GB2455988A

GB2455988A - Zip fastener having slider lock

Info

Publication number: GB2455988A
Application number: GB0725233A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Meirion Williams; Shigeyoshi Takazawa
Original assignee: YKK Europe Ltd
Current assignee: YKK Europe Ltd
Priority date: 2007-12-24
Filing date: 2007-12-24
Publication date: 2009-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 2027-12-24
Also published as: GB2455988B; GB0725233D0

Abstract

A lock 4 for a zip fastener slider 26 is provided on the a fastener tape 10 adjacent a top end stop 22, the lock 4 passing into the slider guide channel 38 as the slider 26 is slid to close the fastener and engage top end stop 22. The lock 4 interferes with the slider 26 to inhibit the movement of the slider 26 as it passes over the lock. In one embodiment the lock may be a bulge or bump which is formed by a plastics moulding 60 on the tape, the moulding 60 having a thickness slightly greater than the internal spacing between the slider wings 28, 30. In another embodiment (fig. 1), a lock is crimped onto the tape between the fastener coupling elements. The lock 4 obstructs movement of the slider 26 and prevents inadvertent opening of the fastener.

Description

* . 2455988

I

Zip Fastener with Slider Lock The present invention relates to a zip fastener and in particular to a lock for holding the zip fastener slider in a closed position.

It is well known to provide a locking mechanism on a slider to prevent unwanted opening of the fastener. Typically such a mechanism is in the form of a pawl which is housed in the slider and urged into engagement with the fastener coupling elements by a leaf spring. When a user lifts the slider puller to operate the slider, the pawl is lifted out of engagement with the elements, allowing the slider to be easily slid along the fastener to open it.

Fasteners for sportswear and the like can be subject to considerable gravitational forces (G-forces). These can cause the puller to move to release the slider lock inadvertently and so allow the slider to move along the elements, opening the fastener.

US-A-190 1257 shows a locking mechanism in which detents are formed on the top end stops of the fastener. The guide post of the slider rides past the detents to lock the slider on the end stops, in the closed position. In another embodiment, the detents engage in recesses or apertures in the wings of the slider.

In US-A-2 193827, pins are formed on the top end stop, and engage in bayonet grooves in the wings of the slider to hold the slider in the closed position.

These systems require the formation of a complex shape for the top end stops and the slider.

We provide a lock for a zip fastener slider, in which the lock is provided on a stringer of the fastener at a position below the top end stop. The lock and slider are dimensioned so that the lock bears on the slider surfaces to resist or hinder movement of the slider past the lock but the slider can be pulled past the lock by the user. The lock is positioned adjacent the fastener elements and passes thought the guide channel of the slider. The lock andlor the slider will deform or give' slightly to allow the slider to be pulled past the lock.

Preferably the lock is positioned so that it remains at least partially in the guide channel when the slider is slid up against the top end stops, or so that the slider just rides over the lock before engaging the end stops in the fully closed position of the slide fastener.

The user closes the zip fastener in the usual way, pulling the slider up towards the top end stops and overcoming the increased resistance presented by the lock, to pull the slider over the lock.

To undo the fastener the user pulls the slider back over the lock.

The locking mechanism is thus not reliant on the position of the slider puller and so movement of the puller will not affect the locking of the slider. The force required to pull the slider over the lock is sufficient to prevent inadvertent movement of the slider back over the lock.

In one preferred form, the lock is in the form of a metal clip which is crimped onto the edge of the fastener tape, between the fastener coupling elements. The clip may straddle the tape edge. The clip may have a flange which projects away from the tape and engages an inside surface of the slider as the slider is pulled over the clip, hindering the movement of the slider. There is sufficient resilience in the clip or slider or in the flexing of the tape to enable the slider to be pulled over the clip by a user exerting some additional force on the slider puller. A flange may be provided on each surface of the tape, the flanges touching one or more inner surfaces of the respective slider wings.

The clip may have a plurality of arms which are crimped around the tape edge, between respective pairs of adjacent coupling elements, and the flange joins the arms inward of the coupling elements.

The spacing of the clip from the top end stops depends on the length of the slider and its rest position when engaged with the top end stops, i.e. when in the fully closed position.

The clip may be positioned so that at least part of the clip is still within the slider guide channel, at the lower end thereof, where the coupled fastener elements exit the slider.

This ensures that the slider will not catch on the clip as the slider is moved downwards to open the fastener.

The clip is particularly suitable for a fastener having metal coupling elements which are crimped to the tape edge and the clip may be fitted to a preformed fastener.

A chamfer may be provided on the surface of the guide channel at the upper andlor lower end of the guide channel to guide the slider on to the lock.

In another form, the lock is moulded onto the fastener tape. The moulded lock is particularly suited to use with fasteners having moulded plastics coupling elements although it can also be used with fasteners having coil elements or metal elements. The moulded lock may be moulded over the fastener elements, bonding to the elements and tape. The thickness of the moulded lock is slightly greater than the height of the guide channel in the slider. Alternatively, or additionally, the lock extends sideways of the fastener elements so that, in combination with the elements of the opposed stringer, the overall width is slightly greater than the width of the slider guide channel. The lock hinders movement of the slider but the resilience of the slider andlor the moulded lock allows the slider to be pulled over the lock by the user exerting an additional force on the slider puller. A ramp may be formed by a taper or chamfer at upper andlor lower ends of the moulded lock to guide the slider onto the lock. The slider may just clear the lock when the slider is engaged with the top end stops in the closed position.

The lock may extend over a length equivalent to about two coupling elements on the tape edge and the space between them.

A lock need be provided on only one of the fastener tapes.

In one implementation it may require a pulling force of about 4 to 8 kgs., preferably about 5 to 6 kgs., to pull the slider over the lock. The lock thickness may be about 5 to 10% greater than the inner surface to surface spacing of the slider wings or about 0.1 to 0.2mm greater.

Other aspects and preferred features of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying claims and from the following description.

The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a view of fastener tape having a slider lock mounted thereon in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows the slider lock of Figure 1 prior to being crimped onto the tape of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of a closed fastener with the upper wing of the slider removed, and Figure 4 is a cross section along line IV-IV of Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of a fastener in accordance with the invention, with the slider removed, and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the fastener of Figure 5 along line VI-VI of Figure 5, with a slider in place.

The embodiment of Figures 1 to 4 is particularly suited to use with a fastener having metal coupling elements and a metal slider, but may also be used with a slider having plastics coupling elements.

The zip fastener 2 illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 is of conventional construction save for the slider lock 4. The fastener 2 has two stringers 6, 8 each having a woven or knitted tape 10, 12 with metal coupling elements 14 crimped along the tape edges 16, 18. Tape edges 16, 18 are reinforced by cord. Metal top end stops 22, 24 are crimped to the tape edges 16, 18 at the ends of the rows of coupling elements 14. Bottom end stops (not shown) are provided at the bottom end of the fastener tapes in the form of a box and pin, for example, as well known in the art.

A slider 26 has upper and lower wings 28, 30 joined by a guide post 32 and side flanges 34, 36 on the wings from a Y-shaped channel 38 for guiding the coupling elements 14 on the respective tapes 10, 12 into engagement with each other, as well known in the art. The top end stops 22, 24 are dimensioned to as not to pass completely through the Y-shaped channel 38 as they abut near the guide post 32, thus stopping further movement of the slider in the closing direction once the slider is fully closed.

The construction thus far described is well known in the art. The slider my be provided with a pawl type locking mechanism will engage the fastener elements and is released by pulling on the slider, as well known.

However, in addition to, or instead of, the locking mechanism provided in the slider, we provide a lock 4 which is mounted on one of the fastener tapes 10, 12. In this embodiment, the lock is a metal clip 40 which is crimped onto the tape edge 16 and so can be fitted to the fastener after the fastener stringer (the tape with the coupling elements mounted thereon) is manufactured.

The clip 40 has two arms 42 which straddle the tape edge 16. Arms 42 form a rounded neck portion 44 to receive the generally circular cross section tape end and a flat portion 46 which lays flat against the tape surface. Flanges 48 extends perpendicularly up from the end 50 of the flat portion 46 and join the two arms 42. The clip 40, shown partially open in Figure 2, is crimped onto the tape edge 16. The arms 42 are spaced apart to fit either side of a coupling element 14a and dimensioned to sit between two adjacent elements 14. The flange 48 passes alongside the inner end 14b of the element 14a.

As the slider 26 is moved upwards along the fastener, the lock 4 passes into the inlet end 38a of the guide channel 38. The flanges 48 slide on the side flanges 34a, 36a of the slider 26 and bear against the inner surfaces 52, 56 of the slider wings 28, 30 to hinder the passage of the slider 26 over the lock 4. As seen in Figure 4, the flanges project up above the tape surface by a little more than the coupling elements 14 and press on the surfaces 52, 56 and hence interfere with or resist movement of the slider 26 past the lock 4, but do not prevent its movement. The extent by which the overall height of the clip between the outer edges 48a of the flanges 48, when crimped onto the tape edge 16 exceeds the surface to surface spacing B of the slider can be found by trial and error bearing in mind production tolerances and the resilience of the materials used.

We have found that about 0.1 mm is sufficient or up to about 10% of the surface spacing may be sufficient.

To ensure that the slider does not catch on the clip as the fastener is being closed, a chamfer 38c may be provided on the leading end of the slider guide channel 38.

The lock is positioned so that when the slide fastener is in the fully closed position, the lock 4 is still at least partially within the slider guide channel 38 at the exit end 38b thereof. Thus there is no risk of the narrower exit end of the slider 26 catching on the lock 4 when a user wishes to pull the slider downwards to open the fastener 2.

The embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6 uses a lock 4 which is in the form of a moulded plastics lock 60 moulded on to the fastener tape 10. This embodiment is particularly suited to fasteners having moulded coupling elements 58 (which are illustrated only schematically here) but may also be used with metal elements and with continuous coil type coupling elements.

The moulded lock 60 is formed by a plastics body 62 which is moulded over a pair of adjacent coupling elements 58a, 58b, encapsulating a leg portion 59 of the element which abuts the tape surface. The moulded plastics will bond to the tape 10 and/or elements, although an intervening layer of adhesive could be used if desired. The material of the plastics moulding may penetrate the tape 10 to form a join between the upper and lower body parts 62a, 62b on each side of the fastener tape 10, as known in the art. it may also straddle the tape edge 16 but allow for meshing of the elements 58a, 58b with the elements of the opposed stringer (not shown) when the fastener is closed.

The slider 26 is of conventional shape and similar to the slider of Figures 1 to 4.

The overall thickness A of moulded lock 60 is slightly greater than the surface to surface spacing B of the slider wings 28, 30 so that the lock bears against the inner surface of the slider guide channel and so interferes with the slider to hinder the movement of the slider over the lock. To facilitate the movement of the slider onto the moulded lock 60, the body 62 tapers in the longitudinal direction of the fastener tape 10 to provide a ramp or sloping surface 64 at the upper and lower ends 66, 68 of the body 62 leading up to the thicker central portion 69. The ends 66, 68 of the body are of about the same thickness as the adjacent coupling elements 58. The moulded body 62 may be sufficiently resilient to compress slightly as the slider 26 is pulled over the thicker portion body 62. Where a plastics slider body is used, the wings themselves may also flex or give sufficiently to ride over the mouided lock 60.

In this embodiment, the slider 26 just clears the moulded body 62 when it has engaged the top end stop 22', so that the lock is adjacent the exit end 38b of the slider guide channel 38. Provision of the ramps 64 at the upper end 66 ensures that the slider 26 will move smoothly onto the moulded lock body 62 when a user wishes to open the fastener 2.

It will be appreciated that the slider lock may be formed by a coupling element per se in the case of the metal elements or the moulded elements. The element is shaped to incorporate the flange of the metal clip for example, or a thickened body portion 66 of the moulded lock. A drawback of this is in the manufacturing process in requiring a special shaped element to be positioned in a particular place on the fastener stringer.

Claims

CLAIMS: I. A zip fastener comprising a pair of fastener tapes having coupling elements mounted on opposed edges of the tapes, a slider which is slidable along the tape edges to couple and uncouple the coupling elements, the slider having a guide channel through which the coupling elements pass, and a top end stop on at least a first one of the tapes to limit movement of the slider along the tape, the slider engaging the top end stop when the fastener is closed, wherein a lock is provided on the first tape adjacent the top end stop, the lock passing into the slider guide channel as the slider is slid to close the fastener and engage the top end stop, the lock interfering with the slider to hinder the movement of the slider as it passes over the lock.
2. A zip fastener as claimed in claim I, wherein the lock remains at least partially within the guide channel when the slider is engaged with the top end stop.
3. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lock is adjacent the exit end of the slider when the slider is engaged with the top end stop.
4. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the lock has a flange extending perpendicular to the tape and engaging an inner surface of a wing of the slider to interfere with the slider movement.
5. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 4, wherein a flange is provided on each side of the tape, the flanges engaging inner surfaces of respective wings of the slider.
6. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the lock is crimped onto the edge of the tape.
7. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 6 wherein the lock has a pair of arms which straddle the tape edge and are positioned each side of coupling element, and a said flange joins the arms and passes beside an inner end of the coupling element.
8. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the lock is moulded onto the tape.
9. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 8, wherein the moulded lock encapsulates at least part of a coupling element.
10. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 9, wherein the lock encapsulates at least part of two adjacent elements.
II. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 8,9 or 10, wherein the thickness of the lock, measured perpendicular to the plane of the tape, is greater than the surface to surface spacing of the slider wings.
12. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 11, wherein a ramp is provided at an upper end of the lock, proximal of the top end stop.
13. A zip fastener as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein a ramp is provided at a lower end of the lock, distal of the top end stop.