Abstract:
The instant disclosure relates to a zipper head. The zipper head includes a main structure, a flexible member, a securing member, a pull tab, a guiding member, and a shaft. The main structure has a first fixing portion and receives the flexible member. The securing member has a second fixing portion corresponding to the first fixing portion. The securing member contacts with the flexible member. The guiding member is pivotally connected to one end of the main structure and contacts with the securing member. A receiving space is cooperatively defined by the main structure, the securing member, and the guiding member. A fixing end of the pull tab is disposed in the receiving space. The shaft penetrates the main structure and is pivotally connected to the securing member. The instant disclosure also discusses a method for replacing the pull tab of the zipper head.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to a zipper head with a replaceable pull tab and a pull tab replacement method; in particular, to a zipper head structure which can yield a gap for replacing a pull tab and a pull tab replacement method of the same. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Conventional zipper heads are structures for zipping and unzipping zipper teeth. Due to its convenient operation, the zipper head is widely used on bags and clothing. The principle of zipper lies in: opening and closing the mutually engaging zipper teeth by the back and forth motion of the zipper head. 
     Conventional zipper heads generally include a main structure, a securing member, a spring, a crown and a pull tab. The securing member is pressed into the guiding groove of the main structure by the spring. One end of the spring is under the securing member. The crown is fixed on the main structure such that the securing member and the spring are positioned inside the crown. For example, TW Publication Number M292296 (Patent Number 95200113) discloses a “zipper head assembly structure (2)”. 
     However, the spring of the above conventional zipper head is fixed onto the main structure by riveting. After the spring is fixed onto the main structure, the securing member and the pull tab are fixed together onto the main body such that the pull tab cannot be replaced. However in practice, downstream manufactures have different needs for pull tabs and often need to replace the same. In particular, some more unique pull tabs are varied and in small quantities, requiring mechanical assembly by hand. Therefore each type of pull tab requires a specific machine for assembly, increasing the cost of manufacturing. 
     Hence, the present inventor believes the above mentioned disadvantages can be overcome, and through devoted research combined with application of theory, finally proposes the present disclosure which has a reasonable design and effectively improves upon the above mentioned disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present disclosure is to provide a zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab and its pull tab replacement method, so as to allow downstream manufacturers to replace pull tabs without installing assembly machines, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing. 
     In order to achieve the aforementioned objects, the present disclosure provides a zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab, including: a main structure having a first fixing portion; a flexible member disposed within the main structure; a securing member having a second fixing portion corresponding to the first fixing portion, inserted in the main structure and abutting the flexible member; a pull tab having a fixing end; a guiding member pivotally connected to one end of the main structure and abutting the securing member, wherein the guiding member, the securing member and the main structure define a receiving space, and the fixing end of the pull tab is disposed in the receiving space; and a shaft passing through the main structure and pivotally connected to the securing member. 
     The present disclosure further provides a pull tab replacement method for a zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab, including the following steps: provide the mentioned zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab; when the pull tab is to be pulled out, apply an external force on the pull tab such that the fixing end drives the securing member to rotate about the shaft and increase the receiving space and press against the flexible member; then apply another external force on the guiding member such that the guiding member yields a gap to the receiving space, and the pull tab is pulled out; stop applying force, and the flexible member provides a restoring force to drive the securing member to rotate about the shaft back to the original position, and the securing member in turn drives the guiding member to move back to the original position; and when another pull tab is to be inserted, apply an external force at the fixing end of this pull tab such that the fixing end pushes the guiding member inward to yield the gap, and the guiding member raises the securing member and makes the securing member press against the flexible member; when the fixing end is pushed to an end, stop applying force, the flexible member then provides a restoring force on the securing member such that the securing member drives the guiding member back to the original position. 
     The present disclosure has the following benefits: the guiding member design of the present disclosure provides a gap on the main structure for pull tabs to move in and out of in a convenient operation, effectively reducing labor and the eliminating the need for a new assembly machine. 
     In order to further the understanding regarding the present disclosure, the following embodiments are provided along with illustrations to facilitate the disclosure of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an assembly diagram of a zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  shows an assembly diagram of a zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional diagram of a zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab of the present disclosure (1); 
         FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional diagram of a zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab of the present disclosure (2); 
         FIG. 5A  shows a operation diagram of a zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab of the present disclosure (1); 
         FIG. 5B  shows a operation diagram of a zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab of the present disclosure (2); 
         FIG. 5C  shows a operation diagram of a zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab of the present disclosure (3); and 
         FIG. 6  shows a flowchart of a pull tab replacement method of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The aforementioned illustrations and following detailed descriptions are exemplary for the purpose of further explaining the scope of the present disclosure. Other objectives and advantages related to the present disclosure will be illustrated in the subsequent descriptions and appended drawings. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the present disclosure provides a zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab, including a main structure  1 , a securing member  2 , a guiding member  3 , a blocking piece  4 , a pull tab  5 , a flexible member  6  and a shaft  7 . The main structure  1 , the securing member  2  and the guiding member  3  jointly define a receiving space  8 . The main structure  1  includes a zipper head  11  and a crown  12 . The flexible member  6  is accommodated within the zipper head  11 . The securing member  2  is inserted in the zipper head  11  and abuts the flexible member  6 . One end of the crown  12  is pivotally connected to the zipper head  11  and the securing member  2  by the shaft  7 . The other end of the crown  12  is pivotally connected to the guiding member  3 . The blocking piece  4  is disposed within the crown  12  and abuts the zipper head  11  and the guiding member  3 . The blocking piece  4  is latched within the receiving space  8 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the zipper head  11  has an upper board  111 , a lower board  112 , and a connection portion  113  connecting the upper board  111  and the lower board  112 . The upper board  111 , the lower board  112  and the connection portion  113  are integrally formed as one body. The connection portion  113  has a first groove  1131  within and a first fixing portion  1132 . The upper board  111  has a second groove  1111 . The first groove  1131  and the second groove  1111  are interconnected at the surface of the upper board  111 . The first groove  1131  houses the flexible member  6 . Two clips  1112  are disposed at the interconnection between the first groove  1131  and the second groove  1111 . Each of the two clips  1112  has a first hole  1113 . The first fixing portion  1132  is actually a protrusion between the two clips  1112 . The upper board  111  and the lower board  112  form a guiding groove  114  there-between. The guiding groove  114  can engage with a teeth chain (omitted in the figure). 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 5A , the shape of the crown  12  is similar to a telephone receiver, having a front end  121  and a rear end  122 , and a hollow interior connected to the outside of the crown  12 . Two sides of the front end  121  each form a protrusion portion  1211  facing inward. Two sides of the rear end  122  each have a second hole  1221 . Two edges of the rear end  122  have a first retaining point  1222  and a second retaining point  1223 . The inner side of the crown  12  has a first protruding block  123  and two second protruding blocks  124 . The rear end  122  of the crown  12  is arranged around the two clips  1112 . The first holes  1113  of the clips  1112  correspond to the second holes  1221  of the crown  12 . When the crown  12  and the zipper head  11  are integrated, the rear end  122  of the crown  12  abuts and is limited by the extension around the first groove  1131  on the upper board  111 . 
     The securing member  2  is roughly branch shaped having three branches. The three branches are respectively a pivot base  21 , a hook portion  22  and a latch portion  23 . The lower side of the pivot base  21  has a concave second fixing portion  211  corresponding to the first fixing portion  1132 . A stop hook  212  extends away from the pivot base  21 . The securing member  2  is inserted into the upper board  111  of the zipper head  11 . The hook portion  22  extends into the second groove  1111 . The pivot base  21  presses against the flexible member  6 . The pivot base  21 , the first holes  1113  of the clips  1112  and the second holes  1221  of the crown  12  correspond to each other such that a shaft  7  can pass through to pivotally connect the first holes  1113 , the second holes  1221  and the pivot base  21 . It is worth noting that, since the crown  12  is pressed against the upper board  111 , only the securing member  2  can rotate about the shaft  7 . When the securing member  2  is in static equilibrium, the stop hook  212  abuts the second retaining point  1223 , the convex edge on the upper part of the pivot base  21  abuts the first retaining point  1222 , the bottom part of the pivot base abuts the flexible member  6 , and the second fixing portion  211  abuts the first fixing portion  1132 . However, when the securing member  2  is driven by an external force (e.g. the user pulls on the zipper), the securing member  2  can flip upward and press against the flexible member  6 . When the external force abates, the flexible member  6  restores the securing member  2  to its original position. 
     The guiding member  3  is a specially designed piece that allows the present disclosure to replace pull tabs  5 . Two sides on one end of the guiding member  3  each have an recessed portion  31  for pivoting with the protrusion portion  1211  of the crown  12 . The shape of the guiding member  3  gradually tapers inward from the periphery of the recessed portion  31 . The guiding member  3  has a slanted face and a level face. The slanted face has a sliding groove  32 . The other end of the guiding member  3  opposite to the recessed portions  31  has a fin  33  on each of the two sides. The two fins  33  each have a holding hole  331  for adjusting the guiding member  3  when replacing the pull tab  5 . The two recessed portions  31  are pivotally connected to the protrusion portions  1211  such that the operator can rotate the guiding member  3  by applying force on the holding hole  331  (can insert a pin shaped object into the holding hole  331 ) when replacing the pull tab  5 . The sliding groove  32  and the latch portion  23  of the securing member  2  match each other such that the latch portion  23  can move along the sliding groove  32  as the securing member  2  rotates. In normal use of the zipper, regardless of which direction the user pulls on the pull tab  5 , the guiding member  3  closes upon the gap between the zipper head  11  and the crown  12  to ensure that the pull tab  5  does not become detached. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5A , the blocking piece  4  is disposed within the hollow portion of the crown  12 , and has a first bend  41 , a second bend  42  and an opening  43 . The first bend  41  abuts the top part of the clip  1112 . The second bend  42  abuts an abutting face  34  of the guiding member  3 . One end of the opening  43  is disposed around the first protruding block  123  of the crown  12 . The two second protruding blocks  124  abut the turning point between the first bend  41  and the second bend  42 . The first bend  41  and the second bend  42  bends at an angle toward the direction of the zipper head  11 . This angle allows the blocking piece  4  to resist unintentional movement of the guiding member  3  (e.g. pushing by water flow during washing). The size of the opening  43  can coincide with the latch portion  23  of the securing member  2 . Therefore, when the pivot base  21  of the securing member  2  rotates about the shaft  7 , the latch portion  23  can pass through the blocking piece  4  without being blocked. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5A  to  FIG. 5C , the zipper head  11 , the securing member  2  and the guiding member  3  define a receiving space  8 . The pull tab  5  can have different patterns printed on its surface (omitted in the figure) and has a fixing end  51 . The fixing end  51  is disposed within the receiving space  8 . When the securing member  2  or the guiding member  3  is subject to force and rotates, the receiving space  8  accommodating the fixing end  51  changes shape accordingly. When a gap  81  emerges at the receiving space  8 , the operator can withdraw or insert pull tabs  5 . 
     The present disclosure provides a pull tab replacement method for a zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab, including the following steps: referring to  FIG. 5A , provide the mentioned zipper head structure with a replaceable pull tab; referring to  FIG. 5B , when the pull tab  5  is to be pulled out, apply an external force on the pull tab  5  such that the fixing end  51  drives the securing member  2  to rotate about the shaft  7  and increase the receiving space  8  and press against the flexible member  6 ; referring to  FIG. 5C , then apply another external force on the guiding member  3  such that the guiding member  3  yields a gap  81  to the receiving space  8 , and the pull tab  5  is pulled out; stop applying force, and the flexible member  6  provides a restoring force to drive the securing member  2  to rotate about the shaft  7  back to the original position, and the securing member  2  in turn drives the guiding member  3  to move back to the original position; and when another pull tab  5  is to be inserted, apply an external force at the fixing end  51  of this pull tab  5  such that the fixing end  51  pushes the guiding member  3  inward to yield the gap  81 , and the guiding member  3  raises the securing member  2  and makes the securing member  2  press against the flexible member  6 ; when the fixing end  51  is pushed to an end, stop applying force, the flexible member  6  then provides a restoring force on the securing member  2  such that the securing member  2  drives the guiding member  3  back to the original position. 
     In general, the special feature of the present disclosure lies in the design of the guiding member, which allows the operator to open a gap on the zipper head with simple tools, for removal and insertion of pull tabs. The procedure is convenient, and the assembly does not require a new machine, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and raising efficiency. Additionally, the blocking piece prevents the guiding member from yielding the gap during washing and letting the pull tab fall out. 
     The descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure; however, the characteristics of the present disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alternations, or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure delineated by the following claims.