Patent Application
20220296020
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The disclosure relates to zipper manipulation devices and more particularly pertains to a new zipper manipulation device for zipping a zipper on a dress.
The prior art relates to zipper manipulation devices. The prior art discloses a tube that has a pair of end caps and a chain extending between the end caps. One of the end caps is attached to zipper on a dress and the other end cap is drawn upwardly to zip the zipper. The prior art discloses a telescopic rod that is attachable to a zipper for drawing the zipper upwardly. The prior art discloses an elongated handle that includes a gripper for gripping a zipper to draw the zipper upwardly. The prior art discloses a two part coupler, one of which being coupled to a zipper and the other of which is gripped for drawing the zipper upwardly.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a clip to clamp onto a collar of a dress. A chain is coupled to the clip to extend downwardly along the dress when the clip is clipped to the collar. A clamp is coupled to the chain to engage a handle of the zipper when the clamp is in the closed position. In this way the user can pull upwardly on the chain to zip the zipper without assistance. The clamp includes a locking mechanism to releasably retain the clamp in the closed position to inhibit releasing the handle of the zipper when the chain is pulled upwardly. Additionally, the prior art discloses a clasp for engaging a zipper on a heavy duty storage bag thereby enhancing gripping the zipper for opening and closing.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A pair of grips 26 is each coupled around a respective one of the members 14 of the clip 12 and each of the grips 26 extends from the free end 24 toward the coupled end 22. Each of the grips 26 is comprised of a resiliently compressible material, such as rubber, silicone or other similar material to frictionally engage the collar 16 of the dress 18. A chain 28 is coupled to the clip 12 to extend downwardly along the dress 18 when the clip 12 is clipped to the collar 16. The chain 28 has a first end 30 and a second end 32, and the first end 30 is attached to the coupled end 22 of each of the members 14 of the clip 12. A cable, a string or any other similar elongate object may be used in lieu of the chain 28.
A clamp 34 is coupled to the chain 28 and the clamp 34 is positioned adjacent to a zipper 20 on the dress 18 when the clip 12 is clipped to the collar 16. The clamp 34 is positionable in an open position or a closed position. The clamp 34 engages a handle 36 of the zipper 20 when the clamp 34 is in the closed position to facilitate the user to pull upwardly on the chain 28 to zip the zipper 20 without assistance. The clamp 34 includes a locking mechanism 38 to releasably retain the clamp 34 in the closed position to inhibit releasing the handle 36 of the zipper 20 when the chain 28 is pulled upwardly. In this way the person wearing the dress 18 can zip up the zipper 20 without assistance. Additionally, the clamp 34, the chain 28 and the clip 12 may each be comprised of stainless steel, silver or other precious metal to enhance the ornamental appearance of the dress 18.
The clamp 34 comprises a first member 40 has a first end 42, a second end 44 and a top side 46 extending therebetween, and the top side 46 has a pivot point 48 thereon. The pivot point 48 is positioned closer to the first end 42 of the first member 40 than the second end 44 of the first member 40 and the top side 46 has an engagement point 50 located adjacent to the first end 42. The clamp 34 includes a second member 52 that has a primary end 54, a secondary end 56 and a bottom side 58 extending therebetween. The bottom side 58 has a pivot point 60 thereon that is positioned closer to the primary end 54 than the secondary end 56. Additionally, the second end 32 of the chain 28 is coupled to the secondary end 56 of the second member 52.
The clamp 34 includes a third member 62 that has a rear end 64, a front end 66 and a lower side 68, and the lower side 68 has a pivot point 70 thereon positioned adjacent to the rear end 64. Moreover, the pivot point 70 on the third member 62 rotatably engages the pivot point 48 on the first member 40. The third member 62 has a slot 72 extending from the rear end 64 toward the pivot point 70 on the third member 62. The slot 72 has a terminal end 74 and the slot 72 is curved between the rear end 64 and the terminal end 74.
The primary end 54 of the second member 52 rotatably engages the slot 72. The second member 52 is positionable in a closed position having each of the second member 52 and the third member 62 oriented collinear with each other. Conversely, the second member 52 is positionable in an open position having the second member 52 forming an angle with the third member 62. The lower side 68 of the third member 62 has an engagement point 76 located adjacent to the front end 66.
The locking mechanism 38 is defined by a support 78 that has an upper end 80 and a lower end 82, and the upper end 80 is pivotally coupled to the pivot point 60 on the second member 52. The lower end 82 is pivotally coupled to the pivot point 48 on the first member 40. The engagement point 50 on the first member 40 compresses against the engagement point 76 on the third member 62 when the second member 52 is positioned in the closed position. In this way the first member 40 and the third member 62 compress the handle 36 on the zipper 20. Additionally, the support 78 is positioned at a pre-determined angle such that the support 78 inhibits the second member 52 being moved out of the closed position without being manipulated by a user. The engagement point 50 on the first member 40 is spaced from the engagement point 76 on the third member 62 when the second member 52 is positioned in the open position. In this way the third member 62 and the first member 40 can release the handle 36 of the zipper 20.
In use, the clip 12 is attached to the collar 16 of the dress 18 and the clamp 34 is attached to the handle 36 of the zipper 20. In this way the user can grasp the chain 28 and draw the chain 28 upwardly to zip up the zipper 20 without assistance. The clamp 34 and the clip 12 can each be removed from the dress 18 at any time for laundering or the like. Additionally, the precious metal construction of the clip 12, chain 28 and clamp 34 enhances the ornamental appearance of the dress 18.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
