Polyester fabric hook-and-loop fastener and manufacturing method for same

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional woven-fabric hook-and-loop fasteners with back coating adhesives suffer from issues such as reduced softness, decreased air permeability, misalignment of selvage areas, uneven dyeing, and difficulty in cutting hook-shaped engaging elements due to thermal shrinkage misalignment, leading to reduced commercial value and engaging force.

Innovation Solution

A polyester woven-fabric hook-and-loop fastener using a heat-fusible fiber in the weft yarn, where the warp and weft yarns are thermally shrunk and aligned to ensure selvage areas have a constant width, eliminating the need for a back coating adhesive, and allowing for efficient dyeing and accurate cutting of engaging elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a back coating adhesive layer is applied on the rear surface of the woven base fabric to prevent yarn pulling, then the fixing force of the yarn for engaging elements is improved, but the softness of the woven base fabric is reduced and the texture deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixing force of yarn for engaging elementsVSAvoidsoftness of woven base fabric
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the back coating adhesive layer from the conventional structure. Instead of applying adhesive on the rear surface, the patent uses a heat-fusible fiber integrated into the weft yarn that fuses during heat treatment to secure the engaging elements, thereby eliminating the adhesive layer that causes stiffening while maintaining fixing force.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The heat-fusible fiber acts as an intermediary mechanism between the yarn for engaging elements and the woven base fabric. During heat treatment, this fiber fuses to provide strong fixing force without requiring a separate adhesive coating, thus maintaining fabric softness while achieving reliable element attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a back coating adhesive layer is applied on the rear surface to secure yarns, then the fixing force is improved, but the air permeability of the hook-and-loop fastener decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixing force of yarn for engaging elementsVSAvoidair permeability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the back coating adhesive layer that blocks air passages. By using the heat-fusible fiber integrated in the weft yarn instead, air permeability is maintained while still achieving secure fixing of engaging elements through thermal fusion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If dyeing is performed before applying the back coating adhesive, then the yarns can be dyed, but the yarns move during dyeing treatment causing misalignment and disordered alignment of engaging elements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedyeing capabilityVSAvoidalignment of engaging elements
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention performs the alignment-fixing action beforehand by incorporating the heat-fusible fiber into the weft yarn structure before dyeing. During subsequent heat treatment, this fiber fuses to permanently secure the yarn alignment, allowing dyeing to be performed at any stage without causing misalignment issues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The heat-fusible fiber provides continuous securing action throughout the manufacturing process. Once fused during heat treatment, it maintains yarn alignment continuously through subsequent operations including dyeing, cutting, and finishing, ensuring consistent engagement element alignment throughout production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Reliability

If thermal shrinkage is applied to fix yarns to the base fabric, then the fixing force is improved, but misalignment of selvage areas occurs leading to uneven width and reduced commercial value

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixing force of yarn for engaging elementsVSAvoidalignment of selvage areas
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality by positioning the heat-fusible fiber specifically in the weft yarn at critical locations where engagement elements form. This localized fusion during heat treatment provides precise fixing without causing widespread thermal shrinkage misalignment of selvage areas, maintaining both fixing force and dimensional accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 ensures that selvage areas have a consistent width, improves softness and air permeability, allows for uniform dyeing, and maintains high engaging force even after repeated use, enhancing the commercial value and appearance of the fastener.

Implementation Method 1

fixing a yarn for engaging elements to a woven base fabric for the hook-and-loop fastener through fusion of a heat-fusible fiber which is used as a weft yarn

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat fusion: Melting

Implementation Method 2

the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements being of a polyester fiber... thermally shrunk and aligned to ensure selvage areas have a constant width

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal shrinkage: Thermal Contraction

Data Source

PatentEP4241611B1Polyester fabric hook-and-loop fastener and manufacturing method for same
Publication Date: 2025.07.09 KURARAY FASTENING CO LTD
  • EP4241611B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4241611B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

In polyester woven-fabric hook-and-loop fastener in which Tb as defined in this description is 0.94 times Ts or less, a selvage area having a constant width is present on two opposite ends continuously in a line form in the warp direction without misalignment in the weft direction. As a result, when the polyester woven-fabric hook-and-loop fastener is sewn onto a garment or the like, a sewing thread sewn to the selvage area is in a straight line without meandering, and thus a sewn product excellent in appearance can be obtained.