Patent Application
20160198812
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sealing technology and more particularly, to a sealing strap operable by a zipper slider to force a first interlocking series of teeth into engagement with a second interlocking series of teeth and a male engagement portion of a male engaging member into engagement with a female engagement portion of a female engaging member, achieving excellent tensile strength and waterproof effects.
2. Description of the Related Art
A regular zip fastener generally comprises two zipper tapes, two interlocking series of teeth respectively longitudinally stitched to the zipper tapes, and a zipper slider movable to force the two interlocking series of teeth into engagement with each other, achieving a good tensile strength. However, the waterproof effect of a zip fastener of this design is poor. If a zip fastener of this design is used in a waterproof product (waterproof bag, raincoat, etc.), the waterproof product must provide a water sealing flap and a buckle for protecting the zip fastener against outside rainwater.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a sealing strap, which is practical for use in a waterproof product to achieve excellent tensile strength and waterproof effects.
To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a sealing strip of the invention comprises a first strap body, a second strap body, and a zipper slider. The first strap body comprises aa first base portion, a first lining and a second lining extending along one lateral side of the first base portion at different elevations, a first interlocking series of teeth extended from the first lining and a male engaging member with a male engagement portion extended from the second lining. The second strap body comprises a second base portion, a third lining and a fourth lining extending along one lateral side of the second base portion, a second interlocking series of teeth extended from the third lining, and a female engaging member with a female engagement portion extended from the fourth lining. The zipper slider is movable to force the first interlocking series of teeth into engagement with the second interlocking series of teeth and the male engagement portion of the male engaging member into engagement with the female engagement portion of the female engaging member to achieve excellent tensile strength and waterproof effects.
Referring to
The first strap body 1 comprises a first base portion 11, a first lining 12 and a second lining 13 respectively extended from one lateral side of the first base portion 11 at different elevations, a first interlocking series of teeth 14 longitudinally arranged along one lateral side of the first lining 12 opposite to the first base portion 11, and a male engaging member 15 longitduinally extending along one laterail side of the second lining 13 opposite to the first base portion 11. The male engaging member 15 is formed integral with one lateral side of the second lining 13, comprising a male engagement portion 151 longitudinally extending along one lateral side thereof opposite to the second lining 13, and two first vertical bearing walls 152 respectively abutted to the opposing top and bottom walls of the second lining 13 at right angles.
The second strap body 2 comprises a second base portion 21, a third lining 22 and a fourth lining 23 respectively extended from one lateral side of the second base portion 21 at different elevations, a second interlocking series of teeth 24 longitudinally arranged along one lateral side of the third lining 22 opposite to the second base portion 21, and a female engaging member 25 longitduinally extending along one laterail side of the fourth lining 23 opposite to the second base portion 21. The female engaging member 25 is formed integral with one lateral side of the fourth lining 23, comprising a female engagement portion 251 longitudinally extending along one lateral side thereof opposite to the fourth lining 23, and two second vertical bearing walls 252 respectively abutted to the opposing top and bottom walls of the fourth lining 23 at right angles.
The zipper slider 3 comprises two first chain grooves 31 bilaterally disposed in a front bottom side thereof, a first spacer wall 32 disposed between the two first chain grooves 31, a first coupling chamber 33 defined in a rear bottom side thereof in communication with the two first chain grooves 31, two pairs of first stop ribs 37 respectively disposed in opposing top and bottom sides at two opposite lateral sides of the first coupling chamber 33, two second chain grooves 34 bilaterally disposed in a front top side thereof above the first chain grooves 31, a second spacer wall 35 disposed between the two second chain grooves 34, a second coupling chamber 36 defined in a rear top side thereof in communication with the two second chain grooves 34, two pairs of second stop ribs 38 respectively disposed in opposing top and bottom sides at two opposite lateral sides of the second coupling chamber 36, a crown 39 located at a top side thereof, and a pull tab 4 coupled to the crown 39. The first interlocking series of teeth 14 and the second interlocking series of teeth 24 are respectively inserted into the first chain grooves 31 and the first coupling chamber 33, the male engaging member 15 and the female engaging member 25 are respectively inserted into the second chain grooves 34 and the second coupling chamber 36.
When using the sealing strap, bond or stitch the first base portion 11 of the first strap body 1 and the second base portion 21 of the second strap body 2 to two opposite edges of an opening of a flexible material 5, as on a raincoat or a bag, and then keep the first interlocking series of teeth 14 and the second interlocking series of teeth 24 separately at two opposite sides of the first spacer wall 32 and also keep the male engaging member 15 and the female engaging member 25 eparately at two opposite sides of the second spacer wall 35, thereafter, pull the pull tab 4 to slide the zipper slider 3 along the gap between the first lining 12 and the third lining 22 and the gap between the second lining 13 and the fourth lining 23 from one end to the opposite end. At this time, the first vertical bearing walls 152 of the male engaging member 15 and the the second vertical bearing walls 252 of the female engaging member 25 are guided by the first stop ribs 37 to move the first interlocking series of teeth 14 and the second interlocking series of teeth 24 toward each other, causing the first interlocking series of teeth 14 to be interlocked with the second interlocking series of teeth 24 in the first coupling chamber 33, and at the same time, the first vertical bearing walls 152 of the male engaging member 15 and the the second vertical bearing walls 252 of the female engaging member 25 are also guided by the second stop ribs 38 toward each other, causing the male engagement portion 151 of the male engaging member 15 to be engaged into the female engagement portion 251 of the female engaging member 25 in the second coupling chamber 36. At this time, the second lining 13 and the fourth lining 23 are sealed by the male engaging member 15 and the female engaging member 25, prohibiting permeation of outside rainwater through the seal strap. Thus, the invention provides excellent windproof and waterproof effects, and is practical for use in a waterproof product such as raincoat or bag. When wishing to open the two opposite edges of the opening of the flexible material 5, pull the pull tab 4 in the reversed direction to move the first spacer wall 32 between the first interlocking series of teeth 14 and the second interlocking series of teeth 24 and the second stop ribs 38 between the male engaging member 15 and the female engaging member 25 subject to the guidance of the first stop ribs 37 and the second stop ribs 38, causing separation between the first interlocking series of teeth 14 and the second interlocking series of teeth 24 and separation between the male engagement portion 151 of the male engaging member 15 and the female engagement portion 251 of the female engaging member 25, and thus, the zipper slider 3 is returned to its original position.
