초록 ▼

A self-engaging touch fastener, separable by peeling, includes portions with a generally thin shell structure and a closely spaced array of bilaterally undercut generally convex protrusions which are directed by proximate oblique stem walls into an interlocking relationship with corresponding recept

A self-engaging touch fastener, separable by peeling, includes portions with a generally thin shell structure and a closely spaced array of bilaterally undercut generally convex protrusions which are directed by proximate oblique stem walls into an interlocking relationship with corresponding receptors when the portions are compressed. Touch fastening products have a non-grabbing non-abrasive texture and may be manufactured of thin plastic films or similar low cost materials using a simple die-cutting/forming method, thus providing a user friendly reliable and economic alternative to hook-and-loop and other presently available fastening systems for connecting flexible materials for applications including packaging, apparel, and disposable products. The device may be furnished as an independent product, as an integrally formed or molded segment of a primary product, or attached to rigid or flexible substrates. An apparatus and method for economically manufacturing such device is also provided.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A touch fastener comprising a first portion for attaching to a second portion, said first portion including a generally thin shell structure comprising a continuous undulating three-dimensionally shaped sheet of generally uniform thickness with: a plurality of protrusions with generally convex si

1. A touch fastener comprising a first portion for attaching to a second portion, said first portion including a generally thin shell structure comprising a continuous undulating three-dimensionally shaped sheet of generally uniform thickness with: a plurality of protrusions with generally convex sidewalls, each protrusion having bilaterally undercut edges with undersides coincident with a meeting plane, said edges arcuately arching away from a longitudinal axis, said edges separated by a first stem and a second stem, each stem contiguous with said sidewalls and extending below said meeting plane;a receptor between each laterally adjacent pair of said protrusions, said receptor bounded laterally by at least said first stems, bounded vertically by said undersides of adjacent said undercut edges, and bounded longitudinally by at least one next proximate stem wall associated with a next proximate protrusion of a longitudinally adjacent row; anda receptor opening, longitudinally offset from said receptor, coincident with said meeting plane, extending between said undercut edges of adjacent protrusions and said at least one next proximate stem wall; said protrusions and said receptor configured so that: the depth of said receptor below said meeting plane is greater than the height of said protrusions above said meeting plane;the width of said protrusion at said meeting plane between said undercut edges is greater than the gap between the undercut edges of laterally adjacent protrusions, and said gap is at least as great as the width of at least said first stem;said receptor opening is sized to snuggly receive a respective corresponding protrusion associated with said second portion; andsaid next proximate stem wall is obliquely inclined into said receptor; so that application of a relative compressive force to said first and second portions causes at least one protrusion of said second portion to vertically align with and pass through said receptor opening, and thence shift longitudinally into an interlocking juxtaposition as said generally convex sidewalls interface said obliquely inclined stem walls. 2. A touch fastener according to claim 1, wherein the distance between laterally adjacent said second stems is greater than the width of each said first stem and less than the width of each said second stems, whereby said adjacent second stems longitudinally bound said receptor in a direction of primary longitudinal shear resistance. 3. A touch fastener according to claim 2 comprising at least two rows of alternately offset protrusions. 4. A touch fastener according to claim 2 comprising at least two rows of generally aligned protrusions. 5. A touch fastener according to claim 1, wherein said receptor opening is smaller than the profile of a corresponding protrusion, thereby causing respective interfacing sidewalls to resiliently deform upon application of said relative compressive force as said protrusion passes through said receptor opening. 6. A touch fastener according to claim 5 wherein at least said first portion has at least three rows of alternately offset protrusions, and wherein the width of said first stems substantially equals the width of said second stems, and wherein the distance between laterally adjacent said first and second stems is less than the distance between adjacent said undercut edges and greater than the width of said first and second stems, and wherein each said receptor is longitudinally bounded by a second proximate stem wall of the next row of protrusions and by a first proximate stem wall of the last row of protrusions. 7. A touch fastener according to claim 1, wherein each said portion includes a structure of generally uniform material thickness, and wherein said thickness is less than one third the width of each said protrusion. 8. A touch fastener according to claim 1, wherein said protrusions have a generally polygonal planar profile at said meeting plane. 9. A touch fastener according to claim 1, wherein said protrusions have a generally curvilinear planar profile at said meeting plane. 10. A touch fastener according to claim 1, manufactured of a generally resilient material. 11. A touch fastener according to claim 1, wherein said protrusions have a longitudinal dimension greater than their lateral dimension at the meeting plane. 12. A touch fastener according to claim 1, wherein said protrusions have lateral dimension greater than their longitudinal dimension at the meeting plane. 13. A touch fastener according to claim 1, manufactured of a generally sheet form plastic material by an apparatus including a set of cutting and forming dies. 14. A method for attaching a first portion to a second portion comprising the steps of: providing a touch fastener according to claim 1;arranging said first portion in an opposite orientation with said second portion;applying a relative compressive force to the portions so that at least one protrusion of said first portion shifts into alignment with and enters at least one respective corresponding receptor opening of said second portion and vice versa;continuing said force so that a sidewall of said one protrusion interfaces with a proximate stem wall and shifts longitudinally along said interface into its corresponding respective receptor;thereby attaching the portions. 15. A touch fastener according to claim 1, wherein said meeting plane is oblique to a horizontal basal surface. 16. A touch fastening portion comprising a generally thin shell structure with a continuous undulating three-dimensionally shaped sheet of generally uniform thickness, further comprising a plurality of receptors for receiving at least one generally convex second protrusion, said receptors each comprising a chamber defined by: bilaterally disposed pairs of first and second stem edgesa pair of bilaterally disposed undersides with undercut edges generally coincident with a meeting plane and arcuately bowing from a parallel pair of longitudinal axes;at least one obliquely inclined proximate stem wall of a next proximate protrusion; anda receptor opening at said meeting plane defined by said undercut edges and said at least one stem wall, for snuggly receiving said second protrusion; wherein laterally adjacent said receptors are each separated by a generally convex first protrusion extending above said meeting plane, and wherein the distance between said at least said first stem edges is greater than the distance between said undercut edges, the distance between laterally adjacent said undercut edges is less than the distance between the undercut edges of said first protrusion, and the depth of said receptor is grater than the height of said protrusion as measured from said meeting plane. 17. A touch fastener according to claim 16, wherein the distance between laterally adjacent said second stems is greater than the width of each said first stem and less than the width of each said second stems, whereby said adjacent second stems longitudinally bound said receptor in a direction of primary longitudinal shear resistance. 18. A touch fastener according to claim 16, wherein said receptor opening is smaller than the planar profile of a corresponding protrusion at said meeting plane, thereby causing respective interfacing sidewalls to resiliently deform upon application of said relative compressive force as said protrusion passes through said receptor opening. 19. A touch fastener according to claim 18, wherein at least said first portion has at least three rows of alternately offset protrusions, and wherein the width of said first stems substantially equals the width of said second stems, and wherein the distance between laterally adjacent said first and second stems is less than the distance between adjacent said undercut edges and greater than the width of said first and second stems, and wherein each said receptor is longitudinally bounded by a second proximate stem wall of the next row of protrusions and by a first proximate stem wall of the last row of protrusions. 20. A fastening device which includes a generally thin shell structure comprising a continuous undulating three-dimensionally shaped sheet of generally uniform thickness comprising: a first portion for attaching with a corresponding second portion, said second portion including: a plurality of dome-like protrusions arrayed in rows;each said protrusion having: generally convex sidewalls leading tobilateral undersides arcuately bowing away from a longitudinal axis and coincident with a meeting plane,longitudinally opposite first and second stems between said undersides,each with continuous stem walls continuing below said meeting plane, said protrusions configured so that:the width of at least said first stems is less than the gap between said undercut edges of adjacent said protrusions;said rows of protrusions arranged so that a corresponding respective protrusion of the first portion is snuggly received within a receptor opening defined by said edges of adjacent undersides and the proximate stem wall of at least one protrusion in the next proximate row; and a receptor between each said protrusion, longitudinally offset from a receptor opening, defined by:an adjacent pair of said undersides,laterally adjacent said first and second stems,at least one longitudinally adjacent oblique stem wall of a next proximate protrusion of a next proximate row;said receptor having a depth from said meeting plane greater than the height of a corresponding protrusion;so that application of a relative compressive force on oppositely disposed portions initially causes generally convex protrusions of the first portion to slide laterally and longitudinally along said sidewalls into alignment with said receptor openings of said second portion, and vice versa, thence upon further compression, causes said protrusions to enter said receptor openings so as to interface with said oblique stem wall, thereby causing said protrusions to glide longitudinally into an engaged disposition within said receptors wherein the undersides of corresponding respective protrusions effectively interface, thereby attaching the portions. 21. A method for attaching two portions comprising: providing the two portions as in claim 1;orienting the longitudinal axis of each portion in a generally parallel juxtaposition;applying a relative compressive force to align said at least one said protrusion with a respective corresponding receptor opening;applying additional relative compressive force to engage the portions by slidingly interfacing said sidewall along said stem wall of said next proximate protrusion; thereby attaching the portions. 22. A touch fastener according to claim 1 manufactured by a method including the steps of: providing an apparatus including a set of counter rotating dies, at least one of said dies including a plurality of punching and forming posts, and at least one of said dies including a plurality of cutting and forming apertures for receiving said posts;inserting a deformable plastic sheet with inherent shape memory between said dies;rotating said dies so as to cut and form said substance to produce portions of said touch fastener.