Self-lubricating fasteners

Abstract

Self-lubricating fastener devices with interlocking rails or interlocking members of a polymer and a slip system additive with a roughening agent and lubricant dispersed throughout the polymer are provided. Methods for production of self-lubricating fastener devices and their use in liquid-resistant or liquid-proof articles are also provided. A particular advantage is the ability of the devices to repeatedly reestablish a self-lubricated surface, even after solvent cleaning.

1 . A self-lubricating fastener device comprising a polymer and a slip system additive dispersed throughout said polymer. 
   
   
       2 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 1  comprising an interlocking rail produced from the polymer and slip system additive. 
   
   
       3 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 1  comprising two interlocking rails produced from the polymer and slip system additive. 
   
   
       4 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 1  comprising an interlocking set of interlocking members produced from the polymer and slip system additive. 
   
   
       5 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 1  comprising two interlocking sets of interlocking members produced from the polymer and slip system additive. 
   
   
       6 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 1  wherein the polymer comprises a polyurethane. 
   
   
       7 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 1  wherein the slip system additive comprises a roughening agent which roughens at least one surface of the polymer and a lubricant which lubricates at least one surface of the polymer. 
   
   
       8 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 1  wherein the polymer comprises a thermoplastic polymer with a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least −49 degrees Fahrenheit. 
   
   
       9 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 7  wherein the roughening agent is an inorganic material. 
   
   
       10 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 7  wherein the lubricant is dissolvable in solvent. 
   
   
       11 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 10  wherein the solvent is an alcohol or acetone. 
   
   
       12 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 7  wherein the lubricant does not interfere with adherence of the fastener device with a hot melt adhesive. 
   
   
       13 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 1  wherein the slip system additive is dispersed throughout the polymer at a percentage of 0.1 to 10 percent by weight. 
   
   
       14 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 1  wherein the slip system additive is dispersed throughout the polymer at a percentage of 10 to 20 percent by weight. 
   
   
       15 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 1  wherein the slip system additive is blended with the resin at a percentage of 2 to 5 percent by weight. 
   
   
       16 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 1  wherein the slip system additive is evenly distributed throughout the polymer of the fastener device. 
   
   
       17 . The self-lubricating fastener device of  claim 1  wherein the slip system additive is unevenly distributed throughout the polymer of the fastener device. 
   
   
       18 . The fastener device of  claim 1  wherein the polymer and slip system additive are extruded into an interlocking rail or a set of interlocking members of the fastener device. 
   
   
       19 . The fastener device of  claim 1  which is liquid-resistant. 
   
   
       20 . The fastener device of  claim 1  which is liquid-proof. 
   
   
       21 . An article comprising the fastener device of  claim 1  wherein the article is a garment. 
   
   
       22 . An interlocking rail for a fastener device, said rail comprising a polymer and a slip system additive dispersed throughout the polymer. 
   
   
       23 . An interlocking rail for a fastener device comprising a surface, said surface having a surface roughness parallel to the rail of greater than 0.3 micrometers Ra. 
   
   
       24 . An interlocking rail for a fastener device comprising a surface, said surface having a surface roughness parallel to the rail of greater than 0.5 micrometers Ra. 
   
   
       25 . The interlocking rail of  claim 22  wherein the polymer comprises a polyurethane. 
   
   
       26 . The interlocking rail of  claim 22  comprising a surface having a surface roughness in the direction parallel to the rail of greater than 0.3 micrometers Ra. 
   
   
       27 . The interlocking rail of  claim 22  comprising a surface having a surface roughness in the direction parallel to the rail of greater than 0.5 micrometers Ra. 
   
   
       28 . The interlocking rail of  claim 22  wherein the slip system additive comprises a roughening agent which roughens a surface of the rail and a lubricant which lubricates a surface of the rail. 
   
   
       29 . The interlocking rail of  claim 28  wherein the roughening agent is an inorganic material. 
   
   
       30 . The interlocking rail of  claim 1  wherein the device further comprises a rotation preventer. 
   
   
       31 . The interlocking rail of  claim 30  wherein the solvent is an alcohol or acetone. 
   
   
       32 . The interlocking rail of  claim 30  wherein the lubricant does not interfere with adherence of the interlocking rail with a hot melt adhesive. 
   
   
       33 . The interlocking rail of  claim 22  wherein the slip system additive is dispersed in the polymer at a percentage of 0.1 to 10 percent by weight. 
   
   
       34 . The interlocking rail of  claim 22  wherein the slip system additive is dispersed in the polymer at a percentage of 2 to 5 percent by weight. 
   
   
       35 . The interlocking rail of  claim 22  wherein the slip system additive is evenly distributed throughout the polymer of the interlocking rail. 
   
   
       36 . The interlocking rail of  claim 22  wherein the slip system additive is unevenly distributed throughout the polymer of the interlocking rail. 
   
   
       37 . The interlocking rail of  claim 22  produced by an extrusion process. 
   
   
       38 . The interlocking rail of  claim 37  wherein the polymer and slip system additive are coextruded with polymer without slip system additive so that a tongue and groove portion of the interlocking rail comprises polymer and slip system additive and a flat tape portion of the interlocking rail comprises polymer without slip system additive. 
   
   
       39 . The interlocking rail of  claim 22  having a paired flexibility greater than 1400 N −1 m 2  and wherein the cross-pull strength in Newtons is greater than 120 minus (0.00814 times the flexibility) (as determined by ASTM D2061-07). 
   
   
       40 . The interlocking rail of  claim 22  having a paired flexibility less than 1400 N −1 m −2  and wherein the cross-pull strength in Newtons is greater than 423 minus 0.216 multiplied by the flexibility as determined by ASTM D2061-07. 
   
   
       41 . The interlocking rail of  claim 22  comprising at least one feature that prevents rotation of the interlocking elements. 
   
   
       42 . A self-lubricating fastener device comprising at least two rails wherein one rail comprises a polymer and a slip system additive dispersed throughout said polymer. 
   
   
       43 . A self-lubricating fastener device comprising at least two rails wherein one rail comprises a polymer and a roughening agent dispersed throughout said polymer. 
   
   
       44 . A fastener device comprising:
 (a) a first interlocking rail with a tongue portion, a groove portion and a tape portion; and   (b) a second interlocking rail with a tongue portion, a groove portion and a tape portion;
 wherein the tongue portion of the first interlocking rail interlocks with the groove portion of the second interlocking rail and the tongue portion of the second interlocking rail interlocks with the groove portion of the first interlocking rail; and 
 wherein at least one of the tongue portions and groove portions of one of the interlocking rails comprises a polymer and a slip system additive dispersed throughout the polymer. 
   
   
   
       45 . A method of forming a self-lubricating fastener comprising the steps of:
 (a) combining or blending a polymer with a slip system additive;   (b) extruding the resulting combination or blend into interlocking rails or interlocking members of polymer with slip system additive dispersed throughout; and   (c) assembling the interlocking rails or interlocking members into a self-lubricating fastener.   
   
   
       46 . A method of forming a self-lubricating fastener comprising the steps of:
 (a) combining or blending a polymer with a slip system additive;   (b) extruding the resulting combination or blend and a polymer with no additional slip system additive into interlocking rails or interlocking members; and   (c) assembling the interlocking rails or interlocking members into a self-lubricating fastener.   
   
   
       47 . A method of forming a self-lubricating fastener comprising the steps of:
 (a) combining or blending a polymer with a roughening agent of a slip system additive;   (b) extruding the resulting combination or blend of step (a) into a first interlocking rail or first set of interlocking members comprising polymer with roughening agent dispersed throughout;   (c) combining or blending a polymer with a lubricant of a slip system additive;   (d) extruding the resulting combination or blend of step (c) into a second interlocking rail or second set of interlocking members comprising polymer with lubricant dispersed throughout; and   (e) assembling the first and second rails or first and second sets of interlocking members into a self-lubricating fastener.   
   
   
       48 . A device comprising any of the structural features described herein and shown in the drawings forming part of the invention disclosure. 
   
   
       49 . An interlocking rail for a fastener device, said rail comprising a polymer and a slip system additive dispersed throughout the polymer and having a strength to mass ratio of greater than 2.99 Nm/g. 
   
   
       50 . The interlocking rail of  claim 49  wherein the rail has a mass per unit length of less than 80 grams per meter. 
   
   
       51 . The interlocking rail of  claim 49  wherein the rail has a mass per unit length of less than 40 grams per meter. 
   
   
       52 . The interlocking rail of  claim 49  wherein the rail has a mass per unit length of less than 20 grams per meter.