Track Snap Closure with Flanges for Off-Registration Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fasteners for clothing have physical limitations that restrict their usefulness and applicability, particularly in garments requiring flexibility and durability, such as pants with elastic waistbands, which often compromise fit and durability.
Innovation Solution
A track snap closure system comprising male and female components with flanges, rails, and projections that allow for engagement even when slightly off-registration, providing a secure and flexible fastening mechanism with optional textured surfaces for grip or smooth sliding, enabling comfortable and aesthetic closure without requiring perfect alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fasteners (zippers, buttons, hook-and-eye, snap closures) are used, then fastening function is provided, but physical limitations reduce usefulness and applicability to flexible garments
Solution Approach 1:
The closure system is divided into multiple discrete components: male component with projections, female component with receiving areas, locking portions, and flanges. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for flexibility and securing function, enabling the closure to adapt to elastic and flexible garments while maintaining reliable fastening.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure system incorporates movable and flexible elements including the locking portion that can engage and disengage dynamically, and the overall structure designed to accommodate elastic deformation. This dynamic design allows the closure to maintain functionality on garments that stretch and move, resolving the contradiction between adaptability to flexible garments and reliable fastening.
2Reliability
If precise registration is required for fastener engagement, then secure fastening is achieved, but ease of operation is reduced due to alignment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The male and female components have asymmetric geometries with specific locking portions and receiving areas that guide engagement. The locking portion on the male component is designed to fit into the receiving area on the female component in a specific orientation, providing secure fastening while the asymmetric design inherently guides proper alignment during operation, reducing the burden on the user to achieve precise registration.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking portion acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the male and female components. It engages with the receiving area to secure the fastening while its geometry provides guidance during the engagement process, allowing the components to align properly during operation without requiring pre-positioning or precise manual alignment by the user.
3Reliability
If textured surfaces are added for grip, then locking reliability is improved, but friction increases which may prevent smooth sliding when fastened
Solution Approach 1:
The locking portion and receiving area are designed with specific local geometric features including locking surfaces and engagement geometries that provide reliable locking in the fastened state. The local quality of these engagement surfaces is optimized for secure connection, while the overall structure maintains smooth sliding capability during the fastening and unfastening operations, resolving the contradiction between locking reliability and operational smoothness.
Data Source
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AI summary
A closure or fastener is provided for apparel, shoes, equipment, and other applications. The closure may have a female component having a receiving area and a male component having a locking portion. Either or both the male component and female component may have a notched appearance to provide additional flexibility and comfort to the closure. Flanges on the male components and the female components may facilitate off- registration engagement of the closure system. Textures present or absent in the closure system may permit or prevent sliding by the male components and female components when the closure is engaged.