HK1155333B - Slide fastener - Google Patents

Description

Slide fastener

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a slide fastener (slider) or a zip fastener (zip fastener) having an end stop (end stop). The present invention is particularly effective when applied to a slide fastener having coupling elements, but it is preferably applicable to a slide fastener having metal coupling elements to be crimped to predetermined positions of the edge of a fastener tape, and it is also preferable to use molding or forming elements. The slide fastener and the end stop of the present invention are more preferably used together with a coupling element made of plastic.

Background

One of the rare disadvantages when using the existing slide fastener (slide fastener) or zipper (zip fastener) is: in most slide fasteners, a fastener chain formed by alternately engaging coupling elements may be disengaged by applying sufficient pressure to fold the fastener chain or by pressing the alternately engaging coupling elements with sufficient force to enable the alternately engaging and engaging of the coupling elements to be separated. While this is generally rare, it can result in the product to which the zipper is attached being virtually unusable, for example, due to the use of excessive force.

In order to repair the detached slide fastener as described above, one of the methods often used is: the slider present on the slide fastener is returned to the start position of the slide fastener over the opened coupling elements, and the slider is then re-pulled in an attempt to return the erroneously opened coupling elements to the cooperating structure. In an open-ended slide fastener (in other words, a slide fastener in which 2 tapes are joined together by employing a separable bottom stop), the slider can be returned to the starting position, and therefore this is a comparatively simple step. For a closed-end slide fastener (which is the case where the bottom end of the fastener chain has a coupling tape), although the slider can be returned to the starting position at the bottom of the slide fastener, this method is insufficient. The reason is that: in order to form a correct closing angle when using the slide fastener, the coupling element needs to pass around a tooth separator (diamond) which is present in the center of the slider. Therefore, the element distributor of the slider needs to move from a position lower than the opened coupling element. However, since the element splitter is fixed to the front portion of the slider, the element splitter cannot be moved to a position lower than the rear portion of the slider. In the closed end slide fastener, if the bottom portion of the slider moves to a position lower than the bottom stopper, the slider drops from the fastener chain, and therefore, the bottom portion of the slider must not be moved to this position. As a result, even if the slider is located at the bottom of the slide fastener, since the coupling elements are kept apart once the fastener stringers are broken open, it is prevented that all the coupling elements of the slide fastener are completely closed again. It is self-evident that this situation leads to insufficient use of the slide fastener used in a certain range of applications.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention therefore solves this problem with an improved end stop, most preferably an improved bottom end stop.

Although not particularly limited, one of the conditions in which the present invention is particularly advantageous is: the present invention relates to a slide fastener having a thermoplastic coating layer such as a concealed slide fastener or a fluid tight slide fastener as described in patent documents 1 and 2. In these structures, a thermoplastic coating layer or a water-repellent layer of natural or synthetic rubber formed on one surface of the fastener tape is abutted against each other above the surface of the coupling element, thereby forming a seal for preventing the penetration of water. As a result, in the case of the slide fastener having the thermoplastic coating layer for forming the waterproof seal as described above, if a problem occurs in which the coupling elements of the slide fastener are detached, the article to which the slide fastener is attached cannot be used.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to overcome the problems associated with the waterproof slide fastener for a slide fastener having closed end stops in which coupling elements are separated. However, the present invention is mainly intended to deal with the following problems of the slide fastener: preferably, all of the coupling elements of the slide fastener in which a part or all of the coupling elements are opened are alternately engaged again.

There are various methods of forming the closed end stop on the zipper. By closed end stop is meant an end stop that cross-links the zipper strips to secure the 2 strips together and restrain movement of the slider. Normally, a closed end stop is used at the bottom end (lower side) of the slide fastener, but in a slide fastener using 1 or more sliders, such a closed end stop is also used at the upper end. However, the purpose of using the bottom end stop (or upper end) is to: when the slider is reciprocated to open and close the coupling element or the slide fastener, the slider is prevented from being detached from the slide fastener.

Typically, the most basic end stop is formed by crimping a metal staple (staple) or crimper (crimp) to the zipper strip or tape. For the bottom end stop, a metal staple or crimper may be provided to hold the 2 tapes of the zipper together by cross-linking the 2 tapes to prevent the installed slider from disengaging from the zipper.

Patent document 3 discloses an end stop for use with a waterproof slide fastener including a pair of tapes and a coupling element provided along adjacent edges of the tapes, the tapes being partially cut away to form a gap extending in a manner spaced from the coupling element along the tape edges, the gap being for forming the end stop.

In patent document 4, a strip (a piece of cloth or the like) is attached to an end of the fastener chain under the closed bottom end stop for reinforcement, and in patent document 5, the end stop is formed by welding (welding) the strip on a set of coil-type coupling elements.

In the continuous coil type connecting element, in order to form the end stop, many attempts have been made to utilize the connecting element itself. In these attempts, it is generally necessary to melt the coupling elements as described in patent document 6 in order to thermally bond the opposing coupling elements by means of a coupling arrangement (in the case of providing a bottom end stop) or to thermally bond the adjacent coupling elements of the upper end portion to the tape edge (in the case of providing an upper end stop). However, this method is often a complicated and time-consuming process, with the result that the end stop or the coil-shaped connecting element cannot be sufficiently formed.

Patent document 7 describes a slide fastener having a bottom end stop, in which a long member is inserted into a central overlapping opening of a coil in a coupled state at a bottom of the slide fastener, and then at least one coil is deformed at the bottom of the slide fastener to be fixed at a predetermined position.

Patent document 8 describes an end stop for a slide fastener as follows: a connecting head having a rod-shaped body and a connecting element both made of synthetic resin is formed by inserting the rod-shaped body into a space formed by the connecting head, and selectively thermally bonding the rod-shaped body and the connecting head together to a slide fastener, thereby forming a slide fastener end stop.

Patent documents 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 disclose various slide fasteners having waterproof properties and end stops, but none of the above documents addresses the problems of the present invention: that is, to provide an end stop for a slide fastener incorporating a bottom coupling element so that there is no coupling element that remains separated even when the fastener chain of the slide fastener is opened.

Patent document 1: european patent specification No. 1057423

Patent document 2: european patent specification No. 1175842

Patent document 3: european patent specification No. 1964486

Patent document 4: specification of U.S. Pat. No. 3924305

Patent document 5: japanese Kokoku publication Sho 63-28887

Patent document 6: british patent specification No. 1270179

Patent document 7: specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4091509

Patent document 8: european patent specification No. 1543739

Patent document 9: british patent specification No. 1024733

Patent document 10: european patent specification No. 1772071

Patent document 11: european patent specification No. 0345799

Patent document 12: european patent specification No. 1321062

Patent document 13: specification of U.S. Pat. No. 3616939

According to the invention, it is now clear that: for example, a hermetic end stop can be formed by welding together a length of a joining element and an opposing joining strip using injection molding. Alternatively and/or additionally, the joining elements can be welded together before injection-moulding in a joining relationship. The joining elements may also be sewn together before welding and/or injection molding together. When installed, the opposing edges or sealing lips of the thermoplastic water barrier used to cover the zipper may be welded or sealed together in the area of the thermally bonded or injection molded joining elements. This combination of process steps can improve the strength of the end stop, provide a smooth surface on both sides of the zipper, and can improve the fluid tightness under the end stop for use with the structure of a waterproof zipper. The present invention, however, is not concerned with the presence or absence of a thermoplastic waterproof layer, but rather with the problem that the coupling elements will remain open when the fastener stringers of the slide fastener are disengaged.

Also, when the joining element is joined by injection molding the end stop onto the belt, a more excellent visual effect is exhibited at the position of the end stop, and the resistance to separation with respect to the belt at the position of the end stop can be improved.

Further, by having the plastic material injection-molded on the coupling element and/or the coupling element being welded or on the fastener stringer just below the coupling element, an end stop extension having a front portion supported by the base portion of the slider when the slide fastener passes through the coupling element being molded and/or welded is provided in such a manner that there is certainly no region where the coupling element cannot be fitted again alternately in the case where the fastener stringer of the coupling element is disengaged.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a slide fastener: even in the slide fastener having the closed end stop, all of the partially or fully opened coupling elements can be re-interfitted.

Thus, according to the 1 st aspect of the invention, the invention relates to a slide fastener comprising:

a pair of fastener tapes;

a pair of coupling elements disposed along adjacent edges of the pair of fastener tapes;

a slider for fitting or separating the pair of coupling elements;

an end stop fixed to the fastener tapes on the ends of the pair of coupling elements,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

a pair of coupling members fixed at a region of end portions of the pair of coupling members;

a pair of fixed coupling elements extend between a rear tip end portion of a element divider of the slider and a base portion of the slider in a state where the base portion of the slider is in contact with the end stop.

The fastening element can be fixed by means of injection moulding. Alternatively, sewing may be used to secure the attachment elements. In addition, the connecting element may be fixed by welding (welding) or melting (fusing). However, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fastening element may also be fixed by welding or melting a suitable material on the fastening element, or by injection moulding.

In the present invention, the fastener tapes of the slide fastener and the coupling elements are joined by the extensions of the end stops between the adjacent edges of the fastener tapes. Further, it is also preferable to form the coupling element of the slide fastener by using a continuous coil.

In the present invention, the end stop is a closed end stop provided in such a manner as to cover the adjacent edges of the fastener tapes.

In the present invention, the end stop has a body portion formed on at least a tape surface of the fastener tape.

Further, in a preferred embodiment, the slide fastener is a waterproof slide fastener, and the slide fastener tape preferably further has a waterproof layer on one side or both sides of the tape layer of the fastener tape, and the waterproof layers are brought into contact with each other to form a waterproof seal. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the abutting waterproof layers are further fusion bonded to improve waterproof sealing.

It is also preferred that the end stop extends across adjacent areas of the waterproof layer. Further, the end stop extends toward a side of the body portion opposite the coupling element and extends to an end of the fastener tape.

In the present invention, the end stopper covers 1 or more of the coupling elements.

Further, in the slide fastener of the present invention, it is preferable that the end stop further has a protruding portion protruding from the end stop in a direction of the fastener chain of the coupling element abutting on the base of the slider. Preferably, the projection is made of a plastic material and has a size such that the slider is stopped so as not to go over the projection while maintaining a design capable of abutting against the slider.

Other preferred features and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

According to the slide fastener of the present invention, in a state where the pair of coupling elements are fixed in a region of the end portions of the pair of coupling elements and the base portion of the slider is in contact with the end stop, the pair of fixed coupling elements extend between the rear tip end portion of the element divider of the slider and the base portion of the slider, and therefore, even in a slide fastener having a closed end stop, all of the coupling elements that are partially or completely opened can be re-interfitted.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a top view of a waterproof slide fastener.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the zipper of FIG. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view v-v of fig. 5.

Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view vi-vi of figure 1.

Fig. 5 shows an upper surface view of an alternative zipper corresponding to fig. 1, prior to the step of forming the bottom end stop at a prescribed position.

Fig. 6 shows a lower surface view of an alternative slide fastener corresponding to fig. 2 before the step of forming the bottom end stop at a prescribed position.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the slide fastener of the present invention having the welded coupling elements shown by the area A.

Fig. 8 is a top view of the slide fastener corresponding to fig. 5, in which the sealing lip of the waterproof layer is further welded.

Figure 9 shows a lower view of the zipper of figures 1 and 2 with a portion of the linking element welded together over the end stop.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the slide fastener of the present invention having a slider supported at a position above the welded coupling elements.

Fig. 11 is a bottom view of the slide fastener with the end stop of the present invention in which a part of the coupling element is fixed by the cover of the injection molded plastic material.

FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of a portion of the notch with the slider of the dental dispenser exposed.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of a slide fastener having welded coupling elements welded only by the amount shown in area A below the rear distal end portion of the dental dispenser.

Detailed Description

The present invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 and 2 show a slide fastener, and in detail, a waterproof slide fastener 2 of a general type used as a reference as described in patent document 1. The slide fastener 2 includes a pair of fastener tapes (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "tapes") 4, 6, and the pair of fastener tapes 4, 6 have tape layers 5, 7 and are woven or knitted from polyester or the like, for example. As is well known in the art, the coupling elements 12, 14 are sewn to adjacent edges 20, 22 of the lower surfaces 16, 18 of the tape layers 5, 7 (adjacent edges of the pair of fastener tapes 4, 6). The connecting elements 12 and 14 are also called coil-shaped fastener elements, and are formed by forming a monofilament into a coil shape to form a continuous coil, and the coil-shaped connecting elements 12 and 14 have heads (formed in an expanded shape) for fitting to each other. The coupling elements 12, 14 may be woven or knitted into the fastener tapes 4, 6 when forming the fastener tapes 4, 6, or the coupling elements 12, 14 may be subsequently sewn to the fastener tapes 4, 6. Waterproof layers 8, 10 made of a thermoplastic elastomer material having water repellency such as polyurethane are provided on the upper surfaces of the belt layers 5, 7, for example. The materials of the tape layers 5, 7 and the waterproof layers 8, 10 are preferably fusible so as to easily form a joint portion that is butted against each other. In other words, the term "fusibility" as used herein means that the mutual bonding is relatively easy. Here, in the above example, the tape layers 5, 7 and the waterproof layers 8, 10 are formed as the fastener tapes 4, 6, but the fastener tapes 4, 6 may be formed without the waterproof layers 8, 10 and only the tape layers 5, 7.

According to the known slide fastener, the coupling elements 12 and 14 are coupled and fitted to and separated from each other by the reciprocating motion of the sliders 130 and 131 (see fig. 12 and 13). In the reciprocating operation of the sliders 130 and 131, the moving direction of the sliders in which the coupling elements 12 and 14 are fitted to each other is defined as the front of the slide fastener 2, and the moving direction of the sliders opposite to the front side, i.e., the moving direction in which the coupling elements 12 and 14 are separated from each other, is defined as the rear of the slider 2. The sliders 130, 131 generally include upper wings 100 (see FIG. 10) and lower wings 110 connected by a post or distractor 120 of conventional construction as a slider. Here, the element divider 120 is located in front of the upper and lower wing portions 100 and 110 of the sliders 130 and 131, and front ends of the upper and lower wing portions 100 and 110 are front openings, and rear ends of the upper and lower wing portions 100 and 110 are rear openings of the base portion 140 (or rear openings) of the slider. However, the sliders 130 and 131 are not necessarily limited to the above-described normal configuration, and it is understood that the present invention is not limited to the sliders having the above-described shape. For example, the position of the element divider or the guide post can be moved to change the shape of the slide fastener according to the properties of the slider and the type of slide fastener for which the coupling element needs to be closed. However, what is important to the present invention is the relationship between the dental dispenser 120 shown in fig. 12 and 13 and the welded connecting elements 12, 14(160) labeled as area a in fig. 9 and 13.

Figures 1 and 2 show a shaped bottom end stop indicated as a whole with the reference number 26. Next, the formation of the end stop 26 in an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 5 and 6 showing the slide fastener 2 before the end stop 26 is formed.

In the shaped end stop 26 shown in fig. 1 and 2, the end stop 26 is formed from a plastic material. The end stop 26 may be formed of the same thermoplastic elastomer as the waterproof layers 8 and 10. The end stop 26 has a body portion 34, the body portion 34 having an upper portion 44 and a lower portion 46. The upper portion 44 and the lower portion 46 extend above and/or below the belt layers 5, 7 and the waterproof layers 8, 10, respectively. An end stop 26 is formed on the rear end of the row of joining elements 12, 14, across the pair of belt layers 5, 7.

The body portion 34 thus formed serves to prevent the sliders 130, 131 from being detached from the coupling elements 12, 14 when the sliders 130, 131 reciprocate along the coupling elements 12, 14 to couple or decouple (separate) the coupling elements 12, 14.

In one embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 4, the body portion 34 buries the gap 28 between the opposing edges 30, 32 of the belts 4, 6 when the end stop 26 is installed between the opposing edges 30, 32 of the belts 4, 6. The body portion 34 also covers the opposite edges 30, 32 of the tapes 4, 6 so as to be supported by and engaged with the lower surfaces 16, 18 of the fastener tapes (tape layers) 4, 6 and the upper surfaces 36, 38 of the waterproof layers 8, 10. Then, an extension portion (end stop extension) 54 of the end stop 26 extending from the main body portion 34 is formed to extend from the main body portion 34 in the rear direction of the slide fastener 2 (the side opposite to the side where the coupling elements 12 and 14 are formed) along the tape layers 5 and 7, thereby burying the gap between the pair of tape layers 5 and 7. In addition, the end stop extension 54 is a portion having a lower height (thinner thickness) than the main body portion 34.

Fig. 5 and 6 illustrate the upper and lower surface portions of the slide fastener 2, respectively, of one face of the present invention before the end stop 26 is formed.

Fig. 7 and 9 show the lower surface (a view showing the side of the coupling element) of the slide fastener of the present invention having the coupling element welded or thermally bonded. The region where the welded or thermally bonded connecting elements 12, 14 are secured is designated as region a in fig. 7 and 9, and it can be seen that this region extends from the foremost portion of the end stop 26 of fig. 9 along a certain length of the connecting elements 12, 14. For example, when a simple end stop having a metal clip shape is used, it can be understood that: the welded or heat bonded connecting elements 12, 14 start from directly behind the clamp. In this way, the welded or heat-welded joining elements 12, 14 form the end stop extension 55. In other words, the extension (end stop extension) 55 of the end stop 26 extending from the main body portion 34 is formed to extend from the main body portion 34 toward the front of the slide fastener 2 (the side where the coupling elements 12, 14 are formed). The end stop extension 55 is a portion having a height lower (thinner) than the body portion 34, and enters into the gap between the upper and lower wing portions 100 and 110 of the sliders 130 and 131.

According to the invention, it is self-evident that: the size of the joining (fixing) region "a" of the coupling elements 12, 14 formed by one or more of welding, sewing and injection molding and forming the end stop extension 55 needs to be equal to the space labeled as region "a" in fig. 12. As shown in fig. 12, the region labeled as region "a" of the slider 130 extends from the base (bottom or rear opening) 140 of the slider 130 to the rear tip end portion 150 of the element divider 120, and the coupling elements 12, 14 in this coupling region "a" are fixed integrally. In other words, the joining elements 12, 14 in the joining region "a" are fixed so as not to be separable from each other.

As a result, as shown in fig. 13, in order to make the base portion 140 of the slider 131 and the starting point of the welded or thermally bonded coupling element 160 be at the same height (thickness), when the slider 131 moves on the slide fastener 2, the rear tip end portion 150 of the element distributor 120 is supported by the front end portion (end portion on the side opposite to the main body portion 34) of the welded or thermally bonded coupling element 160 (which may also be sewn together by sewing with a thread for coupling the pair of coupling elements 12, 14 to each other, forming the sewn coupling element 190). The height (thickness) of the coupling element 160 is a dimension parallel to the front-rear direction of the fastener tapes 4 and 6. The width, which will be described later, is a dimension horizontal to the fastener tapes 4 and 6 and perpendicular to the front-rear direction, and this direction is also referred to as the width direction. In other words, the extent of welding or thermal bonding of the connecting element 160 of the present invention must be the same as the distance between the base portion 140 of the slider 130, 131 and the rear distal end portion 150 of the element divider 120, and both are labeled as region "a".

Therefore, the size of the welded or thermally bonded portion a of the connecting member 160 needs to be a sufficient size to satisfy the following conditions: when the base 140 of the slider 130, 131 is supported by the front portion 180 of the end stop 26 (for example, when the end stop 26 is injection-molded on the tape 4, 6), the slider 130, 131 passes through the coupling element 160 after welding, and the coupling element 160 is hidden by the slider 130, 131, so that there is no coupling element 12, 14 which cannot be coupled by unintentionally separating at a position rearward of the rear tip end portion 150 of the element divider 120 of the slider 130, 131. As a result, when the sliders 130, 131 are pulled again along the opening coupling elements 12, 14 of the slide fastener 2, the opening coupling elements 12, 14 are re-closed, and no coupling elements 12, 14 remaining in the opened state remain. In other words, even if the coupling elements 12 and 14 coupled and fitted are unintentionally separated, by moving the sliders 130 and 131 into contact with the end stopper 26, the end stopper extending portion 55 of the end stopper 26 enters from the rear openings of the sliders 130 and 131 and comes into contact with the rear distal end portion 150 of the dental dispenser 120. Thus, the divided coupling elements 12 and 14 are located forward of the rear distal end portion 150 of the dental splitter 120, and only the coupling element 160, i.e., the end stop extension 55, which is welded or thermally bonded is present rearward of the rear distal end portion 150 (i.e., the slide fastener 2 is normally opened to the end stop 26). Therefore, since the coupling elements 12, 14 in the separated state are fitted from the first 1 st by pulling the sliders 130, 131 again, the coupling elements 12, 14 in the separated state do not remain between the pulled sliders 130, 131 and the end stop 26, and all the coupling elements 12, 14 can be fitted again alternately.

Therefore, according to the invention, the regions of the joining element, designated as region a, are welded or heat-bonded together to form the end stop extension, indicated by 55 in fig. 11, or alternatively and/or additionally the joining element is injection-molded using the same material as used to form the protrusion, indicated in fig. 11, so as to form the region of double reinforcement.

In the case of injection molding the end stop such as forming the protrusion further, the gap fastener may be used as the thermally bonded connecting element for forming the extended portion of the end stop so that the injection molded protrusion is brought into contact with or partially overlaps the final thermally bonded connecting element. In addition, the gap chain is a tooth chain having a gap between the protruding portion and the last coupling element.

The end stop extension of the present invention, labeled as region "a", may or may not be additionally sewn. The connecting elements between the tapes may be bonded by 1 connecting method of thermal bonding, welding, sewing, and injection molding, for example, the connecting elements may be thermally bonded by heating, or the connecting elements may be welded by an injection molding process, or in the region of the connecting elements labeled as the region "a", sewing may be added or not added, or the region of the connecting elements labeled as the region "a" may be first welded or thermally bonded by heat, and then the region may be further covered by injection molding. In other words, for a zipper that has been inadvertently separated, it is preferable to form a strong end stop extension that corresponds to the problems outlined above.

Finally, when the upper portions or the upper surfaces of the tape layers 5 and 7 of the slide fastener 2 are covered with the waterproof layers 8 and 10 made of a thermoplastic elastomer material, the waterproof property of the end stop extending portion 54 can be further improved by melting the seal lips of the waterproof layers 8 and 10 formed by contact with the waterproof layers 8 and 10 onto the center line 24 shown in fig. 8 before or after the end stop extending portion 54 is formed, and performing welding.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the end stopper 26 may extend across the upper surfaces 36 and 38 of the waterproof layers 8 and 10 or the lower surfaces 16 and 18 of the belt layers 5 and 7, and the end stopper 26 may extend to form layers 52 and 54 as necessary, and the layers 52 and 54 may extend to the ends 40 and 42 of the belts 4 and 6.

Therefore, the problem of the slide fastener having the old type end stop as outlined above can be solved by forming an elongated end stop, most preferably an elongated bottom end stop, by fixing the coupling elements, which are kept in an open state by forcible separation, by welding or thermal bonding.

In other words, even when the fastener chain of the slide fastener 2 is completely opened by being separated, the coupling elements 12 and 14 from the rear distal end portion 150 of the element divider 120 of the sliders 130 and 131 to the base portion 140 are welded, thermally bonded, and injection-molded, so that the end stopper extending portion 55 is formed in the bottom end stopper 26, and the slider 130 and 131 is supported by the end stopper extending portion 55, so that the coupling elements 12 and 14 in the opened state do not exist behind the rear distal end portion 150 of the element divider 120 of the slider 130 and 131, and therefore, the coupling elements 12 and 14 which cannot be re-coupled do not exist.

The slide fastener 2 of the present invention and the end stop 26 are prepared by the following steps.

First, the areas or portions of the connecting elements 12, 14, which are marked "a" in fig. 7 and 9, are sewn together and/or welded, for example, using ultrasound. In this way, the separation of the coupling elements 12 and 14 from each other is reliably eliminated, and a base (the welded coupling element 160) for calculating the arrangement of the bottom end stop 26 is prepared.

Second, when the slide fastener 2 is used as a closed slide fastener, the seal lips of the waterproof layers 8 and 10 of the heated slide fastener 2 are heated and bonded to each other. Since in a typical zipper (slide fastener) or zipper (zip fastener) there is no plastic seal present here, this step is not necessary, which it is contemplated to be understood by those skilled in the art.

Third, the end stop 26 is injection molded onto the belts 4, 6 below the area of the joining element 160 being welded. The plastic material is also repeatedly formed integrally therewith onto the weld of the linking element 160 (formed in a manner to cover the outside of the weld) to form the final end stop extension 55.

The additional forming on the welded or thermally bonded connecting element 160 can strengthen the welded portion, and is preferably aesthetic. The additional molding can also prevent the entirety of the welded portion from being peeled off from the slide fastener 2.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention in which the projecting portion projects from the bottom end stop, by stopping the bottom portion (base portion) of the slider at this position, it is possible to prevent the element divider of the slider from being pulled up to the worn, damaged, and repeatedly formed welding region over a long period of time and from coming into excessive contact with the welding region. There is a risk that the entire slider may be detached together from the fastener chain by an excessive force without a bottom end stop having a protruding portion protruding more than the width or height of the slider. The protruding portion protrudes so as to have a thickness larger than that of the coupling element in the fitted state, and has a dimension in the width direction larger than that of the coupling element in the fitted state, and protrudes outward of the coupling element. The projection is a part of the body portion 34, and abuts against the base of the slider, thereby having a function of preventing the slider from being detached from the fastener chain.

It is understood that the protruding portion and the overlap portion need not be formed integrally, but may be a stopper mechanism made of metal or the like. In the illustrated example, the coupling element is a coil-shaped coupling element, but the coupling element is not limited thereto, and an appropriate coupling element used in a general slide fastener may be used. For example, the coupling element may be injection-molded on the fastener tape, or the coupling element may be disposed on the fastener tape and then fixed by welding or melting.

Claims (14)

1. A zipper, comprising:

a pair of fastener tapes;

a pair of coupling elements provided along adjacent edges of the pair of fastener tapes;

a slider for fitting or separating the pair of coupling elements;

an end stopper fixed to the fastener tape at the end portions of the pair of coupling elements,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the pair of connecting elements are fixed in a region of the end portions of the pair of connecting elements;

the pair of fixed coupling elements extend between a rear tip end portion of the element divider of the slider and the base portion of the slider in a state where the base portion of the slider is in contact with the end stop.

2. The slide fastener according to claim 1,

the connecting element is fixed by injection molding.

3. The slide fastener according to claim 1,

the connecting elements are fixed by sewing.

4. The slide fastener according to claim 1,

the connecting element is fixed by welding or melting.

5. The slide fastener according to claim 1,

the end stop has a body portion from which an extension extends, the fastener tape and the coupling element being joined by the extension of the end stop between the adjacent edges of the fastener tape.

6. The zipper according to claim 5,

the end stop is a closed end stop provided so as to cover the adjacent edges of the fastener tapes.

7. The slide fastener according to claim 1,

the connecting element is formed by a continuous coil.

8. The slide fastener according to claim 1,

the end stop has a body portion formed on at least one tape surface of the fastener tape.

9. The slide fastener according to claim 1,

the zipper is a waterproof zipper,

the fastener tape further has a waterproof layer on one side or both sides of the tape layer of the fastener tape, and the waterproof layers are in contact with each other.

10. The zipper of claim 9,

the abutting waterproof layers are further fusion bonded.

11. The zipper of claim 9,

the end stop extends across adjacent areas of the waterproof layer.

12. The zipper of claim 8,

the end stop extends to a side of the body portion opposite the coupling element and to an end of the fastener tape.

13. The slide fastener according to claim 1,

the end stop covers more than 1 connecting element.

14. The slide fastener according to claim 1,

the end stop further has a protruding portion protruding from the end stop in a direction of the fastener chain of the coupling element abutting against the bottom portion of the slider.