Molding apparatus for forming a fastening device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12202178-B2
Application number	US-202418590496-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2024
Priority date	Apr 29, 2016
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

A molding apparatus ( 10 ) for forming a retaining device. The molding apparatus ( 10 ) comprises a molding strip ( 12 ) and a molding support ( 24 ). The molding strip ( 12 ) has an inside face ( 14 ), an outside face ( 16 ), and a plurality of through cavities ( 18 ) extending from the outside face ( 16 ) to the inside face ( 14 ), the molding strip ( 12 ) extending in a longitudinal direction (X) and presenting both a transverse direction (Y) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X), and also a height direction (Z) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) and to the transverse direction (Y). The inside face ( 14 ) is configured to press against a molding face ( 26 ) of the molding support ( 24 ), wherein the inside face ( 14 ) of the molding strip ( 12 ) and/or the molding face ( 26 ) of the molding support ( 24 ) includes an array of passages, the array of passages forming vents and connecting together the cavities ( 18 ) when the molding strip ( 12 ) is pressed against the molding support ( 24 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A molding apparatus for forming a retaining device, the molding apparatus comprising a molding strip and a molding support, the molding strip having an inside face, an outside face, and a plurality of through cavities extending from the outside face to the inside face, the molding strip extending in a longitudinal direction and presenting both a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and also a height direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and to the transverse direction, the inside face being configured to press against a molding face of the molding support, wherein the inside face of the molding strip and/or the molding face of the molding support includes an array of passages, the array of passages forming vents and connecting together the cavities when the molding strip is pressed against the molding support.

2. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the inside face of the molding strip and/or the molding face of the molding support presents a maximum roughness height Rz that is greater than or equal to 1.0 μm, preferably greater than or equal to 3.0 μm, and less than or equal to 50.0 μm.

3. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the inside face presents a rim surrounding the open portion of each cavity and projecting from the inside face, the rims defining between them the array of passages, each rim presenting various heights, such that when the molding strip is pressed against the molding support, at least a portion of each rim is not pressed against the molding support, such that each cavity is in connection with the atmosphere via the array of passages.

4. A molding apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a maximum difference between two heights of a given rim of a cavity is greater than or equal to 1.0 μm, preferably greater than or equal to 2.0 μm, more preferably greater than or equal to 4.0 μm, and less than or equal to 100.0 μm, preferably less than or equal to 50.0 μm.

5. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the array of passages extends in the longitudinal direction.

6. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the array of passages extends in the transverse direction.

7. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each cavity defines a stem extending from the outside face towards the inside face and having a head-forming end extending away from the stem towards the inside face of the molding strip.

8. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each cavity of the molding strip is configured to form a preform of a retaining element.

9. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the molding support is a molding roller.

10. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the molding strip has 10 cavities/cm 2 to 500 cavities/cm 2 .

11. A molding apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the molding strip has 250 cavities/cm 2 ±75 cavities/cm 2 .

12. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each cavity has a height in the height direction greater than or equal to 5.0 μm, preferably greater than or equal to 20.0 μm, still more preferably greater than or equal to 100.0 μm, and less than or equal to 5000.0 μm, preferably less than or equal to 800.0 μm, still more preferably less than or equal to 500.0 μm.

13. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each cavity has a height in the height direction greater than 20.0 μm, and less than or equal to 500.0 μm.

14. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the molding strip comprises a material based on nickel.

15. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the molding strip presents a length in the longitudinal direction lying in the range 0.5 m to 5 m.

16. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the molding strip presents width in the transverse direction lying in the range 5 mm to 3000 mm.

17. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each cavity presents symmetry of rotation about an axis parallel to the height direction.

18. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the array of passages surrounding at least one of the cavities presents a shape that is substantially hexagonal.

19. A molding apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a maximum difference between the height of at least one of the rims and a height of a passage adjacent to said rim is less than or equal to 100.0 μm.

20. A molding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each cavity of the molding strip may be configured to form a preform of a retaining element.

Assignees

• Aplix Sa

Inventors

• Bosser Damien
• Mahe Anthony

Classifications

• B29C43/14

  in several steps · CPC title

• B29C43/46

  Rollers · CPC title

• B29C43/48

  Endless belts · CPC title

• B29C43/18

  incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles {(B29C43/206 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C43/50

  Removing moulded articles · CPC title