The present invention generally relates to fasteners and fastening systems, and in particular to fasteners or staples and a fastener stock configured for enabling enhanced precision and uniformity in the feeding of the fasteners to a needle assembly of a fastening system.
Plastic fasteners or elastic staples having a flexible filament connecting enlarged side members thereof are becoming increasingly popular alternatives for attachment and securing a variety of different articles, particularly in retail and other, similar applications. For example, it has now become common for plastic fasteners to be used to attach product labels, price tags or other materials to fabric materials such as garments and apparel items. Alternatively, plastic fasteners are used as a means of securing a product or item to a hang tag or similar packaging without having to fully encapsulate the product within the packaging. Plastic or elastic fasteners can enable the products to be securely fastened to product packaging or tags without the risk of injury or damage to the product from the use of metal staples having sharp edges. In addition, the cost of the plastic fasteners typically is substantially less than other packaging methods such as metal staples, cable ties and/or twist ties.
Such plastic fasteners generally are applied or inserted using a fastener dispensing tool or system. Such fastener dispensing systems include hand operating tools, often referred to as “tagging guns,” and automated stapling equipment which feed and cut the fasteners from a continuously connected fastener stock supply to a needle assembly for insertion of the fasteners into an article, such as an article of clothing, etc. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,039,078 and 4,121,487 illustrate continuously connected fastener stocks and systems for dispensing plastic fasteners from such fastener stock. As indicated in these patents, the fastener stock generally is formed with a ladder-like structure including elongated side members with filaments extending therebetween at spaced intervals. The fastener stock generally can be fed or wound about a supply roll and will be fed by a feed mechanism to the needle assembly of the fastener dispensing system, whereupon the fasteners will be separated or cut away from the stock and inserted into the article.
In conventional systems, the feed mechanism for feeding the fastener stock to the needle assembly of the fastener dispensing system generally comprises a feed wheel or similar rotary mechanism that engages the filaments extending between the side members and pulls or urges the fastener stock forwardly to feed a next fastener into the needle assembly for cutting and insertion. Such rotary feed systems, however, typically can be somewhat bulky and can create variation in a cut location. The filaments of the fastener stock typically have a desired amount of elasticity or flexibility and thus can stretch or expand by varying amounts as the filaments are engaged by the feed wheel, causing a variation or difference in the distance that the fastener stock is pulled forward. Thus, a variation or inconsistency is created in the cut location for successive fasteners cut from the fastener stock. These inconsistencies or variation in the location at which the fasteners are cut or severed from their fastener stock leads to inconsistent and reduced sizes of the side members of the plastic fasteners that in turn can lead to improper retention of the fastener in use. Such rotating feed wheel systems also can be somewhat complex and expensive in operation.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for a fastener and fastener stock system that addresses the foregoing and other related and unrelated problems in the art.
The embodiments of the present invention described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of the present invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved supply of substantially continuous fastener stock.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide fastener stock as described above that is shaped to include a pair of longitudinal and continuous side members to which are coupled to a plurality of equidistantly spaced cross-pieces. The pair of longitudinal and continuous side members are extended in a parallel spaced relationship, and the series of cross-pieces are arranged at spaced intervals between the side members so as to connect the side members. Along at least one of the side members, a series of engagement notches are present at spaced intervals between each of said cross-pieces members, and the engagement notches are rectangular or square in shape.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method of applying a fastener to an article. The method includes a step of initially feeding a substantially continuous fastener stock from a supply, wherein the fastener stock includes a pair of longitudinal and continuous side members that are linked by cross-pieces, which are extended and arranged at spaced intervals along the side members. A second step where at least one engagement notch is formed along at least one of the side members and engaged with a feed mechanism. A third step where the fastener stock is urged forwardly with the feed mechanism. A fourth step where the fastener stock is fed to a needle assembly of a fastener dispensing system. A fifth step where a fastener is cut from the fastener stock at a cut location, and a final step where the fastener is inserted into the article.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide fastener stock as described above that is shaped to include a pair of longitudinal and continuous side members to which are coupled to a plurality of equidistantly spaced cross-pieces. The pair of longitudinal and continuous side members are extended in a parallel spaced relationship, and the series of cross-pieces are arranged at spaced intervals between the side members so as to connect the side members. The pair or longitudinal and continuous side members and the cross-pieces both have a flat side. Along at least one of the side members, a series of engagement notches are present at spaced intervals between each of said cross-pieces members, and the engagement notches are rectangular or square in shape.
It is another object of the present invention to provide paddle fastener stock as described above that is shaped to include a longitudinal and continuous side member and a plurality of paddle heads to which are coupled to a plurality of equidistantly spaced cross-pieces. The longitudinal and continuous side member and paddle heads are extended in a parallel spaced relationship, and the series of cross-pieces are arranged at spaced intervals between the side member and paddle heads so as to connect the side member and paddle heads. The longitudinal and continuous side member, paddle heads, and the cross-pieces both have a flat side. Along the side member, a series of engagement notches are present at spaced intervals between each of said cross-pieces members, and the engagement notches are rectangular or square in shape.
The embodiments of the present invention described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of the present invention.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. It is to be understood, however, that the detailed description of the various embodiments and specific examples, while indicating preferred and other embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.
These, as well as other objects and advantages of this invention, will be more completely understood and appreciated by referring to the following more detailed description of the presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which:
The apparatuses and methods disclosed in this document are described in detail by way of examples and with reference to the figures. Unless otherwise specified, like numbers in the figures indicate references to the same, similar, or corresponding elements throughout the figures. It will be appreciated that modifications to disclosed and described examples, arrangements, configurations, components, elements, apparatuses, methods, materials, etc. can be made and may be desired for a specific application. In this disclosure, any identification of specific shapes, materials, techniques, arrangements, etc. are either related to a specific example presented or are merely a general description of such a shape, material, technique, arrangement, etc. Identifications of specific details or examples are not intended to be, and should not be, construed as mandatory or limiting unless specifically designated as such. Selected examples of apparatuses and methods are hereinafter disclosed and described in detail with reference made to the figures.
The side members 18-1 and 18-2 are spaced apart from one another by a desired fastener distance “d.” Along one or both of side members 18-1 and 18-2, a series of engagement notches 25 generally will be formed. Each notch 25 will be formed at a location substantially corresponding to or in close proximity with an actual or desired cut location 22 for the fastener 10 (
The cross-pieces 13 extend between the side members 18-1 and 18-2, connecting the side members 18-1 and 18-2 together. The cross-pieces 13 are arranged at spaced intervals along the side members 18-1 and 18-2. The cross-pieces 13 may be of a thinner or reduced cross-section as compared to the side members 18-1 and 18-2. Additionally, the desired approximate stretch range of the cross-pieces 13 can be varied depending upon the desired application of the fastener 10 (
Fastener stock 16 differs principally from prior art fastener stock in that fastener stock 16 includes the series of notches 25 formed along the sides of the side members 18-1 and 18-2. Referring to
As
Referring to
The fastener stock 16 (
From the manufacturing process by which the fastener stock 16 (
As indicated in
In addition to the feed mechanism 27 (
In addition to the embodiment described in
Alternatively in
In addition to the embodiments described, other feed systems may be utilized including a rotary wheel type feed mechanism for the fastener dispensing system.
Once the fastener stock 16 is cut, the severed fastener 10 (
Additionally, while the fastener 10 (
The paddle heads 36 and the side member 18-3 are spaced apart from one another by a desired fastener distance “p” and are parallel to one another. Along the side member 18-3, a series of engagement notches 39 generally will be formed. Each notch 39 will be formed at a location substantially corresponding to or in close proximity with an actual or desired cut location 22 for the paddle fastener 41 (
The paddle heads 36 are interconnected along a rectangular side portion 42. The paddle heads 36 are typically rectangular in shape and may have rounded or pointed corners. The paddle heads 36 are connected to the cross-piece 13-1 by attaching near a midpoint 43 along an inner wall 39 of the paddle head 36. The paddle heads 36 can be of various lengths, intervals and thicknesses.
The cross-pieces 13-1 extend between the side member 18-3 and the paddle heads 36, connecting the side member 18-3 and the paddle heads 36 together. The cross-pieces 13-1 are arranged at spaced intervals along the side member 18-3 and paddle heads 36. The cross-pieces 13-1 may be of a thinner or reduced cross-section as compared to the side member 18-3. Additionally, the desired approximate stretch range of the cross-pieces 13-1 can be varied depending upon the desired application of the paddle fastener 37 (
Referring to
A transverse cross-section of cross-bar 14-3, rectangular portion 38, and flexible filament 23-1 are generally in the form a flattened semi-ellipse, or flattened semi-oval, that includes a flat bottom surface on sides. This creates a D-shaped profile with opposing inner and outer surfaces that are generally flat with a rounded top surface. However, it is to be understood that the transverse cross-section of each of side member 18-3 (
Similar to the fastener stock 16 (
It will thus be seen according to the present invention a highly advantageous notched fastener has been provided. While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, and that many modifications and equivalent arrangements may be made thereof within the scope of the invention, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and products.
The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of their invention as it pertains to any apparatus, system, method or article not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set out in the following claims.
The present application is a Continuation-in-Part of International Application Number PCT/US2011/062189 filed Nov. 28, 2011 which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/420,856 filed Dec. 8, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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Entry |
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International Preliminary Report on Patentability dated Mar. 4, 2013 for International Application No. PCT/US11/062189 filed Nov. 28, 2011. |
Written Opinion dated Feb. 4, 2013 for International Application No. PCT/US11/062189 filed Nov. 28, 2011. |
International Search Report dated Feb. 6, 2012 for International Application No. PCT/US11/062189 filed Nov. 28, 2011. |
Written Opinion dated Feb. 6, 2012 for International Application No. PCT/US11/062189 filed Nov. 28, 2011. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20140165363 A1 | Jun 2014 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61420856 | Dec 2010 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13413287 | Mar 2012 | US |
Child | 14188196 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/US2011/062189 | Nov 2011 | US |
Child | 13413287 | US |