Abstract:
A method for infiltrating a water-proof material into a zipper, includes the steps of combining an upper mold with a lower mold, filling a liquid polyurethane (PU) rubber into the mold cave of the upper mold, drawing the zipper through the underside of the mold cave such that the liquid PU rubber will infiltrate into the fabric of the zipper tapes, passing the zipper through a scrapper portion formed at the lower edge of the upper mold to remove surplus liquid PU rubber, and forming a laminate on the zipper tapes, so as to accomplish a water-proof zipper.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     (a) Technical Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a method for infiltrating a water-proof material into a zipper, such that a common zipper will become water-proof due to the infiltration of the impermeable rubber material into the zipper tapes. The present invention is applicable to processing water-proof zippers and water-proof fabrics or the like.  
         [0003]     (b) Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     In the method for manufacturing water-proof zippers of the prior art as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,214, a water-proof layer is attached to the surface of the zipper tapes via adhesive or heat press. The zipper is composed of a pair of opposed tapes, which are combined or separated by a moving zipper tab. Therefore, after application of the water-proof layer of to the surface of the zipper via adhesive or heat press, an additional process for cutting the water-proof layer to separate the tapes is required, rendering the manufacture process relatively complicated, the manufacture speed slower, and the manufacture cost higher.  
         [0005]     As the water-proof layer for a conventional zipper can only adhered to the surface of the zipper tapes, it cannot firmly combine with the zipper tapes. Therefore, after being used for a short period of time, the water-proof layer would easily detach from the zipper tapes due to friction, causing the water-proof effect apparently reduced.  
         [0006]     In view of the disadvantages existing in the manufacture of the water-proof zippers of the prior art, the inventor has researched and developed the present invention.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The primary object of the invention is to provide a method for infiltrating a water-proof material into a zipper, such that after the impermeable material has solidified, it can infiltrate into the zipper tapes and form a water-proof layer with the zipper tape fabric to obtain a super water-proof effect. The secondary object of the invention is to provide a method for infiltrating a water-proof material into a zipper, which can efficiently shorten the manufacture process, since there is no need to cut the zipper to separate the zipper tapes. Accordingly, the manufacture cost can be reduced.  
         [0008]     A further object of the invention is to provide a method for infiltrating a water-proof material into a zipper, which can efficiently lengthen the use life of the water-proof zipper.  
         [0009]     To obtain the above objects, the method for infiltrating a water-proof material into a zipper according to the invention include the following steps:  
         [0010]     thickening—adding thickening agents and hardening agents into a water-proof liquid PU rubber, and mixing the above materials to present an appropriate viscosity;  
         [0011]     pouring—combining an upper mold with a lower mold, and then pouring the thicken water-proof liquid PU rubber into the mold cave of the upper mold; and  
         [0012]     applying the water-proof layer—pulling the zipper through the underside of the mold cave, such that the water-proof liquid PU rubber will infiltrate into the zipper tape fabric; scrapping away the surplus liquid PU rubber by a scrapper portion at the lower edge of the upper mold; meanwhile, the liquid PU rubber applied onto the zipper tapes will further infiltrate into the tape fabric and form a water-proof layer with the zipper tapes.  
         [0013]     By way of the above steps, a water-proof zipper, which has long use life, can be accomplished. Besides, the manufacture procedure can be shortened, and the manufacture cost can be reduced.  
         [0014]     The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.  
         [0015]     Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the upper mold, the lower mold and the zipper of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  shows the manufacture process according to the invention, wherein the zipper is going into the mold cave.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  shows the manufacture process according to the invention, wherein the zipper has gone into the mold cave for infiltrating a impermeable liquid material into the fabric of the zipper tapes, and zipper surface is applied with a layer of water-proof rubber material.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  shows the multi-process procedure according to the invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  shows the process of imprinting patterns on the zipper.  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a cut-away view showing the supplementary molds of the invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]     The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0023]     Referring to FIGS.  1  to  3 , the method for infiltrating a water-proof material into a zipper according to the present invention includes the steps of thickening, pouring and the applying the water-proof layer, and can lengthen the use life of the water-proof zipper, and relatively reduce the manufacture procedure and cost.  
         [0024]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show a preferred embodiment of the invention, which includes a lower mold  10  and an upper mold  20 . The lower mold  10  is provided with a positioning recession  11  and a groove  12 , which is most preferably arranged at the center of the positioning recession  11 , such that when a zipper  30  is born by and sliding on the positioning recession  11 , the groove  12  can receive the zipper teeth  31 , thus allowing the zipper tapes  32  stay flat on the positioning recession  11 . The upper mold  20  is provided with a mold cave  21  on the top, and a scraper portion  22  on the bottom edge adhering to the bottom surface of the position recession  11 .  
         [0025]     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the invention relates to a method for processing a normal upper  30  into a water-proof zipper, including the steps of combining the lower mold  10  integrally with the upper mold  20 , processing the zipper  30  via a conveyor roller  50  forwardly such that the zipper  30  will go into the positioning recession  11  with the zipper teeth  31  filled into the groove  12  of the lower mold  10 . Accordingly, the zipper  30  is moving under the upper mold  20 .  
         [0026]     Following is the steps of— 
         [0027]     Thickening—A liquid PU rubber water-proof material  40  is added with a thickening agent and a hardening agent and mixed together to form a liquid PU rubber  41  of an appropriate viscosity.  
         [0028]     Pouring—The thickened liquid PU rubber  41  is poured into the mold cave  21  of the upper mold  20  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ).  
         [0029]     Applying a water-proof layer—The zipper  30  is disposed on the conveyor roller  50  and transmitted into the molds, such that the zipper teeth  31  fills into the groove  12  of the lower mold  10  and the zipper tapes  32  stay flat on the bottom of the positioning recession  11 . The zipper tapes  32  go through the underside of the mole cave  21 , the liquid PU rubber  41  in the mold cave  21  will infiltrate into the fabric of the zipper tapes  32  as desired. As a traction force generates between the liquid PU rubber  41  and the processing zipper tapes  32 , the liquid PU rubber  41  will form a liquid wheel  42 , which will attach to and roll on the surface of the zipper  30 . Furthermore, by way of a scraper portion  22  at the lower edge of the upper mold  20 , the surplus liquid PU rubber  41  can be removed and those adhered to the tapes  32  of the zipper  30  would have a even thickness to form a water-proof layer  43  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). Being pressed by the liquid wheel  42  and the scraper portion  22 , the liquid PU rubber  41  will infiltrate into the fabric of the tapes  32  of the zipper  30  and form a layer of even height on the surface of the tapes  32 . In order to expedite drying the water-proof layer, a heating device  60  can be provided at the outlet end for drying purposes. According to the above steps, a novel method for infiltrating a water-proof material into a zipper can be accomplished.  
         [0030]     Now refer to  FIGS. 4 and 6 , showing another embodiment of the invention, the zipper applied with a water-proof layer  43  can be baked by the heating device  60 , such that the water-proof layer  43  will be instantly dried. After that, application of a second layer of water-proof  43  can be applied, including provision of a supplementary lower mold  15  and upper mold  25 . Likewise, the supplementary lower mold  15  is provided with a positioning recession  11  and groove  12 . The gap  27  at the lower edge of the supplementary upper mold  25  forms a supplementary scraper portion  26  (as shown in  FIG. 6 ). After application of second water-proof layer  44  to the zipper  30 , the gap  27  of the supplementary scrapper portion  26  can allow the tapes  32  along with the applied water-proof layer  43  to pass through. Therefore, when the zipper is pulled through the supplementary upper and lower molds, the second water-proof layer  44  will cover the original water-proof layer  43  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ). Accordingly, a water-proof zipper of an appropriate thickness can be accomplished.  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , showing a further embodiment of the invention, the zipper  30  with the water-proof layer can be imprinted with a pattern  45  via patterning roller  70  which is provided with notches  71  such that when the zipper  30  is pressed by the patterning roller  70 , a pattern  45  can be imprinted on the water-proof layer  43  of the zipper  30 , accomplishing a beautiful water-proof zipper.  
         [0032]     Under the principle of the manufacture process, the pattern can be imprinted on the zipper via roller printing, mold pressing or spraying with colorants, which can be added with metal powder such as gold power and silver powder, etc. to increase the impressiveness of the product. Furthermore, after imprinting the pattern  45  on the surface of the water-proof zipper, an additional protective layer (not shown) can be applied to coat the colorants and/or metal power for the pattern, such that the patter would not be easily scratched.  
         [0033]     Concluded above, the method for infiltrating a water-proof material into the fabric of the zipper tapes according to the invention can lengthen the use life of the water-proof zipper, prevent the zipper from being easily bended and damaged. Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from what is intended to be limited solely by the appended claims.  
         [0034]     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.  
         [0035]     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.