DEVICES AND METHODS FOR FORMING A CLOSURE BETWEEN FABRICS AND/OR OTHER MATERIALS
Fastening systems include one or more fastening members, sliders, stop blocks and/or top stops. Fastening members described include a variety of inventive features, including structures associated with the head portion, transition portion, and tail portion. Sliders include friction reducing structures and locking features. Stop blocks provide bottom stops for various articles, and serve to anchor a fastening member. Top stops provide a containment structure for limiting slider travel. A variety of methods are also described.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/866,427 filed on Nov. 19, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELDThe present inventions relates to devices and methods of forming a closure between fabrics and/or other materials.
BACKGROUNDFastening devices typically include two flexible elongated components having teeth that are forced to interlock and separate by moving a zipper pull along the components. Although such fastening devices have long been used to close and open various articles, such as clothing and bags, such devices suffer from allowing liquids and gases within the fastener, and are therefore, not useful for conditions in which a fluid/wind resistant, wind-proof, gas-tight and/or waterproof closure is desirable. Furthermore, existing closure systems may be perceived as being old style, and thus, there is a need for alternative devices that can provide a closure for various types of articles. Accordingly, there is further need for additional devices and/or assemblies for forming a closure. There is also the need for additional methods that provide a closure.
SUMMARYAmong other things, one or more novel fastening members, sliders, stop blocks and/or top stops are provided for forming a closure and/or a component thereof. Closures described herein include a variety of features, and the Detailed Description describes a number of inventions. In addition, the present inventions include novel methods of manufacture and methods of using the closures and/or components thereof.
Various embodiments of the present inventions are set forth in the attached figures and in the detailed description of the invention as provided herein and as embodied by the claims. It should be understood, however, that this Summary does not contain all of the aspects and embodiments of the present inventions, is not meant to be limiting or restrictive in any manner, and that the inventions as disclosed herein is and will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to encompass obvious improvements and modifications thereto.
Additional advantages of the present inventions will become readily apparent from the following discussion, particularly when taken together with the accompanying drawings.
Several figures have been developed to assist with understanding the present inventions. Following is a brief description of the figures that illustrate the present inventions and their various embodiments:
While the following disclosure describes the inventions in connection with those embodiments presented, one should understand that the inventions are not strictly limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, one should understand that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, may include exaggerated features, and that in certain instances, the disclosure may not include details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present inventions, such as conventional details of fabrication and assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThis Detailed Description, in combination with the associated drawings, describes numerous inventions. It is to be understood that aspects of one or more embodiments of the various inventions described herein may be combined, and such combinations are encompassed by this description and are considered within the scope of the present inventions.
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The longitudinal voids 404 can be formed through extrusion; however, injection molding and other processes can also be used to form the voids 404. In addition, to the voids 404, pultrusion techniques may be used to introduce and/or assist in the incorporation of a different longitudinally oriented material (e.g., fibers) within the fastening member 400.
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The fastening member 1600 includes a head portion 108 including a front side 116 and a backside 120. The front side 116 includes mating surface 124 comprising a plurality of tongue and groove structures 128, wherein an outermost tongue 1604 includes a rotational preventer 1608 comprising an extension 1612 having a sloping terminal surface 1616. In at least one embodiment, the sloping terminal surface 1616 defines a sloping terminal surface plane 1620 extending from the sloping terminal surface 1616, wherein the sloping terminal surface plane 1620 intercepts a backside plane 1624 at an angle φ, where the backside plane 1624 is coplanar with the exterior surface 1628 of the backside 120. In accordance with at least one embodiment, φ is preferably less than 90 degrees, and more preferably, φ is between about 55 to 75 degrees, and more preferably yet, φ is between about 60 to 70 degrees. It is noted that a number of embodiments of the present inventions described herein may optionally include the rotational preventer 1608, and this feature has been identified by its reference number in the various figures. Accordingly, the rotational preventer 1608 and the geometry described within this paragraph are applicable as an option and/or in combination with numerous other inventive aspects described herein.
In at least one embodiment, the tail portion 104 comprises a planar surface 1632 that is substantially parallel to the backside plane 1624. In addition, in at least one embodiment, the transitional portion 112 includes an interior transitional surface 1636 having a height H, wherein the interior transitional surface 1636 is substantially parallel to the sloping terminal surface 1616. The interior transitional surface 1636 corresponds to an innermost groove surface of the plurality of tongue and groove structures 128. In at least one embodiment, the tail portion 104 includes a tail upper surface 1640 and a tail lower surface 1644. The tail upper surface 1640 is substantially parallel to the tail lower surface 1644. In addition, the tail upper surface 1640 is spaced apart from the tail lower surface 1644 to define a tail thickness T, where the tail thickness T is less than the height H of the interior transitional surface 1636.
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As those skilled in the art will appreciate, different types of magnets and ferromagnetic materials are available for use, and they may be used at various locations within the head portions 108a and 108b, as well as at various locations within the slider body 4012. For example, the orientation of magnets within the slider body 4012 may include magnets to induce separation of the head portions 108a and 108b within the middle interior of the slider body 4012 and toward the opening end 4016 of the slider body, while magnets may be used to push together the mating surfaces 124a and 124b within the middle interior of the slider body 4012 and toward the closing end 4020. Alternatively, in at least one embodiment the closing end 4020 of the slider body 4012 may not comprise a magnet and/or a ferromagnetic material. As another example, the head portions 108a and 108b may use magnets and/or ferromagnetic materials to improve the interaction with not only the slider 4004, but also with each other, such that the first head portion 108a and the second head portion 108b are magnetically attractive. Without being limited by examples, magnets and/or ferromagnetic materials can be extruded directly into the head portions 108a and 108b, and/or they may be attached as an insert 1912, or they may be attached by an adhesive. At least part of one of the head portions 108a and 108b can be removed at a longitudinal end of the fastening member to provide an airtight and/or water tight closure.
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In at least one embodiment, the rotatably mounted pull tab 5008 is interconnected to the intermediate portion 5016 by a pin 5020 located at the opening end 5024 of the slider body.
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The slider 5404 comprises a slider body 5412 including an opening end 5416 and a closing end 5420. The closing end 5420 includes a confining portion 5424 that functions to confine the first mating surface 124 of a first fastening member into interlocking engagement with a second mating surface 124 of a second fastening member. In at least one embodiment, the closing end 5420 of the slider body 5412 includes an upper sloping surface 5428 and a lower sloping surface 5432 that resemble a truncated wedge when viewed from the side, as seen in
The stop block 5408 includes structural features to hold and release a fastening member, and to interact with the slider 5404. In at least one embodiment, the stop block 5408 includes a first housing portion or upper housing portion 5436 and a second housing portion or lower housing portion 5440. In at least one embodiment, the lower housing portion 5440 is permanently secured to one of the first and second fastening members, such as at a longitudinal end of a fastening member. The upper housing portion 5436 is preferably movably connected to the lower housing portion 5440, and more preferably, the upper housing portion 5436 is hingedly interconnected to the lower housing portion 5440 by hinge 5444. For interaction with the slider 5404, the upper housing portion 5436 includes an upper sloping receiving surface 5448, and the lower housing portion 5440 includes a lower sloping receiving surface 5452.
The stop block 5408 has a first closed position (as shown in
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From the foregoing, one skilled in the art will appreciate that a number of different ways are available for providing a rotatable element for securing a second fastening member within a stop block, and such variations and other modifications are encompassed by embodiments of the present inventions. It is further noted that different material types and textures can be used for the rotatable brake 6712 and rotatable locking cam 6904, or other gripping elements 6608 and 5456, including soft plastics or rubber for enhanced gripping, as well as textured or angled elements for grabbing the inserted fastening member.
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The slider 7208 of fastening system 7200 may optionally include tongue and groove structures for mating with the tongue and groove structures 7224 of the top stop 7204. Such configuration can prevent air, water, or gas penetration though the closing mating surfaces that are formed around the slider 7208, as well as prevent leakage around the first and second fastening members 7212a and 7212b, and top stop 7204.
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Any of the stop blocks and/or top stops described herein may include magnets or ferromagnetic materials for interaction with the head portions 108 of the fastening members. Furthermore, the stop blocks and top stops described herein may further include electronic elements, such as wiring, fiber optics, and/or a battery for forming part of the operable elements associated with appropriate fastening members and/or certain of their components, such as fastening members 1200a, 1200b, 1220a, and 1220b shown in
The disclosures of the following documents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,980, U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,999, and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2006/0107500.
The present invention, in various embodiments, includes components, methods, processes, systems and/or apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, including various embodiments, subcombinations, and subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art will understand how to make and use the present invention after understanding the present disclosure. The present invention, in various embodiments, includes providing devices and processes in the absence of items not depicted and/or described herein or in various embodiments hereof, including in the absence of such items as may have been used in previous devices or processes, e.g., for improving performance, achieving ease and\or reducing cost of implementation.
It is to be noted that the term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably.
The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description for example, various features of the invention are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the invention.
One of skill in the art will appreciate the various different applications of the present invention with respect to the variety of articles, all of which are intended to be included herein.
Moreover, though the description of the invention has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications, other variations and modifications are within the scope of the invention, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.
Claims
1. A fastening system, comprising:
- a first fastening member including a first mating surface, the first fastening member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein the first mating surface extends a first longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends of the first fastening member;
- a second fastening member including a second mating surface, the second fastening member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein the second mating surface extends a second longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends of the second fastening member, and wherein said second mating surface is adapted for being positioned generally opposite said first mating surface for releasably interlocking said first mating surface;
- a slider comprising a slider body including an opening end and a closing end, said closing end having a confining portion wherein said first mating surface of said first fastening member is placed into interlocking engagement with said second mating surface of said second fastening member, wherein when said slider is moved in a closing direction the first fastening member and said second fastening member pass within said slider from said opening end to said closing end and said slider places said first mating surface into interlocking engagement with said second mating surface, at least a portion of the slider body including a sloping engagement surface at its closing end;
- a stop block comprising a first housing portion and a second housing portion, wherein the first housing portion is hingedly interconnected to the second housing portion, wherein one of the first and second housing portions is fixedly secured to at least one of the first and second longitudinal ends of one of said first and second fastening members, the stop block having at least a first closed position and a second open position, wherein when the sloping engagement surface of the slider body contacts a receiving surface of at least one of the first and second housing portions of the stop block the slider urges the stop block from the first closed position to the second open position, wherein the stop block releasably secures at least a grasp portion of another of the at least one of the first and second longitudinal ends of one of said first and second fastening members within the stop block when the grasp portion is fed into the stop block in the second open position and the slider is then advanced in the closing direction away from the stop block placing the stop block in the first closed position.
2. The fastening system of claim 1, wherein the closing end of the slider body comprises a wedge shape.
3. The fastening system of claim 2, wherein the stop block comprises an internal surface including a plurality of ribbed engaging surfaces.
4. The fastening system of claim 1, further comprising a top stop fixedly secured to at least one of the first and second longitudinal ends of one of said first and second fastening members.
5. The fastening system of claim 4, wherein the top stop comprises a mating surface, wherein the slider comprises a tongue and groove portion, and wherein the mating surface of the top stop is adapted to engage the tongue and groove portion of the slider.
6. The fastening system of claim 4, further comprising an electrical wire located within at least one of the first fastening member, the second fastening member, the stop block and the top stop.
7. A fastening system, comprising:
- a first fastening member including a first mating surface, the first fastening member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein the first mating surface extends a first longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends of the first fastening member;
- a second fastening member including a second mating surface, the second fastening member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein the second mating surface extends a second longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends of the second fastening member, and wherein said second mating surface is adapted for being positioned generally opposite said first mating surface for releasably interlocking said first mating surface;
- a slider comprising a slider body including an opening end and a closing end, said closing end having a confining portion wherein said first mating surface of said first fastening member is placed into interlocking engagement with said second mating surface of said second fastening member, wherein when said slider is moved in a closing direction the first fastening member and said second fastening member pass within said slider from said opening end to said closing end and said slider places said first mating surface into interlocking engagement with said second mating surface;
- a stop block fixedly secured to at least one of the first and second longitudinal ends of one of said first and second fastening members, wherein a receiving channel is located within the stop block, and a rotatable brake is located within at least a portion of the receiving channel, wherein the stop block releasably secures at least a grasp portion of another of the at least one of the first and second longitudinal ends of one of said first and second fastening members within the stop block when the grasp portion is fed into the stop block and the rotatable brake engages the grasp portion.
8. The fastening system of claim 7, wherein the rotatable brake comprises a cam.
9. The fastening system of claim 7, wherein the rotatable brake comprises a roller having a rotation axis oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stop block.
10. The fastening system of claim 7, wherein the rotatable brake comprises release mechanism for disengaging the rotatable brake from the grasp portion.
11. The fastening system of claim 7, further comprising a top stop fixedly secured to at least one of the first and second longitudinal ends of one of said first and second fastening members.
12. A fastening system, comprising:
- a first fastening member including a first mating surface, the first fastening member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein the first mating surface extends a first longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends of the first fastening member;
- a second fastening member including a second mating surface, the second fastening member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein the second mating surface extends a second longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends of the second fastening member, and wherein said second mating surface is adapted for being positioned generally opposite said first mating surface for releasably interlocking said first mating surface;
- a slider comprising a slider body including an opening end and a closing end, said closing end having a confining portion wherein said first mating surface of said first fastening member is placed into interlocking engagement with said second mating surface of said second fastening member, wherein when said slider is moved in a closing direction the first fastening member and said second fastening member pass within said slider from said opening end to said closing end and said slider places said first mating surface into interlocking engagement with said second mating surface;
- a stop block comprising a first block member fixedly secured to at least one of the first and second longitudinal ends of one of said first and second fastening members, and a second block member fixedly secured to another of the at least one of the first and second longitudinal ends of one of said first and second fastening members, wherein the first block member releasably engages the second block member to form a connected block member.
13. The fastening system of claim 12, further comprising a top stop fixedly secured to at least one of the first and second longitudinal ends of one of said first and second fastening members.
14. A fastening system for use with a slider, comprising:
- a first fastening member including a first mating surface, the first fastening member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein the first mating surface extends a first longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends of the first fastening member;
- a second fastening member including a second mating surface, the second fastening member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein the second mating surface extends a second longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends of the second fastening member, and wherein said second mating surface is adapted for being positioned generally opposite said first mating surface for releasably interlocking with said first mating surface when the slider places the first mating surface into interlocking contact with the second mating surface; and
- at least one communication element comprising at least one of an electrical wiring and optical fiber extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal length of at least one of the first fastening member and second fastening member.
15. The fastening system of claim 14, wherein the communication element is located within a material of the at least one of the first fastening member and second fastening member.
16. The fastening system of claim 14, wherein the communication element is located along a surface of a tongue and groove portion of the first mating surface and second mating surface.
17. A slider for use with a first fastening member and a second fastening member, the first and second fastening members comprising mating surfaces oriented along a longitudinal axis and adapted for releasably interlocking upon translation of the slider longitudinally along a longitudinal length of the first and second fastening members, the slider comprising:
- a slider body comprising a plurality of portions adapted for interconnection using a fastening mechanism.
18. The slider of claim 17, wherein the fastening mechanism interconnects an intermediate portion of the slider body, the intermediate portion separating the mating surfaces upon translation of the slider in an opening direction.
19. A slider for use with a first fastening member and a second fastening member, the first and second fastening members comprising mating surfaces oriented along a longitudinal axis and adapted for releasably interlocking upon translation of the slider longitudinally along a longitudinal length of the first and second fastening members, the slider comprising:
- a slider body including a roller interconnected to the slider body, the roller located for contacting at least one of the first and second fastening members upon the translation of the slider.
20. The slider of claim 19, wherein the roller comprises a rotational axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
21. A fastening system, comprising:
- a first fastening member including a head portion having a first mating surface and a backside, the backside of the head portion comprising at least one receptacle;
- a second fastening member including a second mating surface, wherein said second mating surface is adapted for being positioned generally opposite said first mating surface for releasably interlocking with said first mating surface when the first mating surface is placed into interlocking contact with the second mating surface; and
- at least one insert adapted for insertion within the at least one receptacle.
22. The fastening system of claim 21, wherein the insert is retained within the receptacle by a tongue and groove configuration.
23. The fastening system of claim 21, wherein the insert comprises at least one of a reflector, a fluid conveyance conduit, a wire, a communication element, a bumper, and a decorative insert.
24. The fastening system of claim 21, further comprising a slider for placing the first mating surface into interlocking contact with the second mating surface.
25. A fastening system, comprising:
- a first fastening member including a head portion having a primary mating surface on a front side and a secondary mating surface on a backside;
- a second fastening member including a forked head portion wherein a first interior side of said forked head portion includes a first interior mating surface and an opposing second interior side of said forked head portion includes a second interior mating surface;
- wherein said head portion of said first fastening member is adapted for being releasably interlocked in said forked head portion of said second fastening member such that said primary mating surface releasably interlocks with said first interior mating surface, and said secondary mating surface releasably interlocks with said second interior mating surface.
26. The fastening system of claim 25, wherein a void space is formed within the forked head portion of the second fastening member when said first head portion is releasably interlocked within said second fastening member.
27. The fastening system of claim 26, wherein the void space comprises a fluid conduit.
28. The fastening system of claim 26, wherein the void space may be pressure tested.
29. A slider for use with at least a first fastening member and a second fastening member, the first fastening member including a first mating surface and the second fastening member including a second mating surface, wherein the first and second mating surfaces are oriented along a longitudinal axis and adapted for releasably interlocking upon translation of the slider longitudinally along a longitudinal length of the first and second fastening members, the slider comprising:
- a slider body including an opening end and a closing end, said opening end having an upper portion and a lower portion, and an intermediate portion between the upper and lower portions, the intermediate portion positioned generally at the opening end for locating between the first mating surface of the first fastening member and the second mating surface of the second fastening member when the slider is moved in an opening direction;
- a pull tab connected to the intermediate section of the slider body, wherein the pull tab may be rotated from a first position when pulling the slider in the opening direction to a second position when pulling the slider in a closing direction.
30. The slider of claim 29, wherein the pull tab is interconnected to the intermediate portion by a rotatable pin oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first and second mating surfaces.
31. The slider of claim 30, wherein the rotatable pin is substantially circular in cross section.
32. The slider of claim 30, wherein the pin comprises a contacting portion having a non-circular cross-section, wherein the contacting portion contacts at least one of the first and second mating surfaces as the slider is translated along the longitudinal axis of the first and second mating surfaces.
33. The slider of claim 32, wherein the non-circular cross section is substantially wedge shaped.
34. A slider for use with a first fastening member and a second fastening member, the first and second fastening members comprising mating surfaces oriented along a longitudinal axis and adapted for releasably interlocking upon translation of the slider longitudinally along a longitudinal length of the first and second fastening members, the slider comprising:
- a slider body including an opening end and a closing end, said opening end having an upper portion and a lower portion, and an intermediate portion between the upper and lower portions, the intermediate portion positioned generally at the opening end for locating between the first mating surface of the first fastening member and the second mating surface of the second fastening member when the slider is moved in an opening direction, the intermediate portion having a first side releasably interconnectable to the upper portion and a second side releasably interconnectable to the lower portion, wherein the intermediate portion can be separated from the upper portion and lower portion.
35. The slider of claim 34, wherein the intermediate portion is replaceable with removal from the upper and lower portions, and insertion of a replacement intermediate portion.
36. A fastening system, comprising:
- a first fastening member including a first head portion having a first mating surface, the first head portion including at least one of a magnet and a ferromagnetic material extending along a longitudinal length of the first mating surface;
- a second fastening member including a second head portion having a second mating surface, wherein said second mating surface is adapted for being positioned generally opposite said first mating surface for releasably interlocking with said first mating surface when the first mating surface is placed into interlocking contact with the second mating surface; and
- a slider comprising a slider body including an opening end and a closing end, said opening end and said closing end having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein at least one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the opening end include at least one of a slider magnet and a slider ferromagnetic material, and wherein a magnetic force is applied between the first head portion and the at least one of the upper portion and lower portion of the opening end.
37. The fastening system of claim 36, wherein the second head portion comprises at least one of a magnet and a ferromagnetic material.
38. The fastening system of claim 36, wherein the closing end of the slider body does not comprise at least one of a magnet and a ferromagnetic material.
39. The fastening system of claim 36, wherein the first head portion and the second head portion are magnetically attractive.
40. A multi-layer fastening system, comprising:
- a first fastening member including a first head portion having a first primary mating surface on a front side and a first secondary mating surface on a backside, the first head portion having a first extension including first tertiary mating surface;
- a second fastening member including a second head portion having a second primary mating surface on a front side and a second secondary mating surface on a backside, the second head portion having a second extension including second tertiary mating surface, wherein said second tertiary mating surface is adapted to releasably interlock with said first tertiary mating surface of said first fastening member to form an intermediate seal;
- a cap member having a first cap mating surface and a spaced apart second cap mating surface, the first cap mating surface adapted to releasably interlock with said first primary mating surface of said first fastening member, and the second cap mating surface adapted to releasably interlock with said second primary mating surface of said second fastening member;
- a base member having a first base mating surface and a spaced apart second base mating surface, the first base mating surface adapted to releasably interlock with said first secondary mating surface of said first fastening member, and the second base mating surface adapted to releasably interlock with said second secondary mating surface of said second fastening member;
- wherein, upon assembly, the cap member bounds the intermediate seal on a first side and the base member bounds the intermediate seal on a second side.
41. The fastening system of claim 40, wherein, upon assembly, a first void space is formed between the intermediate seal and an interior side of the cap member, and wherein a second void space is formed between the intermediate seal and an interior side of the base member.
42. The fastening system of claim 41, wherein at least one of the first void space and second void space may be pressure tested.
43. A first fastening member for use in combination with a second fastening member, wherein the first and second fastening members are adapted to releasably interlock, the first fastening member comprising:
- a head portion including a front side and a backside, the front side having a mating surface comprising a plurality of tongue and groove structures, wherein an outermost tongue of the plurality of tongue and groove structures includes a rotational preventer comprising an extension having a sloping terminal surface, wherein a plane extending from the sloping terminal surface intercepts a backside plane at an angle φ, where the backside plane is coplanar with the exterior surface of the backside, and wherein φ is between about 55 to 75 degrees.
44. The first fastening member of claim 43, wherein the head portion is interconnected to a tail portion, and wherein the tail portion comprises a planar surface that is substantially parallel to the backside plane.
45. The first fastening member of claim 43, wherein the head portion is interconnected to the tail portion by a transitional portion, the transitional portion comprising an interior transitional surface, wherein the interior transitional surface is substantially parallel to the sloping terminal surface.
46. A first fastening member for use in combination with a second fastening member, wherein the first and second fastening members are adapted to releasably interlock, the first fastening member comprising:
- a tail portion comprising a tail upper surface and a tail lower surface, wherein the tail upper surface is substantially parallel to the tail lower surface, and wherein the tail upper surface is spaced apart from the tail lower surface to define a tail thickness T;
- a head portion interconnected to the tail portion by a transition portion, the transition portion including an interior transitional surface having a height H, wherein height H is greater than the tail thickness T, the head portion including a front side and a backside, the front side having a mating surface comprising a plurality of tongue and groove structures, wherein the interior transitional surface corresponds to an innermost groove surface of the plurality of tongue and groove structures, wherein an outermost tongue of the plurality of tongue and groove structures includes a sloping terminal surface, wherein a lower tail plane coplanar with the tail lower surface and extending from the tail lower surface through the head portion intercepts the sloping terminal surface at an angle φ, where φ is defined as above the lower tail plane, wherein φ is less than about 90 degrees, and wherein the interior transitional surface is substantially parallel to the sloping terminal surface.
47. The first fastening member of claim 46, wherein the outermost tongue has at least one tip, and wherein a tip plane coplanar with an underside surface of the at least one tip intersects the sloping terminal surface at an angle θ when the tip plane is extended through the outermost tongue, wherein θ is measured below the tip plane, and wherein θ is between about 85 to 95 degrees.
48. The first fastening member of claim 46, wherein φ is between about 55 to 75 degrees.
49. The first fastening member of claim 46, wherein the backside of the head portion comprises a backside surface, and wherein the backside surface is substantially parallel to the lower tail plane.
50. A fastening system, comprising:
- a first fastening member including a first mating surface, the first fastening member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein the first mating surface extends a first longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends of the first fastening member;
- a second fastening member including a second mating surface, the second fastening member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein the second mating surface extends a second longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends of the second fastening member, and wherein said second mating surface is adapted for being positioned generally opposite said first mating surface for releasably interlocking said first mating surface;
- a slider comprising a slider body including an opening end and a closing end, said closing end having a confining portion wherein said first mating surface of said first fastening member is placed into interlocking engagement with said second mating surface of said second fastening member, wherein when said slider is moved in a closing direction the first fastening member and said second fastening member pass within said slider from said opening end to said closing end and said slider places said first mating surface into interlocking engagement with said second mating surface; and
- a closure stop comprising: a first end member fixedly secured to the first longitudinal end of said first fastening member; and a second end member fixedly secured to the first longitudinal end of said second fastening member;
- wherein when the slider is advanced in the closing direction to the first end member and the second end member, the first end member and the second end member combine to form the closure stop, and wherein the slider is prevented from further travel in the closing direction
51. A fastening system, comprising:
- a first fastening member including a first mating surface, the first fastening member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein the first mating surface extends a first longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends of the first fastening member;
- a second fastening member including a second mating surface, the second fastening member having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein the second mating surface extends a second longitudinal length between the first and second longitudinal ends of the second fastening member, and wherein said second mating surface is adapted for being positioned generally opposite said first mating surface for releasably interlocking said first mating surface;
- a slider comprising a slider body including an opening end and a closing end, said closing end having a confining portion wherein said first mating surface of said first fastening member is placed into interlocking engagement with said second mating surface of said second fastening member, wherein when said slider is moved in a closing direction the first fastening member and said second fastening member pass within said slider from said opening end to said closing end and said slider places said first mating surface into interlocking engagement with said second mating surface; and a closure stop fixedly secured to the first longitudinal end of said first fastening member, and fixedly secured to the first longitudinal end of said second fastening member; wherein when the slider is advanced in the closing direction to the closure stop, the slider is prevented from further travel in the closing direction.
52. The fastening system of claim 51, wherein:
- the slider comprises a slider interior structure that interlocks with said first mating surface of said first fastening member, and interlocks with said second mating surface of said second fastening member; and
- wherein the closure stop comprises a mating structure that interlocks with said first mating surface of said first fastening member, and interlocks with said second mating surface of said second fastening member, said mating structure of said closure stop interlocking with said slider interior structure when the slider is advanced in the closing direction to the closure stop.
53. The fastening system of claim 52, wherein the first fastening member, second fastening member, slider, and closure stop form a closure that is one or more of airtight and waterproof.
54. A slider for use with a first fastening member and a second fastening member, the first and second fastening members comprising mating surfaces oriented along a longitudinal axis and adapted for releasably interlocking upon translation of the slider longitudinally along a longitudinal length of the first and second fastening members, the slider comprising:
- a slider body including at least one rotating member interconnected to an interior surface of the slider body, the at least one rotating member adapted for contacting at least one of the first and second fastening members upon the translation of the slider.
55. The slider of claim 54, wherein the at least one rotating member comprises at least one roller having a rotational axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
56. The slider of claim 54, wherein the at least one rotating member comprises at least one wheel.
57. A slider for use with a first fastening member and a second fastening member, the first and second fastening members comprising mating surfaces oriented along a longitudinal axis and adapted for releasably interlocking upon translation of the slider longitudinally along a longitudinal length of the first and second fastening members, the slider comprising:
- a slider body including means for rotatably engaging at least one of the first and second fastening members upon the translation of the slider.
58. The slider of claim 57, wherein the means for rotatably engaging comprises one or more of a roller, a wheel, and a spherical bearing.
59. A fastening system, comprising:
- a first fastening member including a first mating surface;
- a second fastening member including a second mating surface, wherein said second mating surface is adapted for being positioned generally opposite said first mating surface for releasably interlocking said first mating surface;
- a slider for releasably interlocking the first mating surface with the second mating surface;
- a stop block fixedly secured to a first longitudinal end of said first fastening member, the stop block having at least a first grip position and a second release position, wherein when the slider body contacts a receiving surface of the stop block the slider urges the stop block from the first grip position to the second release position, wherein the stop block releasably secures at least a grasp portion of a first longitudinal end of the second fastening member within the stop block when the grasp portion is feed into the stop block in the second release position and the slider is then advanced in the closing direction away from the stop block placing the stop block in the first grip position.
60. The fastening system of claim 59, wherein a closing end of the slider comprises a wedge shape.
61. The fastening system of claim 59, wherein the stop block comprises an internal surface including a plurality of ribbed engaging surfaces.
62. A slider for use with at least a first fastening member and a second fastening member, the first fastening member including a first mating surface and the second fastening member including a second mating surface, wherein the first and second mating surfaces are oriented along a longitudinal axis and adapted for releasably interlocking upon translation of the slider longitudinally along a longitudinal length of the first and second fastening members, the slider comprising:
- a slider body including an opening end and a closing end, said opening end having an upper portion and a lower portion, and an intermediate portion between the upper and lower portions, the intermediate portion positioned generally at the opening end for locating between the first mating surface of the first fastening member and the second mating surface of the second fastening member when the slider is moved in an opening direction, the slider body prescribing pathways through which the fastening members slide during the opening or closing movement of the slider, wherein the pathway for at least one of the fastening members is straight along the longitudinal axis.
63. A fastening system, comprising:
- a first fastening member including a first mating surface;
- a second fastening member including a second mating surface, wherein said second mating surface is adapted for being positioned generally opposite said first mating surface for releasably interlocking said first mating surface;
- a slider for releasably interlocking the first mating surface with the second mating surface;
- a top stop attached to the second fastening member, the top stop comprising a top stop mating surface for releasably interlocking with the first mating surface of the first fastening member;
- wherein the slider places the first mating surface of the first fastening member into mating alignment with the top stop mating surface when the slider is advanced to the top stop.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 19, 2007
Publication Date: May 29, 2008
Inventor: Ben Meager (Bozeman, MT)
Application Number: 11/942,555
International Classification: B65D 33/16 (20060101); B65D 33/00 (20060101);