Abstract: A male touch fastener product with a resin surface and an array of spaced-apart male touch fastener elements carried on the surface. Each touch fastener element has a stem extending from the surface and a head disposed at a distal end of the stem and extending laterally from the stem to a distal edge overhanging the surface. The head, stem and surface form a contiguous mass of resin, the head. The distal edge has multiple toes extending laterally outward and varying in shape and size about the edge, with adjacent toes having facing, free-form resin surfaces defining crevices therebetween. The fastener element is particularly flexible and engages with very fine fibers.

Abstract: A male touch fastener product has an array of discrete fastening elements extending from a resin base. The elements are formed by molding stems and then deforming at least a rim of a distal end of each head to form an overhanging mushroom-type fastener element. Some are deformed against a hard surface to form flat fastener elements, and others are deformed against a compliant surface and form umbrella-shaped fastener elements. The fastener element heads feature particular structural relationships that enhance their performance, particularly with low-lying fibers.

Abstract: Arrays of male fastener elements are formed by molding preforms in cavities defined in one or more adjacent plates and shaped to mold preform arms that extend to a plate side, such as in a cross-machine direction of a continuous molding process. The preforms may be deformed to flatten their upper surfaces and lengthen the arms. Stems of preforms have molded side surfaces and each have width, measured in the longitudinal direction of the strip, that narrows with distance from the strip surface, and also narrows with distance from a parting line extending from the strip surface to the head between the arms.

Abstract: A male touch fastener product with a resin surface and an array of spaced-apart male touch fastener elements carried on the surface. Each touch fastener element has a stem extending from the surface and a head disposed at a distal end of the stem and extending laterally from the stem to a distal edge overhanging the surface. The head, stem and surface form a contiguous mass of resin, the head. The distal edge has multiple toes extending laterally outward and varying in shape and size about the edge, with adjacent toes having facing, free-form resin surfaces defining crevices therebetween. The fastener element is particularly flexible and engages with very fine fibers.

Abstract: A male touch fastener product with a resin surface and an array of spaced-apart male touch fastener elements carried on the surface. Each touch fastener element has a stem extending from the surface and a head disposed at a distal end of the stem and extending laterally from the stem to a distal edge overhanging the surface. The head, stem and surface form a contiguous mass of resin, the head. The distal edge has multiple toes extending laterally outward and varying in shape and size about the edge, with adjacent toes having facing, free-form resin surfaces defining crevices therebetween. The fastener element is particularly flexible and engages with very fine fibers.

Abstract: A touch fastener product having a base sheet with a resin side surface and a male touch fastener element having a head disposed at a distal end of a resin stem and overhanging the base sheet. The head has an overall shape, as projected in a plane parallel to the base sheet, with a perimeter that defines spaced apart extremities corresponding to head sections of different engagement characteristics and disposed at different distances from a centroid of the overall shape. In one example, the head projection has a polygonal perimeter consisting of straight edges of differing lengths connected at radiused corners. In another, the perimeter comprises an unbroken series of at least three arc segments of different curvatures, with centers of the arc segments disposed at different distances from the centroid.

Abstract: A mechanical touch fastener assembly (10, 101) including two longitudinally continuous tapes (16), (18) carrying engaged fastener patches (12, 12a), (14, 14a,14b, 14c). The first tape (16) carrying a series of first fastener patches (12, 12a) arranged in a row along a length of the tape (16) and carrying a field of touch fastening features. Each first patch longitudinally spaced from adjacent first patches (12, 12a). The second tape (18) carrying a series of second fastener patches (14, 14a, 14b, 14c) carrying a second field of touch fastening features. The first (16) and second (18) FIG. 1 tapes including a release liner (22), (24). The first (16) and second (18) tapes wound together to form a roll (60), with each of the first fastener patches (12, 12a) releasably engaged to a respective one of the second fastener patches (14, 14a, 14b, 14c) by inter-engagement of the first and second touch fastening features.

Abstract: A printed media display system includes a media mounting surface carrying discrete male touch fastening elements arranged in a field extending across the surface, and print media in the form of a flexible sheet having a fastening side and a print side, the fastening side featuring engageable fibers in a fibrous field extending across a length and width of the flexible sheet. The system exhibits particularly good wrinkle propagation and engaged alignment properties.

Abstract: Arrays of male fastener elements are formed by molding preforms in cavities defined in one or more adjacent plates and shaped to mold preform arms that extend to a plate side, such as in a cross-machine direction of a continuous molding process. The preforms may be deformed to flatten their upper surfaces and lengthen the arms. Stems of preforms have molded side surfaces and each have width, measured in the longitudinal direction of the strip, that narrows with distance from the strip surface, and also narrows with distance from a parting line extending from the strip surface to the head between the arms.

Abstract: Arrays of male fastener elements are formed by molding preforms in cavities defined in one or more adjacent plates and shaped to mold preform arms that extend to a plate side, such as in a cross-machine direction of a continuous molding process. The preforms may be deformed to flatten their upper surfaces and lengthen the arms. Stems of preforms have molded side surfaces and each have width, measured in the longitudinal direction of the strip, that narrows with distance from the strip surface, and also narrows with distance from a parting line extending from the strip surface to the head between the arms.

Abstract: A male touch fastener product with a resin surface and an array of spaced-apart male touch fastener elements carried on the surface. Each touch fastener element has a stem extending from the surface and a head disposed at a distal end of the stem and extending laterally from the stem to a distal edge overhanging the surface. The head, stem and surface form a contiguous mass of resin, the head. The distal edge has multiple toes extending laterally outward and varying in shape and size about the edge, with adjacent toes having facing, free-form resin surfaces defining crevices therebetween. The fastener element is particularly flexible and engages with very fine fibers.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for connecting a printing plate to a print cylinder or surface. The techniques may be implemented, for instance, with respect to a printing plate, a print cylinder, a print sleeve, or some combination thereof. In an embodiment, a field of mechanical fasteners is provisioned on a printing plate, and a complementary field of mechanical fasteners is provisioned on a print sleeve or cylinder. The mechanical fasteners collectively operate to provide a mechanical bond or interface that inhibits lateral and rotational movement of the plate during printing operations, and can also be configured to manage backlash between engaging surfaces of the interface. In some cases, backlash management includes use of cushion effect integral with the mechanical bond itself and/or unidirectional and possibly angled fastener elements to provide a snugging effect.

Abstract: A touch fastener product having a base sheet with a resin side surface and a male touch fastener element having a head disposed at a distal end of a resin stem and overhanging the base sheet. The head has an overall shape, as projected in a plane parallel to the base sheet, with a perimeter that defines spaced apart extremities corresponding to head sections of different engagement characteristics and disposed at different distances from a centroid of the overall shape. In one example, the head projection has a polygonal perimeter consisting of straight edges of differing lengths connected at radiused corners. In another, the perimeter comprises an unbroken series of at least three arc segments of different curvatures, with centers of the arc segments disposed at different distances from the centroid.

Abstract: Arrays of male fastener elements are formed by molding preforms in cavities defined in one or more adjacent plates and shaped to mold preform arms that extend to a plate side, such as in a cross-machine direction of a continuous molding process. The preforms may be deformed to flatten their upper surfaces and lengthen the arms. Stems of preforms have molded side surfaces and each have width, measured in the longitudinal direction of the strip, that narrows with distance from the strip surface, and also narrows with distance from a parting line extending from the strip surface to the head between the arms.

Abstract: A reusable closure system is disclosed for flexible packaging applications. The system generally includes base and lid portions. The base portion can be bonded to underlying package material and includes first and second fields of touch fasteners separated by a multi-layer buffer zone. The buffer zone can be at least in part co-located with a frangible region of underlying package material. In some embodiments, the buffer zone is substantially free of active bonding agent, such that there is little or no active bonding agent overlapping the frangible region. One of the touch fastener fields of the base can be deployed at least partially within the area defined by the frangible region. The other touch fastener field is deployed around the buffer zone. The lid portion can be bonded to the package material and/or base portion, and includes a hinge and another touch fastener field to mate with the base fields.

Abstract: A printed media display system includes a media mounting surface carrying discrete male touch fastening elements arranged in a field extending across the surface, and print media in the form of a flexible sheet having a fastening side and a print side, the fastening side featuring engageable fibers in a fibrous field extending across a length and width of the flexible sheet. The system exhibits particularly good wrinkle propagation and engaged alignment properties.

Abstract: A reusable closure system is disclosed for flexible packaging applications. The system generally includes base and lid portions. The base portion can be bonded to underlying package material and includes first and second fields of touch fasteners separated by a multi-layer buffer zone. The buffer zone can be at least in part co-located with a frangible region of underlying package material. In some embodiments, the buffer zone is substantially free of active bonding agent, such that there is little or no active bonding agent overlapping the frangible region. One of the touch fastener fields of the base can be deployed at least partially within the area defined by the frangible region. The other touch fastener field is deployed around the buffer zone. The lid portion can be bonded to the package material and/or base portion, and includes a hinge and another touch fastener field to mate with the base fields.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for connecting a printing plate to a print cylinder or surface. The techniques may be implemented, for instance, with respect to a printing plate, a print cylinder, a print sleeve, or some combination thereof. In an embodiment, a field of mechanical fasteners is provisioned on a printing plate, and a complementary field of mechanical fasteners is provisioned on a print sleeve or cylinder. The mechanical fasteners collectively operate to provide a mechanical bond or interface that inhibits lateral and rotational movement of the plate during printing operations, and can also be configured to manage backlash between engaging surfaces of the interface. In some cases, backlash management includes use of cushion effect integral with the mechanical bond itself and/or unidirectional and possibly angled fastener elements to provide a snugging effect.

Abstract: A method of forming a fastener is provided, including (a) forming, from a thermoformable material, a preform product having a sheet-form base and an array of preform stems integrally molded with and extending from the base to corresponding terminal ends; (b) heating the terminal ends of the stems to a predetermined softening temperature, while maintaining the sheet-form base and a lower portion of each stem at a temperature lower than the softening temperature; and (c) contacting the terminal ends with a contact surface that is at a predetermined forming temperature, lower than the softening temperature, to deform the terminal ends to form heads therefrom that overhang the sheet-form base. Fasteners and other methods of forming them are also provided.