GB1570436A

GB1570436A - Continous sliding clasp fastener stringers

Info

Publication number: GB1570436A
Application number: GB2917477A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Yoshida Kogyo KK
Current assignee: YKK Corp
Priority date: 1976-07-12
Filing date: 1977-07-12
Publication date: 1980-07-02
Also published as: FR2358123A1; DE2731446A1; JPS5313408U; IT1083657B; FR2358123B1; JPS5637609Y2

Description

(54) CONTINUOUS SLIDING CLASP FASTENER STRINGERS (71) We, YOSHIDA KOGYO K.K., a corporation duly organized under the laws of Japan and existing at No. 1, Kanda Izumicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to sliding clasp fastener stringers of continuous or substantially endless length.

Continuous sliding clasp fastener stringers generally comprise a pair of opposed continuous stringer tapes and a pair of rows of fastener elements carried along the respective inner longitudinal edges of the stringer tapes, the rows of fastener elements having a plurality of coupling heads. These continuous sliding clasp fastener stringers come chiefly into two types. One is of the type that the rows of fastener elements are coupled together through their whole length, and the other is of the type that the rows of fastener elements have a plurality of element-free sections spaced at equal intervals therealong.

It is the usual practice of garment manufacturers to cut the sliding clasp fastener stringers, which are supplied in the form of substantially endless chain, into individual sliding clasp fastener lengths ready for attachment to a garment. When assembling slider onto the stringers of individual fastener length, the slider would often jerk and fray the edge portions of the stringer tapes, resulting in dislocated tape fibers which in turn would catch and jam the slider against the fastener elements. The fastener elements of helically coiled type, which are sewn to the tape, would be also liable to shift out of position at the element-free sections when the sewn stitches are loosened up.

To eliminate these problems, there have been proposed another type of the continuous sliding clasp fastener stringers in which a plurality of openings are formed after pieces of thermoplastic synthetic films being applied onto the fastener stringers around their portions where the respective openings are to be located. However, film residuals left around their cut edge portions of the fastener stringers obstruct a sewing needle in passing therethrough. Furthermore, the film residuals make the garment as well as the fastener stringers become unsightly.

According to the invention, there is provided a pair of sliding clasp fastener stringers of continuous or substantially endless length comprising: a pair of opposed stringer tapes of continuous or substantially endless length; a pair of rows of fastener elements carried on and along the respective confronting inner longitudinal edges of said stringer tapes, said rows of fastener elements having a plurality of coupling - head free sections at substantially equal intervals; and a plurality of top end stops attached to said rows of fastener elements at their coupling - head - free sections, said stringer tapes having a plurality of openings each formed adjacent to the respective one of said coupling - head - free sections, each opening having a major dimension extending transversely across said rows of fastener elements and a minor dimension extending in the same direction as said rows of fastener elements, the major dimension being substantially greater than the minor dimensions, the peripheral edges of said openings being fused and hardened.

The invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a pair of coupled sliding clasp fastener stringers of continuous length according to this invention Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a schematic view showing the manner in which a single individual sliding clasp fastener length is attached to a garment.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a pair of coupled sliding clasp fastener stringers 10, 10 of continuous or substantially endless length comprising a pair of stringer tapes 11, 11 and a pair of rows of helically coiled continuous fastener elements 12, 12 each carried on and along their respective confronting inner longitudinal edges of the stringer tapes 11, 11 with a pair of rows of stitches, respectively. The pair of the continuous fastener stringers 10, 10 are collectively designated by 1 0A.

The stringer tapes 11, 11 are formed of thermoplastic synthetic fibers or their blended yarns by weaving or knitting.

Formed in the continuous fastener stringers 1 or, for example by means of a punch, are a plurality of opening 14 spaced at equal intervals. The openings are of a substantially diamond-shape, and extend transversely across the coupled rows of fastener elements 12, 12 terminating short of the outer longitudinal edge of the respective tape, so that the longer diagonal 1 4a (that is to say, the major dimension of each diamond extends transversely to the fastener element rows.

The longer diagonal 14a is substantially longer than the shorter diagonal, as shown.

Further with reference to Figures 1 and 3, the openings each extend beyond the width of a slider S to be mounted and up to the width of an elongate closure opening 19 formed in garment 20 to which a single individual sliding clasp fastener length manufactured as discussed hereinafter is to be attached. Each opening 14 terminates short of the outer longitudinal edge of the respective tape, with its minor-width outer side portions 1 la, 1 lea left uncut. Moreover, the intervals between any two adjacent openings 14, 14 should, of course, be sufficiently longer than the length of the closure opening 19 for attachment of the individual sliding clasp fastener length to the periphery of the closure opening 19.

The openings 14 in the stringer tapes 11, 11 are formed by the punch with heat produced with a conventional ultrasonic or high-frequency welder. The peripheries 15 of the respective openings are thus fused and hardened thereafter, since the stringer tapes are made of thermoplastic synthetic fibers or their blended yarns, as discussed hereinabove. As best shown in Figure 2, threads 13, 13 used for attaching the respective fastener elements 12, 12 to the respective stringer tapes 11, 11 are involved in the fusing and hardening at their trailing cut end portions, thereby resulting in a tight and reliable attachment of the fastener elements to the stringer tapes.

Alternatively, the same results can be obtained by impregnating a solution of a thermoplastic synthetic resin into the continuous fastener stringers 1 0A at their marginal edge portions 15 defining the openings after the openings have been formed.

Returning to Figure 1, the rows of fastener elements 12, 12 of continuous length have a plurality of coupling heads 16 and include a plurality of coupling-free or coupling - head - free sections 17 where leading fastener elements nearest to each opening 14 and their following one or more elements are void of at least their coupling heads. A plurality of top end stops 18 are applied to the fastener stringers 10, 10 at their portions where the coupling-free or the coupling head - free sections 17 are located.

A pair of sliding clasp fastener stringers of continuous or substantially endless length are constructed and manufactured as discussed hereinabove. If the continuous fastener stringers 1 0A thus manufactured and constructed are cut, for example with scissors, at their minor-width outer side portions 1 la, 1 la along the extensions of the longer diagonal line 14a of diamond of the openings 14, a plurality of individual sliding clasp fastener lengths 10B can be obtained.

Referring again to Figure 3, the individual sliding clasp fastener stringer length 1 0B is attached to the garment 20 so that the closure opening 19 can be fully covered with the individual sliding clasp fastener 10B. Specifically, the longitudinal marginal edges 21, 21 partly defining the closure opening 19 registers to their outer longitudinal edges 1 lib 1 lib of the stringer tapes 10, 10 respectively.The sliding clasp fastener stringer length 1 0B is attached to the garment by securing the outer longitudinal edges llb, 1 1b and the longitudinal marginal edges 21, 21 together, with a pair of rows of stitches 22, 2 , respectively, leaving the lower portions of the fastener stringer length 10B unstitched so as to allow the slider S to be applied to the coupled fastener element rows 12, 12 in the direction, of an arrowA.

Then, a bottom end stop means (Not shown) for preventing the unexpected splitting of the coupled fastener element rows 12, 12 is furnished on the element rows at their lower end portions 1 2a, after the slider S has been slidably moved upwardly, in Figure 3, along the element rows 12 beyond the transverse marginal edge 23 partly defining the openings 19 and while the same being held stationary there. Thus, the attachment of a single individual sliding clasp fastener length with a slider to a garment is fully finished, if the lower portions of the individual fastener stringer length 1 0B are attached to the garment by stitching them together.

There are other preferred ways to prevent the unexpected splitting of the coupled element rows 12 without the bottom end stop.

For example, the trailing end portions 10a, 10a of the coupled fastener stringers 10, 10 may be attached to the garment 20 with one or more rows of stitches running transversely across the coupled fastener stringers 10. 10. Another preferred way is to stitch the fastener stringers 10, 10 to the garment 20 but with the trailing end portions 10a, 10a folded downside side.

In the embodiments discussed, the openings 14 have been shown and described as being of a substantially diamond-shaped with the longer diagonal 14a extending substantially at right angles with respect to the rows of the fastener element rows 12, 12.

However, the present invention is not limited to this form of openings, and the opening may be in the form of a rectangle, or may be elliptical, with the major dimension extending transversely to the rows of elements and the minor dimension extending in the same direction as the rows of elements, with the major dimension substantially greater than the minor dimension.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS-- 1. A pair of sliding clasp fastener stringers of continuous or substantially endless length comprising: a pair of opposed stringer tapes of continuous or substantially endless length; a pair of rows of fastener elements carried on and along the respective confronting inner longitudinal edges of said stringer tapes, said rows of fastener elements having a plurality of coupling - head free - sections at substantially equal intervals and a plurality of top end stops attached to said rows of fastener elements at their coupling - head - free - sections, said stringer tapes having a plurality of opening each formed adjacent to the respective one of said coupling head free sections, each opening having a major dimension extending transversely across said rows of fastener elements and a minor dimension extending in the same direction as said rows of fastener elements the major dimension being substantially greater than the minor dimension, the peripheral edges of said opening being fused and hardened.

2. A pair of sliding clasp fastener stringers according to Claim 1, wherein said stringer tapes are knitted or woven with thermoplastic synthetic fibers.

3. A pair of sliding clasp fastener stringers according to Claim 1, wherein each of said openings has a diamond configuration with a tapered end terminating short of the outer longitudinal edge of the respective tape.

4. A pair of sliding clasp fastener stringers substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. together. There are other preferred ways to prevent the unexpected splitting of the coupled element rows 12 without the bottom end stop. For example, the trailing end portions 10a, 10a of the coupled fastener stringers 10, 10 may be attached to the garment 20 with one or more rows of stitches running transversely across the coupled fastener stringers 10. 10. Another preferred way is to stitch the fastener stringers 10, 10 to the garment 20 but with the trailing end portions 10a, 10a folded downside side. In the embodiments discussed, the openings 14 have been shown and described as being of a substantially diamond-shaped with the longer diagonal 14a extending substantially at right angles with respect to the rows of the fastener element rows 12, 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this form of openings, and the opening may be in the form of a rectangle, or may be elliptical, with the major dimension extending transversely to the rows of elements and the minor dimension extending in the same direction as the rows of elements, with the major dimension substantially greater than the minor dimension. WHAT WE CLAIM IS--

1. A pair of sliding clasp fastener stringers of continuous or substantially endless length comprising: a pair of opposed stringer tapes of continuous or substantially endless length; a pair of rows of fastener elements carried on and along the respective confronting inner longitudinal edges of said stringer tapes, said rows of fastener elements having a plurality of coupling - head free - sections at substantially equal intervals and a plurality of top end stops attached to said rows of fastener elements at their coupling - head - free - sections, said stringer tapes having a plurality of opening each formed adjacent to the respective one of said coupling head free sections, each opening having a major dimension extending transversely across said rows of fastener elements and a minor dimension extending in the same direction as said rows of fastener elements the major dimension being substantially greater than the minor dimension, the peripheral edges of said opening being fused and hardened.