Readily Burstable Slide Fastener

(canceled)

3:

• A readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein at a second position along the slide fastener the first stringer is adapted so that the slider is disengageable therefrom.

4:

• A readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 3, wherein the stringers are separable completely under the bursting force.

5:

• A readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastener is adapted by omitting or removing one or more first coupling elements on one or both of the tapes at the first position.

6:

• A readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein guide elements are provided on the tapes at the first position, the guide elements on one tape not being engageable with opposed elements on the other tape.

7:

• A readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastener is adapted by providing at the first position a second coupling element on one tape which has a head which passes a shoulder of an opposed coupling element (which may be the same as the second coupling element or may be a first coupling element) on the other tape when urged in a first direction perpendicular to the plane in which the elements lie.

(canceled)

9:

• A readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second coupling element has a first head portion which, in use, engages between head portions of two adjacent opposed coupling elements on the other tape to prevent separation of the elements by a force in the general plane of the elements, the first head portion bearing on the shoulder provided on the opposed coupling elements, and a second head portion which is smaller than the first head portion and passes the shoulders on the opposed coupling elements.

10-16. (canceled)

17:

• A readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 3, wherein at the second position along the slide fastener there are no coupling elements on the first stringer.

18:

• A readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 17, wherein the length of the first stringer without coupling elements is such that when the slide fastener is closed and the slider is at its uppermost position on the second stringer, part of a top most coupling element on the first stringer adjacent the second position is disposed in the slider to impede separation of the first stringer from the slider.

(canceled)

20:

• A readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 17, wherein guide elements are provided on the first stringer at the second position along the slide fastener, the guide elements on the first stringer not being engageable with opposed elements on the other stringer.

21-23. (canceled)

24:

• A readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 17, wherein locking elements are provided on edges of the stringers adjacent the second position.

25-28. (canceled)

29:

• A readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 3, the slide fastener further comprising one or more transition elements at an end of the first and/or second position closest to the bottom of the slide fastener, a side of the transition element which faces the top of the slide fastener presenting a surface to the slider to deflect the transition element away from a guide post of the slider as the slider comes into contact with the transition element when the slider is moved down the slide fastener.

30:

• A readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 29, wherein the side which faces the top of the slide fastener has a convex shape.

(canceled)

32:

• An inflatable device comprising an inflatable member and a covering, the covering being closed around the inflatable member by a readily burstable slide fastener.

33:

• An inflatable device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the readily burstable slide fastener opens substantially fully along its length when the device is inflated.

(canceled)

35:

• An inflatable device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the device is a lifejacket.

36:

• An inflatable device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the device is a liferaft.

37:

• A tent having a readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 1.

38:

• A partition having a readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 1.

39:

• A sleeping bag having a readily burstable slide fastener as claimed in claim 1.

40-46. (canceled)

47:

• A slide fastener element for a slide fastener, the slide fastener comprising a first stringer, a second stringer and a slider, each stringer being comprised of a tape and coupling elements mounted on an edge of said tape, the slider being slidably mounted on said second stringer and slidable along the coupling elements of said first and second stringers to engage said coupling elements as it moves from a bottom of said slide fastener to a top of said slide fastener, a side of the transition element which faces the top of the slide fastener presenting a surface to said slider to deflect the slide fastener element away from a guide post of said slider as said slider comes into contact with the slide fastener element when said slider is moved down the slide fastener.

(canceled)

49:

• A readily burstable slide fastener comprising a first stringer, a second stringer and a slider, each stringer being comprised of a tape and first coupling elements mounted on an edge of the tape, the slider being slidable mounted on the second stringer and slidable along the first coupling elements of the first and second stringers to engage the first coupling elements as it moves from a bottom of the slide fastener to a top of the slide fastener, wherein guide elements are provided on the tapes at a first position along the slide fastener, the guide elements on one tape not being engageable with opposed elements on the other tape, wherein locking elements are provided at the ends of the guide elements, the locking elements in use inhibiting separation of the first and second stringers, so that when a bursting force is applied at the first position in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the first coupling elements lie at the first position, the locking elements and first coupling elements adjacent to the first position are disengaged.

50:

• A readily burstable slide fastener comprising a pair of stringers each comprising a tape have a plurality of first coupling elements thereon, the first elements of one tape engaging with those of the other tape to close the tapes together, a non-engaged region partway along each tape at which the tapes are not closed together by engaging elements, and locking elements provided at ends of the non-engaged region, the locking elements engaging with a locking element on the opposed tape and each being longer in the length elongate direction of the tape than a first element.

(canceled)

52:

• A fastener as claimed in claim 50, wherein a locking element comprises a head which is received between two cooperating heads of the opposed locking element.