Loop-Forming Closure Element for Hook-and-Loop Fasteners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing loop-forming closure elements for hook-and-loop fasteners on diapers lack a soft surface feel and adequate skin friendliness, while also requiring complex manufacturing processes and excessive material usage, which increases costs and does not provide an optimal interconnection with gripping hooks.
Innovation Solution
A loop-forming closure element is created using an embossed nonwoven material formed by intertwining continuous fibers and staple fibers, which are blended and bulked using water jets to create a stable and soft structure with protruding staple fibers for improved gripping, and laminated with a carrier film for easy attachment and decorative purposes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a knitted fabric on a carrier film with adhesive bonding is used, then the structure provides adequate interconnection with gripping hooks, but the surface feel is unpleasant and skin friendliness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite nonwoven material combining continuous fibers (for stability and strength) and staple fibers (for softness and skin friendliness). This composite structure achieves both adequate interconnection with gripping hooks and improved surface feel, resolving the contradiction between reliability and skin friendliness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates local quality differences within the nonwoven material by having continuous fibers provide structural stability in certain regions while staple fibers provide softness and comfort in contact regions. This local differentiation allows the material to simultaneously achieve good hook interconnection and pleasant skin feel.
2Strength
If bicomponent fibers with polymer fusion are used, then a solid structure with sufficient bonds is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the bonding function from the fiber material itself (bicomponent fibers with polymer fusion) and replaces it with a separate water jet entanglement process. This separates the structural reinforcement function from the fiber composition, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining structure solidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses water jets to entangle and bond fibers together, replacing the thermal polymer fusion process. This hydraulic approach simplifies manufacturing by using water instead of complex thermal processing, while still achieving sufficient fiber bonds and structure solidity.
3Reliability
If spunlaced nonwoven with water-jet entangling is used, then loops are formed for hook connection, but the surface texture and gripping effect require improvement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines continuous fibers and staple fibers in a composite nonwoven structure. The continuous fibers provide structural integrity while the protruding staple fibers create an enhanced surface texture with improved gripping effect, resolving the contradiction between loop formation and surface texture quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the natural curvature and three-dimensional structure of protruding staple fibers to create enhanced gripping surfaces. The curved, protruding fiber ends provide better mechanical interlocking with hooks compared to flat or uniformly structured surfaces, improving the gripping effect.
4Stability of the object's composition
If card web on spun bonded fabric is used, then stability and attachment are provided, but material usage increases costs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of card web (for stability) and spun bonded fabric (for attachment) into a single integrated nonwoven layer with continuous and staple fibers. This consolidation reduces the number of separate material layers needed, decreasing material usage and cost while maintaining stability and attachment properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves a soft and stable nonwoven material with enhanced gripping effectiveness, reduced material usage, and a visually appealing design, while maintaining sufficient tensile strength and interconnection with gripping hooks, thus addressing the shortcomings of previous technologies.
Implementation Method 1
the nonwoven material is acted upon by water jets and are thereby blended with one another and intertwined
Data Source
AI summary
A loop-forming closure element for hook-and-loop fasteners embodies an embossed nonwoven material having continuous fibers of a spun bonded fabric and carded staple fibers. The continuous fibers and the staple fibers are intertwined and form a common nonwoven material layer as a fiber blend.