U.S. patent application number 12/842726 was filed with the patent office on 2012-01-26 for automatic zipper.
Invention is credited to Gordon Feinberg.
Application Number | 20120017402 12/842726 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45492345 |
Filed Date | 2012-01-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120017402 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Feinberg; Gordon |
January 26, 2012 |
Automatic Zipper
Abstract
The automatic zipper is an apparatus that attaches to the pull
tab or the slider of a zipper and a top of a tape or a fastener.
The apparatus may attach with, for example, a flexible wire, a
snap, a metal form or a flexibly jointed metal form. The apparatus
opens the fly when the top tape is separated or the fastener is
dis-engaged. The apparatus closes the fly when the top corners of
the tape are pulled together to return to their starting (closed)
position. The fastener may then be engaged. When the fastener is
fastened, the zipper will not open.
Inventors: |
Feinberg; Gordon; (New York,
NY) |
Family ID: |
45492345 |
Appl. No.: |
12/842726 |
Filed: |
July 23, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/387 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 24/2511 20150115;
A44B 19/301 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
24/387 |
International
Class: |
A44B 19/24 20060101
A44B019/24 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for opening and closing a zipper, said apparatus
comprising: a proximal end; and a distal end; wherein said distal
end of said apparatus operatively connects to a pull tab or slider
of a zipper; and wherein said proximal end of said apparatus
operatively connects to a top tape, a top tape extension or a
fastener proximal to a top tape or top tape extension.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said proximal end of said
apparatus is disconnectably operatively connected to a top tape, a
top tape extension or a fastener proximal to a top tape or top tape
extension.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, where said apparatus is a flexible
wire.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, where said apparatus is solid
metal.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, where said apparatus is flexibly
jointed metal.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said flexibly jointed metal is
hinged metal.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a snap.
8. A method for opening and closing a zipper, the method
comprising: providing an apparatus for opening and closing a
zipper, said apparatus comprising: a proximal end; and a distal
end; wherein said distal end of said apparatus operatively connects
to a pull tab or slider of a zipper; and wherein said proximal end
of said apparatus operatively connects to a top tape, a top tape
extension or a fastener proximal to a top tape or top tape
extension; separating said top tape, top tape extension or fastener
out of a fastened position so as to manipulate the apparatus to
unfasten the zipper; and returning said top tape, top tape
extension or fastener to the fastened position so as to manipulate
the apparatus to fasten the zipper.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein said proximal end of said
apparatus is disconnectably operatively connected to a top tape, a
top tape extension or a fastener proximal to a top tape or top tape
extension.
10. The method of claim 8, where said apparatus is a flexible
wire.
11. The method of claim 8, where said apparatus is solid metal.
12. The method of claim 8, where said apparatus is flexibly jointed
metal.
13. The method of claim 8, wherein said flexibly jointed metal is
hinged metal.
14. The method of claim 8, wherein said apparatus is a snap.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention pertains to an apparatus that
operatively connects to the pull tab 4 or the slider 3 of a zipper
and manipulates the pull tab 4 or the slider 3 of the zipper when
the top of a zipper tape 1 is separated from a fastened position or
when the pull tab 4 or the slider 3 of the zipper is returned to
the fastened position.
[0003] 2. Description of Background
[0004] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a typical zipper. Referring to
FIGS. 1A and 1B, a typical zipper comprises a tape 1, a chain 2, a
slider 3, a pull tab 4 and may also comprise a top stop 5. A
typical zipper further comprises a bottom stop 6 or, in the
alternative, an insertion pin 7 and a retainer box 8.
[0005] Referring again to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a user actuates a
typical zipper by manipulating the pull tab 4 or the slider 3. More
specifically, to unfasten the zipper, the pull tab 4 or slider 3 is
actuated by manipulating the pull tab 4 or slider 3 in a generally
lengthwise direction away from the top stop 5. To fasten the
zipper, the insertion pin 7 is inserted into the retainer box 8,
and/or the pull tab 4 or slider 3 is actuated by manipulating the
pull tab 4 or slider 3 in a generally lengthwise direction towards
the top stop 5 and away from the retainer box 8/insertion pin 7 or
bottom stop 6.
[0006] The operation of a typical zipper requires direct
manipulation of the pull tab 4 or slider 3.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention comprises an apparatus for indirectly
manipulating the pull tab 4 or slider 3 to fasten and/or unfasten a
zipper. The apparatus operatively connects to the pull tab 4 or the
slider 3 of a zipper. When the top of a zipper tape 1 is separated
from a fastened position the apparatus manipulates the pull tab 4
or the slider 3 of the zipper to unfasten the zipper. When top of a
zipper tape 1 is returned to a fastened position the apparatus
manipulates the pull tab 4 or the slider 3 of the zipper to fasten
the zipper.
[0008] In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a proximal end
and a distal end. In this embodiment, the distal end of the
apparatus operatively connects to a pull tab 4 of a zipper and the
proximal end of the apparatus operatively connects to a zipper tape
1.
[0009] In an alternative embodiment the distal end of the apparatus
operatively connects to a slider 3 of a zipper and the proximal end
of the apparatus operatively connects to a zipper tape 1.
[0010] In another embodiment, the distal end of the apparatus
operatively connects to a pull tab 4 of a zipper and the proximal
end of the apparatus operatively connects to a fastener.
[0011] In another embodiment, the distal end of the apparatus
operatively connects to a slider 3 of a zipper and the proximal end
of the apparatus operatively connects to a fastener.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIGS. 1A and 1B depict a typical zipper.
[0013] FIGS. 2 through 5 depict embodiments of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Referring to FIGS. 2 through 5, the present invention
comprises an apparatus for indirectly manipulating the pull tab 4
or slider 3 to fasten and/or unfasten a zipper. The apparatus of
the present invention operatively connects to the pull tab 4 or the
slider 3 of a zipper and a top of a tape 1, a fastener or some
similarly suited attachment point. As shown in FIGS. 2 through 5,
the apparatus may attach to the pull tab 4 or the slider 3 of a
zipper on a distal end and a top of a tape 1 or fastener on a
proximal end with, for example, a flexible wire 12, a snap 13,
metal 14 or flexibly jointed metal 15. As also shown in FIGS. 2
through 5, the apparatus may disconnectably attach to the pull tab
4 or the slider 3 of a zipper and a top of a tape 1 or top tape
extension 9 or fastener 11 with, for example, a flexible wire 12, a
snap 13, a metal 14 or flexibly jointed metal 15. The apparatus
manipulates the pull tab 4 or the slider 3 of the zipper when the
top of a zipper tape 1 is separated from a fastened position or
when the pull tab 4 or the slider 3 of the zipper is returned to
the fastened position. When the top of a zipper tape 1 is separated
from a fastened position the apparatus manipulates the pull tab 4
or the slider 3 of the zipper to unfasten the zipper. When top of a
zipper tape 1 is returned to a fastened position the apparatus
manipulates the pull tab 4 or the slider 3 of the zipper to fasten
the zipper. Accordingly, the apparatus opens the fly when the top
tape 1 is separated or the fastener is dis-engaged and closes the
fly when the top corners of the tape 1 are pulled together to
return to their starting (closed) position. A fastener may then be
engaged. When the fastener is fastened, the apparatus will not
function and the zipper will not open.
[0015] FIGS. 2 through 5 show embodiments of the present invention
where the apparatus comprises a proximal end and a distal end.
[0016] In FIG. 2, the apparatus comprises flexible wire 12. In FIG.
3, the apparatus comprises a snap 13. In FIG. 4, the apparatus
comprises a metal form 14. In FIG. 5, the apparatus comprises a
flexibly jointed metal form 15.
[0017] FIGS. 2A, 3A, 4A and 5A show embodiments of the invention in
which the distal end of the apparatus operatively connects to a
pull tab 4 of a zipper and the proximal end of the apparatus
operatively connects to a fastener 11.
[0018] FIGS. 2B, 3B, 4B and 5B show embodiments of the invention in
which the distal end of the apparatus operatively connects to a
slider 3 of a zipper and the proximal end of the apparatus
operatively connects to a fastener 11.
[0019] FIGS. 2C, 3C, 4C and 5C show embodiments of the invention in
which the distal end of the apparatus operatively connects to a
slider 3 of a zipper and the proximal end of the apparatus, which
is designed to operatively connect to a fastener 11, is
disconnected from the fastener 11.
[0020] FIGS. 2D, 4D and 5D show embodiments of the invention in
which the distal end of the apparatus operatively connects to a
pull tab 4 of a zipper and the proximal end of the apparatus
operatively connects zipper tape 1 or the top tape extension 9.
[0021] FIGS. 2E, 4E and 5E show embodiments of the invention in
which the distal end of the apparatus operatively connects to a
slider 3 of a zipper and the proximal end of the apparatus
operatively connects to zipper tape 1 or the top tape extension
9.
[0022] FIGS. 2F, 4F and 5F show embodiments of the invention in
which the distal end of the apparatus operatively connects to a
slider 3 of a zipper and the proximal end of the apparatus, which
is designed to operatively connect to a zipper tape 1 or the top
tape extension 9 is disconnected from zipper tape 1 or the top tape
extension 9.
[0023] While the invention has been described in detail with
particular reference to embodiments thereof, it should be
understood that variations and modification can be effected within
the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and
as described in the appended claims.
* * * * *