U.S. patent application number 09/802992 was filed with the patent office on 2002-09-12 for complementary fastener product.
Invention is credited to Dudek, Chester P., Hutcherson, James, Ishikawa, Kiichiro, Yoshida, Tomonari.
Application Number | 20020124357 09/802992 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25185268 |
Filed Date | 2002-09-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020124357 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dudek, Chester P. ; et
al. |
September 12, 2002 |
COMPLEMENTARY FASTENER PRODUCT
Abstract
A method of providing complementary fastener strips for securing
one item to another item is disclosed. A dispenser allows for
complementary fastener strips in a prebound configuration, to be
dispensed and used in applications such as the manufacture of
outdoor furniture cushions. The invention facilitates the efficient
and cost effective manufacture of articles which utilize multiple
strips of complementary fastener strips.
Inventors: |
Dudek, Chester P.;
(Marietta, GA) ; Hutcherson, James; (Norcross,
GA) ; Ishikawa, Kiichiro; (Marietta, GA) ;
Yoshida, Tomonari; (Marietta, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KRAMER & ASSOCIATES, P.C.
Crytal Plaza One
2001 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Suite 1101
Arlington
VA
22202
US
|
Family ID: |
25185268 |
Appl. No.: |
09/802992 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/306 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 29/49826 20150115;
Y10T 24/27 20150115; Y10S 24/11 20130101; Y10T 24/14 20150115; A44B
18/00 20130101; Y10T 24/2708 20150115; Y10T 29/49798 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
24/306 |
International
Class: |
A44B 011/25 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of securing complementary fastener strips, comprising:
providing a first length of a fastener strip having at least one
complementary fastening face; providing a second length of a
fastener strip having at least one complementary fastening face;
binding said second fastener strip to said first fastener strip at
an intermediate location along the first length of fastener strip;
and wherein said first length of fastener strip is bound to said
second length of fastener strip such that the complementary face of
one fastener strip abuts a non-complementary face of the other
fastener strip.
2. A method as described in claim 1 further characterized by said
binding being located at predetermined intervals.
3. A method as described in claim 2, further including the severing
of said fastening strips at points on either side of said
predetermined binding intervals after dispensing.
4. A method as described in claim 1, further characterized by the
strips being attached at a plurality of locations.
5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein said fasteners are
hook and loop fasteners.
6. A method of securing complementary fastener strips, comprising:
providing a first length of a fastener strip having at least one
complementary fastening face; providing a second length of a
fastener strip having at least one complementary fastening face;
binding said first fastener strip to said second fastener strip at
predetermined intervals; wherein said complementary face of said
first fastener strip abuts a non-complementary face of said second
fastener strip; providing a dispenser for dispensing said
complementary fastener strip product; and severing said
complementary strips, after dispensing, at a point on either side
of said predetermined intervals to provide a product having a
proximal bound end and a distal unbound end.
7. A method of as described in claim 6, further including,
providing a furniture cushion; and attaching said bound end to the
periphery of said furniture cushion.
8. A method as described in claim 7, further including placing said
furniture cushion on an article of furniture having a cushion
securement attachment capable of allowing said distal unbound ends
to encircle it; and attaching said cushion to said article of
furniture through mating of said complementary faces.
9. A method according to claim 7, further including placing said
furniture cushion on an article of furniture having a cushion
securement attachment capable of allowing said distal unbound ends
to complementary mate with said article of furniture.
10. A plurality of complementary fastener strips, comprising: a
first length of fastener strip having at least one complementary
fastening face; a second length of fastener strip having at least
one complementary fastening face; said second strip is secured to
said first strip at an intermediate location on said first strip;
wherein the first strip if bound to the second strip such that the
complementary face of one strip abuts a non-complementary face of
another strip.
11. Fastener strips as described in claim 10, wherein the second
length of strip is secured to the first length of strip at a
plurality of locations.
12. Fastener strips as described in claim 10, wherein the first
length of strip is longer than the second length of strip.
13. Fastener strips as described in claim 10, wherein the second
length of strip is attached to the first length of strip at
intervals.
14. Fastener strips as described in claim 10, wherein a plurality
of second lengths of strip are attached at intervals.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention generally relates to complementary fastener
strip products. In particular, this invention relates to the
manufacture and ready to use dispensing of complementary fastener
strips for more efficient manufacture of furniture cushion
attachments.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Complementary fastener strips are well know in the art and
are used for a large variety of applications. These complementary
fasteners include hook and loop fasteners manufactured in many
configurations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,120, issued to Roger Thor
Wessels et al. discloses a representative molded surface fastener
which illustrates one construction of the hook and loop fasteners
currently know in the art. Said fastener comprises molded hook
elements and loop elements made of fibers which are mixedly
distributed. The complementary fasteners currently known may be
manufactured through extrusion, molding and injection-molding
techniques, among other methods of manufacture. These types of
fasteners may also be constructed through a weaving or knitting
process to produce the finished product.
[0005] Complementary fastener strips are commonly used in many
applications for releasably attaching and removing different
articles of manufacture. An example of such use is illustrated in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,759 issued to Thomas W. Armour, II. In Armour,
II a multipurpose fastening device is used for securing items to
stationary objects, or alternatively, for bundling elongated items
of rope-like material. Armour, II discloses a webbing product,
preferably constructed from either nylon or polypropylene, having
hook and loop surfaces on one or both faces of the webbing. The
webbing may be of different lengths and is used for attachment of,
for example, soccer nets to goal posts and securing sails of a
sailboat to a mast.
[0006] Another application of such complementary fasteners may be
found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,021, issued to Robert A. Rapp. Rapp
utilizes tie members, in the form of complemental fastening means,
to attach a pool cover to the side walls of a pool below the pool
deck. The complemental fastening means are secured to the pool
cover through the use of rivets. The pool cover may then be
extended above the surface of the pool and safely secured to the
bordering side walls.
[0007] The furniture industry, and more particularly, the outdoor
furniture industry utilizes complementary fasteners to fasten
various articles to its furniture. In particular, there is a need
for cushions to be removably secured to outdoor furniture. Outdoor
furniture must ordinarily deal with adverse weather conditions such
as wind, rain and snow. During periods of use, it is advantageous
to secure cushions to outdoor furniture for greater comfort. During
periods of non-use it is preferable to remove these cushions for
storage and to prevent deterioration of said cushions due to their
exposure to the elements. Complementary fastener strips prove to be
particularly useful for this industry since the cushions may be
secured to the furniture during use and may then be easily removed
for storage.
[0008] In the manufacture of outdoor furniture cushions, it is
presently the preferred practice to withdraw a desired length of
complementary fastener strip, withdraw a second length of
complementary fastener strip, and cut these in equal lengths. The
strips are then sown to the cushion liner or the internal cushion
filler.
[0009] Although the use of complementary fastener strips for
attaching or securing objects is well know in the art, there
continues to be a need for providing an efficient and cost
effective process for providing such complementary fastener strips,
in a ready to use configuration, during the manufacture of many of
the products which rely on these essential articles of
manufacture.
[0010] Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide
for the efficient and cost effective dispensing of preassembled
complementary fastener strips for attachment to articles.
[0011] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
first and second length of complementary fastener strips. Binding
said fastener strips, and providing a container for dispensing said
complementary fastener strip product.
[0012] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
for the more efficient and cost effective manufacture of articles
of manufacture which require the use of complementary fasteners in
their fabrication.
[0013] The foregoing objects and advantages of the invention are
illustrative of those that can be achieved by the present invention
and are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the possible
advantages which can be realized. Thus, these and other objects and
advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description
herein or can be learned from practicing the invention, both as
embodied herein or as modified in view of any variation which may
be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present
invention resides in the novel methods, arrangements, combinations
and improvements herein shown and described.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] In light of the present need for providing an efficient and
cost effective process for providing complementary fastener strips,
a brief summary of the present invention is presented. Some
simplifications and omission may be made in the following summary,
which is intended to highlight and introduce some aspects of the
present invention, but not to limit its scope. Detailed
descriptions of a preferred exemplary embodiment adequate to allow
those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention
concepts will follow in later sections.
[0015] A method is provided for securing complementary fastener
strips. This is achieved by providing a first length of a fastener
strip which has at least one complementary fastening face.
Providing a second length of a fastener strip which also has at
least one complementary fastening face. Binding the second fastener
strip to the first fastener strip at an intermediate location along
the first length of fastener strip. The first length of fastener
strip being bound to the second length of fastener strip so that
the complementary face of one fastener strip abuts a
non-complementary face of the other fastener strip.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] In order to better understand the present invention,
reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one of the embodiments of
the complementary fastener strip product.
[0018] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of one of the embodiments of
the complementary fastener strip product.
[0019] FIG. 3 shows a side cut-away view of one embodiment of the
complementary fastener strip product dispenser.
[0020] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of one of the embodiments of
the complementary fastener strip product dispenser.
[0021] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of one of the products which
result from the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of one of the products which
results from the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE
INVENTION
[0023] Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer
to like components or steps, there are disclosed broad aspects of
the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The embodiments
shown include complementary fasteners which may be manufactured
according to manufacturing processes commonly know in the art.
These include extrusion, molding, injection-molding, weaving,
knitting techniques, as well any other manufacturing processes
commonly know for the manufacture of such fasteners. By
complementary fasteners, the present invention encompasses the
numerous products which allow for one portion of material having a
profiled structure, to complementary engage a second portion of
material having a profiled structure. These include hook and loop,
surface fasteners, mating fasteners and other complementary devices
having a profiled structure. In a preferred embodiment, the
complementary fastener strips may include complementary profiled
structures on either one or both sides of the strip.
[0024] FIG. 1 discloses a general arrangement of a complementary
fastener strip product. The product consists of a first length of
complementary fastener strip material 2a, and a second length of
complementary fastener stip material 2b. The material is bound
together at spaced intervals 3a, 3b, 3c to provide an indefinite
length complementary fastener strip product 1. Another preferred
embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2, which
discloses an alternate embodiment of the complementary fastener
strip product 1. In FIG. 2, a first length of complementary
fastener strip material 11 is provided. Multiple lengths of
complementary fastener strip material 12 are also provided having a
first end 14a and a second end 14b. The multiple lengths of
complementary fastener strip material 12, are then bound at one end
14b, to the first length of complementary fastener strip material
11, at spaced intervals 13, thereby securing the second end 14b,
and allowing the first end 14a to remain free.
[0025] FIG. 3 discloses a general arrangement for a complementary
fastener strip dispenser. The preferred embodiment consists of a
container 21, having a central axle 22, for holding a complementary
fastener strip product 23, and a dispensing opening 24, for
allowing access to the strip product 23. It should be understood
that although central axle 22 is disclosed in the preferred
embodiment, the present invention is not limited as such, in that
other devices that perform the function of facilitating the
spinning of the rolled up strip product 23 may be employed. For
example, detent balls on either side of container 21 that can mate
with opposite ends of a central member disposed inside of a roll
strip product 23, may be used. Moreover, a central axle or the like
is not required in that a roll of strip product 23 may be disposed
in container 21 to rotate freely when strip product 23 is removed.
FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment for a complementary fastener
strip dispenser. A container 31, is filled with a complementary
fastener strip product 33. The container 31, also includes a
dispensing opening 32, for allowing access to the strip product
33.
[0026] The complementary fastener strip products shown in FIG. 1 or
2 are placed in the container 21 shown in FIG. 3 in a circular
fashion. This packaging configuration allows for the continuous
access to the complementary fastener strip product 23, through the
container dispensing opening 24. Alternatively, the complementary
fastener strip products shown in FIGS. 1 or 2 may be placed in the
container 31 shown in FIG. 4, in a stacked fashion. This
alternative packaging configuration also allows for continuous
access to the complementary fastener strip product 33, through the
container dispensing opening 32.
[0027] In use, container 21, as shown in FIG. 3, is placed in a
convenient place, such as a furniture cushion manufacturing
facility, and the complementary fastener strip product 23 is
removed through the container dispensing opening 24. The
complementary fastener strip product 23 may be as embodied in FIG.
1. As the complementary fastener strip product 1 embodied in FIG. 1
is withdrawn from the container 21, it may be severed at a point
intermediate to binding points 3a and 3b, and immediately proximate
to binding point 3a. The resulting product 41 is shown in FIG. 5,
having two strips of complementary fastener 42a, 42b bound at one
end 43, and unbound at its opposite end 44. The complementary
fastener strip product 1 may also be severed at a point
substantially intermediate to binding points 3a and 3b, and not
immediately proximate to binding points 3a or 3b. The resulting
product 51 is shown in FIG. 6, having two strips of complementary
fastener 52a, 52b bound at a point 55 substantially intermediate to
the two ends of the product 53, 54. The resulting product may then
be attached to an article, such as an outdoor furniture cushion.
The product may also be attached to the internal filler of the
outdoor furniture cushion or to the exterior liner.
[0028] Although the present invention has been described in detail
with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it
should be understood that the invention is capable of other
different embodiments, and its details are capable of modifications
in various obvious respects. As is readily apparent to those
skilled in the art, variations and modifications can be affected
while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the foregoing disclosure, description, and figures are
for illustrative purposes only, and do not in any way limit the
invention, which is defined only by the claims.
* * * * *