Patent Publication Number: US-2005132541-A1

Title: Side pull-resistant slide for zipper

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to slide for a zipper. In particular, the present invention relates to a side pull-resistant slide for a zipper, preventing opening of the zipper when subjected to side pull.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
       FIG. 1  of the drawings illustrates a conventional zipper  20  comprising two tapes  21  and a slider  10 . Each tape  21  has a row of teeth  22  sewn to a lateral edge thereof. The slider  10  includes two opposed boards  11  and a central guide  12  for connecting front ends of the opposed boards  11 . A rear end of each board  11  includes a flange  13  extending along an edge thereof, defining a substantially Y-shaped channel that allows passage of the lateral edge and the teeth  22  of each tape  21 . The flanges  13  extend forward and outward, leaving two openings that are wider than the width of the teeth  22 . When the tapes  21  of the zipper  20  are subjected to outward side pull indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 1 , the slide  10  moves downward and results in opening of the zipper  20 . In other words, no retaining effect is provided.  
      To obtain a retaining effect, a pull member is mounted on the slide and a resilient retainer is provided for retaining the slide in place. Neither side pull applied to the tapes nor a longitudinal pulling force applied to the slide could move the slide. The slide is released when the resilient retainer is pulled upward upon manual pulling of the pull member. However, the pull member, the resilient retainer, and associated arrangements result an increase in the cost. Further, in some cases, it is desired that the slide should be movable when subjected to a longitudinal pulling force while prohibiting movement of the slide when subjected to side pull of the zipper. In other cases, it is desired that the slide shown in  FIG. 1  and the slide with retainer could not be operated when the pull member is not in use.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a slide is provided for a zipper the zipper comprising two tapes each including a row of helically arranged teeth sewn to a lateral edge thereof. The slide comprises two opposed boards each having a first end and a second end. The first ends of the opposed boards are connected by a central guide. The second end of at least one of the opposed boards includes two flanges respectively extending along two lateral edges of the at least one of the opposed boards toward the other board, defining a substantially Y-shaped channel between the boards and the central guide to allow passage of the lateral edge of each tape and the teeth of each tape.  
      A flange extension extends from each flange toward the first end of the at least one of the boards, with a distance between each flange extension and the central guide being the same as a width of each tooth of the zipper. At least one of the flange extensions extends to a level aligned with or beyond a maximum width of an inner end of the central guide and includes an end edge with a stop corner.  
      When the tapes are pull sideways away from each other at upper ends of the tapes, one of the teeth of each tape in an associated opening of the Y-shaped channel presses against the inner end edge and its stop corner of the associated flange extension, preventing downward movements of the upper ends of the tapes, thereby preventing opening of the zipper. Resilient retainer and pull member required in the conventional zipper for providing a retaining function are not needed.  
      In an embodiment of the invention, the other board of the slide includes two flanges and two flange extensions corresponding to the flanges and the flange extensions of the at least one of the boards.  
      In another embodiment of the invention, each flange extension includes an end edge with a stop corner beyond the maximum width of the inner end of the central guide.  
      In a further embodiment of the invention, the slide further includes a pull member attached to an outer face of the slide.  
      In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a slide is provided for a zipper comprising two tapes each including a row of helically arranged teeth sewn to a lateral edge thereof. The slide comprises a board including a first end and a second end, a central guide formed on the first end of the board, and two upright flanges respectively extending along two lateral edges of the board, with a horizontal flange extending inward from an upper end of the upright flange toward the other upright flange, defining a substantially Y-shaped channel between the central guide and the upright flanges to allow passage of the lateral edge of each tape and the teeth of each tape.  
      A flange extension extends from each upright flange toward the first end of the board, with a distance between each flange extension and the central guide being the same as a width of each tooth of the zipper. At least one of the flange extensions extends to a level aligned with or beyond a maximum width of an inner end of the central guide and includes an inner end edge with a stop corner.  
      In an embodiment of the invention, each flange extension extends beyond the maximum width of the inner end of the central guide.  
      In another embodiment of the invention, the end edge includes a notch adjacent to an associated one of the horizontal flanges, and the notch defines the stop corner.  
      In a further embodiment of the invention, the central guide of the slide further includes an enlarged flange formed on a distal end of the central guide, and a pull member is attached to the enlarged flange.  
      In still another embodiment of the invention, the slide further includes a recessed bottom face and a pull member attached to the recessed bottom face.  
      Other objectives, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a sectional view of a conventional zipper.  
       FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view, partly cutaway, of a zipper with a slide in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the slide of the zipper in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the zipper in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 4 , illustrating a side pull-resisting function of the slide.  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the slide in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another modified embodiment of the slide in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view, partly cutaway, of a zipper with the slide in  FIG. 7 .  
       FIG. 9  is a sectional view of the zipper in  FIG. 8 .  
       FIG. 10  is a partial perspective view, partly cutaway, of a zipper with a further modified embodiment of the slide in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the slide in  FIG. 10 .  
       FIG. 12  is a sectional view of the zipper in  FIG. 10 .  
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view illustrating still another modified embodiment of the slide in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view illustrating yet another modified embodiment of the slide in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to  FIGS. 2 through 4 , a zipper with a side pull-resistant slide in accordance with the present invention is designated by  20  and comprises two tapes  21  and a slide  30 . Each tape  21  includes a row of helically arranged teeth  22  sewn to a lateral edge thereof. The slide  30  includes two opposed boards  31  and  32  each having a first end and a second end. The slide  30  further includes a central guide  33  for connecting the first ends of the opposed boards  31  and  32 . The second end of at least one of the opposed boards  31  and  32  include two flanges  34  respectively extending along two lateral edges thereof toward the other board  32 ,  31 . In the illustrated embodiment, the second end of the upper board  31  includes two flanges  34  respectively extending along the lateral edges of the upper board  31  toward the lower board  32 , defining a substantially Y-shaped channel between the boards  31  and  32  and the central guide  33  to allow passage of the lateral edge and the teeth  22  of each tape  21 .  
      Further, a flange extension  36 ,  37  extends from each flange  34  toward the first end of the upper board  31 , with a distance between the flange extension  36 ,  37  and the central guide  33  being the same as a width of each tooth  22  of the zipper  20 . At least one of the flange extensions  36  and  37  extends to a level aligned with or beyond the maximum width of an inner end  38  of the central guide  33 . In the zipper shown in  FIG. 4 , both of the flange extensions  36  and  37  extend to a level beyond the maximum width of the inner end  38  of the central guide  33 . In the zipper shown in  FIG. 5 , only the flange extension  36  extends to a level beyond the maximum width of the inner end  38  of the central guide  32 . In either case, each flange extension  36 ,  37  includes an inner end edge  39  with a stop corner  391 .  
      As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the flange extensions  36  and  37  are so configured that the distance between each flange extension  36 ,  37  and the central guide  33  is the same as the width of each tooth  22  of the zipper  20 . Thus, an inner edge of each tooth  22  abuts against an inner face of an associated flange extension  36 ,  37 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , when the tapes  21  are pull sideways away from each other at upper ends of the tapes  21 , one of the teeth  22  of each tape  20  in an associated opening of the Y-shaped channel presses against the inner end edge  39  and its stop corner  391  of the associated flange extension  36 ,  37 , preventing downward movements of the upper ends of the tapes  21 , thereby preventing opening of the zipper  20 . Resilient retainer and pull member required in the conventional zipper for providing a retaining function are not needed. However, a hook  311  can be formed on an outer face of one of the boards (e.g., the board  31 ), and an end of a pull member  60  (in the form of a tab in this embodiment) can be attached to the hook  311 , as shown in  FIG. 6 .  
       FIG. 7  illustrates a modified embodiment of the slide, wherein the lower board  32  of the slide  300  also includes two flanges  340  and two flange extensions  370  corresponding to the flanges  34  and the flange extensions  37  of the upper board  31 .  
       FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate a further modified embodiment of the slide. In this embodiment, the zipper  200  and comprises two tapes  210  and a slide  40 . Each tape  210  includes a row of helically arranged teeth  220  sewn to a lateral edge thereof. The slide  40  includes two opposed boards  41  and  42  each having a first end and a second end. The slide  40  further includes a central guide  43  for connecting the first ends of the opposed boards  41  and  42 .  
      The second end of the lower board  42  includes two flanges  44  respectively extending along two lateral edges thereof toward the upper board  41 , defining a substantially Y-shaped channel between the boards  41  and  42  and the central guide  43  to allow passage of the lateral edge and the teeth  220  of each tape  210 .  
      Further, a flange extension  46 ,  47  extends from each flange  44  toward the first end of the lower board  42 , with a distance between the flange extension  46 ,  47  and the central guide  43  being the same as the width of each tooth  220  of the zipper  200 . At least one of the flange extensions  46  and  47  extends to a level beyond an inner end  48  of the central guide  43 . Each flange extension  46 ,  47  includes an inner end edge  49  with a stop corner  491 . Operation of the slide  40  is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment.  
       FIGS. 10 through 12  illustrate a further modified embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the zipper  201  comprises two tapes  211  and a slide  50 . Each tape  211  includes a row of helically arranged teeth  221  sewn to a lateral edge thereof. The slide  50  includes a board  51  having a first end and a second end. The slide  50  further includes a central guide  52  formed on the first end of the board  51 .  
      The board  51  includes two upright flanges  53  respectively extending along two lateral edges thereof, with a horizontal flange  54  extending inward from an upper end of each upright flange  53  toward the other upright flange  53 , defining a substantially Y-shaped channel between the central guide  52  and the upright flanges  53  to allow passage of the lateral edge and the teeth  221  of each tape  211 .  
      Further, a flange extension  56 ,  57  extends from each upright flange  53  toward the first end of the board  51 , with a distance between the flange extension  56 ,  57  and the central guide  52  being the same as the width of each tooth  221  of the zipper  201 . At least one of the flange extensions  56  and  57  extend to a level aligned with or beyond the maximum width of an inner end  58  of the central guide  52 . In the zipper shown in  FIG. 12 , both of the flange extensions  56  and  57  extend beyond the maximum width of the inner end  58  of the central guide  52 . Each flange extension  56 ,  57  includes an inner end edge  59  that has a notch  592  adjacent to the associated horizontal flange  54  to form a stop corner  591 .  
      When the tapes  211  are pull sideways away from each other at upper ends of the tapes  211 , one of the teeth  221  of each tape  211  in an associated opening of the Y-shaped channel presses against the inner end edge  59  and the stop corner  591  of the associated flange extension  56 ,  57 , preventing downward movements of the upper ends of the tapes  51 , thereby preventing opening of the zipper  201 .  
       FIG. 13  illustrates still another modified embodiment of the invention, wherein a hook  522  is formed on an outer face of an enlarged flange  521  on a distal end of the central guide  52 , and an end of a pull member  61  (in the form of a tab in this embodiment) is attached to the hook  522 .  FIG. 14  illustrates yet another modified embodiment of the invention, wherein a hook  512  is formed on a recessed bottom face  511  of the board  51 , and an end of a pull member  62  (in the form of a chain) is attached to the hook  512 .  
      As apparent from the foregoing, the slide  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  300  of the zipper can only be moved by a longitudinal pull force. Side pull force applied to the slide  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  300  could not move the slide  30 . Undesired opening of the zipper is thus avoided. The cost of the slide  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  300  is low and the slide  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  300  is more durable, as no resilient retainer is required.  
      Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible without departing from the essence of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims.