Zipper handle structure

Details Zipper handle structure Zipper handle structure

2000-03-06

2001-11-13

Brittain, James R. (Department: 3626)

Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.

Zipper or required component thereof

Slider having specific configuration, construction,...

Reexamination Certificate

active

06314625

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT
The invention relates to a handle or pulling structure for opening or closing a zipper.
Sliding-type zippers have been widely used in the fields of articles for living, such as clothes and containers, industry, agriculture and the like. In the conventional zipper handle structure, a slider main portion
50
, as shown in FIGS.
10
(
a
) and
10
(
b
), has a pillar shape engaging member
51
projecting from an upper outer circumference thereof, and a handle member
53
or
54
swingably attached to the engaging member
51
directly or through an attaching member
52
is held to open or close the zipper. The handle member
53
shown in FIG.
10
(
a
) is formed of a metal flat board having an opening
53
a
on one side thereof. The handle member
53
is assembled to engage the opening
53
a
when the engaging member
53
is assembled to the slider main portion
50
. The handle member
54
shown in FIG.
10
(
b
) is made of a metal material or a resin, and is engaged with the engaging member
51
through an attaching member
52
having an opening
52
a
. In this case, the handle member
54
has been fixed to the attaching member
52
, and when the engaging member
51
is attached to the slider main portion
50
, the opening
52
a
of the attaching member
52
is assembled with the engaging member
51
. As described above, the opening
53
a of the handle member
53
or the opening
52
a
of the attaching member
52
is formed relatively large and is swingably engaged with the engaging member
51
on the side of the main portion
50
, so that the handle member
53
or
54
can be easily held and does not become an obstacle when it is not used.
In the above-described conventional handle structures, normally, since the handle member
53
or
54
is integrally assembled with the engaging member
51
of the slider main portion
50
, in case a design of the handle member
53
or
54
is changed, its exchange is very difficult. Therefore, in case the handle member of FIG.
10
(
b
) is changed, for example, it is considered that engaging holes are provided on both sides of the handle member
54
, and an intermediate portion of the attaching member
52
at the side of the handle member
54
is cut off to allow the parts of the attaching member
52
to engage the corresponding engaging holes of the handle member
54
to thereby attach the handle member
54
to the attaching member
52
. However, in this case, the attaching strength is not enough and exchanging ability thereof becomes poor. Also, although the handle members
53
and
54
of this type are relatively small in size, they have to stand a large pulling load. Therefore, in the zipper handle, it has been desired that the attaching strength is increased, no limitation is required in its shape, and a user can easily exchange the zipper handle by himself.
In view of the above defects, the present invention has been made, and an object of the invention is to provide a novel zipper handle structure, wherein in case the handle member is attached to the attaching member on the side of the slider main portion by a later-attaching method, a user can easily exchange the handle member according to the user's preference, the attaching strength can be increased, and the thickness and shape of the handle member are not limited.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to attain the above described objects, the present invention provides a zipper handle mechanism, which has a slider main portion to which an attaching member with an opening is swingably assembled. One end of a handle member is connected to one side or corresponding side constituting the opening of the attaching member. In the zipper handle mechanism, there is used a if connecting member having end portions to be overlapped with each other when the connecting member is folded at an intermediate portion thereof. The end portions have either an engaging shaft or an engaging hole to be engaged with or disengaged from each other. The handle member is provided with a vertical through-hole corresponding to the engaging shaft at one end side thereof. The one side of the attaching member is held inside the connecting member, and the engaging shaft is inserted into the engaging hole through the through-hole to thereby prevent the engaging shaft from being withdrawn therefrom and connect the attaching member and the handle member.
In the above described structure, the following advantages are obtained.
1) The handle member is assembled to the side of the attaching member through the connecting member by a later-attaching method, so that a user can easily exchange the handle member as desired. More specifically, in the exchange operation, the forward end side of the engaging shaft is pushed in a direction opposite to an inserting direction to release the engagement with the engaging hole. Then, a new handle member can be easily attached by holding the side of the attaching member inside the same connecting member and inserting the engaging shaft into the engaging hole on the other side through the through-hole to prevent it from being pulled out.
2) An attaching strength can be determined by an engaging strength of the engaging shaft and engaging hole, so that the strength can be set regardless of the slider main portion, attaching member and handle member. Also, since the connecting member holds the side of the attaching member therein, the connecting member can be made wide in a belt shape, so that the engaging shaft and the engaging hole to which a local load is applied are made in a large diameter to thereby easily obtain the sufficient strength. Moreover, in its using state, since the engaging shaft and engaging hole receive loads in a direction perpendicular to the pulling direction of the handle member, it is hard for the engaging shaft to be pulled out.
3) In view of a design of the structure, the handle member is attached to the side of the attaching member without directly contacting thereto, through the exclusive connecting member is provided therebetween. Also, in the relationship with the connecting member, the handle member is provided with only the through-hole on its one end side. Therefore, it is possible to design the handle member regardless of a shape, such as thickness, of the attaching member to thereby freely select any outer appearance.
4) Incidentally, it is preferable that the engaging hole of the connecting member includes a cylindrical portion projecting from an inner surface of the connecting member, and a claw portion projecting from the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion to form a smaller diameter. Also, a forward end side of the engaging shaft is positioned in the engaging hole in a state where the engaging shaft is prevented from being pulled out by the claw portion. This is because the cylindrical portion regulates a swinging movement of the engaging shaft to thereby stably and firmly keep the pulling strength or engaging force, in addition to the advantage of the outer appearance.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3719973 (1973-03-01), Bell
patent: 4512093 (1985-04-01), Kolton et al.
patent: 5416951 (1995-05-01), Keyaki et al.
patent: 5535491 (1996-07-01), Allport
patent: 5878467 (1999-03-01), Yokota
patent: 89695-A2 (1983-09-01), None
patent: 8-66207 (1996-03-01), None

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