Slider and double-slider fastener

Abstract

A lock structure installed at a fore end of one of an upper blade and a lower blade includes a protrusion and a recess. The protrusion protrudes from the fore end of the one of the upper blade and the lower blade. A hook extending toward the other of the upper blade and the lower blade is further provided at a fore end of the protrusion. In a state in which fore ends of a pair of sliders are abutted with each other, the hook on the protrusion fits into the recess of the opposite slider, whereby the sliders constitute a locked state. When an upward or downward force is applied to the fore end of at least one of the pair of sliders in a direction toward the lock structure, the pair of sliders generate rotation to unlock the locked state.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology in a field of slide fasteners, and more particularly to a slider and a double-slider fastener.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] A well-known slide fastener generally includes a pair of fastener chains (fastener chain) each including a strip-shaped fastener tape (fastener tape) and a plurality of fastener elements (element) arranged on the fastener tape, and a slider that is attached to the fastener chains and slides to open and close the fastener elements, and a pull tab (pull tab) can be installed on the slider as necessary. Further, a double-slider fastener means a fastener structure in which a pair of sliders are installed on fastener chains, and here, the pair of sliders face each other and can relatively slide on the fastener chains. For example, when the pair of sliders slide on the fastener chains and separate from each other, the fastener elements can be opened, and when the pair of sliders slide on the fastener chains and approach each other, the fastener elements can be closed. In Patent Literature 1, as a security mechanism of a double-slider fastener, it is conceived to provide a lock structure in a pair of sliders to lock the pair of sliders in a state in which the pair of sliders are in contact with each other and fastener elements are closed, thereby preventing the pair of sliders from being separated by an unexpected operation. However, in the lock structure of the double-slider fastener of the related art, since different structures (for example, an engagement concave portion and an engagement convex portion) are usually provided on the pair of sliders or an additional member (for example, an engagement pin) needs to be used, manufacturing cost of the pair of sliders required for the double-slider fastener increases, and an operation process of locking the pair of sliders is complicated.CITATION LISTPatent Literature

[0003] Patent Literature 1: JP2020-74939ASUMMARY OF INVENTIONTechnical Problem

[0004] The present invention provides a slider and a double-slider fastener that have a security mechanism and can reduce manufacturing cost and improve operability.Solution to Problem

[0005] The present invention provides a slider that is configured to be installed in pairs on fastener tapes to form a double-slider fastener, each of the sliders including: a slider main body including an upper blade, a lower blade installed to face the upper blade, and a guide column coupling front ends of the upper blade and the lower blade; and a lock structure installed at the front end of one of the upper blade or the lower blade, in which the lock structure includes a protruding portion and a recessed portion, the protruding portion protrudes forward from the front end of the one of the upper blade or the lower blade, and is further provided with a hook extending toward another of the upper blade or the lower blade, at a front end of the protruding portion, in a state in which front ends of the paired sliders are butted against each other, the hook of the protruding portion of each of the sliders is fitted into the recessed portion of the facing slider to form a locked state, and the paired sliders are configured to rotate by applying a force upward or downward to the front end of at least one of the paired sliders toward a direction in which the lock structure is located to release the locked state.

[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, the slider main body further includes an operation portion, the operation portion is installed on an upper surface of the upper blade at a position close to the front end thereof, and the paired sliders are configured to rotate by applying a force to the front end of at least one of the paired sliders toward the direction in which the lock structure is located by the operation portion to release the locked state.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, a protruding surface is provided at a front end of the operation portion, an inclined surface is provided below an outer surface of the operation portion, in the state in which the front ends of the paired sliders are butted against each other, the protruding surface of the operation portion of each of the sliders corresponds to the inclined surface of the operation portion of the facing slider, and in a state in which rotation is generated by applying a force to the front end by the operation portion, the protruding surface of the operation portion of each of the sliders rotates along the inclined surface of the operation portion of the facing slider.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the protruding surface and the inclined surface include arcuate curved surfaces corresponding to each other.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the state in which the front ends of the paired sliders are butted against each other, the operation portion of each of the sliders overlaps with the operation portion of the facing slider.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the lock structure is installed at the front end of the lower blade, the protruding portion protrudes forward from the front end of the lower blade, the hook extends from the front end of the protruding portion toward the upper blade, and each of the sliders is configured to rotate by applying a downward force to the front end toward a direction of the lower blade to release the locked state.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the lock structure is installed at the front end of the upper blade, the protruding portion protrudes forward from the front end of the upper blade, the hook extends from the front end of the protruding portion toward the lower blade, and each of the sliders is configured to rotate by applying an upward force to the front end toward a direction of the upper blade to release the locked state.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the slider main body and the lock structure are an integral structure.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the protruding portion and the recessed portion are installed side by side in a width direction of one of the upper blade or the lower blade, and the paired sliders have the same shape and are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees on a horizontal plane where the fastener tapes are located.

[0014] The present invention further provides a double-slider fastener including fastener tapes and a pair of the sliders, in which the pair of sliders are installed on the fastener tapes in a state in which front ends thereof face each other, and are configured to close the fastener tapes to form a locked state when the front ends thereof are butted against each other, and the pair of sliders released from the locked state are configured to separate from each other to open the fastener tapes,Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0015] Based on the above, in the slider and the double-slider fastener according to the present invention, the lock structure installed at the front end of the one of the upper blade or the lower blade includes the protruding portion and the recessed portion, the protruding portion protrudes forward from the one of the upper blade or the lower blade and is provided with the hook extending toward another of the upper blade or the lower blade, and in a state in which the front ends of the paired sliders are butted against each other, the hook of the protruding portion of each slider is fitted into the recessed portion of the facing slider to form the locked state, and the paired sliders rotate by applying a force upward or downward to the front end of at least one of the pair of sliders toward the direction in which the lock structure is located to release the locked state. In this way, by using the pair of sliders having the same structure, the manufacturing process can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the pair of sliders can be easily locked or unlocked in a state of being butted against each other. As a result, the slider and the double-slider fastener according to the present invention can have a security mechanism, reduce the manufacturing cost, and improve operability.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a slider according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic right side view of the slider shown in FIG. 1.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic left side view of the slider shown in FIG. 1.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a schematic bottom view of the slider shown in FIG. 1.

[0020] FIG. 5A is an operation schematic view in which the slider shown in FIG. 1 is applied to a double-slider fastener.

[0021] FIG. 5B is an operation schematic view in which the slider shown in FIG. 1 is applied to the double-slider fastener.

[0022] FIG. 5C is an operation schematic view in which the slider shown in FIG. 1 is applied to the double-slider fastener.

[0023] FIG. 5D is an operation schematic view in which the slider shown in FIG. 1 is applied to the double-slider fastener.

[0024] FIG. 5E FIG. SE is an operation schematic view in which the slider shown in FIG. 1 is applied to the double-slider fastener.

[0025] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a slider according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 7 is a schematic right side view of the slider shown in FIG. 6.

[0027] FIG. 8 is a schematic left side view of the slider shown in FIG. 6.

[0028] FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view of the slider shown in FIG. 6.

[0029] FIG. 10A is an operation schematic view in which the slider shown in FIG. 6 is applied to a double-slider fastener.

[0030] FIG. 10B is an operation schematic view in which the slider shown in FIG. 6 is applied to the double-slider fastener.

[0031] FIG. 10C is an operation schematic view in which the slider shown in FIG. 6 is applied to the double-slider fastener.

[0032] FIG. 10D is an operation schematic view in which the slider shown in FIG. 6 is applied to the double-slider fastener.

[0033] FIG. 10E is an operation schematic view in which the slider shown in FIG. 6 is applied to the double-slider fastener.DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0034] In order to more clearly and easily understand the above features and advantages of the present invention, the following embodiments will be particularly described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a slider based on a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic right side view of the slider shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a schematic left side view of the slider shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a schematic bottom view of the slider shown in FIG. 1, FIGS. 5A to 5E are schematic operation views in which the slider shown in FIG. 1 is applied to a double-slider fastener, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a slider based on a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a schematic right side view of the slider shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a schematic left side view of the slider shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view of the slider shown in FIG. 6, and FIGS. 10A to 10E are schematic operation views in which the slider shown in FIG. 6 is applied to a double-slider fastener. Hereinafter, specific structures and an operation method of a slider 100A and a double-slider fastener 50A according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5E, and specific structures and the operation method of a slider 100B and a double-slider fastener 50B according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10E, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be adjusted as necessary.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, in the first embodiment, the slider 100A includes a slider main body 110A and a lock structure 120A. The slider main body 110A includes an upper blade 112A, a lower blade 114A installed to face the upper blade 112A, and a guide column 116A coupling front ends E1 of the upper blade 112A and the lower blade 114A. The lock structure 120A is installed at the front end E1 of one (for example, the lower blade 114A) of the upper blade 112A or the lower blade 114A. The lock structure 120A includes a protruding portion 122A and a recessed portion 124A. The protruding portion 122A protrudes forward from the front end E1 of the one (for example, the lower blade 114A) of the upper blade 112A or the lower blade 114A, and is further provided with a hook 126A extending to another (for example, the upper blade 112A) of the upper blade 112A or the lower blade 114A, at the front end E1 of the protruding portion 122A.

[0037] Specifically, in the present embodiment, the upper blade 112A and the lower blade 114A are installed to face each other and constitute, for example, two plate members facing each other in an upper-lower direction and having substantially the same shape and size. The guide column 116A couples the front ends E1 of the upper blade 112A and the lower blade 114A, but rear ends E2 opposite to the front ends E1 of the upper blade 112A and the lower blade 114A have an open structure. In addition, the slider main body 110A can be further provided with a pull-tab coupling column 118A above the upper blade 112A, and a rear end of the pull-tab coupling column 118A is in an open state (see FIGS. 1 to 3), and can be used to attach the pull tab P in the subsequent process (see FIG. 5A to 5E). Thus, in a case where the slider 100A is attached to fastener chains (including fastener tapes T and fastener elements shown in FIG. 5A to 5E), the fastener tapes T and the fastener elements are closed (that is, the fastener chains are closed) when the slider 100A slides (that is, advances) toward a front side S1 corresponding to the front end E1 in the front-rear direction, and the fastener tapes T and the fastener elements are opened (that is, the fastener chains are opened) when the slider 100A slides (that is, retreats) toward a rear side S2 corresponding to the rear end E2 in the front-rear direction. However, the structures of the slider 100A and the fastener chain can be adjusted as necessary depending on the type of the slide fastener, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the present invention does not exclude an embodiment in which the slider 100A is applied to a single slider fastener, and the fastener elements on the fastener chain are not limited to coil elements or zigzag elements, and can be adjusted as necessary.

[0038] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the lock structure 120A is installed at the front end E1 of the lower blade 114A, and the protruding portion 122A and the recessed portion 124A, which are the lock structure 120A, are installed side by side in a width direction of the one of the upper blade 112A or the lower blade 114A, and are preferably installed side by side in the width direction of the lower blade 114A at the front end E1 of the lower blade 114A. For example, the protruding portion 122A is installed on a right side S3 of the front end E1 of the lower blade 114A, and the recessed portion 124A is installed on a left side S4 of the front end E1 of the lower blade 114A, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Here, the protruding portion 122A protrudes forward from the right side S3 of the front end E1 of the lower blade 114A, and the hook 126A extends from the front end of the protruding portion 122A toward the upper blade 112A. Accordingly, the recessed portion 124A is recessed upward on the left side S4 of the front end E1 of the lower blade 114A. The size of the recessed portion 124A is equal to or larger than the size of the hook 126A. As an example, the recessed portion 124A is, for example, an upward recessed portion (see FIGS. 3 and 4) formed by the rear end of a protrusion portion 128A protruding downward from a lower surface of the lower blade 114A, but the recessed portion 124A can also be formed by omitting the installation of the protrusion portion 128A and installing an upward recessed portion in the lower surface of the lower blade 114A. Further, the recessed portion 124A may have a closed shape or a non-closed shape, and may have any shape as long as it can be engaged with the hook 126A, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 5A to FIG. 5E, in the present embodiment, the sliders 100A are installed in a pair on the fastener tapes T to form the double-slider fastener 50A. When the slider 100A is attached onto the fastener tapes T, the fastener tapes T and the fastener elements (not shown) constitute the fastener chains, and the fastener tapes T penetrate between the upper blade 112A and the lower blade 114A of the slider main body 110A, so that the lock structure 120A installed at the front end E1 of the lower blade 114A is located below the fastener tapes T (however, the present invention is not limited thereto). That is, the double-slider fastener 50A includes the fastener tapes T and the pair of sliders 100A, and here, the pair of sliders 100A have the same structure and are installed on the fastener tapes T in a state in which the front ends E1 face each other. In this way, when the front ends E1 of the pair of sliders 100A are butted against each other, the fastener tapes T are closed to form a locked state (see FIG. 5C), and the pair of sliders 100A released from the locked state separate from each other to open the fastener tapes T (see FIG. 5E). Further, in the pair of sliders 100A, the rear end of each pull-tab coupling column 118A is reinforced after the pull tab P is attached and extends toward the upper blade 112A, and the pull tab P can be attached to the pull-tab coupling column 118A to prevent the pull tab P from falling off, but the present invention does not limit the structure and a attachment form of the pull tab P, and can be adjusted as necessary.

[0040] Specifically, in the present embodiment, the pair of sliders 100A installed in a pair on the fastener tapes T are installed on the fastener tapes T such that the front ends E1 face each other. In this way, the lock structures 120A installed at the front ends E1 of the lower blades 114A of the slider main bodies 110A in the pair of sliders 100A also face each other. In this case, the front sides S1 and the rear sides S2 of the slider 100A and the facing slider 100A are reversed, and the right sides S3 and the left sides S4 thereof are reversed. As described above, the paired sliders 100A have the same shape and are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees on a horizontal plane where the fastener tapes T are located, so that the protruding portion 122A and the hook 126A protruding from the right side S3 of the front end E1 of the lower blade 114A in the lock structure 120A of each of the sliders 100A correspond to the recessed portion 124A on the left side S4 of the front end E1 of the lower blade 114A in the lock structure 120A of the facing slider 100A, thereby enabling locking.

[0041] As can be seen from the above, in the present embodiment, the fastener tapes T and the fastener elements can be closed when the sliders 100A slide (that is, advance) toward the respective front sides S1 and approach each other, and the fastener tapes T and the fastener elements can be opened when the sliders 100A slide (that is, retreat) toward the respective rear sides S2 and separate from each other. Here, in a state in which the front ends E1 of the paired sliders 100A are butted against each other (the fastener tapes T and the fastener elements are closed), the hook 126A of the protruding portion 122A of each of the sliders 100A is fitted into the recessed portion 124A of the facing slider 100A, and for example, the hook 126A moves from a lower side to an upper side and is engaged with the recessed portion 124A recessed upward, thereby forming a locked state. This process changes, for example, from the state shown in FIG. 5A to a state shown in FIG. 5C.

[0042] In this state, since the hook 126A of the lock structure 120A of the slider 100A and the recessed portion 124A of the lock structure 120A of the facing slider 100A form interference at least in the front-rear direction (that is, a longitudinal direction of the fastener tapes T), the pair of sliders 100A locked by the lock structures 120A slide on the fastener tapes T while remaining in the locked state and cannot separate from each other. Thus, the slider 100A and the double-slider fastener 50A to which the slider 100A is applied have a security mechanism. Further, it is not necessary to install different lock structures on the pair of sliders 100A, or it is not necessary to use an additional lock member, and a manufacturing process can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced by using the pair of sliders 100A having the same structure. The slider main bodies 110A and the lock structures 120A of the pair of sliders 100A having the same structure are preferably an integral structure, that is, can be manufactured by the same process without requiring an additional assembly operation, and the manufacturing process can be further simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. However, in other embodiments which are not described, the slider 100A may be configured by assembling the slider main body 110A and the lock structure 120A which are separately manufactured. As long as the double-slider fastener 50A is configured using the pair of sliders 100A having the same structure, the manufacturing process can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0043] In the present embodiment, the lock structures 120A of the pair of sliders 100A perform locking by forming interference in the front-rear direction, but the lock structure 120A of each of the sliders 100A can release the locked state by moving the hook 126A out from the recessed portion 124A of the lock structure 120A of the facing slider 100A. That is, the paired sliders 100A rotate by applying a downward force to the front ends E1 (for example, pressing the front ends E1 along an arrow F shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D) toward a direction in which the lock structures 120A are located (that is, corresponding to the lower sides of the lower blades 114A) to release the locked state. In this way, the slider 100A rotates by applying the downward force to the front end E1 toward the direction of the lower blade 114A (that is, the downward direction), and the hook 126A of the lock structure 120A of the slider 100A is retracted downward from the recessed portion 124A of the lock structure 120A of the facing slider 100A to release the locked state. This process changes, for example, from the state shown in FIG. 5C to a state shown in FIG. 5E. The pair of sliders 100A released from the locked state can be separated from each other by sliding on the fastener tapes T (see FIG. 5E). In this way, since the pair of sliders 100A can be easily locked or unlocked in a state of being butted against each other, the operability of the sliders 100A and the double-slider fastener 50A can be improved. Accordingly, the sliders 100A and the double-slider fastener 50A can have a security mechanism, reduce the manufacturing cost and improve the operability.

[0044] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the slider main body 110A further includes an operation portion 119A, and the operation portion 119A is installed on the upper surface of the upper blade 112A at a position close to the front end E1. As shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D, the paired sliders 100A rotate by applying the downward force to the front ends E1 (for example, pressing the front ends E1 along the arrow F shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D) toward the direction in which the lock structures 120A are located (that is, corresponding to the lower sides of the lower blades 114A) by the operation portions 119A to release the locked state. In a state in which the front ends E1 of the paired sliders 100A are butted against each other (that is, the states of FIGS. 5B, 5C, and 5D), the operation portion 119A of each of the sliders 100A preferably overlaps with the operation portion 119A of the facing slider 100A. In this way, the user can concentrate more easily and apply the force to the front ends E1, which contributes to simultaneously applying the force to the operation portions 119A of the pair of sliders 100A by the user. However, in the other embodiments which are not described, a force may be applied to each of the operation portions 119A of the pair of sliders 100A, or the installation of the operation portion 119A may be omitted and a force may be directly applied to each of the front ends E1 of the pair of sliders 100A, and the present invention does not limit a relative position of the operation portions 119A of the pair of sliders 100A (that is, the operation portions 119A overlap with each other) or the presence or absence of the installation of the operation portions 119A, and can be adjusted as necessary.

[0045] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a protruding surface 119A1 is provided at a front end of the operation portion 119A, and an inclined surface 119A2 is provided below an outer surface of the operation portion 119A. Here, the protruding surface 119A1 is, for example, a front end surface corresponding to the front side S1 in the operation portion 119A, and the inclined surface 119A2 is, for example, a front end surface of a recessed groove formed on the outer surface of the operation portion 119A. That is, the protruding surface 119A1 and the inclined surface 119A2 are arranged side by side in a width direction of the operation portion 119A. The protruding surface 119A1 and the inclined surface 119A2 preferably include, for example, arcuate curved surfaces corresponding to each other, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In this way, in a state in which the front ends E1 of the paired sliders 100A are butted against each other (that is, the state of FIGS. 5B, 5C, and 5D), the operation portion 119A of each of the sliders 100A is located in the recessed groove formed on the outer surface of the operation portion 119A of the facing slider 100A, the protruding surface 119A1 of the operation portion 119A of the slider 100A is made to correspond to the inclined surface 119A2 of the operation portion 119A of the facing slider 100A, and thus the operation portion 119A of the slider 100A overlaps with the operation portion 119A of the facing slider 100A. However, the present invention does not limit the specific structure of the operation portion 119A, and adjustment is possible as necessary.

[0046] In the present embodiment, in a state in which the force is applied to the front ends E1 by the operation portions 119A to generate rotation (that is, the state of FIG. 5D), the protruding surface 119A1 of the operation portion 119A of each slider 100A rotates along the inclined surface 119A2 of the operation portion 119A of the facing slider 100A, the operation portion 119A of the slider 100A and the operation portion 119A of the facing slider 100A change from an overlapping state so as to be separated from each other, and the hook 126A of the lock structure 120A of the slider 100A is moved out from the recessed portion 124A of the lock structure 120A of the facing slider 100A. In this process, the user applies the force downward to the operation portions 119A installed at the front ends E1 of the sliders 100A, the operation portions 119A each rotate along a path formed by the protruding surface 119A1 and the inclined surface 119A2 facing the protruding surface 119A1, and thus the operation of applying the force to the front ends E1 to generate rotation by the operation portions 119A can be made smoother. However, the present invention does not limit the specific structure of the operation portion 119A, and adjustment is possible as necessary.

[0047] As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, in the second embodiment, the slider 100B includes a slider main body 110B and a lock structure 120B. The slider main body 110B includes an upper blade 112B, a lower blade 114B installed to face the upper blade 112B, and a guide column 116B coupling the front ends E1 of the upper blade 112B and the lower blade 114B. The lock structure 120B is installed at the front end E1 of one (for example, the upper blade 112B) of the upper blade 112B or the lower blade 114B. The lock structure 120B includes a protruding portion 122B and a recessed portion 124B. The protruding portion 122B protrudes forward from the front end E1 of the one (for example, the upper blade 112B) of the upper blade 112B or the lower blade 114B, and is further provided with a hook 126B extending toward another (for example, the lower blade 114B) of the upper blade 112B or the lower blade 114B, at the front end E1 of the protruding portion 122B.

[0048] In this embodiment, the slider 100B and the slider 100A according to the first embodiment have similar structures and operation method. Here, regarding the specific structures of the upper blade 112B, the lower blade 114B, the guide column 116B, and a pull-tab coupling column 118B of the slider main body 110B, the description of the upper blade 112A, the lower blade 114A, the guide column 116A, and the pull-tab coupling column 118A of the slider main body 110A according to the first embodiment can be referred to, regarding the specific structures of the protruding portion 122B, the recessed portion 124B, and the hook 126B of the lock structure 120B, the description of the protruding portion 122A, the recessed portion 124A, and the hook 126A of the lock structure 120A according to the first embodiment can be referred to, and the description thereof will be omitted. A main difference between the slider 100B and the slider 100A according to the first embodiment is that the lock structure 120B provided in the slider 100B is located in a different position from the lock structure 120A provided in the slider 100A according to the first embodiment.

[0049] Specifically, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the lock structure 120B is installed at the front end E1 of the upper blade 112B, and the protruding portion 122B and the recessed portion 124B, which are the lock structure 120B, are installed side by side in the width direction of the one of the upper blade 112B or the lower blade 114B, and are preferably installed side by side in the width direction of the upper blade 112B at the front end E1 of the upper blade 112B. For example, the protruding portion 122B is installed on the right side S3 of the front end E1 of the upper blade 112B, and the recessed portion 124B is installed on the left side S4 of the front end E1 of the upper blade 112B, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Here, the protruding portion 122B protrudes forward from the right side S3 of the front end E1 of the upper blade 112B, and the hook 126B extends from the front end of the protruding portion 122B toward the lower blade 114B. Accordingly, the recessed portion 124B is recessed downward on the left side S4 of the front end E1 of the upper blade 112B. The size of the recessed portion 124B is equal to or larger than the size of the hook 126B. As an example, the recessed portion 124B is, for example, a portion installed by being recessed downward on an upper surface of the upper blade 112B (see FIGS. 8 and 9), but a protrusion portion protruding upward may be provided on the upper surface of the upper blade 112B, and a rear portion thereof may be formed as a portion recessed downward to form the recessed portion 124B. Further, the recessed portion 124B may have a closed shape or a non-closed shape, and may have any shape as long as it can be engaged with the hook 126B, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 10A to FIG. 10E, in the present embodiment, the sliders 100B are installed in a pair on the fastener tapes T to form the double-slider fastener 50B. When the slider 100B is attached onto the fastener tapes T, the fastener tape T and the fastener elements (not shown) constitute the fastener chain, and the fastener tapes T penetrate between the upper blade 112B and the lower blade 114B of the slider main body 110B, so that the lock structure 120B installed at the front end E1 of the upper blade 112B is located above the fastener tapes T (however, the present invention is not limited thereto). That is, the double-slider fastener 50B includes the fastener tapes T and the pair of sliders 100B, and the pair of sliders 100B have the same structure and are installed on the fastener tapes T in a state in which the front ends E1 face each other. In this way, when the front ends E1 of the pair of sliders 100B are butted against each other, the fastener tapes T are closed to form the locked state (see FIG. 10C), and the pair of sliders 100B released from the locked state separate from each other to open the fastener tapes T (see FIG. 10E). Further, in the pair of sliders 100B, the rear end of each pull-tab coupling column 118B is reinforced after the pull tab P is attached and extends toward the upper blade 112B, and the pull tab P can be attached to the pull-tab coupling column 118B to prevent the pull tab P from falling off, but the present invention does not limit the structure and attachment form of the pull tab P, and can be adjusted as necessary.

[0051] Specifically, in the present embodiment, the pair of sliders 100B installed in a pair on the fastener tapes T are installed on the fastener tapes T such that the front ends E1 face each other. In this way, the lock structures 120B installed at the front ends E1 of the upper blades 112B of the slider main bodies 110B in the pair of sliders 100B also face each other. In this case, the front sides S1 and the rear sides S2 of the slider 100B and the facing slider 100B are reversed, and the right sides S3 and the left sides S4 thereof are reversed. As described above, the paired sliders 100B have the same shape and are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees on the horizontal plane where the fastener tapes T are located, so that the protruding portion 122B and the hook 126B protruding from the right side S3 of the front end E1 of the upper blade 112B in the lock structure 120B of each of the sliders 100B correspond to the recessed portion 124B on the left side S4 of the front end E1 of the upper blade 112B in the lock structure 120B of the facing slider 100B, thereby enabling locking.

[0052] As can be seen from the above, in the present embodiment, the fastener tapes T and the fastener elements can be closed when the sliders 100B slide (that is, advance) toward the respective front sides S1 and approach each other, and the fastener tapes T and the fastener elements can be opened when the sliders 100B slide (that is, retreat) toward the respective rear sides S2 and separate from each other. Here, in a state in which the front ends E1 of the paired sliders 100B are butted against each other (the fastener tapes T and the fastener elements are closed), the hook 126B of the protruding portion 122B of each of the sliders 100B is fitted into the recessed portion 124B of the facing slider 100B, and for example, the hook 126B moves from the upper side to the lower side and is engaged with the recessed portion 124B recessed downward, thereby forming the locked state. This process changes, for example, from the state shown in FIG. 10A to a state shown in FIG. 10C.

[0053] In this state, since the hook 126B of the lock structure 120B of the slider 100B and the recessed portion 124B of the lock structure 120B of the facing slider 100B form interference at least in the front-rear direction (that is, the longitudinal direction of the fastener tapes T), the pair of sliders 100B locked by the lock structures 120B slide on the fastener tapes T while remaining in the locked state and cannot separate from each other. Thus, the slider 100B and the double-slider fastener 50B to which the slider 100B are applied has a security mechanism. Further, it is not necessary to install different lock structures on the pair of sliders 100B, or it is not necessary to use an additional lock member, and a manufacturing process can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced by using the pair of sliders 100B having the same structure. The slider main bodies 110B and the lock structures 120B of the pair of sliders 100B having the same structure are preferably an integral structure, that is, can be manufactured by the same process without requiring an additional assembly operation, and the manufacturing process can be further simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. However, in the other embodiments which are not described, the slider 100B may be configured by assembling the slider main body 110B and the lock structure 120B which are separately manufactured. As long as the double-slider fastener 50B is configured using the pair of sliders 100B having the same structure, the manufacturing process can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0054] In the present embodiment, the lock structures 120B of the pair of sliders 100B performs locking by forming interference in the front-rear direction, but the lock structure 120B of each of the sliders 100B can release the locked state by moving the hook 126B out from the recessed portion 124B of the lock structure 120B of the facing slider 100B. That is, the paired sliders 100B rotate by applying a force upward to the front ends E1 (for example, pulling the front ends E1 along the arrow F shown in FIGS. 10C and 10D) toward a direction in which the lock structures 120B are located (that is, corresponding to the upper sides of the upper blades 112B) to release the locked state. In this way, the slider 100B rotates by applying the force upward to the front end E1 toward the direction of the upper blade 112B (that is, the upward direction), and the hook 126B of the lock structure 120B of the slider 100B is retracted upward from the recessed portion 124B of the lock structure 120B of the facing slider 100B to release the locked state. This process changes, for example, from the state shown in FIG. 10C to a state shown in FIG. 10E. The pair of sliders 100B released from the locked state can be separated from each other by sliding on the fastener tapes T (see FIG. 10E). In this way, since the pair of sliders 100B can be easily locked or unlocked in a state of being butted against each other, the operability of the sliders 100B and the double-slider fastener 50B can be improved. Accordingly, the slider 100B and the double-slider fastener 50B can have a security mechanism, reduce the manufacturing cost and improve the operability.

[0055] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the slider main body 110B further includes an operation portion 119B, and the operation portion 119B is installed on an upper surface of the upper blade 112B at a position close to the front end E1. As shown in FIGS. 10C and 10D, the paired sliders 100B rotate by applying the force upward to the front ends E1 (for example, pulling the front ends E1 along the arrow F shown in FIGS. 10C and 10D) toward the direction in which the lock structures 120B are located (that is, corresponding to the upper sides of the upper blades 112B) by the operation portions 119B to release the locked state. In a state in which the front ends E1 of the paired sliders 100B are butted against each other (that is, the states of FIGS. 10B, 10C, and 10D), the operation portion 119B of each of the sliders 100B preferably overlaps with the operation portion 119B of the facing slider 100B. In this way, the user can concentrate more easily and apply the force to the front ends E1, which contributes to simultaneously applying the force to the operation portions 119B of the pair of sliders 100B by the user. However, in the other embodiments which are not described, a force may be applied to each of the operation portions 119B of the pair of sliders 100B, or the installation of the operation portion 119B may be omitted and a force may be directly applied to each of the front ends E1 of the pair of sliders 100B, and the present invention does not limit a relative position of the operation portions 119B of the pair of sliders 100B (that is, the operation portions 119B overlap with each other) or the presence or absence of the installation of the operation portions 119B, and can be adjusted as necessary.

[0056] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the protruding surface 119B1 is provided at a front end of the operation portion 119B, and the inclined surface 119B2 is provided below an outer surface of the operation portion 119B. Here, the protruding surface 119B1 is, for example, a front end surface corresponding to the front side S1 in the operation portion 119B, and the inclined surface 119B2 is, for example, a front end surface of a recessed groove formed on the outer surface of the operation portion 119B. That is, the protruding surface 119B1 and the inclined surface 119B2 are arranged side by side in a width direction of the operation portion 119B. The protruding surface 119B1 and the inclined surface 119B2 preferably include, for example, arcuate curved surfaces corresponding to each other, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In this way, in a state in which the front ends E1 of the paired sliders 100B are butted against each other (that is, the state of FIGS. 10B, 10C, and 10D), the operation portion 119B of each of the sliders 100B is located in the recessed groove formed on the outer surface of the operation portion 119B of the facing slider 100B, the protruding surface 119B1 of the operation portion 119B of the slider 100B is made to correspond to the inclined surface 119B2 of the operation portion 119B of the facing slider 100B, and thus the operation portion 119B of the slider 100B overlaps with the operation portion 119B of the facing slider 100B. However, the present invention does not limit the specific structure of the operation portion 119B, and adjustment is possible as necessary.

[0057] In general, in the slider and the double-slider fastener according to the present invention, each lock structure includes the protruding portion and the recessed portion installed side by side in the width direction of one of the upper blade or the lower blade, each protruding portion protrudes forward from the one of the upper blade or the lower blade and is provided with the hook extending to the other of the upper blade or the lower blade, and in a state in which the front ends of the paired sliders are butted against each other, the hook of the protruding portion of each slider is fitted into the recessed portion of the facing slider to form the locked state, and the paired sliders rotate by applying a force to the front ends in the direction in which the lock structures are located to release the locked state. In this way, by using the pair of sliders having the same structure, the manufacturing process can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the pair of sliders can be easily locked or unlocked in a state of being butted against each other. The slider main body and the lock structure are preferably an integral structure. Further, the paired sliders have the same shape, and are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees on the horizontal plane where the fastener tapes are located. As a result, the slider and the double-slider fastener according to the present invention can have a security mechanism, reduce the manufacturing cost, and improve the operability.

[0058] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the same. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the technical solutions described in the above embodiments can be further modified or some or all of the technical features thereof can be equally substituted, and the essence of the corresponding technical solutions does not depart from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention by these modifications and substitutions.

[0059] The present application is based on a Chinese Patent Application (Chinese Patent Application No. 202211660411.4) filed on Dec. 23, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application.

[0060] The present specification discloses the following matters.

[0061] (1) A slider that is configured to be installed in pairs on fastener tapes to form a double-slider fastener, each of the sliders including:

[0062] a slider main body including an upper blade, a lower blade installed to face the upper blade, and a guide column coupling front ends of the upper blade and the lower blade; and

[0063] a lock structure installed at the front end of one of the upper blade or the lower blade, in which

[0064] the lock structure includes a protruding portion and a recessed portion,

[0065] the protruding portion protrudes forward from the front end of the one of the upper blade or the lower blade, and is further provided with a hook extending toward another of the upper blade or the lower blade, at a front end of the protruding portion,

[0066] in a state in which front ends of the paired sliders are butted against each other, the hook of the protruding portion of each of the sliders is fitted into the recessed portion of the facing slider to form a locked state, and

[0067] the paired sliders are configured to rotate by applying a force upward or downward to the front end of at least one of the paired sliders toward a direction in which the lock structure is located to release the locked state.

[0068] (2) The slider according to (1), in which

[0069] the slider main body further includes an operation portion, and the operation portion is installed on an upper surface of the upper blade at a position close to the front end thereof, and

[0070] the paired sliders are configured to rotate by applying a force to the front end of at least one of the paired sliders toward the direction in which the lock structure is located by the operation portion to release the locked state.

[0071] (3) The slider according to (2), in which

[0072] a protruding surface is provided at a front end of the operation portion,

[0073] an inclined surface is provided below an outer surface of the operation portion,

[0074] in the state in which the front ends of the paired sliders are butted against each other, the protruding surface of the operation portion of each of the sliders corresponds to the inclined surface of the operation portion of the facing slider, and

[0075] in a state in which rotation is generated by applying a force to the front end by the operation portion, the protruding surface of the operation portion of each of the sliders rotates along the inclined surface of the operation portion of the facing slider.

[0076] (4) The slider according to (3), in which

[0077] the protruding surface and the inclined surface include arcuate curved surfaces corresponding to each other.

[0078] (5) The slider according to (3), in which

[0079] in the state in which the front ends of the paired sliders are butted against each other, the operation portion of each of the sliders overlaps with the operation portion of the facing slider.

[0080] (6) The slider according to any one of (1) to (5), in which

[0081] the lock structure is installed at the front end of the lower blade.

[0082] the protruding portion protrudes forward from the front end of the lower blade, and the hook extends from the front end of the protruding portion toward the upper blade, and

[0083] each of the sliders is configured to rotate by applying a downward force to the front end toward a direction of the lower blade to release the locked state.

[0084] (7) The slider according to any one of (1) to (5), in which

[0085] the lock structure is installed at the front end of the upper blade,

[0086] the protruding portion protrudes forward from the front end of the upper blade, and the hook extends from the front end of the protruding portion toward the lower blade, and

[0087] each of the sliders is configured to rotate by applying an upward force to the front end toward a direction of the upper blade to release the locked state.

[0088] (8) The slider according to any one of (1) to (5), in which

[0089] the slider main body and the lock structure are an integral structure.

[0090] (9) The slider according to any one of (1) to (5), in which

[0091] the protruding portion and the recessed portion are installed side by side in a width direction of one of the upper blade or the lower blade, and

[0092] the paired sliders have the same shape and are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees on a horizontal plane where the fastener tapes are located.

[0093] (10) A double-slider fastener including:

[0094] fastener tapes; and

[0095] a pair of the sliders according to any one of (1) to (9), in which

[0096] the pair of sliders are installed on the fastener tapes in a state in which front ends thereof face each other, and are configured to close the fastener tapes to form a locked state when the front ends thereof are butted against each other, and

[0097] the pair of sliders released from the locked state are configured to separate from each other to open the fastener tapes.REFERENCE SIGNS LIST50A, 50B double-slider fastener

[0099] 100A, 100B slider

[0100] 110A, 110B slider main body

[0101] 112A, 112B upper blade

[0102] 114A, 114B lower blade

[0103] 116A, 116B guide column

[0104] 118A, 118B pull-tab coupling column

[0105] 119A, 119B operation portion

[0106] 119A1, 119B1 protruding surface

[0107] 119A2, 119B2 inclined surface

[0108] 120A, 120B lock structure

[0109] 122A, 122B protruding portion

[0110] 124A, 124B recessed portion

[0111] 126A, 126B hook

[0112] 128A protrusion portion

[0113] E1 front end

[0114] E2 rear end

[0115] F arrow

[0116] P pull tab

[0117] S1 front side

[0118] S2 rear side

[0119] S3 right side

[0120] S4 left side

[0121] T fastener tape

Claims

1. A slider that is configured to be installed in pairs on fastener tapes to form a double-slider fastener, each of the sliders comprising:a slider main body including an upper blade, a lower blade installed to face the upper blade, and a guide column coupling front ends of the upper blade and the lower blade; anda lock structure installed at the front end of one of the upper blade or the lower blade, whereinthe lock structure includes a protruding portion and a recessed portion,the protruding portion protrudes forward from the front end of the one of the upper blade or the lower blade, and is further provided with a hook extending toward another of the upper blade or the lower blade, at a front end of the protruding portion,in a state in which front ends of the paired sliders are butted against each other, the hook of the protruding portion of each of the sliders is fitted into the recessed portion of the facing slider to form a locked state, andthe paired sliders are configured to rotate by applying a force upward or downward to the front end of at least one of the paired sliders toward a direction in which the lock structure is located to release the locked state.

2. The slider according to claim 1, whereinthe slider main body further includes an operation portion, and the operation portion is installed on an upper surface of the upper blade at a position close to the front end thereof, andthe paired sliders are configured to rotate by applying a force to the front end of at least one of the paired sliders toward the direction in which the lock structure is located by the operation portion to release the locked state.

3. The slider according to claim 2, whereina protruding surface is provided at a front end of the operation portion,an inclined surface is provided below an outer surface of the operation portion,in the state in which the front ends of the paired sliders are butted against each other, the protruding surface of the operation portion of each of the sliders corresponds to the inclined surface of the operation portion of the facing slider, andin a state in which rotation is generated by applying a force to the front end by the operation portion, the protruding surface of the operation portion of each of the sliders rotates along the inclined surface of the operation portion of the facing slider.

4. The slider according to claim 3, whereinthe protruding surface and the inclined surface include arcuate curved surfaces corresponding to each other.

5. The slider according to claim 3, whereinin the state in which the front ends of the paired sliders are butted against each other, the operation portion of each of the sliders overlaps with the operation portion of the facing slider.

6. The slider according to claim 1, whereinthe lock structure is installed at the front end of the lower blade,the protruding portion protrudes forward from the front end of the lower blade, and the hook extends from the front end of the protruding portion toward the upper blade, andeach of the sliders is configured to rotate by applying a downward force to the front end toward a direction of the lower blade to release the locked state.

7. The slider according to claim 1, whereinthe lock structure is installed at the front end of the upper blade,the protruding portion protrudes forward from the front end of the upper blade, and the hook extends from the front end of the protruding portion toward the lower blade, andeach of the sliders is configured to rotate by applying an upward force to the front end toward a direction of the upper blade to release the locked state.

8. The slider according to claim 1, whereinthe slider main body and the lock structure are an integral structure.

9. The slider according to claim 1, whereinthe protruding portion and the recessed portion are installed side by side in a width direction of one of the upper blade or the lower blade, andthe paired sliders have the same shape and are rotationally symmetrical by 180 degrees on a horizontal plane where the fastener tapes are located.

10. A double-slider fastener comprising:fastener tapes; anda pair of the sliders according to claim 1, to whereinthe pair of sliders are installed on the fastener tapes in a state in which front ends thereof face each other, and are configured to close the fastener tapes to form a locked state when the front ends thereof are butted against each other, andthe pair of sliders released from the locked state are configured to separate from each other to open the fastener tapes.

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