Technical Field

The present invention relates to means for removably mounting sheet materials on a vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric such as often found on the partitions used to form office cubicles.

Background Art

The known means for removably mounting sheet materials on a vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric such as is often found on the partitions used to form office cubicles include thumb tacks, map tacks, push pins, common pins, T- shaped pins, clips, hangers, hooks, bent or twisted paper clips or the hook portion of conventional hook and loop fasteners. These means are generally undesirable because most need to penetrate and thereby damage sheet materials they are attaching to the wall and can also damage the wall. Also, they often fall off of the wall when bumped, whereupon they may pose a hazard to personnel. Also, sheet materials mounted by many of these means curl rather than laying flat, making it difficult to view and retrieve information on the sheet materials and presenting a generally untidy appearance.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention can removably mount sheet materials on a vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric such as often found on the partitions used to form office cubicles without causing damage to the wall or the sheet materials being mounted. Further, they protect the sheet materials from curl and soiling due to routine handling, thereby contributing to an aesthetic and organized appearance for the sheet materials mounted on the wall.

According to the present invention there is provided a mounting composite comprising a backing layer, means along a front surface of and attached to the backing layer for retaining and displaying sheet materials along its front surface; and a first fastener strip attached along the rear major surface of the

backing layer. The fastener strip includes a base layer having its rear major surface attached to the backing layer, and a multiplicity of curved hook-like projections, each being integral with the base layer, decreasing in cross sectional area away from the base layer, having a pointed end portion opposite the base layer, and being curved away from the base layer in the same direction (called the "hook" direction herein) generally parallel to the front surface of the base layer with the pointed end portions being generally pointed in that hook direction. The mounting composite is adapted to be removably attached on a vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric with the pointed end portions of the hook-like projections directed generally vertically downwardly.

Because of the shape and uniform alignment of the hook portions, they can be engaged with the woven or knitted fabric to firmly support the mounting composite, and can subsequently be removed from that fabric without significantly damaging the fibers forming that fabric. In one embodiment of the mounting composite, the backing layer has a rectangular periphery defined by opposite first and second parallel end edges and longer first and second parallel side edges; the base layer of the first fastener strip is elongate and is fastened along the first end edge with the hook direction being at right angles to the first end edge and directed toward the second end edge, and the means along the front surface and attached to the backing layer for retaining and displaying sheet materials along the front surface is a transparent polymeric front layer having a periphery of the same size and shape as at least a portion of the backing layer and having its periphery attached to the periphery of the backing layer along its side edges and along its second end edge, while the periphery of the front layer adjacent the first end edge of the backing layer is unattached to the backing layer to afford positioning sheet materials between the front surface and the front layer.

In another embodiment of the mounting composite according to the present invention the backing layer has a rectangular periphery defined by opposite first and second parallel end edges and longer first and second parallel side edges; and the base layer of the first fastener strip is elongate and is fastened along the first side

edge with the hook direction being at right angles to the first side edge and directed toward the second side edge. Also in that embodiment, the means along the front surface and attached to the backing layer for retaining and displaying sheet materials along the front surface is a transparent polymeric front layer having a periphery of the about the same size and shape as at least a portion of the backing layer and having its periphery attached to the periphery of the backing layer along its side edges and along its second end edge, while the periphery of the front layer adjacent the first end edge of the backing layer is unattached to the backing layer to afford positioning sheet materials between the front surface of the backing layer and the front layer. That embodiment can optionally further include a second fastener strip having the same structure as the first fastener strip, which second fastener strip is fastened along the second side edge with its hook direction being at right angles to the second side edge and directed toward the first side edge. With this embodiment either of the fastener strips can be used to attach the mounting composite to a vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric so that either side edge of the backing layer can be uppermost; and even if the mounting composite is attached to that woven or knitted fabric with the first and second fastener strips extending vertically and their hook directions being opposed and horizontal, the hook-like projections of the two fastener strips will engage the woven or knitted fabric sufficiently to hold the mounting composite in place on the vertical wall.

Optionally, the means along the front surface and attached to the backing layer for retaining and displaying sheet materials along the front surface can comprise a layer of repositionable or removable pressure sensitive adhesive along the front surface, and if desired, can further include a transparent polymeric front layer having a periphery attached to the periphery of the backing layer along one of its edges, which front layer is separable from the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive and pivotable away from that front surface at one edge to afford adhering sheet materials to the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive, and subsequently can be positioned over those sheet materials.

Brief Description of Drawing

The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts in the several views, and wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a mounting composite according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a rear view of the embodiment of the mounting composite illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3A is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 3B illustrates possible forms for hook-like projections on fastener strips in the mounting composite of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a front view of a second embodiment of a mounting composite according to the present invention; Figure 5 is a rear view of the embodiment of the mounting composite illustrated in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a front view of a third embodiment of a mounting composite according to the present invention having parts broken away to show detail; Figure 7 is a rear view of the embodiment of the mounting composite illustrated in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a front view of a forth embodiment of a mounting composite according to the present invention having parts broken away to show detail; Figure 9 is a rear view of the embodiment of the mounting composite illustrated in Figure 8; Figure 10 is an enlarged photograph of an alternate hook strip that can be used in the mounting composite; and

Figure 11 is an enlarged photograph of the alternate hook strip illustrated in Figure 10 being engaged with a woven material.

Detailed Description

Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3 A of the drawing, there is shown a mounting composite according to the present invention generally designated by the reference numeral 10 that is adapted for removably mounting sheet materials on a 5 vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric (i.e., woven or knitted fabric having thread densities in the range of about 8 to 32 threads per inch which are commonly made of all polyester fibers or of blends of polyester fibers with fibers of other materials.

Generally the mounting composite 10 comprises a backing layer 12 having

10 opposite front and rear major surfaces 13 and 14; means along the front surface 13 of the backing layer 12 and attached to the backing layer 12 for retaining and displaying sheet materials along that front surface 13; and a first fastener strip 15 including a base layer 16 having opposite front and rear major surfaces 17 and 18. The rear major surface 18 of the base layer 16 is

15 attached surface to surface along the rear major surface 14 of the backing layer 12, and the fastener strip 15 further includes a multiplicity of curved hook-like projections 20. As can best be seen in Figure 3 A, each hook-like projection 20 is integral with the base layer 16, decreases in cross sectional area away from the base layer 16, has a pointed end portion 21 opposite the base layer 16, and is curved

20 away from the base layer 16 in the same hook direction (the hook direction being indicated by the arrow 22) generally parallel to the front surface 17 of the base layer 16 with the pointed end portions 21 all being generally pointed in the hook direction 22.

The fastener strip can be made generally in accordance with the process of ^' 25 manufacture described in U.S. Patent No. 5,058,247, the content whereof is incorporated herein by reference. The fastener strip has in the range of about 300 to 1300 hook-like projections per square inch, which hook-like projections typically project above the base of the fastener by a distance generally in the range of 0.012 to 0.025 inch. Figure 3B illustrates different hook forms that can be made by the

30 process of manufacture described in U.S. Patent No. 5,058,247, which forms are numbered sequentially from 1 through 8. The hook forms as illustrated in Figure

3B that are useful in the present invention are those of number 3 or higher with the preferred form being a form in the range between form 3 and form 5.

The mounting composite 10 is adapted to be removably attached on a vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric with the pointed end portions 21 of the hook-like projections 20 directed generally vertically downwardly. Because of the shape and uniform alignment of the end portions 21 of the hook-like projections 20, the hook-like projections 20 can be engaged with the woven or knitted fabric to firmly support the mounting composite 10 by pressing the hook-like projections 20 against the fabric with the hook direction 22 being downwardly toward the floor, and pulling the mounting composite 10 slightly downward to engage the hook-like projections 20 in the fabric; and can subsequently be removed from that fabric without damaging the fibers forming it by lifting the mounting composite 10 upwardly (i.e., opposite to the hook direction) relative to the fabric.

The backing layer 12 of the mounting composite 10 can be made of a transparent polymeric material (e.g., of vinyl, polyester, polyolefins, cellulose acetate, or polycarbonate) and has a rectangular periphery defined by opposite first and second parallel end edges 24 and 25 and longer first and second parallel side edges 26 and 27. The base layer 16 of the fastener strip 15 is elongate and is fastened as by a suitable adhesive or by heat sealing to the rear surface 14 of the backing layer 12 along the first end edge 24 with the hook direction 22 being at right angles to the first end edge 24 and directed toward the second end edge 25. In the mounting composite 10, the means along the front surface 13 and attached to the backing layer 12 for retaining and displaying sheet materials along the front surface 13 is a transparent polymeric front layer 30 (e.g., of vinyl, polyester, polyolefins, cellulose acetate, or polycarbonate) having a periphery of the same size and shape as a major portion of the backing layer 12 and having its periphery attached to the periphery of the backing layer 12 along the side edges 26 and 27 and along the second end edge 25 by means such as heat sealing to form an envelope-like mounting composite 10. The periphery of the front layer 30 adjacent the first end edge 24 of the backing layer 12 is unattached to the backing layer 12 to

afford positioning sheet materials between the front surface 13 and the front layer 30, after which those sheet materials may be viewed through the front layer 30.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing, there is shown a mounting composite according to the present invention generally designated by the reference numeral 40 that is also adapted for removably mounting sheet materials on a vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric.

Generally the mounting composite 40 comprises a backing layer 42 having opposite front and rear major surfaces 43 and 44; means along the front surface 43 of the backing layer 42 and attached to the backing layer 42 for retaining and displaying sheet materials along that front surface 43; and first and second fastener strips 45 and 46 that have the same structure as the fastener strip 15 described above including curved hook-like projections with pointed end portions all curved away from their base layers in the same hook direction indicated by the arrows 52 generally parallel to the rear surfaces of their base layers and to the rear surface 44.

The mounting composite 40 is adapted to be removably attached on a vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric with the pointed end portions of the hook-like projections on either one of the fastener strips 45 or 46 directed generally vertically downwardly to engage the woven or knitted fabric as described above. However, even if the mounting composite 40 is attached to that woven or knitted fabric with the first and second fastener strips 45 and 46 extending vertically and the hook directions 52 for those strips being opposed and horizontal, the opposed hook-like projections of the two fastener strips 45 and 46 will engage the woven or knitted fabric sufficiently to hold the mounting composite 40 in place on the vertical wall.

The backing layer 42 of the mounting composite 40 can be of an opaque or transparent polymeric material (e.g., of vinyl or polyolefins) or of paperboard and has a rectangular periphery defined by opposite first and second parallel end edges 54 and 55 and first and longer second parallel side edges 56 and 57. The base layer of the fastener strips 45 and 46 are elongate and each fastener strip 45 or 46 is fastened as by a suitable adhesive or by heat sealing to the rear surface 44 of the

backing layer 42 along a different one of the opposite side edges 56 and 57 with each of their hook directions 52 being at right angles to the first side edges 56 and 57 and directed toward the opposite fastener strip 45 or 46 and the opposite side edge 56 or 57. In the mounting composite 40, the means along the front surface 43 and attached to the backing layer 42 for retaining and displaying sheet materials along the front surface 43 is a transparent polymeric front layer 60 (e.g., of vinyl, polyester, polyolefins, cellulose acetate, or polycarbonate) which can optionally have a matte front surface. The front layer 60 has a periphery of the same size and shape as a major portion of the backing layer 42 and has its periphery attached to the periphery of the backing layer 42 along the side edges 56 and 57 and along its second end edge 55 as by a strip of binding material 62 wrapped around those edges and adhered thereto by a suitable adhesive or by heat sealing. The periphery of the front layer 60 adjacent the first end edge 54 of the backing layer 42 is unattached to the backing layer 42 to afford positioning sheet materials between the front surface 43 and the front layer 60, after which those sheet materials may be viewed through the front layer 60.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7 of the drawing, there is shown a mounting composite according to the present invention generally designated by the reference numeral 70 that is also adapted for removably mounting sheet materials on a vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric.

Generally the mounting composite 70 comprises a backing layer 72 having a front major surface 73 and an opposite rear major surface 74; means along the front surface 73 of the backing layer 72 and attached to the backing layer 72 for retaining and displaying sheet materials along that front surface 73; and first and second fastener strips 75 and 76 that have the same structure as the fastener strip 15 described above with their pointed end portions all curved away from their base layers in the same hook direction indicated by the arrow 82 generally parallel to the front surfaces of their base layers and to the rear surface 74. The mounting composite 70 is also adapted to be removably attached on a vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric with the pointed end portions of the

hook-like projections on either one of the fastener strips 75 or 76 directed generally vertically downwardly to engage the woven or knitted fabric as described above. However, even if the mounting composite 70 is attached to that woven or knitted fabric with the first and second fastener strips 75 and 76 extending vertically and the hook directions 82 for those strips being horizontal, the hook-like projections of the two fastener strips 75 and 76 will engage the woven or knitted fabric sufficiently to hold the mounting composite 70 in place on the vertical wall.

The backing layer 72 of the mounting composite 40 can be of opaque or of transparent material (e.g., of vinyl, polyolefin, or paperboard) and has a rectangular periphery defined by opposite first and second parallel end edges 84 and 85 and longer first and second parallel side edges 86 and 87. The base layer of the fastener strips 75 and 76 are elongate and each fastener strip 75 or 76 is fastened as by a suitable adhesive to the rear surface 74 of the backing layer 72 along a different one of the opposite side edges 86 and 87 with each of their hook directions 82 being at right angles to the first side edges 86 and 87 and directed toward the opposite fastener strip 75 or 76 and the opposite side edge 86 or 87.

In the mounting composite 70, the means along the front surface 73 and attached to the backing layer 72 for retaining and displaying sheet materials along the front surface 73 comprises a layer 89 of repositionable or removable pressure sensitive adhesive along the front surface 73 and a transparent polymeric front layer 90 (e.g., of vinyl, polyester, or polyolefin) having a periphery of the same size and shape as the backing layer 72 and having its periphery attached to the periphery of the backing layer 72 along the second side edge 85 by having an end part thereof folded around and adhered to the first side edge 85 and to the rear surface 74 of the backing layer 72. The front layer 90 is separable from the layer 89 of pressure sensitive adhesive and is pivotable away from that front surface 73 around the second side edge 85 to afford (1) adhering sheet materials to the layer 89 of pressure sensitive adhesive, and subsequently (2) adhering the transparent front layer 90 to portions of the layer 89 of pressure sensitive adhesive exposed around those sheet materials so that it extends over those sheet materials, after which those sheet materials may be viewed through the transparent front layer 90.

As illustrated, the front layer 90 can optionally have spaced lines 92 or other figures in the shape of a frame printed around its periphery.

Referring now to Figures 8 and 9 of the drawing, there is shown a mounting composite according to the present invention generally designated by the reference numeral 100 that is also adapted for removably mounting sheet materials on a vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric.

Generally the mounting composite 100 comprises a backing layer 102 having a front major surface 103 and an opposite rear major surface 104; means along the front surface 103 of the backing layer 102 and attached to the backing layer 102 for retaining and displaying sheet materials along that front surface 103; and first and second fastener strips 105 and 106 that have the same structure as the fastener strip 15 described above including curved hook-like projections with pointed end portions all curved away from their base layers in the same hook direction indicated by the arrow 112 generally parallel to the rear surfaces of their base layers and to the rear surface 104.

The mounting composite 100 is also adapted to be removably attached on a vertical wall formed of woven or knitted fabric with the pointed end portions of the hook-like projections on either one of the fastener strips 105 or 106 directed generally vertically downwardly to engage the woven or knitted fabric as described above, however, even if the mounting composite 100 is attached to that woven or knitted fabric with the first and second fastener strips 105 and 106 extending vertically and the hook directions 112 for those strips being opposed and horizontal, the hook-like projections of the two fastener strips 105 and 106 will engage the woven or knitted fabric sufficiently to hold the mounting composite 100 in place on the vertical wall.

The backing layer 102 of the mounting composite 100 can be of opaque or of transparent material (e.g., of vinyl, polyolefin, or paperboard) and has a rectangular periphery defined by opposite first and second parallel end edges 114 and 115 and longer first and second parallel side edges 116 and 117. The base layer of the fastener strips 105 and 106 are elongate and each fastener strip 105 or 106 is fastened as by a suitable adhesive to the rear surface 104 of the backing layer 102

along a different one of the opposite side edges 116 and 117 with each of their hook directions 112 being at right angles to the first side edges 116 and 117 and directed toward the opposite fastener strip 105 or 106 and the opposite side edge 116 or 117. In the mounting composite 100, the means along the front surface 103 and attached to the backing layer 102 for retaining and displaying sheet materials along the front surface 103 comprises a layer 119 of repositionable or removable pressure sensitive adhesive along the front surface 103 and a frame assembly 120 including a transparent polymeric front layer 121 having peripheral edges and a rectangular frame 122 attached to the front layer 121 as by a suitable adhesive. The frame 122 is rectangular and has an inner edge 124 extending around a portion 125 of the front layer 121. That portion 125 of the front layer 121 extends along at least a portion of the front surface 103 of the backing layer 102 and the backing layer 102 has one of its edges attached along the rear surface of the frame 122 by a layer 126 of adhesive coated tape or by some other suitable means. The front layer 121 is separable from the layer 119 of pressure sensitive adhesive and the frame assembly 120 is pivotable away from the front surface 103 at that one edge to afford adhering sheet materials to the layer 119 of pressure sensitive adhesive, and subsequently, to adhere the front layer 121 to any exposed portions of the layer 119 of pressure sensitive adhesive around those sheet materials while extending over those sheet materials, after which those sheet materials may be viewed through the front layer 121.

The frame 122 has extending portions 128 projecting past the edges of the backing layer 102 and the mounting composite further includes a pair of auxiliary fastening strips 130 having essentially the same structure as the fastener strip 15 described above. The auxiliary fastener strips 130 are each fastened along the extending portions 128 parallel to and adjacent to one of the first and second fastener strips 105 or 106 with the hook directions 132 for the auxiliary fastener strips 130 being the same as the hook direction 112 for the adjacent first or second fastener strip 105 or 106. Thus, the auxiliary fastener strips 130 help to both attach the mounting composite 100 on a woven or knitted fabric, and help to retain the

front layer 121 and frame 122 over sheet materials adhered to the layer 119 of pressure sensitive adhesive, which sheet materials might totally cover that layer 119 of pressure sensitive adhesive.

In any of the above embodiments, the fastener strips may alternatively, but less desirably, have the structure described in U.S. Patent application No. 08/048874 filed April 16, 1993, the content whereof is incorporated herein by reference.

Generally, with reference to Figures 10 and 11, that patent application describes a mushroom-type hook strip 200 comprising a homogeneous backing or base layer 212 of thermoplastic resin and, integral with that backing 212, an array of upstanding stems 216 distributed across a front major surface of the backing 212, each having a mushroom head 218, said stems 216 having a molecular orientation as evidenced by a birefringence value of at least 0.001, and the mushroom heads 218 having circular disc shapes with generally planar end surfaces 219 opposite the backing, which disc shaped heads 218 preferably have diameter to thickness ratios of greater than about 1.5 to 1.

A method of making the mushroom-type hook strip employs a mold which can be cylindrical and has cavities recessed from a continuous surface that are the negatives of an array of upstanding stems. The method involves the steps of a) moving the surface of the mold along a predetermined path, b) continuously injecting a molten, molecularly orientable thermoplastic resin into the cavities in excess of the amount that would fill the cavities, which excess forms a layer of resin overlying the cavities and the surface around the cavities, c) continuously cooling the mold around the cavities to cause the molten resin to become molecularly oriented while it fills the cavities, d) allowing the injected resin to solidify, e) continuously stripping from the mold the solidified resin layer as a backing and integral array of upstanding stems, and

f) deforming the tips of the stems by contact with a heated surface to produce a circular disc shaped mushroom head 218 at the tip of each stem 216.

In order to afford the desired molecular orientation, the walls of the cavities should be cooled to a temperature such that the injected resin solidifies along the walls while continuing to fill the core of each cavity. After the core of a cavity has been filled, the cooling must be continued to maintain the molecular orientation and to allow the stem to be pulled from the cavity. Afterwards, it may be desirable to apply heat to the wall of the cavity before it is again injected with resin. Because the stems 216 of the novel hook strip 200 are molecularly orientated as evidenced by a birefringence value of at least 0.001, they have significantly greater stiffness and durability, as well as greater tensile and flexural strength, than would be achievable without such orientation. Because of these qualities, the portions of the stems 216 not heated by the heated surface remain resiliently flexible during the deforming step f) which preferably involves the application of heat to the stem tips by contact with the heated surface of a metal roller. Such contact forms the tip of each stem into a circular disc shaped mushroom head 218 at the tip of each stem 216, which head 218 has a substantially flat inner surface 217 that enhances its holding power when engaged with a loop. As is illustrated in Figure 11, the disc-like head shape with its high diameter to thickness ratio, and the small size and close spacing or high density of individual hooks that are provided by the novel hook strip 200 makes it able to easily firmly releasably engage loop material in shear, possibly because the many thin heads can easily move radially into engagement with rather small loops. Thus the hook strip 200 is particularly useful for hook-and-loop fastening when the loops are provided by the fibers of conventional knit or woven fabrics such as the illustrated woven fabric 222. In general, the hooks are of uniform height, preferably of from about 0.10 to 1.27 mm in height, and more preferably from about 0.18 to 0.51 mm in height; have a density on the backing preferably of from 60 to 1,550 hooks per square centimeter, and more preferably from about 125 to 690 hooks per square centimeter; have a stem diameter adjacent the heads of the hooks preferably of from

0.076 to 0.635 mm, and more preferably from about 0.127 to 0.305 mm; have circular disc-like heads that project radially past the stems on each side preferably by an average of about 0.013 to 0.254 mm, and more preferably by an average of about 0.025 to 0.127 mm and have average thicknesses between their outer and inner surfaces (i.e., measured in a direction parallel to the axis of the stems) preferably of from about 0.013 to 0.254 mm and more preferably of from about 0.025 mm to 0.127 mm, with the heads having average head diameter (i.e., measured radially of the axis of the heads and stems) to average head thickness ratio preferably of from 1.5:1 to 12:1, and more preferably from 2.5:1 to 6:1. To have both good flexibility and strength, the backing of the novel mushroom-type hook strip preferably is from 0.025 to 0.512 mm thick, and more preferably is from 0.064 to 0.254 mm in thick, especially when the hook strip is made of polypropylene or a copolymer of polypropylene and polyethylene.

Virtually any orientable thermoplastic resin that is suitable for extrusion molding may be used to produce the novel mushroom-type hook strip.

Thermoplastic resins that can be extrusion molded and should be useful include polyesters such as poly(ethylene terephthalate), polyamides such as nylon, poly(styrene-acrylonitrile), poly(acrylonitrile- butadiene-styrene), polyolefins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and plasticized polyvinyl chloride. A preferred thermoplastic resin is a random copolymer of polypropylene and polyethylene containing 17.5% polyethylene and having a melt flow index of 30, that is available as SRD7-463 from Shell Oil Company, Houston, Texas.

The present invention has now been described with reference to several embodiments and modifications thereof. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes can be made in the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, using the method for forming the hook like portions described in U.S. Patent No. 5,058,247, it would be possible to form the hook-like portions directly on the rear major surface of the backing layer. Thus the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the structures described in this application, but only by structures described by the language of the claims and the equivalents of those structures.