Segmented Touch Fastener with Flexible Barrier for Curved Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch fastener products face challenges in securely attaching to curved surfaces during the molding process of seat foam buns, leading to foam intrusion and incomplete attachment due to the limitations of short fastener parts and inadequate coverage.
Innovation Solution
The development of a touch fastener with an elongated base featuring articulable joints and a flexible barrier across joints, allowing for greater curvature and reduced foam intrusion, along with magnetically attractable materials for secure attachment during the molding process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If short fastener parts are used during molding, then the fastener can be attached to the foam bun, but foam intrudes between the fastener elements causing incomplete attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The base is divided into multiple segments that can be articulated relative to each other, allowing the fastener to conform to curved surfaces and maintain proper spacing between elements to prevent foam intrusion while ensuring complete attachment coverage
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible barrier element is incorporated across the articulation joints to prevent liquid foamable composition from intruding between base segments while allowing the segments to articulate and conform to curved surfaces
2Manufacturing precision
If the fastener base is made rigid to maintain fastener element spacing, then attachment precision is improved, but the fastener cannot conform to curved surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The base is segmented into multiple articulated sections that can bend relative to each other, enabling the fastener to conform to curved surfaces while maintaining proper fastener element spacing within each segment
Solution Approach 2:
The base transitions from a rigid structure to a dynamic articulated structure that can adapt its shape to match curved surfaces during the molding process, ensuring both precision and adaptability
3Adaptability or versatility
If the base segments are articulated closely together to allow greater curvature, then adaptability to curved surfaces is improved, but the number of joints increases creating potential fouling points
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible barrier element spans across articulation joints to prevent foam intrusion while allowing the joints to articulate, enabling curvature adaptation without compromising attachment reliability at the joint locations
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
This design enables continuous regions of available fastener elements and reduces foam intrusion, ensuring a more secure and complete attachment of the fabric cover to the foam bun, improving the molding process efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The touch fastener products can be secured to the seat foam bun during a molding process, such as by holding the fastener products magnetically against a side of the mold cavity
Data Source
AI summary
A touch fastener including an elongated base having multiple segments connected by articulable joints. Each segment has an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of touch fastener elements extending from the lower surface of the base. A flexible barrier extends across at least one articulable joint between adjacent base segments. The fastener may include a magnetically attractable material disposed along a center region of the upper surface of the base. The fastener base may define a pair of first and second notches in opposite longitudinal edges of the base at the articulable joint to allow bending of the base. The base may also define a slit extending through the base from a longitudinal edge thereof at the articulable joint.