Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Osamu Sawajiri

Shinji Torigoe

Norihito Shibahara

Jiro Hattori

Hiroaki Takahashi

Hideo Matsumoto

Fastener having high silencing property

To provide an interengaging fastener member which can enhance the disengagement force, while does not increase an engagement force required for an interengagement process. The fastener member 10 includes a base 12 and a plurality of headed stems 14. Each headed stem 14 includes a stem 16 adjoining and projecting orthogonally from the surface of base 12, and a head 18 formed at the end of the stem 16. The head 18 is provided with a bottom surface 20 adjacent to the stem 16 and extending outward from outer periphery of the stem 16, and an apex 24 arranged at an opposite side of the bottom surface 20 from the stem 16. The engagement force reducing means may take the form of, for example, one or more grooves formed in each head, or an undercut formed in each headed stem in the area where the head adjoins the stem.

Method for making an interengaging fastener having reduced engagement

An interengaging fastener member having a base with a flexibility for conforming to the curved objective surface, without damaging a function for supporting headed stems. A fastener member 10 is provided with a base 12 and a plurality of headed stems 14 arranged on the base 12. The headed stem 14 has a stem 16 projecting substantially upright from the base 12, and a head 18 connected to the end of the stem 16. The base 12 includes a plate layer 26 having a first major surface 20, and a fabric layer 30 bonded to a surface opposite to the first major surface 20. The plate layer 26 is connected to proximal ends 22 of the stems 16 of the headed stems 14 by integral molding process. The plate layer 26 and the fabric layer 30 are bonded together in an injection molding process for the plate layer 26. Because the fabric layer 30 assists a function of the base 26 for supporting headed stems, it is possible to provide the base 12 with a flexibility for conforming to a curved objective surface, by making the plate layer 26 relatively thin.

Interengaging fastener member having fabric layer

Interengaging fastner having reduced engagement force

A method making an affixation member including a body for affixation to a surface of a structure and means for fastening the body to the surface. The fastening means including an interengaging fastener member which has a base secured to the body and a plurality of headed stems arranged on the base. The fastening means is formed by flowing molten material into a base mold, a destructible stem mold and a head mold. The base mold and head mold are separated, and the destructible stem mold and the molded interengaging fastener member are placed within a cavity of a body mold. An affixation member fixedly supporting the interengaging fastener member is molded in the cavity of the body mold. The body mold is separated from the molded affixation member, and the stem mold is destructibly removed from the interengaging fastener member fixedly supported on the molded affixation member.

Affixation member for decorating or protecting structures and methods of

A fastener member is disclosed, having a plurality of headed stems adjoining and projecting from a base. The headed stems are arranged in a pattern on the base, which pattern tends to increase the disengagement force in the shear direction.

Interengaging fastener member

An interengaging fastener is provided including two fastener members and structure for locating one fastener member with respect to the other fastener member. In one embodiment, the locating structure includes a protrusion extending from one fastener member and an opening formed in the other fastener member.

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Sagamihara, Japan

Osamu Sawajiri