CN107136667B

CN107136667B - Slider for zipper and zipper thereof

Info

Publication number: CN107136667B
Application number: CN201710115170.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 滨田嘉一
Original assignee: YKK Corp
Current assignee: YKK Corp
Priority date: 2016-03-01
Filing date: 2017-03-01
Publication date: 2020-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 2037-03-01
Also published as: ITUB20161222A1; CN107136667A

Abstract

The invention discloses a slider for a zipper and a zipper thereof. The tab attachment bar has a proximal end portion extending from the upper leaf and a distal end portion with a gap therebetween, and an apertured tab portion is threaded through the bar through the gap. A blocking member disposed on the slider body for closing the gap and including a base plate slidably inserted into a dovetail groove formed in an upper surface of the upper blade; and a pair of members extending upward from the base plate with a certain distance therebetween in the slider width direction and having engaging members engaging with the mounting portions of the distal end portions of the tab attachment bars, the dovetail groove of the upper blade and the base plate of the blocking member being provided in mutually facing surfaces with one having at least one guide groove and the other having at least one mating ridge, the guide groove and the ridge defining a spline connection between the facing surfaces.

Description

Slider for zipper and zipper thereof

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a slider for a slide fastener and a slide fastener therefor, and particularly to the type in which a pull-tab is attached to a slider body after the slider body has been manufactured.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a slider comprising:

a slider body having an upper blade and a lower blade extending from a front to a rear of the slider and provided with a tab attachment lever for holding the tab on an upper surface of the upper blade in a cantilever fashion, the tab attachment lever having a proximal end portion protruding from the upper blade and a distal end portion such that a gap is defined between the distal end portion and the upper blade through which a tab portion provided with an aperture can be passed on the lever; and

a blocking member disposed on the slider body for closing the insertion gap, and including:

-a base plate slidably insertable into a dovetail groove provided in a recessed portion formed in an upper surface of the upper blade and extending longitudinally from a rear portion toward a front portion of the slider; and

a pair of arms extending upwardly from the base plate with a distance therebetween in the width direction of the slider, and provided with engagement means engageable with the mounting portion of the distal end portion of the tab attachment lever so as to prevent the blocking member from being withdrawn from the dovetail groove and to allow the blocking member to move in the dovetail groove toward the proximal end portion of the tab attachment lever against the action of elastic constriction means disposed in a seat communicating with the dovetail groove.

Background

Such a slider for a slide fastener is disclosed in US2015/0335107a1 (fig. 15 and following).

In the slider according to the above-described prior art document, the lower surface of the base plate of the stopper member and the bottom surface of the recessed portion of the upper blade of the slider body, in which the dovetail groove is formed, are flat smooth surfaces. The base plate of the blocking member has a relatively short longitudinal dimension which can only be guided at its shorter sides by the mating longitudinal recesses of the longitudinal dovetail grooves of the slider body. The coil spring will serve to keep the blocking member engaged with the mounting portion of the distal end portion of the pull tab attachment bar.

However, in the normal use condition of the slider, the main part of said helical spring extends outside the relative seat in the slider body and it can oscillate laterally and easily slide out of its seat. Moreover, said main portion of the helical spring does not at all prevent unwanted debris, which could even block its operation.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved slider for a slide fastener and a slide fastener therefor, which slider is capable of overcoming the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art sliders.

According to the present invention, the above and other objects are achieved by a slider of the initially defined kind, which is characterized in that:

the dovetail groove of the upper blade and the base plate of the blocking member are provided in mutually facing surfaces with one having at least one guide groove and the other having at least one mating ridge, the guide groove and the ridge defining a splined connection between the facing surfaces.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in the slider body, the tongue-like member extends longitudinally away from the proximal end portion of the tab attachment lever above the movement path of the base plate of the blocking member so as to define a pair of longitudinal parallel guide paths for the arms of the blocking member with respect to the facing longitudinal edge portions of the recessed portion of the upper leaf.

Due to these features in the slider according to the present invention, the base plate and the pillar or arm of the blocking member are more widely and reliably guided in the longitudinal dovetail groove of the slider body. Moreover, the above-mentioned tongue-like element does help to guide the blocking member and to cover and protect the elastic constriction device associated with the blocking member, thus preventing any undesired debris from accumulating therein and ensuring that said elastic constriction device cannot slide out of its seat.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the seat for the elastic constriction device associated with the blocking member is formed directly below the above-mentioned tongue-like element.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the tongue-shaped element extends in the longitudinal direction of the slider so as to completely cover the elastically contractible member in each use case.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, the elastically contracting member is a coil spring, the at least one guide groove is provided in the upper leaf of the slider body, the at least one mating ridge projects downward from the base plate of the blocking member, and ends of the ridge are engaged with respective ends of the coil spring.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a longitudinal groove is provided in a surface portion of the tongue element facing the helical spring, in which longitudinal groove the helical spring is partially engaged.

All of the above aspects of the present invention are capable of more reliably protecting the elastic contractible member and preventing it from being withdrawn from the associated seat of the slider body.

Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a slider for a slide fastener according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear of the slider body of the slider according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the slider body of FIG. 2;

fig. 4 is a plan view of a blocking member included in the slider according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the blocking member according to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a blocking member according to FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the rear of the slider according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a partial cutaway top perspective view of the slider according to FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side perspective view of the slider according to FIGS. 7 and 8; and

fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along line X-X in fig. 9.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a slider 1 according to the present invention.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the slider 1 comprises: a slider body 10, the slider body 10 having a front portion 10a and a rear portion 10 b; a tab attachment bar 20, the tab attachment bar 20 extending in a cantilever manner over the slider body 10; a blocking member 30, the blocking member 30 being installed in the tab insertion gap 25 between the upper surface of the slider body 10 and the distal end portion 23 of the tab attachment bar 20, and the tab 5 being held on the tab attachment bar 20.

The pull tab 5 has: a tab body 5a in a flat plate shape, the tab body 5a being graspable by fingers; and an annular attachment shaft portion 5b in which a through hole 5c is defined, the annular attachment shaft portion 5b being formed integrally with one end of the tab body 5 a.

In the slider 1, the slider body 10, the tab attachment bar 20, the barrier member 30, and the tab 5 can be manufactured by die casting or injection molding using a metal material (e.g., an aluminum alloy or a zinc alloy) or using a synthetic resin material (including, for example, polyacetal resin, polyamide resin, polybutylene terephthalate resin, etc.). In any case, in the present invention, the materials of the members are not particularly limited, but can be arbitrarily changed according to their uses.

The slider body 10 of the slider 1 has an upper blade 11 and a lower blade 12 which are arranged substantially parallel to each other with a guide post 13 interposed therebetween, and a rear mouth is formed in the rear end of said slider body 10.

A Y-shaped guide passage 14 is defined between the upper blade 11 and the lower blade 12.

A substantially rectangular recessed portion 11b (into which the stopper member 30 can be fitted) is formed on the upper surface of the upper blade 11, and extends from the end of the slider body 10 closer to the viewer in fig. 1 and 2.

The recessed portion 11b has a bottom surface 11f, the bottom surface 11f being substantially parallel to the upper surface of the upper blade 11, and the recessed portion 11b also serves to mount the blocking member 30, as will be described in more detail later.

Side grooves 11c are continuously formed in the right and left longitudinal wall surfaces of the recessed portion 11b, which together with the bottom surface 11f form a dovetail groove that is open at one end (in fig. 1 and 2, the end closer to the viewer) and closed at the opposite end by a wall surface 11g (fig. 2).

Flanges

11a and 12a extend from the right and left edges of the upper blade 11 and the lower blade 12, respectively, in a manner known per se (see in particular figures 2 and 3).

In the space portion (inner space) of the dovetail groove 11b, a projecting portion 11d is arranged to project along the longitudinal side portion of the groove.

As will be described later, the blocking member 30 includes a base plate 32, and the base plate 32 can be engaged in the dovetail groove 11b of the slider body 10, thereby effectively preventing the blocking member 30 from moving in the up-down direction with respect to the upper blade 11.

As described above, the slider body 10 is integrally provided with the tab attachment bar 20, the tab attachment bar 20 having: a fixed proximal end portion 21, the fixed proximal end portion 21 protruding from an upper surface of the upper blade 11; an intermediate extension 22, the intermediate extension 22 being bent to protrude from the proximal end portion 21 in a direction approximately parallel to the upper blade 11; and a distal end portion 23, the distal end portion 23 being bent downward toward the upper blade 11.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, as shown in fig. 3, the tab attachment stick 20 is substantially downward horizontal C-shaped when viewed from the side, and a receiving space 24 for receiving and holding the attachment shaft portion 5b of the tab 5 is defined between the intermediate extension portion 22 and the upper surface of the upper blade 11.

As shown in fig. 1, the distal end portion 23 of the pull-tab attachment lever 20 is formed to have an insertion gap 25 from which the attachment shaft portion 5b of the pull-tab 5 is inserted between the distal end portion 23 and the upper surface of the upper blade 11.

A groove 23a is formed on the right and left side surfaces of the distal end portion 23 of the tab attachment stick 20, which groove can be conveniently inclined slightly downward toward the tab receiving space 24.

The slots 23a are separated from each other by substantially vertical posts 23 b.

With particular reference to fig. 1, 4 and 6, the blocking member 30 comprises a pair of integral posts or arms 33, the posts or arms 33 extending upwardly from the base plate 32 and being provided at their free top ends with locking claws 33b, as will be described later, which locking claws 33b serve to engage themselves in the slots 23a and beyond the posts 23b of the distal end portion 23 of the tab attachment bar 20.

The claws 33b of the blocking member 30 have inclined front edges, respectively, which converge horizontally towards each other. Conveniently, the minimum distance between the claws 33b is greater than the transverse width of the post 23b of the distal end portion 23 of the tab attachment bar 20. The structure is such that, when the base plate 32 of the blocking member 30 is fitted into the dovetail groove 11b and slidably moved toward the proximal end portion 21 of the tab attachment lever 20, the claw 33b hits against the side of the post 23b and causes the arm or post 33 to elastically deflect until the claw passes beyond the post 23b and engages behind it, in which state the blocking member 30 is prevented from being withdrawn from the slider body 10 and the base plate 32 cannot be withdrawn from the dovetail groove 11 b.

However, the engagement of the pawl 33b of the blocking member beyond the post 23b of the tab attachment stick 20 will allow the blocking member 30 to move in the dovetail slot 11b toward the proximal end portion 21 of the tab attachment stick 20 against the action of the coil spring 40 (FIGS. 1 and 10), as will be described in greater detail below.

After the barrier member 30 is engaged in the dovetail groove 11b, the lower surface 32a of its base plate 32 faces the bottom surface 11f of the dovetail groove 11 b.

With particular reference to fig. 1 and 2, in the bottom surface 11f of the upper blade 11a longitudinal guide groove 50 is provided, which longitudinal guide groove 50 extends longitudinally between two adjacent parallel ridges 51, which parallel ridges 51 project upwards from said surface 11 f.

Thus, as shown in particular in fig. 5 and 7, a central longitudinal ridge 60 is provided in the bottom surface 32a of the base 32 of the barrier member 30, this central longitudinal ridge 60 being between two adjacent longitudinal grooves 61.

The

ridges

51 and 60 mate with the

corresponding grooves

50 and 61 to fully define the spline connection between the

surfaces

11f and 32 a.

In the slider body 10, the tongue-like element 70 extends longitudinally away from the proximal end portion 21 of the pull-tab attachment lever 20 above the moving path of the base plate 32 for the blocking member 30 so as to define a pair of longitudinal parallel guide slots 71 with respect to the facing longitudinal edge portions of the recessed portion 11b of the upper leaf 11, the pair of parallel guide slots 71 serving to receive and guide the posts or arms 33 of the blocking member 30 when the blocking member is pushed toward the proximal end portion 21 of the pull-tab attachment lever 20 against the reaction of the coil spring 40.

As shown in fig. 10, said spring 40 is received in a seat 41, which seat 41 is formed in the slider body 10, just below the tongue element 70.

As shown in particular in fig. 9 and 10, the tongue element 70 extends to some extent in the longitudinal direction of the slider body 10 so as to (preferably completely) cover the helical spring 40 in each case of use, in particular to prevent unwanted debris from being trapped between the turns of the helical spring.

Referring to fig. 10, conveniently, the end of the ridge 60 of the blocking member 30 engages the adjacent end of the spring 40.

Furthermore, as shown in figures 2, 7 and 10, a longitudinal groove 70b is provided in the lower face 70a of the tongue element 70, in which longitudinal groove 70b said helical spring 40 engages transversely. By this construction, the spring 40 will be prevented from rocking laterally in the horizontal plane.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Slider (1) for a slide fastener, comprising:

a slider body (10), the slider body (10) having an upper blade (11) and a lower blade (12) extending from the front to the rear of the slider (1), and provided with a tab attachment bar (20) for holding a tab (5) on the upper surface of the upper blade (11) in a cantilever manner; the pull tab attachment stick (20) has a proximal end portion (21) protruding from the upper leaf (11) and a distal end portion (23) such that a gap (25) is defined between said distal end portion (23) and the upper leaf (11), through which gap (25) a portion (5b) of the pull tab (5) provided with a hole (5c) can be threaded onto said stick (20); and

a blocking member (30), the blocking member (30) being arranged on the slider body (10) for closing the gap (25) and comprising:

-a base plate (32), which base plate (32) is slidably insertable into a dovetail groove (11b) provided in a recessed portion formed in an upper surface of the upper blade (11) and extending in a longitudinal direction from a rear portion toward a front portion of the slider (1); and

-a pair of arms (33) extending upwards from a base plate (32) with a distance between them in the slider width direction, and provided with engagement means (33b), which engagement means (33b) are engageable with mounting portions (23a, 23b) of a distal end portion (23) of a tab attachment stick (20) in order to prevent a blocking member (30) from being withdrawn from the dovetail groove (11b) and to allow the blocking member (30) to move in the dovetail groove (11b) towards a proximal end portion (21) of the tab attachment stick (20) against the action of elastic constriction means (40), which elastic constriction means (40) are arranged in a seat (41) communicating with the dovetail groove (11 b);

the slider (1) is characterized in that:

the dovetail groove (11b) of the upper blade (11) and the base plate (32) of the blocking part (30) are provided in mutually facing surfaces (11 f; 32a) with at least one guide groove (50) and one with at least one mating ridge (60), which guide groove (50) and ridge (60) define a splined connection between the facing surfaces (11 f; 32a) in the longitudinal direction, and,

the guide groove (50) extends longitudinally between two adjacent parallel ridges (51), the two parallel ridges (51) projecting upward from one of the facing surfaces (11 f; 32 a).

2. The slider of claim 1 wherein: in the slider body (10), a tongue-shaped element (70) extends longitudinally away from a proximal end portion (21) of the pull-tab attachment lever (20) above a movement passage of a base plate (32) of the blocking member (30) so as to define a pair of longitudinal parallel guide passages (71) for arms (33) of the blocking member (30) with respect to facing longitudinal edge portions of a recessed portion (11b) of the upper blade (11).

3. The slider according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: the seat (41) for the elastic constriction device (40) is formed at least partially directly below the tongue element (70).

4. The slider of claim 3 wherein: in the longitudinal direction of the slider (1), the tongue-shaped element (70) extends so as to completely cover the elastic constriction device (40) in each case of use.

5. The slider according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: the elastic constriction means is a helical spring (40), the at least one guide groove (50) being provided in the upper leaf (11) of the slider body (10), the at least one cooperating ridge (60) projecting downwards from the base plate (32) of the blocking member (30) and its end engaging with a cooperating end of the helical spring (40).

6. The slider of claim 5 wherein: a longitudinal groove (70b) is provided in a surface portion (70a) of the tongue element (70) facing the coil spring (40), in which longitudinal groove (70b) the coil spring (40) engages.

7. A zipper comprising a slider (1) according to claim 1.