Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
36
BACKGROUND OF 1~1~ INVENTIOM
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Field of -the invention
The present invention pertains to slide fasteners
and, more particularly, to separable slide fasteners and a
method of forming the same.
Descrintion of the ~rior art
;` Separable slide fasteners are conventionally
utili2ed in many articles in order to permit complete separa-
tion of the portions of the article carrying resp~ctive
slide fastener halves. In order to form a separable slide
fastener, a bottom stop for the slide fastener is conven-
tionally constructed with a retainer secured to one tape
thereof to prevent the slider of the slide fastener from
being removed from the interengaging elements and further
to receive a pin carried at the end of the other tape of the
slide fastener. In order to close -the slide fastener, the
slider is moved to abut the retainer and the pin is inserted
through the channel in the slider and into the retainer such
~ that the slider can then be moved along the interengaging
; 20 elements to engage the same.
In forming conventional separable slide fasteners,
it has been required that a retainer be specially formed and
secured to the carrier tapes of the slide fastener thereby
requiring precise positioning of the retainer relative to
the carrier tape and the additional s~p of securing the
retainer thereto.
U~ S. Patent 3,663,996 and German Patent 2,059,731
are exemplary of prior art attempts to secure a retainer to
a separable slide fastener by loosely mounting the retainer
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thereon to permit limited movement along the bottom of the
slide fastener. Such pri.or art attempts, however~ still
leave room for improvement, particularly, in simplifying
the method for forming such slide fasteners.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention i.s generally summarized in
a separable slide fastener having a pair of tapes carrying
interengaging elements along inner edges thereof, a slider
movable along the interenga.ging elements to open and close
the slide fastener, .and a separable end stop including a
support member secured to one of the tapes having a head
portion, a pin member secured to the other of the tapes,
and a retainer in~ovably mounted on the support member having
first and second opposing side walls, a partition disposed
between the first and second side walls to define first
and second channels in the retainer for receiving the
j support member and the pin member, respectively, and means
: ; in the first channel defining a pocket having a configuration
mating with the configuration of the head portion of the
support member to lock the head portion in the pocket.
The present invention is further generally summar-
ized in a method o forming a half of a separable slide
i fastener including the steps of gapping a stringer to remove
.~ interengaging elements from a portion thereof, assembling a
retainer on the stringer, forming a support member on the
stringerj moving the reta.iner along the stringer to the
.i support member, and loc~ing the retainer on the support
. me~ber. -
: Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present
invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art in
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forming a separable bottom stop or a slide fAsten~r by
utilizing a .retainer haviny a cons-truction to permit asse~bly
thereof on a stringer and movement alony -the stringer to a
support member formed on the end thereof where the retainer
; S is immovably mounted on the support member.
A further object of the present invention is to
; provide a method of forming a half of a separable slide
fastener by assembling a retainer on a stringer, forming a
support member at the end o-f-the stringer, moving the
retainer to the support member, and forcing a head portion
of the support member into a pocket formed in the retainer
~ to locX the retainer on the support member.
Another object of the present invention is to con-
struct a retainer for a separable slide fastener having :~
~` 15 opposing side walls with a partition therein defining first
.;
and second channels for receiving a support member and a pin ~ :
member, respectively, the first channel having a pocket
formed therein with a configuration mating with the confi- .
guration of a head portion of the support member to lock the
20 support member with the retainer and the second channel ~ . .
having a configuration to receive the pin member to permit
closing of the slide fastener.
The present invantion has an additional object in
the forming of a stop member with a wedge-shaped head -~
portion in order to facilitate àssembly of the support member
with a retainer, the head portion having an end wider than
the mouth of a pocket formed in the retainer such that the
head portion is deformed during assembly with the retainer~
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Yet another object of the present invention is to
construct a retainer to have a pocket therein for locking
engagement with a head portion of a support member, the
pocket being defined by islands extending from a pair of
wings of the retainer and having ed~es contacting an inner
.r side of the support member at the head portion and permit-
ting slight tilting of the retainer during insert.ion of a
,~ pin member therein to close the slide fastener.
An additional object of the present invention is
, : 10 to provide a retainer having a s~ider-like construction for
';.~ a separable slide fastener with a partition of the retainer
having a recess formed therein to permit passage of the inter-
' ; engaging elements of the slide fastener.
Some of the advantages of the present invention
, over the prior art are that the retainer can be initially
assembled on a stringer and then moved into locking engage-
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ment with a support member secured to the stringer without :~
any additional securing step, the ends of the stringers of
the separable slide fastener are received in the retainer
so as not to extend therefrom thereby eliminating stress,
the channel through the retainer is configured to permit
~ the retainer to move along the interengaging elements of the
: slide fastener and the support member is constructed of a
. plastic material to permit deforming thereof as the retainer :~
.~. 25 is locked on the support member.
, ;~
r, Other objects and advantages of the present inven-
¦ tion will become apparent from the following description of
~:, the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the
, accompanying drawings.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~E DRAWINGS
Figs. l and 2 are plan views of a separable slide
fastener according to the present invention in closed and
open states, respec-tively.
Fig. 3 is a broken perspective of the retainer of
~; the separable slide fastener of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of the retainer of the
separable slide fastener of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is an end view of the retainer of the
separable slide ~astener of the present invention.
Fig. 6 is a section taken along line 6~6 of Fig. 4.
Figs. 7 and 8 are broken plan views illustrating
a method of forming a separable slide fastener according to
the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A separable slide fastener 10 embodying the present
invention, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, includes a
pair of tapes 12 and 14 carrying filamentary interengaging
elements 16 and 18, respectively, along the inner edges
thereof. A slider 20 of conventional structure is captured
on the interengaging elements 16 and has a Y-shaped channel
therethrough such that upward movement of the slider 20
engages the interengaging elements 16 and 18 to close the
slide fastener 10 and downward movement of the slider dis-
engages the interengaging elements to open the slide fastener.
Top stop members 22 and 24 are carried at the top end of
tapes 12 and 14, respectively, and have a shape so as not to
pass through the slider 20lth~reby limiting upward closing
` movement of the slider.
-~ 30 A separating end stop is formed at the bottom of
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the slide fas-tener and is composed of a support member 26
secured to tape 12, a pin member 28 secured to tape 14 and
a retainer 30 immovably mounted on the support meml~er 26.
The support men~er 26 is fonned of a shank 32 having a flat
inner side 34 and a flat outer side 36 diverging a1: 38 to
form a wedge-shaped head portion 40 having an end 41 wider
than the shank 32. A flange 42 extends transversely from
inner side 34 and has a groove 44 therein, the sides of the
:Elange 42 having a width less than that of shank 32. The
pin member 28 is formed of a leg 46 o:ffset to define a
diverging portion 48. The leg has a :Elat outer side 50 and
a flat inner side 52 from which transversely extends a tongue
54 having a width slightly less than the groove 44 formed in
flange 42 of support member 26. The tongue 54 terminates at
:. 15 a thickened guide tooth 56 extending transversely from the
:, tongue. .
The support member 26 and the pin member 28 are
each integrally formed with tape reinforcing fla ps 58 secured
to tapes 12 and 14, such as by molding or ultrasonic welding.
The ends of the support member and the pin member are spaced
from the terminal interengaging elements 16 and 18 carried by
tapes 12 and 14, respectively, such that the guide tooth 56
can be received in the space between the end of flange 42 and
the terminal interengaging element 16 carried on tape 12 and
the head portion of the terminal interengaging element 16
carried by tape 12 can be received in the space between guide
tooth 56 and the terminal interengaging element 18 carried by
tape 14 when the slide :Eastener 10 is closedJ as illustrated
in Fig. 1.
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As best shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the retainer
30 has a slider-like construction and inclucles wings 60 and
- 62 supported in spaced, parallel relation by a partition 64.
Wing 60 has depending flanges 66 and 68 along the side edges ~:
thereof while wing 62 has similar flanges 70 and 72 extending
upwardly from the side edges thereof. Flange 66 i.s aligned
with flange 70 while flange 68 is aligned wi.th fl.ange 72 to :
define opposite side walls for the retainer 30. Flanges 66
and 70 are spaced to define a slot 74 extending from a top
end 76 of the retainer to a bottom end 78 while flanges 68 :~
and 72 are spaced to define a slot 80 extending from top end
76 but terminating at a wall 82 jolning flanges 68 and 72 ~ :
adjacent bottom end 78 of the reta.iner. The partition 64
is disposed between the side walls of the retainer at bottom
end 78 to define with flanges 66 and 70 a channel 84 in the
~ retainer and to define with flanges 68 and 72 a channel 86 .~.
;: in the retainer. The upper end 76 of the retainer is open
to define with the channels 84 and 86 a Y-shaped channel in
the retainer. :
The partition 64 has a flat side wall 88 extending
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the retainer, and the
side wall 88 has an offset portion 90 disposed at an angle
.:: to the longitudinal axis of the retainer forming a wall of
; channel 86. The channel 84 is defined by a fla.t side wall .
92 of the partition 64 disposed parallel to the longitudinal
:~ axis of the retainer 30 and terminating at side walls 94 and
96 angularly oriented relative to the longitudina.l a.xis of
:-,
the retainer to define a recess genera.lly indica.ted at 98.
The side wall 96 joins tAe side wall 90 at a rounded edge 100
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la~erally displaced Erom the longitudinal axis of the
retainer. A pocket, generally indicated at 102, is formed
in channel 84 and defined by bosses 104 and 106 extending
laterally from side wall 92 oE the par-tition 64 and inwardly
from the wings 60 and 62, respectively, along with bosses
; 108 and 110 extending laterally from Elanges 66 and 70 and
inwardly from wings 60 and 62, respectively. The pocket 102
is further defined by islands 112 and 114 extending from
wings 60 and 62, respectively, adjacent the recess 98 in
partition 64 and protruding beyond edge 100 of the end 76
of the retainer.
The pocket 102, as defined by bosses 104, 106, 108
and 110 and islands 112 and 114, has a configuration mating
with the configuration of the head portion 40 of support mem-
ber 26, as best illustrated in Fig. 4, with the flaring side
38 of the head portion engaging bosses 10~ and 110 and the
înner side 34 engaging the islands 112 and 114 while the
; corner of the head portion where end 41 joins side 34 is cap
tured by abutment with the ends of bosses lQ4 and 106.
In order to form a separable slide fastener 10 in
accordance with the present invention, a pair of slide fas-
tener stringers are initially produced, such stringers each
including a carrier tape with filamentary interengaging
elements along the edges thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 7,
wherein the stringers are given reference numbers correspond~
ing to the slide fastener as described above. Portions of
the stringers are gapped and cleaned in order to remove inter~
; engaging elements therefrom as indicated at 116 on tape 12
and 118 on tape 14 in Fig. 7. The production of slide
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fastener stringers usin~ filamentary interengaging elements
and the gappi~g and cleaning of portions thereof is conven-
tional and well known in the art; and, accordingly, no
detailed description thereof follows. ~`
With the stringers gapped and cleaned, the slider
l 20 is assembl~d with the interengaging elements 16 by intro-
; ducing the slider at the gapped portion 116, and the retainer
30 is similarly assembled with the interengaging elements 16
by introducin~ the end 76 of the retainer at the gapped
portion 116 a~d moving the retainer 30 such that the inter~
engaging elem~nts 16 pass through the channel 84 in the
ratainer, the recess 98 in the partition accommodatiny the
interengaging elements 16 to permit passage through the
channel. Wit~ the slider 20 and the retainer 30 assembled
with the stri~ger and moved along the interengaging elements
away from the gapped portion 116, the tapes 12 and 14 are
~, forwarded to ~n end stop forming apparatus whereas the
support member 26 and the pin member 28 of the separating
bottom stop a~d the top stop members 22 and 24 are simul-
taneously formed at the junctures of gapped portions I16 and
118 with interengaging elements 16 and 18, respectively, as
illustrated in Fig. 8. The members 22, 24, 26 and 28 are
preferably constructed of a thermally fusible plastic material
and can be formed by molding to the ~ape or preforming the
members and then ultrasonically fusing the members onto the
tape. The techniques for the production of such stop members
are well known in the art and are not described in detail
- hereinafter.
With the slide fastener ~hain in the condition
illustrated in Fig. 8, the stringers are cut at the gapped
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portions to separate inclividual slide fasteners and there-
after the retainer 30 is moved along the interengaging ele-
ments 16 to the support member 26. With the retainer in
this position, sufficient force is appliecl to retainer 30 to
force the end 41 of the head portion of the support member
26 through the mou-th be-tween bosses 10~, 106 and bosses 108,
110, the construction of the support member of a plastic
. material permitting the head portion to deform to pass by
~ the bosses and into the pocket 102. Once the head portion
: 10 is received in the pocket, it is fixedly captured due to the
abutment of end 41 with the ends of bosses 104 and 106 and
the mating configuration of the head portion with the pocket.
Accordingly, the retainer 30 cannot be moved either onto the
interengaging elements 16 or off of the support member 26
15 and is firmly locked in place~ -
With the retainer locked in place, the slider 20
can be moved down the interengaging elements 16 to abut the
. end 76 of the retainar and thereafter the pin member 28 is
inserted through the slider 20 and into the channel 86 until
the edge of flap 58 abuts wall 82. With the pin member in
this position, guide tooth 56 will be positioned between the
terminal interengaging elements 16 and the end of flange 42,
and the slider can be moved upward to close the slide
fastener. -
From the above, it will be appreciated that the
method of forming half of a separable slide fastener in
accordance with the present invention requires only the .
.~ assembling of the retainer on the interengaging elements of
the stringer, forming the support member, moving the
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~4~2316 : ~ ~retainer to the support member and locking the retainer on
the support member by forcing the wedge~shaped head portion
of the support member through the narrower mouth o~ the
pocket in the retainer to deform the support member and
lock it in the pocket. To this end, it is advantageous
that the retainer be formed of a relatively strong material,
preferably die cast of metal, while the support mem~er is
formed of a defcrmable material, preferably plastic. The
wedge-shaped configuration of the head portion of the
support member facilitates Eorcing of the head portion
through the mouth of the pocket and further assures non--
movement of the retainer relative to the support member
- once the support member and retainer are interlocked. The
:; slight angular orientation of the edges of the islands
15 extendingJ:from the wings of the retainer pe.nmitsthe inner ~;
: wall of the support member at the head portion to engage :
Y the edges of the islands while permitting slight tilting of :-
the retainer during insertion of the pin member therein in ;~ :
'I .
order to close the ~lide fastener.
Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to
many variations, modifications and changes in detail, it is
intended that all matter described above or shown in the
accompanying drawings be:interpreted as illustrative and not
in a limiting ense.
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