EP4635359A1

EP4635359A1 - Polyethylene terephthalate-based fabric hook-and-loop fastener and method for manufacturing same

Info

Publication number: EP4635359A1
Application number: EP23903487.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yoshikatsu FUJISAWA; Makoto Sagara
Original assignee: Kuraray Fastening Co Ltd
Current assignee: Kuraray Fastening Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-12-15
Filing date: 2023-12-11
Publication date: 2025-10-22
Also published as: JPWO2024128202A1; WO2024128202A1

Abstract

Provided is a hook-and-loop fastener woven from polyethylene terephthalate-based yarns. A resin layer (6) made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 160 to 210°C is directly stacked on a second surface of a base fabric (5) that is a woven fabric obtained using yarns made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin as a warp yarn (2), a weft yarn (3), and a yarn (3) for engaging elements.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims Convention priority to Japanese patent application No. 2022-200317, filed December 15, 2022 , the entire disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference as a part of this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(Field of the Invention)

The present invention relates to a hook-and-loop fastener woven from a polyethylene terephthalate (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as PET)-based yarn.

(Description of Related Art)

Conventionally, as a hook-and-loop fastener having a woven base fabric, a combination of a so-called hook-type woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener, which has a large number of hook-shaped engaging elements made of a monofilament yarn on the front surface of a woven base fabric, and a so-called loop-type woven fabric loop-type hook-and-loop fastener, which has a large number of loop-shaped engaging elements made of a multifilament yarn and engageable with the hook-shaped engaging elements on the front surface of a woven base fabric, is widely used in application fields such as clothing items and daily goods, since the engaging elements of the hook-and-loop fastener tend to be less damaged, etc., and have little decrease in engagement force even after repeated engagement and peeling.
In addition, a so-called hook-and-loop coexisting-type woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener, in which both a large number of the hook-shaped engaging elements and a large number of the loop-shaped engaging elements coexist on the same surface of a woven base fabric, is also widely used since this type of hook-and-loop fastener can have both functions of a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener and a loop-type hook-and-loop fastener in one and thus it is not necessary to use a combination of a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener and a loop-type hook-and-loop fastener as with conventional hook-and-loop fasteners.
Such a woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener is woven from a warp yarn, a weft yarn, and a yarn for engaging elements. Nylon-based yarns are usually used as such warp yarns, weft yarns, and yarns for engaging elements since the nylon-based yarns have excellent flexibility. In this case, the obtained hook-and-loop fastener has a gentle and soft texture. In the case of a woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener, the engaging elements are pulled from the base fabric surface each time engagement and peeling are repeated. In order to prevent the engaging elements from being pulled out of the base fabric due to this pulling, a technique of back coating is used in which a solution or dispersion liquid of a polyurethane-based or polyacrylic-based resin is applied to the back surface side of the base fabric (i.e., the side opposite to the front surface side on which the engaging elements exist) and is dried to bond and fix the yarn for engaging elements to the base fabric. For example, Patent Document 1 states that nylon-based yarns are used as a warp yarn, a weft yarn, and a yarn for engaging elements to obtain a woven fabric for a hook-and-loop fastener, and a polyurethane-based back-coating resin liquid is applied to the back surface side of the woven fabric and is dried.
Nowadays, PET-based fibers are widely and commonly used in the field of textile products such as clothing, footwear, gloves, and daily goods, and a so-called recycling system has become widespread in which textile products made from PET-based fibers are collected, and the collected PET-based fibers are re-melted and spun into fibers to be formed into textile products for reuse. In addition, a system in which used PET bottles are collected, melted, spun into fibers and the fibers are then formed into textile products for reuse, is also becoming widespread.
Also, to recycle hook-and-loop fasteners used as fasteners of such PET-based textile products in a recycling system, the hook-and-loop fasteners should be supplied to the recycling system together with the textile products, without the hook-and-loop fasteners removed from the textile products. However, in the case of a conventional woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener, since nylon-based yarns are used and a polyurethane-based or polyacrylic-based resin is used as the back-coating layer applied to the back surface, the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener cannot be processed in a recycling system for PET-based textile products.
As a PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener that is an alternative to a nylon-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener which cannot be processed in such a recycling system, Patent Document 2 describes a PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener in which PET-based yarns are used as a warp yarn and a yarn for engaging elements, a heat-fusible PET-based yarn is used as a weft yarn, and the heat-fusible PET-based yarn used as the weft yarn is fused to fix the yarn for engaging elements to a base fabric, thereby imparting pull-out resistance to the engaging elements.
Indeed, in the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener described in Patent Document 2, since the yarns constituting the fastener are all PET-based yarns, and the PET-based heat-fusible yarn is used as the weft yarn instead of a polyurethane-based or polyacrylic-based back-coating resin applied to the back of the base fabric, the back-coating resin is not required, and there are no substances that inhibit the fastener from being put into a recycling system, so that the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener attached to a PET-based textile product can be put into a recycling system, without being removed from the textile product but in the attached state.
However, in the case of the technology described in Patent Document 2 in which a heat-fusible yarn is used as the weft yarn and this heat-fusible yarn is melted to obtain pull-out resistance of the engaging elements, since the heat-fusible yarn that exists in an intermediate portion of the base fabric is melted, the entire base fabric, from the front surface side to the back surface side of the base fabric, is fixed by the heat-fusible yarn. Thus, the entire base fabric becomes hardened, and the texture of the front surface of the hook-and-loop fastener becomes stiff, so that it cannot necessarily be said that the hook-and-loop fastener is suitable for application fields that require a soft texture, such as clothing, gloves, and footwear. In addition, PET-based yarn is more rigid than nylon-based yarn, and this further stiffens the texture of the front surface of the hook-and-loop fastener.
Also, Patent Document 3 describes a hook-and-loop fastener in which a sheet material made of a synthetic resin is bonded to and integrated with the back surface of a woven hook-and-loop fastener, and states that: in addition to a nylon-based resin, a polyester resin or polypropylene resin can also be used as the synthetic resin for forming the hook-and-loop fastener; it is preferable that the synthetic fibers forming the hook-and-loop fastener and the sheet material bonded to and integrated with the back surface are formed from the same type of synthetic resin in that the synthetic fibers and the sheet material can be firmly integrated; the melting point of the synthetic fibers forming the hook-and-loop fastener may be higher, the same as, or lower than the melting point of the sheet material bonded to the back surface; in the hook-and-loop fastener obtained in this manner, the resin of the sheet member flows into the interstices of the base fabric and further flows out to the front surface side, so that the hook-and-loop fastener has toughness and rigidity with which the base fabric and the sheet material are not easily peeled off from each other during use; and the obtained hook-and-loop fastener is suitable as an industrial material used in tunnel construction, etc., utilizing its toughness and rigidity.
However, in the hook-and-loop fastener described in Patent Document 3, as is also described in the examples thereof, when bonding the sheet material to the back surface of the hook-and-loop fastener, the molten resin of the sheet material flows into the interstices of the hook-and-loop fastener and flows out to the front surface through the interstices. Thus, the obtained hook-and-loop fastener has rigidity as described above, that is, the entire base fabric of the hook-and-loop fastener is fixed by the resin to give a strong resin sheet feel, so that the flexibility that the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener has and the soft texture of the front surface of the hook-and-loop fastener are spoiled.
Patent Document 4 describes a hook-and-loop fastener in which heat fusion by ironing or the like can be used as means for integrating a low-melting-point polyester-based hot-melt resin layer with the back surface of the PET-based hook-and-loop fastener described in Patent Document 2 above to attach the hook-and-loop fastener to an object. However, in the hook-and-loop fastener described in Patent Document 4, a heat-fusible yarn is used as a weft yarn, and therefore the entire base fabric, from the front surface side to the back surface side of the base fabric, is fixed by the heat-fusible weft as in the technology of Patent Document 2 above, and further PET-based yarns are used as the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements. Thus, the problem that the texture of the front surface of the hook-and-loop fastener becomes stiff cannot be solved, as in the technology of Patent Document 1.

[Related Document]

[Patent Document]

[Patent Document 1] JP Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-299508
[Patent Document 2] WO2005/122817
[Patent Document 3] JP Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2000-17311
[Patent Document 4] WO2020/149361

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

A first object of the present invention is to provide a woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener that is woven from a PET-based yarn, which fastener contains a specific PET-based binder resin in combination so that the entire base fabric can be prevented from becoming hardened, despite the fact that the hook-and-loop fastener is formed from a PET-based resin, which is a rigid resin, which fastener has an excellent engagement force, and which fastener can be put into a recycling system after the hook-and-loop fastener is used, in particular, can be put into a recycling system while being attached to a PET-based textile product.
A second object of the present invention is, in addition to the first object, to provide a woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener which can have a soft and gentle texture on the engaging-element side surface; in which recycled yarns can be used as yarns constituting the hook-and-loop fastener; in which there is almost no difference in dyed color between the base fabric portion and a resin layer integrated with the back surface side of the hook-and-loop fastener when the hook-and-loop fastener is dyed with a disperse dye, thereby giving no impression that a component having a different color is integrated on the back surface; and which can be simultaneously dyed to almost the same color as a textile product in a state where the hook-and-loop fastener is attached to the textile product.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

That is, the present invention may include the following aspects.

[Aspect 1]

A polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener comprising a base fabric which is a woven fabric woven from a warp yarn, a weft yarn, and a yarn for engaging elements, wherein a first surface of the base fabric is a front side, a second surface of the base fabric is a back side, the yarn for engaging elements is woven into the base fabric in parallel to the warp yarn, a large number of hook-shaped and/or loop-shaped engaging elements formed from the yarn for engaging elements and rising from the first surface of the base fabric exist on the first surface of the base fabric, each of the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements comprises a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin, and the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener satisfies the following configurations 1) and 2):

1) a binder layer made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 160 to 210°C (preferably 170 to 205°C) is provided on the second surface of the base fabric, and the yarn for engaging elements is directly bonded and fixed by the resin of the binder layer; and
2) the resin of the binder layer does not exist on the first surface of the base fabric.

[Aspect 2]

1) a binder layer made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 160 to 210°C (preferably 170 to 205°C) is provided on the second surface of the base fabric, a part of the resin of the binder layer enters an interior of the base fabric, and at locations where the yarn for engaging elements is tucked under the weft yarn on the second surface of the base fabric, the yarn for engaging elements is bonded by the resin forming the binder layer, in substantially an entire area; and
2) at locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements cross over the weft yarn on the first surface of the base fabric, the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements are not bonded to the weft yarn.

[Aspect 3]

The polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as recited in aspect 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the warp yarn or the weft yarn is a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 250 to 257°C.

[Aspect 4]

The polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as recited in any one of aspects 1 to 3, wherein the yarn for engaging elements is a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 250 to 265°C (preferably 250 to 257°C).

[Aspect 5]

The polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as recited in any one of aspects 1 to 4, wherein each of the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements is made of a copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate resin containing 1.0 to 2.0 mol% of isophthalic acid with respect to a total amount of dicarboxylic acid and 2.0 to 3.5 mol% of diethylene glycol with respect to a total amount of diol as copolymerization components.

[Aspect 6]

The polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as recited in any one of aspects 1 to 5, wherein the binder layer bonded to the second surface of the base fabric has a large number of holes which penetrate the binder layer in a thickness direction.

[Aspect 7]

A textile product comprising the polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as recited in any one of aspects 3 to 5, wherein the textile product is made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin, and the polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener is attached to the textile product and is dyed to the same color using the same disperse dye as the textile product.

[Aspect 8]

A method for producing a polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener, the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener comprising a base fabric which is a woven fabric including a warp yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid, and a weft yarn and a yarn for engaging elements each of which includes a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin, wherein a first surface of the base fabric is a front side, a second surface of the base fabric is a back side, the yarn for engaging elements is woven into the base fabric in parallel to the warp yarn, a large number of hook-shaped and/or loop-shaped engaging elements formed from the yarn for engaging elements and rising from the first surface of the base fabric exist on the first surface of the base fabric, and a binder layer made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 160 to 210°C (preferably 170 to 205°C) is provided on the second surface of the base fabric, the method comprising the following step A, step B, and step C which are performed in this order:

[step A] a step of, when weaving a woven fabric from the warp yarn and the weft yarn, weaving the yarn for engaging elements in parallel to the warp yarn, and at the same time, causing the yarn for engaging elements to regularly rise into a loop shape from the first surface of the base fabric at locations where the yarn for engaging elements crosses over the weft yarn, to weave a loop woven fabric;
[step B] a step of applying the resin for the binder layer to the second surface of the base fabric to bond and fix the yarn for engaging elements by the resin for the binder layer; and
[step C] a step of, if each loop is made of a monofilament yarn, heating the first surface side of the loop woven fabric and then cooling the first surface side of the loop woven fabric to fix the loop shape, and cutting one leg of each loop to make the loop into a hook-shaped engaging element.

[Aspect 9]

The method as recited in aspect 8, wherein the [step B] is a step of applying the resin for the binder layer in a melted state and in the form of a film-like material to the second surface of the loop woven fabric, directly pressing the resin onto the second surface of the loop woven fabric and densifying the loop woven fabric to cause a part of the film-like material to enter an interior of the second surface of the base fabric, and then cooling and solidifying the molten resin to bond the resin to the yarn for engaging elements.

[Aspect 10]

The method as recited in aspect 8 or 9, wherein the film-like material made of the resin for the binder layer is obtained by heating and melting a fiber sheet.

[Aspect 11]

The method as recited in any one of aspects 8 to 10, wherein at least one yarn selected from the group consisting of the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements is a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 250 to 265°C (preferably 250 to 257°C).

[Aspect 12]

The method as recited in any one of aspects 8 to 11, wherein each of the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements is a yarn made of a copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate resin containing 1.0 to 2.0 mol% of isophthalic acid with respect to a total amount of dicarboxylic acid and 2.0 to 3.5 mol% of diethylene glycol with respect to a total amount of diol as copolymerization components.

[Aspect 13]

The method as recited in any one of aspects 8 to 12, wherein the yarns used as the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements and made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin have a dry heat shrinkage rate of 10 to 35% at 200°C.

[Aspect 14]

The method as recited in any one of aspects 8 to 13, comprising forming a through hole in the binder layer.

[Aspect 15]

A method for producing a textile product with a polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener, the method comprising: attaching the polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as recited in any one of aspects 3 to 5 to a textile product made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin; and dyeing the textile product and the polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener attached thereto simultaneously to the same color using a disperse dye.
Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention may be a polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener comprising a base fabric which is a woven fabric woven from a warp yarn, a weft yarn, and a yarn for engaging elements, wherein a first surface of the base fabric is a front side, a second surface of the base fabric is a back side, the yarn for engaging elements is woven into the base fabric in parallel to the warp yarn, a large number of hook-shaped and/or loop-shaped engaging elements formed from the yarn for engaging elements and rising from the front surface (or first surface) of the base fabric exist on the first surface of the base fabric, and each of the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements comprises a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin, the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener satisfies the following configurations 1) to 4).

1) A binder layer made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 160 to 210°C is directly bonded to the back side (or second surface) of the base fabric which is a surface opposite to the surface on which the engaging elements exist, and a part of the resin of the binder layer enters the interior of the base fabric.
2) The warp yarn is a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 250 to 257°C.
3) At locations where the yarn for engaging elements is tucked under the weft yarn on the second surface of the base fabric, the yarn for engaging elements is bonded to the binder layer by the resin forming the binder layer existing on the second surface of the base fabric.
4) At locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements cross over the weft yarn on the first surface of the base fabric, the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements are not bonded to the weft yarn.

In addition, one aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener, the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener comprising a base fabric which a woven fabric woven from a warp yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 250 to 257°C, and a weft yarn and a yarn for engaging elements which are made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin, wherein a first surface of the base fabric is a front side, a second surface of the base fabric is a back side, the yarn for engaging elements is woven into the base fabric in parallel to the warp yarn, a large number of hook-shaped and/or loop-shaped engaging elements formed from the yarn for engaging elements and rising from the first surface of the base fabric exist on the first surface of the base fabric, and a binder layer made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 160 to 210°C is integrated with the back side (second surface) which is a surface opposite to the surface on which the engaging elements of the base fabric exist, the method comprising the following step A, step B, and step C which are performed in this order.
[Step A] A step of, when weaving a woven fabric from the warp yarn and the weft yarn, weaving the yarn for engaging elements in parallel to the warp yarn, and at the same time, causing the yarn for engaging elements to regularly rise into a loop shape from the first surface of the base fabric at locations where the yarn for engaging elements crosses over the weft yarn, to weave a loop woven fabric;

[step B] a step of applying the resin for the binder layer to the second surface of the base fabric of the loop woven fabric and densifying the loop woven fabric to cause a part of the resin for the binder layer to enter an interior of the back surface of the base fabric, and then cooling and solidifying the binder resin; and
[step C] a step of, if each loop is made of a monofilament yarn, heating the first surface side of the base fabric to 180 to 230°C and then cooling the first surface side of the base fabric, and cutting one leg of each loop to make the loop into a hook-shaped engaging element.

As used herein, the singular forms, "a," "an", and "the" are intended to include plural forms including "at least one", unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the terms "and/or", "at least one", and "one or more" include any and all combinations of the relevant listed items.
Any combination of at least two constructions, disclosed in the appended claims and/or the specification and/or the accompanying drawings should be construed as included within the scope of the present invention. In particular, any combination of two or more of the appended claims should be equally construed as included within the scope of the present invention.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

In the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener according to the one aspect of the present invention, a layer (hereinafter, this layer is sometimes abbreviated as PET resin layer) made of a PET-based resin copolymerized with IPA and thus having a melting point of 160 to 210°C (hereinafter, this PET-based resin is sometimes abbreviated as PET resin (A) or simply as resin (A)) is provided as the binder layer on the second surface of the base fabric, and the yarn for engaging elements is directly bonded and fixed by the binder layer (or PET resin layer), so that the engagement force of the engaging elements can be increased.
The PET resin layer integrated with the second surface of the base fabric is made of a resin copolymerized with IPA so as to have a melting point of 160 to 210°C. Such a resin is a resin that has high flexibility, in contrast to general PET-based resins which have rigidity, and the resin (A) for the PET resin layer does not exist on the first surface of the base fabric. Thus, even though such a flexible resin is integrated with the second surface of the base fabric, the hardening of the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as a whole can be reduced.
In the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener according to the one aspect of the present invention, the yarn for engaging elements is bonded to the PET resin layer (or binder layer) existing on the second surface of the base fabric by the PET resin (A) forming this layer at the locations where the yarn for engaging elements is tucked under the weft yarn on the second surface of the base fabric, while the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements are not bonded to the weft yarn at the locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements cross over the weft yarn on the first surface side of the base fabric. Thus, the yarn for engaging elements is bonded and fixed to the binder layer only at and around the locations where the yarn for engaging elements is exposed on the second surface side of the base fabric, and the portions of the engaging elements from the bonded and fixed locations to the first surface of the base fabric are not substantially fixed to the base fabric by this resin.
In that case, since the portions of the engaging elements rising from the front surface of the base fabric are not bonded and fixed to the base fabric by the PET resin (A), the engaging elements can be, for example, pushed or tilted in the lateral direction on the front surface and inside of the base fabric, or sink into the base fabric even if pressure is applied to the engaging elements from above when used as a hook-and-loop fastener, so that the pressure from above can be dispersed. Therefore, combined with the fact that the PET resin (A) for the PET resin layer has high flexibility and the fact that this resin does not immobilize the yarns on the first surface side of the base fabric, the flexibility of the entire base fabric is improved.
In the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener according to the one aspect of the present invention, if the warp yarn and the weft yarn constituting the base fabric are not bonded and fixed from the first surface side of the base fabric to a point close to the second surface side of the base fabric except for the bonding and fixing by the PET resin layer on the second surface side of the base fabric, in particular, the warp yarn and the weft yarn are not substantially bonded and fixed in the vicinity of the first surface side, so that the flexibility of the entire base fabric is further improved.
In the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener according to the one aspect of the present invention, at least one of the warp yarn or the weft yarn constituting the base fabric is a yarn made of an IPA-copolymerized PET-based resin, and the PET resin layer joined to the second surface side of the base fabric is also a layer made of an IPA-copolymerized PET-based resin, so that the warp yarn and/or the weft yarn and the PET resin layer are more firmly bonded and joined together due to the affinity therebetween, and the base fabric and the PET resin layer are less likely to be peeled from each other due to repeated engagement and peeling during use as a hook-and-loop fastener or repeated washing. Furthermore, if the yarn for engaging elements is also made of an IPA-copolymerized PET, the effect of preventing the base fabric and the PET resin layer from being peeled from each other is further improved.
In the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener according to the one aspect of the present invention, use of an IPA-copolymerized PET for the warp yarn and/or the weft yarn and the PET resin layer constituting the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener makes it possible to lower the melting point of the IPA-copolymerized PET-based resin without significantly impairing the physical properties of the yarns or binder layer film, and to obtain a yarn or binder layer having excellent joining strength by heat fusion and having excellent flexibility and dyeability. In a particularly preferred aspect, in the case of yarns, copolymerization of IPA makes it possible to obtain yarns that shrink significantly when heated. Thus, when the molten PET resin layer or the like is integrated with the second surface of the base fabric, the base fabric can heat-shrink by heating during the integration, and as a result, the PET resin (A) integrated with the second surface of the base fabric can be prevented from penetrating the base fabric and flowing or oozing to the front surface side.
Furthermore, IPA-copolymerized PET is used as a raw material for PET bottles in order to obtain anti-fogging properties of PET bottles, and therefore recycled yarns made of a resin collected from PET bottles as a raw material and adjusted to have the modification amount and the melting point of the present invention as appropriate can also be used as the yarns constituting the hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention.
Furthermore, in the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener according to the one aspect of the present invention, each of the warp yarn, the weft yarn, the yarn for engaging elements, and the PET resin layer (or binder layer) integrated with the second surface is made of a PET-based yarn or resin, preferably, an IPA-copolymerized PET-based resin, so that the recyclability of the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener made from such yarns and layer can be improved. For example, at present, PET-based fibers are used in many clothing items and daily goods such as gloves and shoes. Even if the polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention is attached to such a PET-based textile product, it is not necessary to remove the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention from the textile product, and it is possible to put the textile product into a recycling system, with the hook-and-loop fastener attached thereto.
Furthermore, in the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener according to the one aspect of the present invention, each of the warp yarn, the weft yarn, the yarn for engaging elements, and the binder layer on the second surface which constitute the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener is made of a PET-based resin, so that the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener can be dyed with an ordinary disperse dye, and in the case where these yarns and layer are made of a PET-based resin copolymerized with IPA, there is almost no difference in dyed color between the base fabric portion and the resin layer integrated with the second surface side of the hook-and-loop fastener when the hook-and-loop fastener is dyed with a disperse dye, thereby giving no impression that a component having a different color is integrated on the second surface side of the base fabric.
In particular, when dyeing, with a disperse dye, a PET-based textile product to which the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener according to the one aspect of the present invention is attached, the textile product and the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention attached thereto can be dyed simultaneously to the same color, thereby eliminating the need for the time and effort to separately dye the textile product and the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention or for separately preparing a hook-and-loop fastener dyed in the same color as the color of the polyester-based textile product in advance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing another example of a woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the production of a woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention, in particular, an example of the process of pressing a binder layer in a melted state onto a second surface side of a base fabric.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail. First, the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention can be generally divided into three types: a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener in which only hook-shaped engaging elements exist on a first surface of a base fabric, a loop-type hook-and-loop fastener in which only loop-shaped engaging elements exist on a first surface of a base fabric, and a hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener in which both hook-shaped engaging elements and loop-shaped engaging elements coexist on a first surface of a base fabric.
Among these, the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener is mainly formed from a monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements, a multifilament yarn for a warp yarn, a multifilament yarn for a weft yarn, and a PET resin layer bonded and joined to a second surface side of the base fabric. In addition, the loop-type hook-and-loop fastener is mainly formed from a multifilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements, a multifilament yarn for a warp yarn, a multifilament yarn for a weft yarn, and a PET resin layer bonded and joined to a second surface side of the base fabric. Furthermore, the hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener in which hook-shaped engaging elements and loop-shaped engaging elements coexist on the same surface is mainly formed from a monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements, a multifilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements, a multifilament yarn for a warp yarn, a multifilament yarn for a weft yarn, and a PET resin layer bonded and joined to a second surface side of the base fabric.
A warp yarn (e.g., multifilament yarn for a warp yarn), a weft yarn (e.g., multifilament yarn for a weft yarn), and a yarn for engaging elements (e.g., monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements, multifilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements) need to be a fiber substantially comprising a PET-based resin, for example, for the following reasons: the occurrence of waving due to water absorption and moisture absorption can be prevented; the PET resin layer to be joined to the second surface side can be firmly joined by heat fusion; the yarns do not become yellow due to heat when fusing and joining the PET resin layer to the second surface of the base fabric; the hook-and-loop fastener attached to a product such as clothing and daily goods can be simultaneously dyed in the same color when dying the product because such products are made of polyester-based fibers; and the hook-and-loop fastener can be put into a recycling system in a state where the hook-and-loop fastener is attached to a polyester-based textile product. Here, the "fibers substantially comprising a PET-based resin" means fibers which contain, for example, 90% or more, preferably 98% or more, and further preferably 100% or more of a PET-based resin in the fibers, and may be preferably PET-based fibers that are non-composite fibers.
The warp yarn and/or the weft yarn can exhibit recyclability as long as the yarns are multifilament yarns made of a PET-based resin, and the warp yarn and/or the weft yarn may be, for example, a multifilament yarn made of a PET-based resin having a melting point of 250 to 265°C. Preferably, a multifilament yarn made of a PET-based resin that has a melting point of 250 to 257°C and is optionally copolymerized with IPA may be used as the warp yarn and/or the weft yarn, since the above demands can be met to a higher degree. Furthermore, it is preferable that a multifilament yarn made of a PET-based resin that has a melting point of 250 to 257°C and is optionally copolymerized with IPA is used as the yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements, and a monofilament yarn made of a PET-based resin that has a melting point of 250 to 257°C and is optionally copolymerized with IPA is used as the yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements.
In the case where a copolymerized PET is used as a resin for forming a yarn or layer constituting the hook-and-loop fastener, IPA is preferably used as a copolymerization unit on the dicarboxylic acid side in that the melting point of the resin can be lowered without significantly impairing the excellent yarn physical properties, layer performance, ease of molding, etc., of the PET, that a yarn or film having excellent joining strength by heat fusion and having excellent flexibility and dyeability can be obtained, that a yarn having high heat shrinkage properties can be obtained, and that the yarn or layer can have excellent flexibility and dyeability.
As the warp yarn, it is preferable to use an IPA-copolymerized PET-based multifilament yarn having a melting point of 250 to 257°C and made of a PET-based polymer which contains an ethylene terephthalate unit as a main repeating unit and is copolymerized with IPA. When the melting point is in this range, a weaving step can be performed satisfactorily, and the warp yarn can be prevented from becoming excessively rigid, so that the texture of the front surface of the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener can be improved. Furthermore, by performing dyeing with a disperse dye after the hook-and-loop fastener is made, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a difference in dyed color compared with a layer made of a PET resin (A) and integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric, thereby promoting the hook-and-loop fastener to be colored in the same color to give the impression of being integrated as a whole.
As the warp yarn, it is preferable to use a multifilament yarn made of a PET-based resin in which 1.0 to 2.0 mol% of IPA with respect to the total amount of dicarboxylic acid is copolymerized, and in such a case, the above-described properties can be achieved to an even higher degree. It is more preferable to use a yarn made of a copolymerized PET containing 1.0 to 2.0 mol% of IPA with respect to the total amount of dicarboxylic acid and 2.0 to 3.5 mol% of DEG (diethylene glycol) with respect to the total amount of diol as copolymerization components.
Normally, DEG is naturally generated and is contained in PET when PET is polymerized. However, the amount of 2.0 to 3.5 mol% that is specified in the present invention is larger than the amount of DEG generated naturally when PET for fibers is polymerized. Therefore, for the yarns used in the present invention, it is preferable to use a PET-based resin obtained by adding DEG as a part of the raw materials when polymerizing PET for fibers. However, a PET-based resin for PET bottles may contain the aforementioned amount of DEG as a copolymerization component, and yarns produced from such a raw material may be used as appropriate.
It is further preferable that the PET-based resin for forming the warp yarn is not substantially copolymerized with a copolymerization component other than IPA. The copolymerization component other than IPA here does not include DEG or triethylene glycol, which are naturally generated in a small amount in condensation polymerization of terephthalic acid, IPA, and ethylene glycol, or benzoic acid, which is used in a small amount as a terminal stopper in condensation polymerization of a PET-based polymer, etc.
In the base fabrics of these hook-and-loop fasteners, a PET-based yarn other than these yarns may be woven, if necessary, in a minor amount (e.g., 5 wt% or less, preferably 1 wt% or less).
As for the thickness (fineness) of the multifilament yarn for forming the warp yarn, the multifilament yarn preferably includes 20 to 60 filaments and has a total decitex of 100 to 300 dtex, in terms of the flexibility of the obtained hook-and-loop fastener and the formation of the dense base fabric that can prevent the resin of the resin layer integrated with the second surface from reaching the first surface side. Particularly preferably, each multifilament yarn includes 24 to 48 filaments and has a total decitex of 150 to 280 dtex. Here, the thickness is the thickness of a yarn before heat-shrinking, which is used for weaving.
The weft yarn needs to be made of a PET-based resin, and may be, for example, a multifilament yarn made of an IPA-copolymerized PET-based resin having a melting point of 250 to 265°C and preferably 250 to 257°C and copolymerized with IPA. In particular, it is preferable that the melting point of the PET-based resin for forming the weft yarn is 250 to 257°C, in that the weft yarn is prevented from becoming excessively rigid while the base fabric is prevented from being excessively compressed, that the texture of the first surface of the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener is soft, and further that a difference in dyed color is less likely to occur between a base fabric portion and the resin layer integrated with the second surface side of the hook-and-loop fastener when the hook-and-loop fastener is dyed with a disperse dye.
As with the warp yarn, it is preferable to use, as the weft yarn, a multifilament yarn made of a copolymerized PET containing 1.0 to 2.0 mol% of IPA with respect to the total amount of dicarboxylic acid and 2.0 to 3.5 mol% of DEG with respect to the total amount of diol, as copolymerization components. In such a case, the above-described advantages of the present invention can be achieved to a higher degree.
As for the thickness of the multifilament yarn for forming the weft yarn, the multifilament yarn preferably includes 10 to 72 filaments and has a total decitex of 80 to 300 dtex for the same reason as for the warp yarn. Particularly preferably, each multifilament yarn includes 18 to 56 filaments and has a total decitex of 90 to 260 dtex. Here, the thickness is the thickness of a yarn before heat-shrinking, which is used for weaving.
In order to make a soft texture of the front surface of the woven base fabric, it is necessary that the multifilament yarns used as such warp yarn and weft yarn are not melted by the heat applied when fusing and joining the PET resin layer to the second surface of the base fabric, and also by the heat applied to the yarn for engaging elements to fix a hook shape in the case where the engaging elements are hook-shaped engaging elements. For this purpose, it is preferable that the warp yarn and the weft yarn do not contain any low-melting-point component that is melted at a temperature lower than 250°C.
In the hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention, in the case where the engaging elements are hook-shaped engaging elements, the hook-shaped engaging elements are required to have so-called hook shape retention and rigidity with which the hook shape is not extended by light force. Therefore, a thick monofilament yarn is used. In the present invention, a monofilament yarn formed from a PET-based resin having excellent hook shape retention is preferable as such a monofilament yarn.
This monofilament yarn needs to be made of a PET-based resin, and may be, for example, a monofilament yarn made of an IPA-copolymerized PET-based resin having a melting point of 250 to 265°C and preferably 250 to 257°C and copolymerized with IPA. In particular, in the case of the resin having a melting point of 250 to 257°C, the hook-shaped engaging elements can be prevented from being easily pushed down and fixed in this state to impair the uprightness of the engaging elements when melting and joining the PET resin layer to the second surface side of the base fabric, and the engaging elements can also be prevented from becoming excessively rigid, and furthermore, by making the monofilament yarn thinner, the texture of the first surface of the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener can be made softer.
It is preferable that the monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements is made of a copolymerized PET containing 1.0 to 2.0 mol% of IPA with respect to the total amount of dicarboxylic acid and 2.0 to 3.5 mol% of DEG with respect to the total amount of diol, as copolymerization components. In such a case, the texture of the first surface of the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener is improved, and a thick monofilament yarn can be dyed to deep parts thereof by dyeing with a disperse dye, so that there is little difference in dyed color between the hook-shaped engaging elements and the resin layer integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric. Furthermore, in the hook-shaped engaging elements dyed in this manner, even if the surface of the hook-shaped engaging elements is worn due to repeated engagement and peeling to a degree that the inner portions of the hook-shaped engaging elements are exposed, the inner portions of the monofilament are not noticeable.
It is preferable that the PET-based polymer for forming the weft yarn or the yarn for engaging elements does not contain a copolymerization component other than IPA as a copolymerization component on the dicarboxylic acid side.
As for the thickness of the monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements made of such a PET-based resin, a diameter of 0.15 to 0.22 mm is preferable from the viewpoint of engagement force and from the viewpoint that the base fabric can be densified to prevent the resin of the resin layer integrated with the second surface from reaching the first surface side, and a diameter of 0.16 to 0.20 mm is more preferable. In order to increase the engagement force, the cross-sectional shape of the monofilament may be an irregular cross-sectional shape represented by a polygonal shape such as a triangle or quadrangle. This thickness is a value before the monofilament yarn heat-shrinks, as described above.
In the hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention, in the case where the engaging elements are loop-shaped engaging elements, the loop-shaped engaging elements are required to have loop shape retention of a loop shape that spreads in the lateral direction. For this purpose, as in the case of the hook-shaped engaging elements, for example, a multifilament yarn made of a PET-based resin having a melting point of 250 to 265°C and preferably 250 to 257°C and copolymerized with IPA, may preferably be used.
In particular, in the case of the resin having a melting point of 250 to 257°C, the loop-shaped engaging elements can retain good uprightness when melting and joining the PET resin layer to the second surface side of the base fabric, while a loop shape pulled vertically can be satisfactorily returned to the original loop shape, which spreads in the lateral direction, in particular, even when the loop-shaped engaging elements are repeatedly engaged and peeled, so that the repeated engagement force can be well maintained.
A multifilament yarn made of a copolymerized PET containing 1.0 to 2.0 mol% of IPA with respect to the total amount of dicarboxylic acid and 2.0 to 3.5 mol% of DEG with respect to the total amount of diol, as copolymerization components, is more preferable. In such a case, the texture of the front surface of the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener is improved, and further, the engaging elements are also dyed similarly by dyeing with a disperse dye under mild conditions.
As for the thickness of the multifilament yarn constituting the yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements, a multifilament yarn including 5 to 15 filaments and having a total decitex of 150 to 500 dtex is preferable since the base fabric can be densified to prevent the resin of the resin layer integrated with the second surface from reaching the first surface side, and a multifilament yarn including 6 to 12 filaments and having a total decitex of 200 to 400 dtex is particularly preferable. As in the case of the hook-shaped engaging elements, in order to increase the engagement force, the cross-sectional shape of the monofilament may be an irregular cross-sectional shape represented by a polygonal shape such as a triangle or quadrangle. Here, the thickness is the thickness of a yarn before heat-shrinking, which is used for weaving.
The melting point of the PET-based resin specified in the present invention means a melting peak temperature obtained by DSC measurement. Specifically, the melting point of the PET-based resin means the peak temperature of an endothermic peak, around the melting point in the 1st heating, i.e., the melting point observed when about 6.5 mg of the yarn taken out from the hook-and-loop fastener and dried or the resin scraped off from the resin layer on the second surface side and dried is placed in an aluminum cell, and the temperature is increased from about 30°C to 300°C at a temperature increase rate of 50°C/min in flowing nitrogen at 50 ml/min under a nitrogen atmosphere, by using a differential scanning calorimeter. The measurement is performed for five yarns randomly taken out or five films randomly scraped off, and the average of the three values obtained, excluding the minimum and maximum values, is used.
In addition, a binder layer, that is, a layer made of a PET resin (A) copolymerized with IPA and having a melting point of 160 to 210°C, is provided on the second surface side of the base fabric of the hook-and-loop fastener as described later.
From the multifilament yarn for a warp yarn, the multifilament yarn for a weft yarn, and the monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements or the monofilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements, which are described above, a woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener is produced by performing the following step A, step B, and step C in this order.
[Step A] A step of, when weaving a woven fabric from the warp yarn and the weft yarn, weaving the yarn for engaging elements in parallel to the warp yarn, and at the same time, causing the yarn for engaging elements to regularly rise into a loop shape from the first surface of the base fabric at locations where the yarn for engaging elements crosses over the weft yarn, to weave a loop woven fabric;

[step B] a step of applying the PET resin (A) for a binder layer to the back surface side of the loop woven fabric (i.e., the second surface side of the base fabric); and
[step C] a step of, if each loop is made of a monofilament yarn, heating the first surface side of the loop woven fabric (or the first surface side of the base fabric) to 180 to 230°C and then cooling the first surface side of the loop woven fabric, and cutting one leg of each loop to make the loop into a hook-shaped engaging element.

First, the above step A will be described. The weave structure of the woven fabric is preferably a plain weave in which the yarn for engaging elements forms a part of the warp yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements rises from the base fabric surface in the middle of the structure while being woven in parallel to the warp yarn. In the case where the yarn for engaging elements is a monofilament yarn, a preferable weave structure has such a structure that the yarn for engaging elements forms a loop while crossing over 1 to 3 warp yarns and gets in between warp yarns. Meanwhile, in the case where the yarn for engaging elements is a multifilament yarn, a preferable weave structure has such a structure that the yarn for engaging elements forms a loop without crossing over the warp yarn or while crossing over one warp yarn and extends in parallel to the warp yarn. In these weave structures, the planes of loops are likely to face in the same direction, which is preferable in terms of appearance, and in that in the case where loops are for hook-shaped engaging elements, one leg side portion of each loop can be efficiently and reliably cut, and in that the hook-shaped engaging elements and the loop-shaped engaging elements can be easily engaged with each other.
The weaving density of the warp yarn may preferably be 35 to 80 yarns/cm after heat shrinkage, and the weaving density of the weft yarn may preferably be 12 to 30 yarns/cm after heat shrinkage in that the base fabric can be densified to prevent the resin of the resin layer integrated with the second surface from reaching the first surface side. The proportion of the weft yarn by weight may preferably be 15 to 40% of the total weight of the yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements, the yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements, the warp yarn, and the weft yarn, which constitute the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener.
In the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention, the height of the hook-shaped engaging elements is preferably 1.2 to 1.8 mm from the woven base fabric surface, and the height of the loop-shaped engaging elements is preferably 1.9 to 3.0 mm from the woven base fabric surface, in terms of engagement force and further in terms of difficulty for the engaging elements to fall down.
The density of the hook-shaped engaging elements in the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener is preferably 30 to 70 elements/cm² after heat shrinkage based on a base fabric portion where the engaging elements exist. The density of the loop-shaped engaging elements in the loop-type hook-and-loop fastener is preferably 30 to 70 elements/cm² after heat shrinkage based on the same criterion. The total density of the hook-shaped engaging elements and the loop-shaped engaging elements in the hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener is preferably 30 to 70 elements/cm² after heat shrinkage based on the same criterion. In the hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener, the ratio between the number of hook-shaped engaging elements to the number of loop-shaped engaging elements is preferably in the range of 40:60 to 60:40.
In the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener, the number of inserted monofilament yarns for hook-shaped engaging elements is preferably about 2 to 8 per 20 warp yarns (including the monofilament yarns for hook-shaped engaging elements). In the loop-type hook-and-loop fastener, the number of inserted multifilament yarns for loop-shaped engaging elements is also preferably about 2 to 8 per 20 warp yarns (including the multifilament yarns for loop-shaped engaging elements).
Furthermore, in the case of the hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener, the total number of monofilament yarns for hook-shaped engaging elements and multifilament yarns for loop-shaped engaging elements is preferably 2 to 8 per 20 warp yarns (including the monofilament yarns for hook-shaped engaging elements and the multifilament yarns for loop-shaped engaging elements). The ratio of the number of monofilament yarns for hook-shaped engaging elements to the number of multifilament yarns for loop-shaped engaging elements is preferably in the range of 40:60 to 60:40.
In order to facilitate the formation of loops for hook-shaped engaging elements having a uniform height, loops for hook-shaped engaging elements may be formed using the method including: arranging a plurality of metal bars on the base fabric in parallel to the warp yarn at positions where the yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements crosses over the warp yarn, passing the yarn over each of the metal bars to form loops, and pulling the metal bars out of the loops after loop formation.
The woven fabric for a hook-and-loop fastener obtained as described above (hereinafter sometimes referred to as loop woven fabric) is then sent to the above step B. Step B is not particularly limited as long as the yarn for engaging elements can be bonded and fixed by the resin of the same binder layer.
For example, accompanying Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a device that can efficiently perform step B. The back surface of the loop woven fabric, that is, the second surface of the base fabric, is sometimes referred to simply as the second surface of the loop woven fabric in the section below. Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing how a molten PET resin layer having a melting point of 160 to 210°C is pressed onto the second surface side of the loop woven fabric, which is woven in step A. Through step B, a molten film of the PET resin (A) having a melting point of 160 to 210°C is directly pressed onto the second surface side of the loop woven fabric, and a part of the molten PET resin (A) is pressed into (or caused to enter) the base fabric on the second surface side of the loop woven fabric.
In the present invention, the expression that a part of the resin of the binder layer enters the base fabric means that a part of the resin forming the binder layer enters recessed portions on the second surface side of the base fabric, and represents a state where the resin (A) enters recessed portions (8) as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The recessed portions are formed in order for the warp yarn or the yarn for engaging elements to cross over the weft yarn on the first surface side. For example, in the case of causing a part of the resin forming the PET resin layer to enter the base fabric, it is preferable to use a method of pressing the molten film of the resin (A) and the loop woven fabric together when integrating the molten film of the resin (A) with the second surface side of the loop woven fabric.
Preferably, a yarn having a dry heat shrinkage rate of 10 to 35% at 200°C is used as the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements. In such a case, the yarns constituting the loop woven fabric shrink due to the heat when integrating the molten film of the resin (A) with the second surface side of the loop woven fabric, to further densify the woven fabric, so that the interstices of the woven fabric are closed, and the molten product of the resin (A) does not intrude into the first surface side of the base fabric or does not ooze to the first surface but remains in the recessed portions. As a result, the layer made of the resin (A) is firmly joined to the second surface of the base fabric, and the yarns are not fixed by the resin (A) on the first surface side of the base fabric, so that the flexibility is not impaired. More preferably, the warp yarn is a yarn having a dry heat shrinkage rate of 20 to 30% at 200°C, the weft yarn is a yarn having a dry heat shrinkage rate of 15 to 30% at 200°C, and the yarn for engaging elements is a yarn having a dry heat shrinkage rate of 20 to 30% at 200°C.
Furthermore, in the case where the dry heat shrinkage rate is high, due to the heat when integrating the resin layer with the second surface of the base fabric, the multifilament yarns constituting the loop woven fabric shrink in the length direction, and the cross-sectional shapes thereof become flat shapes that are thick and widened in the lateral direction as shown by weft yarns in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2. Also, for this reason, the interstices of the woven fabric are closed, the molten product of the resin (A) is less likely to intrude into or ooze to the first surface side of the base fabric, and the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements are not bonded to the weft yarn at the locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements cross over the weft yarn on the first surface side of the base fabric, that is, the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements are not bonded to the weft yarn via the PET resin of the binder layer.
In other words, by increasing the thickness and the weaving density of the yarn (warp yarn and/or weft yarn) constituting the loop woven fabric and weaving a dense loop woven fabric in step A, and causing the constituent yarns to heat-shrink to further densify the dense loop woven fabric in step B, it is possible to achieve the state where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements are not bonded to the weft yarn at the locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements cross over the weft yarn on the first surface side of the base fabric.
The dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C specified in the present invention is the average of values measured by placing ten 50-cm yarns in a free state under an atmosphere at 200°C for 1 minute and determining shrinkage rates from the shrunk yarns after 1 minute. Polyester yarns having various shrinkage rates are sold by synthetic fiber manufacturers. A polyester yarn having such a dry heat shrinkage rate can be easily obtained by choosing from such commercially available polyester yarns, by ordering a yarn having the desired dry heat shrinkage rate from a synthetic fiber manufacturer and having the yarn produced, or by performing heat-stretching treatment or the like on a commercially available polyester yarn.
An example of the device that can perform step B will be described with reference to Fig. 3. A molten film (6) made of a PET resin (A) copolymerized with IPA and having a melting point of 160 to 210°C is extruded from a T-die (T). In a state where the film (6) is kept melted, the molten film (6) is then pressed onto the back surface of a loop woven fabric (10) for a hook-and-loop fastener (or the second surface of a base fabric), which is woven in step A and supplied along the surface of a press roll (R₂), between a cooling roll (R₁) and the press roll (R₂) to integrate the molten film (6) and the loop woven fabric (10). The integrated object of the molten film (6) and the loop woven fabric (10) is conveyed along the cooling roll (R₁), and a PET resin layer (6) made of the PET resin (A) obtained by cooling and solidifying the molten film (6) is formed. Then, the laminate in which the PET resin layer (6) is integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric is peeled off from the surface of the cooling roll (R₁) by conveying the laminate along the surface of a sweeper roll (R₄).
In this process, it is preferable to use a roll having a countless number of minute needle-like protrusions on the surface thereof as the press roll (R₂), so that a large number of holes are formed in the PET resin layer (6) made of the resin (A), such that the holes penetrate this layer in the thickness direction. Due to the presence of the holes, the hook-and-loop fastener has breathability, so that, even if the hook-and-loop fastener is used for an application of being brought into close contact with the skin, the skin is less likely to get sweaty. In addition, when dyeing the hook-and-loop fastener with a disperse dye later, the dye liquid enters and exits through the holes, and the binder layer is easily dyed to a point close to the second surface side of the base fabric, which is preferable in terms of appearance since, when the hook-and-loop fastener is cut, the base fabric and the binder layer are uniformly dyed in the cross section. In particular, this is preferable because when the dye has a deep color, the difference in color between the base fabric and the binder layer can be reduced. Here, the deep color means a color having a low brightness and may be a color having a brightness of 7 or less in the Munsell color system, for example.
The method for forming a large number of holes in the layer (6) made of the resin (A) such that the holes penetrate this layer in the thickness direction includes, in addition to the above-described method of using the press roll (R₂) having a countless number of minute needle-like protrusions on the surface thereof, a method of forming holes in advance in the layer of the molten resin (A) before being integrated, a method of forming holes in the layer made of the resin (A) and existing on the second surface side of the produced hook-and-loop fastener at a later stage, or the like.
Furthermore, as the layer made of the resin (A), it is possible to use a fiber sheet that is a nonwoven fabric or a woven and knitted fabric, as described below. In the case of a fiber sheet, if a method of melting a part of the fiber sheet is used, the other part remains in a fiber form and thus acts as vent holes.
The binder layer integrated with the second surface of the loop woven fabric is the PET resin (A) having a melting point of 160 to 210°C. If the resin has a melting point higher than 210°C, the entire woven fabric of the hook-and-loop fastener is compressed when the fused film is pressed onto the second surface of the loop woven fabric. Even after the woven fabric is released, the compressed state is not sufficiently returned to the original state, so that a soft texture of the front surface of the hook-and-loop fastener is not obtained, and some of the loops for engaging elements cannot rise from a tilted state, so that a hook-and-loop fastener having engaging elements that are upright from the first surface of the base fabric cannot be obtained. In addition, if the resin has a melting point lower than 160°C, in the obtained hook-and-loop fastener, the PET resin (A) is easily melted and moves from the second surface of the hook-and-loop fastener by ironing during finishing of a textile product, so that the pull-out resistance of the engaging elements may be impaired or the textile product to which the hook-and-loop fastener is attached may be damaged. The melting point of the PET resin (A) is preferably in the range of 170 to 205°C.
In order to set the melting point of the PET resin (A) to be 160 to 210°C, the PET resin (A) is preferably a PET-based resin in which 15 to 25 mol% of IPA is copolymerized, and more preferably a PET-based resin in which 16 to 22 mol% of IPA is copolymerized.
The PET resin (A) constituting the PET resin layer (binder layer) integrated with the second surface of the loop woven fabric needs to be copolymerized with IPA and have a melting point of 160 to 210°C. Such a PET resin (A) is an isophthalic acid-copolymerized PET obtained by condensation polymerization of terephthalic acid, IPA, and ethylene glycol. It is preferable that the PET resin (A) does not contain any copolymerization component other than IPA as a dicarboxylic acid, in terms of recycling and reuse.
If the crystal state of the measured resin becomes amorphous due to copolymerization, etc., and a clear melting point cannot be measured, the softening point is treated as the melting point. The softening point means the lowest temperature at which resin chips are fused together to the extent that the boundary between the chips cannot be determined, when the chips are placed in a hot-air dryer at a predetermined temperature and a pressure of 0.1 kg/cm² is applied for 10 minutes.
The temperature for integrating the molten product of the PET resin (A) with the second surface side of the loop woven fabric is preferably a temperature higher by 5 to 25°C than the melting point of the PET resin (A). From the viewpoint of improving the pull-out resistance of the engaging elements, the temperature of the PET resin (A) when integrating the PET resin (A) is preferably in the above range in that the molten PET resin (A) can sufficiently enter the structure of the base fabric from the second surface of the loop woven fabric, and sufficient pull-out resistance of the engaging elements can be obtained. Also, the temperature of the PET resin (A) when integrating the PET resin (A) is preferably in the above range in that the molten PET resin (A) can be prevented from excessively deeply entering toward the first surface side of the base fabric of the loop woven fabric, for example, be prevented from being exposed on the first surface side of the base fabric and hardening the entire woven fabric of the hook-and-loop fastener, in particular, be prevented from making the texture of the front surface of the hook-and-loop fastener stiff.
If excessively high pressure is applied for pressing when integrating the binder layer with the second surface of the loop woven fabric, the binder layer integrated with the second surface of the base fabric can penetrate from the second surface side to the first surface side of the base fabric. In order to prevent this, it is preferable that the pressure between the cooling roll (R₁) and the press roll (R₂) is limited to about 0.30 to 0.70 MPa.
The basis weight of the binder layer integrated with the second surface of the loop woven fabric is in the range of, for example, 30 to 100 g/m², preferably 40 to 90 g/m², and more preferably 50 to 80 g/m², in terms of pull-out resistance of the engaging elements and further in terms of flexibility of the hook-and-loop fastener.
Step B has been described with reference to the case where the molten PET resin (A) is formed into a film shape and integrated, in a molten state, with the second surface of the loop woven fabric, but the present invention is not limited to such a case. As another way of step B, for example, it is possible to use a method including placing a fiber sheet or film made of the PET resin (A) having a melting point of 160 to 210°C, such as a spunbond nonwoven fabric or a meltblown nonwoven fabric, on the second surface of the loop woven fabric, and in this state, applying heat to melt the fiber sheet or film and pressing the fiber sheet or film onto the second surface of the loop woven fabric, etc.
In this process, besides the method of melting and pressing the fiber sheet or film onto the entire surface of the woven fabric of the hook-and-loop fastener, it is possible to use a method of melting and pressing the fiber sheet or film in spots. In this case, it is preferable to melt and press the fiber sheet or film in minute spots such that most of the yarn for engaging elements exposed on the second surface of the hook-and-loop fastener is fixed by the molten product.
In addition to the means for applying a thermoplastic resin to the second surface of the woven fabric as described above, it is also possible to use a method which includes: diluting the PET resin (A) that is soluble or dispersible in water or an organic solvent, with water or an organic solvent such as ethyl acetate to form a liquid in which the solid content concentration of a raw material composition is 5 to 60 mass%; applying this polyester resin to the second surface of the woven fabric by application using a roller coater or by spraying; and then drying to form a resin layer on the second surface of the woven fabric. If, in this method, it is desired to achieve the film strength to withstand the force by which an element is to be pulled, which is required when used as a hook-and-loop fastener, the entire woven hook-and-loop fastener including the polyester-based resin applied to the second surface of the woven fabric may be heated to the melting point of the applied PET resin (A) or higher and melted, the molten PET resin (A) may be aggregated to form a resin film, and the fibers in the base fabric portion of the woven fabric may be bonded by this resin film. Alternatively, it is conceivable that the PET resin (A) is crosslinked with a melamine resin or the like to obtain the film strength required to withstand the force by which an element is to be pulled. In the case of melting the applied PET resin (A) and aggregating the resin to form a resin film, if a sufficient resin film cannot be formed with a resin amount that can be normally applied using a general coating machine, the PET resin (A) may be applied a plurality of times, for example, twice. The obtained resin layer may be a continuous layer, or a non-continuous layer that is attached in spots, and the shape of the layer is not limited as long as the layer has an effect of bonding the yarn for engaging elements.
By this step B, the yarn for engaging elements is fixed by the PET resin (A) in the structure of the second surface side of the loop woven fabric, and excellent pull-out resistance of the engaging elements is obtained. The PET resin (A) needs to be in direct contact with the second surface of the woven fabric of the hook-and-loop fastener in order to enhance the pull-out resistance of the engaging elements and in order to allow the hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention to be put into a recycling system. If an adhesive other than the PET resin (A), such as a polyurethane-based, polyacrylic-based, or polyolefin-based adhesive is integrated with the second surface of the woven fabric of the hook-and-loop fastener, the presence of these adhesives impairs the recyclability of the hook-and-loop fastener, and further these adhesives not only exist on the second surface side of the base fabric of the hook-and-loop fastener but also ooze to the first surface side of the base fabric of the hook-and-loop fastener and fix the entire woven fabric of the hook-and-loop fastener, and as a result, the flexibility of the entire hook-and-loop fastener, particularly the flexibility of the front surface of the hook-and-loop fastener, is impaired.
The woven fabric for a hook-and-loop fastener obtained as described above, in which the layer made of the PET resin (A) is integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric, may be then subjected to step C if necessary. In step C, in the case where each loop of the loop woven fabric includes a monofilament yarn, that is, in the case of the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener or the hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener, the loop woven fabric is sent to a step of heating the surface side on which the loops of the loop woven fabric are formed (hereinafter, sometimes referred to simply as first surface of the loop woven fabric), to, for example 150 to 250°C, preferably 180 to 230°C, then cooling the first surface side of the loop woven fabric, and cutting one leg of each loop to make the loop into a hook-shaped engaging element. In the case where each loop only includes a multifilament yarn, that is, in the case of the loop-type hook-and-loop fastener, step C is not required.
In step C, the heating of the first surface side of the loop woven fabric is performed in order to fix the loop shape of each hook-shaped engaging element. Even if the heating temperature exceeds the melting point of the resin (A), it is possible to control the melted state of the resin (A) by adjusting the heating time as described below. However, it is preferable to heat the loops for hook-shaped engaging elements on the first surface side of the loop woven fabric to 150 to 250°C. If the heating temperature in this process is less than 150°C, the shapes of the loops for hook-shaped engaging elements are not fixed sufficiently, so that in a subsequent step of cutting one leg of each of the loops for hook-shaped engaging elements, the hook shapes of the hook-shaped engaging elements are extended, making it difficult to have an engaging ability. In addition, if the heating temperature in this process exceeds 250°C, the layer made of the resin (A) and integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric is melted or softened, and the resin (A) may be exposed on the first surface of the base fabric, or the base fabric may become a film shape as a whole, so that the overall flexibility and the texture of the front surface are impaired. The heating temperature is preferably in the range of 180 to 230°C.
The time for such heating is suitably in the range of 20 to 120 seconds. Usually, a method is used in which a woven fabric for a hook-and-loop fastener that has loops for hook-shaped engaging elements on the first surface of the base fabric and in which the layer made of the resin (A) is integrated on the second surface side of the base fabric is passed through a heating zone kept at the above temperature at a constant speed.
After the shapes of the loops for hook-shaped engaging elements on the first surface of the base fabric are fixed by heat as described above, one leg of each of the loops is cut to make the loop into a hook-shaped engaging element. A cutting device used for this is preferably a cutting device that has a structure in which a movable cutting blade reciprocates between two fixed blades to cut one leg of each loop for a hook-shaped engaging element on a woven fabric for a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener or a woven fabric for a hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener which is conveyed in the warp yarn direction. The woven fabric in which one leg of each loop for a hook-shaped engaging element is cut is used as a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener or as a hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener.
As for the loops for loop-shaped engaging elements, it is not necessary to perform step C described above. In order to facilitate engagement with hook-shaped engaging elements, it is preferable to unbundle the multifilament yarn forming each loop. Specifically, it is preferable to use a method of unbundling the bundle of the multifilament yarn forming each loop by rubbing the front surface of the hook-and-loop fastener having loop-shaped engaging elements using a card clothing or the like.
In the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener obtained as described above, the yarn for engaging elements is directly bonded and fixed by the resin of the binder layer, or the yarn for engaging elements is bonded to the layer existing on the second surface side of the base fabric by the PET resin (A) forming this layer, at the locations where the yarn for engaging elements is tucked under the weft yarn on the second surface side of the base fabric, whereby the engaging elements are prevented from being pulled out from the surface of the base fabric.
The thickness of the binder layer may be, for example, 20 to 80 µm, preferably 30 to 70 µm, and more preferably 40 to 60 µm. The thickness of the binder layer is a value measured by the method described in Examples below.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener obtained as described above is dyed. For dyeing, it is preferable to use a high-temperature, high-pressure dyeing method using a disperse dye, which is widely used for dyeing polyester-based textile products. In other words, the dyeing is performed by a method in which the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention is wound into a long roll, specifically, the hook-and-loop fastener having a length of 50 to 300 m is wound into a roll; this roll is placed on a perforated partition plate; a plurality of such partition plates each having a roll placed thereon are stacked in the vertical direction and inserted into a dyeing pot; and a dye liquid is circulated in the pot to bring the hook-and-loop fastener into contact with the dye liquid.
As specific dyeing conditions, for example, the dyeing is performed at about 120 to 140°C for about 20 to 120 minutes. The type of the disperse dye used for the dyeing is not particularly limited, and any of disperse dyes that are conventionally used for dyeing polyester fibers can be used. Examples of such disperse dyes include monoazo-based, diazo-based, and anthraquinone-based disperse dyes and the like, as well as nitro-based, styrylbased, and methine-based disperse dyes and the like.
In in the case where a large number of holes are formed in the layer made of the resin (A) and integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric of the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener, such that the holes penetrate this layer in the thickness direction, the presence of the holes allows the dye liquid to penetrate the layer made of the resin (A) to dye the hook-and-loop fastener to a point close to the second surface side of the woven base fabric in this process, and therefore, the hook-and-loop fastener is uniformly dyed in the cross section when it is cut, which is preferable in terms of appearance. Such dyeing is particularly preferable since the appearance is improved in the case of a deep color.
Furthermore, in the case of the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention, the resin (A) integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric has many amorphous regions because the crystal structure of PET is greatly disturbed by IPA units. Thus, when dyeing is performed with a disperse dye, the dye molecules easily enter the amorphous regions and thus the hook-and-loop fastener is easily dyed. Therefore, even if the hook-and-loop fastener is attached and fixed to an attachment target in such a way that the layer made of the resin (A) on the second surface side of the base fabric is exposed, there is no need to worry about the color tone.
Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a cross section of a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener that is an example of the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a cross section of a loop-type hook-and-loop fastener that is another example of the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention. In both diagrams, the cross section is a cross section of the hook-and-loop fastener which is cut in parallel to a warp yarn and in such a way that the warp yarn appears on the cross section, and the yarn for engaging elements is located further than the plane of the cross section.
As can be seen from these diagrams, in the hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention, the warp yarn (2) is passed over and under the weft yarn (1) with the weft yarn (1) in the middle to form a base fabric (5). Then, the yarn for engaging elements is woven into the base fabric (5) in parallel to the warp yarn and regularly rises from the first surface of the base fabric in places. Here, the upper side means the first surface side, and the lower side means the second surface side.
Fig. 1 shows the case where engaging elements are hook-shaped engaging elements (3), and Fig. 2 shows the case where engaging elements are loop-shaped engaging elements (4). In the case of the hook-shaped engaging elements (3), one leg of each loop is cut to form a hook shape. The warp yarn (2) and the weft yarn (1) each includes a multifilament yarn (in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the warp yarn is shown as a single strand but is actually an aggregate of many thin filament yarns), and the yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements also includes a multifilament yarn. As for each loop-shaped engaging element, in order to increase the possibility of engaging with a hook-shaped engaging element, the bundle of the multifilament yarn is unbundled at the loop portion.
In the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention, the layer (6) made of the resin (A) is directly integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric, and due to a part of the resin (A), recesses (8) formed by the crossing of the yarns for the woven fabric as shown as recesses (8) in these diagrams are filled with this resin, whereby the layer (6) made of the resin (A) is firmly integrated with the base fabric.
In the layer (6) made of the resin (A), a large number of holes (7) are provided so as to penetrate this layer. For example, the diameter of each through hole may be 10 to 1000 µm, and preferably 50 to 500 µm. At the locations where the yarn for engaging elements is tucked under the warp yarn on the second surface side of the base fabric (at the back of the location denoted by reference character 9 in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2), the yarn for engaging elements is bonded and fixed to the layer made of the resin (A) existing on the second surface side of the base fabric, whereby the engaging elements are prevented from being pulled out from the surface of the base fabric. On the first surface side of the base fabric, that is, at the locations where the warp yarn is passed over the weft yarn, the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements cross over the weft yarn but are not bonded to the weft yarn, so that the front surface of the hook-and-loop fastener has a soft and gentle texture.
The pull-out force of the engaging elements as used in the present invention is a value obtained by measuring the maximum force when the engaging element is pulled out from the base fabric of the hook-and-loop fastener. In the case of the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener, the pull-out force means the value of the pull-out force of the hook-shaped engaging element. In the case of the loop-type hook-and-loop fastener, the pull-out force means a value obtained by cutting a yarn forming a loop-shaped engaging element at a next point where the yarn appears on the first surface of the woven base fabric, to a point where the yarn appears on the first surface to form a loop, and then measuring the pull-out force of the loop-shaped engaging element. In the present invention, the pull-out forces of randomly selected 10 engaging elements were measured, and the average value of these forces was adopted.
The PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention can be used in the application fields in which conventional general woven fabric hook-and-loop fasteners are used, and can be used in a wide range of fields, such as clothing, shoes, bags, hats, gloves, etc., as well as blood pressure meters, supports, various toys, small items, curtains, etc. The PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention is particularly suitable for application fields where texture and flexibility are required and a hook-and-loop fastener is attached to cloth or sheet by sewing, for example, for fields such as clothing, shoes, bags, hats, gloves, and supports.
In particular, the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention is suitable as a fastening member for a polyester-based textile product that is dyed with a disperse dye, and is suitable for so-called postdyed applications, in which the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention is attached to the polyester-based textile product by sewing or the like, and the textile product is then dyed with a disperse dye simultaneously with the hook-and-loop fastener. The PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention is also suitable for applications in which the textile product is put into a recycling system with the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener attached thereto, without removing the PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener from the textile product, after use.

EXAMPLES

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail by means of Examples.
In the examples, the engagement force of each hook-and-loop fastener was measured in accordance with JIS L 3416: 2000.
As a hook-and-loop fastener that was an engagement partner when the engagement force was measured, in the case where the hook-and-loop fasteners of the Examples and Comparative Examples were hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners, B2790Y (produced by Kuraray Fastening Co., Ltd.) was used as a loop-type hook-and-loop fastener; in the case where the hook-and-loop fasteners of the Examples and Comparative Examples were loop-type hook-and-loop fasteners, A8693Y (produced by Kuraray Fastening Co., Ltd.) was used as a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener; and in the case where the hook-and-loop fasteners of the Examples and Comparative Examples were hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fasteners, the same hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fasteners were used.
In the Examples and Comparative Examples below, the copolymerization ratio of IPA means the ratio of IPA to the total moles of the dicarboxylic acid component of the polymerization raw material, and similarly, the copolymerization ratio of DEG means the ratio of DEG to the total moles of the diol component of the same. In addition, in the tables below, "Tm" means the melting point, and "Dsr 200°C" means a dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C.

Example 1

The following yarns were prepared as a warp yarn, a weft yarn, and a monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements constituting a base fabric of a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener, and the following resin was prepared as a PET-based resin to be integrated with the second surface of the hook-and-loop fastener.

[Warp Yarn]

· Multifilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 1.3 mol% IPA and 2.5 mol% DEG)
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 167 dtex and 30
· Melting point: 256.0°C
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 22.1%

[Weft Yarn]

· Multifilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 1.3 mol% IPA and 2.5 mol% DEG)
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 198 dtex and 48
· Melting point: 255.4°C
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 22.3%

[Monofilament Yarn for Hook-Shaped Engaging Elements]

· Monofilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 1.3 mol% IPA and 2.6 mol% DEG)
· Diameter: 0.19 mm
· Melting point: 255.0°C
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 24.2%

[PET-Based Resin To Be Integrated with Second Surface of Hook-And-Loop Fastener]

· Resin made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 18 mol% of IPA was copolymerized)
· Melting point: 192.0°C

[Production of Hook-type Hook-And-Loop Fastener]

Using the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements described above, a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener was produced, in which a plain weave was used as a weave structure, and such that the hook-and-loop fastener had a weaving density of 55 warp yarns/cm and 19 weft yarns/cm after heat shrinkage. The monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements was inserted in parallel to the warp yarn at a ratio of one yarn to four warp yarns, and was passed over and under five weft yarns and then made to cross over three warp yarns such that the yarn formed a loop at the location where it was passed over the three warp yarns, whereby loops were formed on a base fabric.
The loops for hook-shaped engaging elements were formed using a method in which a plurality of metal bars were arranged on the woven base fabric in parallel to the warp yarn at the positions where the yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements crossed over the warp yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements was passed over each of the metal bars to form loops, and the metal bars were pulled out of the loops after loop formation.
The woven fabric tape for a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener which was woven under the above conditions was conveyed between the cooling roll (R₁) and the press roll (R₂) as shown in Fig. 3. Meanwhile, as a resin for forming a binder layer, the above-described PET-based resin was heated to 205°C and melted, and then extruded into a layer shape from the T-die (T) (as a molten resin layer (6)), and the molten resin layer (6) was pressed onto the second surface side of the loop woven fabric tape (10) for a hook-and-loop fastener, which was running between the cooling roll (R₁) and the press roll (R₂), while this resin was still in the melted state at 205°C, to integrate the molten resin layer (6) and the loop woven fabric tape (10). In this case, the cooling roll had needle-like protrusions on the surface thereof at a density of 18.5 protrusions/cm² so as to form holes (7) having a diameter of 50 to 500 µm and penetrating from the back surface to the front surface of the resin layer (6). The thickness of the resin layer (6) was 50 µm, and the basis weight of the resin layer (6) was 63 g/m².
The thickness of the resin layer (6) is an average value obtained by averaging the measurement results of the dimensions at 30 points in a cross section of this resin layer using a measuring microscope such as a digital microscope. The same measurement method was used below.
Then, the integrated object of the molten resin layer (6) and the loop woven fabric tape (10) was conveyed along the roll surface of the cooling roll (R₁), while the resin layer (6) was cooled and solidified. Then, the woven fabric tape for a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener in which the binder layer (6) was integrated with the second surface of the base fabric was peeled off from the surface of the cooling roll (R₁) by conveying the woven fabric tape along the surface of the sweeper roll (R₄).
The obtained woven fabric tape for a hook-and-loop fastener with which the binder layer was integrated was then placed in a heating zone at 210°C for 60 seconds in order to fix the loop shapes of the loops for hook-shaped engaging elements existing on the first surface of the base fabric. Then, the woven fabric tape was cooled, and one leg of each of the loops for hook-shaped engaging elements was subsequently cut using a cutting device that had a structure in which a movable cutting blade reciprocated between two fixed blades to perform cutting, to form a hook-shaped engaging element. The process was continuously performed from the step of weaving a woven fabric, the step of integrating the binder layer with the second surface of the base fabric and to the step of cutting one leg, without winding the woven fabric.
In the obtained woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener including the hook-shaped engaging elements, the density of the hook-shaped engaging elements was 45 elements/cm², and the height of the hook-shaped engaging elements from the woven base fabric surface was 1.5 mm. The hook-type hook-and-loop fastener was observed in more detail using a microscope. As a result, it was recognized that a part of the resin of the layer integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric entered the interior of the base fabric, but the interstices were closed due to heat shrinkage of the yarns constituting the woven fabric, whereby the resin did not ooze to the first surface side of the base fabric.
Furthermore, by cutting the hook-and-loop fastener in parallel to the warp yarn and in parallel to the weft yarn, it was confirmed that at the locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements crossed over the weft yarn on the first surface side of the base fabric, the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements were not bonded to the weft yarn by the PET-based resin integrated with the second surface of the base fabric.
At the same time, it was confirmed that at the locations where the yarn for engaging elements was tucked under the weft yarn on the second surface side of the base fabric, the yarn for engaging elements was bonded to the layer existing on the second surface side of the base fabric by the resin forming this layer. The pull-out force of the hook-shaped engaging elements of the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener was measured. As a result, the pull-out force was 10.01 N/element, so that the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener had excellent pull-out resistance.
In addition, the texture of the front surface of the hook-and-loop fastener was tested. Specifically, 13 people who were involved in the production or research of hook-and-loop fasteners were asked to touch the front surface of a hook-and-loop fastener (A8693R.00, produced by Kuraray Fastening Co., Ltd.), which is a commercially available PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener and in which engaging elements are fixed by heat fusion of the weft yarn, and the front surface of the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener obtained in this Example, and to assess which hook-and-loop fastener had a gentler texture. As a result, all the 13 people answered that the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener of this Example had a better texture. Also, most of the 13 people evaluated that the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener of this Example as having a soft and gentle texture that was unprecedented, in spite of the fact that the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener was a PET-based hook-and-loop fastener, which is generally said to be inferior in terms of flexibility. Here, the texture of the front surface was evaluated by assessing whether the engaging elements were gentle on the skin and did not give a tingling sensation to the skin, compared to the hook-and-loop fastener which was compared against.
In addition, the overall stiffness of the hook-and-loop fastener was relatively evaluated in comparison with the hook-and-loop fastener which was compared against. It was determined that the hook-and-loop fastener was hard as a whole, that is, had no flexibility, if the base fabric portion of the hook-and-loop fastener was stiff and difficult to grip when the hook-and-loop fastener in whole was held in hand, and it was determined that the hook-and-loop fastener had flexibility if the base fabric portion was soft and easy to grasp.
Furthermore, the engagement force of this hook-type hook-and-loop fastener was measured. The initial engagement force was 14.9 N/cm² as shear strength and 1.32 N/cm as peel strength, and the engagement force after 1000 times of engagement and peeling was 14.3 N/cm² as shear strength and 1.28 N/cm as peel strength. Even after engagement and peeling were repeated 1000 times, there were almost no hook-shaped engaging elements pulled out from the surface of the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener, so that it was found that the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener was an excellent hook-type hook-and-loop fastener.
Furthermore, this hook-type hook-and-loop fastener was dyed using a disperse dye at 130°C for 1 hour, and a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener dyed in a deep crimson color was obtained. Then, the hook-and-loop fastener was cut so as to cross the warp yarn and the weft yarn. In each of the cross sections, the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener was uniformly dyed in a deep color from the back surface to the front surface thereof, that is, in all of the binder layer, the base fabric, and the engaging elements of the hook-and-loop fastener.

Examples 2 to 5 and Comparative Example 1

Hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners were produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the multifilament yarns used as the warp yarn and the weft yarn in Example 1 above were changed to the following multifilament yarns. Subsequently, dyeing treatment was also performed.

[Warp Yarn Used in Example 2]

· Multifilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 1.1 mol% IPA and 2.2 mol% DEG)
· Melting point: 255.8°C
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 167 dtex and 30
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 21.6%

[Weft Yarn Used in Example 2]

· Multifilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 1.1 mol% IPA and 2.2 mol% DEG)
· Melting point: 255.2°C
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 198 dtex and 48
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 21.8%

[Warp Yarn Used in Example 3]

· Multifilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 2.2 mol% IPA and 2.1 mol% DEG)
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 167 dtex and 30
· Melting point: 252.9°C
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 24.0%

[Weft Yarn Used in Example 3]

· Multifilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 2.2 mol% IPA and 2.1 mol% DEG)
· Melting point: 252.3°C
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 198 dtex and 48
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 24.2%

[Warp Yarn Used in Example 4]

· Multifilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 0.7 mol% IPA and 1.5 mol% DEG)
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 167 dtex and 30
· Melting point: 258.4°C
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 20.6%

[Weft Yarn Used in Example 4]

· Multifilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 0.7 mol% IPA and 1.5 mol% DEG)
· Melting point: 257.8°C
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 198 dtex and 48
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 20.8%

[Warp Yarn Used in Comparative Example 1]

· Multifilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 4.5 mol% IPA and 4.1 mol% DEG)
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 167 dtex and 30
· Melting point: 247.8°C
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 30.2%

[Weft Yarn Used in Comparative Example 1]

· Multifilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 4.5 mol% IPA and 4.1 mol% DEG)
· Melting point: 247.2°C
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 198 dtex and 48
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 30.4%

[Warp Yarn Used in Example 5]

· Multifilament yarn made of pure PET (copolymerization ratio: 0 mol% IPA and 1.4 mol% DEG)
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 167 dtex and 30
· Melting point: 261.3°C
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 18.9%

[Weft Yarn Used in Example 5]

· Multifilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 0.0 mol% IPA and 1.4 mol% DEG)
· Melting point: 260.7°C
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 198 dtex and 48
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 19.1%

As for the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener of Comparative Example 1, breaks in single yarns and fuzzing frequently occurred in the weaving step and thus it was found that a hook-and-loop fastener having commercial value could not be obtained. Therefore, the subsequent steps were not performed. In all the hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners obtained in the above Examples excluding Comparative Example 1, the density of the hook-shaped engaging elements was 45 elements/cm², and further the height of the hook-shaped engaging elements from the woven base fabric surface was 1.5 mm.
The cross sections of these hook-and-loop fasteners which were cut in parallel to the warp yarn and the cross sections of these hook-and-loop fasteners which were cut in parallel to the weft yarn were further observed using a microscope. It was confirmed that, in all the hook-and-loop fasteners, the interstices were closed due to heat shrinkage of the yarns constituting the woven fabric, whereby a part of the resin of the layer integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric entered the interior of the base fabric but the resin did not ooze to the first surface side of the base fabric.
Furthermore, it was confirmed that at the locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements crossed over the weft yarn on the first surface side of the base fabric, the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements were not bonded to the weft yarn by the PET-based resin integrated with the second surface of the base fabric. In addition, it was confirmed that at the locations where the yarn for engaging elements was tucked under the weft yarn on the second surface side of the base fabric, the yarn for engaging elements was bonded to the layer existing on the second surface side of the base fabric by the resin forming this layer.
The performance of these hook-and-loop fasteners was measured. As a result, the pull-out property of the hook-shaped engaging elements was 9.98 N/element for Example 2, 10.22 N/element for Example 3, 7.00 N/element for Example 4, and 6.70 N/element for Example 5. Example 4 and Example 5 were inferior to Examples 2 and 3 in pull-out property but each had a pull-out property that was sufficient for practical use. In addition, the textures of the front surfaces of the hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners of Example 2 and Example 3 were as soft as that of Example 1. However, as for Example 4 and Example 5, all of the evaluators evaluated that the hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners were flexible in terms of overall stiffness but the surface having the engaging elements had a hard texture that was considerably inferior to that of Example 1 above.
Regarding the engagement force, the hook-and-loop fasteners of Example 4 and Example 5 were inferior in engagement force after engagement and peeling were repeated 1000 times, and had substantially the same engagement force as Example 1 except that pull-out of the hook-shaped engaging elements from the hook-and-loop fastener surface was observed after engagement and peeling were repeated 1000 times.
Each of the hook-and-loop fasteners after dyeing was cut such that the warp yarn and the weft yarn were crossed. In the cross sections of Examples 2 and 3, both hook-and-loop fasteners were uniformly dyed from the second surface to the first surface. However, as for the hook-and-loop fasteners of Example 4 and Example 5, a difference in concentration was observed between the base fabric and the resin layer on the second surface, giving the impression that a component having a different color was integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric.
From the above results, it can be found that the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener in which multifilament yarns made of a copolymerized PET copolymerized with IPA and having a melting point in the range of 250 to 257°C are used as the warp yarn and the weft yarn as in Examples 1 to 3, has excellent texture on the front surface and excellent pull-out resistance of the engaging elements, also has excellent dyeability, and further has an excellent engagement force. In addition, in Examples 4 and 5, there is no problem with the initial engagement force, and all of the components are formed from a polyester-based resin, so that it is possible to obtain a hook-and-loop fastener having excellent recyclability. However, it can be found that the texture on the front surface is inferior, and the pull-out resistance of the engaging elements, the uniform deep-color dyeability, and the engagement force are also inferior. As described above, in Comparative Example 1, breaks in single yarns and fuzzing occurred in the weaving step, so that a hook-and-loop fastener could not be formed.

These results are shown in the tables below. In each table, the part indicated by an arrow indicates that the content is the same as that in the direction indicated by the arrow, and this applies to all tables.

[Table 1]

Items	Example 1	Example 2	Example 3
Warp yarn	IPA modified 1.3 mol%	IPA modified 1.1 mol%	IPA modified 2.2 mol%
	DEG 2.5 mol%	DEG 2.2 mol%	DEG 2.1 mol%
	Fineness/f: 167 dtex/30f	←	←
	Tm: 256.0°C	Tm: 255.8°C	Tm: 252.9°C
	Dsr 200°C: 22.1%	Dsr 200°C: 21.6%	Dsr 200°C: 24.0%
Weft yarn	IPA modified 1.3 mol%	IPA modified 1.1 mol%	IPA modified 2.2 mol%
	DEG 2.5mol%	DEG 2.2 mol%	DEG 2.1 mol%
	Fineness/f: 198 dtex/48f	Fineness/f: 198 dtex/48f	Fineness/f: 198 dtex/48f
	Tm: 255.4°C	Tm: 255.2°C	Tm: 252.3°C
	Dsr 200°C: 22.3%	Dsr 200°C: 21.8%	Dsr 200°C: 24.2%
Hook yarn	IPA modified 1.3 mol%	←	←
	DEG 2.6 mol%	←	←
	Yarn diameter: 0.19 mm	←	←
	Tm: 255.0°C	←	←
	Dsr 200°C: 24.2%	←	←
Weaving step passability	No problem	←	←
Structure	Warp yarn: 55 yarns/cm	←	←
Structure	Weft yarn: 19 yarns/cm	←	←
Binder layer	IPA modified PET 18 mol%	←	←
	Tm: 192.0°C	←	←
	Thickness: 50 µm (63 g/m²)	←	←
Through holes in binder layer	50 to 500 µm	←	←
Heat treatment temperature	210°C	←	←
Heat treatment time	60 seconds	←	←
Hook engaging element density	45 elements/cm²	←	←
Hook height	1.5 mm	←	←
Observation of binder layer	Resin entered interior of base fabric but did not reach first surface	←	←
Texture (comparison target: A8693R.00)	Soft and gentle texture	←	←
Overall stiffness	Flexible	←	←
Initial shear strength (N/cm²)	14.9	15.1	14.0
Shear strength after 1000 times of peeling (N/cm²)	14.3	14.4	13.8
Initial peel strength (N/cm)	1.32	1.35	1.18
Peel strength after 1000 times of peeling (N/cm)	1.28	1.31	1.17
Element pull-out property (N/element)	10.01	9.98	10.22
Dyeing temperature	130°C	←	←
Dyed color evaluation	Entirety was uniformly dyed	←	←

[Table 2]

Items	Example 4	Comparative Example 1	Example 5
Warp yarn	IPA modified 0.7 mol%	IPA modified 4.5 mol%	IPA modified 0.0 mol%
	DEG 1.5 mol%	DEG 4.1 mol%	DEG 1.4 mol%
	Fineness/f: 167 dtex/30f	←	←
	Tm: 258.4°C	Tm: 247.8°C	Tm: 261.3°C
	Dsr 200°C: 20.6%	Dsr 200°C: 30.2%	Dsr 200°C: 18.9%
Weft yarn	IPA modified 0.7 mol%	IPA modified 4.5 mol%	IPA modified 0.0 mol%
	DEG 1.5 mol%	DEG 4.1 mol%	DEG 1.4 mol%
	Fineness/f: 198 dtex/48f	←	←
	Tm: 257.8°C	Tm: 247.2°C	Tm: 260.7°C
	Dsr 200°C: 20.8%	Dsr 200°C: 30.4%	Dsr 200°C: 19.1%
Hook yarn	IPA modified 1.3 mol%	←	←
	DEG 2.6 mol%	←	←
	Yarn diameter: 0.19 mm	←	←
	Tm: 255.0°C	←	←
	Dsr 200°C: 24.2%	←	←
Weaving step passability	No problem	Fuzzing and yarn breaks occurred frequently	No problem
Structure	Warp yarn: 55 yarns/cm		Warp yarn: 55 yarns/cm
Structure	Weft yarn: 19 yarns/cm		Weft yarn: 19 yarns/cm
Binder layer	IPA modified PET 18 mol%		IPA modified PET 18 mol%
	Tm: 192.0°C		Tm: 192.0°C
	Thickness: 50 µm (63 g/m²)		Thickness: 50 µm (63 g/m²)
Through holes in binder layer	50 to 500 µm		50 to 500 µm
Heat treatment temperature	210°C		210°C
Heat treatment time	60 seconds		60 seconds
Hook engaging element density	45 elements/cm²		45 elements/cm²
Hook height	1.5 mm		1.5mm
Observation of binder layer	Resin entered interior of base fabric but did not reach first surface		Resin entered interior of base fabric but did not reach first surface
Texture (comparison target: A8693R.00)	Hard texture		Hard texture
Overall stiffness	Flexible		Flexible
Initial shear strength (N/cm²)	15.3		16.1
Shear strength after 1000 times of peeling (N/cm²)	10.7		11.18
Initial peel strength (N/cm)	1.40		1.46
Peel strength after 1000 times of peeling (N/cm)	0.98		0.99
Element pull-out property (N/element)	7.00		6.70
Dyeing temperature	130°C		←
Dyed color evaluation	There was difference in color between binder layer and base fabric.		There was difference in color between binder layer and base fabric.

Examples 6 and 7, Comparative Examples 2 and 3

Four types of hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners with integrated binder layers were produced in the same manner as in Example 1 above, respectively using the following four types of PET-based resin, which were prepared in place of the PET-based resin to be integrated with the second surface side of the woven fabric tape for a hook-type hook-and-loop fastener in Example 1. As the temperature of a respective resin when integrated with the second surface of the woven fabric for a hook-and-loop fastener, a temperature higher by 15°C than the melting point of the resin was adopted.

[Example 6] PET copolymerized with 16 mol% IPA (melting point: 198.4°C)
[Example 7] PET copolymerized with 23 mol% IPA (melting point: 171.7°C)
[Comparative Example 2] PET copolymerized with 28 mol% IPA (melting point: 155.0°C)
[Comparative Example 3] PET copolymerized with 10 mol% IPA (melting point: 220.6°C)

As for the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener of Comparative Example 3, many loops for engaging elements on the first surface side of the base fabric fell down, were separated from the cooling roll in the process of integrating the binder layer with the second surface of the base fabric, and many loops did not stand up even after heat treatment for fixing the hook shape was performed, so that it was found that a hook-and-loop fastener having commercial value could not be obtained. Therefore, the subsequent steps were not performed.
In all of the three types of hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners obtained in these Examples and Comparative Example excluding Comparative Example 3 above, the density of the hook-shaped engaging elements was 45 elements/cm², and the height of the hook-shaped engaging elements from the woven base fabric surface was 1.5 mm. The cross sections of these three hook-and-loop fasteners which were cut in parallel to the warp yarn and the cross sections of these hook-and-loop fasteners which were cut in parallel to the weft yarn were further observed using a microscope. It was confirmed that, in all the hook-and-loop fasteners, a part of the resin of the layer integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric entered the interior of the base fabric, but the interstices were closed due to heat shrinkage of the yarns constituting the woven fabric, whereby this resin did not ooze to the first surface side of the base fabric, and as a result, at the locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements crossed over the weft yarn on the first surface side of the base fabric, the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements were not bonded to the weft yarn by the PET-based resin integrated with the second surface of the base fabric. In addition, it was also confirmed that at the locations where the yarn for engaging elements was tucked under the weft yarn on the second surface side of the base fabric, the yarn for engaging elements was bonded to the layer existing on the second surface side of the base fabric, by the resin forming this layer.
The performance of these three hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners was measured. As a result, the pull-out property of the hook-shaped engaging elements was 9.98 N/element for Example 6, 9.85 N/element for Example 7, and 9.70 N/element for Comparative Example 2, and all of these values were excellent values. However, in the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener of Comparative Example 2, a part of the binder layer on the second surface side of the base fabric was melted due to ironing during finishing of a textile product, and as a result, the pull-out property of the hook engaging elements decreased to 3.20 N/element, and the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener was not suitable for use in textile products that require finishing processing.
In addition, the hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners of Examples 6 and 7 and Comparative Example 2 all had soft texture on the front surface equivalent to that of Example 1 above. As for the engagement force, all the hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners had an excellent engagement force that is almost the same as that of Example 1.

Furthermore, these three hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners were dyed at high pressure using the same disperse dye as in Example 1 in the same manner as in Example 1. The obtained hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners were dyed in a deep color to the second surface of the base fabric and were uniformly dyed in their cross sections as in that of Example 1.

[Table 3]

Items	Example 6	Example 7	Comparative Example 2	Comparative Example 3
Warp yarn	IPA modified 1.3 mol%	←	←	←
	DEG 2.5 mol%	←	←	←
	Fineness/f: 167 dtex/30f	←	←	←
	Tm: 256.0°C	←	←	←
	Dsr 200°C: 22.1%	←	←	←
Weft yarn	IPA modified 1.3 mol%	←	←	←
	DEG 2.5 mol%	←	←	←
	Fineness/f: 198 dtex/48f	←	←	←
	Tm: 255.4°C	←	←	←
	Dsr 200°C: 22.3%	←	←	←
Hook yarn	IPA modified 1.3 mol%	←	←	←
	DEG 2.6 mol%	←	←	←
	Yarn diameter: 0.19 mm	←	←	←
	Tm: 255.0°C	←	←	←
	Dsr 200°C: 24.2%	←	←	←
Weaving step passability	No problem	←	←	←
Structure	Warp yarn: 55 yarns/cm	←	←	←
	Weft yarn: 19 yarns/cm	←	←	←
	Yarns	←	←	←
	Passed over and under 5 weft yarns and crossed over 3 warp yarns	←	←	←
Binder layer	IPA modified PET 16 mol%	IPA modified PET 23 mol%	IPA modified PET 28 mol%	IPA modified PET 10 mol%
	Tm: 198.4°C	Tm: 171.7°C	Tm: 155.0°C	Tm: 220.6°C
	Thickness: 50 µm (63 g/m²)	←	←	←
Binder resin coating passability	No problem	←	←	Fall-down of engaging elements
Through holes in binder layer	50 to 500 µm	←	←
Heat treatment temperature	210°C	←	←
Heat treatment time	60 seconds	←	←
Hook engaging element density	45 elements/cm²	←	←
Hook height	1.5 mm	←	←
Observation of binder layer	Resin entered interior of base fabric but did not reach first surface	←	←
Texture (comparison target: A8693R.00)	Soft and gentle texture	Soft and gentle texture	Soft and gentle texture
Overall stiffness	Flexible	Flexible	Flexible
Initial shear strength (N/cm²)	14.8	15.5	15.4
Shear strength after 1000 times of peeling (N/cm²)	14.4	15.0	14.8
Initial peel strength (N/cm)	1.28	1.40	1.41
Peel strength after 1000 times of peeling (N/cm)	1.29	1.38	1.42
Element pull-out property (N/element)	9.98	9.85	9.70→3.20
Dyeing temperature	130°C	←	←
Dyed color evaluation	Entirety was uniformly dyed	←	←
Others			Problem of melting of resin on back surface occurred due to ironing.

Example 8

The following yarn was prepared as a multifilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements, and a loop-type hook-and-loop fastener was produced by the following method, using this multifilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements, the multifilament yarn for a warp yarn described in Example 1, the multifilament yarn for a weft yarn described in Example 1, and the PET-based resin to be integrated with the second surface of the base fabric described in Example 1.

[Multifilament Yarn for Loop-Shaped Engaging elements]
· Multifilament yarn made of copolymerized PET (copolymerization ratio: 2.2 mol% for IPA and 2.1 mol% for DEG)
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 289 dtex and 8
· Melting point: 253.6°C
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 23.2%

[Production of Loop-type Hook-And-Loop Fastener]

Using the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the multifilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements described above, a loop-type hook-and-loop fastener was produced, in which a plain weave was used as a weave structure, and such that the hook-and-loop fastener had a weaving density of 55 warp yarns/cm and 21 weft yarns/cm (after heat shrinkage treatment). The multifilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements was inserted in parallel to the warp yarn without crossing over the warp yarn at a ratio of one yarn to four warp yarns, and was passed over and under five weft yarns and then formed a loop on a woven base fabric.
From the tape for a loop-type hook-and-loop fastener woven under the above conditions, a woven fabric tape for a loop-type hook-and-loop fastener in which the binder layer was integrated with the second surface of the base fabric was produced in the same manner as in Example 1. Then, the multifilament yarns constituting the loops were unbundled by rubbing the surface of the hook-and-loop fastener surface which has loop-shaped engaging elements using a card clothing or the like. The process was continuously performed from the step of weaving a woven fabric to the step of integrating the binder layer with the second surface, without winding the woven fabric. Furthermore, high-pressure dyeing was performed with a disperse dye in the same manner as in Example 1.
The density of the loop-shaped engaging elements of the obtained woven fabric for a loop-type hook-and-loop fastener was 44 elements/cm², and the height of the loop-shaped engaging elements from the woven base fabric surface was 2.1 mm. The cross section of this loop-type hook-and-loop fastener which was cut in parallel to the warp yarn and the cross section of this loop-type hook-and-loop fastener which was cut in parallel to the weft yarn were further observed using a microscope. It was confirmed that a part of the resin of the layer integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric entered the interior of the base fabric, but the interstices were closed due to heat shrinkage of the yarns constituting the woven fabric, whereby this resin did not ooze to the first surface side of the base fabric, and as a result, at the locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements crossed over the weft yarn on the first surface side of the base fabric, the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements were not bonded to the weft yarn by the PET-based resin integrated with the second surface of the base fabric. In addition, it was confirmed that at the locations where the yarn for engaging elements was tucked under the weft yarn on the second surface side of the base fabric, the yarn for engaging elements was bonded to the layer existing on the second surface side of the base fabric by the resin constituting this layer.
The texture of the front surface of the obtained loop-type hook-and-loop fastener was tested in the same manner as in Example 1. In general, loop-type hook-and-loop fasteners have flexibility as a whole and have a much gentler and excellent texture on their front surfaces compared to hook-type hook-and-loop fasteners. However, all of the evaluators evaluated that the loop-type hook-and-loop fastener of this Example had a much better texture than a hook-and-loop fastener (B2790R.00, produced by Kuraray Fastening Co., Ltd.), which is a commercially available PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener and in which loop-shaped engaging elements are fixed by heat fusion of a weft yarn.
The pull-out force of the loop-shaped engaging elements of this loop-type hook-and-loop fastener was measured, and as a result, the pull-out force was 16.21 N, so that it was found that the loop-type hook-and-loop fastener also had excellent pull-out property. As described above, the pull-out property of the loop-shaped engaging elements was measured in a state where the multifilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements was cut at a next point where the multifilament yarn forming a loop-shaped engaging element appeared on the first surface of the base fabric, to a point where the multifilament yarn appeared on the first surface to form a loop and then was passed under the weft yarn.
Furthermore, the engagement force of this loop-type hook-and-loop fastener was measured. The initial engagement force was 14.8 N/cm² as shear strength and 1.50 N/cm as peel strength, and the engagement force after 1000 times of engagement and peeling was 14.4 N/cm² as shear strength and 1.44 N/cm as peel strength, and these values of the engagement force are also satisfactory. Even after engagement and peeling were repeated 1000 times, there were no loop-shaped engaging elements pulled out from the surface of the loop-type hook-and-loop fastener.
Furthermore, this loop-type hook-and-loop fastener was dyed at high pressure using a disperse dye. The loop-type hook-and-loop fastener was dyed in a deep, vivid crimson color and thus had excellent dyeability. Then, this dyed loop-type hook-and-loop fastener was cut. In the cross section, the loop-type hook-and-loop fastener was uniformly dyed in a deep color from the front surface to the back surface thereof, that is, in all of the binder layer, the base fabric, and the engaging elements of the hook-and-loop fastener.

Example 9

A hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener was produced by the following method, using the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements described in Example 1 above and the multifilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements described in Example 8, and further using the PET-based resin to be integrated with the second surface of the base fabric as in Example 1.

[Production of Hook-And-Loop Coexisting-Type Hook-And-Loop Fastener]

A hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener was produced in which a plain weave was used as a weave structure, and such that the hook-and-loop fastener had a weaving density of 55 warp yarns/cm and 18.5 weft yarns/cm (after heat shrinkage treatment). The multifilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements or the monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements was inserted in parallel to the warp yarn at a ratio of one yarn to four warp yarns, and was passed over and under three weft yarns and then made to cross over one warp yarn such that the multifilament yarn formed a loop at the location where it was passed over the one warp yarn in the case of the multifilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements, or was passed over and under three weft yarns and then made to cross over three warp yarns such that the monofilament yarn formed a loop at the location where it was passed over the three warp yarns in the case of the monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements, whereby loops were formed on the base fabric.
In this case, the multifilament yarn for loop-shaped engaging elements and the monofilament yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements were alternately woven such that each type of yarn was arranged in sets of two at a time. When forming loops for hook-shaped engaging elements, a method was used, as in Example 1, in which a plurality of metal bars were arranged on the woven base fabric in parallel to the warp yarn at the positions where the yarn for hook-shaped engaging elements crossed over the warp yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements was passed over each of the metal bars to form loops, and the metal bars were pulled out of the loops after loop formation.
From the woven tape for a hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener, a woven fabric tape for a hook-and-loop fastener in which the binder layer was integrated with the second surface of the base fabric was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, and further the same heat treatment as in Example 1 was performed to fix the shapes of the hook-shaped engaging elements. Then, a step of cutting one leg of each loop for a hook-shaped engaging element was performed in the same manner as in Example 1, and an operation of rubbing the front surface having the loop-shaped engaging elements using a card clothing was performed to unbundle the multifilament yarn forming each loop for a loop-shaped engaging element. The process was continuously performed from the step of weaving a woven fabric, the step of cutting one leg of each loop for an engaging element to the unbundling of each loop-shaped engaging element using a card clothing, without winding the woven fabric in the middle. Furthermore, high-pressure dyeing was performed with a disperse dye in the same manner as in Example 1.
The density of the hook-shaped engaging elements of the obtained hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener was 32 elements/cm², and the density of the loop-shaped engaging elements thereof was 32 elements/cm². Further, the height of the hook-shaped engaging elements from the base fabric surface was 1.7 mm, and the height of the loop-shaped engaging elements from the base fabric was 2.1 mm. The cross section of this hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener which was cut in parallel to the warp yarn and the cross section of this hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener which was cut in parallel to the weft yarn were further observed using a microscope. It was confirmed that a part of the resin of the layer integrated with the second surface side of the base fabric entered the interior of the base fabric, but the interstices were closed due to heat shrinkage of the yarns constituting the woven fabric, whereby this resin did not ooze to the first surface side of the base fabric, and as a result, at the locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements crossed over the weft yarn on the first surface side of the base fabric, the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements were not bonded to the weft yarn by the PET-based resin integrated with the second surface of the base fabric. Furthermore, it was observed that at the locations where the yarn for engaging elements was tucked under the weft yarn on the second surface side of the base fabric, the yarn for engaging elements was bonded to the layer existing on the second surface side of the base fabric by the resin forming this layer.
The texture of the front surface of the hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener obtained as described above was tested in the same manner as in Example 1. All of the evaluators evaluated that the hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener of this Example had a much softer and better texture than a hook-and-loop fastener (F9820Y.00, produced by Kuraray Fastening Co., Ltd.), which is a commercially available PET-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener and in which both loop-shaped engaging elements and hook-shaped engaging elements coexist on the first surface and these engaging elements are fixed by heat fusion of the weft yarn. In addition, the hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener of this Example was also evaluated as being flexible in terms of overall stiffness.
The pull-out force of the hook-shaped engaging elements of this hook-and-loop fastener was measured, and as a result, the pull-out force was 7.61 N/element, so that it was found that the hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener had excellent pull-out resistance.
Furthermore, the engagement force of this hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener was measured. The initial engagement force was 10.3 N/cm² as shear strength and 1.42 N/cm as peel strength, and the engagement force after 1000 times of engagement and peeling was 9.0 N/cm² as shear strength and 1.29 N/cm as peel strength, so that the hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener had an excellent engagement force. Even after engagement and peeling was repeated 1000 times, there were no hook-shaped engaging elements and loop-shaped engaging elements pulled out from the woven base fabric.
This hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener was dyed using a crimson disperse dye in the same manner as in Example 1. The obtained hook-and-loop fastener was uniformly dyed in a deep, vivid crimson color, so that it was found that the hook-and-loop coexisting-type hook-and-loop fastener had extremely excellent dyeability. Furthermore, the hook-and-loop fastener after dyeing was cut and the cross section thereof was observed. In the cross section, the hook-and-loop fastener was dyed uniformly in a deep color from the upper side to the lower side thereof, that is, in all of the binder layer, the base fabric, and the engaging elements of the hook-and-loop fastener. Moreover, even when the surfaces of the hook-shaped engaging elements were lightly rubbed with sandpaper, no undyed inner layer was exposed.

Comparative Example 4

A hook-type hook-and-loop fastener was produced in Example 1 above, except that the PET-based multifilament yarn used as a weft yarn was changed to the following multifilament yarn made of a core-sheath-type composite filament, and that the method of integrating the layer made of the PET-based resin with the second surface of the loop woven fabric was changed to a method of performing heat treatment at 210°C, which is a melting temperature of the sheath component of the multifilament yarn made of the core-sheath-type composite filament and used as the weft yarn, for 60 seconds to melt the sheath component of the weft yarn, and bond and fix the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements, was performed, whereby.

[Weft Yarn: Multifilament Yarn Made of Core-Sheath-Type Composite Filament]

· Core component: non-copolymerized PET
· Sheath component: PET copolymerized with 25 mol% isophthalic acid (softening point: 190.0°C)
· Core-sheath ratio (by weight): 70:30
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 198 dtex and 48
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 16.2%

By cutting the obtained hook-type hook-and-loop fastener in parallel to the weft yarn, the bonding state of the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements to the weft yarn was observed. As a result, it was confirmed that at the locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements crossed over the weft yarn on the first surface side of the base fabric, the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements were completely bonded to the weft yarn by the sheath component of the weft yarn. As a result, there was no problem with the pull-out resistance of the hook-shaped engaging elements, but as for the texture of the front surface of this hook-and-loop fastener, the results of evaluation made by the 13 evaluators in the same manner as in Example 1 were that all the 13 evaluators evaluated that the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener of this Comparative Example was harder than that of Example 1 and was inferior in terms of texture and flexibility.

Comparative Example 5

A hook-type hook-and-loop fastener was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the PET-based multifilament yarn used as the warp yarn, the multifilament yarn used as the weft yarn, and the monofilament yarn used as the yarn for engaging elements in Example 1 above were changed to the following yarns, respectively; that the warp yarn and the weft yarn were woven such that the weaving density was 55 warp yarns/cm and 19 weft yarns/cm; and further that the basis weight of the binder layer integrated with the second surface of the loop woven fabric was 120 g/m², which is about double that of Example 1.

[Warp Yarn]

· Multifilament yarn made of PET (non-copolymerized)
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 167 dtex and 30
· Melting point: 261.0°C
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 18.8%

[Weft Yam]

· Multifilament yarn made of PET (non-copolymerized)
· Total decitex and number of filaments: 198 dtex and 48
· Melting point: 261.0°C
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 19.0%

[Monofilament Yarn for Hook-Shaped Engaging elements]

· Monofilament yarn made of PET (non-copolymerized)
· Diameter: 0.23 mm
· Melting point: 261.4°C
· Dry heat shrinkage rate at 200°C: 18.0%

The obtained hook-type hook-and-loop fastener was rigid. By cutting this hook-and-loop fastener in parallel to the weft yarn, the bonding state of the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements to the weft yarn as well as the permeation state of the binder layer, integrated with the second surface side, into the base fabric were observed. As a result, it was confirmed that the PET-based resin integrated with the second surface of the base fabric penetrated the interstices of the base fabric and flowed out to the first surface of the base fabric, whereby, at the locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements crossed over the weft yarn on the first surface side of the base fabric, the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements were completely bonded to the weft yarn. As for the texture of the front surface of this hook-and-loop fastener, the same evaluation was carried out as in Example 1, and as a result, all the 13 evaluators evaluated that the hook-type hook-and-loop fastener of this Comparative Example was much harder than that of Example 1 and greatly inferior in terms of texture and flexibility.

[Table 4]

Items	Example 8	Example 9	Comparative Example 4	Comparative Example 5
Warp yarn	IPA modified 1.3 mol	←	←	Non-copolymerized PET
	DEG 2.5 mol%	←	←	Non-copolymerized PET
	Fineness/f: 167 dtex/30f	←	←	Fineness/f: 167 dtex/30f
	Tm: 256.0°C	←	←	Tm: 261.0°C
	Dsr 200°C: 22.1%	←	←	Dsr 200°C: 18.8%
Weft yarn	IPA modified 1.3mol%	←	PET sheath: 25 mol%-IPA PET	Non-copolymerized PET
	DEG 2.5 mol%	←	Core-sheath ratio = 70:30	Non-copolymerized PET
	Fineness/f: 198 dtex/48f	←	Fineness/f: 198 dtex/48f	Fineness/f: 198 dtex/48f
	Tm: 255.4°C	←	Softening point: 190°C	Tm: 261.0°C
	Dsr 200°C: 22.3%	←	Dsr 200°C: 16.2%	Dsr 200°C: 19.0%
Hook yarn		IPA modified 1.3 mol%	IPA modified 1.3 mol%	Non-copolymerized PET
		DEG 2.6 mol%	DEG 2.6 mol%	Non-copolymerized PET
		Yarn diameter: 0.19 mm	Yarn diameter: 0.19 mm	Yarn diameter: 0.23 mm
		Tm: 255.0°C	Tm: 255.0°C	Tm: 261.4°C
		Dsr 200°C: 24.2%	Dsr 200°C: 24.2%	Dsr 200°C: 18.0%
Loop yarn	DEG 2.1 mol%	←
	Fineness/f: 289 dtex/8f	←
	Tm: 2536°C	←
	Dsr 200°C: 23.2%	←
Weaving step passability	No problem	←	←	←
Structure	Warp yarn: 55 yarns/cm	Warp yarn: 55 yarns/cm	Warp yarn: 55 yarns/cm	←
	Weft yarn: 21 yarns/cm	Weft yarn: 18.5 yarns/cm	Weft yarn: 19 yarns/cm	←
	Number of upper yarn crossing warp yarn: one out of four yarns	←	←	←
	Passed over and under 5 weft yarns and crossed over no warp yarn	Loop yarn: passed over and under 3 weft yarns and crossed over 1 warp yarn	Passed over and under 5 weft yarns and crossed over 3 warp yarns	←
		Hook yarn: passed over and under 3 weft yams and crossed over 3 warp yarns		←
		Alternately woven such that each of hook yarn and loop yarn existed in sets of two
Binder layer	IPA modified PET 18 mol%	←		IPA-modified PET 18 mol%
	Tm: 192.0°C	←		Tm: 192.0°C
	Thickness: 50 µm (63 g/m²)	←		Thickness: 100 µm (126 g/m²)
Through holes in binder layer	50 to 500 µm	←		←
Heat treatment temperature	210°C	←	210°C	←
Heat treatment time	60 seconds	←	60 seconds	←
Hook engaging element density		32 elements/cm²	45 elements/cm²	←
Hook height		1.7 mm	1.5 mm	←
Loop engaging element density	44 elements/cm²	32 elements/cm²
Loop height	2.1 mm	2.1 mm
Observation of binder layer	Resin entered interior of base fabric but did not reach first surface	←	Did not exist	Resin entered interior of base fabric and further oozed on first surface
Texture	Comparison target: B2790R.00	Comparison target: F9820Y.00	Comparison target: A8693R.00	←
Texture	Soft and gentle texture	←	Hard texture	←
Overall stiffness	Flexible	←	Not flexible	←
Initial shear strength (N/cm²)	14.8	10.3
Shear strength after 1000 times of peeling (N/cm²)	14.4	9.0
Initial peel strength (N/cm)	1.50	1.42
Peel strength after 1000 times of peeling (N/cm)	1.44	1.29
Element pull-out property (N/element)	16.21	7.61
Dyeing temperature	130°C	←	←	←
Dyed color evaluation	Entirety was uniformly dyed	←		There was difference in color between binder layer and base fabric.

Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will readily conceive numerous changes and modifications within the framework of obviousness upon the reading of the specification herein presented of the present invention. Accordingly, such changes and modifications are to be construed as included therein.

[Reference Numerals]

1: weft yarn
2: warp yarn
3: hook-shaped engaging element
4: loop-shaped engaging element
5: woven base fabric
6: layer made of resin (A)
7: hole provided in layer made of resin (A)
8: recess
9: location where yarn for engaging elements is tucked under weft yarn
10: loop woven fabric for hook-and-loop fastener
T: T-die
R1: cooling roll
R2: press roll
R3: back-up roll
R4: sweeper roll

Claims

A polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener comprising a base fabric which is a woven fabric woven from a warp yarn, a weft yarn, and a yarn for engaging elements, wherein a first surface of the base fabric is a front side, a second surface of the base fabric is a back side, the yarn for engaging elements is woven into the base fabric in parallel to the warp yarn, a large number of hook-shaped and/or loop-shaped engaging elements formed from the yarn for engaging elements and rising from the first surface of the base fabric exist on the first surface of the base fabric, each of the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements comprises a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin, and the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener satisfies the following configurations 1) and 2):
1) a binder layer made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 160 to 210°C is provided on the second surface of the base fabric, and the yarn for engaging elements is directly bonded and fixed by the resin of the binder layer; and

2) the resin of the binder layer does not exist on the first surface of the base fabric.
A polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener comprising a base fabric which is a woven fabric woven from a warp yarn, a weft yarn, and a yarn for engaging elements, wherein a first surface of the base fabric is a front side, a second surface of the base fabric is a back side, the yarn for engaging elements is woven into the base fabric in parallel to the warp yarn, a large number of hook-shaped and/or loop-shaped engaging elements formed from the yarn for engaging elements and rising from the first surface of the base fabric exist on the first surface of the base fabric, each of the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements comprises a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin, and the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener satisfies the following configurations 1) and 2):
1) a binder layer made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 160 to 210°C is provided on the second surface of the base fabric, a part of the resin of the binder layer enters an interior of the base fabric, and at locations where the yarn for engaging elements is tucked under the weft yarn on the second surface of the base fabric, the yarn for engaging elements is bonded by the resin forming the binder layer, in substantially an entire area; and

2) at locations where the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements cross over the weft yarn on the first surface of the base fabric, the warp yarn and the yarn for engaging elements are not bonded to the weft yarn.
The polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the warp yarn or the weft yarn is a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 250 to 257°C.
The polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the yarn for engaging elements is a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 250 to 265°C.
The polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements is made of a copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate resin containing 1.0 to 2.0 mol% of isophthalic acid with respect to a total amount of dicarboxylic acid and 2.0 to 3.5 mol% of diethylene glycol with respect to a total amount of diol as copolymerization components.
The polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the binder layer bonded to the second surface of the base fabric has a large number of holes which penetrate the layer in a thickness direction.
A textile product comprising the polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as claimed in claim 3, wherein the textile product is made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin, and the polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener is attached to the textile product and is dyed in the same color using the same disperse dye as the textile product.
A method for producing a polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener, the woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener comprising a base fabric which is a woven fabric including a warp yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid, and a weft yarn and a yarn for engaging elements each of which includes a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin, wherein a first surface of the base fabric is a front side, a second surface of the base fabric is a back side, the yarn for engaging elements is woven into the base fabric in parallel to the warp yarn, a large number of hook-shaped and/or loop-shaped engaging elements formed from the yarn for engaging elements and rising from the first surface of the base fabric exist on the first surface of the base fabric, and a binder layer made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 160 to 210°C is provided on the second surface of the base fabric, the method comprising the following step A, step B, and step C which are performed in this order:
[step A] a step of, when weaving a woven fabric from the warp yarn and the weft yarn, weaving the yarn for engaging elements in parallel to the warp yarn, and at the same time, causing the yarn for engaging elements to regularly rise into a loop shape from the first surface of the base fabric in a loop shape at locations where the yarn for engaging elements crosses over the weft yarn, to weave a loop woven fabric;

[step B] a step of applying the resin for the binder layer to the second surface of the base fabric to bond and fix the yarn for engaging elements by the resin for the binder layer; and

[step C] a step of, if each loop is made of a monofilament yarn, heating the first surface side of the loop woven fabric and then cooling the first surface side of the loop woven fabric to fix the loop shape, and cutting one leg of each loop to make the loop into a hook-shaped engaging element.
The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the [step B] is a step of applying the resin for the binder layer in a melted state and in the form of a film-like material to the second surface of the loop woven fabric, directly pressing the resin onto the second surface of the loop woven fabric and densifying the loop woven fabric to cause a part of the film-like material to enter an interior of the second surface of the base fabric, and then cooling and solidifying the molten resin to bond the resin to the yarn for engaging elements.
The method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the film-like material made of the resin for the binder layer is obtained by heating and melting a fiber sheet.
The method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein at least one yarn selected from the group consisting of the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements is a yarn made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin copolymerized with isophthalic acid and having a melting point of 250 to 265°C.
The method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein each of the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements is a yarn made of a copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate resin containing 1.0 to 2.0 mol% of isophthalic acid with respect to a total amount of dicarboxylic acid and 2.0 to 3.5 mol% of diethylene glycol with respect to a total amount of diol as copolymerization components.
The method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the yarns used as the warp yarn, the weft yarn, and the yarn for engaging elements and made of the polyethylene terephthalate-based resin have a dry heat shrinkage rate in a range of 10 to 35% at 200°C.
The method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, comprising forming a through hole in the binder layer.
A method for producing a textile product with a polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener, the method comprising: attaching the polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener as claimed in claim 3 to a textile product made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin; and dyeing the textile product and the polyethylene terephthalate-based woven fabric hook-and-loop fastener attached thereto simultaneously to the same color using a disperse dye.