EP0171744A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Apparatus for finishing slide fastener chain with reinforcing strip
Assignee: YKK Corp
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Filing: 1985-08-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-08-07
Abstract
Abstract A slide fastener chain (13) with reinforcing strips (39) is fed along a feed path (12) through a finishing apparatus (10) for ramming the reinforcing strips (39). The finishing apparatus (10) has a chain guide unit (14), a cutter unit (15), and a chain tensioner unit (16). The chain guide unit (14) includes a stop (43) having recesses (55, 56) for accommodating some coupling elements (37) and steps (57) for engaging endmost coupling elements (63). The chain tensioner unit (16) has a presser gripper (114) for pressing the slide fastener chain (13) against a support base (116) and a presser roller (119) for depressing the slide fastener chain (13) to tension the same for thereby forcibly pushing the endmost coupling elements (53) against the steps (57). When the slide fastener chain (13) is tensioned by the chain tensioner unit (16), one of the reinforcing strips (39) is accurately positioned with respect to the cutter unit (15). The reinforcing strip (39) is now trimmed by central and side cutters (71, 74, 75) which cut off central and side excessive portions (41, 104, 105) completely.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshiaki Sodeno
- 👤 Keiichi Yoshieda
- 👤 Syuichi Honmoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 06:01
CPC Classifications
A; A44; A44B; A44B19/00; A44B19/24; A44B19/36; A44B19/42; A44B19/58; A44B19/60; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S425/00; Y10S425/814; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/51; Y10T29/5101; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/53291
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
An apparatus for finishing a slide fastener chain (13) composed of a pair of slide fastener stringers having coupling element rows (37) and a reinforcing strip (39) attached to the slide fastener stringers transversely across an element-free space (40) and including a central excessive portion (41) lying in the element-free space (40) adjacent to endmost coupling elements (63) of the coupling element rows (37), said apparatus comprising: (a) means defining a feed path (12) along which the slide fastener chain (13) can be fed; (b) a chain guide unit (14) including means (25,
Claim 2
Independent Claim
93 words
An apparatus for finishing a slide fastener chain (13) composed of a pair of slide fastener stringers having coupling element rows (37) and a reinforcing strip (39) attached to the slide fastener stringers transversely across an element-free space (40) and including a central excessive portion (41) lying in the element-free space (40) adjacent to endmost coupling elements (63) of the coupling element rows (37), said apparatus comprising: (a) means defining a feed path (12) along which the slide fastener chain (13) can be fed; (b) a chain guide unit (14) including means (25,
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
244 words
26) partly defining said feed path (12), said chain guide unit (14) including a sensor (29) for detecting the reinforcing strip (39) and a stop (43) movable transversely into said feed path (12) in response to detection of said reinforcing strip (39) by said sensor (29), said stop (43) including steps (57) for engaging said endmost coupling elements (63), respectively, to stop said slide fastener chain (13); (c) a cutter unit (15) including a cutter (71) movable transversely into said feed path (13) for cutting off said central excessive portion (41) from said reinforcing strip (39) in response to engagement of said steps (57) with said endmost coupling elements (63), and a pair of pressure pads (72, 73) disposed one on each side of said cutter (71) for resiliently holding said slide fastener stringers in advance of the cutting of said central excessive portion (41) by said cutter (71); and (d) a chain tensioner unit (16) including a presser gripper (114) movable transversely into said feed path (12) for resiliently holding said slide fastener chain (13) in response to engagement of said steps (57) with said endmost coupling elements (63), and a presser roller (119) movable transversely into said feed path (12) for tensioning said slide fastener chain (13) in timed relation to said presser griper (114) to forcibly press said endmost coupling elements (63) against said steps (57), whereby said reinforcing strip (39) can be accurately positioned with respect to said cutter (71).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
244 words
26) partly defining said feed path (12), said chain guide unit (14) including a sensor (29) for detecting the reinforcing strip (39) and a stop (43) movable transversely into said feed path (12) in response to detection of said reinforcing strip (39) by said sensor (29), said stop (43) including steps (57) for engaging said endmost coupling elements (63), respectively, to stop said slide fastener chain (13); (c) a cutter unit (15) including a cutter (71) movable transversely into said feed path (13) for cutting off said central excessive portion (41) from said reinforcing strip (39) in response to engagement of said steps (57) with said endmost coupling elements (63), and a pair of pressure pads (72, 73) disposed one on each side of said cutter (71) for resiliently holding said slide fastener stringers in advance of the cutting of said central excessive portion (41) by said cutter (71); and (d) a chain tensioner unit (16) including a presser gripper (114) movable transversely into said feed path (12) for resiliently holding said slide fastener chain (13) in response to engagement of said steps (57) with said endmost coupling elements (63), and a presser roller (119) movable transversely into said feed path (12) for tensioning said slide fastener chain (13) in timed relation to said presser griper (114) to forcibly press said endmost coupling elements (63) against said steps (57), whereby said reinforcing strip (39) can be accurately positioned with respect to said cutter (71).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, including a base (11) and a casing (24) mounted thereon, said means of said chain guide unit (14) comprising a lower guide member (25) mounted on said casing (24) and an upper guide member (26) mounted on said casing (24) in vertically spaced relation to said lower guide member (25), said stop (43) being angularly movably disposed upwardly of said upper guide member (26).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, said stop (43) having a pair of transversely spaced noses (53, 54) having a pair of recesses (55, 56) defined respectively therein for accommodating said coupling element rows (37), said recesses (55, 56) being partly defined by said steps (57).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
86 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, including a base (ll) and a support base (79) mounted thereon and having a vertical guide slot (80) defined therein, said cutter unit (15) comprising a punch plate (70) vertically slidably disposed in said vertical guide slot (80), said punch plate (70) having a hole (77) defined between an upper edge serving as said cutter (71) and a lower edge (78), and a die plate (76) mounted on said support base (79) for placing said slide fastener chain (13) thereon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
88 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, said cutter unit (15) including a pad holder (87) fixed to said punch plate (70) and having a pair of laterally spaced portions (89, 90) positioned upwardly of said die plate (76), said pressure pads (72, 73) being vertically slidably supported by said pad holder (87), and a pair of springs (91, 92) acting between said laterally spaced portions (89, 90) and said pressure pads (72, 73) for normally urging said pressure pads (72, 73) to move toward said die plate (76).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, said cutter unit (15) further including a pair of side cutters (74, 75) angularly movably coupled to said laterally spaced portions (89, 90), respectively, for cutting off side excessive portions (104, 105) of said reinforcing strip (39).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, said chain tensioner unit (16) being positioned downstream of said cutter unit (15) in the direction in which said slide fastener chain (13) is fed along said feed path (12), said presser roller (119) being positioned upstream of said presser gripper (ll4).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
92 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, including a base (11) and a first support block (22) mounted on said base (11), said chain tensioner unit (16) including a second support block (110) vertically movably mounted on said first support block (22), a first vertical rod (113) vertically slidably fitted in said second support block (110) and supporting said presser gripper (114) on a lower end thereof, and a second vertical rod (118) vertically slidably fitted in said second support block (110) and supporting said presser roller (119) on a lower end thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
120 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, said chain tensioner unit (16) further including a first bolt (123) adjustably fastened to said first vertical rod (113), a second bolt (124) adjustably fastened to said second vertical rod (118), a first spring retainer (127) adjustably fixed to said first bolt (123), a second spring retainer (128) adjustably fixed to said second bolt (124), a first spring (131) coupled between said second support block (110) and said first spring retainer (127) for normally urging said presser gripper (115) toward said feed path (12), and a second spring (132) coupled between said second support block (110) and said second spring retainer (127) for normally urging said presser roller (119) toward said feed path (12).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, said chain tensioner unit (16) further including a support base (116) mounted on said first support block (116) and positioned in said feed path (12) in vertical alignment with said presser gripper (114), and a support roller (120) rotatably supported on said first support block (22) and positioned in said feed path (12) upstream of said presser roller (119).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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