CURVED ZIPPER, METHOD OF APPLYING A CURVED ZIPPER, ASSEMBLY SET AND PRODUCTION TOOL FOR A ZIPPER

Abstract

The invention relates to an insulated curved zipper with two zipper chains extending adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction in a zipper plane, wherein the zipper is made curved in the zipper plane in at least one curve portion, wherein at least one fastening tape made curved in each case in the zipper plane for application to a flat element is arranged in each case in at least one curve portion on each of the zipper chains.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application is filed herewith for the U.S. National Stage under 35 U.S.C. §371 and claims priority to PCT application PCT/EP2011/003259, with an international filing date of Jul. 1, 2011. The contents of this application are incorporated in their entirety herein.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an insulated curved zipper according to the preamble of Claim 1, tools for the production of the curved zipper, a method of sealing a wall opening in a manner capable of being opened, as well as an assembly set with a foil and an insulated curved zipper.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Curved zippers are known in principle from the art. A method of producing a curved zipper is known from EP 0 364 294 A2, in which a carrier tape of swelling fibers is produced, so that the fibers swell as a result of the application of a solvent to the carrier tape and the zipper assumes a curved shape. The shape is not retained permanently. The method is not suitable for production by machine, and it is expensive.

In addition, a curved zipper incorporated into a tent is known from FR 2 882 384.

A curved zipper in a cryonic suit is disclosed in DE 32 18 390 A1, and a frame for sealing off dust is disclosed in DE 20 2006 010 617 U1, a door capable of being opened being provided in the frame. In this case the shape of the curve is achieved in that the zipper is curved in the running direction. Narrow radii are achieved only by curving the zipper at least locally in the running direction.

DE 7122407 A relates to a bent zipper with carrier tapes which are cut in the region of the bend and which extend along the two zipper chains, there being provided on the inside of the bend notch shaped cuts which allow the bent zipper to be sewed in without overlaps.

A zipper with two carrier tapes is known from DE 2 038 038. In this case, however, the zipper is used for application on the human skin in order to close incision wounds formed during an operation. The zipper is applied to the portion of the skin before the operation, is opened and the incision is then made in the opened zipper and the operation is performed.

The zippers are sewed into articles of clothing, tent sheets or the like and acquire their curvature only during the sewing procedure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the aim of the invention to make available a zipper which is capable of being easily incorporated in a curved form in a flat medium as well as tools for the production of the zipper. It is also an aim of the invention to make available a method of sealing off a wall in a manner capable of being opened, as well as an assembly set by which such a seal is capable of being produced.

The aim is achieved in its first aspect by a zipper named in the introduction and with the features of Claim 1 and in its second aspect by a multipart production tool according to Claim 12, and in its third aspect by a method with the features of Claim 5. The aim is also achieved in a fourth aspect by an assembly set according to Claim 11.

In its first aspect the invention makes use of the concept of making available an insulated curved zipper which retains its curved shape in a permanent and dimensionally stable manner, so that application to a flat element, such as a textile, in particular an article of clothing or a tent cover, or to a foil or the like, is facilitated. To this end, along its two zipper chains extending adjacent to one another the zipper has in each case at least one fastening tape of curved shape which keeps the zipper in its curved shape in a permanently dimensionally stable manner. The zipper in this case has a curved shape in a zipper plane which is formed by the zipper chains which extend adjacent to one another. An insulated zipper should be understood in this case as being the zipper as an article of notions. The insulated zipper is made available in an insulated manner from the textile or foil or the like. It is not arranged or fastened on a flat piece of material.

It is advantageous for there to be arranged at each of the zipper chains in each case at least one carrier tape cut in a multiplicity of times transversely to the longitudinal direction, and the tape portions formed by the incising are displaced with respect to one another in order to form the curved shape of each carrier tape. In this as also in other contexts, “at least one” should be understood and is disclosed as one, two or any other higher natural number. Along each carrier tape there is provided one of the fastening tapes. The two fastening tapes extending along the two cut in carrier tapes are preferably joined to the carrier tapes in a load resistant and position fixed manner, and in this way they fix the curved shape in a permanent manner and thus allow the insulated curved zipper to be introduced, in particular by gluing or sewing, into a flat element, such as a tent cover, a film, an article of clothing, in a convenient and time saving manner.

It is preferable for an outer side of the at least one fastening tape facing away from the slider to be provided with an adhesive coating by which the zipper is capable of being glued to a film.

In another further development of the invention the at least one fastening tape, and preferably each of the fastening tapes, is arranged at a distance from and along an associated zipper chain in the curve portion. The carrier tape can be sewn by means of a seam onto a textile along the gap resulting from the distance between the zipper chain and the fastening tape. The fastening tape advantageously consists of polyester which is capable of being fastened first to the carrier tape by heating and after the sewing is capable of being removed from the carrier tape again by repeated heating.

The invention relates in its second aspect to a multipart production tool for producing the curved zipper. One part has a curved fixing tool with a curved groove which is formed between two springs and the width of which is adapted to the distance between the zipper chains. The side of the zipper chains facing the slider is inserted into the groove, so that the two carrier tapes project laterally beyond the springs of the fixing tool. The fixing tool is then pressed onto a surface, and at least one of the curved fastening tapes is glued or welded or the like on to the side—facing the slider—of each of the carrier tapes facing laterally away from the fixing tool. A conventional zipper is selected in advance, and the two carrier tapes extending along the zipper chains are cut in laterally, at a right angle to the longitudinal direction. The carrier tape on the inside of the curve is provided with notched incisions, punched in or burnt in portions, whereas the carrier tape on the outside of the curve is provided with straight incisions, punched in or burnt in portions. The burnt in portions can be produced with the aid of heating rods, heating wires or the like. A second part of the production tool has a plate with a groove which is likewise curved, in which case a radius of curvature of the curved groove of the plate and a radius of curvature of the curved groove of the fixing tool correspond and are between 10.5 cm to 13.5 cm in each case. When curved zippers are produced from plastics material zipper chains, radii of curvature of up to less than 10.5 cm can be employed, whereas in the case of zippers with steel zipper chains radii of under 13.5 cm are not practicable since the slider remains suspended in the curve of the zipper.

The aim is achieved in its third aspect by a method of applying the curved zipper to a flat element.

In particular, during the renovation of inner rooms there is frequently the requirement to seal off wall openings in the form of door openings or window openings in order to keep in the room the dust which is formed. To this end, the wall opening is sealed off in a substantially completely dust tight manner with a foil capable of being cut. The foil is laid on the wall opening to this end and by means of adhesive tapes it is fixed at the side of the wall opening and is fixed to the base at the bottom. According to the invention the insulated curved zipper is applied, and in particular glued, in a closed form to the wall opening sealed off by the foil. The curved zipper is preferably made U-shaped and is arranged with its open U side advantageously at the top, on the side toward the ceiling. In addition, L-shaped zippers and C-shaped zippers with open sides toward the left or right are possible.

After that, the zipper is opened and the foil is cut along the zipper opening between the two zipper chains. In this way, there is formed a door capable of being opened in the seal of the wall opening.

In a further development of the method according to the invention the curved zipper is sewed on to a textile surface. To this end, at least one seam is inserted between the zipper chain and the fastening tape arranged at a distance from the zipper chain. The curved zipper is fastened to the textile by means of the seams. The textile can be already divided during the sewing of the zipper. On the other hand, the closed, sewed zipper is preferably opened after the sewing and the textile is cut through between the opened zipper chains. The fastening tape preferably consisting of polyester can be heated beforehand or afterwards and can be released from the zipper in order to increase the wearing comfort.

The aim is achieved in its fourth aspect by an assembly and kit for sealing of, in a manner capable of being opened, a wall opening with a foil capable of being cut and an insulated curved zipper, as was described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in eleven Figures with reference to one or more embodiments as follows:

FIG. 1a is a plan view of a doubly-curved zipper according to the invention;

FIG. 1b is a sectional view along the line Ib-Ib identified in FIG. 1a;

FIG. 2a shows a cutting pattern of the zipper;

FIG. 2b shows one view of a tool;

FIG. 2c is a top view of the tool shown in FIG. 2b;

FIG. 3a is a sectional view of a tool;

FIG. 3b is a view from below of the tool shown in FIG. 3a;

FIG. 3c is a top view of a tool;

FIG. 4a shows a wall opening;

FIG. 4b shows a wall opening shown in FIG. 4a sealed off by a foil, and

FIG. 4c shows a zipper of FIG. 1a glued onto the foil shown in FIG. 4a for forming a foil door.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The zipper 1 according to the invention is a further development of a conventional zipper. It has a first zipper chain 2 and a second zipper chain 3 which are hooked into one another by means of a slider 4 displaceable in a reciprocating manner for closure and which are pulled apart from one another for opening. The zipper 1 has a longitudinal direction L which is variable along the zipper 1 but which always extends in one zipper plane E. The zipper plane E is spanned by the two zipper chains 2, 3 arranged adjacent to one another. The zipper 1 is made doubly curved in the zipper plane E in FIG. 1a; however, other embodiments with a plurality of curves or only singly curved zipper shapes are also possible. The zipper 1 has three straight portions A1, A2, A3 and two curved portions B1, B2, each of the curved portions B1, B2 having a radius of curvature r of approximately r=12 cm when the zipper chains have a width of approximately 8 mm transversely to the longitudinal direction. In the case of this radius of curvature r a conventional zipper of plastics material is also capable of being opened and closed in a smooth running manner. In the case of relatively small zipper chains, smaller radii of curvature are also possible.

Along the two zipper chains 2, 3, extending adjacent to one another there is provided in each case a carrier tape 6, 7. In the curve portion B1, B2 each of the carrier tapes 6, 7 is cut substantially along its entire width transversely to the longitudinal direction L. A cutting pattern illustrating the cuts is shown in FIG. 2a. In this case the carrier tape 6 on the inside of the curve is cut in the form of a notch, and the carrier tape 7 on the outside of the curve is provided with linear cuts in the curve portion B1, B2. Along the straight portions A1, A2 and A3 the carrier tapes are not cut in. They retain their original shape.

As shown in FIG. 1b the side 8 of each of the carrier tapes 6, 7 facing away from the slider has glued to it in each case one fastening tape 11, 12 curved in a manner adapted thereto, facing away from the slider and formed with a radius of curvature r of for example r=12 cm, as is evident from the side view in FIG. 1b. On the side 9 of each of the carrier tapes 6, 7 toward the slider there is likewise glued one fastening tape 13 and 14 curved in a manner adapted thereto, facing toward the slider and formed with a radius of curvature r of for example r=12 cm. Fastening tapes 11, 13 on the inside of the curve are cut in substantially the same way, and the fastening tape 11 on the inside of the curve and facing away from the slider is wider by the width of the zipper chain 2 on the inside of the curve than the associated fastening tape 13 on the inside of the curve and facing toward the slider. Corresponding remarks apply to the two fastening tapes 12, 14 on the outside of the curve. The four fastening tapes 11, 12, 13, 14 extend only along one of the curves of the zipper 1. The other of the two curves of the zipper 1 is also designed in a corresponding manner. The four fastening tapes 11, 12, 13, 14 permanently fix the curved zipper 1 in the zipper plane E in the curved state. As a result, it is possible for the zipper 1 to be further processed and to be used in an easy to manipulate manner in the curved state. The fastening tapes 11, 12, 13, 14 are fastened to the carrier tape 6, 7 spaced by a gap from the associated zipper chain 2, 3. The gap between the zipper chains 2, 3 and the fastening tape 11, 12, 13, 14 can be used for setting a seam. It is also possible for zippers 1 with fastening tapes 13, 14 exclusively facing away from the slider or with fastening tapes 11, 12 exclusively toward the slider to be used.

FIG. 2a shows a cutting pattern for a zipper 1 according to the invention with a longitudinal direction L and two zipper chains 2, 3. The carrier tape 6 on the inside of the curve is provided with notch-shaped cuts 20, which have a notch angle of approximately 20°. At the outermost edge the width of the notch amounts to 4 mm. A distance between the notches amounts to 12.66 mm. Along the carrier tape 7 on the outside of the curve there are provided linear cuts 21 at a distance of 15.86 mm, which have a width of 0.8 mm in each case along their entire length extending at a right angle to the longitudinal direction L of the zipper.

FIG. 2b shows a tool 23 for applying a zipper 1 with a groove 22 into which the two zipper chains 2, 3 are inserted. The conventional zipper 1 is laid rotated on the tool 23 with the zipper chains 2, 3 in the groove 22, and, as shown in FIG. 2a, the cuts 20, 21 are inserted into the two carrier tapes 6, 7 by means of a cutting, burning or other tool (not shown).

FIG. 2c shows the tool according to FIG. 2b in a top view. The groove 22 is made curved in the curved portion B1. The two ends of the curved portion B1 are adjoined in each case by a straight portion A1 and A2 respectively. The zipper 1 (not shown) is pressed with its two zipper chains 2, 3 from above in FIG. 2c into the groove 22 shaped in a matching manner, and the two carrier tapes 6, 7 are heated by means of an iron and are thus pressed on to the tool 23. An under pressure, which holds the two carrier tapes 6, 7 on the perforated plate 23, can advantageously be produced along the groove 22 by the perforations provided in the tool 23. After that, the two carrier tapes 6, 7 have applied to them from below, i.e. on the side of the carrier tapes 6, 7 facing away from the perforated plate 23, the fastening tapes 11, 12 facing away from the slider on to the carrier tapes 6, 7. The fastening tapes 11, 12 can also be polyester strips which can be ironed and fastened on to the carrier tapes 6, 7 from the outside by heating. Fastening tapes 11, 13 toward the slider do not have to be provided at all.

FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c show two production tools 30, 35, with the aid of which the zipper 1, prefabricated as shown in FIG. 2a, can be put into its dimensionally stable final form.

FIG. 3a is a cross-sectional view along the line IIIa-IIIa in FIG. 3b. FIG. 3a shows a copper tube 30 of rectangular cross-section, on the underside of which two springs 31—between which a groove 32 is formed—project along the outer edge. The springs 31 have an internal distance of 8.1 mm and a spring width of 0.95 mm in each case. The spring height amounts to 2.1 mm, so that the zipper 1 prefabricated as shown in FIG. 2a can be inserted with its zipper chains 2, 3 into the groove 32 between the springs 31, so that the two carrier tapes 6, 7 project laterally beyond the springs 31. The copper tube 30 is sufficiently heavy to fix the zipper 1 curved in an arcuate manner on an underlayer, such as for example a table top, by its inherent weight. Lateral walls of the copper tube are in alignment with outer sides of the springs 31.

FIG. 3b shows the copper tube 30 in a view from below in FIG. 3a. The copper tube 30 is made curved in the longitudinal direction L. A curved fastening tape 11, 12 bent in advance is glued, ironed or welded on the inside and outside of the curves in each case on to the outer sides of the carrier tapes 6, 7 toward the slider. To this end, the prepared zipper 1 is fixed on the underlayer with the aid of the copper tube 30. After the application of the two curved fastening tapes 11, 12 facing away from the slider, the zipper 1 is removed from the groove 32 and is inserted into a groove 36 of a copper plate 35 as shown in FIG. 3c. The groove 36 of the copper plate 35 likewise has a width of 8.1 mm and a depth of approximately 2.1 mm. As a result of the insertion of the curved zipper 1 into the groove 36 of the copper plate 35 the outer sides of the carrier tapes 6, 7 facing away from the slider are freely available for processing. A curved fastening tape 13, 14 is likewise glued or ironed in each case on to the two outer sides of the carrier tapes 6, 7 facing away from the slider. The two fastening tapes 13, 14 toward the slider do not touch the respective zipper chain 2, 3, so that the slider 4 can slide smoothly again. The zipper 1 has thus reached its end state.

FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c show three steps of a method according to the invention for the application of a door 40 capable of being opened into a wall opening 41. First of all, there is the requirement to seal off a wall opening 41, for example in the form of a door frame, as there is present a considerable development of dust in an inner room, for example as a result of construction work. The sealing off is first carried out by a foil 42 being glued in a dust tight manner to one side of the wall opening 41. This can be a conventional transparent foil 42 which, however, is capable of being cut by a knife. The edges of the foil 42 are fixed to the wall 44, and optionally to the bottom 45, by means of adhesive tape 43. This state is shown in FIG. 4b. The zipper 1 according to the invention is then glued on to the foil 42 glued to the wall opening 41, as shown in FIG. 1a. To this end, the outer sides of the fastening tapes 11, 12 facing away from the slider have an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer can be protective by a pull off protective foil. The adhering zipper 1 is glued in the closed state to the foil 42. The zipper 1 is U shaped and is glued with its open U side at the top, i.e. on the side toward the ceiling, to the foil 42. It is also possible for a fastening tape on the side toward the bottom to be glued directly to the bottom. The zipper 1 is then opened, and the foil 42 emerging between the zipper chains 2, 3 is cut along the longitudinal direction L between the zipper chains 2, 3. On account of the U shape of the glued zipper 1 there is thus formed a door 40 which is capable of being opened and which is capable of being closed in a dust tight manner with the aid of the zipper 1.

LIST OF REFERENCES

1 zipper

2 zipper chain

3 zipper chain

4 slider

6 carrier tape on the inside of the curve

7 carrier tape on the outside of the curve

8 side facing away from the slider

9 side toward the slider

11 fastening tape facing away from the slider and on the inside of the curve

12 fastening tape facing away from the slider and on the outside of the curve

13 fastening tape toward the slider and on the inside of the curve

14 fastening tape toward the slider and on the outside of the curve

20 linear incision

21 linear incision

22 groove

23 tool

30 copper tube

31 springs

32 groove

35 copper plate

36 groove

40 door

41 wall opening

42 foil

43 adhesive tape

44 wall

45 bottom

L longitudinal direction

E zipper plane

A1 straight portion

A2 straight portion

A3 straight portion

B1 curved portion

B2 curved portion

r radius of curvature

Claims

1. An insulated curved zipper comprising:

two zipper chains extending adjacent to one another in a longitudinal direction in a zipper plane, wherein the zipper is made curved in the zipper plane in at least one curve portion and there is arranged at each of the two zipper chains in each case at least one carrier tape cut in a plurality of times transversely to the longitudinal direction, characterized in that at least one fastening tape fixing the curved shape of the zipper in the zipper plane in a permanent manner in the curved state is arranged in the at least one curve portion along each carrier tape.

2. An insulated curved zipper according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one fastening tape has an adhesive outer side for adhesion to a flat element.

3. An insulated curved zipper according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one fastening tape is arranged at a distance from and along the zipper chains in the curve portion.

4. An insulated curved zipper according to claim 2, characterized in that the at least one fastening tape is arranged at a distance from and along the zipper chains in the curve portion.

5. An insulated curved zipper according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one fastening tape is comprised of polyester.

6. An insulated curved zipper according to claim 1, further comprising a wall opening that is substantially covered with a foil capable of being cut, the closed insulated curved zipper glued to a side of the foil, so that as the glued zipper is opened, the foil is cut through between the zipper chains.

7. An insulated curved zipper according to claim 6, further comprising an assembly set including the foil capable of being cut and the insulated curved zipper.

8. A method of applying a curved zipper to a flat element, comprising:

permanently fastening an insulated curved zipper having two zipper chains extending adjacent to one another in a longitudinal direction in a zipper plane in a fixed manner to a flat element so that the fastened zipper is opened and the flat element is cut through between the opened zipper chains, wherein the zipper is made curved in the zipper plane in at least one curve portion and there is arranged at each of the two zipper chains in each case at least one carrier tape cut in a plurality of times transversely to the longitudinal direction, and wherein at least one fastening tape fixing the curved shape of the zipper in the zipper plane in a permanent manner in the curved state is arranged in the at least one curve portion along each carrier tape.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising sealing off a wall opening in a manner capable of being opened, in that the wall opening is covered substantially completely with a foil capable of being cut, and the closed insulated curved zipper is glued to a side of the foil, and the glued zipper is opened, and the foil is cut through between the zipper chains.

10. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the zipper with remnants of foil remaining on its adhering outer side is cut out of the remaining foil, and the remnants of foil are pulled off from the adhering outer side only before a further use of the zipper.

11. A method according to claim 8, further comprising sewing the curved zipper into a textile, in that the insulated zipper is sewed to the textile with at least one seam in each case between the zipper chain and the associated fastening tape arranged at a distance from the zipper chain.

12. A method according to claim 11, characterized in that the sewed zipper is opened and the textile is cut through between the two opened zipper chains.

13. A method according to claim 11, characterized in that the fastening tape is heated and is then released from the sewed in zipper.

14. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the fastening tape is heated and is then released from the sewed in zipper.

15. A multipart production tool for a curved zipper, comprising:

a curved fixing tool having a curved groove, a width of which is adapted to a distance between two zipper chains and which has a radius of curvature of between 10.5 cm to 13.5 cm, and a plate having a curved groove, the radius of curvature of which corresponds to the radius of curvature of the fixing tool.

16. A multipart production tool according to claim 15, characterized by a plate with a straight groove.