Overmolded Hook Groove Assembly to Prevent Cover Ride-Up

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing assemblies comprising a molded article and a cover with hook-and-loop fastening systems are costly to manufacture and have reliability issues due to the need for extensive hook coverage and complex manufacturing processes, while prior solutions like wire insertion are difficult to unfasten without damage.

Innovation Solution

A molded article with overmolded hooks forming the bottom of a longitudinal groove, separated by hook-free zones, and a rigid wire inside a pocket to prevent riding-up, allowing for efficient hook-and-loop fastening with reduced hook quantity and improved manufacturing simplicity and reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If continuous elements having hooks are placed at the bottom of the trench to provide sufficient pull-out strength, then the fastening reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefastening reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous element having hooks is divided into multiple separate elements having hooks that are placed at different locations along the trench. These discrete elements are positioned at specific spots rather than forming a continuous structure, which reduces the quantity of expensive hook elements needed while maintaining sufficient fastening reliability through strategic placement at key locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of providing hooks uniformly along the entire length of the trench, the invention concentrates hooks at specific critical locations where they are most needed for preventing cover displacement. The intermediate zones between hooked elements have different properties (no hooks) compared to the zones with elements, creating local variations in fastening characteristics that optimize both reliability and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If wire insertion method is used to prevent cover displacement, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in unfastening

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing complexityVSAvoidease of unfastening

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces an intermediate element - the element having hooks - that acts as a mediator between the cover and the molded article. This element provides a mechanical interface that is simple to manufacture (unlike complex continuous structures) while also being easy to operate (the cover can be unfastened by simply releasing the hook-and-loop connection), thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and operational ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If fewer elements having hooks are used to reduce cost, then the manufacturing cost decreases, but the pull-out strength may be insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidpull-out strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The elements having hooks are pre-positioned at optimal locations along the trench before the cover is attached. This preliminary placement ensures that the hooks are strategically positioned to maximize their effectiveness in preventing cover displacement and providing pull-out strength, thereby achieving sufficient mechanical performance with a reduced quantity of expensive hook elements.

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 solution reduces manufacturing costs and maintains or enhances the pull-out strength of the fastening while allowing for easy fitting and repositioning of the cover, using fewer hooks and a rigid wire for improved stability.

Implementation Method 1

hooks stemming from the overmolded elements having hooks and co-operating with loops or hooks stemming from the cover to achieve the fastening

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHook-and-loop fastening: Velcro

Implementation Method 2

means are provided for preventing the cover from riding up towards the top of the trench, in particular at the or at each intermediate zone

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical barrier prevention: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentUS8962121B2Assembly made up of a cover and of a molded article including a plurality of overmolded elements having hooks

Publication Date: 2015.02.24 APLIX SA

AI summary

An assembly comprising a molded article and a cover that covers the molded article, a longitudinal groove being formed in the molded article while being open to the outside, two elements having hooks being overmolded in the molded article so as to form the bottom of the groove at least in part, the hooks penetrating into openings in loops stemming from the cover so as to hook therein and thereby fasten the cover to the molded article, and at least two overmolded elements having hooks are provided that form the bottom of the trench at least in part by being placed one behind the other in the longitudinal direction, the two elements having hooks being separated from each other by an intermediate zone in which there is no element having hooks, and means are provided for preventing the cover from riding up towards the top of the trench.