Patent Grant
10575601
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
This application relates to the field of fastening devices, and particularly to zipper arrangements.
Zippers are commonly used to fasten opposing fabric portions. One typical use for zippers is to close two separate fabric portions which form a pocket in a garment or accessory. An advantage of using a zipper to close a pocket is that when the zipper is closed, items stored in the pocket are less likely to be inadvertently removed from the pocket.
One disadvantage of using a zipper to close a pocket is that the zipper adds bulk to the garment or accessory. Each zipper includes two sets of interlocking teeth attached to a trim or flashing material. The flashing material is sewn to the garment or accessory, adding another layer of material to the garment or accessory. Added bulk may be undesirable in garments which the user wishes to conform closely to the body for improved aerodynamics and aesthetics. Additionally, added bulk may be undesirable in garments because it may increase the risk of chafing where the added bulk rubs against the body of the user during wear. Added bulk may also be undesirable in accessories for the same reasons.
Another disadvantage of using a zipper to close a pocket is that the zipper adds material and labor costs to the production of the garment or accessory. Each added zipper must be sewn precisely into the garment or accessory to function properly, which complicates construction of the garment or accessory. Accordingly, each added zipper proportionately increases material and labor costs to the garment or accessory.
In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a zipper arrangement which provides the advantages of closing a pocket and also minimizes the bulk added to the garment or accessory and minimizes the additional labor and material costs of the garment or accessory.
A garment or accessory including a single zipper arrangement which provides access to multiple pockets is disclosed herein. The garment or accessory includes at least one fabric portion including at least one opening and a zipper arrangement. The zipper arrangement includes a first toothed portion and a second toothed portion, each of which is fixedly coupled to the at least one fabric portion along the at least one opening. The zipper arrangement also includes at least one stop formed by the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion such that the first toothed portion is non-releasably or irremovably engaged with the second toothed portion at the at least one stop.
In at least one embodiment, the at least one opening includes a first opening edge and a second opening edge. The first toothed portion is fixedly coupled to the at least one fabric portion along the first opening edge, and the second toothed portion is fixedly coupled to the at least one fabric portion along the second opening edge.
In at least one embodiment, the at least one opening forms a first sub-opening on a first side of the at least one stop and a second sub-opening on a second side of the at least one stop. The first toothed portion and the second toothed portion form the first sub-opening, and the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion form the second sub-opening. A first pocket is accessible through the first sub-opening, and a second pocket is accessible through the second sub-opening.
In at least one embodiment, the zipper arrangement also includes at least two sliders, each of which is slidably received on each of the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion so as to selectively engage the first toothed portion with the second toothed portion and disengage the first toothed portion from the second toothed portion. The at least two sliders include a first slider slidably retained on the first and second toothed portions at the first sub-opening and a second slider slidably retained on the first and second toothed portions at the second sub-opening.
A zipper arrangement is also disclosed herein. The zipper arrangement includes a first toothed portion, a second toothed portion, and at least one stop formed by the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion such that the first toothed portion is non-releasably engaged with the second toothed portion at the at least one stop. The zipper arrangement further includes a first slider configured to be slidably received on the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion on a first side of the at least one stop to selectively engage the first toothed portion with the second toothed portion and disengage the first toothed portion from the second toothed portion on the first side of the at least one stop. The zipper arrangement also includes a second slider configured to be slidably received on the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion on a second side of the at least one stop to selectively engage the first toothed portion with the second toothed portion and disengage the first toothed portion from the second toothed portion on the second side of the at least one stop.
The above described features and advantages, as well as others, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. While it would be desirable to provide a zipper arrangement that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features, the teachings disclosed herein extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above-mentioned features or advantages.
All Figures© Under Armour, Inc. 2016. All rights reserved.
As shown in
The opening 112 is generally formed as a slit such that the opening 112 defines a first opening edge 116 and a second opening edge 120. In the embodiment shown, the slit is a substantially straight line or narrow rectangular shape. In alternative embodiments, however, the opening 112 can be formed in other shapes, such as, for example, a curve or an arc. Regardless of the shape of the opening 112, the first opening edge 116 is arranged approximately opposite and parallel to the second opening edge 120 such that the first opening edge 116 and the second opening edge 120 meet at first opening end 124 and second opening end 128.
The zipper arrangement 108 includes a first toothed portion 132 and a second toothed portion 136. As shown in
The first toothed portion 132 is configured to engage with and disengage from the second toothed portion 136 via interlocking teeth 140 in a manner that is generally known. In one embodiment, the interlocking teeth 140 can be made of a hardened plastic material. In another embodiment, the interlocking teeth 140 can be made of a metal material. The interlocking teeth 140 of the first toothed portion 132 are arranged on a first flashing 144, and the interlocking teeth 140 of the second toothed portion 136 are arranged on a second flashing 148. Each of the first and second flashings 144, 148 are made of a fabric material, which is affixed to the back side 106 of the fabric portion 104 adjacent to the opening 112 such that the interlocking teeth 140 are positioned extending across the opening 112.
While the interlocking teeth 140 are represented in
With reference again to
As shown in
The zipper arrangement 108 further includes a stop 160, which is formed by a portion of the interlocking teeth 140 of the first toothed portion 132 and the second toothed portion 136 that are irremovably engaged. In other words, the interlocking teeth 140 of the first and second toothed portions 132, 136 are permanently engaged at the stop 160 such that removal of the first toothed portion 132 from the second toothed portion 136 will result in at least partial destruction of the stop 160. The stop 160 prevents the first and second sliders 152, 156 from sliding on the first and second toothed portions 132, 136 where the interlocking teeth 140 are non-releasable and therefore permanently engaged. Accordingly, the first slider 152 is retained on a first side 164 of the stop 160, between the first opening end 124 and the stop 160, and the second slider 156 is retained on a second side 168 of the stop 160, between the second opening end 128 and the stop 160. Accordingly, the first opening end 124 and the second opening end 128 may also be considered end stops, as they provide end boundaries for the first and second sliders 152, 156 on the zipper arrangement, and the teeth terminate in the vicinity of the end stops. The stop 160 may be considered a central stop because the teeth 140 extend through the stop and along opposite sides of the stop 160 with the first and second sliders 152, 156 configured to move along both sides of the stop 160.
The stop 160 forms a first sub-opening 176 and a second sub-opening 180 of the single opening 112. Each of the first and second sub-openings 176, 180 is delimited by the first opening edge 116 and the second opening edge 120 of the opening 112. The first sub-opening 176 is also delimited by the first opening end 124 of the opening 112 and the stop 160, and the second sub-opening 180 is also delimited by the second opening end 128 of the opening 112 and the stop 160. Because the first and second toothed portions 132, 136 of the zipper arrangement 108 extend along the entire first and second opening edges 116, 120, both of the first and second toothed portions 132, 136 extend along each of the first and second sub-openings 176, 180. Accordingly, the first slider 152 slides along the first and second toothed portions 132, 136 between the first opening end 124 and the stop 160 to open and close the first sub-opening 176. Similarly, the second slider 156 slides along the first and second toothed portions 132, 136 between the stop 160 and the second opening end 128 to open and close the second sub-opening 180.
In one embodiment, the stop 160 can be formed by applying a plastic piece configured to engage interlocking teeth 140 so as to irremovably or non-releasably engage the interlocking teeth 140. For example, the stop 160 can be formed by affixing a pin or a clip (not shown) in between or onto the interlocking teeth 140. In an alternative embodiment, the stop 160 can be formed by melting (e.g. welding or otherwise fusing) engaged interlocking teeth 140 together so as to irremovably or non-releasably engage the interlocking teeth 140. In other alternative embodiments, the stop 160 can be formed by applying an adhesive to engaged interlocking teeth 140, by sewing engaged interlocking teeth 140 to the fabric material 104, or by another method which irremovably or non-releasably engages the interlocking teeth 140. For example, the stop 160 may comprise a piece of tape, such as a seam tape or other adhesive strip extending across the stop on the back side 106 of the fabric portion 104, or may comprise a glue or cured resin material that irremovably or non-releasably joins the interlocking teeth 140 of the first toothed portion 132 to the interlocking teeth 140 of the second toothed portion 136 at the stop 160. In other words, the stop 160 can include any mechanical element or feature which engages and locks the interlocking teeth 140 of the first toothed portion 132 to the interlocking teeth 140 of the second toothed portion 136.
As shown in
The backing 184 is also affixed to the back side 106 of the fabric portion 104 at a pocket separation 192. Like the seams 186, the pocket separation 192 can be formed by bonding, sewing, or otherwise firmly affixing the backing 184 to the back side 106 of the fabric portion 104. The pocket separation 192 extends across the perimeter formed by the seams 186 to separate the pocket 188 into a first sub-pocket 196 and a second sub-pocket 200. In the embodiment shown, the seams 186 form a rectangular perimeter of the pocket 188, and the pocket separation 192 extends approximately through the middle of the rectangular perimeter to form first and second sub-pockets 196, 200 which are approximately equally sized and congruently shaped. In alternative embodiments, however, the seams 186 can form a non-rectangular perimeter of the pocket 188. Additionally, in alternative embodiments, the pocket separation 192 can be positioned so as to form first and second sub-pockets 196, 200 which are not equally sized and are not congruently shaped. In other words, the pocket separation 192 can be positioned so as to divide the pocket 188 into sub-pockets 196, 200 having different sizes and shapes.
In the embodiment shown, the backing 184 is affixed to the back side 106 of the fabric portion 104 at one pocket separation 192 to form two sub-pockets 196, 200. In alternative embodiments, however, the backing 184 can be affixed to the fabric portion 104 at more than one pocket separation 192. In other words, multiple pocket separations 192 can extend across the perimeter formed by the seams 186 of the pocket 188 to form more than two sub-pockets. Any number of sub-pockets can be formed by including a number of pocket separations that is one fewer than the desired number of sub-pockets. As in embodiments with a single pocket separation 192, in embodiments having more than one pocket separation 192, the pocket separations can be formed at any position across the perimeter formed by the seams 186. Furthermore, the pocket separations can be spaced apart at regular or irregular intervals across the perimeter and can form congruent or incongruent sub-pockets.
As shown in
In the embodiment shown, the stop 160 is formed at a generally centered location between the first opening end 124 and the second opening end 128 so as to align with the generally centered pocket separation 192 when the zipper arrangement 108 and the backing 184 are affixed to the back side 106 of the fabric portion 104. In alternative embodiments, however, wherein the pocket separation 192 is not centered within the pocket 188, the stop 160 is formed at a different position between the first and second opening ends 124, 128 so as to align with the pocket separation 192.
In other words, the stop 160 and the pocket separation 192 are positioned so as to be aligned with one another such that the first and second sub-openings 176, 180 are aligned with the first and second sub-pockets 196, 200. The first sub-opening 176 corresponds to and provides access to the first sub-pocket 196, and the second sub-opening 180 corresponds to and provides access to the second sub-pocket 200. In at least one embodiment, the stop 160 and pocket separation 192 are arranged such that the first sub-opening 176 and first sub-pocket 196 are smaller than the second sub-opening 180 and second sub-pocket 200. Conversely, in at least one other embodiment, the stop 160 and pocket separation 192 are arranged such that the first sub-opening 176 and first sub-pocket 196 are larger than the second sub-opening 180 and second sub-pocket 200. In at least one embodiment, the first sub-opening 176 may have a length of approximately 1-5 inches, such as 3 inches for example. This arrangement would allow the first sub-pocket 196 to receive a smaller item (e.g. a small personal electronics device such as a key, a mobile telephone, a wallet, cosmetics, etc.). In at least one embodiment, the second sub-opening may have a length of approximately 5-9 inches, such as six inches for example. This arrangement would allow the second sub-pocket 200 to receive a larger item (e.g. the user's hand, a larger electronics device, etc.). In at least one embodiment, the lengths of the first and second sub-openings 176, 180, and thus the sizes of the first and second sub-pockets 196, 200 can be reversed. Again, while one or more embodiments of the stop 160, first and second sub-openings 176, 180, and first and second sub-pockets 196, 200 of the zipper arrangement 108 have been disclosed herein, it will be recognized that various additional arrangements are also contemplated.
In the embodiment shown, the zipper arrangement 108 includes one stop 160 (i.e., the central stop) which forms first and second sub-openings 176, 180 from the single opening 112 (the single opening 112 formed between the first and second opening ends 124, 128). In alternative embodiments, however, the zipper arrangement 108 can include more than one stop 160 to form more than two sub-openings to align with more than two sub-pockets formed by more than one pocket separation 192. In the same way that any number of sub-pockets can be formed by including a number of pocket separations 192 that is one fewer than the desired number of sub-pockets, the zipper arrangement 108 can form any number of sub-openings by including a number of stops 160 that is one fewer than the desired number of sub-openings. The number of sub-openings can be the same as the number of sub-pockets so that each sub-opening corresponds to a single sub-pocket. Alternatively, however, the garment or accessory 100 can include more sub-openings than sub-pockets such that more than one sub-opening can provide access to the same sub-pocket. In some embodiments, a single slider 152, 156 is provided in association with each sub-opening. For example, if the zipper arrangement includes two stops However, in one embodiment, multiple sliders 152, 156 may be provided in association with each sub-opening.
In the embodiment shown, the first and second sliders 152, 156 are arranged to mirror one another relative to the stop 160. The first and second sliders 152, 156 are both moved toward the stop 160 to open the respective first and second sub-pockets 196, 200 and away from the stop 160 to close the respective first and second sub-pockets 196, 200. In an alternative embodiment, the first and second sliders 152, 156 can be reversed such that moving the sliders 152, 156 toward the stop 160 closes the sub-pockets 196, 200 and moving the sliders 152, 156 away from the stop 160 opens the sub-pockets 196, 200.
Additionally, in further alternative embodiments, the first and second sliders 152, 156 can be arranged in the same direction such that moving the sliders 152, 156 away from the first opening end 124 opens the sub-pockets 196, 200 and moving the sliders 152, 156 toward the first opening end 124 closes the sub-pockets 196, 200. Conversely, the first and second sliders 152, 156 can be arranged such that moving the sliders 152, 156 away from the first opening end 124 closes the sub-pockets 196, 200 and moving the sliders toward the first opening end 124 opens the sub-pockets 196, 200.
In the embodiment shown, only one fabric portion 104 and one backing 184 are included on the garment or accessory 100. In alternative embodiments, however, the garment or accessory 100 can include more than one fabric portion 104 and corresponding backing 184. Each fabric portion 104 can include one opening 112 and corresponding zipper arrangement 108, as described above. In further alternative embodiments, however, each fabric portion 104 can include more than one opening 112 and corresponding zipper arrangement 108.
One advantage of the zipper arrangement 108 is that a single zipper can be used to close more than one pocket. Thus, the zipper arrangement 108 can reduce bulk added to the garment or accessory 100, because only one zipper must be added to the garment or accessory to close multiple pockets. Additionally, the zipper arrangement 108 can reduce added material and labor costs during production of the garment or accessory 100, because only one zipper must be added to the garment or accessory to close multiple pockets.
Turning now to
As shown in
In
Turning now to
With reference first to
As shown in
In embodiments where the zipper arrangement 108″ is waterproof, the trim or flashing 144″, 148″ of the zipper arrangement 108″ can be made of a polymer material. Accordingly, in such embodiments, it is also possible to form the stop 160″ by melting, or otherwise fusing, the altered interlocking tooth 208″ to the first or second flashing 144″, 148″, which is configured to cover the interlocking teeth 140″ on the front side of the zipper arrangement 108″. In other words, in at least one embodiment, the stop 160″ can be formed by melting, or otherwise fusing, the altered interlocking tooth 208″ to the first or second flashing 144″, 148″ on the front side of the zipper arrangement 108″.
As shown in
With reference now to
With reference again to
The foregoing example embodiments are but a few of numerous possible embodiments for the zipper arrangement, and it will be recognized that numerous additional embodiments are also possible and the foregoing embodiments should not be considered as limiting in any way. It will also be recognized that there are advantages to certain individual features and functions described herein that may be obtained without incorporating other features and functions described herein. Moreover, it will be recognized that various alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements of the above-disclosed embodiments and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different embodiments, systems or applications. Presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the appended claims. Therefore, the spirit and scope of any appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.
This patent document claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/236,591, filed Oct. 2, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
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