Velcro
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2007) |
Velcro is a brand name of fabric hook-and-loop fasteners. The term Velcro is a registered trademark in most countries. Generic terminology for these fasteners includes "hook and loop", "burr" and "touch" fasteners. The Velcro company headquarters is in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA.
Contents |
[edit] History
The hook-loop fastener was invented in 1945 by Swiss engineer, George de Mestral. The idea came to him after he took a close look at the burrs (seeds) of burdock which kept sticking to his clothes and his dog's fur on their daily summer walks in the Alps. He examined their condition and saw the possibility of binding two materials reversibly in a simple fashion.[1][2] He developed the hook and loop fastener and submitted his idea for patent in 1951 and the patent was granted in 1955.[3] De Mestral named his invention "Velcro" after the French words velours, meaning 'velvet', and crochet, or 'hook'. The uses and applications of the product are numerous. Today, the trademark is the subject of more than 300 trademark registrations in over 159 countries.
[edit] Composition
Hook and loop fasteners consist of two layers: a "hook" side, which is a piece of fabric covered with tiny plastic hooks, and a "loop" side, which is covered with even smaller and "hairier" plastic loops. There are many variations to this which include hooks on both sides, for example. When the two sides are pressed together, the hooks catch in the loops and hold the pieces together. When the layers are separated, the strips make a characteristic sound.
[edit] Use
The strength of the hook and loop bond depends on how well the hooks are embedded in the loops and the nature of the force pulling it apart. Force pushing the pieces together engages more hooks and loops.
If hooks and loops are used to bond two rigid surfaces, e.g. auto body panels and frame, the bond is particularly strong because any force pulling the pieces apart is spread evenly across all hooks. Vibration can also cause rigid pieces to improve their bond.[citation needed]
When one or both of the pieces are flexible, e.g. a pocket flap, the pieces can be pulled apart with a peeling action which applies the force to relatively few hooks at a time. If a flexible piece is pulled parallel to the plane of the fastener surface the force is spread evenly as with very rigid pieces.
Two ways to maximize the strength of a bond with one or more flexible pieces are:
- increase the area of the bond, e.g. long purse straps.
- ensure that the force is applied parallel to the plane of the fastener surface, e.g. bending around a corner or pulley. For example, shoe closures can resist a large force with little bonding area by wrapping a strap through a slot which reduces the force on the fastener by ensuring the force is parallel to the plane of the fastener and by halving the force on the bond by acting as a pulley system.
[edit] Applications
Because it is easy to use, maintenance free, and really safe, the hook-and-loop fasteners have been used for just about every conceivable application where a temporary bond is required. It is especially popular in clothing where it replaces buttons or zippers, and as a shoe fastener for children who have not yet learned to tie shoelaces and for those who choose hook-and-loop over laces.
A stronger version of the hook-and-loop material has even made it possible to create semi-permanent bonds (where it is extremely hard to separate the hooks from the loops), useful for higher stress applications. Hook and loop fasteners made from stainless steel are used in the automotive industry to attach parts such as bumpers. Rather than loosening the fasteners, as would happen with a bolt, the vibration of the automobile actually maintains the bond, as any hooks that come loose are more likely to re-attach due to random motion.
The strength of a hook and loop bond depends on how much surface area is in contact with the hooks: full-body hook and loop suits have been made that can hold a person to a suitably-covered wall.
[edit] References in Popular Culture
In the film Garden State, one of the characters earns a vast fortune from inventing silent velcro.
[edit] References =
[edit] External links
- Velcro Official company website
- closeup of Velcro hooks and loops
- VELCRO USA INC. Celebrates 50TH Anniversary
Sewing | ||
|---|---|---|
| Techniques: | Basting · Cut · Darning · Dressmaker · Embellishment · Gather · Heirloom sewing · Pleat · Ruffle · Style line · Tailor | |
| Stitches: | Backstitch · Blanket · Buttonhole · Chain stitch · Cross-stitch · Embroidery stitch · Lockstitch · Overlock · Running · Sashiko · Tack | |
| Seams: | Bound · Hong Kong · Inseam · Seam allowance · Seam types | |
| Notions: | Bias tape · Interfacing · Passementerie · Pattern · Simplicity · Trim · Twill tape | |
| Closures: | Button · Buttonhole · Frog · Shank · Snap · Velcro · Zipper | |
| Materials: | Bias · Yarn/Thread · Selvage · Textiles/Fabric | |
| Tools: | Bobbin · Pin · Pincushion · Pinking shears · Scissors · Seam ripper · Sewing needle · Stitching awl · Tape measure · Thimble · Tracing paper · Tracing wheel · Upholstery needle | |
| Sewing machines and parts: | Feed dogs · Sewing machine · Needle guard · Pfaff · Singer · Tapemaster | |
bg:Велкро cs:Suchý zip de:Klettverschluss es:Velcro eo:Lapfermilo fr:Velcro it:Velcro he:צמדן lt:Lipukai ml:വെല്ക്രോ nl:Klittenband ja:面ファスナー pl:Velcro pt:Velcro ru:Застёжка-липучка fi:Tarranauha sv:Kardborrband th:เวลโคร
