Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
7'~
_ACKGROUND OF I~E INVENTION
Field of the Invention
_
The present invention relates to a slide fastener assembly
having a net joining structure for use in ~oining together a pair
of confronting edges of net structure.
Prior Art
A ty~ical example of the net joining struct:ures of the type
described is disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,056,868 patented on
November 8, 1977. The known structure includes a pair of warp-
knitted net adapters each hav;ng a net transition region arranged
for connection to one of the confronting edges of a net structure
and a pair of web regions disposed at a common side of the net
transition region and jointly supporting one of the stringers of
a slide fastener. The net transition region com~rises a mesh
structure having a number of diamond-shaped meshes thereint
The mesh structure includes adjoining reyions of different mesh
size arranged such that the smallest mesh size region adjoins
one of said web regions and the largest mesh size region is that
~or connection to the edge of the net struc~ure. The web region
is composed of the warp chains of the net transition regicn
extending transver~ely thereinto, and weft thread laid in the
warp chains to fasten them toge~her. Each of the stringers is
sandwiched by the web re~ions and sewn thereto by sewing
stiches.
The net 30ining structure thus arranged has been found
unsatisfactory in that the slide fastener stringers are likely to
become wav~, pu~kered or otherwise deformed, because the diamond
shaped meshes vary in shape or deform when severe lateral tension
is applied to the net structure. The stringers thus deformed
hinder smooth sliding movement of a slider along rows of cou~ling
lements secured to confronting edges of the s~ringers, and cause
~.~.
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the rows of coupling elements to split open away from each
other. Furthermore, the sewing stitches extending on and across
the web regions are in danger of blecoming frayecl or sometimes
broken upon abrasive contact with rigid oreign matter~ The
known adapter having such knit structure is not suitable for
continuous production on a warp-knitting machine.
SUMMARY OF TE~E INVENTION
It is an object of he present invention to provide a slide
fastener assembly including a pair of warp-knitted adapters
having a structure strong enough to withstand s~evere external
stresses applied thereto either in the longitudinal or in the
transverse direction thereof r without deforming or otherwise
damaging a slide fastener attached to the adapters.
Another object of the present ;nvent;on is to provide a
slide fastener assembly having an adapter which is connectable to
one of the confronting edges of a net structure with utmost ease.
A further ob~ect of the ~resent invention is to provide a
slide fastener assembly ;ncluding warp-knitted adapters which can
be kni~ted in a continuous length on a warp-knitting machine.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
slide fastener assembly including a slide fastener having a pair
of stringers sewn to a pair of adapters by rows of sewing
stitches which are protected from becoming damaged~
~ slide fastener assembly has a net joining structure having
a pair of warp-knitted adapters, each having a number of
rectangular meshes defined by a plurality of thick warp cords and
a plural;ty of weft threads. Each adapter includes a net
transiti~n region having adJoining first, second and third
longitudin~l pcrtions of varying mesh sizes. The first portion
i5 reinforced by a core ~hread for a positive connection to one
of the confronting edges of a net structure. Each second portion
serves ~o take up and distribute lateral tension uniformly over
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~ 2C~;27~3
the entire length of one of the strinqers of a slide fastener
which is supported by a pair o~ web regions of ~he adapter. Each
third portionV disposed between the first and the second
portions, has rectangular meshes of ~he largest siæes~ allowing a
connecting thread to pass smoothly therethrough for connecting
the first portion and the net structure's edge. The web regions
each have at least one longitudinal groove opening remotely from
the general plane of the stringer and receiving therein at least
one row of sewing stitches; thereby protecting the sewing
stitches from becoming damaged. The web regions have the
rectangular meshes of the smallest size and hence permit the
fastener stringer to be sewn thereto with stability~
Many other advantages, features ~nd additional objects of
the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the
art upon making reference to the detailed description and the
accompanying drawings in which certain preferred embodiments
incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown
by way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
_
FIGo 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a slide fastener
assembly according to the present invention;
FIGo 2 is a schematic cross-sec~ional view taken along line
II-II of FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged developmental or unfolded view of a
portion of FIG. l;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of
FIG. 3;
FI~ 5 is a point diagram for the warp-kni~:ted net adaPter
of FIG. 3,
FIG. fi is a point diagram showing lapping movements of the
respective threads constituting the warp-knitted adapter of FI~.
5;
--4--
FIG~ 7 is an enlarged fragmen~ary perspec~ive view of a half
of the slide fastener assemhly as a~tached to an edge of net
st~ucture;
FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIIG. 3 of another emb~diment of
the present invention;
FI~. 9 is a cross~sectional view taken along line IX-IX of
FIG. 8;
FIG. l0 is a point diagram for the war~-kni1:ted net a~apter
of FIG. 9;
FIG~ ll is a view similar to FIG. 3 of a further modifie~
warp-knitted net adapter;
FIG. l2 is ~ ~ross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII
of ~IG. ll; and
FIG. 13 is a fragmentary plan view of yet another modified
slide fastener assembly according to the present invention.
DETAILED ~ESCRIPTION
OF T~E PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
_
As shown in FIG. l, a slide fastener assembly for joining
together a pair of confronting edges of net structure compris~s a
pair of warp-knitted net adapters lB, 18 ~hereinafter referred ~o
as "adapters"~ having a number of rectangular openings or
meshes 18a, 18b. Each of the adapters 18, 18 includes a net transition
region l9 arranged for connection to one of the confronting edges
of the net structure~ and a pair of superimposed web regions 2n,
20 Gonnected to a longitudinal edge of the net t:ransition region
l9 and jointly supporting one of the stringers ~.l of a slide
fas~ener 22. One s~ch net structure 17 having Zl confronting edge
16 is shown in FIG. 7r
As 6hown in FIG~ l, the net transitlon re~ion l9 has a first
portion 23 ~not including a core thread 46~ exten~ing along ~he
opposite edge thereof remote from the ~lide fas1:ener stringer
21. The ne~ transi~ion region l9 is folded over on itself ~nd is
i
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shown in FTG. 3 in an unfolde~ manner whereby the Eirst portion
23 appears centrally. ~he region 19 further includes a pair of
second portions 24, 24 extendin~ adjacent to the web regions 20,
20, respectively, and a pair of third portions 25, 25 extending
respectively between the first portion 23 and the second portions
24, 24. The third portions 25, 2'; have a mesh size larger than
that of the first and second portions 23, 24, 24. The first and
second portions 23, 24, 24 have substantially a uniform mesh
size. The net transition region 19 is composed of a plurality of
warp cords 26-31 extending longitudinally thereof and a plurality
of weft threads 32 which, as described below in connection with
FIG. 5, have longitudinal portions extending longitudinally of
the warp cords 26-31 and transverse portions extending in pairs
perpendicularly ~o and between the warp cords 26-31 to jointly
define therebetween the meshes of the aforesaid sizes. The web
regions 20,20 are composed of a plurality of warp cords 33-36
extending longitudinally thereof in parallel relation to the
warp cords 26-31 and a plurality of weft threads 37 extending
substantially in parallel to the weft threads 32 to jointly
define therebetween meshes much smaller than those of the net
transition region 19. ThP weft threads 37 are thinner than the
weft threads 32.
As shown in FIG~ 5, the warp cords 26-31 oE the net
transition region 19 include warp threads Ll knitted in pairs as
chain stitches and longitudinal portions of a p:Lurality of weft
laid-in threads L2-L5 knitted with the chain stitches Ll.
Transverse portions of the respective weft laid--in threads L2-L5
extend in pairs between the warp cords 26-31 and jointly
constitute the weft threads 32 of the transition region 19.
The warp cords 33-35 of the web regions 20, 20 also include
warp threads Ll knitted in pairs as chain stitches and
longitudinai portions of a plurality of weft laid-in threads L8,
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'~Z~ ~ ~7~
L9 knitted with the chain stitches L]. The weft ~hrea~s 37 of
the web regions 20, 20 are const;tuted by transverse portions of
the weft laid-in threads L8, L9, respectivel~. Although not
shown in FIG. 5~ a pluralitv of threaas L6, only one of which is
shown in FIG. 6~ is laid warpwise in the warp cords 27-31, 33-3h,
respectively, and a plurality of warp threads L7, only one of
which is shown in FIG. 6, is also laid warpwise in the warp cords
26-30, 33-36. The threads L6, L7 have patterns symmetrical with
each other as shown in FIG. 6 whereby they cooperate together in
tightly binding together the respective pairs of the warp threads
Ll of the warp cords 2~-31, 33-36.
As shown in FIGo 6, the threads Ll-Lq have respective
patterns as follows:
Thread Pattern
Ll = 0 ~ 0.
L2 = 5 - 5/3 - 3/5 - 5/3 - 3/5 - ~/3 - 8/5 - 5/0 - 0/~ -
2/0 - 0/2 - 2/~ - 0/2 - 2/0 - 0.
L3 = 0 - 0/2 - 2/0 - 0/2 - 2/0 - 0/2 - 2/0 - 0/5 - 5/3 -
3/5 - 5/3 - 3/5 5/3 - 3/5 - 5.
L4 = 8 - 8/6 - 6/8 - 8/6 - 6/8 - 8/6 - 6/8 - 8/8 - 8/6 -
6/8 - 8/6 - 6/8 - 8/6 - 6/8 - 8/0 - 0/2 - 2/0 - ~/2
- 2/0 - 0/2 - 2/0 - 0/0 ~ 0/2 - 2/0 - 0/2 - 2/0 -
0/2 - 2/0 - 0.
L5 = 0 - 0~2 - 2/0 - 0/2 - 2/0 - 0/2 - 2/0 - 0/0 - 0/2 -
2/0 - 0/2 - 2/0 - 0/2 - 2/0 - 0/8 - 8/6 - h~8 - 8/h
- 6/8 - 8/h - 6/8 - 8/8 - 8/6 - 6/8 - 8/6 - 6/8 -
8/6 - 6/8 - 8.
L6 = 2 - 2/0 - n/2 - 2/0 - 0/2 - .~/0 - 0/~ - 2.
L7 = 0 - 0/2 - 2/0 - 0/2 - 2/0 - 0/2 - 2/0 - 0.
L8,L9 = 2-2/0-0.
As best shown in FIG. 4, the adapter 18 thus knitted has the
warp cords 26-31, 33-36 thicker than the weft threads 32, 37 so
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12(3 ~
that a pair of longitudinal grooves 38~ 38 is defined between
every adjacent pair of warp cords 26-31l 33-36 at the opposite
sides of the adapter 18. The threads Ll, L6, L7 may comprise
multifilament yarns made of polyester and the threads L2, L3, L4,
L5, L8 may comprise twisted yarns made of polyester. Each thread
L9 serves as a connecting thread for connecting two adjacent
adapters 18 along their confronting edaes, thereby enabling the
production of a plurality of laterally connected adapters
simultaneously. The connecting threads Lq are made preferably of
water-soluble synthetic resin fibers, so that tlle adapters 18 can
be separated by being dipped into water after having been knitted.
The adapter 18 can be produced easily on a warp-knitting
machine (not shown) in a substantially endless, continuous length
which may be severed into pieces of desired lengths by a hot
cutting blade or another suitable cutting means (not shown). The
cut ends of the respective adapter pieces are prevented from
fraying by Cusion together of the svnthetic resin yarn ends. As
the warp cords 26-31, 33-36 are composed of the warp threads Ll
knitted in pairs as chain stitches and the longitudinal portions
of the weft laid-in threads L2-L5, L~, L9 knitted with the chain
stitches, the adapter 18 is made per se stable in structure and
rigid in construction.
The adapters 18, 18 are then attached respectively to the
stringers 21, 21 of the slide fastener 22 to thereby constitute
the slide fastener assembly lS shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. To make
the attachment, each adapter 18 is folded oYeron itself about the
first portion 23 of the net transition region 19 with the
reinforcing core thread 46 being held firmly b~ and between the
warp cords 28, 29 of the first portion 23. Each stringer 21 is
sandwiched between the web regions 20, 20 of the adapter 18 and
then is sewn to the same by two pairs of rows of sewing stitches
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44a, 44b, such as lock stitches or double chain stitches, each
palr of rows of sewing 44a, 44b extending in and along one
longitudinal groove 38, which is devoid of warp cords, across
the weft threads 37 of each web region 20. In order to
increase the binding strength of the sewing stitches 44a, 44b
and to distribute such increased binding strength uniformly
over the web regions 20, 20, the sewing stitches 44_ t 44b
are formed by driving a pair of sewing needles (not shown)
through each stringer 21 fro~ oppoiste sides thereof such
that a needle thread o~ the stitches 44a and a looper thread
of the stitches 44b aDPear in each longitudinal ~roove 38. The
WarD cords 26, 31, 33-36 serve, in adjacent pairs, to prevent the
sewing stitches 44a, 44b from displacing outside the grooves 38
and from being worn out or damaged upon engagement with rigid
foreign matter such as rocks, stones and the like. The warp
cords 26, 31, 33-36 further serve to grip the stringers 21, 21
stably in position. At ]east the sewing stitches 44a, 44b in
each groove 38 are covered with a layer of synthetic resin 45,
and more preferably the groove 38 is filled with the synthetic
resin layer 45, as shown in FIG. 2. With this arrangement, the
sewing stitches 44a, 44b are completely protected from any degree
of damage, such as loosening, fraying, abrasive wear or the like.
The slide fastener 22 shown in FIG. 1 has a pair of rows of
coupling elements 39, 3g mounted on and along a pair of
confronting edges of the stringers 23, 2], respectively. A pair
of top end stops 40, 41 is mounted at the upper end of the slide
fastener 22 adjacent to a pair of uppermost ones of the coupling
elements 39, 39, respectively. The slide fastener 22 further has
a bottom end stop 42 mounted at the lower end thereof
transversely across the confronting edges of the stringers 21,
21. A slider 43 is slidab]y mounted on the rows of couplinq
elements 3g, 39 for bringing them into and out of interdigitating
engagement with each other to close and open the slide fastener
22 in a well known manner.
As shown in FIG. 7, each adapter 18 of the slide fastener
assembly 15 is attached to one of the confronting edges or
endmost threads 16 of the net structure 17 by al connecting rope
or cord 47. The connectinq cord 47 extends successively through
the mesh openings in the adapter's third ~ortions 2~ and the mesh
openings in the net structure's longitudinal ecige 16 spirally
over and around the warp cords 28, 29, the reinforcing core
thread 46 and the endmost threads 16 of the net structure 17.
~he third ~ortions 25 with the meshes of the largest si~e al3ow
the connecting cord 47 to pass therethrough with utmost ease,
with the result that a simple and time-saving connection is
achieved~
With the slide fastener assembly 15 thus constructed, the
slide fastener 22 can be protected against deformation or damage
under the influence of severe external stresses because such
stresses, when applied on the net structure ]7 in the transverse
direction of the adapters 18, 18, are taken up and distributed
uniformly over the entire length of the slide fastener stringers
21, 21 by means of the net transition reqion 1~, 19 having
rectangular meshes of varying si~es defined b~ the thick warp
cords 26-31 and the weft thread pairs 32. The warp cords 26-31,
33-36 have a strength enough to withstand severe external
stresses applied to the adapters 18, 18 in the longitudinal
direction thereof. Furthermore, the web regions 20, 20 having
the smallest meshest and made compact, permit the fastener
stringers 21, 21 to be sewn thereto with stability and to a
nicety. The adapter's first portion 23, naviny the thick warp
cords 28~ 29 and the reinforcing core thread 46 disposed between
the warp threads 28, 2g, provides a positive connection to each
-- 10 --
edge 16 of the net struc.ure 17 during a long period o use.
FIG~. 8 and 9 show a modified adapter 50 includinq a net
transition region 51 and a pair oE web regions 52, 52 disposed at
opposite sides of the net transition region 51. The adapter 50
is substantially the same as the adapter 1~ of the foregoing
embodiment wlth the exception that the net transition region 51
includes a pair of second portions 53, 53 each having a pair of
ju~taposed rows o~ rectangular meshes of uniform size. Each
of the second portions 53 includes three warp cords 54, 55, 56
and 57,58, 59 extending longitudinally thereof and a plurality
of weft threads 60 which, as described below in connection with
FIG. 10, have longitudinal portions extending longitudinally of
the warp cords 54-56, 57-59 and transverse portions extending
in pairs perpendicularly to and between the warp cords 54-56,
57-59 to jointly define therebetween the rectangular meshes.
As shown in FIG. 10, the adapter 50 is composed of a
plurality of threads Ll-L8 each havinq the same pattern as a
corresponding one of the threads Ll-L8 shown in FIG. 6. Each of
the central warp cords 55, 58 includes two of the threads Ll
knitted as chain stitches and longitudinal portions of the
threads L2, L3 laid weftwise in the chain stitches Ll. The weft
threads 50 are constituted by transverse portions of the weft
laid-in threads 1.2, L3 extending in pairs between the warp
cords 54-59O The threads L6, L7 are laid warpwise in the
cord 55, 58 to tightly bind the threads Ll, Ll of the chain
stitches. The warp cords 54, 56, 57, 59 are structurally the
same as a corresponding one of the warp cords 26, 27, 30, 31 of
the adapter 18 shown in FIG. 5. The adapter 50 is attached to
one of the confronting edges of a net structure (not shown) after
having been assembled with a slide fastener stringer and a
reinforcing core thread, in the same manner as described with
2'~1~
respect to the foregoing embodimerlt. The adapter sn thus
arranged is further advantageous in that lateral tension aPplied
to the net structure is taken up more efficient'ly and distributed
more uniformly through the second portions 53, ;~ over the length
of the slide fastener stringer than in the case of the ada~ter
1~ .
An adapter shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 has a net transition
region 62 and a pair of web regions 63, 63. A first portion 64
of the net transition region 62 has a pair of warp cords 66, 67
between which a reinforcing core thread 65 extends. Differring
from the foregoing embodiments, the core thread 65 is held by and
between pairs of weft threads 68 extendinq transversely between
the warp cords 66, 67 at longitudinal intervalsO Such
arrangement is realized by knitting the core thread ~5 into the
first portion 64 of the adaPter 61 as the latter is knitted. The
adapter 61 with the core thread 54 knitted therein can be
attached to a net structure (not shown) with utrnost ease.
FIG. 13 shows a modified slide fastener assembly 70
comprising a pair of adapters 71, 71 each having a net transition
region 72 and a pair of web regions 73, 73 disposed at a common
edge of the net transition region 72. A slide fastener 74
includes a pair of stringers 75, 75 secured to t:he adapters 71,
71 by rows of sewing stitches 75 in sandwiched relation to each
pair of the web regions 7~, 73, respectively. The slide fastener
74 has a pair of rows of coupling elements 77, 77 mounted on the
respective stringers 75, 7~ along their confronting edges and a
separable bottom end stop 7B so that the stringers 75, 75 can be
completely separated from each other when a slicler ~not shown~ is
located at the ]owermost position adjacent to the separable
bottom end stop 78. A pair of core threads 79, 7~ reinforces the
respective net transition regions 72, 72 arranged for connection
to a pair of confrontinq edges of net structure (not shown).
- 12 -
Although various minor modificatins may be ~uggested bythose versed in the art, it should be unders~ood that we wish $o
embody within the scope of the pat~nt granted hereon~ all such
embodiments as reasonably and properly come within ~he scope of
our contrîbution to the art.
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