SEPARABLE BOTTOM END STOP

Abstract

A separable bottom end stop according to the present invention includes an insert pin, a box pin, a reverse-opening first slider, and a forward-opening second slider. The first slider includes a pawl portion that is allowed to advance into and retract from an element-guiding path. The box pin includes a box-pin body portion to be attached to a fastener tape, and a swollen part swollen in a width direction from the box-pin body portion toward the pawl portion of the first slider retained at a slide-limit position. Thereby the insert pin is less likely to be caught by the pawl portion of the slider in the process of inserting the insert pin into the slider.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Application No. 2025-006112, filed Jan. 16, 2025, which is hereby specifically incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a separable bottom end stop to be included in a slide fastener.

BACKGROUND ART

Some prior-art slide fasteners include a separable bottom end stop that causes left and right fastener stringers to be separated from each other when a slider is slid to completely separate left and right element rows from each other.

Such separable bottom end stops are known to be categorized into a standard-type separable bottom end stop and a reverse-opening-type separable bottom end stop. The standard-type separable bottom end stop is configured to connect and disconnect left and right fastener stringers to and from each other with the use of an insert pin, a box pin, a box structure, and a slider. The reverse-opening-type separable bottom end stop is configured to connect and disconnect left and right fastener stringers to and from each other with the use of an insert pin, a box pin, and two sliders. The standard-type separable bottom end stop is also called as a forward-opening-type separable bottom end stop.

An exemplary separable bottom end stop to be included in a slide fastener is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-136309 (Patent Literature 1). The separable bottom end stop disclosed in Patent Literature 1 has an inclined surface at an upper face part of the insert pin. The inclined surface is inclined upward from an insert-pin distal end of the insert pin toward an insert-pin proximal part of the insert pin. Hence, in the process of inserting the insert pin into the slider, the insertion of the insert pin is prevented from being hindered by a pawl portion of a covering structure included in the slider. Thus, smooth insertion of the insert pin is enabled.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

• • Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-136309

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

The slider disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes a stopping mechanism in which the pawl portion of the covering structure projects into an element-guiding path provided in a slider body and is engageable with the element row. In such a stopping mechanism, when the slider is stopped relative to the element row, the pawl portion of the covering structure is inserted into and engages with the element row, whereby the slider is retained at that stopped position. In the following description, a slider that includes a pawl portion integrally formed with a covering structure and in which the covering structure is swingable up and down as disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is also referred to as a movable-cover-type slider.

Stopping mechanisms included in prior-art sliders are configured in various ways in accordance with the uses of the slide fasteners, the modes of the sliders, and so forth. Between sliders including respective stopping mechanisms configured differently from each other, the pawl portion tends to vary in factors such as the position where the pawl portion projects into the element-guiding path of the slider body, and/or the size of the pawl portion.

Therefore, to provide a separable bottom end stop while employing a slider including a stopping mechanism, factors such as the positions and sizes of the insert pin, the box pin, and the pawl portion of the slider are typically taken into consideration in designing the separable bottom end stop.

If the insert pin and the box pin of the separable bottom end stop are designed for sliders of a single kind employing a stopping mechanism but are combined with a slider of another kind employing a stopping mechanism of a different configuration into a separable bottom end stop, the insert pin may tend to be caught by the pawl portion of the slider in an insertion operation of inserting the insert pin into the slider and in a removal operation of removing the insert pin from the slider. Such a situation may result in a problem of reduction in the ease of operation of the separable bottom end stop (particularly, the ease of operation of the insert pin).

The present invention has been conceived in view of the above problem in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a separable bottom end stop including an insert pin that is less likely to be caught by a pawl portion of a slider in the process of inserting the insert pin into the slider.

Solution to Problem

To achieve the above object, the separable bottom end stop provided by the present invention is a separable bottom end stop to be used in a slide fastener. The separable bottom end stop includes an insert pin to be provided on a first fastener stringer included in the slide fastener, a box pin to be provided on a second fastener stringer included in the slide fastener, a reverse-opening first slider, and a forward-opening second slider. The box pin is capable of retaining the first slider and the second slider at a slide-limit position. The first slider includes a pawl portion that is allowed to advance into and retract from an element-guiding path provided in the first slider. The box pin includes a box-pin body portion to be attached to a fastener tape included in the second fastener stringer, and a swollen part swollen in a width direction from the box-pin body portion toward the pawl portion of the first slider retained at the slide-limit position.

In the separable bottom end stop according to the present invention, it is preferable that the swollen part have such a shape as to be close to or in contact with the pawl portion of the first slider retained at the slide-limit position.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the insert pin include an insert-pin body portion to be attached to a fastener tape included in the first fastener stringer; the insert-pin body portion have an upper face disposed so as to face an upper wing plate included in the first slider, and a lower face disposed so as to face a lower wing plate included in the first slider; and the insert-pin body portion include a distal part located on an upper-face side of the insert-pin body portion, the distal part having an inclined surface inclining downward toward a corner of the distal part, the corner being disposed so as to face the box pin.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the swollen part include a bulge portion extending in the width direction beyond a width-direction center line of the first slider retained at the slide-limit position.

In such a case, it is preferable that the swollen part have such a shape that, in a slider sliding direction, the pawl portion of the first slider is positioned within a formed area over which the bulge portion is formed.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the swollen part include an orientation-controlling part with which the distal part of the insert pin that is inserted into the first slider comes into contact, to allow control of an orientation of the insert pin.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the swollen part include a swell tip end portion located farthest from the box-pin body portion in the width direction; and the swell tip end portion be located, in a slider sliding direction, closer to a tail opening provided in the first slider than the pawl portion of the first slider retained at the slide-limit position.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the box pin as viewed in plan have a box-pin inner side edge located to face the insert pin and including a swell tip end portion located farthest in the swollen part from the box-pin body portion in the width direction, a first inclined part extending from the swell tip end portion toward a box-pin proximal part and inclined relative to a slider sliding direction, and a second inclined part extending from the swell tip end portion toward a box-pin distal part and inclined relative to the slider sliding direction; and a first inclination angle at which the first inclined part is inclined relative to the slider sliding direction be greater than a second inclination angle at which the second inclined part is inclined relative to the slider sliding direction.

In the present invention, it is preferable that when the first slider is retained at the slide-limit position, the element-guiding path of the first slider include a narrowed part where a width dimension of a space portion that allows insertion of the insert pin in the element-guiding path is limited by the swollen part of the box pin to smaller than 50% of a width dimension of the element-guiding path.

In such a case, it is preferable that the element-guiding path of the first slider include a widened part where the width dimension of the space portion that allows insertion of the insert pin in the element-guiding path is greater than the width dimension of the narrowed part; and the widened part be located closer to a tail opening provided in the first slider than the narrowed part.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

With the separable bottom end stop according to the present invention, even if, for example, the insert pin and the box pin designed for a slider employing a stopping mechanism are combined with a slider of another kind employing a stopping mechanism of a different configuration, the insert pin is less likely to be caught by the pawl portion of the slider in the process of inserting the insert pin into the slider.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic partially sectional view of a separable bottom end stop according to an example of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of an insert pin included in the separable bottom end stop illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the insert pin illustrated in FIG. 2, viewed from the inner side in the width direction.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the insert pin, taken along line IV-IV given in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a box pin included in the separable bottom end stop illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the box pin illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the box pin illustrated in FIG. 5, viewed from the outer side in the width direction.

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a part of a first slider included in the separable bottom end stop illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the separable bottom end stop illustrated in FIG. 1, illustrating the box pin in relation to a slider body and a pawl portion included in the first slider.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating how the insert pin of the separable bottom end stop illustrated in FIG. 1 is inserted into the first slider and a second slider.

FIG. 11 is a schematic partially sectional view of a separable bottom end stop according to a variation.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by taking an example and with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic partially sectional view of a separable bottom end stop 1 according to the present example. FIGS. 2 to 4 are a schematic plan view, a side view, and a sectional view, respectively, of an insert pin 30 included in the separable bottom end stop 1 according to the present example. FIGS. 5 to 7 are a schematic plan view, a bottom view, and a side view, respectively, of a box pin 50 included in the separable bottom end stop 1 according to the present example. Regarding the present example, for easy understanding of features characterizing the present invention, FIG. 1 and FIGS. 9 and 10 to be referred to below illustrate a first slider 10a and a second slider 10b in sectional view taken orthogonally to the upper-lower direction, but illustrate the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 in top view, not in sectional view.

In the following description of a slide fastener and the separable bottom end stop 1, the front-rear direction refers to a direction parallel to the length direction of a first fastener stringer and a second fastener stringer that are in a pair, and also refers to a direction parallel to a sliding direction in which the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b are to be slid. Regarding the front-rear direction described above, a side toward which the second slider 10b, which is for forward opening, is slid to close the slide fastener and a side toward which the first slider 10a, which is for reverse opening, is slid to open the slide fastener are defined as the front side; and the opposite side is defined as the rear side.

The left-right direction refers to a direction parallel to a direction in which the pair of fastener stringers are brought toward and away from each other. The left-right direction may also be expressed as the width direction of a fastener tape, the insert pin 30, and the box pin 50. Regarding the left-right direction described above, a side toward which each one of the fastener stringers that are on the left and right is brought toward the other fastener stringer is defined as the inner side in the left-right direction, and a side toward which each one of the fastener stringers is brought away from the other fastener stringer is defined as the outer side in the left-right direction. Likewise, a side toward which the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 of the separable bottom end stop 1 are brought toward each other is defined as the inner side in the left-right direction, and a side toward which the two are brought away from each other is defined as the outer side in the left-right direction. The width direction refers to a direction orthogonal to the thickness direction of the fastener tape in a sectional view taken orthogonally to the front-rear direction of the fastener stringer (or a direction parallel to the tape front face or the tape back face of the fastener tape).

The upper-lower direction refers to a direction orthogonal to both the front-rear direction and the left-right direction described above. The upper-lower direction may also be expressed as the thickness direction of the slide fastener, or the thickness direction of the fastener tape, the insert pin 30, and the box pin 50. Regarding the upper-lower direction described above, a side on which a stopping pawl structure 20 (pawl portion 22) included in the slider is located relative to element rows of the first fastener stringer and the second fastener stringer is defined as the upper side, and the opposite side is defined as the lower side.

Specifically, in the case of the slide fastener and the separable bottom end stop 1 according to the present example, the front-rear direction corresponds to the upper-lower direction in the plane of the page in FIG. 1. The left-right direction corresponds to the left-right direction in the plane of the page in FIG. 1. The upper-lower direction corresponds to the thickness direction in the plane of the page in FIG. 1. In such a case, the upper side corresponds to the near side relative to the plane of the page in FIG. 1, and the lower side corresponds to the far side relative to the plane of the page in FIG. 1.

The slide fastener according to the present example includes the separable bottom end stop 1, which is of a reverse-opening type as illustrated in FIG. 1. The separable bottom end stop 1 is provided at a rear end portion of the slide fastener.

The slide fastener according to the present example includes a first fastener stringer (not illustrated) and a second fastener stringer (not illustrated) that are provided in a pair and located on the left and the right, respectively. The slide fastener further includes the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b, which are slidable along element rows (not illustrated) included in the respective fastener stringers; stop members (not illustrated), which are located adjoining front end parts of the left and right element rows; the insert pin 30, which is located adjoining a rear end part of the element row of the first fastener stringer; and the box pin 50, which is located adjoining a rear end part of the element row of the second fastener stringer.

The first slider 10a is located on the rear side relative to the second slider 10b. The first slider 10a is a reverse-opening slider configured to separate the left and right element rows from each other by being slid along the element rows in a direction away from the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50. The second slider 10b is a forward-opening slider configured to cause the left and right element rows to mesh with each other by being slid along the element rows in the direction away from the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50.

The separable bottom end stop 1 according to the present example includes the insert pin 30, the box pin 50, the first slider 10a, and the second slider 10b that are described above and is formed as a reverse-opening-type separable bottom end stop 1. The insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 included in the separable bottom end stop 1 may be combined with sliders (for example, a first movable-cover-type slider 70a and a second movable-cover-type slider 70b to be described below) each including a stopping mechanism configured differently from that of the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b (see FIG. 8), so that a separable bottom end stop 2 according to a variation illustrated in FIG. 11 is provided.

The first fastener stringer, the second fastener stringer, and the stop members included in the slide fastener according to the present example are substantially the same as a left-side fastener stringer, a right-side fastener stringer, and stop members employed in a typical prior-art slide fastener including a reverse-opening-type separable bottom end stop.

In the present example, for example, the first fastener stringer located on the left side and the second fastener stringer located on the right side each include, with no illustration, a long strip-like fastener tape and a plurality of fastener elements fixed to the fastener tape. Each of the left and right fastener tapes includes a tape body portion and a core string portion. The core string portion is located at an inner side-edge portion of the fastener tape. The core string portion has a shape swollen in the upper-lower direction relative to the tape body portion.

The plurality of fastener elements are each formed at a tape side-edge portion, including the core string portion, of the fastener tape by injection molding of synthetic resin. The plurality of fastener elements on the fastener tape are at constant intervals in a tape length direction (the front-rear direction), thereby forming an element row to which the slider is to be slidably attached.

Each of the fastener elements is fixed to the fastener tape in such a manner as to wrap the tape side-edge portion of the fastener tape, covering a portion of a tape upper face (tape front face) of the fastener tape and a portion of a tape lower face (tape back face) of the fastener tape. Each of the fastener elements includes an element body portion fixed to the fastener tape, a neck portion extending from the element body portion toward the inner side in the left-right direction, a meshing head portion extending from the neck portion further toward the inner side in the left-right direction, and a pair of shoulder portions projecting from the neck portion in the front-rear direction.

The neck portion of the fastener element has a narrowed shape with the dimension in the front-rear direction thereof reduced. The meshing head portion has a substantially rounded oblong shape in a plan view of the fastener element. The meshing head portion has an insertion recess at a distal part thereof (at an end on the inner side in the left-right direction). The insertion recess extends in the front-rear direction in such a manner as to receive corresponding ones of the shoulder portions of counterpart fastener elements. In the present invention, the fastener tape and the fastener element are not particularly limited and may be changed in accordance with the use of the slide fastener and so forth.

The stop members (not illustrated) of the slide fastener are respectively provided to the first fastener stringer and the second fastener stringer that are located on the left and right sides, in such a manner as to adjoin the front end parts of the respective element rows. The provision of the stop members sets a front slide-limit position for the second slider 10b and prevents the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b from coming off from the front side of the element rows.

As described above, the separable bottom end stop 1 according to the present example includes the insert pin 30 provided on the first fastener stringer (not illustrated) located on the left side, the box pin 50 provided on the second fastener stringer (not illustrated) located on the right side, and the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b slidably attached to the element row of the second fastener stringer.

In the separable bottom end stop 1 according to the present example, in a top view of the slide fastener, the first fastener stringer on the left side is provided with the insert pin 30, and the second fastener stringer on the right side is provided with the box pin 50. Hence, the separable bottom end stop 1 according to the present example is provided as a right-insertion-type separable bottom end stop 1. When the slide fastener including the separable bottom end stop 1 is attached to, for example, a clothing item, the insert pin 30 of the separable bottom end stop 1 is to be operated with the right hand of a person who wears the clothing item.

In the right-insertion-type separable bottom end stop 1, the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b are attached in an undroppable manner to the element row of the second fastener stringer located on the right side and provided with the box pin 50. The first slider 10a and the second slider 10b have the same configuration and are attached to the element row while being oriented such that respective tail openings, to be described below, face each other.

The first slider 10a and the second slider 10b each include, as illustrated in FIG. 8 for example, a slider body 11; the stopping pawl structure 20, which is mounted on the slider body 11; a covering structure (not illustrated), which covers the stopping pawl structure 20 from above and is fixed to the slider body 11; and a pull (not illustrated), which is held with a shaft portion thereof fitted between the slider body 11 and the covering structure. The stopping pawl structure 20 of each of the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b is swingably attached to the slider body 11 inside the covering structure.

The slider body 11 includes an upper wing plate 12; a lower wing plate 13, which is spaced apart from the upper wing plate 12; a connecting column 14, which connects one end portions (end portions on the shoulder-opening side) of the upper wing plate 12 and the lower wing plate 13 to each other; upper and lower flange portions 15, which are provided at left and right side-edge portions of each of the upper wing plate 12 and the lower wing plate 13; and cover-attaching portions 16, which are provided on the front and the rear and project upward from the upper wing plate 12. The one of the cover-attaching portions 16 has a projection 16a at an upper end part thereof. The projection 16a is to be inserted into a below-described attaching opening 21a, which is provided in the stopping pawl structure 20.

At a one end portion of the slider body 11 are provided left and right shoulder openings located across the connecting column 14 from each other. At another end portion of the slider body 11 is provided a tail opening. Between the upper wing plate 12 and the lower wing plate 13 is provided a substantially Y-shaped element-guiding path 17, through which the left and right shoulder openings and the tail opening communicate with each other. The slider body 11 has a pawl hole 18, which extends in the upper-lower direction through the upper wing plate 12 and the rear one of the cover-attaching portions 16. The slider body 11 has an insertion gap between each of the upper flange portions 15 and a corresponding one of the lower flange portions 15. The fastener tapes are to be inserted into the respective insertion gaps.

The stopping pawl structure 20 is obtained by pressing of a metal plate made of a copper alloy or the like. The stopping pawl structure 20 is also referred to as a lock pin. The stopping pawl structure 20 includes a pawl body portion 21, which has a substantially C shape in a side view of the stopping pawl structure 20; the pawl portion 22, which extends from one end part of the pawl body portion 21 with the width dimension (the dimension in the left-right direction) reduced; and an elastic urging portion 23, which branches off from the pawl body portion 21 and extends upward.

The pawl body portion 21 has a width dimension that is constant from the one end to the other end of the pawl body portion 21. The pawl body portion 21 has the attaching opening 21a, which has a substantially rectangular shape; and a narrow-width opening, which extends from the attaching opening 21a linearly in one direction. When the stopping pawl structure 20 is mounted on the slider body 11, the projection 16a of the slider body 11 is inserted into the attaching opening 21a of the pawl body portion 21.

The pawl portion 22 of the stopping pawl structure 20 extends downward from the one end of the pawl body portion 21. The pawl portion 22 is allowed to advance into and retract from the element-guiding path 17 of the slider body 11 through the pawl hole 18 of the slider body 11. When the pawl portion 22 advances into the element-guiding path 17 of the slider body 11, the pawl portion 22 engages with the element row of the first fastener stringer or the second fastener stringer that is inserted into the element-guiding path 17.

Thus, the stopping mechanisms respectively included in the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b are activated, whereby the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b are locked in such a manner as not to slide relative to the element row. In the present example, the stopping pawl structure 20 is attached to the slider body 11 such that the pawl portion 22 is allowed to move in the left-right direction within a small range inside the element-guiding path 17.

When the stopping pawl structure 20 is fitted between the slider body 11 and the covering structure, the elastic urging portion 23 of the stopping pawl structure 20 comes into contact with a ceiling portion (cover upper-wall portion) of the covering structure and elastically deforms toward the pawl body portion 21. Thus, the elastic urging portion 23 exerts an elastic force that urges the pawl body portion 21 downward. Consequently, the pawl portion 22 is inserted into the element-guiding path 17 through the pawl hole 18 of the slider body 11.

The covering structure (not illustrated) of the slider has a box shape that opens to the lower side. With the front and rear cover-attaching portions 16 of the slider body 11 being accommodated in a space provided inside the covering structure, the covering structure is pressed locally at several positions against the front and rear cover-attaching portions 16 to undergo plastic deformation. Thus, the covering structure is fixed to the front and rear cover-attaching portions 16 of the slider body 11.

Sliding the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b along the left and right element rows causes the element rows to mesh with and to be separated from each other. The first slider 10a is slidable rearward to a position where the first slider 10a comes into contact with a slider-stopping part 56, which is included in the box pin 50 and will be described below. The slider-stopping part 56 defines a rear slide-limit position for the first slider 10a. The second slider 10b is slidable rearward to a position where the second slider 10b comes into contact with the first slider 10a that has come into contact with the slider-stopping part 56. The slider-stopping part 56 and the first slider 10a define a rear slide-limit position for the second slider 10b.

The insert pin 30 of the separable bottom end stop 1 is formed by performing injection molding of synthetic resin on the fastener tape of the first fastener stringer, thereby being fixed to the fastener tape astride the tape upper face and the tape lower face. The insert pin 30 adjoins the rear end part of the element row of the first fastener stringer in such a manner as to be continuous with the element row.

With respect to the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b retained at the rear slide-limit position, the insert pin 30 is allowed to be inserted through a corresponding one of the shoulder openings of the second slider 10b into the element-guiding path 17 of the second slider 10b and the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a. The insert pin 30 is further allowed to be pulled out of the element-guiding paths 17 of the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b through the shoulder opening of the second slider 10b.

The insert pin 30 according to the present example includes an insert-pin upper-half part 30a (insert-pin first-half part) and an insert-pin lower-half part 30b (insert-pin second-half part), which are located on a tape-upper-face side and a tape-lower-face side, respectively, of the fastener tape with a boundary being defined at the center position of the fastener tape in the tape-thickness direction. With respect to the front-rear direction, the insert pin 30 includes an insert-pin proximal part (insert-pin front-end part) 31, which is located on a side of the insert pin 30 that is near the fastener elements; and an insert-pin distal part (insert-pin rear-end part) 32, which is located on a side of the insert pin 30 that is away from the fastener elements.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, the insert pin 30 according to the present example includes an insert-pin body portion 33, which is attached to the fastener tape of the first fastener stringer; an insert-pin extended part 34, which extends from a front part of the insert-pin body portion 33 toward the inner side in the left-right direction; an engaging groove 35, which is provided in the insert-pin extended part 34; a proximal-end projection 36, which projects from the insert-pin proximal part 31 of the insert-pin body portion 33 toward the inner side in the left-right direction; and a pawl-accommodating recess 37, which is provided in a middle part of the insert-pin body portion 33 in the front-rear direction.

Furthermore, the insert pin 30 has a distal-end inclined surface 38, which is provided at the insert-pin distal part 32 of the insert-pin body portion 33; four molded recesses 41, which are each recessed from an insert-pin upper face or an insert-pin lower face of the insert-pin body portion 33; a frontward-inclined pin surface 44, which extends frontward from one of the molded recesses 41 that is on the upper-face side; and a rearward-inclined pin surface 45, which extends rearward from one of the molded recesses 41 that is on the lower-face side.

The insert-pin body portion 33 has a narrow shape elongated in the front-rear direction and is fixed to the tape side-edge portion of the fastener tape. Dividing the insert-pin body portion 33 into, for example, three equal parts in the front-rear direction, the insert-pin body portion 33 has a front part, a middle part, and a rear part in order from the side close to the element row. The insert-pin body portion 33 has a slightly swollen shape with the middle part in the front-rear direction curving inward in the left-right direction. The insert-pin body portion 33 has the insert-pin upper face (first face) oriented upward, and the insert-pin lower face (second face) oriented downward.

When the insert-pin body portion 33 is inserted into the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b, the insert-pin upper face of the insert-pin body portion 33 comes to face the upper wing plates 12 of the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b. The insert-pin upper face has a flat surface extending orthogonally to the upper-lower direction, and an inclined surface inclined slightly downward toward the rear side (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The flat surface of the insert-pin upper face extends from the insert-pin proximal part 31 to a position on the rear side relative to the center position of the insert pin 30 in the front-rear direction. To facilitate the insertion of the insert pin 30 into the shoulder opening of the second slider 10b, the inclined surface of the insert-pin upper face is provided in at least a part of a rear half of the insert-pin body portion 33.

When the insert-pin body portion 33 is inserted into the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b, the insert-pin lower face of the insert-pin body portion 33 comes to face the lower wing plates 13 of the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b. The insert-pin lower face has a flat surface that is orthogonal to the upper-lower direction. The thickness dimension (the dimension in the upper-lower direction) of the insert-pin body portion 33 between the flat surface at the insert-pin upper face and the insert-pin lower face is set equal to the thickness dimension of the fastener element.

The insert-pin extended part 34 is formed integrally with the front part of the insert-pin body portion 33. The insert-pin extended part 34 projects from a central part or a substantially central part of the insert-pin body portion 33 in the upper-lower direction toward the inner side in the left-right direction with a constant thickness dimension (the dimension in the upper-lower direction) or a substantially constant thickness dimension. The insert-pin extended part 34 has an inner side-wall surface oriented toward the inner side in the left-right direction to face the box pin 50.

The insert-pin extended part 34 has at a front end thereof an engaging recess 34a, which is concavely curved rearward; and an engaging protrusion 34b, which protrudes frontward. When the left and right element rows are made to mesh with each other, the engaging recess 34a and the engaging protrusion 34b engage with the fastener elements of the second fastener stringer that is on the right side. In a plan view (FIG. 2) of the insert pin 30, the insert-pin extended part 34 excluding the engaging recess 34a and the engaging protrusion 34b has a substantially triangular shape in which the width dimension (the dimension in the left-right direction) of the insert-pin extended part 34 gradually increases toward the front side.

The engaging groove 35 of the insert pin 30 is located in a central area of the insert-pin extended part 34 in the upper-lower direction at a position corresponding to an engaging projecting part 54, which is included in the box pin 50 and will be described below. The engaging groove 35 is depressed from the side-wall surface of the insert-pin extended part 34 on the inner side in the left-right direction toward the outer side in the left-right direction. When the insert pin 30 is accommodated in the element-guiding paths 17 of the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b, the engaging groove 35 receives the engaging projecting part 54 of the box pin 50 and thus engages with the engaging projecting part 54.

The pawl-accommodating recess 37 of the insert pin 30 is located in the middle part of the insert-pin body portion 33 in the front-rear direction at a position corresponding to the pawl portion 22 of the first movable-cover-type slider 70a such as the one illustrated in FIG. 11. The pawl-accommodating recess 37 opens to the outer side in the left-right direction. The pawl-accommodating recess 37 has a bottom surface part formed as a flat surface; and a front end part, a side edge part, and a rear end part that enclose the bottom surface part.

The front end part and the side edge part of the pawl-accommodating recess 37 each form a step between the bottom surface part of the pawl-accommodating recess 37 and the upper face of the insert-pin body portion 33. The side edge part of the pawl-accommodating recess 37 is located on the inner side of the pawl-accommodating recess 37 in the left-right direction and is inclined relative to the front-rear direction such that the rear end part of the pawl-accommodating recess 37 is located on the outer side in the left-right direction relative to the front end part of the pawl-accommodating recess 37. The rear end part of the pawl-accommodating recess 37 forms an inclined surface that inclines upward from the bottom surface part of the pawl-accommodating recess 37 toward the upper face of the insert-pin body portion 33.

The distal-end inclined surface 38 of the insert pin 30 is located at an end of the upper surface of the insert-pin distal part 32 on the inner side in the left-right direction. The distal-end inclined surface 38 forms a flat surface that inclines downward toward an apex (corner) at the distal edge part of the insert pin 30 on the inner side in the left-right direction. Alternatively, the distal-end inclined surface 38 may form a curved surface that inclines downward toward the apex.

Since the above distal-end inclined surface 38 is provided at the insert-pin distal part 32, when the insert pin 30 is inserted into the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a, the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a comes into contact with the distal-end inclined surface 38 of the insert pin 30 (see FIG. 10). Accordingly, the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a is raised and/or is moved inward in the left-right direction along the distal-end inclined surface 38. Thus, the probability that the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a may catch the insert-pin distal part 32 and thus hinder the insertion of the insert pin 30 is eliminated or reduced.

The molded recesses 41 of the insert pin 30 are pin impressions made by pins that are pressed into the fastener tape for positioning the fastener tape in the process of forming the insert pin 30 on the fastener tape by injection molding. The molded recesses 41 according to the present example are two upper molded recesses 42, which are provided in the insert-pin upper-half part 30a; and two lower molded recesses 43, which are provided in the insert-pin lower-half part 30b. The upper molded recesses 42 and the lower molded recesses 43 are located at respective positions that match each other between the insert-pin upper-half part 30a and the insert-pin lower-half part 30b of the insert pin 30.

The upper molded recesses 42 are a front recess 42a, which is located in the front part of the insert-pin body portion 33 in the front-rear direction; and a rear recess 42b, which is located in the rear part of the insert-pin body portion 33 in the front-rear direction. The front recess 42a and the rear recess 42b provided as the upper molded recesses 42 have the same shape and the same size as each other. The front recess 42a and the rear recess 42b each have a shape that is recessed from the upper face of the insert-pin body portion 33 toward the lower side in the upper-lower direction, and each have a circular shape (perfect circular shape) in the plan view (FIG. 2) of the insert pin 30. The upper molded recesses 42 each have thereinside a circular columnar space.

The lower molded recesses 43 are a front recess 43a, which is located in the front part of the insert-pin body portion 33; and a rear recess 43b, which is located in the rear part of the insert-pin body portion 33. The front recess 43a and the rear recess 43b provided as the lower molded recesses 43 have the same shape and the same size as each other. The front recess 43a and the rear recess 43b each have a shape that is recessed from the lower face of the insert-pin body portion 33 toward the upper side in the upper-lower direction, and each have a circular shape (perfect circular shape) in a bottom view (not illustrated) of the insert pin 30. The lower molded recesses 43 each have thereinside a circular columnar space.

In the present invention, the number, shape, and size of the molded recesses 41 (upper molded recesses 42 and lower molded recesses 43) to be provided in the insert pin 30 are not limited. For example, in the plan view or bottom view of the insert pin 30, the molded recesses 41 may each have any shape, such as an oval or polygonal shape, other than a circular shape.

At the rear recess 42b provided as one of the upper molded recesses 42, the frontward-inclined pin surface 44 extends frontward from the rear recess 42b. The frontward-inclined pin surface 44 inclines upward such that the thickness dimension (the dimension in the upper-lower direction) of the insert-pin body portion 33 increases frontward from the upper molded recess 42. In other words, the frontward-inclined pin surface 44 inclines downward toward the rear recess 42b from a position of the upper face of the insert-pin body portion 33 that is on the front side relative to the rear recess 42b.

The width dimension of the frontward-inclined pin surface 44 gradually increases frontward. A step is formed between the frontward-inclined pin surface 44 and the bottom surface part of the rear recess 42b. In the present invention, alternatively, the frontward-inclined pin surface 44 and the bottom surface part of the rear recess 42b may be smoothly continuous with each other with no step in between.

Now, advantageous effects produced by the frontward-inclined pin surface 44 will be described briefly. For example, let us suppose that the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 are combined with the first movable-cover-type slider 70a (hereinafter simply referred to as first movable slider 70a) and the second movable-cover-type slider 70b (hereinafter simply referred to as second movable slider 70b) to provide a right-insertion-type separable bottom end stop 2. As to be described below, the first slider 10a according to the present example and the first movable slider 70a are different from each other in the position of the pawl portion 22/82 thereof constituting the stopping mechanism. Therefore, in the separable bottom end stop 2, when the insert pin 30 is inserted from the shoulder opening of the second movable slider 70b (see FIG. 11, for example), the pawl portion 82 of the first movable slider 70a may drop into the upper molded recess 42 (rear recess 42b).

In view of such a situation, the insert pin 30 has the above-described frontward-inclined pin surface 44. Even if the pawl portion 82 drops into the upper molded recess 42, further insertion of the insert pin 30 rearward causes the pawl portion 82 dropped into the upper molded recess 42 to be raised while moving along the frontward-inclined pin surface 44.

Thus, the probability that the pawl portion 82 of the first movable slider 70a may be caught by the upper molded recess 42 is eliminated or reduced. Accordingly, smooth insertion of the insert pin 30 into the element-guiding paths of the first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b is enabled. In the present invention, at the rear recess 42b provided as one of the upper molded recesses 42, a rearward-inclined pin surface that extends rearward from the rear recess 42b may be provided in replacement of or in addition to the frontward-inclined pin surface 44.

In the present example, at the rear recess 43b provided as one of the lower molded recesses 43, the rearward-inclined pin surface 45 extends rearward from the rear recess 43b (see FIG. 4). The rearward-inclined pin surface 45 inclines upward such that the thickness dimension (the dimension in the upper-lower direction) of the insert-pin body portion 33 increases rearward from the rear recess 43b.

The width dimension of the rearward-inclined pin surface 45 gradually increases rearward. A step is formed between the rearward-inclined pin surface 45 and the bottom surface part of the rear recess 43b. In the present invention, alternatively, the rearward-inclined pin surface 45 and the bottom surface part of the rear recess 43b may be smoothly continuous with each other with no step in between.

For example, let us suppose that the first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b are employed to provide a left-insertion-type separable bottom end stop (not illustrated). In the process of pulling out the insert pin 30 from the element-guiding paths of the first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b, the pawl portion 82 of the second movable slider 70b may drop into the lower molded recess 43 (rear recess 43b) of the insert pin 30. Even in such a situation, since the probability that the pawl portion 82 may be caught by the lower molded recess 43 is eliminated or reduced, smooth pull-out of the insert pin 30 is enabled. In the present invention, at the rear recess 43b provided as one of the lower molded recesses 43, a frontward-inclined pin surface that extends frontward from the rear recess 43b may be provided in replacement of or in addition to the rearward-inclined pin surface 45.

The box pin 50 of the separable bottom end stop 1 is formed by performing injection molding of synthetic resin on the fastener tape of the second fastener stringer. The box pin 50 adjoins the rear end part of the element row of the second fastener stringer in such a manner as to be continuous with the element row. The box pin 50 is capable of retaining the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b at the rear slide-limit position.

The box pin 50 includes a box-pin upper-half part (box-pin first-half part) 50a and a box-pin lower-half part (box-pin second-half part) 50b, which are located on the tape-upper-face side and the tape-lower-face side, respectively, of the fastener tape with a boundary being defined at the center position of the fastener tape in the tape-thickness direction. With respect to the front-rear direction, the box pin 50 includes a box-pin proximal part (box-pin front-end part) 51, which is located on a side of the box pin 50 that is near the fastener elements; and a box-pin distal part (box-pin rear-end part) 52, which is located on a side of the box pin 50 that is away from the fastener elements.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, the box pin 50 includes a box-pin body portion 53, which is fixed to the fastener tape of the second fastener stringer; the engaging projecting part 54, which projects from a front part of the box-pin body portion 53 in the front-rear direction toward the inner side in the left-right direction; a swollen part 55, which is swollen from the box-pin body portion 53 toward the inner side in the left-right direction; four molded recesses 61, which are each recessed from the upper face or the lower face of the box-pin body portion 53; the slider-stopping part 56, which is provided at a distal part (rear end part) of the box-pin body portion 53; and a first pawl-accommodating recess 57 and a second pawl-accommodating recess 58, which are provided in the box-pin lower-half part 50b.

The box-pin body portion 53 has a shape elongated in the front-rear direction and is fixed to the tape side-edge portion of the fastener tape. In a plan view of the box pin 50 (see FIG. 5) for example, let us set a virtual straight line 65 to extend in the front-rear direction while passing through a joint 54a, where the rear end of the engaging projecting part 54 joins the box-pin body portion 53. The box-pin body portion 53 according to the present example is formed by a portion that is on the outer side (the right side in FIG. 5) in the left-right direction relative to the virtual straight line 65 and has a constant thickness dimension or a substantially constant thickness dimension.

If, for example, the box pin according to the present invention includes no engaging projecting part 54 such as the one according to the present example, the virtual straight line that defines the box-pin body portion is set as, in a plan view of the box pin, a straight line that extends in the front-rear direction while passing through the intersection between the proximal edge (the front edge) and a side edge of the box pin on the inner side in the left-right direction.

The box-pin body portion 53 has a box-pin upper face (first face) oriented upward, and a box-pin lower face (second face) oriented downward. The box-pin upper face and the box-pin lower face of the box-pin body portion 53 each form a flat surface that is orthogonal to the upper-lower direction. When the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b are retained at the box-pin body portion 53, the box-pin upper face and the box-pin lower face come to face the upper wing plate 12 and the lower wing plate 13, respectively, of each of the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b. The thickness dimension of the box-pin body portion 53 between the box-pin upper face and the box-pin lower face is set equal to the thickness dimension of the fastener element.

In the plan view of the box pin 50 (see FIGS. 5 and 9 for example), the box pin 50 has a box-pin outer side edge 50c, which is located on the outer side in the left-right direction. The box-pin outer side edge 50c includes a front-part outer side edge that curves in a concave manner and away from and the flange portions 15 of the first slider 10a the flange portions 15 of the second slider 10b, a middle-part outer side edge that extends from the rear of the front-part outer side edge and along corresponding ones of the flange portions 15 of the first slider 10a, and a rear-part outer side edge that extends from the rear of the middle-part outer side edge and away from the flange portions 15 of the first slider 10a.

The engaging projecting part 54 of the box pin 50 projects inward in the left-right direction from a central part or a substantially central part of the box-pin body portion 53 in the upper-lower direction. In the plan view (FIG. 5) of the box pin 50, the engaging projecting part 54 has a substantially trapezoidal shape. The engaging projecting part 54 has a constant thickness dimension or a substantially constant thickness dimension so as to be insertable into the engaging groove 35 provided in the insert pin 30.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 9, in a state where the box pin 50 is accommodated at a predetermined position in the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a, the swollen part 55 of the box pin 50 is swollen from the box-pin body portion 53 toward the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a (or toward the inner side in the left-right direction). The state where the box pin 50 is accommodated at a predetermined position in the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a may also be expressed as a state where the first slider 10a is retained at the rear slide-limit position by the box pin 50.

In particular, the swollen part 55 according to the present example has such a shape as to come close to the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a in the left-right direction. The swollen part 55 has the same thickness dimension as the box-pin body portion 53. In the present invention, the swollen part 55 of the box pin 50 may have such a shape as to come into contact with the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a in the left-right direction. The swollen part 55 having such a shape as to come close to the pawl portion 22 refers to the swollen part 55 extending to the proximity of the pawl portion 22, leaving a small gap (for example, a gap of a size smaller than the smallest width dimension of the pawl portion 22) between the pawl portion 22 and the swollen part 55. The swollen part 55 having such a shape as to come into contact with the pawl portion 22 refers to the swollen part 55 extending to a position allowing direct contact with the pawl portion 22, leaving no gap between the pawl portion 22 and the swollen part 55.

The swollen part 55 has such a shape that a region thereof corresponding to the position of the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a in the front-rear direction and a region therearound is closest in the swollen part 55 to the insert pin 30 in the left-right direction (width direction). The swollen part 55 includes a swell tip end portion 55a, which is located on the inner side relative to and farthest from the box-pin body portion 53 (or the virtual straight line 65) in the width direction. In the plan view (FIG. 5) of the box pin 50, the swell tip end portion 55a is located at a box-pin inner side edge 50d of the box pin 50. The box-pin inner side edge 50d faces the insert pin 30. In such a case, the box-pin inner side edge 50d of the box pin 50 is a side edge of the box pin 50 that is located on the inner side in the width direction.

The box-pin inner side edge 50d of the box pin 50 includes the swell tip end portion 55a; a first inclined part 55b, which extends from the swell tip end portion 55a toward the box-pin proximal part 51 and is inclined relative to the front-rear direction; and a second inclined part 55c, which extends from the swell tip end portion 55a toward the box-pin distal part 52 and is inclined relative to a slider sliding direction. The swell tip end portion 55a, the first inclined part 55b, and the second inclined part 55c are included in the swollen part 55.

In a state where the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b are retained at the rear slide-limit position by the box pin 50, the above swollen part 55 included in the box pin 50 limits the area where the insert pin 30 inserted into the shoulder opening of the second slider 10b and advancing toward an insert-pin-accommodating position is allowed to pass in the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a. Thus, the movement of the insert-pin distal part 32 of the insert pin 30 is regulated such that the insert-pin distal part 32 (particularly the distal-end inclined surface 38) comes into contact with the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a.

Such a configuration enables the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a to move onto the insert-pin upper face of the insert-pin body portion 33 or to move to a position between the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 with the aid of the distal-end inclined surface 38. Therefore, the probability that the insert pin 30 may be caught by the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a is reduced. Accordingly, stable and smooth insertion of the insert pin 30 to the insert-pin-accommodating position is enabled.

The insert-pin-accommodating position refers to, in the direction of insertion of the insert pin 30 from the shoulder opening of the second slider 10b, the farthest (rearmost) position for the insert pin 30 to be insertable into the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b. When the insert pin 30 is retained at the insert-pin-accommodating position, the second slider 10b is allowed to slide frontward.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the swell tip end portion 55a of the swollen part 55 is located at a position on the front side in the front-rear direction relative to the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a retained at the rear slide-limit position (a position near the tail opening of the first slider 10a).

The first inclined part 55b of the swollen part 55 serves as an orientation-controlling part (orientation-controlling surface) that is capable of controlling the orientation of the insert pin 30 by receiving the insert-pin distal part 32 of the insert pin 30. Since the swollen part 55 includes the swell tip end portion 55a and the first inclined part (orientation-controlling part) 55b described above, the movement of the insert pin 30 that is inserted toward the insert-pin-accommodating position is regulatable more appropriately.

In the separable bottom end stop 1 according to the present example, regarding the first slider 10a retained at the rear slide-limit position, the center line in the left-right direction is defined as a reference center line (width-direction center line) 25 (see FIG. 9). Under such a definition, the swollen part 55 of the box pin 50 viewed in plan includes a bulge portion 55d, which bulges beyond the reference center line 25 to the proximity of the insert pin 30. The bulge portion 55d includes the swell tip end portion 55a. The swollen part 55 according to the present example has such a shape that the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a retained at the slide-limit position is located within a formed area 55e, which is defined in the front-rear direction and over which the bulge portion 55d is formed.

In the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a retained at the slide-limit position, by the presence of the bulge portion 55d as above of the swollen part 55, the width dimension of a space portion in the element-guiding path 17 that allows the insertion of the insert pin 30 can be limited to smaller than 50% of the width dimension of the element-guiding path 17 (that is, the width dimension between the left and right flange portions 15), in an area in the front-rear direction over which the bulge portion 55d is formed.

The space portion in the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a that allows the insertion of the insert pin 30 refers to a pathway within the element-guiding path 17 that allows the passage of the insert pin 30. In the first slider 10a, the space portion (the pathway for the insert pin 30) whose width dimension is limited to smaller than 50% of the width dimension of the element-guiding path 17 is defined as a narrowed part 26.

In such a configuration, the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a includes, as the pathway for the insert pin 30 (as the space portion that allows the insertion of the insert pin 30), the narrowed part 26 described above and a widened part 27. In the widened part 27, the width dimension of the space portion is 50% or more of the width dimension of the element-guiding path 17. The widened part 27 of the element-guiding path 17 includes a first widened part 27a, which is located on the front side (a side close to the tail opening of the first slider 10a) relative to the swell tip end portion 55a of the swollen part 55; and a second widened part 27b, which is located on the rear side (a side away from the tail opening of the first slider 10a) relative to the swell tip end portion 55a.

The element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a has the narrowed part 26 and the first widened part 27a. Therefore, with the box pin 50 inserted into the element-guiding path 17, a large space portion that allows the insertion of the insert pin 30 is provided in an area of the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a that is near the tail opening. Such a configuration facilitates the insertion of the insert pin 30 from the element-guiding path 17 of the second slider 10b into the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a. Subsequently, the movement of the insert pin 30 inserted into the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a is regulated at the narrowed part 26 of the element-guiding path 17. Therefore, the insert pin 30 is less likely to be caught by the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a.

The element-guiding path 17 further includes the second widened part 27b. Therefore, with the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 placed in the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a, the first slider 10a retained at the slide-limit position is easily slidable frontward.

Regarding the box pin 50 according to the present example, the angle of inclination of the first inclined part 55b at the swollen part 55 relative to the front-rear direction is defined as a first inclination angle θ1, and the angle of inclination of the second inclined part 55c relative to the front-rear direction is defined as a second inclination angle θ2 (see FIG. 5). Under such definitions of the swollen part 55, the first inclination angle θ1 is greater than the second inclination angle θ2. Thus, the above-described first widened part 27a is easily provided with a simple structure on the front side relative to the swell tip end portion 55a of the swollen part 55. Consequently, the insertion of the insert pin 30 into the first slider 10a is facilitated.

In the present invention, the first inclination angle θ1 and the second inclination angle θ2 each refers to the inclination angle of a part of the box pin 50 where the box-pin inner side edge 50d is inclined by an angle of 5° or more relative to the front-rear direction (in other words, the first inclination angle θ1 and the second inclination angle θ2 each do not encompass the inclination angle of a part of the box pin 50 where the box-pin inner side edge 50d is inclined by an angle smaller than 5° relative to the front-rear direction).

The box pin 50 has a first box-pin recess 66, which is provided on the front side relative to the swell tip end portion 55a of the swollen part 55 and is recessed toward the outer side in the left-right direction relative to the swell tip end portion 55a; and a second box-pin recess 67, which is provided on the rear side relative to the swell tip end portion 55a of the swollen part 55 and is recessed toward the outer side in the left-right direction relative to the swell tip end portion 55a. That is, the swell tip end portion 55a of the swollen part 55 is located between the first box-pin recess 66 and the second box-pin recess 67 in the front-rear direction.

The molded recesses 61 of the box pin 50 are pin impressions made by pins that are pressed into the fastener tape for positioning the fastener tape in the process of forming the box pin 50 on the fastener tape by injection molding. The molded recesses 61 according to the present example are two upper molded recesses 62, which are provided in the box-pin upper-half part 50a; and two lower molded recesses 63, which are provided in the box-pin lower-half part 50b. The upper molded recesses 62 and the lower molded recesses 63 are located at respective positions that match each other between the box-pin upper-half part 50a and the box-pin lower-half part 50b of the box pin 50. The molded recesses 61 of the box pin 50 are substantially the same as the molded recesses 41 of the insert pin 30. In the present invention, the number, shape, and size of the molded recesses 61 to be provided in the box pin 50 are not limited.

The slider-stopping part 56 of the box pin 50 projects downward from the box-pin lower face of the box-pin body portion 53 so that the lower wing plate 13 of the first slider 10a is allowed to come into contact therewith. The slider-stopping part 56 regulates the rearward sliding of the first slider 10a by receiving the first slider 10a. The slider-stopping part 56 defines the rear slide-limit position for the first slider 10a.

The first pawl-accommodating recess 57 of the box pin 50 is located in a central part of the box-pin body portion 53 in the front-rear direction and is depressed upward from the box-pin lower face of the box-pin body portion 53. The first pawl-accommodating recess 57 is open at the inner side edge of the box-pin body portion 53. For example, in a case where the insert pin 30, the box pin 50, the first slider 10a, and the second slider 10b according to the present example are employed to provide a left-insertion-type separable bottom end stop (not illustrated), the first pawl-accommodating recess 57 is capable of receiving and accommodating the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a retained at the slide-limit position.

The second pawl-accommodating recess 58 of the box pin 50 is located at a position of the box-pin body portion 53 that is on the front side relative to the first pawl-accommodating recess 57 and on the outer side in the left-right direction relative to the first pawl-accommodating recess 57. The second pawl-accommodating recess 58 is depressed upward from the box-pin lower face of the box-pin body portion 53. For example, in a case where the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 according to the present example and the first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b described above are employed to provide a left-insertion-type separable bottom end stop (not illustrated), the second pawl-accommodating recess 58 is capable of receiving and accommodating the pawl portion 82 of the first movable slider 70a retained at the slide-limit position. In the present invention, the box pin 50 may be provided without the second pawl-accommodating recess 58.

Now, an operation of causing the element rows of the first fastener stringer and the second fastener stringer that are separate from each other to mesh with each other with the use of the separable bottom end stop 1 according to the present example will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 9, and 10.

First, the pull (not illustrated) of the first slider 10a is pinched, and the first slider 10a is slid to a position (the rear slide-limit position) where the first slider 10a comes into contact with the slider-stopping part 56 of the box pin 50, whereby the first slider 10a is retained at the box pin 50. When the first slider 10a reaches the slide-limit position and the operation with the use of the pull is finished, an elastic force exerted by the elastic urging portion 23 of the stopping pawl structure 20 automatically causes the pawl portion 22 of the stopping pawl structure 20 to project into the element-guiding path 17 of the slider body 11.

In this state, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a that is in the element-guiding path 17 is located at a position on the left side (the side away from the box pin 50) relative to the reference center line 25 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, in the front-rear direction, the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a is located within an area between the connecting column 14 and a position where the interval between the left and right flange portions 15 starts to gradually increase toward the rear side. Furthermore, the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a is located close to or in contact with the swollen part 55 of the box pin 50.

After the first slider 10a is retained at the slide-limit position, the second slider 10b with the pull (not illustrated) thereof being pinched is slid to the slide-limit position where an end portion of the second slider 10b that is on the tail-opening side comes into contact with an end portion of the first slider 10a that is on the tail-opening side, whereby the second slider 10b is retained at the box pin 50. The pawl portion 22 of the second slider 10b thus retained at the slide-limit position is held on the upper face of the box-pin body portion 53 and/or the engaging projecting part 54 at the box-pin proximal part 51 of the box pin 50.

Subsequently, the insert pin 30 of the separable bottom end stop 1 is inserted into the element-guiding path 17 from the right one of the shoulder openings of the second slider 10b. Furthermore, the insert pin 30 is moved rearward to advance through the element-guiding path 17 of the second slider 10b and the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a. In this step, since the box pin 50 has the first inclined part 55b at the box-pin inner side edge 50d, a relatively large space portion that allows the insertion of the insert pin 30 is provided in an area near the tail opening of the first slider 10a, despite that the box pin 50 including the swollen part 55 is present in the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a. Such a configuration enables smooth and stable insertion of the insert-pin distal part 32 of the insert pin 30 from the element-guiding path 17 of the second slider 10b into the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a.

Subsequently, the insert pin 30 is further moved rearward, whereby, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the distal-end inclined surface 38 provided at the insert-pin distal part 32 inserted into the second slider 10b comes into contact with the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a. In this state, the swell tip end portion 55a of the swollen part 55 of the box pin 50 is located at a position on the front side relative to the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a, as described above. Therefore, in the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a, the interval between the swell tip end portion 55a of the swollen part 55 and the left-side flange portions 15 of the first slider 10a is narrowed, whereby the space portion that allows the passage of the insert-pin distal part 32 is limited. Hence, when the insert-pin distal part 32 of the insert pin 30 passes through the space portion, the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a stably comes into contact with the distal-end inclined surface 38 of the insert-pin distal part 32.

The swollen part 55 of the box pin 50 further includes the first inclined part (orientation-controlling part) 55b extending frontward from the swell tip end portion 55a. Therefore, if, for example, the insert-pin distal part 32 of the insert pin 30 is brought close to the box-pin body portion 53 when inserted into an area of the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a that is near the tail opening, the insert-pin distal part 32 of the insert pin 30 comes into contact with and is guided by the first inclined part 55b of the swollen part 55. Thus, the orientation of the insert pin 30 is appropriately controlled. Consequently, the insert-pin distal part 32 smoothly passes through the gap (space portion) between the swell tip end portion 55a of the swollen part 55 and the left-side flange portions 15 of the first slider 10a.

In the separable bottom end stop 1 according to the present example, the distal-end inclined surface 38 of the insert-pin distal part 32 is designed to come into contact with the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a as described above. Accordingly, the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a is raised along the distal-end inclined surface 38 and/or is moved inward in the left-right direction along the distal-end inclined surface 38. Thus, the probability that the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a may catch the insert-pin distal part 32 and thus hinder the insertion of the insert pin 30 is eliminated or reduced.

After the insert-pin distal part 32 comes into contact with the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a, the insert pin 30 is further inserted rearward. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the insert pin 30 reaches the insert-pin-accommodating position in the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b and is retained at the insert-pin-accommodating position.

After the insert pin 30 is retained at the insert-pin-accommodating position in the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b, the forward-opening second slider 10b located on the front side is slid frontward. Thus, the left and right fastener elements mesh with each other sequentially from the rear side, whereby the slide fastener is closed. After the second slider 10b is slid frontward to close the slide fastener, if the reverse-opening first slider 10a located on the rear side is slid frontward, the left and right fastener elements are separated from each other sequentially from the rear side, whereby the slide fastener is opened from the rear side.

On the other hand, to separate the first fastener stringer and the second fastener stringer of the slide fastener that has been closed with the use of the forward-opening second slider 10b from each other by separating the left and right fastener elements from each other, the second slider 10b is first slid along the element rows to the slide-limit position where the second slider 10b comes into contact with the first slider 10a. Subsequently, the insert pin 30 is pulled out of the element-guiding paths 17 of the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b. Thus, the first fastener stringer provided with the insert pin 30 and the second fastener stringer provided with the box pin 50 are separated from each other.

To summarize, according to the present example, the separable bottom end stop 1 to be included in a slide fastener is provided as a combination of the following: the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50, and the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b each including the stopping pawl structure 20 as illustrated in FIG. 8. In the separable bottom end stop 1, the box pin 50 includes the swollen part 55. Therefore, in the process of inserting the insert pin 30 from the shoulder opening of the second slider 10b into the element-guiding path 17 of the second slider 10b and the element-guiding path 17 of the first slider 10a, the insert-pin distal part 32 of the insert pin 30 is less likely to be caught by the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a, as described above.

The insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 according to the present example may be combined with the first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b illustrated in FIG. 11, in replacement of the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b according to the present example, to provide a separable bottom end stop 2 according to a variation.

In such a variation, the first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b are attached to the element rows with the tail openings of respective slider bodies 71 facing each other. The first movable slider 70a is a reverse-opening slider configured to separate the left and right element rows from each other when being slid frontward along the element rows. The second movable slider 70b is a forward-opening slider configured to cause the left and right element rows to mesh with each other when being slid frontward along the element rows.

In the separable bottom end stop 2 according to the variation, the first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b are each substantially the same as the slider disclosed in Patent Literature 1.

For example, the first movable slider 70a includes the slider body 71, a covering structure (not illustrated) rotatably attached to the slider body 71, an elastic member (not illustrated) attached to the inner side of the covering structure and urging the covering structure, and a pull (not illustrated) held between the slider body 71 and the covering structure. The elastic member may be, for example, a spring member.

The slider body 71 includes an upper wing plate (not illustrated); a lower wing plate 73; a connecting column 74, which connects the upper wing plate and the lower wing plate 73; upper and lower flange portions 75, which are provided at left and right side-edge portions of the upper wing plate and the lower wing plate 73; and a cover-attaching portion (not illustrated), which projects upward from the upper wing plate. The upper wing plate of the slider body 71 has a pawl hole (not illustrated) extending through the upper wing plate in the upper-lower direction.

The covering structure includes a covering body portion, which has a substantially box shape that opens to the lower side; and the pawl portion 82, which projects downward from a side wall part of the covering body portion. The elastic member according to the variation is provided inside the covering structure in such a manner as to urge the covering structure in a direction in which the pawl portion 82 of the covering structure advances into the element-guiding path of the slider body 71.

The pawl portion 82 of the covering structure has a greater size than the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a according to the above example (particularly, in terms of the size of a section of the pawl portion 82 that is taken orthogonally to the upper-lower direction). The section of the pawl portion 82 that is taken orthogonally to the upper-lower direction has a narrow shape elongated in the front-rear direction. The pawl portion 82 has a pawl first face oriented toward the connecting column 74 of the slider body 71, and a pawl second face oriented toward the tail opening.

The pawl first face of the pawl portion 82 viewed in the left-right direction forms an inclined surface that is obliquely inclined or a curved surface that is convexly curved. The pawl second face of the pawl portion 82 viewed in the left-right direction forms a flat surface that extends in the upper-lower direction or substantially the upper-lower direction. The pawl portion 82 of the covering structure is located closer to the tail opening in the front-rear direction and more outward in the left-right direction than the pawl portion 22 of the first slider 10a according to the above example.

The second movable slider 70b has the same configuration as the first movable slider 70a.

In the case of the separable bottom end stop 2 according to the variation, the element rows of the first fastener stringer and the second fastener stringer that are separate from each other are made to mesh with each other as follows. The first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b are slid to the rear slide-limit position and are retained at the slide-limit position by the box pin 50.

Subsequently, the insert pin 30 of the separable bottom end stop 2 is inserted into the element-guiding path from the shoulder opening of the second movable slider 70b. Furthermore, the insert pin 30 is moved rearward to advance through the element-guiding path of the second movable slider 70b and the element-guiding path of the first movable slider 70a. In this step, since the box pin 50 has the first inclined part 55b at the box-pin inner side edge 50d, a relatively large space portion that allows the insertion of the insert pin 30 is provided in an area near the tail opening of the first movable slider 70a. Such a configuration enables smooth insertion of the insert-pin distal part 32 of the insert pin 30 from the element-guiding path of the second movable slider 70b into the element-guiding path of the first movable slider 70a.

Subsequently, the insert pin 30 is further moved rearward, whereby the insert-pin distal part 32 comes into contact with the pawl portion 82 of the first movable slider 70a. Note that the insert-pin distal part 32 has the distal-end inclined surface 38, and all ridges of the insert-pin distal part 32 excluding the distal-end inclined surface 38 form curved surfaces, such as a surface obtained by chamfering. Therefore, moving the insert pin 30 rearward after the insert-pin distal part 32 comes into contact with the pawl portion 82 causes the pawl portion 82 to be easily raised onto the upper face of the insert-pin body portion 33 with the aid of the distal-end inclined surface 38 or the ridges of the insert-pin distal part 32.

Subsequently, the insert pin 30 is further moved rearward, whereby the pawl portion 82 of the first movable slider 70a reaches the molded recess 41 (rear recess 42b) provided in the insert-pin upper-half part 30a of the insert pin 30 and drops into the molded recess 41, as illustrated in FIG. 11. Note that the insert pin 30 has the frontward-inclined pin surface 44 extending frontward from the molded recess 41. Therefore, even if the pawl portion 82 drops into the molded recess 41, moving the insert pin 30 rearward causes the pawl portion 82 to be easily raised onto the upper face of the insert-pin body portion 33 with the aid of the frontward-inclined pin surface 44.

When the insert pin 30 is made to advance to the farthest position in the first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b, the insert pin 30 reaches the insert-pin-accommodating position. In this step, the pawl portion 82 of the first movable slider 70a moves into and is accommodated in the pawl-accommodating recess 37 provided in the insert pin 30. After the insert pin 30 reaches and is retained at the insert-pin-accommodating position, the forward-opening second movable slider 70b located on the front side is slid frontward. Thus, the left and right fastener elements mesh with each other sequentially from the rear side, whereby the slide fastener is closed.

In the separable bottom end stop 2 according to the variation, although the stopping mechanism employed by the first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b is different from the one employed by the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b according to the above example, the insert-pin distal part 32 of the insert pin 30 is less likely to be caught by the pawl portion 82 of the first movable slider 70a in the process of inserting the insert pin 30 into the first movable

Slider 70a and the Second Movable Slider 70b.

That is, even if the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 described above are combined with different kinds of sliders employing stopping mechanisms of different configurations to provide different separable bottom end stops 1 and 2, the insert pin 30 of each of the separable bottom end stops 1 and 2 is less likely to be caught by the pawl portion 22 or 82 of the first slider 10a or 70a in the process of inserting the insert pin 30 into the first slider 10a or 70a and the second slider 10b or 70b. Accordingly, the ease of operation of each of the separable bottom end stop 1 and 2 (particularly, the ease of operation of the insert pin 30) is improved. Furthermore, other qualities, such as slidability and ease of starting motion, of the first slider 10a or 70a and the second slider 10b or 70b are improved.

The insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 described above either when combined with the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b according to the example or when combined with the first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b according to the variation constitute a right-insertion-type separable bottom end stop 1 or 2 intended for a right-handed operation of the insert pin 30.

Furthermore, as described above, the insert-pin lower-half part 30b of the insert pin 30 has the rearward-inclined pin surface 45, and the box-pin lower-half part 50b of the box pin 50 has the first pawl-accommodating recess 57 and the second pawl-accommodating recess 58. Therefore, whether the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 are combined with the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b according to the example or the first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b according to the variation, it is possible to provide a left-insertion-type separable bottom end stop (not illustrated) intended for a left-handed operation of the insert pin 30. Thus, the applicability of the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 intended for separable bottom end stops is increased, which leads to cost reduction for separable bottom end stops.

Furthermore, the availability as both a right-insertion-type separable bottom end stop 1 or 2 (see FIGS. 1 and 11) and a left-insertion-type separable bottom end stop (not illustrated) as described above reduces the number of kinds of sliders required for separable bottom end stops. Accordingly, further reduction of manufacturing cost, improvement in productivity and manufacture efficiency, and simplification of quality control and process control are achieved.

The present invention is not limited to the example and the variation described above and may be modified in various ways as long as such modifications provide substantially the same configuration as the present invention and produce similar advantageous effects to the present invention.

For example, the above description relates to a case where the insert pin 30 illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 and the box pin 50 illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7 are combined with the first slider 10a and the second slider 10b according to the example into the separable bottom end stop 1, and a case where the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 are combined with the first movable slider 70a and the second movable slider 70b according to the variation into the separable bottom end stop 2.

In the present invention, however, the insert pin 30 and the box pin 50 may alternatively be combined with two sliders each employing a stopping mechanism other than the ones employed in the example and the variation into a separable bottom end stop. Moreover, the reverse-opening first slider and the forward-opening second slider of a single separable bottom end stop may employ respective stopping mechanisms configured differently from each other.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the shapes of the insert pin and the box pin may be changed as long as the box pin includes a box-pin body portion and a swollen part as described above.

Furthermore, the use of the slide fastener including the separable bottom end stop according to the present invention is not particularly limited.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

• • 1, 2 separable bottom end stop
  • 10a first slider
  • 10b second slider
  • 11 slider body
  • 12 upper wing plate
  • 13 lower wing plate
  • 14 connecting column
  • 15 flange portion
  • 16 cover-attaching portion
  • 16a projection
  • 17 element-guiding path
  • 18 pawl hole
  • 20 stopping pawl structure
  • 21 pawl body portion
  • 21a attaching opening
  • 22 pawl portion
  • 23 elastic urging portion
  • 25 reference center line (width-direction center line)
  • 26 narrowed part
  • 27 widened part
  • 27a first widened part
  • 27b second widened part
  • 30 insert pin
  • 30a insert-pin upper-half part
  • 30b insert-pin lower-half part
  • 31 insert-pin proximal part (insert-pin front-end part)
  • 32 insert-pin distal part (insert-pin rear-end part)
  • 33 insert-pin body portion
  • 34 insert-pin extended part
  • 34a engaging recess
  • 34b engaging protrusion
  • 35 engaging groove 36 proximal-end projection
  • 37 pawl-accommodating recess
  • 38 distal-end inclined surface
  • 41 molded recess
  • 42 upper molded recess
  • 42a front recess
  • 42b rear recess
  • 43 lower molded recess
  • 43a front recess
  • 43b rear recess
  • 44 frontward-inclined pin surface
  • 45 rearward-inclined pin surface
  • 50 box pin
  • 50a box-pin upper-half part
  • 50b box-pin lower-half part
  • 50c box-pin outer side edge
  • 50d box-pin inner side edge
  • 51 box-pin proximal part (box-pin front-end part)
  • 52 box-pin distal part (box-pin rear-end part)
  • 53 box-pin body portion
  • 54 engaging projecting part
  • 54a joint
  • 55 swollen part
  • 55a swell tip end portion
  • 55b first inclined part (orientation-controlling part)
  • 55c second inclined part
  • 55d bulge portion
  • 55e formed area
  • 56 slider-stopping part
  • 57 first pawl-accommodating recess
  • 58 second pawl-accommodating recess
  • 61 molded recess
  • 62 upper molded recess
  • 63 lower molded recess
  • 65 virtual straight line
  • 66 first box-pin recess
  • 67 second box-pin recess
  • 70a first movable-cover-type slider (first movable slider)
  • 70b second movable-cover-type slider (second movable slider)
  • 71 slider body
  • 73 lower wing plate
  • 74 connecting column
  • 75 flange portion
  • 82 pawl portion
  • θ1 first inclination angle
  • θ2 second inclination angle

Claims

1. A separable bottom end stop to be used in a slide fastener, characterized in that:

the separable bottom end stop includes an insert pin to be provided on a first fastener stringer included in the slide fastener, a box pin to be provided on a second fastener stringer included in the slide fastener, a reverse-opening first slider, and a forward-opening second slider;

the box pin is capable of retaining the first slider and the second slider at a slide-limit position;

the first slider includes a pawl portion that is allowed to advance into and retract from an element-guiding path provided in the first slider; and

the box pin includes a box-pin body portion to be attached to a fastener tape included in the second fastener stringer, and a swollen part swollen in a width direction from the box-pin body portion toward the pawl portion of the first slider retained at the slide-limit position.

2. The separable bottom end stop according to claim 1, wherein:

the swollen part has such a shape as to be close to or in contact with the pawl portion of the first slider retained at the slide-limit position.

3. The separable bottom end stop according to claim 1, wherein:

the insert pin includes an insert-pin body portion to be attached to a fastener tape included in the first fastener stringer;

the insert-pin body portion has an upper face disposed so as to face an upper wing plate included in the first slider, and a lower face disposed so as to face a lower wing plate included in the first slider; and

the insert-pin body portion includes a distal part located on an upper-face side of the insert-pin body portion, the distal part having an inclined surface inclining downward toward a corner of the distal part, the corner being disposed so as to face the box pin.

4. The separable bottom end stop according to claim 1, wherein:

the swollen part includes a bulge portion extending in the width direction beyond a width-direction center line of the first slider retained at the slide-limit position.

5. The separable bottom end stop according to claim 4, wherein:

the swollen part has such a shape that, in a slider sliding direction, the pawl portion of the first slider is positioned within a formed area over which the bulge portion is formed.

6. The separable bottom end stop according to claim 1, wherein:

the swollen part includes an orientation-controlling part with which the distal part of the insert pin inserted into the first slider comes into contact, to allow control of an orientation of the insert pin.

7. The separable bottom end stop according to claim 1, wherein:

the swollen part includes a swell tip end portion located farthest from the box-pin body portion in the width direction; and

the swell tip end portion is located, in a slider sliding direction, closer to a tail opening provided in the first slider than the pawl portion of the first slider retained at the slide-limit position.

8. The separable bottom end stop according to claim 1, wherein:

the box pin as viewed in plan has a box-pin inner side edge located to face the insert pin and including a swell tip end portion located farthest in the swollen part from the box-pin body portion in the width direction, a first inclined part extending from the swell tip end portion toward a box-pin proximal part and inclined relative to a slider sliding direction, and a second inclined part extending from the swell tip end portion toward a box-pin distal part and inclined relative to the slider sliding direction; and

a first inclination angle at which the first inclined part is inclined relative to the slider sliding direction is greater than a second inclination angle at which the second inclined part is inclined relative to the slider sliding direction.

9. The separable bottom end stop according to claim 1, wherein:

when the first slider is retained at the slide-limit position, the element-guiding path of the first slider includes a narrowed part where a width dimension of a space portion that allows insertion of the insert pin in the element-guiding path is limited by the swollen part of the box pin to smaller than 50% of a width dimension of the element-guiding path.

10. The separable bottom end stop according to claim 9, wherein:

the element-guiding path of the first slider includes a widened part where the width dimension of the space portion that allows insertion of the insert pin in the element-guiding path is greater than the width dimension of the narrowed part; and

the widened part is located closer to a tail opening provided in the first slider than the narrowed part.