Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention is directed to a zipper type of fastener used for a foldable, stowable roof, for sport utility vehicles. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a pre-gather device which is suited for proper alignment of a two portions of a zipper prior to passing through a zipper slider. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Foldable stowable roof tops are commonly used in sport-utility vehicles for recreational purposes. The foldable roof is typically moved between a stowed position, and a deployed position. When in the deployed position, the foldable roof protects the occupants of the vehicle from various weather conditions. The foldable roof also includes various sections which are made of a clear material to essentially function as a window, allowing the occupant of the vehicle to see outside of the vehicle. It is also sometimes desirable to open these clear, foldable, window sections when weather conditions are favorable, but the occupant(s) of the vehicle do not desire to change the foldable roof to the stowed position. 
         [0003]    Because these window sections are also foldable, typical window crank devices or electric motors used for opening and closing a window made of glass (which is rigid and not foldable) are not suitable for use with a foldable roof. Therefore, other methods of opening the foldable window have been developed. One of these methods is the use of a zipper, which is typically one continuous zipper that surrounds all sides of the window but one. The one side of the window which is not surrounded by the zipper is the foldable side, allowing the window to be folded from a closed position to an open position. Additionally, zippers may also be used to assemble and disassemble various parts of the roof when roof is being changed between a stowed position and deployed position. 
         [0004]    One of the drawbacks to this type of design is that the foldable, stowable roof or the foldable window are not always in proper alignment for the zipper to functions properly. Most zippers are designed for attaching two portions of material along a substantially straight section of each portion of the material, with ideally the two portions of material being approximately twenty degrees apart. Typical zippers consist of a slider portion and two sections of zipper tape, with one section of zipper tape attached to one section of the foldable, stowable roof, and the other section of zipper tape attached to the foldable window or another section of the foldable, stowable roof. 
         [0005]    When these types of zippers are used with a foldable window or for connecting two different sections of a foldable, stowable roof, the zipper is often difficult to use. More specifically, if a portion of the foldable, stowable roof or foldable window is folded, crinkled, or has some sort of crease, it is sometimes difficult to provide proper alignment for both sides of the zipper tape prior to entering the slider portion to allow the two sides of the zipper tape to interlock together properly. Various portions of the foldable, stowable roof or the foldable window may be positioned by the operator of the vehicle such that both sides of the zipper tape are in proper alignment. However, this is considered undesirable increased effort in using the zipper. Additionally, some of the material of the foldable, stowable roof may become unintentionally engaged with the slider, making the slider difficult to move and use properly. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, there exists a need for a zipper which provides proper alignment between two sides of a zipper tape when connecting a foldable roof and a foldable window having various curved areas 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention is directed to a zipper pre-gather device which is operable for providing proper alignment of two sides of a zipper tape prior to being fed through a slider, thereby preventing the slider from becoming unintentionally engaged with sections of the foldable, stowable roof or parts of the foldable window. 
         [0008]    The present invention is a zipper pre-gather device which includes a slider pivotally attached to a pre-gather device. The pre-gather device has two entrances, one for receiving each side of the zipper tape, which are operable with two exits. The entrances of the pre-gather device are of a large width and height in relation to the exits, and are operable for providing proper alignment between two sides of a zipper tape, prior to the two sides of the zipper tape being fed through the slider. 
         [0009]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a zipper pre-gather device, according to the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a zipper pre-gather device connected to a foldable window and a foldable, stowable roof, according to the present invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of a pre-gather device which is part of a zipper pre-gather device, according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
         [0015]    Referring to the Figures generally, a zipper pre-gather device according to the present invention is shown generally at  10 . The device  10  includes a first portion, or slider  12 , and a second portion, or pre-gather device  14 . The slider  12  includes a looped portion  16  which along with a top surface  18  of the slider  12  creates an aperture  20 . A handle feature (not shown) is connected to the looped portion  16 , and the handle feature is used to move the slider  12  along two sides of a zipper tape. 
         [0016]    The top surface  18  is part of an upper section  22 , and the upper section  22  is connected to a lower section  24 . The slider  12  also includes a first passage, generally shown at  26 , and a second passage, generally shown at  28 . The first passage  26  and second passage  28  are separate from one another, and each passage  26 , 28  includes a gapped portion, generally shown at  30 , which is used for allowing one side of zipper tape to pass through the slider  12 . Each gapped portion  30  extends along a side of the first passage  26  and the second passage  28 . One side of the zipper tape passes through the first passage  26  and a second side of the zipper tape passes through the second passage  28 . When both sides of the zipper tape are fed through the respective passages  26 , 28 , the two sides of the zipper tape are connected together in a known manner. 
         [0017]    The upper section  22  includes a first aperture  32  which is substantially in alignment with a second aperture  34  formed as part of a flange portion  36  connected to the pre-gather device  14 . When assembled, the first aperture  32  and second aperture  34  are both in alignment with a third aperture  38  formed as part of the lower section  24 . A fastener in the form of a pivot pin  40  is operable for extending through the apertures  32 , 34 , 38 , thereby providing a pivot relationship between the slider  12  and the pre-gather device  14 . 
         [0018]    The pre-gather device  14  includes a set of passages, and more particularly, there is a third passage, shown generally at  42  and a fourth passage, shown generally at  44 . The third passage  44  and fourth passage  46  are substantially larger than the passages  26 , 28  formed as part of the slider  12 , and allow for the two sides of the zipper tape to be at a large angle relative to one another. Extending along each of the passages  42 , 44  is a gapped portion, shown generally at  46 , which is of substantially the same height as compared to each gapped portion  30  formed as part of each of the passages  26 , 28 . Each of the third and fourth passages  42 , 44  includes an entrance  48  and an exit  50 . 
         [0019]    Each entrance  48  is of a width  52  and a height  54 . The width  52  of the entrance  48  is larger than the width  56  of the exit  50 , and the height  54  of the entrance  48  is larger than the height  58  of the exit  50 . This allows for both sides of the zipper tape to be fed through the pre-gather device  14  more easily, thereby reducing the need for manual alignment by the user of both sides of the zipper tape prior to passing through the slider  12 . 
         [0020]    Referring again now to the Figures generally, and with specific reference to  FIG. 2 , the zipper having a pre-gather device  10  is shown with a zipper, generally shown at  60 , which includes a first side of the zipper tape, generally shown at  62 , and a second side of the zipper tape, generally shown at  64 . The first side of the zipper tape  62  includes a first set of zipper teeth  66 , and the second side of the zipper tape  64  includes a second set of zipper teeth  68 . The first set of zipper teeth  66  are connected to a portion of a foldable, stowable roof  70 , and the second set of zipper teeth  68  are connected to either a second portion of the foldable, stowable roof  70 , or in this embodiment, are connected to a foldable window  72 . 
         [0021]    In operation, the foldable stowable roof  70  is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. When in the deployed position, it may be desirable for the user to open the foldable window  72 . The handle feature is used to pull the slider  12  and pre-gather device  14  such that the portion of the sides of the zipper tape  62 , 64  which are assembled, shown generally at  74 , move through the back end of the slider  12  in the direction of the first arrow  76 , and therefore through the passages  26 , 28 , and then through the pre-gather device  14 . When the slider  12  and pre-gather device  14  travel in the direction of the first arrow  76 , the sides of the zipper tape  62 , 64  separate, allowing the user to fold and open the foldable window  72 . 
         [0022]    When it is desired to close the foldable window  72 , the zipper teeth  66 , 68  may not be sufficiently positioned (due to folds or bends in the foldable window  72  or the foldable, stowable roof  70 ) to properly pass through the slider  12 , making it difficult to move the slider  12  along both sides of the zipper tape  62 , 64 . However, the pre-gather device  14  facilitates the alignment of both sides of the zipper tape  62 , 64 . As the slider  12  and pre-gather device  14  are moved along in the direction of the second arrow  78 , the first set of zipper teeth  66  pass through the third passage  42  and the second set of zipper teeth  68  pass through the fourth passage  44 . Additionally, both sides of the zipper tape  62 , 64 , and therefore the roof  70  and window  72 , pass through the respective gapped portions  46  formed along the sides of each of the passages  42 , 44 . Because the entrance  48  of the third and fourth passages  42 , 44  have a significantly larger width  52  and height  54  in relation to the width  56  and height  58  of the exit  50 , both sides of the zipper tape  62 , 64  are easily fed through the passages  42 , 44 . Additionally, the inside surface of each of the passages  42 , 44  is tapered such that there is a gradual decrease in size from the entrances  48  of the passages  42 , 44  to the exits  50  of the passages  42 , 44 , further facilitating the alignment of both sides of the zipper tape  62 , 64 . 
         [0023]    Movement of both sides of the zipper tape  62 , 64  through the passages  42 , 44  is also facilitated by the pivot connection between the pre-gather device  14  and the slider  12 , which is created by the pivot pin  40 . Because of the large size of the entrance  48  of each of the passages  42 , 44  and the pivot connection between the slider  12  and the pre-gather device  14 , both sides of the zipper tape  62 , 64  may be positioned at a large angle relative to one another, and are still easily moved through the pre-gather device  14 . 
         [0024]    Once both sides of the zipper tape  62 , 64  have passed through the pre-gather device  14 , the sets of zipper teeth  66 , 68  are in proper alignment to pass through the slider  12 , but are not interlocked with one another. The first set of zipper teeth  66  become interlocked with the second set of zipper teeth  68  as the first set of zipper teeth  66  pass through the first passage  26  and the second set of zipper teeth  68  pass through the second passage  28 . The zipper teeth  66 , 68  are interlocked after passing through the respective passages  26 , 28 , best seen in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0025]    The pre-gather device  14  of the present invention provides for proper alignment of the two sets of zipper teeth  66 , 68  prior to entering into the slider  12 , and is further facilitated by the pivot connection between the pre-gather device  14  and the slider  12 . This substantially eliminates the need for manually aligning the first set of zipper teeth  66  and the second set of zipper teeth  68  by positioning the foldable, stowable roof  70  or the foldable window  72 . 
         [0026]    While it has been shown and described that the first set of zipper teeth  66  are connected to the foldable roof  70  and the second set of teeth are connected to a foldable window  72 , it is within the scope of the invention that the zipper having a pre-gather device  10  may be used in any different applications where a zipper connection is used. For example, the device  10  of the present invention may be used with items such as, but not limited to, pants, jackets, shirts, shoes, tonneau covers, tents, tarps, or any other suitable application. Additionally, while the pivot pin  40  extending through the apertures  32 , 34 , 38  is used to provide the pivot connection between the pre-gather device  14  and the slider  12 , it is also within the scope of the invention that other connections may be use to allow for a pivot or swivel relationship between the slider  12  and the pre-gather device  14 , such as, but not limited to, a ball and socket, ball joint, rivet, bearing, and the like. 
         [0027]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the essence of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

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