U.S. patent application number 15/484178 was filed with the patent office on 2018-08-16 for hook structure of a soft hook strap of a hook-and-loop fastener.
The applicant listed for this patent is Taiwan Paiho Limited. Invention is credited to Allen CHENG.
Application Number | 20180228254 15/484178 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60764704 |
Filed Date | 2018-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180228254 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHENG; Allen |
August 16, 2018 |
HOOK STRUCTURE OF A SOFT HOOK STRAP OF A HOOK-AND-LOOP FASTENER
Abstract
An improved hook structure, of a soft hook strap of a
hook-and-loop fastener, has a width W and includes: a hook body
integrally protruding upright from a substrate of the hook strap;
and a curved head portion curvedly bent downwardly from a top end
of the hook body, the head portion including a hook end and a neck
portion extending between the hook body and the hook end, wherein a
lower side of the neck portion has a curvature defined by an
imaginary circle located in a space between the hook body and the
hook end and the head portion has a height H defined by points A
and B on head portion which are intersection points of a imaginary
vertical line passing through the center of the circle intersecting
with an upper side and the lower side of the head portion
respectively. The width W of the hook structure and the height H of
the head portion satisfies a relationship defined below: 0.1 < 1
- H W < 0.3 . ##EQU00001##
Inventors: |
CHENG; Allen; (Chang Hwa
Hsien, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Taiwan Paiho Limited |
Chang Hwa Hsien |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
60764704 |
Appl. No.: |
15/484178 |
Filed: |
April 11, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44B 18/0015 20130101;
A44B 18/0061 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A44B 18/00 20060101
A44B018/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 13, 2017 |
TW |
106202077 |
Claims
1. An improved hook structure of a soft hook strap of a
hook-and-loop fastener having a width (W) and comprising: a hook
body integrally protruding upright from a substrate of the hook
strap; and a curved head portion curvedly bent downwardly from a
top end of the hook body, the head portion including a hook end and
a neck portion extending between the hook body and the hook end,
wherein a lower side of the neck portion has a curvature defined by
an imaginary circle located in a space between the hook body and
the hook end and the head portion has a height (H) defined by
points (A) and (B) on the head portion which are intersection
points of an imaginary vertical line passing through the center of
the circle intersecting with an upper side and the lower side of
the head portion respectively, the improved hook structure being
characterized in that the width (W) hook structure and the height
(H) of the head portion satisfy a relationship defined below: 0.1
< 1 - H W < 0.3 . ##EQU00004##
2. The improved hook structure of a soft hook strap of a
hook-and-loop fastener according to claim 1, wherein the hook
structure is formed of a material containing about 40 wt % of Nylon
and about 60 wt % of elastomer.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to hook-and-loop
fasteners, and more specifically, to an improved hook structure of
a soft hook strap of a hook-and-loop fastener.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A hook-and-loop fastener (also known as `Velcro`) is a well
know mechanical fastener and wildly used in a variety of fields
that need to fasten two separate parts together, such as garment,
shoes, personal care product (such as diapers) etc., because of its
easy engaging/disengaging features. The hook-and-loop type fastener
mainly consists of a hook strap on which an array of hooks are
formed and a loop member on which a plurality of loops are formed
to be engage with the hooks of the hook strap. In order to be
applicable to different applications, the design of the
hook-and-loop fastener (especially, the hook strap) has to be
modified to meet specific requirements of a specific
application.
[0003] For instance, in the field of clothing and garment, the hook
straps used on the clothing/garment need to have sufficient
suppleness to comply with the soft and flexible nature of the
clothing/garment while providing the expected fastening/fixing
function of the hook-and-loop fastener. Additionally, in the field
of diapers, because the hook strap used on a diaper as a fastening
means to fasten the diaper on a wear is in direct contact with
wear's skin, thus if the hook strap does not have sufficient
suppleness, the wearer of the diaper may feel uncomfortable and may
even leave a mark on the skin of the wearer.
[0004] Therefore, it is a long existing challenge in the field of
hook-and-loop fastener to provide a hook strap which can exhibit
proper suppleness while providing fastening function with
characteristics such as being able to engage the loops firmly,
having sufficient engaging strength, having robust hooks that are
not easily to break so as to extending the service life.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The inventor of the present invention realizes that using a
material having a proper softness and flexibility to form the hook
strap is a key factor to allow the hook strap to have a required
suppleness, and on top of that a proper design of the hook
structure of the hook strap is another key factor that would
remarkably affect the suppleness of the hook strap. After a long
term research performed by the inventor of the present invention,
the inventor of the present invention concludes that the
above-mentioned long existing challenge in the field of
hook-and-loop fastener can be properly addressed by providing a
hook structure having a head portion with carefully and specially
designed dimensions so that the hooks of the hook strap are able to
properly engage with the loops of a loop strap so as to prevent
undesired stress concentration from occurring on the hooks and in
turn prevent premature breakage of the hooks and the loops to give
the hook strap a long service life while maintaining a proper
suppleness of the hook strap.
[0006] According to the conclusion of the research, an improved
hook structure of a soft hook strap of a hook-and-loop fastener is
provided. The improved hook structure has a width W and
comprises:
[0007] a hook body integrally protruding upright from a substrate
of the hook strap; and
[0008] a curved head portion curvedly bent downwardly from a top
end of the hook body, the head portion including a hook end and a
neck portion extending between the hook body and the hook end,
wherein a lower side of the neck portion has a curvature defined by
an imaginary circle located in a space between the hook body and
the hook end and the head portion has a height H defined by points
A and B on head portion which are intersection points of a
imaginary vertical line passing through the center of the circle
intersecting with an upper side and the lower side of the head
portion respectively,
[0009] the improved hook structure being characterized in that the
width W and the height H of the head portion satisfy a relationship
defined below:
0.1 < 1 - H W < 0.3 . ##EQU00002##
[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
hook structure of a soft hook strap of a hook-and-loop fastener is
formed of a material containing about 40 wt % of Nylon and about 60
wt % of elastomer.
[0011] Features and advantages of the present invention other than
the above will become clear by reading the description of the
present specification with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] For a more complete understanding of the present invention
and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an improved
hook structure of a soft hook strap of a hook-and-loop fastener
according to one embodiment of the present invention; and
[0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic plane view showing a front view of the
improved hook structure of a soft hook strap of a hook-and-loop
fastener shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Referring now to embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 to
describe an improved hook structure 10 of a soft hook strap of a
hook-and-loop fastener of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the improved
hook structure 10 of a soft hook strap of a hook-and-loop fastener
according to one embodiment of the present invention. The improved
hook structure 10 of a soft hook strap of a hook-and-loop fastener
has a width W and comprises: a hook body 12 integrally protruding
upright from a substrate 11 of the hook strap; and a curved head
portion 14 curvedly bent downwardly from a top end of the hook body
12. The head portion 14 includes a hook end 16 and a neck portion
18 extending between the hook body 12 and the hook end 16. A lower
side of the neck portion 18 has a curvature defined by an imaginary
circle located in a space between the hook body 12 and the hook end
16. The head portion 14 has a height H defined by points A and B on
the head portion which respectively are intersection points of a
imaginary vertical line L passing through the center C of the
circle and intersecting with an upper side and the lower side of
the head portion 14. Preferably, point A is the highest point of
the hook structure 10. Preferably, the width W of the hook
structure 10 and the height H of the head portion 14 satisfy a
relationship defined below:
0.1 < 1 - H W < 0.3 . ##EQU00003##
[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the hook structure 10 of a soft hook strap of a
hook-and-loop fastener is formed of a material containing about 40
wt % of Nylon and about 60 wt % of elastomer.
[0018] Although the present invention has been described above
according to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, this does not mean that the scope of the present
invention is limited to specific configurations of the hook
structure 10 of a soft hook strap of a hook-and-loop fastener
described above. It will be apparent to people skilled in this art
that many modifications can be made to the disclosed structures
without departing from the true scope of the invention defined by
the appended claims. Therefore, it is the intent of the appended
claims to cover all such variations and modifications as come
within the sprit and scope of this invention.
* * * * *