Reverse opening tool for slide fastener, and slide fastener

Abstract

The present invention relates to a slide fastener in which a cord (3) is used to fix an element row (4). More specifically, the present invention relates to a reverse opening tool (10) for a slide fastener, with which it is possible to extract an insert rod (5a) serving as a rod member if a pair of sliders (8) accommodates the insert rod (5a) and a box rod (5b) serving as another rod member. Each rod member comprises: a rod body (50a, 50b) that is fixed to the rear end of a cord member and that can be accommodated in the sliders; a fin (60a, 60b) that projects outward in the width direction of the rod body and on which a fabric is placed; and a fabric guide (70a, 70b) that guides an edge of the fabric. Each fabric guide protrudes from the top surface of the respective fin to a position lower than the top surface of the respective rod body at an inner side portion in the width direction of the fin. As a result, if the fabric is to be sewn along the element row, the edges of the fabric are aligned with the side surfaces of the fabric guides in the width direction such that the fabric can be placed on the fins, is separated from the rod bodies, and is easily placed on the fins.

Description

Reverse opening device for slide fasteners, slide fasteners

[0001] The present invention relates to a reverse-opening device for a slide fastener and a slide fastener using the same.

[0002] A slide fastener opens and closes a pair of element rows by moving a slider along the pair of element rows. Some slide fasteners use a string member to secure the element rows, and the string member is sewn to the fabric while the element rows are transported by a gear (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Specifically, the slide fastener disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a pair of string members, a pair of element rows fixed to the pair of string members, an insert pin fixed to the string members at one end of one of the element rows, a box pin fixed to the string members at one end of the other element row, and a box body fixed to the box pin. The insert pin and the box pin include a rod body extending in the front-rear direction and a fin extending outward in the width direction from the rod body. Furthermore, a rough surface region and a smooth surface region having different surface roughnesses are arranged adjacent to each other on the upper surface of the fin.

[0004] In Patent Document 1, the insert pin, box pin, and box cooperate to form a single opening device. When the slider comes into contact with the box, the insert pin and box pin are housed in the slider, and the insert pin can be inserted into or removed from the slider.

[0005] Furthermore, there is a type of opening device called a reverse opening device, which is composed of an insert pin and a box pin. A slide fastener equipped with a reverse opening device is equipped with a pair of sliders (Patent Document 2). In the case of a slide fastener equipped with a reverse opening device, one slider not only plays the role of engaging and separating a pair of element rows, but also plays the role of a box. In the slide fastener disclosed in Patent Document 2, the element rows are fixed to a fastener tape, not to a string member.

[0006] JP 2022-38070 A Patent No. 4307413 A

[0007] The slide fastener disclosed in Patent Document 2 sews fabric to a fastener tape while separating it from the element row in the width direction. Although not disclosed in Patent Document 2, tape grooves for passing the fastener tape are formed on the left and right sides of the slider.

[0008] The slide fastener disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not have a fastener tape, so the fabric is placed along the element row and sewn to the string member as described above, or the fabric is placed on the fin and sewn. The worker places the fabric on the fin, separating it widthwise from the rod body, using the boundary between the rough and smooth surface areas of the fin as a marker, and then sews the fabric to the fin in this separated position. The amount of fabric separation from the rod body depends on the worker's skill. Incidentally, a box is fitted to the rear end of the box pin, and a separator pin can be inserted and removed from the box. Therefore, if the fabric is not placed with an appropriate amount of width separation from the rod body, it will hit the box and cause wrinkles. Although not disclosed in Patent Document 1, fabric grooves are formed on the left and right sides of the slider to allow the fabric to pass through.

[0009] Let us consider a case where the opening device of the slide fastener disclosed in Patent Document 1 is changed to a reverse opening device disclosed in Patent Document 2. With a reverse opening device, when inserting or removing the insert pin, one of the sliders must be moved to the same position as the box in Patent Document 1. Before moving it to that position, the overlapping fins and fabric pass through the fabric groove of the slider. When the overlapping fins and fabric pass through the fabric groove, the fabric on top of the fins rubs against or gets pinched by the slider, making it more difficult to move the slider and damaging the fabric, compared to when only the fabric passes through the fabric groove. Furthermore, when sewing fabric placed on top of the fins, the sewing operation becomes easier if the fabric is separated widthwise from the rod body to make it easier to place on the fins.

[0010] The present invention was created in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its object is to separate the dough in the width direction from the rod body of the insert pin or box pin, making it easier to place it on the fillet.

[0011] The reverse-opening device for a slide fastener of the present invention is composed of an insert pin as a rod member and a box pin as another rod member. The insert pin is fixed to one of a pair of string members. The box pin is fixed to the other of the pair of string members. The pair of string members separately fix the insert pin and the box pin, and also separately fix the pair of element rows. The pair of element rows extend in the front-to-rear direction and face each other in the width direction, which is the left-to-right direction. Fabrics are separately attached to the insert pin and the box pin. When the pair of sliders accommodate the insert pin and the box pin, the insert pin can be removed from the pair of sliders. The above is the premise of the reverse-opening device for a slide fastener.

[0012] The rod member comprises a rod body fixed to the rear end of the string member and receivable in the slider, a fin that extends outward in the width direction of the rod body and on which the fabric is placed, and a fabric guide that guides the edge of the fabric. The fabric guide protrudes from the upper surface of the fin and from the inner side in the width direction of the fin to a position lower than the upper surface of the rod body. A reverse-opening device for a slide fastener is characterized by comprising such a rod member.

[0013] The outer side surfaces of the dough guide in the width direction may be of any shape, for example, parallel to the front-to-rear direction, but it is preferable that the following be done in order to separate the dough from the rod body and place it on the fillet: that is, the outer side surfaces of the dough guide in the width direction are inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction, and move outward in the width direction as they move rearward.

[0014] When the upper and lower surfaces of the insert pin and box pin face up and down, they are in the correct position. In the correct position, when the rear slider is moved rearward from a position forward of the reverse opening device, the fins of the insert pin and box pin are inserted into the fabric groove of the rear slider. In the correct position, the string member extends straight.

[0015] However, if the rear slider is positioned forward of the reverse opening device, when an external force is applied to the insert pin and box pin, the string member may twist, causing the upper and lower surfaces of the insert pin and box pin to assume an inclined position, tilting relative to the vertical direction. If the insert pin or box pin assumes an inclined position, the fins of the insert pin or box pin may collide with the rear end of the rear slider when the rear slider is moved rearward. If the insert pin or box pin remains in an inclined position, the insert pin or box pin cannot be accommodated in the rear slider. In particular, if the fins of the insert pin and the box pin are symmetrical, there is a risk that the fins of the insert pin and the box pin may collide with the rear slider simultaneously, making it difficult to move the rear slider rearward. To resolve this situation, it is desirable to do the following.

[0016] First, the front surface of the insert pin's rod body is positioned forward of the front surface of the box pin's rod body.Then, the insert pin's fillet is composed of a fillet body positioned rearward of the front surface of the insert pin's dough guide, and a leading piece positioned forward of the front surface of the insert pin's dough guide.Both the fillet body and the leading piece protrude outward in the width direction from the insert pin's rod body.Then, the front surface of the leading piece is positioned forward of the box pin's fillet.

[0017] In this way, when the rear slider is moved rearward, the leading piece collides with the rear slider even if the insert pin is in an inclined position. When the leading piece collides with the rear slider, the fin of the box pin does not collide with the rear slider, so the insert pin is more likely to return to its normal position than when the insert pin and the fin of the box pin collide with the rear slider at the same time.

[0018] The front surface of the leading piece may be in any position relative to the front surface of the rod body of the insert pin, and may be located, for example, at the same position as the front surface of the rod body of the insert pin or further forward than the front surface, but it is preferable that the leading piece be located rearward of the front surface of the rod body of the insert pin. In this way, when the rear slider is moved rearward from a position forward of the reverse opening device, even if the insert pin is in an inclined position, the leading piece will collide with the rear slider after the rod body of the insert pin enters the rear slider, making it easier for the insert pin to return to its normal position.

[0019] The outer side surface of the leading piece in the width direction may be in any orientation relative to the front-to-rear direction, for example it may be parallel, but it is preferable that the outer side surface of the leading piece in the width direction be inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction, moving outward in the width direction as it moves rearward. In this way, even if the insert pin is in an inclined position, as the leading piece enters the rear slider, the outer side surface of the leading piece in the width direction is guided by the rear slider, making it easier for the insert pin to return to its normal position.

[0020] The shape of the front surface of the box pin fin can be any shape in the left-right direction, for example, it can be parallel to the left-right direction, but it is preferable that the front surface of the box pin fin has a notch formed in it that is recessed rearward at a position adjacent to the dough guide of the box pin. In this way, even if the box pin is in an inclined position, the dough guide of the box pin will hit the rear slider before the notch, making it easier for the box pin to return to its normal position.

[0021] The shape of the notch may be any, but is preferably as follows: The notch is V-shaped, concave toward the rear. The notch is composed of an inner side located on the inside of the width direction of the V-shape and an outer side located on the outside of the width direction of the V-shape. When an imaginary line is drawn forward from the apex of the V-shape, the acute angle formed between the imaginary line and the outer side is larger than the acute angle formed between the imaginary line and the inner side.

[0022] A slide fastener equipped with a reverse opening device engages and separates a pair of element rows using a pair of sliders. In a conventional slide fastener, the rear slider of a pair of sliders and the box pin have opposing upper and lower surfaces. The box pin has a protrusion protruding from the pin body, and the rear slider has a stop groove that guides the protrusion in the front-rear direction and collides with the protrusion to stop the rearward movement of the rear slider. Conventionally, when the stop groove and the protrusion collide, the pin body of the box pin is parallel to the front-rear direction. When the stop groove collides with the protrusion, the slider moves rearward, and a force from the slider is applied to the protrusion. If the protrusion breaks, the slider will come off the pin body of the box pin. The strength that the protrusion can withstand without breaking is called the vertical pull strength of the box pin. To increase the vertical pull strength of the box pin, it is desirable to increase the width of the protrusion. To increase the width of the protrusions, the pin body of the box pin is conventionally shaped so that the protruding portion of the pin extends outward in the width direction. This pin body is secured to a tape that secures the element row. Fabric is attached to the tape using a standard sewing machine.

[0023] However, the reverse opening device of the present invention is fixed to the string member. Since no tape is used, fabric is attached to the string member using a dedicated sewing machine. The throat plate of the dedicated sewing machine has a guide groove formed in a straight line in the front-to-rear direction to guide the element row from the width direction in order to transport the element row. The width dimension of the guide groove is slightly larger than the width dimension of the element row. Since the pin body of the box pin is also guided by the guide groove, the width dimension of the pin body of the box pin is formed to be equal to or smaller than the width dimension of the element row. Therefore, even if the reverse opening device of the present invention attempts to increase the vertical pull strength of the box pin, the protruding portion cannot be extended outward in the width direction like the pin body of a conventional box pin. Even in such cases, in order to increase the vertical pull strength of the box pin, it is desirable to design the slide fastener as follows.

[0024] The slide fastener of the present invention comprises the reverse opening device described above, a pair of element rows, a pair of string members, and a pair of sliders. The pair of element rows is composed of a plurality of elements arranged in a single row in the front-rear direction and then arranged in two rows in the width direction. The pair of string members secure the pair of element rows separately while passing through the elements. The pair of sliders open and close the pair of element rows in opposite directions. The outer side edges of the pin body of the box pin in the width direction are located at positions that coincide with or are on the inner side in the width direction of an extension of the outer side edges of the element rows in the width direction. With respect to the opposing surfaces of the rear slider and the box pin, a convex portion protruding from the pin body of the box pin is formed on the box pin, and a stop groove is formed on the rear slider. The stop groove guides the convex portion movably in the front-rear direction and collides with the convex portion to stop the rearward movement of the rear slider. When the front surfaces of the stop groove and the convex portion collide with each other, the pin body of the box pin is inclined in the front-rear direction, moving outward in the width direction as it moves rearward.

[0025] In this way, when the stop groove and the protrusion collide, the outer side surface of the protrusion in the width direction moves outward in the width direction by the amount that the pin body of the box pin is tilted, compared to when the box pin is parallel to the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the width dimension of the protrusion can be made larger by the amount that the side surface of the protrusion is positioned outward in the width direction, compared to when the box pin is parallel to the front-to-rear direction, and the vertical pulling strength can be improved.

[0026] The front surface of the convex portion may or may not be parallel to the left-right direction. However, in order to increase the vertical pulling strength of the box pin by making the width dimension of the convex portion when it hits the stop groove larger than the width dimension of the convex portion when the pin body of the box pin is parallel to the front-to-back direction, it is desirable to do as follows: That is, the front surface of the stop groove is parallel to the left-to-right direction, and when the pin body of the box pin is parallel to the front-to-back direction, the front surface of the convex portion is inclined relative to the left-to-right direction, pointing rearward as it moves outward in the width direction.

[0027] In this way, when the stop groove and the protrusion collide, the front surface of the protrusion becomes parallel to the left-right direction, so the width dimension becomes larger than when it is inclined, and the vertical pulling strength of the box pin becomes greater.

[0028] Conventionally, grooves have been formed parallel to the front-to-rear direction on the outer side surfaces of the elements in the width direction. When the edges of the fabric are accommodated in the grooves, the integrity of the fabric and the elements is improved. Grooves can be formed in elements, but not in rod members. This is because the rod members have fins protruding from the outer side surfaces of the rod body in the width direction. Therefore, when grooves are formed in the elements, the edges of the fabric tend to come into contact with the outer side surfaces of the rod body in the width direction. On the other hand, as mentioned above, there is a need to separate the fabric from the rod body to make it easier to place it on the fins. In such cases, that is, when improving the integrity of the fabric and the elements while separating the fabric from the rod body to make it easier to place it on the fins, the following method is desirable.

[0029] The slide fastener of the present invention comprises a reverse-opening device, a pair of element rows, a pair of string members, and a pair of sliders. The element row comprises a nearby class, which is a collection of one or more elements located near the reverse-opening device, and a remote class, which is a collection of multiple elements located on the opposite side of the nearby class from the reverse-opening device. The outer side surfaces in the width direction of the remote class are provided with grooves for guiding the edges of the fabric in parallel with the front-to-rear direction. The outer side surfaces in the width direction of the nearby class guide the edges of the fabric on the outer side in the width direction of the grooves of the remote class.

[0030] In this way, the grooves improve the unity of the fabric and the elements in the remote class, while in the nearby class, the edges of the fabric can be guided more outside in the width direction than in the remote class, making it easier to separate the fabric from the rod body and place it on the fin.

[0031] Furthermore, the outer side surface of the neighboring class in the width direction may be positioned, for example, to coincide with the outer side surface of the dough guide, regardless of its relationship to the outer side surface of the dough guide in the width direction. However, in order to guide the edge of the dough at an angle relative to the front-to-rear direction, moving outward in the width direction as it moves rearward, it is preferable to do the following. That is, the outer side surface of the neighboring class guides the edge of the dough at a position more inward in the width direction than the outer side surface of the dough guide in the width direction. In this way, the edge of the dough is guided parallel to the front-to-rear direction in the remote class. Then, as the edge of the dough moves rearward, it is guided outward in the width direction in the order of the neighboring class and the dough guide, making it easier to separate the dough from the rod body and place it on the fillet.

[0032] In this invention, the dough guide is raised from the top surface of the fillet, so the operator can place the dough on the fillet by aligning the edge of the dough along the outer side surface of the dough guide in the width direction, which makes it easier to place the dough on the fillet while separating it from the rod body in the width direction.

[0033] 1 is a plan view showing a chain member used in a slide fastener according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a portion of a slide fastener according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the path of a slider flange and the relationship between an insert pin and a box pin; FIGS. (A) to (C) are a plan view, a front view, and a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of a slider; FIGS. (A) to (D) are a plan view, a bottom view, a front view, and a cross-sectional view taken along line DD of an element; a cross-sectional view showing an element row and a reverse opening device; a perspective view showing an element row and a reverse opening device; FIGS. (A) to (C) are a plan view, a front view, and a back view showing a reverse opening device; a plan view showing an insert pin; a bottom view showing an insert pin; a plan view showing a box pin; a bottom view showing a box pin; FIGS. (A) and (B) are cross-sectional views and partially enlarged views showing a state in which a slider has collided with the box pin; a plan view showing an element member on the insert pin side; a plan view showing an element member on the box pin side; FIGS. (A) and (B) are plan views and front views showing the inclined posture of the insert pin and the box pin. 1A to 1D are explanatory diagrams showing the insert pin entering the slider. 1A to 1D are explanatory diagrams showing the box pin entering the slider. 1B are cross-sectional views from below showing the insert pin being inserted and removed.

[0034] 1 shows a chain member 1 used in a slide fastener according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The chain member 1 extends in a straight line. The chain member 1 is composed of a pair of element members 2a, 2b that extend in a straight line and are meshed with each other in a parallel state. When the meshing of the pair of element members 2a, 2b is released, the pair of element members 2a, 2b separate.

[0035] In the following description, directions are defined as follows. The "front-rear direction" is the direction in which the chain member 1 extends in a straight line. The front-rear direction corresponds to the up-down direction in FIG. 1. The front direction corresponds to the up-down direction in FIG. 1. The rear direction corresponds to the down-down direction in FIG. 1. The "left-right direction" is the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the direction in which the pair of element members 2a, 2b are adjacent to each other. The left-right direction is also referred to as the width direction and corresponds to the left-right direction in FIG. 1. The left direction corresponds to the left direction in FIG. 1. The right direction corresponds to the right direction in FIG. 1. The "inner side in the width direction" refers to the right side of a portion of the left-side element member 2a, taking that portion as an example. The "outer side in the width direction" refers to the left side of a portion of the left-side element member 2a, taking that portion as an example. The "up-down direction" refers to the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, and is also referred to as the thickness direction. The up-down direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1. The upward direction is the direction facing the front side among directions perpendicular to the paper surface of Fig. 1. The downward direction is the direction facing the back side among directions perpendicular to the paper surface of Fig. 1.

[0036] The left-side element member 2a includes a string member 3 extending in the front-to-rear direction, an element row 4 fixed to the string member 3, an insert pin 5a as a rod member fixed to the string member 3 behind the element row 4, and a guide portion 6a fixed to the string member 3 behind the insert pin 5a. In the left-side element member 2, the element row 4, insert pin 5a, and guide portion 6a are fixed to the string member 3 in this order toward the rear. The right-side element member 2b is substantially bilaterally symmetrical to the left-side element member 2a except for the use of a box pin 5b as another rod member, and will be described briefly. The right-side element member 2b also includes a string member 3, an element row 4, a box pin 5b, and a guide portion 6b. The insert pin 5a and the box pin 5b form a single reverse opening device 10.

[0037] A pair of element rows 4 mesh with each other on the inside in the width direction, a pair of guide portions 6a, 6b mesh with each other on the inside in the width direction, and a pair of rod members, namely, an insert pin 5a and a box pin 5b, overlap each other in the vertical direction on the inside in the width direction, thereby integrating the pair of element members 2a, 2b to form a chain member 1.

[0038] The pair of guide portions 6a, 6b are interlockable and separable. The insert pin-side guide portion 6a is composed of multiple guide elements 16a lined up in a row in the front-rear direction. Each guide element 16a has a guide body 16a1 through which the string member 3 passes in the front-rear direction and a guide meshing portion 16a2 that protrudes inward in the width direction relative to the guide body 16a1. All of the guide elements 16a of the guide portion 6a may be of the same type and have the same shape, but in this embodiment, there are multiple types. The box pin-side guide portion 6b is also composed of multiple guide elements 16b lined up in a row in the front-rear direction. Each guide element 16b also has a guide body 16b1 through which the string member 3 passes in the front-rear direction and a guide meshing portion 16b2 that protrudes inward in the width direction relative to the guide body 16b1. All of the guide elements 16b of the guide portion 6b may be of the same type and have the same shape, but in this embodiment, there are multiple types. The guide meshing portion 16a2 on the insert pin side and the guide meshing portion 16b2 on the box pin side can be engaged with and separated from each other.

[0039] The string member 3 is flexible. Therefore, when the string member 3 is twisted between the element row 4 and the insert pin 5a or between the element row 4 and the box pin 5b, the upper and lower surfaces of the element row 4 face the vertical direction, while the upper and lower surfaces of the insert pin 5a or the box pin 5b face in a direction inclined relative to the vertical direction. The string member 3 is, for example, a monofilament, a twisted yarn, or a string body. The string body is formed by wrapping a core yarn made of a plurality of drawn multifilaments in a bag knitted with a plurality of knitting yarns.

[0040] The element members 2a, 2b are conveyed toward the sewing machine, and fabric 7 (see FIG. 2) is sewn to portions of the element members 2a, 2b. After sewing, the portions of the element members 2a, 2b where the fabric 7 is not sewn are cut. The portions of the element members 2a, 2b to which the fabric 7 is sewn are called fastener stringers. A slide fastener is completed by attaching a pair of sliders to the pair of fastener stringers. The pair of sliders can move back and forth along the pair of fastener stringers, and open and close the pair of fastener stringers in opposite directions. The front slider of the pair of sliders moves forward when closing the pair of fastener stringers. The rear slider of the pair of sliders moves rearward when closing the pair of fastener stringers. As shown in FIG. 19 , when the insert pin 5a and the box pin 5b are housed in a state where the pair of sliders 8 are adjacent to each other in the front and rear directions with their rear openings facing each other, the insert pin 5a can be removed from the pair of sliders 8. In other words, the rod member that can be inserted into and removed from the pair of sliders 8 is the insert pin 5a. When the insert pin 5a can be inserted and removed, the rear slider 8 is located at the rear limit position in its range of movement. The "rear opening" of the slider 8 is the portion through which the pair of element rows 4 pass in an interlocked state. More specifically, the "rear" of the rear opening refers to the direction based on the front slider 8. The "opening" of the rear opening refers to the point where the pair of element rows 4 enters from the outside to the inside of the slider 8. Note that only the rear slider 8 of the pair of sliders 8 is shown in Figure 2.

[0041] The pair of sliders 8 have the same configuration except for their orientation. Hereinafter, the rear slider 8 will be described, and a description of the front slider 8 will be omitted. The rear slider 8 includes a slider body 21 that opens and closes the pair of element rows 4 and is movable back and forth along the pair of element rows 4, and a pull tab 29 that is connected to the slider body 21.

[0042] 4, the slider body 21 includes an upper blade 22 and a lower blade 23 that face each other and are spaced apart in the vertical direction, a connecting post 24 that connects the opposing rear portions of the upper blade 22 and the lower blade 23 at their respective left-right intermediate portions and is sandwiched between a pair of element rows 4, a pull-tab attachment portion 25 for attaching a pull tab 29, and flanges 26 that protrude from the left and right ends of the upper blade 22 and the lower blade 23 in a direction narrowing the opposing vertical gap between the upper blade 22 and the lower blade 23. In the drawing, the pull-tab attachment portion 25 protrudes from above the upper blade 22.

[0043] The lower surface of the upper blade 22 and the upper surface of the lower blade 23 face each other in the vertical direction. Details of the upper surface of the lower blade 23 will be described later. The front portion 26a of the flange 26 extends parallel to the front-to-rear direction, and the rear portion 26b of the flange 26 is inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction, and points outward in the width direction as it extends rearward.

[0044] The slider body 21 is provided with an element passage 21a penetrating in the front-rear direction, the element passage 21a being bifurcated at the rear, and a dough groove 21b communicating with the element passage 21a and opening to the left or right. The element passage 21a is vertically separated from the outside of the slider body 21 by an upper blade 22 and a lower blade 23. The element passage 21a is horizontally separated from the outside of the slider body 21 by left and right flanges 26. The rear side of the element passage 21a is separated left and right by a connecting pillar 24. The dough groove 21b is between the flanges 26 facing each other at the top and bottom. A pair of element rows 4 is passed through the element passage 21a, and the dough 7 on the corresponding side is passed through each dough groove 21b. This completes the basic configuration of the slider 8.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 1 , the element row 4 is composed of a plurality of elements 40 lined up in a line in the front-rear direction. In a pair of element rows 4, the plurality of elements 40 lined up in a line in the front-rear direction are lined up in two lines in the width direction. The plurality of elements 40 lined up in a line in the front-rear direction are fixed to the string member 3 with a gap between them in the front-rear direction. In the element row 4, the gap between adjacent elements 40 in the front-rear direction is the same. The elements 40 are formed by injection molding onto the string member 3. As a result, the string member 3 penetrates the plurality of elements 40 in the front-rear direction. The string member 3 also penetrates the guide elements 16a, 16b, the insert pin 5a, and the box pin 5b in the front-rear direction.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 5, the element 40 includes a body portion 41 through which the string member 3 passes in the front-rear direction, and a meshing portion 45 that meshes with the element 40 of the opposing element row 4.

[0047] The interlocking portion 45 protrudes inward in the width direction relative to the body portion 41. In this embodiment, the shape of the interlocking portion 45 is symmetrical from front to back, with the upper and lower portions of the interlocking portion 45 being different. The upper portion of the interlocking portion 45 is plate-shaped with its thickness in the up-down direction and has a triangular shape when viewed from above. The front surface 45a of the upper portion of the interlocking portion 45 is inclined in the left-right direction, tilting rearward as it moves inward in the width direction. The rear surface 45b of the upper portion of the interlocking portion 45 is inclined in the left-right direction, tilting forward as it moves inward in the width direction.

[0048] The lower portion of the interlocking portion 45 includes a neck portion 45d that protrudes inward in the width direction from the body portion 41, and a head portion 45e that protrudes inward in the width direction relative to the neck portion 45d and protrudes forward and backward. When viewed from above, the neck portion 45d is hidden by the upper portion of the interlocking portion 45 and cannot be seen. When viewed from above, the head portion 45e protrudes forward and backward relative to the upper portion of the interlocking portion 45. When viewed from below, the front surface 45d1 and the rear surface 45d2 of the neck portion 45d are symmetrically concave in a semicircular shape, while the front surface 45e1 and the rear surface 45e2 of the head portion 45e are symmetrically convex in a semicircular shape. The body portion 41 includes a front surface 41a and a rear surface 41b, an upper surface 41c and a lower surface 41d, and a side surface 41e on the outer side in the width direction. The string member 3 passes through the center of the front surface 41a and the rear surface 41b of the body portion 41. The upper surface 41c and the lower surface 41d of the body 41 are guided by the upper blades 22 and the lower blades 23 of the slider, and the outer side surface 41e of the body 41 in the width direction is guided by the flange 26 of the slider 8. The side surface 41e of the body 41 will be described in detail later.

[0049] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the element row 4 includes a nearby class 4G, which is a collection of one or more elements 40 located near the reverse opener 10, and a remote class 4H, which is a collection of multiple elements 40 located on the front side, opposite the reverse opener 10 (rod member), of the nearby class 4G. Specifically, the nearby class 4G is a collection of the nth elements 40 counting from the reverse opener 10. The remote class 4H is a collection of the n+1th and subsequent elements 40 counting from the reverse opener 10. n is an integer equal to or greater than 1. In this embodiment, n is 2. Preferably, n is 5 or less. The total number of elements 40 in the remote class 4H is greater than the total number of elements 40 in the nearby class 4G.

[0050] In the remote class 4H, a groove 41H is formed on the outer side surface of the element 40 in the width direction, i.e., the outer side surface 41e of the body 41 in the width direction. The groove 41H is located in the middle of the element 40 in the vertical direction. The edge of the fabric 7 is accommodated in the groove 41H. In other words, the fabric 7 comes into contact with the groove 41H. The groove 41H of the remote class 4H is formed to guide the edge of the fabric 7 parallel to the front-to-rear direction. In the illustrated example, in all elements 40 of the remote class 4H, the rear surface of the groove 41H has a portion that comes into contact with the edge of the fabric 7 parallel to the front-to-rear direction. The groove 41H penetrates the element 40 in the front-to-rear direction. When viewed from the front-to-rear direction, the groove 41H is V-shaped and opens outward in the width direction.

[0051] The outer side of the neighboring class 4G guides the edge of the fabric 7 further outward in the width direction than the groove 41H of the remote class 4H. As a result, when the neighboring class 4G guides the edge of the fabric 7, the edge of the fabric 7 is inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction and is guided outward in the width direction as it moves rearward. The first element 40 from the reverse opener 10 in the neighboring class 4G has a groove 41G1 on the side 41e of the body 41. The second element 40 from the reverse opener 10 in the neighboring class 4G also has a groove 41G2 on the side 41e of the body 41. For the first and second elements 40, the grooves 41G1 and 10G2 are formed at the same height as the groove 41H of the remote class 4H. For the elements 40 in the neighboring class 4G, the farther away from the remote class 4H the element 40 is, the more outward in the width direction the element 40 contacts the fabric 7. Details are as follows.

[0052] The groove 41G2 of the second element 40 penetrates in the front-to-rear direction, similar to the groove 41H of the remote class 4H. However, the depth of the groove 41G2 of the second element 40 is shallower than the depth of the groove 41H of the remote class 4H. In other words, with respect to the portion that contacts the edge of the fabric 7 parallel to the front-to-rear direction, the rear surface of the groove 41G2 of the second element 40 is located outward in the width direction than the rear surface of the groove 41H of the remote class 4H.

[0053] The groove 41G1 of the first element 40 communicates with the front surface of the first element 40 but does not communicate with the rear surface of the first element 40. In other words, the dimension of the groove 41G1 in the front-to-rear direction is shorter than the dimension of the first element 40 in the front-to-rear direction. There is no groove 41G1 in the middle portion of the first element 40 in the front-to-rear direction. As described above, the first element 40 contacts the edge of the fabric 7 on the side surface 41e of the body portion 41, rearward of the groove 41G1. Note that the groove 41G1 of the first element 40 may penetrate in the front-to-rear direction. In this case, it is preferable that the depth of the groove 41G1 of the first element 40 is shallower than the depth of the groove 41G2 of the second element 40 (i.e., with respect to the first element 40, the rear surface of the groove 41G1 is located outward in the width direction from the rear surface of the groove 41G2 of the second element 40).

[0054] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the insert pin 5a comprises a rod body 50a fixed to the string member 3, a fin 60a protruding from the outer side surface in the width direction from above the underside of the rod body 50a, a fabric guide 70a protruding from the upper surface of the fin 60a and guiding the edge of the fabric 7, and a plurality of teeth 81a to 84a protruding from the inner side surface in the width direction of the rod body 50a.

[0055] The rod body 50a extends in the front-to-rear direction. The string member 3 passes through the front surface 51a and rear surface 52a of the rod body 50a. In this case, the string member 3 is parallel to the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, when the string member 3 is parallel to the front-to-rear direction, the rod body 50a is also parallel to the front-to-rear direction. The upper surface 53a and lower surface 54a of the rod body 50a are formed in flat surfaces perpendicular to the up-down direction and are guided between the upper blade 22 and the lower blade 23. An inward recess 55a that recesses inward in the width direction is formed in the middle of the front-to-rear direction on the outer side surface of the rod body 50a in the width direction.

[0056] The fin 60a is based on the front surface 71a of the dough guide 70a and comprises a fin main body 61a that extends outward in the width direction from the rod main body 50a on the rear side of the reference point, and a leading piece 69 that extends outward in the width direction from the rod main body 50a on the front side of the reference point. The fin 60a is located above the bottom surface 54a of the rod main body 50a and below the top surface 53a of the rod main body 50a. The bottom surface 60a1 of the fin 60a is flat and perpendicular to the up-down direction.

[0057] The fillet body 61a is located behind the front surface 51a of the rod body 50a and ahead of the rear surface 52a of the rod body 50a. The dough 7 is placed on the fillet body 61a. The fillet body 61a is plate-shaped with its thickness in the up-down direction. The fillet body 61a includes a guide base 62a that extends outward in the width direction from the rod body 50a and on which the dough guide 70a is placed, and a dough base 63a that extends outward in the width direction from the guide base 62a and on which the dough 7 is placed.

[0058] The guide table 62a is visible when viewed from below, but is invisible when viewed from above because in this embodiment the guide table 62a coincides with the area directly below the dough guide 70a.

[0059] When viewed from above, the fabric base 63a protrudes outward in the width direction relative to the fabric guide 70a. The fabric base 63a includes a sewing portion 64a to be sewn to the fabric 7 and a pair of ears 67a that protrude separately in front and behind the sewing portion 64a.

[0060] The front ear 67a protrudes outward in the width direction as it moves forward from the corner between the outer side surface of the sewn portion 64a in the width direction and the front surface of the sewn portion 64a. The rear ear 67a protrudes outward in the width direction as it moves rearward from the corner between the outer side surface of the sewn portion 64a in the width direction and the rear surface of the sewn portion 64a. A thread can be threaded at the boundary between the ear 67a and the sewn portion 64a.

[0061] The leading piece 69 is continuous with the front side of the fin body 61. The leading piece 69 protrudes outward in the width direction from the middle part between the top and bottom of the rod body 50a. The leading piece 69 is located rearward of the front surface 51a of the rod body 50a of the insert pin 5a.

[0062] The front surface 691 of the leading piece 69 is parallel to the left-right direction. The front surface 691 of the leading piece 69 is located rearward of the front end of the frontmost tooth 81a of the insert pin 5a. The outer side surface 692 of the leading piece 69 in the width direction is inclined relative to the front-rear direction, and extends outward in the width direction as it extends rearward.

[0063] The sewn portion 64a has a through-hole 641a formed therethrough in the up-down direction at a position spaced apart from the fabric guide 70a in the width direction. The through-hole 641a is an elongated hole whose front-to-back dimension is longer than its left-to-right dimension. The sewn portion 64a includes an extension piece 66 that extends outward in the width direction from the front of the guide base 62a and rearward relative to the leading piece 69, and a sewn portion main body 65a that extends outward in the width direction from the guide base 62a rearward relative to the extension piece 66 and forms the periphery of the through-hole 641a.

[0064] The side surface 661 of the extension piece 66 is continuous with the side surface 692 of the leading piece 69 in the same straight line. The upper surfaces of the extension piece 66 and the leading piece 69 cooperate to form a single plane that is perpendicular to the up-down direction. The upper surfaces of the extension piece 66 and the leading piece 69 are also lower than the upper surface of the sewn portion main body 65a. Therefore, the up-down thickness of the leading piece 69 and extension piece 66 is thinner than the thickness of the sewn portion main body 65a.

[0065] The upper surface of the sewn portion main body 65a is flat and perpendicular to the up-down direction. The front surface 651a of the sewn portion main body 65a is spaced rearward from the front surface 71a of the fabric guide 70a and is parallel to the left-right direction. When viewed from above, the boundary portion 652a between the sewn portion main body 65a and the extension piece 66 is inclined rearward as it moves inward in the width direction.

[0066] The fabric guide 70a is adjacent to the rod body 50a on the outside in the width direction. The front surface 71a of the fabric guide 70a is parallel to the left-right direction. The outer side surface 72a of the fabric guide 70a in the width direction is inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction, tilting outward in the width direction as it moves rearward. The width dimension of the fabric guide 70a is designed so that the upper flange 26 passes directly above the fabric guide 70a when the rear slider 8 is moved. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3, the side surface 72a of the fabric guide 70a in the width direction is located outward in the width direction from the outer widthwise track 26K of the flange 26 that passes directly above the fabric guide 70a. The upper surface 73a of the fabric guide 70a is lower than the upper surface 53a of the rod body 50a. The upper surface 73a of the fabric guide 70a is higher than the upper surfaces of the sewing portion main body 65a, the extension piece 66, and the leading piece 69. That is, the upper surface 73a of the dough guide 70a is higher than the upper surface of the fillet 60a. The combined vertical dimension of the dough guide 70a and the fillet 60a is shorter than the dimension of the dough groove 21b.

[0067] The insert pin 5a has four teeth 81a to 84a that protrude from the rod body 50a at intervals in the front and rear directions. The three teeth 82a to 84a on the rear side of the insert pin 5a protrude inward in the width direction from the upper part of the inner side surface in the width direction of the rod body 50a.

[0068] The front teeth 81a of the insert pin 5a protrude inward in the width direction from the upper and lower parts on the inner side surface of the rod body 50a in the width direction. The front teeth 81a include an upper tooth upper part 811a and a lower tooth lower part 815a.

[0069] When viewed from above, the tooth upper portion 811a has the same shape as the front portion of the meshing portion 45 of the element 40 when the meshing portion 45 is divided into two halves, front and rear. In other words, the tooth upper portion 811a is shaped like a right triangle. A front surface 812a of the tooth upper portion 811a is inclined with respect to the left-right direction, tilting rearward as it moves inward in the width direction. A rear surface 813a of the tooth upper portion 811a is parallel to the left-right direction.

[0070] The lower tooth portion 815a includes a neck portion 816a that juts out inward in the width direction relative to the rod body 50a, and a head portion 817a that juts out inward in the width direction relative to the neck portion 816a and juts out forward. The rear portions of the neck portion 816a and the head portion 817a jut out backward relative to the upper tooth portion 811a. The rear surfaces of the neck portion 816a and the head portion 817a are continuous in a straight line in the left-right direction. In other words, the rear surface 815a1 of the lower tooth portion 815a is parallel to the left-right direction. The front portion of the neck portion 816a is hidden by the upper tooth portion 811a and cannot be seen when viewed from above. The front surface 816a1 of the neck portion 816a is concave toward the rear in a semicircular shape. When viewed from above, the head portion 817a juts out forward and backward relative to the upper tooth portion 811a. When viewed from below, the front surface 817a1 of the head portion 817a bulges outward in a semicircular shape.

[0071] As shown in Figures 8, 11, and 12, the box pin 5b is asymmetrical with the insert pin 5a. More specifically, the box pin 5b is symmetrical with the insert pin 5a in many areas, but is also asymmetrical with the insert pin 5a in some areas. Below, the asymmetrical parts of the box pin 5b with the insert pin 5a will be described in detail. Furthermore, parts of the box pin 5b that have the same functions as the insert pin 5a will be briefly described, and different reference numerals will be used to refer to them while using the same terms as the insert pin 5a.

[0072] Like the insert pin 5a, the box pin 5b also includes a pin body 50b, a fillet 60b, a dough guide 70b, and a plurality of teeth 81b to 83b. The box pin 5b also includes a protrusion 90 that protrudes from the underside of the pin body 50b.

[0073] The rod body 50b of the box pin 5b also extends in the front-to-rear direction. The string member 3 passes through the front surface 51b and the rear surface 52b of the rod body 50b. In this case, the string member 3 is parallel to the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, when the string member 3 is parallel to the front-to-rear direction, the rod body 50b is also parallel to the front-to-rear direction. The upper surface 53b and the lower surface 54b of the rod body 50b are formed in flat shapes that are perpendicular to the up-down direction. An inward recess 55b is formed in the middle of the outer side surface in the width direction of the rod body 50b in the front-to-rear direction.

[0074] The fin 60b of the box pin 5b is asymmetrical with the fin 60a of the insert pin 5a. The fin 60b of the box pin 5b is based on the front surface of the dough guide 70b, and has a fin main body 61b that protrudes outward in the width direction from above the underside of the rod main body 50b on the rear side of that reference, and does not have a portion corresponding to the leading piece 69 of the insert pin 5a. The fin 60b is located above the underside 54b of the rod main body 50b and below the upper surface 53b of the rod main body 50b. The underside 60b1 of the fin 60b is flat and perpendicular to the up-down direction.

[0075] The fin body 61b of the box pin 5b is asymmetrical with the fin body 61a of the insert pin 5a and includes a guide base 62b and a fabric base 63b. The fabric base 63b is asymmetrical with the fabric base 63a of the insert pin 5a and includes a sewn portion 64b and a pair of ears 67b. The sewn portion 64b is asymmetrical with the sewn portion 64a of the insert pin 5a.

[0076] A through hole 641b is also formed in the sewn portion 64b of the box pin 5b. The sewn portion 64b includes a sewn portion main body 65b, but does not include a portion corresponding to the extension piece 66 of the insert pin 5a.

[0077] The sewn portion main body 65b is bilaterally symmetrical to the sewn portion main body 65a of the insert pin 5a. Specifically, the front surface of the sewn portion main body 65b has an outer widthwise portion 651b formed parallel to the left-right direction, and an inner widthwise portion 652b inclined relative to the left-right direction so that it points rearward as it moves inward in the widthwise direction. The inner widthwise end of the inner widthwise portion 652b is behind the front of the guide base 62b. Therefore, when viewed from above, a notch 68 is formed on the front surface of the fin 60b of the box pin 5b, adjacent to the fabric guide 70b of the box pin 5b, and is recessed rearward.

[0078] The notch 68 is V-shaped and recessed toward the rear. The notch 68 is composed of an inner side 68a located on the inside of the V-shape in the width direction and an outer side 652b located on the outside of the V-shape in the width direction and serving as the inner side 652b in the width direction. An imaginary line L6 is drawn forward from the apex of the V-shape. The acute angle θ2 formed between the imaginary line L6 and the outer side 652b is greater than the acute angle θ1 formed between the imaginary line L6 and the inner side 68a.

[0079] The dough guide 70b of the box pin 5b is symmetrical to the dough guide 70b of the insert pin 5a. The front surface 71b of the dough guide 70b is symmetrical to the front surface 71a of the dough guide 70a of the insert pin 5a. The outer side surface 72b in the width direction of the dough guide 70b is symmetrical to the side surface 72a in the width direction of the dough guide 70a of the insert pin 5a. The top surface 73b of the dough guide 70b is lower than the top surface 53b of the rod body 50b. The top surface 73b of the dough guide 70b is higher than the top surface of the fillet 60b.

[0080] The box pin 5b has three teeth 81b to 83b protruding from the pin body 50b. The two rear teeth 82b and 83b of the box pin 5b protrude from the lower part of the inner side surface in the width direction of the pin body 50b.

[0081] The front tooth 81b of the box pin 5b protrudes inward in the width direction from the upper and lower parts of the pin body 50b. The front tooth 81b comprises an upper upper tooth part 811b and a lower lower tooth part 815b. The front part of the upper tooth part 811b protrudes forward more than the lower tooth part 815b, and the rear part of the upper tooth part 811b is joined to the top of the lower tooth part 815b. The lower tooth part 815b protrudes inward in the width direction more than the upper tooth part 811b and protrudes rearward more than the upper tooth part 811b.

[0082] In the case of the chain member 1 or when the slide fastener is closed, as shown in FIG. 8 , the insert pin 5a and the box pin 5b have the following relationship: The teeth 81a to 84a of the insert pin 5a and the teeth 81b to 83b of the box pin 5b partially overlap in the vertical direction. Specifically, the teeth 81a to 84a of the insert pin 5a and the teeth 81b to 83b of the box pin 5b overlap in the vertical direction while being shifted by a half pitch P in the front-to-rear direction. The pitch P is the distance between the same positions of the meshing portions 45 of adjacent elements 40 in the front-to-rear direction (see FIG. 14 ). The front-most tooth 81a of the insert pin 5a meshes with the meshing portion 45 of the rearmost element 40 on the box pin 5b side and vertically overlaps the front-most tooth 81b of the box pin 5b. The three rear teeth 82a to 84a of the insert pin 5a and the two rear teeth 82b, 83b of the box pin 5b vertically overlap. The front surface 51a of the rod body 50a of the insert pin 5a is located forward of the front surface 51b of the rod body 50b of the box pin 5b. The front surface 691 of the leading piece 69 is located forward of the fin 60b and the dough table 70b of the box pin 5b. Also, as shown in Figure 1, when viewed from above, the front surface 812a of the tooth upper part 811a of the insert pin 5a and the rear surface 45b of the upper part of the meshing portion 45 of the rearmost element 40 on the box pin 5b side are parallel.

[0083] The protrusion 90 protrudes from the underside 54b of the rod body 50b rearward of the fin 60b. The protrusion 90 is intended to collide with the rear slider 8. When the box pin 5b is parallel in the front-to-rear direction, the front surface 90a of the protrusion 90 is inclined with respect to the left-to-right direction, tilting rearward as it extends outward in the width direction. When viewed from above, the outer side surface 90b of the protrusion 90 in the width direction is located at the same position as the outer side surface of the rod body 50b in the width direction or on the inner side in the width direction.

[0084] As shown in Figures 4 and 13, the rear slider 8 is formed with a stop groove 27 that guides the protrusion 90 so that it can move forward and backward and that stops the protrusion 90. More specifically, the stop groove 27 is formed in the rear part of the upper surface of the lower blade 23. In the figures, the stop grooves 27 are formed on the left and right sides of the upper surface of the lower blade 23. In this embodiment, the right stop groove 27 engages with the protrusion 90, and the left stop groove 27 is symmetrical to the right stop groove 27 but is unrelated to the protrusion 90. The right stop groove 27 will be described below. The stop groove 27 includes a groove main body 28 that guides the protrusion 90 so that it can move forward and backward, and a front surface 28f that serves as a stop surface at the front end of the groove main body 28 that stops the protrusion 90 from moving forward.

[0085] The groove body 28 extends forward from the rear end of the lower blade 23. The width of the groove body 28 narrows as it extends forward. Specifically, the inner side surface 28a of the groove body 28 in the width direction is parallel to the front-to-rear direction. The outer side surface 28b of the groove body 28 in the width direction is inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction, tilting outward in the width direction as it extends rearward. The outer side surface 28b of the groove body 28 in the width direction has different inclination angles relative to the front-to-rear direction between the front portion 28c and the rear portion 28d. As shown in FIG. 13 , an imaginary line L3 parallel to the front-to-rear direction is drawn rearward from the midpoint of the front portion 28c in the front-to-rear direction, and an imaginary line L4 parallel to the front-to-rear direction is drawn rearward from the midpoint of the rear portion 28d in the front-to-rear direction. The acute angle formed between the front portion 28c and the imaginary line L3 is defined as the inclination angle θ3 of the front portion 28c. The acute angle formed between the rear portion 28d and the imaginary line L4 is defined as the inclination angle θ4 of the rear portion 28d. The inclination angle θ3 of the front portion 28c is smaller than the inclination angle θ4 of the rear portion 28d. The front end of the groove body 28 is located rearward of the front end of the lower blade 23.

[0086] The front surface 28f of the stop groove 27 is located at the front end of the groove main body 28. The front surface 28f is parallel to the left-right direction. The inner surface of the front portion 26a of the flange 26 in the width direction is parallel to the front-rear direction. When viewed from above, an extension line 26L is drawn rearward from this inner surface. The front surface 28f crosses the extension line 26L in the width direction. The front surface 28f is composed of a portion located outside the extension line 26L in the width direction and a portion located inside the extension line 26L in the width direction.

[0087] In a slide fastener, when the rear slider 8 is positioned at the rear end limit of its range of movement, the stop groove 27 and the protrusion 90 collide. When the stop groove 27 and the protrusion 90 collide, the pin body 50b of the box pin 5b is slightly tilted in the front-to-rear direction, moving outward in the width direction as it moves rearward. As a result, the side surface 90b of the protrusion 90 moves outward in the width direction compared to when the box pin 5b is parallel to the front-to-rear direction, and is positioned outward in the width direction from the extension line 26L. Furthermore, the front surface 28f of the stop groove 27 has a portion located inside the width direction with respect to the extension line 26L and a portion located outside the width direction. Therefore, the width dimension of the protrusion 90 can be increased by the amount that the side surface 90b of the protrusion 90 moves outward in the width direction compared to when the box pin 5b is parallel to the front-to-rear direction, thereby increasing the vertical pull strength of the box pin 5b.

[0088] In the case of a conventional box pin, the protrusion 90 collides with the stop groove when the box pin is parallel in the front-to-rear direction. In this case, the protrusion 90 collides with the stop groove 27 only on the widthwise inner side of the extension line 26L. However, in this embodiment, the protrusion 90 collides with the stop groove 27 when the box pin 5b is tilted in the front-to-rear direction. The front surface 90a of the protrusion 90 has a portion located on the widthwise inner side of the extension line 26L and a portion located on the widthwise outer side. In other words, the protrusion 90 collides with the front surface 28f of the stop groove 27 on both the widthwise inner side and the widthwise outer side of the extension line 26L, increasing the vertical pull strength of the box pin 5b.

[0089] Furthermore, when the rod body 50b of the box pin 5b is parallel in the front-to-rear direction, the front surface 90a of the convex portion 90 is inclined in the left-to-right direction so as to move rearward as it moves outward in the width direction, and the front surface 28f of the stop groove 27 is parallel in the left-to-right direction, so that when the stop groove 27 and the convex portion 90 collide, the front surface 90a of the convex portion 90 becomes parallel in the left-to-right direction. As a result, the widthwise dimension of the convex portion 90 becomes larger by the amount that the front surface 90a of the convex portion 90 is now parallel in the left-to-right direction compared to before the collision, and the vertical pulling strength of the box pin 5b increases.

[0090] As described above, when sewing the fabric 7 to the fastener stringer, the element members 2a, 2b are conveyed in a straight line toward the sewing machine. When the element members 2a, 2b are conveyed, the string member 3 is parallel in the front-to-rear direction. When the insert pin element member 2a is conveyed, as shown in FIG. 14 , the outer side edge 57a of the insert pin 5a's rod body 50a in the width direction is positioned at a position that coincides with an extension line L1 of the outer side edge 40s of the element row 4 in the width direction, or slightly inside the extension line L1 in the width direction, as viewed from above. When viewed from above, the outer side edge 57a of the rod body 50a in the width direction is positioned at a position where the front end and rear end coincide with the extension line L1. The inward recess 55a of the insert pin 5a is positioned inside the extension line L1 in the width direction. Furthermore, the outer side surface 72a of the insert pin 5a's fabric guide 70a is positioned outside the extension line L1 in the width direction.

[0091] Furthermore, when the element member 2b on the box pin side is being conveyed, as shown in Figure 15, the outer widthwise side edge 57b of the rod body 50b of the box pin 5b is positioned either on an extension line L1 of the outer widthwise side edge 40s of the element row 4, or slightly inside the extension line L1, as viewed from above. In the figure, the outer widthwise side edge 57b of the rod body 50b is positioned such that its front and rear ends are aligned with the extension line L1, as viewed from above. The inward recess 55b of the box pin 5b is positioned inside the extension line L1 in the width direction. Furthermore, the outer widthwise side surface 72b of the dough guide 70b of the box pin 5b is positioned outside the extension line L1 in the width direction.

[0092] Furthermore, when the element members 2a, 2b are conveyed, gears mesh with the widthwise inner sides of the element members 2a, 2b, guiding the lower portions of the element members 2a, 2b in a parallel manner in the front-to-rear direction. Although not specifically shown, a guide groove for guiding the lower portions of the element members 2a, 2b is formed in the throat plate of the sewing machine in a straight line. The portion of the insert pin 5a below the fin 60a is guided in the guide groove. The portion of the box pin 5b below the fin 60b is also guided in the guide groove. The groove width of the guide groove is slightly larger than the maximum width 4W of the lower portion of the element row 4. The maximum width 5aW of the insert pin 5a, which is the sum of the pin body 50a and the teeth 81a to 84a, is less than the maximum width 4W of the element row 4. The maximum width 5bW of the box pin 5b, which is the sum of the pin body 50b and the teeth 81b to 83b, is also less than the maximum width 4W of the element row 4. The maximum width 6aW of the lower part of the guide portion 6a on the insert pin side and the maximum width 6bW of the lower part of the guide portion 6b on the box pin side are the same as the maximum width 4W of the element row 4.

[0093] When sewing fabric 7 to the insert pin side fastener stringer, the fabric guide 70a protrudes from the top surface of the fin 60a, allowing the operator to place the fabric 7 on the fin 60a with the edge of the fabric 7 aligned with the widthwise outer side surface 72a of the fabric guide 70a. This facilitates the task of placing the fabric 7 on the fin 60a while separating it in the width direction from the rod body 50a. Furthermore, since the widthwise outer side surface 72a of the fabric guide 70a is inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction so that it moves outward in the width direction as it moves rearward, the edge of the fabric 7 is guided so that it moves outward in the width direction as it moves rearward relative to the rod body 50a. The same effect can be achieved when sewing fabric 7 to the box pin side fastener stringer.

[0094] Furthermore, when sewing fabric 7 to the fastener stringer on the insert pin side, in the remote class 4H, the edge of the fabric 7 is accommodated in the groove 41H, improving the unity of the fabric 7 and the element 40. On the other hand, in the nearby class 4G, the grooves 41G1 and 41G2 allow the edge of the fabric 7 to be guided more outside in the width direction than in the remote class 4H, so that with the insert pin 5a, the fabric 7 can be spaced apart in the width direction from the rod body 50a and easily placed on the fin 60a, and with the box pin 5b, the fabric 7 can be spaced apart in the width direction from the rod body 50b and easily placed on the fin 60b.

[0095] In the remote class 4H, the edge of the fabric 7 is guided parallel to the front-to-rear direction by the groove 41H. Moreover, the grooves 41G1 and 41G2 on the outer side surfaces in the width direction of the nearby class 4G guide the edge of the fabric 7 on the insert pin 5a at a position inside in the width direction relative to the outer side surface 72a of the fabric guide 70a in the width direction. Therefore, the edge of the fabric 7 is guided outward in the width direction as it moves rearward, making it easier to separate the fabric 7 in the width direction from the rod body 50a and place it on the fin 60a. The same effect can be obtained when sewing the fabric 7 to the fastener stringer on the box pin side.

[0096] In a slide fastener, when the rear slider 8 is positioned immediately in front of the reverse-opening device 10, the insert pin 5a and box pin 5b are inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction, moving outward in the width direction as they move rearward. When the rear slider is moved rearward until it is stopped by the reverse-opening device 10, the insert pin 5a and box pin 5b gradually displace inward in the width direction during movement. During this displacement, the pair of pin bodies 50a, 50b enter the element path 21a while being guided by the flange 26 of the rear slider 8, and the fabric guide 70a passes directly below the upper flange 26. Therefore, the fabric 7 aligned along the outer side surfaces 72a, 72b in the width direction of the pair of fabric guides 70a, 70b does not come into contact with the slider 8.

[0097] Furthermore, in a slide fastener, when the rear slider 8 is positioned immediately in front of the reverse opening device 10, the upper and lower surfaces of the insert pin 5a and the box pin 5b may become inclined as shown in Figure 16. As described above, an inclined position is a position in which they face in a direction inclined relative to the vertical direction. Incidentally, the normal position is also a position in which the upper and lower surfaces of the insert pin 5a and the box pin 5b face the vertical direction, as described above. Regardless of the position of the insert pin 5a, when the rear slider 8 is moved rearward, the insert pin 5a and the box pin 5b enter the interior of the rear slider 8 as follows.

[0098] First, with regard to the reverse opening device 10, the front surface 51a of the rod body 50a of the insert pin 5a is located at the forefront, the front end of the foremost tooth 81a is located behind the front surface 51a of the rod body 50a, and the front surface 691 of the leading piece 69 is located behind the front end of the foremost tooth 81a. Furthermore, the leading piece 69 is located forward of the front surface 51b of the rod body 50b of the box pin 5b. Therefore, when the rear slider 8 is moved rearward, the rod body 50a, the foremost tooth 81a, and the leading piece 69 of the insert pin 5a attempt to enter the interior of the rear slider 8 in order before the rod body 50b of the box pin 5b enters the interior of the rear slider 8. Furthermore, when the leading piece 69 collides with the rear slider 8, the rod body 50b of the box pin 5b does not collide with the rear slider 8, so the insert pin 5a is more likely to return to its normal position than when the fins 60a, 60b of the insert pin 5a and the box pin 5b simultaneously collide with the rear slider 8.

[0099] After the front surface 51a of the rod body 50a of the insert pin 5a enters the interior of the rear slider 8, depending on the angle of the inclined posture of the insert pin 5a, the front tooth 81a and the leading piece 69 may come into collision with the upper blade 22 and the lower blade 23 of the rear slider 8, as shown in Figures 17(A) and 17(B). When this happens, the insert pin 5a rotates with the front tooth 81a and the leading piece 69 in contact with the rear slider 8 at two points, and the insert pin 5a returns to its normal posture and enters the interior of the rear slider 8. Therefore, even if the insert pin 5a is in an inclined posture, it is easy to return to its normal posture.

[0100] Furthermore, the outer side surface 692 of the leading piece 69 is inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction, inclining outward in the width direction as it moves rearward. As a result, even if the insert pin 5a is in an inclined position, as the leading piece 69 enters the interior of the rear slider 8, the insert pin 5a rotates while the side surface 692 of the leading piece 69 is guided by the rear slider 8, as shown in Figures 17(C) and 17(D). This makes it easier for the insert pin 5a to return to its normal position.

[0101] The inclined box pin 5b penetrates the rear slider 8 in the following manner. First, a notch 68 is formed on the front surface of the fin 60b at a position adjacent to the dough guide 70b. As a result, the fin 60b is less likely to collide with the rear slider 8 than if the notch 68 were not present. Depending on the angle of the inclined position of the box pin 5b, the front tooth 81b and the inner edge 68a of the notch 68 may collide with the upper blade 22 and the lower blade 23 of the rear slider 8, as shown in Figures 18(A) and 18(B). In this case, the box pin 5b rotates while contacting the rear slider 8 at two points, the front tooth 81b and the inner edge 68a, and penetrates into the rear slider 8. Therefore, even if the box pin 5b is in an inclined position, the box pin 5b is more likely to return to its normal position.

[0102] 18(C) and 18(D), as the box pin 5b enters the interior of the rear slider 8, it rotates while contacting the outer edge 652b of the notch 68. The notch 68 is V-shaped and recessed rearward, and the acute angle θ2 formed between the imaginary line L6 and the outer edge 652b is larger than the acute angle θ1 formed between the imaginary line L6 and the inner edge 68a. As a result, compared to a box pin in which the acute angles θ1 and θ2 are the same, the outer edge 652b is less likely to get caught on the rear slider 8, and the box pin 5b is more likely to return to its normal position.

[0103] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in this embodiment, the protrusion 90 is formed on the lower surface 54b of the pin body 50b of the box pin 5b, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be formed on the upper surface 53b of the pin body 50b of the box pin 5b. In this case, the stop groove 27 is formed on the lower surface of the upper blade 22.

[0104] 1 Chain member 2a, 2b Element member 3 String member 4 Element row 4G Proximal class 4H Remote class 4W Maximum width 5a Insert pin 5aW Maximum width 5b Box pin 5bW Maximum width 6a, 6b Guide portion 6aW, 6bW Maximum width 7 Fabric 8 Slider 10 Reverse opening device 16a, 16b Guide element 16a1, 16b1 Guide body portion 16a2, 16b2 Guide meshing portion 21 Slider body 21a Element path 21b Fabric groove 22 Upper wing plate 23 Lower wing plate 24 Connecting column 25 Pull tab mounting portion 26 Flange 26a Front portion 26b Rear portion 26K Track 26L Extension line 27 Stop groove 28 Groove body portion 28a Inner side surface 28b Outer side 28c Front 28d Rear 28f Front 29 Pull 40 Element 40s Side 41 Body 41a Front 41b Rear 41c Top 41d Bottom 41e Side 41G1, 41G2, 41H Groove 45 Engagement 45a Front 45b Rear surface 45d Neck 45d1 Front surface 45d2 Rear surface 45e Head 45e1 Front surface 45e2 Rear surface 50a, 50b Rod body 51a, 51b Front surface 52a, 52b Rear surface 53a, 53b Top surface 54a, 54b Bottom surface 55a, 55b Inward recess 57a, 57b sides 60a, 60b Fin 60a1, 60b1 Underside 61a, 61b Fin body 62a, 62b Guide base 63a, 63b Fabric base 64a, 64b Sewn portion 641a, 641b Through hole 65a, 65b Sewn portion body 651a Front surface 652a Boundary portion 651b Outer portion 652b Inner portion, outer edge 66 Extension piece 661 Side surface 67a, 67b Ear portion 68 Missing portion 68a Inner edge 69 Leading piece 691 Front surface 692 Side surface 70a, 70b Fabric guide 71a, 71b Front surface 72a, 72b Side surface 73a, 73b Upper surface 81a, 82a, 83a, 84a, 81b, 82b, 83b Teeth 811a, 811b Upper teeth 812a Front surface 813a Rear surface 815a,815b Lower tooth portion 815a1 Rear surface 816a Neck portion 816a1 Front surface 817a Head portion 817a1 Front surface 90 Convex portion 90a Front surface 90b Side surface L1 Extension line L3, L4, L6 Virtual line P Pitch,

Claims

1. A slide fastener reverse-opening device (10) comprising an insert pin (5a) as a rod member fixed to one of a pair of string members (3) for separately fixing a pair of element rows (4) extending in the front-rear direction and facing each other in the width direction, i.e., the left-right direction, and a box pin (5b) as another rod member fixed to the other string member (3), wherein fabrics (7) are separately attached to the insert pin (5a) and the box pin (5b), and when a pair of sliders (8) accommodate the insert pin (5a) and the box pin (5b), the slide fastener reverse-opening device (10) allows the insert pin (5a) to be removed from the pair of sliders (8), The rod members (5a, 5b) comprise rod bodies (50a, 50b) fixed to the rear ends of the string members (3) and capable of being housed in the slider (8), fins (60a, 60b) that extend outward in the width direction of the rod bodies (50a, 50b) and on which the fabric (7) is placed, and fabric guides (70a, 70b) that rise from the upper surfaces of the fins (60a, 60b) to a position lower than the upper surface of the rod bodies (50a, 50b) on the inner sides in the width direction of the fins (60a, 60b) and guide the edges of the fabric (7).

2. A reverse opening device (10) for a slide fastener as described in claim 1, characterized in that the outer widthwise side surfaces (72a, 72b) of the fabric guides (70a, 70b) are inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction, moving outward in the widthwise direction as they move toward the rear.

3. The front surface (51a) of the rod body (50a) of the insert pin (5a) is located forward of the front surface (51b) of the rod body (50b) of the box pin (5b), and the fillet (60a) of the insert pin (5a) comprises a fillet body (61a) that protrudes outward in the width direction from the rod body (50a) of the insert pin (5a) on the rear side of the front surface (71a) of the dough guide (70a) of the insert pin (5a), and a leading piece (69) that protrudes outward in the width direction from the rod body (50a) of the insert pin (5a) on the front side of the front surface (71a) of the dough guide (70a) of the insert pin (5a) and is continuous to the front side of the fillet body (61a), The reverse opening device (10) for a slide fastener according to claim 1, characterized in that the front surface (691) of the leading piece (69) is located forward of the fin (60b) of the box pin (5b).

4. A reverse opening device (10) for a slide fastener as described in claim 3, characterized in that the leading piece (69) is located on the rear side of the front surface (51a) of the rod body (50a) of the insert pin (5a).

5. A reverse-opening device (10) for a slide fastener as described in claim 4, characterized in that the outer side surface (692) of the leading piece (69) in the width direction is inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction, moving outward in the width direction as it moves toward the rear.

6. A reverse-opening device (10) for a slide fastener as described in claim 5, characterized in that a notched portion (68) is formed on the front surface of the fin (60b) of the box pin (5b) in a position adjacent to the fabric guide (70b) of the box pin (5b) so as to be recessed rearward.

7. The reverse-opening device (10) for a slide fastener according to claim 6, characterized in that the notch (68) is V-shaped and concave toward the rear, and is composed of an inner side (68a) located on the inside of the V-shape in the width direction and an outer side (652b) located on the outside of the V-shape in the width direction, and when an imaginary line (L6) is drawn forward from the apex of the V-shape, the acute angle (θ2) formed between the imaginary line (L6) and the outer side (652b) is larger than the acute angle (θ1) formed between the imaginary line (L6) and the inner side (68a).

8. A reverse-opening device (10) for a slide fastener according to claim 1, comprising: a pair of element rows (4) each consisting of a plurality of elements (40) arranged in a line in the front-rear direction and arranged in two rows in the width direction; a pair of string members (3) which fix the pair of element rows (4) separately while passing through the elements (40); and a pair of sliders (8) which open and close the pair of element rows (4) in opposite directions, wherein the outer side edge (57b) in the width direction of the rod body (50b) of the box pin (5b) is located at a position which coincides with or is located inside in the width direction an extension line (L1) of the outer side edge (40s) in the width direction of the element row (4), With respect to the opposing upper and lower surfaces of the rear slider (8) and the box pin (5b), the box pin (5b) is formed with a convex portion (90) protruding from the rod body (50) of the box pin (5b), and the rear slider (8) is formed with a stop groove (27) that guides the convex portion (90) so that it can move in the front-rear direction and collides with the convex portion (90) to stop the rearward movement of the rear slider (8), and when a front surface (29) of the stop groove (27) collides with a front surface (90a) of the convex portion (90), the rod body (50b) of the box pin (5b) is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction while moving outward in the width direction as it moves rearward.

9. A slide fastener as described in claim 8, characterized in that the front surface (29) of the stop groove (27) is parallel to the left-right direction, and when the rod body (50b) of the box pin (5b) is parallel to the front-to-rear direction, the front surface (90a) of the convex portion (90) is inclined to the left-to-right direction, facing rearward as it moves outward in the width direction.

10. A reverse-opening device (10) for a slide fastener according to claim 1, comprising: a pair of element rows (4) each consisting of a plurality of elements (40) arranged in a line in the front-to-rear direction and arranged in two rows in the width direction; a pair of string members (3) which pass through the elements (40) and separately secure the pair of element rows (4); and a pair of sliders (8) which open and close the pair of element rows (4) in opposite directions; the element row (4) comprises a nearby class (4G) which is a collection of one or more elements (40) located near the reverse-opening device (10), and a remote class (4H) which is a collection of multiple elements (40) located on the opposite side of the nearby class (4G) from the reverse-opening device (10); and a groove (41H) on the outer side in the width direction of the remote class (4H) for guiding the edge of the fabric (7) parallel to the front-to-rear direction; The slide fastener is characterized in that the outer side surface in the width direction of the neighboring class (4G) guides the edge of the fabric (7) on the outer side in the width direction than the groove (41H) of the remote class (4H).

11. A slide fastener as described in claim 10, characterized in that the widthwise outer side of the neighboring class (4G) guides the edge of the fabric (7) widthwise more inward than the widthwise outer side (72a, 72b) of the fabric guide (70a, 70b).

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