IMPROVED ATTACHING ASSEMBLY

Abstract: An attachment assembly (60) for releasably attaching an object (62) such as a wire bundle to a surface such as on the firewall of an automobile. The assembly (60) comprises a flexible polymeric strap (66), fastener portions (73, 74) adapted for releasable engagement attached at the ends of the strap (66) which can secure the strap (66) around an object, and attachment means comprising a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive (76) along the strap (66) for attaching the strap (66) to a surface. The fastener portions (73, 74) are positioned or attached so that forces applied by the object tending to separate them place interacting parts of the fastener portions (73, 74) in shear or tension rather than in peel.

Description: Technical Field The present invention relates to attachment assemblies for releasably attaching objects such as wire bundles to surfaces such as on the firewalls of automobiles, according to the first part of claim 1. Background Art Attachment assemblies are known by which objects such as wire handles can be attached to surfaces. One such type of attachment assembly comprises a flexible strap, a fastener comprising portions adapted for releasable engagement attached on opposite ends of the strap such as is described in DE-U-8431739, and means for attaching the strap to a surface. Typically the strap is attached to a surface and is then wrapped around the object to be held in place and the fastener portions are engaged. In known prior art fastener assemblies of this type, however, forces tending to dislodge the object from the fastener assembly tend to peel apart the fastener portions, which peeling is the easiest way of separating the fastener portions. Thus the fastener assembly may not be as secure as is desired due to the limited amount of resistance to such peel forces that can easily be designed into many fasteners. Disclosure of the Invention The present invention provides attachment assemblies for attaching objects such as wire bundles to surfaces such as on the firewalls of automobiles in which forces tending to dislodge the objects place fastener portions in tension at right angles to their backings. Such tension allows the fastener portions to resist larger dislodging forces than the same fastener portions could resist if the dislodging forces tended to peel the fastener portions apart. The attachment assembly according to the present invention comprises a flexible strap, a fastener comprising fastener portions adapted for releasable engagement including a first fastener portion attached on a first surface of the strap adjacent its first end and a second fastener portion attached on the strap adjacent its second end. The assembly includes attachment means adapted for attaching the strap to a surface along the second surface of the strap. The first fastener portion includes a backing having a first length between two ends longitudinally along the strap. The backing is attached to the strap from the end of the first fastener portion adjacent the first end of the strap to a location generally central along the backing and is unattached to the strap from the generally central location to the end of the backing opposite the first end of the strap so that tension in the strap will cause bending of the strap at generally the center of the backing and the application of forces tending to separate the fastener portions generally at a right angle to the backing. Thus after the strap is adhered to a surface and the fastener portions are engaged with the strap encircling an object, tension in the strap caused by forces tending to dislodge the object will cause bending of the strap at generally the center of the backing of the first fastener portion and the application of forces generally at a right angle to that backing tending to simultaneously separate all engaged parts of the fastener portions. Such forces place the fastener portions in tension along their entire lengths in a direction at right angles to their backings so that the fastener portions can again provide much more holding power than if forces tending to separate them tended to peel them apart. Brief Description of the Drawing The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 illustrates an attachment assembly according to the present invention shown closed around an object and attached to a surface. Detailed Description Referring now to Figure 1 there is shown an attachment assembly according to the present invention generally designated by the reference numeral 60. The attachment assembly 60 is adapted for releasably attaching an object 62 such as a wire bundle to a surface 64 such as on the firewall of an automobile. The assembly 60 comprises a flexible polymeric strap 66 having first and second ends 67 and 68 and first and second major surfaces 69 and 70, and attachment means for attaching the strap 66 to a surface such as the surface 64 comprising a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 76 coated on the outer surface of a layer 77 of soft flexible foam attached adjacent the second end 68 and along the second surface 70 of the strap 66. The attachment assembly also includes fastener portions adapted for releasable engagement including a first fastener portion 73 attached on the first surface 69 of the strap 66 adjacent its first end 67, and a second fastener portion 74 also attached on the first surface 69 of the strap 66 adjacent its second end 68. The first and second fastener portions 73 and 74 each comprise a plurality of stems projecting at about a right angle from a backing provided by or attached to the strap 66 as by sonic welding and having enlarged generally semispherical heads on their distal ends, which fastener portions 73 and 74 are made in accordance with the method described in U.S. Patent No. 4,290,174. Such fasteners can have heads arrayed in a manner so that when closed as shown in Figure 4 forces tending to simultaneously separate the engaged heads of the fastener portions 73 and 74 in a direction normal to the backing of the fastener portions 73 and 74 requires significant tension in the fastener portions parallel to their stems so that they will strongly resist separation by such forces while being more easily manually peeled apart to afford opening of the fastener 60. The first fastener portion 73 includes the backing 79 attached to the strap 66 from its end 80 adjacent the first end 67 of the strap 66 to a location generally central along the backing 79 and is unattached to the strap 66 from that central location to the opposite end 82 of the backing 79. Thus after the strap 66 is adhered to the surface 64 and the fastener portions 73 and 74 are engaged with the strap 66 encircling the object 62, tension in the strap 66 caused by forces tending to dislodge the object 62 will cause bending of the strap 66 at generally the center of the backing 79 of the first fastener portion 73 and the application of forces generally at a right angle to that backing 79 tending to simultaneously separate all engaged parts of the fastener portions 73 and 74. Such forces place the fastener portions 73 and 74 in tension along their entire lengths in a direction at right angles to their backings so that the fastener portions 73 and 74 can provide much more holding power than if forces tending to separate them tended to peel them apart, and yet the fastener portions 73 and 74 can more easily be manually peeled apart if a person desires to remove the object 62 from the strap 66. The present invention has now been described with reference to one embodiment thereof. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes can be made in the embodiment described without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, if desired a rigid block or plate like member could be used between the strap 66 and layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 76 on the attaching assembly illustrated. One of the fastener portions 73 or 74 could comprise a plurality of projecting stems having heads on their distal portions, which heads include hook-like projections projecting along the stems toward the strap, and the other of the fastener portions 73 or 74 could comprise a plurality of loops adapted to engage around the heads and the projections. Alternatively, a fastener portion having loops could be used in combination with a fastener portion including semispherical heads on stems. Additionally, the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the attachment assembly 60 could be adhered along a central portion of the strap 66 and both fastener portions 73 and 74 could have backings separate from the strap 66 attached to the strap 66 in the manner the backing 79 of the first fastener portion 73 is attached in the illustrated embodiment to provide a similar result.

Claims: An attachment assembly (60) for releasably attaching an object (62) such as a wire bundle to a surface such as on the firewall of an automobile, comprising a flexible strap (66) having first and second ends (67, 68) and first and second major surfaces (69, 70), a fastener comprising fastener portions (73, 74) adapted for releasable engagement including a first fastener portion (73) attached on said first surface (69) of said strap adjacent said first end (67) and a second fastener portion (74) attached on said first surface (69) of said strap (66) adjacent said second end (68), characterized in that said assembly (60) includes attachment means (76, 77) adapted for attaching said strap (66) to a surface along said second surface (70) of said strap (66), said first fastener portion (73) includes a backing (79) having a first length between two ends longitudinally along said strap (66), said backing (79) being attached to said strap (66) from the end (80) of said first fastener portion (73) adjacent the first end (67) of the strap (66) to a location generally central along the backing (79) and being unattached to said strap (66) from said generally central location to the end (82) of the backing (79) opposite said first end (67) of the strap (66) so that tension in said strap (66) will cause bending of said strap (66) at generally the center of said backing (79) and the application of forces tending to separate said fastener portions (73, 74) generally at a right angle to said backing (79). An attachment assembly (60) according to claim 1 further characterized in that said first and second fastener portions (73, 74) each comprise a plurality of projecting stems having enlarged generally semi-spherical heads on their distal ends. An attachment assembly (60) according to claim 1 further characterized in that one of said fastener portions (73, 74) comprises a plurality of projecting stems having heads on their distal portions, said heads including hook-like projections projecting along said stems toward said strap, and the other of said fastener portions (73, 74) comprises a plurality of loops adapted to engage around said heads and said projections. An attachment assembly (60) according to claim 1 further characterized in that said attachment means comprises a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive (76) and a layer of resiliently flexible foam (77) between said layer of pressure sensitive adhesive (76) and said strap (66). An attachment assembly (60) according to claim 1 further characterized in that said attachment means comprises a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive (76) and a rigid plate-like member between said strap (66) and said layer of pressure sensitive adhesive (76).

Inventors: GROUND, DAMON R. MINNESOTA MINING AND
Applicants: MINNESOTA MINING AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY
Application year: 1987
Main classification: F16L3
IPC codes: F16B2, H02G3, F16L3, F16B1