Abstract: A fastener has two interengageable halves. Each half has first and second elements extending along the length dimension of the fastener. The two elements are interconnected, in a direction transverse to the length of the fastener, by a resilient part which is tensioned in the separated state of the fastener and relaxed in the joined state. In the zone of the separated state the tensioned state of the resilient part is maintained by a stable engagement of the first and second elements of each fastener half. In the zone of the joined state the first elements of the two halves are in an interengaging stable relationship.

Abstract: A fastener arrangement for joining or separating material edges or surfaces along a distance of indeterminate length has two cooperating fastener halves secured to the one and the other material component to be joined or separated. At least one of the fastener halves is flexible lengthwise. Serially arranged discrete or non-discrete (continuous) elements of the one and the other fastener halves cooperate with one another to form element pairs which can assume a first stable position in which the elements of the element pair are in a full mechanical interengagement with one another, a second stable position in which the elements of the element pair are mechanically fully disengaged from one another, and an unstable position in which the elements of the element pair are in a partial mechanical interengagement with one another.