Sealed Slide Fastener Structure to Prevent Seal Part Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slide fasteners with sealing functions suffer from damage to seal parts due to contact with the slider, and manufacturing complexities such as holes in the fastener tape or additional treatment steps are required for adequate sealing.
Innovation Solution
The fastener elements include a protrusion that extends through an aperture of the seal part in the up-down direction, keeping the seal part distant from the guide channel boundary, and are made from materials with varying hardness to ensure robustness and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seal part extends over the fastener element surface that contacts the slider blade, then the sealing function is provided, but the seal part may be damaged by contact with the harder slider blade
Solution Approach 1:
The seal part is divided into two distinct portions: a first portion that extends over the fastener element surface contacting the slider blade (providing sealing), and a second portion that extends over the fastener element surface distant from the blade (protected from damage). This segmentation allows each portion to fulfill its specific function while mitigating the damage risk to the overall seal part
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener element acts as an intermediary structure between the seal part and the slider blade. By designing the fastener element with specific surfaces (one contacting the blade, one distant from it), it mediates the interaction to protect the seal part's second portion from direct contact with the harder slider blade, thereby preventing damage while maintaining sealing functionality
2Ease of manufacture
If holes are provided in the fastener tape for connecting portions, then the fastener elements can be connected, but additional manufacturing steps and potential leakage sources are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting portion is extracted from the interior of the fastener tape and relocated to the exterior surface. This eliminates the need for holes through the fastener tape, thereby removing the additional manufacturing step of creating holes and eliminating potential leakage sources while still allowing fastener element connection
3Device complexity
If the connecting portion is arranged at the edge portion of the fastener tape outside the tape, then holes in the fastener tape are avoided, but the fastener elements may not be fixed well on the fastener tape
Solution Approach 1:
The seal part is applied in advance to cover the connecting portion that is arranged at the edge portion of the fastener tape. This preliminary action of the seal part provides additional fixation for the fastener element on the fastener tape, compensating for the potential weakness of edge positioning and ensuring reliable attachment without requiring holes through the tape
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design prevents seal part damage and eliminates the need for additional manufacturing steps, resulting in a robust and durable slide fastener with improved sealing functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a seal part adhered to a tape surface portion of the fastener tape and extending over an element surface portion of each of the fastener elements
Implementation Method 2
at least one of the fastener elements includes a protrusion that extends through an aperture of the seal part in the up-down direction to thereby keep the seal part distant from the boundary of the guide channel
Implementation Method 3
the slider including an upper blade, a lower blade and a guide column connecting the upper and lower blades in an up-down direction, the upper and lower blades and the guide column defining a boundary of a guide channel for the fastener elements
Data Source
AI summary
A slide fastener includes: a pair of fastener stringers, each of the pair of fastener stringers including a fastener tape and a fastener element row; and a slider for engagement and disengagement of opposing fastener elements, the slider including an upper blade, a lower blade and a guide column, the upper and lower blades and the guide column defining a boundary of a guide channel for the fastener elements. Each of the pair of fastener stringer includes a seal part being in sealing abutment when the slide fastener is in an engaged state. At least one of the fastener elements includes a protrusion that extends through an aperture of the seal part in an up-down direction to thereby keep the seal part distant from the boundary of the guide channel.