U.S. patent application number 09/290728 was filed with the patent office on 2002-04-25 for molding method of molded surface fastener, molded surface fastener manufactured by the method, and molding apparatus thereof.
Invention is credited to MURASAKI, RYUICHI.
Application Number | 20020048648 09/290728 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 14298756 |
Filed Date | 2002-04-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020048648 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MURASAKI, RYUICHI |
April 25, 2002 |
MOLDING METHOD OF MOLDED SURFACE FASTENER, MOLDED SURFACE FASTENER
MANUFACTURED BY THE METHOD, AND MOLDING APPARATUS THEREOF
Abstract
Molten resin material is continuously extruded from a first
extruding hole extending in a width direction of a first extruding
nozzle, and is passed through a second extruding nozzle which is
arranged a front surface of the first extruding nozzle and has a
second extruding hole at a position corresponding to the first
extruding hole. The second extruding hole is a single extruding
hole having a plurality of longitudinal rectangular openings
arranged at the same pitch in the width direction, and a
communicating section with which one end of the respective
rectangular openings communicate, and the first extruding hole is a
single extruding hole having coupling-element-molding openings
arranged corresponding to the rectangular openings and a
base-member-molding opening corresponding to the communicating
section. Then, by relatively vibrating the first extruding nozzle
and second extruding nozzle in the width direction so that the
confronting extruding holes may mutually cross, a surface fastener
is continuously molded, while individually molding the coupling
element having a coupling head portion projecting forward and
backward in a molding direction from one end of a stem portion
standing on a surface of a sheet-like base member. At this time,
each coupling element is approximately shaped like a parallelogram
in its plan view.
Inventors: |
MURASAKI, RYUICHI;
(TOYAMA-KEN, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT &
DUNNER LLP
1300 I STREET, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
14298756 |
Appl. No.: |
09/290728 |
Filed: |
April 12, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/99 ; 264/167;
264/70; 425/130; 425/325; 425/456 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 48/08 20190201;
B29C 48/13 20190201; B29C 48/315 20190201; A44B 18/0049 20130101;
Y10T 428/24008 20150115; B29C 48/12 20190201 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/99 ; 264/70;
264/167; 425/325; 425/130; 425/456 |
International
Class: |
B32B 003/06; B29C
047/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 13, 1998 |
JP |
10-101363 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A molding method of a molded surface fastener for continuously
and integrally molding a sheet-like base member and a multiplicity
of coupling elements, comprising the steps of: (a) continuously
extruding molten resin material from a first extruding hole
extending in a width direction of a first extruding nozzle arranged
on the downstream side in an extruding direction of the molten
resin material via an extruding die of an extruding machine; (b)
passing the molten resin material extruded from the first extruding
nozzle through a second extruding nozzle which is arranged at a
front surface of the first extruding nozzle and has a second
extruding hole corresponding to the first extruding hole; and (c)
relatively vibrating the first extruding nozzle and the second
extruding nozzle in the width direction in such a way that the
respective extruding holes facing each other mutually cross,
wherein one of the first extruding hole and the second extruding
hole includes a plurality of longitudinal rectangular openings
arranged in the width direction, and the other extruding hole has
coupling-element-molding openings arranged so as to correspond to
the rectangular openings.
2. A molding method according to claim 1, wherein the first
extruding hole has the coupling-element-molding openings, and the
second extruding hole has the longitudinal rectangular openings,
and a periphery of each of the longitudinal rectangular openings is
formed to have a tapered surface gradually enlarged toward the
downstream side in the extruding direction, and that the second
extruding nozzle is vibrated on the front surface of the first
extruding nozzle.
3. A molding method according to claim 1, wherein the first
extruding hole has the longitudinal rectangular openings, and the
second extruding hole has the coupling-element-molding openings,
and a periphery of the coupling-element-molding opening is formed
to have a tapered surface gradually enlarged toward the downstream
side in the extruding direction, and the second extruding nozzle is
vibrated at the front surface of the first extruding nozzle.
4. A molding method according to claim 1, wherein the first
extruding nozzle and the second extruding nozzle in series are in
close contact with the extruding die, and the molten resin material
is directly extruded to the first extruding nozzle from the
extruding machine.
5. A molding method according to claim 1, further including the
step of cooling the molten resin molding material which has passed
through the second extruding nozzle.
6. A molding method according to claim 1, further including the
steps of: extruding the molten resin material from the extruding
machine on a peripheral surface of a cooling cylinder rotating in
one direction so as to mold a sheet-like molten resin layer on the
peripheral surface; and introducing the sheet-like molten resin
layer into the first and second extruding nozzles arranged facing
the cooling cylinder on a downstream side of the molten resin
layer.
7. A molding method according to claim 6, further including the
step of molding a plurality of anchor members integrally on
opposite edge portions of the sheet-like base member where the
coupling elements are not molded, by anchor-member-molding cavities
formed on the cooling cylinder at right and left periphery portions
in the axial direction thereof.
8. A molding method according to claim 1, wherein each of the
coupling-element-molding openings of one of the extruding holes is
shaped approximately like T.
9. A molding method according to claim 1, wherein each of the
coupling-element-molding openings of one of the extruding holes is
shaped approximately like Y.
10. A molding method according to claim 1, wherein a tip of each
head-portion-molding openings in the coupling-element-molding
openings of one of the extruding holes is bent toward a
base-member-molding opening.
11. A molding method according to claim 1, wherein a vibration
speed in said vibrating step is regularly changed.
12. A molding method according to claim 1, wherein a vibration
speed in said vibrating step is randomly changed.
13. A molding method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of
the coupling-element-molding openings among a plurality of
coupling-element-molding openings arranged laterally side by side,
are different from the other coupling-element-molding openings in
height.
14. A molded surface fastener having a sheet-like base member and a
multiplicity of coupling elements continuously and integrally
molded by the molding methods according to claims 1 to 3, wherein
each of the coupling elements has a stem portion standing on a
surface of the sheet-like base member and a coupling head portion
projecting substantially forward in a molding direction from an end
of the stem portion, and the coupling head portion has
approximately a parallelogram cross sectional shape in its plan
view, with long sides extending at a certain angle .theta. with
respect to a molding direction, and each pair of the coupling
elements mutually adjacently arranged in the molding direction
assumes a mirror symmetrical form.
15. A molded surface fastener according to claim 14, wherein said
certain angle .theta. is 0.degree., and axes in projecting
directions of the coupling head portions arranged in lines in the
molding direction are on the same straight line.
16. A molded surface fastener according to claim 14, wherein said
certain angle .theta. is within range of
0.degree.<.theta..ltoreq.90.degree., and an axis in a projecting
direction of the coupling head portion extends at said angle with
respect to a straight line connecting centers of the respective
stem portions.
17. A molded surface fastener according to claim 14, wherein a
vertical cross section of the coupling element is approximately
shaped like T.
18. A molded surface fastener according to claim 14, wherein a
vertical cross section of the coupling element is approximately
shaped like Y.
19. A molded surface fastener according to any one of claims 14,
17, 18, wherein a tip of each coupling head portion is bent toward
a surface of the base member.
20. A molded surface fastener according to claim 14, wherein
thickness of each stem portion in the molding direction thereof and
a projecting length of each coupling head portion of the coupling
elements, which are mutually adjacently arranged in the molding
direction, are regularly changed in the molding direction.
21. A molded surface fastener according to claim 14, wherein
thickness of each stem portion in the molding direction thereof and
a projecting length of each coupling head portion of the coupling
elements, which are mutually adjacently arranged in the molding
direction, are randomly changed in the molding direction.
22. A molded surface fastener according to claim 14, wherein
heights of the coupling elements from the base member to the top
thereof, which are mutually adjacently arranged perpendicularly to
the molding direction, are different.
23. A molding apparatus of a molded surface fastener for molding a
sheet-like base member and a multiplicity of coupling elements
integrally by continuous molding, said apparatus comprises: (a) a
first extruding nozzle having a first extruding hole extending in a
width direction thereof; (b) a second extruding nozzle arranged at
the front surface of the first extruding nozzle and having a second
extruding hole corresponding to the first extruding hole; (c) a
vibrating means for relatively vibrating the first extruding nozzle
and the second extruding nozzle in the width direction so that the
corresponding extruding holes may mutually cross; wherein one of
the first extruding hole and the second extruding hole is an
extruding hole including a plurality of longitudinal rectangular
openings arranged in the width direction, the other extruding hole
has a plurality of coupling-element-molding openings arranged
corresponding to the rectangular openings.
24. A molding apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the
vibrating means has a crank mechanism connected to the first
extruding nozzle and/or the second extruding nozzle through a
link.
25. A molding apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the
vibrating means has a cam contact fixed to the first extruding
nozzle and/or the second extruding nozzle, and a cam with which the
cam contact are in contact.
26. A molding apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the
vibrating means has a control means for changing a vibration speed
of the vibrating means.
27. A molding apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the first
extruding hole has the coupling-element-molding openings, and the
second extruding hole has the longitudinal rectangular openings,
and the periphery of the longitudinal rectangular opening is formed
to have a tapered surface gradually enlarged toward a downstream
side of an extruding direction thereof, and the second extruding
nozzle is connected to the vibrating means.
28. A molding apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the first
extruding hole has the longitudinal rectangular openings, and the
second extruding hole has the coupling-element-molding openings,
and a periphery of the coupling-element-molding opening is formed
to have a tapered surface gradually enlarged toward a downstream
side of an extruding direction thereof, and the second extruding
nozzle is connected to the vibrating means.
29. A molding apparatus according to claim 23, wherein at least one
of a plurality of coupling-element-molding openings arranged side
by side laterally is different from the other
coupling-element-molding openings in height.
30. A molding apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the first
extruding nozzle is arranged in series in a die of an extruding
machine, and a cooling means for cooling molten resin molding
material extruded from the second extruding nozzle, is arranged in
front of the second extruding nozzle.
31. A molding apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the cooling
means is a cooling cylinder.
32. A molding apparatus according to claim 23, wherein a cooling
cylinder is in confrontation with a die of an extruding machine,
and on a downstream side of a rotational direction of the cooling
cylinder, the first extruding nozzle and the second extruding
nozzle are arranged facing a peripheral surface of the cooling
cylinder with a gap approximately equal to thickness of the base
member.
33. A molding apparatus according to claim 32, wherein anchor
member molding cavities are formed at right and left periphery
portions of the cooling cylinder in the axial direction
thereof.
34. A molding apparatus according to claim 23, wherein each of the
coupling-element-molding openings of the extruding hole is
approximately shaped like T.
35. A molding apparatus according to claim 23, wherein each of the
coupling-element-molding openings of the extruding hole is
approximately shaped like Y.
36. A molding apparatus according to claim 23, wherein a tip
portion of a head-portion-molding opening in each
coupling-element-molding openings of the extruding hole is bent
toward a base-member-molding openings.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a molding method of a
molded surface fastener which is made from thermoplastic synthetic
resin material and has coupling elements independently and
continuously molded integrally on the surface of a sheet-like base
member, the Surface fastener, and a molding apparatus thereof. More
specifically, it relates to a molding method of a molded surface
fastener which can be molded to have various sizes from a fine size
to a normal size, and is suitable for various uses in many fields,
and which can be molded continuously and efficiently in a single
step with a simplified apparatus, a molded surface fastener
obtained by the method, and a molding apparatus thereof.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Conventional molded surface fasteners are manufactured by
various systems. A typical example thereof is a system of
manufacturing fasteners by a complete batch system with the
injection molding. Another typical system is a system where a die
wheel having a lot of molding cavities for coupling elements on the
peripheral surface thereof, is rotated in one direction, and in the
meantime, molten resin material is continuously introduced to the
peripheral surface of the die wheel, so that a sheet-like base
member and coupling elements are continuously and integrally
molded. According to these systems, it is possible to mold coupling
elements having conventionally well known various shapes such as a
palm shape or a hook shape.
[0005] Furthermore, there is another system, in which a lot of
approximately T-shaped extruding holes are provided in an extruding
die side by side, while an extruding hole is formed for a base
member which communicates with the lower end of each T-shaped
extruding hole. According to this system, by simultaneously
extruding molten resin from both of the extruding holes, a
plurality of pieces of ribs each having an approximately T-shaped
cross section are continuously molded on a surface of the
sheet-like base member, and then the molten resin molding material
is cooled and solidified. Next, the ribs are cut with a
predetermined thickness in a direction perpendicular to a drawing
direction of the ribs or at a proper angle, while the sheet-like
base member is left uncut. After this cutting, the sheet-like base
member is drawn in the molding direction, so that the cut coupling
elements are individually separated by a desired pitch. Thus, the
molded surface fastener is manufactured.
[0006] In these molding methods, for example, in the technique of
continuously molding surface fasteners on the die wheel, it is
difficult to mold a coupling element with a complex form because of
the limitation of its shape or size, if improvement of productivity
is attempted. On the other hand, if a certain option to the shape
or size of the coupling element is attempted to be given, the
continuous molding is difficult to achieve, or the number of steps
is increased so that the productivity may be lowered. In any case,
the difference between advantage and disadvantage would be
remarkably large.
[0007] On the other hand, in the case of adopting a system in which
the drawing processing is applied after cutting the ribs of the
molten resin molding material on the surface of the sheet-like base
member from the extruding die in order to give a certain option to
the sectional shape of a coupling head portion, three steps of
extrusion molding, rib cutting, and drawing are required.
Especially, a high processing accuracy is required for the step of
rib cutting, so that the considerable labor and time are also
needed for the maintenance and management thereof.
[0008] The present invention is made to solve such conventional
problems. Specifically, it has an object to provide a molding
method of a molded surface fastener, which can continuously perform
the molding with a completely new molding mechanism, and whose
maintenance and management are easy, and whose productivity is
high, and which has coupling elements each capable of being molded
with new shapes until now and by various sizes, and a molded
surface fastener obtained by the method, and a manufacturing
apparatus thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Such an object can be achieved by first through the third
aspects of the present invention.
[0010] According to the first aspect of the present invention,
there is provided A molding method of a molded surface fastener for
continuously and integrally molding a sheet-like base member and a
multiplicity of coupling elements, comprising the steps of:
continuously extruding molten resin material from a first extruding
hole extending in a width direction of a first extruding nozzle
arranged on the downstream side in an extruding direction of the
molten resin material via an extruding die of an extruding machine;
passing the molten resin material extruded from the first extruding
nozzle through a second extruding nozzle which is arranged at a
front surface of the first extruding nozzle and has a second
extruding hole corresponding to the first extruding hole; and
relatively vibrating the first extruding nozzle and the second
extruding nozzle in the width direction in such a way that the
respective extruding holes facing each other mutually cross,
wherein one of the first extruding hole and the second extruding
hole includes a plurality of longitudinal rectangular openings
arranged at in the width direction, and the other extruding hole
has coupling-element-molding openings arranged so as to correspond
to the rectangular openings.
[0011] The most distinguishing feature of this invention is to
relatively vibrating the first extruding nozzle which is arranged
on the downstream side of the molten resin extruded from the
extruding die of the extruding machine and has a multiplicity of
openings, and the second extruding nozzle which is arranged in a
freely slidable way at the front surface of the first extruding
nozzle at the downstream side thereof and has a multiplicity of
openings of which number corresponds to that of the openings of the
first extruding hole so that the respective corresponding extruding
holes may cross each other.
[0012] When the molten resin extruded from the extruding die in a
sheet-like form passes through the first extruding nozzle and the
second extruding nozzle which are relatively vibrating in the width
direction, the molten resin is extruded through a communicating
space of the first and second extruding holes by the relative
vibration of the first extruding hole and the second extruding hole
while sequentially moving from a tip of a coupling head portion to
a stem portion of each coupling element. While the coupling
elements are molded in the extruding direction, the sheet-like base
member is continuously molded by the base-member-molding openings
of the first extruding nozzle and the second extruding nozzle. At
this time, a rising base end of the stem portion is molded
integrally on the sheet-like base member.
[0013] Preferably, the first extruding hole may have the
coupling-element-molding openings, and the second extruding hole
may have the longitudinal rectangular openings, and a periphery of
each of the longitudinal rectangular openings is formed to have a
tapered surface gradually enlarged toward the downstream side in
the extruding direction, and that the second extruding nozzle is
vibrated on the front surface of the first extruding nozzle. Or
alternatively, the first extruding hole may have the longitudinal
rectangular openings, and the second extruding hole may have the
coupling-element-molding openings, and a periphery of the
coupling-element-molding opening is formed to have a tapered
surface gradually enlarged toward the downstream side in the
extruding direction, and the second extruding nozzle is vibrated at
the front surface of the first extruding nozzle.
[0014] Since the periphery of the longitudinal rectangular opening
of the second extruding nozzle is made to be a tapered surface
gradually enlarged toward the extruding direction, or since the
periphery of the coupling-element-molding opening of the second
extruding nozzle is made to be a tapered surface gradually enlarged
toward the extruding side, when the molten resin, which is
continuously extruded from the first extruding hole of the first
extruding nozzle and has a predetermined form, is sequentially
blocked and released repeatedly by the second extruding hole of the
vibrating second extruding nozzle, a part of a side of each
coupling element already extruded by the second extruding hole of
the second extruding nozzle is prevented from being crushed at the
front surface thereof by the movement of the second extruding hole,
so that a desired form of the coupling element can be obtained.
[0015] Further preferably, the first extruding nozzle may be in
close contact with the extruding die and then the second extruding
nozzle to the first extruding nozzle, so that the molten resin
material can be directly extruded from the extruding machine.
Further, it is preferable that the molding method further includes
a step of cooling the molten resin molding material which has
passed through the second extruding nozzle. Therefore, the molten
resin extruded from the extruding die is extruded to the first
extruding nozzle and the second extruding nozzle which are
relatively vibrating in the width direction as it is, and the
molten resin is extruded from the portions where the extruding
holes of the two nozzles communicate, and the coupling elements are
sequentially molded on the sheet-like base member as mentioned
above, and thereafter, they are cooled and solidified.
[0016] Further, it is preferable that the molding method further
includes steps of: extruding the molten resin material from the
extruding machine on a peripheral surface of a cooling cylinder
rotating in one direction so as to mold a sheet-like molten resin
layer on the peripheral surface; and introducing the sheet-like
molten resin layer into the first and second extruding nozzles
arranged facing the cooling cylinder on a downstream side of the
molten resin layer. In this case, the molten resin extruded from
the extruding die in a sheet-like form is supplied to the
peripheral surface of the cooling cylinder with a cooling means
therein, and on the peripheral surface thereof, a sheet-like molten
resin layer with a certain thickness is molded. This molten resin
layer rotates along with the rotation of the cooling cylinder on
the peripheral surface thereof. On the way of that rotation, the
molten resin layer is supplied to the first and second extruding
nozzles which are relatively vibrating in the width direction, and
while being cooled, the coupling elements having a desired form are
sequentially molded on the base member as mentioned above.
[0017] As mentioned above, in a case where the molten resin
material from the extruding machine is extruded onto the peripheral
surface of the cooling cylinder rotating in one direction so as to
mold a sheet-like molten resin layer on the peripheral surface
thereof, and the sheet-like molten resin layer is introduced into
the first and second nozzles arranged facing to the peripheral
surface of the cooling cylinder on the downstream side of the
molten resin layer, the cooling of the molten resin layer is
started at the time of being extruded from the extruding machine.
Therefore, depending on the materials, the shrinkage may be so
considerable that the form may easily be unstable. Thus, it is
preferable that the molding method further including a step of
molding a plurality of anchor members integrally on opposite edge
portions of the sheet-like base member where the coupling elements
are not molded, by anchor-member-molding cavities formed on the
cooling cylinder at right and left periphery portions in the axial
direction thereof. In this case, both the right and left edge
portions where the anchor members are molded are cut and eliminated
in the later finishing step.
[0018] Further preferably, each of the coupling-element-molding
openings of one of the extruding holes may be shaped approximately
like T or Y, or further a tip of each head-portion-molding openings
in the coupling-element-molding openings of one of the extruding
holes may be bent toward a base-member-molding opening.
Furthermore, a form and size of each coupling element to be molded
can be made to be uniform by making the vibration speed constant,
or alternatively it is also possible to regularly change the
vibration speed, in which case the projecting lengths of the
coupling head portions are changed for each specified number of
coupling elements arranged in the molding direction.
[0019] Alternatively, the vibration speed may be randomly changed.
In this case, the projecting lengths of the coupling head portions
of the coupling elements arranged in the molding direction are
randomly changed. Moreover, it is also possible that at least one
of the coupling-element-molding openings among a plurality of
coupling-element-molding openings arranged laterally side by side,
made to be different from the other coupling-element-molding
openings in height. In this case, the heights of a plurality of the
coupling elements which are molded and arranged in the width
direction of the surface of the base member are made to be
different.
[0020] According to the above mentioned molding methods of the
first aspect of the present invention, the surface fasteners having
special forms according to the second aspect of the present
invention are continuously molded.
[0021] According to the second aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a molded surface fastener having a sheet-like
base member and a multiplicity of coupling elements continuously
and integrally molded by the molding methods according to the first
aspect of the present invention, wherein each of the coupling
elements has a stem portion standing on a surface of the sheet-like
base member and a coupling head portion projecting substantially
forward in a molding direction from an end of the stem portion, and
the coupling head portion has approximately a parallelogram cross
sectional shape in its plan view, with long sides extending at a
certain angle with respect to a molding direction, and each pair of
the coupling elements mutually adjacently arranged in the molding
direction assumes a mirror symmetrical form.
[0022] In a conventional molded surface fastener which is
manufactured such that approximately T-shaped ribs are continuously
extruded integrally with a sheet-like base member by using a
conventional extruding machine, and after cooling the surface
fastener, only the ribs are cut by a predetermined pitch in the
longitudinal direction thereof, and then, the base member is drawn
in the extruding direction, so that a certain gap is made between
the coupling elements obtained by cutting, each coupling head
portion thereof mainly projects in a direction perpendicular to the
molding direction, and furthermore the respective coupling elements
adjacent in the molding direction are arranged in parallel with
each other. Furthermore, in the molded surface fastener as a
product, since the base member is drawn in the molding direction,
the thickness of the base member is enlarged at a part of a base
end of the stem portion of each coupling element, and the surface
of the base member becomes in a state of a little waving in the
longitudinal direction.
[0023] On the other hand, the projecting direction of the coupling
head portion of the coupling element in the molded surface fastener
according to the present invention, is mainly the molding
direction, and furthermore, the coupling elements arranged adjacent
in the molding direction assumes a mirror symmetrical form.
Moreover, any particular secondary processing, which was necessary
in the conventional molded surface fastener, needs not be applied
to the molded surface fastener of the present invention, so that an
extremely well-balanced and stable form including the base member
can be obtained.
[0024] Preferably, in the coupling elements of the molded surface
fastener, said certain angle may be 0.degree. in which case, the
axes in projecting directions of the coupling head portions
arranged in lines in the molding direction are on the same straight
line, that is, the projecting directions of the coupling elements
are on one straight line. This form of the surface fastener can be
made by the molding method in which the first extruding hole has
the longitudinal rectangular openings, and the second extruding
hole has the coupling-element-molding openings, and a periphery of
the coupling-element-molding opening is formed to have a tapered
surface gradually enlarged toward the downstream side in the
extruding direction, and the second extruding nozzle is vibrated at
the front surface of the first extruding nozzle. Alternatively,
said certain angle .theta. may be within a range of
0.degree.<.theta..ltoreq.90.deg- ree., and an axis in a
projecting direction of the coupling head portion extends at said
angle with respect to a straight line connecting centers of the
respective stem portions, thus the respective head portions
adjacently arranged in the molding direction are arranged in a
zigzag manner. This form of the surface fastener can be made by the
molding method in which the first extruding hole has the
coupling-element-molding openings, and the second extruding hole
has the longitudinal rectangular openings, and a periphery of each
of the longitudinal rectangular openings is formed to have a
tapered surface gradually enlarged toward the downstream side in
the extruding direction, and that the second extruding nozzle is
vibrated on the front surface of the first extruding nozzle.
[0025] Then, a form of each coupling element is determined by the
shape of the coupling-element-molding opening of the extruding
hole. Specifically, a vertical cross section of the coupling
element may be approximately shaped like T, in which case an entire
shape of each coupling-element-molding opening is also
approximately like T. Alternatively, a vertical cross section of
the coupling element may be approximately shaped like Y, in which
case a shape of the coupling-element-molding opening is
approximately like Y. Furthermore, a tip of each coupling head
portion may be bent toward a surface of the base member. In this
case, the coupling head portion may project only in one of the
molding directions from the stem portion and is bent downward so as
to form a so-called hook-shape, or the coupling head portion may
project forward and rearward in the molding directions from the
stem portion and is bent downward so as to form a palm
tree-shape.
[0026] Further, it is preferable that thickness of each stem
portion in the molding direction thereof and a projecting length of
each coupling head portion of the coupling elements, which are
mutually adjacently arranged in the molding direction, may be
regularly changed in the molding direction. Or alternatively, the
thickness of each stem portion in the molding direction thereof and
a projecting length of each coupling head portion of the coupling
elements, which are mutually adjacently arranged in the molding
direction, may be randomly changed in the molding direction. In
order to mold coupling elements having these forms, the vibration
speed of the first and the second nozzles should be regularly or
randomly changed. Furthermore, the heights of the coupling elements
from the base member to the top thereof, which are mutually
adjacently arranged perpendicularly to the molding direction, can
be made to be different. Such a form of the surface fastener can be
molded by the molding method in which at least one of the
coupling-element-molding openings among a plurality of
coupling-element-molding openings arranged laterally side by side,
are different from the other coupling-element-molding openings in
height.
[0027] The molding method and the molded surface fastener can be
efficiently achieved by a molding apparatus according to the third
aspect of the present invention.
[0028] According the third aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a molding apparatus of a molded surface fastener for
molding a sheet-like base member and a multiplicity of coupling
elements integrally by continuous molding, characterized by
comprising: a first extruding nozzle having a first extruding hole
extending in a width direction thereof; a second extruding nozzle
arranged at the front surface of the first extruding nozzle and
having a second extruding hole corresponding to the first extruding
hole, wherein one of the first extruding hole and second extruding
hole is an extruding hole including a plurality of longitudinal
rectangular openings arranged in the width direction, the other
extruding hole has a plurality of coupling-element-molding openings
arranged corresponding to the rectangular openings; and a vibrating
means for relatively vibrating the first extruding nozzle and the
second extruding nozzle in the width direction so that the
corresponding extruding holes may mutually cross.
[0029] Preferably, the vibrating means may have a crank mechanism
connected to the first extruding nozzle and/or the second extruding
nozzle through a link. Or alternatively, the vibrating means may
have a cam contact fixed to the first extruding nozzle and/or the
second extruding nozzle, and a cam with which the cam contact are
in contact. Since these vibrating means are mechanical, the
relative vibrating action of the first and second extruding nozzles
can surely and accurately be achieved. Furthermore, each of the
vibrating means may comprise a control means for changing the
vibration speed, so that the vibrating action can regularly or
randomly be controlled, at will.
[0030] Further, it is preferable that the first extruding hole may
have the coupling-element-molding openings, and the second
extruding hole may have the longitudinal rectangular openings, and
the periphery of the longitudinal rectangular opening is formed to
have a tapered surface gradually enlarged toward a downstream side
of an extruding direction thereof, and the second extruding nozzle
is connected to the vibrating means. In this case, in the coupling
elements extruded from the second extruding nozzle, the axes in the
projecting direction of the respective coupling head portions
adjacently arranged in the molding direction have a certain angle
to the straight line connecting the centers of the respective stem
portions.
[0031] Alternatively, the first extruding hole may have the
longitudinal rectangular openings, and the second extruding hole
may have the coupling-element-molding openings, and a periphery of
the coupling-element-molding opening is formed to have a tapered
surface gradually enlarged toward a downstream side of an extruding
direction thereof, and the second extruding nozzle is connected to
the vibrating means, In this case, in the coupling elements
extruded from the second extruding nozzle, the axes in the
projecting direction of the multiplicity of the coupling head
portions arranged in lines in the molding direction thereof are on
the same straight line.
[0032] Further preferably, at least one of a plurality of
coupling-element-molding openings arranged side by side laterally
may be different from the other coupling-element-molding openings
in height. In this case, it is possible to make the heights of some
of the coupling elements adjacently arranged perpendicularly to the
molding direction, different from the heights of the other coupling
elements, so that they can effectively be coupled to the loops
having various sizes.
[0033] In the molding apparatus for achieving the above-mentioned
first molding system, the first extruding nozzle is arranged in
series in a die of an extruding machine, and a cooling means for
cooling molten resin molding material extruded from the second
extruding nozzle, is arranged in front of the second extruding
nozzle. In this case, it is efficient to adopt a cooling cylinder
as the cooling means, but, of course, it may also be a cooling
tank.
[0034] In the molding apparatus for achieving the above-mentioned
second molding system, a cooling cylinder is in confrontation with
a die of an extruding machine, and on a downstream side of a
rotational direction of the cooling cylinder, the first extruding
nozzle and the second extruding nozzle are arranged facing a
peripheral surface of the cooling cylinder with a gap approximately
equal to thickness of the base member. In this case, as mentioned
above, the molten resin material from the extruding machine is
extruded onto the peripheral surface of the cooling cylinder
rotating in one direction, and a sheet-like molten resin layer is
molded on the peripheral surface. Then, the sheet-like molten resin
layer is introduced into the first and second nozzles which are
arranged facing to the peripheral surface of the cooling cylinder
on the downstream side of the molten resin layer. In this case,
since the cooling of the molten resin layer is started at the time
of being extruded from the extruding machine. Depending on the
materials, the surface fastener may considerably shrinks and may
easily be unstable. Therefore, it is preferable that
anchor-member-molding cavities may be formed at right and left
periphery portions of the cooling cylinder in the axial direction
thereof, so that the anchor members can be molded along the
opposite side edge portions of the molded base member, on its
surface opposite to that where the coupling elements are
molded.
[0035] According to the molding apparatus, various forms of
coupling elements can be molded. Specifically, in case that each
coupling-element-molding opening of the extruding hole is
approximately shaped like T, the form of each molded coupling
element is also shaped like T. In case that the
coupling-element-molding opening of the extruding hole is
approximately shaped like Y, an approximately Y-shaped coupling
element can be molded. Furthermore, when a tip portion of a
head-portion-molding opening in each coupling-element-molding
openings of the extruding hole is bent toward a base-member-molding
openings, the molded coupling element can be shaped like a hook
which is projecting in one direction of the molding direction from
the stem portion, or it can be shaped like a palm tree which is
projecting forward and rearward in the molding directions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view showing an example of
the form of a molded surface fastener according to the present
invention;
[0037] FIG. 2 is a top view of the molded surface fastener;
[0038] FIG. 3 is a side view of the molded surface fastener;
[0039] FIG. 4 is a side view showing a schematic arrangement of a
molding apparatus for a molded surface fastener, which is a first
embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0040] FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing a
molten-resin-material-extrudin- g section of the apparatus;
[0041] FIG. 6 is a front view showing a main section of the
apparatus;
[0042] FIG. 7 is a side view of the extruding section of the
apparatus;
[0043] FIG. 8 is a front view showing examples of the shapes of
extruding holes of a first extruding nozzle and a second extruding
nozzle of the apparatus;
[0044] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a modified
molten-resin-material-extr- uding section of the apparatus;
[0045] FIG. 10 is a front view showing a main section of the
apparatus including the modified extruding section;
[0046] FIG. 11 is a side view of the modified extruding section of
the apparatus;
[0047] FIG. 12 is a front view showing another example of a
vibrating means of the present invention;
[0048] FIGS. 13A and 13B are views for explaining a first stage of
a molding principle of a molded surface fastener according to the
first embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0049] FIGS. 14A and 14B are views for explaining a second stage of
the molding principle;
[0050] FIGS. 15A and 15B are views for explaining a third stage of
the molding principle;
[0051] FIGS. 16A and 16B are views for explaining a fourth stage of
the molding principle;
[0052] FIGS. 17A and 17B are views for explaining a fifth stage of
the molding principle;
[0053] FIGS. 18A and 18B are views for explaining a sixth stage of
the molding principle;
[0054] FIGS. 19A and 18B are views for explaining a seventh stage
of the molding principle;
[0055] FIG. 20 is a view showing a modified example of the molded
surface fastener;
[0056] FIG. 21 is a view showing another modified example of the
molded surface fastener;
[0057] FIG. 22 is a view showing still another modified example of
the molded surface fastener;
[0058] FIG. 23 is a view showing still another modified example of
the molded surface fastener;
[0059] FIG. 24 is a partial perspective view showing an example of
a form of the molded surface fastener in which the coupling
elements having different thickness in the molding direction are
mixedly molded;
[0060] FIG. 25 is a partial perspective view showing an example of
a form of the molded surface fastener in which the heights of a
plurality of the coupling elements arranged laterally in a row are
different;
[0061] FIG. 26 is a partial perspective view showing a form of a
molded surface fastener according to a second embodiment of the
apparatus of the present invention;
[0062] FIG. 27 is a partial top view of the molded surface
fastener;
[0063] FIG. 28 is a partial perspective view showing a modified
example of the molded surface fastener;
[0064] FIG. 29 is a partial perspective view showing another
modified example of the molded surface fastener;
[0065] FIG. 30 is a partial perspective view showing an example of
a form of the surface fastener in which the coupling elements
having different thickness in the molding direction are mixedly
molded;
[0066] FIG. 31 is a partial perspective view showing an example of
a form of the surface fastener in which the heights of a plurality
of the coupling elements arranged laterally in a row are
different;
[0067] FIGS. 32A and 32B are views for explaining a first stage of
a molding principle of the molded surface fastener according to the
second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0068] FIGS. 33A and 33B are views for explaining a second stage of
the molding principle;
[0069] FIGS. 34A and 34B are views for explaining a third stage of
the molding principle;
[0070] FIGS. 35A and 35B are views for explaining a fourth stage of
the molding principle;
[0071] FIGS. 36A and 36B are views for explaining a fifth stage of
the molding principle;
[0072] FIGS. 37A and 37B are views for explaining a sixth stage of
the molding principle;
[0073] FIGS. 38A and 38B are views for explaining a seventh stage
of the molding principle;
[0074] FIGS. 39A and 39B are views for explaining an eighth stage
of the molding principle;
[0075] FIG. 40 is a schematic side view showing a third embodiment
of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0076] FIG. 41 is an exploded perspective view showing an example
of a structure of the first and second extruding nozzles of the
molding apparatus;
[0077] FIG. 42 is a partial cross sectional view showing a
structure of a main section of the molding apparatus;
[0078] FIG. 43 is a front view of a cooling cylinder arranged in
front of a die of an extruding machine in the molding apparatus;
and
[0079] FIG. 44 is a perspective view showing a part of the molded
surface fastener molded by the third embodiment of the molding
apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0080] Typical embodiments of the present invention will be
specifically described below with reference to the accompanying
drawings. Of course, the embodiments to be described below are only
typical, by which the present invention can be best understood, and
it is also clear from the following description that the present
invention should not be limited to these embodiments.
[0081] FIG. 1 shows a partial perspective view of a molded surface
fastener equipped with coupling elements each having a typical
shape according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view of
the surface fastener, and FIG. 3 is a side view thereof. In these
FIGURES, the direction shown by an arrow shows a molding direction
by the molding apparatus of the present invention. In the molded
surface fastener 10 according to this first embodiment, a lot of
coupling elements 12 are individually and continuously molded
integrally on one surface of a sheet-like base member 11, and each
coupling element 12 comprises a stem portion 13 standing from the
surface of the sheet-like base member 11, and a coupling head
portion 14 projecting forward and rearward in the molding direction
from the tip of the stem portion 13. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2,
in the plan view, all the stem portions 13 and coupling head
portions 14 are shaped such that each pair of them assumes a
parallelogram shape having long sides extending obliquely to the
molding direction.
[0082] According to the illustrated example, an entire form of the
coupling element has a substantially T-shape, and an axis of a
projecting direction of each coupling head portion 14 extending
obliquely to the molding direction has a predetermined angle to a
straight line connecting the centers of the respective stem
portions 13, so that the coupling elements 12 mutually adjacent in
the molding direction are arranged in a zigzag manner. Furthermore,
the adjacent engaging elements 12 are arranged in a mutually mirror
symmetrical relation. On the other hand, the coupling elements 12
mutually adjacent in the direction perpendicularly to the molding
direction are arranged in the same form, and are in parallel to
each other.
[0083] The molded surface fastener 10 of the present invention
having a form of the first embodiment is continuously and
efficiently molded by molding method and apparatus according to the
present invention, which are described below. FIG. 4 is a side view
showing a schematic arrangement of a typical molding apparatus for
a molded Surface fastener according to a first embodiment of an
apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an exploded
perspective view showing a molding section of the molding
apparatus, FIG. 6 is a front view of the molding section, and FIG.
7 is a side view of the molding section. FIG. 8 is a front view
showing an example of a shape of each extruding hole of a first
extruding nozzle and a second extruding nozzle. FIG. 9 is an
exploded perspective view showing a modified example of the molding
section, and FIG. 10 is a front view of the modified molding
section, and FIG. 11 is a side view of the modified molding
section. FIG. 12 is a view explaining for the action showing
another example of a vibrating mechanism of the molding apparatus
according to the present invention.
[0084] The molding apparatus 100 of the present invention comprises
a first extruding nozzle 101 and a second extruding nozzle 103.
According to the illustrated example, the first extruding nozzle
101 composes a die of the extruding machine 110, and at the front
surface of the extruding hole 102 of this first extruding nozzle
101 in the extruding direction, the second extruding nozzle 103 is
horizontally arranged in a freely slidable way. This second
extruding nozzle 103 performs reciprocating motion (vibration) in
the horizontal direction while touching the extruding hole 102 of
the first extruding nozzle 101. Therefore, in a horizontal area of
the front central portion including the extruding hole 102, the
first extruding nozzle 101 has a sliding groove 104, onto which
second extruding nozzle 103 is fitted to be guided, is formed.
[0085] The second extruding nozzle 103 has such a shape as a
rectangle to be fitted into the sliding groove 104. One end of the
second extruding nozzle 103 in the longitudinal direction thereof
is connected to a crank shaft 106 through a link 105. By rotating
the crank shaft 106 by an driving source not shown at a given
speed, the second extruding nozzle 103 slidably fitted in the
sliding groove 104 slides from side to side in the sliding groove
104. FIG. 12 shows another example of an operational mechanism of
the second extruding nozzle 103. As shown in the Figure, one end of
the rod 105' is directly fixedly connected to one end of the second
extruding nozzle 103 in the operational mechanism, and to the other
end of the rod 105', a cam contact roller 105'a is connected, and
the cam contact roller 105'a is rotatably inserted into a cam
groove 106'a of the disk cam 106'.
[0086] In order to make the lateral movement of the second
extruding nozzle 103 stable, as shown in FIG. 5, a pressing panel
107 is attached to a front surface of the first extruding nozzle
101 excluding the sliding groove 104. In the illustrated example,
the pressing panel 107 is made of a rectangular frame body, and is
fixed to the first extruding nozzle 101 with each vis 108.
Furthermore, in order to make the sliding posture of the second
extruding nozzle 103 stable, as shown in FIG. 9 to FIG. 11, a
sliding guide groove 104a may be formed so as to extend along an
upper end edge portion of the first extruding nozzle 101, while at
the corresponding portion of the pressing panel 107, a sliding
guide groove 107a may be also formed, and at the corresponding
portions on both side surfaces of the second extruding nozzle 103,
first and second ridges 103a, 103b are formed for being slidably
fitted into the respective sliding guide grooves 104a, 107a. By
fitting the first and second ridges 103a, 103b into the respective
sliding guide grooves 104a, 107a, the second extruding nozzle 103
is horizontally slidably supported by the first extruding nozzle
101.
[0087] The shape of the extruding hole 102 of the extruding nozzle
101 according to these embodiments comprises, for example, as shown
in FIG. 8, a plurality of coupling-element-molding openings 102a
arranged at the same pitch in the width direction of the first
extruding nozzle 101 and a base-member-molding opening 102c
horizontally connecting the lower ends of the
coupling-element-molding openings 102a. Each
coupling-element-molding opening 102a has an approximately T-shape
comprising a stem-portion-molding opening 102a-1 which molds a stem
portion 13 of the coupling element 12 shown in FIG. 1 and is in a
shape of a longitudinal rectangle, and a head-portion-molding
opening 102a-2 which is laterally projecting from the upper end of
the stem-portion-molding opening 102a-1. In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 8, the T-shaped upper surface is formed in a circular arc
respectively from the center to the right and left. The
base-member-molding opening 102c is shaped like a slit which
connects the lower ends of a plurality of stem-portion-molding
openings 102a-1, and the vertical size thereof is approximately
equal to the thickness of the molded base member 11.
[0088] On the other hand, an extruding hole 109 of the second
extruding nozzle 103 shown in FIG. 8 comprises a plurality of
longitudinal rectangular openings 109b which are arranged at the
same pitch as the coupling-element-molding openings 102a and have a
height equal to or more than that of the coupling-element-molding
openings 102a, and a slit-like communicating section 109c
communicates with the lower ends of the respective rectangular
openings 109b. This communicating section 109c is positioned so as
to communicate with the base-member-molding opening 102c of the
first extruding hole 102, and the vertical size thereof is equal to
that of the base-member-molding opening 102c, or is a little larger
than that. Accordingly, this communicating section 109c is also a
molding opening for the base member 11.
[0089] Alternatively, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9,
the extruding opening 109 of the second extruding nozzle 103 only
has a longitudinal rectangular opening 109b, and it is merely
arranged like teeth of a comb, without forming a slit-like
communicating section 109c. Then, the height of the longitudinal
rectangular opening 109b is equal to that of the
coupling-element-molding opening 102a, and it has such a shape that
the slit-like communicating section 109c in the embodiment shown in
FIG. 8 is horizontally cut at the upper end edge thereof.
[0090] Furthermore, in these embodiments, the periphery of the
coupling-element-molding opening 102a of the first extruding nozzle
101 is formed to be a flat surface in parallel with the extruding
direction. And as mentioned above, the first extruding nozzle 101
is fixedly attached to the front surface of the extruding machine
110. the second extruding nozzle 103 is horizontally reciprocated
while touching the front surface of the first extruding nozzle 101.
In order to perform this reciprocation, the vibrating mechanism is
connected to the second extruding nozzle 103, and the periphery of
the longitudinal rectangular opening 109b of the second extruding
hole 109 has a tapered surface gradually enlarged in the extruding
direction thereof. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, there is a
guide section 101a which is continuous with a bottom surface of the
base-member-molding opening 102c and projects forward in the
extruding direction from the first extruding nozzle 101 for guiding
the base member 11 extrusion-molded in the molding direction.
[0091] Now, a molding principle when molding a molded surface
fastener 10 having a form shown in FIG. 1 by the surface fastener
molding apparatus as described above will be described with
reference to FIG. 13 to FIG. 19. Molten resin Mr extruded from the
extruding machine 110 pass through the extruding hole 102 of the
first extruding nozzle 101. At this time, the second extruding
nozzle 103 is simultaneously reciprocating in the right and left
direction while touching the front surface of the first extruding
nozzle 101.
[0092] Now, the second extruding nozzle 103 is sliding in a
direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 13, and it continues its
sliding movement in the same direction even after the rectangular
opening 109b of the second extruding hole 109 has reached an end
portion of the head-portion-molding opening 102a-2 of the first
extruding hole 102 (see FIG. 14A). An crossing area where it
crosses with the projecting portion on one side of the
head-portion-molding opening 102a-2 is gradually increased until
reaching the stem-portion-molding opening 102a-1. The molten resin
Mr, of which passage is prevented by a part of the second extruding
nozzle 103 where the second extruding hole 109 is not formed,
gradually increases its amount, so that the form of the projecting
part on the one side of the coupling head portion 14 may be shaped
like a wedge having a pointed end portion (see FIG. 15B).
[0093] Next, when the rear end portion in the sliding direction of
the longitudinal rectangular opening 109b passes the end portion of
the head-portion-molding opening 102a-2, and continues to slide to
the stem-portion-molding opening 102a-1, as shown in FIG. 16B, the
head-portion-molding opening 102a-2 and stem-portion-molding
opening 102a-1 are closed in turn by the rear end portion of the
rectangular opening 109b in the sliding direction. Then, as shown
in FIG. 17B and FIG. 18B, a coupling element 12 is molded to have a
crossed axes angle .theta. to the molding direction in the plan
view. The crossed axes angle .theta. at this time is determined by
a sliding speed of the second extruding nozzle 103.
[0094] When the second extruding nozzle 103 continues to move so as
to cross the stem-portion-molding opening 102a-1, at first, the
amount of resin passing through the rectangular opening 109b is
gradually increased. In the state where the rectangular opening
109b is overlapped onto the stem-portion-molding opening 102a-1
(see FIG. 16), a central portion of a coupling head portion 14 and
a stem portion 13 having a cross section of a parallelogram
inclined with a certain tilt angle to the resin extruding direction
are molded.
[0095] Furthermore, when the rectangular opening 109b continues to
move in the same direction and pass the stem-portion-molding
opening 102a-1, the amount of resin passing through the rectangular
opening 109b is gradually decreased according to a shape of the
projecting part on the other side of the head-portion-molding
opening 102a-2 and the overlapped part, and a part of the cross
section of the parallelogram shape is formed (see FIG. 18).
Finally, when the rectangular opening 109b completely passes the
coupling-element-molding opening 102a, the molding of a single
coupling element 12 is completed (FIG. 19). The shape of the
parallelogram at this time is formed by long sides having the
crossed axes angle .theta. with respect to the molding direction
and short sides in parallel with the molding direction.
[0096] In the present embodiment, as mentioned above, the periphery
of the rectangular opening 109b is made to have a tapered surface.
The tilt angle .theta.' made between the tapered surface and the
molding direction is set to be larger than the crossed axes angle
.theta., and therefore, as shown clearly in FIG. 16 to FIG. 18,
when the rectangular opening 109b of the second extruding nozzle
103 moves while crossing the coupling-element-molding opening 102a
of the first extruding nozzle 101 and a rear end edge in the
sliding direction of the rectangular opening 109b sequentially
closes the coupling-element-molding openings 102a, the molten resin
previously extruded from the rectangular opening 109b is prevented
from being crushed by the rear end of the rectangular opening 109b,
so that a well-balanced and stable form of a coupling element can
be molded.
[0097] When the above operation has finished and a single coupling
element 12 is molded, the second extruding nozzle 103 starts to
move in an opposite direction of the previous sliding direction.
During this movement in the opposite direction, a plurality of
coupling elements 12 each having a cross section of a parallelogram
are molded transversely in one row, in a form reversely to the
coupling element 12 molded during the previous sliding, that
assumes a mirror symmetrical form. When the coupling elements 12
are molded in this way, since the circumferential inner surface of
each longitudinal rectangular opening 109b of the second extruding
nozzle 103 is made to have a tapered surface gradually expanding
toward the extruding direction, the molten resin Mr extruded from
the first extruding nozzle 101 can be molded to be a desired form
without being crushed by the periphery of the longitudinal
rectangular opening 109b even after passing through the
longitudinal rectangular opening 109b,
[0098] Then, as for a single coupling element 12, not only during
the time from start to end of the molding but also during the
molding of the next coupling element 12, the base-member-molding
opening 102c of the first extruding nozzle 101 always communicates
with the communicating section 109c of the second extruding nozzle
103 through a whole length thereof, and accordingly, the sheet-like
base member 11 extruded from the base-member-molding opening 102c
is continuously molded together with the molding of the coupling
element 12 with the same molding width. Therefore, the lateral
length of the communicating section 109c is set to be longer than
that of the base-member-molding opening 102c in the lateral
direction by a width of at least one piece of the
coupling-element-molding opening 102a.
[0099] Thus, each time the second extruding nozzle 103 repeats its
reciprocating motion, a plurality of coupling elements 12 arranged
laterally in one row and a base member 11 are simultaneously and
integrally molded, and a molded surface fastener 10 of the present
invention is continuously molded, which comprises a base member 11
with a desired length and a desired number of pieces of coupling
elements 12. In the molded surface fastener in which the coupling
elements 12 are arranged in a zigzag manner with a certain crossed
axes angle .theta. with respect to the molding direction, as shown
in FIG. 1. All the coupling elements adjacent in the width
direction of the surface fastener 10 perpendicularly to the
extruding direction are arranged in parallel having the same tilt
angle .theta..
[0100] The molded surface fastener 10 which is extruded from the
second extruding nozzle 103 and is continuously molded, is next
introduced to a peripheral surface of a cooling cylinder 111
rotating in one direction as shown in FIG. 4, and after being
accompanied through a half rotation, it is picked up by a pick-up
roller 112, and is sent out to the next step or the winding section
through a feed roller 113.
[0101] FIG. 20 to FIG. 25 show various examples of the coupling
elements of the surface fasteners 10 molded by the molding
apparatus. The shapes of the coupling elements 12 shown in these
FIGURES are determined by the shape of the coupling-element-molding
openings 102a of the first extruding nozzle 101, each being in a
shape substantially equal to the shape of the
coupling-element-molding opening 102a.
[0102] In order to obtain a coupling element in approximately a
Y-shape as shown in FIG. 20, merely the shape of the
coupling-element-molding opening 102a is made to be in
approximately a Y-shape. Furthermore, in a case of obtaining a
coupling element shaped approximately like a palm tree shown in
FIG. 21, the shape of the coupling-element-molding opening 102a is
made approximately like a palm tree, and in a case of molding a
coupling element shaped like a palm tree or a hook in which the
coupling head portion 14 is bent toward a surface of the base
member 11 as shown in FIG. 22 and FIG. 23, merely the shape of the
coupling-element-molding opening 102a is made to be such a shape,
similarly.
[0103] Furthermore, in a case where the vibration speed is
regularly changed by the control apparatus 106a in the molding
apparatus, it is also possible, for example, as shown in FIG. 24,
to change the respective thickness in the molding direction of the
stem portion 13 and coupling head portion 14 of the coupling
element 12, or it is also possible, for example, as shown in FIG.
25, to simultaneously mold coupling elements different in height,
by changing the heights of the coupling-element-molding openings
102a arranged laterally. As shown in FIG. 25, in a case where
coupling elements 12a, 12b having different heights are molded on
the sheet-like base member 11, even if the loops of a mating female
member are different in height, they can be coupled while
complementing each other, so that the coupling force may be
improved. These illustrated examples are typical. For example, in a
case of randomly changing the vibration speed in the control of the
vibration speed by the control apparatus 106a without regularly
changing it as mentioned above, the coupling elements 12 mutually
adjacent in the molding direction also randomly changes the
thickness.
[0104] The molded surface fasteners 10 shown in FIG. 26 to FIG. 31
are molded by a molding method according to a second embodiment of
a molding apparatus of the present invention, which is different
from the method according to the first embodiment of the molding
apparatus of the present invention. These molded surface fasteners
10 are not arranged in a zigzag manner, unlike the above mentioned
fasteners, but all the respective coupling elements 12 are arranged
straight on a line in parallel with the molding direction. That is,
the coupling head portion 14 of each coupling element 12 is
projecting in parallel with the molding direction. However,
according to these embodiments, for example, as shown in FIG. 26
and FIG. 27, the coupling elements 12 mutually adjacent in the
molding direction and arranged on one straight line are also molded
to be approximately parallelograms and mirror symmetrical in the
plan view similarly to those of the previous embodiment. However,
the long sides of each parallelogram is parallel to the molding
direction. Furthermore, each of the short sides is formed to have a
certain crossed axes angle .theta. with respect to the molding
direction. Furthermore, the short sides mutually adjacent in the
molding direction are in a zigzag state similarly to the foregoing
embodiment. FIG. 28 to FIG. 31 show that in the present example, it
is possible to mold the coupling elements 12 having various forms
similarly to the foregoing embodiment.
[0105] All forms of the coupling elements 12 as described above are
special forms which are formed by the molding method and apparatus
of the present invention. Furthermore, all the coupling elements 12
according to the present invention are independently molded and
integrally on the surface of the sheet-like base member 11, so that
an entire shape of each coupling element 12 is made to have
roundness, thus giving a smooth feel of touch, when compared with a
conventional coupling element obtained by the rib cutting and base
material drawing.
[0106] The forms of coupling elements shown in the FIG. 26 to FIG.
31 can be obtained only by replacing the first extruding nozzle 101
and the second extruding nozzle 103 in the first embodiment of the
apparatus. That is, in the present example, the formation is
performed such that a part of the extruding hole 102 of the first
extruding nozzle 101 is made to have a longitudinal rectangular
opening 102b, and a part of the extruding hole 109 of the second
extruding nozzle 103 is made to be a coupling-element-molding
opening 109a.
[0107] Now, a molding principle of a molded surface fastener having
a form shown in FIG. 26 will simply be described with respect to
FIG. 32 to FIG. 39. The molten resin Mr extruded from the extruding
machine 110 pass through the extruding hole 102 of the first
extruding nozzle 101. At this time, the second extruding nozzle 103
thereof is laterally reciprocating while touching a front surface
of the first extruding nozzle 101 in the fixed state.
[0108] Now, the second extruding nozzle 103 is sliding in a
direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 32, and even after a
head-portion-molding opening 109a-2 of the coupling-element-molding
opening 109a of the second extruding hole 109 thereof has reached
an end portion of the rectangular opening 102b of the first
extruding hole 102, it further continues the sliding movement in
that direction (see FIG. 33A). Until a stem-portion-molding opening
109a-1 thereof reaches the rectangular opening 102b, a crossing
area where a projecting part on one side of the
head-portion-molding opening 109a-2 is gradually increased, so that
the amount of the molten resin Mr is gradually increased. Then, a
form of the projecting part on the one side of the coupling head
portion 14 thereof is molded to have a wedge shape comprising a
pointed end portion, in which its short side has a certain crossed
axes angle .theta. with respect to the molding direction, and its
long side is a straight line in parallel with the molding direction
(see FIG. 34B).
[0109] Next, as shown in FIG. 35A, when the stem-portion-molding
opening 109a-1 of the second extruding nozzle 103 continues its
sliding movement so as to cross the rectangular opening 102b, the
stem portion 13 with a cross section of a parallelogram inclined
with a certain crossed axes angle .theta. with respect to the resin
extruding direction is molded by the molten resin passing through
the rectangular opening 102b, while the coupling head portion 14 is
linearly extruded in the molding direction with a width of the
rectangular opening 102b, and the molding is continued (see FIG. 36
and FIG. 37). The crossed axes angle .theta. is determined by the
operating speed of the second extruding nozzle 103.
[0110] Furthermore, when the coupling-element-molding opening 109a
continues its sliding movement in the same direction and the
stem-portion-molding opening 109a-1 thereof has passed the
rectangular opening 102b, the amount of resin passing through the
rectangular opening 102b is gradually decreased according to a
shape of a projecting part on the other side of the
head-portion-molding opening 109a-2 and the overlapped part, and a
part of the cross section of the parallelogram is formed (see FIG.
38). When the head-portion-molding opening 109a-2 has completely
passed through the rectangular opening 102b, a single coupling
element 12 is completely molded (see FIG. 39).
[0111] When the above operation has finished and a single coupling
element 12 is molded, the second extruding nozzle 103 moves in a
direction opposite to the above sliding direction. During this
movement in the opposite direction, a plurality of coupling
elements 12 each having a cross section of a parallelogram having a
reverse form to the coupling element 12 molded during the previous
sliding movement, which assumes a mirror symmetrical form with the
formerly molded coupling element 12, are molded with its long sides
in parallel to the molding direction.
[0112] Thus, each time the second extruding nozzle 103 repeats its
reciprocating motion, a plurality of coupling elements 12 arranged
laterally in a row and a base member 11 are simultaneously molded,
and a base member 11 with a desired length and a desired number of
coupling elements 12 are continuously molded with the long sides of
the coupling head portion 14 are parallel to the molding direction.
In the apparatus of this second embodiment, similarly to the
apparatus of the first embodiment, the molded surface fastener 10
which is extruded from the second extruding nozzle 103 and is
continuously molded, is then introduced to a peripheral surface of
the cooling cylinder 111 rotating in one direction, and after being
rotated by a half turn, it is picked up by a pick-up roller 112,
and is sent out to the next step or a winding section through the
feed roller 113.
[0113] FIG. 40 to FIG. 43 show a third embodiment of a molding
apparatus for a molded surface fastener according to the present
invention, which realizes a molding method of the second system
according to the present invention. FIG. 40 is a side view showing
an example of a schematic arrangement of the molding apparatus.
FIG. 41 is a partial enlarged exploded view showing a manner in
which the first and second extruding nozzles of the molding
apparatus are arranged, and FIG. 42 is an enlarged cross sectional
view of the respective extruding nozzles. FIG. 43 is a front view
of a cooling cylinder in the present embodiment, arranged at a
front surface of the die of the extruding machine.
[0114] In this embodiment, the cooling cylinder 114 is provided
facing to the extruding die 110a of the extruding machine 110 with
a predetermined clearance. To a lower surface of a tip portion of
the extruding die 110a, the first extruding nozzle 121, the second
extruding nozzle 123, and an operational mechanism of the second
extruding nozzle 123 are fixedly provided in the assembled state. A
basic structure of the first extruding nozzle 121 and second
extruding nozzle 123 is equal to that of the previous embodiments,
but in the first extruding nozzle 121 and the second extruding
nozzle 123 according to the present embodiment, a sheet-like base
member 11 is molded between the assembled extruding nozzles 121,
123 and the cooling cylinder 114. Therefore, in the present
embodiment, an extruding hole 122 of the first extruding nozzle 121
on the fixed side merely has the longitudinal rectangular opening
122b arranged independently, and furthermore, an extruding hole 129
of the second extruding nozzle 123 also has nothing but
coupling-element-molding openings 129a. Then, each of the
rectangular opening 122b and coupling-element-molding opening 129a
has tip cut off, so that any extruding hole corresponding to the
base-member-molding opening 102c and the communicating section 109c
in the first embodiment is not formed.
[0115] The first extruding nozzle 121 in the apparatus of the
present embodiment has such a form that a pressing board 127, which
corresponds to the pressing panel 107 in the apparatus of the first
embodiment, is provided integrally. As shown in FIG. 40, the second
extruding nozzle 123 is slidably inserted between the pressing
board 127 and the first extruding nozzle 121.
[0116] The extruding hole corresponding to the base-member-molding
opening 102c and the communicating section 109c in the first
embodiment of the apparatus is unnecessary in this embodiment since
the sheet-like base member 11 is continuously molded together with
the coupling elements 12 by forming a gap D, which corresponds to
thickness of the sheet-like base member 11, with respect to the
cooling cylinder 114 as shown in FIG. 42. Furthermore, the cooling
has already been started at the time when the first and second
nozzles 121 and 123 are passed and the molding is carried out,
therefore, while rotating on a peripheral surface of the cooling
cylinder 114, such a large shrinkage as cannot be ignored arises in
the molded product especially in a width direction of the molded
product depending on its materials. Therefore, in the present
embodiment, as shown in FIG. 43, at an end portion of the
peripheral surface of the cooling cylinder 114 in the axial
direction, a multiplicity of cavities 115 for molding anchor
members 15 are formed in two lines by a predetermined pitch in the
circumferential direction thereof. The respective two adjacent
lines of the cavities 115 for molding the anchor members 15 are
arranged mutually in a zigzag manner.
[0117] With the molding apparatus for of a molded surface fastener
according to this embodiment having such an arrangement, the molten
resin extruded from the extruding die 110a is directly introduced
onto the peripheral surface of the cooling cylinder 114, so that
its viscosity are increased. In that state, it adheres to the
peripheral surface of the cooling cylinder 114, and it is guided to
a lower portion of the die 110a by the rotation of the cylinder
114, and after passing through the extruding hole 122 of the first
extruding nozzle 121 on the fixed side, a part thereof passes
through the extruding hole 129 of the second extruding nozzle 123
reciprocating in parallel with the axis of the cooling cylinder
114. At this time, a molded surface fastener 10 of the present
invention having a form shown in FIG. 26 is molded on the basis of
the above mentioned molding principle.
[0118] Furthermore, simultaneously with the molding of the molded
surface fastener 10, the anchor members 15 are molded at both end
portions in the width direction of the surface fastener, as shown
in FIG. 44, by using the cavities 115 for molding the anchor
members formed in the cooling cylinder 114, on the surface of the
sheet-like base-member 11 on the opposite side where the coupling
elements 12 are not molded. The shape of each anchor member 15 may
be in a simple linear shape, but it is desirable to adopt such an
inclined form that each pair of adjacent anchor members 15 are
mutually separated from the base end toward the tip thereof. The
part of the base member 11 where this anchor member 15 is molded is
cut and eliminated at the following finishing step.
[0119] In this embodiment, though the second extruding nozzle 123
is reciprocated, but it is also possible that the second extruding
nozzle 123 is fixed and the first extruding nozzle 121 is
reciprocated. Furthermore, it is also possible to simultaneously
operate both the first extruding nozzle 121 and the second
extruding nozzle 123 so that they may reciprocate in the mutually
crossing direction.
[0120] Furthermore, in the case where a control section 106a which
changes and controls an operating speed of the extruding nozzle 123
is provided to the operational mechanism of the second extruding
nozzle 123 so as to regularly or randomly change and control the
operating speed, the amount of the molten resin extruded from the
head-portion-molding opening 129a-2 and the stem-portion-molding
opening 129a-1 per unit time, can be regularly changed in the
molding direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 30, a group of
coupling elements 12 having coupling head portions 14 different in
thickness in the molding direction can be mixedly molded in the
molding direction on the same surface of the base member 11.
[0121] Still further, in a case where the heights of a plurality of
coupling-element-molding openings 129a formed laterally in a row in
the second extruding nozzle 123 are formed to be arbitrarily
different in the third embodiment, it is also possible, as shown in
FIG. 31, that the heights of a plurality of coupling elements 12
arranged side by side in the width direction of the sheet-like base
member 11 can be made to be different.
[0122] In the present invention, it is also possible to properly
combine the coupling elements 12 in which both the thickness in the
molding direction of the coupling head portions 14 and the heights
of the coupling elements 12 are simultaneously different, by
changing and controlling the reciprocation speed of the extruding
nozzles 101, 121, 103, 123 and simultaneously making the heights of
the coupling-element-molding openings 102a, 109a, 129a laterally in
a row different.
[0123] As can been understood from the above description, in the
molded surface fastener according to the present invention, the
coupling elements 12 molded on the sheet-like base member are
respectively independently molded. Therefore, when compared with a
conventional molded surface fastener which is manufactured in such
a way that together with a base member, a plurality of pieces of
ribs each having a cross section of a coupling element extending on
the base member are molded by extrusion molding, and then, the ribs
are cut by a given pitch along the longitudinal direction of the
surface fastener, and thereafter, the base member is drawn to be
separated into individual coupling elements, the surface fastener
10 according to the present invention is provided with excellent
feeling of touch, and furthermore, the coupling elements 12 having
various sizes and forms can be mixedly molded on the same surface
of the base member 11. Consequently, a required coupling rate and
coupling force can also be ensured, for example, with respect to a
mating loop member in which loops different in size are mixedly
arranged.
[0124] Furthermore, the surface fastener of the present invention
can be continuously molded by a single step by using the molding
method and molding apparatus according to the present invention.
Therefore, when compared to the conventional method and apparatus,
considerable improvement of productivity and reduction of space for
equipment can be achieved, and especially, the apparatus of the
present invention can be practiced only by applying a little
improvement to a conventional molding apparatus of the same kind,
so that load of the equipment cost can be decreased.
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