Abstract:
A wedge tool for operating a slide fastener having an auto-locking biasing member, the wedge tool having elongated arms and a tapered wedge tip extending from at least one arm toward the opposing arm. The wedge tip releases the slide fastener&#39;s auto-locking member at the pull tab hole to permit movement of the slide fastener to close an opening of a stuffed toy animal.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This is a continuation-in-part under 37 CFR 1.53(b) to application Ser. No. 10/278,112, filed on Oct. 22, 2002. 

   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to an apparatus for closing an opening in the skin of a stuffed toy after the toy is filled with stuffing material and specifically a tool to selectively engage and operate the slider of a slide fastener on a closure for a stuffed toy. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Stuffed animals and toys are typically formed by filling a sewn fabric skin with a resilient material such as polyester-cellulose fibers alone or along with polystyrene beads or other filler materials, creating a three-dimensional soft and resilient representation of an animal or other toy. 
   In some custom manufacturing, an injection tube is inserted through the stuffing opening and the stuffing material is then injected or pumped through the tube into the interior of the stuffed toy. 
   When the stuffed toy is sufficiently filled with stuffing material, the stuffing opening must be closed. In some instances this entails sewing the stuffing opening closed using a sewing machine. This method produces an outside ridge, which is readily apparent on the skin of the finished stuffed toy. It is desirable to eliminate the need for a sewing machine and to eliminate this ridge. 
   Closing the stuffing opening after the stuffing material is inserted by hand-stitching can be a relatively time consuming and costly procedure. It is desirable that the stuffing opening be closed in such a way that time is saved compared to traditional hand-stitching sewing method. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,196 issued to Silber on Aug. 29, 2000 discloses a method of closing that provides openings for stitching, lacing of the stitching filament through the openings prior to stuffing, and pulling the stitching to close the opening after stuffing. 
   Stuffed objects, such as pillows, are often closed with slide fasteners of a type that can be locked in position, thereby preventing unintended reopening, which would allow stuffing to escape. Various auto-locking slide fasteners are known in the art and include U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,883 issued April 1978 to Ishii et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,928 issued Feb. 2, 1979 to Aoki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,220 issued December 1983 to Oda, U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,263 issued September, 1988 to Fikuroi, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,286 issued Jul. 16, 1991 to Kudzierski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,373 issued Mar. 23, 1999 to Kawamura, U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,628 issued Apr. 26, 1999 to Oda and U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,624 issued Nov. 13, 2001 to Lin. Each of these patents teaches the use of an integral portion of the slide fastener that permits unlocking the slide fastener. Typically, the slide fastener includes a locking member that is biased to a locked position and a fastener pull that forces the locking member to an unlocked position when a distal end of the fastener pull is moved to a determined position. 
   A slide fastener having an integral lever for unlocking the slider is not advantageous for a stuffed toy, as such integral unlocking lever would allow a user to readily unlock the slider and open the toy, thereby allowing stuffing material to escape. It is therefore necessary to have an unattached wedge tool to unlock the fastener, which may be removed after use. It is also desirable for an unattached wedge tool to be constructed to pose the least damage to inexperienced users. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The wedge tool of the present invention overcomes many of the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a tool for use in closing an opening used to insert stuffing materials into a stuffed toy. In such stuffed toys, fabric members are first fastened to make a container, the exterior defining the shape of the toy and an interior volume. The container includes an opening in communication with the interior volume. The opening has a first lip and a second lip. A row of teeth of a slide fastener having an auto-lock function are affixed to each of the first lip and the second lip such that closure of the slide fastener completely closes the stuffing opening. The slide fastener is of a type that requires release of a biasing mechanism to permit movement of the fastener. A stuffing apparatus has an injection tube and a means for propelling a stuffing material through the tube. The injection tube is inserted into the opening between the first and second rows of slide fastener teeth and stuffing material is injected into the interior volume of the container through the tube. The tube is then withdrawn. The wedge tool is applied to the locking mechanism of the slide fastener to permit movement thereof. The slide fastener is then closed to draw the rows of teeth into abutment. In this way, stuffing is retained in the interior volume. 
   The present invention comprises an unattached wedge tool to permit release of a locking slide fastener, thereby preventing inadvertent opening of the stuffed toy. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a view of the slide fastener positioning wedge tool of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a view of a stuffing opening, slide fastener and the wedge tool of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a view of an alternate embodiment of a wedge tool of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  (prior art) is a cross-sectional view of a representative prior art slide fastener lock mechanism. 
       FIG. 5  (prior art) is a cross-sectional view of a representative prior art fastener with the wedge tool of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a partial view of an alternative embodiment of a wedge tool of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a partial view of an alternative embodiment of a wedge tool of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a partial view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention having a wedge tip and an extended wedge tip receiver. 
       FIG. 9  is a view of a stuffing opening and slide fastener. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   FIG.  1  and  FIG. 2  depict the wedge tool  17  of the present invention for closing an opening  13  a stuffed toy  10 , in this instance a stuffed bear. Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 9 , a stuffed toy  10  is constructed by filling a sewn fabric container  12 , which creates the skin of stuffed toy  10 , with a stuffing material  11 , which is commonly known in the art. Stuffing opening  13  is left for filling container  12 . Container  12  is then filled with stuffing material  11 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 9 , container  12  is filled with stuffing material  11  using an injection tube  20  inserted through stuffing opening  13  from the outside of the container  12  to the inside. Injection tube  20  is part of a stuffing apparatus that includes a device (not shown) for propelling stuffing material through injection tube  20 . Stuffing material  11  is injected through tube  20  into the interior of container  12 , thereby filling container  12  with stuffing material  11  and filling out container  12  to a stuffed shape. 
   Stuffing opening  13  has an exterior closure  40  that is capable of securing the perimeter of stuffing opening  13 . Exterior closure  40  is traditionally a sewn seam. 
   In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, exterior closure  40  is a slide fastener  41  comprised of slide  14  and two rows of teeth  15  and  16 , with the closure  40  operable by a slide fastener  41 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 9 , in the present invention, once container  12  is sufficiently filled with stuffing material  1 , tube  20  is withdrawn from stuffing opening  13 . Wedge tool  17  is then applied to slide  14  of slide fastener  41 , thereby unlocking slide fastener  41  to permit movement. Opening  13  is then closed by movement of slide  14  along the length of slide fastener  41 . As will be clear to one of skill in the art, as slide  14  is moved, first row of teeth  15  and second row of teeth  16 , are brought securely into abutment, thereby completely closing opening  13 . 
   Slide  14  comprises a type that is normally biased in a locked position, thereby preventing unintended reopening, which would allow stuffing to escape. Various auto-locking slide fasteners are known in the art and include fasteners disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,883 issued April 1978 to Ishii et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,928 issued Feb. 2, 1979 to Aoki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,220 issued December 1983 to Oda, U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,263 issued September, 1988 to Fikuroi, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,286 issued Jul. 16, 1991 to Kudzierski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,373 issued Mar. 23, 1999 to Kawamura, U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,628 issued Apr. 26, 1999 to Oda and U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,624 issued Nov. 13, 2001 to Lin. Each of these patents teaches the use of a biasing mechanism to bias the fastener in a fixed position and further teaches use of an integral portion of the slide fastener, a pull tab, to unlock the slide fastener. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , a representative commercially practiced slide  101  is depicted. Slide  101  includes an upper wing  113 , a lower wing  111  and a cover  109 . Teeth  15  and teeth  16  (not shown in  FIG. 4 ) are joined between upper wing  113  and lower wing  111  when in a fastened position. A leaf spring  102  prevents movement of fastener  101  along teeth  15  and  16 . In operation, leaf spring  102  is raised, allowing movement of fastener  101  along teeth  15  and  16  when pull tab  103  is pulled. Such pulling action causes axle  105  of pull tab  103  in pull tab hole  104  to slide along guide surface  107 , thereby forcing leaf spring  102  to move upward from an engaged position to an unengaged position, removed from teeth  15  and  16 . Various other prior art fasteners provide means for biasing a blocking mechanism such as leaf spring  102  against the teeth  15  and  16  and further provide means of disengaging such blocking mechanism by operating a pull tab such as pull tab  103 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , wedge tool  17  of the present invention is depicted. Wedge tool  17  includes a wedge tip  34 , a handle  30  and arms  31  and  32 . Wedge tool  17  is constructed with arms  31  and  32  spaced apart and extending outward from handle  30 . Arms  31  and  32  are constructed of a resilient, yet flexible material to permit end  311  of arm  31  to be moved closer to end  321  of arm  32  by the application of force to the exterior of each arm  31  and  32 . Arms  31  and  32  are constructed in a curvilinear manner such that arms  31  and  32  are joined at the ends distal ends  311  and  312 , such joined section comprising handle  30 . 
   Arm  31  has an interior surface  313  proximate interior surface  314  of arm  32 . Interior surface  313  of arm  31  is provided with wedge tip  34  extending from surface  313  toward surface  314  of arm  32 . Arm  31 , arm  32 , and wedge tip  34  are constructed such that arms  31  and  32  are readily biased toward each other to allow wedge tip  34  to contact surface  314  of arm  32  at a biasing force that could be readily applied by human fingers. 
   In a preferred embodiment wedge tip  34  is of sufficient width to be wider than a commercially available slide  101 . Ends  311  and  312  of arms  31  and  32  are rounded to provide easier access of the wedge tip  34  to the fastener  101 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a depression  35  may be provided on interior surface  314  of arm  32  to mate to wedge tip  34  when arms  31  and  32  are forced to a proximate position. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the use of wedge tool  17  is shown to draw slide  14  along first row of teeth  15  and second row of teeth  16  to close stuffing opening  13 . Wedge tip  34  is inserted into slide  14  in pull tab hole  104 , otherwise intended for a pull tab  103 , disengaging the blocking mechanism that is otherwise biased against teeth  15  and  16 . In the exemplary embodiment, wedge tip  34  is inserted between upper wing  113  and leaf spring  102  of slide  14 . 
   A wedge point  36  of wedge tip  34  is relatively small in relation to a typical pull tab axle. Such relatively small size allows for wedge point  36  to be readily inserted into pull tab hole  104  in slide  14 , where a pull tab axle  105  would otherwise be placed. The tapered construction of wedge tip  34  between wedge point  36  and arm  31  allows for the wedge tip  34  to be slideably inserted between leaf spring  102  and a segment of the upper wing  113  of slide  14  to force the block mechanism away from teeth  15  and  16  while minimizing the transverse forces against leaf spring  102 . 
   Effectively, the tapered construction of wedge tip  34  allows for forcing a blocking mechanism, such as leaf spring  102 , into an open position by inserting the wedge tip  34  or opposing wedge tip  37  (shown in  FIG. 7  depicting an alternative embodiment of the present invention) transversely to the slide  14 . In conventional fasteners, such as fastener  101 , the force applied to the blocking mechanism is applied along the axis of potential motion of the slide  101 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , an effective application of the present invention is to remove a pull tab  103  from a prior art fastener. Wedge tip  34  of wedge tool  17  is inserted into pull tab hole  104 , thereby unlocking the blocking mechanism (such as leaf spring  102 ). 
   Still referring to  FIG. 5 , the operation of the wedge tool  17  of the present invention is shown. A representative prior art fastener  101  is depicted without pull tab  103 . Leaf spring  102  would normally be biased against teeth  15  (not shown) and teeth  16  (not shown). In the depiction of  FIG. 5 , it may be seen that wedge tip  34  is inserted into pull tab hole  104 . In the exemplary embodiment, pull tab hole  104  is the opening between upper wing  113  and leaf spring  102 , which upon the insertion of wedge tip  34  forces leaf spring  102  away from teeth  15  and  16 . Once wedge tip  34  disengages leaf spring  102  from teeth  15  and  16 , the user compresses arm  31  and arm  32  towards each other until wedge point  36  contacts arm  32 . Wedge tool  17  may then be pulled by a user to move fastener  101  in relation to teeth  15  and  16 , thereby opening and closing the opening  13  as required. Wedge tool  17  is also operable to move fastener  101  when wedge point  36  is proximate, but not contacting arm  32 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , depression  35  may be omitted from interior  323  of arm  32  to provide a flat surface against wedge tip  34  when arms  31  and  32  are forced to a proximate position. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , a first alternative embodiment of the wedge tool  17  of the present invention is depicted. Arms  31  and  32  are constructed in such a way that arms  31  and  32  are separately joined to handle  30 . 
   In an alternate embodiment depicted in  FIG. 7 , an opposing wedge tip  37  may be provided on interior  323  of arm  32 , so as to be parallel and adjacent to wedge tip  34  when arms  32  and  33  are forced to a proximate position. In such embodiment, opposing wedge tip  37  is also inserted into slide  14 , thereby distributing the force of movement through both sides of wedge tool  17 . Wedge tool  17  may thereby be used to move slide  14  along the rows of teeth  15  and  16 , thereby opening and closing stuffing opening  13 . When a desired position of slide  14  is located, the wedge tool  17  may be removed from slide  14  allowing the blocking mechanism (not shown) to engage teeth  15  and  16 , thereby preventing further movement of slide  14  along rows of teeth  15  and  16 . 
   In an alternative embodiment depicted in  FIG. 8 , a wedge tip receiver  38  may be found on interior  323  of arm  32  to mate to wedge tip  34  when arms  31  and  32  are forced to a proximate position. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , opposing wedge tip  37  and wedge tip receiver  38  are each relatively small in relation to a typical pull tab axle  105  (of FIG.  4 ). Such relatively small size allows for opposing wedge tip  37  or wedge tip receiver  38  to be readily inserted into pull tab hole  104  in slide  14 , where a pull tab axle  105  would otherwise be placed. The tapered construction of opposing wedge tip  37  or wedge tip receiver  38  between wedge point  36  and arm  32  allows for the opposing wedge tip  37  or wedge tip receiver to be slideably inserted into pull tab hole  104 , between leaf spring  102  and a segment of the upper wing  113  of a slide  14  to force the block mechanism away from teeth  15  and  16 , while minimizing the transverse forces against leaf spring  102 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  6 - 8 , wedge tool  17  may be provided with a decorative handle  30  to associate wedge tool  17  with the source of the stuffed toy or animal. 
   The foregoing drawings, discussion, and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory, but are not meant to be limitations on the practice thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.