Surface Fastener Molding Apparatus and its Operational Method, and a Method for Producing a Surface Fastener

Abstract

A surface fastener molding apparatus includes a supporting structure and a second supporting structure for axially supporting a mold roll in a rotatable manner at a first end side and a second end side of the mold roll which is opposite to the first end side. The mold roll includes a circumferential surface in which a plurality of mold cavities for molding engaging elements of the surface fastener is provided. A first linear driving means and second linear driving means are provided which are for, respectively, advancing or retracting the first supporting structure and the second supporting structure. The degree of closeness between the extruding nozzle and the mold roll is regulatable across the first end side and the second end side of the mold roll, based on at least one activation of the first driving means and the second driving means.

1 . A surface fastener molding apparatus in which a first supporting structure and a second supporting structure axially support a mold roll in a rotatable manner at the first end side and the second end side of the mold roll which is opposite to the first end side, the mold roll including a circumferential surface in which a plurality of mold cavities for molding engaging elements of a surface fastener is provided, the surface fastener molding apparatus comprising:
 driving means for advancing or retracting the mold roll relative to an extruding nozzle, the advancing of the mold roll toward an extruding mouth of the extruding nozzle defining a mold space for a substrate of the surface fastener between the circumferential surface of the mold roll and an opposed surface of the extruding nozzle, wherein   the driving means comprises first driving means and second driving means for advancing or retracting the first supporting structure and the second supporting structure respectively, and wherein   the degree of closeness between the extruding nozzle and the mold roll is regulatable across the first end side and the second end side of the mold roll based on at least one activation of the first driving means and the second driving means.   
     
     
         2 . The surface fastener molding apparatus according to  claim 1  in which the first driving means comprises a first linear driving means for linearly advancing or retracting the first supporting structure, and the second driving means comprises a second linear driving means for linearly advancing or retracting the second supporting structure, wherein
 the first linear driving means and the second linear driving means each comprising: 
 a ball screw in which a nut is movable along a threaded shaft; and 
 a drive source that produces a rotational force transmitted to the threaded shaft of the ball screw. 
 
     
     
         3 . The surface fastener molding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first end side of the mold roll is axially supported in a rotatable manner by a first bearing provided at the first supporting structure and the second end side of the mold roll is axially supported in a rotatable manner by a second bearing provided at the second supporting structure. 
     
     
         4 . The surface fastener molding apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the first supporting structure and the second supporting structure are respectively mounted onto one or more linear rails. 
     
     
         5 . The surface fastener molding apparatus according to  claim 2 , each of the first linear driving means and the second linear driving means further comprises a speed reducer that decelerates the rotational force generated by the drive source and transmits the reduced rotational force to the threaded shaft. 
     
     
         6 . The surface fastener molding apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 controlling means configured to transmit a drive signal to each drive source of the first driving means and the second driving means, wherein   one end of the rotational axis of the mold roll pivots relative to the other end of the rotational axis based on at least one control of the first driving means and the second driving means by the controlling means.   
     
     
         7 . The surface fastener molding apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 first position determining means for determining the position of the first end side of the mold roll; and   second position determining means for determining the position of the second end side of the mold roll, wherein   the controlling means is configured, based on the output of the first position determining means, to transmit a drive signal to the first linear driving means for moving the first supporting structure such that the displacement of the mold roll at the first end side is compensated; and   the controlling means is further configured, based on the output of the second position determining means, to transmit a drive signal to the second linear driving means for moving the second supporting structure such that the displacement of the mold roll at the second end side is compensated.   
     
     
         8 . A method of manufacturing a surface fastener by the use of a surface fastener molding apparatus, the surface fastener molding apparatus comprising:
 a first supporting structure and a second supporting structure for axially supporting a mold roll in a rotatable manner at a first end side and a second end side of the mold roll which is opposite to the first end side, the mold roll including a circumferential surface in which a plurality of mold cavities for molding engaging elements of the surface fastener is provided; and   first driving means and second driving means for advancing or retracting the first supporting structure and the second supporting structure respectively,   the method comprising:   advancing the mold roll toward an extruding mouth of the extruding nozzle based on activation of the first driving means and the second driving means;   receiving melted resin being extruded from the extruding mouth of the extruding nozzle by the rotating mold roll so that the mold cavities at the circumferential surface are filled with the melted resin and a substrate of the surface fastener is formed between the circumferential surface of the mold roll and the opposed surface of the extruding nozzle;   activating at least one of the first driving means and the second driving means in accordance with the thickness of the substrate of the formed surface fastener to regulate the degree of closeness between the extruding nozzle and the mold roll across the first end side and the second end side of the mold roll.   
     
     
         9 . The method of producing a surface fastener according to  claim 8 , the first end side of the mold roll is axially supported in a rotatable manner by a first bearing provided at the first supporting structure and the second end side of the mold roll is axially supported in a rotatable manner by a second bearing provided at the second supporting structure. 
     
     
         10 . The method of producing a surface fastener according to  claim 8  in which the first driving means comprises a first linear driving means for linearly advancing or retracting the first supporting structure and the second driving means comprises a second linear driving means for linearly advancing or retracting the second supporting structure, the method comprising:
 determining a position of the first end side of the mold roll; 
 determining a position of the second end side of the mold roll; 
 activating the first linear driving means for compensating the displacement of the first end side of the mold roll based on the determination of the position of the first end side of the mold roll; and 
 activating the second linear driving means for compensating the displacement of the second end side of the mold roll based on the determination of the position of the second end side of the mold roll. 
 
     
     
         11 . An operational method of a surface fastener molding apparatus that comprises a first supporting structure and a second supporting structure for axially supporting a mold roll in a rotatable manner at a first end side and a second end side of the mold roll which is opposite to the first end side, the mold roll including a circumferential surface in which a plurality of mold cavities for molding engaging elements of the surface fastener is provided; and
 first linear driving means and second linear driving means for advancing or retracting the first supporting structure and the second supporting structure respectively, the method comprising:   advancing the mold roll toward an extruding mouth of the extruding nozzle based on activation of both of the first driving means and the second driving means so that a mold space for a substrate of the surface fastener is defined between the circumferential surface of the mold roll and the opposed surface of the extruding nozzle;   activating at least one of the first linear driving means and the second linear driving means to regulate the degree of closeness between the extruding nozzle and the mold roll across the first end side and the second end side of the mold roll.   
     
     
         12 . The operational method of a surface fastener molding apparatus according to  claim 11 , the method comprising:
 determining a position of the first end side of the mold roll;   determining a position of the second end side of the mold roll;   activating the first linear driving means for compensating the displacement of the first end side of the mold roll based on the determination of the position of the first end side of the mold roll; and   activating the second linear driving means for compensating the displacement of the second end side of the mold roll based on the determination of the position of the second end side of the mold roll.