Asymmetric Injection-Molded Button Resin Weld Line

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional injection-molded resin female snap buttons often crack when the pin of a button fastener passes through the through-hole during attachment to fabric due to weak weld lines formed during the molding process.

Innovation Solution

The button body is designed with asymmetric concave or convex portions on its outer surface, creating nonlinear weld lines that increase the joining strength by altering the flow resistance and meeting points of resin flows during molding, thereby reducing the likelihood of cracking when attached to fabric.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If resin flows are joined in a conventional linear weld line configuration, then the molding process is simple, but the joining strength at the weld line is low and cracking occurs during attachment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvejoining strength at weld lineVSAvoidmold cavity design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mold cavity is designed with asymmetric convex and concave portions that create an asymmetric weld line configuration. The weld line includes a first portion and a second portion with different lengths and orientations, preventing the formation of a straight linear weld line. This asymmetric design increases the joining strength by distributing stress more effectively across the weld line while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The weld line is designed to include curved portions rather than straight lines. The first weld line portion and second weld line portion are configured with different curvatures and orientations, creating a nonlinear weld line path. This curvature increases the weld line length and surface area, enhancing the joining strength between resin flows without significantly complicating the molding process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Strength

If the weld line is made nonlinear with asymmetric portions, then the joining strength increases, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvejoining strength at weld lineVSAvoidweld line formation precision
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The asymmetric convex and concave portions are pre-formed in the mold cavity before the injection molding process. These preliminary structural features guide the resin flow to automatically form the desired nonlinear weld line configuration with asymmetric first and second portions. This preliminary action ensures consistent weld line formation and reduces the need for post-processing adjustments, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while achieving enhanced joining strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The nonlinear weld lines enhance the joining strength of the button body, reducing the occurrence of cracking when forces are applied during attachment, as the increased weld line length and area improve the resin flow integration.

Implementation Method 1

The resin material injected through the gate is once divided into left and right flows by the core, and the flows meet and join again behind the core

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Implementation Method 2

the button body includes one or more concave portions or one or more convex portions on an outer surface of the button body, the concave portions or the convex portions being provided asymmetrically in the left and right half parts

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlow resistance:

Data Source

PatentEP3639690B1button
Publication Date: 2021.08.18 YKK CORP
  • EP3639690B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3639690B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3639690B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is an injection-molded resin button, which does not crack or is unlikely to crack at attaching the button to a fabric. This invention relates to a button (10) comprising a button body (11) having a through-hole (13) at the center thereof. The button body (11) of the button (10) comprises a left half part (11L) and a right half part (11R), which are segmented left and right by a virtual straight line (L) passing through a gate position (17), on the button body (11), corresponding to a gate of a mold for molding the button (10) and the center (O) of the button body (11). The button body (11) includes one or more concave portions (21, 22) or one or more convex portions (31, 32) on an outer surface (11a) of the button body (11). The button (10) is characterized in that the concave portions (21, 22) or the convex portions (31, 32) are provided asymmetrically in the left and right half parts (11L, 11R). The button body (11) includes a nonlinear weld line (16) at least on the outer surface (11a).