Fastener and Manufacturing Method for Same

The present invention relates to a fastener and a manufacturing method of the same, especially to a fastener that is used as an attachment means or the like for fixing automobile interior components onto body panels of vehicles and a manufacturing method of the same.

Conventionally, fasteners having a touch fastener are used to fix automobile interior components (celling, instrument panels, or consoles, for example) onto body panels of vehicles, for example. For example, a lock fastener disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a base member formed of synthetic resin and a touch fastener fixed onto the base member. The base member has one surface formed with a filling space and an opposite surface formed with openings in fluid communication with the filling space. The touch fastener is formed with a large number of engaging elements in a planar arrangement. In order to fix the touch fastener onto the base member, the base member and the touch fastener are placed in a mold such that the touch fastener is on the opposite surface of the base member to cover the openings, and synthetic resin is injected into the mold so that the filling space and the openings formed in the base member are filled with the synthetic resin. As a result, the synthetic resin filled in the filling space and the openings fixes the touch fastener onto the base member.

Fasteners having tough fasteners and base members bonded together can be easily manufactured by the conventional manufacturing method of touch fasteners, in which method the touch fasteners and the base members are used as inserts in insert molding. However, because it is difficult and expensive to manufacture the touch fasteners having the large number of engaging elements arranged in a planar manner, it is also expensive to manufacture the above-described fasteners having such touch fasteners.

It is an object of the invention to provide a fastener having a touch fastener easier to manufacture and thus being less expensive to manufacture.

It is an another object of the invention to provide a manufacturing method of fasteners, capable of reducing manufacturing costs by easily forming touch fasteners.

According to one aspect of the invention, a fastener includes a touch-fastener portion and a support base that supports the touch-fastener portion. The touch-fastener portion includes a plurality of fastener-piece portions stacked on one another in a first direction. Each of the plurality of fastener-piece portions includes a support portion and a plurality of engaging elements formed on the support portion. The plurality of engaging elements are aligned in a line along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The support portion is joined to the support base by insert molding using a synthetic resin.

It is preferable that each of the plurality of fastener-piece portions be individually formed by resin molding.

It is preferable that each of the plurality of fastener-piece portions have a first side surface and a second side surface located one on either side in the first direction, that among any two of the fastener-piece portions adjacent to each other in the first direction, one of the fastener-piece portions be formed with an engaging protrusion on the first side surface, and the other of the fastener-piece portions be formed with an engaging recess in the second side surface, and that the engaging protrusion be in engagement with the engaging recess.

Further it is preferable that the touch-fastener portion include a touch-fastener intermediate, and that the touch-fastener intermediate include at least two of the plurality of fastener-piece portions and at least one connection that connects the at least two of the plurality of fastener-piece portions to one another in series.

Further, the touch-fastener intermediate is preferably formed by bending a fastener piece continuum at the at least one connection, the fastener piece continuum including the at least two of the fastener-piece portions connected to each other in series by the at least one connection, and by engaging the engaging protrusion with the engaging recess.

Alternatively, it is preferable that the touch-fastener portion include a touch-fastener intermediate, that the touch-fastener intermediate include at least four of the plurality of fastener-piece portions and at least three connections that connect the at least four fastener-piece portions to one another in series, and that the touch-fastener intermediate be formed by bending a fastener piece continuum at the at least three connections in a zig-zag manner, the fastener piece continuum including the at least four fastener-piece portions connected to each other in series by the at least three connections, and by engaging the engaging protrusion with the engaging recess.

Alternatively, it is preferable that the plurality of fastener-piece portions have a configuration identical to one another, that each of the plurality of fastener-piece portions be formed with the engaging protrusion on the first side surface, and that each of the plurality of fastener-piece portions be formed with the engaging recess in the second side surface.

Still alternatively, it is preferable that the plurality of fastener-piece portions include a plurality of first fastener-piece portions and a plurality of second fastener-piece portions, that the plurality of first fastener-piece portions and the plurality of second fastener-piece portions be alternately stacked on one another in the first direction, that each of the plurality of first fastener-piece portions be formed with the engaging recess in each of the first side surface and the second side surface, that each of the plurality of second fastener-piece portions be formed with the engaging protrusion on each of the first side surface and the second side surface, and that each of the engaging protrusions be in engagement with the engaging recess of the first fastener-piece portion located adjacent in the first direction.

It is preferable that the support portion have an upper base portion protruding from the support base and a lower base portion embedded in the support base, that in the first direction, a width of the lower base portion be narrower than a width of the upper base portion, and that regarding any two of the fastener-piece portions adjacent to each other in the first direction, the upper base portions be in contact with each other, and a gap be defined between the lower base portions, the gap being filled with the synthetic resin.

It is preferable that the lower base portion of each of the plurality of fastener-piece portions be formed with a communication opening, the connection openings penetrating the lower base portion in the first direction and being in fluid communication with the gap.

A manufacturing method according to another aspect of the invention is a manufacturing method of a fastener including a touch-fastener portion and a support base that supports the touch-fastener portion, and the method includes: a resin molding step of forming a plurality of fastener-piece portions having a support portion by resin molding; a touch-fastener-portion forming step of forming a touch-fastener portion by stacking the plurality of fastener-piece portions in a first direction; and a support base forming step of forming the support base joined to the support portion by resin insert molding in which the touch-fastener portion is used as an insert; wherein: each of the plurality of fastener-piece portions further includes a plurality of engaging elements formed on the support portion; and the plurality of engaging elements are aligned along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

It is preferable that each of the fastener-piece portions have a first side surface and a second side surface located one on either side in the first direction and be formed with an engaging protrusion on the first side surface and an engaging recess in the second side surface, and

A manufacturing method according to a different aspect of the invention is a manufacturing method of a fastener including a touch-fastener portion and a support base that supports the touch-fastener portion, and the method includes: a resin molding step of forming a plurality of fastener piece continuums, each of the fastener piece continuums including a plurality of fastener-piece portions connected to one another in series by a connection, the fastener-piece portion having a support portion; a touch-fastener-portion forming step of forming the touch-fastener portion using the plurality of fastener piece continuums; and a support base forming step of forming the support base bonded to the support portion by a resin insert molding where the touch-fastener portion is used as an insert; wherein: the touch-fastener-portion forming step includes: a bending step of forming a plurality of touch-fastener intermediates by bending each of the plurality to fastener-piece continuums at the connection and by stacking the plurality of fastener-piece portions in the first direction; and a stacking step of stacking the plurality of touch-fastener intermediates in the first direction, thereby forming the touch-fastener portion; wherein: each of the plurality of fastener-piece portions further includes a plurality of engaging elements formed on the support portion; and the plurality of engaging elements are aligned in a line along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

It is preferable that each of the plurality of fastener-piece portions have a first side surface and a second side surface located one on either side in the first direction, that the first side surface be formed with an engaging recess, and the second side surface is formed with an engaging protrusion, and that in the bending step, the engaging protrusion be engaged with the engaging recess, thereby engaging the plurality of fastener-piece portions with one another.

Alternatively, it is preferable that the plurality of fastener-piece portions of each of the plurality of fastener piece continuums include a first fastener-piece portion and a second fastener-piece portion arranged in alternation, that each of the first and second fastener-piece portions have first side surface and a second side surface located one on either side in the first direction, that the first fastener-piece portion be formed with an engaging protrusion on each of the first and second side surfaces, that the second fastener-piece portion be formed with an engaging recess in each of the first and second side surfaces, and that in the bending step, the engaging protrusion be with the engaging recess, thereby engaging the plurality of fastener-piece portions with one another.

According to the one aspect of the invention, the touch-fastener portion of the fastener is formed of the plurality of fastener-piece portions, each including the plurality of engaging elements aligned in a single line along the second direction. Thus, the touch-fastener portion can be relatively easily manufactured by resin molding or the like using synthetic resin. Also, because the touch-fastener portion is formed by stacking the plurality of fastener-piece portions along the first direction, the touch-fastener portion also can be formed relatively easily. Further, because the touch-fastener portion is joined to the support base by insert molding using synthetic resin, touch-fastener portion and the support base can be joined together relatively easily.

In the manufacturing method according to another aspect of the invention, a plurality of fastener-piece portions, each including a plurality of engaging elements aligned in a line along the second direction, are formed by resin molding, and a touch-fastener portion is formed by stacking the fastener-piece portions one on the other in the first direction. Thus, the touch-fastener portion can be formed relatively easily. Also, because the fastener is formed using the touch-fastener portion which has been thus easily formed, the fastener can be formed relatively easily at lower cost. Further, because the support base is formed by insert molding with the touch-fastener portion as an insert, the fastener can be more easily manufactured.

According to a different aspect of the invention, the manufacturing method includes: a step of forming a plurality of fastener piece continuums, each including a plurality of fastener-piece portions each having a plurality of engaging elements aligned in a line; a step of forming touch-fastener intermediates by bending each of the plurality to fastener-piece continuums and stacking the plurality of fastener-piece portions one on the other; and a step of forming a touch-fastener portion by stacking the plurality of touch-fastener intermediates one on the other. Thus, it is possible to manufacture the touch-fastener portion relatively easy. Also, because the fastener is manufactured by using the touch-fastener portion which has been thus easily formed, it is possible to manufacture the fastener relatively easily at lower cost. Further, because the support base is formed by insert molding with the touch-fastener portion as an insert, the fastener can be more easily manufactured.

Fasteners and manufacturing methods of the same according to embodiments of the invention and modifications thereof will be described while referring to the accompanying drawings wherein like parts and components are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid duplicating description.

The fasteners according to the embodiments of the invention and modifications thereof are suitably used as an attaching means for fixing automobile interior components (celling, instrument panels, or consoles, for example) onto body panels of vehicles, but their usage is not limited thereto, and they can be widely used to fix various common components onto device bodies.

First, a fastener according to a first embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to. As shown in, a fasteneraccording to this embodiment incudes a touch-fastener portionand a support basethat supports the touch-fastener portion. The touch-fastener portionhas a larger number of engaging elementsarranged in a planner manner and a base partthat supports the engaging elements. A bottom part of the base partis embedded in the support base. The engaging elementsare arranged in a width direction (first direction) Dand a length direction (second direction) Dperpendicular to the width direction Dwith intervals.

More specifically, the touch-fastener portionincludes a plurality of (eight in the example shown in) fastener-piece portions. All of the fastener-piece portionsare formed identical and arranged one on the other in the width direction D

As shown in, each fastener-piece portionincludes a support portionextending in the length direction Dand a plurality of engaging elementsformed on the support portion. The support portionsof the plurality of fastener-piece portionstogether form the base partmentioned above. The support portionhas a top surfaceand a bottom surfacelocated one on either side in an up-down direction (third direction) Dperpendicular to both the width direction Dand the length direction D.

The plurality of engaging elementsare formed on the top surfaceof the support portionand are aligned in a single line along the length direction Dwith intervals therebetween. Each engaging elementhas a leg partextending upward along the up-down direction Dfrom the top surfaceof the support portionand a head partformed on a tip end of the leg part, and is formed in a mushroom-like shape overall. The head partis substantially in a hemispherical shape, coaxial with the leg part, and has a greater diameter than the leg partin a plan view. Thus, the head partextends outward beyond an outer peripheral surface of the leg partin its radial direction in a plan view. The engaging elements(more specifically, the head parts) function as engaging means for engaging with engaging elements of an another fastener.

The support portionhas a lower base portion, an upper base portionlocated between the lower base portionand the engaging elements, and a plurality of (three in this example) contact protrusionsaligned in the length direction Dwith intervals therebetween. The lower base portionhas a first side surfaceand a second side surfacelocated one on either side in the width direction D, and is embedded in the support base(see). The upper base portionhas a first side surfaceand a second side surfacelocated one on either side in the width direction D, and is projecting upward from the support base. In the width direction D, the lower base portionhas a width W, which is smaller than a width Wof the upper base portion(W<W), and the upper base portionextends beyond the lower base portionon each side in the width direction D. The contact protrusionsis in a rectangular shape and extend from the second side surfaceof the lower base portionin the width direction D.

It should be noted that the fastener-piece portion(more specifically, the upper base portionof the fastener-piece portion) has a first side surface and a second side surface located one on either side in the width direction D. In this embodiment, the first side surface of the fastener-piece portionincludes the first side surfaceof the lower base portionand the second side surfaceof the upper base portion, and the second side surface of the fastener-piece portionincludes the second side surfaceof the lower base portion, the second side surfaceof the upper base portion, and the end surfaceof the contact protrusions.

The first side surface of the fastener-piece portionis formed with a plurality of (three in this example) engaging protrusions, and the second side surface thereof is formed with a plurality of (three in this example) engaging recesses. The plurality of engaging protrusionsare aligned in the length direction Dwith intervals therebetween, and the plurality of engaging recessesare aligned in the length direction Dwith intervals therebetween.

In this embodiment, the plurality of engaging protrusionsare formed on the first side surfaceof the lower base portion, which is a part of the first side surface of the fastener-piece portion, and the plurality of engaging recessesare formed in the end surfacesof the contact protrusions, which is a part of the second side surface of the fastener-piece portion.

With reference to, the bottom surfaceof the support portion(the lower base portion) is formed with a pair of communication openingsand a pair of communication openings. The pair of communication openingsare disposed one on either side of the communication openingsin the length direction D. The communication openingsandpenetrate the support portion(the lower base portion) in the width direction D. Each communication openingis longer in the length direction Dthan the communication openingand shorter in the up-down direction D.

As shown in, the plurality of fastener-piece portionsare connected with (interlocked) one another in the width direction D, thereby forming the touch-fastener portion. More specifically, as shown in, two fastener-piece portionsare connected to each other by engaging (inserting) the engaging protrusionsof one of the fastener-piece portionson one side in the width direction DI (on the left side in) (hereinafter also referred to as “left fastener-piece portionL”) into the engaging recessesof the other fastener-piece portionon the other side in the width direction D(on the right side in) (hereinafter also referred to as “right fastener-piece portionR”). Also, the upper base portionsof the left fastener-piece portionL and the right fastener-piece portionR are in abutment with each other along the entire length in the length direction D. Further, the end surfacesof the contact protrusionsof the right fastener-piece portionR are in abutment with the first side surfaceof the lower base portionof the left fastener-piece portionL. This configuration maintains the adjacent fastener-piece portionsat a predetermined positional relationship.

Also, a gapis defined between the lower base portions,of the left fastener-piece portionL and the right fastener-piece portionR at a position lower than the upper base portion. That is, the gapis defined by the first surfaceof the left fastener-piece portionL, the second surfaceof the right fastener-piece portionR, and the upper base portions,of the left and right fastener-piece portionsL andR.

The gapis in fluid communication with the communication openings,() formed in the left and right fastener-piece portionsL,R. In other words, the communication openings,of the left fastener-piece portionL are in fluid communication with the communication openings,of the right fastener-piece portionR through the gaplocated therebetween. The gapis filled with synthetic resin as will be described later.

The support baseis formed by molding using the touch-fastener portionas an insert as will be described later. As shown in, the lower base portionis embedded in the support base.

Next, the manufacturing method of the fastenerwill be described. First, the plurality of fastener-piece portionsare formed by resin molding using such synthetic resin as ABS resin, unsaturated polyester resin, and the like (resin molding step/fastener-piece portions forming step). In this step, the plurality of fastener-piece portionsare formed one at a time. The synthetic resin may be added with glass fibers or the like to enhance strength. Because the engaging elementsof each fastener-piece portionare aligned in a single line, it is possible to form the fastener-piece portioneasily by resin molding.

Then, the plurality of fastener-piece portionsare placed on one another in the width direction D, thereby assembling the touch-fastener portion(touch-fastener portion assembling step). That is, with respect to any two of the fastener-piece portionsadjacent to each other in the width direction D, the engaging protrusionsof one of the two fastener-piece portionsare inserted into the engaging recessesof the other of the two fastener-piece portions, thereby connecting the two fastener-piece portionsto each other. By connecting the two fastener-piece portionsto each other in this manner, the upper base portionsare brought into abutment with each other, and the gapis formed between the lower base portions. The gapis used as the filling space to be filled with synthetic resin in a next step.

Next, the support baseis formed by an insert molding using the touch-fastener portionas an insert (support base forming step). In this support base forming step, the touch-fastener portionis placed at a predetermined position in a mold (not shown), and synthetic resin (molten synthetic resin) is injected into the mold so as to form the support basefixed with the touch-fastener portion. As a result, the fasteneris formed. At this time, as shown in, some of the synthetic resin injected into the mold flows around the lower base portionof the touch-fastener portion, and the rest of the synthetic resin flows into and fills the gaps. As a result, the touch-fastener portionis fixed (the plurality of fastener-piece portionsare fixed to each other), and the support basewith the lower base portionsof the touch-fastener portionembedded therein in is formed.

Because the gapsare in fluid communication with the communication openings,, the synthetic resin injected into the mold flows smoothly, and also local elevation of resin pressure can be suppressed. It should be noted that the number, size, shape and location of the communication openings,can be modified in accordance with flow of the synthetic resin and the like.

Also, because the upper base portionsof any adjacent two of the fastener-piece portionsare in abutment with each other along their entire length in the length direction D, the upper base portionsfunction as a bank to prevent the synthetic resin injected into the mold from leaking from the gapto the engaging elements. If the synthetic resin leaks to the engaging elements, the fastenerwould be deteriorated in its function. In this embodiment, however, the upper base portionsserve as the bank and prevent such a problem.

As described above, the synthetic resin injected into the mold forms the support base, fixes the fastener-piece portionsto one another (fixes the touch-fastener-piece portion), and integrates the support baseand the touch-fastener portionwith the lower base portionsembedded in the support base. Thus, the fastenerhaving sufficient strength can be manufactured relatively easily. Also, because the fastenerhas sufficient strength, the fasteneris suitably used as a fixing means for fixing automobile interior components onto body panels of vehicles.

In the above embodiment, the engaging protrusionsare formed on the first side surfacesof the lower base portions, and the engaging recessesare formed in the end surfacesof the contact protrusionsformed on the lower base portions. However, in a different embodiment, the engaging protrusionsare formed on the first side surfacesof the upper base portions, and the engaging recessesare formed in the second side surfacesof the upper base portions.

Also, in the above embodiment, the engaging protrusionsare formed on the first side surfaces of the fastener-piece portions, and the engaging recessesare formed in the second side surfaces. However, in a still different embodiment, the engaging protrusionsare formed on the second side surfaces of the fastener-piece portions, and the engaging recessesare formed in the first side surfaces.

Next, a fastener according to a modification of the above-described first embodiment will be described with reference to. The fastener according to this modification includes a plurality of fastener-piece portions′. The plurality of fastener-piece portions′ includes a plurality of first fastener-piece portionsA and a plurality of second fastener-piece portionsB having different shape than the first fastener-piece portionsA. The first fastener-piece portionsA and the second fastener-piece portionsB are alternately stacked on one another to assemble a touch-fastener portion.

Each first fastener-piece portionsA is similar to the above-described fastener-piece portionsbut differs in that a plurality of (three in this example) engaging protrusionsA, instead of the plurality of contact protrusions, are formed on the second side surfaceof the lower base portionof the first fastener-piece portionA. That is, the lower base portionof the first fastener-piece portionA is formed with the plurality of engaging protrusionson the first side surfaceand the plurality of engaging protrusionsA are formed on the second side surfacethereof. The engaging protrusionsA are identical with the engaging protrusionsbut facing opposite direction.

Also, each second fastener-piece portionB is similar to the above-described fastener-piece portionsbut differs in that a plurality of (three in this example) contact protrusionsB are formed on the first side surfaceof the lower base portionof the second fastener-piece portionB, and that an engaging recessB is formed in the end surfaceof each contact protrusionB. That is, the lower base portionof the second fastener-piece portionB has the first side surfaceformed with the plurality of contact protrusionsB having the engaging recessesB, and the second side surfaceformed with the plurality of contact protrusionshaving the engaging recesses.