Slide fastener with angled elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9591897-B2
Application number	US-201414339116-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2014
Priority date	Jul 23, 2014
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

Slide fasteners configured such that opposing elements engage with one another in a non-planar relationship. The elements may engage one another, for example but not limited to, at an angle between approximately 60 degrees and approximately 179 degrees. In some embodiments, each element includes a head and at least one shoulder with angle keeping surfaces and engagement surfaces that abut corresponding surfaces when engaging with a corresponding element to interlock the heads and shoulders of opposing elements. Slide fasteners of the invention may be well suited for use with curved surfaces, corners, ridge lines, edges, or the like of an article.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A slide fastener comprising:
a plurality of first elements arranged along a first tape in a longitudinal direction of the first tape, wherein each of the plurality of first elements has a first element axis that extends along a length of the element from a base to a tip of each element in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first tape, and wherein a first element plane extends in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the first tape and comprises the first element axis of each of the plurality of first elements;
a plurality of second elements arranged along a second tape in a longitudinal direction of the second tape, wherein each of the plurality of second elements has a second element axis that extends along a length of the element from a base to a tip of each element in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the second tape, and wherein a second element plane extends in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the second tape and comprises the second element axis of each of the plurality of second elements; and
a slider comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge, the slider configured to engage each of the plurality of first elements with at least one of the plurality of second elements,
wherein any one of the plurality of first elements forward of the leading edge of the slider is in a disengaged configuration with respect to a corresponding one of the plurality of second elements,
wherein any one of the plurality of first elements rearward of the trailing edge of the slider is in an engaged configuration with respect to a corresponding one of the plurality of second elements, and
wherein, in the engaged configuration, the first and second element planes intersect one another to define a predetermined angle between the first and second element planes that is less than 180 degrees.

2. The slide fastener of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined angle is between approximately 60 degrees and approximately 179 degrees.

3. The slide fastener of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined angle is approximately 90 degrees.

4. The slide fastener of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of first and second elements comprises:
a head comprising two head angle keeping surfaces and two head engagement surfaces; and
two shoulders on opposite sides of the element between the head and the base, wherein each of the shoulders comprises a shoulder angle keeping surface and a shoulder engagement surface, wherein:
each of the head angle keeping surfaces and the shoulder angle keeping surfaces is sloped, relative to an element transverse plane that bisects the element from front to back and that contains a transverse axis of the element, at an angle that is approximately half the predetermined angle, and
each of the head engagement surfaces is oriented relative to each of the shoulder engagement surfaces at approximately the predetermined angle.

5. The slide fastener of claim 4 , wherein, when the elements are in the engaged configuration:
one of the head engagement surfaces of one of the first elements abuts one of the shoulder engagement surfaces of one of the second elements;
one of the shoulder engagement surfaces of the one of the first elements abuts one of the head engagement surfaces of the one of the second elements;
one of the shoulder angle keeping surfaces of the one of the first elements abuts one of the shoulder angle keeping surfaces of the one of the second elements; and
one of the head angle keeping surfaces of the one of the first elements abuts one of the head angle keeping surfaces of the one of the second elements.

6. The slide fastener of claim 4 , wherein:
each of the head angle keeping surfaces is generally flat;
each of the shoulder angle keeping surfaces is generally flat;
each of the head engagement surfaces is generally flat; and
each of the shoulder engagement surfaces is generally flat.

7. The slide fastener of claim 4 , wherein a slope of the head angle keeping surfaces is approximately the same as a slope of the shoulder angle keeping surfaces.

8. The slide fastener of claim 7 , wherein the slope of the head angle keeping surfaces and the slope of the shoulder angle keeping surfaces is between approximately 60 degrees and approximately 179 degrees relative to an element transverse plane that bisects the element from front to back and that contains a transverse axis of the element.

9. The slide fastener of claim 4 , wherein each of the head engagement surfaces is oriented relative to each of the shoulder engagement surfaces between an angle of approximately 60 degrees and approximately 179 degrees.

10. The slide fastener of claim 4 , wherein the head angle keeping surfaces are generally parallel with the shoulder angle keeping surfaces.

11. A slider comprising a channel comprising:
a first upper portion configured to receive a plurality of first tape elements and comprising a first upper portion axis contained within a first slider plane; and
a second upper portion configured to receive a plurality of second tape elements and comprising a second upper portion axis contained within a second slider plane,
wherein the first slider plane and the second slider plane intersect one another to define, from a front end of the slider to a rear end of the slider, an angle between the two planes that is between approximately 60 degrees and approximately 179 degrees.

12. The slider of claim 11 , wherein the first slider plane and the second slider plane are non-planar to one another.

13. A slide fastener comprising:
a plurality of first elements arranged along a first tape in a longitudinal direction of the first tape, wherein each of the plurality of first elements has a first element axis that extends along a length of the element from a base to a tip of each element in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first tape, and wherein a first element plane extends in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the first tape and comprises the first element axis of each of the plurality of first elements;
a plurality of second elements arranged along a second tape in a longitudinal direction of the second tape, wherein each of the plurality of second elements has a second element axis that extends along a length of the element from a base to a tip of each element in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the second tape, and wherein a second element plane extends in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the second tape and comprises the second element axis of each of the plurality of second elements; and
a slider comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge, the slider configured to engage each of the plurality of first elements with at least one of the plurality of second elements,
wherein any one of the plurality of first elements forward of the leading edge of the slider is in a disengaged configuration with respect to a corresponding one of the plurality of second elements,
wherein any one of the plurality of first elements rearward of the trailing edge of the slider is in an engaged configuration with respect to a corresponding one of the plurality of second elements, and
wherein, when the elements are in the engaged configuration, the first and second element planes are non-planar and intersect one another to define a predetermined angle between the two planes.

14. The slide fastener of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined angle

Assignees

• Ykk Corp America
• Ykk Corp

Inventors

• Ogura Suguru

Classifications

• A44B19/26

  Sliders · CPC title

• A44B19/02 Primary

  with a series of separate interlocking members secured to each stringer tape · CPC title

• A44B19/04 Primary

  Stringers arranged edge-to-edge when fastened {, e.g. abutting stringers} · CPC title