Slide Fastener Monofilament Surface Roughening for Uniform Dyeing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing slide fasteners are costly due to the need for colorant kneading in monofilaments, which increases raw material costs and inventory management, and result in non-uniform dyeing when colorants are not kneaded, as the surface layer is scraped during polishing.
Innovation Solution
A slide fastener made from synthetic resin monofilaments with a roughened surface formed by blast processing, allowing for both dyeing and matting without scraping the surface layer, using low-cost natural monofilaments and achieving uniform color deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If colorant is kneaded into monofilament before shaping, then the surface color is maintained after scraping, but the manufacturing cost increases due to higher raw material costs and inventory management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming the roughened surface structure on the monofilament before dyeing, rather than adding colorant during extrusion. The surface is prepared with micro-concaves through mechanical treatment, then dyed subsequently. This allows the surface layer to be scraped for matting while the dye penetrates and maintains uniform color, avoiding the need to pre-knead colorant into the monofilament.
2Ease of manufacture
If natural monofilament is polished with brush to form matting, then the surface is roughened, but the surface layer that can be colored with dyes is scraped away resulting in non-uniform dyeing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the roughening action before dyeing by forming micro-concaves on the surface through blast processing or similar mechanical treatment. This preliminary structuring creates the matting effect while preserving the surface layer's dye-accepting properties. The subsequent dyeing process then achieves uniform penetration because the roughened surface increases surface area and dye absorption capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface parameters of the monofilament by creating a roughened structure with micro-concaves having specific depth and distribution characteristics. This parameter change transforms the smooth surface into a rough surface that provides both matting appearance and enhanced dye penetration capacity, resolving the contradiction between surface treatment and dyeing quality.
3Ease of manufacture
If brush polishing is used to scrape monofilament surface, then matting is achieved, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to additional process steps and equipment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional brush polishing mechanical system with a more efficient surface treatment method such as blast processing. This substitution achieves the same matting effect through controlled particle impact that creates micro-concaves, eliminating the need for complex brush mechanisms and manual intervention while maintaining production efficiency.
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 approach reduces manufacturing costs by enabling the use of low-cost natural monofilaments and allows for easy production of matted fastener elements in various colors, facilitating small-lot product management.
Implementation Method 1
a roughened surface having a number of concaves is formed on a surface of the surface layer
Implementation Method 2
the surface layer which is formed by rapid cooling of the surface side of the extrusion-molded monofilament during cooling of the monofilament
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a slide fastener and a method for manufacturing a slide fastener. A slide fastener is provided with: a pair of fastener tapes; a pair of fastener element rows provided respectively on the opposing tape-side edges of the pair of fastener tapes and having a plurality of fastener elements; and a slider configured to engage and disengage the pair of fastener element rows with and from each other. Each of the fastener element rows is composed of a monofilament which is made of synthetic resin. The monofilament has, on the surface thereof, a surface layer which can be colored with dyes. A roughened surface having a number of concaves is formed on the surfaces of the surface layer.