Patent Publication Number: US-2013250604-A1

Title: Light bar-combined removable zipper

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a removable zipper with a light bar combined therewith, and in particular to a light bar-combined removable zipper for use in articles such as clothing and accessories. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional zipper comprises a pair of woven tapes, a plurality of teeth, and a slider. The teeth are arranged along opposing edges of the two tapes to form mateable tooth rows. Stops are set at opposite ends of each tooth row. The tooth row of one of the tapes functions to guide a reciprocal sliding motion of the slider for combining or releasing the two tooth rows to form or break a closed chain of the zipper. Such an arrangement allows the conventional zippers to be applicable to wearable articles, such as clothes and trousers, to make the wearable articles readily put on/off by a user. Due to the potential marketability and sales of zippers, light-reflective zippers, which are particularly fit to nighttime use, are available, in which light-reflective filaments are twisted in combination with weft or warp yarns of the zipper tapes or alternatively, the zipper teeth are made of light reflective materials. Consequently, an effect of alarming can be realized through light reflection and this type of zipper is separated from the traditional zippers. 
     However, the tapes and/or teeth of the light-reflective zipper must be first irradiated by light before they can reflect light to provide an alarm. If there is no light irradiating the light-reflective zipper or the surroundings are dark, such as nighttime, there will be of no reflection of light and consequently no alarm be made. Further, in the daytime, due to the over-sufficiency of the ambient light, the reflected light from the light-reflective zipper cannot be easily noted and again, there will be of no prominent alarm effect. 
     In view of these problems, the present invention aims to provide a removable zipper that is combined with a light bar, can be readily assembled and removed, is resistant to water, can emit light for alarming purposes, and is controllable for light emission and flashing in order to improve the convenience of use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a removable zipper that is combined with a light bar, can be readily assembled and removed, is resistant to water, can emit light for alarming purposes, and is controllable for light emission and flashing in order to improve the convenience of use. 
     To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a light bar-combined zipper, which comprises: a first tape; a second tape, which has an edge joinable to an edge of the first tape to constitute a removable zipper structure; a light bar, which is combined to the second tape; and a controller, which is connected to the light bar to supply electrical power to and selectively activate/deactivate the lighting of the light bar. As such, the functions of readily assembling and removal, water resistance, and lighting and alarming, and control of light emission and flashing can be realized to thereby improve the convenience of use and requiring no irradiation of light to generate light reflection for alarming purposes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating a removable zipper according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing the first tape of  FIG. 1  mounted to a first slip and the second tape being actually removed; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing the second tape of  FIG. 2  detached from a light bar and a positioning piece; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing the controller of the first embodiment is removably connected to the connection section of the light bar; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view showing the controller of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view showing the removable zipper of first embodiment used in combination with a first slip and a second slip; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing a removable zipper according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing the removable zipper of the second embodiment used in combination with a first slip and a second slip. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , a light bar-combined removable zipper according to the present invention comprises a first tape  10 , a second tape  20 , a light bar  30 , and a controller  40 . The second tape  20  has an edge that is joinable to an edge of the first tape  10  to constitute the removable zipper. The light bar  30  is combined to the second tape  20 . The controller  40  is connected to the light bar  30  to supply electrical power to and selectively activate/deactivate the lighting of the light bar  30 . 
     In the first embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the first tape  10  comprises an edge to which a first tooth row  11  and a first slider  12  are mounted. The first slider  12  is movably coupled to and reciprocally slidable along the first tooth row  11 . The first tooth row  11  has two opposite ends to which stops  11   a,    11   b  are respectively mounted to prevent the first slider  12  from undesired separation. The second tape  20  comprises a second tooth row  21  formed along an edge thereof. The second tooth row  21  has an end to which a stop  21   a  functioning to prevent undesired separation is provided and an opposite end to which an insertion pin  21   b  is mounted for engagement with the stop  11   b  of the first tooth row  11  to allow of reciprocal sliding motion of the first slider  12  and also allow of selective engagement and disengagement of the second tooth row  21  and the first tooth row  11  thereby achieving the effect of assembling and removal. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the second tape  20  forms at least one receiving channel  22 , in which the light bar  30  is received and fixed. The light bar  30  comprises a light-transmitting enclosure  31 , a plurality of light-emitting diodes  32 , and two conductive wires  33 . Each of the conductive wires  33  comprises a plurality of metal filaments and is divided into a conduction segment  331  (only containing the metal filaments) and a connection segment  332  (containing the metal filaments and an insulation surface layer enclosing the metal filaments). The light-emitting diodes  32  are arranged, in a spaced manner, between and in electrical connection with the two conduction segments  331  and are received collectively in the light-transmitting enclosure  31  to be enclosed and fixed thereby to form a water-resistant light emission section  30   a  of the light bar  30 , which besides ensuring these constituent components fixed in position, provides a function of water resistance. Further, the water-resistant light emission section  30   a  is received in the receiving channel  22  and retained therein. The two connection segments  332  are arranged to juxtapose each other to form a connection section  30   b  of the light bar  30  to be connected to the controller  40 . The controller  40  can be directly and fixedly connected to the light bar  30 , or alternatively, in a practical application, a detachable connection can be formed. The water-resistant light emission section  30   a  of the light bar  30  can be fixed is various ways, such as sewing, bonding with hot melt adhesive, bonding with adhesives, and the likes. In an application, it can be arranged to not fix in the receiving channel  22  and is rather sewn directly to and thus fixed to the second tape  20 . The light-transmitting enclosure  31  is of a flexible structure, allowing arbitrary flexing with the tape in order to facilitate the use thereof. 
     The receiving channel  22  has an end to which a positioning piece  23  is mounted to retain the water-resistant light emission section  30   a  of the light bar  30  in position. The positioning piece  23  is embodied as a thermal shrinkable flexible tube and, after being heated, the positioning piece  23  may bond the water-resistant light emission section  30   a  of the light bar  30  to the receiving channel  22  of the second tape  20 . 
     According to the present invention, the receiving channel  22  can be arranged at an opposite edge of the second tape  20  or can alternatively arranged in a body of the second tape  20  between the two opposite edges thereof (see  FIG. 7 ). The receiving channel  22  forms access openings at two ends of the second tape  20 . One of the access openings receives and retains the positioning piece  23  and another one receives the entry of the water-resistant light emission section  30   a  of the light bar  30  to bond to the positioning piece  23 . Besides being a tube that is fixed through hot melting, the positioning piece  23  can be a tube that is fixed by sewing in order to fit to and retain the water-resistant light emission section  30   a.    
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the controller  40  comprises a base  41 , an electrical circuit board module  42 , a battery set  43 , and a cover  44 . The base  41  has a surface to which a pushbutton  411  (see  FIG. 1 ) is mounted and the base  41  has an opposite surface forming a receiving chamber  412 , and two retention structures  413  are formed on a rim of the receiving chamber  412  to be opposite to each other. The cover  44  forms on a circumference thereof two counterpart retention structures  441  that are opposite to each other. The counterpart retention structures  441  may respectively receive the retention structures  413  therein for engagement and retention. The electrical circuit board module  42  is received in the receiving chamber  412 . One side of the electrical circuit board module  42  is connected to the pushbutton  411  and the light bar  30  (namely the connection section  30   b ), and the battery set  43  is mounted to and in electrical connection with an opposite side of the electrical circuit board module  42 . 
     To operate the controller  40  to control the lighting fashion of the light bar  30 , the pushbutton  411  is first depressed, and the light-emitting diodes  32  are activated to show a lighting mode of fast flashing (such as flashing with high frequency). Pressing down the pushbutton  411  again causes the light-emitting diodes  32  to show a lighting mode of slow flashing (such as flashing in low frequency). Pressing the third time causes the light-emitting diodes  32  to show a lighting mode of being not flashing. And, pressing the fourth time would cut off power supply to make the light-emitting diodes  32  not lighting. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the counterpart retention structures  441  are generally hollow slots in the embodiment illustrated, and horizontal ribs are formed inside the hollow slots. The retention structures  413  are pawls that are receivable into the hollow slots and L-shaped grooves are formed in a circumferential wall of the base  41  to slidably receive the horizontal ribs to move therealong so as to rotate the cover  44  to open or close. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the light bar  30  (namely the connection section  30   b ) further comprises a connector  34  (such as a male connector); and the controller  40  comprise at least one counterpart connector  45  (such as a female connector or a socket). The counterpart connector  45  is mateable with the connector  34  for releasable connection therebetween for the purposes of replacement and substitute. The counterpart connector  45  can be mounted to the circumferential side wall of the base  41  of the controller  40  to electrically connect to the electrical circuit board module  42  received inside the base  41 , but not limited to such an arrangement. The counterpart connector  45  may alternatively be electrically connected to the electrical circuit board module  42  by extended conductive wires that are connected to the base. 
     The present invention can be mounted to an opening of general clothing or an accessory. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first tape  10  has an opposite edge forming a first coupling zone  13 , to which a first slip  60  is coupled. The first slip  60  has an edge forming a first counterpart coupling zone  61 , which is fixed to the first coupling zone  13  by means of for example sewing or hot melting bonding. The first slip  60  can be an edge of clothing and accessory (such as an edge of clothing) or an opening portion (such as collar, cuff, and pocket). The clothing can be garments, trousers, skirts, headscarves, hats, socks, shoes, gloves, and mufflers, which are directly put on portions of a human body. The accessory can be a bag (such as purse and waist pack), towel (such as a napkin and handkerchief) or a sack (such as backpack or hand carrying bag), which are accessories for decoration and carrying. 
     The opening portion is closable. When used in a garment that is open in the front side to form left and right panels (such as raincoat, jacket, and vest), the first slip  60  can be a portion of the left panel, while a second slip  70  is a portion of the right panel. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the first slip  60  is provided, on a surface thereof, with at least one first slip connection zone  62 , while the second slip  70  is provided, on a corresponding surface thereof, with at least one second slip connection zone  72 , whereby the second slip connection zone  72  and the first slip connection zone  62  are connected each other in such a way that the second tape  20  is not fixed and is thus allowed to freely move. This allows the second tape  20  of the light bar to be readily and efficiently removed even when the slips  60 ,  70  are fixed to each other or to be removed in washing and cleansing, in order to prevent the conductive wires from entangling to negatively affect the lighting functionality. The first slip connection zone  62  and the second slip connection zone  72  can be for example hook portion and loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastener, button and buttonhole, hook and eye, or ball side and socket side of snap. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a removable zipper constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention is show, which is different from the above discussed first embodiment in that in this embodiment, the second tape  20  has an opposite edge to which a third tape  50  is connected. A second counterpart tooth row  24  and a second slider  25  are mounted to said opposite edge of the second tape  20  and the second slider  25  is movably coupled to and reciprocally slidable along the second counterpart tooth row  24 . The second counterpart tooth row  24  has two opposite ends to which stops  24   a,    24   b  are respectively mounted to prevent the second slider  25  from undesired separation. The third tape  50  comprises a third tooth row  51  formed along an edge thereof. The third tooth row  51  has an end to which a stop  51   a,  functioning to prevent undesired separation is provided and an opposite end to which an insertion pin  51   b  is mounted for engagement with the stop  24   b  of the second counterpart tooth row  24  to allow of reciprocal sliding motion of the second slider  25  and also allow of selective engagement and disengagement of the second counterpart tooth row  24  and the third tooth row  51  thereby achieving the effect of assembling and removal. 
     In second embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the opposite two edges of the second tape  20  are respectively provided with the first tape  10  and the third tape  50 , whereby the first slider  12  may be selectively moved to close or open the second tape  20  and the first tape  10  or the second slider  25  may be selectively moved to close or open the second tape  20  and the third tape  50 . By completely sliding the first slider  12  and the second slider  25  down to the very end, the second tape  20  can be removed. Once the second tape  20  is removed, the insertion pin  51   b  of the third tooth row  51  may be put through the first slider  12  and then inserted into and retained in the stop  11   b  of the first tooth row  11  to join together (not shown). Subsequently sliding the first slider  12  up, the third tooth row  51  and the first tooth row  11  are cause to engage each other to, thereby having the third tape  50  and the first tape  10  joined to each other. This improves the convenience of use and allows the second tape  20  of the present invention that comprises a light bar  30  to be used with a regular zipper and thus expanding the application of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , between the second tape  20  and the third tape  50 , there can be an additional second tape  20  connected thereto in order to increase the area where lighting and alarm can be perceived and to allow the light bars  30  of the second tapes  20  to be lit in different lighting modes to for eye catching and ready perception by bare eyes. 
     Further, in second embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the third tape  50  has an opposite edge forming a third coupling zone  52 , to which the second slip  70  may be joined. The second slip  70  has an edge forming a second counterpart coupling zone  71 , which is fixed to the third coupling zone  52  by means of for example sewing or hot melting bonding. In this way, when the left and right front panels of a garment can be joined to each other for closure, the two opposite edges of the second tape  20  are respectively connected to and fixed by the first tape  10  and the third tape  50 , whereby the light bar  30  is located along the zipper of the front side of the garment to allow of easy eye identification in an environment of poor lighting. When the body size of user makes it hard to zip up the zipper, an additional second tape  20  can be further joined between the first tape  10  and the third tape  50  to adjust tightness of the clothing for comfortable wearing. The connection sections  30   b  (or the connectors) of the light bars  30  can be collectively connected to and controlled by a single controller  40 . 
     The tapes, such as the first tape  10 , the second tape  20 , and the third tape  50 , used in the present invention can be woven tapes or tapes with resiliency. 
     As such, the light bar-combined removable zipper according to the present invention employs a combination of a first tape  10 , a second tape  20 , a light bar  30 , and a controller  40  to realize the functions of efficient assembling and removal, water resistance, lighting and alarming, and lighting and flashing control, so that the convenience of use is improved. And, between the light bar  30  and the controller  40 , a connector  34  is provided for mating a counterpart connector  45  to allow of easy replacement and substitute of the controller  40 . 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.