Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Including fastener for attaching to external surface
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-05
2004-04-13
Thomas, Alexander S. (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Including fastener for attaching to external surface
C428S099000, C428S119000, C428S192000, C024S442000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06720059
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the area of hook-and-loop fastener strips, specifically a hook or loop fastener strip with vertical sealing members located along side edges of a fastener layer. This invention is also in the area of a method for integrally molding the fastener strip with an object, such as a foam-molded product like a cushion body used for an automobile seat. The vertical sealing members form an effective seal against fouling of the hooks or loops when the strip is in-molded into the object.
2. Description of the Related Art
It can be appreciated that an automobile seat is so constructed that its cushion body is covered with a surface material and adopts a recessed shape in order that a passenger can maintain a sitting posture and not feel tired even after sitting for a long time. In a seat having such a recessed shape, a foam-molded product, in which a fastener strip is anchored in a recessed portion thereof as shown in
FIG. 29
, is employed both as a cushion body and as a means of preventing the surface material from shifting on the recessed portion. By engagement between fastening elements of the fastener strip anchored in the cushion body and mating fastening elements mounted on the surface material, the surface material is prevented from shifting.
For manufacturing the cushion body with which the fastener strip is integrated, the fastener strip is placed in a predetermined mold in such a manner that its fastening element-side face opposes a mold face and then, foam resin material is poured into the mold. By urging the foam resin material to be foamed, the foam-molded product with which the fastener strip is integrated is produced.
At the time of molding, the foam resin may penetrate between the fastening elements of the fastener strip so as to foul the fastening elements, thereby reducing its engaging function.
Various means of sealing the hooks or loops of an in-molded fastener strip against fouling during the molding process are known in the art. Among the different sealing means that have been disclosed are the following:
Foam strips located along the sides of the fastener layer are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,500,268 and 5,614,045, both to Billarant. In addition, a foam layer which forms a perimeter seal around the hook or loops is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,723 to Oborny.
Plastic ridges which form a seal against the walls of the mold recess are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,303 to Billarant and U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,576 to Ohno et al. Similar flexible sealing lips, located along each side of the fastener strip, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,540 to Cripps et al.
A different approach is taken by U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,921 to Billarant et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,385 to Pollard et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,380 to Black et al.; wherein a protective cover in the form of a film or tape is placed over the hook or loop elements, and then that protective cover is removed after the molding process is complete.
Japanese Utility Model publication No.HEI4-53685 and Japanese Utility Model publication No.HEI6-37712, for example, have disclosed sealing means in which in order to prevent fouling of the fastening elements as mentioned above, a belt-like body or a fastening member is formed on each of both end portions of a fastener strip so as to prevent penetration of foam resin to a surface with the fastening elements. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.SHO60-179003 discloses sealing means in which the fastening elements are entirely covered with a film so as to prevent penetration of the foam resin to the area of the fastening elements during the molding.
In situations where the belt-like body or the fastening member is formed on each of the end portions of the fastener strip, the anchoring force between the fastener strip and a molded product decreases although the penetration of the foam resin into the area of the fastening elements is prevented. Therefore, as in Japanese Utility Model Publication No.HEI4-53685, it is necessary to further attach an anchoring member on a rear face of the fastener strip and fasten this anchoring member to the molded product so as to prevent reduction of the anchoring force between the fastener strip and the molded product. Further, in the case of Japanese Utility Model Publication No.HEI6-37712, the fastening member is composed of unwoven cloth, so that the foam resin is absorbed in this unwoven cloth so as to anchor the fastener strip to a molded product.
In the case of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.SHO60-179003, when the molded product is taken out of a molding die after molding is finished, it is necessary to remove the film, which covers the fastening elements. If such a film is employed, that is to be melted by heat when the foam resin is foamed, non-melted film remains on the fastening elements as a residue thereby leading to reduction of the engaging force.
As for the production method for the foam-molded product in which the fastener strip is molded integrally in the foam-molded product, it is conventionally known that a recess for accommodating the fastening elements of the fastener strip can be formed in a molding die face in order to prevent the foam resin from invading into the area of the fastening elements of the fastener strip, so that the recess blocks the foam resin from invading into the area of the fastening elements, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.HEI1-163019.
The majority of the above methods, however, exhibit a major disadvantage in that the sealing means are not formed of one piece with the fastener layer, but rather are formed from a different material which is later attached to front of the fastener layer. This increases manufacturing cost and complexity vs. a fastener strip which has its sealing means integrally formed of one piece with the fastening layer.
In addition, the prior art which employs a protective cover to prevent fouling has a further disadvantage—the cover must be removed after molding is completed, introducing an often messy and time-consuming extra step into the molding process.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the invention are:
The vertical members which form the anti-fouling seal can be easily formed of one piece with the rest of the fastener layer, using commonly available forming dies or wheels. This reduces steps and cost in the manufacturing process.
The vertical members permit a controlled amount of penetration by the foam as it cures, such that some degree of anchoring of the fastener strip to the object being molded is achieved. Indeed, the spacing of the vertical members can be varied to allow greater foam penetration at the outer edges of the strip, for optimal anchoring; and minimal to no penetration at some distance inward from the edges, for optimal sealing.
The non-continuous nature of the vertical members—that is, they do not form a continuous stiff wall—allows the edges of the fastener strip to flex if needed along their length, to accommodate curved or uneven mold surfaces and still seal well.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a fastener strip having a hook or loop, in which vertical sealing members arranged in line with a predetermined interval, are provided. The aforementioned vertical members are preferred to be disposed in a staggered manner in a lengthwise direction. The vertical members form an effective seal against fouling of the hooks or loops when the strip is in-molded into an object.
To achieve the above objective, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fastener strip to be integrated with a surface of a foam-molded product for attaching a surface material, the fastener strips comprising vertical members formed on both side edge portions of a surface of a flat substrate made of thermoplastic resin along a length thereof, and a plurality of fastening elements formed in
Akeno Mitsuru
Fujisawa Nobuo
Graham Craig Jay
Minato Tsuyoshi
Murasaki Ryuichi
Thomas Alexander S.
YKK Corporation
LandOfFree
Fastener strip having vertical sealing members l does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Fastener strip having vertical sealing members l, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Fastener strip having vertical sealing members l will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3212264