Fasteners with increased holding power
AssigneeWTPA, Incorporated
InventorEustathios Vassiliou
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention discloses fasteners characterized by the use of barbs to secure a primary object in place. More particularly, the barbs which are used are critically shaped barbs resulting in considerable increase of the holding force without sacrificing the flexibility of the barbs, and without sacrificing the broad acceptability of various thicknesses of the primary object to be fastened.
Claims22
A fastener having a fastening region within which at least a part of a primary object can be inserted, the fastener comprising a first structural side adjacent to the fastening region, the first structural side comprising a first bent barb extending from the first structural side into the fastening region, the first bent barb having a first back portion and a first front portion adjacent to and pointing toward the primary object, when the primary object has been inserted into the fastening region, the first front portion having a first angle with respect to the primary object which is different than a respective second angle that the first front portion would have with respect to the primary object if the first barb were straight and not bent, the fastening region having an insertion end through which the primary object is to be inserted, the first back portion of the first bent barb originating from a point on the first structural side located under said insertion point and being closer to the insertion point than the first front portion of the first bent barb.
A fastener having a fastening region within which at least a part of a primary object can be inserted, the fastener comprising:
- a first structural side adjacent to the fastening region, the first structural side comprising a first bent barb extending from the first structural side into the fastening region, the first bent barb having a first back portion adjacent to the first structural side and a first front portion adjacent to the primary object, when the primary object has been inserted into the fastening region, the first front portion having a first angle with respect to the primary object which is different than a respective second angle that the first front portion would have with respect to the primary object if the first barb were straight and not bent, the fastening region having an insertion end through which the primary object is to be inserted, the first back portion of the first bent barb being closer to the insertion point than the first front portion of the first bent barb;
- and
- a second structural side opposite the first structural side comprising a second barb, wherein the second bent barb extends from the second structural side into the fastening region, the second bent barb having a second back portion adjacent to the second structural side and a second front portion adjacent to the primary object, when the primary object has been inserted into the fastening region, the second front portion having a third angle with respect to the primary object which is different than a respective fourth angle that the second front portion would have with respect to the primary object if the second barb were straight and not bent, the second back portion of the second bent barb being closer to the insertion point than the second front portion of the second bent barb.
A vehicle comprising a fastener having a fastening region within which at least a part of a primary object can be inserted, and can be removed after it has been inserted, without manipulation of the fastener, the fastener comprising a first structural side adjacent to the fastening region, the first structural side comprising a first bent barb extending from the first structural side into the fastening region, the first bent barb having a first back portion and a first front portion adjacent to and pointing toward the primary object, when the primary object has been inserted into the fastening region, the first front portion having a first angle with respect to the primary object which is different than a respective second angle that the first front portion would have with respect to the primary object if the first barb were straight and not bent, the fastening region having an insertion end through which the primary object is to be inserted, the first back portion of the first bent barb originating from a point on the first structural side located under said insertion point and being closer to the insertion point than the first front portion of the first bent barb.
A vehicle comprising a fastener having a fastening region within which at least a part of a primary object can be inserted, and can be removed after it has been inserted, without manipulation of the fastener, the fastener comprising:
- a first structural side adjacent to the fastening region, the first structural side comprising a first bent barb extending from the first structural side into the fastening region, the first bent barb having a first back portion adjacent to the first structural side and a first front portion adjacent to the primary object, when the primary object has been inserted into the fastening region, the first front portion having a first angle with respect to the primary object which is different than a respective second angle that the first front portion would have with respect to the primary object if the first barb were straight and not bent, the fastening region having an insertion end through which the primary object is to be inserted, the first back portion of the first bent barb being closer to the insertion point than the first front portion of the first bent barb;
- and
- a second structural side opposite the first structural side comprising a second barb, wherein the second bent barb extends from the second structural side into the fastening region, the second bent barb having a second back portion adjacent to the second structural side and a second front portion adjacent to the primary object, when the primary object has been inserted into the fastening region, the second front portion having a third angle with respect to the primary object which is different than a respective fourth angle that the second front portion would have with respect to the primary object if the second barb were straight and not bent, the second back portion of the second bent barb being closer to the insertion point than the second front portion of the second bent barb.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.