Filamentary fastener and method of making same using insert molding

A method of making a fastener, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a length of flexible filamentary material, said length of flexible filamentary material being plastic;
• (b) stretching the length of flexible filamentary material;
• (c) insert molding a cross-bar onto said length of stretched flexible filamentary material;
• and
• (d) insert molding a paddle onto said length of stretched flexible filamentary material, said paddle being spaced apart from said cross-bar, said paddle and said cross-bar being made of the same type of material as said stretched flexible filamentary material, said paddle and said cross-bar being made of a material selected from the group consisting of propylene, nylon, urethane and combinations thereof.

A method of making a fastener, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a length of flexible filamentary material;
• (b) insert molding a cross-bar onto said length of flexible filamentary material;
• and
• (c) insert molding a paddle onto said length of flexible filamentary material, said paddle being spaced apart from said cross-bar, said paddle and said cross-bar not being made of the same type of material as said stretched flexible filamentary material.

A method of making a fastener, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a length of flexible filamentary material;
• (b) providing a mold, said mold being shaped to include a paddle impression and a cross-bar impression, said paddle impression and said cross-bar impression being parallel to one another;
• (c) insert molding, using said mold, a first paddle and a first cross-bar onto said length of flexible filamentary material;
• (d) repositioning said length of flexible filamentary material relative to said mold so that said first paddle and said first cross-bar are spaced apart from said mold;
• and
• (e) insert molding, using said mold, a second paddle and a second cross-bar onto said length of flexible filamentary material.

A method of making a fastener, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a length of flexible filamentary material;
• (b) providing a mold, said mold being shaped to include a paddle impression and a cross-bar impression, said paddle impression and said cross-bar impression being parallel to one another;
• (c) insert molding, using said mold, a first paddle and a first cross-bar onto said length of flexible filamentary material;
• (d) repositioning said length of flexible filamentary material relative to said mold so that said first paddle and said first cross-bar are spaced apart from said mold;
• (e) insert molding, using said mold, a second paddle and a second cross-bar onto said length of flexible filamentary material;
• (f) wherein said first and second paddles and said first and second cross-bars are not made of the same type of material as said flexible filamentary material.

A method of making a fastener clip, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a mold, said mold being shaped to include a runner bar impression, a plurality of cross-bar impressions disposed to one side of said runner bar impression and spaced therefrom, each of said cross-bar impressions being parallel to one another and being perpendicular to said runner bar impression, and a corresponding plurality of paddle impressions disposed to an opposite side of said runner bar impression and spaced therefrom, each of said paddle impressions being parallel to one another and being aligned with a corresponding cross-bar impression;
• (b) providing a plurality of stretched plastic flexible filaments, the number of stretched plastic flexible filaments corresponding to the number of pairs of paddle and cross-bar impressions in said mold;
• (c) insert molding, using said mold, a first paddle and a first cross-bar onto each of said stretched plastic filaments and a first runner bar interconnecting the plurality of stretched plastic flexible filaments;
• (d) repositioning each of said stretched plastic flexible filaments relative to said mold so that said first paddles and said first cross-bars are spaced from said mold;
• and
• (e) insert molding, using said mold, a second paddle and a second cross-bar onto each of the stretched plastic flexible filaments and a second runner bar interconnecting the plurality of stretched plastic flexible filaments.

A method of making a fastener, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a length of flexible filamentary material;
• (b) providing a mold, said mold being shaped to include a first impression, said first impression being in the shape of a cross-bar;
• (c) insert molding, using said first impression, a first cross-bar onto said length of flexible filamentary material;
• (d) repositioning said length of flexible filamentary material so that said first cross-bar is spaced away from said mold;
• and
• (e) insert molding, using said first impression, a second cross-bar onto said length of flexible filamentary material.

A method of making a fastener clip, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a mold, said mold being shaped to include a runner bar impression, a first plurality of impressions disposed on one side of said runner bar impression and spaced therefrom and a corresponding second plurality of impressions disposed on an opposite side of said runner bar impression and spaced therefrom, said first plurality of impressions and said second plurality of impressions being aligned with one another, each of said first plurality of impressions being in the shape of a first end of a fastener, each of said second plurality of impressions being in the shape of a second end of a fastener;
• (b) inserting a plurality of flexible filaments into said mold, each of said flexible filaments extending across one of said second plurality of impressions, said runner bar and one of said first plurality of impressions;
• (c) insert molding, using said mold, one second end of a fastener and one first end of a fastener onto each of said flexible filaments and a first runner bar interconnecting the plurality of flexible filaments;
• (d) repositioning each of said flexible filaments relative to said mold so that said first ends and said second ends formed on said flexible filaments are spaced away from said mold;
• and
• (e) repeating step (c) to form another second end and another first end on each of said flexible filaments, as well as a second runner bar interconnecting the plurality of flexible filaments.