Abstract: A releasable fastener system comprises a loop portion and a hook portion. The loop portion includes a support and a loop material disposed on one side thereof. The hook portion includes a support and a plurality of closely spaced upstanding hook elements extending from one side thereof, wherein the plurality of hook elements comprises a fiber and a shape memory alloy coating deposited onto the fiber, and wherein the fiber and the shape memory alloy coating comprises a non-axisymmetric coating or deposition of the shape memory alloy about a portion of the fiber. When the hook portion and loop portion are pressed together they interlock to form a releasable engagement. The resulting joint created by the engagement is relatively resistant to shear and pull forces and weak in peel strength forces.

Abstract: A grommet is mounted on a panel of an automobile. The grommet includes a tubular body, a fitting portion, a flange portion, projected portions, and a lip. A wire harness is passed through the grommet body. The fitting portion is formed at an end of the grommet body, and is fitted in a hole in the panel. The flange portion includes a pair of straight portions, and a pair of arcuate portions. The pair of straight portions are spaced from each other in parallel. The pair of arcuate portions interconnect the pair of straight portions. The projected portions project outwardly from the straight portions, respectively. The lip is formed at an outer peripheral edge portion of the flange portion, and when the fitting portion is fitted in the hole, the lip is held in contact with the panel.

Abstract: A tape with snap fastener in which fixing strength of a fastener to a tape main body is secured and which is excellent in durability by eliminating a possibility that the fastener may contact directly the tape upon engagement and disengagement and has good external design performance. A base portion is fixed to front and rear surfaces of the tape main body of the male or female synthetic resin snap fastener, and a substantially cylindrical engaging protruding portion projects vertically from the base portion. A ring-like continuous concave groove portion, which has the same center as the base portion and an inner diameter exceeding the inner diameter of the engaging protruding portion, is provided on any one of front and rear surfaces of the base portion. The engaging protruding portion and the continuous concave groove portion have depth reaching the tape main body.

Abstract: A two-part buckle is provided with springing structure associated with web securing structures of the buckle parts, and with structure allowing deflection within the buckle part to at least partly absorb tensile forces applied to the buckle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for bundling objects, such as cable bundles. The inventive device consists of a toothed tape and a lock that is fixedly connected to an end thereof. The lock is provided with a opening for receiving and holding the free tape end. A tape guiding surface which is situated crosswise in relation to the direction of the tape opening is provided on the side of the lock, whereby said side is opposite the connection to the tape. A portion of the tape which is stretched around an object rests on said surface before entering the tape opening. The tape guiding surface is provided with increased edge ledges.

Abstract: A ratchet-type buckle (100) is disclosed for use with a ladder strap (80), wherein the buckle includes a toothed, barrel-shaped strap engagement member (140) that is rotatably mounted between oppositely disposed sidewalls (130) that are pivotally coupled to a base (110). The engagement member is positioned to drivably engage and hold the strap. A holding pawl (160) allows forward rotation and hinders backward rotation of the engagement member. A driving pawl (180) is incorporated into a lever assembly (170), which is pivotally coupled to the sidewalls, the driving pawl positioned to engage and rotate the engagement member teeth when the lever assembly is pivoted in a forward direction. The pivotal coupling of the sidewalls to the base permit the engagement member to be lifted away from the base, to release the strap. The sidewalls are preferably biased towards the base.

Abstract: A retaining arrangement retains a key holder of a type having a tag suspended from a ring with the ring also holding at least one key. The retaining arrangement includes a panel. A plurality of slots is defined by the panel. Each slot is shaped and dimensioned to receive the tag of the key holder through it such that the key of the key holder lies on one side of the panel and the tag lies on an opposed, operatively outer side of the panel.

Abstract: A clamping device includes two jaws each having a hinge end pivotally secured together with a pivot shaft. One of the jaws includes a distal attachment end having a number of teeth, and the other jaw includes a distal attachment end having a pivotal pawl which has a catch biased to engage with either of the teeth of the jaw, and to detachably or openably secure the attachment ends of the jaws together. A spring may bias the catch of the pawl to engage with either of the teeth. A housing may further be secured to the jaw to shield the teeth or the pawl, and to prevent the pawl from being disengaged from the teeth inadvertently.

Abstract: A releasable fastener system comprises a loop portion and a hook portion. The loop portion includes a support and a loop material disposed on one side thereof whereas the hook portion includes a support and a plurality of closely spaced upstanding hook elements extending from one side thereof. When the hook portion and loop portion are pressed together they interlock to form a releasable engagement. The resulting joint created by the engagement is relatively resistant to shear and pull forces and weak in peel strength forces. The hook elements comprise a magnetic material that provides a change in shape orientation of the hook elements in response to an activation signal. In this manner, the shape orientation of the hook elements can be remotely changed to provide a reduction or magnification in the shear and/or pull-off forces.

Abstract: In a slide fastener made of fabric having a stopper portion composed of thermoplastic synthetic resin material, the fastener tape contains a rough-pattern-structure region at least adjacent to a side of the fastener element row on an inner side of the fastener tape. An end portion of the stopper portion on the inner side of the fastener tape is disposed in the rough-pattern-structure region and fused to a foundation structure of the fastener tape in the rough-pattern-structure region. Thus, even if the length of the stopper portion in the tape width direction is short, the stopper portion does not interfere with a sewing machine foot during sewing, so that the sewing line does not meander even at the position near the fastener element row. Further, the end portion of the stopper portion can be fused and fixed to the foundation structure of the rough-pattern-structure region.

Abstract: By inserting at least one cable connecting two or more electronic devices (communication, audio, display, input/output, or other) into a clip that joins the cable(s) to a log detailing the cable's connections, subsequent maintenance of and changes to that connection are made simpler and more efficient. The preferred approach inserts one end of each connecting cable into a clip having a socket for a detachable log; a second approach connects the clip to an already-attached cable. The detachable log keeps the functional information concerning each cable, and its connections, held by said clip, including the physical characteristics, functional purpose, and details of the other end(s) attachment(s) and target(s). Another function of said clip permits more stable and easily-handled insertion or removal of one or more cable(s) from the device to which it is or they are attached.

Abstract: A structure of a U-shaped lace buckle is disclosed. The U-shaped lace buckle comprises a shallow trench located at a central region. A releasing hole and a fastening hole are disposed within the central hollow region. The dimension of the releasing hole is larger than that of fastening hole. The releasing hole and the fastening hole are connected by a gradually tapering hole, wherein the dimension of the tapering hole connecting with the releasing hole is larger and the dimension of the tapering hole connecting with fastening hole is smaller. And the fastening hole comprises a plurality of protruded elements projecting from the inner surface. Further, the lace buckle comprises a through channel that passes from one end to the other end and connected through an arch-shaped groove located in between said two ends.

Abstract: Provided is a buckle which comprises a buckle main body 11 and an engagement member 31. The buckle main body 11 comprises a base part 12, at least two insertion holes 18 and 19 provided on the base part 12 with a space in between, to which a belt 2 is inserted, and an upstanding piece 20 provided therebetween for bending the belt 2 in a direction away from the base part 12. The engagement member 31 can be moved to a first position where the buckle can be moved against the belt 2 and to a second position where the buckle can be fixed to the belt 2. Further, the engagement member 31 comprises a pressurizing part 33 for pressurizing the belt 2 in the second position so as to obtain a further bent state and an adjustor 35 capable of adjusting the length of the other belt 3.

Abstract: In the secured pen holder of U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,596, a first resilient engagement between cover and base provides an indication of the replacement state in which the pen assembly can be replaced. A second resilient engagement between cover and base provides an indication of the use position in which the pen is held within the holder for use. A third resilient engagement between transport and base provides an indication that the transport is resiliently held in place at a position when the transport wall holds the pen tether and stop in place during the use state.

Abstract: An adjustable liner retainer system comprising a container having an opening defining an upper edge and an outer surface and a liner situated in the container wherein an upper portion of the liner extends from the opening, folds over the upper edge, and at least partly hangs below the upper edge adjacent to the outer surface of the container. An adjustable liner retainer is tensioned around an upper end of the container pressing the hanging upper portion against the outer surface of the container. The adjustable liner retainer comprises a strip of material at least a portion of which is elastomeric material to create the tension to press the liner to the outer surface. A hook portion and a loop portion of the hook-and-loop fastener are attached to the first and second ends of the strip.

Abstract: A woven fastener product includes an array of hook elements and an array of loop elements that extend from the surface of different respective regions of a common fabric base. The arrays are formed by warp yarns, the arrays being separated in the warp direction of the fabric base. To form a self-engaged fastening, the fastener product is conformed so that the hook elements overlie the loop elements. Monofilament loops are shown sized and located to provide pin-receiving mounting sleeves as part of the woven structure.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for creating a seal which includes an upper seal member, a lower seal member, and a slider, wherein mating surfaces of the upper and lower seal members interlock. A lifting rib on the slider cooperates with a lifting wing on the upper seal member and a closure bar cooperates with a closure bar groove of the lower seal member. By moving the slider in one direction, the lifting rib lifts the upper seal member from its interlocking relationship with the lower seal member. Moving the slider in the opposite direction causes the upper and lower seal members to interlock. Also disclosed is a seal device which includes upper and lower seal members and a cooperating slider and plug. Each of the slider and plug cooperate with first and second mating surfaces of the upper and lower seal members. In addition, the slider and plug have an exterior tongue and groove portion which cooperate to interlock the slider and the plug.

Abstract: This invention relates to a spring fastener, which comprises engagement springs in opposite sides of the fastener. Each engagement spring has an engagement region comprising a hindrance portion, which increases considerably the removal to insertion force ratio as compared to such ratio in the absence of the hindrance portion, thus permitting very easy insertion with considerably more difficult removal of the fastener from the slot of a panel, which provides an efficient ergonomically balanced removal to insertion force ratio. The hindrance portion comprises ripples or other hindrance elements of unexpectedly minute dimensions for providing this efficient ergonomic force balance.

Abstract: A fastener is provided for removably engaging and holding sections of material, such as a tarp, without piercing the material. One piece of the fastener is a base with one end providing a contact surface for a support structure, and the other forming a substantially elliptical flange. The second piece is a frame having an opening that substantially defines a first ellipse having a first orientation, and a second ellipse having a second orientation. The second elliptical opening is partially occluded at its opposite ends. A section of material to be engaged and held is placed over the elliptical flange. The second piece is oriented to align the first elliptical opening and the elliptical flange, and is inserted over the elliptical flange and section of material to be held. The second piece is then rotated to align the second elliptical opening and elliptical flange.

Abstract: A charm chain is comprised of an ornamental chain in a selected shape, multiple snaps and a lining band, snaps being respectively fixed to both ends of the ornamental chain and retain the lining band at the bottom of the ornamental chain for the charm chain to be adapted to a string bikini, a bra, a strap or any other accessories for ornamental purpose and safe use since the ornamental chain is prevented from directly contacting one's skin by means of the: lining band.