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US 9,706,816 B2Granted
Zipper guide for facilitating closure of open-ended zipper
AssigneeNortheastern University
InventorsHannah Coakley, Andrew Gouldstone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A zipper guide is provided to facilitate closure of an open-ended zipper. The zipper guide includes a base to which a zipper tape pin end is attached and a slider to which a zipper tape box end is attached. A key on a lower surface of the slider slides in a trench in an upper surface of the base at an orientation that guides the attached zipper tape box end toward the attached zipper tape pin end by planar sliding movements of the slider lower surface with respect to the base upper surface.
Claims16
A zipper assembly comprising:
- a base comprising an upper surface, a trench formed in the upper surface, and a zipper tape attachment ledge raised above the upper surface configured for attachment to a zipper tape pin end;
- a slider comprising an upper surface, a zipper tape attachment region disposed on the upper surface of the slider and configured for attachment to a zipper tape box end, a lower surface configured for sliding movement across the upper surface of the base, and a key protruding from the lower surface of the slider, the key configured to fit within the trench of the base at an orientation to guide the attached zipper tape box end toward the attached zipper tape pin end by planar sliding movements of the slider lower surface with respect to the base upper surface;
- and
- an open-ended zipper comprising a first zipper tape having a first set of zipper teeth and a pin at a lower end of the first zipper tape, and a second zipper tape having a second set of zipper teeth and a box at a lower end of the second zipper tape, and a pull tab attached for slidable movement along the second set of zipper teeth;
- wherein the lower end of the first zipper tape is attached to the base and the lower end of the second zipper tape is attached to the slider.
2 more elements
A method of closing an open-ended zipper comprising:
- providing a zipper guide comprising:
- a base comprising an upper surface, a trench formed in the upper surface, and a zipper tape attachment ledge raised above the upper surface configured for attachment to a zipper tape pin end;
- and
- a slider comprising an upper surface, a zipper tape attachment region disposed on the upper surface of the slider and configured for attachment to a zipper tape box end, a lower surface configured for sliding movement across the upper surface of the base, and a key protruding from the lower surface of the slider, the key configured to fit within the trench of the base at an orientation to guide the attached zipper tape box end toward the attached zipper tape pin end by planar sliding movements of the slider lower surface with respect to the base upper surface;
- attaching a first zipper tape having a pin at one end to the ledge of the base, with the zipper teeth overhanging the ledge;
- attaching a second zipper tape having a box at one end to the upper surface of the slider, with the zipper teeth overhanging the edge of the slider;
- and
- bringing the key of the slider into contact with the trench of the base and sliding the key along the base until the pin enters the box through the pull tab.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.