MANUFACTURING METHOD OF A ZIPPER WITH A HORIZONTAL BENT POTION AND SUCH ZIPPER

Abstract

A manufacturing method of a zipper with a horizontal bent potion includes the following steps. (a) Place the zipper with two strip portions which consist of warp and weft, in a mold that has at least a horizontal bent portion. (b) The mold is heated to the melting point of the weft. (c) The mold makes the shape of the zipper identical to that of the mold. (d) A setting membrane is coated on the zipper to set the shape of the strip portions. Therefore, the zipper may have a different shape.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

The invention generally relates to a manufacturing method of a zipper. More particularly, the invention relates to a manufacturing method of a zipper with a horizontal bent potion.

2. Description of the prior art

Zipper has been widely used because it is easy to use and durable. There are three types of zipper: metal zipper, nylon zipper and POM zipper. A zipper usually has two rows of teeth and two narrow strip portions (or tapes), which enable the zipper to be sewed onto an item. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the teeth 11 of a metal zipper or a POM zipper 1 are equally spaced and one row of teeth may engage with the other row of teeth. With regard to nylon zipper 2, as illustrated in FIG. 2, continuous spirals or coils 21 are formed through heat by nylon or polyester filaments and a row of the coil may engage with the other row of coil. The strip portions or tapes of a nylon zipper enable the zipper to be sewed onto an item.

The drawback is that the zipper can not be sewed along an arc or a curve (though it may be sewed along a straight line) (as illustrated in FIG. 1). The two rows of the teeth of metal zipper or POM zipper have limited flexibility. Though the two rows of the teeth of nylon zipper are more flexible, such zipper may be slightly bent along a curve and the sewing is difficult to do; in addition, appearance is affected after the zipper is sewed along a curve. To eliminate the disadvantages in the prior art, the inventor has put a lot of effort into the subject and has successfully come up with the manufacturing method of a zipper with a horizontal bent potion and such zipper of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method of a zipper with a horizontal bent portion and with a different shape.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a zipper that can be easily sewed on the flat surface of an item to enhance the appearance.

To reach these objects, the manufacturing method and zipper of the present invention is disclosed. The manufacturing method of the present invention comprises the following steps. (a) Place the zipper with two strip portions, which consist of warp and weft, in a mold that has at least a horizontal bent portion. (b) The mold is heated to the melting point of the weft. (c) The mold makes the shape of the zipper identical to that of the mold. (d) A setting membrane is coated on the zipper to set the shape of the strip portions. Therefore, a zipper with a different shape may be attained.

Also, the melting point of the warp of the two strip portions is higher than that of the weft of the two strip portions.

The warp may consist of polyester and the weft may consist of PP (polypropylene). Alternatively, the warp may consist of PP (polypropylene) and the weft may consist of polyester. The melting point of the weft is in the range from 100 to 220 degree C.

Moreover, the zipper of the present invention has at least a horizontal bent portion.

In comparison to the prior art, the zipper of the present invention has the following advantages:
1. Because the strip portions are made of the warp and weft, which have different melting points, and the weft is melted through the heat of the mold, the zipper has a shape identical to that of the mold and has a horizontal bent portion.
2. A setting membrane is coated on the zipper to set the shape of the strip portions.
3. The zipper of the present invention has a different shape and may be sewed along a curve (in comparison, the zipper of the prior art can be sewed only along a straight line).
4. The manufacturing method of the present invention can enhance the appearance of the zipper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings disclose an illustrative embodiment of the present invention which serves to exemplify the various advantages and objects hereof, and are as follows:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating how a metal zipper or a POM zipper of the prior art is fitted to a suitcase.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a nylon zipper of the prior art.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the manufacturing method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view schematically illustrating step (a) of the manufacturing method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view schematically illustrating step (c) of the manufacturing method of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view schematically illustrating step (d) of the manufacturing method of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Please see FIG. 3, which is the manufacturing method of a zipper with a horizontal bent portion of the present invention. The manufacturing method comprises the following steps:

(a) Place the zipper with two strip portions, which consist of warp and weft, in a mold that has at least a horizontal bent portion.
(b) The mold is heated to the melting point of the weft.
(c) The mold makes the shape of the zipper identical to that of the mold.
(d) A setting membrane is coated on the zipper to set the shape of the strip portions.

Please see FIG. 4. The zipper 5 of the present invention comprises two strip portions 51, two rows of teeth 52 and a sliding tab 53. The sliding tab 53 may be used to bring together or separate the two rows of teeth 52. The differences between the zipper 5 of the present invention and the zipper of the prior art will be described in the following. The strip portions 51 consist of warp 511 and weft 512 and the warp 511 and the weft 512 have different melting points. The warp 511 is made of nylon, which has a higher melting point and the weft 512 is made of PP (polypropylene), which has a lower melting point. In manufacturing, the zipper 5 is first placed in a mold 6. Then the mold 6 is heated to 150 to 180 degree C. to melt the weft 512, which has a lower melting point. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the mold 6 makes the shape of the zipper 5 identical to that of the mold 6. Now, the zipper 5 has a horizontal bent portion 513.

Next, a setting membrane 54 is coated on the zipper 5, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The setting membrane 54 consists of PU and can set the shape of the strip portions 51.

Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail hereinabove, it should be understood that the preferred embodiment is to be regarded in an illustrative manner rather than a restrictive manner, and all variations and modifications of the basic inventive concepts herein taught still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method of a zipper with a horizontal bent potion, comprising the following steps:

(a) placing the zipper with two strip portions which consist of warp and weft, in a mold that has at least a horizontal bent portion;

(b) heating the mold to a melting point of the weft;

(c) the mold making a shape of the zipper identical to that of the mold; and

(d) coating a setting membrane on the zipper to set the shape of the strip portions.

2. The manufacturing method as in claim 1, wherein the warp is made of nylon which has a higher melting point and the weft is made of PP (polypropylene) which has a lower melting point.

3. The manufacturing method as in claim 1, wherein the warp is made of PP (polypropylene) which has a lower melting point and the weft is made of nylon which has a higher melting point.

4. The manufacturing method as in claim 1, wherein the melting point of the weft is in a range from 100 to 220 degree C.

5. The manufacturing method as in claim 1, wherein the setting membrane consists of PU.

6. A zipper with a horizontal bent portion, comprising:

two strip portions;

two rows of teeth; and

a sliding tab, disposed on one of the two rows of teeth,

wherein either strip portion has at least a horizontal bent portion.

7. The zipper as in claim 6, wherein the two rows of teeth consist of metal, POM or nylon.