Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Zipper or required component thereof – Having coiled or bent continuous wire interlocking surface
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-25
2002-12-24
Sandy, Robert J. (Department: 3626)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Zipper or required component thereof
Having coiled or bent continuous wire interlocking surface
C024S401000, C024S402000, C024S396000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06497015
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a linear slide fastener, wherein coil-shaped or zigzag-shaped fastener elements of a particular shape are formed with monofilament of thermoplastic resin and the fastener elements are attached to a side edge of a fastener tape with fixing yarn of various type.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to a coil-shaped slide fastener as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-23874, as shown in
FIG. 14
, by providing a stepped portion
8
′ in an upper leg portion
5
′ of each of the fastener elements
2
′, a portion of the fastener element
2
′ on a side of a coupling head is formed to be thick while a portion on the side of a connecting portion
7
′ is formed to be thin. A core thread
28
′ is inserted between the upper leg portion
5
′ and a lower leg portion
6
′ on the side of the connecting portion
7
′ that are formed to be thin, and sewed to the side edge of the fastener tape
13
′. Then, a horn is lowered to apply pressure to the leg portions
5
′
6
′ and connecting portions
7
′ of the fastener elements
2
′ around the core thread
28
′. Then, while the fastener elements
2
′ are heated, the fastener elements
2
′, sewing yarn
15
′ and fastener tape
13
′ are fused together by ultrasonic processing.
According to coil-shaped fastener elements as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-20895, with providing a stepped portion
8
″ in an upper leg portion
5
″ of each of the fastener elements
2
″, a portion of the fastener element
2
″ on a side of the coupling head
4
″ is formed to be thick, while a portion thereof on a side of the connecting portion
7
″ is formed to be thin. Then, the thin leg portion on the side of the connecting portion
7
″ is sewed to a side edge of the fastener tape
13
″ with sewing yarn
15
″.
In the coil-shaped slide fastener shown in FIG.
14
and as described above, the coil-shaped fastener elements
2
′ are disposed in such a state that each of the upper leg portions
5
′ is parallel to each of the corresponding lower leg portions
6
′ at a section from the corresponding coupling head
4
′ to the stepped portion
8
′ in a center thereof. Thus, a mating coupling head
4
′ cannot be inserted smoothly at the time of coupling operation. Therefore, a sliding action of the slider becomes heavy so that it cannot be operated smoothly. Further, because the core thread
28
′ inserted through the fastener elements
2
′ is fused at a section from the stepped portion formed thin to the connecting portion
7
′, a coupling head
4
′ does not make an elastic contact with the mating coupling head
4
′ at the time of coupling. Therefore, an cushion effect can not be expected, thus a smooth coupling can not be achieved.
In the coil-shaped slide fastener shown in
FIG. 15
, like the above described example, the fastener elements
2
″ are disposed in such a state that each of the upper leg portions
5
″ is parallel to each of the corresponding lower leg portions
6
″ at a section from the coupling head
4
″ to the stepped portion
8
″ in a center thereof. Thus, a mating coupling head cannot be inserted smoothly at the time of coupling operation. Thus, a sliding operation of the slider becomes heavy, so that it cannot be operated smoothly. Further, because no core thread exists, the fastener elements
2
″ are likely to be loose.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been achieved in views of the above problems. Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a linear slide fastener, wherein upon coupling operation, a coupling head of each of linear fastener elements in the slide fastener can be inserted into a coupling space of a mating coupling head quickly so that the coupling operation of the fastener elements can be carried out smoothly, thereby enabling to operate the slide fastener lightly, preventing an excessive invasion of the coupling head, and preventing a fixing yarn for fixing the fastener elements from being worn by a sliding of the slider, so as to ensure a long term use thereof.
Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a linear slide fastener, wherein the fastener elements are fixed firmly by specifying a use state of the fixing yarn for fixing the linear fastener elements onto a fastener tape and by applying the fixing yarn to various types of slide fasteners.
Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a linear slide fastener, wherein different types of linear slide fasteners with beautiful appearance can be obtained by specifying configurations of the linear fastener elements in the linear slide fasteners.
Still further, an object of the present invention is to provide a linear slide fastener, wherein even if a pushing force is applied to the linear fastener elements in a coupling state, the coupling state is prevented from being broken by the core thread inserted through the linear fastener elements and the core thread can act as a cushion when the coupling heads couple each other so as to ensure a smooth and flexible sliding operation.
Still further, an object of the present invention is to provide a linear slide fastener, wherein the core thread inserted through the linear fastener elements in the coupling space is always protruded in an advantageous state so as to maintain a cushion state.
Still further, an object of the present invention is to provide a linear slide fastener, wherein fixing yarn disposed between the linear fastener elements can act as a cushion when the coupling heads couple each other so as to ensure a flexible and smooth sliding operation of the slider.
To achieve the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a linear slide fastener, wherein various kinds of linear fastener elements are formed of thermoplastic resin monofilament; with providing a stepped portion in a center of an upper leg portion of each of the linear fastener elements, a portion of the fastener element on a side of a coupling head is formed to be thick while a portion thereof on a side of a connecting portion is formed to be thin; a protruded portion protruded into a coupling space between the upper leg portion and the lower leg portion is provided on an inner face of the upper leg portion; a slope portion is formed such that the coupling space between the upper leg portion and the lower leg portion is expanded gradually from an inside of an upper portion of the coupling head to a base portion of the protruded portion; and the fastener elements are fixed to a fastener tape at the upper leg portion and the lower leg portion at the connecting portion side that are formed thin with fixing yarn.
Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a linear slide fastener, wherein the linear fastener elements are sewed on a surface of a side edge of the fastener tape using a sewing yarn as the fixing yarn for fixing the linear fastener elements.
Alternatively, according to the present invention, there is provided a linear slide fastener, wherein the linear fastener elements are woven into a side edge of the fastener tape using weaving yarn as the fixing yarn for fixing the linear fastener elements.
Further alternatively, according to the present invention, there is provided a linear slide fastener, wherein the linear fastener elements are knitted into a side edge of the fastener tape using warp knitting yarn as the fixing yarn for fixing the linear fastener elements.
Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a linear slide fastener, wherein the linear fastener elements are in a form of coil-shaped fastener elements produced by winding a monofilament in a coil-shaped shape.
Alternatively, according to the present invention, there is provided a linear sl
Imai Shigeru
Kato Takashi
Kousaka Yoshihiro
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Sandy Robert J.
YKK Corporation
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