Fastener strip having sealing vertical wall

• US 20020164451A1
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: YKK Corporation
• Original Assignee: YKK Corporation
• Inventors: Murasaki, Ryuichi, Minato, Tsuyoshi, Akeno, Mitsuru, Graham, Craig Jay, Fujisawa, Nobuo
• Granted Patent: US 6,720,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/100
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0046 Fasteners made integrally of plastics
• 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 44/1261 Avoiding impregnation of a preformed part
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/06 for securing layers together; for attaching the product to another member, e.g. to a support , or to another product, e.g. groove/tongue, interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 33/00 Layered products characterised by particular properties or particular surface features, e.g. particular surface coatings; Layered products designed for particular purposes not covered by another single class
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/046 characterised by the fixing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/048 characterised by their structure
• 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 428/24008 including fastener for attaching to external surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24017 Hook or barb
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24174 including sheet or component perpendicular to plane of web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature

Abstract

This invention provides a fastener strip in which fastening elements form a fastener layer on a front face of the fastener strip. Vertical walls are disposed along each of side edges of the fastener layer and each vertical wall comprises wall portions formed with an appropriate interval for controlling the degree of foam penetration during the molding process. The wall portions fix the fastener strip to an object during molding of the object and form an effective seal against fouling of the fastening elements.

Claims

1. A fastener strip to be integrated with a surface of a foam-molded product for fixing a surface material, in which vertical walls are formed on both side edge portions of the strip along a length of a surface a flat substrate made of thermoplastic resin thereof, and a plurality of fastening elements are formed in an area surrounded by the vertical walls, wherein each of the vertical walls having at least one raw of a plurality of wall portions arranged in line along the length, and gaps allowing passage of the foam resin are formed between the wall portions adjacent to each other.

2. A fastener strip according to claim 1, wherein each of the gap between the adjacent wall portions is formed as an aisle of a predetermined length in a passage direction of the foam resin.

3. A fastener strip according to claim 2, wherein the aisle has a stopper portion.

4. A fastener strip according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the substrate and vertical walls or the substrate, vertical walls and fastening elements are molded integrally using thermoplastic resin.

5. A fastener strip according to claim 1 or 2, wherein part of the fastening elements formed inside the vertical walls has a function as an anchor member for the foam resin passing through the gaps.

6. A fastener strip according to claim 1, wherein the fastening elements are hook-like fastening elements.

7. A fastener strip according to claim 1, wherein the fastening elements are loop-like fastening elements.

8. A fastener strip according to claim 1 wherein the wall portions are formed of overlapping rows of blocks.

9. A fastener strip according to claim 1, wherein at least two rows of the vertical walls are provided on each of the side edge portions of the substrate along the length thereof, and at least one outermost row of the vertical walls disposed on each of the side edge portions includes a plurality of the wall portions arranged in line along the length thereof while an inner row of the vertical walls adjacent the outermost row of the vertical walls is composed of a continuous wall portion.

10. A fastener strip according to claim 1, wherein the wall portions are substantially evenly spaced along their extent from the substrate inward to the fastening elements.

11. A fastener strip according to claim 1, wherein the wall portions are variably spaced along their extent from the substrate inward to the fastening elements.

12. A fastener strip according to claim 1, wherein the substrate additionally comprises first and second opposed ends and first and second opposed edges.

13. A fastener strip according to claim 12, wherein the fastener strip also comprises means for preventing foam intrusion at the end of the substrate.

14. A fastener strip according to claim 13, wherein the foaming body penetration preventing means is composed of transverse wall portions disposed on each end portion of the substrate.

15. A fastener strip according to claim 14, wherein each of the transverse wall portions is composed of a continuous wall portion.

16. A fastener strip according to claim 14, wherein each of the transverse wall portions comprises of a series of transverse wall portions located at intervals along the length of the substrate.

17. A fastener strip according to claim 1, wherein the fastener strip additionally comprises a perimeter wall portion upstanding from the first major surface of the substrate and surrounding the fastening elements.

18. A fastener strip according to claim 1, wherein the fastener strip additionally comprises a ladder wall portion and a plurality of transverse rungs upstanding from the first major surface of the substrate and surrounding the fastening elements.

19. A fastener strip according to claim 1, wherein an anchor element for a foam-molded product is formed outside the vertical walls.

29. A fastener strip according to claim 16 or 23, wherein the height of the vertical wall and the height of the transverse wall portion exceed the height of the fastening elements.

30. A fastener strip according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the substrate, the fastening elements and the vertical walls contains magnetic material.

31. A fastener strip according to claim 30, wherein a magnetic substance is provided at least on a rear face of the substrate.

32. A fastener strip according to claim 31, wherein resin layer mixed with magnetic powder is provided on a rear surface of the substrate.

33. A fastener strip according to claim 31, wherein at least part of the substrate, the fastening elements, and the vertical walls is composed of thermoplastic resin mixed with magnetic powder.

34. A fastener strip according to claim 31, wherein magnetic laminate layer or magnetic film containing magnetic powder is provided at least on a top face of the vertical wall.

35. A forming method of the foam-molded product integrated with the fastener strip according to claim 30 such that the fastening elements are exposed outward from the surface of the foam-molded product, comprising:

providing a molding die for the foam-molded product with a magnet;

placing the fastener strip such that the fastening elements and the vertical walls oppose the surface of the molding die and fixing the fastener strip by attracting it magnetically; and

after pouring foam resin material into the mold, foaming the foam resin material so as to form a foam-molded product and at the same time, fixing the fastener strip on the surface of the foam-molded product integrally.

36. A forming method of the foam-molded product according to claim 35, wherein the surface of the mold on which the fastener strip is placed is of flat surface.

37. A forming method of the foam-molded product according to claim 35, wherein the foam-molded product is a cushion body for automobile.

20. A fastener strip to be molded into an object material, comprising:

(a) a substrate comprising first and second major surfaces, and first and second opposed side edges, and

(b) a plurality of hook-like fastening elements upstanding from the first major surface of the substrate, and

(c) a plurality of wall portions upstanding between the hook-like fastening elements on the first major surface of the substrate and the side edge of the substrate, for controlling a degree of foam intrusion from the side edge portion of the substrate during a molding process, wherein

the fastener strip can be molded in the object material without the foam fouling the hook-like fastening.

21. A fastener strip according to claim 20, wherein the wall portions comprise overlapping vertical walls.

22. A fastener strip according to claim 20, wherein the fastener strip comprises means for preventing foam intrusion at the end portions of the substrate.

23. A fastener strip according to claim 22, wherein the means for preventing foam intrusion comprise a transverse wall portions located at each end of the substrate.

24. A fastener strip according to claim 22, wherein the transverse wall portion are composed of a series of transverse wall portions each formed of a continuous wall portion, disposed with a predetermined interval along the length.

25. A fastener strip according to claim 22, wherein the transverse wall portions are disposed with a predetermined interval along the length.

27. A fastener strip according to claim 26, wherein the fastener strip additionally comprises a perimeter wall portion upstanding from the first major surface of the substrate and surrounding the hook-like fastening elements.

28. A fastener strip according to claim 26, wherein the fastener strip additionally comprises a ladder wall portion and a plurality of transverse rungs upstanding from the first major surface of the substrate and surrounding the hook-like fastening elements.

26. A fastener strip to be molded into an object material, comprising:

(a) a substrate comprising a first and second major surfaces and at least one edge, and

(b) a plurality of hook-like fastening elements upstanding from the first major surface of the substrate, and

(c) overlapping vertical walls upstanding from the first major surface of the substrate between the hook-like fastening elements and the edge of the substrate, for controlling a degree of penetration of foam intrusion from the side edge of the substrate during a molding process, wherein

the fastener strip can be molded into the object material without the foam fouling the hook-like fastening elements.