Multi-closure energy dissipating touch fastener links

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10844922-B2
Application number	US-201715840205-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2017
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

An energy dissipating link includes: an elongated base having opposite, first and second end portions; and a plurality of touch fasteners permanently coupled to the base, each of the plurality of touch fasteners releasably engageable with at least one other of the touch fasteners. The plurality of touch fasteners is arranged on the base to form first and second closures, each including engagements between respective fastening elements of two or more of the plurality of touch fasteners. The plurality of touch fasteners is configured such that: in response to a tensile load applied to the end portions of the base, the engaged touch fasteners of the first closure are loaded in shear along a shear plane; and in response to a tensile overload condition causing shear displacement of the touch fasteners of the first closure, the engaged touch fasteners of the second closure are subjected to a peel load.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An energy dissipating link, comprising:
an elongated base having opposite, first and second end portions;
a plurality of touch fasteners permanently coupled to the base, each of the plurality of touch fasteners releasably engageable with at least one other of the touch fasteners,
wherein the plurality of touch fasteners are arranged on the base to form separate and independent first and second closures, each of the first and second closures comprised of engagements between respective fastening elements of two or more of the plurality of touch fasteners, and
wherein the plurality of touch fasteners is configured such that:
in response to a tensile load applied to the end portions of the base, engaged touch fasteners of the first closure are loaded in shear along a shear plane; and
in response to a tensile overload condition causing shear displacement of the touch fasteners the first closure, the engaged touch fasteners of the second closure are subjected to a peel load; and

a guide member configured to constrain movement of an intermediate portion of the base between the first and second end portions along a defined path as the first and second closures are disengaged in shear and peel, respectively.

2. The energy dissipating link of claim 1 , wherein the second closure is formed on a slack idler section of the base that at least partially overlaps the first closure.

3. The energy dissipating link of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of touch fasteners is associated with both of the first and second closures.

4. The energy dissipating link of claim 1 , further comprising a sleeve covering a portion of the base supporting the first and second closures, the sleeve inhibiting movement of the base and the engaged touch fasteners of the first and second closures in a direction perpendicular to the shear plane of the first closure.

5. The energy dissipating link of claim 1 , wherein the guide member comprises a transverse base support secured to one of the end portions of the base and about which the intermediate portion of the base is trained.

6. The energy dissipating link of claim 5 , wherein the transverse base support comprises an edge of an opening of a sleeve surrounding the first closure.

7. The energy dissipating link of claim 5 , wherein the transverse base support comprises a roller rotatable about an axis defined by a roller support fixed to one of the end portions of the base.

8. The energy dissipating link of claim 5 , wherein the transverse base support comprises:
an attachment piece held fixed relative to one of the first or second end portions of the base; and
a guide rod coupled to the attachment piece, with the intermediate portion of the base routed through an opening between the attachment piece and the guide rod.

9. The energy dissipating link of claim 5 , wherein the transverse base support is disposed adjacent a peel point of disengagement between the touch fasteners of the second closure.

10. The energy dissipating link of claim 5 , wherein the transverse base support is disposed adjacent a point of shear re-engagement between a touch fastener of the second closure and a touch fastener of the first closure.

11. The energy dissipating link of claim 1 , wherein the shear plane extends parallel to the base within the first closure.

12. The energy dissipating link of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of touch fasteners comprises an array of discrete male fastening elements, each fastening element comprising an upstanding stem extending outwardly from the base and a head extending integrally from a distal end of the stem to a tip.

13. The energy dissipating link of claim 12 , wherein at least another of the plurality of touch fasteners comprises a field of loops, and wherein the heads of the male fastening elements comprise a lower surface forming a crook for retaining the loops.

14. The energy dissipating link of claim 12 , wherein a majority of the discrete fastening elements comprise one-way hooks, with the head of each fastening element of the majority extending forward from the stem in the same direction.

15. The energy dissipating link of claim 1 , wherein a first touch fastener of the first closure is directly attached to the base and the remainder of the first touch fastener is free standing relative to the base, such that, upon tensile overload, an opposite free-standing end of the first touch fastener is displaced under shear load with respect to a second touch fastener of the first closure.

16. The energy dissipating link of claim 15 , wherein two longitudinal ends of the second touch fastener are both directly attached to the base.

17. An energy dissipating link, comprising:
an elongated base having opposite, first and second end portions;
a plurality of touch fasteners permanently coupled to the base and releasably engageable with at least one other of touch fastener,
wherein, when the link is in a primed state, the plurality of touch fasteners forms separate and independent first and second closures, each of the first and second closures comprised of engagements between respective fastening elements of two or more touch fasteners, and
wherein the plurality of touch fasteners is configured such that, in response to a tensile overload applied to the end portions of the base, the touch fasteners of the first and second closures engaged in the primed state of the link are progressively disengaged, with at least a portion of one touch fastener of the second closure re-engaging with at least a portion of one touch fastener of the first closure as the tensile overload is applied; and
a guide member configured to constrain movement of an intermediate portion of the base between the first and second end portions along a defined path as the first and second closures are disengaged.

Assignees

• Velcro BVBA

Inventors

• Comet Carlos Sáez

Classifications

• F16F7/006 Primary

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• A62B35/0075

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• A62B35/0012

  Sit harnesses · CPC title

• A62B35/04

  incorporating energy absorbing means · CPC title

• A44B18/0084

  Double-sided · CPC title