US2002058123A1PendingUtilityA1

Touch fastener with magnetic attractant

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Assignee: VELCRO INDPriority: Feb 17, 1995Filed: Dec 31, 2001Published: May 16, 2002
Est. expiryFeb 17, 2015(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Randall B. KenneyBrian J. RouthierMartin I. Jacobs
B29L 2031/729B29C 48/0014Y10T428/24008Y10T24/2783A44B 18/0049Y10T428/24017B29C 48/07Y10T428/24182B29C 48/21Y10T24/27Y10T24/2792Y10S428/90B29C 48/08A44B 18/0076B29C 48/12B29C 48/355A44D 2203/00B29C 2043/465B29C 33/16B29C 48/13A44B 18/00
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Claims

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

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
Having described the invention, what is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A component of a two component separable fastener, said component comprising: 
 a. a base; and    b. carried on said base, a plurality of fastening elements;    wherein at least one of said base and said fastening elements comprise a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent.    
     
     
         2 . The component of  claim 1 , said magnetically inert constituent comprising a polymeric plastic.  
     
     
         3 . The component of  claim 2 , said plastic comprising a thermoplastic.  
     
     
         4 . The component of  claim 2 , said plastic comprising a thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         5 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said magnetic attractant impregnates said magnetically inert constituent.  
     
     
         6 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said magnetic attractant coats said magnetically inert constituent.  
     
     
         7 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said magnetic attractant is coated with said magnetically inert constituent.  
     
     
         8 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said fastening elements comprise hook-like elements.  
     
     
         9 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said fastening elements comprise loop-like elements.  
     
     
         10 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said magnetic attractant comprises a metal powder.  
     
     
         11 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said fastening elements comprise a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant.  
     
     
         12 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said base comprises a magnetically inert constituent that is treated with a magnetic attractant.  
     
     
         13 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said base and said fastening elements comprise the same constitutive materials.  
     
     
         14 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said fastening elements and said base are formed unitarily from the same precursor element.  
     
     
         15 . The component of  claim 1 , further comprising a substrate that is formed from a precursor element that is separate from said base, and that is joined to said base.  
     
     
         16 . The component of  claim 15 , wherein said fastening elements and said substrate are coextruded.  
     
     
         17 . The component of  claim 15 , wherein said substrate and said fastening elements are laminated together.  
     
     
         18 . The component of  claim 17 , wherein said substrate comprises a woven material.  
     
     
         19 . The component of  claim 17 , wherein said substrate comprises a non-woven material.  
     
     
         20 . The component of  claim 17 , wherein said substrate comprises paper.  
     
     
         21 . The component of  claim 17 , wherein said substrate comprises foam.  
     
     
         22 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said fastening elements comprise filaments that have been woven into said base.  
     
     
         23 . The component of  claim 22 , said fastening element filaments comprising polymeric monofilaments.  
     
     
         24 . The component of  claim 2 , said polymeric plastic selected from the group consisting of: polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, polyester, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, acetal, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide, polyurethane and polysulfone.  
     
     
         25 . The component of  claim 1 , said magnetic attractant comprising a ferro-magnetic material.  
     
     
         26 . The component of  claim 1 , 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.  
     
     
         27 . The component of  claim 1 , said magnetic attractant comprising an organo-iron compound.  
     
     
         28 . The component of  claim 1  said magnetic attractant comprising a rare earth metal.  
     
     
         29 . The component of  claim 15 , said substrate comprising a magnetic attractant.  
     
     
         30 . 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 fastener component for use with a complementary separable fastener component, said separable fastener component comprising: 
 i. a base; and  
 ii. carried on said base, a plurality of fastening elements;  
   wherein at least one of said base and said fastening elements comprise a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent.    
     
     
         31 . The molded article of  claim 30 , said magnetically inert constituent comprising a polymeric plastic.  
     
     
         32 . The molded article of  claim 31 , said plastic comprising a thermo plastic.  
     
     
         33 . The molded article of  claim 31 , said plastic comprising a thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         34 . The molded article of  claim 31 , 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.  
     
     
         35 . The molded article of  claim 30 , said magnetic attractant comprising a ferro-magnetic material.  
     
     
         36 . The molded article of  claim 30 , 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.  
     
     
         37 . The molded article of  claim 30 , said magnetic attractant comprising an organo-iron compound.  
     
     
         38 . The molded article of  claim 30  said magnetic attractant comprising a rare earth metal.  
     
     
         39 . The molded article of  claim 30 , wherein said fastening elements comprise a magnetically inert constituent that is treated with a magnetic attractant.  
     
     
         40 . The molded article of  claim 30 , further comprising a substrate that is joined to said base.  
     
     
         41 . A component of a two component separable fastener, said component comprising: 
 a. a base;    b. carried on said base, a plurality of fastening elements; and    c. joined to said base, a substrate;    wherein said substrate comprises a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with a magnetic attractant constituent.    
     
     
         42 . The component of  claim 41 , said magnetically inert constituent comprising a thermoplastic.  
     
     
         43 . The component of  claim 41 , said magnetically inert constituent comprising a thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         44 . The component of  claim 41 , wherein said magnetic attractant impregnates said magnetically inert constituent.  
     
     
         45 . The component of  claim 41 , wherein said magnetic attractant comprises a metal powder.  
     
     
         46 . A method of making a component of a two component separable fastener, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a. providing a magnetic attractant;    b. associating said magnetic attractant with at least one of a base and a plurality of fastening elements carried on said base; and    wherein at least one of said base and said fastening elements comprise a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with said magnetic attractant.    
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein said step of associating said magnetic attractant comprises the step of associating said magnetic attractant with said plurality of fastening elements.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein said step of associating said magnetic attractant comprises the step of associating said magnetic attractant with said base.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein said step of associating said magnetic attractant comprises the step of mixing a polymeric plastic resin with a magnetic attractant.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said mixing step comprises the step of mixing said plastic resin with a magnetic attractant selected from the group consisting of iron, powder, magnetite iron oxide, hematite iron oxide, iron(II) oxide, iron (III) oxide, iron(III) stearate.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising the step of joining said base to a substrate.  
     
     
         52 . A method for making a molded article, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a. making a component of a two component separable fastener according to the steps comprising: 
 i. providing a magnetic attractant;  
 ii. associating said magnetic attractant with at least one of a base and a plurality of fastening elements carried on said base; and  
   wherein at least one of said base and said fastening elements comprise a magnetically inert constituent that is intimately associated with said magnetic attractant.    b. placing said separable fastener component into a mold, with said fastening face facing a wall of said mold, said mold comprising: 
 i. a fastening element receiving valley region;  
 ii. a magnet inside a mold wall adjacent said fastening element receiving valley;  
   whereby said magnet attracts said fastener component toward said mold wall; and    c. providing molding material to said mold.    
     
     
         53 . The method for making a molded article of  claim 52 , wherein said step of associating said magnetic attractant comprises the step of associating said magnetic attractant with said plurality of fastening elements.  
     
     
         54 . The method for making a molded article of  claim 51 , wherein said step of associating said magnetic attractant comprises the step of associating said magnetic attractant with said base.  
     
     
         55 . The method for making a molded article of  claim 52 , wherein said step of associating said magnetic attractant comprises the step of mixing a polymeric plastic resin with a magnetic attractant.  
     
     
         56 . The method for making a molded article of  claim 52 , wherein said mixing step comprises the step of mixing said plastic resin with a magnetic attractant selected from the group consisting of iron, powder, magnetite iron oxide, hematite iron oxide, iron(II) oxide, iron (III) oxide, iron(III) stearate.  
     
     
         57 . The method for making a molded article of  claim 52 , further comprising the step of joining said base to a substrate.

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