Fastener and method of making same

Abstract

A fastener has a body with an attachment surface and a holding surface. A large number of tiny hairs protrude from the attachment surface. A hook, post, ring or other structure extends from the holding surface to permit an object to be hung from or attached to the fastener. The attachment surface can be formed by depositing or growing the hairs on a substrate or by using a mold to form the hairs.

1 . A fastener comprised of: 
 a body having an attachment surface and a holding surface;    a plurality of hairs extending from the attachment surface, the hairs sized and spaced so that when the attachment surface is pressed against a second surface Van der Waals forces between the attachment surface and the smooth surface will hold the body and a weight held by the body on the second surface; and    a holding member extending from the holding surface, the holding member configured to hold a structure having a weight not greater than the weight which can be held by the body when that body is pressed against the second surface.    
   
   
       2 . The fastener of  claim 1  wherein the holding member is a hook, post or a ring.  
   
   
       3 . The fastener of  claim 1  wherein the body is flexible.  
   
   
       4 . The fastener of  claim 1  wherein the body is vinyl or silicon.  
   
   
       5 . The fastener of  claim 1  wherein the hairs are nanotubes.  
   
   
       6 . The fastener of  claim 1  wherein the attachment surface is concave.  
   
   
       7 . A method of making a fastener of the type in which a flexible body has an attachment surface and a holding surface comprising: 
 providing a body having a first surface and a second surface;    providing a plurality of hairs on the first surface to create the attachment surface; and    providing at least one holding member on the second surface to create the holding surface.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the holding member is a hook, a post or a ring.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the flexible body is vinyl or silicon.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the hairs are nanotubes.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of hairs are provided by drilling or etching the first surface.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of hairs are provided by being grown on the first surface.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of hairs are provided by being extruded from the first surface.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of hairs are provided by vapor deposition.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the holding member is provided by forming the second surface to create at least one hook, post or ring.