Method for sewing fastener stringer to cloth, article, and slide fastener19153077

Abstract

Fastener tape and fabric are sewn along a second imaginary line that is parallel to a first imaginary line established by direct contact between two or more fastener elements and a presser foot. The fastener tape and the fabric are sewn along a fourth imaginary line that is parallel to a third imaginary line established by direct contact between a plastic member and a presser foot. The plastic member has a guiding surface with which the presser foot comes into contact such that the first and third imaginary lines extend collinearly so as to form one guiding line and the second and fourth imaginary lines extend collinearly so as to form one projected sewing line.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure concerns a method of sewing a fastener stringer to a fabric, particularly a method of sewing a fastener stringer to a fabric by using a sewing machine provided with a presser foot. Moreover, the present disclosure concerns an article and a slide fastener.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Patent literature 1 discloses feeding, on a sewing machine, fastener chain and fabric while maintaining direct contact between a presser foot and fastener elements adjacent to the presser foot, and sewing the fastener stringer and the fabric. Patent literature 2 indicates a technical problem of interference between a presser foot of sewing machine and a stop member of slide fastener (see para. 0002 thereof). For addressing this problem, Patent literature 2 discloses a dedicated structure of stop member which contributes to easier sewing of fastener stringer to fabric. Patent literature 3 describes that a stop member is narrowed in width in order to avoid interference with presser foot (see abstract thereof). Slide fasteners are disclosed in patent literatures 4-6, which do not investigate on sewing of fastener stringer to fabric though.CITATION LISTPatent literature

[0003] [PTL 1] Japanese Utility-model Application Laid-open No. 51-95459

[0004] [PTL 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-223820

[0005] [PTL 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-180413

[0006] [PTL 4] U.S. Pat. No. 2,438,615

[0007] [PTL 5] U.S. Pat. No. 2,546,649

[0008] [PTL 6] U.S. Pat. No. 2,600,905SUMMARYTechnical Problem

[0009] In cases where a stop member is made of plastic, it is common to form a stop member to have a wider width in order to obtain sufficient adhesion strength to a fastener tape (e.g. its core cord). In this instance, however, for a purpose of avoiding collision of the stop member with a presser foot, manually displacing a fastener stringer would be required when sewing to a fabric a fastener tape of the fastener stringer, causing not-negligible burden in terms of sewing operation; and moreover there is a possibility that quality of stitches be unstable due to difference in skill level of workers handling the sewing process (difference may be observed in a degree of curving or meandering of the stitches in a section adjacent to the stop member, for example).

[0010] In light of the above-described non-limiting exemplary technical problem, the present inventors have newly identified a technical problem of reducing operational burden of sewing to a fabric a fastener stringer having a plastic member for preventing a slider from falling, and further of facilitating quality assurance of stitches regardless of skill level of workers handling sewing process.

[0011] Method according to an aspect of the present disclosure is related to a method of sewing a fastener stringer to a fabric by using a sewing machine provided with a presser foot, the fastener stringer including a plurality of fastener elements secured, individually or as a continuous piece, to an elongated side edge portion of a fastener tape in an elongation direction of the fastener tape, and a plastic member located adjacent to a fastener element positioned at a terminal end among the plurality of fastener elements in the elongation direction of the fastener tape so as to prevent a slider from falling. The method includes: linearly feeding a fastener stringer based on direct contact between the presser foot and two or more fastener elements included in the plurality of fastener elements and positioned adjacent to the presser foot, a first imaginary line established by the direct contact between the presser foot and the two or more fastener elements; sewing the fastener tape to the fabric along a second imaginary line that is parallel to the first imaginary line; linearly feeding the fastener stringer based on direct contact between the plastic member and the presser foot, a third imaginary line established by the direct contact between the plastic member and the presser foot; and sewing the fastener tape to the fabric along a fourth imaginary line that is parallel to the third imaginary line. Said linearly feeding a fastener stringer based on direct contact between the presser foot and two or more fastener elements and said linearly feeding the fastener stringer based on direct contact between the plastic member and the presser foot are performed in this order or in a reverse order. The plastic member has a guiding surface with which the presser foot comes into contact such that the first and third imaginary lines extend collinearly so as to form one guiding line and the second and fourth imaginary lines extend collinearly so as to form one projected sewing line.

[0012] An article according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a slide fastener sewn to the article, the slide fastener comprising first and second fastener stringers and a slider that moves in front-rear direction so as to couple or decouple the first and second fastener stringers. The first fastener stringer includes a first fastener tape, a plurality of first fastener elements secured, individually or as a continuous piece, to an elongated side edge portion of the first fastener tape extending in the front-rear direction, and a plastic member located adjacent to a first fastener element positioned at a terminal end among the plurality of first fastener elements in the front-rear direction so as to prevent the slider from falling, respective first fastener element included in the plurality of first fastener element including a surface that faces inward of the first fastener tape and is included in a first imaginary line extending in the front-rear direction. The plastic member is a box member of a separable stop member.

[0013] The box member includes a box bar positioned adjacent to the fastener element at the terminal end and inserted into the slider and a box body having one or more stopping surfaces to which the box bar is coupled and by which the slider is prevented from moving. The article has a stitches formed in parallel to the first imaginary line and also formed parallel to a guiding surface of the plastic member which is arranged collinear to the first imaginary line.

[0014] Slide fastener according to still another aspect of the present disclosure includes first and second fastener stringers; and a slider that moves in front-rear direction so as to couple or decouple the first and second fastener stringers.

[0015] The first fastener stringer includes a first fastener tape, a plurality of first fastener elements secured, individually or as a continuous piece, to an elongated side edge portion of the first fastener tape extending in the front-rear direction, and a plastic member located adjacent to a first fastener element positioned at a terminal end among the plurality of first fastener elements in the front-rear direction so as to prevent the slider from falling, respective first fastener element included in the plurality of first fastener element including a surface that faces inward of the first fastener tape and is included in a first imaginary line extending in the front-rear direction. The plastic member is a box member of a separable stop member. The box member includes a box bar positioned adjacent to the fastener element at the terminal end and inserted into the slider, and a box body having one or more stopping surfaces to which the box bar is coupled and by which the slider is prevented from moving. The box member has a guiding surface arranged collinear to the first imaginary line.

[0016] In some implementations, the plastic member is a box member of a separable stop member, the box member including a box bar positioned adjacent to the fastener element positioned at the terminal end and inserted into the slider, and a box body having one or more stopping surfaces to which the box bar is coupled and by which the slider is prevented from moving, the guiding surface including one or more first guide regions on the box bar and at least one second guide region on the box body, and the at least one second guide region is formed coplanar with the one or more first guide regions.

[0017] In some implementations, the box bar has two flat surfaces arranged collinear to the guiding line, and a concave surface interposed between these two flat surfaces.

[0018] In some implementations, a length of the concave surface along the guiding line is greater than a total length of the two flat surfaces along the guiding line.

[0019] In some implementations, the box bar and an insertion bar inserted into an accommodation space of the box body have opposed surfaces shaped in complementary manner at least partially.

[0020] In some implementations, the side-edge portion of the fastener tape includes at least one core cord to which individual fastener elements of the plurality of fastener elements are adhered and the box body is adhered, the box body has a first side surface and a first inner surface between which the core cord is interposed, the first inner surface partially defining the accommodation space for the insertion bar, a minimum distance between a center of the core cord and the first side surface in a width direction of the fastener tape is lesser than a minimum distance between the center of the core cord and the first inner surface in the width direction of the fastener tape.

[0021] In some implementations, 1.2<(T / S)<1.6 is satisfied, S indicating the minimum distance between the center of the core cord and the first side surface, and T indicating the minimum distance between the center of the core cord and the In some implementations, the box body has a first side surface and a second side surface arranged opposite to the first side surface, the first side surface and the second side surface defining a width of the box body, (i) a central line positioned at a center of the width of the box body defined between the first side surface and the second side surface is shifted away from the fastener tape to a position where the central line does not cross the box bar and / or positioned away from the fastener tape than a central line of a slide fastener including the fastener stringer as a first fastener stringer; and / or (ii) the first side surface is positioned away from a central line of a slide fastener including the fastener stringer as a first fastener stringer by a first distance, the second side surface is positioned away from the central line of the slide fastener by a second distance, the first distance being lesser than the second distance. In some cases where (ii) is satisfied, 1.1<(D2 / D1)<1.5 is satisfied, D1 indicating the first distance, and D2 indicating the second distance.

[0022] In some implementations, the guiding surface is included in a sloped surface sloped outward of fastener tape as being away from the tape surface of the fastener tape.

[0023] In some implementations, the guiding surface is substantially in a same plane as an inner wall surface of flange of top or bottom wing of slider at its rear end portion when the slider is prevented from moving at its rearmost position by the box body.

[0024] In some implementations, the box body is shaped not to come into contact with one of the left and right flanges of top and bottom wings of slider.

[0025] In some implementations, the presser foot is set in the sewing machine such that a bottom surface thereof is in contact with a tape surface of fastener tape of fastener stringer.

[0026] In some implementations, the fastener stringer is sewn to a fabric in a condition coupled to another fastener stringer.Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0027] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, it may be facilitate that operational burden of sewing, to a fabric, a fastener stringer having a plastic member for preventing slider from falling is reduced, and further quality assurance of stitches is facilitated regardless of skill level of workers handling sewing process.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 is an elevational partial schematic view of inside of article (e.g. garment) according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a slide fastener being sewn to an open site of the article and being openable and closeable. In FIG. 1, arrow F indicates frontward, arrow Re indicates rearward, arrow L indicates leftward, and arrow R indicates rightward. Guiding lines L1, L2 are set at the both left and right sides of a central line CL of the slide fastener. The guiding line L1 does not cross the stop member, and the guiding line L2 crosses the stop member.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of slider.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of slider taken along a broken line III-III in FIG. 2.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of right-side fastener stringer.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of slide fastener taken along a broken line V-V in FIG. 1.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of slide fastener taken along a broken line VI-VI in FIG. 5.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process in which an insertion bar is inserted, via a slider, into an accommodation space of box body of box member.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating that a sewing machine operates to intermittently feed a fabric and a fastener stringer in a feed direction and both of which are sewn by sewing-machine thread (upper and lower threads).

[0036] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a positional relationship of a presser foot, fastener elements and a box member.

[0037] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating that a fastener stringer and a fabric are sewn based on the operation of the sewing machine.

[0038] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating that the fastener stringer and the fabric are sewn based on the operation of the sewing machine.

[0039] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating that the fastener stringer and the fabric are sewn based on the operation of the sewing machine.

[0040] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating that a left-side fastener stringer decoupled from a right-side fastener stringer is sewn to a fabric.

[0041] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating that a right-side fastener stringer in a condition of single stringer decoupled from a left-side fastener stringer is sewn to a fabric.

[0042] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating that left and right fastener stringers are sewn to a fabric in a same sewing process by a same sewing machine.

[0043] FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating a variation of stop member.

[0044] FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating a variation of fastener element.DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0045] Hereinafter, various embodiments and features would be discussed with reference to drawings. A skilled person would be able to combine respective embodiments and / or respective features without requiring excess description, and would appreciate synergistic effects of such combinations. Overlapping description among the embodiments is basically omitted. Referenced drawings aim mainly for describing inventions and are simplified for the sake of convenience of drawing preparation. The respective features should be appreciated as universal features not only effective to a method, article and slide fastener presently disclosed but also effective to other various methods, articles and slide fasteners not disclosed in the present specification.

[0046] In the present specification, front-rear direction matches a direction a slider moves for opening and closing a slide fastener and a direction a slide fastener (alternatively a fastener stringer or a fastener tape) is elongated. Left-right direction is a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction, and matches a width direction of a slide fastener (alternatively a fastener stringer or a fastener tape). Up-down direction is a direction orthogonal to the front-rear and left-right directions, and matches a thickness direction of a fastener tape. Normally, when a fastener stringer is set on a sewing machine, the front-rear direction matches a feeding direction of the fastener stringer, and the up-down direction matches a vertical direction (a direction of gravity), but should not be limited to this.

[0047] As depicted in FIG. 1, the article 100 includes a fabric 101, a fabric 102, and a slide fastener 1; and an opening between the fabrics 101 and 102 is closeable by the slide fastener 1. In detail, left and right fastener stringers 2,5 of the slide fastener 1 are sewn to the fabrics 101,102. As the slider 9 moves rearward, the left and right fastener stringers 2,5 are decoupled to form an opening between the fabrics 101 and 102. As the slider 9 moves frontward, the left and right fastener stringers 2,5 are coupled to close the opening between the fabrics 101 and 102. The fabrics 101,102 may, for example, be halves of a front of the article such as a jacket, hoodie or the like, but should not be limited to this.

[0048] The fabrics 101,102 may be different portions of a same fabric or may be separate fabrics. The left and right fastener stringers 2,5 of the slide fastener 1 are fully separable one another, but should not be limited to this.

[0049] The slide fastener 1 has a pair of left and right fastener stringers 2,5, and a slider 9 for coupling and decoupling the stringers 2,5. Each fastener stringer 2,5 has a fastener tape 3,6; a plurality of fastener elements 4,7 secured, individually or as a continuous piece, to an elongated side edge portion of the first fastener tape 3,6; and a plastic member 8a,8b that is located adjacent to a fastener element 4,7 positioned at a terminal end among the plurality of first fastener elements 4,7 and that prevents the slider 9 from falling off the fastener stringer 2,5. The fastener tape 3,6 is a woven fabric or knitted fabric or mixture thereof. The fastener elements 4,7 are made of plastic or metal. The fastener elements 4,7 are provided as separated individual islands in the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2,5 in FIG. 1 but should not be limited to this, and they may be provided as a continuous piece each element corresponding to a respective helical unit of a helical monofilament in which engagement heads are formed at a given pitch (see FIG. 17). In FIG. 1, the plastic member 8a is a box member of a separable stop member 8, and the plastic member 8b is an insertion bar of the separable stop member 8, but should not be limited to this. The separable stop member 8 is used for fully separating the pair of left and right fastener stringers 2,5 one another, and indicates that the box member and the insertion bar are separable wherein the plastic member 8a is provided as a box member on the fastener stringer 2 of one of the pair and the insertion bar is provided as the plastic member 8b on the fastener stringer 5 of the other one of the pair. Such stop member 8 may be referred to as a separable insertion-fit member or separable member. Embodiment is envisaged, as another example, where the plastic members 8a,8b are provided as an integrated part of stop member 8′ produced through a single step of injection molding (See FIG. 16). In this case, it may be formed as an integrated box where the plastic member 8a and the plastic member 8b are not distinguishably observable. Such stop member 8′ is a stop member that is used in articles in which the pair of left and right fastener stringers 2,5 are not fully separated one another, and is not the above-described separable insertion-fit member nor separable member.

[0050] Typically, the fastener tape 3,6 includes a warp knitted structure and is provided with a core cord at a side-edge portion of the fastener tape 3,6. Arrangement of the core cord on the side-edge portion of the fastener tape 3,6 allows enhanced adhesion strength of the fastener element 4,7 to the fastener tape 3,6, suppressing the fastener element 4,7 from falling off the fastener tape 3,6. The core cord may be a portion in which cores are enclosed in a hollow weave of warp knitted structure, but should not be limited to this. Note that, in a case where a helical monofilament shown in FIG. 17 is used as the fastener elements 4,7, a core cord may be provided on a side-edge portion of the fastener tape 3,6 together with the fastener element 4,7 while the core cord is inserted through the inside of the helical monofilament.

[0051] Description follows with reference to FIGS. 1 and 10. With respect to the right-side fastener stringer 2, a first imaginary line G1 (see FIG. 10) is established by direct contact between two or more fastener elements 4 and a presser foot 200.

[0052] A third imaginary line G3 (see FIG. 10) is established by direct contact between the plastic member 8a and the presser foot 200. The first and third imaginary lines G1,G3 extend collinearly so as to form one (common) guiding line L1 (see FIGS. 1 and 10). Note that, the fastener tape 3 and the fabric 101 would be sewn along a second imaginary line G2 (see FIG. 10) that is parallel to the first imaginary line G1. The fastener tape 3 and the fabric 101 would be sewn along a fourth imaginary line G4 (see FIG. 10) that is parallel to the third imaginary line G3. The second and fourth imaginary lines G2,G4 extend collinearly so as to form one (common) projected sewing line F2 (see FIG. 10) and after the process of sewing, stitches F1 is formed on the same line as the projected sewing line F2 (see FIGS. 1 and 10).

[0053] In the present embodiment, the plastic member 8a has a guiding surface 11 with which the presser foot 200 comes into contact such that the first and third imaginary lines G1,G3 extend collinearly so as to form one (common) guiding line L1 and the second and fourth imaginary lines G2,G4 extend collinearly so as to form one (common) projected sewing line F2. Accordingly, it may be facilitated that the operational burden for sewing, to the fabric, the fastener stringer having the plastic member for preventing slider from falling may be reduced, and further quality assurance of the stitches may be facilitated regardless of skill level of workers handling sewing process. Regarding the sewing, there is no limitation whether the presser foot 200 may firstly be located adjacent to the fastener elements 4 to form the first imaginary line G1 followed by coming into contact with the plastic member 8a to form the third imaginary line G3 or vice versa.

[0054] The same feature would be applicable to the left fastener stringer 5 which is decoupled from the right fastener stringer 2. A 5th imaginary line (not depicted) is established by direct contact between two or more fastener elements 7 and the presser foot 200. A 7th imaginary line (not depicted) is established by direct contact between the plastic member 8b and the presser foot 200. The 5th and 7th imaginary lines extend collinearly so as to form one (common) guiding line L2 (see FIGS. 1 and 10). Note that the fastener tape 6 and the fabric 102 would be sewn along a 6th imaginary line (not depicted) that is parallel to the 5th imaginary line. The fastener tape 6 and the fabric 102 would be sewn along a 8th imaginary line (not depicted) that is parallel to the 7th imaginary line (not depicted). The 6th and 8th imaginary lines extend collinearly so as to form one (common) projected sewing line and after the process of sewing, stitches is formed on the same line as the projected sewing line.

[0055] It is understandable that the first imaginary line G1 is on the same line as the side surfaces 44 of the fastener elements 4 in the front-read direction when the slide fastener 1 is viewed in elevation (see FIG. 1). Precise position of the first imaginary line G1 may slightly vary dependent on a slant angle of the side surface 44 of the fastener element 4, a surface shape or slant angle of a side surface of the presser foot 200, which is opposed to and comes into contact with the fastener element 4, and the like; but this does not pose any contradiction to the above-described feature. Typically, the side surface 44 of the fastener element 4 has a face or partial face facing inward of the fastener tape 3, and the faces are arranged on the one (common) first imaginary line G1 extending in the front-rear direction. The faces or the partial faces of the respective fastener tapes 3 included in the first imaginary line G1 may be at the same height from a placement surface (e.g. a top surface) of the fastener tape 3 on which the presser foot 200 is placed. Note that, the first imaginary line G1 is also parallel to the central line CL of the slide fastener 1 and the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2. The central line CL is a line running at the center in the width direction of the coupled left and right fastener stringers 2,5 of the pair of left and right fastener stringers 2,5.

[0056] Each fastener element 4 extends outward of fastener tape 3 across the side-edge portion (which may be referred to as a side-edge) of the fastener tape 3 which is opposed to the fastener tape 6. Each fastener element 4 has a side surface 44 facing inward of fastener tape 3, and these surfaces are included in the first imaginary line G1 extending in the front-rear direction. A number of side surfaces 44 of the fastener elements 4 are arranged on a same line. Likewise, each fastener element 7 extends outward of fastener tape 6 across the side-edge portion (which may be referred to as a side-edge) of the fastener tape 6 which is opposed to the fastener tape 3. Each fastener element 7 has a side surface 74 facing inward of fastener tape 6, and a number of side surfaces 74 of the fastener elements 7 are arranged on a same line.

[0057] The fastener element 4,7 may be a plastic member having a constricted shape and including a base portion 41,71 adhered to the fastener tape 3,6 (particularly to its core cord), a neck 42,72, and an engagement head 43,73. However, the shape should not be limited to one depicted in FIG. 1 but it could be a V-like shape for example. Width direction of the fastener element 4,7 matches the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2,5. The neck 42,72 has a minimum width in the fastener element 4,7. The base portion 41,71 is located within the tape surface of the fastener tape 3,6. The neck 42,72 and the engagement head 43,73 are located at outside of the tape surface of the fastener tape 3,6. The tape surface of the fastener tape 3,6 may be a tape top surface or bottom surface Protrusions protruding from the base portion 41,71 may be formed at the both sides of the neck 42,72 of the fastener element 4,7. Correspondingly, the end surface of the engagement head 43,73 may be provided with a groove formed to extend in the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2,5. The protrusions of fastener elements of engagement partners are received in the groove, thus restricting up-down displacement of the left and right fastener elements 4,7.

[0058] FIGS. 2 and 3 depict a non-limiting exemplary slider 9. The slider 9 moves on the central line CL of the slide fastener 1. Typically, the slider 9 includes a top wing 91, a bottom wing 92, and a coupling pillar 93 that interconnects the top and bottom wings 91 and 92 at their front end portions, thus defining a Y-shaped element passage. The element passage has one rear mouth M1 for coupled elements in which the fastener elements 4 and 7 are alternately engaged, and two front mouths M2,M3 arranged at the both sides of the coupling pillar 93 through which the fastener elements 4 and the fastener elements 7 pass respectively.

[0059] The slider 9 may have upper flange 94,95 protruding downward from the left and right side-edge portion of the top wing 91 and / or lower flanges 96,97 protruding upward from the left and right side-edge portions of the bottom wing 92, thereby the fastener elements 4,7 are restricted from moving in the left-right direction in the Y-shaped passage. The upper and lower flanges 95,97 at the right side of the slider 9 define a slit to which the fastener tape 3 is inserted. The upper and lower flanges 94,96 at the left side of the slider 9 define a slit to which the fastener tape 6 is inserted. The slider 9 may optionally include a pull attachment portion 98 and a pull 99 attached thereto.

[0060] Again, the plastic member 8a (e.g. a box member 10 described hereinafter) has the guiding surface 11 arranged collinear to the above-described guiding line L1. Accordingly, when the fastener stringer 2 is sewn to the fabric 101 by the sewing machine, the presser foot can smoothly shift from a directly-contacting state with the fastener elements 4 to a directly-contacting state with the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a, and vice versa. As a result, the operational burden for sewing would be reduced, and further quality assurance of the stitches would be facilitated regardless of skill level of workers handling sewing process. In particular, not only a burden in avoiding the interference between the plastic member 8a and the presser foot is avoided, but also the fastener stringer 2 is properly aligned to the presser foot owing to the direct contact between the presser foot and the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a, resulting in that the stitches is formed linearly across both sections adjacent to the fastener elements 4 and adjacent to the plastic member 8a. Education and material cost or the like would be eased which may be required for enhanced skill level of workers handling sewing process. By way of precaution, there is no change in alignment state of the fastener stringer 2 relative to the presser foot even when the plastic member 8a starts to enter into the section R200 adjacent to the presser foot, and vice versa. Also, the guiding surface 11 may include a flat or smooth surface extending collinear as the guiding line L1.

[0061] The above-described feature may be described as follows. That is, the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a provides an extension line which is on an extended line of the first imaginary line G1 described above. The stitches F1 is formed parallel to the extension line based on the contact between the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a and the presser foot.

[0062] Conventionally, when a fastener stringer is sewn to a fabric in such a manner that a width W3a (see FIG. 1) of fastener tape exposed at an external side of article is set narrower (e.g. the exposure width W3a of fastener tape is in a range between 0 mm and 1.5 mm), the plastic member 8a would be an obstacle, making it difficult for sewing the fastener stringer 2. Even in such a case, the stitches would be formed linearly according to the above-described feature. Note that in cases where plastic-made individual fastener elements 4 are provided, the side surfaces 44 of the respective fastener elements 4 and the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a are arranged on a same line (as depicted in FIG. 1), allowing slimmer appearance of the slide fastener 1 either. In conjunction with the linearity of the stitches F1 on the article 100 to which the slide fastener 1 is sewn, much smarter (neater) appearance would be obtainable.

[0063] In some embodiments, the guiding surface 11 is included in a sloped surface that slants outward of fastener tape 3 as being upward away from the tape surface of the fastener tape 3. This sloped surface may cross a line normal to the tape surface of the fastener tape 3 by an angle equal to 3° or less (See angle θ in FIG. 5), for example. This may mitigate a drag against the feeding of the fastener stringer 2 which is effected by the contact between the presser foot and the guiding surface 11. Note that the sloped surface may include a first guide region and second guide region described hereinafter.

[0064] Further description follows with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7 mainly. The plastic member 8a may be a box member 10 of the separable stop member 8, and the plastic member 8b may be an insertion bar 50 of the separable stop member 8.

[0065] The box member 10 includes a box bar 30 positioned adjacent to the fastener element 4 at the terminal end in the array of the plural fastener elements 4 and inserted into the slider 9, and a box body 20 having one or more stopping surfaces 16,17 to which the box bar 30 is coupled and by which the slider 9 is prevented from moving. The thickness of the box bar 30 may be equal to or less than, e.g. approximately half of the thickness of the box body 20. The box body 20 is shaped not to come into contact with the top wing 91, the bottom wing 92, and one of the left and right flanges of the slider 9, as would be apparent from the following descriptions.

[0066] The box body 20 has a first side surface 21 arranged collinear to the above-described guiding line L1 (and / or the first imaginary line G1) and a second side surface 22 arranged opposite to the first side surface 21, which together defining a width W20 of the box body 20. Note that, the first side surface 21 is a surface arranged collinear to the above-described guiding line L1 (and / or the first imaginary line G1), and matches or includes the above-described guiding surface 11. The first side surface 21 is a flat or smooth surface and does not have any protrusion protruding rightward so as to cross the guiding line L1.

[0067] In some cases, the width of the box body 20 is set asymmetry with respect to the central line CL of the slide fastener 1. In this regard, the central line C1 positioned at the center in the width of the box body 20 defined by the first and second side surfaces 21 and 22 may be shifted away from the fastener tape 3 to a position where the central line C1 does not cross the box bar 30 and / or positioned away from the fastener tape 3 than the central line CL of the slide fastener 1. Additionally or alternatively, the first side surface 21 may be positioned away from the central line CL of the slide fastener by a first distance D1, and the second side surface 22 may be positioned away from the central line CL of the slide fastener by a second distance D2, the first distance D1 being lesser than the second distance D2, preferably satisfying 1.1<(D2 / D1)<1.5.

[0068] Position of the guiding surface 11 in the box body 20 may be optimized by satisfying any one or all of the above-described conditions. Additionally or alternatively, a desired mechanical strength of the box body 20 is ensured.

[0069] The box body 20 is shaped to receive the insertion bar 50 and typically includes, as depicted in FIG. 5, a top plate 25, a bottom plate 26, and a connection portion 27 that interconnects the top plate 25 and the bottom plate 26. The top plate 25 has a stopping surface 16 for stopping the slider 9, and the bottom plate 26 has a stopping surface 17 for stopping the slider 9 (see FIG. 4). The top plate 25 has a flange 28 protruding downward from a terminal portion of the top plate 25 located away from the connection portion 27. The bottom plate 26 has a flange 29 protruding upward from a terminal portion of the bottom plate 26 located away from the connection portion 27. The top plate 25, the bottom plate 26, the connection portion 27, and the flanges 28,29 define the accommodation space for the insertion bar 50. Note that a slit is formed between the upper and lower flanges 28,29 which allows insertion of the fastener tape 6 to which the insertion bar 50 adheres.

[0070] The box body 20 includes a first inner surface 23 and a second inner surface 24, each of which partially defining the accommodation space for the insertion bar 50. The core cord 3c is interposed between the first inner surface 23 and the first side surface 21. In the width direction of the fastener tape 3, the minimum distance S between the center of the core cord 3c and the first side surface 21 is lesser than the minimum distance T between the center of the core cord 3c and the first inner surface 23, preferably satisfying 1.2<(T / S)<1.6. This would ensure sufficient adhesion strength of the box body 20 to the core cord 3c.

[0071] The first inner surface 23 extends along the central line CL of the slide fastener 1. The second inner surface 24 extends along the above-described guiding line L2. The second side surface 22 is positioned outward of fastener tape 3 than the guiding line L2. This ensures appropriate dimension of the insertion bar 50 and requisite mechanical strength of the box body 20. Note that, as the second side surface 22 is positioned away from the central line CL than the guiding line L2 (in other words, as the guiding line L2 crosses the box body 20), the presser foot may possibly collide with a left portion of the box body 20. It may be possible to cope with this issue by elaborating a manner of sewing of the left fastener stringer 5 to the fabric 102 (e.g. see FIG. 13). This may alternatively coped by way of thinning the insertion bar 50 and the flange 29 such that the second side surface 22 is arranged collinear to the guiding line L2. In this instance, a reinforcing portion may be formed at the side of the second inner surface 24 of the flange 29 (at the side of the accommodation space) to ensure

[0072] The flange 28,29 may include an elongated protrusion (see the numeral 29a in FIG. 6) having a width that is equal to the distance between the second inner surface 24 and the second side surface 22, and a stopping wall (see the numeral 29b in FIG. 6) located rearward of the elongated protrusion to prevent the insertion bar 50 from moving rearward. The insertion bar 50 is inserted into the accommodation space between the elongated protrusion of the flange 28,29 and the connection portion 27. Dust having entered into the above-described accommodation space may be dischargeable via a space between the stopping wall of the flange 28,29 and the connection portion 27.

[0073] The box bar 30 has a first side surface 31 at the same side as the first side surface 21 of the box body 20, and has a second side surface 32 at the same side as the second side surface 22 of the box body 20. The first side surface 31 includes flat surfaces 31a, 31c extending along the above-described guiding line L1 and arranged collinear to the guiding line L1. It is of course possible that the entirety of the first side surface 31 extends on the same line as the above-described guiding line L1. A concave surface 31b is formed between the above-described flat surfaces 31a,31c, allowing the presser foot to maintain a contact condition equivalent to preceding contact condition with the side surfaces 44 of the fastener elements 4. Advantageously, the length of the concave surface 31b along the guiding line L1 is greater than the total length of the flat surfaces 31a,31c along the guiding line L1, suppressing sudden change in contact drag. Typically, the flat surface 31a is lesser in length than the length of the side surface 44 of one fastener element 4 along the guiding line L1.

[0074] When the first side surface 21 of the box body 20 enters into the section R200 adjacent to the presser foot 200, contact drag between the presser foot 200 and the fastener stringer 2 (contact drag between the presser foot 200 and the fastener element 4+contact drag between the presser foot 200 and the box member 10) would be increased proportional to the length of the first side surface 21. This may, in contrast, be a tactile signal of proximate terminus position of sewing to the workers in charge of sewing.

[0075] The second side surface 32 includes a convex surface 32a with which the central line CL of the slide fastener 1 intersects, and a concave surface 32b that is recessed from the central line CL of the slide fastener 1. The side surface of the insertion bar 50 opposing the second side surface 32 of the box bar 30 is shaped complementary so as to have concave surface 51a and convex surface 51b, facilitating sufficient engagement of the box bar 30 and the insertion bar 50 and for example, impeding the insertion bar 50 from moving frontward or rearward relative to the box bar 30. As such, the opposed surfaces of the insertion bar 50 and the box bar 30 are advantageously shaped in complementary manner at least partially.

[0076] In cases where the box member 10 (naturally the box bar 30) is made of plastic, the box bar 30 would have a complicate or precise shape as described above. In some cases, the box body 20 and the box bar 30 are produced through single shot of injection molding and / or are integrally coupled so as to be not separable unless destroyed. Preferably, only one gate mark is formed on the surface of the box member 10. This one gate mark indicates that the box body 20 and the box bar 30 were molded in a same molding cavity at the time of injection molding. The box body 20 and the box bar 30 are not molded separately and not combined but are molded integrally, ensuring sufficient mechanical strength of the box member 10 even when the guiding surface 11 is formed on the box body 20.

[0077] The insertion bar 50 is located adjacent to the fastener element 7 positioned at the terminal end in the array of the plurality of fastener elements 7, and is adhered to the core cord 6c of the fastener tape 6. The insertion bar 50 is elongated in the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 5, and is inserted into the accommodation space of the box body 20 via the slider 9. The insertion bar 50 has a first side surface 51 at the side of the box body 20, and a second side surface 52 opposite to the first side surface 51. As discussed above, the concave surface 51a and the convex surface 51b are formed in the first side surface 51. The second side surface 22 is a flat or smooth surface extending on the same line as the guiding line L2 described above but, may optionally have a curved surface 52a that is curbed at the opposite side of the convex surface 51b, thereby allowing the insertion bar 50 to more easily move in the inside of the slider 9. Optionally, the insertion bar 50 is provided, at its front end portion, with an engagement portion 55 that is engaged with the fastener element 4 positioned at the terminal end in the array of the plural fastener elements 4. The engagement portion 55 includes a portion that extends outward of fastener tape 6 and inserted into a space between the head and the base portion of the fastener element of engagement partner. In cases where the insertion bar 50 is made of plastic, the insertion bar 50 would have a complicate or precise shape as described above.

[0078] Description follows with reference to FIG. 7. The above-described stopping surface 16,17 of the box body 20 are formed to have a width less than a width W9 at the rear end portion of the slider 9. The stopping surface 16 of the box body 20 touches the top wing 91 of the slider 9 and the front end surface of the flange 28 thereof touches the rear end surface of the left flange 94 of the slider 9, but the box body 20 does not touch the right flange 95 of the slider 9. The stopping surface 17 of the box body 20 touches the bottom wing 92 of the slider 9 and the front end surface of the flange 29 thereof touches the rear end surface of the left flange 96 of the slider 9, but the box body 20 does not touch the right flange 97 of the slider 9. In this instance, it would be not possible to exclude a possibility that a force is applied unevenly from the slider 9 to the box body 20 with respect to the central line CL of the slider fastener 1. However, this would not be an outstanding problem as the stopping surfaces 16,17 are elongated sufficiently long in the left-right direction. Preferably, the length of the stopping surface 16,17 in the width direction of the fastener tape 3 is equal to or less than a width W9 of the rear end portion of the slider 9 in the same direction and is equal to or greater than 0.8 times the width W9.

[0079] In embodiments where the second side surface 22 is arranged collinear to the guiding line L2, the front end surface of the flange 28,29 does not touch the rear end surface of the left flange 94,96 of the slider 9 either. In this instance, the stopping surfaces 16,17 touch the top and bottom wings 91 and 92 of the slider 9 so that the box body 20 is prevented from moving into the rear mouth M1 of the slider 9. In order to disperse a force applied from the slider 9 to the box body 20, it may be possible to increase the respective thicknesses of the top and bottom plates 25 and 26 in the up-down direction to ensure increased thicknesses of the stopping surfaces 16,17 in the up-down direction. However, it may be more preferred that the top and bottom surfaces of the respective top and bottom plates 25 and 26 are substantially coplanar to the top surface of the top wing 91 and the bottom surface of the bottom wing 92 of the slider 9 respectively, thereby slimmer (neater) appearance of slide fastener 1 would be obtainable. Also, the fastener stringer 2,5 may be prevented from slanting during sewing due to the thickness of the box body 20, thereby preventing reduction in guiding capability. From the foregoing descriptions, it is preferred that the slider 9 touches the stopping surfaces 16,17 and the front end surfaces of the flanges 28,29 from viewpoints of slimmer appearance, maintenance of guiding capability and dispersion of force applied from the slider 9 to the box body 20.

[0080] We now refer to FIG. 5 for discussion, an edge between the top surface of the box body 20 and the second side surface 22 is chamfered, and the same applies to an edge between the bottom surface of the box body 20 and the second side surface 22. With respect to a manner of chamfering, a sloped angle of the chamfer between the top surface of the box body 20 and the second side surface 22 becomes greater as approaching to the second side surface 22; that is, the top surface of the box body 20 includes a gradual sloped surface directed to the second side surface 22. As a result, the flange 28,29 can maintain its width (thickness), in the entire up-down height, which matches the distance between the second inner surface 24 and the second side surface 22. Formation of the gradual sloped surface contributes to the slimmer appearance of the box body 20. In FIG. 5, an edge between the top surface of the box body 20 and the first side surface 21 and an edge between the bottom surface of the box body 20 and the first side surface 21 are similarly chamfered.

[0081] Generally describing, the above-described guiding surface 11 may include one or more first guide regions (e.g. the above-described flat surface 31a, 31c) formed on the box bar 30, and at least one second guide region (e.g. the above-described first side surface 21) formed on the box body 20. The second guide region is formed so as to form a same plane with the first guide region. Also, when the slider 9 is prevented from moving at its rearmost position by the box body 20, the guiding surface 11 may be substantially in a same plane as the inner wall surface S9 of the flange 94,96 of the top or bottom wing 91 and 92 of the slider 9 at the rear end portion thereof (see FIG. 7). The inner wall surface S9 of the flange 94,96 at the rear end portion extends parallel to and along the central line CL of the slide fastener 1.

[0082] With reference to FIGS. 8 to 12, a method of sewing the fastener stringer 2 and the fabric 101 based on operation of a sewing machine 900 will be described. As depicted in FIG. 8, a laminate in which the fastener tape 3 of the fastener stringer 2 is laid onto the fabric 101 is placed onto a needle plate 999 of the sewing machine 900. Load is applied appropriately from a presser foot 200 to the laminate, thus its displacement is suppressed. Advantageously, the presser foot 200 is set such that its bottom surface is in contact with the tape surface of the fastener tape of the fastener stringer (i.e. the presser foot 200 is not in contact with the fabric to which the fastener stringer is sewn). This ensures that, even in cases smaller size of fastener element 4 is employed, the presser foot 200 and the fastener element 4 would be reliably brought into contact.

[0083] As a feed dog 901 operates (e.g. box-like motion denoted by an arrow J2), the above-described laminate is fed intermittently to downstream of feed direction (see arrow J1). While the laminate is stationary, an upper needle 301 with an upper thread 401 passing through a needle hole thereof descends and penetrates the laminate. As the lower thread supply 302 (e.g. horizontal or vertical rotational hook) operates, the lower thread 402 supplied from it crosses the upper thread 401. As the upper needle 301 ascends, the lower thread 402 is entrained, and tension is applied to the both threads. As such, the fabric 101 and the fastener tape 3 are sewn by the sewing-machine thread (the upper thread 401 and the lower thread 402). Typically, the feeding time window for the laminate and the operating time window for the upper needle and the lower needle supply are set in complementary fashion but should not be limited to this, and the both windows may overlap partially.

[0084] While the fabric 101 and the fastener tape 3 are sewn as described in the foregoing by the sewing machine 900, a worker in charge of sewing normally assists the feeding of the fastener stringer 2 to the presser foot 200 (in more detail, to the point of the upper needle 301 moving in the up-down direction), and the fastener stringer 2 is fed toward the presser foot 200 in an appropriate orientation or at an appropriate angle. As understood from the foregoing descriptions, in the present embodiment, the plastic member 8a has the guiding surface 11 arranged collinear to the above-described first imaginary line G1. Accordingly, when the fastener stringer 2 and the fabric 101 are sewn by the sewing machine, the presser foot 200 can smoothly shift from a directly-contacting state with the fastener elements 4 to a directly-contacting state with the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a, and vice versa. As a result, the operational burden for sewing the fastener stringer 2 to the fabric 101 would be reduced, and further quality assurance of the stitches would be facilitated regardless of skill level of workers handling sewing process.

[0085] As seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the fastener stringer 2 is fed linearly based on the direct contact between the fastener elements 4 and the presser foot 200 in a time window in which the fastener stringer 2 and the fabric 101 are fed based on the operation of the sewing machine 900. Based on the operation of the sewing machine 900, the fastener tape 3 and the fabric 101 are sewn along the projected sewing line F2 that is parallel to the above-described guiding line L1, and the linear stitches F1 is formed.

[0086] As understood by comparing FIGS. 10 and 11, the fastener stringer 2 is fed linearly along the feed direction based on the direct contact between the presser foot 200 and the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a which is arranged collinear to the guiding line L1 after (or from a time point when) the plastic member 8a enters into the section R200 adjacent to the presser foot 200, the plastic member 8a being positioned at the upstream than the plurality of fastener elements 4 in the feed direction and being for preventing the slider 9 from falling off the fastener stringer 2. Even if linear feeding of the fastener stringer 2 toward the presser foot 200 is continued, the plastic member 8a does not collide with the presser foot 200, and therefore linear stitches F1 would be formed. In other words, there would be no burden of adjusting the orientation or angle of the fastener stringer 2 to avoid collision of the plastic member 8a with the presser foot 200. In particular, not only the collision of the presser foot 200 and the plastic member 8a is avoided, but also stable fed orientation of the fastener stringer 2 relative to the presser foot 200 would be kept based on the contact between the presser foot 200 and the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a. As a result of this, the stitches F1 would be formed linearly even in the section adjacent to the plastic member 8a.

[0087] At the instance shown in FIG. 10, the side surfaces 44 of two or more fastener elements 4 are in contact with the presser foot 200. Based on the operation of the sewing machine 900, stitches F1 is formed along the second imaginary line G2 (the projected sewing line F2) that is parallel to the first imaginary line G1 established by contact between the side surfaces 44 of the two or more fastener elements 4 and the presser foot 200.

[0088] In some cases, the presser foot 200 includes two pressing plates 201,202 each extending upstream in the feed direction parallel to the feed direction, and a connection portion 203 to which the pressing plates are coupled; and a motion point of the upper needle 301 in the up-down direction is set between the two pressing plates 201,202. The presser foot 200 touches the side surface 44 of the fastener element 4 in its one side surface 201a of the pressing plate 201. The one side surface 201a of the pressing plate 201 is a flat surface linearly extending parallel to the feed direction but should not be limited to this, and it may be a wave-like surface for example. Even in this case, the technical effect according to the present disclosure would be not be restricted. The shape of the presser foot 200 would not be limited to the one depicted.

[0089] At the instance shown in FIG. 11, the side surface 44 of the fastener element 4 and the flat surface 31a (i.e. a portion of the guiding surface 11) are in contact with the presser foot 200. The first side surface 31 of the box bar 30 is formed collinear to the guiding line L1 without forming any protrusion relative to the guiding line L1. Therefore, even when the box bar 30 enters into the section adjacent to the presser foot 200, both would not be interfered one another. Therefore, formation of the linear stitches F1 would be kept also in the section adjacent to the box bar 30.

[0090] At the instance shown in FIG. 12, the side surface 44 of the fastener element 4, the flat surface 31a, 31c of the box bar 30 (i.e. a portion of the guiding surface 11), the first side surface 21 of the box body 20 (i.e. the remainder of the guiding surface 11) are in contact with the presser foot 200. The first side surface 21 of the box body 20 is formed collinear to the guiding line L1 without any protrusion formed relative to the guiding line L1. Therefore, even when the box body 20 enters into the section adjacent to the presser foot 200, both would not be interfered one another. Therefore, the stitches F1 would be continued to be formed linearly also in the section adjacent to the box body 20.

[0091] As such the article 100 has the stitches F1 formed parallel to the first imaginary line G1 established by the direct contact between the two or more fastener elements 4 of the plural fastener elements 4 and the presser foot 200 of the sewing machine 900, and the stitches F1 is formed also parallel to the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a which is arranged collinear to the first imaginary line G1. In other words, the article 100 has the stitches F1 formed parallel to the guiding line L1 which is collinear to the side surfaces 44 of the plurality of fastener elements 4 in the front-rear direction when the slide fastener is viewed in elevation. The stitches F1 may be formed fully linearly without bending or curving or meandering in the entire length of the slide fastener 1. In particular, a technical problem of curving or meandering of stitches is overcome, which was caused in the section adjacent to the stop member for a purpose of avoiding collision of the presser foot with the stop member.

[0092] It would be possible to sew the left fastener stringer 5 to the fabric 102 in advance by using the sewing machine 900 as depicted in FIG. 13. The insertion bar 50 is not inserted into the box body 20 at this instance, and thus the presser foot 200 would not interfere with the left portion of the box body 20 even when the second side surface 22 of the box body 20 is positioned away from the central line CL than the guiding line L2. The insertion bar 50 has the flat or smooth surface, with an optional curved surface 52a, extending collinear to the guiding line L2. Therefore, the insertion bar 50 would not interfere with the presser foot 200 and if any, the degree would be small.

[0093] It would be possible to sew the right fastener stringer 2 to the fabric 101 while the left fastener stringer 5 is separated (see FIG. 14), unlike sewing the right fastener stringer 2 to the fabric 101 while the left fastener stringer 5 is coupled to the right fastener stringer 2. It would be possible to simultaneously sew the right fastener stringer 2 to the fabric 101 and sew the left fastener stringer 5 to the fabric 102 (see FIG. 15).

[0094] A stop member (i.e. a rear stop) provided in the slide fastener 1 should not be limited to the separable stop member 8 which is configured from combination of the plastic members 8a,8b , but may be a stop member 8′ which is not separable as depicted in FIG. 16. The non-separable stop member 8′ includes a first side surface 21′ as the above-described guiding surface 11, and thus technical effect similar to above would be obtained. Note that the separable stop member 8 has a thinner portion (e.g. the flange 28,29) compared with the non-separable stop member 8′, and the mechanical strength may possibly be lowered relatively. In order to compensate for this, the insertion bar 50 may be in contact with and held between the flange 28,29 and the box bar 30 as the insertion bar 50 is inserted into the box body 20 and the slider 9 is moved frontward to a position away from the box member 10 and the insertion bar 50, as appreciated from FIG. 6. This ensures sufficient mechanical strength of the stop member 8 in a condition the insertion bar 50 and the box member 10 are coupled. By using plastic to form the separable stop member 8, the insertion bar 50 and the box member 10 may be shaped precisely for the above-described object.

[0095] Fastener element 4,7 in the fastener stringer 2,5 may be provided not only as separated individual islands in the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2,5 but also as a continuous piece in which respective fastener elements 4,7 are continuously connected in the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2,5. In FIG. 17, fastener element is provided as a continuous piece with respective helical units 4′ of a helical monofilament in which engagement heads 43′ are formed at a given pitch. The helical unit 4′ has an upper leg 46 extending inwardly of fastener tape from a top end of an engagement head 43′ extending in the up-down direction; a lower leg (not depicted) extending inwardly of fastener tape from a bottom end of the engagement head 43′; and a return portion 47 interconnecting the upper leg 46 and the lower leg of adjacent helical units 4′. Contact between the presser foot 200 and the return portions 47 of adjacent helical units 4′ in the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2′,5′ establishes the guiding line L1′. The box member 10 of the stop member 8 includes a guiding surface 11 equivalent to the above-described one, and thus technical effect equivalent to the above-described one would be obtained.

[0096] Based on the above-described teachings, a skilled person in the art would be able to add various modifications to the respective embodiments and respective features. Reference codes in Claims are just for reference and should not be referred for the purpose of narrowly construing the scope of claims. By way of precaution, a fastener stringer to be sewn to a fabric may be sewn to the fabric (i) in a condition coupled to the other fastener stringer of pair or (ii) in a single stringer condition separated from the other fastener stringer of pair.

[0097] Transferring the fastener stringer 2 linearly based on direct contact between the presser foot 200 and two or more fastener elements 4 and transferring the fastener stringer 2 linearly based on direct contact between the presser foot 200 and the plastic member 8a may be performed in this order or in the reverse order.REFERENCE CODE1: Slide fastener

[0099] 2: Fastener stringer

[0100] 3: Fastener tape

[0101] 3c: Core thread

[0102] 4: Fastener element

[0103] 5: Fastener stringer

[0104] 6: Fastener tape

[0105] 6c: Core thread

[0106] 7: Fastener element

[0107] 8: Stop member

[0108] 9: Slider

[0109] 10: Box member

[0110] 11: Guiding surface

[0111] 20: Box body

[0112] 21: First side surface

[0113] 22: Second side surface

[0114] 50: Insertion bar

[0115] 100: Article

[0116] 101: Fabric

[0117] 102: Fabric

[0118] 200: Presser foot

[0119] 900: Sewing machine

[0120] C1: Central line

[0121] CL: Central line

[0122] D1: First distance

[0123] D2: Second distance

[0124] F1: Stitches

[0125] F2: Projected line for sewing

[0126] L1: Guiding line

[0127] L2: Guiding line

[0128] R200: Section

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0045]Hereinafter, various embodiments and features would be discussed with reference to drawings. A skilled person would be able to combine respective embodiments and / or respective features without requiring excess description, and would appreciate synergistic effects of such combinations. Overlapping description among the embodiments is basically omitted. Referenced drawings aim mainly for describing inventions and are simplified for the sake of convenience of drawing preparation. The respective features should be appreciated as universal features not only effective to a method, article and slide fastener presently disclosed but also effective to other various methods, articles and slide fasteners not disclosed in the present specification.

[0046]In the present specification, front-rear direction matches a direction a slider moves for opening and closing a slide fastener and a direction a slide fastener (alternatively a fastener stringer or a fastener tape) is elongated. Left-right...

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure concerns a method of sewing a fastener stringer to a fabric, particularly a method of sewing a fastener stringer to a fabric by using a sewing machine provided with a presser foot. Moreover, the present disclosure concerns an article and a slide fastener.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Patent literature 1 discloses feeding, on a sewing machine, fastener chain and fabric while maintaining direct contact between a presser foot and fastener elements adjacent to the presser foot, and sewing the fastener stringer and the fabric. Patent literature 2 indicates a technical problem of interference between a presser foot of sewing machine and a stop member of slide fastener (see para. 0002 thereof). For addressing this problem, Patent literature 2 discloses a dedicated structure of stop member which contributes to easier sewing of fastener stringer to fabric. Patent literature 3 describes that a stop member is narrowed in width in order to avoid interference with presser foot (see abstract thereof). Slide fasteners are disclosed in patent literatures 4-6, which do not investigate on sewing of fastener stringer to fabric though.CITATION LISTPatent literature

[0003] [PTL 1] Japanese Utility-model Application Laid-open No. 51-95459

[0004] [PTL 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-223820

[0005] [PTL 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-180413

[0006] [PTL 4] U.S. Pat. No. 2,438,615

[0007] [PTL 5] U.S. Pat. No. 2,546,649

[0008] [PTL 6] U.S. Pat. No. 2,600,905SUMMARYTechnical Problem

[0009] In cases where a stop member is made of plastic, it is common to form a stop member to have a wider width in order to obtain sufficient adhesion strength to a fastener tape (e.g. its core cord). In this instance, however, for a purpose of avoiding collision of the stop member with a presser foot, manually displacing a fastener stringer would be required when sewing to a fabric a fastener tape of the fastener stringer, causing not-negligible burden in terms of sewing operation; and moreover there is a possibility that quality of stitches be unstable due to difference in skill level of workers handling the sewing process (difference may be observed in a degree of curving or meandering of the stitches in a section adjacent to the stop member, for example).

[0010] In light of the above-described non-limiting exemplary technical problem, the present inventors have newly identified a technical problem of reducing operational burden of sewing to a fabric a fastener stringer having a plastic member for preventing a slider from falling, and further of facilitating quality assurance of stitches regardless of skill level of workers handling sewing process.

[0011] Method according to an aspect of the present disclosure is related to a method of sewing a fastener stringer to a fabric by using a sewing machine provided with a presser foot, the fastener stringer including a plurality of fastener elements secured, individually or as a continuous piece, to an elongated side edge portion of a fastener tape in an elongation direction of the fastener tape, and a plastic member located adjacent to a fastener element positioned at a terminal end among the plurality of fastener elements in the elongation direction of the fastener tape so as to prevent a slider from falling. The method includes: linearly feeding a fastener stringer based on direct contact between the presser foot and two or more fastener elements included in the plurality of fastener elements and positioned adjacent to the presser foot, a first imaginary line established by the direct contact between the presser foot and the two or more fastener elements; sewing the fastener tape to the fabric along a second imaginary line that is parallel to the first imaginary line; linearly feeding the fastener stringer based on direct contact between the plastic member and the presser foot, a third imaginary line established by the direct contact between the plastic member and the presser foot; and sewing the fastener tape to the fabric along a fourth imaginary line that is parallel to the third imaginary line. Said linearly feeding a fastener stringer based on direct contact between the presser foot and two or more fastener elements and said linearly feeding the fastener stringer based on direct contact between the plastic member and the presser foot are performed in this order or in a reverse order. The plastic member has a guiding surface with which the presser foot comes into contact such that the first and third imaginary lines extend collinearly so as to form one guiding line and the second and fourth imaginary lines extend collinearly so as to form one projected sewing line.

[0012] An article according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a slide fastener sewn to the article, the slide fastener comprising first and second fastener stringers and a slider that moves in front-rear direction so as to couple or decouple the first and second fastener stringers. The first fastener stringer includes a first fastener tape, a plurality of first fastener elements secured, individually or as a continuous piece, to an elongated side edge portion of the first fastener tape extending in the front-rear direction, and a plastic member located adjacent to a first fastener element positioned at a terminal end among the plurality of first fastener elements in the front-rear direction so as to prevent the slider from falling, respective first fastener element included in the plurality of first fastener element including a surface that faces inward of the first fastener tape and is included in a first imaginary line extending in the front-rear direction. The plastic member is a box member of a separable stop member.

[0013] The box member includes a box bar positioned adjacent to the fastener element at the terminal end and inserted into the slider and a box body having one or more stopping surfaces to which the box bar is coupled and by which the slider is prevented from moving. The article has a stitches formed in parallel to the first imaginary line and also formed parallel to a guiding surface of the plastic member which is arranged collinear to the first imaginary line.

[0014] Slide fastener according to still another aspect of the present disclosure includes first and second fastener stringers; and a slider that moves in front-rear direction so as to couple or decouple the first and second fastener stringers.

[0015] The first fastener stringer includes a first fastener tape, a plurality of first fastener elements secured, individually or as a continuous piece, to an elongated side edge portion of the first fastener tape extending in the front-rear direction, and a plastic member located adjacent to a first fastener element positioned at a terminal end among the plurality of first fastener elements in the front-rear direction so as to prevent the slider from falling, respective first fastener element included in the plurality of first fastener element including a surface that faces inward of the first fastener tape and is included in a first imaginary line extending in the front-rear direction. The plastic member is a box member of a separable stop member. The box member includes a box bar positioned adjacent to the fastener element at the terminal end and inserted into the slider, and a box body having one or more stopping surfaces to which the box bar is coupled and by which the slider is prevented from moving. The box member has a guiding surface arranged collinear to the first imaginary line.

[0016] In some implementations, the plastic member is a box member of a separable stop member, the box member including a box bar positioned adjacent to the fastener element positioned at the terminal end and inserted into the slider, and a box body having one or more stopping surfaces to which the box bar is coupled and by which the slider is prevented from moving, the guiding surface including one or more first guide regions on the box bar and at least one second guide region on the box body, and the at least one second guide region is formed coplanar with the one or more first guide regions.

[0017] In some implementations, the box bar has two flat surfaces arranged collinear to the guiding line, and a concave surface interposed between these two flat surfaces.

[0018] In some implementations, a length of the concave surface along the guiding line is greater than a total length of the two flat surfaces along the guiding line.

[0019] In some implementations, the box bar and an insertion bar inserted into an accommodation space of the box body have opposed surfaces shaped in complementary manner at least partially.

[0020] In some implementations, the side-edge portion of the fastener tape includes at least one core cord to which individual fastener elements of the plurality of fastener elements are adhered and the box body is adhered, the box body has a first side surface and a first inner surface between which the core cord is interposed, the first inner surface partially defining the accommodation space for the insertion bar, a minimum distance between a center of the core cord and the first side surface in a width direction of the fastener tape is lesser than a minimum distance between the center of the core cord and the first inner surface in the width direction of the fastener tape.

[0021] In some implementations, 1.2<(T / S)<1.6 is satisfied, S indicating the minimum distance between the center of the core cord and the first side surface, and T indicating the minimum distance between the center of the core cord and the In some implementations, the box body has a first side surface and a second side surface arranged opposite to the first side surface, the first side surface and the second side surface defining a width of the box body, (i) a central line positioned at a center of the width of the box body defined between the first side surface and the second side surface is shifted away from the fastener tape to a position where the central line does not cross the box bar and / or positioned away from the fastener tape than a central line of a slide fastener including the fastener stringer as a first fastener stringer; and / or (ii) the first side surface is positioned away from a central line of a slide fastener including the fastener stringer as a first fastener stringer by a first distance, the second side surface is positioned away from the central line of the slide fastener by a second distance, the first distance being lesser than the second distance. In some cases where (ii) is satisfied, 1.1<(D2 / D1)<1.5 is satisfied, D1 indicating the first distance, and D2 indicating the second distance.

[0022] In some implementations, the guiding surface is included in a sloped surface sloped outward of fastener tape as being away from the tape surface of the fastener tape.

[0023] In some implementations, the guiding surface is substantially in a same plane as an inner wall surface of flange of top or bottom wing of slider at its rear end portion when the slider is prevented from moving at its rearmost position by the box body.

[0024] In some implementations, the box body is shaped not to come into contact with one of the left and right flanges of top and bottom wings of slider.

[0025] In some implementations, the presser foot is set in the sewing machine such that a bottom surface thereof is in contact with a tape surface of fastener tape of fastener stringer.

[0026] In some implementations, the fastener stringer is sewn to a fabric in a condition coupled to another fastener stringer.Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0027] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, it may be facilitate that operational burden of sewing, to a fabric, a fastener stringer having a plastic member for preventing slider from falling is reduced, and further quality assurance of stitches is facilitated regardless of skill level of workers handling sewing process.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 is an elevational partial schematic view of inside of article (e.g. garment) according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a slide fastener being sewn to an open site of the article and being openable and closeable. In FIG. 1, arrow F indicates frontward, arrow Re indicates rearward, arrow L indicates leftward, and arrow R indicates rightward. Guiding lines L1, L2 are set at the both left and right sides of a central line CL of the slide fastener. The guiding line L1 does not cross the stop member, and the guiding line L2 crosses the stop member.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of slider.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of slider taken along a broken line III-III in FIG. 2.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of right-side fastener stringer.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of slide fastener taken along a broken line V-V in FIG. 1.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of slide fastener taken along a broken line VI-VI in FIG. 5.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process in which an insertion bar is inserted, via a slider, into an accommodation space of box body of box member.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating that a sewing machine operates to intermittently feed a fabric and a fastener stringer in a feed direction and both of which are sewn by sewing-machine thread (upper and lower threads).

[0036] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a positional relationship of a presser foot, fastener elements and a box member.

[0037] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating that a fastener stringer and a fabric are sewn based on the operation of the sewing machine.

[0038] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating that the fastener stringer and the fabric are sewn based on the operation of the sewing machine.

[0039] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating that the fastener stringer and the fabric are sewn based on the operation of the sewing machine.

[0040] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating that a left-side fastener stringer decoupled from a right-side fastener stringer is sewn to a fabric.

[0041] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating that a right-side fastener stringer in a condition of single stringer decoupled from a left-side fastener stringer is sewn to a fabric.

[0042] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating that left and right fastener stringers are sewn to a fabric in a same sewing process by a same sewing machine.

[0043] FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating a variation of stop member.

[0044] FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating a variation of fastener element.DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0045] Hereinafter, various embodiments and features would be discussed with reference to drawings. A skilled person would be able to combine respective embodiments and / or respective features without requiring excess description, and would appreciate synergistic effects of such combinations. Overlapping description among the embodiments is basically omitted. Referenced drawings aim mainly for describing inventions and are simplified for the sake of convenience of drawing preparation. The respective features should be appreciated as universal features not only effective to a method, article and slide fastener presently disclosed but also effective to other various methods, articles and slide fasteners not disclosed in the present specification.

[0046] In the present specification, front-rear direction matches a direction a slider moves for opening and closing a slide fastener and a direction a slide fastener (alternatively a fastener stringer or a fastener tape) is elongated. Left-right direction is a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction, and matches a width direction of a slide fastener (alternatively a fastener stringer or a fastener tape). Up-down direction is a direction orthogonal to the front-rear and left-right directions, and matches a thickness direction of a fastener tape. Normally, when a fastener stringer is set on a sewing machine, the front-rear direction matches a feeding direction of the fastener stringer, and the up-down direction matches a vertical direction (a direction of gravity), but should not be limited to this.

[0047] As depicted in FIG. 1, the article 100 includes a fabric 101, a fabric 102, and a slide fastener 1; and an opening between the fabrics 101 and 102 is closeable by the slide fastener 1. In detail, left and right fastener stringers 2,5 of the slide fastener 1 are sewn to the fabrics 101,102. As the slider 9 moves rearward, the left and right fastener stringers 2,5 are decoupled to form an opening between the fabrics 101 and 102. As the slider 9 moves frontward, the left and right fastener stringers 2,5 are coupled to close the opening between the fabrics 101 and 102. The fabrics 101,102 may, for example, be halves of a front of the article such as a jacket, hoodie or the like, but should not be limited to this.

[0048] The fabrics 101,102 may be different portions of a same fabric or may be separate fabrics. The left and right fastener stringers 2,5 of the slide fastener 1 are fully separable one another, but should not be limited to this.

[0049] The slide fastener 1 has a pair of left and right fastener stringers 2,5, and a slider 9 for coupling and decoupling the stringers 2,5. Each fastener stringer 2,5 has a fastener tape 3,6; a plurality of fastener elements 4,7 secured, individually or as a continuous piece, to an elongated side edge portion of the first fastener tape 3,6; and a plastic member 8a,8b that is located adjacent to a fastener element 4,7 positioned at a terminal end among the plurality of first fastener elements 4,7 and that prevents the slider 9 from falling off the fastener stringer 2,5. The fastener tape 3,6 is a woven fabric or knitted fabric or mixture thereof. The fastener elements 4,7 are made of plastic or metal. The fastener elements 4,7 are provided as separated individual islands in the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2,5 in FIG. 1 but should not be limited to this, and they may be provided as a continuous piece each element corresponding to a respective helical unit of a helical monofilament in which engagement heads are formed at a given pitch (see FIG. 17). In FIG. 1, the plastic member 8a is a box member of a separable stop member 8, and the plastic member 8b is an insertion bar of the separable stop member 8, but should not be limited to this. The separable stop member 8 is used for fully separating the pair of left and right fastener stringers 2,5 one another, and indicates that the box member and the insertion bar are separable wherein the plastic member 8a is provided as a box member on the fastener stringer 2 of one of the pair and the insertion bar is provided as the plastic member 8b on the fastener stringer 5 of the other one of the pair. Such stop member 8 may be referred to as a separable insertion-fit member or separable member. Embodiment is envisaged, as another example, where the plastic members 8a,8b are provided as an integrated part of stop member 8′ produced through a single step of injection molding (See FIG. 16). In this case, it may be formed as an integrated box where the plastic member 8a and the plastic member 8b are not distinguishably observable. Such stop member 8′ is a stop member that is used in articles in which the pair of left and right fastener stringers 2,5 are not fully separated one another, and is not the above-described separable insertion-fit member nor separable member.

[0050] Typically, the fastener tape 3,6 includes a warp knitted structure and is provided with a core cord at a side-edge portion of the fastener tape 3,6. Arrangement of the core cord on the side-edge portion of the fastener tape 3,6 allows enhanced adhesion strength of the fastener element 4,7 to the fastener tape 3,6, suppressing the fastener element 4,7 from falling off the fastener tape 3,6. The core cord may be a portion in which cores are enclosed in a hollow weave of warp knitted structure, but should not be limited to this. Note that, in a case where a helical monofilament shown in FIG. 17 is used as the fastener elements 4,7, a core cord may be provided on a side-edge portion of the fastener tape 3,6 together with the fastener element 4,7 while the core cord is inserted through the inside of the helical monofilament.

[0051] Description follows with reference to FIGS. 1 and 10. With respect to the right-side fastener stringer 2, a first imaginary line G1 (see FIG. 10) is established by direct contact between two or more fastener elements 4 and a presser foot 200.

[0052] A third imaginary line G3 (see FIG. 10) is established by direct contact between the plastic member 8a and the presser foot 200. The first and third imaginary lines G1,G3 extend collinearly so as to form one (common) guiding line L1 (see FIGS. 1 and 10). Note that, the fastener tape 3 and the fabric 101 would be sewn along a second imaginary line G2 (see FIG. 10) that is parallel to the first imaginary line G1. The fastener tape 3 and the fabric 101 would be sewn along a fourth imaginary line G4 (see FIG. 10) that is parallel to the third imaginary line G3. The second and fourth imaginary lines G2,G4 extend collinearly so as to form one (common) projected sewing line F2 (see FIG. 10) and after the process of sewing, stitches F1 is formed on the same line as the projected sewing line F2 (see FIGS. 1 and 10).

[0053] In the present embodiment, the plastic member 8a has a guiding surface 11 with which the presser foot 200 comes into contact such that the first and third imaginary lines G1,G3 extend collinearly so as to form one (common) guiding line L1 and the second and fourth imaginary lines G2,G4 extend collinearly so as to form one (common) projected sewing line F2. Accordingly, it may be facilitated that the operational burden for sewing, to the fabric, the fastener stringer having the plastic member for preventing slider from falling may be reduced, and further quality assurance of the stitches may be facilitated regardless of skill level of workers handling sewing process. Regarding the sewing, there is no limitation whether the presser foot 200 may firstly be located adjacent to the fastener elements 4 to form the first imaginary line G1 followed by coming into contact with the plastic member 8a to form the third imaginary line G3 or vice versa.

[0054] The same feature would be applicable to the left fastener stringer 5 which is decoupled from the right fastener stringer 2. A 5th imaginary line (not depicted) is established by direct contact between two or more fastener elements 7 and the presser foot 200. A 7th imaginary line (not depicted) is established by direct contact between the plastic member 8b and the presser foot 200. The 5th and 7th imaginary lines extend collinearly so as to form one (common) guiding line L2 (see FIGS. 1 and 10). Note that the fastener tape 6 and the fabric 102 would be sewn along a 6th imaginary line (not depicted) that is parallel to the 5th imaginary line. The fastener tape 6 and the fabric 102 would be sewn along a 8th imaginary line (not depicted) that is parallel to the 7th imaginary line (not depicted). The 6th and 8th imaginary lines extend collinearly so as to form one (common) projected sewing line and after the process of sewing, stitches is formed on the same line as the projected sewing line.

[0055] It is understandable that the first imaginary line G1 is on the same line as the side surfaces 44 of the fastener elements 4 in the front-read direction when the slide fastener 1 is viewed in elevation (see FIG. 1). Precise position of the first imaginary line G1 may slightly vary dependent on a slant angle of the side surface 44 of the fastener element 4, a surface shape or slant angle of a side surface of the presser foot 200, which is opposed to and comes into contact with the fastener element 4, and the like; but this does not pose any contradiction to the above-described feature. Typically, the side surface 44 of the fastener element 4 has a face or partial face facing inward of the fastener tape 3, and the faces are arranged on the one (common) first imaginary line G1 extending in the front-rear direction. The faces or the partial faces of the respective fastener tapes 3 included in the first imaginary line G1 may be at the same height from a placement surface (e.g. a top surface) of the fastener tape 3 on which the presser foot 200 is placed. Note that, the first imaginary line G1 is also parallel to the central line CL of the slide fastener 1 and the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2. The central line CL is a line running at the center in the width direction of the coupled left and right fastener stringers 2,5 of the pair of left and right fastener stringers 2,5.

[0056] Each fastener element 4 extends outward of fastener tape 3 across the side-edge portion (which may be referred to as a side-edge) of the fastener tape 3 which is opposed to the fastener tape 6. Each fastener element 4 has a side surface 44 facing inward of fastener tape 3, and these surfaces are included in the first imaginary line G1 extending in the front-rear direction. A number of side surfaces 44 of the fastener elements 4 are arranged on a same line. Likewise, each fastener element 7 extends outward of fastener tape 6 across the side-edge portion (which may be referred to as a side-edge) of the fastener tape 6 which is opposed to the fastener tape 3. Each fastener element 7 has a side surface 74 facing inward of fastener tape 6, and a number of side surfaces 74 of the fastener elements 7 are arranged on a same line.

[0057] The fastener element 4,7 may be a plastic member having a constricted shape and including a base portion 41,71 adhered to the fastener tape 3,6 (particularly to its core cord), a neck 42,72, and an engagement head 43,73. However, the shape should not be limited to one depicted in FIG. 1 but it could be a V-like shape for example. Width direction of the fastener element 4,7 matches the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2,5. The neck 42,72 has a minimum width in the fastener element 4,7. The base portion 41,71 is located within the tape surface of the fastener tape 3,6. The neck 42,72 and the engagement head 43,73 are located at outside of the tape surface of the fastener tape 3,6. The tape surface of the fastener tape 3,6 may be a tape top surface or bottom surface Protrusions protruding from the base portion 41,71 may be formed at the both sides of the neck 42,72 of the fastener element 4,7. Correspondingly, the end surface of the engagement head 43,73 may be provided with a groove formed to extend in the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2,5. The protrusions of fastener elements of engagement partners are received in the groove, thus restricting up-down displacement of the left and right fastener elements 4,7.

[0058] FIGS. 2 and 3 depict a non-limiting exemplary slider 9. The slider 9 moves on the central line CL of the slide fastener 1. Typically, the slider 9 includes a top wing 91, a bottom wing 92, and a coupling pillar 93 that interconnects the top and bottom wings 91 and 92 at their front end portions, thus defining a Y-shaped element passage. The element passage has one rear mouth M1 for coupled elements in which the fastener elements 4 and 7 are alternately engaged, and two front mouths M2,M3 arranged at the both sides of the coupling pillar 93 through which the fastener elements 4 and the fastener elements 7 pass respectively.

[0059] The slider 9 may have upper flange 94,95 protruding downward from the left and right side-edge portion of the top wing 91 and / or lower flanges 96,97 protruding upward from the left and right side-edge portions of the bottom wing 92, thereby the fastener elements 4,7 are restricted from moving in the left-right direction in the Y-shaped passage. The upper and lower flanges 95,97 at the right side of the slider 9 define a slit to which the fastener tape 3 is inserted. The upper and lower flanges 94,96 at the left side of the slider 9 define a slit to which the fastener tape 6 is inserted. The slider 9 may optionally include a pull attachment portion 98 and a pull 99 attached thereto.

[0060] Again, the plastic member 8a (e.g. a box member 10 described hereinafter) has the guiding surface 11 arranged collinear to the above-described guiding line L1. Accordingly, when the fastener stringer 2 is sewn to the fabric 101 by the sewing machine, the presser foot can smoothly shift from a directly-contacting state with the fastener elements 4 to a directly-contacting state with the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a, and vice versa. As a result, the operational burden for sewing would be reduced, and further quality assurance of the stitches would be facilitated regardless of skill level of workers handling sewing process. In particular, not only a burden in avoiding the interference between the plastic member 8a and the presser foot is avoided, but also the fastener stringer 2 is properly aligned to the presser foot owing to the direct contact between the presser foot and the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a, resulting in that the stitches is formed linearly across both sections adjacent to the fastener elements 4 and adjacent to the plastic member 8a. Education and material cost or the like would be eased which may be required for enhanced skill level of workers handling sewing process. By way of precaution, there is no change in alignment state of the fastener stringer 2 relative to the presser foot even when the plastic member 8a starts to enter into the section R200 adjacent to the presser foot, and vice versa. Also, the guiding surface 11 may include a flat or smooth surface extending collinear as the guiding line L1.

[0061] The above-described feature may be described as follows. That is, the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a provides an extension line which is on an extended line of the first imaginary line G1 described above. The stitches F1 is formed parallel to the extension line based on the contact between the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a and the presser foot.

[0062] Conventionally, when a fastener stringer is sewn to a fabric in such a manner that a width W3a (see FIG. 1) of fastener tape exposed at an external side of article is set narrower (e.g. the exposure width W3a of fastener tape is in a range between 0 mm and 1.5 mm), the plastic member 8a would be an obstacle, making it difficult for sewing the fastener stringer 2. Even in such a case, the stitches would be formed linearly according to the above-described feature. Note that in cases where plastic-made individual fastener elements 4 are provided, the side surfaces 44 of the respective fastener elements 4 and the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a are arranged on a same line (as depicted in FIG. 1), allowing slimmer appearance of the slide fastener 1 either. In conjunction with the linearity of the stitches F1 on the article 100 to which the slide fastener 1 is sewn, much smarter (neater) appearance would be obtainable.

[0063] In some embodiments, the guiding surface 11 is included in a sloped surface that slants outward of fastener tape 3 as being upward away from the tape surface of the fastener tape 3. This sloped surface may cross a line normal to the tape surface of the fastener tape 3 by an angle equal to 3° or less (See angle θ in FIG. 5), for example. This may mitigate a drag against the feeding of the fastener stringer 2 which is effected by the contact between the presser foot and the guiding surface 11. Note that the sloped surface may include a first guide region and second guide region described hereinafter.

[0064] Further description follows with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7 mainly. The plastic member 8a may be a box member 10 of the separable stop member 8, and the plastic member 8b may be an insertion bar 50 of the separable stop member 8.

[0065] The box member 10 includes a box bar 30 positioned adjacent to the fastener element 4 at the terminal end in the array of the plural fastener elements 4 and inserted into the slider 9, and a box body 20 having one or more stopping surfaces 16,17 to which the box bar 30 is coupled and by which the slider 9 is prevented from moving. The thickness of the box bar 30 may be equal to or less than, e.g. approximately half of the thickness of the box body 20. The box body 20 is shaped not to come into contact with the top wing 91, the bottom wing 92, and one of the left and right flanges of the slider 9, as would be apparent from the following descriptions.

[0066] The box body 20 has a first side surface 21 arranged collinear to the above-described guiding line L1 (and / or the first imaginary line G1) and a second side surface 22 arranged opposite to the first side surface 21, which together defining a width W20 of the box body 20. Note that, the first side surface 21 is a surface arranged collinear to the above-described guiding line L1 (and / or the first imaginary line G1), and matches or includes the above-described guiding surface 11. The first side surface 21 is a flat or smooth surface and does not have any protrusion protruding rightward so as to cross the guiding line L1.

[0067] In some cases, the width of the box body 20 is set asymmetry with respect to the central line CL of the slide fastener 1. In this regard, the central line C1 positioned at the center in the width of the box body 20 defined by the first and second side surfaces 21 and 22 may be shifted away from the fastener tape 3 to a position where the central line C1 does not cross the box bar 30 and / or positioned away from the fastener tape 3 than the central line CL of the slide fastener 1. Additionally or alternatively, the first side surface 21 may be positioned away from the central line CL of the slide fastener by a first distance D1, and the second side surface 22 may be positioned away from the central line CL of the slide fastener by a second distance D2, the first distance D1 being lesser than the second distance D2, preferably satisfying 1.1<(D2 / D1)<1.5.

[0068] Position of the guiding surface 11 in the box body 20 may be optimized by satisfying any one or all of the above-described conditions. Additionally or alternatively, a desired mechanical strength of the box body 20 is ensured.

[0069] The box body 20 is shaped to receive the insertion bar 50 and typically includes, as depicted in FIG. 5, a top plate 25, a bottom plate 26, and a connection portion 27 that interconnects the top plate 25 and the bottom plate 26. The top plate 25 has a stopping surface 16 for stopping the slider 9, and the bottom plate 26 has a stopping surface 17 for stopping the slider 9 (see FIG. 4). The top plate 25 has a flange 28 protruding downward from a terminal portion of the top plate 25 located away from the connection portion 27. The bottom plate 26 has a flange 29 protruding upward from a terminal portion of the bottom plate 26 located away from the connection portion 27. The top plate 25, the bottom plate 26, the connection portion 27, and the flanges 28,29 define the accommodation space for the insertion bar 50. Note that a slit is formed between the upper and lower flanges 28,29 which allows insertion of the fastener tape 6 to which the insertion bar 50 adheres.

[0070] The box body 20 includes a first inner surface 23 and a second inner surface 24, each of which partially defining the accommodation space for the insertion bar 50. The core cord 3c is interposed between the first inner surface 23 and the first side surface 21. In the width direction of the fastener tape 3, the minimum distance S between the center of the core cord 3c and the first side surface 21 is lesser than the minimum distance T between the center of the core cord 3c and the first inner surface 23, preferably satisfying 1.2<(T / S)<1.6. This would ensure sufficient adhesion strength of the box body 20 to the core cord 3c.

[0071] The first inner surface 23 extends along the central line CL of the slide fastener 1. The second inner surface 24 extends along the above-described guiding line L2. The second side surface 22 is positioned outward of fastener tape 3 than the guiding line L2. This ensures appropriate dimension of the insertion bar 50 and requisite mechanical strength of the box body 20. Note that, as the second side surface 22 is positioned away from the central line CL than the guiding line L2 (in other words, as the guiding line L2 crosses the box body 20), the presser foot may possibly collide with a left portion of the box body 20. It may be possible to cope with this issue by elaborating a manner of sewing of the left fastener stringer 5 to the fabric 102 (e.g. see FIG. 13). This may alternatively coped by way of thinning the insertion bar 50 and the flange 29 such that the second side surface 22 is arranged collinear to the guiding line L2. In this instance, a reinforcing portion may be formed at the side of the second inner surface 24 of the flange 29 (at the side of the accommodation space) to ensure

[0072] The flange 28,29 may include an elongated protrusion (see the numeral 29a in FIG. 6) having a width that is equal to the distance between the second inner surface 24 and the second side surface 22, and a stopping wall (see the numeral 29b in FIG. 6) located rearward of the elongated protrusion to prevent the insertion bar 50 from moving rearward. The insertion bar 50 is inserted into the accommodation space between the elongated protrusion of the flange 28,29 and the connection portion 27. Dust having entered into the above-described accommodation space may be dischargeable via a space between the stopping wall of the flange 28,29 and the connection portion 27.

[0073] The box bar 30 has a first side surface 31 at the same side as the first side surface 21 of the box body 20, and has a second side surface 32 at the same side as the second side surface 22 of the box body 20. The first side surface 31 includes flat surfaces 31a, 31c extending along the above-described guiding line L1 and arranged collinear to the guiding line L1. It is of course possible that the entirety of the first side surface 31 extends on the same line as the above-described guiding line L1. A concave surface 31b is formed between the above-described flat surfaces 31a,31c, allowing the presser foot to maintain a contact condition equivalent to preceding contact condition with the side surfaces 44 of the fastener elements 4. Advantageously, the length of the concave surface 31b along the guiding line L1 is greater than the total length of the flat surfaces 31a,31c along the guiding line L1, suppressing sudden change in contact drag. Typically, the flat surface 31a is lesser in length than the length of the side surface 44 of one fastener element 4 along the guiding line L1.

[0074] When the first side surface 21 of the box body 20 enters into the section R200 adjacent to the presser foot 200, contact drag between the presser foot 200 and the fastener stringer 2 (contact drag between the presser foot 200 and the fastener element 4+contact drag between the presser foot 200 and the box member 10) would be increased proportional to the length of the first side surface 21. This may, in contrast, be a tactile signal of proximate terminus position of sewing to the workers in charge of sewing.

[0075] The second side surface 32 includes a convex surface 32a with which the central line CL of the slide fastener 1 intersects, and a concave surface 32b that is recessed from the central line CL of the slide fastener 1. The side surface of the insertion bar 50 opposing the second side surface 32 of the box bar 30 is shaped complementary so as to have concave surface 51a and convex surface 51b, facilitating sufficient engagement of the box bar 30 and the insertion bar 50 and for example, impeding the insertion bar 50 from moving frontward or rearward relative to the box bar 30. As such, the opposed surfaces of the insertion bar 50 and the box bar 30 are advantageously shaped in complementary manner at least partially.

[0076] In cases where the box member 10 (naturally the box bar 30) is made of plastic, the box bar 30 would have a complicate or precise shape as described above. In some cases, the box body 20 and the box bar 30 are produced through single shot of injection molding and / or are integrally coupled so as to be not separable unless destroyed. Preferably, only one gate mark is formed on the surface of the box member 10. This one gate mark indicates that the box body 20 and the box bar 30 were molded in a same molding cavity at the time of injection molding. The box body 20 and the box bar 30 are not molded separately and not combined but are molded integrally, ensuring sufficient mechanical strength of the box member 10 even when the guiding surface 11 is formed on the box body 20.

[0077] The insertion bar 50 is located adjacent to the fastener element 7 positioned at the terminal end in the array of the plurality of fastener elements 7, and is adhered to the core cord 6c of the fastener tape 6. The insertion bar 50 is elongated in the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 5, and is inserted into the accommodation space of the box body 20 via the slider 9. The insertion bar 50 has a first side surface 51 at the side of the box body 20, and a second side surface 52 opposite to the first side surface 51. As discussed above, the concave surface 51a and the convex surface 51b are formed in the first side surface 51. The second side surface 22 is a flat or smooth surface extending on the same line as the guiding line L2 described above but, may optionally have a curved surface 52a that is curbed at the opposite side of the convex surface 51b, thereby allowing the insertion bar 50 to more easily move in the inside of the slider 9. Optionally, the insertion bar 50 is provided, at its front end portion, with an engagement portion 55 that is engaged with the fastener element 4 positioned at the terminal end in the array of the plural fastener elements 4. The engagement portion 55 includes a portion that extends outward of fastener tape 6 and inserted into a space between the head and the base portion of the fastener element of engagement partner. In cases where the insertion bar 50 is made of plastic, the insertion bar 50 would have a complicate or precise shape as described above.

[0078] Description follows with reference to FIG. 7. The above-described stopping surface 16,17 of the box body 20 are formed to have a width less than a width W9 at the rear end portion of the slider 9. The stopping surface 16 of the box body 20 touches the top wing 91 of the slider 9 and the front end surface of the flange 28 thereof touches the rear end surface of the left flange 94 of the slider 9, but the box body 20 does not touch the right flange 95 of the slider 9. The stopping surface 17 of the box body 20 touches the bottom wing 92 of the slider 9 and the front end surface of the flange 29 thereof touches the rear end surface of the left flange 96 of the slider 9, but the box body 20 does not touch the right flange 97 of the slider 9. In this instance, it would be not possible to exclude a possibility that a force is applied unevenly from the slider 9 to the box body 20 with respect to the central line CL of the slider fastener 1. However, this would not be an outstanding problem as the stopping surfaces 16,17 are elongated sufficiently long in the left-right direction. Preferably, the length of the stopping surface 16,17 in the width direction of the fastener tape 3 is equal to or less than a width W9 of the rear end portion of the slider 9 in the same direction and is equal to or greater than 0.8 times the width W9.

[0079] In embodiments where the second side surface 22 is arranged collinear to the guiding line L2, the front end surface of the flange 28,29 does not touch the rear end surface of the left flange 94,96 of the slider 9 either. In this instance, the stopping surfaces 16,17 touch the top and bottom wings 91 and 92 of the slider 9 so that the box body 20 is prevented from moving into the rear mouth M1 of the slider 9. In order to disperse a force applied from the slider 9 to the box body 20, it may be possible to increase the respective thicknesses of the top and bottom plates 25 and 26 in the up-down direction to ensure increased thicknesses of the stopping surfaces 16,17 in the up-down direction. However, it may be more preferred that the top and bottom surfaces of the respective top and bottom plates 25 and 26 are substantially coplanar to the top surface of the top wing 91 and the bottom surface of the bottom wing 92 of the slider 9 respectively, thereby slimmer (neater) appearance of slide fastener 1 would be obtainable. Also, the fastener stringer 2,5 may be prevented from slanting during sewing due to the thickness of the box body 20, thereby preventing reduction in guiding capability. From the foregoing descriptions, it is preferred that the slider 9 touches the stopping surfaces 16,17 and the front end surfaces of the flanges 28,29 from viewpoints of slimmer appearance, maintenance of guiding capability and dispersion of force applied from the slider 9 to the box body 20.

[0080] We now refer to FIG. 5 for discussion, an edge between the top surface of the box body 20 and the second side surface 22 is chamfered, and the same applies to an edge between the bottom surface of the box body 20 and the second side surface 22. With respect to a manner of chamfering, a sloped angle of the chamfer between the top surface of the box body 20 and the second side surface 22 becomes greater as approaching to the second side surface 22; that is, the top surface of the box body 20 includes a gradual sloped surface directed to the second side surface 22. As a result, the flange 28,29 can maintain its width (thickness), in the entire up-down height, which matches the distance between the second inner surface 24 and the second side surface 22. Formation of the gradual sloped surface contributes to the slimmer appearance of the box body 20. In FIG. 5, an edge between the top surface of the box body 20 and the first side surface 21 and an edge between the bottom surface of the box body 20 and the first side surface 21 are similarly chamfered.

[0081] Generally describing, the above-described guiding surface 11 may include one or more first guide regions (e.g. the above-described flat surface 31a, 31c) formed on the box bar 30, and at least one second guide region (e.g. the above-described first side surface 21) formed on the box body 20. The second guide region is formed so as to form a same plane with the first guide region. Also, when the slider 9 is prevented from moving at its rearmost position by the box body 20, the guiding surface 11 may be substantially in a same plane as the inner wall surface S9 of the flange 94,96 of the top or bottom wing 91 and 92 of the slider 9 at the rear end portion thereof (see FIG. 7). The inner wall surface S9 of the flange 94,96 at the rear end portion extends parallel to and along the central line CL of the slide fastener 1.

[0082] With reference to FIGS. 8 to 12, a method of sewing the fastener stringer 2 and the fabric 101 based on operation of a sewing machine 900 will be described. As depicted in FIG. 8, a laminate in which the fastener tape 3 of the fastener stringer 2 is laid onto the fabric 101 is placed onto a needle plate 999 of the sewing machine 900. Load is applied appropriately from a presser foot 200 to the laminate, thus its displacement is suppressed. Advantageously, the presser foot 200 is set such that its bottom surface is in contact with the tape surface of the fastener tape of the fastener stringer (i.e. the presser foot 200 is not in contact with the fabric to which the fastener stringer is sewn). This ensures that, even in cases smaller size of fastener element 4 is employed, the presser foot 200 and the fastener element 4 would be reliably brought into contact.

[0083] As a feed dog 901 operates (e.g. box-like motion denoted by an arrow J2), the above-described laminate is fed intermittently to downstream of feed direction (see arrow J1). While the laminate is stationary, an upper needle 301 with an upper thread 401 passing through a needle hole thereof descends and penetrates the laminate. As the lower thread supply 302 (e.g. horizontal or vertical rotational hook) operates, the lower thread 402 supplied from it crosses the upper thread 401. As the upper needle 301 ascends, the lower thread 402 is entrained, and tension is applied to the both threads. As such, the fabric 101 and the fastener tape 3 are sewn by the sewing-machine thread (the upper thread 401 and the lower thread 402). Typically, the feeding time window for the laminate and the operating time window for the upper needle and the lower needle supply are set in complementary fashion but should not be limited to this, and the both windows may overlap partially.

[0084] While the fabric 101 and the fastener tape 3 are sewn as described in the foregoing by the sewing machine 900, a worker in charge of sewing normally assists the feeding of the fastener stringer 2 to the presser foot 200 (in more detail, to the point of the upper needle 301 moving in the up-down direction), and the fastener stringer 2 is fed toward the presser foot 200 in an appropriate orientation or at an appropriate angle. As understood from the foregoing descriptions, in the present embodiment, the plastic member 8a has the guiding surface 11 arranged collinear to the above-described first imaginary line G1. Accordingly, when the fastener stringer 2 and the fabric 101 are sewn by the sewing machine, the presser foot 200 can smoothly shift from a directly-contacting state with the fastener elements 4 to a directly-contacting state with the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a, and vice versa. As a result, the operational burden for sewing the fastener stringer 2 to the fabric 101 would be reduced, and further quality assurance of the stitches would be facilitated regardless of skill level of workers handling sewing process.

[0085] As seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the fastener stringer 2 is fed linearly based on the direct contact between the fastener elements 4 and the presser foot 200 in a time window in which the fastener stringer 2 and the fabric 101 are fed based on the operation of the sewing machine 900. Based on the operation of the sewing machine 900, the fastener tape 3 and the fabric 101 are sewn along the projected sewing line F2 that is parallel to the above-described guiding line L1, and the linear stitches F1 is formed.

[0086] As understood by comparing FIGS. 10 and 11, the fastener stringer 2 is fed linearly along the feed direction based on the direct contact between the presser foot 200 and the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a which is arranged collinear to the guiding line L1 after (or from a time point when) the plastic member 8a enters into the section R200 adjacent to the presser foot 200, the plastic member 8a being positioned at the upstream than the plurality of fastener elements 4 in the feed direction and being for preventing the slider 9 from falling off the fastener stringer 2. Even if linear feeding of the fastener stringer 2 toward the presser foot 200 is continued, the plastic member 8a does not collide with the presser foot 200, and therefore linear stitches F1 would be formed. In other words, there would be no burden of adjusting the orientation or angle of the fastener stringer 2 to avoid collision of the plastic member 8a with the presser foot 200. In particular, not only the collision of the presser foot 200 and the plastic member 8a is avoided, but also stable fed orientation of the fastener stringer 2 relative to the presser foot 200 would be kept based on the contact between the presser foot 200 and the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a. As a result of this, the stitches F1 would be formed linearly even in the section adjacent to the plastic member 8a.

[0087] At the instance shown in FIG. 10, the side surfaces 44 of two or more fastener elements 4 are in contact with the presser foot 200. Based on the operation of the sewing machine 900, stitches F1 is formed along the second imaginary line G2 (the projected sewing line F2) that is parallel to the first imaginary line G1 established by contact between the side surfaces 44 of the two or more fastener elements 4 and the presser foot 200.

[0088] In some cases, the presser foot 200 includes two pressing plates 201,202 each extending upstream in the feed direction parallel to the feed direction, and a connection portion 203 to which the pressing plates are coupled; and a motion point of the upper needle 301 in the up-down direction is set between the two pressing plates 201,202. The presser foot 200 touches the side surface 44 of the fastener element 4 in its one side surface 201a of the pressing plate 201. The one side surface 201a of the pressing plate 201 is a flat surface linearly extending parallel to the feed direction but should not be limited to this, and it may be a wave-like surface for example. Even in this case, the technical effect according to the present disclosure would be not be restricted. The shape of the presser foot 200 would not be limited to the one depicted.

[0089] At the instance shown in FIG. 11, the side surface 44 of the fastener element 4 and the flat surface 31a (i.e. a portion of the guiding surface 11) are in contact with the presser foot 200. The first side surface 31 of the box bar 30 is formed collinear to the guiding line L1 without forming any protrusion relative to the guiding line L1. Therefore, even when the box bar 30 enters into the section adjacent to the presser foot 200, both would not be interfered one another. Therefore, formation of the linear stitches F1 would be kept also in the section adjacent to the box bar 30.

[0090] At the instance shown in FIG. 12, the side surface 44 of the fastener element 4, the flat surface 31a, 31c of the box bar 30 (i.e. a portion of the guiding surface 11), the first side surface 21 of the box body 20 (i.e. the remainder of the guiding surface 11) are in contact with the presser foot 200. The first side surface 21 of the box body 20 is formed collinear to the guiding line L1 without any protrusion formed relative to the guiding line L1. Therefore, even when the box body 20 enters into the section adjacent to the presser foot 200, both would not be interfered one another. Therefore, the stitches F1 would be continued to be formed linearly also in the section adjacent to the box body 20.

[0091] As such the article 100 has the stitches F1 formed parallel to the first imaginary line G1 established by the direct contact between the two or more fastener elements 4 of the plural fastener elements 4 and the presser foot 200 of the sewing machine 900, and the stitches F1 is formed also parallel to the guiding surface 11 of the plastic member 8a which is arranged collinear to the first imaginary line G1. In other words, the article 100 has the stitches F1 formed parallel to the guiding line L1 which is collinear to the side surfaces 44 of the plurality of fastener elements 4 in the front-rear direction when the slide fastener is viewed in elevation. The stitches F1 may be formed fully linearly without bending or curving or meandering in the entire length of the slide fastener 1. In particular, a technical problem of curving or meandering of stitches is overcome, which was caused in the section adjacent to the stop member for a purpose of avoiding collision of the presser foot with the stop member.

[0092] It would be possible to sew the left fastener stringer 5 to the fabric 102 in advance by using the sewing machine 900 as depicted in FIG. 13. The insertion bar 50 is not inserted into the box body 20 at this instance, and thus the presser foot 200 would not interfere with the left portion of the box body 20 even when the second side surface 22 of the box body 20 is positioned away from the central line CL than the guiding line L2. The insertion bar 50 has the flat or smooth surface, with an optional curved surface 52a, extending collinear to the guiding line L2. Therefore, the insertion bar 50 would not interfere with the presser foot 200 and if any, the degree would be small.

[0093] It would be possible to sew the right fastener stringer 2 to the fabric 101 while the left fastener stringer 5 is separated (see FIG. 14), unlike sewing the right fastener stringer 2 to the fabric 101 while the left fastener stringer 5 is coupled to the right fastener stringer 2. It would be possible to simultaneously sew the right fastener stringer 2 to the fabric 101 and sew the left fastener stringer 5 to the fabric 102 (see FIG. 15).

[0094] A stop member (i.e. a rear stop) provided in the slide fastener 1 should not be limited to the separable stop member 8 which is configured from combination of the plastic members 8a,8b , but may be a stop member 8′ which is not separable as depicted in FIG. 16. The non-separable stop member 8′ includes a first side surface 21′ as the above-described guiding surface 11, and thus technical effect similar to above would be obtained. Note that the separable stop member 8 has a thinner portion (e.g. the flange 28,29) compared with the non-separable stop member 8′, and the mechanical strength may possibly be lowered relatively. In order to compensate for this, the insertion bar 50 may be in contact with and held between the flange 28,29 and the box bar 30 as the insertion bar 50 is inserted into the box body 20 and the slider 9 is moved frontward to a position away from the box member 10 and the insertion bar 50, as appreciated from FIG. 6. This ensures sufficient mechanical strength of the stop member 8 in a condition the insertion bar 50 and the box member 10 are coupled. By using plastic to form the separable stop member 8, the insertion bar 50 and the box member 10 may be shaped precisely for the above-described object.

[0095] Fastener element 4,7 in the fastener stringer 2,5 may be provided not only as separated individual islands in the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2,5 but also as a continuous piece in which respective fastener elements 4,7 are continuously connected in the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2,5. In FIG. 17, fastener element is provided as a continuous piece with respective helical units 4′ of a helical monofilament in which engagement heads 43′ are formed at a given pitch. The helical unit 4′ has an upper leg 46 extending inwardly of fastener tape from a top end of an engagement head 43′ extending in the up-down direction; a lower leg (not depicted) extending inwardly of fastener tape from a bottom end of the engagement head 43′; and a return portion 47 interconnecting the upper leg 46 and the lower leg of adjacent helical units 4′. Contact between the presser foot 200 and the return portions 47 of adjacent helical units 4′ in the elongation direction of the fastener stringer 2′,5′ establishes the guiding line L1′. The box member 10 of the stop member 8 includes a guiding surface 11 equivalent to the above-described one, and thus technical effect equivalent to the above-described one would be obtained.

[0096] Based on the above-described teachings, a skilled person in the art would be able to add various modifications to the respective embodiments and respective features. Reference codes in Claims are just for reference and should not be referred for the purpose of narrowly construing the scope of claims. By way of precaution, a fastener stringer to be sewn to a fabric may be sewn to the fabric (i) in a condition coupled to the other fastener stringer of pair or (ii) in a single stringer condition separated from the other fastener stringer of pair.

[0097] Transferring the fastener stringer 2 linearly based on direct contact between the presser foot 200 and two or more fastener elements 4 and transferring the fastener stringer 2 linearly based on direct contact between the presser foot 200 and the plastic member 8a may be performed in this order or in the reverse order.REFERENCE CODE1: Slide fastener

[0099] 2: Fastener stringer

[0100] 3: Fastener tape

[0101] 3c: Core thread

[0102] 4: Fastener element

[0103] 5: Fastener stringer

[0104] 6: Fastener tape

[0105] 6c: Core thread

[0106] 7: Fastener element

[0107] 8: Stop member

[0108] 9: Slider

[0109] 10: Box member

[0110] 11: Guiding surface

[0111] 20: Box body

[0112] 21: First side surface

[0113] 22: Second side surface

[0114] 50: Insertion bar

[0115] 100: Article

[0116] 101: Fabric

[0117] 102: Fabric

[0118] 200: Presser foot

[0119] 900: Sewing machine

[0120] C1: Central line

[0121] CL: Central line

[0122] D1: First distance

[0123] D2: Second distance

[0124] F1: Stitches

[0125] F2: Projected line for sewing

[0126] L1: Guiding line

[0127] L2: Guiding line

[0128] R200: Section

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0045]Hereinafter, various embodiments and features would be discussed with reference to drawings. A skilled person would be able to combine respective embodiments and / or respective features without requiring excess description, and would appreciate synergistic effects of such combinations. Overlapping description among the embodiments is basically omitted. Referenced drawings aim mainly for describing inventions and are simplified for the sake of convenience of drawing preparation. The respective features should be appreciated as universal features not only effective to a method, article and slide fastener presently disclosed but also effective to other various methods, articles and slide fasteners not disclosed in the present specification.

[0046]In the present specification, front-rear direction matches a direction a slider moves for opening and closing a slide fastener and a direction a slide fastener (alternatively a fastener stringer or a fastener tape) is elongated. Left-right...

Claims

1. A method of sewing a fastener stringer to a fabric by using a sewing machine provided with a presser foot, the fastener stringer including a plurality of fastener elements secured, individually or as a continuous piece, to an elongated side edge portion of a fastener tape in an elongation direction of the fastener tape and a plastic member located adjacent to a fastener element positioned at a terminal end among the plurality of fastener elements in the elongation direction of the fastener tape so as to prevent a slider from falling, the method comprising:linearly feeding a fastener stringer based on direct contact between the presser foot and two or more fastener elements included in the plurality of fastener elements and positioned adjacent to the presser foot, a first imaginary line established by the direct contact between the presser foot and the two or more fastener elements;sewing the fastener tape to the fabric along a second imaginary line that is parallel to the first imaginary line;linearly feeding the fastener stringer based on direct contact between the plastic member and the presser foot, a third imaginary line established by the direct contact between the plastic member and the presser foot; andsewing the fastener tape to the fabric along a fourth imaginary line that is parallel to the third imaginary line, whereinsaid linearly feeding a fastener stringer based on direct contact between the presser foot and two or more fastener elements and said linearly feeding the fastener stringer based on direct contact between the plastic member and the presser foot are performed in this order or in a reverse order, andthe plastic member has a guiding surface with which the presser foot comes into contact such that the first and third imaginary lines extend collinearly so as to form one guiding line and the second and fourth imaginary lines extend collinearly so as to form one projected sewing line.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic member is a box member of a separable stop member, the box member including a box bar positioned adjacent to the fastener element positioned at the terminal end and inserted into the slider, and a box body having one or more stopping surfaces to which the box bar is coupled and by which the slider is prevented from moving,the guiding surface includes one or more first guide regions on the box bar and at least one second guide region on the box body, andthe at least one second guide region is formed coplanar with the one or more first guide regions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the box bar has two flat surfaces-arranged collinear to the guiding line and a concave surface interposed between these two flat surfaces.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a length of the concave surface along the guiding line is greater than a total length of the two flat surfaces along the guiding line.

5. The method of claim 2, any wherein the box bar and an insertion bar inserted into an accommodation space of the box body have opposed surfaces shaped in complementary manner at least partially.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the side-edge portion of the fastener tape includes at least one core cord to which individual fastener elements of the plurality of fastener elements are adhered and the box body is adhered,the box body has a first side surface and a first inner surfacebetween which the core cord is interposed, the first inner surface partially defining the accommodation space for the insertion bara minimum distance between a center of the core cord and the first side surface in a width direction of the fastener tape is lesser than a minimum distance between the center of the core cord and the first inner surface in the width direction of the fastener tape.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein 1.2<(T / S)<1.6 is satisfied,S indicating the minimum distance between the center of the core cord and the first side surface, andT indicating the minimum distance between the center of the core cord and the first inner surface.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the box body has a first side surface and a second side surface arranged opposite to the first side surface the first side surface and the second side surface defining a width of the box body,(i) a central line positioned at a center of the widthof the box body defined between the first side surface and the second side surface is shifted away from the fastener tape to a position where the central line does not cross the box bar and / or positioned away from the fastener tape than a central line of a slide fastener including the fastener stringer as a first fastener stringer; and / or(ii) the first side surface is positioned away from a central line of a slide fastener including the fastener stringer as a first fastener stringer by a first distance, the second side surface is positioned away from the central line of the slide fastener by a second distance, the first distance being lesser than the second distance.

9. The method of claim 8 in which said (ii) is satisfied, wherein 1.1<(D2 / D1)<1.5 is satisfied,D1 indicating the first distance, andD2 indicating the second distance.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the guiding surface-is included in a sloped surface sloped outwardly of the fastener tape as being away from a tape surface of the fastener tape11. An article comprising a slide fastener sewn to the article, the slide fastener comprising first and second fastener stringers and a slider that moves in front-rear direction so as to couple or decouple the first and second fastener stringers,the first fastener stringer comprising a first fastener tape, a plurality of first fastener elements secured, individually or as a continuous piece, to an elongated side edge portion of the first fastener tape extending in the front-rear direction, and a plastic member located adjacent to a first fastener element positioned at a terminal end among the plurality of first fastener elements in the front-rear direction so as to prevent the slider from falling,respective first fastener element included in the plurality of first fastener element including a surface that faces inward of the first fastener tape and is included in a first imaginary line extending in the front-rear direction,the plastic member being a box member of a separable stop member, the box member including a box bar positioned adjacent to the fastener element at the terminal end and inserted into the slider and a box body having one or more stopping surfaces to which the box bar is coupled and by which the slider is prevented from moving; andstitches formed in parallel to the first imaginary line and also formed parallel to a guiding surface of the plastic member which is arranged collinear to the first imaginary line.

12. The article of claim 11, wherein a width of exposed portion of the fastener tape at an external side of the article is in a range between 0 mm and 1.5 mm.

13. A slide fastener comprising:first and second fastener stringers; anda slider that moves in front-rear direction so as to couple or decouple the first and second fastener stringers, whereinthe first fastener stringer comprises a first fastener tape, a plurality of first fastener elements secured, individually or as a continuous piece, to an elongated side edge portion of the first fastener tape extending in the front-rear direction, and a plastic member located adjacent to a first fastener element positioned at a terminal end among the plurality of first fastener elements in the front-rear direction so as to prevent the slider from falling,respective first fastener element included in the plurality of first fastener element includes a surface that faces inward of the first fastener tape and is included in a first imaginary line extending in the front-rear direction,the plastic member is a box member of a separable stop member, the box member including a box bar being positioned adjacent to the fastener element at the terminal end and inserted into the slider and a box body having one or more stopping surfaces to which the box bar is coupled and by which the slider is prevented from moving; andthe box member has a guiding surface arranged collinear to the first imaginary line.

14. The slide fastener of claim 13, wherein only a single gate mark is formed on the surface of the plastic member.

15. The slide fastener of claim 13, wherein the box body has a first side surface and a second side surface arranged opposite to the first side surface, the first side surface and the second side surface defining a width of the box body,(i) a central line positioned at a center of the width of the box body defined between the first side surface and the second side surface is shifted away from the fastener tape to a position where the central line does not cross the box bar and / or positioned away from the fastener tape than a central line of the slide fastener; and / or(ii) the first side surface is positioned away from a central line of the slide fastener by a first distance, the second side surface is positioned away from the central line of the slide fastener by a second distance, the first distance being lesser than the second distance.

16. The slide fastener of claim 15 in which said (ii) is satisfied, wherein 1.1<(D2 / D1)<1.5 is satisfied,D1 indicating the first distance, andD2 indicating the second distance.

Images