Attaching and/or releasing parts using lobe-and-trough engagement
AssigneeHowe & Howe Inc.
InventorsForrest Joel Tripp, Anthony Victor Castro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique for forming a releasable attachment provides first and second latch strips each having an alternating pattern of lobes and troughs. The lobes of the first latch strip are adapted to fit within the troughs of the second latch strip, and vice versa, with the lobes retained within the troughs until sufficient force is applied between the first and second latch strips to separate them.
Claims20
A fastener for forming a releasable attachment, comprising:
- a first latch strip composed at least in part of deformable material and having a first plurality of lobes and a first plurality of troughs;
- and
- a second latch strip having a second plurality of lobes and a second plurality of troughs;
- wherein at least some of the first plurality of lobes are disposed within at least some of the second plurality of troughs and at least some of the second plurality of lobes are disposed within at least some of the first plurality of troughs.
A vehicle, comprising a surface, an accessory, and a fastener that forms a releasable attachment between the surface and the accessory, the fastener including:
- a first latch strip composed at least in part of deformable material and having a first plurality of lobes and a first plurality of troughs;
- and
- a second latch strip composed having a second plurality of lobes and a second plurality of troughs;
- wherein at least some of the first plurality of lobes are disposed within at least some of the second plurality of troughs and at least some of the second plurality of lobes are disposed within at least some of the first plurality of troughs.
A method of handling a releasable attachment between a first surface and a second surface, comprising:
- securing a first latch strip to the first surface, the first latch strip including a first plurality of lobes;
- securing a second latch strip to the second surface, the second latch strip including a second plurality of lobes;
- and
- attaching the first surface to the second surface by forming an interlocking engagement between at least some of the first plurality of lobes and at least some of the second plurality of lobes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.