Patent Application
20170164695
All of the material in this patent document is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all other copyright rights whatsoever are reserved.
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a slide fastener assembly, or zipper, for installation across a wide range of manufactured articles and, particularly, to a slide fastener assembly that helps to reduce the number of manufacturing steps required for assembling such articles.
Background
The cost of sewing a slide fastener assembly, or zipper, to an article can be costly and difficult in many different applications—especially in applications where the outside finish or cover of the article must be very taut. This is particularly true for mattresses and covers therefor, which commonly incorporate functional and/or aesthetic cords along edges or corners thereof. A cord may be simply decorative in certain implementations, and, in others, a heavy cord creates a stiff edge between the top of the mattress cover and the sides of the mattress cover, as discussed in greater detail below.
Traditionally, a mattress was manufactured as a complete article, with an outer fabric layer enclosing the mattress interior. The outer fabric layer generally includes a bottom flat surface, a top flat surface, and a continuous strip of material that covers the sides (i.e., between the top and bottom surfaces). The junction between the sides and the top and bottom flat surfaces is sewn, and often includes a thick cord. The cord provides a transition between the side and top or bottom, and can provide a stiff edge that gives the finished mattress an attractive and durable edge. In this regard,
Indeed, there are several known methods of affixing cords to mattresses. In accordance with one such method, depicted schematically in
A recent trend in bedding has involved a shift to premium foam mattresses with removable mattress covers. The use of a removable cover allows a mattress cover to be laundered and/or replaced with a new cover having a fabric surface that may be more desirable for the mattress user. In order to facilitate removal and replacement, such mattress covers utilize a long zipper that runs along the entire length of all four sides of the mattress. Such covers are usually assembled from more pieces than the outer fabric covering of a traditional mattress, which results in more sewing operations and additional labor. The addition of a cord along an edge of the cover further compounds the number of required sewing operations.
To account for the inclusion of a beaded cord along a perimeter edge of a mattress cover, additional manufacturing steps are generally involved. In this regard,
The mattress cover 25 depicted in
As such, several manual sewing operations are generally involved with respect to the assembly of a mattress cover 25 having a beaded cord 240. In particular, sewing operations are required during attachment of the zipper teeth 211,212 to the slide fastener assembly 200, during attachment of the slide fastener assembly 200 to the mattress cover 25, and during attachment of the beaded cord 240 to the mattress cover 25.
A need exists for improvement in the process of implementing a slide fastener assembly in various manufactured articles. Furthermore, a need exists for an improved slide fastener assembly that can help reduce the number of manufacturing steps required for assembling such articles. Theses, and other needs, are addressed by one or more aspects of the present invention.
The present invention includes many aspects and features. Moreover, while many aspects and features relate to, and are described in, the context of slide fastener assemblies that help to reduce manufacturing steps, the present invention is not limited to use only in connection with the reduction of manufacturing steps for articles that include slide fastener assemblies, as will become apparent from the following summaries and detailed descriptions of aspects, features, and one or more embodiments of the present invention.
Broadly defined, the present invention according to one aspect includes a slide fastener assembly. The slide fastener assembly includes a first stringer tape and a second stringer tape. The first stringer tape includes a row of interlocking zipper teeth attached along an inner edge thereof. The second stringer tape includes a row of interlocking zipper teeth attached along an inner edge thereof and a hollow tube arranged along a selvedge edge thereof. The slide fastener assembly further includes a separate cord positioned within the hollow tube, thereby forming a beaded cord at the selvedge edge of the second stringer tape.
In a feature of this aspect, each row of interlocking zipper teeth may include coil-type teeth.
In another feature of this aspect, the hollow tube may have a rounded cross-sectional shape. In another feature of this aspect, the rounded cross-sectional shape may be a generally circular cross-sectional shape.
In another feature of this aspect, the hollow tube may be generally parallel with the row of interlocking zipper teeth at the inner edge of the second stringer tape.
In another feature of this aspect, the hollow tube may be sized to snugly accommodate the separate cord positioned therein.
Broadly defined, the present invention according to another aspect includes a slide fastener assembly. The slide fastener assembly includes first and second stringer tapes, each of which includes a row of interlocking zipper teeth attached along an inner edge thereof. The second stringer tape includes a hollow tube arranged along a selvedge edge thereof. The hollow tube is part of a unitary body that includes the second stringer tape.
In a feature of this aspect, each row of interlocking zipper teeth may include coil-type teeth.
In another feature of this aspect, the hollow tube may have a rounded cross-sectional shape. In another feature of this aspect, the rounded cross-sectional shape may be a generally circular cross-sectional shape.
In another feature of this aspect, the hollow tube may be generally parallel with the row of interlocking zipper teeth at the inner edge of the second stringer tape.
In another feature of this aspect, the slide fastener assembly may further include a separate cord positioned within the hollow tube, thereby forming a beaded cord at the selvedge edge of the second stringer tape. In another feature of this aspect, the cord may have a rounded cross-sectional shape. In another feature of this aspect, the rounded cross-sectional shape may be a generally circular cross-sectional shape.
Broadly defined, the present invention according to another aspect includes a cover for a bedding article. The cover includes a first cover portion having a first stringer tape attached along a perimeter edge thereof and a second cover portion having a second stringer tape attached along a perimeter edge thereof. The first stringer tape includes a first row of interlocking zipper teeth arranged along an inner edge thereof, and the second stringer tape includes a second row of interlocking zipper teeth arranged along an inner edge thereof and a hollow tube arranged along a selvedge edge thereof. The cover further includes a separate cord positioned within the hollow tube, thereby forming a beaded cord at the selvedge edge of the second stringer tape. Upon arrangement of the first and second cover portions at either side of a bedding article and upon bringing the first row of zipper teeth into interlocking arrangement with the second row of zipper teeth, the beaded cord is arranged at or adjacent to an edge of the bedding article, thereby defining a stiffened edge.
In features of this aspect, each row of interlocking zipper teeth may include coil-type teeth; the hollow tube may be generally parallel with the second row of interlocking zipper teeth; the hollow tube may be sized to snugly accommodate the separate cord positioned therein; the hollow tube may be part of a unitary body that includes the second stringer tape; the second cover portion may be a top cover portion; and/or the hollow tube may have a generally circular cross-sectional shape.
In addition to the aforementioned aspects and features of the present invention, it should be noted that the present invention further encompasses the various logical combinations and subcombinations of such aspects and features. Thus, for example, claims in this or a divisional or continuing patent application or applications may be separately directed to any aspect, feature, or embodiment disclosed herein, or combination thereof, without requiring any other aspect, feature, or embodiment.
One or more preferred embodiments of the present invention now will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same elements are referred to with the same reference numerals, and wherein,
As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art (“Ordinary Artisan”) that the invention has broad utility and application. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being “preferred” is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. Furthermore, an embodiment of the invention may incorporate only one or a plurality of the aspects of the invention disclosed herein; only one or a plurality of the features disclosed herein; or combination thereof. As such, many embodiments are implicitly disclosed herein and fall within the scope of what is regarded as the invention.
Accordingly, while the invention is described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the invention, and is made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded the invention in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the invention be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.
Thus, for example, any sequence(s) and/or temporal order of steps of various processes or methods that are described herein are illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, although steps of various processes or methods may be shown and described as being in a sequence or temporal order, the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence or order, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps in such processes or methods generally may be carried out in various different sequences and orders while still falling within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the invention is to be defined by the issued claim(s) rather than the description set forth herein.
Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which the Ordinary Artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used herein—as understood by the Ordinary Artisan based on the contextual use of such term—differs in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the Ordinary Artisan should prevail.
With regard solely to construction of any claim with respect to the United States, no claim element is to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the explicit phrase “means for” or “step for” is actually used in such claim element, whereupon this statutory provision is intended to and should apply in the interpretation of such claim element. With regard to any method claim including a condition precedent step, such method requires the condition precedent to be met and the step to be performed at least once during performance of the claimed method.
Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, “a” and “an” each generally denotes “at least one,” but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. Thus, reference to “a picnic basket having an apple” describes “a picnic basket having at least one apple” as well as “a picnic basket having apples.” In contrast, reference to “a picnic basket having a single apple” describes “a picnic basket having only one apple.”
When used herein to join a list of items, “or” denotes “at least one of the items,” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Thus, reference to “a picnic basket having cheese or crackers” describes “a picnic basket having cheese without crackers”, “a picnic basket having crackers without cheese”, and “a picnic basket having both cheese and crackers.” When used herein to join a list of items, “and” denotes “all of the items of the list.” Thus, reference to “a picnic basket having cheese and crackers” describes “a picnic basket having cheese, wherein the picnic basket further has crackers,” as well as describes “a picnic basket having crackers, wherein the picnic basket further has cheese.”
Referring now to the drawings, one or more preferred embodiments of the invention are next described. The following description of one or more preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its implementations, or uses.
The slide fastener assembly of the present invention can be affixed to a mattress cover using fewer individual components and fewer sewing steps than a slide fastener assembly having a separately-attached beaded cord, such as that which is discussed above in connection with
It is contemplated that the hollow tube, or bead, 345 may be formed during the stringer tape weaving process, with the hollow tube 345 being woven together with the stringer tape 302. In this regard, the hollow tube 345 is fully integrated with the stringer tape 302 and is part of a unitary body therewith. It is further contemplated that the hollow tube 345 can be woven with a generally uniform cross-sectional shape, which, in at least some embodiments, is round or generally circular.
To complete the assembly, zipper teeth 311 are sewn to the inboard edge of stringer tape 301 by means of one or more rows of stitching 313, and zipper teeth 312 are sewn to the inboard edge of stringer tape 302 by means of one or more rows of stitching 314. A slider body (not shown) and a pin-and-box assembly (not shown) may likewise be installed on the stringer tapes 301,302. One stringer tape 301 may then be affixed to an article (such as a bottom half of a mattress cover) by means of stitching 315,316, and the other stringer tape 302 may be affixed to an article (such as a top half of a mattress cover) by means of stitching 317,318. It is contemplated that the cord 344 can be pulled through the hollow tube 345 during manufacture of the stringer tapes 301,302 (such as prior to dyeing the tape and before attachment of the coil-type teeth), but it is also contemplated that the cord 344 can be installed as late as the final step in the manufacture of a mattress cover or other article. Regardless of when the cord 344 is installed within the hollow tube 345, combining the cord 344 with the stringer tape 302 in this manner provides the stringer tape 302 with a built-in beaded cord 340 and eliminates one or more sewing steps, which can facilitate lower manufacturing costs.
The mattress cover 25 comprises a bottom half 27 and a top half 28. A first stringer tape 401 is shown affixed to the bottom half 27 of the mattress 25 cover by means of two rows of stitching 415,416, and a second stringer tape 402 is shown affixed to the top half 28 of the mattress cover 25 by means of two rows of stitching 417,418. Generally, there is no significance to the number of rows of stitching used to affix the stinger tapes 401,402 to the two halves 27,28 of the mattress cover 25, and as many rows can be used as might be required to achieve a particular aesthetic. As with the slide fastener assembly 300 of
In further embodiments of the present invention, it is contemplated that multiple hollow tubes may be woven into the stringer tapes as specific applications may require. In this regard, the scope of the invention is not limited to stringer tapes having a single hollow tube along the selvedge edge. Depending on the desired finished width of the stringer tapes, it is possible to weave, or otherwise integrate, one or more additional tubes anywhere along the stringer tapes, whether for functional or aesthetic purposes.
It should be readily apparent that the number of manufacturing steps required to prepare and install the slide fastener assembly 300,400 of the present invention is fewer than the number of steps required to install a conventional slide fastener assembly that incorporates a separate beaded cord. The slide fastener assembly 300,400 of the present invention includes a hollow tube at the selvedge edge of at least one of the stringer tapes so that, once a cord is installed within the hollow tube, the beaded edge effectively eliminates the need for a separate cord and the related sewing operations required to install the cord. This can be particularly important for manufacture of mattresses, which are commonly manufactured with a form-fitting mattress cover for aesthetic and functional purposes. The form-fitting mattress cover generally comprises a bottom half and a top half, and the two halves are fastened with a very long zipper around the side (i.e., the perimeter) of the mattress. A zipper with one stringer tape that has a tube formed on the selvedge edge of at least one of the stringer tapes, in accordance with the present invention, allows a mattress manufacturer to add a beaded cord to the mattress cover with fewer manufacturing steps, and particularly, with fewer manufacturing steps that require sewing operations.
Based on the foregoing description, it will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those specifically described herein, as well as many variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing descriptions thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to one or more preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for the purpose of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications or equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.
The present application is a U.S. nonprovisional patent application of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to, U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/267,089, filed Dec. 14, 2015 and entitled, “SLIDE FASTENER,” which provisional patent application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62267089 | Dec 2015 | US |
