A pivoting fastener assembly for securely fastening a panel in spaced relation to a support backing, and a method of manufacturing the same. The fastener assembly includes: a magnet-carrier assembly that includes a magnet that is fixed to a carrier member; and a base member that includes a base portion and a pivoting portion. The pivoting portion includes a head, a trunk, and an extension portion that is connected to the base portion. The extension portion includes a top side that connects a first peripheral surface to a second peripheral surface of the extension portion. A first end of the trunk is connected to the top side of the extension portion and a second end of the trunk is connected to the head. The base member is a unitary piece, and the head of the pivoting portion engages and retains the carrier member of the magnet-carrier assembly.

An article of footwear has a tubular structure. The tubular structure may include tab portions that extend away from a tunnel portion of the tubular structure. The tab portions may engage parts of the article of footwear. The tab portions may engage an upper or sole structure along a bite line. The tab portions may be attached to a heel counter, eyestay, or other structure on the article of footwear.

A composite part is provided and includes a component, a first set of first composite plies with finite lengths and a second set of second composite plies with finite lengths. A respective end of each of the first composite plies is wrapped around the component in a clockwise wrapping direction and includes first fibers. A respective end of each of the second composite plies is wrapped around the component in a counter-clockwise wrapping direction and includes second fibers.

An apparatus, system, and method that relate to a self-locking tie with one or more elastomeric features are disclosed. A strap of the self-locking tie includes one or more features that physically anchor the strap to a base of a mold during a multi-stage molding process. These features may include one or more recesses. Side walls of the one or more recesses may be sloped, as defined by anchors with undercut regions that physically engage material of the strap to prevent movement of the strap within a mold cavity of the base as the strap cools and as the strap is exposed between its formation and formation of one or more elastomeric features thereon.

An ejector element with a trigger for a belt buckle sensor includes a plate-shaped ejector body and a trigger blade of a magnetic and/or metallic material for producing a change in a magnetic field of a Hall sensor or an inductive sensor. The ejector element is distinguished by the fact that the trigger blade is connected in one piece to the ejector body, wherein the one-piece connection between the trigger blade and the ejector body is produced by an injection-molding process.

The present invention is directed to synthetic attachment discs made from adhesive nanofibers and/or microfibers that are capable of attaching long fibers to a wide variety of surfaces, and related methods for forming and using them. The synthetic attachment discs of the present invention use very little material relative to prior art systems, while producing a very strong attachment force. Experimental and theoretical evidence are provided to confirm the advantages of thousands of micron-size ‘staple-pins’ and their low peeling angles to enhance the adhesive forces required to peel the synthetic attachment discs. The present invention provides a unique strategy for designing new adhesives that use very little material for various biomedical and material science applications.

An article of footwear has a tubular structure that may conform to various anatomical features of a foot. The tubular structure has a tunnel, and a tensile strand runs through the tunnel. Applying tension along the tensile strand may cause the tubular structure to conform more closely to one or more anatomical features. The geometry, or path, of the tubular structure on the article may be customized.

In this molded surface fastener, plural engaging elements having a stem portion and an engaging head portion formed integrally on the stem portion are standing on the base portion, at least one pawl portion having a pawl width dimension narrower than a width dimension at a boundary between the stem portion and the engaging head portion is protruded on an outer peripheral edge part of the engaging head portion, and a back surface of pawl of the pawl portion is formed at different angles with respect to a back surface of head portion of the engaging head portion. Such a molded surface fastener of the present invention has a substantial engaging force with respect to a female surface fastener and can make a texture of its surface comfortable.

There is disclosed a member for sealing, baffling and/or reinforcing components of an automotive vehicle. The assembly generally includes a carrier, an expandable material and at least one fastener.

A reel based tensioning device includes a housing, a spool that is rotatably positioned within the housing, and a knob member that is operably coupled with the spool to cause the spool to rotate in a first direction within the housing and thereby wind a tension member about the spool. The reel based tensioning device also includes a load holding mechanism that is coupled with the spool and that is configured to rotate the spool in the first direction within the housing and to prevent rotation of the spool in a second direction to prevent unwinding of the tension member from about the spool. The reel based tensioning device further includes an audible component that is configured to produce an audible noise responsive to operation of the knob member to signal an adjustment of the tension member.