EP3657975B1 - Secure slider for a zip fastener - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a safety slider for a zipper. The invention is more particularly, but not exclusively, intended for the field of luggage and bags or suitcases comprising a locking device for an opening comprising a zipper. Said locking is achieved by inserting a lock into the slider or the operating pull of said zipper, whether the latter comprises a single or a double slider.

A zipper, also known as an Eclair® closure, a rack closure or even a “ zip ”, makes it possible to assemble and disassemble two textile edges on which are installed, by sewing, gluing or crimping, a series of teeth capable of interlocking. hooking into each other when a cursor moves closer or further away from said teeth according to its direction of travel along said edges. The slider comprises a trigger guard on which is threaded a pull tab making it possible to easily maneuver said slider in both directions, opening and closing.

This closure system, used on a piece of luggage, has many practical advantages, but also constitutes a point of weakness vis-à-vis an attempt to maliciously open said piece of luggage. The locking devices for zippers known from the prior art consist in inserting a lock in an eyelet specially fitted on the slider trigger guard or in an eyelet fitted at one end of the zipper. Said lock secures the eyelet either with a fixed anchor or with the eyelet of the trigger guard or of the pull tab of another slider acting on the same edges but in the opposite direction of opening and closing. To open a zipper thus locked, a first method consists in introducing a pointed object between the hooked edges. The double slide device described in the document EP 2 421 403 , makes it possible to secure the closure against this type of intrusion. However, the locking systems of the prior art remain vulnerable to malicious acts acting directly on the cursor.

By way of example, the slider trigger guard, whether the latter is made of a plastic or metallic material, is generally open at one of its ends to allow the pull tab to be threaded onto said trigger guard. Thus, the trigger guard is fixed to the slider by a section, generally that which includes the eyelet for locking, while the other section arrives near the outer table of the slider, without being linked to it, so as to allow the insertion of the pull tab. Correspondingly, the zipper is of a sufficiently small thickness to be able to be inserted on the trigger guard through the slot left between said trigger guard and the outer table of the slider. When the slider is metallic, the slot is optionally closed by pinching the trigger guard after installation of the pull tab. Consequently, the section of the bridge must be reduced to allow this deformation of said bridge. Also, although under these conditions the slot is no longer visible, there is no connection between one of the ends of the trigger guard and the outer table of the cursor. Whether the eyelet of the trigger guard or the eyelet of the zipper, or both, are locked, it suffices to introduce a tool in the trigger guard, such as a knife blade or the end of a screwdriver, and exerting a lever by resting on the outer table of the slider, in order to move said trigger guard away from the slider. This maneuver makes it possible either to remove the zipper from the trigger guard and thus to freely maneuver the slider without the zipper if the latter was locked, or again, by continuing the pressure, to break said trigger guard, thus releasing the slider.

The document FR 2 145 453 describes a molding process using a mobility mold making it possible to mold the slider and the pull tab in the same operation. According to this embodiment, the slider obtained is not a slider with a trigger guard but a wing slider which allows locking only by the pull tab, the connection of the pull tab to the slider being particularly vulnerable.

The document US 2,736,062 and the document EP 0 604 695 describe molding processes allowing the simultaneous production of a slider with a trigger guard and a pull tab. These assemblies make it possible to solve the problem of the fragility of the trigger guard, however the zippers remain vulnerable. Indeed, by virtue of its shape, the zipper is sensitive to torsional stresses which shear the branches of the eyelet for connecting the zipper to the trigger guard, or of its locking eyelet. Such torsional stress is produced by inserting a blade between the two pull tabs when locked together, or by levering a blade so as to exert a bending stress in the direction of greatest inertia when the pull tab is locked to a fixed anchor, the tilting effect produces the torsional stress and leads to the same result.

The document CA2850675A1 discloses a slider according to the preamble of claim 1 and a piece of luggage with such a slider.

The invention aims to resolve the drawbacks of the prior art and for this purpose relates to a cursor according to claim 1.

Thus, the slider bridge being reinforced by the molding in a block, the connection section between the two eyelets of the zipper makes the latter much less vulnerable to torsional stresses. Thus, the zipper implementing the slider object of the invention has increased security vis-à-vis break-in attempts.

The invention is advantageously implemented according to the embodiments and the variants set out below, which are to be considered individually or according to any technically operative combination.

The radial offset of the locking eyelet of the zipper facilitates the operation of said zipper and, in the case of a fixed anchoring, makes it possible to bring the locking plane of the table closer to the cursor. Thus the combination of the section of the body of the slider zipper object of the invention with the radial offset of the eyelet locking further reduces the vulnerability of the closure

The trigger guard includes a locking eyelet. Thus, the locking of the cursor by means of the trigger guard makes it possible to reinforce the security.

The height of the open section of the eyelet for connecting the zipper to the trigger guard is greater than half the length of the trigger guard including its locking eyelet. Thus, the zipper can be operated above the trigger guard over 180 ° both in the longitudinal direction, passing above the locking eyelet of the trigger guard, and radially. Thus, the handling of the zipper is facilitated and more pleasant.

The invention also relates to a piece of luggage comprising a closable access to a compartment, the closure of which comprises a zipper and in which said zipper comprises two sliders according to the invention, acting in the reverse opening-closing direction on said closure. Thus, such a piece of luggage offers the possibility of locking the two sliders together.

Advantageously, the closure of the access to the luggage compartment which is the subject of the invention comprises two superimposed racks, one inside the compartment and the other outside said compartment, each slider comprising two rails, acting each on one of said racks. Thus, in addition to the anti-intrusion security offered by the slider, the security of this piece of luggage is also reinforced with regard to intrusion attempts made on the rack of the zipper.

Advantageously, the relative height of the open surface of the eyelets for connecting the zippers to the slider trigger guard with respect to said bridges is capable of allowing the passage of the rigid shackle of a TSA type padlock. This embodiment makes it possible to lock both the trigger guard and the zippers by said padlock, in addition to a possible separate locking to a fixed anchor.

Advantageously, the baggage object of the invention comprises a TSA lock integrated on a wall of said baggage, capable of locking the locking ends of the zippers of the sliders. This embodiment makes it possible to anchor the two zippers of the baggage in a fixed anchor, the radial offset of the eyelets of locking the zippers, allows them to be brought closer to the slider table in the locked position, making it more difficult to insert a lever object under the zipper bodies.

Advantageously, according to this last embodiment, the axes of the bodies of the slider zippers are offset longitudinally with respect to the eyelets for connecting to the bridges, when the zippers are in a position such that the zipper body is oriented radially with respect to the slider of the slider. cursor. This arrangement makes it possible to facilitate the introduction of the locking eyelets of the zippers in a fixed anchoring, in particular a TSA lock integrated into the luggage, and moreover, brings the bodies of the zippers thus locked so that the introduction of an object to make prying between the zippers is more difficult.

• la figure 1 montre selon une vue en perspective de face, un exemple de réalisation d'un curseur objet de l'invention, la tirette étant en position verticale ;
• la figure 2 représente selon une vue en perspective de face, un exemple de réalisation d'un coulisseau du curseur objet de l'invention, représenté sans sa tirette ;
• la figure 3 illustre selon une vue de dessus un exemple de position de la tirette par rapport au coulisseau du curseur objet de l'invention ;
• la figure 4 est une section du corps de la tirette d'un curseur selon un exemple de réalisation de l'invention, section définie figure 3 ;
• la figure 5 illustre schématiquement un exemple de réalisation, en vue de dessus, d'un bagage selon l'invention ;
• la figure 6 montre selon une vue en perspective, l'ensemble des curseurs du bagage de la figure 5 en position verrouillée ;
• et la figure 7 représente en vue de dessus deux mode de réalisation des tirettes des curseurs, destinées au bagage objet de l'invention, figure 7A avec des tirettes identiques pour les deux curseurs, et figure 7B avec des tirettes dont le corps est décalé longitudinalement par rapport à l'œillet de raccordement au pontet.

The invention is explained below according to its preferred embodiments, which are in no way limiting, and with reference to figures 1 to 7 , in which :

• the figure 1 shows, in a perspective front view, an exemplary embodiment of a cursor which is the subject of the invention, the pull tab being in a vertical position;
• the figure 2 shows, in a perspective front view, an exemplary embodiment of a slide of the slider which is the subject of the invention, shown without its pull tab;
• the figure 3 illustrates, in a top view, an example of the position of the pull tab relative to the slide of the cursor which is the subject of the invention;
• the figure 4 is a section of the body of the pull tab of a slider according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, section defined figure 3 ;
• the figure 5 schematically illustrates an exemplary embodiment, in top view, of a piece of luggage according to the invention;
• the figure 6 shows in a perspective view, all the sliders of the luggage of the figure 5 in locked position;
• and the figure 7 shows a top view of two embodiments of the zippers of the sliders, intended for the luggage object of the invention, figure 7A with identical drawbars for the two sliders, and figure 7B with zippers whose body is offset longitudinally with respect to the eyelet connection to the jumper.

Figure 1 , according to an exemplary embodiment, the slider (100) object of the invention is suitable for closing and opening two superimposed racks, as described in the document EP 2 421 403 . This type of zipper in fact offers increased resistance to attempts to open by the intrusion of a pointed object into the racks.

Throughout the text, the longitudinal direction, denoted x , corresponds to the direction of progression of the cursor along the racks for their opening or closing, the vertical direction, denoted z , is substantially normal to the closing plane of the racks and to the table (110) of the cursor, and the radial direction, denoted y, is perpendicular to these directions.

The zipper (120) is linked to the trigger guard (115) of the slider by means of a connecting eyelet (121) made at one of the ends of its body (125), which body (125) of the zipper comprises at its other end a locking eyelet. When the pull tab (120) is in the vertical position, which substantially corresponds to its configuration during the operation of the zipper, the eyelet (122) for locking said pull tab (120) is radially offset with respect to the body (125 ) of the pull tab. The opening plane of the eyelet (122) for locking the pull tab (120) and the opening plane of the eyelet (121) for connection to the bridge of said pull tab are parallel, and substantially parallel to the radial plane ( y, z) in this position of the pull tab (120).

Figure 2 , the bridge (115) of the slider object of the invention forms a handle, the opening plane (210) of which is substantially normal to the plane of the table (110) of said slider. This handle is integral with the slider table at its two longitudinal ends of connection with said table. To obtain such a result, and in particular to allow the connection of the pull tab with the trigger guard, the slider (200) of the slider and the pull tab of said slider are molded in the same mold, in one piece, without an intermediate demolding operation, in using a mobility mold. This molding technique is known in the art earlier and is not explained further. Thus, at no time during its manufacture or use, the slide (200) can be separated from the pull tab as shown. figure 2 for the sake of clarity. According to exemplary embodiments, the slide and the pull tab are made of the same material or of different materials but allowing the implementation of the molding in the same mold. Thus, the slide (200) and the pull tab are both made of a plastic material, reinforced or not, optionally in two different plastic materials whose molding temperatures are compatible, or are both made in a metal alloy or in two different metal alloys with compatible molding conditions. By way of non-limiting example, the slide (200) is made of a material facilitating the sliding of the racks in the opening and closing rails (211, 212), and the pull tab is made of a material having a improved breaking strength. According to this exemplary embodiment, the bridge (115) comprises a locking eyelet (215), making it possible to link said bridge to the bridge of another slider acting on the same rack, or to a fixed anchor. The realization of the slide, more particularly of the trigger guard (115) during the same molding operation as the pull tab, makes it possible to produce said trigger guard and said pull tab, more particularly the eyelet for connecting the pull tab to the trigger guard, with sections, not constrained by the need to be able to thread the connecting eyelet of the zipper on the trigger guard. Thus, both the connecting eyelet of the pull tab and the slider bridge are made with higher sections, and therefore more resistant, than in the embodiments of the prior art.

Figure 3 , the opening of the eyelet (121) for connecting the pull tab (120) is sufficient to allow said pull tab to rotate relative to the slider by 180 ° around the radial axis y. In particular, the opening of the eyelet (121) for connecting to the bridge is at least equal to half the width of said bridge, including the locking eyelet of the bridge, in the longitudinal direction x . In this position of the zipper (120), the opening plane of the eyelet (121) for connecting to the trigger guard and the opening plane of the eyelet (122) for locking the zipper, are substantially parallel to the plane (x, y) of the cursor table. The embodiment of the slider making it possible to increase the section of the connecting eyelet thus makes it possible to obtain a higher and wider eyelet without compromising on the mechanical strength of the latter.

Figure 4 , according to a section of the body (125) of the zipper in a plane perpendicular to the opening planes of the eyelets of the zipper, the width (401) of the section, in a direction perpendicular to the opening plane of the eyelets of the zipper ( z in the position of the pull tab as shown), is greater than the height (402) of said section. This section is resistant to buckling against a force (490) causing a bending torque in the ( x, y ) plane, and also resistant to a torsional torque around the x axis, with reference to this position of the pull tab.

Figure 5 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the baggage (500) object of the invention, the latter comprises a shell (501) closed by a cover (502), the connection between the two being produced by a zipper (510). Advantageously, said zipper comprises two superimposed racks. Two sliders (100a, 100b) forming the subject of the invention act in the opposite direction on the rack, or the superimposed racks, of the zipper (510) of the baggage (500) which is the subject of the invention. By way of example, the displacement of one (100a) of said sliders in the positive x direction causes the two edges of the rack to come together and the zipper to close, while the displacement of the other (100b) slider in the positive x direction, causes the zipper to open by separating the two edges of the rack. Said baggage (500) has a locking anchor (520), in the form of an integrated TSA lock, attached to one of the walls of the baggage. Thus, in order to lock the zipper (510), the locking eyelets of the zippers of the sliders (100a, 100b) acting on said closure (510) are inserted into the housings of the anchor (520) provided for this purpose. Locking is obtained by inserting a locking rod into the bore of said eyelets, the rod of which the translational movement is controlled by a button (521) placed on the side of the anchor (520). The radial offset of the locking eyelets of the zippers, as well as the shape of the section of said zippers, limit the projecting thickness with respect to the wall of the baggage, of the sliders (100a, 100b) in this locked position, so that the risks of catching said sliders with other objects, in particular when handling baggage during transshipment operations, are reduced.

Figure 6 , in the locked position of the figure 5 , the eyelets (122) for locking the zippers are fixed to the wall of the luggage object of the invention by the integrated TSA lock. Due to the radial offset of said eyelets (122), the bodies of the zippers are very close to the outer surface (600) of the luggage and to the fixed anchor. This proximity to the surface, combined with the rounded shape of the section of the zipper bodies, makes the intrusion of an object under the zipper bodies delicate, as well as the application, by means of this object, of a torque. torsion along the axis of the zippers. Locking security is further improved by inserting a padlock in the locking eyelets (215) of the slider jumpers, or by inserting the shackle (615) of a TSA type padlock into the connecting eyelets (121) zippers. The diameter of the shackle of a TSA padlock is commonly between 2 mm and 3 mm.

Figure 7A , according to a first embodiment, the zippers are identical on the two sliders of the baggage object of the invention, and the body (125a) of each zipper is centered longitudinally on the eyelet connecting to the trigger guard of said zipper.

Figure 7B , according to another embodiment, the drawbars of the two sliders are different. Thus, the body (125b _l , 125b _r ) of each pull tab is, in this locked position, offset longitudinally from the connecting eyelet towards the other slider. This configuration makes it easier to insert the zipper locking eyelets into the fixed anchor housings and also reduces the longitudinal space between the zipper bodies in the locked position, making it more difficult for an object to intrude. between said zippers. In this locked position, the zippers are substantially parallel, which, combined with the reduced protrusion of the zippers from the wall of the baggage, improves the visual appearance of the bag. device.

The above description and the exemplary embodiments show that the invention achieves the intended aim. The one-piece molding of the slider pull tab and slider allows the trigger guard to be fully bonded to the slider and the slider to be made with a wide opening connecting eyelet. The sections of the zippers and the trigger guard are no longer constrained by the need to thread the zipper on the trigger guard, which increases its resistance, but also to achieve a zipper body that is thicker than it is wide, unlike the shapes of the prior art, thereby enhancing the resistance of the pull tab to twisting and spillage. The various geometric characteristics of the slider and its embodiment combine to produce a zipper which is particularly resistant to malicious intrusion attempts, but also easier to handle, more aesthetic and more secure than the embodiments of the prior art.

Claims (6)

1. A slider (100, 100a, 100b) for a zip fastener (510) comprising a slider (200) including a hasp (115) and a pull tab (120), the assembly being molded in a single piece, such that the hasp (115) is integral with the table (110) of the slider at its two longitudinal ends for connecting with said table (110), the pull tab (120) comprising an eyelet (121) for connecting to the bridge of the slider, and a locking eyelet (122), the opening plane of which is parallel to the opening plane of the connecting eyelet (121); the pull tab (120) comprising a connecting portion (125) between the two eyelets (121, 122), called body of the pull tab, characterized in that the width (401) of the section of the body of the pull tab along a direction perpendicular to the opening planes of the eyelets is greater than or equal to the height (402) of the section in the plane parallel to the opening planes of said eyelets, in that the locking eyelet (122) of the pull tab (120) is radially offset relative to the connecting eyelet (121) for connecting the pull tab to the bridge of the slider, in that the bridge (115) comprises a locking eyelet (215), and in that the height of the open section of the connecting eyelet (121) for connecting the pull tab to the bridge (115) is greater than half the length of the bridge comprising its locking eyelet (215).
2. A piece of luggage (500) comprising a closable entry to a compartment (501), the fastener of which includes a zip fastener (510), characterized in that said zip fastener includes two sliders (100a, 100b) according to claim 1, acting in the opposite opening-closing direction on said zip fastener (510).
3. The piece of luggage according to claim 2, the entry of which to the compartment comprises two superimposed zippers, one inside the compartment and the other outside the compartment, and wherein each slider (100a, 100b) comprises two rails (211, 212) each acting on one of the two zippers.
4. The piece of luggage according to claim 2, wherein the relative height of the open surface of the connecting eyelets (121) connecting the pull tabs to the bridges of the sliders with respect to said bridges is able to allow the passage of the rigid shackle (615) of a TSA-type lock.
5. The piece of luggage according to claim 2 comprising two sliders according to claim 2, and including an integrated TSA lock (520), making up a fixed anchor, on a wall of said piece of luggage, able to lock the locking eyelets (122) of the pull tabs of the sliders (100a, 100b).
6. The piece of luggage according to claim 5, wherein the bodies (125b_l, 125b_r) of the pull tabs of the sliders are offset longitudinally relative to the eyelets (121) when the pull tabs are in a position such that the pull tab body is oriented radially relative to the slide of the slider.

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