Reusable quick release fastener systems and articles including the same

Abstract

Reusable quick-release fastener systems include fasteners composed of a neat polymer such as an elastomer or a shape memory polymer. The fasteners may be of any number of geometrical shapes, with each pair of fastening devices having mating geometries that are compatible with one another. The fastening devices provide an easy and nearly silent closure mechanism. The fastener systems can be used to attach one part to another or to act as the closure mechanism for an article comprising the fastener system, such as a pocket, a box, or a container, for example.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A reusable quick release fastener system comprising:
 a first part having a first base and a plurality of first individual fasteners, the first individual fasteners each comprising a first stem attached with a rounded seam to a first head of the first individual fastener and with a rounded edge to the first base, each first head having a first face edge and a first back edge; and   a second part having a second base and a plurality of second individual fasteners, the second individual fasteners each comprising a second stem attached with a rounded seam to a second head of the second individual fastener and with a rounded edge to the second base, each second head having a second face edge and a second back edge,   
       wherein:
 the first base and the second base are fiber-reinforced substrates; 
 the first heads and the first stems of the first individual fasteners and the second heads and the second stems of the second individual fasteners all consist of neat polymer; 
 the first individual fasteners and the second individual fasteners are configured such that when the first part is pushed against the second part, the first stems of the first individual fasteners and the second stems of the second individual fasteners flex to allow the first back edges of the first individual fasteners to move past the second face edges of the second individual fasteners into cavities defined by recessed portions of the second stems between the rounded seams of the second stems and the rounded edges of the second stems, to place the first part and the second part in an attached state in which the first back edges overlap the second back edges and interlock the first individual fasteners and the second individual fasteners. 
 
     
     
         21 . The reusable quick release fastener system of  claim 20 , wherein the neat polymer is a flexible material. 
     
     
         22 . The reusable quick release fastener system of  claim 21 , wherein the flexible material has a transition temperature that is below an expected environmental temperature for use of the reusable quick release fastener system, and the flexible material is always soft and pliable at the expected environmental temperature. 
     
     
         23 . The reusable quick release fastener system of  claim 21 , wherein the flexible material is an elastomer or an elastomeric composite containing the elastomer. 
     
     
         24 . The reusable quick release fastener system of  claim 23 , wherein the elastomer is chosen from polyurethanes, silicones, and rubbers. 
     
     
         25 . The reusable quick release fastener system of  claim 20 , wherein the neat polymer is a shape memory polymer having an elastic activated state and a rigid deactivated state and being chosen from styrene shape memory polymers, cyanate ester shape memory polymers, maleimide shape memory polymers, epoxy-based shape memory polymers, acrylate shape memory polymers, polyurethane shape memory polymers, and vinyl ester shape memory polymers. 
     
     
         26 . The reusable quick release fastener system of  claim 25 , wherein the shape memory polymer is reversibly activatable from a flexible state to a rigid state by heat, light, water, or electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         27 . The reusable quick release fastener system of  claim 25 , wherein the shape memory polymer is an epoxy-based shape memory polymer. 
     
     
         28 . The reusable quick release fastener system of  claim 20 , wherein the first heads of the first individual fasteners and the second heads of the second individual fasteners have shapes chosen from semicircles, hemispheres, spheres, arrow heads, and cones. 
     
     
         29 . The reusable quick release fastener system of  claim 20 , wherein the first heads and the first stems of the first individual fasteners have geometries identical to geometries of the second heads and the second stems of the second individual fasteners. 
     
     
         30 . The reusable quick release fastener system of  claim 29 , wherein the first heads of the first individual fasteners and the second heads of the second individual fasteners have shapes chosen from semicircles, hemispheres, spheres, arrow heads, and cones. 
     
     
         31 . The reusable quick release fastener system of  claim 20 , wherein the first part and the second part are components of an article chosen from a pocket, a box, a container, a garment, a tent, and a backpack. 
     
     
         32 . The reusable quick release fastener system of  claim 20 , wherein the first part and the second part in the attached state are silently detachable by pulling the first part away from the second part. 
     
     
         33 . A closeable article comprising a reusable quick release fastener system, the reusable quick release fastener system comprising:
 a first part attached to the closeable article, the first part having a first base and a plurality of first individual fasteners, the first individual fasteners each comprising a first stem attached with a rounded seam to a first head of the first individual fastener and with a rounded edge to the first base, each first head having a first face edge and a first back edge; and   a second part attached to the closeable article, the second part having a second base and a plurality of second individual fasteners, the second individual fasteners each comprising a second stem attached with a rounded seam to a second head of the second individual fastener and with a rounded edge to the second base, each second head having a second face edge and a second back edge,   
       wherein:
 the first base and the second base are fiber-reinforced substrates; 
 the first heads and the first stems of the first individual fasteners and the second heads and the second stems of the second individual fasteners all consist of neat polymer; 
 the first individual fasteners and the second individual fasteners are configured such that when the first part is pushed against the second part, the first stems of the first individual fasteners and the second stems of the second individual fasteners flex to allow the first back edges of the first individual fasteners to move past the second face edges of the second individual fasteners into cavities defined by recessed portions of the second stems between the rounded seams of the second stems and the rounded edges of the second stems, to place the first part and the second part in an attached state in which the first back edges overlap the second back edges and interlock the first individual fasteners and the second individual fasteners, thereby placing the closeable article in a closed state. 
 
     
     
         34 . The closeable article of  claim 33 , wherein the closeable article is a pocket, a box, a container, a garment, a tent, a backpack, or a component of a vehicle, an aircraft, a building, a wall, a sign, a floor, or a ceiling. 
     
     
         35 . The closeable article of  claim 33 , wherein the first part and the second part in the attached state are silently detachable by pulling the first part away from the second part to place the closeable article in an open state from the closed state. 
     
     
         36 . The closeable article of  claim 33 , wherein the neat polymer is a flexible material having a transition temperature that is below an expected environmental temperature, and the flexible material is always soft and pliable at the expected environmental temperature. 
     
     
         37 . The closeable article of  claim 33 , wherein the neat polymer is a shape memory polymer having an elastic activated state and a rigid deactivated state and being chosen from styrene shape memory polymers, cyanate ester shape memory polymers, maleimide shape memory polymers, epoxy-based shape memory polymers, acrylate shape memory polymers, polyurethane shape memory polymers, and vinyl ester shape memory polymers. 
     
     
         38 . The closeable article of  claim 37 , wherein the shape memory polymer is reversibly activatable from a flexible state to a rigid state by heat, light, water, or electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         39 . The closeable article of  claim 37 , further comprising an integrated heating system that activates the shape memory polymer.