Fastener Stringer Color Consistency After Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
The external appearance of fastener elements changes significantly due to the wear off of plated or metal-oxide layers as the number of slider trips exceeds 2000 or 3000 times, leading to exposure of the metal base member.
Innovation Solution
A fastener stringer design featuring a metal base member with intermediate metal layers and a surface resin layer of the same color tone, where the surface resin layer is designed to wear off, exposing a matching color tone metal layer, thereby maintaining the initial appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a plated layer or metal-oxide layer is formed on the metal base member to achieve desired color, then the external appearance is improved, but the layer wears off after 2000-3000 slider trips causing appearance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming an intermediate metal layer with the same color tone as the surface resin layer before applying the resin coating. This ensures that when the resin layer wears off after repeated slider trips, the exposed intermediate layer maintains color consistency, preventing appearance degradation and eliminating the need for corrective measures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a layered structure where the intermediate metal layer possesses specific color properties that match the surface resin layer. This localized color matching at the interface between layers ensures that wear exposure does not create visible contrasts, thereby maintaining overall appearance consistency throughout the product lifecycle.
2Reliability
If a thick surface resin layer is used to prevent metal base member exposure, then appearance consistency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the intermediate metal layer with appropriate thickness and color properties before applying the surface resin layer. This preliminary preparation allows for a thinner, more manageable resin coating while ensuring that any exposure due to wear will reveal a color-matched intermediate layer, thereby maintaining appearance consistency without requiring excessive resin thickness or complex manufacturing controls.
Data Source
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AI summary
A fastener stringer (30) includes: a fastener tape (10); and a plurality of fastener elements (20) attached to a side-edge portion of the fastener tape (10). The fastener element (20) includes: a metal base member (21); a single layered or multi layered surface resin layer (22) formed on the metal base member (21); and one or more intermediate metal layers (23) interposed between the metal base member (21) and the surface resin layer (22). The one or more intermediate metal layers (23) include an exposure metal layer (26) that will be exposed by at least a partial removal of the surface resin layer (22). The surface resin layer (22) and the exposure metal layer (26) are made of material having the same color tone.