Hook-and-loop fastener manufacturing method

• US 10,149,516 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2015
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: YKK Corporation
• Original Assignee: YKK Corporation
• Inventors: Fukuzawa, Tetsuya, Funo, Yasuaki, Iyoda, Yoshitomo, Zhang, Wanli
• Primary Examiner(s): Daniels, Matthew J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Graham, Andrew D
• Application Number:
  US14/926,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20160128435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 24442, 24444, 24448, 24450
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0049 obtained by moulding processes compression moulding or articles of indefinite length characterised by the shape of the surface B29C43/222; screen moulding B29C67/08
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0065 of a mushroom type

Abstract

There is provided a hook-and-loop fastener manufacturing method. Injection molding is performed to form a molded product in which a pillar group and a base plate having a surface from which the pillar group protrudes are integrated into a unified body. A tip part of the pillar group is cut to form a cut product in which a small pillar group shorter than the pillar group and the base plate are integrated into a unified body. A tip part of the small pillar group is melted to form pillar body portions which are non-melted portions and engaging portions which are melted portions and thicker than the pillar body portions from small pillars. The engaging portions are cooled to determine shapes of a plurality of engaging elements including the pillar body portions and the engaging portions.

Claims

1. A hook-and-loop fastener manufacturing method comprising:

an injection molding step of performing injection molding to form a molded production which a pillar group which is a set of a plurality of pillars and a base plate having a surface from which the pillar group protrudes are integrated into a unified body;

a step of providing the base plate in a lower jig and the pillars of the pillar group in a plurality of holes in an upper jig, wherein a tip part of the pillar group protrudes from the upper jig;

a cutting step of cutting the tip part of the pillar group to form a cut product with a small pillar group which is shorter than the pillar group;

a removal step of removing the cut product from the upper jig and the lower jig;

a melting step of melting the tip part of the small pillar group by arranging a heater with respect to the tip part of the small pillar group in a non-contact state to form pillar body portions which are non-melted portions and engaging portions which are melted portions and which have semispherical shapes so as to be thicker than the pillar body portions from small pillars constituting the small pillar group; and

a cooling step of cooling the engaging portions to determine shapes of a plurality of engaging elements including the pillar body portions and the engaging portions having the semispherical shapes, thereby forming a mushroom hook-and-loop fastener in which an engaging element group which is a set of the plurality of engaging elements and the base plate are integrated into a unified body.

2. The hook-and-loop fastener manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein each of the engaging portions includes an engaging face protruding outward from a tip of the respective pillar body portions over a whole circumference in a circumferential direction thereof.

3. The hook-and-loop fastener manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein an intersection angle between the engaging face and a side surface of the respective pillar body portions is equal to or greater than 90°

and less than 150°

.