Abstract:
An integral zipper slide and guard. The integral slide and guard is formed as a single unit, thus alleviating previous problems of attachment of zipper guards to zipper slides. Moreover, the unitary structure of the zipper slide and guard permits a one-step molding operation, thus providing inexpensive manufacture.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/104,561, filed Mar. 21, 2002, and entitled “Zipper Guard”, incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to zippers, and more specifically to zipper guards for reducing zipper snags.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    In general, a zipper is a fastener having two rows of metal or plastic meshing elements, often called “coils” or “teeth.” Each row of teeth is mounted on a strip of fabric, called a “stringer.” The two stringers together form the “zipper tape.” A sliding piece, called a “slider” or “slide” closes an opening by drawing the rows of teeth together and meshing them into a connected structure.  
           [0004]    A zipper slide typically includes a throat at the front of the slide. The throat receives the two open (i.e., not attached) rows of teeth. Channels within the slide direct the two rows together where they are joined, connected, and closed. A mouth at the rear portion of the slide fits around the adjacent closed rows of teeth.  
           [0005]    One problem encountered with zippers is that often fabric or another item may be positioned where it is in the way of movement of the slide, and may eventually be caught between the slide and the teeth, or between the two rows of teeth. As such, the slide may become snagged or the teeth may be improperly separated.  
           [0006]    Guards that mount on zipper slides have been developed for the purpose of minimizing snags between the zipper slide, zipper teeth, and surrounding fabric material. The guards attach to the slide, and are designed to block objects from entering the throat of the slide. Although these zipper guards often work well for their intended purpose, their structure can be somewhat complicated and the guards can be difficult to mount on the zipper slides.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.  
           [0008]    The present invention provides an integral zipper slide and guard. The integral slide and guard is formed as a single unit, thus alleviating previous problems of attachment of zipper guards to zipper slides. Moreover, the unitary structure of the zipper slide and guard permits a one-step molding operation, thus providing inexpensive manufacture of the integral zipper slide and guard.  
           [0009]    Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an integral zipper slide and guard constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and fitted to a zipper tape;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a top, front perspective of the integral zipper slide and guard of FIG. 1;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a bottom sectional view of the integral zipper slide and guard of FIG. 1, shown mounted on the zipper tape; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a side view of the integral zipper slide and guard of FIG. 1.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]    In the following description, various embodiments of the present invention will be described. For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the embodiment being described.  
         [0015]    Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows an integral zipper slide and guard  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The integral zipper slide and guard  10  is shown mounted on a zipper tape  12  having two stringers  14  with rows of teeth  15  on inner edges thereof. Briefly described, the integral zipper slide and guard  10  is configured and arranged so as to open and close the teeth  15  of the zipper tape  12  when the integral zipper slide and guard  10  is moved therealong.  
         [0016]    In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the integral zipper slide and guard  10  is symmetrical about a vertical axis extending the length of the integral zipper slide and guard  10  (i.e., in the direction of the teeth  15  in FIG. 1). Thus, to the extent a side of the integral zipper slide and guard  10  is described, the other side includes identical, albeit mirror-image elements. Although the embodiment shown includes symmetrical sides, an integral zipper slide and guard may be formed in accordance with the present invention that is non-symmetrical.  
         [0017]    The integral zipper slide and guard  10  includes a first or upper slide plate  16  spaced from a second or lower slide plate  18  (FIG. 4). The upper and lower slide plates  16 ,  18  together define a central channel  20  (FIG. 3) through which the teeth  15  are guided. As can be seen in FIG. 3, a post  21  interconnects the upper and lower slide plates  16 ,  18 .  
         [0018]    Pairs of first and second side walls  22 ,  24 , respectively, extending toward one another from the upper and lower slide plates  16 ,  18  and define a pair of longitudinally-extending slots  26 . The slots  26  allow for the passage of the stringers  14  to which the rows of teeth  15  are connected.  
         [0019]    In the example shown in the drawings, the integral zipper slide and guard  10  is shown fitted with a single slide pull tab  28  (shown in phantom in FIG. 1). The pull tab  28  is pivotally connected to a pull tab lug  30  extending upwardly from a central portion of the upper slide plate  16 . While a single pull tab  28  is shown in the drawings, the integral zipper slide and guard  10  may alternatively include two or more pull tabs  28 , and/or an additional pull tab lug  30  on the lower slide plate  18 . Such a second pull tab lug  30  is shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0020]    The integral zipper slide and guard  10  is preferably formed as a one-piece homogenous plastic molding. The plastic is selected to have a significant abrasion resistance. A particularly suitable plastic is acetyl plastic, but any other tough and somewhat resilient plastic can provide acceptable performance. Plastic is preferred to metals, as plastic will cause less wear on modern plastic zipper teeth  15  than a similar integral zipper slide and guard  10  formed of metal, and plastic can be easily and economically molded.  
         [0021]    As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the integral zipper slide and guard  10  is formed with a tapered or rounded leading edge portion or nose portion  35  having forwardly converging side walls  36 . The side walls  36  diverge rearwardly to the split side walls  22 ,  24 . The front portions of an upper surface  40  and lower surface  42  (FIG. 4) of the integral zipper slide and guard  10  taper forwardly toward one another as they converge at a tip  44  of the nose portion  35 .  
         [0022]    The converging sidewalls  36  and upper surface  40  and lower surface  42  cause the nose portion  35  to be formed as a compound wedge. A first wedge is defined by the forwardly converging front side walls  36 . A second wedge is defined by the forwardly converging upper and lower surfaces  40  and  42 . This compound wedge acts as a plow to clear away fabric and other material that would otherwise cause a zipper snag if allowed to enter front entrances  46  of the integral zipper slide and guard  10  and then into the central channel  20 .  
         [0023]    The compound wedge shape in the embodiment shown in the drawings is formed by four distinct surfaces (i.e., the side walls  36 , the top surface  40  and the bottom surface  42 ). However, the compound wedge may be more rounded or may be oddly shaped so that these walls and surfaces are not so clearly defined.  
         [0024]    The integral zipper slide and guard  10  includes a similar compound wedge configuration at it rear portion. However, instead of front entrances  46 , a single opening  50  (FIG. 3) is provided at the juncture of the converging side walls and rear and top surfaces. This compound wedge acts as a plow to clear away fabric and other material that would otherwise cause a zipper snag when the integral zipper slide and guard  10  is moved backward.  
         [0025]    As can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and  4 , both ends of the integral zipper slide and guard  10  has a somewhat bullet-shaped profile from front and rear when viewed from above, below, and from either side. Front and rear views define a generally rectangular profile.  
         [0026]    The front entrances  46  formed in the integral zipper slide and guard  10  through each of the front side walls  36  converge rearwardly to the central channel  20  and out to the opening  50 . The teeth  15  extending into the front entrances  46  are attached in the central channel  20  in a known manner when the integral zipper slide and guard  10  is moving forward. The attached teeth extend out of the rear opening  50 . When moving rearwardly, the teeth  15  are detached from one another, also in a known manner.  
         [0027]    Other variations are within the spirit of the present invention. Thus, while the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, a certain illustrated embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings and has been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.