Zipper pull accessories

Abstract

To provide zipper pull accessories that can effectively improve visibility and operability, while also adding a variety of accents to the appearance. [Solution] The zipper pull accessory according to the present invention comprises a main body having a surrounding space that encloses the zipper pull, a U-shaped or annular portion that defines an operating hole together with the lower end of the main body, and an engaging means that connects the main body to the zipper pull and allows it to swing in the same direction as the swinging direction of the zipper pull, wherein the operating hole is a through hole and its axis is parallel to the swinging direction of the main body. As a result, the main body that loosely encloses the zipper pull improves visibility while securing the desired volume and surface area, and it is possible to add a variety of accents. Furthermore, the operating hole can be used to reliably improve operability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an accessory attached to a zipper pull (slider handle for a slide fastener).

Background Art

[0002] In zippers (slide fasteners) used for clothing, bags, pouches, etc., it is common to perform an opening / closing operation by grasping a zipper pull (slider handle) provided on the slider.

[0003] However, zipper pulls are often small and not very conspicuous, so there is a problem that they are difficult to find. In addition, although the user needs to grasp the zipper pull with a fingertip for operation, it is difficult to grasp and, relatedly, difficult to swing, and ultimately there is also a problem that it is difficult to perform the opening / closing operation of the zipper (reciprocating movement operation of the slider).

[0004] Under such circumstances, accessories and aids for virtually expanding the zipper pull have been developed, and it has been proposed to improve visibility and operability by these accessories and aids.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a zipper pull aid that is attached by surrounding the front and back surfaces of an existing zipper pull with a flexible sheet material. Also, Patent Document 2 below discloses a zipper pull extender provided with a tape material that is looped around and suspended from the shaft portion of an existing slider, and an operation hole is provided by winding the tip portion of the suspended tape material into a loop. In Patent Document 2 below, although there is no specific mention of which part the zipper pull is, judging from the relationship with the shaft portion of the existing slider, the tape material itself suspended from the shaft portion is the zipper pull and is understood to swing around the shaft portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-313517 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-43095 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] Both the auxiliary device described in Patent Document 1 and the extension device described in Patent Document 2 can substantially extend the zipper pull, and therefore can effectively contribute to improving visibility and operability.

[0008] However, the auxiliary device described in Patent Document 1 above has a structure in which a single sheet material is folded to surround the existing zipper pull, and therefore does not have an operating hole that the user can reliably operate by gripping it with their finger, thus limiting the improvement in operability.

[0009] On the other hand, while the extension device described in Patent Document 2 above can improve operability through the operation hole, the axis of the operation hole extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction of swing of the zipper pull. This restricts how the fingers can be placed and the direction of pulling, making the posture of the zipper pull during operation unnatural, and thus the improvement in operability is not sufficient. In fact, the unnatural posture of the zipper pull may cause lateral loads or twisting on the zipper (lateral to the direction in which the zipper extends), potentially leading to damage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention provides an accessory for zipper pulls that can effectively improve visibility and operability, as well as add a variety of accents to the appearance.

[0011] In summary, the zipper pull accessory according to the present invention comprises a main body having a surrounding space that encloses the zipper pull, a U-shaped or annular portion that, together with the lower end of the main body, defines an operating hole, and an engaging means that connects the main body to the zipper pull and allows it to swing in the same direction as the swinging direction of the zipper pull, wherein the operating hole is a through hole and its axis is parallel to the swinging direction of the main body. As a result, the main body that loosely encloses the zipper pull improves visibility while securing the desired volume and surface area, and it becomes possible to add a variety of accents. Furthermore, the operating hole can be used to reliably improve operability.

[0012] Preferably, the main body consists of a first sheet material and a second sheet material, the first sheet material is shaped into an arch in cross-section to secure the enclosed space, and the second sheet material connects the two ends of the first sheet material in the width direction, thereby providing an appearance that creates a soft atmosphere and impression while reliably securing the enclosed space.

[0013] More preferably, the arch shape of the first sheet material can be reliably maintained by either maintaining the second sheet material in an arch-shaped cross-section with a larger radius of curvature than the first sheet material, or by making the second sheet material into a flat plate shape.

[0014] Furthermore, by using leather sheets for the first and second sheet materials, the luxurious feel and other characteristics inherent in leather can be added to the appearance.

[0015] Preferably, the U-shaped portion consists of a strip-shaped member, and one end and the other end of the strip-shaped member in the longitudinal direction are fixed by the first sheet material and the second sheet material, respectively, sandwiching their front and back surfaces at one end and the other end in the width direction of the lower end of the main body, thereby enabling the main body and the U-shaped portion to be strongly and seamlessly integrated despite the simple structure.

[0016] In addition, by making the surface or the back surface of the belt-like member the inner peripheral surface of the operation hole at the lower end portion of the U-shaped portion, it is possible to easily catch the user's finger and to easily apply an appropriate force for operation.

[0017] Preferably, the lower end portion of the main body portion has a structure bifurcated into one end side and the other end side in the width direction of the main body portion, and the U-shaped portion defines the operation hole by connecting the lower end portions bifurcated into two branches, so that the operation hole can be formed in an elongated hole shape, and further improvement in operability can be achieved.

[0018] In addition, the engaging means includes a belt portion extending upward from the upper end portion of the main body portion and a fixing portion provided on the front side of the main body portion for fixing the tip portion of the belt portion, so that the main body portion can be easily attached to the zipper pull.

[0019] Preferably, the annular portion is formed of a ring-shaped member and is suspended through a hanging portion provided at the lower end portion of the main body portion, so that the operation hole can be easily defined.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to the zipper pull accessory according to the present invention, by covering the zipper pull through the surrounding space, a desired volume and surface area can be ensured, and improvement in visibility and imparting of various accents can be realized.

[0021] In addition, by providing an operation hole having a hole axis parallel to the swinging direction of the zipper pull, the operability can be effectively improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a front view of the zipper pull accessory according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a right side view of the zipper pull accessory of FIG. 1. [Figure 3]It is a plan view of the accessory for a zipper pull of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a bottom view of the accessory for a zipper pull of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] It is an end view taken along line B-B of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view of the accessory for a zipper pull of FIG. 1. [Figure 8] It is an explanatory view showing the usage state of the accessory for a zipper pull according to the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a front view of the accessory for a zipper pull according to an embodiment showing another example of the inner peripheral surface of the operation hole. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view of the accessory for a zipper pull of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] It is a front view of the accessory for a zipper pull according to an embodiment showing another example of the U-shaped portion. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view of the accessory for a zipper pull of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] It is a front view of the accessory for a zipper pull according to an embodiment showing another example of the shape of the main body portion. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view of the accessory for a zipper pull of FIG. 13. [Figure 15] It is a front view of the accessory for a zipper pull according to an embodiment provided with an annular portion. [Figure 16] It is a perspective view of the accessory for a zipper pull of FIG. 15.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Preferred embodiments of the accessory for a zipper pull according to the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 16. FIGS. 1 to 7 are representative embodiments according to the present invention, FIGS. 9 and 10 are embodiments showing another example of the inner peripheral surface 5a of the operation hole 5, FIGS. 11 and 12 are embodiments showing another example of the U-shaped portion 3, FIGS. 13 and 14 are embodiments showing another example of the shape of the main body portion 2, and FIGS. 15 and 16 show each accessory for a zipper pull of the embodiment provided with an annular portion.

[0024] <Basic configuration> As shown in Figures 1, 5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, etc., the zipper pull accessory 1 according to the present invention has a basic configuration comprising a main body portion 2 that surrounds an existing zipper pull 13, a U-shaped portion 3 or annular portion 3' that together with the lower end portion 2a of the main body portion 2 to define an operating hole 5, and an engaging means 4 that connects the main body portion 2 to the zipper pull 13 and allows it to swing in the same direction d2 as the swing direction d1 of the zipper pull 13.

[0025] Therefore, according to the zipper pull accessory 1 of the present invention, the main body 2 covers the zipper pull 13 through the surrounding space S, thereby securing the desired volume and surface area, improving visibility and providing a variety of accents.

[0026] Furthermore, as described above, by having the operating hole 5 have a hole axis h parallel to the swing direction of the zipper pull 13, operability can be effectively improved.

[0027] <Specific configuration> The zipper pull accessory 1 according to each embodiment has the basic configuration described above, and also has the following specific configuration.

[0028] Regarding the main body section 2: As shown in Figures 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16, the main body 2 has a surrounding space S that encloses an existing zipper pull 13 attached to the slider 12 of a zipper 11 provided on a bag 10 or the like. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the surrounding space S is preferably defined as a large space such that the zipper pull 13 does not touch the inner surface of the main body 2, allowing the main body 2 to comfortably enclose the zipper pull 13. This makes it possible to accommodate zipper pulls of various types and sizes, and also secures a larger volume and surface area than the zipper pull, greatly improving visibility. Therefore, it is not only easy to find during operation, but can also be used as a fashion item or advertising tool, adding a variety of accents.

[0029] Preferably, the main body 2 is composed of a first sheet material 2A and a second sheet material 2B, and the first sheet material 2A, which constitutes the front and side sides of the main body 2, maintains an arched cross-sectional shape to secure the enclosed space S. The second sheet material 2B, which constitutes the back side of the main body 2, is configured to connect one end and the other end of the first sheet material 2A in the width direction. This makes it possible to secure the enclosed space S while giving an appearance that creates a soft atmosphere and impression by utilizing the beauty of curves.

[0030] More preferably, as shown in Figures 6, 7, and 12, the arch shape of the first sheet material 2A can be reliably maintained by making the second sheet material 2B arch-shaped with a larger radius of curvature than the first sheet material 2A and with an arch-shaped cross-section that bulges in the same direction as the first sheet material 2A, or by making the second sheet material 2B flat, as shown in Figure 14. Furthermore, by making the second sheet material 2B, which constitutes the back side of the main body 2, arch-shaped or flat with a larger radius of curvature than the first sheet material 2A, the zipper pull accessory 1 itself can be made to conform to the surface of the fabric of the zipper or bag, etc., and unintentional swinging can be suppressed.

[0031] Furthermore, in the present invention, as shown in Figure 10, it is also optional, depending on the implementation, to maintain the shape of the second sheet material 2B in an arched cross-section that bulges in the opposite direction to the arched shape of the first sheet material 2A. In such a configuration, the size of the surrounding space S can be freely changed by bringing one end and the other end of the first sheet material 2A and the second sheet material 2B closer together or further apart in the width direction.

[0032] Furthermore, as long as the first sheet material 2A and the second sheet material 2B can maintain their arched cross-sectional shape as described above, any sheet material can be used, regardless of the type of sheet material, such as a synthetic resin sheet, a leather sheet, or a sheet made of plant-derived material such as pulp. Preferably, a leather sheet can be used to give the appearance a luxurious feel, and the main body 2 made of the leather sheet will not emit any abnormal noise even if it collides with or comes into contact with the zipper pull 13 located inside, the zipper 11 on the outside, or the fabric of the bag 10 on which the zipper 11 is located. In this document, leather includes natural leather, synthetic leather, artificial leather, and recycled leather.

[0033] Furthermore, in the present invention, as shown in Figures 13 to 16, patch portions 6 can be provided on the surface of the first sheet material 2 that constitutes the front and side sides of the main body portion 2, and further decoration can be applied by covering it with a cloth or the like. In addition, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, patch portions 6 can also be provided on the surface of the belt retaining portion 4C that constitutes the engagement means 4, which will be described later.

[0034] Preferably, the lower end portion 2a of the main body portion 2 is structured to be bifurcated, as shown in Figures 1, 9, and 11, with one end and the other end in the width direction of the main body portion 2. By connecting the bifurcated lower end portions 2a with a U-shaped portion 3 (described later) to define the operating hole 5, the operating hole 5 can be made into an elongated hole shape, further improving operability.

[0035] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, it is also optional, depending on the implementation, to not have a bifurcated structure at the lower end 2a of the main body 2, but to connect one end and the other end of the lower end 2a in the width direction with one end and the other end of the U-shaped part 3 in the longitudinal direction to define the operating hole 5.

[0036] Furthermore, the overall form and front shape of the main body 2 are not particularly limited, as long as the surrounding space S can be appropriately secured.

[0037] Regarding the U-shaped portion 3 or the annular portion 3': As shown in Figures 1 to 14, the U-shaped portion 3 is preferably made of a strip-shaped member, and one end and the other end of the strip-shaped member in the longitudinal direction are fixed by being sandwiched between the first sheet material 2A and the second sheet material 2B, respectively, at one end and the other end in the width direction of the lower end portion 2a of the main body portion 2, so that the main body portion 2 and the U-shaped portion 3 can be strongly and seamlessly integrated despite the simple structure.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1, 5, 7, 8 to 10, the U-shaped portion 3 is configured such that the surface or back surface of the strip-shaped member at its lower end 3a becomes the inner circumferential surface 5a of the operating hole 5, making it easier for the user's fingers to grip and apply appropriate force for operation. In other words, at least at the lower end 3a, the strip-shaped member constituting the U-shaped portion 3 is positioned so that its width direction is parallel to the hole axis h of the operating hole 5, allowing the user's fingers to grip a wider surface.

[0039] More preferably, the front or back surface of the strip-shaped member in the U-shaped portion 3 that constitutes the inner circumferential surface 5a of the operating hole 5 can be inclined with respect to the hole axis h. That is, the surface of the U-shaped portion 3 that constitutes the inner circumferential surface 5a can be inclined upward or downward to make it easier for the user's fingers to grip it. In this invention, the inclined surface of the inner circumferential surface 5a of the operating hole 5 can be made not only by inclining the U-shaped portion 3, but also by making the U-shaped portion 3 itself have a cross-sectional shape with an inclined surface (inner circumferential surface 5a), as shown in Figures 9 and 10.

[0040] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the U-shaped portion 3 may also be constructed from a pre-formed U-shaped strip-shaped member, depending on the implementation. In this case, the U-shaped portion 3 can be made into a simple structure.

[0041] Furthermore, in the present invention, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, an annular portion 3' can be provided instead of the U-shaped portion 3 to define the operating hole 5. The annular portion 3' consists of a ring-shaped member and can be easily used to define the operating hole 5 by suspending it via a suspension portion 7 provided on the lower end 2a of the main body portion 2. The desired operating hole 5 can be defined by the shape of the ring-shaped member constituting the annular portion 3'.

[0042] Regarding the operation hole 5: As shown in Figure 5 and other figures, the operating hole 5 is a through hole defined by the lower end portion 2a of the main body 2 and the U-shaped portion 3 or the annular portion 3', as previously described, and its hole axis h is configured to be parallel to the oscillation direction d2 of the main body 2. As a result, as shown in Figure 8, when a user inserts their fingers F into the operating hole 5 and hooks their fingers F onto the inner circumferential surface 5a (U-shaped portion 3 or annular portion 3') of the operating hole 5 to pull the zipper pull accessory 1, the main body 2 oscillates in accordance with the pulling direction, allowing the user to pull in an appropriate posture and pull smoothly with little force. In other words, in the zipper pull accessory 1 according to the present invention, the force applied by the fingers F inserted into the operating hole 5 to the U-shaped portion 3 or the annular portion 3' causes the slider 12 to reciprocate through the main body 2 and the zipper pull 13, and the user can find a posture in which they can lightly pull the U-shaped portion 3 or the annular portion 3' without particularly thinking about it, improving operability.

[0043] Regarding the Engagement Means 4: As previously described, the engaging means 4 is a means that connects the main body 2 and the zipper pull 13, while allowing the main body 2 to swing in the same direction d2 as the swinging direction d1 of the zipper pull 13. The engaging means 4 is not particularly limited as long as it can connect the main body 2 and the zipper pull 13 so that they can swing in the same direction.

[0044] In the present invention, the engaging means 4 preferably consists of a belt portion 4A extending upward from the upper end portion 2b of the main body portion 2, as shown in Figures 1 to 16, and a fixing portion 4B provided on the front side of the main body portion 2 for fixing the pointed end portion 4Aa of the belt portion 4A. The belt portion 4A is wide enough to be inserted into the mounting hole 13b of the zipper pull 13 (a through hole for attaching to the slider 12), and has a constricted portion 4Ac to allow for easy deformation, so that the main body portion 2 and the zipper pull 13 can be connected via the mounting hole 13b. Although not specifically shown, it is also possible to attach the main body portion 2 to the zipper pull 13 by inserting the belt portion 4A into the tip hole 13a of the zipper pull 13 (a through hole for making it easier to grasp or for attaching accessories, etc.), depending on the implementation.

[0045] The fixing of the tip portion 4Aa of the belt portion 4A by the fixing portion 4B can be done, for example, by drilling a fixing hole 4Ab in the tip portion 4Aa and making the fixing portion 4B a projection that can be inserted into the fixing hole 4Ab, as shown in Figure 5, etc., thereby connecting the main body portion 2 and the zipper pull 13 while allowing them to swing in the same direction, despite the simple structure. Preferably, a belt retainer portion 4C is provided near the fixing portion 4B, and the belt retainer portion 4C can press down on the belt portion 4A to complement the fixing of the tip portion 4Aa by the fixing hole 4Ab and the fixing portion 4B. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the belt retainer portion 4C can be decorated with a variety of designs by providing a patch portion 6 on its surface, as described above.

[0046] As described above, according to the zipper pull accessory 1 of the present invention, the main body 2 having a surrounding space S generously covers the zipper pull, thereby securing the desired volume and surface area regardless of the size and shape of the target zipper pull, thereby improving visibility and providing a variety of accents.

[0047] Furthermore, because the operating hole 5 has an axis h parallel to the direction of swing of the zipper pull and the main body 2, the device automatically assumes the correct position simply by the user hooking their fingers into it, thereby effectively improving operability.

[0048] Furthermore, in the zipper pull accessory 1 according to the present invention, not only the main body 2 but also the U-shaped part 3 and the belt part 4A and belt retaining part 4C of the engaging means 4 can all be made of sheet material. Therefore, for example, if all of these are made of leather sheet, the overall appearance can be given the luxurious feel that leather possesses, and even if it collides with or comes into contact with the fabric of a bag or the like on which the zipper is installed, it will not make any noise. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 1… Accessories for zipper pulls, 2...Main body, 2A...First sheet, 2B...Second sheet, 2a...Lower end, 2b...Upper end 3...U-shaped part, 3a...lower end part, 3′…ring section, 4...Engaging means, 4A...Belt portion, 4Aa...Sword tip portion, 4Ab...Fixing hole, 4Ac...Narrow portion, 4B...Fixing portion, 4C...Belt retaining portion, 5...Operation hole, 5a...Inner peripheral surface, h...Hole axis, 6... Patch area, 7...hanging part, S...encircling space, 10...Bag, 11...Zipper (slide fastener), 12...Slider, 13...Zipper pull, 13a...End hole, 13b...Mounting hole d1...Direction of swing of the zipper pull, d2... Direction of oscillation of the main body, F... The user's fingers.

Claims

1. An accessory for a zipper pull, comprising: a main body having a surrounding space that encloses the zipper pull; a U-shaped or annular portion that, together with the lower end of the main body, defines an operating hole; and an engaging means that connects the main body to the zipper pull and allows it to swing in the same direction as the swinging direction of the zipper pull, wherein the main body consists of a first sheet material and a second sheet material, the first sheet material is shaped in an arch shape in cross-section to secure the surrounding space, the second sheet material connects the two ends of the first sheet material in the width direction, and the operating hole is a through hole, the axis of which is parallel to the swinging direction of the main body.

2. The zipper pull accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the second sheet material is shaped into an arched cross-section with a larger radius of curvature than the first sheet material.

3. The zipper pull accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the second sheet material is in a flat plate shape.

4. The zipper pull accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second sheet materials are leather sheets.

5. The zipper pull accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the U-shaped portion is made of a strip-shaped member, and one end and the other end of the strip-shaped member in the longitudinal direction are fixed by being sandwiched between the first sheet material and the second sheet material, respectively, at one end and the other end in the width direction of the lower end of the main body portion.

6. The zipper pull accessory according to claim 5, characterized in that the U-shaped portion has its lower end portion such that the surface or back surface of the strip-shaped member becomes the inner circumferential surface of the operating hole.

7. The zipper pull accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower end of the main body is divided into two branches, one on the widthwise side and the other on the widthwise side of the main body, and the U-shaped portion connects the two divided lower ends to define the operating hole.

8. The zipper pull accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the engagement means comprises a belt portion extending upward from the upper end of the main body portion and a fixing portion provided on the front side of the main body portion for fixing the pointed end portion of the belt portion.

9. The zipper pull accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the annular portion is made of a ring-shaped member and is suspended via a suspension portion provided at the lower end of the main body portion.

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