Touch fastener with magnetic attractant

• US 5,725,928 A
• Filed: 02/17/1995
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Velcro Industries BV (Chartwell Industries Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Velcro Industries BV (Chartwell Industries Ltd)
• Inventors: Jacobs, Martin I., Routhier, Brian J., Kenney, Randall B.
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMAS, ALEXANDER S
• Application Number:
  US08/390,876
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 428/99, 428/100, 428/900, 428/120, 24/444, 24/451, 24/452
• US Class Current: 428/100
• 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 18/0076 Adaptations for being fixed to a moulded article during moulding
• CPC Class Codes: A44D 2203/00 Fastening by use of magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/465 having one or more cavities, e.g. for forming distinct products
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/16 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0014 producing flat articles having components brought in contact outside the extrusion die
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/07 Flat, e.g. panels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/12 Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/13 Articles with a cross-section varying in the longitudinal direction, e.g. corrugated pipes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/21 the layers being joined at their surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/355 Conveyors for extruded articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/729 Hook and loop-type fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/90 Magnetic feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/27 including readily dissociable fastener having numerous, protruding, unitary filaments randomly interlocking with, and simultaneously moving towards, mating structure [e.g., hook-loop type fastener]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2783 having filaments constructed from coated, laminated, or composite material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2792 having mounting surface and filaments constructed from common piece of material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24008 including fastener for attaching to external surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24017 Hook or barb
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24182 Inward from edge of web or sheet

Abstract

A fastening component of a separable fastener has some portion that is necessary for its fastening function, such as the hooks, the base to which the hooks are attached or a substrate that is used for another purpose, comprised of a magnetically attractive constituent. Another portion of the fastening component is comprised of a magnetically inert constituent. The fastening element may be the hook portion or the loop portion of a typical fastener. The fastening elements and the base may be unitary, or of different precursors, such as in a woven fastener component. The magnetically inert constituent may comprise a polymeric plastic or a thermoplastic elastomer. The magnetic attractant may impregnate the magnetically inert constituent, or it may coat or be coated by the magnetically inert constituent. The magnetic attractant may comprise a metal powder. The metal may be selected from the group consisting of iron powder. The magnetic attractant may be an organo-iron or a rare earth metal. In a woven fastener, either the base structure or the hooks may include the magnetic attractant, or both may do so. The material that forms the hooks may be entirely of a magnetically attractive material, with the material that forms the woven base being magnetically inert. Rather than the magnetically attractive material being incorporated into the fastening elements or the base, it may be incorporated into the substrate that is formed from a precursor element that is separate from the base, and that is joined to the base.

Claims

1. A component of a two component separable hook and loop fastener, said component for use with a loop fastener comprising:

a. a base, having a fastening surface and a non-fastening surface and comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent, substantially throughout the entire volume of said base; and

b. extending from said fastening surface of said base and directly attached thereto, a plurality of hook fastening elements comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant.

2. A component of a two component separable hook and loop fastener, said component for use with a loop fastener comprising:

a. a base, having a fastening surface and non-fastening surface and comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with magnetic attractant constituent, substantially throughout the entire volume of said base; and

b. extending from said fastening surface of said base and directly attached thereto, a plurality of hook fastening elements;

said base and said fastening elements comprising the same constitutive materials.

3. A component of a two component separable hook and loop fastener, said component for use with a loop fastener comprising:

a. a base, having a fastening surface and a non-fastening surface and comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent, substantially throughout the entire volume of said base; and

b. extending from said fastening surface of said base and directly attached thereto, a plurality of hook fastening elements;

said fastening elements and said base being formed unitarily from the same precursor element.

4. A component of a two component separable hook and loop fastener, said component for use with a loop fastener comprising:

a. a base, comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent, substantially throughout the entire volume of said base and having a fastening surface and a non-fastening surface; and

b. extending from said fastening surface of said base and directly attached thereto, a plurality of hook fastening elements; and

c. a substrate that is formed from a precursor element that is separate from said base, and that is joined to said base.

5. The component of claim 4, said fastening elements and said substrate being coextruded.

6. The component of claim 4, said substrate and said fastening elements being laminated together.

7. The component of claim 6, said substrate comprising a woven material.

8. The component of claim 6, said substrate comprising a non-woven material.

9. The component of claim 6, said substrate comprising paper.

10. The component of claim 6, said substrate comprising foam.

11. The component of claim 4, said substrate comprising a magnetic attractant.

12. A molded article comprising:

a. a body molded from a molding material, said body having at least one surface and an interior body region;

b. fixed to said surface of said molded body, a separable hook fastener component for use with a complementary separable loop fastener component, said separable fastener component comprising;

i. a base, having a fastening surface and a non-fastening surface; and

ii. extending away from said fastening surface of said base and directly attached thereto and extending away from said surface of said molded body, a plurality of hook fastening elements for use with a loop fastener;

said base comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent, substantially throughout the entire volume of said base.

13. The molded article of claim 12, said magnetically inert constituent comprising a polymeric plastic.

14. The molded article of claim 13, said plastic comprising a thermo plastic.

15. The molded article of claim 13, said plastic comprising a thermoplastic elastomer.

16. The molded article of claim 13, said polymeric plastic selected from the group consisting of:

polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, polyester,

polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, acetal, acrylic,

polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide, polyurethane,

polysulfone and thermoplastic elastomers.

17. The molded article of claim 12, said magnetic attractant comprising a ferro-magnetic material.

18. The molded article of claim 12, said magnetic attractant being selected from the group consisting of iron powder, magnetite iron oxide, hematite iron oxide, iron (II) oxide, iron (III) oxide, iron (III) stearate.

19. The molded article of claim 12, said magnetic attractant comprising an organo-iron compound.

20. The molded article of claim 12 said magnetic attractant comprising a rare earth metal.

21. The molded article of claim 12, said fastening elements comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant.

22. The molded article of claim 12, further comprising a substrate that is joined to said base.

23. A component of a two component separable hook and loop fastener, said component comprising:

a. a base, having a fastening surface and a non-fastening surface; and

b. extending from said fastening surface of said base and directly attached thereto, a plurality of fastening elements, selected from the group consisting of hook elements for use with a loop fastener and loop elements;

both said base and said fastening elements comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent.

24. The component of claim 23, said base and said fastening elements comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent, substantially throughout the entire volume of said base and said fastening elements.

25. The component of claim 23, said base and said fastening elements comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent, whereby one of said magnetically inert constituent and said magnetic attractant constituent comprises a core that is coated by the other of said magnetically inert constituent and said magnetic attractant constituent.

26. The component of claim 25, said magnetic attractant constituent comprising a core that is coated by said magnetically inert constituent.

27. The component of claim 25, said magnetically inert constituent comprising a core that is coated by said magnetic attractant constituent.

28. A molded article comprising:

a. a body molded from a molding material, said body having at least one surface and an interior body region;

b. fixed to said surface of said molded body, a separable hook and loop fastener component for use with a complementary separable fastener component, said separable fastener component comprising;

i. a base, having a fastening surface and a non-fastening surface; and

ii. extending away from said fastening surface of said base and directly attached thereto and extending away from said surface of said molded body, a plurality of fastening elements, selected from the group consisting of hook elements for use with a loop fastener and loop elements;

both said base and said plurality of fastening elements comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent.

29. The molded article of claim 28, said base and said fastening elements comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent, substantially throughout the entire volume of said base and said fastening elements.

30. The molded article of claim 28, said base and said fastening elements comprising a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent, whereby one of said magnetically inert constituent and said magnetic attractant constituent comprises a core that is coated by the other of said magnetically inert constituent and said magnetic attractant constituent.

31. The molded article of claim 30, said magnetic attractant constituent comprising a core that is coated by said magnetically inert constituent.

32. The molded article of claim 30, said magnetically inert constituent comprising a core that is coated by said magnetic attractant constituent.