[54] PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A MECHANICAL FASTENER
[75] Inventors: Dennis A. Thomas; David J. K.
Goulait, both of Cincinnati, Ohio
[73] Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company,
Cincinnati, Ohio
[21] Appl. No.: 546,198
[22] Filed: Jun. 28,1990
[51] Int. CI.' B29C 67/02
[52] U.S. CI 264/167; 24/442;
156/66; 156/242; 156/245; 264/251; 604/391
[58] Field of Search 264/164, 167, 251;
156/66, 242, 245; 24/442, 578; 604/391
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,013,498 5/1991 Froeschke 264/164
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
55-137942 10/1980 Japan 264/167
... 111,1 Jill
US0O5116563A
[ii] Patent Number: 5,116,563 [45] Date of Patent: May 26,1992
Primary Examiner—Jan H. Silbaugh
Assistant Examiner—Brian J. Eastley
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—L. L. Huston; S. W. Miller; R.
C. Witte
[57] ABSTRACT
An improved process for forming a mechanical fastening prong and the prongs produced thereby. The prongs are produced by deposition of a heated, thermally sensitive material onto a substrate, which is transported at a differential velocity relative to the heated material being deposited to form the prongs. Also, the transported substrate may be drawn away from the point of deposition at an angle. By varying the velocity differential between the substrate and the heated, thermally sensitive material as it is deposited and by varying the angle between the substrate and the point of deposition of the heated thermally sensitive material, the fastening characteristics, particularly the shear strength, of the fastening system formed of these prongs may be advantageously modified.
13 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
