Plastic Fastener Assembly With Solid Anchoring Member

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Solution Overview

Problem

Plastic fasteners used in the retail industry often cause paper-based packaging to tear or deform, leading to insecure attachment of items to their packaging, as the fasteners can be easily decoupled due to enlargement of the hole in the packaging material.

Innovation Solution

A fastener assembly comprising a plastic fastener with a unitary, solid anchoring member that is inserted between the fastener and the packaging surface, preventing easy removal and minimizing hole enlargement, using a hollow needle to penetrate both the anchoring member and the packaging, ensuring the fastener remains securely attached.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a plastic fastener is used to secure an item to paper-based packaging, then the item can be attached to the packaging, but the packaging material tears or deforms and the hole enlarges allowing easy removal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment securityVSAvoidpackaging damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A rigid anchoring member is introduced as an intermediary between the plastic fastener and the paper-based packaging. The anchoring member receives the fastener cross-bar and distributes the mechanical loads, preventing direct concentration of forces on the paper material that would cause tearing and hole enlargement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The rigid anchoring member is pre-positioned on the packaging surface before the fastener is applied. This preliminary placement creates a prepared interface that guides the fastener insertion and immediately provides structural support to prevent packaging deformation during the fastening process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the packaging material is thin and paper-based, then the fastener can penetrate easily, but the hole enlarges and the attachment becomes insecure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefastener insertionVSAvoidattachment security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rigid anchoring member serves as a mediator that accepts the fastener cross-bar while distributing forces to the packaging. This allows easy insertion through thin paper while maintaining secure attachment, as the anchoring member prevents hole enlargement that would compromise security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Strength

If the fastener cross-bar lies flat against the packaging, then the filament can extend tightly across the item, but the packaging tears under torque or manipulation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilament tensionVSAvoidpackaging integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The rigid anchoring member acts as an intermediary that supports the fastener cross-bar, allowing the filament to extend tightly across the item for strong attachment while preventing packaging tearing. The anchoring member absorbs and distributes torques and manipulation forces, protecting the packaging integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Device complexity

If no anchoring member is used, then the fastener assembly is simple, but the fastener can be easily decoupled due to hole enlargement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefastener assembly structureVSAvoidresistance to removal

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rigid anchoring member is introduced as a simple intermediary component that dramatically increases resistance to fastener removal. The anchoring member prevents hole enlargement and secures the cross-bar in place, making decoupling difficult while adding minimal structural complexity to the overall assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 provides a secure and reliable attachment of items to packaging, even if the packaging is torn or deformed, by using a rigid anchoring member to support the fastener, preventing easy removal and maintaining the structural integrity of the packaging.

Implementation Method 1

using a hollow needle to penetrate both the anchoring member and the packaging

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

the resilient construction of the plastic fastener causes each cross-bar to return to its original perpendicular orientation relative to the filament

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11161642B2Fastener assembly

Publication Date: 2021.11.02 AVERY DENNISON CORP

AI summary

A fastener assembly for coupling together two or more articles includes a plastic fastener and an anchoring member. The plastic fastener includes a pair of parallel cross-bars that are interconnected by a transverse filament. The anchoring member is constructed as a unitary, solid, plastic disc with opposing flattened surfaces. In use, the anchoring member is disposed against an outer surface of the articles to be coupled together. During the fastener dispensing process, the ejected cross-bar penetrates through the articles as well as the anchoring member. Upon completion, the ejected cross-bar lies directly upon the exposed surface of the anchoring member. As such, the stiffened anchoring member provides structural integrity to articles that are deformable in construction. In this manner, the anchoring member prevents intact removal of a dispensed fastener by either intentional or unintentional widening of the hole in the articles through which the fastener extends.