Slider for a slide fastener

Abstract

A slider for a slide fastener is disclosed having a slider body and a pull tab wherein: the slider body includes a pull tab retainer having a first side wall and a second side wall with respective recesses for accommodation of the ring of the pull tab, and each recess has a tongue which is inwardly extended to provide a contact surface for the ring, and each tongue joins with the respective side wall with a rounded edge.

Claims

1. A slider for a slide fastener comprising a slider body and a pull tab wherein: the slider body comprises an inner flange, an outer flange and a bridge above the outer flange; the pull tab comprises a ring which is retained between said outer flange and said bridge; the bridge includes a pull tab retainer having a first side wall and a second side wall, said first side wall and second side wall being distanced and facing one another, and projecting toward the outer flange; the first side wall has a first recess and the second side wall has a second recess, the first recess and second recess facing one another and being arranged for receiving and retaining the ring of the pull tab; each of said first recess and second recess having an inwardly extended tongue, so that a first tongue of the first side wall projects toward the second side wall and a second tongue of the second side wall projects toward the first side wall; the first tongue and the second tongue providing contact surfaces for the ring of the pull tab; each of said first tongue and second tongue joining with the respective side wall with a rounded edge.

2. The slider according to claim 1, wherein said contact surfaces are planar or substantially planar.

3. The slider according to claim 1, wherein the first tongue is an integral part of the first side wall and the second tongue is an integral part of the second side wall.

4. The slider according to claim 1, wherein the pull tab retainer is integrally made in a single piece.

5. The slider according to claim 4, wherein the pull tab retainer is made with a molding process.

6. The slider according to claim 1, wherein the pull tab retainer is made of metal.

7. The slider according to claim 1, wherein the tongue of each side wall and the respective rounded edge project from the entire contour of the respective recess.

8. The slider according to claim 1, wherein the first recess and the second recess are V-shaped or substantially V-shaped.

9. The slider according to claim 8, wherein each of the first recess and second recess includes two opposed inclined segments and a central segment between the inclined segments, and each tongue has corresponding portions which project from all the segments of the recess thus following the contour of the recess.

10. The slider according to claim 1, wherein a sum of the projection of the first tongue and of the second tongue is less than the distance between inner faces of the first side wall and second side wall, so that inner edges of the tongues remain spaced apart.

11. The slider according to claim 1, wherein the first recess and the second recess have a length such that a movement of the ring with respect to the slider body, in a longitudinal direction, is restrained to not more than 1.5 mm.

12. The slider according to claim 1, wherein the retainer is a resilient element.

13. The slider according to claim 12, wherein the slider includes a releasable lock configured to prevent sliding and is releasable upon action of a user on the pull tab, and the pull tab retainer is configured to act as a resilient element of the releasable lock.

14. The slider according to claim 13, wherein: the pull tab retainer has a rest position in which the lock is effective, and pulling the pull tab causes the ring to lift the resilient element from the rest position to release the lock and allow the sliding of the slider, wherein the ring can lift the resilient element and release the lock.

15. The slider according to claim 1, wherein the first recess and the second recess have a length such that a movement of the ring with respect to the slider body, in a longitudinal direction, is restrained to not more than 1 mm.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a slider for a slide fastener with pull tab according to an embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a side view of the slider of FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the slider of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 4 is a view of the pull tab retainer of the slider of FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the retainer of FIG. 4.

(6) FIG. 6 is a side view of the retainer of FIG. 4.

(7) FIG. 7 is a cross section of the retainer according to plane VII of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) The figures illustrate an embodiment of a slider 1 including a slider body 2 and a pull tab 3.

(9) The slider body 2 comprises an inner flange 4, an outer flange 5, a bridge 6, a core 7. The core 7 connects the flanges 4, 5 and is located in the front of the slider 1.

(10) The pull tab 3 comprises a puller 8 and a ring 9.

(11) The flanges 4 and 5 define a channel 10 for receiving and meshing of the interconnection elements of a zip fastener. FIG. 1 illustrates a direction L which is the sliding direction during the use and can be termed a longitudinal direction of the slider 1.

(12) The bridge 6 includes a pull tab retainer which, in the exemplary embodiment of the figures, is a metal spring 11. The ring 9 of the pull tab 3 is retained between the outer flange 5 and the bridge 6. The upper surface of the outer flange 5 is preferably flat.

(13) The spring 11 is a single piece of metal, made preferably by a molding process, including an upper plate 12, a first side wall 13 and a second side wall 14.

(14) The first side wall 13 and a second side wall 14 project from the longitudinal edges of the upper plate 12 toward the outer flange 5. Accordingly the side walls 13, 14 are spaced apart and face one another. The cross section of the spring 11 has substantially the shape of an inverted U.

(15) The first side wall 13 and the second side wall 14 have respectively a first V-shaped recess 15 and a second V-shaped recess 16 facing one another and arranged for receiving and retaining the pull tab ring 9.

(16) Each of the two recesses 15, 16 has a respective inwardly projected tongue 17, 18 and bent at a suitable angle relative to the corresponding side wall. Accordingly, the first tongue 17 projects from the first side wall 13 toward the second side wall 14 and the second tongue 18 projects from the first side wall 14 toward the first side wall 13.

(17) Said inwardly extended tongues 17, 18 form contact surfaces 19, 20 for the ring 9 of the pull tab. The first tongue 17 and second tongue 18 join with the respective side wall 13, 14 with a rounded edge 21, 22. The rounded edges 21, 22 provide therefore a smooth transition between the thin side walls 13, 14 of the spring 11 and the contact surfaces 19, 20.

(18) Preferably the tongues 18, 19 are bent inwardly, relative to the side walls, by an angle of 90° or around 90°.

(19) The contact surfaces 19, 20 are preferably planar.

(20) As it can be seen in FIG. 5, the projection of the tongues 17, 18, from the inner faces 23, 24 of the side walls 13, 14, is less than the distance between said inner faces 23, 24 of the side walls, thus leaving a space 25 between the inner edges 26, 27 of the tongues 17, 18. In other words the tongues 17, 18 do not touch or overlap.

(21) Each of the recesses 15, 16 is substantially V-shaped having two inclined segments extending from a base to a peak and connected by a third segment. For example the recess 15 has inclined segments 151 and 152 connected by a third segment 153 (FIG. 4). The recess 16 has preferably an identical shape including segments 161, 162 and 163 (FIG. 6).

(22) The tongues 17, 18 and their rounded edges 21, 22 project preferably from the entire extension of the recesses. In the exemplary embodiment, each tongue comprises portions projecting form the inclined segments and from the central segment of the recesses. For example the tongue 17 comprises portions 171, 172 and 173 corresponding to segments 151, 152 and 153 of the recess 15 and the tongue 18 is similar in shape including portions 181, 182 and 183 projecting from the respective segments 161 to 163.

(23) Also the contact surfaces 19, 20 have corresponding portions. Accordingly a contact surface may have a horizontal portion corresponding to segments 173, 183 and inclined portions corresponding to the inclined segments 171, 172 and 181, 182.

(24) A length of a recess 15 or 16 can be taken along the direction L from opposite ends of the recess, for example between the bases of the opposed inclined segments 151, 152 and 161, 162 of the recesses 15, 16. Said length is preferably not greater than 1.5 mm and more preferably not greater than 1 mm to retain the ring 9 also in the longitudinal direction and prevent a back-and-forward movement of the pull tab relative to the slider body.

(25) The spring 11 is preferably part of a releasable locking system arranged to prevent undesired sliding of the slider, e.g. undesired opening of the zip fastener.

(26) Said locking system is known in itself and basically provides that the spring has a rest position in which said lock is activated and sliding is prevented. Lifting the pull tab causes the ring to lift the spring and release the lock.

(27) To this purpose, in the illustrated embodiment the spring 11 has a tooth 30 positioned to enter a slot 31 of the outer flange 5 (FIG. 3). When inserted in the window 31, said tooth 30 protrudes in the channel 10 and is able to engage the teeth of the slide fastener to prevent sliding. By lifting the spring 11, the tooth 30 is extracted from the channel 10 and the lock is disengaged.

(28) The spring 11 has also a front tongue 32 for attachment to a front head 33 of the slider body 2. Opposite the front head 33, the slider body 6 includes a support 34. The retainer spring 11 is fitted between the head 33 and the support 34. Opposite to the front tongue 32, the spring 11 has two legs 35 for insertion into suitable slots of the support 34.

(29) In use, the ring 9 rests on the surface of the flange 5 and on the contact faces 19, 20 of the recesses. Particularly when the pull tab is pulled for operation, the ring 9 normally abuts against said contact faces 19, 20, either the central parts or the inclined portions.

(30) The smooth surface of said faces 19, 20, particularly thanks to the rounded edges 21, 22 of connection with the side walls, prevents the ring 9 from damage. In any case the ring 9 always finds a smooth and rounded surface without sharp edges.