Curved, bonded fastening element

Abstract

A fastening element may comprise a first panel and the second panel. The first panel may have a first longitudinal edge and the second panel may have a second longitudinal edge. The second longitudinal edge may be spaced from the first longitudinal edge to form a curvilinear gap. The fastening element may comprise a fastening mechanism coupled to the first longitudinal edge using an adhesive. The fastening mechanism may comprise a zipper tape and a plurality of teeth. The zipper tape may be configured by applying the adhesive on at least a portion of the zipper tape and cutting through the adhesive and zipper tape to define a plurality of cut-outs in the zipper tape.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A fastening mechanism comprising:
 a first panel comprising a first longitudinal edge;   a second panel comprising a second longitudinal edge spaced from the first longitudinal edge to form a curvilinear gap; and   a first fastening element coupled to the first longitudinal edge using an adhesive, wherein the first fastening element comprises a zipper tape and a plurality of teeth, and wherein the zipper tape is configured by applying the adhesive on at least a portion of the zipper tape and cutting through the adhesive and zipper tape to define a plurality of cut-outs in the zipper tape.   
     
     
         2 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the zipper tape comprises at least one of a woven substrate or knit substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the zipper tape defines a continuous panel segment. 
     
     
         4 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the zipper tape comprises a first substrate and the second panel comprises a second substrate positioned opposite the first substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the zipper tape defines a continuous panel segment and a plurality of longitudinally juxtaposed segments extending laterally outward from the continuous panel segment. 
     
     
         6 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising a second fastening element coupled to the second longitudinal edge. 
     
     
         7 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 6 , further comprising a slider slidably engaged with the first fastening element and the second fastening element. 
     
     
         8 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 7 , wherein the slider is configured to urge the first fastening element into a mating engagement with the second fastening element and to disengage the first fastening element from a mating engagement with the second fastening element. 
     
     
         9 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the zipper tape comprises a woven construct. 
     
     
         10 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the zipper tape comprises a plurality of warp yarns. 
     
     
         11 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of warp yarns extends longitudinally from one finished edge of the zipper tape to an opposed finished edge of the zipper tape. 
     
     
         12 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of warp yarns have equivalent lengths. 
     
     
         13 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of warp yarns have non-uniform lengths. 
     
     
         14 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the zipper tape comprises a knitted construct. 
     
     
         15 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the knitted construct comprises a plurality of knit rows. 
     
     
         16 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of knit rows extend from a laterally innermost edge of the zipper tape to a laterally outermost edge of the zipper tape. 
     
     
         17 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the laterally innermost edge or the laterally outermost edge comprises a tie yarn. 
     
     
         18 . The fastening mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the cut-outs comprise at least one of dye-cut or laser-cut cut-outs. 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 applying an adhesive to a first tape of a first plurality of fastener elements and a second tape of a second plurality of fastener elements;   forming cut-outs in the first tape and the second tape;   bending the first tape and the second tape;   bonding the first tape along an edge of a first panel; and   bonding the second tape along an edge of a second panel, wherein the second panel is separated from the first panel by a curvilinear gap.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first plurality of fastener elements and the second plurality of fastener elements are configured to be urged into mating engagement and to be disengaged by a slider slidably engaged with the first plurality of fastener elements and the second plurality of fastener elements.