EP1626638A1

EP1626638A1 - A zip fastener and an application of a zip fastener

Info

Publication number: EP1626638A1
Application number: EP04733357A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Turo STENHÄLL
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-05-19
Filing date: 2004-05-17
Publication date: 2006-02-22
Also published as: FI20035069A; WO2004100695A1; FI20035069A0

Abstract

A zip fastener which comprises two support tapes (1,2), two rows of coupling elements (3,4), each row (3,4) being attached to its own support tape (1,2), a slider element (5) comprising a puller attachment point (6) and a tunnel (7) for each row of coupling elements (3,4), as well as a core part (8), which divides one end of the tunnel (7) into two tunnel branches (7a, 7b), in which the rows of coupling elements (3, 4) separated by the core part (8) slide when opening or closing the zip fastener. The slider element (5) includes slots (9, 10) connected to the tunnel (7), in which the support tapes (1, 2) can slide when the slider element (5) is moved to open or close the zip fastener. One (10) of the slots (9, 10) in the slider element (5) is on the same or on the opposite side as the puller attachment point (6). The freely extending lip (11, 15) of the sliding support tape (2) extends from the slot (10) over the slider element (5) in such a way that when the zip fastener is closed, the lip (11) extends to cover the seam point (14) between the coupling element rows (3, 4). In this way, the seam point can be protectively covered without forming lips or projections jamming between the coupling elements.

Description

A zip fastener and an application of a zip fastener.

Zip fastener

The invention relates to a zip fastener which comprises two support tapes, two rows of coupling elements, each row being attached to its own support tape, a slider element comprising a puller attachment point and a tunnel for each row of coupling elements, as well as a core part, which divides one end of the tunnel into two tunnel branches, in which the rows of coupling elements separated by the core part slide when opening or closing the zip fastener, in addition to which the slider element includes slots connected to the tunnel, in which the support tapes can slide when the slider element is moved to open or close the zip fastener.

A zip fastener of this type is known, for example, from the patent publication US 5,008,986 or from the applicant's patent application EP 1258203. In the first-mentioned, the aim is to provide a watertight zip fastener in which the support tapes, which may be provided with a sealing coating, are arranged to cover the rows of coupling elements completely, so that the edges of the support tapes will press tightly against each other. This arrangement is, however, particularly susceptible to malfunctioning of the zip fastener if the support tapes have even the slightest tendency to overlap. On the other hand, a butt connection alone does not very often guarantee tightness when subjected to the deformations and loads appearing in use.

The aim of the invention is to provide an improved zip fastener, in which the coupling area between the coupling elements can be protectively covered without the above-mentioned disadvantages.

This aim is achieved by means of the invention, on the basis of the characteristics disclosed in the accompanying claim 1. The dependent claims disclose preferred embodiments of the invention. One example of the invention is described in greater detail in the following, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which

Figure 1 shows the slider element of the zip fastener according to the invention as seen from above,

Figure 2 shows the zip fastener according to the invention as a section at point II - II of the slider element,

Figure 3 shows the zip fastener according to the invention as a section at point III - III of the slider element of Figure 1,

Figures 4-6 show cross-sections of an embodiment of the zip fastener according to the invention at different stages of closing. In this embodiment, the top fabric 15 has been made to run together with the lip 11 of the tape 2,

Figures 7-9 show cross-sections of a zip fastener according to one embodiment of the invention at different stages of closing, and

Figures 10-12 show cross-sections of a zip fastener according to another embodiment of the invention at different stages of closing.

The zip fastener comprises two support tapes 1, 2 and two rows of coupling elements 3, 4, of which each row 3, 4 is fixed to its own support tape 1, 2. The zip fastener also comprises a slider element 5 which comprises a puller (not shown) attachment point 6 and a tunnel 7 for each coupling element row 3, 4. The core part 8 divides one end of the tunnel 7 in the usual manner into two tunnel branches 7a, 7b, in which the rows of coupling elements 3, 4 separated from each other by the core part 8 are able to slide when the zip fastener is opened or closed. The slider element 5 further comprises slots 9, 10 connected to the tunnel 7, in which the support tapes

I, 2 are able to slide when the slider element 5 is moved to open and close the zip fastener. The slider element 5 is also called a lock.

What is novel and special about the invention is the positioning of the second slot 10 in the slider element 5 on the same or on the opposite side as the puller attachment point 6. In practice, this usually means that the slot 10 is on the wide side of the slider element 5, which is parallel with the plane of the support tapes 1, 2. The positioning of this slot 10 serves the fact that in the support tape 2 sliding in the slot 10 can be made a freely extending lip

II, which extends from the slot 10 over the slider element 5 in such a way that when the zip fastener is closed, the lip 11 extends to cover the seam point 14 between the rows of coupling elements. The point of attachment of the support tape 2 to the row of coupling elements 4 is thus at the slot 10, and the support tape 2 and its lip 11 both come out through the same slot 10, to the same side of the slider element 5. The length of the lip 11 may be selected freely, even so as to cover a desired distance of the support tape 1 as far as to the edge of the product attached to the support tape 1 or as far as over the edge of the product. Since the lip 11 is over the slider element 5 when the zip fastener is opened or closed, it cannot get caught between the coupling elements and cause malfunctioning. The other edge of the support tape 2 attached to the coupling element row 4 is fixed in the usual manner on the edge of the product closed with a zip fastener.

The tunnel 7 has edge walls 12, 13, which guide the coupling elements in the usual manner together with the core part 8. The slot 10 is adjacent to one of the edge walls 13 of the tunnel 7, at a short distance from it, to prevent the edges of the coupling elements 4 from tending to come out of the slot 10. Only in the other side edge wall 12 of the tunnel 7 is an ordinary support tape slot 9 on the narrow side of the slider element 5. To make the functioning of the zip fastener well-flowing and unfaltering, the edge parts of the rows of coupling elements 3, 4 that attach to each other are free of support tapes 1, 2. Despite this, this area free of support tapes 1, 2 can be protectively covered when the coupling area free of support tapes is covered by the lip 11 when the zip fastener is closed.

Figures 4 to 6 show an embodiment where over the lip 11 of the support tape 2 is attached coating material 15 of a piece of clothing or a shoe or a rucksack or the like which covers the closing point of the zip fastener together with the lip 11, or which coating material 15 forms an additional lip 15a, which extends a desired distance over the closing point of the zip fastener, for example, over coating material 16 attached to the other support tape 1.

The embodiment shown in Figures 4 to 6 is thus a "hidden zip fastener", in which the zip fastener itself is either partly or completely under the lip formed of the coating material 15. A new type of one-sided protection and aesthetic "cover-up" has thus been provided for a zip fastener and a zip fastener cleft. If necessary, the coating material 15 attachment point may be in the vicinity of the U-loop of the spiral element 4, or it may even be at the spiral element 4 as there are no walls resembling the tape slot 9 to obstruct. The entry of foreign material in the throat of the lock or even between the spirals 3, 4 may be prevented by means of this type of a cover. In such a case, the lip 11 of the support tape 2 does not necessarily have to be very extensive either.

Figures 7 to 9 show an embodiment by means of which the slider element 5 can be kept in place in use, for example, when running or cycling. The surface of the lip 11 resting on the slider element 5 which is against the slider element 5 is roughened in one way or another. On the lower surface of the lip 11 may in such a case be, for example, Velcro tape or other retainer elements projecting from the lip 11 or the coating material 15 or its supplementary part 15a. Therefore, the solution known as such from the applicant's Finnish patent FI-100295 may be applied here.

Figures 10 to 12 show an embodiment in which the entry of water into the middle slot of the zip fastener is prevented from all directions. Rain beating from the right passes over because of a lip 11 or 15, 15a (Figures 4 to 6) on top of it. Water beating from the left is stopped by the reinforcements 18, 19 in the lip 11 and the zip fastener tape 1, because a water trough is formed in front of the reinforcements and leads the water off. For example, when riding a motorbike, water hits against clothing and against the outer surface of the tape 2 and lip 11 under pressure, but the water attempting to penetrate inside from below the lip 11 is no longer particularly pressurised.

It is obvious that in the invention may also be applied various combinations of the solutions of Figures 4 to 6 and 7 to 9, as well as 10 to 12.

In addition, by utilising the rigidity of the lip, and since the distances described are often very short, a situation may also arise where the outer edge of the lip will press (once the slider element has moved away from that point) automatically against the tape 1 (Fig. 12).

Furthermore, by utilising the rigidity of the lip and by dimensioning the attachment points of the tapes 1, 2, a situation may also arise where the butt edge of the lip presses (once the slider element has moved up) against the edge of the tape 1 on the side of the spirals 3, 4. This creates a water seal for water possibly approaching from the left and in front of this point is also another water trough which leads the water downwards. In the manner shown in Figures 10 to 12, or by modifying it, the shape of the slider element 5 can easily be made to lift even rigid lips up as the slider element moves.

Claims

1. A zip fastener which comprises two support tapes (1, 2), two rows of coupling elements (3, 4), each row (3, 4) being attached to its own support tape (1, 2), a slider element (5) comprising a puller attachment point (6) and a tunnel (7) for each row of coupling elements (3, 4), as well as a core part (8), which divides one end of the tunnel (7) into two tunnel branches (7a, 7b), in which the rows of coupling elements (3, 4) separated by the core part (8) slide when opening or closing the zip fastener, in addition to which the slider element (5) includes slots (9, 10) connected to the tunnel (7), in which the support tapes (1, 2) can slide when the slider element (5) is moved to open or close the zip fastener, characterised in that one (10) of the slots (9, 10) in the slider element (5) is on the same or on the opposite side as the puller attachment point (6), and that to the support tape (2) sliding in this slot (10) is connected a freely extending lip (11, 15) which extends over the slider element (5), to the same side of the slider element (5) as the support tape (2) to which the lip (11, 15) is connected.

2. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that when the zip fastener is closed, the lip (11) extends to cover the seam point (14) between the rows of coupling elements (3, 4).

3. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the edge parts of the rows of coupling elements (3, 4) that attach to each other are free of support tapes (1, 2), and this area free of support tapes (1, 2) is covered by the lip (11, 15) when the zip fastener is closed.

4. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the said slot (10) is on the wide side of the slider element (5), adjacent to one edge (13) of the tunnel (7), at a short distance from the edge (13), and that only on the other edge (12) of the tunnel (7) is a support tape slot (9) on the narrow side of the slider element.

5. A zip fastener as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the lip (11) is the edge part of one of the support tapes (2).

6. A zip fastener as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the surface (17) of the lip (11) which is against the slider element (5) is roughened.

7. A zip fastener as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the surfaces of the lip (11) and one of the support tapes (1) that are placed against one another are provided with longitudinal reinforcements or protrusions (18, 19) which form an obstacle to water penetrating between the said surfaces.

8. An application of the zip fastener as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 7 relating to the coating material (15, 16) of a piece of clothing, a shoe, a rucksack, or other similar product, characterised in that the coating material (15) attached to the support tape (2) covers, together with the lip (11), the closing point of the zip fastener and/or forms an additional lip (15a), which extends across the closing point of the zip fastener, over the coating material (16) attached to the other support tape (1).