EP0131490A1 - Touch-and-close-type fastener band - Google Patents

Abstract

In this touch-and-close-type fastener band, intended to interact with a catching surface, the band (1) is arranged at one end (4) of an elastic strip (3) whose other end (5) is fastened inside a sheath (6), the length of the elastic strip (3) and of the sheath (6) being such that the band (1) can extend outside the sheath (6) when the elastic strip (3) is in the stretched state and is inside the sheath (6) when the elastic strip (3) is at rest. At the end of the band is provided a gripping tab which extends beyond the sheath (6) when the elastic strip (3) is at rest. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a self-gripping tape closure device intended to cooperate with a hooking surface provided for this purpose. Such ribbons, sold inter alia under the brand Velcro, include numerous hooks which come to grip the fibers of a velvet surface, and allow immediate hooking, which can also be undone immediately.

The use of hook-and-loop fasteners has become widespread in the clothing sector, and in particular for certain specialized articles used in particular in hospitals, such as incontinence briefs, surgeons' blouses, etc.

There is a drawback to these closings during machine washing: the hooks on the hook-and-loop tape tend to grip all the fabrics in the vicinity and can in particular lead to the tearing of fibers from certain fragile fabrics, possibly mixed with washed articles; or else, and this is particularly the case in the machine washing of several articles provided with these types of closures, the hook-and-loop tapes catch on the hooking surfaces of other articles, and the garments then form a conglomerate washing poorly, difficult to remove from the machine and requiring additional handling to separate each item after washing.

It is therefore necessary to provide a system allowing, when useful, the neutralization of the fastening power of the hook-and-loop tapes. The systems known hitherto are not satisfactory: or provision is made to have on each strip, before washing, a piece of attachment surface provided for this purpose, which requires additional handling; or it is planned to permanently hide each ribbon under sorts of fabric shutters, which requires, when we want to release the ribbon for hanging, a deformation of the surrounding fabric inelegant, uncomfortable, and, in general , resulting in a decrease in the strength of the closure.

The object of the invention is to provide a closure device with a self-gripping tape free from the drawbacks mentioned above.

This object is achieved by the fact that the ribbon is disposed at one end of an elastic band, the other end of which is fixed inside a sheath, the lengths of the elastic band and of the sheath being such that the ribbon may protrude outside the sheath when the elastic band is in the stretched state, and either inside the sheath when the elastic band is at rest.

It is therefore sufficient, when it is desired to hang the ribbon on a hooking surface, to extract the ribbon from its sheath (a tongue. Protruding from the sheath makes it possible to immediately pull the ribbon). When you unhook the tape from the hanging surface, the tape automatically returns to its sheath.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of a particular and non-limiting embodiment. Reference will be made to the single appended figure which represents a front view of the device, the front wall of the sheath having been removed for clarity.

The self-gripping tape 1 is generally in the form of a relatively rigid plate, one face of which is covered with numerous hooks 2 intended to hang in the fibers of a surface carrying a kind of velvet.

The ribbon plate 1 is fixed to one end 4 of an elastic band 3 longitudinally. The other end 5 of the strip 3 is fixed to the bottom of a sheath 6 open at one end. The sheath 6 can be produced by the superposition of two rectangles of fabric joined by seams 7; these seams 7 can be used, in the region of the bottom of the sheath 6, to fix the end 5 of the strip 3.

The sheath is advantageously made of plasticized fabric (on the internal face) so as to give it sufficient rigidity so as not to deform when the strip of tape fits into the sleeve, and to offer a sliding surface opposite the plate 1 on the hook side. We can take advantage of the presence of plastic to replace the seams 7 with welds.

In order to be able to easily remove the wafer 1 from its sheath 6, a tongue 8 is provided which permanently protrudes from the sheath 6.

The device of the invention is particularly suitable for clothing of all kinds: blouses, panties, etc. An advantageous aspect of the invention resides in that the elastic band 3 also contributes to ensuring a good closure of the garment, leaving an elastic clearance, which is particularly appreciable for closures at the level of the belt for example.

The device may be designed in a form totally independent of the garment and be attached thereto by sewing or other suitable means of fixing. It can also be an integral part of the garment, the sheath then being produced in the fabric of the garment itself.

Claims (2)

1. Self-gripping tape closure device intended to cooperate with a hooking surface, characterized in that the tape (1) is disposed at one end (4) of an elastic band (3), the other end of which (5) is fixed inside a sheath (6), the lengths of the elastic band (3) and of the sheath (6) being such that the ribbon (1) can protrude out of the sheath (6) when the elastic band (3) is in the stretched state, and either inside the sheath (6) when the elastic band (3) is at rest. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that there is provided at the end of the tape a gripping tab projecting from the sheath (6) when the elastic band (3) is at rest.

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