Patent ID: 7452437

Claim:
A method of producing an improved zipper unit comprising: A) providing a monolithic one-piece base having a first surface which is an outer surface when the base is in use, a second surface which is an undersurface when the base is in use, a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis which extends between the first end and the second end, a first side, a second side, and a transverse axis which extends between the first side and the second side; B) providing a layer of adhesive on the second surface of the base; C) providing a release liner on the layer adhesive; D) defining two first slits in the release liner to extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the base, spacing the first slits in the release liner apart from each other in the direction of the transverse axis of the base by a preselected distance; E) defining two second slits in the release liner to extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the base, locating each slit of the second slits adjacent to one slit of the first slits and spacing each of the second slits apart from the adjacent first slit by a preset distance; F) providing a zipper mechanism having a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis which extends between the first end of the zipper mechanism and the second end of the zipper mechanism, a first surface that is an outside surface when the zipper mechanism is in use, and a second surface that is an inside surface when the zipper mechanism is in use; G) aligning the zipper mechanism with the base to be congruent with the base; H) placing the zipper mechanism on the first surface of the base to have the second surface of the zipper mechanism adjacent to the first surface of the base; I) after the zipper mechanism has been placed on the base and after the release liner has been slit, defining two rows of stitches to extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the base and spacing the two rows of stitches apart in the direction of the transverse axis of the base so that each row of stitches is located between adjacent first and second slits so that a first section of the slit release liner is located between a first row of stitches and the first side of the base, a second section of the slit release liner is located between the two rows of stitches and a third section of the slit release liner is located between a second row of stitches and the second side of the base; J) stitching the zipper mechanism on the first surface of the base to extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the base, and locating zipper teeth adjacent to the first surface of the base when the zipper mechanism is mounted on the base; and K) maintaining the zipper teeth separate from the base.