FASTENING SYSTEM

Abstract

A fastening system is disclosed, which can be applied repeatedly to third components, preferably having a smooth surface, for the purpose of detachable fastening to the same, consisting of at least two interconnected functional parts (2, 6) of planar shape, of which at least one functional part (2) has the form of a film and bears information and at least one further functional part (6) has a plurality of individual elements (4), the free end faces (8) of which adhere to the surface of the respective third component by means of adhesion.

Claims

1. A fastening system which can be applied repeatedly to third components, preferably having a smooth surface, for the purpose of detachable fastening to the same, consisting of at least two interconnected functional parts (2, 6) of planar shape, of which at least one functional part (2) has the form of a film and bears information and at least one further functional part (6) has a plurality of individual elements (4), the free end faces of which (8) adhere to the surface of the respective third component by means of adhesion.

2. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that a connecting means (22), in particular in the form of a glue, is introduced between the two functional parts (2, 6) for keeping them together.

3. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that for a sandwich-like structure between the two functional parts (2, 6) a third functional part (26) is arranged, which, designed as a support part (28), has the connecting layer (22) to at least one of the adjacent functional parts (2, 6) on at least one of its two sides, preferably on both sides.

4. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that all functional parts (2, 6, 26, 28), including any connecting means (22), are provided as layers and, at least in an initial state prior to use, are in contact with one another in a plane-parallel and full-contact manner and without any protrusions.

5. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least some of the functional elements (2, 61 26, 28) themselves have a multilayer structure.

6. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the further functional part (6) as a whole together with the individual elements (4) is subdivided into groups (30), which, at least in a longitudinal and/or transverse direction to the extension of the film of the one functional part (2), have a predeterminable distance (34) from one another, which preferably has a gap size that is smaller than the film thickness of each of the functional parts (2, 6, 26, 28).

7. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that a group member (30) of the groups (30) is formed of a single segment (32) which, in conjunction with further segments (32), forms the further functional part (6).

8. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the functional parts (2, 6, 26, 28) arranged adjacent to one another, are connected to each other without glue by means of a coating or lamination process.

9. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective functional part (2, 6, 26, 28) consists of a plastic material, such as polyethylene material, and in that the further functional part (6), at least to the extent of its individual elements (4), has adhesion properties of the class of poly(organo)siloxanes, preferably of a polyvinylsiloxane material.

10. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the one functional part (2) is designed bearing information and colored with symbols, preferably with text printed thereon reflective fluorescent luminous matte or glossy provided with AI.

11. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the functional parts (2, 6, 26, 28) is equipped with additional functions, such as being flame retardant recyclable biodegradable incinerable magnetizable or exhibiting magnetic properties resistant to electrostatic charge or electro-magnetically compatible (EMC) abrasion resistant.

12. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the further functional part having the individual elements, capable of adhesion, can be produced using a forming screen in a chill-roll process.

13. The fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening system, designed as rolled or wound material, in the unrolled or unwound state and divided into predeterminable lengths can fulfill the respective purposes.

14. A tradable merchandise item consisting of a plurality of fastening systems according to claim 1, which, combined on a carrier strip (38), as small parts (40) that can be separated from one another, after they have been detached from the carrier strip (38), are provided for the application for detachable adhesion to the third component.

15. Use of a fastening system according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening system is used to render the information content of traffic signs of any kind ineffective and/or is used as a warning to make vehicles, such as construction vehicles, recognizable, and for which, by detaching the fastening system from such third components, the ineffective-rendering or the making-recognizable is removed without leaving any residue.

Description

[0025] Below, a fastening system according to the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. In the figures, in a representation in principle and not to scale,

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a perspective top view of a part of the fastening system having individual elements projecting upwards, as part of a adhesion film forming the further adherent functional part, which is arranged on the subjacent film forming the one information-bearing functional part;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a fastening system according to the invention, consisting of the one functional part and of the further functional part according to the representation in FIG. 1;

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the fastening system of FIG. 2, wherein a connecting means is provided between the two functional parts;

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the fastening system of FIG. 3, wherein a third functional part in the form of a support part is provided between the one functional part and the further functional part, wherein a connecting means is introduced between the latter and the one functional part;

[0030] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the fastening system of FIG. 4, wherein between the one functional part and the support part as well as between the support part and the further functional part a connecting means is provided each;

[0031] FIG. 6 shows a side view of the fastening system shown in FIG. 2, wherein the further functional part is shown subdivided into segments each belonging to a group;

[0032] FIG. 7 shows a side view of the fastening system of FIG. 3, wherein the further functional part according to FIG. 6 is shown subdivided into segments;

[0033] FIG. 8 shows a side view of the fastening system of FIG. 7, wherein in addition to the further functional part the connecting means is subdivided corresponding to the segments of the further functional part; and

[0034] FIG. 9 shows a perspective oblique view of a marketable goods unit having several fastening systems according to the invention from FIGS. 1 to 8.

[0035] The figures show a fastening system for a repeated, re-detachable attachment to third components having a preferably smooth surface (not shown). The fastening system has at least two interconnected functional parts 2, 6 having a planar extension, i.e., at least one information-bearing first functional part 2 formed as a film, and at least one second, further functional part 6 comprising a plurality of individual elements 4. The free end faces 8 of the individual elements 4 adhere to the surface of the respective third component, for instance the surface of a traffic sign or a motor vehicle, by means of adhesion.

[0036] FIG. 1 shows the individual elements 4 extending largely at a right angle away from a first free and flat lateral surface 10 of a base part 12 of the further functional part 6. At its second flat lateral surface 14 opposite from the first lateral surface 10, the further functional part 6 is firmly connected to a first flat lateral surface 16 of the one functional part 2.

[0037] The individual elements 4 are each formed from stem or stalk parts 18, the free ends 8 of which widen in diameter in the form of a broadening 20. The individual elements 4 are furthermore set up in such a way that the adhesion of the broadenings 20 to a third component is implemented mainly by means of Van der Waals forces.

[0038] The further functional part 6 formed in this way can be manufactured very inexpensively on a large industrial scale and be connected to the surface of any third component and repeatedly reattached because the broadenings 20 of the individual elements 4 interact directly with the surface of the third component via the Van der Waals forces.

[0039] Because the Van der Waals forces are only effective over a short range, all the individual elements 4 preferably have the same length or height, so that the free ends 8 of the individual elements 4 are arranged in one plane. The individual elements 4 have sufficient inherent rigidity to prevent the individual elements 4 from buckling away from the surface, to be contacted, of the third component.

[0040] To ensure sufficiently good detachment behavior, the broadenings 20 of the individual elements 4 can each be connected to the stem part 18 via a corresponding reduction in diameter in the transition area to the stem part 18, forming a kind of joint at the transition point. In this way, when the fastening system is detached from a third component, the base part 12 of the further functional part 6 can be peeled off together with the stem parts 18 and the still adherent broadening 20 of the individual elements 4 can follow the peeling motion in the way of a rolling motion via the respective joint.

[0041] Very good adhesion results have been obtained when there are about 16,000 individual elements 4 or more per square centimeter of material of the base part 12, wherein the individual elements 4 have a length of about 100 μm or less in combination with a diameter of the head-end broadening 20 at a width of about 60 μm or less.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a schematic, principle view of the combination of the single one functional part 2 and the single further functional part 6, which are firmly connected without any connecting means.

[0043] A connecting means 22 can be inserted between two adjacent functional parts 2, 6 for firmly holding together or firmly interconnecting the two functional parts 2, 6. Thus, in FIG. 3, such a bonding layer 22 is introduced between the first lateral surface 16 of the single one functional part 2 and the second lateral surface 14 of the single further functional part 6, in particular in the form of a glue suitable for this purpose.

[0044] In FIG. 4, in the manner of a sandwich-like structure a third functional part 26 in the form of a support part 28 is arranged between these two functional parts 2, 6, wherein said support part is firmly connected to the further functional part 6 without any connecting means. In addition, a connecting means 22 is provided between the one support part 28 and the one functional part 2. In FIG. 5, just as in FIG. 4, one connecting means 22 each is provided between the third functional part 26, which is formed as a support part 28, and the one functional part 2 as well as in addition between the support part 28 and the further functional part 6. The support part 28 may be referred to as the profile supporting layer. The respective connecting means 22 may be formed from a layer of glue, for instance using an acrylic adhesive.

[0045] FIG. 6 shows the combination of the single one functional part 2 and the single further functional part 6. The further functional part 6, including its individual elements 4 as a whole, is divided into groups 30 at least in the longitudinal direction of the fastening system. Every group 30 has at least one individual segment 32, which each is, at least in the longitudinal direction of the fastening system, located at a predeterminable distance 34 from the adjacent segment 32 of a further group 30, wherein said distance is smaller than the film thickness of each of the functional parts 2, 6. The fastening system of FIG. 7 differs from the fastening system of FIG. 6 only in that a continuous layer of the connecting means 22 is provided between the two functional parts 2, 6, whereas in FIG. 8, in addition to the further functional part 6, the connecting means or glue means is subdivided in accordance with the segments 32 of the further functional part 6, forming the predeterminable distance 34.

[0046] All functional parts 2, 6, 26, 28 and connecting means 22 are formed in layers, wherein every functional part 2, 61 26, 28 may have a multilayer structure not shown in the figures. At least in an initial state before the fastening system is applied for the first time, all layers of the fastening system are in contact with each other in a plane-parallel, full-surface and protrusion-free manner.

[0047] The further functional part 6 is formed of a polyvinylsiloxane material at least in the extent of its individual elements 4 having adhesion properties.

[0048] The one functional part 2 is at least partially made of a plastic material, such as for instance polyethylene material, and can be formed in color and bearing information, printed with symbols including text, reflective, fluorescent, luminous and/or matte or glossy. It is also conceivable that a man-machine interface, a display, for instance a digital display, a sensor, a data interface and/or a transponder interface, are integrated into the one functional part 2, each of which is connected for data processing to a computing unit on which self-learning algorithms in terms of machine learning can be implemented. In this context, a functional part 2, 6, 26, 28 designed in this way is referred to as being provided with artificial intelligence.

[0049] Every functional part 2, 6, 26, 28 may have at least one additional property: for instance, it may be designed to be flame retardant, recyclable, biodegradable, incinerable, magnetizable or magnetic, resistant to electrostatic charging or electromagnetically compatible, and/or abrasion resistant.

[0050] A fastening system designed in this way can be used to render the information content of traffic signs of any kind ineffective and/or be used as a warning sign to identify vehicles, such as construction vehicles, wherein the ineffectiveness or identification is removed without leaving any residue after the fastening system has been detached from these third components. Because of that the fastening system can be applied adherent with a high degree of repeatability even to dirty, rough, moist and/or non-magnetic third components in the form of traffic signs or vehicles without leaving any residue on the respective third components.

[0051] FIG. 9 shows a carrier strip 38, on which several fastening systems as small parts 40, separatable from one another, so-called patches 40 are detachably arranged, by means of a commercially available glue, which can be detached from the carrier strip 38 and repeatedly detachable attached to a third component. It is also conceivable that, for transport purposes or for storage, the fastening system is formed as rolled material or wound material which, in the unrolled or unwound state and in predeterminable lengths, can be separated, for instance by means of cutting, and can be repeatedly detachable attached to third components.

[0052] The manufacturing process of such a fastening system is explained in more detail below:

[0053] First of all, the further functional part 6 is manufactured by means of a so-called chill-roll process not shown in the figures. In this process, a plastic is fed to a shaping zone, formed as a conveying gap, which is formed between a pressure tool in the form of a pressure roller and a shaping tool in the form of a molding roller. The molding tool has a forming screen on its circumference, in which mold cavities are regularly distributed along its outer circumference. Viewed in longitudinal section (perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the respective roll), the mold cavities have two opposing boundary walls, preferably each having a continuously convex path. The spacing of the boundary walls widens starting from the outer circumference of the forming screen in the direction of the axis of rotation of the forming tool. When the two rolls are driven in opposite directions of rotation, they convey the plastic through the conveying gap, wherein the base part 12 or support part of the further functional part 6 is formed and the individual elements 4 are formed on the side, contacting the molding roller, of the base part 12 by means of the forming cavities of the molding roller.

[0054] Subsequently, the further adhering functional part 6 is firmly connected to the one information-bearing functional part 2 according to FIGS. 1 to 8, if required layered with the interposition of the support part 28 and/or the connecting means 22 or without a connecting means, by means of a coating or lamination process, thereby forming the relevant fastening system shown in FIGS. 1 to 8.