Patent Description:
A screw is a fastener and is used to fix multiple objects. In use, a washer is disposed around the screw. The screw is screwed into the objects. The washer is clamped between a head of the screw and an adjacent object, is deformed, and abuts against the adjacent object for increasing the fixing effect and the waterproof effect.

For convenience in use, a conventional screw band is used to hold multiple screws. The screws are directly disposed on the conventional screw band to form a screw band assembly. Or the screws with washers are disposed on the conventional screw band to form the screw band assembly. The screw band assembly is easy to carry. The screws disposed on the conventional screw band can be easily detached from the conventional screw band.

The conventional screw band has a body. The body is made of plastic or rubber and has multiple through holes formed through the body. Multiple slashes are located around each one of the through holes. Multiple bendable supporting plates are disposed around each one of the through holes. The screws with the washers are respectively inserted into the through holes of the body. The supporting plates located around the corresponding one of the through holes co-clip the corresponding one of the washers for positioning the corresponding one of the washers. Each one of the screws with washers can be detached from the screw band.

For antirust or appearance purposes, some screws are processed with surface treatment to be coated with colors and baked and to enhance the antirust effect by the coating layer on the screw, or to enhance the visual appeal by using a colored coating layer on the screw. The screws must be coated and baked, and then the washers are respectively disposed around the screws. The screws with the washers are disposed on the screw band. In the coating and baking.

processes, scattered screws are difficult to be automatically applied with the coating and the baking processes.

Moreover, the body of the screw band made of plastic or rubber does not have the heat-insulation effect. After the screws are disposed on the screw band, the screw band with screws cannot be applied with the coating and the baking processes. In addition, another conventional screw band is disclosed in <CIT>, and the other convention screw band is disclosed in <CIT>.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a screw band to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

The objective of the invention is to provide a screw band that can solve the shortcoming that the conventional screw band with screws cannot be applied with coating and baking processes, and the screws are difficult to be automatically applied with coating and baking processes. The invention is a screw band as described in claim <NUM>.

The screw band is planar in structure and has a body and multiple positioning members. The body is formed as an elongated strip and has two paper layers and an adhesive layer. The paper layers are disposed at a spaced interval. Each one of the two paper layers has a paper base and a waterproof heat-insulation film. The paper base has an outer surface and an inner surface. The waterproof heat-insulation film is formed on and covers the outer surface of the paper base. The adhesive layer is disposed between and is connected with the two paper layers. The adhesive layer is connected to the inner surface of the paper base of each one of the two paper layers. The waterproof heat-insulation films of the two paper layers are respectively located at the two outer surfaces of the body. A central line is defined in the body. The positioning members are disposed along the central line of the body at spaced intervals. Each one of the positioning members has a through hole and a circular positioning portion. The through hole is formed through the body. The circular positioning portion is formed on the body, is located around the through hole, and has multiple slashes and multiple supporting plates. The slashes is formed in the body, is located around the through hole, and communicate with the through hole. The supporting plates are bendable, are formed on the body, and are located around the through hole. Each one of the supporting plates is located between two adjacent said slashes.

The screw band in accordance with the present invention has the following advantages.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

With reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, a screw band 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D in accordance with the present invention is planar in structure and comprises a body 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D formed as an elongated strip and multiple positioning members 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D disposed on the body10A, 10B, 10C, 10D at spaced intervals. The positioning members 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D are disposed along an axial direction of the body 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D.

In the embodiments of the screw band 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, layered structures in the bodies 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D of the embodiments of the screw band 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D are the same.

With reference to <FIG>, in a first embodiment of the screw band 1A, the body 10A has two paper layers <NUM> and an adhesive layer <NUM>. The two paper layers <NUM> are disposed at a spaced interval. Each one of the two paper layers <NUM> has a paper base <NUM> and a waterproof heat-insulation film <NUM>. The paper base <NUM> has an outer surface and an inner surface. The waterproof heat-insulation film <NUM> is mounted on and covers the outer surface of the paper base <NUM>. The adhesive layer <NUM> is disposed between and connected with the two paper layers <NUM>. The adhesive layer <NUM> is connected to the inner surfaces of the paper bases <NUM> of the two paper layers <NUM>. The waterproof heat-insulation films <NUM> of the two paper layers <NUM> are respectively located at the two outer surfaces of the body 10A. The heat-resistant temperature of the waterproof heat-insulation film <NUM> is about <NUM> to <NUM>, so that the screw band 1A has good waterproof and heat-insulation effects. Material selections of the paper base <NUM> and the waterproof heat-insulation film <NUM> are known technologies, and will not be further described.

A thickness of each one of the two paper layers <NUM> depends on the needs of the product. The thickness of each one of the two paper layers is <NUM> to <NUM>. Furthermore, the thickness of each one of the two paper layers is <NUM>. A strength of the body 10A of the screw band 1A is sufficient to hold multiple screws with washers.

The adhesive layer <NUM> is selected from environmentally friendly adhesives. The inner surface of the paper base <NUM> is rough to increase adhesive strength between the inner surface of the paper base <NUM> and the adhesive layer <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the body 10A has at least one reinforcing layer <NUM>. The at least one reinforcing layer <NUM> is adhesively disposed between the two paper layers <NUM>. When the body 10A has multiple reinforcing layers <NUM>, the reinforcing layers <NUM> are stacked by an adhesion means. A material of each one of the at least one reinforcing layer <NUM> is paper and is same as a material of the paper base <NUM> of each one of the two paper layers <NUM>. Furthermore, the material of the paper base <NUM> of each one of the two paper layers <NUM> is paper. The adoption of the paper bases <NUM> is environmentally friendly.

The structure of the body 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D and the structures of the positioning members 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D in the multiple embodiments of the screw band 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D are described as follows.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, in the first embodiment of the screw band 1A, the body 10A has a central line <NUM> defined in the body 10A. The positioning members 15A are disposed along the central line <NUM> of the body 10A at spaced intervals. Each one of the positioning members 15A has a through hole <NUM> and a circular positioning portion <NUM>. The through hole <NUM> is formed through the body 10A. The circular positioning portion <NUM> is formed on the body 10A, is located around the through hole <NUM>, and has multiple slashes <NUM> and multiple supporting plates <NUM>. The slashes <NUM> are formed in the body 10A, are located around the through hole <NUM> with an equiangular configuration relative to a center of the through hole <NUM>, and communicate with the through hole <NUM>. The supporting plates <NUM> are bendable, are formed on the body 10A, and are located around the through hole <NUM>. Each one of the supporting plates <NUM> is located between two adjacent said slashes <NUM>. The sizes of the through hole <NUM> and the circular positioning portion <NUM> are according to the sizes of the screws and the washers.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, in the first embodiment of the screw band 1A, the body 10A has a top surface, a bottom surface, and multiple circular impressions <NUM>. The bottom surface of the body 10A is opposite to the top surface of the body 10A. The circular impressions <NUM> are selectively disposed on the top surface and/or the bottom surface of the body 10A, and are located around the positioning members <NUM>. The thickness of the body 10A at each one of the circular impressions <NUM> is decreased. The slashes <NUM> extend to a corresponding one of the circular impressions <NUM>. The supporting plates <NUM> can be bent along the adjacent circular impression <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, in the first embodiment of the screw band 1A, the body 10A has two side walls <NUM> and multiple protruding portions <NUM>. The two side walls <NUM> are formed on the body 10A. The protruding portions <NUM> are formed on and protrude from the two side walls <NUM> of the body 10A respectively adjacent to the positioning members 15A.

In use, the screw band 1A can hold multiple screws <NUM> or multiple screw assemblies <NUM>. With reference to <FIG>, in the first embodiment of the screw band 1A, each one of the positioning members 15A holds a screw assembly <NUM>. The screw assembly <NUM> has a screw <NUM> and a washer <NUM> disposed around the screw <NUM>. The washer <NUM> is located at the through hole <NUM> of a corresponding one of the positioning members 15A. The supporting plates <NUM> of the corresponding one of the positioning members 15A are inserted into a groove <NUM> formed around an outer surface of the washer <NUM> for clipping the washer <NUM>. The screw band 1A holds multiple screw assemblies <NUM> to form a screw band set.

For antirust or appearance purposes, the screws <NUM> are coated and baked. The body 10A has the two paper layers <NUM>. The waterproof heat-insulation films <NUM> of the two paper layers <NUM> are respectively located at the two outer surfaces of the body 10A. The screw band 1A has waterproof and heat-insulation effects due to the waterproof heat-insulation films <NUM>. After the screw assemblies <NUM> are disposed on the screw band 1A, the screw assemblies <NUM> can be applied with coating and baking processes automatically with the screw band 1A. Furthermore, the protruding portions <NUM> located at the two side walls <NUM> of the body 10A allow the screw band 1A to be positioned and carried during the coating and the baking processes. The screws <NUM> can be coated and baked by an automatic means. An antirust layer or a colored coating layer is formed on an outer surface of each one of the screws <NUM>.

The screw assemblies <NUM> disposed on the screw band 1A can be used conveniently in a screwing process. With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, a user can press a head <NUM> of the screw <NUM>. The washer <NUM> presses the supporting plates <NUM> of the corresponding positioning member 15A. The supporting plates <NUM> are bent downwardly for increasing the slashes <NUM> and a diameter of the through hole <NUM>, so that the screw assembly <NUM> can pass through the corresponding positioning member 15A and is detached from the screw band 1A.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, the structures of the bodies 10B, 10C in a second embodiment and a third embodiment of the screw band 1B, 1C are same as the structure of the body 10A in the first embodiment of the screw band 1A. The positioning members 15B, 15C are disposed on the central line <NUM> of the body 10B, 10C at spaced intervals. Each one of the positioning members 15B, 15C has the through hole <NUM> and the circular positioning portion <NUM>. The through hole <NUM> is formed through the body 10B, 10C. The circular positioning portion <NUM> is formed on the body 10B, 10C, is located around the through hole <NUM>, and has the slashes <NUM> and the supporting plates <NUM>. The slashes <NUM> are formed in the body 10B, 10C, are located around the through hole <NUM> with the equiangular configuration relative to the center of the through hole <NUM>, and communicate with the through hole <NUM>. The supporting plates <NUM> are bendable, are formed on the body 10B, 10C, and are located around the through hole <NUM>. Each one of the supporting plates <NUM> is located between the two adjacent said slashes <NUM>. The protruding portions <NUM> are formed on and protrude out of the two side walls <NUM> of the body 10B, 10C adjacent to the positioning members 15B, 15C. The sizes of the through hole <NUM> and the circular positioning portion <NUM> are according to the sizes of the screws <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, in a second embodiment and a third embodiment of the screw band 1B, 1C, each one of the slashes <NUM> has an inner end, an outer end, and a slash side portion <NUM>. The inner end of the slash <NUM> is adjacent to a corresponding one of the through holes <NUM>. The outer end of the slash <NUM> is opposite to the inner end of the slash <NUM>. The slash side portion <NUM> is formed on the body 10B, 10C, is connected to the outer end of the slash <NUM>, and extends toward one side or two sides of the slash <NUM>. The supporting plates <NUM> can be bent along the slashes <NUM> and the slash side portions <NUM>.

The use of the second embodiment and the third embodiment of the screw band 1B, 1C are same as that of the first embodiment of the screw band 1A. The second embodiment and the third embodiment of the screw band 1B, 1C are adapted to clip the screws <NUM> or the screw assemblies <NUM>. With reference to <FIG>, the second embodiment of the screw band 1B is adapted to clip the screws <NUM> or the screw assemblies <NUM>. Each one of the positioning members 15B holds the screw <NUM>. The supporting plates <NUM> of the corresponding one of the positioning members 15B co-clip the screw <NUM>. The screw band 1B holds the screws <NUM> to form the screw band set.

With reference to <FIG>, in the fourth embodiment of the screw band 1D, the body 10D has a middle portion <NUM> having the two side walls <NUM> and multiple alignment holes <NUM>. The alignment holes <NUM> are formed through the middle portion <NUM> at spaced intervals. The positioning members 15D are symmetrically located at the two side walls <NUM> of the middle portion <NUM>. Each one of the positioning members <NUM> has the through hole <NUM>, the positioning portion <NUM>, the slash <NUM>, and the two supporting plates <NUM>. The through hole <NUM> is formed through the body 10D. The positioning portion <NUM> is disposed around the through hole <NUM>. The slash <NUM> is formed through the body 10D and communicates with the through hole <NUM>. The two supporting plates <NUM> are bendably formed on the body 10D and are located beside two sides of the slash <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A screw band (1A, 1B, 1C), wherein the screw band (1A, 1B, 1C) is planar in structure and comprises:
a body (10A, 10B, 10C) formed as an elongated strip and having
- two paper layers (<NUM>) disposed at a spaced interval, each one of the two paper layers (<NUM>) having
a paper base (<NUM>) having an outer surface and an inner surface; and
a waterproof heat-insulation film (<NUM>) mounted on and covering the outer surface of the paper base (<NUM>);
- an adhesive layer (<NUM>) disposed between and connected with the two paper layers (<NUM>), wherein the adhesive layer (<NUM>) is connected to the inner surfaces of the paper bases (<NUM>) of the two paper layers (<NUM>), and the waterproof heat-insulation films (<NUM>) of the two paper layers (<NUM>) are respectively located at the two outer surfaces of the body (10A, 10B, 10C); a central line (<NUM>) defined in the body (10A, 10B, 10C);
- a top surface;
- a bottom surface opposite to the top surface of the body (10A, 10B, 10C); and
- multiple positioning members (15A, 15B, 15C) disposed along the central line (<NUM>) of the body (10A, 10B, 10C) at spaced intervals, and each one of the positioning members (15A, 15B, 15C) having
a through hole (<NUM>) formed through the body (10A, 10B, 10C); and
a circular positioning portion (<NUM>) formed on the body (10A, 10B, 10C), located around the through hole (<NUM>), and having
multiple slashes (<NUM>) formed in the body (10A, 10B, 10C), located around the through hole (<NUM>), and communicating with the through hole (<NUM>); and
multiple supporting plates (<NUM>) being bendable, formed on the body (10A, 10B, 10C), and located around the through hole (<NUM>), wherein each one of the supporting plates (<NUM>) is located between two adjacent said slashes (<NUM>); characterized that the body further comprises
- multiple circular impressions (<NUM>) selectively disposed on the top surface and/or the bottom surface of the body (10A, 10B, 10C), and located around the positioning members (15A, 15B, 15C).