Waterproof Slide Fastener With Through-Hole Integrated Stoppers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional waterproof slide fasteners face manufacturing complexity and increased costs due to the need for alternating steps in forming through-holes and injection molding of fastener elements and stoppers, leading to potential water ingress when subjected to lateral pulling forces, and they require extensive synthetic resin for stopper formation, which reduces flexibility and increases manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A waterproof slide fastener design featuring fastener elements injection molded on both tape surfaces with stoppers having body and extension portions that straddle the tapes, connected through through-holes, ensuring no gaps form between the stopper and the tape, reducing resin usage, and enhancing fixing strength and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If alternating steps of forming through-holes and injection molding fastener elements and stoppers are used, then fastener elements and stoppers can be integrated into the tape structure, but manufacturing complexity increases and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent forms through-holes in the tape before injection molding the fastener elements and stoppers. This preliminary action allows the through-holes to be pre-formed as part of the tape structure, eliminating the need for subsequent alternating steps of hole formation and molding operations, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the formation of fastener elements and stoppers into a single injection molding operation that occurs after the through-holes are pre-formed. This merging of operations reduces the number of sequential steps required, decreasing manufacturing complexity while achieving the same integrated structure.
2Strength
If extensive synthetic resin is used for stopper formation, then stopper structure can be formed, but flexibility decreases and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies injection molding specifically to the regions where fastener elements and stoppers are needed, rather than using extensive synthetic resin throughout the entire tape structure. This localized application of resin maintains the necessary structural integrity of the stopper while preserving the flexibility of the surrounding tape material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the stopper formation function from a separate resin-based process and integrates it into the injection molding operation that also forms the fastener elements. This extraction allows the stopper to be formed with minimal additional resin, using the same molding process to create both components without requiring extensive synthetic resin application.
3Ease of manufacture
If gaps form between stopper and tape, then assembly is simplified, but water-tightness is compromised under lateral forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-forms through-holes in the tape before assembly, which allows the stopper to be precisely positioned and secured to the tape without creating gaps. This preliminary preparation ensures that the stopper and tape are properly aligned and integrated, preventing water ingress while maintaining ease of assembly through the pre-formed hole structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the pre-formed through-holes as intermediaries to connect the stopper to the tape structure. These through-holes act as mediators that facilitate secure attachment without creating gaps, as the stopper can be directly molded into or secured within the pre-formed hole openings, ensuring water-tightness while simplifying the assembly process.
Data Source
AI summary
A waterproof slide fastener where first and second through-holes are drilled in a tape side edge portion of a waterproof tape at specific intervals from one another, and first and second halves of a fastener element are integrally connected to each other through first through-holes. A stopper includes a body portion and an extension portion extending from the body portion. First and second halves of the stopper straddle a pair of waterproof tapes and are integrally connected to each other through second through-holes. According to the waterproof slide fastener, a manufacturing step thereof can be simplified, and it is possible to effectively prevent water from entering the waterproof slide fastener even if it receives a lateral pulling force.