WO2024150289A1 - Slider for slide fastener, and slide fastener - Google Patents

Abstract

In a slider 3 for a slider fastener, one wing plate 7 comprises a protruding portion 30 that protrudes frontward with respect to an edge 8a on a front side of another wing plate 8, and a pair of inclined surfaces 72 disposed on the left and right of a joining column 9 at the edge portion on the front side of an inner surface thereof. The inclined surfaces 72 are inclined with respect to the horizontal in a state of drawing closer to the other wing plate 8 the further toward the rear side, and include a first inclined surface portion 721 positioned at the protruding portion 30. When viewed from a vertical direction, the first inclined portion is formed into a shape having a surface area in the center thereof that is greater than on both end sides thereof on the left and right. Misalignment of teeth is ameliorated by this protruding portion and the inclined surfaces. Tooth misalignment is a phenomenon in which a tooth, which is another name for an element, attempts to enter a front side of an element path 14 while inclined with respect to the horizontal and comes into contact with the wing plate during an operation of closing the slide fastener, thereby inhibiting the operation of closing the slide fastener.

Description

Sliders for slide fasteners, slide fasteners

The present invention relates to a slider in which a slope inclined relative to the horizontal is formed on either the front edge of the lower surface of the upper wing or the front edge of the upper surface of the lower wing, and a slide fastener equipped with said slider.

One example of the slider for the slide fastener described above is one in which the upper and lower opposing blades are formed to have the same shape when viewed from the top-bottom direction, and the front edges of both the upper and lower blades are provided with slopes on the lower surface of the upper blade and the upper surface of the lower blade (Patent Document 1). The slopes are inclined relative to the horizontal so that the vertical distance between the upper and lower blades narrows as they move rearward.

Patent No. 6240222

Patent Document 1 attempts to improve the so-called "worm-slip" by configuring the slopes of the upper and lower wing plates, which have the same shape, to have a specified relationship between their inclination angles. worm-slip is a phenomenon in which, during the closing operation of a slide fastener, the worm, also known as the element, attempts to enter the front of the element path while tilted relative to the horizontal, and comes into contact with the front edges of the upper and lower wing plates, impeding the closing operation of the slide fastener.

The present invention was created in consideration of the above situation, and aims to improve the bug-slip problem by using a configuration different from the above configuration.

The slider for a slide fastener of the present invention comprises a first and second wing plate opposed to each other with a gap therebetween, a connecting post connecting the first and second wing plates at the front, flanges projecting from the left and right edges of the first and second wing plates so as to narrow the gap, and an element passage defined by the first and second wing plates and the flanges in a state in which the upper, lower, left and right sides are sandwiched between the first and second wing plates and the flanges, the front side of which is branched to the left and right by the connecting post and which is an element passage for engaging or separating elements. The first and second wing plates have inner surfaces that face the element passage among the surfaces facing the up and down directions. One of the first and second wing plates has protruding parts protruding forward from the front edge of the other wing plate on the left and right sides of the connecting post, and the inner surface has a pair of inclined surfaces arranged on the left and right sides of the connecting post at the front edge. The inclined surfaces are inclined relative to the horizontal in a state in which they approach the other wing as they move rearward. The slope also includes a first slope portion located on the protruding portion. When viewed from above and below, the first slope portion is shaped so that the area of the center is larger than the area of the left and right ends.

The "front-rear direction" generally refers to a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the left-right direction.
However, the "front-rear direction" in relation to matters related to the front edge of the slider means, more strictly, the direction in which the element passes through the front edge of the first and second blades when viewed from the top-bottom direction in association with the operation of the slider when opening and closing the slide fastener, that is, the element passing direction. Matters related to the front edge of the slider mean matters related to the front edges of the first and second blades and the slopes formed at the front edges of the first and second blades. And the "rear" in the element passing direction means the direction in which the element enters the element path from the front edges of the first and second blades. And the "forward" in the element passing direction means the direction in which the element exits the element path from the front edges of the first and second blades.

To prevent stumbling, it is advisable to configure the slope as follows:
That is, the slope has, in addition to a first slope portion, a second slope portion that is located rearward of the protruding portion and is continuous with the first slope portion.

To prevent stumbling, it is advisable to configure the slope as follows:
In other words, the inclined surface is a band extending along the front edge of one of the vanes between the flange and the connecting post, and the rear edge of the second inclined surface portion is located further rearward at the center than at both the left and right ends.

The shape of the other vane is not important, but it is preferable to do the following to reduce the risk of insects tripping.
That is, the other vane has recesses recessed rearward on both the left and right sides of the connecting post.

The shape of the recess is not important, but it is preferable to do the following to prevent insects from falling.
That is, the recess is shaped to be recessed backward in an arc shape.

The width of the first slope when viewed from the top and bottom does not matter, but it is preferable to do the following to reduce the risk of falling over.
That is, the maximum width of the first sloped portion when viewed from the top-bottom direction is to be at least half the thickness of the element, and the maximum width of the first sloped portion when viewed from the top-bottom direction is to be equal to or less than the thickness of the element.

In order to prevent insects from falling, it is desirable to set the inclination angle of the inner surface of the protruding part (the first inclined surface) as follows:
First, when the element path is assumed to be viewed from above and below, a pair of reference lines are assumed to connect the front end of the connecting pole and the front ends of the left and right flanges in a straight line within the element path. When the reference lines are assumed to be divided into four equal parts, the three equally divided points located on the inner surface of one of the vanes are called the 1/4 point, 1/2 point, and 3/4 point, respectively, from the connecting pole side toward the front end of the flange. The first sloped portion is configured so that the inclination angle in the front-to-rear direction at the 1/4 point is steeper than the inclination angle in the front-to-rear direction at the 1/2 point.

The present invention includes not only a slider for a slide fastener, but also a slide fastener to which the slider for a slide fastener is attached.
The slide fastener of the present invention comprises the above-mentioned slider for a slide fastener, a pair of tapes facing each other laterally, and an element row fixed along the facing side edges of the left and right tapes, to which the slider for a slide fastener is attached. The tape comprises a tape body portion and a core cord portion that are continuous from side to side. The core cord portion is thicker in the up-down direction than the tape body portion. The element row comprises a plurality of elements that are fixed to the tape in a separate, independent state with a gap between them in the front and rear. The elements comprise a body portion that is fixed to the facing side edges of the tape so as to sandwich the core cord portion and the tape body portion, and an engagement portion that protrudes from the body portion and engages with and separates from another element.

In the present invention, the slider is provided with a protruding portion that protrudes forward from the front edge of the other wing on the left and right front edges of one of the first and second wing plates. In this case, the other wing plate has a state in which there is nothing in the part corresponding to the protruding portion of one wing plate, that is, a space portion is formed. Then, during the operation of moving the slider forward (during the operation of closing the slide fastener), a situation is assumed in which the element located in front of the slider reaches the protruding portion or the space portion in an attempt to enter the element path. In this invention, in such a situation, the element does not have to contact the other wing plate by the amount of the space portion, so that the worm-like slip is improved. Also, in the present invention, when the element contacts the first slope portion of the protruding portion in a state inclined relative to the horizontal and attempts to enter the element path, the element tries to rotate from the state inclined relative to the horizontal to the horizontal as it advances, and this rotation is not hindered by the space portion of one wing plate corresponding to the protruding portion, so that the worm-like slip is improved.

1 is a bottom view showing the slide fastener of the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from below. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a pair of fastener stringers pass through the inside of a slider in a slide fastener of a first embodiment, as viewed from above. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the slider as viewed from above. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the slider as seen from the front. FIG. 4 is a side view of the slider as seen from the right side. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 5. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 5 . Both of Figures (A) and (B) are explanatory diagrams that utilize an enlarged portion of Figure 8, and make it easier to see the locations indicated by the reference numerals. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged portion of FIG. 7 . 1A and 1B are a plan view showing the element as viewed from above, and a front view showing the element as viewed from behind. 1A to 1D are explanatory diagrams showing the procedure in which an element enters a slider while rotating.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the slide fastener 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a pair of stringers 2 that face each other laterally and extend forward and backward, and a slider 3 that can move forward and backward at the opposing side edges of the pair of stringers 2 and opens and closes the pair of stringers 2. Figure 2 also shows the pair of stringers 2 in a state where they are held horizontally, and a part of the opposing side edges of the pair of stringers 2 is passed through the inside of the slider 3. This horizontal state is an ideal state in which the pair of stringers 2 can be closed by operating the slider 3 with a light force. Note that "opposing side edges" refers to the right edge in the case of the left stringer 2, and the left edge in the case of the right stringer 2.

The directions are determined as follows when the slide fastener 1 is placed on a flat surface.
The "forward direction" refers to the direction in which the pair of stringers 2 are closed, and is the upward direction in Figure 2.
The "rear direction" refers to the direction in which the pair of stringers 2 are opened, and is the downward direction in Figure 2.
However, the "front-rear direction" in relation to the front edge of the slider 3 as described above means, more strictly speaking, the direction in which an element 5a (described later) passes, and in FIG. 2, this direction is inclined with respect to the up-down direction in FIG.
The "left-right direction" refers to the direction in which a pair of stringers 2 are arranged, and in Fig. 2 is a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction on the paper. The "left direction" refers to the left direction in Fig. 2. The "right direction" refers to the right direction in Fig. 2.
The "up-down direction" refers to a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. The "upward direction" refers to a direction perpendicular to the paper surface in Fig. 2 that faces toward the viewer. The "downward direction" refers to a direction perpendicular to the paper surface in Fig. 2 that faces toward the viewer.

The pair of stringers 2 comprises a pair of tapes 4 facing each other on the left and right, and a pair of element rows 5 separately fixed along the opposing side edges of the pair of tapes 4.

The tape 4 is a long strip from front to back, and its thickness direction is the up-down direction. When the stringer 2 is viewed in a plan view, the element rows 5 are fixed to opposing side edges of the tape 4, and extend to the left or right from the tape 4. The tape 4 also has a tape main body portion 4a and a core cord portion 4b that are continuous from left to right. The core cord portion 4b forms the opposing side edges of the tape 4, and the tape main body portion 4a forms the portion other than the core cord portion 4b (the portion opposite the opposing side edges of the tape 4). The core cord portion 4b is thicker in the up-down direction than the tape main body portion 4a, and extends in the front-to-back direction along the opposing side edges of the tape main body portion 4a.

The slider 3 is attached to a pair of element rows 5 so that it can move back and forth. The element row 5 is composed of a number of elements 5a lined up in a row in the front-to-rear direction. The elements 5a are fixed to the tape 4 in an independent state with spaces between them in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, all of the elements 5a that make up the element row 5 are separate and independent from the elements 5a that are adjacent to them in the front-to-rear direction.

The element 5a includes a body portion 5b fixed to the tape 4, and an engagement portion 5c that protrudes from the body portion 5b and engages with and separates from another element 5a.
The body portion 5b is fixed to the opposing side edges of the tape 4 so as to sandwich the tape main body portion 4a and the core cord portion 4b from above and below.
The meshing portion 5c protrudes from the body portion 5b toward the opposing element 5a. The meshing portion 5c has uneven front and rear surfaces and meshes with the meshing portion 5c of another element 5a, thereby determining its position in the front-rear and up-down directions.
The element 5a is made of metal or resin.
As shown in FIG. 11, the thickness dimension 5t of the element 5a is the maximum dimension of the element 5a in the vertical direction when the stringer 2 is held horizontal.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the slider 3 has a body 6 that is guided so as to be movable back and forth relative to a pair of element rows 5, and a pull handle (not shown) that operates the body 6.

As shown in Figures 3 to 8, the fuselage 6 comprises a first wing 7 and a second wing 8 that face each other with a gap between them vertically, a connecting post 9 that connects the first wing 7 and the second wing 8 to each other at the front, and flanges 11 that protrude from the left and right edges of the first wing 7 and the second wing 8 to narrow the vertical gap. Hereinafter, the first wing 7 will be referred to as the upper wing 7, and the second wing 8 will be referred to as the lower wing 8.

The connecting pillar 9 extends in the vertical direction and connects the upper wing 7 and the lower wing 8 at their respective front left and right intermediate portions.
The left-right distance between the left and right opposing flanges 11 widens toward the front.

The body 6 also includes a pull-handle attachment portion 12. In the illustrated example, the pull-handle attachment portion 12 protrudes from the front side of the top surface of the upper wing plate 7 and extends in the front-to-rear direction above the upper wing plate 7 in an opposing position. The tip of the pull-handle attachment portion 12 is close to the top surface of the upper wing plate 7. A through hole 12h that penetrates in the left-right direction is formed between the pull-handle attachment portion 12 and the upper wing plate 7. The pull hand is connected to the body 6 by inserting part of the pull hand into this through hole 12h.

The body 6 also has, as its internal space, an element passage 14 penetrating from front to rear, and a pair of tape grooves 15 connecting the element passage 14 to the external space of the body 6 in the left and right direction at the left and right edges of the body 6. A pair of element rows 5 are passed through the element passage 14, and a left or right tape 4 is passed through each tape groove 15.
The tape groove 15 is a space formed between the upper and lower opposing flanges 11 .
The element path 14 is defined by being sandwiched between the upper blade 7, the lower blade 8, and the flange 11 on the top, bottom, left and right sides. The front side of the element path 14 is branched into left and right sides by the connecting post 9. More specifically, the element path 14 is defined from the top and bottom by the upper blade 7 and the lower blade 8, from the left and right sides by the flange 11, and from the front to the rear, the middle part between the left and right sides on the front side is defined by the connecting post 9. The element path 14 is for the element 5a to engage or separate, and is shaped such that the front side is branched into left and right sides by the connecting post 9, and the rear side extends straight backward from the connecting post 9.

In the following description, the surfaces of the upper blade 7 (first blade) and the lower blade 8 (second blade) that face the element path 14 among the surfaces facing the vertical direction will be referred to as the inner surface. The inner surface of the upper blade 7 is the lower surface 71, and the inner surface of the lower blade 8 is the upper surface 81. In addition, the one of the first and second blades referred to in the present invention is the upper blade 7 in this embodiment. And the other of the first and second blades referred to in the present invention is the lower blade 8 in this embodiment. In addition, the "edge" of the first and second blades is the outer periphery of each blade when viewed from the vertical direction, that is, a line, and is a part that conceptually has no area. In addition, the "edge portion" of the first and second blades is the range that extends along the outer periphery and toward the center point of each blade when viewed from the vertical direction, that is, a surface, and is a part that has area.

As shown in FIG. 10, the lower wing 8 has left and right front edges 8a with respect to the connecting post 9, which are curved, or more specifically, wavy, in a shape that points rearward as they move away from the connecting post 9 to the left and right. The left and right front edges 8a each have a protrusion 8b that protrudes forward (more specifically, forward in the direction in which the element 5a passes) on both left and right sides (the flange 11 side and the connecting post 9 side), and a recess 8c that is recessed rearward (more specifically, rearward in the direction in which the element 5a passes) in the middle of the left and right sides. The recess 8c is recessed in an arc shape toward the rear. The protrusion 8b also bulges forward in an arc shape. The inner surface (upper surface) of the lower wing 8 will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 9, the upper wing 7 also has a shape in which the left and right front edges 7a of the upper wing 7 are oriented rearward as they move away from the connecting column 9. However, the front edge 7a of the upper wing 7 has a different shape from the front edge 8a of the lower wing 8. When viewed from the top-bottom direction as shown in FIG. 9, the upper wing 7 has a protrusion 30 on each of the left and right sides of the connecting column 9, which protrudes forward (more specifically, forward in the direction in which the element 5a passes) from the left and right front edges 8a of the lower wing 8. In FIG. 9, the left and right front edges 7a of the upper wing 7 are in a positional relationship in which the flange 11 side end of the entire length overlaps the flange 11 side edge of the left and right front edges 8a of the lower wing 8 in the vertical direction, and the entire length excluding the flange 11 side end coincides with the front edge 30a of the protrusion 30. Therefore, the front edge 7a of the upper wing 7 includes the front edge 30a of the protrusion 30. In this embodiment, the upper blade 7 and the lower blade 8 are both symmetrical. Also, in this embodiment, the shapes of the upper blade 7 and the lower blade 8 when viewed from the top-bottom direction are the same except for the front edges 7a and 8a on the left and right sides of the connecting post 9.

The front edge 30a of the overhanging portion 30 is in the shape of a mountain having a single apex 31. More specifically, the front edge 30a of the overhanging portion 30 includes the single apex 31 and a pair of oblique sides 32 that extend from the single apex 31 toward the front end of the connecting post 9 and the front end of the flange 11, respectively.
The pair of oblique sides 32 extend so as to widen (so that the distance between the pair of oblique sides 32 widens) from the top 31 toward the front end of the flange 11 and the front end of the connecting post 9. The pair of oblique sides 32 are straight lines.
The apex 31 is an arc that protrudes forward (more specifically, forward in the direction in which the element 5a passes).

The details of the protrusion 30 are specified as follows. Assuming that the element path 14 is viewed from above and below as shown in Figure 9, a pair of reference lines L are assumed to connect the front end of the connecting column 9 and the front ends of the left and right flanges 11 separately in a straight line within the range of the element path 14. The reference line L is a straight line. Since the front end of the flanges 11 is located rearward of the front end of the connecting column 9, the reference line L is inclined in the left-right direction, moving rearward as it moves from the connecting column 9 toward the flanges 11. Incidentally, the element path 14 is a portion through which the element 5a may pass. Therefore, within the range of the element path 14, the front end of the connecting column 9 and the front ends of the left and right flanges 11 are limited to the range through which the element 5a may pass.

Also, assuming that the element path 14 is viewed from above and below, we consider an arbitrary point on each reference line L, a pair of paths M in the shape of a belt that runs from the front of the slider 3 through the pair of reference lines L to enter the element path 14 and engage with the left and right elements 5a in a horizontal state, and a passing line N that linearizes the path M while passing through an arbitrary point on the reference line L. Note that since the left and right dimensions of the element 5a are slightly longer than the shortest distance between the connecting column 9 and the flange 11, the path M is slightly shifted left and right when the element 5a contacts the flange 11 and when the element 5a contacts the connecting column 9. Similarly, the passing line N that passes through an arbitrary point on the reference line L also has a shape corresponding to the path M. Therefore, the path M is variable between the connecting column 9 and the flange 11, and the passing line N is also variable. In FIG. 9, when the element 5a enters the element passage 14 with a small gap on the left and right sides of the front end of the flange 11, the path M is shown by a pair of dashed lines, and the passing line N based on the path M is shown by a dashed line as a line passing through the midpoint of the reference line L (middle line). If the reference line L is assumed to be divided into four equal parts, the three points on the lower surface 71 (inner surface) of the upper blade 7 (one of the blades) as the dividing points are referred to as the 1/4 point P1, the 1/2 point P2 as the middle point, and the 3/4 point P3, respectively, from the connecting post 9 side toward the front end of the flange 11. The direction in which the passing line N extends is the passing direction of the element 5a. The passing direction of the element 5a is inclined with respect to the front-to-rear direction.

As shown in Figure 8, the inner surface (lower surface 71) of the upper wing 7 on which the pair of protrusions 30 are formed comprises a pair of front inclined surfaces 72 located on the left and right front edges of the connecting post 9, a horizontal surface 73 that extends rearward from the connecting post 9 and is continuous with the pair of front inclined surfaces 72, and a rear inclined surface 74 that is located on the rear edge of the upper wing 7 and extends rearward from the horizontal surface 73. The rear inclined surface 74 is inclined relative to the horizontal, moving away from the lower wing 8 as it moves rearward. In Figure 8, the boundary between the front inclined surface 72 and the horizontal surface 73, and the boundary between the horizontal surface 73 and the rear inclined surface 74 are shown by solid lines.

The pair of front slopes 72 are a pair of slopes on one of the vanes in this invention. The front slopes 72 are inclined relative to the horizontal, approaching the lower vane 8 (the other vane) as they move rearward (more specifically, rearward in the direction in which the element 5a passes). The front slopes 72 are strip-shaped and extend along the front edge 7a of the upper vane 7. The front slopes 72 are formed over the entire length of the range between the connecting post 9 and the flange 11.

As shown in FIG. 9, the rear edge 72b of the front slope 72 is located rearward of the rear edge of the overhang 30 (the front edge 8a of the lower blade 8), more specifically, rearward of the reference line L. Therefore, the front slope 72 is formed not only in the area of the overhang 30, but also in an area rearward of the overhang 30. In other words, the front slope 72 has a first slope portion 721 located in the overhang 30, and a second slope portion 722 located rearward of the overhang 30 (more specifically, rearward in the passing direction of the element 5a) and continuous with the first slope portion 721.

When viewed from the top-bottom direction, the first inclined surface portion 721 is formed in a range surrounded by the front edge 8a of the lower blade 8 and the front edge 7a of the upper blade 7. When viewed from the top-bottom direction, the rear edge 721b of the first inclined surface portion 721 is shaped to match the left or right front edge 8a of the lower blade 8 in this embodiment. The front edge of the first inclined surface portion 721 (the left or right front edge 30a of the protruding portion 30) is shaped to move forward (more precisely, forward in the passing direction of the element 5a) relative to the rear edge 721b of the first inclined surface portion 721 as it moves from both the left and right ends toward the center. The width 30w of the first inclined surface portion 721 is wider from both the left and right ends of the front edge 7a of the upper blade 7 toward the center. Therefore, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, the first inclined surface portion 721 is formed in a shape in which the area of the center side is larger than that of both the left and right ends.
The width 30w is measured as follows. In this embodiment, the front edge 7a of the upper blade 7 is a combination of a straight line and a curved line when viewed from the top-bottom direction. For the straight line, a perpendicular line is drawn to the straight line. The distance between the front edge 8a of the lower blade 8 (the rear edge 721b of the first inclined surface 721) and the straight line in the perpendicular direction is the width 30w. For the curve, a tangent line to each point (contact point) on the curve and a perpendicular line to the tangent line are drawn at each point. The distance between the front edge 8a of the lower blade 8 (the rear edge 721b of the first inclined surface 721) and each point (contact point) on the curve in the perpendicular direction is the width 30w.

When viewed from the top and bottom, it is desirable that the maximum value of the width 30w of the first inclined surface portion 721 is more than half the thickness dimension 5t of the element 5a (desirable lower limit). It is even more desirable that the maximum value of the width 30w of the first inclined surface portion 721 is less than or equal to the thickness dimension 5t of the element 5a (desirable upper limit). The width 30w is measured at each point along the entire length of the rear edge 721b of the first inclined surface portion 721, and the largest value of the width 30w is the maximum value of the width 30w of the first inclined surface portion 721.

The rear edge 72b of the second inclined surface portion 722 is shaped to turn rearward as it moves away from the connecting post 9 to the left or right, and is also wavy. The wavy shape of the rear edge 72b of the second inclined surface portion 722 is a shape that includes a pair of convex portions 72d that protrude forward (more specifically, forward in the passing direction of the element 5a) at both ends of the rear edge 72b, and a concave portion 72e that is concave rearward (more specifically, rearward in the passing direction of the element 5a) between the pair of convex portions 72d. The concave portion 72e is an arc shape that concaves rearward, and the convex portion 72d is an arc shape that protrudes forward. The concave portion 72e is located rearward (more specifically, rearward in the passing direction of the element 5a) from the pair of convex portions 72d. Therefore, the rear edge 72b of the second inclined surface portion 722 is located rearward (more specifically, rearward in the passing direction of the element 5a) from the center side relative to both left and right ends.

The front inclined surface 72 has a central surface 76 inclined relative to the horizontal in the middle in the front-to-rear direction (more specifically, the direction in which the element 5a passes), and its front and rear ends are curved surfaces 77, 78 that are commonly referred to as rounded and chamfered (protruding in an arc). In FIG. 9, the boundary between the central surface 76 inclined relative to the horizontal and the pair of curved surfaces 77, 78 is shown by thin lines. The inclined central surface 76 and the other horizontal surface 73 are arranged in the tangent direction of both ends of the arc of the curved surface 78 at the rear end. The inclined central surface 76 is arranged in the tangent direction of the rear end of the arc of the curved surface 77 at the front end. In FIG. 9, the boundary between the front curved surface 77 and the central surface 76, and the boundary between the central surface 76 and the rear curved surface 78 are shown by thin lines.

The inclination angle of the front slope 72 is the angle formed when the upper blade 7 is cut vertically along the front-rear direction (more specifically, the passing direction of the element 5a) at each point. Strictly speaking, the inclination angle of the front slope 72 is the acute angle formed by the middle part of the front slope 72 (inclined central surface 76) and the horizontal line in the cut cross section. The inclination angle of the front slope 72, including the first slope portion 721 and the second slope portion 722, is steeper at both ends than the inclination angle at the center. More specifically, the inclination angle of the front slope 72 is gradually steeper from the center toward both ends. In other words, the central surface 76 is a surface with different inclination angles within the range of the length of the reference line L, and more specifically, in this embodiment, it is a surface in which multiple planes with different inclination angles are arranged adjacent to each other in the length direction of the reference line L, and is not a single plane. The inclination angle of the front slope 72 with respect to the horizontal is as follows at the 1/4 point P1, the 1/2 point P2 as the intermediate point, and the 3/4 point P3:

Regarding the inclination angle with respect to the horizontal, the first inclined surface portion 721 has an inclination angle in the front-rear direction at the 1/4 point P1 and an inclination angle in the front-rear direction (more specifically, the passing direction of the element 5a) at the 3/4 point P3 that is steeper than the inclination angle in the front-rear direction at the 1/2 point P2. The front-rear direction at each point is, more specifically, the passing direction of the element 5a, and is also the direction in which the passing line N through which the element 5a passes at each point extends. The passing line N can be considered as a straight line in the vicinity of each point. The passing line N is variable as described above. The inclination angle is measured at all of the variable passing lines N at the 1/4 point P1, 1/2 point P2, and 3/4 point P3. At the maximum inclination angle at each point, the first inclined surface portion 721 has an inclination angle in the front-rear direction at the 1/4 point P1 and 3/4 point P3 that is steeper than the inclination angle in the front-rear direction at the 1/2 point P2. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the central surface 76, which includes the first sloped surface 721 as a part thereof, is a surface in which multiple planes with different inclination angles are arranged adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the reference line L, so by measuring the inclination angle of each surface, the maximum inclination angle at each point can be measured.

When viewed from the top-bottom direction, the protrusion 30 is formed in a range wider on the left and right than between the passing line passing through the 1/4 point P1 and the passing line passing through the 3/4 point P3. Therefore, the protrusion 30 is also formed at the positions of the passing lines passing through the 1/4 point P1, the 1/2 point P2, and the 3/4 point P3. Also, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, the recess 8c of the lower wing 8 is formed in a range narrower on the left and right than between the passing line passing through the 1/4 point P1 and the passing line passing through the 3/4 point P3. And the recess 8c is formed in a range wider on the left and right than the passing line N passing through the 1/2 point P2.

As shown in Figure 7, the inner surface (upper surface 81) of the lower wing 8 has a pair of front inclined surfaces 82 located on the left and right front edges of the connecting post 9, a horizontal surface 83 that continues from the pair of front inclined surfaces 82 and extends rearward from the connecting post 9, and a rear inclined surface 84 that is located on the rear edge of the lower wing 8 and extends rearward from the horizontal surface 83. The rear inclined surface 84 is inclined relative to the horizontal, moving away from the upper wing 7 as it moves rearward.

As shown in Figure 10, the front slope 82 of the lower wing 8 is strip-shaped extending along the front edge 8a of the lower wing 8. The front slope 82 of the lower wing 8 is formed over the entire length of the range between the connecting post 9 and the flange 11. The rear edge 82b of the front slope 82 of the lower wing 8 is shaped to trend rearward as it moves away from the connecting post 9 to the left or right, and is wavy in shape. In the example shown, the rear edge 82b of the front slope 82 of the lower wing 8 has approximately the same shape as the rear edge 72b of the front slope 72 of the upper wing 7. The wave shape of the rear edge 82b of the front slope 82 of the lower blade 8 is a shape that has a pair of convex parts 82d that protrude forward (more specifically, forward in the passing direction of the element 5a) at both ends of the rear edge 82b, and a concave part 82e that is concave rearward (more specifically, rearward in the passing direction of the element 5a) between the pair of convex parts 82d. The concave part 82e is an arc shape that concaves rearward, and the convex part 82d is an arc shape that protrudes forward. The concave part 82e is located rearward (more specifically, rearward in the passing direction of the element 5a) from the pair of convex parts 82d. Therefore, the rear edge 82b of the front slope 82 of the lower blade 8 is located rearward (more specifically, rearward in the passing direction of the element 5a) from the center side relative to both left and right ends.

The front inclined surface 82 is inclined with respect to the horizontal, approaching the upper blade 7 as it moves rearward. The front inclined surface 82 has a central surface 86 inclined with respect to the horizontal in the middle in the front-rear direction (more specifically, the direction in which the element 5a passes), and its front end and rear end are curved surfaces 87, 88 that are commonly called rounded and chamfered (protruding in an arc shape). In FIG. 10, the boundary between the central surface 86 inclined with respect to the horizontal and the pair of curved surfaces 87, 88 is shown by a thin line. The inclined central surface 86 and the horizontal surface 83 are arranged in the tangent direction of both ends of the arc of the curved surface 88 at the rear end. The inclined central surface 86 is arranged in the tangent direction of the rear end of the arc of the curved surface 87 at the front end.
The inclination angle of the front slope 82 is steeper at both left and right ends than at the center, similar to the inclination angle of the front slope 72 of the upper blade 7. More specifically, the inclination angle of the front slope 82 is gradually steeper from the center toward both left and right ends. In other words, the center surface 86 is a surface with different inclination angles within the range of the length of the reference line L, and more specifically, in this embodiment, it is a surface in which multiple planes with different inclination angles are arranged adjacent to each other in the length direction of the reference line L, and is not a single plane.

The slide fastener 1 and the slider 3 of the above-described first embodiment have the following effects.
In the first embodiment of the present invention, the slider 3 is provided with a protruding portion 30 that protrudes forward from the front edge 8a of the lower wing 8 at the left and right front edges of the upper wing 7. In this case, the lower wing 8 has a state in which there is nothing in the portion corresponding to the protruding portion 30 of the upper wing 7, that is, a space portion is formed. Then, during the operation of moving the slider 3 forward (during the operation of closing the slide fastener 1), a situation is assumed in which the element 5a located in front of the slider 3 reaches the protruding portion 30 or the space portion in an attempt to enter the element path 14. In the first embodiment, in such a situation, the element 5a does not have to contact the lower wing 8 by the amount of the space portion, so that the worm-like slip is improved. In addition, in the first embodiment, when the element 5a contacts the first slope portion 721 of the protruding portion 30 in a state inclined relative to the horizontal and attempts to enter the element path 14, the element 5a advances and tries to rotate from a state inclined relative to the horizontal to a state horizontal, and the lower wing 8 does not hinder the rotation by the space portion corresponding to the protruding portion 30, so that the worm-like slip is improved. In addition, in the first embodiment, when viewed from the top and bottom direction, the first inclined surface portion 721 is formed in a shape such that the area at the center is larger than at the left and right ends. Therefore, the element 5a is more likely to come into contact with the center of the first inclined surface portion 721 than at the left and right ends, and such contact improves the prevention of insect tripping.

An example of the relationship between the slider 3 and the element 5a when preventing slippage will be described in more detail with reference to Fig. 12. When attempting to move the slider 3 forward while pulling it upward in an attempt to close the slide fastener 1 of the first embodiment, the element 5a closest to the front of the slider 3 may operate as follows, depending on the degree of pulling and the condition of the slide fastener 1.
As shown in Fig. 12(A), the element 5a is arranged in a state approaching or contacting the front of the protruding portion 30 of the upper blade 7. Moreover, the element 5a is inclined with respect to the horizontal, and the meshing portion 5c is located above the body portion 5b.
When the slider 3 moves slightly forward, as shown in Fig. 12(B), the meshing portion 5c of the element 5a comes into contact with the front inclined surface 72 of the overhanging portion 30 of the upper blade 7 and is guided, the element 5a moves slightly downward and rotates slightly to approach horizontal, and the body portion 5b of the element 5a is positioned close to the front edge 8a of the lower blade 8. In other words, there is a space in front of the front edge 8a of the lower blade 8 and directly below the overhanging portion 30, and the element 5a can move and rotate freely by the amount of this space.
When the slider 3 moves slightly further forward, the element 5a is guided along the front inclined surface 72 of the protruding portion 30 and rotates toward the horizontal, as shown in FIG. 12(C).
When the slider 3 moves further forward, the element 5a becomes substantially horizontal and enters the element path 14, as shown in FIG. 12(D).

In the first embodiment, the front slope 72 of the upper wing 7 has a second slope 722 in addition to the first slope 721, so that during the closing operation of the slide fastener 1, the element 5a located in front of the slider 3 can enter the element path 14 by successively contacting the first slope 721 and the second slope 722, thereby improving the prevention of worm tripping.

In the first embodiment, the front slope 72 of the upper wing 7 is strip-shaped and extends along the front edge 7a of the upper wing 7 between the flange 11 and the connecting post 9, and the rear edge 72b of the second slope portion 722 is located rearward (more specifically, rearward in the passing direction of the element 5a) toward the center rather than toward the left and right ends. Therefore, when the element 5a is tilted relative to the horizontal and comes into contact with the connecting post 9 to enter the element path 14, or when it comes into contact with the flange 11 to enter the element path 14, one of the left and right ends of the element 5a (the side not in contact with the connecting post 9 or flange 11) is guided a long distance by the center of the second slope portion 722, improving the prevention of the element from tripping.

In the first embodiment, the lower wing 8 has a recess 8c on its front edge 8a that is recessed backward on both the left and right sides of the connecting post 9, so the element 5a does not need to come into contact with the lower wing 8 by the amount of the recess 8c, improving the prevention of worm-slip. Furthermore, because the recess 8c is recessed backward in an arc, the slider 3 of the first embodiment allows the element 5a to smoothly enter the element path 14 along the arc of the recess 8c when it comes into contact with the recess 8c, improving the prevention of worm-slip.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the maximum value of the width 30w of the first inclined surface portion 721 when viewed from the top and bottom is set to more than half the thickness dimension 5t of the element 5a (desirable lower limit value) and less than the thickness dimension 5t of the element 5a (desirable upper limit value), thereby improving the prevention of insects from tripping. The lower and upper limits of this maximum value are values obtained through verification.

The longer the maximum value of the width 30w of the first inclined surface portion 721, the longer the distance that the element 5a is guided while in contact with the first inclined surface portion 721, which is desirable for improving the prevention of worm-like tripping. However, the longer the maximum value of the width 30w of the first inclined surface portion 721, the larger the dimensions of the slider 3 become, which has a negative effect on the appearance of the slider 3 and reduces the strength of the protruding portion 30, making it more susceptible to breakage, which is undesirable. Furthermore, verification has shown that when the maximum value of the width 30w of the first inclined surface portion 721 is set to be equal to or less than the thickness dimension 5t of the element 5a, the appearance of the slider 3 can be maintained in a good condition and the desired strength can be maintained.

In addition, there is an expected range of speed at which the slider 3 is advanced when closing the slide fastener 1. The faster the speed at which the slider 3 is advanced, the shorter the time it takes for the element 5a to come into contact with the first sloped surface 721 while inclined relative to the horizontal, and then become nearly horizontal and enter the element path 14, making it more difficult to improve the worm-like slippage. And even if the maximum value of the width 30w of the first sloped surface 721 is shorter than half the thickness dimension 5t of the element 5a, the worm-like slippage can be improved. However, verification has shown that within the expected range of speed at which the slider 3 is advanced, it is preferable to improve the worm-like slippage when the maximum value of the width 30w of the first sloped surface 721 is equal to or greater than half the thickness dimension 5t of the element 5a (the desirable lower limit value).

In addition, in the first embodiment, the inclination angle in the front-to-rear direction at the 1/4 point P1 and 3/4 point P3 of the front slope 72 of the upper blade 7 is set to be steeper than the inclination angle in the front-to-rear direction at the 1/2 point P2. Therefore, when the element 5a comes into contact, it can enter the element path 14 by rotating more slowly and becoming horizontal at the 1/2 point P2 than at the 1/4 point P1 or 3/4 point P3, thereby improving the risk of the element tripping.

In addition, in the first embodiment, a front slope 82 is also provided on the front edge of the lower wing 8, so that the prevention of insects from falling can also be improved on the front slope 82 of the lower wing 8.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the upper wing 7 is provided with a protruding portion 30, so when viewed from above, the front edge 8a of the lower wing 8 is hidden by the upper wing 7, resulting in a good appearance.

In addition, in the slide fastener 1 of the first embodiment, the element row 5 includes multiple elements 5a, so adjacent elements 5a in the front and rear can independently tilt relative to the horizontal within the range of the elasticity of the tape 4, creating conditions that make it easy for worm-like slippage to occur. The slide fastener 1 of the first embodiment uses the slider 3 of the first embodiment under such conditions, which is desirable for improving worm-like slippage.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the protrusion 30 is formed on the upper wing 7, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the protrusion 30 may be formed on the lower wing 8.

1 Slide fastener 2 Stringer 3 Slider 4 Tape 4a Tape body 4b Core cord 5 Element row 5a Element 5b Body 5c Interlocking portion 5t Thickness dimension 6 Body 7 Upper wing 7a Front edge 71 of upper wing Lower surface 72, 82 of upper wing Front inclined surface 721 First inclined surface portion 721b Rear edge 722 Second inclined surface portion 72b Rear edge 72d Convex portion 72e Concave portion 73 Horizontal surface 74 Rear inclined surface 76 Central surface 77, 78 Curved surface 8 Lower wing 8a Front edge 8b of lower wing Convex portion 8c Concave portion 81 Upper surface 82 Front inclined surface 82b Rear edge 82d Convex portion 82e Concave portion 83 Horizontal surface 84 Rear inclined surface 86 Central surface 87, 88 Curved surface 9 Connecting column 11 Flange 12, pull tab attachment portion 12h, through hole 14, element path 15, tape groove 30, overhang portion 30a, front edge 30w of overhang portion, width 31, top portion 32, oblique side L, reference line M, course N, passing line P1, 1/4 point P2, 1/2 point P3, 3/4 point

Claims (9)

the first blade (7) and the second blade (8) facing each other with a gap therebetween, a connecting post (9) connecting the first blade (7) and the second blade (8) at the front side, flanges (11) protruding from the left and right edges of the first blade (7) and the second blade (8) so as to narrow the gap, and an element path (14) defined by the first blade (7), the second blade (8) and the flange (11) on the top, bottom, left and right sides, the front side of which is branched into left and right by the connecting post (9), and the element path (14) is for engaging or separating an element (5a);
The first blade (7) and the second blade (8) have, among their surfaces facing in the vertical direction, a surface facing the element path (14) as an inner surface,
One of the first and second vanes (7) (8) has protruding portions (30) protruding forward from a front edge of the other vane (8) on the left and right sides of the connecting column (9), and has a pair of inclined surfaces (72) arranged on the left and right sides of the connecting column (9) on the front edge of its inner surface,
The inclined surface (72) is inclined with respect to the horizontal in a state approaching the other vane (8) toward the rear, and includes a first inclined surface portion (721) located on the protruding portion (30);
A slider (3) for a slide fastener, characterized in that when viewed from above and below, the first inclined surface portion (721) is formed in a shape in which the area of the central portion is larger than that of both the left and right ends. The slider (3) for a slide fastener as described in claim 1, characterized in that the slope (72) has, in addition to the first slope portion (721), a second slope portion (722) located rearward of the protrusion portion (30) and continuous with the first slope portion (721). The inclined surface (72) is in the form of a strip extending along the front edge of one of the vanes (7) between the flange (11) and the connecting post (9),
A slider (3) for a slide fastener according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rear edge (72b) of the second inclined surface portion (722) is located further rearward on the central side than on both left and right ends. The slider (3) for a slide fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the other wing (8) has a recess (8c) recessed backward on each side of the connecting post (9). The slider (3) for a slide fastener according to claim 4, characterized in that the recess (8c) is shaped like a circular arc recessed toward the rear. A slider (3) for a slide fastener as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the maximum value of the width (30w) of the first inclined surface portion (72) when viewed from the top and bottom is equal to or greater than half the thickness dimension (5t) of the element (5a). The slider (3) for a slide fastener as described in claim 6, characterized in that the maximum value of the width (30w) is equal to or less than the thickness dimension (5t) of the element (5a). Assuming that the element path (14) is viewed from above and below, a pair of reference lines (L) are assumed that connect the front end of the connecting column (9) and the front ends of the left and right flanges (11) separately and straightly within the range of the element path (14),
Assuming that the reference line (L) is divided into four equal parts, the three points that are arranged on the inner surface of one of the vanes (7) are called the 1/4 point (P1), the 1/2 point (P2), and the 3/4 point (P3) in the order from the connecting post (9) side toward the front end of the flange (11),
A slider (3) for a slide fastener as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the inclination angle of the first inclined surface portion (721) in the fore-and-aft direction at the 1/4 point (P1) is steeper than the inclination angle in the fore-and-aft direction at the 1/2 point (P2). A slider for a slide fastener (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, a pair of tapes (4) facing each other on the left and right, and an element row (5) fixed along the facing side edges of the tapes (4) on the left and right, the element row (5) to which the slider for a slide fastener (3) is attached,
The tape (4) comprises a tape body portion (4a) and a core string portion (4b) which are continuous from left to right,
The core cord portion (4b) is thicker in the vertical direction than the tape body portion (4a),
The element row (5) includes a plurality of elements (5a) fixed to the tape (4) in a separate and independent state with a space between them in the front and rear directions,
The element (5a) comprises a body portion (5b) fixed to opposing side edge portions of the tape (4) so as to sandwich the core cord portion (4b) and the tape body portion (4a), and an engaging portion (5c) protruding from the body portion (5b) and adapted to engage with and separate from another element (5a).

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