Invisible zip fastener

Abstract: An invisible zip fastener has a male slide (2) and a female slide (3) to close/open interlocking teeth (11) on two zipper tapes (1), a male end connector (4) and a female end connector (5) being respectively mounted on one end of the zipper tapes (1) at one end of the interlocking teeth (11) and arranged to face each other, the male end connector (4) having a coupling tongue (42) facing the female end connector (5), and a protruding tooth (43) which is forced into engagement with the end tooth (11) of the opposed zipper tape (1) when the fastener is closed, the female end connector (5) having a coupling groove (52) which receives therein the coupling tongue (42) of the male end connector (4) when the fastener is closed, and a projecting rear block (53), which stops the female slide (3) when the female slide (3) is pulled to one end to close the fastener.

Description: The present invention relates to an invisible zip fastener, and more particularly to a double-open-end zip fastener, which comprises a male slide and a female slide moved to close the interlocking teeth at two zipper tapes thereof, a male end connector and a female end connector respectively provided at the zipper tapes at one end for engaging each other upon closing of the interlocking teeth. Regular invisible zip fasteners are commonly comprised of two zipper tapes, two interlocking spirals respectively fastened to a respective folded side edge at each of the zipper tapes by stitches, and a slide moved between the zipper tapes to close/separate the interlocking spirals. These invisible zip fasteners have only one open end. There are zip fasteners that provide two open ends. Similar designs are seen in US Patent Nos. 5,653,002; 5,469,605; 5,400,482; 5,297,319; 5,119,530 and 3,175,268. However, these double open end designs are of non-invisible zip fasteners. According to the present invention there is provided an invisible zip fastener comprising a pair of zipper tapes, two rows of interlocking teeth fastened to said zipper tapes, a male slide and a female slide movable to open/close said interlocking teeth, at least one stop mounted on one end of at least one zipper tape at the end of the row of teeth, a male end connector and a female end connector fixedly mounted one to each of the zipper tapes at the other ends of the rows of teeth thereon to face each other, and a projecting rear block to determine the end position of the female slide when said female slide is pulled to the other end of, to close, the fastener, characterised in that the male end connector includes a coupling tongue thereon and a protruding tooth located for engagement by the end tooth on the other zipper tape on closing of the fastener, and the female end connector includes a coupling groove to receive therein the coupling tongue on closing of the fastener, the male and female end connectors each being of substantially L-shape in transverse section and each defining therein a longitudinally extending clamping groove, an edge of each zipper tape being held in the clamping groove of an associated one of the connectors, the zipper tapes being turned backwards to cover over the male and female end connectors. An embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 a perspective view of an invisible zip fastener according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view in an enlarged scale of a part of the present invention. Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a perspective view in an enlarged scale of the male end connector and the female end connector according to the present invention. Figure 5 is a sectional end view, showing the male end connector and the female end connector respectively fastened to the zipper tapes according to the present invention. Figure 6 is a perspective view in an enlarged scale of the present invention, showing a rigid plastic covering covered on each zipper tape at one end. Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, an invisible zip fastener is shown comprised of two zipper tapes 1 , a male slide 2 , a female slide 3 , a male end connector 4 , and a female end connector 5 . The zipper tapes 1 each have one side edge mounted with a series of plastic teeth 11 and a top stop 12 at one end of the series of plastic teeth 11. The male end connector 4 and the female end connector 5 are respectively fastened to the zipper tapes 1 at one end of the respective series of plastic teeth 11 remote from the respective top stop 12. The male slide 2 and the female slide 3 are respectively connected to the plastic teeth 11 between the zipper tapes 1 , and moved to close/separate the plastic teeth 11 . When the male slide 2 is pulled to the end to close the plastic teeth 11 , it is stopped at the top stop 12 at each of the zipper tapes 1 . When the female slide 3 is pulled to the end to close the plastic teeth 11 , it is stopped at a rear projecting block 53 at the female end connector 5 . Referring to Figures from 4 through 6, the end connectors 4 and 5 have a substantially L-shaped cross section, each defining a longitudinally extended clamping groove 41 or 51, which holds one zipper tape 1 . The end connectors 4 and 5 can be directly injection-molded on the respective zipper tapes 1 . Alternatively, the end connectors 4 and 5 can be respectively fastened to the zipper tapes 1 by casting or stamping. After the plain side edge (the side edge carrying the respective series of teeth 11 ) has been fixedly fastened to the clamping groove 41 or 51 , the zipper tape 1 is turned backwards and covered over the end connector 4 or 5 , and then set into shape by heating (see Figures 5 and 6). After the end connectors 4 and 5 and the zipper tapes 1 have been respectively fastened together, the end connectors 4 and 5 are disposed facing to each other. The male end connector 4 comprises a coupling tongue 42 facing the female end connector 5. The female end connector 5 comprises a coupling groove 52 for receiving the coupling tongue 42. The longitudinal length of the male end connector 4 is relatively longer than the female end connector 5 . The male end connector 4 further comprises a protruding tooth 43 raised from the front end thereof at an inner side for engagement with one end tooth 11 at the opposite zipper tape 1 . The aforesaid rear projecting block 53 is formed on the rear end of the female end connector 5 . When the zip fastener is closed, the coupling tongue 42 at the male end connector 4 is engaged into the coupling groove 52 at the female end connector 5 , and the female slide 3 is stopped at the rear projecting block 53 at the rear end of the female end connector 5 . The coupling tongue 42 is a triangle tongue raised from the vertical inner side wall of the male end connector 4 , having a transverse width gradually increased in direction from the front side facing the teeth 11 at the respective zipper tape 1 toward the protruding tooth 43 . The coupling groove 52 is a triangular groove fitting the triangular coupling tongue 42. Therefore, when the female slide 3 is pulled to close the teeth 11 at the zipper tapes 1, the coupling tongue 42 is smoothly forced into engagement with the coupling groove 52. Referring to Figure 6 again, a rigid plastic covering 13 is covered on one or both sides at each end of each zipper tape 1 to protect the fabric structure of each zipper tape 1 . The rigid plastic covering 13 is welded to each zipper tape 1 by a ultrasonic heat sealing apparatus. While only one embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various modifications and changes could be made thereunto without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims: A zip fastener comprising a pair of zipper tapes (1), two rows of interlocking teeth (11) fastened to said zipper tapes (1), a male slide (2) and a female slide (3) movable to open/close said interlocking teeth (11), at least one stop (12) mounted on one end of at least one zipper tape (1) at the end of the row of teeth (11), a male end connector (4) and a female end connector (5) fixedly mounted one to each of the zipper tapes (1) at the other ends of the rows of teeth (11) thereon to face each other, and a projecting rear block (53) to determine the end position of the female slide (3) when said female slide (3) is pulled to the other end of, to close, the fastener, characterised in that the zip fastener is an invisible zip fastener and in that the male end connector (4) includes a coupling tongue (42) thereon and a protruding tooth (43) located for engagement by the end tooth (11) on the other zipper tape (1) on closing of the fastener, and the female end connector (5) includes a coupling groove (52) to receive therein the coupling tongue (42) on closing of the fastener, the male and female end connectors (4,5) each being of substantially L-shape in transverse section and each defining therein a longitudinally extending clamping groove (41,51), an edge of each zipper tape (1) being held in the clamping groove (41,51) of an associated one of the connectors (4,5) , the zipper tapes (1) being turned backwards to cover over the male and female end connectors (4,5). An invisible zip fastener as claimed in claim 1 in which the coupling tongue (42) of the male end connector (4) is of triangular shape and extends in the plane of the fastener, the width of the tongue (42) increasing in a direction from the other end of the fastener towards the tooth (43), the coupling groove (52) in the female end connector (5) being of a correspondingly triangular shape to receive therein said tongue (42).

Inventors: CHUNG ROGER CHUN-YEN, CHUNG, ROGER CHUN-YEN
Applicants: CHUNG ROGER CHUN-YEN, CHUNG, ROGER CHUN-YEN
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A44B19
IPC codes: A44B19