Patent Application
20120096687
The present invention is directed to a zipper type of fastener used for a foldable, stowable roof, for sport utility vehicles. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a pre-gather device which is suited for proper alignment of a two portions of a zipper prior to passing through a zipper slider.
Foldable stowable roof tops are commonly used in sport-utility vehicles for recreational purposes. The foldable roof is typically moved between a stowed position, and a deployed position. When in the deployed position, the foldable roof protects the occupants of the vehicle from various weather conditions. The foldable roof also includes various sections which are made of a clear material to essentially function as a window, allowing the occupant of the vehicle to see outside of the vehicle. It is also sometimes desirable to open these clear, foldable, window sections when weather conditions are favorable, but the occupant(s) of the vehicle do not desire to change the foldable roof to the stowed position.
Because these window sections are also foldable, typical window crank devices or electric motors used for opening and closing a window made of glass (which is rigid and not foldable) are not suitable for use with a foldable roof. Therefore, other methods of opening the foldable window have been developed. One of these methods is the use of a zipper, which is typically one continuous zipper that surrounds all sides of the window but one. The one side of the window which is not surrounded by the zipper is the foldable side, allowing the window to be folded from a closed position to an open position. Additionally, zippers may also be used to assemble and disassemble various parts of the roof when roof is being changed between a stowed position and deployed position.
One of the drawbacks to this type of design is that the foldable, stowable roof or the foldable window are not always in proper alignment for the zipper to functions properly. Most zippers are designed for attaching two portions of material along a substantially straight section of each portion of the material, with ideally the two portions of material being approximately twenty degrees apart. Typical zippers consist of a slider portion and two sections of zipper tape, with one section of zipper tape attached to one section of the foldable, stowable roof, and the other section of zipper tape attached to the foldable window or another section of the foldable, stowable roof.
When these types of zippers are used with a foldable window or for connecting two different sections of a foldable, stowable roof, the zipper is often difficult to use. More specifically, if a portion of the foldable, stowable roof or foldable window is folded, crinkled, or has some sort of crease, it is sometimes difficult to provide proper alignment for both sides of the zipper tape prior to entering the slider portion to allow the two sides of the zipper tape to interlock together properly. Various portions of the foldable, stowable roof or the foldable window may be positioned by the operator of the vehicle such that both sides of the zipper tape are in proper alignment. However, this is considered undesirable increased effort in using the zipper. Additionally, some of the material of the foldable, stowable roof may become unintentionally engaged with the slider, making the slider difficult to move and use properly.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a zipper which provides proper alignment between two sides of a zipper tape when connecting a foldable roof and a foldable window having various curved areas
The present invention is directed to a zipper pre-gather device which is operable for providing proper alignment of two sides of a zipper tape prior to being fed through a slider, thereby preventing the slider from becoming unintentionally engaged with sections of the foldable, stowable roof or parts of the foldable window.
The present invention is a zipper pre-gather device which includes a slider pivotally attached to a pre-gather device. The pre-gather device has two entrances, one for receiving each side of the zipper tape, which are operable with two exits. The entrances of the pre-gather device are of a large width and height in relation to the exits, and are operable for providing proper alignment between two sides of a zipper tape, prior to the two sides of the zipper tape being fed through the slider.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
Referring to the Figures generally, a zipper pre-gather device according to the present invention is shown generally at 10. The device 10 includes a first portion, or slider 12, and a second portion, or pre-gather device 14. The slider 12 includes a looped portion 16 which along with a top surface 18 of the slider 12 creates an aperture 20. A handle feature (not shown) is connected to the looped portion 16, and the handle feature is used to move the slider 12 along two sides of a zipper tape.
The top surface 18 is part of an upper section 22, and the upper section 22 is connected to a lower section 24. The slider 12 also includes a first passage, generally shown at 26, and a second passage, generally shown at 28. The first passage 26 and second passage 28 are separate from one another, and each passage 26,28 includes a gapped portion, generally shown at 30, which is used for allowing one side of zipper tape to pass through the slider 12. Each gapped portion 30 extends along a side of the first passage 26 and the second passage 28. One side of the zipper tape passes through the first passage 26 and a second side of the zipper tape passes through the second passage 28. When both sides of the zipper tape are fed through the respective passages 26,28, the two sides of the zipper tape are connected together in a known manner.
The upper section 22 includes a first aperture 32 which is substantially in alignment with a second aperture 34 formed as part of a flange portion 36 connected to the pre-gather device 14. When assembled, the first aperture 32 and second aperture 34 are both in alignment with a third aperture 38 formed as part of the lower section 24. A fastener in the form of a pivot pin 40 is operable for extending through the apertures 32,34,38, thereby providing a pivot relationship between the slider 12 and the pre-gather device 14.
The pre-gather device 14 includes a set of passages, and more particularly, there is a third passage, shown generally at 42 and a fourth passage, shown generally at 44. The third passage 44 and fourth passage 46 are substantially larger than the passages 26,28 formed as part of the slider 12, and allow for the two sides of the zipper tape to be at a large angle relative to one another. Extending along each of the passages 42,44 is a gapped portion, shown generally at 46, which is of substantially the same height as compared to each gapped portion 30 formed as part of each of the passages 26,28. Each of the third and fourth passages 42,44 includes an entrance 48 and an exit 50.
Each entrance 48 is of a width 52 and a height 54. The width 52 of the entrance 48 is larger than the width 56 of the exit 50, and the height 54 of the entrance 48 is larger than the height 58 of the exit 50. This allows for both sides of the zipper tape to be fed through the pre-gather device 14 more easily, thereby reducing the need for manual alignment by the user of both sides of the zipper tape prior to passing through the slider 12.
Referring again now to the Figures generally, and with specific reference to
In operation, the foldable stowable roof 70 is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. When in the deployed position, it may be desirable for the user to open the foldable window 72. The handle feature is used to pull the slider 12 and pre-gather device 14 such that the portion of the sides of the zipper tape 62,64 which are assembled, shown generally at 74, move through the back end of the slider 12 in the direction of the first arrow 76, and therefore through the passages 26,28, and then through the pre-gather device 14. When the slider 12 and pre-gather device 14 travel in the direction of the first arrow 76, the sides of the zipper tape 62,64 separate, allowing the user to fold and open the foldable window 72.
When it is desired to close the foldable window 72, the zipper teeth 66,68 may not be sufficiently positioned (due to folds or bends in the foldable window 72 or the foldable, stowable roof 70) to properly pass through the slider 12, making it difficult to move the slider 12 along both sides of the zipper tape 62,64. However, the pre-gather device 14 facilitates the alignment of both sides of the zipper tape 62,64. As the slider 12 and pre-gather device 14 are moved along in the direction of the second arrow 78, the first set of zipper teeth 66 pass through the third passage 42 and the second set of zipper teeth 68 pass through the fourth passage 44. Additionally, both sides of the zipper tape 62,64, and therefore the roof 70 and window 72, pass through the respective gapped portions 46 formed along the sides of each of the passages 42,44. Because the entrance 48 of the third and fourth passages 42,44 have a significantly larger width 52 and height 54 in relation to the width 56 and height 58 of the exit 50, both sides of the zipper tape 62,64 are easily fed through the passages 42,44. Additionally, the inside surface of each of the passages 42,44 is tapered such that there is a gradual decrease in size from the entrances 48 of the passages 42,44 to the exits 50 of the passages 42,44, further facilitating the alignment of both sides of the zipper tape 62,64.
Movement of both sides of the zipper tape 62,64 through the passages 42,44 is also facilitated by the pivot connection between the pre-gather device 14 and the slider 12, which is created by the pivot pin 40. Because of the large size of the entrance 48 of each of the passages 42,44 and the pivot connection between the slider 12 and the pre-gather device 14, both sides of the zipper tape 62,64 may be positioned at a large angle relative to one another, and are still easily moved through the pre-gather device 14.
Once both sides of the zipper tape 62,64 have passed through the pre-gather device 14, the sets of zipper teeth 66,68 are in proper alignment to pass through the slider 12, but are not interlocked with one another. The first set of zipper teeth 66 become interlocked with the second set of zipper teeth 68 as the first set of zipper teeth 66 pass through the first passage 26 and the second set of zipper teeth 68 pass through the second passage 28. The zipper teeth 66,68 are interlocked after passing through the respective passages 26,28, best seen in
The pre-gather device 14 of the present invention provides for proper alignment of the two sets of zipper teeth 66,68 prior to entering into the slider 12, and is further facilitated by the pivot connection between the pre-gather device 14 and the slider 12. This substantially eliminates the need for manually aligning the first set of zipper teeth 66 and the second set of zipper teeth 68 by positioning the foldable, stowable roof 70 or the foldable window 72.
While it has been shown and described that the first set of zipper teeth 66 are connected to the foldable roof 70 and the second set of teeth are connected to a foldable window 72, it is within the scope of the invention that the zipper having a pre-gather device 10 may be used in any different applications where a zipper connection is used. For example, the device 10 of the present invention may be used with items such as, but not limited to, pants, jackets, shirts, shoes, tonneau covers, tents, tarps, or any other suitable application. Additionally, while the pivot pin 40 extending through the apertures 32,34,38 is used to provide the pivot connection between the pre-gather device 14 and the slider 12, it is also within the scope of the invention that other connections may be use to allow for a pivot or swivel relationship between the slider 12 and the pre-gather device 14, such as, but not limited to, a ball and socket, ball joint, rivet, bearing, and the like.
The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the essence of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.
