GB2445950A - Elongate fastener having first and second extrusions and a lever - Google Patents

Abstract

An elongate fastener 11 comprising first and second flexible extrusions 12, 13 having mating formations 21, 22 and of which the first part 12 has a lengthwise locking recess or channel 14 and the second part 13 has a protruding nib 15 that engages the locking recess 14 and is deployable between engaged and disengaged positions by a lever section 16. The mating formations 21, 22 may consist of a complementary elongate projection and slot such as tongue and groove. The lever may be formed with an integral or living hinge 24 to enable the lever to pivot.

Description

Fastener This invention relates to fasteners.

Zip or slide fasteners are well known, comprising elongate, flexible stringers with teeth which are made to interengage and separate by means of a slider, and which can be sewn to parts of a garment or other article to provide a closable opening. The stringers are made by expensive and complex machinery, narrow-fabric knitting or weaving machines, fed with special textile threads and wire. The fasteners not infrequently malfunction, usually as a result of untoward stress. Separable parts slide fasteners have bottom end stops that separate readily, but are often flddly to re-engage. Such fasteners have, however, been around for more than a century, and it is difficult to imagine a replacement that could match the general ease of use and relatively low cost, considering their complexity.

The present invention, however, provides a replacement that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and that has added benefits such, for example, as improved water-tightness and ease of use.

The invention comprises an elongate fastener comprising first and second flexible extrusions having mating formations and of which the first part has a locking recess and the second part has a nib that engages the locking recess and is deployable between engaged and disengaged positions by a lever section.

The extrusions may have at one edge an attachment portion by which they may be attached to an opening to be closed by the fastener. The attachment portion may be suitable for sewing attachment or by adhesive attachment.

The mating formations may comprise tongue and groove formations. Such tongue and groove formations may have tongue and groove components lying substantially parallel to attachment portions.

The second extrusion may be adapted to underlie the lever section, with the locking recess facing outwardly, the nib being adapted to fit into the locking recess when the parts are fully engaged.

The lever section may extend beyond the nib, and may be provided with a finger lift formation.. The lever section may be adapted to lie flat against the first part when the nib is in the locking recess.

The lever section may be fuicrummed on a live hinge in an extrusion.

The fastener may be made in flexible, but essentially unstretchable material such for example as nylon or polyester or a rubber.

The fastener may be arranged to seat against ingress of water.

One embodiment of fastener according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from one side of the two parts, separated, of the fastener; Figure 2 is a view like Figure 1, from the other side; Figure 3 is a view like Figure 1 of the parts, together; and Figure 4 is a set of five cross-sections of the fastener of Figures 1 to 3 in stages of engagement.

The drawings illustrate an elongate fastener ii comprising first and second flexible extrusions, 12, 13 having mating formations and of which the first extrusion 12 has a locking recess 14 and the second extrusion 13 has a nib 15 that engages the locking recess 14 and is deployable between engaged and disengaged positions by a lever section 16. The term extrusion', as used herein, refers not so much to the manner of manufacture, namely by extrusion through a die, as to the nature of the part, which is to say that it resembles an extrusion insofar as it has a constant cross section such as would be produced by extrusion, regardless of how it is actually produced.

The extrusions 12, 13 each have at one edge 12a, 13a an attachment portion 17 by which they may be attached to an opening to be closed by the fastener. The attachment portion 17y be suitable for sewing attachment, as by comprising a strip of textile material embedded in and projecting from the extrusion, or by adhesive attachment. Of course, the fastener may well be an integral part of a component of a structure, such as a front panel of a rubber or plastics material garment, and may be extruded or moulded as such.

The mating fonnations comprise tongue and groove formations. Such tongue and groove formations may have tongue 21 and groove 22 components lying substantially parallel to the attachment portions 17.

The second extrusion 13 is adapted to underlie the lever section 16, with the locking recess 14 facing outwardly, the nib 15 being adapted to fit into the locking recess 14 when the extrusions are fuiiy engaged.

The lever section 16 extends beyond the nib 14, and is provided with a finger lift formation 19 The lever section 16 is adapted to lie flat against the first extrusion 12 when the nib 15 is in the locking recess 14.

The lever section 16 is fulcrummed on a live hinge 24 in the second extrusion 13.

The fastener 11 can be made in flexible, but essentially unstretchable material such for example as nylon or polyester or a rubber. However, it is also possible that fasteners can be made in an extensible material, such, for example, as polytnmethylene terephthalate (P11') or polybutylene terephthalate, for use with stretch garments made, for example, of Lycra or other elastomeric materials.

Figure 4 illustrates the action of closing the fastener 11. As with any conventional slide fastener, it begins at one end. Figure 4A shows, in cross section, the ends of the two extrusions 12, 13 being juxtaposed. In 48 is seen the lever section 16 being raised, by lifting it with a finger. With the nib 15 clear, the extrusion 12 is moved towards the extrusion 13 and the mating formations engaged as shown in 4C, and pushed fully home, as in 4D. The lever section 16 can now be allowed to fall back towards the extrusions for the nib 15 to engage the recess 14. The fastener is then closed along its length as far as may be desired, simply by urging the two extrusions together.

Opening the fastener 11 is the reverse of the closing operation -the lever section 16 is lifted with a finger to take the nib 15 out or the recess 14, and the extrusions 12, 13 simply pulled apart.

The fastener may be arranged to seal against ingress of water by making it reasonably tight fitting -the nib 15 and recess 14, and the mating formations form effectively a labyrinth seal.

The fastener 11 will be silent in use, as compared to many slide fasteners, and can be made at low cost by extrusion. It can also be more reliable, having few moving parts.

Claims (16)

1. Claims: 1 An elongate fastener comprising first and second flexible

   extrusions having mating formations and of which the first part has a locking recess and the second part has a nib that engages the locking recess and is deployable between engaged and disengaged positions by a lever section.
2. 2 A fastener according to claim 1, in which the extrusions have at one edge an attachment portion by which they may be attached to an opening to be closed by the fastener.
3. 3 A fastener according to claim 2, in which the attachment portion is suitable for sewing attachment.
4. 4 A fastener according to claim 3, in which the attachment portion comprises a sewable fabric.
5. A fastener according to claim 4, in which the fabric is embedded in and projects from the attachment portion.
6. 6 A fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 5, adapted for adhesive attachment.
7. 7 A fastener according to any one of claims I to 6, in which the mating formations comprise tongue and groove formations.
8. 8 A fastener according to claim 7, in which the tongue and groove formations have tongue and groove components lying substantially parallel to attachment portions.
9. 9 A fastener according to any one of claims ito 8, in which the second extrusion is adapted to underlie the lever section, with the locking recess facing outwardly, the nib being adapted to fit into the locking recess when the parts are fully engaged.
10. A fastener according to claim 9, in which the lever section extends beyond the nib, and is provided with a finger lift formation..
11. 11 A fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 10, in which the lever section isadapted to lie flat against the first part when the nib is in the locking recess.
12. 12 A fastener according to any one of claims I to 11, in which the lever section is fulcrumnied on a live hinge in an extrusion.
13. 13 A fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 12, in which the fastener is made in flexible, but essentially unstretchable material.
14. 14 A fastener according to claim 13, made in nylon or polyester or a rubber.
15. A fstener according to any one of claims I to 12, made in a stretchable material so as to accommodate stretch in garments of elastomeric materials.
16. 16 A fastener according to claim 15, made of polytrimethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate.

    A fastener according to any one of claims I to 15, arranged to seal against ingress of water.