Slide closures for touch fasteners

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to slide closures for joining a variety of substrates and, more particularly, to slide closures for joining overlapping substrate edges having touch fasteners such as VELCRO thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Numerous slide closures are known in the art for joining panels of flexible material, such as the opposed fabric panels joined by a zipper. Such slide closures are particularly useful for joining flexible material because they are designed to channel the two panels of material toward each other as they move along the opposed edges being joined. Another common example of slide closure is that found on plastic food storage bags. Such a slide closure channels the two aligned open edges of the bag toward each other and forces a rib on one edge into a complementary channel on the other edge in a dovetail arrangement.

Zippers, both metallic and plastic, are the slide closures of choice for garments and other fabric applications. Conventional zippers provide meshing teeth that relatively securely hold the two edges together. Of course, everyone has experienced zippers that bind due to material that catches in the teeth, or because one or more teeth become distorted. Another drawback with zippers is the potential for the meshing teeth to disengage which may prevent the slide closure from moving back across the affected area.

Because of the drawbacks associated with conventional slide closures, there is a need for an improved slide closure that reduces the potential for binding and is more forgiving when the edges that are joined together are inadvertently pulled apart.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a slide closure for joining complementary touch fasteners, comprising a slide closure body having channels opening on opposite sides for receiving overlapping edges of substrates having complementary touch fasteners thereon. The slide closure body includes first and second closing surfaces facing each other that converge toward one another to a nip defining a gap with a dimension sufficiently small to bring the first and second touch fasteners into engagement. The slide closure body is configured to move in one direction along the overlapping substrate edges and bring the edges together such that the complementary touch fasteners engage.

Preferably, each of the complementary touch fasteners has a width, the slide closure further comprising structure that connects the first and second closing surfaces including a spanning member having opposed faces. The structure and closing surfaces define the two channels each open to receive one of the substrates from one side of the slide closure. The channels having a width such that at least some of the widths of the first and second touch fasteners overlap between the closing surfaces and diverge around the opposed faces of the spanning member. In one embodiment, both the first and second closing surfaces are angled with respect to the directions in which the slide closure body moves, the convergence of the first and second closing surfaces compressing and engaging the complementary touch fasteners. Alternatively, only the first facing surface is angled with respect to the directions in which the slide closure body moves, the second facing surface being oriented generally parallel to the directions in which the slide closure body moves, the convergence of the first and second closing surfaces compressing and engaging the complementary touch fasteners.

In accordance with one preferred construction of the slide fastener, the first facing surface is defined on an inner surface of a first closing arm, and the second facing surface is defined on an inner surface of a second closing arm. Each of the first and second closing arms has a width substantially the same as the width of the spanning member, wherein each of the first and second closing arms attaches on a fixed side to the spanning member and is cantilevered across the width of the slide closure so that its inner surface partly defines one of the channels. The slide closure of further may include a first side wall attached to a first side of the spanning member and to the fixed side of the first closing arm, and a second side wall attached to a second side of the spanning member and to the fixed side of the second closing arm. The slide closure thus generally defines a Z-shape from the first closing arm through the first side wall across the spanning member through the second side wall and through the second closing arm.

In one aspect of the invention, the first and second closing surfaces are biased toward one another so that the nip gap is minimized. For example, the first and second closing surfaces may be formed separately from each other and from the spanning member, the slide closure including at least one spring biasing the first and second closing surfaces toward one another so that the nip gap is minimized. Desirably, the first and second closing surfaces are each formed on a closing arm having a side wall at one side, wherein the closing arms extend generally parallel to one another with the side walls disposed on opposite sides of the slide closure. Each side wall extends toward the opposite closing arm, and wherein portions of both side walls are aligned and each includes a hinge in which one side of the spanning member pivots. The spring is thus arranged to pivot the closing arms about the spanning member so that the nip gap is minimized.

The substrates may be provided with raised features, and the slide closure includes guide grooves for receiving the raised features and channeling the substrates therethrough.

The slide closure body may be configured to move in the direction along the overlapping substrate edges opposite the closing direction and separate the edges such that the complementary touch fasteners disengage. To do so, the slide fastener desirably has structure thereon that connects the first and second closing surfaces including a spanning member. The structure and closing surfaces define the two channels each open to receive one of the substrates from one side of the slide closure. The channels having a width such that at least some of the widths of the first and second touch fasteners overlap between the closing surfaces and diverge around the spanning member. The spanning member has a first separating surface, a second separating surface, and a nose in between the two separating surfaces, the nose pointing toward the nip. The spanning member is therefore adapted to cleave and separate the engaged touch fasteners when the slide closure body is moved in the opposite direction along the overlapping substrate edges.

Alternatively, the slide closure body may be configured to move in the both directions along the overlapping substrate edges and bring the edges together such that the complementary touch fasteners engage. In this construction, the first and second closing surfaces define a first pair of closing surfaces converging to a first nip. The slide closure body further includes a second pair of closing surfaces that converge toward one another to a second nip defining a gap with a dimension sufficiently small to bring the first and second touch fasteners into engagement.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a system for fastening a first touch fastener to a second touch fastener is provided, comprising a first substrate having a first elongate touch fastener along one edge, a second substrate having a second elongate touch fastener complementary to the first touch fastener, and a slide closure body having channels for receiving the substrates such that the first touch fastener faces the second touch fastener. The slide closure body is configured to move in one direction along the substrates and bring them together such that the complementary touch fasteners engage. The first and second substrates may comprise lengths of flexible sheet material, or the first substrate comprises a first length of flexible sheet material, and the second substrate comprises a rigid material.

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a perspective view of an exemplary slide closure of the present invention for joining two substrates having touch fasteners thereon (shown in phantom);

FIG. 2

is a top plan view of the slide closure of

FIG. 1

;

FIG. 3

is a side elevational view of the slide closure of

FIG. 1

;

FIG. 4

is a left-end elevational view of the slide closure of

FIG. 1

;

FIG. 5

is a right-end elevational view of slide closure of

FIG. 1

;

FIG. 6

is a vertical sectional view through the slide closure taken along line

6

—

6

of

FIG. 1

;

FIG. 7

is a horizontal sectional view through the slide closure taken along line

7

—

7

of

FIG. 5

;

FIG. 8

is an exploded perspective view of a spring-biased slide closure of the present invention;

FIG. 9

is an assembled perspective view of the spring-biased slide closure of

FIG. 8

;

FIGS. 10A and 10B

are vertical sectional views through the assembled spring-biased slide closure of

FIG. 9

shown, respectively, in closed and open positions;

FIG. 11

is a perspective view of an alternative slide closure of the present invention for joining two substrates having touch fasteners thereon (shown in phantom);

FIGS. 12-15

are top plan, side elevational, left-end elevational, and right-end elevational views on the slide closure of

FIG. 11

;

FIG. 16

is a perspective view of an alternative slide closure of the present invention suited for joining a flexible substrate to a rigid substrate; and

FIG. 17

is a perspective view of an alternative slide closure of the present invention that engages the touch fasteners on the substrate edges in either direction of movement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a slide closure for joining two substrates of material having touch fasteners thereon. The substrates may be flexible or one may be relatively more rigid than the other. For example, flexible substrates may be natural or synthetic fabric, plastic sheet, leather, metallic screen, or the like. Rigid substrates may be made of plastic, metal, or the like. The term “substrate” refers to any solid element on which a touch fastener may be provided. In the conventional sense, a “substrate” is a sheet-like element having an edge on which a predetermined width or strip of touch fastener is attached. The edge may be linear or curved. For purpose of the present invention, “substrate” encompasses both sheets and non-sheets, as long as a relatively thin edge or rail having the touch fastener thereon is provided. The slide closure therefore receives two relatively thin substrate edges in an overlapping manner and joins the complementary touch fasteners together.

In less formal terms, the present invention provides a touch fastener (e.g., VELCRO) zipper. The term “touch fastener” pertains to complementary structures on opposed surfaces of two substrates that join upon pressing the two substrates together. The term surface fastener is also sometimes used. The touch fastener structure exists over a surface area of the substrate, and thus there is area to area contact. Only slight compression of the complementary touch fasteners is required for at least some engagement, as opposed to the compression needed to engage a typical plastic bag closure. Further, there is less need for precise alignment of the complementary touch fasteners that would be the case with conventional zippers or plastic bag closures, for example. VELCRO is the most commonly known touch fastener, and is generically termed a hook and loop fastener by virtue of one substrate having a multitude of small hooks and the other substrate having a multitude of small fabric loops. Another example of a common touch fastener provides a multitude of closely spaced small pins having heads on both substrates, much like small mushrooms, the heads of the opposing pins being forced past each other upon compression of the substrates to join the substrates together.

The term “touch fastener” in the context of the present invention does not include conventional zipper-like structures such as meshing teeth or plastic ribs that mate in a dovetail fashion with complementary channels. The latter construction describes the closures at the top of plastic food storage bags that are sold with and without a slide closure. In addition to an absence of a “touch fastener,” as defined in the present application, on the substrates being joined, these closures also are not designed to join two overlapping substrate edges. For example, the slide closure for a zipper having meshing teeth does not join overlapping substrates but instead joins two substrates edge-to-edge in a butt joint of sorts. In the same manner, the sides of a plastic food storage bag are juxtaposed and their edges end at approximately the same place facing the same direction. If a slide closure is used at the top of such a bag, the two juxtaposed edges are received by the slide closure from the same direction. In contrast, the present invention provides a slide closure that receives substrate edges from opposite directions, which edges then overlap within the slide closure.

To better explain the environment in which the slide closures of the present invention may be used, several specific examples will be provided, although those of skill in the art will understand that the invention has wide application beyond these examples. The slide closure may be used to join aligned edges of various fabrics together, such as in clothing, sleeping bags, luggage and carry bags, tarpaulins, and the like. The elimination of any binding that sometimes occurs in such articles having conventional zippers is a great advantage. Another example is the closure between a flexible substrate such as a fabric and a rigid edge, such as between a removable canvas top and the side wall of a truck or Jeep cargo area. Typically, such canvas tops attach to the side wall using a plurality of relatively rugged snaps, which can be a time-consuming and difficult task.

The slide closures of the present invention enable the use of touch fasteners in environments where zippers had been the only real option. Unlike zippers, however, the slide closures disclosed herein do not have meshing teeth and therefore problems with binding are substantially eliminated. Furthermore, once closed with the slide closure, the substrate edges can be opened with or without the use of the slide closure without fear of distorting the substrate edges, or of rendering the slide closure unusable. That is, the user need only run the slide closure along the now separated edges to place it back in a position to close the edges once again when moved in the other direction.

With reference now to the figures, several exemplary embodiment will be described.

FIGS. 1-7

disclose a first embodiment where the components of the slide closure are fixed with respect one another in a non-moving manner.

FIGS. 8-10

disclose a second embodiment similar to the first but having moving components that are spring biased toward each other.

FIGS. 11-15

illustrates a third embodiment having no moving components and being similar but elongated with respect to the first embodiment.

FIG. 16

shows a still further embodiment for joining a flexible substrate to rigid substrate.

FIG. 17

illustrates a slide closure having a closing mechanism like the first embodiment but capable of closing the touch fasteners when slid along the substrates in both directions.

FIG. 1

illustrates a first embodiment of a slide closure

20

joining the edges of first and second substrates

22

a

,

22

b

, which are shown in phantom. In this embodiment, the substrates

22

a

,

22

b

are flexible and have touch fasteners

24

a

,

24

b

along the edges being joined. For example, the substrates

22

a

,

22

b

may be some type of fabric, such as nylon, while the touch fasteners

24

a

,

24

b

are relatively narrow strips of complementary hook and loop material sewn along the edges being joined. For purpose of discussion, the direction along which the substrate edges and touch fasteners

24

a

,

24

b

extend will be termed the length direction, while the direction perpendicular to the length direction and in the plane of the substrate edge will be termed the width direction. The slide closure

20

has a width and receives the overlapping edges of the substrates

22

a

,

22

b

such that at least some of the width of each of the touch fasteners

24

a

,

24

b

resides within the slide closure.

The slide closure

20

comprises basically three structural components: a first closing arm

26

seen at the top of

FIG. 1

, a second closing arm

28

at the bottom of

FIG. 1

, and structure connecting the first and second closing arms including a spanning member

30

positioned between the two closing arms. The connecting structure between the first and second closing arms also includes a pair of side walls

32

,

34

, only one of which is shown in phantom in

FIG. 1

while the other is obscured by the first closing arm

26

.

With reference now to

FIGS. 2-5

, the arrangement of the components of the slide closure

20

can be seen more clearly. As seen from the top in

FIG. 2

, and from the side in

FIG. 3

, the first side wall

32

and the second side wall

34

extend the entire length of the slide closure

20

. As seen best in

FIGS. 4 and 5

, the first side wall

32

connects the first closing arm

26

to the spanning member

30

, while the second side wall

34

connects the second closing arm

28

to the spanning member. As viewed from the right in

FIG. 5

, this connection schematically resembles the letter “Z” thus creating channels

36

,

38

(

FIG. 3

) within the slide closure for receiving the edges of the substrates

22

a

,

22

b

. The first closing wall

26

and the spanning member

30

define therebetween a first channel

36

opening to the front side of the slide closure

20

. Likewise, the second closing wall

28

and the spanning member

30

define therebetween a second channel

38

opening to the rear side of the slide closure

20

. Stated another way, each of the first and second closing arms

26

,

28

attaches on a fixed side to the spanning member

30

via one of the side walls

32

,

34

and is cantilevered across the width of the slide closure

20

so that its inner surface partly defines one of the channels

36

,

38

.

FIG. 1

illustrates the direction in which the edges of the substrates

22

a

,

22

b

are received within these channels

36

,

38

.

With reference now to the cross-section of

FIG. 6

, the shapes of the first and second channels

36

,

38

within the slide closure

20

are more clearly seen. The first closing arm

26

defines on the inside of the slide closure a first closing surface

40

, while the second closing arm

28

defines a second closing surface

42

that generally faces the first closing surface. In the illustrated embodiment, both the first and second closing surfaces

40

,

42

are angled with respect to the horizontal and converge from left to right to a nip

44

. The edge of the first substrate

22

a

passes through the first channel

36

, while the edge of the second substrate

22

b

passes through the second channel

38

, and the two edges converge together in the nip

44

. In this respect, the dimension of the nip

44

is sufficiently small to compress the edges of the two substrates

22

a

,

22

b

such that the touch fasteners

24

a

,

24

b

thereon engage. This mode of operation occurs when the slide closure

20

displaces to the left in

FIG. 1

with respect to the substrates

22

a

,

22

b.

The spanning member

30

provides three functions: it extends across the width of the slide closure

20

to structurally connect the first closing arm

26

and second closing arm

28

; it partly defines both the first and second channels

36

,

38

; and, it also provides diverging or wedging surfaces that separate the touch fasteners

24

a

,

24

b

when the slide closure is moved to the right in

FIG. 1

with respect to the substrates

22

a

,

22

b

. With reference again to

FIG. 6

, the spanning member

30

includes a first separating surface

46

, a second separating surface

48

, and a nose

50

in between the two separating surfaces. The separating surfaces

46

,

48

converge toward one another such that the nose

50

easily slides between and cleaves or separates the joined touch fasteners

24

a

,

24

b

. Preferably, the nose

50

is rounded to avoid catching on the touch fastener material.

With reference again to

FIG. 1

, the slide closure

20

may also include a strap bracket

50

attached to the first closing arm

26

to which a strap or other such gripping device may be coupled. As also seen in

FIG. 1

, but best seen in

FIG. 4

, slide closure

20

further may include first and second guide grooves

52

a

,

52

b

formed in the respective closing surfaces

40

,

42

. The guide grooves

52

a

,

52

b

are shown as linear depressions that receive complementary features on the substrates

22

a

,

22

b

. For example, alignment ribs or other such raised features may be provided on the substrates that fit within and are guided by the grooves

52

a

,

52

b

to maintain the edges of the substrates within the slide closure

20

. Instead of separate ribs, the touch fasteners

24

a

,

24

b

may be provided as strips that are sewn to the substrates

22

a

,

22

b

such that an edge of the strip or a thickened seam

54

a

,

54

b

(see

FIG. 1

) provides enough material to engage the respective guide groove

52

a

,

52

b.

The slide closure

20

may be made of a variety of materials, although machined or molded plastic is preferred. Furthermore, the slide closure

20

may be formed as a single, unitary piece, or may be made of several separately formed pieces that are glued or otherwise attached together. The dimensions of the slide closure

20

will vary depending on the application, though an exemplary size for use as a sleeping bag closure is about 1 inch in width and length.

FIGS. 8-10

disclose an alternative slide closure

60

of the present invention that has essentially the same components as the slide closure

20

described above but is spring-biased to help prevent binding on the substrates. The exploded view of

FIG. 8

also illustrates one way that the slide closure

20

of the first embodiment may be formed from three separate pieces and then attached together.

The spring-biased slide closure

60

includes a first closing arm

62

having a first side wall

64

attached thereto. A spanning member

66

joins a second closing arm

68

to the first closing arm

62

. The second closing arm

68

has a second side wall

70

attached thereto. Hinge bores

72

,

74

are provided in the first and second side walls

64

,

70

, respectively. Hinge pins

76

,

78

extend outward from the spanning member

66

and fit within the hinge bores

72

,

74

. In this manner, the first closing arm

62

pivots with respect to the second closing arm

68

about the axis defined by the hinge pins

76

,

78

. The assembly is held together using a pair of generally V-shaped springs

80

,

82

, as will be explained below.

Each spring

80

,

82

has two spaced apart free ends

84

that are generally parallel to one another. The free ends

84

are at the terminal end of a pair of fingers

86

that converge and are joined together at a helical apex

88

. Each helical apex

88

defines a bore therethrough that receives one of the hinge pins

78

.

With reference to

FIGS. 10A and 10B

, the fingers

86

of each of the springs

80

,

82

pass through holes in both the first and second closing arms

62

,

68

such that the free ends

84

lie flush against the outer surfaces of the closing arms. The relaxed position of the spring is seen in

FIG. 10A

such that the nip

90

between the closing arm

62

,

68

is minimized.

FIG. 10B

illustrates the closing arms

62

,

68

pivoted apart against the force of the spring. This situation might occur intermittently upon bunching or folding of the substrate(s) passing through the slide closure

60

. The closing arms

62

,

68

will temporarily spread apart to permit passage of the obstruction, and then spring back together into the normal operating configuration of FIG.

10

A.

FIGS. 11-15

illustrate a still further embodiment of a slide closure

100

having a first closing arm

102

, a second closing arm

104

, a first side wall

106

, second side wall

108

, and spanning member

110

. As before, the spanning member

110

connects the first and second side walls

106

,

108

. In contrast to the first embodiment, the slide closure

100

is elongated such that the spanning member

110

does not reside directly between the first and second closing arms

102

,

104

. This construction may enable the slide closure

100

to be formed to have a lower thickness profile than the first embodiment.

FIGS. 12-15

illustrate the various components as mentioned previously. Specifically, the slide closure

100

includes first and second closing surfaces

111

,

112

, and the spanning member

110

defines first and second separating surfaces

114

,

116

tapering down to a nose

118

. The first channel

120

for receiving one of the touch fasteners

122

a

(

FIG. 11

) is defined between the first closing surface

111

and the first separate surface

114

. Likewise, the second channel

120

b

for receiving the other touch fastener

122

b

is defined between the second closing surface

112

and second separate surface

116

.

FIG. 11

indicates the directions in which the slide closure

100

moves to alternately open and close the touch fasteners

122

a

,

122

b.

FIG. 16

is a perspective view of an alternative slide closure

130

that differs from the first embodiment in that a first closing surface

132

is angled with respect to the direction in which the slide closure moves along the substrate edges, while a second closing surface

134

is generally parallel to the direction of movement. The slide closure

130

is thus designed to join the flexible substrate to a rigid substrate. The rigid substrate passes through the channel that is partly defined by the second closing surface

134

, while the flexible substrate passes through the other channel partly defined by the first closing surface

132

and is directed toward the rigid substrate. The channel that is partly defined by the second closing surface

134

is parallel to the direction of movement of the slide closure

130

so as to easily pass along the rigid substrate (i.e., an angled channel would not permit such movement.

FIG. 17

is a perspective view of another alternative slide closure

140

that differs from the first embodiment in that both a first pair of closing surfaces

142

a

,

142

b

and a second pair of closing surfaces

144

a

,

144

b

are provided converging toward two nips

146

,

148

. A spanning member

150

is still required between the oppositely opening channels

152

,

154

to structurally connect the first and a second pairs of closing surfaces

142

a

,

142

b

,

144

a

,

144

b

. The slide closure

140

thus closes the edges of the substrates having the touch fasteners thereon in both directions of movement. One separates the substrate edges by simply tearing them apart by hand, except for where the slide closure

140

is located (typically at one end of the substrates or the other). From any location, the slide closure

140

is then moved in either direction along the edges, pulling them together and joining the touch fasteners thereon.

While the foregoing describes the preferred embodiments of the invention, various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents may be used. Moreover, it will be obvious that certain other modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.