GB2133828A

GB2133828A - Stacking press fastener

Info

Publication number: GB2133828A
Application number: GB08301629A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Garry Kang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-01-21
Filing date: 1983-01-21
Publication date: 1984-08-01
Also published as: GB8301629D0; GB2133828B

Abstract

The periphery of the head 2 of the fastener is undercut at 8 and the base 3 has an undercut peripheral lip 11, the head being a snap fit in the base of an identical fastener. The head and the base can be on separate pieces which are joined by another snap fit between portions 6 and 7, this second fitting being stronger than the first. Alternatively the parts of the fastener may be screwed or welded together. The fasteners are intended for use in piling up layers 17 of blank cut-outs from which boxes can be folded. The handles 22 may be stored in cut-out slots 27 in the stacked blanks. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Press fastener This invention relates to a press fastener which is engageable with a like fastener and is therefore stackable. The fastener is particularly useful when applied to sheet material which is to be transported in the form of stacks and then made up into articles by interconnecting the fasteners.

The known press fasteners available on the market comprise a male member and a female member which are different and are fitted to the separate parts which are to be connected by them, the members being a snap fit with each other to form a connection. It is a distinct disadvantage that two different types of member are required, neither of which is stackable.

The present invention provides a press fastener comprising a head connected to a base, the periphery of the head being undercut and the base having an undercut peripheral lip, the head being a snap fit in the base of an identical fastener.

Thus, one fastener according to the invention can readily be fitted to an identical fastener headto-base, and further fasteners may be added in the same way to form a stack. This is particularly useful when a sheet is provided with such a fastener, since a stack of such sheets can be formed with the fasteners engaged head-to-base, so that the sheets are prevented from sliding relative to one another.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a press fastener (in side elevation) fixed on a sheet and fitted to an identical fastener (in vertical section) fixed on another sheet or another part of the same sheet; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the press fastener, showing the manner of fixing it to a sheet; Figure 3 shows a sheet in which a blank for forming a storage case is defined; Figure 4 is an isometric view of a case being formed by folding the blank; Figure 5 is an isometric view of the completed case; and Figure 6 is an isometric view of a stack of the sheets in a bag.

Figure 1 illustrates two identical press fasteners 1, 1', made of plastics material, fitted together. In the drawing and in the subsequent description identical parts of the two fasteners are designated by identical reference numbers distinguished only by a prime ('). Each fastener comprises a convex head 2, 2' and a correspondingly concave base 3, 3', both of which are preferably circular in plan, connected by a narrower intermediate portion 4, 4' having an upper part 6, 6' which is integral with the head and which is a snap fit in a lower part 7, 7' integral with the base. Other forms of mechanical connection of the upper and lower parts are possible, e.g. screw-connection; alternatively they may be connected by welding. In any case, the force required to separate the upper and lower parts must be greater than that required to separate one fastener from the other.

The head 2, 2' is undercut at the periphery to form a bevel 8, 8' running in from a circumferential edge 9, 9'. The base 3, 3' has a peripheral lip 11, 11' which is undercut to form a groove 12, 12' congruent to the edge 9, 9'. The head 2' of one fastener 1 is a snap fit in the base 3 of the other fastener 1. The cross-section of the lip 11 is rounded and shaped in such a way that it is easier to push the head 2' in than to pull it out.

The fasteners are applied to a plastics sheet material 13, consisting of a corrugated central layer covered on both sides by a smooth surface layer, sold under the trade mark "Correx". The upper surface 14, 14' of the base of each fastener slopes upwardly towards the axis of the fastener, whereas the lower surface 16, 1 6' of the head is planar, so that only the base becomes embedded in the sheet material when the fastener is applied to a hole 1 5 in the sheet material.

The sheet 1 7 shown in Figure 3 is made of the material 13 and in zit a blank 18 forforming a storage case 19 (Figure 5) is defined by a line of weakness 21 such as a cut or a series of perforations (or, alternatively, by a printed line along which the material is to be cut). The sheet is shown with the waste material surrounding the blank being removed. The blank 18 has six fasteners 1 as described above, which are interengageable to maintain the case 1 9 in its desired shape when the blank 18 is folded along predetermined score lines in the manner indicated in Figure 4. A handle 22 for the case is constituted by a plastics tube into whose ends two plastics screws 23 are threaded through preformed holes 24 in the blank.

A plurality of sheets 1 7 can be built up into a rigid stack 26 as shown in Figure 6, for the purpose of transport and storage. In this case the corresponding fasteners 1 of adjacent sheets 17 are interengaged. The handles 22 and screws 23 are conveniently accommodated in slots 27 in the sheets. The stack 26 of sheets is wrapped in a preferably transparent wrapping or bag 28, preferably of heat shrinkable plastics.

Claims

1. A press fastener comprising a head connected to a base, the periphery of the head being undercut and the base having an undercut peripheral lip, the head being a snap fit in the base of an identical fastener.

2. A fastener as claimed in claim 1, in which the head is convex and the base is correspondingly concave.

3. A fastener as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the head and the base are interconnected by a narrower intermediate portion.

4. A fastener as claimed in claim 3, in which the intermediate portion comprises an upper part integral with the head and a lower part integral with the base, the said parts being mechanically interconnected.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Press fastener This invention relates to a press fastener which is engageable with a like fastener and is therefore stackable. The fastener is particularly useful when applied to sheet material which is to be transported in the form of stacks and then made up into articles by interconnecting the fasteners. The known press fasteners available on the market comprise a male member and a female member which are different and are fitted to the separate parts which are to be connected by them, the members being a snap fit with each other to form a connection. It is a distinct disadvantage that two different types of member are required, neither of which is stackable. The present invention provides a press fastener comprising a head connected to a base, the periphery of the head being undercut and the base having an undercut peripheral lip, the head being a snap fit in the base of an identical fastener. Thus, one fastener according to the invention can readily be fitted to an identical fastener headto-base, and further fasteners may be added in the same way to form a stack. This is particularly useful when a sheet is provided with such a fastener, since a stack of such sheets can be formed with the fasteners engaged head-to-base, so that the sheets are prevented from sliding relative to one another. The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a press fastener (in side elevation) fixed on a sheet and fitted to an identical fastener (in vertical section) fixed on another sheet or another part of the same sheet; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the press fastener, showing the manner of fixing it to a sheet; Figure 3 shows a sheet in which a blank for forming a storage case is defined; Figure 4 is an isometric view of a case being formed by folding the blank; Figure 5 is an isometric view of the completed case; and Figure 6 is an isometric view of a stack of the sheets in a bag. Figure 1 illustrates two identical press fasteners 1, 1', made of plastics material, fitted together. In the drawing and in the subsequent description identical parts of the two fasteners are designated by identical reference numbers distinguished only by a prime ('). Each fastener comprises a convex head 2, 2' and a correspondingly concave base 3, 3', both of which are preferably circular in plan, connected by a narrower intermediate portion 4, 4' having an upper part 6, 6' which is integral with the head and which is a snap fit in a lower part 7, 7' integral with the base. Other forms of mechanical connection of the upper and lower parts are possible, e.g. screw-connection; alternatively they may be connected by welding. In any case, the force required to separate the upper and lower parts must be greater than that required to separate one fastener from the other. The head 2, 2' is undercut at the periphery to form a bevel 8, 8' running in from a circumferential edge 9, 9'. The base 3, 3' has a peripheral lip 11, 11' which is undercut to form a groove 12, 12' congruent to the edge 9, 9'. The head 2' of one fastener 1 is a snap fit in the base 3 of the other fastener 1. The cross-section of the lip 11 is rounded and shaped in such a way that it is easier to push the head 2' in than to pull it out. The fasteners are applied to a plastics sheet material 13, consisting of a corrugated central layer covered on both sides by a smooth surface layer, sold under the trade mark "Correx". The upper surface 14, 14' of the base of each fastener slopes upwardly towards the axis of the fastener, whereas the lower surface 16, 1 6' of the head is planar, so that only the base becomes embedded in the sheet material when the fastener is applied to a hole 1 5 in the sheet material. The sheet 1 7 shown in Figure 3 is made of the material 13 and in zit a blank 18 forforming a storage case 19 (Figure 5) is defined by a line of weakness 21 such as a cut or a series of perforations (or, alternatively, by a printed line along which the material is to be cut). The sheet is shown with the waste material surrounding the blank being removed. The blank 18 has six fasteners 1 as described above, which are interengageable to maintain the case 1 9 in its desired shape when the blank 18 is folded along predetermined score lines in the manner indicated in Figure 4. A handle 22 for the case is constituted by a plastics tube into whose ends two plastics screws 23 are threaded through preformed holes 24 in the blank. A plurality of sheets 1 7 can be built up into a rigid stack 26 as shown in Figure 6, for the purpose of transport and storage. In this case the corresponding fasteners 1 of adjacent sheets 17 are interengaged. The handles 22 and screws 23 are conveniently accommodated in slots 27 in the sheets. The stack 26 of sheets is wrapped in a preferably transparent wrapping or bag 28, preferably of heat shrinkable plastics. Claims

5. A fastener as claimed in claim 4, in which one said part is a snap fit in the other, the force required to separate the parts being greater than that required to separate the head of the fastener from the base of an identical fastener.

5. A fastener as claimed in claim 4, in which one said part is a snap fit in the other, the force required to separate the parts being greater than that required to separate the head to the fastener from the base of an identical fastener.

6. A sheet provided with a fastener according to any preceding claim, the head of the fastener being exposed on one side of the sheet and the base being exposed on the other.

7. A sheet as claimed in claim 6, provided with a plurality of such fasteners, the sheet being foldable to form a storage case, the fasteners being interengageable to maintain the sheet in the folded condition.

8. A stack of sheets according to claim 6 or 7, in which the fasteners are engaged as a stack or stacks.

9. A press fastener substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A sheet provided with press fasteners, substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

Superseded claims 1, 3, 5.

New or amended claims:- (1, 3, 5)

1. A press fastener for sheet material, comprising a head and a base which are to be exposed on the opposite sides of the sheet material, the head and the base having, respectively, a lower surface and an upper surface between which the sheet material is to be sandwiched, the said surfaces being interconnected by a narrower intermediate portion which is to passthrough a hole in the sheet material, the periphery of the head being undercut and the base having an undercut peripheral lip, the head being a snap fit in the base of an identical fastener.

3. A fastener as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the head and the base are separable from each other.