Apparatus and method for making a mechanical fastener
US6592800B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 4, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 15, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 4, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB29L2031/729
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming a mechanical fastener. A preferred embodiment of the method includes moving a substrate along a web path, where the substrate includes a first major surface and a plurality of stems extending from the first major surface of the substrate and each of the stems includes a stem end, radiantly heating the stem ends to form softened ends, and thereafter deforming the softened ends into convex heads with a deformable surface. A preferred embodiment of the apparatus includes a web conveyor, where the web conveyor defines a web path, a heating source located adjacent the web conveyor and a deformable surface located down the web path from the heating source, where the deformable surface includes a durometer hardness of greater than 10 Shore OO and less than 70 Shore A.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.