Extruded fastener and method for making same
AssigneeVintech Industries, Inc.
InventorsJames Schoonover, Robert Rutoski, Kevin J. Weingartz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An extruded integrated fastener assembly comprising a plurality of fasteners cut to length from an extruded length of material. Unwanted areas of material are cut away leaving the individual fasteners, which fasteners are also connected together by an expanse of material that remains. The fastener assembly can be single durometer or double durometer. A profile with retention members and/or leg features are formed in the fasteners for connecting to a predetermined component. The process for manufacturing the extruded integrated fastener assembly includes providing fabrication tooling suitable to cut away the unwanted area between the fasteners. The fasteners are thereby able to be cut to any desired length.
Claims12
An extruded integrated fastener assembly, comprising:
- a continuous strip of at least one predetermined extruded material incorporating a plurality of fasteners of predetermined length cut into the continuous strip in the same orientation as each other relative to a longitudinal axis of the continuous strip, each of said plurality of fasteners including a pair of legs;
- at least one retention member located on a side of each leg of said pair of legs adapted to operably retain each fastener with respect to an aperture of a component;
- and
- an expanse portion of the continuous strip linking adjacent fasteners.
A method of making an extruded integrated fastener assembly, comprising:
- providing at least one extruder;
- providing fabrication tooling;
- extruding at least one predetermined material of predetermined durometer forming a continuous strip of predetermined profile;
- cutting away predetermined areas of the continuous strip with the fabrication tooling to form a plurality of fasteners of predetermined length that include at least one retention member located on both sides of each of the plurality of fasteners;
- wherein the plurality of fasteners are connected together by an expanse of the at least one material that is not cut away by the fabrication tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.