Slide fastener locking mechanism

Abstract

Provided is a slide fastener lock mechanism provided with lock parts (20, 40) that detachably connect a pair of sliders (10, 10), wherein the lock parts (20, 40) have base parts (26, 46) that extend from shoulder sides of the sliders (10) in the direction in which the pair of sliders (10, 10) approach each other, and hook parts (27, 47) provided so as to protrude upward and downward from the base parts (26, 46), the hook parts (27, 47) provided respectively to the pair of sliders (10, 10) being disengaged from each other between shoulders of the pair of sliders (10, 10).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a locking mechanism for a slide fastener that detachably connects a pair of sliders. [Background technology]

[0002] When opening and closing a bag or other device with a slide fastener, the zipper can open unintentionally, causing items to fall out. Also, if the bag with a slide fastener at the opening is a backpack, the opening is located behind the user and can be easily opened and closed, so there is a risk that items may be stolen through the opening in a short amount of time without the owner noticing.

[0003] In the slide fastener connector described in Patent Document 1, a pair of sliders slidably arranged on a pair of fastener stringers are provided with an engaging portion and an engaged portion that detachably connect the pair of sliders to each other. By connecting the pair of sliders that mesh with the pair of fastener stringers by the engaging portion and the engaged portion, the opening that is opened and closed by the slide fastener is prevented from opening against the user's intention. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-74939 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The slide fastener connector described in Patent Document 1 provides an engaging portion and an engaged portion that detachably connect a pair of sliders that close the opening, thereby improving security. Here, the engaging portion, which is a convex portion provided on one slider, and the engaged portion, which is a concave portion provided on the other slider, are inserted into and detached from each other while elastically deforming. This requires a certain level of force to lock and unlock the pair of sliders, posing problems in operability and durability. Therefore, there is a demand for a slide fastener locking mechanism that is simple in configuration and allows easy locking and unlocking of the pair of sliders.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a locking mechanism for a slide fastener that has a simple configuration and allows for smooth and easy locking and unlocking operations of a pair of sliders. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following configuration. [1] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener, in which a pair of sliders (10, 10) slidably arranged on a pair of left and right fastener stringers (2, 2) for engaging or separating the fastener stringers (2, 2) is provided with locking sections (20, 40) for detachably connecting the pair of sliders (10, 10) to each other, The locking portions (20, 40) arranged at the shoulder-side ends of the pair of sliders (10, 10) respectively are When the longitudinal direction of the fastener stringer (2) is defined as the front-rear direction and the extending direction of the connecting column (14) connecting the upper blade (11) and the lower blade (12) of the slider (10) is defined as the up-down direction, a base portion (26, 46) provided on one of the upper blade (11) or the lower blade (12) of the slider (10) and extending from the shoulder side of the slider (10) in the front-rear direction in a direction in which the pair of sliders (10, 10) approach each other; and a hook portion (27, 47) protruding in the up-down direction from the base portion (26, 46), The hook portions (27, 47) provided on the pair of sliders (10, 10), respectively, are engaged with and disengaged from each other between the shoulders of the pair of sliders (10, 10). Locking mechanism for slide fasteners. [2] In the pair of sliders (10, 10), when the upper blade (11) of one slider (10) has an extending base portion (26), the upper blade (11) of the other slider (10) does not have an extending base portion (26). [1] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener. [3] At least one of the hook portions (27, 47) of the pair of sliders (10, 10) has an inclined surface (27A, 27B) that is inclined toward the rear opening of the slider (10) toward the tip thereof. [1] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener. [4] At least a part of the inclined surface (27A, 27B) of at least one of the hook portions (27, 47) of the pair of sliders (10, 10) is formed at a position beyond the midpoint between the outer surface of the upper blade (11) and the outer surface of the lower blade (12). [3] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener. [5] The left-right width of the hook portion (27) is equal to or less than the left-right width of the slider (10), The hook portion (27) is disposed at the center of the left and right width direction of the slider (10). [1] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener. [6] The left and right width of the hook portion (27) is 0.3 times or more the left and right width of the connecting column (14). [5] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener. [7] The locking portion (20, 40) is a locking member that can be attached to and detached from the slider (10), and the locking member (20, 40) has a first surface portion (21, 41) arranged on one of the upper blade (11) or the lower blade (12), a second surface portion (22, 42) arranged on the other of the upper blade (11) or the lower blade (12), and a vertical connecting portion (23, 43) that connects the first surface portion (21, 41) and the second surface portion (22, 42) and is arranged along the shoulder side of the connecting pillar (14), the second surface portion (22, 42) has the base portion (26, 46) and the hook portion (27, 47), At least one of the first surface portion (21, 41) and the second surface portion (22, 42) is formed with a locking portion (24, 25) for detachably locking the locking member (20, 40) to a pull tab mounting post (13) provided on the upper blade (11). [1] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener. [8] The locking portions (24, 25) are provided on the first surface portion (21) and the second surface portion (22), The pair of locking members (20, 20, 40, 40) have the same shape. [7] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener. [9] The locking portion (24, 25) has a pair of locking pieces (24A, 24B, 25A, 25B) that sandwich the pull-tab mounting post (13), one of the locking pieces (24B, 25B) is formed in a straight line along the side of the pull-tab mounting post 13, and the other locking piece (24A, 25B) is formed in an L-shape so as to surround the pull-tab mounting post 13. [7] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener.

[10] The connection portion (23) is formed with a restricting portion (29) protruding in the front-rear direction so as to abut against the connecting column (14) in the left-right direction. [9] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener.

[11] The L-shaped locking pieces (24A, 25A) are arranged on one of the left and right sides of the pull-tab mounting post (13), The restricting portion (29) is disposed on the other of the left and right sides of the connecting pillar (14). [9] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener.

[12] A pair of the restricting portions (29) are provided so as to sandwich the side surfaces of the connecting pillar (14) in the left-right direction.

[10] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener.

[13] The locking portions (20, 40) are integrally molded with the pair of sliders (10, 10), respectively. A locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to any one of [1] to [6].

[14] The base portion (46) has a lower base portion (46A) and an upper base portion (46B) arranged side by side and offset in the vertical direction, The hook portion (47) has a first hook portion (47A) protruding upward from the lower base portion (46A) and a second hook portion (47B) protruding downward from the upper base portion (46B), By providing a locking portion (40) on each of the pair of sliders (10, 10), a first hook portion (47A) and a second hook portion (47B) that are arranged opposite each other between the shoulders of the pair of sliders (10, 10) are engaged with and disengaged from each other. [1] A locking mechanism for a slide fastener. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the locking operation and the unlocking operation of the pair of sliders can be smoothly and easily performed with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a slide fastener equipped with a slide fastener locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are a side view and a plan view, respectively, showing a pair of sliders equipped with a locking mechanism. [Figure 3] 1A, 1B, and 1C are a side view, a plan view, and a front view, respectively, showing a slider to which a locking member is attached. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a slider to which a locking member is attached. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a bottom view, respectively, showing a locking member. [Figure 6] 1A is a perspective view showing a locking member, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing a slider to which the locking member is attached. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a locking member according to a first modified embodiment. [Figure 8] 6(A) is a perspective view showing a locking member of Alternative Example 2, and FIG. 6(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing a slider to which the locking member of Alternative Example 2 is attached, similar to FIG. 6(B). [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to a third alternative embodiment. [Figure 10] 10(A) and 10(B) are a side view and a plan view, respectively, showing a locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to a third modified embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A slide fastener to which a locking mechanism for a slide fastener (hereinafter also simply referred to as a "locking mechanism") according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6(B). Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below, and various modifications are possible as long as they have substantially the same configuration as the present invention and provide similar effects.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a slide fastener equipped with a slide fastener locking mechanism according to this embodiment, and Fig. 2(A) and (B) are a side view and a plan view, respectively, showing a pair of sliders equipped with the locking mechanism. The slide fastener 1 comprises a pair of fastener stringers 2, 2 and a pair of sliders 10, 10 slidably arranged along the fastener stringers 2, 2. The slide fastener 1 is provided with a locking mechanism by detachably attaching locking members 20 to each of the pair of sliders 10, 10.

[0012] A pair of fastener stringers 2, 2 has a row of fastener elements 2B, 2B attached to the tape edges of a pair of fastener tapes 2A, 2A facing each other. Note that the fastener elements 2B, 2B are shown in a simplified form in Figure 1.

[0013] The slider 10 has an upper blade 11, a lower blade 12, a connecting post 14 connecting the upper blade 11 and the lower blade 12, and a pull tab mounting post 13 provided on the upper blade 11 for attaching a pull tab 16 to the upper blade 11. See Figures 2(A) and 2(B) for the pull tab 16. A guide path through which the fastener elements 2B, 2B pass is formed between the upper blade 11 and the lower blade 12. The connecting post 14 is arranged on the shoulder side of the guide path of the slider 10 (the center side in the left-right direction in Figures 2(A) and 2(B)). A flange portion 15 is provided on the rear side of the guide path of the slider 10 (the outer side in the left-right direction in Figures 2(A) and 2(B)), extending from the upper blade 11 toward the lower blade 12 and guiding the pair of fastener elements 2B, 2B so that they approach each other. That is, by an opening operation of the slider 10, which slides the pair of sliders 10, 10 in a direction separating them, the pair of fastener stringers 2, 2 coming out from the shoulder openings of the slider 10 are separated. Also, by a closing operation of the slider 10, which slides the pair of sliders 10, 10 in a direction approaching each other, the pair of fastener stringers 2, 2 coming out from the rear openings of the slider 10 are brought into an interlocking state.

[0014] In the following embodiments, with respect to the locking member 20 attached to the slide fastener 1, the longitudinal direction of the fastener stringers 2, 2, i.e., the direction in which the slider 10 moves to open and close the pair of fastener stringers 2, 2, is referred to as the front-rear direction. Note that the front of the locking member 20 (slider 10) refers to the direction in which it approaches the other locking member 20 in the front-rear direction. The front of the locking member 20 (slider 10) can also be referred to as the shoulder side of the slider 10. The rear of the locking member 20 (slider 10) refers to the direction in which it moves away from the other locking member 20 in the front-rear direction. The rear of the locking member 20 (slider 10) can also be referred to as the rear side of the slider 10. Furthermore, the direction in which the pair of fastener stringers 2, 2 are arranged is referred to as the left-right direction or width direction. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, i.e., the extension direction of the connecting posts 14, is referred to as the up-down direction.

[0015] Next, the locking member 20 will be described with reference to Figures 3(A) to 6(B). Figures 3(A) to 3(C) and Figure 4 are a side view, a plan view, a front view and a perspective view, respectively, showing a slider to which the locking member is attached, Figures 5(A) and 5(B) are a plan view and a bottom view, respectively, showing the locking member, Figure 6(A) is a perspective view of the locking member, and Figure 6(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing the slider to which the locking member is attached.

[0016] The locking member 20 includes a first surface 21, a second surface 22, and a connecting portion 23. The first surface 21 is disposed on one side of the upper surface of the upper blade 11 or the lower surface of the lower blade 12, and the second surface 22 is disposed on the other side of the upper surface of the upper blade 11 or the lower surface of the lower blade 12. The connecting portion 23 is disposed in front of the shoulder end of the slider 10, extending in the vertical direction along the connecting post 14 of the slider 10, and connects the first surface 21 and the second surface 22. That is, the locking member 20 has a U-shape so as to sandwich the outer surfaces of the upper blade 11 and the lower blade 12 in the vertical direction from the shoulder side of the slider 10 .

[0017] Steps 21a, 22a are formed on the opposing surfaces of the first surface 21 and the second surface 22, against which the front end of the upper blade 11 or the lower blade 12 abuts. That is, the shoulder-side end of the slider 10 abuts against the pair of step portions 21a, 22a and the connecting portion 23, thereby determining the attachment position of the slider 10 to the locking member 20 (see FIG. 3(A)).

[0018] In the examples shown in Figures 4, 6(A) and 6(B), the step portions 21a and 22a are formed in a straight line in the left-right direction when viewed from the top-bottom direction, but they may also be configured to be curved in an arc shape along the shape of the shoulder side of the slider 10.

[0019] The first surface portion 21 and the second surface portion 22 are each formed with engaging portions 24, 25 that extend rearward from the shoulder side of the slider 10 where the connecting portion 23 is located, and that allow the locking member 20 to be detachably attached to the pull tab mounting post 13 when the engaging portions 24, 25 are provided along the upper surface of the upper wing plate 11.

[0020] As shown in Figures 4 and 6(A), the locking portions 24, 25 have first locking pieces 24A, 25A formed along one of the left and right side surfaces of the pull-tab mounting post 13, and second locking pieces 24B, 25B formed along the other of the left and right side surfaces. As shown in Figures 5(A) and 5(B), the first locking pieces 24A, 25A are bent at their extended ends into an L-shape so as to surround the pull-tab mounting post 13, and the second locking pieces 24B, 25B are formed linearly along the side surface of the pull-tab mounting post 13, with notches 24B1, 25B1 formed at their extended ends that are inclined in a direction away from the pull-tab mounting post 13. Note that both the first locking pieces 24A, 25A and the second locking pieces 24B, 25B may be bent at their extended ends into an L-shape so as to surround the pull-tab mounting post 13.

[0021] As a result, the locking portions 24, 25 are configured asymmetrically with L-shaped first locking pieces 24A, 25A that have a high locking force on the pull-handle mounting post 13 and straight second locking pieces 24B, 25B that allow smooth attachment and detachment to the pull-handle mounting post 13, thereby achieving both resistance to removal of the locking member 20 attached to the pull-handle mounting post 13 and ease of attachment and detachment to and from the pull-handle mounting post 13.

[0022] The second surface portion 22 has a plate-shaped base portion 26 extending from the shoulder side of the slider 10 toward the front, that is, in the direction approaching the other slider 10, and a claw-shaped hook portion 27 protruding in the vertical direction from the extended end of the base portion 26.

[0023] The base portion 26 is formed to be thicker than the upper blade 11 and the lower blade 12. On the other hand, the inner surface of the base portion 26 on which the hook portion 27 is formed is formed on the same plane as the upper blade 11 or the lower blade 12 across the connecting portion 23 in a side view, with almost no step between them. In addition, the width direction dimension of the base portion 26 has a left-right width that is approximately the same as that of the upper blade 11 or the lower blade 12 in a plan view (see FIG. 3(B)). In this case, it is preferable that the width dimension of the base portion 26 is equal to or smaller than the maximum width dimension of the slider 10 and equal to or larger than the width dimension of the hook portion 27. As a result, even when the locking member 20 is attached to the slider 10, the fastener elements 2B, 2B protruding from the shoulder side of the slider 10 move along the base portion 26. For this reason, the locking member 20 does not interfere with the sliding of the slider 10 along the fastener stringers 2, 2.

[0024] The hook portion 27 has a width equal to or less than the width of the base portion 26, and is disposed on the center side in the width direction of the base portion 26 (see FIGS. 5(A) and 6(B)). This ensures space for the fastener elements 2B, 2B to pass through on the left and right outer sides of the hook portion 27, allowing the slider 10 provided with the locking member 20 to smoothly slide along the fastener stringer 2.

[0025] In the illustrated example, the hook portion 27 is formed to have a width approximately equal to the width of the connecting portion 23. However, it may be configured so that its width is approximately equal to the width of the base portion 26, prioritizing the strength of the hook portion 27. Alternatively, the hook portion 27 may be narrower than the connecting post 14, which is thinner than the connecting portion 23. In this case, the width of the hook portion 27 is preferably at least 0.3 times the width of the connecting post. Furthermore, the width of the hook portion 27 is preferably equal to or smaller than the width of the slider 10 or the width of the base portion 26. Furthermore, the width of the hook portion 27 is preferably equal to or smaller than 1.75 times the width of the connecting post. This configuration ensures stable locking while maintaining the strength of the hook portion 27, and also facilitates disengagement during release. It also reduces interference with the tape or element.

[0026] The hook portion 27 is inclined toward the rear, which is the direction of the rear opening of the slider 10, toward the tip end. The hook portion 27 has two inclined surfaces 27A and 27B at different angles on the front surface, which is the surface facing the other side of the slider 10.

[0027] The inclined surfaces 27A and 27B constituting the hook portion 27 include a first inclined surface 27A on the vertical base end side and a second inclined surface 27B on the vertical tip end side, with the second inclined surface 27B being formed to have a greater rearward inclination than the first inclined surface 27A. In this case, the second inclined surface 27B is formed to straddle at least the vertical intermediate position O between the outer surface of the upper blade 11 and the outer surface of the lower blade 12 (see FIG. 2A). Alternatively, the first inclined surface 27A may be formed to straddle the intermediate position O. The hook portions 27 are not limited to the above configuration as long as they are formed so that the inclined surfaces 27B of the hook portions 27 come into contact with each other when the pair of sliders 10, 10 on which the hook portions 27 are provided are closed. For example, of the hook portions 27 provided on the pair of sliders 10, 10, only the inclined surfaces 27A, 27B of the hook portions 27 on one side may be formed at a position beyond the intermediate position O.

[0028] Here, in a side view, the front side of the first surface portion 21 and the connecting portion 23 has a substantially flat cutout surface 28 that is inclined forward toward the base portion 26 of the second surface portion 22. The inclination angle of the cutout surface 28 is formed to be approximately the same as that of the first inclined surface 27A of the hook portion 27. As a result, a connection space is formed in front of the first surface portion 21 and the connecting portion 23 for connecting the hook portion 27 with the hook portion 27 provided on the slider 10 on the other side.

[0029] The connecting portion 23 is provided with a restricting portion 29 that protrudes in the front-rear direction so as to abut against one of the left and right side surfaces of the connecting post 14 of the slider 10 (see FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B)). Specifically, the restricting portion 29 abuts against a side surface that is opposite to the side surface on the left and right sides of the pull-tab mounting post 13 on which the L-shaped first locking pieces 24A, 25A are arranged along one of the left and right side surfaces. In other words, the second locking piece 24B of the first surface portion 21, the restricting portion 29, and the second locking piece 25B of the second surface portion 22 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction.

[0030] The restricting portion 29 can hold down the side surface of the connecting post 14 on the side of the second locking pieces 24B, 25B, which does not have sufficient locking force to the pull-tab mounting post 13, thereby making the locking member 20 attached to the slider 10 more stable and reducing rattling of the locking member 20.

[0031] Next, the operation and effect of the locking mechanism using the locking member 20 will be described. 1, 2(A) and 2(B), a locking mechanism is constructed by attaching a first locking member 20A to one slider 10 and a second locking member 20B to the other slider 10 in a point-symmetrical state, inverted vertically and horizontally. Here, the first locking member 20A and the second locking member 20B have the same shape.

[0032] Specifically, the first locking member 20A attached to one slider 10 has its second surface 22 arranged along the underside of the lower blade 12, so that the base 26 extends along the lower blade 12, and the hook 27 protrudes from the base 26 upward in the vertical direction toward the upper blade 11. On the other hand, the second locking member 20B attached to the other slider 10 has its second surface 22 arranged along the upper blade 11, so that the base 26 extends along the upper blade 11, and the hook 27 protrudes from the base 26 downward in the vertical direction toward the lower blade 12.

[0033] 1, 2(A) and 2(B), when the slider 10 is closed, a locking operation is performed to connect the hook portions 27 provided on each of the pair of sliders 10, 10 between the shoulders of the pair of sliders 10, 10, and the locking mechanism is switched to a locked state. This locks the opening operation of the slide fastener 1 by the slider 10. On the other hand, an unlocking operation is performed to release the connection between the hook portions 27 attached to the pair of sliders 10, 10, thereby switching the locking mechanism to the unlocked state. This allows the slider 10 to open the slide fastener 1.

[0034] The locking operation will be described in detail below. When the first locking member 20A and the second locking member 20B come into contact with each other as the slider 10 is closed, the second inclined surfaces 27B of the hook portions 27 formed to straddle the intermediate position O come into contact with each other. As a result, the pair of sliders 10 are guided in directions in which they move apart in the vertical direction so that one hook portion 27 rides over the other hook portion 27. Next, as soon as the second inclined surfaces 27B finish guiding each other, the pair of hook portions 27 formed in the vertical hook shape engage with each other, thereby restricting the opening operation of the slider 10 (see FIG. 2(A)). That is, the locking operation of the locking mechanism can be performed smoothly and easily without using a large force that would elastically deform the first locking member 20A and the second locking member 20B. Incidentally, because the first locking member 20A and the second locking member 20B are the same member, the inclination angles of the inclined surfaces 27A and 27B of the hook portions 27 provided on each of the pair of sliders 10 are the same. This makes the locking operation smooth. Even if the first locking member 20A and the second locking member 20B are not the same member, it is preferable that the inclination angles of the inclined surfaces 27A and 27B of the hook portions 27 provided on each of the pair of sliders 10 be approximately the same in order to make the locking operation smooth. It is also preferable that the inclined surfaces 27A and 27B of the pair of hook portions be in surface contact with each other.

[0035] The above unlocking operation will now be described in detail. Once the locking mechanism has been switched to the locked state, the engagement between the hook portions 27 can be easily released by twisting the connected first locking member 20A and second locking member 20B in a direction that rotates them about an axis relative to the front-to-rear direction, or by shifting them in the up-and-down direction. That is, the operation to unlock the locking mechanism can be performed smoothly and easily without using a large force that would elastically deform the first locking member 20A and the second locking member 20B.

[0036] If the locking member 20 were configured to be locked and unlocked by hook portions in the left and right directions, the unlocking operation would be difficult because a force would be required to remove the slider 10 in the width direction when performing the unlocking operation. Also, depending on the sewing condition of the fastener stringer 2, there may not be enough room to move the slider 10 in the left and right directions, making the unlocking operation difficult.

[0037] Incidentally, when performing the unlocking operation, the unlocking operation can be easily performed with one hand by pressing downward only the upper surface of the first surface portion 21 of the first locking member 20A (hereinafter referred to as the unlocking operation position X), where the hook portion 27 is formed facing upward from the lower wing 12 side, of the upper surface sides of the connected first locking member 20A and second locking member 20B (see Figure 2(A)). At this time, the first surface 21 of the first locking member 20A and the second surface 22 of the second locking member 20B are arranged side by side on the upper surface sides of the pair of connected sliders 10, 10. Therefore, the user can easily recognize that the first surface 21 of the locking member 20, which has the shorter length, is the unlocking operation position X for performing the unlocking operation.

[0038] According to the above-described locking member 20, by providing the locking portions 24, 25 that lock onto the pull-tab mounting post 13 on both the first surface portion 21 and the second surface portion 22, the pair of locking members 20 can be made to have the same shape. This makes it possible to keep the manufacturing cost of the pair of locking members 20 that make up the locking mechanism low.

[0039] Incidentally, the above-mentioned locking mechanism is configured by attaching detachable locking members 20 to each of a pair of sliders 10, but instead of the locking members 20, a locking portion (not shown) equivalent to the locking member 20 may be integrally molded with the slider 10.

[0040] This configuration eliminates the need for the first surface 21, second surface 22, connecting portion 23, and engaging portions 24 and 25, compared to when the locking member 20 is attached to and detached from the slider 10. Therefore, the base portion 26 can be extended along the upper blade 11 or the lower blade 12, making it possible to form it thinner in the vertical (thickness) direction. This allows the entire locking mechanism to be more compact and stronger.

[0041] Next, a locking member according to another embodiment 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a locking member according to another embodiment 1. A locking member 20C includes a first surface portion 21, a second surface portion 22, and a connecting portion 23.

[0042] The connecting portion 23 is provided with a restricting portion 29 that protrudes in the front-rear direction so as to abut against one of the left and right side surfaces of the connecting post 14 of the slider 10. Specifically, the restricting portion 29 abuts against the side surface in the same direction as the side surface on which the L-shaped first locking pieces 24A, 25A are arranged along one of the left and right side surfaces of the pull-tab mounting post 13. In other words, the L-shaped first locking piece 24A of the first surface portion 21, the restricting portion 29, and the L-shaped first locking piece 25A of the second surface portion 22 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction.

[0043] According to this configuration, the restricting portion 29 does not get in the way when attaching the engaging portions 24, 25 to the pull-tab attaching post 13, so that rattle of the locking member 20C attached to the slider 10 can be reduced without changing the ease of attaching and detaching the locking member 20C to the slider 10.

[0044] Next, a second modified embodiment of the locking member 20 will be described with reference to Figures 8(A) and (B). Figure 8(A) is a perspective view showing the locking member of the second modified embodiment, and Figure 8(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing a slider to which the locking member of the second modified embodiment is attached, similar to Figure 6(B). The locking member 20D includes a first surface portion 21, a second surface portion 22, and a connecting portion 23.

[0045] The connecting portion 23 is provided with a pair of restricting portions 29 that protrude in the front-rear direction so as to abut on both the left and right side surfaces of the connecting post 14 of the slider 10. This configuration can further reduce rattling of the locking member 20D attached to the slider 10.

[0046] Next, a third modified embodiment of the locking mechanism will be described with reference to Fig. 9 and Figs. 10(A) and (B). Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the locking mechanism for a slide fastener of the third modified embodiment, and Figs. 10(A) and (B) are a side view and a plan view, respectively, showing the locking mechanism for a slide fastener of the third modified embodiment. The locking mechanism for a slide fastener of the third modified embodiment is configured by attaching a locking member 40 to each of a pair of sliders 10, 10.

[0047] The locking member 40 has a first surface portion 41 formed along the upper blade 11, a second surface portion 42 formed along the lower blade 12, and a vertical connecting portion 43 connecting the first surface portion 41 and the second surface portion 42.

[0048] The second surface portion 42 has a plate-shaped base portion 46 extending forward from the shoulder side of the slider 10, and a claw-shaped hook portion 47 protruding in the vertical direction from the extended end of the base portion 46.

[0049] 9, the base portion 46 has a lower base portion 46A and an upper base portion 46B. The lower base portion 46A and the upper base portion 46B are arranged side by side on the left and right, and are offset in the up and down direction.

[0050] The hook portion 47 has a first hook portion 47A that protrudes upward from the extended end of the lower base portion 46A, and a second hook portion 47B that protrudes downward from the extended end of the upper base portion 46B.

[0051] The lower base portion 46A and the first hook portion 47A, and the upper base portion 46B and the second hook portion 47B are formed so as to be point symmetrical when viewed in the axial direction in the front-rear direction.

[0052] 9, 10(A), and 10(B), a locking mechanism is configured by attaching a first locking member 40A to one slider 10 and a second locking member 40B to the other slider 10 in a mirror image, with the left and right reversed. By providing the first locking member 40A and the second locking member 40B to the pair of sliders 10, 10, a first hook portion 47A and a second hook portion 47B, which are arranged opposite each other between the shoulders of the pair of sliders 10, 10, engage and disengage.

[0053] Specifically, the first hook portion 47A of the first locking member 40A and the second hook portion 47B of the second locking member 40B engage and disengage, and the second hook portion 47B of the first locking member 40A and the first hook portion 47A of the second locking member engage and disengage.

[0054] The first surface 41, like the base 46 of the second surface 42, extends forward from the shoulder side of the slider 10, and is formed with an abutment surface 48 that abuts against the other locking member 40. As a result, when the first locking member 40A and the second locking member 40B are connected, the abutment surface 48 of the first locking member 40A provided on the pair of sliders 10, 10 abuts against the abutment surface 48 of the second locking member 40B.

[0055] According to this configuration, there is no need to install the first locking member 40A and the second locking member 40B upside down, so when the pair of sliders 10, 10 are connected by the locking mechanism, the lengths of the first locking member 40A and the second locking member 40B that appear on the top surfaces of the sliders 10, 10 are the same, resulting in a neat appearance (see Figure 10(B)).

[0056] According to the above-described example, the locking members 20, 40 attached to the pair of sliders 10, 10 have the same shape, but the pair of locking members may have different shapes. For example, in the locking member 40 of Alternative Example 3, one locking member 40 may be formed with only a hook portion 47 protruding upward from a base portion 46, and the other locking member 40 may be formed with only a hook portion 47 protruding downward from the base portion 46, so that they can be engaged with and disengaged from each other.

[0057] As described above, the present specification discloses the following: (1) A locking mechanism for a slide fastener, in which a pair of sliders (10, 10) are slidably arranged on a pair of left and right fastener stringers (2, 2) to engage or separate the fastener stringers, and a locking section (20, 40) is provided to detachably connect the pair of sliders (10, 10) to each other, The locking portions (20, 40) arranged at the shoulder-side ends of the pair of sliders (10, 10) respectively are When the longitudinal direction of the fastener stringer (2) is defined as the front-rear direction and the extending direction of the connecting column (14) connecting the upper blade (11) and the lower blade (12) of the slider (10) is defined as the up-down direction, a base portion (26, 46) provided on one of the upper blade (11) or the lower blade (12) of the slider (10) and extending from the shoulder side of the slider (10) in the front-rear direction in a direction in which the pair of sliders (10, 10) approach each other; and a hook portion (27, 47) protruding in the up-down direction from the base portion (26, 46), The hook portions (27, 47) provided on the pair of sliders (10, 10), respectively, are engaged with and disengaged from each other between the shoulders of the pair of sliders (10, 10). Locking mechanism for slide fasteners. According to this configuration, the vertical hook portions 27, 47 provided on each slider 10 engage and disengage between the shoulders of the pair of sliders 10, 10, so that the connection by the hook portions 27, 47 can be released by simply shifting or twisting the pair of connected sliders 10, 10 in the vertical direction. In addition, because the locking portions 20, 40 can be configured simply and easily, the cost of the locking mechanism can be kept low. (2) In the pair of sliders (10, 10), when the upper blade (11) of one slider (10) has an extending base portion (26), the upper blade (11) of the other slider (10) does not have an extending base portion (26). A locking mechanism for a slide fastener as described in (1). According to this configuration, the lock between the vertical hook portions 27 can be released by pressing the upper surface of the upper blade 11 side without the base portion 26, making the unlocking operation easier. (3) At least one of the hook portions (27, 47) of the pair of sliders (10, 10) has an inclined surface (27A, 27B) that is inclined toward the rear opening of the slider (10) toward the tip end thereof. A locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to (1) or (2). According to this configuration, the inclined surfaces 27A, 27B provided on the pair of sliders 10 come into contact with each other, allowing the pair of sliders to smoothly ride up onto each other, thereby making the locking operation smooth. (4) At least a part of the inclined surface (27A, 27B) of at least one of the hook portions (27, 47) of the pair of sliders (10, 10) is formed at a position beyond the midpoint between the outer surface of the upper blade (11) and the outer surface of the lower blade (12). A locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to any one of (1) to (3). According to this configuration, when a pair of sliders 10, 10 provided with locking portions 20, 40 are brought close to each other, the inclined surfaces 27A, 27B come into contact with each other, so that the hook portions 27 smoothly climb up against each other. This makes it easy to connect the pair of sliders 10 using the locking portions 20, 40. (5) The left-right width of the hook portion (27) is equal to or less than the left-right width of the slider (10), The hook portion (27) is disposed at the center of the left and right width direction of the slider (10). A locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to any one of (1) to (4). According to this configuration, a space can be secured on both the left and right sides of the hook portion 27 through which the fastener elements 2B constituting the fastener stringer 2 can pass, so that even if the lock portions 20, 40 are provided, the sliding operation of the slider 10 becomes smooth. (6) The left-right width of the hook portion (27) is 0.3 times or more the left-right width of the connecting column (14). (5) A locking mechanism for a slide fastener. According to this configuration, the left and right width necessary for connecting the pair of hook portions 27, 27 can be secured while the space for the fastener element 2B to pass through on both the left and right sides of the hook portion 27 can be secured as wide as possible, thereby achieving both smooth sliding operation of the slider 10 and ensuring sufficient locking force between the hook portions 27. (7) The locking portion (20, 40) is a locking member that can be attached to and detached from the slider (10), and the locking member (20, 40) has a first surface portion (21, 41) arranged on one of the upper blade (11) or the lower blade (12), a second surface portion (22, 42) arranged on the other of the upper blade (11) or the lower blade (12), and a vertical connecting portion (23, 43) that connects the first surface portion (21, 41) and the second surface portion (22, 42) and is arranged along the shoulder side of the connecting post (14), the second surface portion (22, 42) has the base portion (26, 46) and the hook portion (27, 47), At least one of the first surface portion (21, 41) and the second surface portion (22, 42) is formed with a locking portion (24, 25) for detachably locking the locking member (20, 40) to a pull tab mounting post (13) provided on the upper blade (11). A locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to any one of (1) to (6). According to this configuration, by attaching the locking members 20, 40 to the slider 10, it becomes possible to later add a function for connecting the pair of sliders 10, 10, thereby increasing convenience and versatility. (8) The locking portions (24, 25) are provided on the first surface portion (21) and the second surface portion (22), The pair of locking members (20, 20, 40, 40) have the same shape. (5) A locking mechanism for a slide fastener. According to this configuration, the pair of locking members 20, 20, 40, 40 have the same shape, which makes it possible to keep manufacturing costs low. (9) The locking portions (24, 25) have a pair of locking pieces (24A, 24B, 25A, 25B) that hold the pull-tab mounting post (13) in between, one of the locking pieces (24B, 25B) is formed linearly along the side surface of the pull-tab mounting post 13, and the other locking piece (24A, 25B) is formed in an L-shape so as to surround the pull-tab mounting post 13. A locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to (7) or (8). According to this configuration, it is possible to easily attach the locking members 20, 40 to the slider 10, and it is also possible to make it difficult for the locking members 20, 40 attached to the slider to come off. (10) The connection portion (23) is formed with a restricting portion (29) that protrudes in the front-rear direction so as to abut against the connecting pillar (14) in the left-right direction. A locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to any one of (7) to (9). According to this configuration, the restricting portion 29 abuts against the connecting post 14, thereby suppressing rattle of the locking members 20, 40 attached to the slider, and therefore the locking members 20, 40 are less likely to come off the slider. (11) The L-shaped locking pieces (24A, 25A) are arranged on either the left or right side of the pull-tab mounting post (13), The restricting portion (29) is disposed on the other of the left and right sides of the connecting pillar (14). A locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to (10). According to this configuration, the restricting portion 29 does not get in the way when attaching the locking members 20, 40 to the slider 10, so it is possible to achieve both ease of attachment of the locking members 20, 40 to the slider 10 and the difficulty of the locking members 20, 40 being removed from the slider 10. (12) A pair of the restricting portions (29) are provided so as to sandwich the side surfaces of the connecting pillar (14) in the left-right direction. A locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to (10). According to this configuration, the locking members 20, 40 are more unlikely to come off the slider 10. (13) The locking portions (20, 40) are integrally molded with the pair of sliders (10, 10), respectively. A locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to any one of (1) to (6). According to this configuration, the pair of sliders 10, 10 can be connected without the need to attach any members to the slider 10, thereby improving convenience. (14) The base portion (46) has a lower base portion (46A) and an upper base portion (46B) arranged side by side and offset in the vertical direction, The hook portion (47) has a first hook portion (47A) protruding upward from the lower base portion (46A) and a second hook portion (47B) protruding downward from the upper base portion (46B), By providing a locking portion (40) on each of the pair of sliders (10, 10), a first hook portion (47A) and a second hook portion (47B) that are arranged opposite each other between the shoulders of the pair of sliders (10, 10) are engaged with and disengaged from each other. A locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to any one of (1) to (13). According to this configuration, it is no longer necessary to mount the locking portion 40 upside down relative to the pair of sliders 10, 10, and therefore the appearance of the entire locking mechanism becomes neat. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1 Slide Fastener 2 zipper stringers 2A zipper tape 2B fastener element 10 Sliders 11 Upper wing plate 12 Lower wing plate 13 Handle mounting post 14 Connecting column 15 Flange 20, 20C, 20D Locking member (locking part) 20A First locking member 20B Second locking member 21 First side 21a Stepped section 22 Second side part 22a Stepped section 23 Connection 24, 25 Locking part 24A, 25A 1st locking piece (locking piece) 24B, 25B 2nd locking piece (locking piece) 24B1, 25B1 Notch 26 Base 27 Hook part 27A 1st slope (slope) 27B 2nd slope (slope) 29 Regulatory Department 40 Locking member 40A First locking member 40B Second locking member 41 First side 42 Second surface section 43 Connection 46 Base 46A Lower base 46B Upper base 47 Hook part 47A First hook part 47B Second hook part

Claims

1. A locking mechanism for a slide fastener is provided with a pair of sliders (10, 10) slidably arranged on a pair of left and right fastener stringers (2, 2) for engaging or separating the fastener stringers, and a locking section (20, 40) for detachably connecting the pair of sliders (10, 10) to each other, The locking portions (20, 40) arranged at the shoulder-side ends of the pair of sliders (10, 10) respectively are When the longitudinal direction of the fastener stringer (2) is defined as the front-rear direction and the extending direction of the connecting column (14) connecting the upper blade (11) and the lower blade (12) of the slider (10) is defined as the up-down direction, a base portion (26, 46) provided on one of the upper blade (11) or the lower blade (12) of the slider (10) and extending from the shoulder side of the slider (10) in the front-rear direction in a direction in which the pair of sliders (10, 10) approach each other; and a hook portion (27, 47) protruding in the up-down direction from the base portion (26, 46), The hook portions (27, 47) provided on the pair of sliders (10, 10), respectively, are engaged with and disengaged between shoulders of the pair of sliders (10, 10), In the pair of sliders (10, 10), when the upper blade (11) of one slider (10) has an extending base portion (26), the upper blade (11) of the other slider (10) does not have an extending base portion (26). Locking mechanism for slide fasteners.

2. At least one of the hook portions (27, 47) of the pair of sliders (10, 10) has an inclined surface (27A, 27B) that is inclined toward the rear opening of the slider (10) toward the tip thereof. The locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to claim 1.

3. At least a part of the inclined surface (27A, 27B) of at least one of the hook portions (27, 47) of the pair of sliders (10, 10) is formed at a position beyond the midpoint between the outer surface of the upper blade (11) and the outer surface of the lower blade (12). The locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to claim 2.

4. The left-right width of the hook portion (27) is equal to or less than the left-right width of the slider (10), The hook portion (27) is disposed at the center side in the left-right width direction of the slider (10). The locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to claim 1.

5. The left and right width of the hook portion (27) is 0.3 times or more the left and right width of the connecting column (14). The locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to claim 4.

6. A locking mechanism for a slide fastener, in which a pair of sliders (10, 10) are slidably arranged on a pair of left and right fastener stringers (2, 2) to engage or separate the fastener stringers, and a locking section (20, 40) is provided for detachably connecting the pair of sliders (10, 10) to each other, The locking portions (20, 40) arranged at the shoulder-side ends of the pair of sliders (10, 10) respectively are When the longitudinal direction of the fastener stringer (2) is defined as the front-rear direction and the extending direction of the connecting column (14) connecting the upper blade (11) and the lower blade (12) of the slider (10) is defined as the up-down direction, a base portion (26, 46) provided on one of the upper blade (11) or the lower blade (12) of the slider (10) and extending from the shoulder side of the slider (10) in the front-rear direction in a direction in which the pair of sliders (10, 10) approach each other; and a hook portion (27, 47) protruding in the up-down direction from the base portion (26, 46), The hook portions (27, 47) provided on the pair of sliders (10, 10), respectively, are engaged with and disengaged between shoulders of the pair of sliders (10, 10), The locking portion (20, 40) is a locking member that can be attached to and detached from the slider (10), and the locking member (20, 40) has a first surface portion (21, 41) arranged on one of the upper blade (11) or the lower blade (12), a second surface portion (22, 42) arranged on the other of the upper blade (11) or the lower blade (12), and a vertical connecting portion (23, 43) that connects the first surface portion (21, 41) and the second surface portion (22, 42) and is arranged along the shoulder side of the connecting column (14), The second surface portion (22, 42) has the base portion (26, 46) and the hook portion (27, 47), At least one of the first surface portion (21, 41) and the second surface portion (22, 42) is formed with a locking portion (24, 25) for detachably locking the locking member (20, 40) to a pull tab mounting post (13) provided on the upper blade (11); The connection portion (23) is formed with a restricting portion (29) protruding in the front-rear direction so as to abut against the connecting pillar (14) in the left-right direction. Locking mechanism for slide fasteners.

7. The locking portions (24, 25) are provided on the first surface portion (21) and the second surface portion (22), The pair of locking members (20, 20, 40, 40) have the same shape. The locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to claim 6.

8. The locking portions (24, 25) have a pair of locking pieces (24A, 24B, 25A, 25B) that hold the pull-tab mounting post (13) in between, one of the locking pieces (24B, 25B) is formed linearly along the side surface of the pull-tab mounting post (13), and the other locking piece (24A, 25B) is formed in an L-shape so as to surround the pull-tab mounting post (13). The locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to claim 6.

9. The L-shaped locking pieces (24A, 25A) are arranged on one of the left and right sides of the pull-tab mounting post (13), The restricting portion (29) is disposed on the other of the left and right sides of the connecting pillar (14). The locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to claim 8.

10. A pair of the restricting portions (29) are provided so as to sandwich the side surfaces of the connecting pillar (14) in the left-right direction. The locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to claim 6.

11. The locking portions (20, 40) are integrally molded with the pair of sliders (10, 10), respectively. The locking mechanism for a slide fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A locking mechanism for a slide fastener, in which a pair of sliders (10, 10) are slidably arranged on a pair of left and right fastener stringers (2, 2) to engage or separate the fastener stringers, and a locking section (40) is provided for detachably connecting the pair of sliders (10, 10) to each other, The locking portions (40) arranged at the shoulder-side ends of the pair of sliders (10, 10) respectively include When the longitudinal direction of the fastener stringer (2) is defined as the front-rear direction and the extending direction of the connecting column (14) connecting the upper blade (11) and the lower blade (12) of the slider (10) is defined as the up-down direction, The slider (10) has a base portion (46) provided on one of the upper blade (11) or the lower blade (12) and extending from the shoulder side of the slider (10) in the front-rear direction in a direction in which the pair of sliders (10, 10) approach each other, and a hook portion (47) protruding in the up-down direction from the base portion (46), The hook portions (47) provided on the pair of sliders (10, 10) are engaged with and disengaged from each other between the shoulders of the pair of sliders (10, 10), The base portion (46) has a lower base portion (46A) and an upper base portion (46B) arranged side by side and offset in the vertical direction, The hook portion (47) has a first hook portion (47A) protruding upward from the lower base portion (46A) and a second hook portion (47B) protruding downward from the upper base portion (46B), By providing the locking portion (40) on each of the pair of sliders (10, 10), a first hook portion (47A) and a second hook portion (47B) that are arranged opposite each other between the shoulders of the pair of sliders (10, 10) are engaged with and disengaged from each other. Locking mechanism for slide fasteners.

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