Sequential Tooth-Socket Fastener for Quiet Debris-Tolerant Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional fastening devices like zippers, buttons, and Velcro suffer from issues such as failure under load, getting stuck, noise during operation, and reduced effectiveness due to dirt and debris, leading to a need for a robust, quiet, and easy-to-use alternative that maintains performance over time.
Innovation Solution
A fastening device utilizing sequentially engageable tooth and socket pairs with specific geometric configurations that allow engagement only in one direction, providing a secure and watertight seal when engaged, and optionally facilitated by a slider for easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If zippers are used for fastening, then fastening capability is provided, but they fail under substantial load and frequently get stuck when material gets caught between the teeth
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is divided into multiple independent tooth and socket pairs arranged in rows and columns. Each pair operates independently, so if one pair encounters debris or resistance, others can still function. The segmentation allows the fastener to maintain reliability while improving operational smoothness through distributed engagement points.
Solution Approach 2:
The teeth and sockets are designed with asymmetric geometries where teeth have specific profiles that complement the socket shapes. This asymmetric design ensures unidirectional engagement (teeth insert into sockets easily but cannot be reversed), providing reliable fastening while preventing material from catching between components during proper operation.
2Reliability
If zippers are used for fastening, then fastening capability is provided, but they can be loud when fastening or unfastening
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible gasket is introduced between the toothed and socketed portions of the fastening device. This gasket acts as a damping element that absorbs the impact and friction noises generated during engagement and disengagement, while still allowing the fastening capability to function effectively.
3Reliability
If snaps or buttons are used for fastening, then fastening capability is provided, but they can break or become inoperable when dirt or debris get caught within
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system uses multiple distributed tooth and socket pairs instead of a single snap or button mechanism. This segmentation means that dirt or debris affecting one pair does not render the entire fastening system inoperable, maintaining reliability while reducing sensitivity to contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The design extracts the problematic internal moving parts of snaps and buttons, replacing them with an open tooth-socket engagement system where debris cannot become trapped within the mechanism itself, thus improving durability and reducing sensitivity to dirt.
4Reliability
If Velcro fasteners are used, then fastening capability is provided, but they create noise when engaging and disengaging and becoming less effective over time after catching dirt and debris
Solution Approach 1:
The tooth and socket pair system provides discrete, defined engagement points that maintain consistent mechanical interlocking over time. Unlike Velcro's distributed fiber engagement that degrades with contamination, the segmented rigid tooth-socket design prevents debris from compromising the engagement mechanism, extending service life effectiveness.
5Reliability
If Velcro fasteners are used, then fastening capability is provided, but the clothing or other item's material often gets caught in the Velcro, sometimes causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric tooth and socket geometry is designed so that teeth insert smoothly into sockets in one direction, while the reverse direction is blocked by the socket walls. This prevents fabric from being caught and pulled through the fastener, eliminating the material damage risk associated with Velcro while maintaining fastening capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A fastening device has a first fastening member with a plurality of teeth and a second fastening member with a plurality of sockets which are sequentially engagable in tooth and socket pairs in an engagement direction by relative rotation of the tooth and socket. Each tooth has a first surface and a second surface fixed relative to the first surface. Each socket has a recess defined by a first wall and second wall fixed relative to the first wall. Upon engagement, the first and second surfaces of the tooth abut the respective first and second walls of the recess and prevent relative movement of the tooth in the engagement direction and a portion of the first wall of the socket closely abutting the first surface of the tooth is disposed between the tooth and a portion of the first fastening member and prevents relative separation of the tooth and socket.