A self-engaging fastener has a flexible base sheet and an array of discrete fastener elements projecting from a broad side of the base sheet. Each fastener element has a stem extending from the base sheet and a head at a distal end of the stem, the head overhanging the base sheet on multiple sides of the stem. The heads of the discrete fastener elements are arranged in a pattern of hexagonal groupings of fastener element heads bordering central regions void of fastener element heads, with each fastener element head spaced from edges of the array being part of three adjacent groupings. The product features a particularly high separation resistance for the area of the product covered by the heads.

Discrete male touch fastener elements are molded of thermoplastic resin extending from a common, flexible base sheet, by introducing molten resin to a molding nip between two counter-rotating rolls consisting of a mold roll and a pressure roll arranged such that their rotation axes are parallel and together define a common plane containing each of the rotation axes. Solidified resin is stripped from molding cavities of the mold roll after the cavities have passed a rotating reaction roll forming a pressure nip with the mold roll. The reaction roll is spaced from the pressure roll by a distance less than an outer diameter of the mold roll, and the mold roll is simultaneously held against both the pressure roll and the reaction roll in a non-planar roll stack.

In a molded surface fastener in which an engaging element includes at least two engaging pawl portions protruded outward, a plurality of the engaging elements is disposed in a line along a machine direction to form an element row, a plurality of the element rows is arranged side by side in a cross direction, each of the engaging elements has, as the engaging pawl portions, at least a pair of symmetrical engaging pawl portions which are disposed each other at symmetrical positions in the cross direction and are respectively protruded in the cross direction sides, and a plurality of the engaging elements is arranged in a staggered pattern. Thereby, the molded surface fastener can appropriately and stably exert desired performance such as peel strength with respect to more types of non-woven fabrics.

A fastening strip for touch fasteners is provided which includes a corrugated portion as well as fastening elements. The corrugated portion allows the strip to be bent in a plane perpendicular as well as parallel with the longitudinal axis of the strip such that it may be applied to curved surfaces and remain substantially flat. Fastening elements such as hooks, loops, mushroom-shaped, bulbous and double hooks may be included on both sides of the strip and on the walls of the channels that form the corrugations as well as between the corrugations. The corrugated fastening strips may be useful for automotive seating and diaper applications. Processes for forming the corrugated fastening strip area also disclosed.

In this molded surface fastener, plural engaging elements having a stem portion and an engaging head portion formed integrally on the stem portion are standing on the base portion, at least one pawl portion having a pawl width dimension narrower than a width dimension at a boundary between the stem portion and the engaging head portion is protruded on an outer peripheral edge part of the engaging head portion, and a back surface of pawl of the pawl portion is formed at different angles with respect to a back surface of head portion of the engaging head portion. Such a molded surface fastener of the present invention has a substantial engaging force with respect to a female surface fastener and can make a texture of its surface comfortable.

A molding apparatus includes a movable molding surface with molding cavities, a pressure shoe with a stationary outer surface that defines in cooperation with the molding surface a pressure zone, and a resin source configured to introduce molten resin into the pressure zone to be forced into the molding cavities by pressure in the pressure zone. The molding surface is movable with respect to the pressure shoe to introduce molding cavities to the pressure zone to be filled with resin while the outer surface of the pressure shoe and the molding surface define in between an entrance gap of decreasing width upstream of the pressure zone. The outer surface of the pressure shoe is spaced from the molding surface in the pressure zone to define a minimum gap at which the outer surface of the pressure shoe has a slope parallel to the molding surface. The pressure shoe is adapted to be held in a flexed condition against resin in the pressure zone while forcing resin into the cavities, with the outer surface of the pressure shoe curved upstream of the pressure zone.

The method includes providing a thermoplastic web having mechanical fastening elements and a nonlinear line of weakness that extends predominantly in a first direction and demarcates nonlinear edges of two sub-webs but does not sever the thermoplastic web. The method further includes severing the thermoplastic web at the nonlinear line of weakness into the two sub-webs and joining the two sub-webs to a carrier to form the laminate. The two sub-webs are separated in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Severing the thermoplastic web and joining the two sub-webs to the carrier are carried out in-line without offsetting the two sub-webs in the first direction.

A conductive hook-and-loop fastener that has a high engagement force, undergoes less decrease in conductivity even after repeated engagement and release, and is significantly flexible is provided. The conductive hook-and-loop fastener includes a base cloth 1 containing a woven fabric, having existing on one surface thereof plural loop engagement elements 3 including a multifilament yarn including as at least a part thereof a conductive filament, and the multifilament yarn constituting the loop engagement elements 3 is inwoven in a warp direction 4 of the woven fabric.

A fastening tape includes a base, at least one hook, and at least one rib. The at least one hook includes a stem and an engagement portion extending from an upper end of the stem in a longitudinal direction. The stem includes a leading edge and a trailing edge in the longitudinal direction, and a center of the at least one hook is between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The at least one rib is laterally adjacent to the at least one hook, and a center of the at least one rib is offset from the center of the at least one hook in the longitudinal direction towards the leading edge of the stem.

The present invention is to continue the concept of a replaceable upper of offloading shoe, and further improve the processing capability. Thus this present invention is to reform the outsole separation structure of a replaceable upper of shoe.