U.S. patent application number 10/786551 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-05 for slider for zip fastener with two tabs for operating it by disengaging locking means.
This patent application is currently assigned to RIRI S.A.. Invention is credited to Bernasconi, Sergio.
Application Number | 20050091803 10/786551 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32097405 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050091803 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bernasconi, Sergio |
May 5, 2005 |
Slider for zip fastener with two tabs for operating it by
disengaging locking means
Abstract
A slider for a zip fastener with two tabs, includes a hollow
body in which are housed two levers positioned on opposite sides of
the teeth of the fastener, one of the two levers, provided with a
pawl for insertion between the teeth to lock the slider, being
operable by acting on either one of the tabs to overcome the
resistance of an elastic element positioned within the hollow body
which keeps the pawl inserted between the teeth. The elastic
element includes an elastically flexible strip, having one end
fixed to the lever provided with the pawl, the strip facing an
internal wall of the hollow body in such a way that it is
interposed between the body and this lever and its elastic
resistance opposes a movement of the lever which causes the
extraction of the pawl from the teeth.
Inventors: |
Bernasconi, Sergio;
(Mendrisio, CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
745 SOUTH 23RD STREET
2ND FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22202
US
|
Assignee: |
RIRI S.A.
MENDRISIO
CH
|
Family ID: |
32097405 |
Appl. No.: |
10/786551 |
Filed: |
February 26, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/422 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44B 19/306 20130101;
Y10T 24/2573 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
024/422 |
International
Class: |
A44B 019/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 29, 2003 |
CH |
01843/03 |
Claims
1. Slider (1) for a zip fastener with two tabs (2, 3), comprising a
hollow body (4) in which are housed two levers (5, 6) positioned on
opposite sides of the teeth (Di) of the fastener, one (5) of the
two levers (5, 6), provided with a pawl (7) for insertion between
the said teeth (Di) to lock the slider (1), being operable by
acting on either one of the said tabs (2, 3) to overcome the
resistance of an elastic element positioned within the said hollow
body (4) which keeps the said pawl inserted between the teeth (Di),
characterized in that this elastic element consists of an
elastically flexible strip (8), having one end (8e) fixed to the
said lever (5) provided with the pawl (7), the strip (8) facing an
internal wall (4p) of the said hollow body (4) in such a way that
it is interposed between the body and the aforesaid lever (5) and
its elastic resistance opposes a movement of the lever (5) which
causes the extraction of the pawl (7) from the teeth (D).
2. Slider according to claim 1, in which both the levers (5, 6) and
the said elastically flexible strip (8) are made from a metallic
material.
3. Slider according to claim 1, in which both the levers (5, 6) and
the said elastically flexible strip (8) are made from plastic
material.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of zip
fasteners, and more particularly to those members known as sliders
which close and open a zip fastener by respectively connecting and
releasing from each other two rows of teeth which face each other
and lie parallel to each other.
[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to sliders of the
type provided with two tabs, with connecting rings located on
opposite sides of the zip fastener plane, one of these rings being
pulled to move the slider in the desired direction by disengaging
from the teeth a locking member which, when inserted between the
teeth, prevents undesired movements of the slider.
[0003] An example of an embodiment of this kind of slider according
to the prior art is described in the patent US-A-4123828 held by
YKK.
[0004] The hollow body of the slider houses two interfering levers
which are in contact with each other and are connected to the
aforementioned rings of the said two tabs. These levers are
positioned in such a way that, when either one of the two tabs is
operated as stated, a locking pawl with which one of the two levers
is provided is disengaged from the teeth.
[0005] Since the said pawl must return to its locking position with
respect to the teeth of the fastener after the slider has been
moved, the slider houses elastic means which reinsert the said pawl
between the teeth when the action of one of the tabs on the said
lever ceases.
[0006] In the YKK patent cited above, and in the prior art in
general, these elastic means consist of an elastically flexible
body mounted within the hollow body of the slider which is in
contact with the lever carrying the previously described pawl in
such a way that it opposes the movements of the said lever which
cause the said pawl to be extracted from the teeth of the
fastener.
[0007] However, the use of an elastic body (a flexible strip in the
YKK patent mentioned above) requires relatively lengthy and
inconvenient assembly operations, which, given the relatively low
cost of a slider with two tabs, causes a significant proportional
increase in this cost.
[0008] The inventor of the slider to which the present application
relates sought a simple, economical and reliable solution, and has
devised a slider of the type described above, in which the
previously described elastic means which cause the pawl to return
to its locking position consist of an elastically flexible strip
forming part of the said lever which terminates in the aforesaid
pawl. This strip has one end integral with the lever in question,
and faces an internal wall of the hollow body of the slider, in
such a way that it is interposed between this body and the said
lever and its elastic resistance opposes movements of the lever
which cause the aforesaid pawl to be extracted from the teeth of
the fastener.
[0009] The object of the present invention is therefore a slider
for zip fasteners with two tabs as described in the attached claim
1.
[0010] A preferred example of embodiment of the slider according to
the invention will now be described in greater detail, with
reference to the attached drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through the said example of
embodiment in which the pawl in which one of the two levers
terminates is inserted between the teeth of a fastener;
[0012] FIG. 2 is the longitudinal section of FIG. 1 showing the
pawl disengaged from the teeth of the fastener by the action of one
of the two tabs with which the slider is provided;
[0013] FIG. 3 is the longitudinal section of the preceding figures,
showing the pawl disengaged from the teeth of the fastener by the
action of the other tab with which the slider is provided.
[0014] FIG. 1 shows how the slider 1 with two tabs 2 and 3
according to the invention is similar to those of the known type in
respect of the arrangement of its parts: two L-shaped levers 5 and
6 are positioned in a hollow body 4, these levers interfering with
each other and being in contact at one end, and housed on opposite
sides of the area occupied by the teeth Di (shown only
schematically in the drawing).
[0015] Each of the two levers 5, 6 is connected to a ring 2r, 3r of
the tabs 2, 3 in such a way that pulling on either of the tabs (see
FIGS. 2 and 3) causes, directly or indirectly, a rotation (arrow R)
of one of the levers, indicated by the number 5 in the figures,
which causes the extraction of a pawl 7, in which it terminates,
from the teeth Di between which it is interposed to lock the slider
1 as stated previously, thus preventing movements of the slider
which may cause an undesired opening or closing of the fastener
(which is not shown in full). This system is known in the prior
art; the novelty of the invention consists in the fact that one end
8e of a flexible strip 8, formed and positioned in such a way as to
face an internal wall 4p of the hollow body 4 of the slider 1, is
fixed on the back of the lever 5 carrying the pawl 7. When the said
lever 5 is rotated, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the elastic
resistance to bending of the strip 8 is overcome, and the pawl 7 is
extracted from the teeth D. When a force ceases to be exerted on
one of the tabs 2, 3 and through its terminal rings 2r, 3r, the
elasticity of the strip 8 returns the lever 5 and the corresponding
pawl 7 to the initial locking position shown in FIG. 1.
[0016] The lever 5 and strip 8 can advantageously be combined in
one piece, as in the illustrated example, so that the lever and
strip assembly can be produced in a single operation.
[0017] To impart greater reliability and extended life to the
components of the slider 1 according to the invention, the inventor
suggests that the levers 5 and 6 and the strip 8 be made from a
metallic material, for example steel, with good characteristics of
bending and fatigue resistance, or from a plastic material.
[0018] It should be noted that the strip 8 can be positioned as in
the drawings, or can have one end integral with the free end 51 of
the lever 5 carrying the pawl 7 (this embodiment is not
illustrated).
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