Abstract: A picking container liner sleeve in the form of a sheet or tube of resin is placed inside a produce picking container and held in place by releasably engaging cooperative touch fasteners on the rim of the picking container and the upper end of the liner sleeve. The liner sleeve is sized to line the container in use to inhibit contact between picked produce and an interior surface of the produce picking container with the lower end of the produce picking container in a closed position, but to allow picked produce to fall through the lower end of the produce picking container with the lower end of the produce picking container in an open position.

Abstract: A method of molding resin on a flexible substrate includes forming discrete regions of resin and forcing resin of at least some of the regions into molding cavities to form a respective array of resin projections extending from a resin base of the regions. Forming the discrete regions of resin includes depositing molten resin directly onto either the substrate or a surface in which the cavities are defined. The resin is deposited as the substrate moves in a processing direction, and the resin is deposited by resin sources spaced from each other along the processing direction.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Methods of making a male touch fastener product, by shearing distal portions of loops extending from a side of a flexible fabric, leaving fibers extending from the side of the flexible fabric in place of the sheared loops, the fibers extending to respective free distal ends, while leaving other loops extending from the side of the fabric intact, and then heating the distal ends with energy supplied by a linear energy source, such that resin of the distal ends flows to form enlarged heads on the extending fibers, while leaving at least some of the other loops intact. A male touch fastener product has a flexible fabric base with a broad side, and fibers extending from the broad side of the base. The fibers form both loops of fibers, each loop extending from the base at two spaced-apart points, and fiber segments extending from the base to respective distal fiber ends spaced from the base. Each distal fiber end forms an enlarged head of fiber resin for snagging other fibers.

Abstract: A touch fastener having long and thin headed stems welded to and extending from, for example, a thin film, is made by orienting thin, hollow, drawn staple fibers between bristles of a brush, with no more than fiber ends sticking out of the brush, and then fusing a film to the fiber ends by direct welding. The fibers are then withdrawn from the brush as stems that are headed by heating their ends and allowing the resin to reform into an engageable head.

Abstract: A method of molding resin on a flexible substrate includes forming discrete regions of resin and forcing resin of at least some of the regions into molding cavities to form a respective array of resin projections extending from a resin base of the regions. Forming the discrete regions of resin includes depositing molten resin directly onto either the substrate or a surface in which the cavities are defined. The resin is deposited as the substrate moves in a processing direction, and the resin is deposited by resin sources spaced from each other along the processing direction.

Abstract: A touch fastener having long and thin headed stems welded to and extending from, for example, a thin film, is made by orienting thin, hollow, drawn staple fibers between bristles of a brush, with no more than fiber ends sticking out of the brush, and then fusing a film to the fiber ends by direct welding. The fibers are then withdrawn from the brush as stems that are headed by heating their ends and allowing the resin to reform into an engageable head.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A spacer product (e.g., a fabric) has long and thin stems welded to, interconnecting and extending from, two spaced flexible carrier sheets, such as of thin film. A precursor sheet product may be made by orienting thin, hollow, drawn staple fibers between bristles of a brush, and then fusing a film to the fiber ends by direct welding. The fibers are then withdrawn from the brush as stems with distal ends that are secured to another carrier sheet to form the spacer product.

Abstract: A touch fastener having long and thin headed stems welded to and extending from, for example, a thin film, is made by orienting thin, hollow, drawn staple fibers between bristles of a brush, with no more than fiber ends sticking out of the brush, and then fusing a film to the fiber ends by direct welding. The fibers are then withdrawn from the brush as stems that are headed by heating their ends and allowing the resin to reform into an engageable head.

Abstract: Methods for forming a touch fastening material are described as including: providing a lengthwise-incoherent layer of staple fibers supported directly on a bed of bristle tips of a brush; needling the layer of staple fibers by cycling needles through the layer of staple fibers and into the brush; then, while the needled layer of staple fibers remains supported on the brush, fusing portions of the staple fibers by at least partially melting resin of the fibers disposed outside the brush; and then pulling the layer of fibers from the brush as a lengthwise-coherent touch fastening material having exposed fastening loops pulled from between the brush bristles.

Abstract: Methods for forming a touch fastening material are described as including: providing a lengthwise-incoherent layer of staple fibers supported directly on a bed of bristle tips of a brush; needling the layer of staple fibers by cycling needles through the layer of staple fibers and into the brush; then, while the needled layer of staple fibers remains supported on the brush, fusing portions of the staple fibers by at least partially melting resin of the fibers disposed outside the brush; and then pulling the layer of fibers from the brush as a lengthwise-coherent touch fastening material having exposed fastening loops pulled from between the brush bristles.