Fasteners of bulk amorphous alloy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10154707-B2
Application number	US-201214387046-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2012
Priority date	Mar 23, 2012
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments relates to a hook side fastener having hooks and a loop side fastener having loops. The hooks and/or loops are made of bulk solidifying amorphous metal alloy. Other embodiments relate to methods of making and using the hook side and loop side fasteners.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method comprising:
attaching a first portion of a hook-and-loop fastener comprising a first set of lineally arranged hooks extending from and integrally formed with a base to a second portion of a hook-and-loop fastener comprising one or both of a second set of lineally arranged hooks or a set of lineally arranged loops extending from and integrally formed with a base to form an at least semi-permanent bond between the first portion of the hook-and-loop fastener and the second portion of the hook-and-loop fastener,
wherein the base and at least one of the first portion or the second portion of the hook-and-loop fastener comprises a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the attaching is performed at a temperature below or greater than a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the second portion of the hook-and-loop fastener comprises the second set of lineally arranged hooks; and
the first and second portions of the hook-and-loop fastener comprise the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein during the attaching, a localized temperature of at least one of the group consisting of the first set of lineally arranged hooks, the second set of lineally arranged hooks, and the set of lineally arranged loops is above a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least partially crystallizing at least a portion of at least one of the group consisting of the first set of lineally arranged hooks, the second set of lineally arranged hooks, and the set of lineally arranged loops.

6. A method of manufacturing a hook-and-loop fastener, comprising forming, from a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy, a plurality of lineally arranged hooks extending from and integrally formed with a base comprising the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein forming the lineally arranged plurality of hooks comprises:
heating the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy above a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy; and
while the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is above the Tg, placing the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy and a forming device in contact with one another to form the hooks.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the forming device comprises a plate defining a plurality of holes extending through the plate.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein forming the lineally arranged plurality of hooks comprises:
heating the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy to a temperature between a glass transition temperature (Tg) and a melting temperature (Tm) of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy; and
while the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is between the Tg and the Tm, placing the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy and a forming device in contact with one another to form the hooks.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein forming the lineally arranged plurality of hooks comprises:
heating the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy to a melting point of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy (Tm) or above;
inserting the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy into a forming device; and
cooling the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy to a temperature below a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy to form the hooks.

11. A method of manufacturing a hook-and-loop fastener, comprising:
forming, from a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy, a plurality of lineally arranged loops extending from and integrally formed with a base comprising the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the lineally arranged plurality of loops comprises:
heating the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy above a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy; and
while the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is above the Tg:
forming strands of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy; and
bending the strands to form loops.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the operation of forming the strands comprises:
inserting an array of pins into the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy; and
drawing the pins away from the base to form the strands.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the lineally arranged plurality of loops comprises:
heating the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy to a temperature between a glass transition temperature (Tg) and a melting temperature (Tm) of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy; and
while the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is between the Tg and the Tm:
forming strands of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy; and
bending the strands to form the loops.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the lineally arranged plurality of loops comprises:
heating the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy to a melting point of the metal alloy (Tm) or above;
forming strands of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy;
bending the strands; and
cooling the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy to a temperature below a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy to form the loops.

16. A fastener comprising:
a base portion comprising a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy; and
a plurality of lineally arranged hooks comprising the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy and integrally formed with and extending from the base to form a portion of a hook-and-loop fastener.

17. The fastener of claim 16 , wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is described by the following molecular formula: (Zr, Ti) a (Ni, Cu, Fe) b (Be, Al, Si, B) c , wherein “a” is in the range of from 30 to 75, “b” is in the range of from 5 to 60, and “c” is in the range of from 0 to 50 in atomic percentages.

18. The fastener of claim 16 , wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is described by the following molecular formula: (Zr, Ti) a (Ni, Cu) b (Be) c , wherein “a” is in the range of from 40 to 75, “b” is in the range of from 5 to 50, and “c” is in the range of from 5 to 50 in atomic percentages.

19. A fastener comprising:
a base portion comprising a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy; and
a plurality of lineally arranged loops comprising the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy and integrally formed with and extending from the base portion to form a portion of a hook-and-loop fastener.

20. The fastener of claim 19 , wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is described by the following molecular formula: (Zr, Ti) a (Ni, Cu, Fe) b (Be, Al, Si, B) c , wherein “a” is in the range of from 30 to 75, “b” is in the range of from 5 to 60, and “c” is in the range of from 0 to 50 in atomic percentages.

21. The fastener of claim 19 , wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is described by the following molecular formula: (Zr, Ti) a (Ni, Cu) b (Be) c , wherein “a” is in the range of from 40 to 75, “b” is in the range of from 5 to 50, and “c” is in the range of from 5 to 50 in atomic percentages.

Assignees

• Prest Christopher D
• Poole Joseph C
• Waniuk Theodore A
• Pham Quoc Tran
• Stevick Joseph
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Prest Christopher D
• Poole Joseph C
• Waniuk Theodore A
• Pham Quoc Tran
• Stevick Joseph

Classifications

• C22C1/11

  Making amorphous alloys · CPC title

• C22C45/003

  with one or more of the noble metals as major constituent · CPC title

• A44B13/0017

  made of metal plate · CPC title

• B21F1/00

  Bending wire other than coiling; Straightening wire · CPC title

• B21F45/16

  of devices for fastening or securing purposes · CPC title