Device and method for measuring snap member detaching force, and snap chuck

• US 7,866,217 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: YKK Corporation
• Original Assignee: YKK Corporation
• Inventors: Shimizu, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US12/138,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20080314158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 737/60, 738/33
• US Class Current: 73/833
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0033 applying a pulling force

Abstract

A device and method for measuring snap member detaching force, the snap member detaching force measurement device includes a cloth holding unit for holding cloth on the periphery of the snap member attached to the cloth; a snap chucking unit for chucking the snap member from its side portion by a plurality of chucking portions of the unit; a torque gauge for applying torque to the snap member chucked by the chucking portions; a tension unit for relatively pulling the snap member from the cloth; and a tensile force gauge for measuring tensile force provided by the tension unit. The snap chucking unit includes turning arms which can lock, with constant chucking force, the state of the snap member chucked by the chucking portions.

Claims

1. A device which measures force to detach a snap member attached to cloth, the device comprising:

a cloth holding device holding the cloth on the periphery of the snap member attached to the cloth;

a snap chucking device chucking the snap member from its side portion by a plurality of chucking portions;

a torque applying device applying torque to the snap member chucked by the snap chucking device, wherein the torque applying device is distinct from a tension device and the torque applying device is connected to the snap chucking device by one or more rods;

the tension device relatively pulling the snap member chucked by the snap chucking device and rotated by the torque applying device from the cloth held by the cloth holding device; and

a measuring device measuring tensile force provided by the tension device.

2. The snap member detaching force measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the snap chucking device includes a lock mechanism which can lock, with constant chucking force, the state of the snap member chucked by the chucking portions.

3. The snap member detaching force measurement device according to claim 2, wherein the snap chucking device includes an elastic member which pushes the chucking portions against the side portion of the snap member, and the lock mechanism, in a locked state, can reinforce the force of the chucking portions to chuck the snap member by the elastic member.

4. The snap member detaching force measurement device according to claim 2, wherein the lock mechanism includes a support shaft, and one or more arms which can turn centering around the support shaft between a state in which the arms are pushing the snap chucking device and a state in which the arms are not pushing the snap chucking device.

5. The snap member detaching force measurement device according to claim 4, the lock mechanism includes chucking force adjustment device adjusting the distance between the snap chucking device and the support shaft.

6. The snap member detaching force measurement device according to claim 2, wherein the lock mechanism includes chucking force adjustment device enabling the chucked state to be locked by chucking forces corresponding to a plurality of kinds of diameters of the snap members.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the torque applying device is disposed above the snap member chucked by the snap chucking device, and the tension device is disposed below the snap member chucked by the snap chucking device.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more rods are arranged concentrically with the snap member.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the torque applying device is connected to a first rod, the first rod is coupled to a second rod via a rod coupling member, and the second rod is connected to the snap chucking device.

10. A method of measuring force to detach a snap member attached to cloth, the method comprising the steps of:

holding the cloth on the periphery of the snap member attached to the cloth;

applying a predetermined torque using a torque applying device to the snap member the cloth around which is held;

relatively pulling the snap member from the cloth therearound using a tension device while applying the predetermined torque wherein the tension device is distinct from the torque applying device; and

measuring the tensile force.

11. The snap member detaching force measurement method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

chucking the snap member from its side portion by a plurality of chucking portions before the torque application step; and

locking, with constant chucking force, the state of the snap member chucked by the chucking portions,

wherein the torque application step includes applying torque to the chucking portions and transmitting the torque to the snap member.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the one or more rods connect the torque applying device to a plurality of chucking portions and the chucking portions apply the predetermined torque to the snap member.