Abstract
The invention relates to fasteners comprising a flexible planar backing provided with a fastening element on its upper side and/or on its lower side, wherein the fastener consists of at least one generally Y-shaped one-piece section defined by two opposing arms, which are separated from each other by a recess, and by a third arm joined to the two opposing arms and extending away from said recess, wherein the shape and size of said third arm correspond to the shape and size of said recess.
Claims
1. A fastener comprising a flexible planar backing provided with a fastener element on its upper side and/or on its lower side, wherein the fastener consists of at least one generally Y-shaped one-piece section defined by two opposing arms, which are separated from each other by a recess, and by a third arm joined to the two opposing arms and extending away from said recess, wherein the shape and size of said third arm correspond to the shape and size of said recess.
2. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the outer edges of the opposing arms extend parallel to each other.
3. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the recess as well as the third arm generally have a generally rectangular contour.
4. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of the recess as well as the free corresponding end of the third arm comprise a widened portion.
5. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the backing is made of a flexible thermoplastic resin.
6. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein each fastening element is selected from the group comprising hook members of a hook-and-loop fastener, loop members of a hook-and-loop fastener and an adhesive coat.
7. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the element consists of a plurality of adjacently arranged Y-shaped sections formed as a single piece, wherein one of the opposing arms of a first Y-shaped section also forms one of the opposing arms of an adjacent Y-shaped section.
8. A web of fasteners comprising a plurality of successively arranged fasteners according to claim 1, wherein the fasteners are completely cut out apart from severable bridging segments, which connect adjacent fasteners with each other.
9. The web of fasteners according to claim 8, wherein the web is a strip.
10. A roll of fasteners according to claim 8.
11. A method of providing a plurality of individual fasteners, the method comprising the steps of providing a web of fasteners according to claim 8, and individualizing said fasteners by severing them from said web.
12. An absorbent article (38; 44) comprising at least one fastener according to claim 1.
13. A method of making absorbent articles comprising at least one fastener according to claim 1, the method comprising the steps of providing a web of absorbent articles, providing a plurality of fasteners according to claim 1, and applying said fasteners to said absorbent articles.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
(1) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a web, from which a web of fasteners according to an embodiment of the present invention is produced;
(2) FIG. 2 is a side view of the web in FIG. 1;
(3) FIG. 3 is a web of fasteners, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, produced from the web in FIGS. 1 and 2;
(4) FIG. 4 is a plan view of a web of fasteners, according to a second embodiment of the present invention, produced from the web in FIGS. 1 and 2;
(5) FIG. 5 is a plan view of a web of fasteners, according to a third embodiment of the present invention, produced from the web in FIGS. 1 and 2;
(6) FIG. 6 is a plan view of another web;
(7) FIG. 7 is a side view of the web in FIG. 6;
(8) FIG. 8 is a plan view of a web of fasteners, according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, produced from the web in FIGS. 6 and 7;
(9) FIG. 9 is a bottom view of an absorbent article according to an embodiment of the present invention;
(10) FIG. 10 is a sectional side view of the absorbent article in FIG. 9 and
(11) FIG. 11 is a front view of another absorbent article according to the present invention.
(12) FIG. 12 is a front view of another embodiment of an absorbent article according to the present invention.
(13) FIG. 13 is a top view on a web according to the present invention illustrating a process of individualizing fasteners from said web.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
(14) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a strip of web 1 with parallel side edges from which fasteners according to the present invention may be produced. The web 1 comprises a flexible planar backing 2, which is made of a flexible thermoplastic resin, in particular resiliently flexible thermoplastic resin. The upper side and the lower side of the backing 2 may both be provided with a fastening element 3 and 4 each chosen independently from each other from a group comprising hook members of a hook-and-loop fastener, loop members of a hook-and-loop fastener or an adhesive coat. For example, the fastening element 3 on the upper side of the backing 2 may be an adhesive coat, which may be covered by a release liner even though not shown here, and the fastening element 4 on the lower side of the backing 2 comprises a plurality of hook members of a hook-and-loop fastener, each hook member having a stem portion and may have a head portion, wherein the hook members are capable of being engaged with corresponding loop members of a hook-and-loop fastener or directly with garment like underwear. The web 1 can be supplied in roll form.
(15) FIG. 3 shows a web of fasteners 5, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which can be produced from the precursor web shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 by means of die cutting or the like whereby the fasteners remain severably connected via bridging segments 11. Accordingly, also the web of fasteners 5 comprises the backing 2, the fastening element 3 and the optional fastening element 4. The web of fasteners 5 comprises a plurality of successively arranged fasteners 6, wherein each fastener 6 consists of one generally Y-shaped one-piece section. This Y-shaped one-piece section is defined by two opposing arms 7 and 8 which are separated from each other by a recess 9, and by a third arm 10 joined to the two opposing arms 7 and 8 and extending away from said recess 9, wherein the shape and size of said third arm 10 correspond to the shape and size of said recess 9. The arms 7 and 8 extend parallel to each other, and the recess 9 as well as the third arm 10 have a generally rectangular contour. Each fastener 6 is completely cut out from the web 1 apart from bridging segments 11, which connect adjacent fastener 6 with each other, so that the web of fasteners 5 still forms a continuous strip. The bridging elements can be formed, for example, by perforations or other weakening lines.
(16) FIG. 4 shows a web of fasteners 12, according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which is made from the web 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 by means of die-cutting or the like. Accordingly, also the web of fasteners 12 comprises a backing 2, a fastening element 3 and an optional fastening element 4. Similar to the web of fasteners 5 in FIG. 3 the web of fasteners 12 in FIG. 4 comprises a plurality of successively arranged fasteners 13, wherein each fastener 13 consists of a single generally Y-shaped one-piece section. Each generally Y-shaped one-piece section is defined by two opposing arms 14 and 15, which are separated from each other by a recess 16, and by a third arm 17 joined to the two opposing arms 14 and 15 and extending away from the recess 16, wherein the shape and size of said third arm 17 correspond to the shape and the size of the recess 16. The arms 14 and 15 extend parallel to each other. The recess 16 as well as the arm 17 generally essentially have a key-hole type contour wherein the bottom of the recess 16 as well as the free corresponding end of the third arm 17 comprise a widened portion 18 of generally circular shape as shown in the figures. Other shapes such as essentially rectangular, triangular, polygonal, generally curved such as, e.g., semi-circular and combinations of the aforementioned shapes are also conceivable. Each fastener 13 is completely cut out apart from bridging segments 19, which connect adjacently arranged fasteners 13 with each other.
(17) FIG. 5 shows a web of fasteners 20, according to a third embodiment of the present invention, which is made from the web 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 by means of die cutting or the like. Accordingly the web of fasteners 20 also comprises a backing 2 as well as a fastening element 3 and an optional fastening element 4. The web of fasteners 20 has a plurality of successively arranged fasteners, wherein each fastener 21 consists of two generally Y-shaped sections formed as single piece. The first Y-shaped section is defined by two opposing arms 22 and 23, which are separated from each other by a recess 24, and by a third arm 25 joined to the two opposing arms 22 and 23 and extending away from said recess 24, wherein the shape and size of said third arm 25 correspond to the shape and size of said recess 24. The second Y-shaped section is defined by two opposing arms 23 and 26, which are also separated from each other by a recess 27, as well as by an arm 28 joined to the two opposing arms 22 and 23 and extending away from said recess 27, wherein the shape and size of said arm 28 correspond to the shape and size of said recess 27. Accordingly, one of the opposing arms of the first Y-shaped section also forms one of the opposing arms of the adjacent Y-shaped section, namely the arm 23. The fasteners 21 are completely cut out apart from bridging segments 29, which connect adjacent fasteners 21 with each other.
(18) It should be noted that the number of Y-shaped sections forming one fastener 21 can be varied as needed.
(19) FIGS. 6 and 7 show a web 30 comprising a flexible planar backing 31 made of a flexible thermoplastic resin, in particular resiliently flexible thermoplastic resin. The backing 31 is provided on its upper side and on its lower side with fastening elements 32 and 33, each chosen from the group comprising hook members of a hook-and-loop fastener, loop members of a hook-and-loop fastener or an adhesive coat. In contrast to the web 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2, the side edges of the web 30 may not be straight lines but have a regular or irregular curved form such as a sinusoidal form and/or regular or irregular polygonal form such as saw-tooth or zig-zag form.
(20) FIG. 8 shows a web of fasteners 34, according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, which is made from the web 30 in FIGS. 6 and 7. The web of fasteners 34 comprises a plurality of successively arranged fasteners 36. The form and shape of each fastening element 36 generally correspond to the shape and size of the fasteners 6 in FIG. 3, for which reason same reference numerals are used for corresponding features. However, in contrast to the fastener 6 shown in FIG. 3, the sides 7, 8 of the fastener 36 are waved due to the wave form of the starting web 30 in FIG. 6.
(21) FIGS. 9 and 10 show an absorbent article 38 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which defines a male incontinence guard. The absorbent article 38 comprises a body side liner 39, an outer liner 40 and an absorbent pad 41 disposed therebetween. The absorbent article 38 has a narrow portion 42 and a wide portion 43 when laid out flat. The wide portion 43 is worn closer to the waist of the user, while the narrow portion 42 is positioned more towards the area between the legs of the user. This shape of the absorbent article 38 is comfortable for the wearer and offers liquid retention benefits. On the outer liner 40 a fastener 6 of the type shown in FIG. 3 is attached. More precisely, an adhesive fastening element 4, after peeling off an optional release liner, is affixed to the outer liner 40, such that a hook-type fastening element 3 faces outwards in order to removably fix the absorbent article 38 in position on the underpants of a wearer.
(22) FIG. 11 shows another absorbent article 44 according to an embodiment of the present invention, which defines a conventional diaper for an infant. The general configuration of such a diaper is already known in the art, wherefore it is not described in detail here. Fasteners 6 of the kind shown in FIG. 3 are affixed to elastic strips 45 of the diaper 44, such that hook members of the fastening elements 4 face outward to be brought into contact with corresponding loop members 46 affixed to the absorbent article 44. Accordingly, the diaper can be opened and closed by means of the hook-and-loop fasteners.
(23) FIG. 12 shows a diaper as a further embodiment of an absorbent article 44 according to the present invention. It is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 11 but differs in that an elastic fastening tap 47 is attached to the elastic strips 45 wherein the fastener 6 is attached to both the elastic strips 45 and the additional fastening tab 47.
(24) FIG. 13 illustrates the method of separating individual fasteners 6 from the web 1 of fasteners 6. In the web 1 the fasteners 6 are completely cut out apart from severable bridging segments 11. The fasteners 6 are individualized by breaking up the bridging elements 11 thereby severing the individual fastener 6 from the remainder of the web 1.
