Patent ID: 8440257

Claim:
A method for forming a fastener, comprising: providing a multiplicity of suitable polymer particles; providing a base with a front surface; providing a contact release surface of a suitable surface energy; dispersing, on the contact release surface, the multiplicity of polymer particles thereby forming separate preform projections sitting on and projecting from the contact release surface to corresponding terminal ends; transforming the polymer particles, dispersed on the contact release surface, into an at least semiliquid state of a suitable viscosity, at least some of said particles being in contact with the contact release surface for a time sufficient to transform into preform projections having contact edges influenced by the surface energies of the polymer particles and of the contact release surface; contacting and fixing the front surface of the base with the terminal ends of at least some of the preform projections; removing the base, thereby separating the preform projections fixed thereto, from the release surface; and thereby forming engaging projections projecting from the front surface of the base.