BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a zipper more specifically, to an invisible zipper, which has functional slider bodies and ornamental slider bodies attached to the teeth chains at the back side and exposed to the outside after installation of the invisible zipper in a product.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Conventional zippers include visible type and invisible type. The teeth chain may be made of metal, resin, or nylon. Actually, conventional zippers may be made in any of a variety of forms, for example, close end, X type, O type, and etc.
A conventional zipper of any known type generally comprises two tapes, two teeth chains, a slider body, pins at the ends of teeth chains, a top stop, and a bottom stop. The slider body is provided with a slider pull. Further, the slider body has a center structure formed of top and bottom covers. During sliding movement of the slider body, the center structure causes the teeth chains to close or open. The slider body of a conventional zipper is a functional element for zipper closing/opening control.
Conventional invisible zippers are commonly used in clothes, bags, shoes, and various other personal items. Because the teeth chains are kept on the inside of the product using the zipper, the teeth chains are kept from sight when the user closed the zipper, and only one linear closing trace is left on the outside of the product.
When installed an invisible zipper in a product (clothes, bag, or shoe) in the reversed direction and coupled multiple functional slider bodies to the back side of the invisible zipper as shown in FIG. 20, the functional slider bodies can be individually moved on the teeth chains and can work as decorate means to decorate the product. However, because each slider body has a center structure, a hole is left between the slider body and the teeth chains. Further, every slider body can be positioned on the teeth chains in a fixed position, preventing disengagement between the teeth chains. Therefore, this imaginary design is not workable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the zipper is an invisible zipper comprising two tapes, two teeth chains respectively fixedly fastened to the tapes, a top stop affixed to the tapes at one end, a bottom stop affixed to one the tape at one end remote from the top stop at least one functional slider body coupled to the teeth chains for pulling by the user to close/open the teeth chains, and at least one ornamental slider body, wherein the ornamental slider body each comprises a hollow π-shaped base bridging the teeth chains and two retaining portions respectively inwardly extended from a bottom of the hollow base at two sides and respectively coupled to the teeth chains for enabling the respective ornamental slider body to be moved on the teeth chains; the at least functional slider is respectively coupled to the teeth chains at a back side; the at least one functional slider and the at least one ornamental slider are disposed at the same side relative to the teeth chains. According to another aspect of the present invention, each ornamental slider body comprises a top ring and an ornament attached to the top ring. According to still another aspect of the present invention, each ornamental slider body comprises a locking device adapted to lock the respective ornamental slider body to the teeth chains. The locking device has a free end movable through a hole in the respective ornamental slider body into engagement with the teeth chains. According to still another aspect of the present invention, the ornament of each ornamental slider body can be made of any of a variety of materials in any of a variety of shapes. Further, the zipper can be a close end zipper, X type zipper, O type zipper, or any of a variety of styles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nylon zipper embodying to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the nylon zipper according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a metal (resin) zipper embodying the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the metal (resin) zipper according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a slider body according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a close end zipper embodying the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an X type zipper embodying the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an O type zipper embodying the present invention.
FIG. 9 illustrates different ornaments attached to the ornamental slider bodies according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a back side view of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a spring plate locking device installed in an ornamental slider body according to the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a sectional view of FIG. 11.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an auto locking device installed in an ornamental slider body according to the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a sectional view of FIG. 13.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing another example of spring plate locking device installed in an ornamental slider body according to the present invention.
FIG. 16 is a sectional view of FIG. 15.
FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing another alternate form of the ornamental slider body with a locking device according to the present invention.
FIG. 18 is a sectional view of FIG. 17.
FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing another alternate form of ornament at an ornamental slider body according to the present invention.
FIG. 20 is an imaginary view of a zipper according to the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a nylon zipper embodying to the present invention. FIGS. 3 and 4 show a metal (resin) zipper embodying the present invention. The design concept of the present invention is to attach one or a number of ornamental slider bodies 1 to the teeth chains 3 of the zipper 2 at the reversed side.
The ornamental slider body 1, as shown in FIG. 5, is a hollow, substantially π-shaped member bridging the teeth chains 3, having two retaining portions 11 respectively inwardly extended from the bottom at two sides and a top ring 12 to which a slider pull 13 is connected for pulling by hand to move the ornamental slider body 1 on the teeth chains 3.
The zipper 2 can be an invisible nylon zipper as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a metal or resin zipper as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. There is no limitation to the type of the zipper. However, after installation of the zipper 2, the teeth chains 3 of the zipper 2 must be exposed to the outside for the bridging of the ornamental slider body 1. The invisible zipper can be a close end, X type, O type, or any of a variety of other known types (see FIGS. 6˜8). Basically, the invisible zipper 2 comprises two tapes 21, two teeth chains 31, 32, at least one functional slider body 22, a top stop 24, and a bottom stop 25. The functional slider body 22 has a center structure 220, and is provided with a slider pull 221.
The functional slider body 22 and the teeth chains 3 are attached to the teeth chains 31, 32 at the back side such that the functional slider body 22 and the ornamental slider body 1 are at the same side on the teeth chains 3 of the zipper 2. By means of the center structure 220 of the functional slider body 22, the functional slider body 22 can be moved to close/open the teeth chains 31, 32. The ornamental slider body 1 does not have such a center structure, and is bridging the teeth chains 31, 32.
The ornamental slider body 1 is arranged subject to the type of the invisible zipper 2. In the close end zipper 2 shown in FIG. 6, the ornamental slider bodies 1 are set between one functional slider body 22 and the bottom stop 25; in the X type zipper 2 shown in FIG. 7, the ornamental slider bodies 1 are set between two functional slider bodies 22; in the O type zipper 2 shown in FIG. 8, the ornamental slider bodies 1 are respectively set between one functional slider body 22 and the top stop 24 or bottom stop 25.
Each ornamental slider body 1 is provided with a slider pull 13. Alternatively, each ornamental slider body 1 can be provided with an ornament 13a. The ornaments 13a can be made from any of a variety of suitable materials, having any of a variety of shapes, for example, the shape of a start or crescent moon (see FIG. 9).
FIGS. 9 and 10 show the two reversed sides of a zipper constructed according to the present invention. When in use, the back side of the zipper is stitched to the cloth, bag, shoe, or any of a variety of products, keeping the ornamental slider bodies 1, the functional slider bodies 22 and the teeth chains 3 exposed to the outside (the stitching method of fastening the zipper to the product is same as the conventional techniques to stitch a nylon, metal, or resin zipper to a product). In general, the present invention uses an invisible zipper and stitch the invisible zipper to the product reversely with the inside out, keeping the teeth chains 3, the ornamental slider bodies 1 and the attached ornaments 13a exposed to the outside of the product to decorate the product.
According to the present invention, a locking device may be provided at the top side of each ornamental slider body 1 so that each ornamental slider body 1 can be moved on the teeth chains 3 freely and then locked to the teeth chains 3 at the desired location.
The aforesaid locking device can be a spring lock or any of a variety of auto locking designs. FIGS. 11˜18 show different designs of the locking device.
FIGS. 11 and 12 show an ornamental slider body 1a having a spring plate type locking device. By means of operating the attached slider pull 13 or ornament 13a, the free end 511 of the spring plate 51 is controlled to pass through a hole 14 in the ornamental slider body 1a and to engage the teeth chains 3, thereby locking the ornamental slider body 1a to the teeth chains 3. When disengaging the free end 511 of the spring plate 51 from the teeth chains 3, the ornamental slider body 1a is unlocked and can be moved on the teeth chains 3.
FIGS. 13 and 14 show an ornamental slider body 1b having an auto locking device. According to this embodiment, the auto locking device comprises a spur 52, which has the free end 521 thereof inserted through a hole 14 in the ornamental slider body 1b and forced into engagement with the teeth chains 3 to lock the ornamental slider body 1b to the teeth chains 3. A spring plate 53 is provided to hold down the spur 52, keeping the free end 521 of the spur 52 in engagement with the teeth chains 3. When pulling the attached slider pull 13 or ornament 13a, the spur 52 is forced to disengage the free end 521 from the teeth chains 3 and the hole 14 in the ornamental slider body 1b, enabling the ornamental slider body 1b to be moved freely.
FIGS. 15 and 16 show an ornamental slider body 1c having a spring plate type locking device. Pulling the attached slider pull 13 or ornament 13a controls movement of the free end 541 of a spring plate 54 through a hole 14 in the ornamental slider body 1c into engagement with the teeth chains 3.
FIGS. 17 and 18 show an ornamental slider body 1d having a locking device, which comprises a hook 56 and a spring 55 supporting the hook 56. The spring 55 holds the hook 56 in a hole 14 in the ornamental slider body id, keeping the free end 561 of the hook 56 in engagement with the teeth chains. Pulling the attached slider pull 13 or ornament 13a causes the hook 56 to disengage the free end 561 from the teeth chains.
A prototype of zipper having ornamental slider bodies has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 1˜19. The zipper having ornamental slider bodies functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the aforesaid top ring 12 may be eliminated, and an ornament 15 of any of a variety of shapes (for example, the ornament 15 shown in FIG. 19 has the shape of a button) may be formed integral with the ornamental slider body to decorate the ornamental slider body and for pulling by the user to move the ornamental slider body on the teeth chains. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
Patent Application
20050268438
