IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0358997
(2003-02-05)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Browne,Alan Lampe
- Johnson,Nancy L.
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출원인 / 주소 |
- General Motors Corporation
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
70 |
초록
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A releasable fastener system comprises a loop portion and a hook portion. The loop portion includes a support and a loop material disposed on one side thereof whereas the hook portion includes a support and a plurality of closely spaced upstanding hook elements extending from one side thereof. When
A releasable fastener system comprises a loop portion and a hook portion. The loop portion includes a support and a loop material disposed on one side thereof whereas the hook portion includes a support and a plurality of closely spaced upstanding hook elements extending from one side thereof. When the hook portion and loop portion are pressed together they interlock to form a releasable engagement. The resulting joint created by the engagement is relatively resistant to shear and pull forces and weak in peel strength forces. The hook elements are formed of a material or have configurations that provide a shape changing capability and/or change in flexural modulus property to the hook elements. In this manner, the shape and/or flexural modulus of the hook elements can be remotely changed to provide a reduction in the shear and/or pull forces.
대표청구항
▼
The invention claimed is: 1. A releasable fastener system comprising: a loop portion comprising a loop support and a loop material attached or supported by the support; a hook portion comprising a support, and at least one hook element attached to the support, wherein the at least one hook element
The invention claimed is: 1. A releasable fastener system comprising: a loop portion comprising a loop support and a loop material attached or supported by the support; a hook portion comprising a support, and at least one hook element attached to the support, wherein the at least one hook element comprises a hollow interior region in fluid communication with at least one perforation in the support; and means for increasing or decreasing a pressure within the hollow interior region upon receipt of an activation signal to provide the at least one hook element with a change in shape orientation, a change in flexural modulus property, oil combination of a change in the shape orientation and the flexural modulus property, wherein the at least one hook element is adapted to engage the loop material in the absence of the activation signal and disengage from the loop material in the presence of the activation signal, wherein the shape orientation to the at least one hook element changes from an inverted J-shaped orientation to a substantially straightened shape orientation upon pressurization. 2. The releasable fastener system of claim 1, wherein the activation signal comprises a pneumatic signal, a mechanically activating signal, or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing signals. 3. The releasable fastener system of claim 1, wherein the at least one hook element comprises a shape comprising a J-shaped orientation, a mushroom shape, a knob shape, a multi-tined anchor shape, a T-shape, a spiral shape, or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing shapes. 4. The releasable fastener system of claim 1, wherein the loop material comprises a shape adapted to be engaged with the hook elements when the hook portion is pressed into face-to-face engagement with the loop portion. 5. The releasable fastener system of claim 1, wherein the activation signal pneumatically or hydraulically introduces fluid into the hollow interior region of the at least one hook element. 6. The releasable fastener system of claim 1, wherein the at least one hook element comprises a hollow tube, wherein each hollow tube comprises an open end in fluid communication with the at least one perforation disposed in the support and a closed end, wherein the activation signal pneumatically or hydraulically introduces fluid through the at least one perforation and into the open end to change the shape orientation and/or flexural modulus property of the at least one of hook element. 7. The releasable fastener system of claim 1, wherein the at least one hook element comprises a knob like shape, and wherein the loop portion comprises at the least one complementary opening adapted to receive the knob like shape. 8. A releasable fastener system comprising: a loop portion comprising a loop support and a loop material attached or supported by the loop support; a hook portion comprising a support, at least one hook element attached to an upper surface of the support, a containment vessel coupled to a lower surface of the support, and at least one perforation through the support, wherein the at least one hook element comprises a hollow interior region in fluid communication with the a least one perforation, and wherein the containment vessel comprises a slidably engageable plunge; and an activation device in operative communication with the hook portion, the activation device being operable to selectively provide an activation signal to slidably engage the plunger within the containment vessel and cause a pressure change in the at least one hook element. 9. The releasable fastener system according to claim 8, further comprising a spring coupled to the plunger and the lower surface of the hook portion support. 10. The releasable fastener system according to claim 9, wherein the spring is fabricated from a shape memory material responsive to a thermal activation signal to slidably engage the plunger and cause the pressure change in the at least one hook element. 11. The releasable fastener system according to claim 8, further comprising a rigid element disposed in the hollow interior region of the at least one hook element, wherein the rigid element is dimensioned to provide a hook-like shape orientation to the at least one hook element in a relaxed state and a straightened shape orientation upon receipt of the activation signal. 12. The releasable fastener system according to claim 8, wherein the containment vessel comprises a diaphragm adapted to cause a pressure change in the at least one hook element upon receipt of the activation signal. 13. A process for operating a releasable fastener system, the process comprising: contacting a loop portion to a hook portion to form a releasable engagement, wherein the loop portion comprises a support and a loop material disposed on a surface thereon, and wherein a hook portion comprising a support, at least one hook element attached to the support, wherein the at least one hook element comprises a hollow interior region in fluid communication with at least one perforation in the support and is adapted to change a shape orientation, a flexural modulus property, or a combination thereof, upon receipt an activation signal; maintaining constant shear and pull forces in the releasable engagement without introducing the activation signal; selectively introducing the activation signal to the hook portion, wherein the activation signal is effective to change the shape orientation, the flexural modulus property, or the combination thereof to the at least one hook element and wherein the activation signal comprises sliding a rigid element into the hollow interior region of the at least one hook element; and reducing shear and/or pull forces in the releasable engagement. 14. The process according to claim 13, wherein the activation signal comprises pressurizing the at least one hook element. 15. The process according to claim 13, wherein the hook elements comprise a shape comprising a J-shaped orientation, a mushroom shape, a knob shape, a multi-tined anchor shape, a T-shape, a spiral shape, or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing shapes. 16. A hook portion for a releasable fastener system comprising: a support comprising an upper surface, a lower surface and at least one perforation through the support; a plurality of hook elements attached to the upper surface of the support, wherein each one of the plurality of hook elements comprises a hollow interior region in fluid communication with the at least one perforation; and a containment vessel coupled to the lower surface of the support, and wherein the containment vessel comprises a slidable engageable plunger. 17. The hook portion according to claim 16, wherein the support comprises a metal, a plastic, a fabric, and a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing materials. 18. The hook portion according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of hook elements comprises a shape comprising a J-shaped orientation, a mushroom shape, a knob shape, a multi-tined anchor shape, a T-shape, a spiral shape, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing shapes. 19. The hook portion according to claim 16, further comprising an activation device adapted to provide an activation signal to the at least one hook element to slidably engage the plunger. 20. The hook portion according to claim 16, further comprising a rigid element disposed in the hollow interior region of each one of the plurality of hook elements, wherein the rigid element is dimensioned to provide a hook-like shape orientation to the plurality of hook elements in a relaxed state and a straightened shape orientation upon receipt of the activation signal. 21. The hook portion according to claim 16, wherein the containment vessel comprises a diaphragm.
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