Claims
- 1. A method of continuously forming a separable touch fastener strip having a flexible base unitarily molded with a plurality of fastening elements extending from a fastening surface thereof, the method comprising:providing an apparatus having a cavity roller that contains cavities for forming the fastening elements, and a base roller which defines, together with the cavity roller, a nip; supplying a first stream of molten plastic to the nip under conditions which cause the plastic of the first stream to fill the cavities of the cavity roller and form the fastening surface of the base; while supplying a second stream of molten plastic to the nip along with the first stream of molten plastic, such that plastic of the first stream and plastic of the second stream are joined in the nip to form the fastener strip; allowing the formed fastener strip to travel around the cavity roller; and then passing the formed fastener strip around a stripping roller to pull the formed fastener strip from engagement with the cavity roller.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fastener elements are hook-shaped.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second streams are of identical materials.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second streams are of different materials.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the base further comprises a non-fastening surface.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second streams of plastic are forced through corresponding die orifices of a cross-head coextrusion die head.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein a pool of material of the first stream forms upstream ahead of the nip.
- 8. The method of claim 7 wherein a pool of material of the second stream also forms upstream ahead of the nip.
- 9. The method of claim 1 wherein material of the second stream is flattened and spread out into a web shape, along with a quantity of material of the first stream to form the base.
- 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after passing the formed fastener strip around a stripping roller, passing the formed fastener strip to a wind-up roll.
- 11. The method of claim 1 further comprising continuously laminating a preformed substrate to the base of the fastener strip as the fastener strip is being formed.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the preformed substrate is inserted into the nip to bond intimately with the base and become an integral part of the fastener strip.
- 13. The method of claim 11 wherein the preformed substrate comprises a loop component of a hook and loop fastener pair.
- 14. The method of claim 1 wherein the formed fastener strip is cooled while traveling around the cavity roller.
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional (and claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC 120) of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/680,607, filed Oct. 6, 2000, U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,252, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/365,273, filed Jul. 30, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,970, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/035,225, filed Mar. 5, 1998, U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,311, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/390,876, filed Feb. 17, 1995, U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,928. The disclosures of the prior applications are considered part of (and are incorporated by reference in) the disclosure of this application.
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Continuations (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/365273 |
Jul 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/680607 |
|
US |
Parent |
09/035225 |
Mar 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/365273 |
|
US |