DOUBLE ZIPPER ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A double zipper assembly includes a first zipper and a second zipper, each having a pair of side portions with teeth and at least one slider. The pairs of side portions of the first zipper and of the second zipper are each sectionally interconnected by means of a web. A side portion of the pair of side portions of the first zipper is connected with a side portion of the pair of side portions of the second zipper along its entire length. The webs of both zippers are disposed offset to one another with respect to the longitudinal direction of their side portions.

Claims

1. A double zipper assembly, comprising a first zipper and a second zipper, each having a pair of side portions with teeth and at least one slider, wherein: the pairs of side portions of the first zipper and of the second zipper are each sectionally interconnected by means of a web, a side portion of the pair of side portions of the first zipper is connected with a side portion of the pair of side portions of the second zipper along its entire length, and the webs of both zippers are disposed offset to one another with respect to the longitudinal direction of their side portions.

2. The double zipper assembly of claim 1, wherein the webs are disposed such that they do not overlap one another at least in sections.

3. The double zipper assembly of claim 1, wherein the double zipper assembly is configured, in the closed state of its two zippers, to extend circumferentially around a common opening.

4. The double zipper assembly of claim 1, wherein the common opening spans an area with mutually opposite longitudinal and narrow sides adjacent to each other.

5. The double zipper assembly of claim 4, wherein the two webs are disposed at different longitudinal and/or narrow sides.

6. The double zipper assembly of claim 5, wherein the two webs are disposed at adjacent longitudinal and narrow sides.

7. The double zipper assembly of claim 5, wherein the two webs are disposed at opposite longitudinal or narrow sides.

8. A bag having two components that may be unfolded and closed against one another by means of the double zipper assembly according to claim 1, wherein: a cross section of the bag between the two components has two opposite longitudinal sides that are interconnected by means of two narrow sides which are also opposite one another, and the two components, on one hand, may be unfolded and folded about the web of one of the two zippers of the double zipper assembly, the web being disposed at a longitudinal side, and, on the other hand, may be unfolded or folded about the web of the other one of the two zippers of the double zipper assembly, the web being disposed at a narrow side, depending on which of the two zippers is opened and which one is closed.

Description

[0023] The invention will be discussed in more detail with the help of the example embodiments illustrated in the drawings. The proportions of the individual elements to one another in the figures do not always correspond to the real proportions, since some shapes are shown in simplified form and other shapes are shown enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration. Identical reference symbols are used for elements of the invention that are the same or have the same effect. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference symbols are shown in the individual figures that are necessary for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments only represent examples of how the invention can be configured and do not represent any final limitation. The figures illustrate schematically:

[0024] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a double zipper assembly comprising two zippers 02, 03 in a closed state.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the double zipper assembly of FIG. 1 with the first zipper 02 open and in an unfolded state about the first web 20.

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the double zipper assembly of FIG. 1 with the second zipper 03 open and in an unfolded state about the second web 30.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a closed bag 05 comprising two components 51, 52 in a perspective view that are unfoldably interconnected by means of a double zipper assembly 01 and may be closed against one another by said assembly.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 1 in an unfolded state about the first web 20 of the opened first zipper 02 of the double zipper assembly 01.

[0029] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 1 in an unfolded state about the second web 30 of the opened second zipper 03 of the double zipper assembly 01.

[0030] A double zipper assembly 01 that is shown fully or in part in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6, comprises: [0031] a first zipper 02 disposed in a first plane and [0032] a second zipper 03 disposed in a second plane which is spaced apart from the first plane,
each having a pair of toothed side portions with at least one slider.

[0033] Note that the term plane, in a deviation from its mathematical meaning, also refers to a planar extension of a limp element.

[0034] The pairs of side portions of the first zipper 02 and the pairs of side portions of the second zipper are each sectionally connected via a web section with a web 20, 30 that is limp or resiliently flexible, for example.

[0035] Thus, each of the side portions 21, 22, 31, 32 extends over its toothed portion plus the toothless web section with the corresponding web 20, 30, which connects each side portion 21, 31 with the remaining opposite side portion 22, 32 of each side portion pair to form a pair of side portions.

[0036] Even when the first zipper 02 is completely opened, the two side portions 21, 22 of the pair of side portions of the first zipper 02 remain connected to one another by means of the web 20, in the following also referred to as a first web, of a first web section. The two side portions 31, 32 of the second zipper 03 remain connected to one another as well when the second zipper 03 is completely opened, by means of the web 30, in the following also referred to as a second web, of a second web section.

[0037] In the double zipper assembly 01, a side portion 22 of the pair of side portions of the first zipper 02 is connected, across its entire length, with a side portion 31 of the pair of side portions of the second zipper 03.

[0038] The webs 20, 30 of the first and second web sections of the two zippers 02, 03 are disposed offset to one another with respect to the longitudinal direction of their side portions 21, 22, 31, 32.

[0039] Hereinafter, the double zipper assembly 01 may be viewed as comprising a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion which are interconnected by means of the two zippers 02, 03 at their web sections including the webs 20, 30.

[0040] A middle portion of the double zipper assembly 01 is therefore formed by connecting a side portion 22 of the first zipper 02, across its full length including the web section next to the first web 20, with a side portion 31 including its web section of the second zipper 03 next to the second web 30. The remaining side portion 21 of the first zipper 02, in combination with the web section, forms a bottom portion of the double zipper assembly 01 (FIG. 1). The remaining side portion 32 of the second zipper 03, in combination with the web section, forms a top portion of the double zipper assembly 01 (FIG. 1). The first web 20 of the first zipper 02 and the second web 30 of the second zipper 03 are disposed offset to one another with respect to the longitudinal direction of the two zippers 02, 03.

[0041] It must be emphasized that the terms top portion and bottom portion are merely for distinction and do not represent any specification or restriction with regard to the spatial arrangement.

[0042] Preferably, the webs 20, 30 of the two web sections do not overlap one another at least in sections.

[0043] When the web section or the web 20, 30 of the one zipper 02, 03 is disposed along a section of the pair of side portions of the double zipper assembly 01, then preferably a toothed section of the other zipper 03, 02 is disposed within said web section.

[0044] Most preferably, the webs 20, 30 of the two zippers 02, 03 are disposed such that they do not overlap one another at all.

[0045] In the closed state of its two zippers 02, 03, the double zipper assembly 01 is disposed circumferentially around a common opening 04 (FIG. 1).

[0046] Advantageously, the double zipper assembly 01 surrounds the common opening 04 in the closed state of its two zippers 02, 03. In other words, when its two zippers 02, 03 are closed, the double zipper assembly 01 is configured circumferentially around the common opening 04. Accordingly, both the first zipper 02 comprising the first web 20 and the second zipper 03 comprising the second web 30 are configured and disposed circumferentially around the common opening 04 when the double zipper assembly 01 is closed.

[0047] In the closed state of the double zipper assembly 01, the common opening 04 passes through all of the aforementioned bottom portion and the middle portion and the top portion of the assembly.

[0048] The common opening 04 may span an area with mutually opposite longitudinal 42 and narrow sides 43. This area may also be referred to as a connecting surface. This area may be occupied by each of the two components 51, 52 of a closed bag 05 that face each other, where the components may be connected to one another in variably unfoldable fashion by means of the double zipper assembly 01, or each of the two components may span this area with their edges that face the double zipper assembly 01.

[0049] The connecting surface spanning the common opening corresponds to each of the two cross sections through the double zipper assembly 01 at a height of the one or the other closed zipper 02, 03.

[0050] Advantageously, each of the middle portion as well as the top and bottom portions span the connecting surface individually.

[0051] The connecting surface may have an approximately rectangular geometry with opposing longitudinal sides 42 and narrow sides 43.

[0052] The two webs 20, 30 are disposed at different longitudinal sides 42 and/or narrow sides 43 of the connecting surface.

[0053] For example, the two webs 20, 30 may be disposed at adjoining longitudinal 42 and narrow sides 43 of the connecting surface spanned by the cross section between the two zippers 02, 03 of the double zipper assembly 01, as illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6.

[0054] This allows the unfolding according to whether a narrower but deeper, or a broader but shallower space for handling is available, depending on which of the two zippers 02, 03 is opened. If the space for handling is rather narrow but fairly deep, the zipper 02 is opened on the longitudinal side 42 in order to unfold the bag 05 (FIG. 2, FIG. 5). If the space for handling is less deep but broader, the zipper 03 is opened on the narrow side 43 in order to unfold the bag 05 (FIG. 3, FIG. 6).

[0055] Alternatively, the two webs 20, 30 may be disposed at opposing longitudinal 42 or narrow sides 43 of the connecting surface spanned by the cross section between the two zippers 02, 03 of the double zipper assembly 01.

[0056] When a bag 05 comprising the double zipper assembly 01 is set down in order to connect its two components 51, 52 that may be interconnected for unfolding and closing against each other, the bag can be unfolded selectively in one direction or the other direction, depending on which of the two zippers 02, 03 is opened, when the webs 20, 30 are disposed at opposing longitudinal sides 42 or at opposing narrow sides 43. This considerably increases ease of handling, because the bag 05, once set down, does not have to be picked up and turned or shifted, for example, when the necessary clearance is only available for unfolding to the left or the right, or only to the front or back, for instance.

[0057] A bag 05 illustrated in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6 comprises two components 51, 52 that may be unfolded and closed against each other by means of the double zipper assembly 01 described above.

[0058] A cross section of the closed bag 05 between the two components 51, 52 has two opposite longitudinal sides 42 that are interconnected by means of two narrow sides 43 which are also opposite one another. Each of the two components 51, 52 spans an area of equal dimensions with its open side facing the double zipper assembly 01.

[0059] On one hand, the two components 51, 52 may be unfolded and folded about the web 20 of a web section of one of the two zippers 02 of the double zipper assembly 01, the web section being disposed at a longitudinal side 42 of the cross section, or, on the other hand, they may be unfolded or folded about the web 30 of a web section of the other one of the two zippers 03 of the double zipper assembly 01, the web section being disposed at a narrow side 43, depending on which of the two zippers 02, 03 is opened and which one is closed.

[0060] If the double zipper assembly 01 is used, for instance, in connection with a bag 05 with two components 51, 52 that can be unfolded and closed relative to one another by means of the double zipper assembly 01, it allows, after opening the first zipper 02, to unfold the two components 51, 52 along the common edge of the two components 51, 52 that extends along the side provided with the first web section, for example a longitudinal side 42. When the second zipper 03 is opened, it allows to unfold the two components 51, 52 along the common edge of the two components 51, 52 which extends along the sides provided with the second web section, for example a narrow side 43. Preferably, these are two sides adjoining at a corner. When the closed bag 05 has a rectangular cross section of the bag interior between the two components 51, 52, it can be opened, on one hand, about its short narrow side 43, which requires a somewhat shallower, but perpendicular to its depth broader space for handling when completely unfolded, on the other hand, it can be opened about its longer longitudinal side 42, which requires a deeper, but narrower space for handling.

[0061] Both the double zipper assembly 01 as well as alternatively or additionally the bag 05 may include, individually or in combination, one or more of the features that are described at the beginning in connection with the prior art, mentioned in one or more of the documents of the prior art, described in the above description of the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings.

[0062] The invention is not limited by the description of exemplary embodiments. Rather, the invention encompasses any novel feature and also any combination of features, which includes, in particular, any combination of features in the claims, even if this feature or this combination itself is not explicitly specified in the claims or exemplary embodiments.

[0063] The invention has industrial applicability, in particular, for manufacturing zippers and bags comprising such zippers, in particular of emergency bags and first aid bags, for example for emergency physicians and paramedics for rendering first aid in the field or in an ambulance, where a plurality of objects for medical first aid must be made available within a very short time in a clearly arranged manner in a cramped environment.

[0064] The invention has been described by reference to preferred embodiments. However, it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that modifications or variations can be made in the invention without departing from the scope of the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0065] 01: double zipper assembly [0066] 02: zipper [0067] 03: zipper [0068] 04: common opening [0069] 05: bag [0070] 20: web [0071] 21: side portion [0072] 22: side portion [0073] 30: web [0074] 31: side portion [0075] 32: side portion [0076] 42: longitudinal side [0077] 43: narrow side [0078] 51: component [0079] 52: component

CITATIONS INCLUDED IN THE SPECIFICATION

Patent Literature Cited

[0080] DE 202021101323 U1 [0005] [0081] DE 102014110934 A1 [0006]