2) United States Patent
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Kondo
SLIDING FASTENER
Inventor: Yujt Kondo, Toyama JP)
Assignee: YKK Corporation (JP)
Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
patent is extended or adjusted under 35
USC. 154(b) by 226 days.
Appl.No: 13880,735
PCT Filed: Now. 1, 2010
PCT Nos PCTISP2010/069441
$371 (0\,
(2),(4)Date: Ape. 24,2013
PCT Pub, Nos WO2012/059972,
PCT Pub, Date: May 10, 2012
Prior Publication Data
US 2013020555041 Aug. 15,2013,
Int. Cl.
ASB 1926 (2005.01)
AssB 19704 (2006.01)
us.cl.
crc AAA 19/26 (2013.01); AASB 19/08
(2013.01); ¥107 24/2582 201501)
Field of Classification Seareh
CPC vcs ASB 19/02; AMEE 19/04; ASB 19106
Ada 19/26, YioT 24/2839, Yio 24/2843,
YIOT 24/2548; Y1OT 24255; Y10T 242852:
Yor 24/2554; Y10T 24/2555; YIOT
24/2887: YIOT 24/2859; YIOT 24/2861
Yior 242582
spc 241408, 408, 408-414
‘See aplication file for complete search history.
1US009215912B2
US 9,215,912 B2
Dec. 22, 2015
(10) Patent No.
4s) Date of Patent:
66) References Cited
US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4263608 4 * 41981. Moenel AHR 19°06
m2
7337509 B2* 312008 Kondo. daaos
200001302
2 Ai 62000. Kondo tal:
POREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
» 2006-167191
(OTHER PUBLICATIONS
62006
International Search Repost, PCT Application No, PCTHP2010
‘441 aed Fe. 15,2011
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner
(74) Attornes
Stockton LLP.
Abigail Morrell
Agent, or Firm — Kilpatrick Townsend &
on ABSTRACT
In astiing fastener, fistener elements adhered ata prede
termined pitch. The fastener element includes: a elose-con-
‘aet portion; and fist and second engaging/ disengaging por
tions which are respectively disposed on the first and the
second tape sure sides ofthe eose-contaet portion, The
lose-contact portion has a ist close-contact stirfice and a
sevond lose-coataet surface which ae respectively disposed
in one direction andthe other direction along the ape length
rection In addition, te pte is set smaller dhan a sum of a
‘dimension between the frst and the second close-contact
surfaces and a dimension berwaen the fist and the second
close-contact surfaces. As a result its possible to make an
‘element tow rigid ina fine ina more frm manner when a left
land right element rows are coupled
5 Claims, 17 Drawing SheetsU.S. Patent Dec. 22, 2015 Sheet 1 of 17 US 9,215,912 B2
FIG. 1
yo teU.S. Patent Dec. 22, 2015 Sheet 2 of 17 US 9,215,912 B2
FIG. 2U.S. Patent Dec. 22, 2015 Sheet 3 of 17 US 9,215,912 B2
FIG. 3
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1U.S. Patent Dec. 22, 2015 Sheet 4 of 17 US 9,215,912 B2
FIG. 4
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1b 11¢ 11aU.S. Patent Dec. 22, 2015 Sheet 5 of 17 US 9,215,912 B2
FIG. 5FIG. 6U.S. Patent Dee. 22, 2015 Sheet 7 of 17 US 9,215,912 B2
FIG. 7U.S. Patent Dec. 22, 2015 Sheet 8 of 17 US 9,215,912 B2
FIG. 8
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120U.S. Patent Dec. 22, 2015 Sheet 9 of 17 US 9,215,912 B2
FIG. 9
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FIG. 13US 9,215,912 B2
U.S, Patent
FIG. 15U.S. Patent Dec. 22, 2015 Sheet 16 of 17 US 9,215,912 B2
FIG. 16
~~61U.S. Patent Dec. 22, 2015 Sheet 17 of 17 US 9,215,912 B2
FIG. 17US 9,215,912 B2
1
SLIDING FASTENER
‘This application is a national stage application of PCT/
3920101069441 which is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
same lexbility as the elated art ina state ofa single fastener
SMringer where the fastener elements are separated, andon the
‘other hand which makes the element rows rigid ina state of |
fastener chain where the fastener elements are coupled and
thysretains liner state without bending the fastener chai
BACKGROUND ART
In JP 2006-167191 A (Patent Document 1), there is dis
‘closed a sliding fstener which can make the element rows
rigid atthe time of coupling as deseribed above.
‘A sliding fastener 61 disclosed in Patent Document 1
includes, as illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, left and right
‘astener stringers 62 to which a numberof fastener elements
‘Ware adhered along corresponding tape side edges ofa pai
‘of left and right fastener topes 63. The fastener elements 70,
are made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin material, and are
Jnewrated with the fastener tapes 63 through the injectia
‘molding ofthe synthetic resin material onthe fastener tape
6
Pach fastener element 70 jnckades an clement body 71
‘which isitegrally adhered to the fastener tape 63, anda bump
scction 72 which is» rectangular plate shape integrally
ormed in he front and back sstaces of the element body 7
Tnaditioa, the element body 71 includes base Tha which is
fixed to the fastener tape 63, a neck portion 71 which is
continuously connected tothe base 7la and protrudes out-
ward rom the side edge of the fastener tape 63, anda coupling
head Tle which farther protrudes outward from the neck
portion 716. The element body is configured such tht the
‘coupling head 71 of the coeresponding clement body 71 tobe
‘coupled is coupled hoween the neck portions 71 of the
adjacent clement bodies 71 ashen the left and right fsstencr
‘elements 70 are coupled.
‘Inadditon, a rectangular bump portion 72 disposed ineach
Jastener element 70 has the same shape and the same dimen-
sion. The position of the end surface at one end of each
rectangular bump portion 72 in the tape length direction is
sposed ata postion slightly shifted to the outside from an
‘expanding end positon on the coupling head Te of the ele
ment body 71, and the position of the other end of each
rectangular bump portion 72 in the tape length direction is
disposed at & position where the neck portion 716 of the
‘element body 71 becomes narrowest. In this case, the both
‘end surfues ofthe rectangular bump portion 72 in the tape
Jength direction become first close-contact planes sta time
when the fastener elements 70 are coupled,
TFunhermore, a recess portion 71d is formed between the
front and back rectangular bump portions 72, into which the
‘coupling head Tle ofthe corresponding fastener element 70,
to be coupled is fitted, With this configuration, when the left
and right fastener elements 7 are coupled, the coupling head
Tie of the element body 71 is fted into te corresponding
recess portion 71dto becoupled, ada portion ofthe coupling
head Tle and the neck portion 71d of the element boxy 71 is
imerposed and comes in close contact between the facing
inner surfaces which are disposed on the font and back sides
of the conesponding rectangvlar bump portions 72 to be
‘coupled. In this ease, the facing inner surfaces of the rectan-
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gular bump portion 72 on the front side and the rectangular
‘bump portion 72 on the back side become second elose-
contact planes.
In dhe sliding fastener 61 with the above-mentioned con-
figurations of Patent Document 1, when the left and right
fastener elements 70 are coupled, the frst close-contact
planes (both end surface in the tape length direotion) ofthe
rectangular bump portions 72 ofthe left and right fastener
clements 70 come in else contact with each other In add
‘ion, in each fastener element 70, the second close-coatact
planes (lacing inner surfices) of a pair of the rectangular
‘bump portions 72 come in close contact with the element
ody 7 intros theearssponting lamentboy 71 be
oul
‘With this configuration, cach fastener clement 70 regulates
‘the movement the fastener clement 70 with respect to one
nother, andthe fastner elements 70 are disabled fom being
rotated in a direction along the tape plane and ina direction
perpendicular t the tape plane. As a result, itis possible to
‘make the element ows of the siding fastener 61 rigid in a
Tine.
‘Since the sliding fastener 61 of Patent Document 1 is made
rigid when the fastener elements 70 are coupled as described
above, the sliding fastener can serve as reinforcing material
{or making various kinds of predicts stable in shape by the
siuidty. On the other hand, the fastener elements 70 are
released from the rigidity when separated, and thus testing
Tastener 61 canbe easily modifi in shape together with the
‘modification in shape of various kinds of products. Therefore,
‘through the separation of the fastener elements 70, the sling
fastener 61 can be folded.
“Accordingly, the sliding fastener 61 can serve as a member
for connecting sheet materials when a tent is set up, for
example, by being attached to edge portions of the sheet
‘materials constituting the tent, and also as a reinforcing core
material ofthe tent, so that i is possible to widely use the
sliding fastener 61 ia new applications
PRIOR ART DOCUMENT
Patent Documeat
Patent Document 1: JP 2006-16791 A
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Problem tobe Solved by the Invention
In the sliding fastener 61 described in Patent Documeat 1,
‘whe the fistener clement 70 is formedon the fastener tape 63
‘hrovgh the injection molding, the element body 71 disposed
between the font and ack rectangular bump portions 72 of
the fastener element 70 forms an undercut prion. Therefore,
4 siructure of a mold for forming the fastener element 70
‘becomes extremely complex, and thus it incurs an increase in
manufacturing cost.
TInaddition, incase where the fastener element TOhaving,
the shape deseribed above is attached tothe fastener tape 63,
it is considered that, for example, the fastener tape 63 is
subjected tothe injection molding plural mes continuously,
fnd the rectangular bump portion 72 is assembled to the
«clement body’ 71 after molding the clement body 71 and the
rectangular bump portion 72 individually. However, since
both meshods make the manufacturing process complicated
and increase the number of manufacturing processes, as a
result, an increase in manufieturing cost i iteursed.US 9,215,912 B2
3
Purthermore inthe sliding fstener 61 of Patent Document
1. in order to ake the element rows rigid, the end sufices
(the ist close-contact planes) ofthe rectangular bump por-
tion 72 ofthe let and right fastener elemtents 70.comeinclose
‘contact with each other, and the Facing inner surfaces (the
secon close-contae planes)of parol the rectangular bump
tions 72 oF each fastener element 70come inclose contact
‘withthe corresponding element body 71 to be coupled.
However, in a case where the first and the second close-
‘contact planes simply come in close contact to make the
‘element rows iid, for example, when the iid element rows,
receive a bending load (for example, athrosting force) in the
tape front and back direction, the respective elose-contaet
stateof the first and the second close-comtact planes are ikely
to be released andl thus iis diflculo stably Koep the element
rows rigid
Furthermore, when the element rows are made rigid 2
portion a the element body 71 of each fastener element 70 is
‘nerposed and comesin lose contact with the front and back
rectangular bump portions 72 ofthe comresponding fastener
‘element 70 to be coupled. Therefore, for example, when the
rigid element rows reveve the bending load in the tape front
‘and back direction, the oot portion ofthe element body 71
interposed between the back and frent rectangular bump por-
tions 72s likely tobe intensively stressed, and ths there is
‘concern thatthe fastener element 70 may be damaged,
“The invention has boen made in consideration ofthe above
problems, and an object is to providea sliding fastener which
‘can be efficiently subjected to te injection molding of the
fastener element without using a compler-srictured mld
and canstably keep the rigid stat ofthe element owsinaline
‘even when the rig element rows receive the bending loadin
the tape Tront and back direction.
‘Means for Solving the Problems
TInorder to attain the above-mentioned objet, according to
‘an aspoet of the invention, thee is provided a sling fastener
jnchiding, as basic configurations, a pair of left and right
fastener stringers whieh include a plurality of fastener ele-
ments adaered to facing tape side eiges ofa prof fastener
tapes ata predetermined pte, in which the left and right
{astener clements come in close contact with each other whea
the fstener elements are coupled to make the sling listener
rigid, i which the fastener element includes a close-contaet
portion hich comes in elose contact with a carresponding
fastener element atthe ime of coupling, anda first engaging!
disengaging portion anda second engaging/disengaging por-
tion which are disposed on he fist ape sive side a the
second tape surface side ofthe elose-contact portion and are
‘mutually engageable and disengazeable with those of the
‘corresponding listener element, in which the elose-contact
portion includes a first close-contact surface which is dis-
posed on one side in tape Iength diction, and @ second
‘lose-contoet surface which is disposed on the other side in
the tape long diretion, and in which the pitch is sotto be
smaller than a sum of a dimension between the First and the
second clase-contct surfaces at a predetermined portion of
the fstenerelement anda dimension between the fis and the
second close-contat surfaces ata corresponding portion of
the corresponding fastener element.
In the sliding festener according to the invention, itis
preferable thatat least oncof a fitted eoneave portion which is
ecessively provided in the tape length direction and a fiting
‘convex portion which protrudes inthe tape length directions
sisposll inthe frst close-contct surface, and atleast one of
the fiting convex portion which is fited into the fied
0
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ave portion disposed in the fist close-contact surface ofthe
corresponding festener element andthe ited concave portion
‘whieh i fted by te fing convex portion disposed in the
fist elose-contact surface ofthe eoresponding fastener ele-
s disposed inthe second close-conact surface.
‘In adltion, in the siding fastener according to the inven-
‘ion, its preferable tht the fist andthe second close-contact
surlaces are formed to bea taper surface such that a dimen-
son of the close-contact portion ina tape length direction
‘increases gradiallyas it goes tothe fastener tape
‘Purtermor, its preferable that the fitted concave portion
is formed soch that the groove with in the tape font and back
direction decreases gradually a it goes tothe fastener tape,
land the fiting convex portion is formed such thatthe dimer
Sonia thetape front and back dreeton increases gradually as
it goes to the fastoner tape.
‘Furtber,in the sliding steneracconing tothe invention, it
js preferable that « core thread portion is disposed ata tape
side edge on a sie to which the fastener clement of the
fastener tape is adered, and the cre thread portion is eon-
‘igured using fiber thread having retactiit less than that of
‘fiber thread ofthe tape main portion ofthe fastener tape,
‘Next, according to another aspect of the invention, theres
provided sliding fastener inchuting as basic configurations,
4 pair of lelt and right fastener stingers which include 3
plunility of fastener elements adhered to facing tape side
‘edges ofa par o fastener tapes at a predetermined ite, in
Which the left and right fastener elements come in close
contact with each other when the fastener elements are
‘coupled to make the sliding fastener rigid, ia which the f
‘ener element includes a close-contaet portion which comes
in close contact with w corresponding festener clement at the
‘ime of coupling, and a first engaging/disengaging portion
‘and a second engaging/disengaging porion which are i
posed on the first tape surface sie and the second tape surface
Side ofthe close-contact portion and are mutually engageable
and disengageable with those ofthe comesponding fastener
element, in which the lose-contset portion includes a frst
close-contact surface which is disposed on one side in 8 tape
Jeng direction, and a second elose-contact surface which is
disposed on the other sie in the tape length direction, in
Which at lest one ofa fited concave portion which is eoes-
sively provided in the tape length direction and a iting con-
vex portion which protrudes in the tape length direction is
disposed in the first close-contact surface, and in which at
Teast one ofthe fting convex portion which is ited into the
{ited concave portion disposed inthe first close-contat sur
face of the coresponding fastener element and the fited
eeqncave portion which is fitted! by te fiting convex portion