Apparatus for Producing a Hook-and-Loop Fastener Connector via an Injection Molding Method

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for producing a hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) via an injection molding method, which comprises: an injection mold (11) having a plurality of first and second mold halves (1;2), wherein each first mold half (1) exhibits a plurality of first cavities (3) in a first surface (4) and each second mold half (2) exhibits a plurality of second cavities (5 ) in a second surface (6), and the first and second surfaces (4;6) face each other and contact such that the first and second cavity (3; 5) together form an entire cavity in hook form, wherein the hook form (7) exhibits a hook foot (8) and a hook head (9), and the hook foot (8) and hook head (9) are arranged within one plane, wherein the hook foot (8) is formed at least by the first cavity (3) and the hook head (9) is formed at least by the second cavity (5), wherein the injection mold (11) has a longitudinal axis (12) along which the second mold halves (2) are displaceable in relation to the first mold halves (1), characterized in that the plane (10) and the longitudinal axis (12) are angled to one another.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing a hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) via an injection molding method, which comprises: an injection mold (11) having a plurality of first and second mold halves (1;2), wherein each first mold half (1) exhibits a plurality of first cavities (3) in a first surface (4) and each second mold half (2) exhibits a plurality of second cavities (5) in a second surface (6), and the first and second surfaces (4;6) face each other and contact such that the first and second cavity (3; 5) together form an entire cavity in hook form, wherein the hook form (7) exhibits a hook foot (8) and a hook head (9), and the hook foot (8) and hook head (9) are arranged within one plane, wherein the hook foot (8) is formed at least by the first cavity (3) and the hook head (9) is formed at least by the second cavity (5), wherein the injection mold (11) has a longitudinal axis (12) along which the second mold halves (2) are displaceable in relation to the first mold halves (1), characterized in that the plane (10) and the longitudinal axis (12) are angled to one another.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, which has at least one of the following features: the plane (10) and the longitudinal axis (12) are angled to each other at an angle (α) of up to 40°, preferentially 5° to 30°, particularly preferentially 10° to 20°; the first and second surfaces (4;6) of the plurality of first and second mold halves (1;2) are arranged parallel to each other, preferentially parallel to the longitudinal axis (12); the hook foot (8) is formed by the first and second cavity (3;5) and the hook head (9) is formed by the second cavity (5); the second cavity (5) is dimensioned such that the hook head (9) exhibits a cross section equal to or greater than the cross section of the hook foot (8); at least one first mold half (1) exhibits a respective first surface (4) on two opposite sides and at least one second mold half (2) exhibits a respective second surface (6) on two opposite sides; the second mold half (2) is configured such that the hook head (9) is shaped as a double hook head (17), its hook heads pointing in 180° opposite directions; the cross section of the hook foot (8) and/or hook head (9) is essentially circular.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first mold half (1) exhibits a third surface (13) and the second mold half (2) exhibits a fourth surface (14), and the third surface (13) is adjacent the first surface (4) and the fourth surface (14) is adjacent the second surface (6), wherein the third and fourth surface (13;14) together form an opening constituting the cross section of the lower end of the hook foot (8); this opening preferentially leading to a further cavity (15) in the form of a base plate (16) of the hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) so that when the injection mold is filled, the hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) with a plurality of hooks (7) formed on the base plate (16) is obtained.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 having at least one of the following features: the third surface (13) is perpendicular to the first surface (4) and the fourth surface (14) is perpendicular to the second surface (6); the second mold halves (2) are displaceable in the direction of the further cavity (15) in the form of a base plate (16) of the hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) while the first mold halves (1) maintain their position; the third and fourth surfaces (13;14) are planar.

5. The apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second surfaces (4; 6) are planar and the second cavities (5) are preferentially formed such that each of the ends of the hook head forms (9) exhibit the same orientation.

6. The apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first and second surfaces (1; 2) are arranged concentrically to one another.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first and second mold halves (1; 2) are arranged circularly concentric to one another and all the second cavities (5) are preferentially formed such that all the hook head forms (9) are essentially tangential to the circular form of the second mold half (2) and each of the ends of the hook head forms (9) exhibit the same orientation.

8. The apparatus according to one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the opening is circular and the third surface (13) forms a circle segment of 60-80% of the circular area of the opening and the fourth surface (14) forms a circle segment of 20-40% of the circular area of the opening, under the condition that the total circular area of the opening amounts to 100%; and/or the first and second mold half (1; 2) are dimensioned such that the hook head (9) exhibits a diameter equal to or greater than the diameter of the hook foot (8), wherein the hook head (9) is preferably up to 25% greater in diameter than the hook foot (8), further preferentially 4% to 22% greater, even further preferentially 6 to 18% greater, particularly preferentially 8 to 12% greater.

9. An injection molding method for producing a hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) using an apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The injection molding method according to claim 9, wherein the hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) is molded in one piece in the injection mold (11).

11. The injection molding method according to claim 9 or 10, comprising the following steps a) to c), and optionally step d): a) injecting molten plastic into the injection mold (11); b) cooling the molten plastic in the injection mold (11) until the plastic is solid; and; c) longitudinally displacing the second mold halves (2) along the injection mold (11) toward the base plate (16) of the hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) on which the hooks (7) are formed in order to remove the hook feet (8) from the first mold halves (1); d) pulling on the base plate (16) of the hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) so as to pull out the hook heads (9) located in the second mold halves (2).

12. A hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) having a plurality of hooks (7) arranged on a base plate (16), wherein the hooks (7) exhibit a hook foot (8) and a hook head (9), and the hook foot (8) and hook head (9) are arranged within one plane (10), characterized in that the plane (10) and the base plate (16) are angled to each other at an angle (62 ) greater than 90°.

13. The hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) according to claim 12, wherein the plane (10) and the base plate (16) are angled to one another at an angle (β) greater than 90° to 130°, further preferentially 95° to 120°, and particularly preferentially 100° to 110°; and/or the hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) is obtainable by a method according to one of claims 9 to 11.

14. The hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) is a fastening device for a motor vehicle floor mat which has at least one of the following features: a fastening means (19) on the side of the base plate (16) opposite the side with the plurality of hooks (7), wherein the fastening means (19) serves to fix the base plate (16) to the floor of a motor vehicle's interior, and the base plate (16), the plurality of hooks (7) and the fastening means (19) are formed in one piece; a fastening means (19) in the form of a screw or a T-shaped anchoring element; a fastening means (19) of 0.4 to 3 cm in length measured from the base plate, preferentially 0.8 to 2.4 cm, particularly preferentially 1.2 to 1.8 cm.

15. The hook-and-loop fastener connector (18) according to one of claims 12 to 14 which comprises at least one of the following features: the plurality of hooks (7) are arranged circularly concentrically on the base plate; each hook (7) exhibits a hook foot (8) of circular cross section at a diameter of 0.3 to 0.8 mm, preferentially 0.4 to 0.7 mm, particularly preferentially 0.45 to 0.6 mm; each hook (7) exhibits a hook head (9) having a diameter equal to or greater than the diameter of the hook foot (8), preferably up to 25% greater in diameter than the hook foot, further preferentially 4% to 22% greater, even further preferentially 6 to 18% greater, particularly preferentially 8 to 12% greater; each hook (7) is 1.2 to 4 mm in height from the hook foot (8) to the hook head (9), preferentially 1.5 to 3 mm, particularly preferentially 1.8 to 2.5 mm; the base plate (16) of the hook-and-loop fastener connector is circular and exhibits a diameter of 5 to 10 cm and a thickness of 1 to 5 mm, preferentially a diameter of 6 to 8.5 cm and a thickness of 1.5 to 4 mm, particularly preferentially a diameter of 6 to 7.5 cm and a thickness of 2 to 3 mm.

Description

[0082] Provided according to one particularly preferential embodiment is a hook-and-loop fastener connector having a plurality of hooks arranged on a base plate, wherein the hooks exhibit a hook foot and a hook head and the hook foot and hook head are arranged within one plane, characterized in that the plane and the base plate are angled to each other at an angle β of 95° to 120°, preferentially 100° to 110°; the hooks preferentially exhibit a hook head having a diameter equal to or greater than the diameter of the hook foot, and the plurality of hooks are preferentially arranged circularly concentrically on the base plate. The following will reference the accompanying schematic drawings in describing the invention in greater detail on the basis of an exemplary embodiment. Shown are:

[0083] FIG. 1: a top view from diagonally above onto the plurality of first and second mold halves of the inventive apparatus, wherein the first and second mold halves here are displaced relative to one another along the longitudinal axis of the injection mold;

[0084] FIG. 2: a half cross-sectional view of the injection mold of the inventive apparatus, whereby in contrast to FIG. 1, the first and second surfaces face each other and contact such that the first and second cavity together form an entire cavity in hook form. The dashed line indicates where the cross section of the injection mold was halved—mirroring the half cross-sectional view against the dashed line provides the full cross-sectional view of the injection mold;

[0085] FIG. 3: a detail view of the encircled section A shown in FIG. 2;

[0086] FIG. 4: side views of schematically depicted hook forms;

[0087] FIG. 5 two side views of a particularly preferential hook formed by an entire cavity in hook form as formed by the first and second cavity together;

[0088] FIG. 6: a side view of a preferential hook having a double hook head;

[0089] FIG. 7: a top view from diagonally above onto the hook-and-loop disk of a preferential hook-and-loop fastener connector; and

[0090] FIG. 8: a top view from diagonally above onto the lower portion of the preferential hook-and-loop fastener connector.

[0091] FIG. 1 shows a preferential embodiment of the inventive apparatus depicting a plurality of first mold halves 1 and second mold halves 2 which are arranged circularly concentric to one another. The second mold halves 2 here are displaced along the longitudinal axis 12 of the injection mold 11 in relation to the first mold halves; i.e. in demolding or respectively expulsion position. To produce the hook-and-loop fastener connector, the first mold halves 1 and second mold halves 2 are arranged in such a manner (not shown in FIG. 1) that the plurality of first cavities 3 in a first surface 4 of the first mold half 1 and the plurality of second cavities 5 in a second surface 6 of the second mold half 2 face each other and contact so that the first cavity 3 and second cavity 5 together form an entire cavity in hook form 7. The hook foot 8 here is formed by the first cavity 3 and second cavity 5 and the hook head 9 is formed by the second cavity 5.

[0092] It is evident from FIGS. 2 and 3 how the (imaginary) plane 10 within which the hook foot 8 and hook head 9 are arranged and the longitudinal axis 12 of the injection mold 11 are angled to one another, in this example case at an angle a of 15° . FIG. 3 depicts the plane 10 as a simple line because plane 10 is being viewed from the side here. In the apparatus depicted here, the first mold half 1 exhibits a third surface 13 and the second mold half 2 a fourth surface 14, the third surface 13 being adjacent the first surface 4 and the fourth surface 14 being adjacent the second surface 6. The third surface 13 and fourth surface 14 together form an opening which constitutes the cross section of the lower end of the hook foot 8. This opening leads to a further cavity 15 in the form of a base plate 16 of the hook-and-loop fastener connector so that when the injection mold is filled, a hook-and-loop fastener connector having a plurality of hooks formed on the base plate is obtained. The further cavity 15 in the form of a base plate 16 of the hook-and-loop fastener connector shown here is furthermore configured with a cavity in the form of a fastening means 19. Due to the angling of the plane 10 and longitudinal axis 12 to one another 12, hooks 7 are provided on the base plate during injection molding at an angle β. Since the third surface 13 is perpendicular to the first surface 4 and the fourth surface 14 is perpendicular to the second surface 6 in the present example, angle β here is equal to angle a plus 90°, thus angle β=105°.

[0093] FIG. 4 shows side views of schematically depicted hook forms, specifically from left to right: hook forms 7 with hook heads 9 in semicircular form, ⅔ semicircular form, angled in an inverted V shape and in an angular inverted U shape. The dashed line shows the schematic separation between hook head 9 and hook foot 8. In semicircular or circular form, the hook head 9 begins (and the hook foot 8 ends) at the circular curvature of the hook head. In the inverted V shape and angular U shape, the hook foot 8 ends and the hook head 9 begins at the point where the dashed line, running from the end of the hook head, perpendicularly intersects the hook foot. However, the separation between hook head and hook foot shown here is purely schematic. Because in three-dimensional form, part of the hook foot can fall below or exceed the height of the separation point along the longitudinal direction of the hook foot shown in FIG. 4.

[0094] FIG. 5 shows a preferential hook (form) 7 having a hook foot 8 and a hook head 9, and that in two side views of the hook (form) 7. The hook foot 8 here exhibits a circular cross section and the hook head 9 exhibits an essentially circular cross section of circular segmented shape. Evident from the hook form on the left is that a part of the hook foot 8 formed by the first mold half extends beyond the point at which the hook head 9 begins to curve.

[0095] FIG. 6 shows an example of a hook (form) 7 having a double hook head 17.

[0096] FIG. 7 shows a preferential embodiment of the hook-and-loop fastener connector 18 in the form of a fastening device for a motor vehicle floor mat, and specifically its upper side exhibiting a plurality of hooks 7 on the base plate 16. The hooks 7 here are arranged in a circular concentric manner, whereby the orientation of the hook head forms is opposite from one concentric ring of hooks 7 to the adjacent concentric ring of hooks 7; i.e. the hooks are arranged against each other in a circle.

[0097] FIG. 8 shows the underside of the hook-and-loop fastener connector 18 shown in FIG. 7 which comprises a fastening means 19 as a T-shaped anchoring element.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0098] 1 first mold half [0099] 2 second mold half [0100] 3 first cavity [0101] 4 first surface of first mold half [0102] 5 second cavity [0103] 6 second surface of second mold half [0104] 7 hook (form) [0105] 8 hook foot [0106] 9 hook head [0107] 10 plane within which the hook foot and hook head are arranged [0108] 11 injection mold [0109] 12 longitudinal axis [0110] 13 third surface of first mold half [0111] 14 fourth surface of second mold half [0112] 15 further cavity in the form of a base plate of the hook-and-loop fastener connector [0113] 16 base plate of the hook-and-loop fastener connector [0114] 17 double hook head [0115] 18 hook-and-loop fastener connector in the form of a fastening device for a motor vehicle floor mat [0116] 19 fastening means of base plate 16 [0117] A detail from FIG. 2 [0118] α angle between plane 10 and longitudinal axis 12 [0119] β angle between plane 10 and base plate 16