Creped nonwoven laminate loop fastening material for mechanical fastening systems

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is directed to an improved loop fastening material for hook and loop fastening systems.
The loop material of this invention has a three-dimensional surface topography particularly suitable for receiving and engaging hook elements of a complementary hook material.
The hook material can be any of a wide variety of commercially available hook components which, as is known in the art, typically include a base material from which a plurality of hook elements project.
The creped nonwoven laminate loop material of the present invention includes a creped nonwoven layer attached to a support layer.
The creped nonwoven layer may be, for example, a spunbond nonwoven web or a staple fiber bonded carded web.
The support layer may be formed of any material that can be suitably attached or bonded to the creped nonwoven layer, including a plastic film or another nonwoven web.
The exposed, top surface of the creped nonwoven layer includes raised "loop" areas having low fiber density and high z-directional fiber orientation that are designed to receive and engage the hook elements projecting from a hook material.
The raised areas of the creped nonwoven layer are separated by non-raised areas having relatively higher fiber density and relatively lower z-directional fiber orientation when compared to the fiber density and z-directional fiber orientation of the raised areas.
The primary areas of bonding or attachment of the fibers or filaments forming the nonwoven layer to the top surface of the underlying support layer are the non-raised areas; in addition, some secondary bonding of the fibers or filaments of the nonwoven layer to the support layer outside of the non-raised areas may exist.
The support layer provides structural integrity for the creped nonwoven laminate material and dimensionally stabilizes the creped nonwoven layer.
The creped structure of the nonwoven layer further provides resistance against compression of the fibers forming the hook receiving loop material during use, thereby facilitating entry and engagement of hook elements projecting from the hook material