Relative Stiffness Fasteners Buckling Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mechanical fastening systems face issues with buckling under applied tension, leading to misalignment of hook elements and reduced performance due to compressive forces, which affects the engagement between the hook and loop components.

Innovation Solution

A fastening member design with distinct stiffness zones, where the fastening element zone has a higher stiffness than the panel and intermediate zones, providing increased resistance to buckling and improved engagement efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the fastening member is made more flexible to ease attachment, then ease of operation is improved, but resistance to buckling under tension deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of attachmentVSAvoidresistance to buckling
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The fastening member is divided into distinct zones with different stiffness characteristics: a panel region with higher extensibility for ease of attachment, and an end region with increased stiffness to resist buckling under tension. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the fastening member are given different mechanical properties. The panel region is designed to be more extensible while the end region is designed to be stiffer, creating local quality variations that resolve the contradiction between flexibility for attachment and stiffness for buckling resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the fastening member is made stiffer to resist buckling, then reliability is improved, but ease of attachment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening performanceVSAvoidease of attachment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The fastening member is segmented into regions with different stiffness levels, allowing the end region to be stiff for reliable fastening while the panel region remains flexible for easy attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fastening member exhibits local quality variations where the end region has increased stiffness for reliability while the panel region maintains flexibility for ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP1962760B1Relative stiffness fasteners
Publication Date: 2017.04.05 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO
  • EP1962760B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP1962760B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP1962760B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C

AI summary

A fastening member has an inboard end and an outboard end and a panel region, an end region, and a fastening element. The panel region has a proximal edge and a distal edge. The panel region is disposed adjacent to the inboard end and is more extensible than the end region. The end region is disposed adjacent to the outboard end. The end region has a fastening element zone having a first stiffness and an intermediate zone having a second stiffness. The first stiffness is greater than the second stiffness. The intermediate zone is disposed between the fastening element zone and the panel region adjacent to the distal edge. The fastening element is disposed in the end region and defines the fastening element zone.