Slider for slide fastener and method for manufacturing same

Abstract

A mounting part (5) and a mountable cover (40) can be engaged with each other such that the mountable cover (40) is mounted to the mounting part (5) in order of at least a first mounting state and a second mounting state so that a space (50) between a slider body (10) and the mountable cover (40) can decrease stepwise in the vertical direction. In the first mounting state, the entirety of a claw member (30) can be displaced in the vertical direction in the space (50) between the slider body (10) and the mountable cover (40).

Description

Slider for slide fastener and manufacturing method thereof

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a slider for a slide fastener and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0002] The slider disclosed in Patent Document 1 has an exposed locking claw, which can have an undesirable appearance. In this regard, the sliders disclosed in Patent Documents 2 to 4 have an advantage in that they have a cover (also called a pull tab holder) in which the locking claw is concealed within the cover. Such covers are attached to the slider body by plastic deformation of either the cover or the slider body, or both (Patent Documents 2 and 3), or by elastic deformation of the cover (Patent Document 4). Patent Document 5 discloses a specially designed slider without a pull tab, and Figure 7 of that document illustrates a pawl projection provided on the operation cover.

[0003] International Publication No. WO 2015 / 004763 International Publication No. WO 2023 / 157146 Chinese Patent No. 106307831 JP 2004-344313 Publication No. WO 2020 / 129217

[0004] Even if the slider's component parts are colored the same color for each part type before assembly, the assembled slider will have different colors for each component part, degrading the slider's appearance (simply put, it is difficult to achieve a completely uniform color for all component parts). Furthermore, inventory management for each component color may be required, which may increase manufacturing costs. On the other hand, even if the slider is colored all at once after assembly, uneven coloring is unavoidable for sliders with pull tabs that are held in a down position by claw members. For example, there is a risk that the color may not be applied properly in the contact area between the pull tab and the slider body.

[0005] As can be seen from the above non-limiting exemplary description, the inventors of the present application have discovered a new problem of avoiding or suppressing color variations between component parts of a slider and / or color variations within individual sliders without significantly sacrificing slider manufacturing efficiency.

[0006] A slider for a slide fastener according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a slider body including an upper blade, a lower blade, and a connecting post connecting the upper blade and the lower blade, a pull tab pivotably mounted on the slider body, the pull tab including a free end and a base end, the base end including a cam, a claw member mounted on the slider body so that the cam of the pull tab is inserted therein and the claw member is positionally changeable between a locked position and an unlocked position in response to rotation of the cam accompanying the pivoting of the pull tab, and a mounting cover attached to a mounting base of the slider body to prevent the pull tab and the claw member from falling off the slider body. The mounting base and the mounting cover are engageable with each other so that the mounting cover is attached to the mounting base in at least first and second mounting states in sequence so that the space between the slider body and the mounting cover is reduced in the vertical direction in a stepwise manner, and in the first mounting state, the entire claw member is vertically displaceable in space.

[0007] A method for manufacturing a slider for a slide fastener according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the steps of assembling a semi-finished slider from a slider body, a pull tab, a claw member, and an attachment cover, wherein the semi-finished slider has the attachment cover attached to the attachment portion in a first attachment state so that the entire claw member is displaceable in the space between the slider body and the attachment cover, coloring the semi-finished product, and changing the attachment state of the attachment cover from the first attachment state to a second attachment state so that the space is reduced in the vertical direction compared to the space in the first attachment state.

[0008] In some embodiments, in the second mounting state, the pawl member is pivotally supported between the slider body and the mounting cover.

[0009] In some embodiments, the mounting cover is mounted at an angle relative to the slider body in the first mounting state, and is mounted at a smaller angle relative to the slider body than in the first mounting state or at no angle at all in the second mounting state.

[0010] In some embodiments, one of the mounting portion and the mounting cover has at least two recesses, and the other of the mounting portion and the mounting cover has at least one protrusion that can engage with the at least two recesses at different times to create first and second mounting states.

[0011] In some embodiments, at least two recesses are formed adjacent to each other in the vertical direction.

[0012] In some embodiments, the at least two recesses include an upper recess and a lower recess, the depth of the lower recess being different from the depth of the upper recess.

[0013] In some embodiments, the mounting portion includes left and right walls arranged adjacent to each other with a gap in the width direction of the slider body, and at least two recesses are formed in the front end surface or rear end surface of each of the left and right walls.

[0014] In some embodiments, the mounting cover includes a main plate and first and second opposing legs, each extending downward from the main plate, and the first leg having at least one protrusion.

[0015] In some embodiments, the mounting portion includes left and right walls arranged adjacent to each other with a gap in the width direction of the slider body, and the first leg portion has one or more first displacement regulating portions inserted between the left and right walls to regulate displacement of the mounting cover in the width direction of the slider body, and the first displacement regulating portions are directly connected to at least one of the protrusions.

[0016] In some embodiments, the mounting portion supports pivotal movement of the mounting cover during transition from the first mounting state to the second mounting state.

[0017] In some embodiments, the mounting cover has a degree of flexibility that allows elastic deformation of the mounting cover with an increase or decrease in the spacing between the first and second legs to enable snap-mounting of the mounting cover to the mounting portion, and has at least one abutment protrusion that abuts against the claw member in the second mounting state to form a fulcrum for elastic deformation of the claw member.

[0018] In some embodiments, the pawl member has a pawl tip, a cam receiver that receives the cam, an opposite end opposite the pawl tip, and an intermediate portion extending between the cam receiver and the opposite end.

[0019] In some embodiments, the cam includes a first cam projection that projects toward the free end of the pull tab and a second cam projection that projects opposite the first cam projection.

[0020] The mounting cover can be attached to the mounting portion in various ways and by various methods. Preferably, the mounting cover is attached solely by snap-fitting, without requiring plastic deformation of the slider body and / or mounting cover. That is, the mounting cover is not crimped to the mounting portion. By eliminating plastic processing such as a crimping process, the equipment or process for assembling the slider can be simplified, which can help reduce the cost of the slider. However, optional additional processes such as ultrasonic welding and laser welding can be used.

[0021] In some embodiments, the mounting cover and / or the mounting portion have a symmetrical shape.

[0022] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, color variations between component parts of a slider and / or color variations within individual sliders can be avoided or reduced without significantly sacrificing slider manufacturing efficiency.

[0023] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a slider according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a slider in an assembled state; FIG. 2 is an exploded side view of a slider; FIG. 3 is a side view of a slider in an assembled state; FIG. 4 is a top view of a slider; FIG. 5 is a front view of a slider; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cover; FIG. 7 is a top view of a slider body; FIG. 8 is a central cross-sectional view of a slider with the pull tab in a collapsed state; FIG. 9 is a central cross-sectional view of a slider with the pull tab in an inverted state; FIG. 10 is an assembly process diagram of a slider; FIG. 11 is an assembly process diagram of a slider; FIG. 12 is an assembly process diagram of a slider; FIG. 13 is a central cross-sectional view of a semi-finished slider, in which the entire pawl member and the base end portion of the pull tab are displaceable in the vertical direction; FIG. 14 is a top view of a slider according to another embodiment; FIG. 15 is a side view of a slider according to another embodiment; FIG. 16 is a central cross-sectional view of a slider according to another embodiment; FIG. 17 is an elevation view of a pull tab according to a modified embodiment; FIG. 18 is a central cross-sectional view of a slider according to a modified embodiment; FIG. 19 is a central cross-sectional view of a slider according to a modified embodiment;

[0024] Various embodiments and features will be described below with reference to the drawings. Those skilled in the art will be able to combine the various embodiments and / or features without excessive explanation and will be able to understand the synergistic effects of such combinations. Duplicate descriptions between embodiments will be omitted in principle. The reference drawings are primarily intended to describe the invention and are simplified for ease of illustration. Each feature is not only applicable to the slider and its manufacturing method disclosed in this specification, but is also understood as a universal feature applicable to various other sliders and their manufacturing methods not disclosed herein.

[0025] The structure of the slider 1 will be outlined primarily with reference to Figures 1 to 15. First, as shown in Figure 1, the front-to-rear direction D1, the left-to-right direction D2, and the up-to-down direction D3 are defined for the slider 1. The front-to-rear direction D1 corresponds to the movement direction of the slider 1 for opening and closing the slide fastener. The left-to-right direction D2 is a direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction and is parallel to the plane on which the upper blade 11 and / or the lower blade 12 are arranged. The up-to-down direction D3 is perpendicular to both the front-to-rear direction D1 and the left-to-right direction D2. Note that forward movement of the slider 1 causes engagement between left and right fastener elements (not shown), and backward movement of the slider 1 causes disengagement between the left and right fastener elements (not shown). The width direction of the slider 1 or its component parts, such as the slider body 10, corresponds to the left-to-right direction D2.

[0026] The slider 1 is an assembly of four parts, including a slider body 10, a pull tab 20, a claw member 30, and a mounting cover 40. The slider body 10 is a die-cast metal part or an injection-molded resin part, as is the pull tab 20. The claw member 30 is a metal or resin part, and is preferably a single metal plate bent at multiple locations. The claw member 30 is manufactured, for example, by punching out from a metal plate and bending it. The mounting cover 40 is typically an injection-molded resin part, but may also be a metal part or a composite part of metal and resin.

[0027] As will be understood from the following description, the semi-finished product for the assembly of the slider 1 is colored. In the semi-finished product of the slider 1, the entire claw member 30 is displaceable in the space 50 between the slider body 10 and the mounting cover 40, and the pull tab 20 is not held in a collapsed position by the claw member 30 (see FIG. 15 ). In this way, uneven coloring between the constituent parts of the slider 1 and / or uneven coloring within individual sliders 1 can be avoided or suppressed without significantly sacrificing the manufacturing efficiency of the slider 1. Preferably, the mounting cover 40 is not crimped to the slider body 10 (the mounting portion 5 described below). In this case, the process constraint of performing the coloring process after plastic deformation by the crimping process is relaxed (otherwise, the colored layer would peel off during plastic deformation or the color would change at the plastically deformed location). Regarding coloring, painting, plating, and / or any type of chemical conversion treatment can be used.

[0028] The slider body 10 includes an upper blade 11, a lower blade 12, and a connecting post 13 connecting the upper blade 11 and the lower blade 12. The connecting post 13 connects the front end of the upper blade 11 to the front end of the lower blade 12. The upper blade 11 and the lower blade 12 are flat plates oriented parallel to each other and having the same contour (when viewed from above or below). The upper blade 11 has a claw hole 11j for the claw tip 31 of the claw member 30, which extends through the upper blade 11. The connecting post 13 is located at the center of the slider body 10 and has a rear end that tapers toward the rear. The upper blade 11 and the lower blade 12 may have shapes different from those shown in the drawings to prevent fabric from getting caught, etc.

[0029] The upper blade 11 and the lower blade 12 have left and right leading edges 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b that extend rearward along the center line CL of the slider 1 and move away from the center line CL, and left and right side edges 11c, 11d, 12c, 12d that extend rearward from the rear ends of the leading edges 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b along the center line CL of the slider 1 and approach the center line CL. Rails 14 that protrude toward the lower blade 12 are connected to the side edges 11c, 11d of the upper blade 11, thereby restricting the element passage in the width direction within the slider body 10. Additionally or alternatively, rails 15 that protrude toward the upper blade 11 are connected to the side edges 12c, 12d of the lower blade 12, promoting the same effect.

[0030] Front openings M1 and M2 are formed on both the left and right sides of the connecting column 13 (see FIG. 6), and a rear opening M3 is formed behind the connecting column 13 (see FIG. 1). The slider body 10 has a Y-shaped element passage that branches according to the connecting column 13, and the left and right fastener elements that are not engaged enter the slider body 10 through the front openings M1 and M2, and the left and right fastener elements that are engaged exit the slider body 10 through the rear opening M3.

[0031] The slider body 10 (upper wing 11 in the illustrated example) has a mounting portion 5 to which the mounting cover 40 is attached. The mounting portion 5 supports the pull tab 20 (more specifically, the shank 23 of the base end 22 of the pull tab 20, which will be described later) and is shaped to receive the pawl member 30. In some cases (as illustrated), the mounting portion 5 includes left and right walls 8, 8' spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the slider body 10, at least partially defining a receiving groove 87 for receiving the pawl member 30 therebetween. In the illustrated example, the receiving groove 87 extends further forward than the left and right walls 8, 8', but is not limited to such a dimensional shape. Each of the left and right walls 8, 8' has upwardly opening receiving grooves 81, 81' for receiving the shank 23 of the pull tab 20, each penetrating the left and right walls 8, 8' in the left-right direction D2. The receiving grooves 81, 81' may extend downward to the vicinity of the upper surface of the upper blade 11 to divide the left and right walls 8, 8' into front and rear portions, respectively, but the receiving grooves 81, 81' may also be formed shallower.

[0032] The receiving groove 87 has a groove width W87 that corresponds to the spacing between the opposing wall surfaces of the left and right walls 8, 8' (see FIG. 8). In some cases, the left and right walls 8, 8' may include front flanges 82, 82' that protrude toward each other at their front ends and / or rear flanges 83, 83' that protrude toward each other at their rear ends. In this case, the receiving groove 87 has a groove width W82 that corresponds to the spacing between the opposing wall surfaces of the front flanges 82, 82' and / or a groove width W83 that corresponds to the spacing between the opposing wall surfaces of the rear flanges 83, 83'. Symmetrically shaping the left and right walls 8, 8' (e.g., as described above) also promotes a symmetrical shape of the mounting cover 40. The left and right walls 8, 8' may be symmetrical about the rotation axis RL of the pull tab 20, which will be described later.

[0033] The claw members 30 are placed (whether or not they are in contact) on the bottom surface 88 of the accommodation groove 87 between the left and right walls 8, 8'. The bottom surface 88 is located slightly below the top surface of the upper blade 11, which allows the slider 1 to have a low profile (in the vertical direction).

[0034] A front recess 61 recessed rearward is formed on the front end surfaces of the left and right walls 8, 8' at a height position directly above the upper blade 11. A rear recess 62 recessed forward is formed on the rear end surfaces of the left and right walls 8, 8' at a height position directly above the upper blade 11. As will be understood from the description below, these function as the engaging portions 6 of the mounting portion 5 and are used to snap-attach the mounting cover 40 to the left and right walls 8, 8'. The mounting cover 40 is provided with a plurality of engaging portions 7 (e.g., protrusions) that individually engage with the plurality of engaging portions 6. An upper front recess 6' (upper recess) is formed on the front end surfaces of the left and right walls 8, 8' immediately above and adjacent to the front recess 61, which allows the mounting cover 40 to be temporarily fastened as described below.

[0035] The pull tab 20 is a part operated by a human to move the slider 1 forward or backward. The pull tab 20 is pivotally mounted on the slider body 10. Specifically, the pull tab 20 is pivotally supported by the slider body 10 (e.g., the mounting portion 5) and is pivotable about a rotation axis RL parallel to the left-right direction D2. The pull tab 20 typically includes a free end 21 positioned away from the rotation axis RL, a base end 22 positioned opposite the free end 21 and extending along the rotation axis RL, a gripped portion 25 gripped by a human hand (e.g., the thumb and index finger), a right connecting rod 26 extending between the right end of the base end 22 and the gripped portion 25, and a left connecting rod 27 extending between the left end of the base end 22 and the gripped portion 25. An opening is defined by the base end 22, the gripped portion 25, and the left and right connecting rods 26, 27.

[0036] The base end 22 of the pull tab 20 includes a shaft 23 and a cam 24. Typically, the cam 24 is positioned at the center of the shaft 23 in the left-right direction D2. The cam 24 rotates around a rotation axis RL as the pull tab 20 pivots, lifting a cam receiver 32 of a pawl member 30 (described below) upward (which in turn lifts a pawl tip 31 (described below) upward). Optionally, the cam 24 includes a cam shaft 24a coaxial with the shaft 23 of the pull tab 20, a first cam protrusion 24b protruding toward the free end 21 of the pull tab 20, and a second cam protrusion 24c protruding opposite the first cam protrusion 24b. The second cam protrusion 24c restricts displacement of the pawl member 30 in the front-rear direction D1 during the assembly process of the slider 1, thereby improving assembly efficiency and / or assembly accuracy of the slider 1. This feature is particularly effective for the first attachment state (described below).

[0037] The pawl member 30 is supported between the slider body 10 and the mounting cover 40 so as to be (slightly) pivotable, and functions as a leaf spring (see FIGS. 9 and 10). The pawl member 30 is mounted on the slider body 10 so that the cam 24 of the pull tab 20 is inserted therebetween. The pawl member 30 can be elastically changed between a locked position and an unlocked position in response to the rotation of the cam 24 accompanying the rotation of the pull tab 20.

[0038] Specifically, the pawl member 30 has a pawl tip 31, a cam receiver 32, an opposite end 33 opposite the pawl tip 31, and an intermediate portion 34 extending between the cam receiver 32 and the opposite end 33 (see FIG. 3). The cam receiver 32 has a three-sided cup shape in a side view, with a rear plate 32a, an upper plate 32b, and a front plate 32c connected together and opening downward. The cam receiver 32 is wider than the opposite end 33 and the intermediate portion 34, allowing it to reliably and stably receive force from the cam 24 of the pull tab 20. The pawl tip 31 extends downward from the rear plate 32a of the cam receiver 32 and has a tapered shape that can engage with a fastener element. When the pull tab 20 is folded down (FIG. 9), the pawl tip 31 protrudes into the element passage in the slider body 10 to engage the fastener element, and when the pull tab 20 is inverted (FIG. 10), it retracts upward to release the fastener element.

[0039] The mounting cover 40 is attached to the mounting portion 5 of the slider body 10 to prevent the pull tab 20 and the claw members 30 from falling off from the slider body 10. The mounting cover 40 includes a main plate 45 and first and second leg portions 41, 42 that face each other. The first and second leg portions 41, 42 each extend downward from the main plate 45. Typically, the mounting cover 40 has a three-sided shape consisting of the main plate 45, the first leg portion 41, and the second leg portion 42 and is open downward. The main plate 45 has left and right protrusions 45p, 45q that protrude downward to close the receiving grooves 81 in the left and right walls 8, 8' from above, but these can be omitted.

[0040] A first bent portion 46 is formed between the main plate 45 and the first leg 41, and a second bent portion 47 is formed between the main plate 45 and the second leg 42. The degree of bending of the first bent portion 46 is variable, allowing the first leg 41 to bend away from the main plate 45 accordingly. The degree of bending of the second bent portion 47 is variable, allowing the second leg 42 to bend away from the main plate 45 accordingly. Preferably, the mounting cover 40 does not have a left or right wall connecting the main plate 45 and the first leg 41, and the main plate 45 and the first leg 41 are connected only via the first bent portion 46, thereby ensuring sufficient flexibility for snap mounting. The same explanation applies to the relationship between the main plate 45 and the second leg 42. Preferably, the mounting cover 40 does not cover either of the side surfaces of the left and right walls 8, 8' facing opposite sides in the width direction of the slider body 10.

[0041] The above-mentioned attached portion 5 is sandwiched between the first and second leg portions 41, 42. In particular, the first engaging portion 71 of the first leg portion 41 engages with an engaged portion 6 of the attached portion 5 (for example, the above-mentioned front recess 61), and the second engaging portion 72 of the second leg portion 42 engages with another engaged portion 6 of the attached portion 5 (for example, the above-mentioned rear recess 62). This allows the mounting cover 40 to be attached and locked to the slider body 10 with sufficient strength without the need for crimping, and sufficiently prevents the mounting cover 40 from falling off the attached portion 5.

[0042] The first engagement portion 71 is a convex portion that protrudes rearward and may include left and right front engagement portions 71a, 71b. Similarly, the second engagement portion 72 is a convex portion that protrudes forward and may include left and right rear engagement portions 72a, 72b. The left and right front engagement portions 71a, 71b are provided at the lower end of the first leg 41, protrude rearward, and are capable of engaging with the front recesses 61 of the left and right walls 8, 8'. The rear engagement portions 72a, 72b of the second leg 42 are provided at the lower end of the second leg 42, protrude forward, and are capable of engaging with the rear recesses 62 of the left and right walls 8, 8'.

[0043] In this embodiment, the mounting base 5 and the mounting cover 40 are engageable with each other so that the mounting cover 40 is mounted to the mounting base 5 in at least a first and second mounting state, so that the space 50 between the slider body 10 and the mounting cover 40 is gradually reduced in the vertical direction. In the first mounting state (see FIG. 15 ), the entire claw member 30 is displaceable vertically within the space 50. In this manner, uneven coloring between the components of the slider 1 and / or uneven coloring within individual sliders 1 can be avoided or suppressed without significantly sacrificing the manufacturing efficiency of the slider 1. In the second mounting state, the claw member 30 can be pivotally supported between the slider body 10 and the mounting cover 40 (see FIGS. 9 and 10 ). In the second mounting state, the movement of the pull tab 20 in the vertical direction D3 is limited by the claw member 30, so that the pull tab 20 is held in a more stable, laid-down state (see FIG. 9 ).

[0044] In the first mounting state, the mounting cover 40 is mounted at an incline relative to the slider body 10, and in the second mounting state, it can be mounted at a smaller incline than in the first mounting state or at no incline at all (see FIGS. 13 and 14). The engagement between the convex portion of the second engaging portion 72 and the rear recessed portion 62 allows the mounting cover 40 to be temporarily fastened to the mounting base 5 with sufficient mounting strength, effectively preventing the mounting cover 40 from falling off during the coloring process.

[0045] The mounting portion 5 (e.g., the front end surface or rear end surface of the left and right walls 8, 8') has at least two recesses (e.g., the front recess 61 and the front recess 6' above it), and the mounting cover 40 (e.g., its first leg 41) has at least one protrusion (e.g., the first engagement portion 71) that can engage with the two recesses at different times. In this case, there is an advantage that the protrusion of the first engagement portion 71 can also be used to temporarily fasten the mounting cover 40. It is also possible to imagine a configuration in which the mounting portion 5 has at least two protrusions, and the mounting cover 40 has at least one recess that can engage with the at least two protrusions at different times.

[0046] The front recess 61 and the upper front recess 6′ can have different depths (e.g., in the front-to-rear direction D1), whereby a smooth transition of the mounting cover 40 from the first mounting state to the second mounting state is facilitated if the front recess 61 is deeper than the latter (i.e., formed deeper in the front-to-rear direction D1).

[0047] In some cases, the mounting cover 40 has flexibility to the extent that it allows elastic deformation of the mounting cover 40 with an increase or decrease in the distance between the first and second leg portions 41, 42 to enable snap-mounting of the mounting cover 40 to the mounting portion 5 of the slider body 10, and has at least one abutment protrusion 60 that abuts against the claw members 30 when the mounting cover 40 is attached to the mounting portion 5 to form a fulcrum for elastic deformation of the claw members 30. For sliders 1 to which the mounting cover 40 is attached via elastic deformation, this promotes the adoption of claw members 30 with a simpler and / or more general shape. The mounting cover 40 is positioned relative to the mounting portion 5 of the slider body 10 by snap-mounting, and therefore the abutment position of the abutment protrusion 60 relative to the claw members 30 can also be accurately positioned.

[0048] The abutment protrusion 60 is located at a different or lower height than at least one or all of the first engagement portions 71, and is optimally located at the lowest point on the mounting cover 40, thereby enabling more secure or accurate abutment with the claw member 30. The abutment protrusion 60 may protrude downward from the first engagement portion 71. In the illustrated example, the abutment protrusion 60 protrudes downward from the left and right front engagement portions 71a, 71b between the left and right front engagement portions 71a, 71b. In some cases, the abutment protrusion 60 has a tapered shape that narrows downward when viewed from the side (in the left-right direction D2). In the illustrated example, the abutment protrusion 60 has a front inclined surface 60a and a rear inclined surface 60b, with a rounded edge 60c formed between them. By abutting the abutment protrusion 60 against the claw member 30 over a smaller area, the pull tab 20 can be rotated with less force to smoothly bend the claw member 30. The contact protrusion 60 may also have a tapered shape that tapers downward when viewed from the side in another direction (for example, in the front-rear direction D1).

[0049] In the illustrated example, the mounting cover 40 is symmetrically shaped (with respect to a predetermined plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction D1) and has no directionality in the front-rear direction D1. This prevents installation errors related to the installation direction of the mounting cover 40. Due to its symmetrical shape, the mounting cover 40 has a convex portion 60' that is identical in shape to the abutment protrusions 60 that protrude downward from the left and right rear engagement portions 72a, 72b between the left and right rear engagement portions 72a, 72b. The convex portion 60' (particularly its lowest point) preferably does not contact the slider body 10, which promotes more stable installation of the mounting cover 40.

[0050] The abutment projection 60 abuts against the intermediate portion 34 of the claw member 30, more preferably at a position closer to the opposite end 33 than the cam receiver 32, thereby making it easier for the claw member 30 to bend. As a result, the mounting cover 40 is longer in the front-to-rear direction, which promotes more sufficient coverage (concealment) of the claw member 30. The lowest point of the abutment projection 60 is located below the top surface of the upper blade 11, but of course, above the bottom surface 88 of the accommodation groove 87.

[0051] In the assembled state of the slider 1, the intermediate portion 34 of the claw member 30 does not abut against the bottom surface 88 of the accommodation groove 87 directly below the contact point with the abutment protrusion 60, and in short, there is a gap as shown in Figures 9 and 10. This configuration allows the claw member 30 to be supported in a state in which it can be more easily bent. Note that an upper fulcrum P1 (contact point with the abutment protrusion 60) and a lower fulcrum P2 (e.g., contact point with the bottom surface 88) of the claw member 30 are offset in the front-to-rear direction, and in the illustrated example, the upper fulcrum P1 is located further rearward in the front-to-rear direction D1 than the lower fulcrum P2.

[0052] The mounting cover 40 may include one or more displacement restriction portions 9 (see FIG. 3 ) inserted between the left and right walls 8, 8′ to restrict displacement of the mounting cover 40 in the width direction of the slider body 10, thereby preventing displacement of the mounting cover 40 relative to the mounting base 5 in the left-right direction D2. The first leg 41 has a first displacement restriction portion 91 (included in the one or more displacement restriction portions 9), and / or the second leg 42 has a second displacement restriction portion 92 (included in the one or more displacement restriction portions 9). The first displacement restriction portion 91 protrudes rearward from the first engagement portion 71 and is inserted between the left and right walls 8, 8′ (e.g., the front flanges 82, 82′). The first displacement restriction portion 91 has a lower inclined surface that forms the same slope as the rear inclined surface 60b of the abutment protrusion 60, and a rear surface that extends along the up-down direction D3, but there is no reason to be limited to such a shape. The second displacement restriction portion 92 protrudes forward from the second engagement portion 72 and is inserted between the left and right walls 8, 8' (for example, the rear flanges 83, 83').

[0053] The first displacement restriction portion 91 is directly connected to the first engagement portion 71. This not only provides the effect of restricting displacement of the mounting cover 40 by the first displacement restriction portion 91, but also increases the mechanical strength of the first engagement portion 71. The second displacement restriction portion 92 is directly connected to the second engagement portion 72, and provides the same effect.

[0054] The displacement restriction portion 9 may include one or more third displacement restriction portions 93 in addition to or instead of the above-described first and second displacement restriction portions 91, 92. The third displacement restriction portion 93 protrudes downward from the main plate 45 between the first leg portion 41 and the second leg portion 42, and the third displacement restriction portion 93 inserted between the left and right walls 8, 8′ may have a width that is approximately the same as or slightly narrower than the groove width W87 of the accommodation groove 87. The third displacement restriction portion 93 is formed sufficiently lower than the first and second leg portions 41, 42, thereby ensuring or promoting the third displacement restriction portion 93 not coming into contact with the pawl member 30 when the slider 1 is in an assembled state.

[0055] 9 and 10 show how to operate the slider 1. When the pull tab 20 is rotated from the collapsed state to the inverted state, the cam 24 pushes the cam receiver 32 upward, displacing the hook end 31 upward. In either the collapsed or inverted state of the pull tab 20, the abutment protrusion 60 abuts against the hook member 30, allowing smooth pivoting (or bending deformation) behind the upper fulcrum P1.

[0056] The assembly method for the slider 1 is as shown in Figures 11 to 14. First, as shown in Figure 11, the shaft 23 of the base end 22 of the pull tab 20 is inserted into the receiving grooves 81, 81' of the mounting base 5 to pivotally support the pull tab 20 on the mounting base 5. The pull tab 20 can be tilted to either the front or rear side in the front-to-rear direction D1. Next, the claw member 30 is introduced and accommodated in the accommodation groove 87 of the slider body 10 so that the cam 24 is inserted onto the slider body 10. As a result, the cam 24 is sandwiched between the cam receiver 32 and the bottom surface 88 in the up-down direction D3. Next, the mounting cover 40 is temporarily attached to the mounting base 5 by snapping (first mounting state). Specifically, the convex portion of the first engaging portion 71 engages with the upper front recess 6' of the mounting base 5. Although the upper front recess 6' is shallower than the lower front recess 61 (lower recess), the mounting cover 40 is still sufficiently prevented from falling off. Next, the mounting cover 40 is permanently fastened to the mounting base 5 by snap-fitting (second mounting state). The convex portion of the first engaging portion 71 engages with the front recess 61 (first engaging portion), and the convex portion of the second engaging portion 72 engages with the rear recess 62 (second engaging portion). During the snap-fitting process, the mounting cover 40 elastically deforms (i.e., bends) as the spacing between the first and second leg portions 41, 42 increases or decreases. Therefore, no special tool or machine is necessarily required to attach the mounting cover 40 to the mounting base 5; manual installation is also possible, for example.

[0057] When the slider 1 shown in Figure 13 is a semi-finished product in the middle of assembly, the entire claw member 30 can be displaced in the space 50 between the slider body 10 and the mounting cover 40, as shown in Figure 15, allowing the pull tab 20 to be more freely displaced in the vertical direction. Coloring this semi-finished product facilitates coloring the components of the slider 1 in the same color without causing uneven coloring in parts of the slider 1. By snap-attaching the mounting cover 40 to the mounting portion 5 in multiple stages, the slider 1 can be easily transitioned from the first mounting state to the second mounting state, thereby minimizing the additional manufacturing burden. Furthermore, changing the mounting state of the mounting cover 40 from the second mounting state to the first mounting state reduces the vertical space 50 compared to the space 50 in the first mounting state.

[0058] 16 to 18, the mounting cover 40 entirely or almost entirely covers the claw members 30, and the claw members 30 are not visible from the outside of the slider 1. This can improve the design of the slider 1 and / or further promote the flexibility of the claw members 30. Similar effects can be obtained to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the above-described embodiment.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 19, the second cam protrusion 24c of the cam 24 can be omitted. As shown in FIG. 20, the abutment protrusion 60 does not have to be integrally formed with the first engagement portion 71. However, the abutment protrusion 60 and the first engagement portion 71 become separate parts of the mounting cover 40, which may result in a risk of reduced individual strength. As shown in FIG. 21, a spring 95 can be used for the lower fulcrum P2 of the claw member 30. After the spring 95 is introduced into the groove 16 formed in the connecting post 13 of the slider body 10, the claw member 30 is mounted on the slider body 10. As shown in FIG. 22, the middle portion 34 of the claw member 30 can also have a U-shaped curved shape.

[0060] In light of the above teachings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications to each embodiment and each feature. The reference numerals in the claims are for reference purposes only and should not be used to limit the scope of the claims. The first and second legs 41, 42 face each other in the front-rear direction D1, but may also face each other in the left-right direction D2.

[0061] 1: Slider 5: Mounting portion 10: Slider body 11: Upper wing 12: Lower wing 13: Connecting post 20: Pull tab 21: Free end 24: Cam 30: Claw member 31: Claw end 32: Cam receiver 33: Opposite end 34: Middle portion 40: Mounting cover 41: First leg portion 42: Second leg portion 45: Main plate 60: Contact protrusion

Claims

1. A slider body (10) including an upper blade (11), a lower blade (12), and a connecting post (13) connecting the upper blade (11) and the lower blade (12); a pull tab (20) pivotably mounted on the slider body (10), the pull tab (20) including a free end (21) and a base end (22), the base end (22) including a cam (24); a pawl member (30) mounted on the slider body (10) so that the cam (24) of the pull tab (20) is inserted therein, the pawl member (30) being positionally convertible between a locked position and an unlocked position in response to the rotation of the cam (24) accompanying the rotation of the pull tab (20); A slider (1) for a slide fastener, comprising an attachment cover (40) attached to an attachment portion (5) of the slider body (10) to prevent the pull tab (20) and the claw member (30) from falling off from the slider body (10), wherein the attachment portion (5) and the attachment cover (40) are engageable with each other so that the attachment cover (40) is attached to the attachment portion (5) in at least a first and second attachment state sequence so that a space (50) between the slider body (10) and the attachment cover (40) is gradually reduced in the vertical direction, and when in the first attachment state, the entire claw member (30) is displaceable in the vertical direction within the space (50).

2. The slider according to claim 1, wherein in the second mounting state, the pawl member (30) is pivotally supported between the slider body (10) and the mounting cover (40).

3. A slider as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the mounting cover (40) is mounted at an inclination relative to the slider body (10) in the first mounting state, and is mounted at an inclination less than that in the first mounting state or at no inclination relative to the slider body (10) in the second mounting state.

4. A slider as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein one of the attached portion (5) and the attachment cover (40) has at least two recesses (6', 61), and the other of the attached portion (5) and the attachment cover (40) has at least one protrusion that can engage with the at least two recesses (6', 61) at different times to create the first and second attachment states.

5. The slider according to claim 4, wherein the at least two recesses (6', 61) are formed adjacent to each other in the vertical direction.

6. A slider according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the at least two recesses (6', 61) include an upper recess (6') and a lower recess (61), and the depth of the lower recess (61) is different from the depth of the upper recess (6').

7. A slider as described in any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the mounting portion (5) includes left and right walls (8, 8') arranged adjacent to each other with a gap in the width direction of the slider body (10), and the at least two recesses (6', 61) are recessed into the front end surface or rear end surface of each of the left and right walls (8, 8').

8. A slider as described in any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the mounting cover (40) includes a main plate (45) and first and second legs (41, 42) opposed to each other, the first and second legs (41, 42) each extending downward from the main plate (45), and the first leg (41) having the at least one protrusion (71).

9. A slider as described in claim 8, wherein the mounting portion (5) includes left and right walls (8, 8') arranged adjacent to each other with a gap in the width direction of the slider body (10), the first leg portion (41) has one or more first displacement regulating portions (91) inserted between the left and right walls (8, 8') to regulate displacement of the mounting cover (40) in the width direction of the slider body (10), and the first displacement regulating portions (91) are directly connected to the at least one protrusion (71).

10. A slider as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the mounting portion (5) supports the pivotal movement of the mounting cover (40) during the transition from the first mounting state to the second mounting state.

11. A slider as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the mounting cover (40) has a degree of flexibility to allow elastic deformation of the mounting cover (40) with an increase or decrease in the distance between the first and second leg portions (41, 42) to enable snap mounting of the mounting cover (40) to the mounting portion (5), and has at least one abutment protrusion (60) that abuts against the claw member (30) in the second mounting state to form a fulcrum for elastic deformation of the claw member (30).

12. A slider as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the claw member (30) has a claw end (31), a cam receiver (32) that receives the cam (24), an opposite end (33) opposite the claw end (31), and an intermediate portion (34) extending between the cam receiver (32) and the opposite end (33).

13. A slider according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the cam (24) includes a first cam protrusion (24b) protruding toward the free end (21) of the pull tab (20) and a second cam protrusion (24c) protruding opposite the first cam protrusion (24b).

14. A method for manufacturing a slider (1) for a slide fastener as described in any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising the steps of assembling a semi-finished product of the slider (1) from the slider body (10), the pull tab (20), the claw member (30), and the mounting cover (40), wherein the semi-finished product includes the steps of attaching the mounting cover (40) to the mounting portion (5) in the first mounting state, coloring the semi-finished product, and changing the mounting state of the mounting cover (40) from the first mounting state to the second mounting state.

15. A slider body (10) including an upper blade (11), a lower blade (12), and a connecting post (13) connecting the upper blade (11) and the lower blade (12); a pull handle (20) pivotably mounted on the slider body (10), the pull handle (20) including a free end (21) and a base end (22), the base end (22) including a cam (24); a claw member (30) mounted on the slider body (10) so that the cam (24) of the pull handle (20) is inserted therein, the claw member (30) being position-changeable between a locked position and an unlocked position in response to the rotation of the cam (24) accompanying the rotation of the pull handle (20); A method for manufacturing a slider (1) for a slide fastener, which includes an attachment cover (40) attached to an attachment receiving portion (5) of the slider body (10) to prevent the pull tab (20) and the claw members (30) from falling off from the slider body (10), the method comprising the steps of assembling a semi-finished product of the slider (1) from the slider body (10), the pull tab (20), the claw members (30), and the attachment cover (40), in which, in the semi-finished product, the attachment cover (40) is attached to the attachment receiving portion (5) in a first attachment state, and the entire claw members (30) are displaceable in a space (50) between the slider body (10) and the attachment cover (40); coloring the semi-finished product; and changing the attachment state of the attachment cover (40) from the first attachment state to a second attachment state so that the space (50) is reduced in the vertical direction compared to the space (50) in the first attachment state.

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