Slide Fastener

A method of manufacturing a slide fastener, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) positioning, on a lower die, tapes of first and second stringers relative to one another such that a separation between cords disposed at edges of the first and second stringers is a first distance in a first longitudinal portion, a second distance, greater than the first distance, in a second longitudinal portion, and varies with longitudinal position in a transition portion disposed between the first and second longitudinal portions;
• b) bringing an upper die into abutment with the lower die, the upper die and lower die thereby defining a mould cavity, at least one of the upper die and the lower die comprising one or more projections which project into and thereby define a part of the mould cavity, distal ends of the one or more projections abutting and pinching at least the cords of the first and second stringers to thereby secure the cords in position;
• c) injecting a molten material into the mould cavity, the material thereby filling the mould cavity other than a portion of the mould cavity obscured by the one or more projections, to define an intermediate body, wherein at least a portion of the intermediate body is formed within the transition portion;
• d) the molten material cooling to form the intermediate body;
• and
• e) removing the upper and/or lower die such that the intermediate body comprises cavities where the one or more projections were disposed.

A slide fastener comprising:

• first and second stringers, each of the first and second stringers comprising a tape and first and second spaced sets of coupling elements disposed along two spaced portions of an edge of the tape, each set of coupling elements having a pitch spacing;
• an intermediate body fixedly attached to both the first stringer and the second stringer, the intermediate body interposing the two portions of each edge of the tapes of the first and second stringers;
• a first slider being traversable along a longitudinal axis along a first of said two spaced portions of each of the edges of the tapes, movement of the first slider in a first direction being configured to cause the coupling elements disposed along the first portion of each of the edges of the tapes to interdigitate with one another;
• a second slider being traversable along the longitudinal axis along a second of said two spaced portions of each of the edges of the tapes, movement of the second slider in the first direction being configured to cause the coupling elements disposed along the second portion of each of the edges of the tapes to interdigitate with one another;
• and
• wherein a maximum longitudinal extent of the intermediate body is greater than or equal to a distance equal to five pitch spacings.