Patent Publication Number: US-6209176-B1

Title: Zipper pull cord fastener

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a device for selectively securing a cord, rope, or other elongated flexible article and more particularly to a device for selectively securing and attaching a zipper pull. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various clamps are known in the prior art. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,999 discloses a coupling for connecting the end part of a flexible element such as a cable or wire. The part is formed from two separate portions. The first portion is a cage receiving the flexible element and includes laterally at least one extending flexible strip normally projecting outside of the cage. A second portion is a slider being adapted to be slid over the cage in order to urge the strip inwardly so that a portion of the strip is embedded in the flexible element. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,930 discloses a clasp for a folded cord includes two portions which make to form a clasp body thereby capturing the folded cord therebetween. The portions include gripping teeth for defining a tortious path for the cord. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,337 discloses a two piece buckle type fastener including a receptacle and clasp. The clasp includes a base, a substantially rigid stem protruding from the base, a pair of resilient arms extending from the stem, and locking means on the arms. The receptacle includes a body that defines a cavity adapted to receive and to cooperatively engage the pair of resilient arms within the cavity. The fastener also includes means for disengaging the locking means so that the receptacle sand clasp can be separated. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,583 discloses a buckle device for temporarily fastening at least two straps together having a base unit and an arm rotatably mounted on the base unit. The arm has a strap engagement part with a protuberance thereon, the arm being movable from a locked position to an open position, the arm in its locked position forcing at least two straps in engagement with each other between the engagement part and the base unit. The arm is movable to an open position wherein the engagement part is rotated away from the straps so that the straps are free to move relative to each other and relative to the device. 
     U.S. Pat. No. Des. 355,147 discloses a zipper pull. 
     One shortcoming of these prior art securing devices is that they may be complicated and, thus, expensive to manufacture. 
     Another shortcoming of these prior art devices is that it may be difficult or time consuming to introduce and remove the cord or rope from the securing device. 
     Yet another shortcoming of prior art devices is that the portions securing the cord or rope may tend to open or loosen in response to the cord or rope being pulled in a direction away from the housing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for easily and quickly securing a rope or cord to a zipper that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for securing a rope or cord to a zipper that urges the locking portions into a locking position in response to a pull or tug or other tension applied to the rope or cord. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a device for selectively securing an elongated flexible article to a zipper, comprising: a device for selectively securing a zipper cord, comprising: a base portion having a base portion wall, a first side wall projecting from the base portion wall and a second side wall projecting from the base portion wall, the walls defining a U-shaped channel; and a locking arm rotatably mounted on the base portion, the locking arm provided with a locking arm engagement protrusion, the locking arm rotatably movable from an unlocked first position which provides a first clearance between the base portion wall and the locking arm engagement protrusion, the first clearance sufficient for the zipper cord to be introduced into and withdrawn from the U-shaped channel, the locking arm rotatable to a locked second position providing a second clearance between the base portion wall and the locking arm engagement protrusion, the second clearance smaller than the first clearance and sized so that when the locking arm is in the second position, the locking arm engagement protrusion impinges on the zipper cord in an amount sufficient to secure the zipper cord in the U-shaped channel, the locking arm engagement protrusion sized and disposed so that when the zipper cord is pulled in a direction away from the base portion, the locking arm is urged toward the second position; means for selectively moving the locking arm from the first position to the second position; and means for locking the locking arm in the second position. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a device for selectively securing a zipper cord, comprising a base portion having a base portion wall, a first side wall projecting from the base portion wall and a second side wall projecting from the base portion wall, the walls defining a U-shaped channel; and a locking arm rotatably mounted on the base portion, the locking arm provided with a flexible tooth-like member, the locking arm rotatably movable from an unlocked first position which provides a first clearance between the base portion wall and the flexible tooth-like member, the first clearance sufficient for the zipper cord to be introduced into and withdrawn from the U-shaped channel, the locking arm rotatable to a locked second position providing a second clearance between the base portion wall and the flexible tooth-like member, the second clearance smaller than the first clearance and sized so that when the locking arm is in the second position, the flexible tooth-like member, impinges on the zipper cord in an amount sufficient to secure the zipper cord in said U-shaped channel, the flexible tooth-like member sized and adapted to accommodate and secure cords of varying diameters when the locking arm is disposed in the second position, the flexible tooth-like member sized and disposed so that when the zipper cord is pulled in a direction away from the base portion, the rotatable arm is urged toward the second position; means for selectively moving the locking arm from the first position to the second position; and means for locking the locking arm in the second position 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a locking arm and base portion constructed in accordance with the invention with the locking arm in a first or unlocked position; 
     FIG. 2 is the device of FIG. 1 with the locking arm disposed in the second or locked position; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional end view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 3 with the locking arm in the first or unlocked position; 
     FIG. 5A shows an alternative embodiment of the invention utilizing a flexible tooth-like member; 
     FIG. 6 shows the device shown in FIG. 5 with the locking arm moved to the second or locking position; 
     FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of a locking means utilized in accordance with the invention; and 
     FIG. 7A shows an alternative embodiment of a locking means utilized in accordance with the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows a zipper cord fastener  1  constructed in accordance with the present invention and shows a base portion  2  having a base portion wall  3 , a first side wall  4  projecting from the base portion wall  3 , and a second side wall  5  projecting from the base portion wall  3 , defining a U-shaped channel  6 . The U-shaped channel  6  is sized to receive an elongated flexible article such as a zipper cord  7 , (shown in FIGS. 2,  5  and  6 ). 
     A locking arm is  8  rotatably mounted on the base portion  2  and is provided with a locking arm engagement protrusion  9 . The locking arm  8  is rotatably movable from an unlocked first position  10  as shown in FIG. 5 to a locked second position  11  as shown in FIG.  6 . Means are provided for selectively rotatably moving the locking arm  8  from the first or unlocked position  10  to the second or locked position  11 . In one preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the means for moving the locking arm  8  from the first position  10  to the second position  11  comprises a pair of cylindrical protrusions  12  and  13  extending from the locking arm  8  for close fitting engagement with a similarly shaped corresponding pair of depressions or apertures  14  and  15  disposed in the side walls  4  and  5 . The outward ends of protrusions  12  and  13  may be cammed, as shown in FIG. 4, to facilitate a “snap-fit” engagement of protrusions  12  and  13  with depressions  14  and  15  and, thus, facilitate assembly. 
     When the locking arm  8  is disposed in the first position  10  it provides a first clearance C 1  between the base portion wall  3  and the locking arm engagement protrusion  9 . This first clearance C 1  is sufficient to permit a zipper cord  7  or other elongated flexible article to be introduced into and withdrawn from the U-shaped channel  6 . When the locking arm  8  is rotated and moved to the second or locking position  11  it provides a second clearance C 2  between base portion wall  3  and the locking arm engagement protrusion  9 . The second clearance C 2  is smaller than the first clearance C 1  which causes the locking arm engagement protrusion  9  to impinge upon a zipper cord, rope or wire  7  disposed in the U-shaped channel  6  in an amount sufficient to secure the zipper cord, rope or wire  7  in the U-shaped channel  6  of the base portion  2 . The locking arm engagement protrusion  9  is sized and disposed so that when the rope, zipper cord or wire  7  is pulled or tugged in a direction away from the base portion  2 , the pressure applied to the locking arm engagement protrusion  9  causes the locking arm  8  to be urged toward the second or locked position  11 . Thus, the harder the cord or wire  7  is pulled, the tighter it is secured within the U-shaped channel  6  of the base  2 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 5B, the locking arm  8  is provided with a flexible tooth-like member  101  that is sufficiently flexible so as to accommodate cords of varying diameters and is sufficiently rigid to secure cords of varying diameters in the channel  6  when the locking arm is in the second or locked position. The flexible tooth-like member  101  may be provided with serrations  100 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the device  1  is provided with a locking means for selectively locking the locking arm in the second or locked position  11 . A variety of locking means well known to those skilled in the art as suitable for this purpose may be utilized, however, in a preferred embodiment a male female interlock is used. In one preferred embodiment, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the locking arm  8  is provided with a first interlock protrusion  16  sized and adapted to selectively engage and disengage a second interlock protrusion  17  protruding from the base portion wall  3 . In an especially preferred embodiment, the locking arm  8  is provided with a fingernail tab  18  for grasping the locking arm  8 , thus, facilitating the selective movement of the locking arm  8  from the second or locked position  11  to the first or unlocked position  10 . 
     In yet another preferred embodiment of a locking means, shown in FIG. 7, the locking means comprises at least one interlock protrusion  102  extending from the locking arm. The base is provided with at least one corresponding interlock receiving aperture  103  sized and adapted to receive and interlock with the interlock protrusion  102  when the locking arm is disposed in the second or locked position  11 . The at least one corresponding receiving aperture  103  may be disposed in one or both of the first and second base portion side walls  4  and  5  as shown in FIG.  7 . Alternatively, the at least one corresponding receiving aperture  103  may be disposed in the base portion wall  3  as shown in FIG.  7 A. 
     Although the present invention has been described in specific and detailed terms with respect to the preferred embodiments as set forth above, various other embodiments of this invention including alterations in size, shape, etc., substitutions of conventional elements and other applications will be readily apparent to those with ordinary skill in the art without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Therefore, the specification is to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.