Patents Assigned to YKK Corporation
  • Patent number: 12042026
    Abstract: A slide fastener includes a pair of left and right fastener stringers each having an element row at each of opposing edge portions of left and right fastener tapes, and a slider configured to engage the element rows by moving forward between the pair of left and right fastener stringers and to disengage the element rows by moving backward. The slider includes an upper wing plate, a lower wing plate , a guide pillar for connecting the upper wing plate to the lower wing plate, a Y-shaped element path defined between the upper wing plate and the lower wing plate, left and right shoulder openings that are open forward the element path, and a rear opening that is open backward the element path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: YKK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Inukai, Toru Yabuya
  • Patent number: 12023837
    Abstract: This manufacturing method of a molded surface fastener involves a primary molding step for forming a primary molded body and a secondary molding step for compressing a provisional element of the primary molded body while heating the same. A molding apparatus is provided with a mold member comprising multiple penetration holes and multiple concave portions, whereof each penetration hole communicates to at least one concave portion; in the primary molding step, the molding apparatus is used to form a primary molded body comprising a provisional element having a primary stem portion and a pawl portion is formed from the protruded portion by compressing the provisional element. By this means, it is possible to stably manufacture a molded surface fastener that has an engaging element comprising a pawl portion that projects from the outer peripheral edge of an engaging head portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Fukuhara, Yuji Takada
  • Patent number: 12022919
    Abstract: A top stop for a slide fastener includes a first body portion, which includes a channel having an inlet at a first side of the top stop and an outlet at a second side of the top stop. The channel is defined by a channel first side wall and a channel second side wall, and a channel bottom surface therebetween. The channel second side wall includes a protruding portion, which defines an abutment protrusion in the channel. A distance parallel to the longitudinal axis of the top stop between the channel first side wall and channel second side wall defines a channel width. The channel width extending from the abutment protrusion to the channel first side wall is less than the channel width at the inlet and the channel width at the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: YKK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alicia Treacy, Shigeyoshi Takazawa, Matthew Rawstron
  • Patent number: 12022920
    Abstract: An element member includes a fixing member and a plurality of fastener elements attached to the fixing member, characterized in that the fastener element includes an element fixing portion fixed to the fixing member, a coupling portion extending from the element fixing portion in a width direction, and a fin portion extending from the element fixing portion to a side opposite to the coupling portion. The fastener element is fixed to the fixing member only at the element fixing portion. As a result, in a slide fastener-attached product manufactured by using the element member, the orientation of the fastener element is prevented from being tilted with respect to a fastener attached member and smooth sliding operation of a slider can be ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Yu Chen Tung, Yoshiyuki Sho, Yuko Fukuda
  • Patent number: 12016435
    Abstract: A knitted fastener stringer has a chain stich yarn disposed on the innermost edge wale furthest from the tape body portion of an element attaching portion is the thickest of all the chain stich yarns used in a fastener tape. This enables a distance of a gap formed between left and right fastener tapes to be smaller when a slide fastener is formed by two knitted fastener stringers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Norio Uozumi, Takashi Saito
  • Patent number: 11969061
    Abstract: A slide fastener chain includes first and second rows of coupling elements mounted on first and second longitudinal edges of the first and second fastener tapes. When the first and second rows of coupling elements are interdigitated, the first and second longitudinal edges remain spaced apart, and a first coupling element of the first row is received between two adjacent coupling elements of the second row such that: the groove of the first coupling element receives, in a first contact region, a portion of the second longitudinal edge, one of the grooves of the adjacent coupling elements receives, in a fourth contact region, a first portion of the first longitudinal edge, and another of the grooves of the adjacent coupling elements receives, in a fifth contact region, a second portion of the first longitudinal edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: YKK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeki Annaka, Shigeyoshi Takazawa, Steven Thomas, Matthew Rawstron
  • Patent number: 11969060
    Abstract: A snap button can include a snap button body and a fastener connected to the snap button body with a cloth interposed between them, wherein the snap button body includes a button member including a base; and a metal eyelet attached to an inner surface of the base, the inner surface being placed to face the cloth, wherein the button member includes an engaging portion provided on an outer surface opposite to the inner surface of the base, wherein the fastener includes a fastener base and a pin to be swaged, which protrudes from an inner surface of the fastener base, the inner surface being placed to face the cloth, and wherein the eyelet includes a cylindrical portion receiving the pin, the cloth being pierced by the pin, and the pin being swaged on the inner surface of the base of the button member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11944165
    Abstract: The molded surface fastener includes: a fastener member that has a plurality of engagement elements disposed upright on the first surface of a base portion, and a back member that is secured to the second surface of the fastener member and that is provided with a structure enabling passage of a synthetic resin. The base portion has a first base region of a predetermined thickness and a second base region formed to be thicker than the first base region, and the back member is secured to at least the second base region of the base portion. The adhesion strength of the back member to the fastener member is thus increased, enabling the back member to be held more firmly by the base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Matsui, Xu Zhang, Zhiyu Ren, Shinichi Imai
  • Patent number: 11898595
    Abstract: Provided is a surface fastener in which a decrease in engagement strength can be suppressed when a masking member is peeled off. This surface fastener includes a fastener member and a masking member. The fastener member includes a base portion and a plurality of engaging elements. The masking member covers at least a part of the engaging elements. At least one recess portion is provided on a masking outer surface of the masking member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Zhiyu Ren, Atsushi Nakaya, Yuta Inoue
  • Patent number: 11882892
    Abstract: Provided is a button fastener-side die. The button fastener comprises an annular base defining an opening and a plurality of legs. The button fastener-side die includes a holding part for holding the button fastener and a correcting member for passing through the opening of the button fastener held by the holding part, a pushing member for pushing the correcting member to move in a passing direction toward passing through the opening of the button fastener, and a first spring disposed between the correcting member and the pushing member. When at least one of the legs of the button fastener is in an abnormal position, the correcting member corrects the abnormal leg(s) to be in the normal position as the correcting member is passing through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kanazawa, Ryusaku Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11877628
    Abstract: A watertight fastener includes a pair of fastener tapes; fastener elements provided on a side of one end edge part along a longitudinal direction of the fastener tapes; and a slider engaging and disengaging the fastener elements. On a surface of the fastener tapes opposite to the fastener elements, a waterproof seal layer is provided along the longitudinal direction at a position at which the fastener elements are provided. A width of the waterproof seal layer in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is narrower than a width of the slider. With the pair of fastener tapes being closed by engagement of the fastener elements, end parts of the waterproof seal layer close to the end edge parts of the fastener tapes come into contact with each other without overlapping in a thickness direction and without a gap to be in close contact in a liquid-tight manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: YKK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Go Takani
  • Patent number: 11844436
    Abstract: A cover-material fixing clip includes: a chuck having a base portion, a first holding piece and a second holding piece; a hook configured to be engaged with a wire to be located in a groove of a cushion material; and an engagement opening defined between the chuck and a leading end of the hook. The base portion, the first holding piece and the second holding piece define a retention groove for holding the held body attached to the cover material. The engagement opening has an opening dimension in a range from 50% to 80% of a width of the retention groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Madoka Nanbu, Wanli Zhang, Kenji Dono, Seiichiro Yonezawa, Genta Matsumura, Tetsuya Yoshino, Tsutomu Yamada
  • Patent number: 11839272
    Abstract: In just one separate fastener stringer, a slider stops turning due to collision between a flange of the slider and a fastener element after turning in a direction a connecting pillar of the slider moves away from the fastener element provided in the just one separate fastener stringer. At this time point, an opposed tape side extending toward the flange forms an angle of less than or equal to 45° with respect to a center line of the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Yabuya, Norio Uozumi
  • Patent number: 11819091
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a molded surface fastener may include using, as a synthetic resin forming the molded surface fastener, a thermoplastic resin having a melt flow rate of 20 g/10 min or more and 60 g/10 min or less and a flexural modulus of 1000 MPa or more and 2300 MPa or less. Consequently, an engaging element in which a top end surface of an engaging head portion is flat, and at least a part of a back-side proximal end surface of the engaging head portion has an angle of 70° or more and 110° or less with respect to a height direction of the stem portion can be stably molded, and thus the molded surface fastener that has a high peel strength and a good texture can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Fukuhara, Hiroyuki Yamashita, Takahiro Fuse, Kyoichi Yuki, Ryosuke Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 11807943
    Abstract: Provided is an aluminum alloy fastening member including a chemical conversion coating having a novel composition as a colored coating, and a method for producing the aluminum alloy fastening member. The aluminum alloy fastening member includes a chemical conversion coating containing tellurium as a component element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Urita, Atsushi Ogihara, Shigeru Tsuchida, Chikako Hiromi, Ryota Ara, Sohei Nagasawa, Mitsuomi Katori, Misako Hosaka
  • Patent number: 11805862
    Abstract: A button assembly that includes a button and a removable screw is provided. A method of attaching a button to a garment is provided. The method includes a step of placing a portion of the garment between the button and a removable screw, a step of penetrating the portion of the garment with the removable screw such that the removable screw is engaged with the garment, and a step of engaging the removable screw with the button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Chuck G. LeCompte, Jonathan H. Sharp, Hidetsugu Tanaka
  • Patent number: D1015203
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Inukai, Takanori Ozawa
  • Patent number: D1016666
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeki Annaka
  • Patent number: D1022794
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Ito, Ryoichiro Takazakura
  • Patent number: D1022795
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Tiantian Feng, Yuchen Tung