NL1038320C2

NL1038320C2 - A touch fastening anti-skidding material and method of making the same.

Info

Publication number: NL1038320C2
Application number: NL1038320A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Ming-Shun Yang
Original assignee: Formosa Saint Jose Corp
Priority date: 2009-10-22
Filing date: 2010-10-20
Publication date: 2014-03-18
Also published as: PL68803Y1; AR080665A1; IL208839A; PL119135U1; PL119437U1; CZ2010774A3; CZ304993B6; FR2951742A1; PE20110381A1; UA103995C2; MY154659A; GB2477320A; NL1038320A; ES2390179B2; GB201001494D0; TW201114962A; BRPI1000830A2; DOP2010000319A; IL208839A0; GB2477370B

Abstract

A touch-fastening anti-skidding warp knitted fabric 10 comprises a foundation layer 40 having wales A, A1, A2, BI, B2. B3 of the fabric 10 that comprise pliable base yarns 30a, 30b and a plurality of discrete synthetic filaments 20a, 20b knitted together; each stitch of the synthetic filaments 20a, 20b is looped around a previous stitch of the filament in the same wale and is subsequently cut to form a discrete length of the filament 20a, 20b that comprises a "U" shaped loop 21 in the foundation layer 40 and two legs (22, fig 5) projecting from the foundation layer 40 by a predetermined distance which are used to constitute hooks (22). The Fabric may incorporate apertures X or may be in a planar form without aperture. A method for making a touch fastening anti skidding fabric using a double needle bed warp knitting machine is also disclosed.

Description

Title: A Touch Fastening Anti-Skidding Material and Method of Making the Same (a) Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a novel design of knitted structure of a touch-fastening anti-skidding fabric, which has the features of being fit for mass production and 5 manufacture of large width surface area fabrics that have flexibility, resiliency, and light weight, and also offers the advantages of high air permeability and low manufacturing costs, and is fit for combination with other materials and suitable for being bonded to various felts, rugs, flannelette, 10 loop cloth (terrycloth) to realize touch-fastening and antiskidding .

(b) Description of the Prior Art

The commonly known hook-and-loop types of touch-fastener 15 straps is Velcro straps (Velcro is a Registered Trade Mark of Velcro Industries BV) and these have the features of touchfastening and anti-skidding. The known hook-and-loop straps are often composed of a first band that has a plurality of , male hooks and a second band that has a plurality of female 20 loops that are engaged by the male hooks when the two bands are placed into mutual contact. The male hook band has a surface forming a felt-like face on which a plurality of projecting hooks that have ends forming hooks is uniformly distributed. The female loop band has a surface forming a 25 velvet-like face on which curled and entangling yarns are uniformly distributed. When the felt-like faces of the male and female bands are put together to so as to mutually confront and touch each other, the hooks engage the curled and entangling yarns so as to hold the bands together. The known 1038*20 2 structure of the touch-fastener strap is effective in fixing articles to be fastened together, but the conventional touch-fastener strap suffers high manufacturing costs and difficulty in making large width products, and is only fit for continuous 5 manufacture of small-surface-area elongate straps, making the production performance very poor. Further, the conventional touch-fastener strap is generally not pliable, making it difficult to bond to articles or materials showing a three-dimensional shape.

10 We are aware of British patents GB 927828, GB 927828, GB

927828, and GB2049749 European Publication EP1698245A3,. US Patent US4854136 and Japanese Publication JP 20040415 all of which describe various hook-and-loop type of touch fastening fabrics, but none of theses disclose a textile warp knitted 15 fabric in which the synthetic threads form the hooks are knitted together along the wales of the fabric. Furthermore none of these disclose the concept of knitting with pliable textile yarns and synthetic filaments that have totally different characteristics to the pliable threads together to 20 form a foundation layer.

In the patent application there is described and shown in the drawings a unique touch-fastening material, which is manufactured by knitting synthetic fibres with pliable yarns of different characteristics or different diameter sizes in 25 order to suit the needs of different applications, wherein the length of the synthetic fibres used to form the male hooks can be set according to the kitting method used. The present application describes in more detail the method of manufacturing the fabric.

30

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of present invention is to provide a mass-productive, light-weight, air-permeable, resiliently expandable, and structure simplified anti-skidding fabric that 35 provides effective skidding resistance for use with various 3 other materials, including felts, rugs, flannelette, and loop cloth (terrycloth) that have a looped or entangling structures to form a touch fastener.

An object of the present invention is to provide a 5 structure of touch-fastening anti-skidding fabric formed by warp knitting whereby the fabric is flexible and resilient, and which is formed by knitting pliable yarns simultaneously with synthetic filaments or fibres that form the legs and have different characteristics to those of the pliable yarns, so 10 that a knitted foundation layer is formed that comprises a great number of synthetic fibres projecting therefrom that are used to form hooks.

A further object is to provide a touch fastening fabric that can be manufactured in a mass production manner with 15 excellent features of light-weight, air permeability, resilience, and processability.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an anti-skidding fabric, which possesses excellent stretchability and flexibility that offers excellent characteristics of being 20 easily applied to a three-dimensional surface so that the anti-skidding material can be easily shaped for forming an excellent bonding surface for three-dimensional configuration.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a touch-fastening anti-skidding material that can be 25 used with felts, rugs, flannelette, and loop cloth (terrycloth) for anti-skidding purposes.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a touch-fastening anti-skidding warp knitted fabric comprising a foundation layer that has wales of the fabric 30 that comprise pliable base yarns and a plurality of discrete synthetic filaments knitted together, wherein each stitch of the synthetic filaments is looped around a previous stitch of the filament in the same wale and is subsequently cut to form a discrete length of the filament that comprises a loop in the 4 foundation layer and two legs projecting from the foundation layer.

Preferably the synthetic fibres are monofilaments selected from the following synthetic materials polyamides, 5 polyesters, polypropylene, and polyethylene. Preferably the synthetic filaments each have a diameter in the range of 0.02mm to 0.5mm. and have a Shore hardness of between 35A to 90A or between 40D to 90D.

Preferably the pliable yarns are natural or synthetic 10 spun yarns selected from the group comprising acrylic, cotton, cellulose, or polyester cotton, or blends of these fibres.

Preferably the pliable yarns and the synthetic filaments are knitted so that each stitch of synthetic filament is looped around a previous stitch of the synthetic filament 15 along the wales of the fabric to form a wale of loops of synthetic filaments, and the pliable yarns accompany the stitches of the synthetic yarns to form the loops that are extended transversely to an adjacent wale of the fabric.

The foundation layer of the fabric may have apertures and 20 the apertures the shape of the apertures is selected from the following shapes namely, polygonal, circular, hexagonal, rectangular, or quadrangular. Alternatively the foundation layer need not have apertures knitted into its structure.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is 25 provided a method of warp knitting a touch fastening fabric having hooks for engaging loops or entangling structure of another structure, wherein the method comprising the steps of: - (a) Simultaneously warp knitting a plurality of 30 continuous lengths of pliable yarns together with a plurality of continuous lengths of synthetic monofilaments on a double needle bed warp knitting machine to form two foundation layers each of which is knitted on one of the needle beds and has wales of the fabric that have the stitches of the synthetic 35 filament linked together along the wale with wales of the 5 foundation layers linked along and between the wales by the pliable yarns, and wherein the two foundation layers are linked together by stitches of the synthetic filaments that extend between the two foundation layers; and, 5 (b) Cutting the stitches of the synthetic filaments that extend between the foundation layers to form two separate fabrics each of which has a foundation layer with discrete lengths of the filaments that have a loop linked to the next stitch of the filament along each wale of the foundation layer 10 and two legs projecting from the foundation layer.

Preferably the knitting process is commenced by knitting pairs of adjacent wales together with the pliable yarn passing from one wale to the next of the wales of the pair.

Preferably the foundation layer comprises wales that are 15 knitted by passing the pliable yarns between adjacent wales of the foundation layer.

Apertures may be formed in the foundation layer by knitting a set of first pairs of wales, splitting each of the first pairs of wales into two wales and passing the pliable 20 yarns to an adjacent one of the wales of each split first pair of wales and knitting the wales together to form a second set of pairs of wales, splitting the second pairs of wales into two wales and passing the pliable yarns to an adjacent one of the wales of each split second pair of wales and knitting the 25 wales together to re form the set of first pairs of wales and thereby define apertures in the foundation layer between the wales .

The present invention provides a touch-fastening antiskidding material, which comprises a knitted foundation layer 30 and a plurality of synthetic fibres or yarns that is collectively knitted in the foundation layer and secured together. The synthetic filaments possess predetermined rigidity strength to provide strong legs that project from the foundation layer whilst the pliable yarns make a foundation 35 layer that is flexible, resilient, and light-weighted.

6

Together the contrasting characteristics of the filaments and yarns produce a fabric that when placed in contact with felts, rugs, flannelette, and loop cloth (terrycloth), the antiskidding material of the present invention provides excellent 5 resistance against skidding.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To appreciate fully these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to 10 those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

15 Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiments incorporating the principles of the 20 present invention is shown by way of illustrative examples.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a touch-fastening warp knitted fabric that has a network of apertures X and is constructed in accordance 25 with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a second touch-fastening warp knitted fabric that does not have the network of apertures like those of the fabric of figure IX and is constructed in accordance with the present invention; 30 Figures 3 and 4 show, schematically, the steps of the knitting part of the fabrics of figures 1 and 2;

Figure 5 shows schematically a cross sectional view taken along one of the wales of the fabric shown in Figures 4 and 5;

Figure 6 shows schematically steps of knitting the 35 apertures in the fabric of figure 1; 7

Figures 7 an 8 show in greater detail a portion of the knitting shown in figure 6;

Figure 9 is a schematic view showing legs of the fabric of Figures 1 or Figure 2 that have been subjected to heating 5 to melt the tips of the legs to form hooks; and,

Figure 10 is a schematic view showing legs of fabrics of Figures 1 or 2 that have been subjected to heating and deformation to form hooks.

10 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for 15 implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

20 Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the fabrics 10 and 10a each comprise a foundation layer 40 that has a plurality of hooks 22 projecting from the plane of the foundation layer 40. In use, when the fabrics 10 or 10a are brought into contact with another fabric or surface (not shown) that has a looped or 25 tangled structure, such as for example, felts, rugs, flannelette, and looped cloth (terry-cloth), the hooks 22 engage and tangle with the other fabric or surface to grip it and thereby create a touch fastener that can be pulled apart.

The difference between the fabric of figure 1 compared 30 with the fabric of figure 2 is that the knitted foundation layer of the fabric of figure 1 has network of apertures "X" formed during the knitting process, whereas the fabric of figure 2 does not.

For simplicity, in the following description of Figures 3 35 to 10 of the drawings, only a few wales or columns that extend 8 along the length of the fabrics 10 or 10a are shown. These wales are identified by the references "A" and "B". It is to be understood that the pattern of stitches shown in the drawings is repeated throughout the width and length of the 5 fabrics 10 and 10a, thus permitting fabrics of various widths and stretchability to be made.

Both of the fabrics of figures 1 and 2 are warp knitted on a double needle bed warp knitting machine in which two foundation layers 40 are knitted simultaneously (one layer 40 10 on each needle bed) as a single structure with the stitches 20a and 20b knitted across the two needle beds. Once the knitted structure is removed from the needle beds of the knitting machine the stitches 20a and 20b that extend between the foundation layers 40 are then cut to separate the 15 foundation layers 40 and form two identical fabrics 10, or 10a as shown respectively in Figure 1 of Figure 2 whilst at the same time the legs 22 of the cut stitches are used to form the hooks of the fabric. By varying the tension of the stitches 20 and 20b across the needle beds it is possible to make longer 20 or shorter legs 22.

To make the double knitted structure that is cut to form two fabrics 10 or 10a of the present invention, continuous lengths of two types of textile yarns or filaments are knitted simultaneously. The two types of filaments and yarns used are 25 fibres 20a and 20b that form the legs 22 that are used to make "hooks" of the fabric 10, and pliable fibres 30a and 30b that form each the foundation layers 40 of the fabric 10 and hold the legs 22 into place in the foundation layer 40.

The fibres 20a and 20b are preferably monofilaments 30 (sometimes called "Drawn Textile Yarns (DTY) or extruded filaments) selected from one or more of the following synthetic plastic materials, namely, polyamides (for example Nylon - a registered Trade Mark of Du-Pont Corporation), polyesters, polypropylene, and polyethylene. Preferably the 35 monofilaments have a diameter in the range of 0.02mm to 0.5mm, 9 and have a Shore hardness of between 35A to 90A or a Shore hardness between 40D to 90D.

The pliable threads 30a and 30b are preferably made from natural or synthetic spun yarns such as, for example, acrylic, 5 cotton, cellulose, or polyester cotton blends, and are more pliable than the fibres 20a and 20b.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4 there is shown schematically two adjacent wales A, and B of the foundation layer 40 of the fabric of figure 2. Each alternate wale A is started by 10 simultaneously knitting a pair of continuous threads 20a, 20b, and 30a to form the first stitches of each wale (Al, A2, A3, and so on) of each of the two foundation layers 40. Simultaneously each alternate wale (Bl, B2, B3 and so on) of each foundation layer is started by knitting a pair of 15 continuous threads 20a, 20b, and 30b together.

As explained above when the two foundation layers 40 are separated, the stitches 20a or 20b that extend between the two foundation layers 40 are cut to leave discrete lengths of the filament 20a or 20b, each of which comprises a loop 21 linked 20 to the previous stitch and two legs 22 that project from the foundation layer 40 and these are modified as shown in figure 9 and 10 to constitute the hooks of the fabric 10 or 10a.

For reasons of clarity, Figure 3 only shows the threads 20a, 20b, and 30a, and Figure 4 only shows the threads 20a, 25 20b and 30b. In reality, the wales Al, A2, A3 and Bl, B3 of the fabric 10a of figure 2 are knitted together by passing the pliable threads 30a and 30b transversely between adjacent wales A and B and knitting them with the stitches of the threads 20a and 20b as discussed below.

30 In figure 3 the loops 21 of alternate stitches (2nd, 4th, 6th and so on) along the wale of each foundation layer 40 are formed using a continuous lengths of the threads 30a and threads 20b, whilst the loops 21 of alternate stitches (3rd, 5th, and 7th and so on) along the wale B of the foundation 10 layers 40 are formed using continuous lengths of the threads 20a and yarns 30a.

In figure 4 the loops 21 of alternate stitches (2ndt, 4th, 6th and so on) along the wale B of the foundation layers 5 40 are formed using the thread 30b and threads 20a, whilst the loops 21 of alternate stitches (3rd, 5th, and 7th and so on) along the wale B of the foundation layers are formed with threads 20a and yarns 30a. A cross sectional view taken along the length of each wale is shown schematically in figure 5.

10 The pattern of stitching shown in figures 3 and 4 is repeated widthways on the needles of the two needle beds for all the wales of the foundation layers 40 using multiple yarns 30a and 30b and multiple filaments 20a and 20b and along the length of the foundation layers 40, thus making it possible to 15 knit two fabrics 10 as shown in figure 2 of any desired width when the stitches 20a and 30b are cut.

Figures 6 to 8 show the method of knitting the fabric of figure 1 with apertures or gaps "X" in the foundation layer 40 of the fabric 10. The apertures "X" can be of any desired 20 geometric shape, such as circle, honeycomb, hexagonal, or a quadrangle, or other geometric shapes. The presence of the apertures X improves the stretchability and deformability in the longitudinal and the transverse directions of the fabric 10 compared with that of the fabric 10a of figure 2.

25 Referring to figure 6, the knitting process is started by knitting together a first set of pairs of wales (Al, Bl), (A2, B2) and (A3, B3) spaced across the width of each foundation layer 40 10 using the threads 30a and 30b and threads 20a and 20b, following the pattern of stitches shown in figures 3 to 30 5.

Initially alternate pairs of the first set of pairs of wales are not linked to the next adjacent pairs of wales in the foundation layer 40. Instead, as shown in figure 7 and the lower part of figure 6, each of the linked pairs of the first 35 set of pairs of wales in each foundation layer are knitted 11 using the pattern of stitches shown in figures 3 and 4 for a short distance.

After knitting a short distance along the pair of wales, each pair of the first set of pairs of wales ((Al, Bl), ( A2, 5 B2) and (A3, B3) and so on) in each foundation layer 40 are split into two separate wales and knitted with one of the wales of an adjacent pair of wales (as shown in upper part of figure 6 and in Figure 8) to form a second set of pairs of wales ((Bl, A2) , and (B2, A3) and so on)) . The pairs of 10 wales ((Bl, A2) , and (B2, A3) and so on)) in each foundation layer 40 are knitted together at intervals along the length of the foundation layer 10 by extending the yarns 30a and 30b into adjacent wales and knitting them with the stitches of the yarns 20a and 20b for a short distance along the length of the 15 foundation layer 40.

Subsequently the pairs of wales in the second set of pairs of wales are each split into two wales and the split wales (Al, Bl), ( A2, B2) and (A3, B3) are knitted together as shown in the lower part of figure 6, to reform the first set 20 of wales. The pattern of stitches is repeated along the length and width of the foundation layers 40 to produce the desired size of fabric 10 and thereby form apertures "X" in the two layers 40.

As explained above, the knitted structure is removed from 25 the needle beds of the knitting machine and the two foundation layers 40 are separated by cutting the stitches of the filaments 20a or 20b that extend between the foundation layer 40 to leave two fabrics that have discrete lengths of the filaments 20a or 20b that comprises a loop 21 linked to the 30 previous stitch and two legs 22 knitted into the foundation layers 40, and the two legs of each stitch are used to constitute the hooks of the fabric 10 or 10a, that project from the foundation layer 40 of the fabric 10.

It will be seen that as the knitting progresses, the 35 pliable base yarns 30a and 30b are allowed to extend 12 transversely to an adjacent wales of the foundation layers 40 and are simultaneously knitted alternately with the stitches 20a and 20b to make the foundation layers 40 but the loops 21 of the synthetic yarns 20a, 20b are linked to each other along 5 the length of the wales of the foundation layers 40 so that the loops 21 of each previous stitch loops around the loops 21 of the next stitch, and leaves ends that form short legs 22 of predetermined length projecting from the foundation layers 40.

Referring to figures 9 and 10 a further feature of the 10 present invention is shown wherein, after the filaments 20a and 20b are cut the to form two separate pieces of fabric 10 or 10a, the fabric 10 or 10a is further processed by passing the fabric through a tunnel-type oven (not shown) for heating and melting the free ends of the legs 22 of each synthetic 15 yarn 20a, 20b to form rounded ends 23 that constitute "hooks" (see figure 9). Alternatively, the free ends of the legs 22 of each synthetic yarn 20a, 20b may be subjected to heating and compressed to deform the ends to form hooks 24 as shown in figure 10.

20 With the fabrics 10 10a of figures 1 and 2 the short legs 22 of synthetic filaments extend beyond the surface of foundation layer 40 and project outside the foundation layer 40 and the distance or length of the legs 22 of the synthetic yarns 20a, 20b can be adjusted as desired by during the 25 knitting stage by making the loops of the threads 20a and 20b that extend across the needle beds of a looser or tighter knit by controlling the tension of the monofilaments as they are knitted.. The Shore harness of the filaments 20a and 20b determines the rigidity and strength of the legs 22.

30 Thus, the touch-fastening anti-skidding fabrics 10 and 10a of the present invention posses advantages of light weight, high air permeability, and flexibility and is fit for mass production of large width products.

To summarize, the present invention provides a touch-35 fastening anti-skidding material that is structured to have 13 synthetic filaments 20a, 20b of short lengths knitted together with pliable threads 30a, 30b, that forms the foundation layer of the fabric to provide the effect of anti-skidding which when brought into contact with felts, rugs, flannelette, and 5 loop cloth (terrycloth) that have a looped or entangling structures, will 1 grip the other materials. Further, the synthetic yarns 20a, 20b, are tightly knitted together and with the pliable yarns 30a and 30b, so that they are not pulled out of the foundation layer 40 by the felts, rugs, 10 flannelette, and loop cloth (terrycloth) when being separated or pulled apart from the other fabric. The present invention has excellent touch-fastening characteristics and better grip and resistance against skidding when in contact with other looped or entangling structures.

15 While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the 20 device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

1 0 3 8,3 2 0

Claims

A contact-adhesive anti-slip warp knitted fabric comprising a foundation layer having textures of the fabric comprising bendable base threads and a plurality of discrete filaments knitted together, wherein each stitch of the synthetic filaments forms a loop around a previous stitch of the filament in the same texture and then cut to form a discrete length of the filament comprising a loop in the foundation layer and two legs 10 projecting from a surface of the foundation layer.

2. A fabric according to claim 1 wherein the synthetic fibers are monofilaments selected from the following synthetic materials polyamides, polyesters, polypropylene, and polyethylene.

A fabric according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the synthetic filaments each have a diameter in the range of 0.02 mm to 0.5 mm. 20

A fabric according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the filaments have a Shore hardness of between 35A to 90A or between 40D to 90D.

A fabric according to any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the flexible threads are natural or synthetic spun threads selected from the group consisting of acrylic, cotton, cellulose, or polyester, or blends of these fibers. 30

6. A fabric according to any of claims 1 to 5 wherein successively, the bendable threads and the synthetic filaments are knitted so that each synthetic filament stitch forms a loop around a previous stitch of the synthetic filament along the textures of the fabric. to form a texture of synthetic filament loops, 1038320 and the flexible threads guide the stitches of the synthetic threads to form the loops that extend transversely to an adjacent texture of the fabric.

A fabric according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the foundation layer comprises a fabric that has openings in the foundation layer.

A fabric according to any of claims 1 to 10 and 6 wherein the foundation layer has no openings knitted into its structure.

9. A fabric according to claim 7 wherein the shape of the openings is selected from the following shapes namely, polygonal, circular, hexagonal, rectangular, or square.

10. A fabric as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least the ends of the legs are subjected to heat to melt the ends of the legs and thereby form hooks.

A fabric as claimed in claim 10 wherein the ends of the legs are deformed to form hooks. 25

A fabric substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

A method of warp-knitting a contact-adhesive fabric having entangling means for engaging loops or entangling structure of another structure according to any of claims 1 to 9, the method comprising the steps of: ( a) simultaneous warp knitting on a double needle bed warp knitting machine a plurality of continuous lengths of bendable threads together with a plurality of continuous lengths of synthetic monofilaments, to form two foundation layers each of which is on one of the needle beds is knitted and has textures of the fabric which have the synthetic filament stitches coupled together along the texture with textures of the foundation layers coupled along and between the textures by the bendable threads, and wherein the two foundation layers are coupled together by stabbing the synthetic filaments that extend between the two foundation layers; and, (b) cutting the stitches of the synthetic filaments extending between the foundation layers to form two separate fabrics, each of which has a foundation layer with discrete lengths of the filaments having a loop coupled to the next stitch of the filament along each texture of the foundation layer, and two legs protruding from the foundation layer. 15

A method according to claim 13 wherein the knitting process is started by knitting pairs of adjacent textures together, wherein the bendable thread runs from one textures to the next of the textures of the pair. 20

A method according to claim 13 or claim 14 wherein the textures of the foundation layer are knitted by inserting the flexible wires between adjacent textures of the foundation layer. 25

A method according to any of claims 13 to 15 wherein the openings in the foundation layer are formed by knitting a set of first pairs of textures, splitting each of the first pairs of 30 textures into two textures and sticking the bendable threads to an adjacent texture of the textures of each split first pair of textures and knitting the textures together to form a second set of pairs of textures, splitting the second pairs of 35 textures into two textures and sticking the bendable threads to an adjacent texture of the textures of each split second pair of textures and knitting the textures together to reform the set of first pairs of textures and thereby forming openings in the foundation layer between the textures define.

A method according to any of the preceding claims 13 to 16 wherein at least the ends of the legs are subjected to heat to melt the tips and thereby form hooks.

A method according to claim 17 wherein the ends 10 become the legs being deformed to form hooks. 1038320