Container for a hook and loop fastener

The invention relates to a container for a hook and loop fastener, wherein the two tape-shaped component parts of the fastener are each received in the form of a roll.

In a known embodiment of such container for a hook and loop fastener both rolls of the tape-shaped component parts are packed together in a bag, blister or box. However, with these packages the danger exists that the rolls will unroll unintentionally and will get tangled, which hampers the cutting off of a certain length of the rolls of the component parts of the hook and loop fastener.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a container for a hook and loop fastener, wherein this disadvantage is removed in a very effective manner.

For this purpose the container according to the invention for a hook and loop fastener comprises two compartments which each receive one of the rolls, the cross-section of each compartment having the form of at least a portion of a circle, while the compartments are provided with a common outlet through which the co-operating tape-shaped component parts may be dispensed as a coupled hook and loop fastener.

In this way it is effectively prevented that the rolls may unroll unintentionally and may get tangled.

As the component parts of the hook and loop fastener leave the outlet of the container in coupled form, it has become very easy to exactly cut off a certain length of the hook and loop fastener.

In a first embodiment of the container according to the invention for a hook and loop fastener the compartments are positioned one beside the other, while the cross-section of each compartment has the form of a portion of a circle, which is larger than one half of a circle, but smaller than a whole circle, whilst both compartments adjoin each other through a contracted area and are in open communication with each other, the outlet being formed on one side of this contracted area.

In a second embodiment of the container according to the invention for a hook and loop fastener both compartments are aligned with each other, while the cross-section of each compartment has the form of approximately a whole circle, whilst an outlet portion connects to each compartment, which outlet portions are also aligned with each other and end in an outlet, a partition being positioned between both compartments.

The invention will hereafter be elucidated with reference to the drawing, which shows several embodiments by way of example of a container according to the invention for a hook and loop fastener.

• Fig. 1 is a top view of a first embodiment of a container according to the invention for a hook and loop fastener.
• Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the component parts of a second embodiment of the container according to the invention for a hook and loop fastener.
• Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the container for a hook and loop fastener which is assembled from the parts according to fig. 2. _
• Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the rolls of the two tape-shaped component parts of the hook and loop fastener, which are received in the container according to fig. 3.

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the container for a hook and loop fastener, wherein the two tape-shaped component parts 1, 2 of the hook and loop fastener are each received as a roll 3 and a roll 4 respectively.

The container comprises two compartments 5, 6 which are positioned one beside the other and which each receive one of the rolls 3 and 4 respectively. The compartments 5, 6 adjoin each other and are in open communication with each other.

Each compartment 5, 6 has a cross-section which has the form of a portion of a circle which is larger than one half of a circle, but smaller than a whole circle. In this manner it is attained that the two compartments 5, 6 adjoin each other through a contracted area 7, in which area 7 both tape-shaped component parts 1, 2 engage each other and are coupled to the hook and loop fastener 8. This hook and loop fastener 8 is dispensed from the container through an outlet 9' in the outer end face of a spout-shaped protrusion 9 positioned on one side of this contracted area 7.

The container consists of a blister 10, which comprises a raised portion 11, which forms the outer wall 12 and the upstanding side wall 13 of the compartments 5, 6 and of the spout-shaped protrusion 9. The blister 10 further comprises a flat wall portion 14, which is parallel to the outer wall 12 of the compartments 5, 6 and which connects to the upstanding side walls 13 of these compartments 5, 6 and of the spout-shaped protrusion 9. The upstanding side wall 13 of the compartments 5, 6 has a slightly conical shape which is somewhat outwardly inclined from the outer wall 12 towards the flat wall portion 14. The flat wall portion 14 is connected to a carrier 15, which forms an end wall of the compartments 5, 6, as well as of the spout-shaped protrusion 9. The connection takes for instance place by means of glueing, hot-glueing or of staples 16. The carrier 15 may be provided with an eye 17, so that the container may be suspended by means thereof.

The height of the compartments 5, 6 and of the spout-shaped protrusion 9 and the length of the outlet 9' substantially correspond with the width of the component parts 1, 2 of the hook and loop fastener.

The width of the outlet 9' substantially corresponds with the thickness of the hook and loop fastener 8. It may be of advantage when the edges of the outlet 9' exert a slight pressure on the hook and loop fastener 8. The tape-shaped component parts 1, 2 of the hook and loop fastener may be self-adhesive at the outer side, if desired, and may then be covered with silicone paper. In that case the width of the outlet 9' will of course be chosen accordingly.

In the outer wall 12 of each compartment 5, 6 a central centring protrusion 18 is formed, which centres the co-operating roll 3, 4, In this way it is attained that the rolls 3, 4 maintain their position in their compartment 5, 6 until the end. Of course the centring protrusions may also be formed in the carrier 15.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show a modified embodiment of the container according to the invention for a hook and loop fastener. This embodiment-mainly differs from the container according to fig. 1 described hereinabove in that the two compartments 19, 20 are not positioned one beside the other, but are positioned in line with each other.

The cross-section of the compartments 19, 20 has the form of approximately a whole circle, while an outlet portion 21 connects to each compartment 19, 20. These outlet portions 21 are also aligned with each other and end in a common outlet 22.

A partition 23 is positioned between the two compartments 19, 20 and comprises a recess 24 at the location of the outer end of the two outlet portions 21. The two outlet portions 21 are tangential with respect to their compartment 19 and 20 respectively and have a height, which decreases from the height of the compartment to approximately the thickness of the co-operating component parts 1, 2 of the hook and\loop fastener. This latter height is already reached at some distance from the outlet 22.

As shown in fig. 3 the two component parts 1, 2 of the hook and loop fastener are each twisted a quarter turn in the co-operating outlet portion 21, whereafter they engage each other approximately at the location of the recess 24 in the partition 23, so that they may be pulled together through the common outlet 22 out of the container as a coupled hook and loop fastener.

In this embodiment as well the height of the compartments 19, 20 and the length of the outlet 22 substantially correspond with the width of the component parts 1, 2 of the hook and loop fastener, while the width of the outlet 22 substantially corresponds with the thickness of the hook and loop fastener 8.

If desired, the width of the outlet 22 may again be such that the edges of the outlet 22 exert a slight pressure on the hook and loop fastener 8. Each compartment 19, 20 is provided with a central centring protrusion 25 in its outer wall.

The container for a hook and loop fastener according to figs. 2, 3 and 4 is composed of two blisters 26, 27, which each comprise a raised portion, which forms the outer wall 28 and the upstanding side wall 29 of one of the compartments 19, 20 and of the associated outlet portion 21. Each blister 26, 27 further comprises a flat wall portion 30, which is parallel to the outer wall 28 of its compartment 19 or 20 and which connects to the upstanding side wall 29 of this compartment 19 or 20 and of the associated outlet portion 21. The flat wall portions 30 of the two blisters 25, 26 are connected to opposite sides of the partition 23. This partition 23 forms an end wall of the compartments 19, 20 and is again provided with a suspension eye 31, so as to act as a carrier.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiments shown in the drawings by way of example which may be altered in several ways within the scope of the appended claims.