Article

Abstract

Article includes: male and female fastening parts secured onto separate locations on the article, the male and female fastening parts being mutually engageable; and at least one article component having a nappable region with which the male fastening part is brought into contact at least partially. The male fastening part includes a multiplicity of male engagement elements where male engagement elements are two-dimensionally arranged, the multiplicity of male engagement elements including two or more male engagement elements each having a top surface that is brought into contact with the nappable region. The respective ones of the male engagement elements of the multiplicity of male engagement elements or of the two or more male engagement elements are made of a same polymer material having a bend elastic constant of 800 MPa or less, or 500 MPa or less, or 450 MPa or less.

1 . An article comprising:
 male and female fastening parts secured onto separate locations on the article, the male and female fastening parts being mutually engageable; and   at least one article component having a nappable region with which the male fastening part is brought into contact at least partially, wherein   the male fastening part includes a multiplicity of male engagement elements where male engagement elements are two-dimensionally arranged, the multiplicity of male engagement elements including two or more male engagement elements each having a top surface that is brought into contact with the nappable region, and   the respective ones of the male engagement elements of the multiplicity of male engagement elements or of the two or more male engagement elements are made of a same polymer material having a bend elastic constant of 800 MPa or less, or 500 MPa or less, or 450 MPa or less.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the female fastening part includes a multiplicity of loops in which respective loops are upright as a multiplicity of female engagement elements, and
 the nappable region includes a woven or knitted structure where respective unit structures of the woven or knitted structure are laid-down.   
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 2 , wherein the woven or knitted structure includes a group of piles where piles are two-dimensionally arranged. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 2 , wherein a maximum number of the unit structures contacted by one top surface is 9 or less, 7 or less, or 5 or less. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein a minimum number of the unit structures contacted by one top surface is 2 or more, or 3 or more. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the bend elastic constant of the polymer material is 100 MPa or more or 150 MPa or more. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 6 , wherein the male engagement element includes a stem and at least one protrusion protruding from the stem, the top surface being a curved surface. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein the top surface has a larger width in a first direction along which the at least one protrusion protrudes from the stem, and a smaller width in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction,
 the smaller width is ⅖ or less of a pitch interval of the male engagement elements or of the rows of the male engagement elements in the second direction.   
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 8 , wherein the smaller width is ⅕ or less of the pitch interval. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 9 , wherein the smaller width is in a range of 0.3 mm to 0.9 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the smaller width is in a range of 0.45 mm to 0.75 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the male engagement elements of the multiplicity of male engagement elements are arranged at a density in a range of 20 pieces/cm 2  to 100 pieces/cm 2 . 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one article component is a composite material in which nappable piles are formed on a surface of a soft layer. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article is a wetsuit, sportswear, clothing, bag or pouch. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the bend elastic constant is in a range from 100 MPa to 450 MPa. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 1  in which the article is a wetsuit, wherein the male and female fastening parts are located on both sides of a slide fastener that extends from a neck toward a waist of the wetsuit. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer material includes a polyester elastomer. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the male fastening part consists of a polyester elastomer.