Fastener Stringer Surface Grooves for Uniform Dyeing and Clear Patterns
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for coloring slide fasteners, such as beam dyeing and inkjet schemes, face challenges with dye distribution, pattern clarity, and durability of color due to smooth surfaces and friction, leading to irregularities and defects in mass production.
Innovation Solution
A fastener stringer with a monofilament surface featuring fine projected rims and concave grooves, where the cross-sectional area of the grooves is larger than the rims, allowing for uniform dye distribution and ink fixation, preventing peeling and blurring, and enhancing adhesion for surface treatments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If beam dyeing is used to color the fastener stringer, then the dyeing process is simple and low cost, but the dye distribution becomes uneven and dyeing defects occur due to close contact between layers
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener element surface is designed with concave grooves that act as porous structures to absorb and retain dye, ensuring uniform dye distribution even when layers are in close contact during beam dyeing. The grooves prevent dye blocking by providing dedicated spaces for dye penetration and retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The concave grooves are pre-formed on the fastener element surface before dyeing, creating predetermined spaces that guide dye penetration and distribution. This preliminary structural preparation ensures uniform dyeing without requiring complex dyeing process adjustments.
2Ease of manufacture
If the fastener element surface is smooth, then the surface treatment is simple, but the ink and coating adhesion is poor leading to peeling and blurring
Solution Approach 1:
The concave grooves create a porous surface structure that mechanically interlocks with ink and coating materials, dramatically improving adhesion. The grooves provide anchoring points that prevent peeling and blurring while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through a single extrusion process.
Solution Approach 2:
The concave grooves introduce surface curvature and three-dimensional structure to an otherwise simple extruded surface. This curvature creates mechanical interlocking effects that enhance ink and coating adhesion without requiring additional complex surface treatment steps.
3Productivity
If the fastener element is wound in multiple layers for beam dyeing, then the processing efficiency is improved, but the dye penetration is blocked by close contact between layers
Solution Approach 1:
The concave grooves create a porous surface structure that allows dye to penetrate through and between layers even when in close contact. The grooves act as channels that guide dye penetration, maintaining uniform dye distribution while enabling efficient multi-layer processing.
4Productivity
If a continuous fastener element is used, then the mass production capability is improved, but the coloration uniformity becomes difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The concave grooves provide consistent porous structures along the entire continuous fastener element, ensuring uniform dye absorption and coloration throughout mass production. The regular spacing and dimensions of the grooves create repeatable coloration results across large production volumes.
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
Ensures stable and uniform coloration without defects, maintains pattern clarity, and improves durability by retaining ink and coatings within the grooves, ensuring consistent quality and operability of the slide fastener.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of fine concave grooves which are disposed between the projected rims; and in a cross section of the monofilament, a cross-sectional area of a space region of the concave groove
Implementation Method 2
the fastener element includes a plurality of fine projected rims which are continuously disposed on a peripheral surface of the monofilament along a length direction of the monofilament
Implementation Method 3
the fastener stringer is subjected to thermal treatment for the coloring
Data Source
AI summary
A fastener stringer, is configured such that a fastener element of a continuous shape includes a plurality of fine projected rims which are continuously disposed on a peripheral surface of the monofilament (30); along a length direction of the monofilament and a plurality of fine concave grooves which are disposed between the projected rim and in a cross section of the monofilament, a cross-sectional area of a space region of the concave groove is set to be larger than that of the projected rim. With this configuration, when performing dyeing process employing a beam dyeing or a continuous dyeing method while appropriately securing the strength of the monofilament, it is possible to prevent dyeing irregularities and dyeing defects from arising. Further, when performing a coloring according to an inkjet, scheme, it is possible to finely form a desired pattern with clear outlines on the fastener element.