Curved slide fastener

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a curved slide fastener according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the curved slide fastener;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of major portions of the curved slide fastener;

FIG. 4 is a structure diagram of a fastener tape;

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a modification of the fastener tape;

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged front view showing a stretchable member;

FIG. 7 is a structure diagram showing a modification of the stretchable member;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a side portion of another modification of the stretchable member;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view showing still another modification of the stretchable member; and

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of major portions of a curved slide fastener according to a second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described specifically based on embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the meantime, the present invention is not restricted to embodiments described below but may be modified in various ways within the range not departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the configuration of the fastener element is not restricted to a coil-like continuous linear fastener element composed of a synthetic resin wire rod, but may be a zigzag-like continuous linear fastener element, a synthetic resin made fastener element fixed at a predetermined interval in the length direction of the fastener tape by injection molding, or a metallic fastener element fixed by cramp.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a front view of a curved slide fastener according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the curved slide fastener according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of major portions of the curved slide fastener.

The curved slide fastener 1 of the first embodiment comprises a pair of right and left fastener tapes 2, 2, fastener element rows 3, 3 and a slider 4 as shown in FIG. 1. The fastener element rows 3, 3 are attached along opposing side edges of the fastener tapes 2, 2. The slider 4 slides along the fastener element rows 3, 3 to engage or disengage the fastener element rows 3, 3. Top end stops 5, 5 are fixed at the top ends of the fastener element rows 3, 3 and a bottom end stop 6 is fixed at the bottom ends of the fastener element rows 3, 3 so as to block the slider 4 from slipping out from the top end and bottom end of the fastener element row 3. Note that, in some cases, an opening device or an inverted opening device (not shown) having an insert pin and a box pin may be fixed instead of the bottom end stop 6.

The fastener tape 2 presents a substantially S-shaped curved configuration within an identical horizontal plane to a tape surface of the fastener tape 2 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2. The fastener tapes 2, 2 have opposing side edges. More specifically, there are arranged a first curved portion A in which a tape edge portion on the opposite side to one element attaching edge portion 2a is curved convexly and outwardly and a second curved portion B in which the other element attaching edge portion 2b facing the element attaching edge portion 2a is convexly and outwardly such that the first and second curved portion A and B face each other, and they are disposed alternately along the longitudinal direction of the tape.

According to this embodiment, a stretchable member 18 is fixed along a tape edge portion of the second curved portion B on the opposite side to the element attaching edge portion 2b. The stretchable member 18 is composed of a belt material 19 in which elastic yarns stretchable in the warp direction are disposed in part or all area thereof.

As shown in FIG. 4, the fastener tape 2 of this embodiment is constituted of a warp knitted tape knitted with plural knitting yarns. The element attaching edge portions 2a, 2b are formed in first to fourth wales W1 to W4 along the opposing side edges of the right and left fastener tapes 2, 2, other fifth to thirteenth wales W5 to W13 form tape main body portions 2e, 2e, and a fourteenth wale W14 formed on the outermost edge portion on the opposite side to the element attaching edge portions 2a, 2b forms an ear portion 2d. The foundation structure of the right and left element attaching edge portions 2a, 2b is comprised of a chain yarn 7 having the 0-1/1-0 knitting structure, a tricot knitting yarn 8 having the 1-0/1-2 knitting structure, a weft in-laid yarn 9 having the 4-4/0-0 knitting structure, a weft in-laid yarn 10 having the 0-0/3-3 knitting structure, and a warp in-laid yarn 11 having the 0-0/1-1 knitting structure. On the other hand, the foundation structure of the tape main body portion 2e and the ear portion 2d is comprised of the tricot knitting yarn 8 having the 1-0/1-2 knitting structure and the weft in-laid yarn 9 having the 4-4/0-0 knitting structure. By forming the fastener tape 2 with the knitting structure of the above-described foundation structure, a gap is formed between the knitting yarns, and when the stretchable member 18 is attached in an elongated state, the knitting yarn of the foundation structure moves within the gap according to the stretching action of the stretchable member 18 so that it is easy to deform.

As these knitting yarns, synthetic fiber multifilament composed of polyester or nylon is used.

When the fastener tape 2 is knitted, in addition to the aforementioned knitting structure, a chain knitting yarn 12 having the 0-1/1-0 knitting structure is knitted in the ear portion 2d. The chain knitting yarn 12 is water-soluble yarn and can be melted by dipping into water after the fastener tape 2 is knitted. In the ear portion 2d in which no chain knitting yarn 12 exists, no stitch of the chain knitting yarn 12 exists. Instead, the foundation structure having a wide gap between adjacent stitches 8a in the wale direction (length direction of the fastener tape) is formed such that a stitch 8a of the tricot knitting yarn 8 remains, that is, the stitch is eliminated in every course. Consequently, the ear portion 2d turns to be the roughest foundation structure containing fewer yarns than the element attaching edge portion 2a, 2b and the tape main body portion 2e. When the fastener tape 2 is deformed into a curved shape by being elongated or stretched in the length direction, the fastener tape 2 is deformed while easily expanding or narrowing the gap between the stitches 8a.

As shown in FIG. 5, the fastener tape 2 may be woven with a warp yarn 13 and a weft yarn 14. The element attaching edge portion 2a, 2b is formed along one side edge of the fastener tape 2 and the tape main body portion 2e is formed in the other portion while the ear portion 2d is formed on the edge portion of the tape main body portion 2e on the opposite side to the element attaching edge portion 2a, 2b. The fastener tape 2 is woven such that the number of the warp yarns disposed near the ear portion 2d in the tape main body portion 2e is smaller than the number of the warp yarns disposed in other portions, and that the portion near the ear portion 2d in the tape main body portion 2e has a smaller weaving yarn density than the other portions in the tape main body portion 2e.

Although the fastener tape shown in the figure is curved into the substantially S-shape, in some case, the one fastener tape 2 is formed of only the second curved portions B in which the element attaching edge portions are curved continuously, convexly and outwardly while the other fastener tape 2 is formed of only the first curved portions A in which the tape edge portions on the opposite side to the element attaching edge portion is curved continuously, convexly and outwardly. That is, in this case, when the fastener elements are engaged with each other, the fastener chain is turned into a single circular curved shape.

In this case, a yarn having a lower elongation recovery rate than other yarns is used as the warp yarn of the tape edge portion of the one fastener tape 2, which constitutes the first curved portion A, on the opposite side to the element attaching edge portion 2a, and a yarn having a high heat shrinkage rate is used as the warp yarn on the element attaching edge portion side. Further, a heat shrinkable yarn having the highest heat shrinkage rate of the warp yarns of the both fastener tapes 2, 2 is used as the warp yarn of the tape edge portion of the other fastener tape 2, which constitutes the second curved portion B, on the opposite side to the element attaching edge portion 2b. In this case, when heat setting or high temperature dyeing is carried out after the both fastener tapes 2 are elongated by applying a tensile force thereto, the fastener tape having the first curved portion A in which the tape edge portion on the opposite side to the element attaching edge portion is curved convexly and outwardly is formed on the one fastener tape while the other fastener tape 2 having the second curved portion B in which the element attaching edge portion is curved convexly and outwardly is formed. By using such a stretchable member at the same time, a curved slide fastener whose curved shape is clearer with a smaller curvature radius is obtained and no wrinkle such as wavy shape occurs in the fastener tape portion.

The elongation recovery rate can be obtained according to the following equation (1) by measuring each yarn length according to JIS L1096. However, the elongation recovery rate differs depending on the type of the composition yarn of the fastener tape and cannot be automatically determined, but the elongation recovery rate R of ordinary multifilament or monofilament is up to 80% max. However, for example, the elongation recovery rate of the multifilament composed of polyester is 67.0%, which is extremely low as compared with nylon multifilament whose elongation recovery rate is as high as 94.3%:

R={(L1−L2)/(L1−L0)}×100 (1)

where L0 is an original yarn length, L1 is a yarn length when pulled under a predetermined tension, and L2 is a yarn length after recovery under no tension force.

Upon measurement of the yarn length based on JIS L1096, a tensile testing machine or an apparatus having an equivalent performance is used. An end of a test piece is fixed with an upper clamp, the other end is supplied with an initial load, and a position of 20 cm away from the bottom end of the clamp of the test piece is marked. Next, a load of 14.7 N (1.5 kgf) is gently applied to the test piece, and a length between the marks is measured after the test piece is left for an hour. Subsequently, the load is removed, an initial load is applied 30 seconds and an hour later, and the length between the marks is measured again. Then, the elongation recovery rate R (%) is obtained according to the aforementioned equation (1) and an average value of three times is calculated about 30 seconds later and an hour later.

Instead of the above-described fastener tape 2, a portion in which no warp yarn 13 exists may be formed by using water soluble yarns as some warp yarns 13 which constitute the portion near the ear portion 2d of the tape main body portion 2e of the fastener tape 2, and by dipping the fastener tape 2 after the fastener tape 2 is woven to melt the water soluble yarns. Consequently, the portion near the ear portion 2d of the tape main body portion 2e turns to the foundation structure in which a wide gap is formed between the weaving yarns, so that when the stretchable member 18 is attached to the portion, the weaving yarns of the foundation structure move within the gap according to the contracting action of the stretchable member, thereby facilitating deformation of the fastener tape.

The fastener element row 3 shown in the figure is formed continuously in its longitudinal direction such that the monofilament made of synthetic resin is wound into a coil shape. Each fastener element 15 which constitutes the fastener element row 3 is comprised of, as shown in FIG. 3, a coupling head 15a which engages a mating fastener element 15, upper leg portion 15b and lower leg portion 15c extending in parallel from the top end and bottom end of the coupling head 15a, and an inverted portion 15d which connects the upper leg portion 15b and the lower leg portion 15c of the fastener elements 15 adjacent in the length direction of the fastener element row 3. A core thread 16 is inserted between the upper leg portion 15b and the lower leg portion 15c, and the core thread 16 and the fastener element 15 are fixed to a tape surface on the front face side of the fastener tape 2 with a sewing yarn 17.

The stretchable member 18 which is stretchable in the length direction of the fastener tape 2 is attached on the edge portion of each fastener tape 2 on the opposite side to the element attaching edge portion 2b, i.e., the ear portion 2d side, in the length direction or the warp direction of the fastener tape 2 such that the stretchable member 18 faces the tape surface 2c on the rear surface side of the fastener tape 2. The stretchable member 18 functions as a reinforcement member for the fastener tape 2 to maintain its curved shape, and the stretchable member 18 is attached to the fastener tape 2 in an elongated state. Usually, the stretchable member 18 is kept contracted to maintain the foundation structure of the fastener tape 2 in a contracted state, thereby preventing generation of wrinkle or wavy swelling on the tape surface 2c of the second curved portion B.

The stretchable member 18 can be elongated according to deformation of the fastener tape 2 when a tensile force is applied in the length direction of the fastener tape 2. When the tensile force is released, the stretchable member 18 is elastically restored to its original contracted state. Consequently, because the stretchable member 18 can be elastically deformed into a state elongated in the length direction of the fastener tape 2, the curved slide fastener 1 can be elongated according to a tensile force applied when the curved slide fastener 1 is sewed to an article. Even if the fastener tape 2 is sewed to the article such that the fastener tape 2 is deformed into a curved state at a slightly different curvature from its original curved shape, little wrinkle or swelling is generated on the tape surface, so that a flat state can be maintained.

The stretchable member 18 is constituted of a belt material 19 woven with a warp yarn 19a and a weft yarn 19b as shown in FIG. 6, and an elastic yarn is used as the warp yarn 19a, so that the stretchable member 18 can be elongated and contracted in the length direction or the warp direction of the belt material 19. An adhesive layer 25 composed of a polyester base or nylon base hot melt adhesive agent is provided on the rear surface of the belt material 19, that is, the surface facing the tape surface 2c of the fastener tape 2. The adhesive layer 25 is bonded to the tape surface 2c so as to fix the stretchable member 18 onto the fastener tape 2. Note that the material of the adhesive layer 25 is preferred to be of the same material as the fastener tape 2 in order to intensify the adhesive strength to the fastener tape 2.

The stretchable member 18 may be of a belt material 20 knitted with a chain knitting yarn 20a having the 0-1/1-0 knitting structure, a tricot knitting yarn 20b having the 1-0/1-2 knitting structure, a weft in-laid yarn 20c having the 4-4/0-0 knitting structure and a warp in-laid yarn 20d having the 0-0/1-1 knitting structure as shown in FIG. 7 as another configuration. An elastic yarn is used as the warp in-laid yarn 20d of the above-mentioned knitting yarns, and the belt material 20 is formed so as to be stretchable in the length direction or the warp direction thereof.

As still another configuration of the stretchable member 18, as shown in FIG. 8, a belt material 21 having the two-layer structure comprising a front cloth 22 and a rear cloth 23 may be adopted. The front cloth 22 is woven with a warp yarn 22a and a weft yarn 22b, and the rear cloth 23 is woven with a warp yarn 23a and a weft yarn 23b. The front cloth 22 and the rear cloth 23 are joined together with a connecting yarn 24. The front cloth 22 and the rear cloth 23 may be joined by bonding their opposing faces instead of the connecting yarn 24 partially. In the belt material 21, an elastic yarn is used as at least the warp yarn 22a of the front cloth 22 of the warp yarn 22a of the front cloth 22 and the warp yarn 23a of the rear cloth 23. Consequently, the belt material 21 is formed so as to be elongated and contracted in the length direction or the warp direction thereof. Additionally, the adhesive layer 25 composed of a hot melt adhesive agent is provided on a surface of the rear cloth 23 facing the tape surface 2c of the fastener tape 2, so that the adhesive layer 25 is bonded to the tape surface 2c.

As a further another configuration of the stretchable member 18, the stretchable member 18 may be formed by coating the tape surface 2c of the fastener tape 2 with a rubber made belt material 26 continuously in the length direction of the fastener tape 2 in a belt-like formation as shown in FIG. 9. The belt material 26 is applied to the fastener tape 2 by coating in a state in which the rubber is heated to be softened, so that the rubber invades in between fibers of the fastener tape 2 and fixed integrally with the fastener tape 2. Thus, no adhesive layer is needed to fix the belt material 26 to the fastener tape 2.

The stretchable member 18 is formed into a belt shape. A stretchable area of a predetermined width dimension can be provided easily in the width direction of the tape main body portion 2e of the fastener tape 2 by attaching the stretchable member 18 to the tape surface 2c of the fastener tape 2. Further, this can deform the foundation structure of the tape main body portion 2e in a wide range so as to securely absorb wrinkle or swelling generated on the tape surface 2c.

By attaching the stretchable member 18 on the side of the ear portion 2d in the tape main body portion 2e, sewed line located substantially in the center of the tape main body portion 2e is prevented from overlapping a position where the stretchable member 18 is attached when the fastener tape 2 is sewed to a fabric C of an article such as a bag or cloth. Consequently, a sewing yarn 27 for fixing the fastener tape 2 to an article is prevented from piercing the stretchable member 18, so that the stretchable member 18 is never an obstacle to sewing or the stretching function of the stretchable member 18 is never deteriorated by the sewing thread 27.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of major portions of a curved slide fastener according to a second embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, in order to form the waterproof slide fastener into the curved configuration like the first embodiment, the stretchable member 18 is attached on the side of the ear portion 2d of the tape surface 2c of the fastener tape 2. The stretchable member 18 is of a woven or knitted belt material and bonded to the tape surface 2c on the rear surface side of the fastener tape 2 with the adhesive layer 25 composed of a hot melt adhesive agent. The fastener element row 3 is disposed on the tape surface 2c on the rear surface side of the fastener tape 2.

A waterproof layer 28 is formed on the front surface of the fastener tape 2. The waterproof layer 28 covers the entire front surface of the fastener tape 2 so as to block water from penetrating from the front surface side of the fastener tape 2 to the rear surface side thereof and is formed by using a synthetic resin material having elasticity, such as polyurethane resin. Because the gap of the foundation structure of the fastener tape 2 is filled with polyurethane resin for forming the waterproof layer 28, the weaving yarn or knitting yarn of the foundation structure cannot move within the gap to deform the fastener tape. However, the waterproof layer 28 itself can be elastically deformed. For this reason, the waterproof layer 28 is deformed in the length direction of the fastener tape 2 according to elongation or contraction of the stretchable member 18, so that the normal shape of the waterproof layer 28 is maintained with the stretchable member 18 contracted.

The present invention can be applied to a slide fastener which is attached to an opening of a bag or clothes so as to open or close the opening and which can provide a change to the opening shape of the opening, thereby presenting beautiful appearance.

Curved slide fastener

Information

Publication Number

Date Filed

Date Published

Inventors

CPC

US Classifications

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

Priority Claims (1)