necessary to position and mount short pieces of male and female Hook-and- Loop fasteners like In conventional art, but the self engaging tapes with a necessary length can be cut out from the long and wound tape, and can be mounted only by respectively mounting the pair of self engaging type tapes linearly along portions to be engaged and disengaged with each other of the articles. Thereby remarkably increase a mounting efficiency. Furthermore, because the self engaging tape does not have a distinction between the male and female tapes like the conventional art, products can be stored and managed only by managing manufacturing types, colors, and patterns of the products, and management of distinction between the male and female products is unnecessary.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a self engaging type tape, wherein the male engaging elements are made of monofilament and the female engaging elements are made of monofilament or multifilament. The male engaging elements are hooks each formed by cutting a portion of the loop made of woven or knitted monofilament, or 0 mushroom-shaped engaging elements each formed by cutting an upper end of the loop by melting. On the other hand, the f emale engaging elements are normally but not necessarily the loops made of multifilament. The female engaging elements may be loops made of monofilament.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a self engaging type tape, wherein opposite end portions of the tape- shaped substrate sheet are f ormed with the non-engaging portions. With this feature, it is easy to sew the tape because a sewing line is visible, and a needle of a sewing machine Is less loaded. By using sewing thread with the same or a different color as of the tape-shaped substrate sheet, or by forming the engaging portions into various shapes or with a color different form that of the substrate sheet, various design effects can be obtained.

According to a fourth aspect of the Invention, there is provided a self engaging type tape, wherein a projecting height of the male engaging elements from the substrate sheet is higher than a projecting height of the female engaging elements. With this feature, when the engaging portions of the opposed tapes are urged in close contact with each other, the hooks can easily enter the engaging portions of the opposite tape, thereby an engaging rate is remarkably increased as compared with the case where the loops are higher than the hooks.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is 6 0 provided a self engaging type tape, wherein both the engaging portions and the non-engaging portions have stretch in a longitudinal direction. As means for applying the stretch to the engaging and non-engaging portions, a stretch thread is normally used as a warp for forming a foundation structure of the tape-shaped substrate sheet.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a self engaging type tape, wherein the non-engaging portions have more stretch in a longitudinal direction as compared with the engaging portions. In order to obtain the difference in stretch, only portions of a back face of the tape substrate sheet corresponding to the engaging portions are coated according to a seventh aspect of the invention, or the back face of the tape substrate sheet corresponding to both the engaging portions and the non-engaging portions is coated and weaving or knitting features of the engaging portions and the non7engaging portions are different from each other according to a eighth aspect of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OE THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a f irst embodiment of a self engaging type tape according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along a line II-II in Fig.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view schematically showing an 7 0 example of a weaving feature of the embodiment of the self engaging type tape.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a second embodiment of the self engaging type tape of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the embodiment of the self engaging type tape.

DESCRIPTION QF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below based on examples shown in the drawings.

Fig. I is a plan view of a first embodiment of a self engaging type tape body according to the present invention and Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along a line II-II in Fig. 1.

As apparent from Figs. 1 and 2, according to the present embodiment, a tape-shaped substrate sheet 1 is formed on one surface thereof with engaging portions 2 and non-engaging portions 3 alternately along a longitudinal direction of the substrate sheet 1.

In the present embodiment, the tape-shaped substrate sheet 1 is formed by using, as warp of foundation structure of the substrate sheet 1, stretch thread such as spuntex yarn or various rubber thread and by using, as a part of the warp, monof ilament and multif ilament. Loops are f ormed by a general process by usinq the f ilament thread, and hooks are formed by 8 0 partially cutting only the loops made of the monof ilament. The monof ilament and the multifilament can be made of any material which is used for this type of Hook-and-Loop fastener, but are preferably made of polyester, polyamide, or polypropylene base thermoplastic resin material.

As shown in Fig. 2, in the engaging portions 2, a large number of loops 2a made of multifilament and a large number of hooks 2b made of monof ilament are mingled condition and are woven to stand on the same surface of the substrate sheet 1, by a known process as disclosed in the above patent publication, utility model laid-open. In the non-engaging portions 3, the monof ilament and the multif ilament are woven into the substrate sheet 1 without forming loops.

Fig. 3 shows a part of an essential portion of a weaving structure of a tape body 10 made by weaving according to the embodiment. The tape body 10 can be woven by a tape loom for example disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Hei. 7-327711. In the engaging portion 2 of the example shown in Fig. 3, woof s are implanted by double pick, and warps which are made of first stretch threads la forming the foundation structure of the tape-shaped substrate sheet 1 are woven to run across the woofs lb alternately on and under a pair of woofs 1b. Normal warps la' adjacent to the stretch threads la are woven to run across the woof s lb under the pair of woof s lb when the first stretch threads la run on the pair of woof s 1b. The 9 0 monofilament 4 forming the hooks and/or the multifilament 5 forming the loops are appropriately woven between or in adjacent to the stretch threads la and the normal warps la' with the similar structure. The monof ilament 4 and the multif ilament 5 are f ormed into loops when they run above the pair of woof s lb.

In the non-engaging portion 3, on the other hand, the stretch threads la are woven to run on two pairs of woofs lb, lb, and run under a next pair of woofs lb, and running on and under of the stretch threads la are alternately repeated. Also, in the non-engaging portion 3, at the portion where the stretch threads la run on the two pairs of the woof s lb, the normal warps la' adjacent to the stretch threads la are woven to run through between the two pairs of the woof s lb, run under one of the two pairs of the woofs lb, and run on next two pairs of woofs lb are repeated. At this time, the monofilament 4 and/or the multif ilament 5 run on and under the woofs lb reversely to the normal warps la'.

Thus, the above structure is only an example, and the warps do not necessarily run above the two pairs of woofs lb but may run above three or more pairs of woof s lb. In the weaving structure, all the stretch threads la, la,---are woven while being stretched to a maximum degree. As a result, when the tape body 10 has been woven, all the stretch threads la, la,---are contracted to remarkably increase a density of the woof. Base portions of the loops formed by the monofilament 4 and the 0 multifilament 5 are f irmly sandwiched between the woof s lb to further stabilize shapes of the loops 4a and 5a, as compared with those in a case where the tape body 10 is woven from the normal threads la'. The normal warps la', the monof ilaments 4 and the multifilaments 5 at the non- engaging portions 3 are loosened into loop shapes, and are easily stretched as the stretch threads la are stretched when the tape is stretched.

To apply the stretch to the tape-shaped substrate sheet is not necessarily by both the above quality of the material and the weaving structure. It is also possible to ensure the longitudinal stretch of the substrate sheet 1 by one of the quality of the material or the waving structure. Therefore, in the present invention, the substrate sheet I is not necessarily provided with stretch.

In the present embodiment, coating is applied to an entire back face of the tape-shaped substrate sheet 1. The normal coating increases stiffness of the tape body and decreases flexibility of the tape body. Therefore, the coating material 6 such as elastomer resin material made of polyurethane resin, natural or synthetic rubber, or the like is coated thinly over the back f ace of the substrate sheet 1. Base end portions of the loops 2a and the hooks 2b of the engaging portions 2 are bonded and f j_xed to the substrate sheet 1. The coating material 6 is not necessarily coated on the entire tape, but may be coated on only portions of the back face corresponding to the engaging 0 portions 2, so as to ensure the stretch of the non-engaging portions 3.

Moreover, in the present embodiment, a height of the loop 2a from the surface of the substrate sheet 1 is smaller than that of the hook. Because of this relationship between the heights, when the tapes are urged in close contact with each other, the hooks 2b can easily enter the engaging portions 2 of the opposite tape. In this case, an engaging rate is increased as compared with the case where the loops are higher than the hooks.

The self engaging type tape of the above embodiment with the above feature can be used for various applications. Particularly, the self engaging type tape can be used f or clothes such as babies' wear or sportswear produced by sewing stretch material, instead of using conventional snap buttons. Also, the self engaging type tape is effective when used for various general outer clothes, covers for beddings, sheets, and header tapes of curtains.

In other words, the self engaging tapes thus produced can be engaged with each other by a necessary engaging force exhibited by urging the engaging portions 2 having the same feature against each other, and the self engaging tapes can be peeled from each other. When the self engaging type tapes having the same structure are sewn on fly portions of clothes, it is not necessary to position and sew short pieces of male and f emale 12 0 Hook-and-Loop fasteners like in conventional art, but the self engaging type tapes with a necessary length can be cut out from the long and wound tape, and can be mounted only by respectively sewing the pair of self engaging type tapes linearly along lef t and right fly portions, without distinguishing the male and female tapes from each other. Thereby significantly improves efficiency of a mounting operation. Furthermore, because the self engaging type tape does not have a distinction between the male and female tapes, products can be stored and managed only by managing manufacturing types, colors, and patterns of the products, and management of distinction between the male and female products is unnecessary.

Also, because the self engaging type tape of the above embodiment has the longitudinal stretch and is thin, if a member on which the tape is to be mounted is thin and elastic,.4t is possible to mount the tape on the member by sewing without decreasing the elasticity and flexibility of the member.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a second embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment is significantly different from the above first embodiment in that a width of the engaging portions 2 is smaller than a width of the tape-shaped substrate sheet I and the engaging portions 2 are positioned at a substantially middle portion in a width direction of the tape-shaped substrate sheet 1. Thus, portions adjacent to edges in a width direction of the engaging portions 13 0 2 are formed by only the tape-shaped substrate sheet I having no hooks or loops, as apparent f rom Fig. 4. The second embodiment is also different from the first embodiment in that only portions of the back face of the substrate,heet corresponding to the engaging portions 2 are coated to form coating portions 6, as shown in Fig. 5.

Basic functions of the second embodiment of the self engaging type tape are similar to those of the above first embodiment. In addition, because of the above first difference in feature of the second embodiment from the first embodiment, it is easy to sew the tape because a sewing line is visible. Also, because it is possible to sew directly the tape-shaped substrate sheet 1, a needle of a sewing machine is less loaded, and use of sewing thread with the same or a dif f erent color as that of the tapeshaped substrate sheet 1 results in an excellent design ef f ect. The engaging portions 2 are f ormed into a square shape in the embodiment, but may be formed into various shapes and a color of the engaging portions 2 may be different from that of the substrate sheet, thereby further enhancing the design effect.

Also, because of the above second difference in feature of the second embodiment from the first embodiment, the non-engaging portions 3 are plain without being coated and maintain quality of the tape-shaped substrate sheet 1. Therefore, stretch of the engaging portions 2 is decreased due 14 0 to an existence of the coating portions 6, but stretch and essential quality of the tape material is ensured in the non-engaging portions 3. Thus, the stretch of the tape as a whole is not decreased, and flexibility of the tape is substantially comparable to that of the tape- shaped substrate sheet 1.

The tape-shaped substrate sheet is formed by weaving in the embodiment, but may be formed by knitting. The substrate sheet formed by knitting and hooks and loops as engaging elements are knitted similarly to a Hook-andLoop fastener as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. Sho. 62-111410, for example. In this case, loops as male engaging elements and loops as female engaging elements are formed by knitting while alternately supplying monofilament and multifilament from two thread supplying holes along a course direction, thereby f orming hooks and loops are mingled in the engaging portions. The multifilament is used as material of the female engaging elements in the embodiment, but a single monofilament may form the female engaging elements.

As is apparent from the above descriptions, the self engaging type tapes according to the present invention have engaging portions with the same tape structure which can be engaged and disengaged with each other. Therefore, it is unnecessary to prepare two kinds of (male and f emale) tapes like in conventional art. The engagement and disengagement is 0 functions can be fully exhibited only by mounting the same kind of tapes on respective articles to be engaged and disengaged with each other. As a result, storage of the tapes and inventory control are easy. Additionally, in order to mount the tapes on the articles to be engaged and disengaged with each other, it is not necessary to respectively mount individual pieces of male and female Hook-and-Loop fasteners like in conventional art, but engagement and disengagement similar to those carried out by the conventional snap buttons can be carried out only by mounting the tape body at a desired position by a single mounting operation.

Moreover, by appropriately determining a shape and a color of the engaging portions of the tape, a degree of freedom In design of the tape can be increased, and various design eff ects can be obtained unlike the conventional fastener members of this type. Also, it is possible to apply the longitudinal stretch and the flexibility to the tape by usage of threads, material to be used, and weaving or knitting structure. Thus, the tape body suitable f or characteristic of the articles to be engaged and disengaged with each other can be obtained.

16 0

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A self engaging type tape including engaging portions (2) having a large number of engaging elements and non-engaging portions (3) having no engaging elements alternately disposed on one surface of a tape-shaped substrate sheet (1) made of fiber cloth continuing in a longitudinal direction, is characterized in that a large number of male engaging elements (2b) and a large number of female engaging elements (2a) are mingled in the engaging portions (2), and the engaging portions (2) can be engaged and disengaged with each other.

2. A self engaging type tape according to claim 1, is characterized in that the male engaging elements (2b) are made of monofilament (4) and the female engaging elements (2b) are made of monofilament (4) or multifilament (5).

3. A self engaging type tape according to claim 1, Is characterized in that edge portions of the tape-shaped substrate sheet (1) in a width direction are the non-engaging portions (3).

4. A self engaging type tape according to claim 1, is characterized in that a projecting height (hl) of the male engaging elements (2b) from the substrate sheet (1) is higher than a projecting height (h2) of the f emale engaging elements (2a).

5. A self engaging type tape according to claim 1, is 17 0 characterized in that both the engaging portions (2) and the non-engaging portions (3) have stretch in a longitudinal direction.

6. A self engaging type tape according to claim 1, is characterized in that the non-engaging portions (3) have more stretch in a longitudinal direction as compared with the engaging portions (2).

7. A self engaging type tape according to claim 6, Is characterized In that only portions of a back face of the tape-shaped substrate sheet which correspond to the engaging portions (2) are coated.

8. A self engaging type tape according to claim 6, is characterized in that a whole of the back face of the tape shaped substrate sheet which corresponds to the engaging portions (2) and the non-engagIng portions (3) is coated, a dIf f erence between stretch of the engaging portions (2) and the non-engaging portions (3) is based on a difference between fiber cloth structures of the engaging portions (2) and the non engaging portions (3).

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