Patent Application
20240373995
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a fastener-attached product formed by sewing together a stringer member for a fastener and a fastener-attached member, the fastener-attached product, and the stringer member.
An example of a known slide fastener is a slide fastener of a concealable type (hereinafter simply referred to as a concealable slide fastener) in which left and right element rows in an engaged state can be covered with fastener tapes so that the element rows are not visible from the outside. The concealable slide fastener is advantageous in that the element rows are covered to reduce effects on the product's design, and is therefore suitable not only for products such as various clothing and bags but also for seat covers for automobiles and trains.
An example of such a concealable slide fastener is disclosed in International Publication No. 2010/087016 (PTL 1). The concealable slide fastener described in PTL 1 includes regulating members attached to element-attached portions of fastener tapes. When the left and right element rows are engaged and in close contact with each other, the regulating members restrain bent portions of the left and right fastener tapes from moving away from each other. Each regulating member is positioned such that one side edge thereof is in contact with an inner surface of the corresponding bent portion when the element rows are engaged. In addition, each regulating member includes a plurality of rectangular thin-plate-shaped regulating bodies and a film-shaped connecting part that connects the regulating bodies in a tape length direction.
According to the concealable slide fastener of PTL 1, when the left and right fastener tapes receive an outward lateral pulling force along a tape width direction while the left and right element rows are engaged, the left and right bent portions are easily maintained in an abutted state. Therefore, satisfactory concealing performance can be obtained.
PTL 1: International Publication No. 2010/087016
In the concealable slide fastener of PTL 1, the regulating bodies of the regulating members attached to the fastener tapes are made of a hard synthetic resin. Therefore, the concealable slide fastener may have reduced flexibility, particularly in the left-right direction.
The present invention has been made in light of the above-described problem of the related art, and its object is to provide a method for manufacturing a fastener-attached product, the fastener-attached product, and a stringer member for use in the fastener-attached product, the fastener-attached product being formed by sewing together a stringer member for a fastener and a fastener-attached member and having flexibility improved compared to that in the related art.
To achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides a manufacturing method for manufacturing a fastener-attached product by sewing together a stringer member for a fastener including an element row and a fastener-attached member. The manufacturing method includes: preparing the stringer member including a plurality of fastener elements forming the element row and arranged continuously in a coil shape, a support member including a support body and configured to support the fastener-attached member, and a connecting part that connects the element row and the support body, the support body being flexible and extending continuously in a longitudinal direction of the stringer member; performing a stringer attaching step in which the stringer member and the fastener-attached member are sewn together while at least a portion of the connecting part of the stringer member overlaps the fastener-attached member; and forming an attachment sewing part composed of a sewing thread and sewing together a portion of the connecting part of the stringer member and the fastener-attached member with the attachment sewing part in the stringer attaching step.
The above-described manufacturing method according to the present invention, preferably, comprises forming the stringer member by performing a sewing process on the plurality of fastener elements and the support member, thereby forming a stringer sewing part composed of a sewing thread and sewing the plurality of fastener elements and the support member together along the longitudinal direction with the stringer sewing part.
In this case, the manufacturing method according to the present invention, preferably, comprises sewing, in the stringer attaching step, a portion of the stringer sewing part of the stringer member on the fastener-attached member as the portion of the connecting part.
In addition, the manufacturing method according to the present invention, preferably, comprises forming the stringer member by inserting a tape member between the plurality of fastener elements and the support member and fixing the tape member with the stringer sewing part.
The manufacturing method according to the present invention, preferably, comprises using, as the support member a member including at least one of a coil member formed by shaping a linear member made of a synthetic resin or a metal into a helical shape, a string member formed by using a fiber, and an extrudate member formed by extrusion molding.
The manufacturing method according to the present invention, preferably, comprises using a woven tape member as the support member, the woven tape member including a tape body and at least one holder formed integrally with the tape body and holding the support body and, sewing, in the stringer attaching step, a portion of the tape body of the woven tape member or a portion of a stringer sewing part with which the plurality of fastener elements and the woven tape member are sewn together on the fastener-attached member with the attachment sewing part as the portion of the connecting part.
In this case, preferably, the woven tape member includes two of the support bodies and two of the holders that hold the respective support bodies, and a portion of the tape body disposed between the two holders and the plurality of fastener elements are sewn together with the stringer sewing part composed of the sewing thread.
The present invention provides a fastener-attached product manufactured by sewing together a stringer member for a fastener including an element row and a fastener-attached member. The stringer member includes a plurality of fastener elements forming the element row and arranged continuously in a coil shape, a support member including a support body and supporting the fastener-attached member, and a connecting part that connects the element row and the support body. The support body is flexible and extends continuously in a longitudinal direction of the stringer member. A portion of the connecting part of the stringer member and the fastener-attached member are sewn together with an attachment sewing part composed of a sewing thread.
In the above-described fastener-attached product according to the present invention, preferably, the plurality of fastener elements and the support member of the stringer member are sewn together along the longitudinal direction with a stringer sewing part composed of a sewing thread.
In this case, preferably, a portion of the stringer sewing part of the stringer member is sewn on the fastener-attached member as the portion of the connecting part.
In addition, preferably, a tape member is fixed between the plurality of fastener elements and the support member of the stringer member with the stringer sewing part.
In the fastener-attached product according to the present invention, preferably, the support member includes at least one of a coil member formed by shaping a linear member made of a synthetic resin or a metal into a helical shape, a string member formed by using a fiber, and an extrudate member formed by extrusion molding.
In the fastener-attached product according to the present invention, preferably, the support member is formed of a woven tape member including a tape body and at least one holder formed integrally with the tape body and holding the support body, and a portion of the tape body of the woven tape member or a portion of a stringer sewing part with which the plurality of fastener elements and the woven tape member are sewn together is sewn on the fastener-attached member as the portion of the connecting part.
In this case, preferably, the woven tape member includes two of the support bodies and two of the holders that hold the respective support bodies, and a portion of the tape body disposed between the two holders and the plurality of fastener elements are sewn together with the stringer sewing part composed of the sewing thread.
The present invention provides a stringer member for a fastener including an element row. The stringer member includes a plurality of fastener elements forming the element row and arranged continuously in a coil shape, a support member including a support body and configured to support a fastener-attached member, and a connecting part that connects the element row and the support body. The support body is flexible and extends continuously in a longitudinal direction of the stringer member. A portion of the connecting part is provided as a portion to be sewn on the fastener-attached member with an attachment sewing part composed of a sewing thread.
In the stringer member according to the present invention, preferably, the support member is formed of a woven tape member including two of the support bodies, a tape body, and two holders formed integrally with the tape body and holding the respective support bodies, and a portion of the tape body of the woven tape member disposed between the two holders and the plurality of fastener elements are sewn together with a stringer sewing part composed of a sewing thread.
The present invention provides a fastener-attached product formed by sewing together a stringer member for a fastener and a fastener-attached member and having flexibility improved compared to that in the related art.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail by way of examples with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the examples described below, and various changes are possible as long as a configuration substantially the same as that of the present invention is provided and similar operational effects are obtained.
In the following description, a front-rear direction is a longitudinal direction of the stringer member or a fastener chain, for example, a direction in which a member, such as a slider, is moved to cause left and right element rows to engage with or separate from each other (see
The up-down direction is a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction and along a thickness direction of the fastener chain or a fastener when the fastener chain or the fastener is formed (see
As illustrated in
The tape member 11 has the shape of a thin, elongated strip. The tape member 11 has the first tape surface (lower tape surface) 11a and the second tape surface (upper tape surface) 11b on opposite sides in a tape thickness direction. The material of the tape member 11 is not particularly limited, but the tape member 11 is preferably formed of a cloth or a nonwoven fabric.
The tape member 11 extends in the front-rear direction between the element row 20 and the support member 30. A plurality of fastener elements 21 that constitute the element row 20 and the support member 30 are sewn on the tape member 11 with a stringer sewing part 41. Since the tape member 11 is provided, when the fastener elements 21 and the support member 30 are sewn together to manufacture the stringer member 10, the fastener elements 21 can be easily spaced at a constant pitch or equal intervals in the front-rear direction, and the stringer member 10 can be easily and reliably manufactured.
The element row 20 provided on the first tape surface 11a of the tape member 11 is formed of the fastener elements 21 arranged continuously in a coil shape. The continuous fastener elements 21 are formed by deforming a single monofilament made of a synthetic resin, such as polyamide or polyester, into a coil shape and pressing the monofilament at predetermined intervals to form engaging heads 22 including bulging portions that partially bulge in the front-rear direction.
The fastener elements 21 are formed substantially similarly to commonly known fastener elements 21 formed in a coil shape. More specifically, each fastener element 21 includes the engaging head 22 that engages with the fastener element 21 to be engaged therewith; an upper leg portion 23 and a lower leg portion 24 respectively extending from an upper end and a lower end of the engaging head 22; and a connecting portion 25 that connects an end of the upper leg portion 23 or the lower leg portion 24 to the lower leg portion 24 or the upper leg portion 23 of the fastener element 21 adjacent thereto in the front-rear direction. In this case, the upper leg portion 23 of the fastener element 21 is in contact with the tape member 11, and the lower leg portion 24 is separated from the tape member 11.
The fastener elements 21 are fixed, by sewing, to the first tape surface 11a of the tape member 11 together with a first core string 26 such that the first core string 26 is inserted between the upper leg portion 23 and the lower leg portion 24 of each fastener element 21 in the front-rear direction, or the longitudinal direction of the element row 20. Each fastener element 21 is fixed to the tape member 11 such that the engaging head 22 thereof projects outward from the support member 30 in the left-right direction.
The support member 30 is flexible and is also rigid enough to support a cover cloth 5 described below and restrain or prevent the cover cloth 5 from moving when the cover cloth 5 receives a pulling force. The support member 30 extends continuously over the entirety of the stringer member 10 in the front-rear direction.
The support member 30 includes a coil member 31 that is coil-shaped, for example, and serves as a first support body, and a second core string 32 that extends continuously through the coil member 31 in the front-rear direction and serves as a second support body. The coil member 31 is formed by deforming a monofilament made of a synthetic resin, which is a single elongated linear member, into a regular helical shape. Here, the linear member is an elongated member having a constant or substantially constant cross-sectional shape on a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.
The coil member (first support body) 31 has a substantially elliptical outline on a cross section orthogonal to the front-rear direction (
While the support member 30 is in a state such that the second core string (second support body) 32 extends through the coil member (first support body) 31 in the front-rear direction, the coil member 31 and the second core string 32 are fixed, by sewing, to the second tape surface 11b of the tape member 11. The support member 30 includes two support bodies, which are the coil member 31 and the second core string 32, and therefore extends continuously in the front-rear direction over the entirety of the tape member 11 in the front-rear direction.
In the present embodiment, the above-described first core string 26 and the second core string 32 of the support member 30 are string-shaped. A twine or a knit cord obtained by knitting around a bundle of threads, for example, may be suitably used as the first core string 26 and the second core string 32. In the present invention, the material of the first core string 26 and the second core string 32 is not particularly limited as long as the material is flexible. In
As illustrated in
A maximum dimension Hm of the entirety of the support member 30 in the up-down direction is greater than the thickness of the monofilament forming the fastener elements 21 and a maximum dimension of the first core string 26 in the up-down direction.
The support member 30 including the coil member 31 and the second core string 32 is flexible, and is easily bendable upward, downward, leftward, and rightward with respect to the front-rear direction. The coil member 31 may be of the same size as the fastener elements 21, or larger than the fastener elements 21. The coil member 31 may be identical to the fastener elements 21 (see a third modification described below and
The fastener elements 21 and the support member 30 are sewn on the tape member 11 along the front-rear direction with the stringer sewing part 41 formed in a stringer forming step described below. The stringer sewing part 41 serves as a connecting part that connects the fastener elements 21 and the support member 30, and is formed of a plurality of sewing threads including a needle thread and a louver thread. The stringer sewing part (connecting part) 41 includes an element fixing portion 41a that extends through the first core string 26 and retains the lower leg portion 24 of each fastener element 21; a support fixing portion 41b that extends through the second core string 32 and retains the coil member 31; and an intermediate connecting portion 41c disposed between the element fixing portion 41a and the support fixing portion 41b. In this case, the intermediate connecting portion 41c of the stringer sewing part 41 is formed of a portion of the stringer sewing part 41 disposed between the first core string 26 and the second core string 32, and serves as a portion sewn on a fastener-attached member described below in a stringer attaching step described below.
To manufacture the stringer member 10 of the present embodiment illustrated in
Next, the stringer forming step is performed to form the stringer member 10 by sewing the fastener elements 21 and the support member 30 on the tape member 11.
In the stringer forming step, the fastener elements 21 through which the first core string 26 is inserted are brought into contact with the first tape surface 11a of the flat tape member 11, and the support member 30 is brought into contact with the second tape surface 11b of the tape member 11. At this time, the support member 30 is brought into contact with the tape member 11 such that the second core string 32 and the first core string 26 inserted through the fastener elements 21 overlap in the up-down direction.
Subsequently, the fastener elements 21, the support member 30, and the tape member 11 are set to a sewing machine while the fastener elements 21 and the support member 30 are in contact with the tape member 11, and a sewing process is performed. In the sewing process performed in the stringer forming step, double-chain-stitch sewing is performed by moving a sewing needle 63 of the sewing machine upward and downward so that the sewing needle 63 penetrates through the second core string 32, the tape member 11, and the first core string 26. Thus, the stringer sewing part 41 can be formed by using the sewing threads (needle thread and louver thread) of the sewing machine in a single sewing process, and the fastener elements 21 and the support member 30 can be sewn together and fixed to the tape member 11 with the stringer sewing part 41 along the longitudinal direction of the tape member 11. In this case, the stringer sewing part 41 extends through the second core string 32, the tape member 11, and the first core string 26 and retains the fastener elements 21 and the coil member 31 such that the fastener elements 21 and the coil member 31 are pressed against the tape member 11.
The stringer member 10 of the present embodiment is manufactured and prepared by performing the above-described stringer forming step.
In the present invention, the stringer sewing part 41, with which the fastener elements 21, the tape member 11, and the support member 30 are fixed, may be formed of a stitch other than the double-chain stitch, such as a lock stitch. In
The stringer member 10 of the present embodiment manufactured by the stringer forming step is subjected to a stringer attaching step described below and is thereby sewn on each of cover cloths 5 of a seat cover 1 of an automobile, for example, as illustrated in
The stringer attaching step, in which the stringer member 10 of the present embodiment is sewn on the cover cloth 5, will now be described with reference to
The sewing machine used in the stringer attaching step includes at least a needle plate 61 on which the cover cloth 5 and the stringer member 10 are placed as sewing objects; a presser foot 62 that presses the cover cloth 5 against the needle plate 61; the sewing needle 63 movable upward and downward in the up-down direction; and a lower feeding unit (not illustrated) that feeds the cover cloth 5 downstream.
The presser foot 62 is substantially L-shaped, and is attached to a pressing rod (not illustrated) of the sewing machine. The presser foot 62 includes a foot body 62a that presses the cover cloth 5 and a connecting portion 62b disposed on a downstream half of the foot body 62a and connected to the pressing rod. The foot body 62a has a pressing surface 62c facing the needle plate 61, a guide groove 62d that guides the stringer member 10 extending therethrough, and a needle hole 62e through which the sewing needle 63 extends.
The guide groove 62d in the presser foot 62 is recessed upward from the pressing surface 62c of the foot body 62a, and extends straight along a feeding direction of the sewing machine from an upstream end to a downstream end of the foot body 62a. The guide groove 62d has a groove bottom portion disposed to face the needle plate 61, and left and right side wall portions extending from left and right side edges of the groove bottom portion to the pressing surface 62c and disposed to face each other.
The stringer member 10, which is a sewing object, is inserted through the guide groove 62d in the presser foot 62 in a horizontal orientation such that the fastener elements 21 and the support member 30 of the stringer member 10 are arranged in the width direction of the presser foot 62. In this case, the groove width of the guide groove 62d between the left and right side wall portions is set to correspond to a maximum dimension of the entirety of the stringer member 10, which is the sewing object, in the up-down direction. Thus, the stringer member 10 inserted in the guide groove 62d can be held in the horizontal orientation and moved along the guide groove 62d while the stringer member 10 is maintained in the horizontal orientation.
As illustrated in
When the stringer attaching step is performed by using the sewing machine including the presser foot 62 and the sewing needle 63 described above, first, the cover cloth 5, which serves as a fastener-attached member, is placed on the needle plate 61 of the sewing machine while the presser foot 62 is raised. Then, the stringer member 10 is placed on the cover cloth 5 in the horizontal orientation, and one end of the stringer member 10 in the longitudinal direction thereof is disposed at a position corresponding to the guide groove 62d in the presser foot 62. At this time, the stringer member 10 is disposed such that the above-described intermediate connecting portion 41c of the stringer sewing part 41 of the stringer member 10 and the cover cloth 5 overlap in the direction in which the sewing needle 63 is moved upward and downward (that is, in the up-down direction of the sewing machine).
After that, the presser foot 62 is moved downward so that the presser foot 62 presses the cover cloth 5 and that the guide groove 62d in the presser foot 62 accommodates one end of the stringer member 10 to retain the stringer member 10 in the horizontal orientation.
After the preparation of the sewing machine is completed by performing the above-described operation, the sewing machine is activated to perform a sewing process for sewing the cover cloth 5 and the stringer member 10 together by continuously feeding the cover cloth 5 and the stringer member 10 and reciprocating the sewing needle 63 in the up-down direction in association with the feeding operation.
At this time, in the sewing process performed in the stringer attaching step, the sewing needle 63 reciprocates in the up-down direction to pass through the position between the tape member 11 and the first core string 26 as described above. In addition, in the present embodiment, the sewing needle 63 reciprocates in the up-down direction at a position such that the sewing needle 63 does not interfere with the fastener elements 21.
When the sewing needle 63 repeatedly moves upward and downward with respect to the cover cloth 5 and the stringer member 10 as described above, an attachment sewing part 42 (see
In addition, in the present embodiment, when the sewing needle 63 is repeatedly moved upward and downward to form the attachment sewing part 42, the sewing needle 63 may penetrate through the tape member 11 so that both the stringer sewing part 41 and the tape member 11 of the stringer member 10 are sewn on the cover cloth 5 with the attachment sewing part 42. Alternatively, the attachment sewing part 42 may be formed without causing the sewing needle 63 to penetrate through the tape member 11 so that only the intermediate connecting portion 41c of the stringer member 10 is retained and sewn on the cover cloth 5 with the attachment sewing part 42. In addition, the tape member 11 of the stringer member 10 may be partially sewn on the cover cloth 5 together with the stringer sewing part 41 by providing regions in which the sewing needle 63 penetrates through the tape member 11 and regions in which the sewing needle 63 does not penetrate through the tape member 11.
By carrying out the above-described stringer attaching step, the stringer member 10 can be sewn on and fixed to the cover cloth 5 over the entirety thereof in the longitudinal direction.
After the stringer member 10 is sewn on the cover cloth 5 in the stringer attaching step, the cover cloth 5 is folded in a U-shape at a position where the attachment sewing part 42 is provided. Then, the folded cover cloth 5 is bent from the U-shaped folded portion toward the upper surface of the stringer member 10 such that the cover cloth 5 covers the support member 30. Thus, the cover cloth 5 to which the stringer member 10 is attached is manufactured. The thus-manufactured cover cloth 5 to which the stringer member 10 is attached has the engaging heads 22 of the fastener elements 21 projecting outward from the cover cloth 5 in the left-right direction.
Two cover cloths 5, to each of which the above-described stringer member 10 is attached, are manufactured and paired as left and right cover cloths 5, and the element rows 20 thereof are engaged with each other so that the fastener-attached seat cover 1 illustrated in
In the fastener-attached seat cover 1 illustrated in
In the present embodiment, the structure of the opening-closing member used for the fastener-attached seat cover 1 is not particularly limited as long as the opening-closing member is attachable to and removable from the left and right element rows 20 and capable of causing the left and right element rows 20 to engage with and separate from each other. In addition, in the present embodiment, instead of using the opening-closing member, a slider capable of causing the left and right element rows 20 on the fastener-attached seat cover 1 to engage with and separate from each other may be attached to the element rows 20. In addition, the product to which the stringer members 10 of the present embodiment are attached is not limited to the seat cover 1, and the stringer members 10 may also be attached to other products, such as clothing and bags.
In the fastener-attached seat cover 1 of the present embodiment manufactured as described above, each element row 20 formed of the fastener elements 21 in a coil shape and each support member 30 formed by inserting the second core string 32 through the coil member 31 are easily bendable upward, downward, leftward, and rightward with respect to the front-rear direction. Therefore, each of the left and right stringer members 10 reliably has appropriate flexibility.
In addition, as described above, each of the left and right stringer members 10 is sewn on the corresponding cover cloth 5 at the intermediate connecting portion 41c of the stringer sewing part 41. Thus, the reduction in the flexibility of the stringer member 10 due to sewing of the stringer member 10 on the cover cloth 5 can be suppressed.
Therefore, in the fastener-attached seat cover 1 of the present embodiment illustrated in
In addition, when the stringer members 10 that are highly flexible as in the present embodiment are sewn on the cover cloths 5 at the above-described intermediate connecting portion 41c of each stringer member 10, the flexibility of the fastener-attached seat cover 1 can be improved.
According to the stringer member 10 of the present embodiment, the range of uses or applications of the stringer member 10 can be expanded. In addition, the appearance quality and design of the fastener-attached product on which the stringer members 10 are sewn can be improved.
Furthermore, according to the fastener-attached seat cover 1 manufactured in the present embodiment, as illustrated in
In addition, in the present embodiment, even when, for example, the seat cover 1 in which the left and right element rows 20 are engaged with each other receives a pulling force in a direction for separating the left and right cover cloths 5 from each other, the left and right support members 30 are respectively in contact with the left and right cover cloths 5, and the bent portions of the cover cloths 5 are restrained or prevented from moving away from each other. Therefore, the left and right cover cloths 5 can be easily maintained in contact with each other.
If the left and right cover cloths 5 receive a very strong pulling force, for example, there is a possibility that the bent portions of the left and right cover cloths 5 will be separated from each other even when the cover cloths 5 are restrained from moving by the left and right support members 30. Even in such a case, according to the fastener-attached seat cover 1 of the present embodiment, the coil member 31 of each support member 30 is formed such that the entirety of the support member 30 has a large height. Therefore, the left and right element rows 20 in an engaged state can be spaced by a large distance from the outer surface exposed to the outside of the seat cover 1.
As a result, even when the left and right cover cloths 5 receive a strong pulling force as described above such that the left and right cover cloths 5 move in the left-right direction against the restraining force applied by the support members 30 and that a gap is formed between the left and right cover cloths 5 as a result (that is, even when the left and right cover cloths 5 are released from the contact state), the left and right element rows 20 are not easily visible from the outside of the seat cover 1.
Therefore, in the seat cover 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to make the left and right element rows 20 non-visible or less visible, so that the concealability of the element rows 20 can be increased. Accordingly, degradation of the appearance quality or design of the seat cover 1 due to exposure of the element row 20 can be suppressed.
In addition, as described above, each of the left and right stringer members 10 is sewn on the fastener-attached member 5 such that the sewing needle 63 passes through the position between the tape member 11 and the first core string 26. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform sewing in accordance with the pitch of the coil-shaped element row as in the related art, and sewing on the fastener-attached member can be performed at any pitch. Thus, it is not necessary to use a dedicated sewing machine for the fastener that requires adjustment of the pitch in accordance with the element row, and a general sewing machine can be used. Therefore, the sewing process can be simplified, and the manufacturing costs can be reduced.
The stringer member 10 of the above-described embodiment is formed by sewing the element row 20, in which the first core string 26 is inserted through the fastener elements 21, and the support member 30, in which the second core string 32 is inserted through the coil member 31, on the tape member 11 with the stringer sewing part 41 in the above-described stringer forming step. However, the stringer member according to the present invention is not limited to this.
According to the present invention, the fastener-attached product may be formed by using, for example, stringer members 10a to 10f according to first to sixth modifications illustrated in
For example, the stringer member 10a of the first modification illustrated in
The stringer member 10a of the first modification may be attached to the cover cloth 5, which is a fastener-attached member, by performing a stringer attaching step similar to that for attaching the stringer member 10 in the above-described embodiment. In the stringer attaching step, the sewing process is performed by reciprocating the sewing needle of the sewing machine in the up-down direction such that the sewing needle passes through a position between the first core string 26 and the second core string (second support body) 32.
When the stringer member 10a of the first modification is used to form a fastener-attached product (for example, a fastener-attached seat cover), the flexibility of the fastener-attached product can be further increased because the stringer member 10a is formed without using a tape member. In addition, the concealability of the element row 20 included in the fastener-attached product can be increased as in the case of the stringer member 10 of the above-described embodiment.
The stringer member 10b of the second modification illustrated in
In other words, the stringer member 10b of the second modification is formed by using the support member 30b composed of one string member 33 formed of a fiber instead of the support member 30 included in the stringer member 10 of the above-described embodiment. In this case, the support member 30b is formed only of one string member (support body) 33. A twine or a knit cord, for example, is suitable for use as the string member 33.
The stringer member 10b of the second modification may be attached to the cover cloth 5, which is a fastener-attached member, by performing a stringer attaching step similar to that for attaching the stringer member 10 in the above-described embodiment. In the stringer attaching step, the sewing process is performed by reciprocating the sewing needle of the sewing machine in the up-down direction such that the sewing needle passes through a position between the first core string 26 and the string member (support body) 33.
The stringer members 10c of the third modification illustrated in
The stringer members 10d of the fourth modification illustrated in
When the stringer members 10b to 10d of the above-described second to fourth modifications are used to manufacture fastener-attached products, the manufactured fastener-attached products have effects substantially similar to those of the fastener-attached product (seat cover 1) manufactured using the stringer member 10 of the above-described embodiment.
As described above in the second to fourth modifications, in the present invention, the material and structure of the support member used in the stringer member are not particularly limited. The support member according to the present invention may have a structure other than those in the second to fourth modifications, for example, a structure in which a support body is formed by deforming a metal linear member, such as a wire, into a coil shape and in which the second core string 32 of the embodiment is inserted through the support body. Alternatively, the support member according to the present invention may be formed of an extrudate member, such as a monofilament, obtained by extrusion molding using a synthetic resin, or be formed by inserting the extrudate member through the coil member 31 as the second core string 32. Alternatively, the support member according to the present invention may be formed in a zigzag shape including a plurality of L-shaped bent portions obtained by deforming a linear member made of a synthetic resin or a metal as in, for example, the fourth modification.
The stringer member 10e of the fifth modification illustrated in
The woven tape member 13 serving as the support member 30e includes a strip-shaped tape body 13a formed of a weft yarn and a plurality of warp yarns; a tubular woven portion 13b formed integrally with the tape body 13a on one side edge of the tape body 13a; and a support body 38 held in the tubular woven portion 13b. In this case, the tubular woven portion 13b is formed as a holder that holds the support body 38. The tubular woven portion 13b is provided on one of the side edges of the tape body 13a that is closer to the engaging heads 22. The support body 38 is formed of a member capable of providing a step between the tape body 13a and the tubular woven portion 13b. More specifically, the support body 38 is formed of a string member, such as a twine or a knit cord, or an extrudate member, such as a monofilament.
The stringer member 10e of the fifth modification is manufactured by performing a stringer forming step in which the element row 20, in which the first core string 26 is inserted through the fastener elements 21, and the tape body 13a of the woven tape member 13 are sewn together. In this stringer forming step, the stringer sewing part 43 is formed by using a sewing thread of the sewing machine, and the fastener elements 21 and the tape body 13a of the woven tape member 13 are sewn on and fixed to each other with the stringer sewing part 43.
In the stringer member 10e of the fifth modification, the tape body 13a and the tubular woven portion 13b of the woven tape member 13 and the stringer sewing part 43 are formed as a connecting part that connects the element row 20 and the support body 38. In other words, a portion 13c of the tape body 13a of the woven tape member 13 is provided as a portion of the connecting part to be sewn on the fastener-attached member. More specifically, the portion 13c of the tape body 13a disposed between the stringer sewing part 43 and the tubular woven portion 13b is sewn on the fastener-attached member in the stringer attaching step.
In the stringer attaching step of the fifth modification, first, the stringer member 10e and the fastener-attached member are placed on the sewing machine such that the above-described portion 13c of the tape body 13a of the stringer member 10e and the fastener-attached member overlap in the direction in which the sewing needle 63 moves upward and downward. After that, the sewing machine is activated to form an attachment sewing part using the sewing thread of the sewing machine such that the attachment sewing part extends through the portion 13c of the tape body 13a and the fastener-attached member, thereby sewing together the portion 13c of the tape body 13a of the stringer member 10e and the fastener-attached member with the attachment sewing part. Thus, the stringer member 10e of the fifth modification can be sewn on and fixed to the fastener-attached member.
When the stringer member 10e of the fifth modification is used to manufacture a fastener-attached product, the manufactured fastener-attached product also has effects substantially similar to those of the fastener-attached product (seat cover 1) manufactured using the stringer member 10 of the above-described embodiment.
In the fifth modification, as described above, the attachment sewing part with which the stringer member 10e and the fastener-attached member are sewn together is formed to extend through the tape body 13a and the fastener-attached member in the stringer attaching step. However, instead of or in addition to forming the attachment sewing part such that the attachment sewing part extends through the tape body 13a and the fastener-attached member, for example, the attachment sewing part may be formed to cross the stringer sewing part 43 to fix the stringer member 10e to the fastener-attached member with the attachment sewing part.
The stringer member 10f of the sixth modification illustrated in
The woven tape member 14 of the sixth modification serving as the support member 30f includes a strip-shaped tape body 14a having a weave structure formed of a weft yarn and a plurality of warp yarns; two tubular woven portions 14b formed integrally with the tape body 14a; and two support bodies 38 held in the respective tubular woven portions 14b. Each tubular woven portion 14b is formed as a holder that holds the corresponding support body 38. One tubular woven portion 14b is provided on each of the left and right side edges of the tape body 14a. Each tubular woven portion 14b holds one support body 38 formed substantially similarly to that in the fifth modification. In the sixth modification, the woven tape member 14 may be shaped such that the strip-shaped tape body 14a extends in the left-right direction beyond at least one of the left and right tubular woven portions 14b.
The stringer member 10f of the sixth modification is manufactured by performing the following stringer forming step. That is, in the stringer forming step of the sixth modification, the stringer sewing part 43 is formed by using a sewing thread of the sewing machine, and the fastener elements 21 and the tape body 14a disposed between the two tubular woven portions 14b of the woven tape member 14 are sewn on and fixed to each other with the stringer sewing part 43. In this case, the stringer sewing part 43 is formed by double-chain-stitch sewing. The stringer member 10f of the sixth modification can be reliably produced by performing the above-described stringer forming step.
When the stringer member 10f of the sixth modification is used to manufacture a fastener-attached product (for example, a fastener-attached seat cover), a fastener attaching step described below is performed. More specifically, in the fastener attaching step of the sixth modification, an attachment sewing part with which the stringer member 10f and the fastener-attached member are sewn together is formed such that the attachment sewing part crosses the stringer sewing part 43. Thus, the fastener-attached product in which the stringer member 10f is fixed to the fastener-attached member can be manufactured by sewing together a portion of the stringer sewing part 43 of the stringer member 10f and the fastener-attached member with the attachment sewing part.
In the fastener-attached product manufactured by using the stringer member 10f of the sixth modification, for example, the stringer member 10f can be reliably attached to the fastener-attached member neatly or in good appearance in a curved state. In addition, the flexibility of the fastener-attached product can be further increased.
In addition, in the fastener-attached product of the sixth modification, left and right stringer members 10f are each provided with two support bodies 38, so that left and right fastener-attached members (for example, cover cloths) can each be supported by the two support bodies 38. Therefore, when the left and right fastener-attached members receive a strong pulling force, the left and right fastener-attached members can be more strongly restrained or prevented from moving away from each other. Therefore, the concealability of the element rows 20 included in the fastener-attached product can be improved compared to that in the fastener-attached product of the above-described fifth modification, and the left and right element rows 20 in an engaged state can be less visible from the outside of the fastener-attached product.
In the fastener attaching step of the sixth modification, the attachment sewing part with which the stringer member 10f is fixed to the fastener-attached member is formed to cross the stringer sewing part 43. However, instead of or in addition to forming the attachment sewing part such that the attachment sewing part crosses the stringer sewing part 43, for example, the attachment sewing part may be formed to extend through the tape body 14a and the fastener-attached member to fix the stringer member 10f to the fastener-attached member with the attachment sewing part.
When the attachment sewing part is formed to extend through the tape body 14a of the woven tape member 14 and the fastener-attached member, the attachment sewing part is preferably formed to extend through a portion of the tape body 14a disposed between one of the tubular woven portions 14b that is closer to the engaging heads 22 and the stringer sewing part 43.
In the stringer member 10e of the fifth modification and the stringer member 10f of the sixth modification described above, the element row 20 is formed such that the first core string 26 is inserted through the fastener elements 21 in a coil shape. However, in the fifth and sixth modifications, the element row of the stringer member may be formed as, for example, an element row in which a plurality of fastener elements in a coil shape is fixed by being woven into a portion of a woven tape member when the woven tape member is formed. In this case, the stringer member is formed as a woven stringer member in which the element row is woven in a portion of the woven tape member.
In the seat cover 1 (product) of the above-described embodiment, the fastener provided on the seat cover 1 is formed as a fastener of a concealable type in which the left and right element rows 20 in an engaged state are covered by the cover cloths 5. However, in the present invention, the fastener provided on the product is not limited to the above-described fastener of a concealable type. In the present invention, as long as portions of the above-described connecting parts of the stringer members are sewn on the fastener-attached members, the fastener provided on the product may be, for example, a fastener of an ordinary type (standard type) in which the left and right element rows are disposed on the outer surfaces of the fastener-attached members, or a fastener of a reversed type in which the left and right element rows are disposed on the back surfaces (inner surfaces) of the fastener-attached members.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2021/036677 | Oct 2021 | WO | international |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2022/037089 | 10/4/2022 | WO |
