Hook-to-hook fastener

Abstract

A fastener includes: a base; a plurality of hooks extending from the base, the plurality of hooks sized to receive a corresponding hook of a plurality of hooks of another fastener; and a plurality of ribs extending from the base, the plurality of ribs sized to receive a corresponding rib of a plurality of ribs of the other fastener.

1 . A fastener assembly comprising:
 a first fastener; and   a second fastener configured to face and engage with the first fastener, each of the first fastener and the second fastener comprising:
 a base; 
 a plurality of hooks extending from the base, the plurality of hooks defining a longitudinal row of hooks, adjacent hooks of the longitudinal row of hooks spaced apart by a spacing interval measured between centerlines of the adjacent hooks and defining a hook-receiving area therebetween; and 
 a plurality of ribs extending from the base, the plurality of ribs defining two longitudinal rows of ribs, adjacent ribs of each of the two longitudinal rows of ribs spaced apart by a spacing interval measured between centerlines of the respective adjacent ribs and defining a rib-receiving area therebetween, the longitudinal row of hooks positioned in a lateral direction between the two longitudinal rows of ribs; 
   wherein:
 each hook-receiving area defined between each pair of adjacent hooks of the plurality of hooks of the first fastener is sized to receive a corresponding hook of a plurality of hooks of the second fastener, and each rib-receiving area defined between each pair of adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs of the first fastener is sized to receive a corresponding rib of a plurality of ribs of the second fastener; and 
 the plurality of hooks of the second fastener are configured to engage with the plurality of hooks of the first fastener, and the plurality of ribs of the second fastener are configured to engage with the plurality of ribs of the first fastener. 
   
     
     
         2 . The fastener assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a facing surface of a rib of the plurality of ribs of the second fastener contacts a facing surface of a rib-receiving area defined between each pair of adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs of the first fastener. 
     
     
         3 . The fastener assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each hook of the plurality of hooks defines an undercut facing in at least one direction when the fastener is viewed from above along a vertical direction of the fastener. 
     
     
         4 . The fastener assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each rib of the plurality of ribs defines a substantially polygonal shape when viewed along the lateral direction of the fastener. 
     
     
         5 . The fastener assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a rib-hook-rib pattern defined by the fastener of the longitudinal row of hooks being positioned in the lateral direction between the two longitudinal rows of ribs is repeated as a repeat pattern at least once in the lateral direction of the fastener. 
     
     
         6 . The fastener assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a common longitudinal row of ribs is shared by each of the rib-hook-rib pattern and the repeat pattern. 
     
     
         7 . A fastener comprising:
 a base;   a plurality of hooks extending from the base, the plurality of hooks defining a longitudinal row of hooks, adjacent hooks of the longitudinal row of hooks spaced apart by a spacing interval measured between centerlines of the adjacent hooks, the adjacent hooks defining a hook-receiving area therebetween, the hook-receiving area sized to receive a corresponding hook of a plurality of hooks of another fastener; and   a plurality of ribs extending from the base, the plurality of ribs defining two longitudinal rows of ribs, adjacent ribs of each of the two longitudinal rows of ribs spaced apart by a spacing interval measured between centerlines of the adjacent ribs, the adjacent ribs defining a rib-receiving area therebetween, the longitudinal row of hooks positioned in a lateral direction between the two longitudinal rows of ribs, the rib-receiving area sized to receive a corresponding rib of a plurality of ribs of the other fastener.   
     
     
         8 . The fastener of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of ribs are sized to be received within a plurality of rib-receiving areas defined by the other fastener, a shape of each of the plurality of rib-receiving areas as viewed along the lateral direction being an inverse of a shape of a corresponding rib of the plurality of ribs. 
     
     
         9 . The fastener of  claim 7 , wherein a rib-hook-rib pattern defined by the fastener of the longitudinal row of hooks being positioned in the lateral direction between the two longitudinal rows of ribs is repeated as a repeat pattern at least once in the lateral direction of the fastener. 
     
     
         10 . The fastener of  claim 7 , wherein the two longitudinal rows of ribs define a first row of ribs and a second row of ribs, the fastener further comprising a third row of ribs, the third row of ribs offset in the lateral direction of the fastener from each of the first row of ribs and the second row of ribs. 
     
     
         11 . The fastener of  claim 10 , wherein a centerline of at least one rib in the third row of ribs is offset in a longitudinal direction of the fastener by a stagger interval from a centerline of a rib in the first row of ribs, the stagger interval being different than the spacing interval or a multiple thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The fastener of  claim 7 , wherein the row of hooks is a first row of hooks, the fastener further comprising a second row of hooks, the second row of hooks offset in the lateral direction of the fastener from each of the first row of hooks, the first row of ribs, and the second row of ribs. 
     
     
         13 . The fastener of  claim 7 , wherein the fastener is monolithically formed from a plastic resin. 
     
     
         14 . The fastener of  claim 7 , wherein each rib defines a flat facing surface, the facing surface being aligned with the lateral direction of the fastener. 
     
     
         15 . The fastener of  claim 7 , wherein a tip of each rib of at least one row of ribs of the two longitudinal rows of ribs defines a ridge, a thickness of the ridge in the lateral direction of the fastener being less than a thickness of the rib in the lateral direction, adjacent ribs of the at least one row of ribs defining a rib-receiving area therebetween, the rib-receiving area defined between the adjacent ribs defining a slot therein to receive a ridge of a corresponding rib of the other fastener. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 engaging a second fastener to a first fastener with an assembly force to form a fastener assembly, each of the first fastener and the second fastener comprising:
 a base; 
 a plurality of hooks extending from the base; and 
 a plurality of ribs extending from the base; 
   wherein engaging the second fastener to the first fastener comprises:
 receiving a hook of the plurality of hooks of the second fastener within a corresponding hook-receiving area defined between each pair of adjacent hooks of the plurality of hooks of the first fastener; and 
 receiving a rib of the plurality of ribs of the second fastener within a corresponding rib-receiving area defined between each pair of adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs of the first fastener. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising sealing a connection between the first fastener and the second fastener against passage of a fluid therebetween. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 engaging the hook of the plurality of hooks of the second fastener with the corresponding hook-receiving area defined between each pair of adjacent hooks of the plurality of hooks of the first fastener; and   contacting a facing surface of the corresponding rib-receiving area defined between each pair of adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs of the first fastener with a facing surface of the rib of the plurality of ribs of the second fastener.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 maintaining contact between the facing surface of the rib of the plurality of ribs of the second fastener with the facing surface of the corresponding rib-receiving area defined between each pair of adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs of the first fastener after engaging the hook of the plurality of hooks of the second fastener with the corresponding hook-receiving area defined between each pair of adjacent hooks of the plurality of hooks of the first fastener and removal of the assembly force.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 limiting movement of the second fastener with respect to the first fastener in a lateral direction of the fastener assembly by at least one of:
 interference between the plurality of hooks of the first fastener and the plurality of hooks of the second fastener; and 
 interference between the plurality of ribs of the first fastener and the plurality of ribs of the second fastener. 
   
     
     
         21 . A fastener assembly comprising:
 a first fastener; and   a second fastener configured to face and engage with the first fastener, each of the first fastener and the second fastener comprising:
 a base; 
 a plurality of hooks extending from the base; and 
 a plurality of ribs extending from the base; 
   wherein the plurality of hooks of the second fastener are configured to engage with the plurality of hooks of the first fastener, and the plurality of ribs of the second fastener are configured to engage with the plurality of ribs of the first fastener.   
     
     
         22 . The fastener assembly of  claim 1 , wherein one of a width of each of the plurality of hooks and a width of each of the plurality of ribs is less than or equal to 0.50 millimeters. 
     
     
         23 . The fastener assembly of  claim 1 , further defining an overall assembly height equal to or less than about 2.0 millimeters. 
     
     
         24 . The fastener of  claim 7 , further defining an overall fastener height equal to or less than about 1.0 millimeters. 
     
     
         25 . The fastener of  claim 7 , further defining an overall fastener width equal to or less than about 30 millimeters.