JP7760802B2 - Products with slide fasteners - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a product with a slide fastener.

For example, International Publication No. 2011/064893 (Patent Document 1) describes a slide fastener with water-stopping properties. Briefly, the slide fastener described in Patent Document 1 has a pair of left and right fastener stringers on which element rows are formed, and sliders slidably attached to the left and right element rows.

Each of the left and right zipper stringers has a zipper tape (tape member) and multiple zipper elements attached to the tape side edge of the zipper tape. The zipper tape has a narrow tape body that is water-resistant, etc., and a core cord portion attached to the tape side edge of the tape body. The zipper tape also has the property of preventing liquid from penetrating from the tape front side to the tape back side of the zipper tape.

International Publication No. 2011/064893

When attaching the slide fastener described in Patent Document 1 to a product such as clothing or a bag, the fastener tape of the fastener stringer is overlapped with the fastener attachment material of the product (e.g., the fabric of the clothing), and then the fastener tape and the fastener attachment material are sewn together using a sewing machine.

In conventional sewing processes, the fastener tape and the fastener attachment portion of the fastener-receiving member are typically overlapped and introduced between the needle plate and sewing machine foot of a sewing machine to sew together the fastener tape and the fastener attachment edge. In this case, considering the relative positions of the sewing machine foot, sewing needle, and fastener element of the fastener stringer during sewing, it is necessary to move the sewing machine needle back and forth up and down at a position spaced apart from the fastener element of the fastener tape in the tape width direction to pierce the fastener tape. As a result, the sewn portion of the sewing thread that sews the fastener tape and fastener-receiving member is formed at a position spaced apart from the fastener element in the tape width direction, so the fastener tape is positioned so that it is exposed to the outside between the fastener element and the fastener-receiving member.

When the fastener tape is exposed between the fastener element and the fastener attachment member in this way, in order for a product with a slide fastener to be at least water-resistant, not only must the fabric that forms the fastener attachment member of the product be water-resistant, but the fastener tape must also be water-resistant as described in Patent Document 1. However, imparting water resistance to the fastener tape requires specialized equipment or materials, which increases manufacturing costs and complicates the manufacturing process, among other problems.

In addition, in products equipped with slide fasteners, the slide fastener is sometimes seen as one of the design elements of the product. Therefore, in order to improve the design or appearance quality of products equipped with slide fasteners, there has been a demand to make the fastener tape of the slide fastener invisible or difficult to see.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a product with a slide fastener that allows the fastener tape and the fastener attachment material to be easily sewn together, and that increases water resistance by preventing or suppressing the fastener tape from being exposed between the fastener element and the fastener attachment material, thereby also improving design and appearance quality.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the slide fastener product of the present invention is a product with a slide fastener comprising a fastener stringer in which a plurality of fastener elements are provided at regular intervals along the length of the fastener tape, and a fastener receiving member having a pair of stringer attachment edges at positions facing each other, to which the pair of fastener stringers are respectively attached, wherein the fastener stringers are attached to the stringer attachment edges by sewing portions formed with sewing thread, and the stringer attachment edges have a double portion that is bent into a U-shape in a cross section perpendicular to the length of the tape, and the double portion has a cross section in the cross section The slide fastener product has a first strip portion arranged at a distance from the fastener tape, a folded portion extending from the first strip portion and having a folded shape, and a second strip portion extending from the folded portion and arranged overlapping the first strip portion, a part of the sewn portion is sandwiched between the first strip portion and the second strip portion in the double portion, the sewn portion is arranged at a distance from the multiple fastener elements, and the folded portion is arranged in contact with or close to the multiple fastener elements, and a water-resistant region is formed between the sewn portion and the multiple fastener elements.

In the slide fastener product of the present invention, it is preferable that the folded portion is positioned away from the sewn portion and in contact with the fastener element.

In this case, it is preferable that the fastener tape and the second strip portion are bonded to each other in at least a part of the region between the folded portion and the sewn portion.
Preferably, the bent portion is formed so as to be able to maintain the bent shape of the bent portion by heat treatment.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the sewn portion is arranged at a distance of 0.5 mm to 10.0 mm from the fastener element in the tape width direction of the fastener tape.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the dimension in the tape thickness direction of the fastener tape from the outer surface of the first strip portion to the outer surface of the second strip portion in the double portion is 0.25 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less.

In the slide fastener product of the present invention, it is preferable that the folded portion is formed close to the formation position of the sewn portion in the left-right direction and is arranged close to the multiple fastener elements, and that the sewn portion is arranged at a distance of 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm from the fastener elements in the tape width direction of the fastener tape.

In the slide fastener product of the present invention described above, it is preferable that each fastener element has an element base having a portion whose dimension in the tape thickness direction of the fastener tape is constant, and a fin portion that extends from the element base toward the inside of the fastener tape and whose dimension in the tape thickness direction is smaller than that of the element base.

The slide fastener product of the present invention can improve water resistance by preventing or suppressing the fastener tape from being exposed between the fastener element and the fastener attachment member, and can also improve design or appearance quality.

1 is a plan view schematically showing a product with a slide fastener according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 2 is an enlarged perspective view schematically showing a part of the slide fastener product shown in FIG. 1. [0023]FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing an enlarged schematic view of a portion of the slide fastener product shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction of a part of the product with a slide fastener shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining in outline the sewing process carried out when manufacturing the product with the slide fastener shown in FIG. 1. [0023]FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining in outline the bonding performed when manufacturing the product with the slide fastener shown in FIG. 1. [0023]FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction in a part of a product with a slide fastener according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction in a part of a product with a slide fastener according to Example 3 of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction of a part of a product with a slide fastener according to Example 4 of the present invention.

The applicant has filed a PCT application (PCT/JP2022/032020) for a slide fastener product manufactured by sewing the fastener tape of a fastener stringer to the stringer attachment edge of a fastener-receiving member, characterized by the intertwining portion of the stitching. By using the technology described in this PCT application, it is possible to bring the stitching into contact with the fastener element, thereby preventing or suppressing the fastener tape from being exposed between the fastener element and the fastener-receiving member (fabric).

In contrast, in the slide fastener products shown in the following examples, it is possible to prevent or suppress the fastener tape from being exposed between the fastener element and the fastener-receiving material (fabric) even without the sewn portion coming into contact with the fastener element. The sewn portion formed in the above PCT application is formed with sewing thread including the upper and lower threads of a sewing machine. In this case, the sewing thread forming the sewn portion may be water-repellent. This can further improve the water resistance of the slide fastener product.

Below, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, using examples.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a slide fastener product according to this embodiment. Figures 2, 3, and 4 are an oblique view, a bottom view, and a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged schematic view of a portion of the slide fastener product.

In the following description of slide fasteners and products with slide fasteners, the "front-to-rear direction" refers to the direction along the length of the fastener tape, which is the same direction as the sliding direction of the slider (see Figures 1 and 2). In particular, the direction in which the slider slides when closing the slide fastener is referred to as the "front," and the direction in which the slider slides when opening the slide fastener is referred to as the "rear."

The left-right direction refers to the direction along the tape width direction of the fastener tape, specifically, the direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction and parallel to the tape front and tape back surfaces of the fastener tape. The left-to-right direction can also be said to be the direction along which the element rows of a pair of fastener stringers engage and separate with each other. In this case, the direction in which the pair of element rows move toward each other is referred to as the inward direction in the left-to-right direction, and the direction in which the pair of element rows move away from each other is referred to as the outward direction in the left-to-right direction (see Figure 3).

The vertical direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the tape front and tape back surfaces of the fastener tape (the tape front-back direction), and is a direction perpendicular to the front-rear and left-right directions (see Figure 4). The vertical direction is also sometimes called the tape thickness direction. In this case, the direction exposed to the outside when the slide fastener is in use (for example, the direction in which the slider pull tab is arranged relative to the fastener tape) is considered to be the up direction, and the opposite direction is considered to be the down direction.

The slide fastener product 1 of this Example 1 is, for example, a garment (apparel), and a slide fastener 20 is attached to the front opening of the front body of the garment, and to the openings (opening peripheries) of pockets provided in the chest and abdomen areas of the front body. This slide fastener garment 1 has a slide fastener 20 having a pair of left and right fastener stringers 21, and a fastener attachment member 10 having left and right stringer attachment edges 11 to which the left and right fastener stringers 21 are attached.

In this Example 1, the fastener attachment member 10 to which the slide fastener 20 is attached is the fabric 10 of a garment (also called garment fabric). The left and right fabrics 10 forming the front body of the garment each have opposing side edges 11 that are arranged opposite the opposing fabric 10. The opposing side edges 11 of the left and right fabrics 10 serve as stringer attachment edges 11 to which the fastener stringers 21 of the slide fastener 20 are attached.

In this Example 1, the left and right fabrics 10 that comprise the stringer attachment edges 11 are at least water-resistant. Here, water-resistant refers to the property of preventing water from passing through or penetrating the fabric 10. Note that in this Example 1, the method and means for imparting water resistance to the fabric 10 are not particularly limited. Furthermore, the fabric 10 may be formed without being water-resistant.

Each of the left and right fabrics 10 has a fabric main body (not shown) and a stringer attachment edge 11 provided at the edge of the fabric main body. A fastener stringer 21 is attached to the stringer attachment edge 11 of each fabric 10 by a stitching 12 formed with sewing thread (sewing thread).

As shown in Figure 4, the stringer attachment edge 11 of each piece of fabric 10 has a double portion 14 formed by overlapping the garment fabric 10 in the vertical direction. The double portion 14 of this stringer attachment edge 11 is formed into a U-shape in a cross section perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction by folding the garment fabric 10 back at a fold 16 along the front-to-rear direction. In this case, the double portion 14 is formed in contact with the fin portion 23b (second fin portion 25b) of the fastener element 23 described below.

In a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, the double portion 14 has a first strip portion 15 extending inward in the width direction from the main fabric portion (not shown), a folded portion 16 extending from the first strip portion 15 and folded, and a second strip portion 17 extending from the folded portion 16 and overlapping the first strip portion 15 in the vertical direction.

In this double portion 14, the first strip portion 15 is arranged on the second strip portion 17, spaced apart from the fastener tape 22 (described later) of the fastener stringer 21. The second strip portion 17 is arranged in contact with the fastener tape 22. The second strip portion 17 is arranged between the fastener tape 22 and the first strip portion 15 in the up-down direction. The folded portion 16 is arranged in a position away from the formation position of the sewn portion 12 toward the inside of the slide fastener 20, in the left-right direction, and closer to the fastener element 23 (described later) than the formation position of the sewn portion 12.

The double layer portion 14 has an inner surface where the fabrics 10 face each other, and an outer surface located on the opposite side of the inner surface. In this case, the inner surface of the double layer portion 14 has the lower surface of the first strip portion 15, the inner peripheral surface of the folded portion 16, and the upper surface of the second strip portion 17. The outer surface of the double layer portion 14 has the upper surface of the first strip portion 15, the outer peripheral surface of the folded portion 16, and the lower surface of the second strip portion 17. The lower surface of the second strip portion 17 can also be referred to as the tape-facing surface that faces the fastener tape 22.

The sewn portion 12, which sews together the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10 and the fastener stringer 21, is formed linearly along the front-to-rear direction of the fastener tape 22 by a lock stitch using a sewing machine (not shown) (see Figure 3). This sewn portion 12 is formed with sewing thread including an upper thread (needle thread) and a lower thread (bobbin thread) of the sewing machine. The sewing thread forming the sewn portion 12 may also be water-repellent.

The straight stitching 12 sews together the second strip portion 17 of the double layer portion 14 and the zipper tape 22, thereby fixing the zipper stringer 21 to the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10. In the present invention, the stitching that sews together the stringer attachment edge and the zipper stringer may be formed with a portion that bends or curves slightly inward or outward in the left-right direction.

In this Example 1, the sewn portion 12 is positioned laterally outward from the fastener element 23 (toward the inner side of the fastener tape 22) and also laterally outward from the folded portion 16 of the stringer attachment edge 11. The folded portion 16 of the stringer attachment edge 11 is positioned in contact with the fastener element 23, and a flap is formed on the fastener tape 22 between the sewn portion 12 of the double portion 14 and the folded portion 16 in the left-right direction. This forms a waterproof region between the sewn portion 12 and the fastener element 23.

In this case, the left-right separation distance between the sewn portion 12 and the fin portion 23b of the fastener element 23, described later, is preferably 1 mm or more and 10.0 mm or less. A separation distance of 1 mm or more allows the first adhesive layer 31, described later, to be stably provided between the fastener tape 22 and the stringer attachment edge 11. A separation distance of 10.0 mm or less prevents the width dimension (left-right dimension) of the fastener tape 22 and the width dimension of the second strip portion 17 from becoming too large. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the slide fastener garment 1 can be reduced. If the separation distance is greater than 10.0 mm, it may be difficult to position and fold the bent portion 16 so that it contacts the fastener element 23.

In this Example 1, a portion of the sewn portion 12 is sandwiched between the first strip portion 15 and the second strip portion 17. In other words, a portion of the sewn portion 12 is wrapped and held inside the double portion 14. In this case, the portion of the sewn portion 12 sandwiched between the first strip portion 15 and the second strip portion 17 is the portion of the sewn portion 12 that is disposed above the upper surface of the second strip portion 17.

In the slide fastener product 1 of this Example 1, a first adhesive layer 31 is provided between the tape surface (upper surface) of the fastener tape 22 and the lower surface of the second strip portion 17, bonding the fastener tape 22 to the double layer portion 14. This first adhesive layer 31 is preferably provided at least in a position close to the fastener element 23 in the left-right direction between the fastener tape 22 and the second strip portion 17. For example, in this Example 1, the first adhesive layer 31 is provided continuously in the left-right direction from the position of (or near) the boundary between the folded portion 16 and the second strip portion 17 in the double layer portion 14 to the position of the sewn portion 12.

By providing such a first adhesive layer 31, the double layer portion 14 (particularly the second strip portion 17) of the stringer attachment edge portion 11 can be stably fixed to the fastener tape 22, preventing the double layer portion 14 from separating from the fastener tape 22 and being turned up. As a result, the fastener tape 22 hidden beneath the double layer portion 14 can be prevented from being exposed on the outer surface of the slide fastener-equipped product 1 (garment) due to the double layer portion 14 turning up. In the present invention, it is sufficient that the first adhesive layer is provided in at least a portion of the area sandwiched between the fastener tape and the second strip portion in the left-right direction.

In this Example 1, a second adhesive layer 32 is provided between the underside of the first strip portion 15 of the double portion 14 and the upper side of the second strip portion 17, bonding the first strip portion 15 and the second strip portion 17 together. By providing this second adhesive layer 32, the U-shaped configuration of the double portion 14 can be stably maintained.

In the present invention, the material and thickness of the first adhesive layer 31 and the second adhesive layer 32 are not particularly limited. Furthermore, in the present invention, a product with a slide fastener may be formed without providing a second adhesive layer between the first strip portion and the second strip portion.

The slide fastener 20 of this embodiment 1 has a pair of left and right fastener stringers 21, each having an element row 26 formed on the tape-side edge of the fastener tape 22, and a slider 40 slidably attached to the left and right element rows 26. In this embodiment 1, the left and right fastener stringers 21 are attached to the stringer attachment edge portions 11 of the left and right fabrics 10 by the above-mentioned sewn portions 12 (see Figures 1 and 2).

In this Example 1, the slider 40 is formed substantially similarly to the slider described in the aforementioned International Publication No. 2011/064893 (Patent Document 1) or International Publication No. 2017/094145. Briefly describing the slider 40 of this Example 1, the slider 40 includes a slider body 41 and a pull tab 45 attached to the slider body 41. The slider body 41 includes an upper blade 42, a lower blade (not shown) arranged parallel to the upper blade 42, a connecting post (not shown) connecting the front ends of the upper blade 42 and the lower blade, left and right upper flanges (not shown) extending from the left and right side edges of the upper blade 42 toward the lower blade, left and right lower flanges (not shown) extending from the left and right side edges of the lower blade toward the upper blade 42, and a pull tab attachment portion 43 integrally formed on the upper surface of the upper blade 42 for attaching the pull tab 45.

The front end of the slider body 41 has left and right shoulder openings sandwiched between connecting posts. A rear opening is provided at the rear end of the slider body 41. A roughly Y-shaped element guide path is provided between the upper wing 42 and lower wing of the slider body 41, connecting the left and right shoulder openings and the rear opening. An insertion gap is provided between the upper flange portion and the lower flange portion of the slider body 41, allowing the insertion of the first fin portion 24b and second fin portion 25b (described below) of the fastener element 23. This insertion gap is connected to the element guide path.

Each of the left and right fastener stringers 21 has a long, narrow fastener tape 22 and a plurality of fastener elements 23 made of synthetic resin provided on the tape side edge of the fastener tape 22. In this case, the fastener elements 23 are provided on the tape side edge of the fastener tape 22 facing the mating fastener stringer 21.

Each fastener tape 22 has a tape body 22a having a tape front surface and a tape back surface, and a core string portion 22b provided on the inner side edge of the tape body 22a. The core string portion 22b is integrally provided on the side edge of the tape body 22a along the tape length direction. The core string portion 22b is formed to bulge in the vertical direction relative to the tape body 22a.

The fastener tape 22 of this Example 1 is not provided with a waterproof layer that prevents or inhibits the intrusion of water, and is formed without water resistance. Note that in the present invention, the structure and properties of the fastener tape and the method of forming the fastener tape 22 are not particularly limited, and the fastener tape 22 may be at least partially water resistant.

A plurality of synthetic resin fastener elements 23 are arranged at regular intervals along the tape side edge of the fastener tape 22, forming an element row 26. Each fastener element 23 is formed by injection molding synthetic resin into the fastener tape 22. Each fastener element 23 is not connected to other fastener elements 23 adjacent to it in the front-to-rear direction, and has an independent shape that is separate from the other fastener elements 23.

Each fastener element 23 has at least an element base 23a with a portion having a constant thickness, and a fin portion 23b extending from the element base 23a outward in the left-right direction (in other words, toward the inner side of the fastener tape 22). The fin portion 23b is formed with a thickness smaller than that of the element base 23a. Here, the thickness refers to the dimension in the vertical direction, and the thickness of the element base 23a is the dimension in the vertical direction from the upper surface to the lower surface of the element base 23a. The fin portion 23b has a first fin portion 24b (described below) on the lower surface side and a second fin portion 25b (described below) on the upper surface side.

By providing the fin portion 23b on each fastener element 23, when the slider 40 is slid along the element row 26, the upper and lower flange portions of the slider 40 can be inserted into a gap formed laterally outward of the step between the element base 23a and the fin portion 23b. This makes it less likely for the slider 40 to get caught on the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10 when sliding, allowing for smooth sliding of the slider 40.

To explain the shape of the fastener elements 23 in more detail, each fastener element 23 has a first element portion 24 arranged on the back side of the fastener tape 22, and a second element portion 25 arranged on the front side of the fastener tape 22 and having a different shape from the first element portion 24. In this case, the first element portion 24 of the fastener element 23 is the portion hidden on the back side of the garment 1 with a slide fastener. The second element portion 25 is the portion exposed on the outside of the garment.

Although not specifically shown, the first element portion 24 has a first body portion that is directly fixed to the fastener tape 22, a first fin portion 24b that extends outward in the left-right direction from the first body portion, a neck portion that extends inward in the left-right direction from the first body portion, and an engaging head portion 24a that extends further inward in the left-right direction from the neck portion and has an approximately oval shape when viewed from the bottom of the fastener element 23.

The first body portion has a generally isosceles trapezoidal shape when viewed from the bottom of the fastener element 23 (Figure 3). The neck portion has a narrowed shape so that it can engage with the mating heads 24a of the two mating fastener elements 23. The first fin portion 24b extends outward in the left-right direction from the first body portion and is formed with a thickness dimension that is smaller than that of the first body portion via the first step portion 24c. Here, the thickness dimensions of the first body portion and the first fin portion 24b refer to the vertical dimension from the back surface of the fastener tape 22 to the underside of the first body portion or the underside of the first fin portion 24b.

2, the second element portion 25 has a second body portion 25a that is directly fixed to the fastener tape 22, a second fin portion 25b that extends outward in the left-right direction from the second body portion 25a, and an element head portion 25c that extends inward in the left-right direction from the second body portion 25a. The element head portion 25c has a shape in which the dimension in the tape length direction gradually decreases in two stages toward the tip of the element head portion 25c.

The second fin portion 25b extends outward in the left-right direction from the second body portion 25a, and is formed so that its height dimension from the fastener tape 22 is smaller than that of the second body portion 25a via the second step portion 25d.

The side end surface of the second fin portion 25b facing outward in the width direction and the stringer attachment edge portion 11 of the fabric 10 are in contact with each other. Furthermore, the contact state between the second fin portion 25b of the fastener element 23 and the stringer attachment edge portion 11 of the fabric 10 is maintained by the first adhesive layer 31 formed between the fastener tape 22 and the second strip portion 17.

In this way, the stringer attachment edge 11 (double portion 14) of the fabric 10 is kept in contact with the second fin portion 25b of the fastener element 23 by the first adhesive layer 31, so that the entire fastener tape 22 except for a portion thereof (specifically, the tape portion disposed between the fastener elements 23 adjacent to the front and rear of the fastener tape 22) can be stably covered and concealed by the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10. This prevents the fastener tape 22 from being exposed in the range between the fastener element 23 and the fastener attachment member 10 in the left-right direction.

In the fastener element 23 of this embodiment, the first fin portion 24b and the second fin portion 25b have shapes that are symmetrical in the up-down direction relative to the fastener tape 22. Furthermore, the fin portion 23b, which has the first fin portion 24b and the second fin portion 25b, is formed with a thickness that allows it to be inserted into the tape insertion gap of the slider 40. The first step portion 24c and the second step portion 25d of the fastener element 23 are formed to be able to slide against the upper flange portion and the lower flange portion of the slider 40, respectively.

By providing such first fin portion 24b and second fin portion 25b on the fastener element 23, even if the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10 is held in contact with the second fin portion 25b of the fastener element 23 as described above, it is possible to prevent or suppress the upper and lower flange portions of the slider 40 from coming into contact with the left and right fabric 10 when the slider 40 slides along the left and right element rows 26. This allows the slider 40 to slide smoothly regardless of the thickness of the fabric 10.

In the present invention, the fastener element may be formed without the first fin portion and the second fin portion. In this case, it is preferable that the fastener element is provided with a concave insertion groove portion for inserting the upper flange portion and/or the lower flange portion of the slider. Providing such an insertion groove portion in the fastener element also enables the slider to slide smoothly.

Furthermore, by having each fastener element 23 have the first element portion 24 and second element portion 25 as described above, it is possible to make it difficult for water to penetrate from the upper surface side to the lower surface side of the left and right element rows 26 when the left and right element rows 26 are interlocked. In this case, for example, by making each fastener element 23 water-repellent, it is possible to make it even more difficult for water to penetrate. Note that in the present invention, the shape of the fastener element is not particularly limited, and it is sufficient that the fastener element has a shape that allows the left and right element rows to interlock.

Next, we will explain how to manufacture a garment 1 with a slide fastener by attaching the fastener stringer 21 of the slide fastener 20 to the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10.

In the following description of the sewing machine and sewing method, the front-to-back direction is the transport direction of the sewing machine, and is the direction along which the objects to be sewn, the fastener stringer 21 and fabric 10, are fed. In this case, the direction in which the objects to be sewn are fed is referred to as the front, and the opposite direction is referred to as the rear. The up-down direction is the direction along which the sewing needle of the sewing machine moves back and forth. In this case, the direction in which the sewing needle pierces the object to be sewn is referred to as the down, and the direction in which the sewing needle is pulled out of the object to be sewn is referred to as the up. The left-to-right direction is the direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the object to be sewn and perpendicular to the direction in which the sewing needle moves back and forth.

First, as shown in Figure 5, a sewing process (sewing process) is performed using a sewing machine to sew together the zipper tape 22 of the zipper stringer 21 and the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10. Note that in Figures 5 and 6, the zipper stringer 21 and the stringer attachment edge 11 are shown upside down.

The sewing machine used in the sewing process of this Example 1 is a sewing machine that sews together the fastener stringer 21 and the stringer attachment edge 11 using a lock stitch. Note that the sewing machine used in the sewing process is not particularly limited in the present invention.

In this sewing process, the zipper stringer 21 and the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10 are first placed in a predetermined positional relationship on the needle plate (not shown) of the sewing machine. The sewing machine foot (not shown) is then lowered, sandwiching and holding the zipper stringer 21 and stringer attachment edge 11 between the sewing machine foot and the needle plate. At this time, the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10 is held flat, and the U-shaped double portion 14 has not yet been formed on the stringer attachment edge 11. Note that the vertical positional relationship between the zipper stringer 21 and the stringer attachment edge 11 is not particularly limited during the sewing process.

After the zipper stringer 21 and stringer attachment edge 11 are held in a predetermined positional relationship, the sewing machine's feed mechanism is used to intermittently feed the zipper stringer 21 and the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10, while the sewing needle is moved back and forth up and down in accordance with the timing of the feed. This causes the sewing needle to pierce the zipper tape 22 and the stringer attachment edge 11, creating a lock stitch. This lock stitch forms a linear sewn section 12 along the front-to-back direction with the sewing thread (upper and lower threads), and sews the zipper tape 22 and stringer attachment edge 11 together at the sewn section 12.

At this time, the linear sewn portion 12 made of sewing thread is formed at a position away from the fastener element 23 in the left-right direction. Therefore, compared to, for example, forming the sewn portion at a position where it contacts the fastener element, there is no need to use a dedicated conveying mechanism to feed the fastener element, making it easier to perform sewing using a sewing machine. It also reduces the cost required for the sewing process. Furthermore, when the stringer attachment edge portion 11 is folded to form the double layer portion 14 in a later process, the sewn portion 12 formed by this sewing process is positioned at a position away from the folded portion 16 of the double layer portion 14 in the left-right direction.

After the above-described sewing step, a folding step is carried out in which the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10 is folded to form the double portion 14.
In this folding step, the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10 is folded so that the above-mentioned first strip portion 15 and second strip portion 17 of the stringer attachment edge 11 overlap one another. At this time, the stringer attachment edge 11 is folded so that the folded portion 16 formed in the double portion 14 comes into contact with the fastener element 23 (particularly the fin portion 23b). In this way, the fabric 10 is produced, which includes the stringer attachment edge 11 to which the fastener stringer 21 is sewn and in which the double portion 14 is formed, as shown in FIG. 6 .

Furthermore, as a result of this folding process, a portion of the sewn portion 12 is sandwiched between the first strip portion 15 and the second strip portion 17 of the double layer portion 14, and is therefore held in a wrapped state within the double layer portion 14. Furthermore, the second strip portion 17 of the double layer portion 14 is arranged above the sewn portion 12 so as to cover the sewn portion 12. Therefore, the sewn portion 12 is hidden by the second strip portion 17 and cannot be seen from the top (outer surface) side of the stringer attachment edge portion 11.

Next, a bonding process is carried out in which adhesives 31a, 32a are applied to the fabric 10 with the fastener stringer 21, on which the double layer 14 has been formed by the folding process, to form the first adhesive layer 31 and the second adhesive layer 32.
6, in this bonding step, an adhesive 31a is applied to the upper surface of the fastener tape 22 and/or the lower surface of the second strip portion 17 to form the above-mentioned first adhesive layer 31. The fastener tape 22 and the second strip portion 17 are fixed together by this first adhesive layer 31. Note that a hot-melt adhesive, a reaction-curing adhesive, or the like is used as the adhesives 31a, 32a.

The above-mentioned second adhesive layer 32 is formed by applying adhesive 32a to the upper surface of the second strip portion 17 and/or the lower surface of the first strip portion 15 in the double portion 14. This second adhesive layer 32 fixes the second strip portion 17 and the first strip portion 15 together. In this case, the order in which the first adhesive layer 31 and the second adhesive layer 32 are formed is not particularly limited. Furthermore, in the present invention, the formation of the second adhesive layer 32 may be omitted.

By performing the sewing, folding, and bonding processes described above, fabric 10 is produced, with fastener stringer 21 sewn to stringer attachment edge 11, as shown in Figures 2 to 4. At this time, the sewn portion 12 that sews together fastener stringer 21 and stringer attachment edge 11 is covered by the first strip portion 15 of stringer attachment edge 11, so that sewn portion 12 cannot be seen from the outer surface of fabric 10.

In this Example 1, the sewing process, folding process, and bonding process are performed in the order described above. However, in the present invention, the order in which the sewing process, folding process, and bonding process are performed is not particularly limited; for example, the folding process and bonding process may be performed before the sewing process.

Then, two pieces of fabric 10 with fastener stringers 21 sewn to them are combined together, and a slider 40 is attached to the element row 26 of each fastener stringer 21, thereby creating fabric 10 with a slide fastener. Garment 1 with a slide fastener is manufactured by forming a garment using fabric 10 with a slide fastener.

In this embodiment 1, a garment with a slide fastener may be manufactured, for example, by forming a garment using two pieces of fabric 10 to which fastener stringers 21 are sewn, and then attaching sliders 40 to two element rows 26 provided on the garment.

In the garment with slide fastener of this embodiment 1 manufactured as described above, the sewing portion 12 that sews together the fastener stringer 21 and the stringer attachment edge portion 11 is located away from the fastener element 23 in the left-right direction, and the fastener tape 22 and the double portion 14 (particularly the second strip portion 17) are adhered to each other by the first adhesive layer 31.

Therefore, in the garment 1 with slide fastener of this embodiment 1, the first adhesive layer 31 prevents the double layer portion 14 from curling up relative to the fastener stringer 21, and the double layer portion 14 can be stably maintained in contact with (or close to) the fastener element 23. As a result, the fastener tape 22 can be prevented from being exposed to the outside from between the fastener element 23 and the fastener attachment member 10.

As described above, in the slide fastener garment 1 of this Example 1, substantially the entire fastener tape 22 is covered and hidden from the outer surface (top side) by the stringer attachment edge 11 of the fabric 10, thereby reducing the exposed portion of the fastener tape 22. This prevents or minimizes the loss of the design and appearance quality of the garment due to the exposure of the fastener tape 22, making it easier to manufacture garments with excellent design or high appearance quality.

Furthermore, in this embodiment 1, as described above, the exposed portion of the fastener tape 22 can be reduced. Furthermore, a water-resistant region is provided between the fastener element 23 and the sewn portion 12 by a portion (flap) of the double layer portion 14. Therefore, even if the fastener tape 22 itself is not water-resistant, as long as the fabric 10 of the garment is at least water-resistant, it is possible to prevent liquids such as water from penetrating from the front side to the back side of the garment, for example, via the slide fastener 20 portion provided on the garment. Furthermore, in this case, since the fastener tape 22 is not provided with water resistance, it is also possible to obtain the benefits of reduced manufacturing costs and simplified manufacturing processes.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction in a part of the product with a slide fastener according to the second embodiment.
The slide fastener product 2 of this Example 2 is a garment, similar to the aforementioned Example 1. The slide fastener garment 2 of this Example 2 has a slide fastener 20 having a pair of left and right fastener stringers 21, and a fastener attachment member (fabric) 50 having left and right stringer attachment edges 51 to which the left and right fastener stringers 21 are attached.

The slide fastener garment 2 of this Example 2 differs from the slide fastener garment 1 described in Example 1 above in the following two respects. The first difference is that the slide fastener garment 2 of this Example 2 does not have the first adhesive layer 31 and second adhesive layer 32 described in Example 1 above. The second difference is that the slide fastener garment 2 of this Example 2 has a double portion 54 of the fabric 50 (particularly the folded portion 56) that has the property of being able to retain a folded shape by heat treatment (e.g., heat setting treatment).

The garment 2 with a slide fastener in this embodiment 2 is formed substantially in the same manner as the garment 1 with a slide fastener described in the above-mentioned embodiment 1, except for the two differences mentioned above. For example, the fastener stringer 21 used in this embodiment 2 is formed substantially in the same manner as the fastener stringer 21 described in the above-mentioned embodiment 1.

For this reason, in the explanation of this Example 2, as well as the following explanations of Examples 3 and 4, parts and components that are formed substantially in the same manner as the slide fastener garment 1 described in Example 1 above will be represented by the same symbols as in Example 1 above, and detailed explanations thereof will be omitted.

The left and right fabrics 50 used in garment 2 of Example 2 are at least water-resistant. Each of the left and right fabrics 50 has a fabric main body portion (not shown) and a stringer attachment edge portion 51 provided at the edge of the fabric main body portion. The stringer attachment edge portion 51 of each fabric 50 has a double portion 54 where the garment fabric 50 is overlapped vertically to form a U-shape.

In a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, the double portion 54 of this Example 2 has a first strip portion 55 extending inward in the width direction from the fabric main body portion (not shown), a folded portion 56 extending from the first strip portion 55 and folded, and a second strip portion 57 extending from the folded portion 56 and overlapping the first strip portion 55. A fastener stringer 21 is sewn to the second strip portion 57 of the double portion 54 by the sewing portion 12. The double portion 54 is formed in contact with the fin portion 23b (second fin portion 25b) of the fastener element 23.

The double layer portion 54 of this second embodiment has the property of being able to maintain the folded shape of the folded portion 56 by undergoing a heat treatment, such as a heat setting treatment, while it is folded into a U-shape or a similar shape. In other words, the double layer portion 54 of this second embodiment has the property of being able to return to its pre-deformation shape when, for example, an external force is applied to the double layer portion 54, causing the U-shaped double layer portion 54 to open in a direction that separates the first strip portion 55 and the second strip portion 57, and then returning to its pre-deformation shape when the external force is removed. Note that in this second embodiment, the "pre-deformation shape" to be returned to includes both the same shape as before deformation and a shape close to that same shape (substantially the same shape). Furthermore, heat treatment refers to a process that involves heating the object to be treated.

By having the above-described properties, the double portion 54 of the second embodiment can easily maintain its U-shape unless an external force is applied to the double portion 54, making it difficult for the fastener tape 22 to be exposed to the outside from between the fastener element 23 and the fastener attachment member 10. Furthermore, even if an external force is applied to the double portion 54 and a portion of the second strip portion 57 temporarily separates from the fastener tape 22, or even if the double portion 54 separates from the fastener tape 22 and is turned up, the shape of the double portion 54 can return to its original U-shape when the external force is removed, so that the double portion 54 can again cover and conceal the fastener tape 22, making it difficult for the fastener tape 22 to be exposed to the outside.

Furthermore, in this second embodiment, creases may be formed in the folded portion 56 of the double layer portion 54 by applying heat and pressure, such as by ironing. By forming such creases in the folded portion 56, the folded shape of the double layer portion 54 (in other words, the U-shape of the double layer portion 54) can be further stabilized. Furthermore, in this second embodiment, a member such as a film may be attached to the inside of the double layer portion 54 to make it easier to maintain the shape of the double layer portion 54. This can also further stabilize the folded shape of the double layer portion 54.

In this second embodiment, the sewn portion 12, which sews together the stringer attachment edge 51 and the zipper stringer 21, is provided linearly along the front-to-rear direction of the zipper tape 22 by lockstitching using a sewing machine. The zipper stringer 21 is fixed to the stringer attachment edge 51 of the fabric 50 by this sewn portion 12. A portion of the sewn portion 12 is also sandwiched between the first strip portion 55 and the second strip portion 57 of the double portion 54.

In this second embodiment, the sewn portion 12 is positioned laterally outward (inside the tape) from the fastener element 23, and also laterally outward from the folded portion 56 of the stringer attachment edge 51. In this case, the lateral separation distance D1 between the sewn portion 12 and the fin portion 23b of the fastener element 23 is preferably 1.0 mm or more and 10.0 mm or less. The folded portion 56 of the stringer attachment edge 51 is positioned in contact with the fastener element 23, and a flap is formed on the fastener tape 22 between the sewn portion 12 and the folded portion 56 in the lateral direction. This forms a waterproof region between the sewn portion 12 and the fastener element 23.

Next, a method for manufacturing the product 2 with a slide fastener according to the second embodiment will be briefly described.
First, a sewing process is performed using a sewing machine to sew together the fastener tape 22 of the fastener stringer 21 and the stringer attachment edge 51 of the fabric 50. After this sewing process is completed, a folding process is performed to fold the stringer attachment edge 51 of the fabric 50 to form the double layer portion 54. The sewing process and folding process of this second embodiment are performed substantially in the same manner as the sewing process and folding process described in the first embodiment.

Next, a heat treatment process is performed on the stringer attachment edge portion 51 and the fastener stringer 21, on which the double portion 54 has been formed by the bending process, to stabilize the shape of the stringer attachment edge portion 51.
In the heat treatment step of the second embodiment, the double portion 54 of the stringer attachment edge 51 is subjected to a heat treatment (heat setting treatment) in which the double portion 54 is heated in a U-shaped folded state. This stabilizes the folded shape of the double portion 54, so that, for example, when the double portion 54 is deformed by an external force and then the external force is removed, the double portion 54 can be restored to its original shape before deformation.

Furthermore, in the heat treatment step of this Example 2, the heat treatment may be performed by ironing, for example, using an iron to heat the double-layered portion 54 bent into a U-shape at the stringer attachment edge 51 while pressing the double-layered portion 54. By performing such ironing, the above-mentioned crease can be easily formed in the bent portion 56 of the double-layered portion 54.

In other words, in this Example 2, by performing a heat treatment process including the heat setting or ironing process described above, a double layer portion 54 having the property of being able to maintain the folded shape of the folded portion 56 can be stably formed at the stringer attachment edge 51 of the fabric 50. Note that in the present invention, the heat treatment process for maintaining the folded shape is not limited to the heat setting and ironing process described above, and the heat treatment process may also include other treatments and processes that involve heating.

By performing the above-described sewing, folding, and heat treatment processes, fabric 50 is produced in which fastener stringer 21 is sewn to stringer attachment edge 51, as shown in Figure 7. At this time, the sewn portion 12 that sews together fastener stringer 21 and stringer attachment edge 51 is covered by stringer attachment edge 51 (particularly, first strip portion 55).

In this Example 2, the sewing process, folding process, and heat treatment process are performed in the order described above. However, in the present invention, the order in which the sewing process, folding process, and heat treatment process are performed is not particularly limited; for example, the folding process and heat treatment process may be performed before the sewing process.

Then, by using the fabric 50 to which the zipper stringer 21 of this embodiment 2 has been sewn, a garment 2 with a slide zipper can be manufactured in the same manner as in the above-mentioned embodiment 1.

In the slide fastener garment 2 of this embodiment 2 manufactured in this manner, although the sewn portion 12 is located away from the fastener element 23 in the left-right direction, the double portion 54 of the stringer attachment edge portion 51 is heat treated (heat treatment process) to stabilize its shape, and is therefore formed to be able to retain the folded shape of the folded portion 56.

Therefore, with the garment with slide fastener of this embodiment 2, the double portion 54 of the stringer attachment edge 51 is less likely to curl up relative to the fastener stringer 21, making it easier to maintain the double portion 54 in contact with (or close to) the fastener element 23.

Therefore, in this second embodiment, the fastener tape 22 is prevented or suppressed from being exposed to the outside from between the fastener element 23 and the fastener attachment member 50, making it easier to cover and conceal almost the entire fastener tape 22 with the stringer attachment edge 51. This prevents or suppresses the design and appearance quality of the garment from being impaired by the exposure of the fastener tape 22.

Furthermore, in the garment with slide fastener of this embodiment 2, as in the case of the above-mentioned embodiment 1, even if the fastener tape 22 itself is not water-resistant, as long as the fabric 50 of the garment is at least water-resistant, it is possible to make it difficult for liquid to penetrate through the slide fastener 20.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction in a part of the product with a slide fastener according to the third embodiment.
The slide fastener product 3 of this Example 3 is a garment, similar to the aforementioned Example 1. The slide fastener garment 3 of this Example 3 has a slide fastener 20 having a pair of left and right fastener stringers 21, and a fastener attachment member (fabric) 70 having left and right stringer attachment edges 71 to which the left and right fastener stringers 21 are attached.

The slide fastener garment 3 of this Example 3 differs from the slide fastener garment 1 described in Example 1 above in the following three respects. The first difference is that the slide fastener garment 3 of this Example 3 does not have the first adhesive layer 31 and second adhesive layer 32 described in Example 1 above. The second difference is that the slide fastener garment 3 of this Example 3 has a different setting range for the left-right separation distance between the sewn portion 12 and the fin portion 23b of the fastener element 23 than in Example 1 above. The third difference is that the slide fastener garment 3 of this Example 3 has a thickness dimension T of the double portion 74 set within a predetermined range. Apart from the above three points, the slide fastener garment 3 of this Example 3 is formed substantially the same as the slide fastener garment 1 described in Example 1 above.

The left and right fabrics 70 of the garment used in Example 3 are at least water-resistant. Each of the left and right fabrics 70 has a fabric main body portion (not shown) and a stringer attachment edge portion 71 provided at the edge of the fabric main body portion. The stringer attachment edge portion 71 of each fabric 70 has a double portion 74 formed in a U-shape by overlapping the garment fabric 70 vertically.

In a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, the double portion 74 of this Example 3 has a first strip portion 75 extending inward in the width direction from the fabric main body portion (not shown), a folded portion 76 extending from the first strip portion 75 and folded, and a second strip portion 77 extending from the folded portion 76 and overlapping the first strip portion 75. A fastener stringer 21 is attached to the second strip portion 77 of the double portion 74 by a sewn portion 12. The double portion 74 is also formed in contact with the fin portion 23b (second fin portion 25b) of the fastener element 23.

In this Example 3, the thickness dimension T of the double portion 74 at the stringer mounting edge 71 is set to be 0.25 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less. In this case, the thickness dimension T of the double portion 74 is the vertical dimension from the position of the upper surface (outer surface) of the first strip portion 75 to the position of the lower surface (outer surface) of the second strip portion 77.

By setting the thickness dimension T of the double portion 74 to 0.25 mm or more, preferably 0.55 mm or more, it is possible to form the double portion 74 closer to the fastener element 23, which makes it easier to maintain contact between the double portion 74 and the fastener element 23 (particularly the fin portion 23b). This prevents or suppresses the fastener tape 22 from being exposed between the double portion 74 and the fastener element 23. Furthermore, even if the double portion 74 is subjected to an external force and moves slightly away from the fastener element 23, the double portion 74 is formed thick in the vertical direction as described above, which makes it easier for the space between the fastener element 23 and the double portion 74 to be hidden by the double portion 74, making it difficult for the fastener tape 22 to be seen through the gap between the fastener element 23 and the double portion 74.

In addition, by making the thickness dimension T of the double portion 74 5.0 mm or less, preferably 3.0 mm or less, the step between the stringer mounting edge portion 71 and the fastener element 23 is reduced, preventing a decrease in water-stopping performance due to water droplets remaining on this step when they adhere.

It is also possible to make the thickness dimension T of the double portion 74 the same thickness as the fin portion 23b of the fastener element 23. In Figure 8, the fin portion 23b is formed in a tapered shape so that the thickness gradually decreases from the fastener element 23 outward in the left-right direction (toward the inner side of the tape), but in order to avoid forming a step between the fin portion 23b and the double portion 74 or to reduce the step, the taper of the fin portion 23b may be eliminated, or the tapered region of the fin portion 23b may be formed to be small.

In this Example 3, the sewn portion 12 that sews the stringer attachment edge portion 71 and the zipper stringer 21 together is provided linearly along the front-to-rear direction of the zipper tape 22 by lockstitching using a sewing machine. This sewn portion 12 secures the zipper stringer 21 to the stringer attachment edge portion 71 (second strip portion 77) of the fabric 70. A portion of the sewn portion 12 is also sandwiched between the first strip portion 75 and the second strip portion 77 of the double portion 74.

In this third embodiment, the sewn portion 12 is positioned laterally outward (inside the tape) from the fastener element 23, and also laterally outward from the folded portion 76 of the stringer attachment edge 71. In this case, the lateral separation distance D2 between the sewn portion 12 and the fin portion 23b of the fastener element 23 is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 10.0 mm or less. The folded portion 76 of the stringer attachment edge 71 is positioned in contact with the fastener element 23, and a flap is formed on the fastener tape 22 between the sewn portion 12 and the folded portion 76 in the lateral direction. This forms a waterproof region between the sewn portion 12 and the fastener element 23.

By setting the above-mentioned clearance distance D2 to 0.5 mm or more, preferably 0.8 mm or more, when forming the sewn portion 12 using a sewing machine, it is difficult for the sewing machine needle to come into contact with the fastener element 23, and the sewing process of sewing the fastener tape 22 to the stringer attachment edge portion 71 of the fabric 70 can be carried out smoothly and stably.

Furthermore, by setting the above-mentioned separation distance D2 to 10.0 mm or less, preferably 5.0 mm or less, it is possible to prevent the double portion 74 from being turned up. This makes it difficult for the fastener tape 22 to be seen between the fastener element 23 and the double portion 74. Furthermore, by setting the above-mentioned separation distance D2 to 10.0 mm or less, it is possible to prevent the width dimensions of the fastener tape 22 and the second strip portion 77 from becoming too large, making it easier to reduce manufacturing costs. If the separation distance is greater than 10.0 mm, it may be difficult to position and fold the bent portion 76 so that it contacts the fastener element 23.

In the slide fastener garment 3 of this third embodiment, the sewn portion 12 is spaced apart from the fastener element 23 in the left-right direction. However, by setting the thickness dimension T of the double layer portion 74 to 0.25 mm or more and setting the separation distance D2 between the sewn portion 12 and the fastener element 23 to a narrow width of 10.0 mm or less, the double layer portion 74 of the stringer attachment edge 71 is less likely to turn up relative to the fastener stringer 21, making it difficult for the fastener tape 22 to be seen between the fastener element 23 and the double layer portion 74. This prevents or minimizes the design and appearance quality of the garment from being impaired by the exposure of the fastener tape 22.

Furthermore, in the slide fastener garment 3 of this embodiment 3, as in the case of the above-mentioned embodiment 1, even if the fastener tape 22 itself is not water-resistant, as long as the fabric 70 of the garment is at least water-resistant, it is possible to make it difficult for liquid to penetrate through the slide fastener 20.

The garment with a slide fastener of this embodiment 3 may be formed to satisfy either the condition that the thickness dimension T of the double portion 74 is 0.25 mm or more, or the condition that the distance D2 in the left-right direction between the sewn portion 12 and the fin portion 23b of the fastener element 23 is 10.0 mm or less. Even in garments with a slide fastener that satisfy only one of these conditions, the fastener tape can be made less visible from the outside of the garment with the slide fastener.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction in a part of a product with a slide fastener according to the fourth embodiment.
The slide fastener product 4 of this Example 4 is a garment, similar to the aforementioned Example 1. The slide fastener garment 4 of this Example 4 has a slide fastener 20 having a pair of left and right fastener stringers 21, and a fastener attachment member (fabric) 90 having left and right stringer attachment edges 91 to which the left and right fastener stringers 21 are attached.

The slide fastener garment 4 of Example 4 differs from the slide fastener garment 1 described in Example 1 above in the following three respects. The first difference is that the slide fastener garment 4 of Example 4 does not have the first adhesive layer 31 and second adhesive layer 32 described in Example 1 above. The second difference is that the folded portion 96 is located close to the formation position of the sewn portion 12 in the left-right direction and close to the fastener element 23. The third difference is that in the slide fastener garment 4 of Example 4, the setting range of the left-right separation distance between the sewn portion 12 and the fin portion 23b of the fastener element 23 is different from that in Example 1 above. Note that, apart from the three points mentioned above, the slide fastener garment 4 of Example 4 is formed substantially the same as the slide fastener garment 1 described in Example 1 above.

The left and right fabrics 90 of the garment used in Example 4 are at least water-resistant. Each of the left and right fabrics 90 has a fabric main body portion (not shown) and a stringer attachment edge portion 91 provided at the edge of the fabric main body portion. The stringer attachment edge portion 91 of each fabric 90 has a double portion 94 formed in a U-shape by overlapping the garment fabric 90 vertically.

In a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, the double portion 94 of this Example 4 has a first strip portion 95 extending inward in the width direction from the fabric main body portion (not shown), a folded portion 96 extending from the first strip portion 95 and folded, and a second strip portion 97 extending from the folded portion 96 and overlapping the first strip portion 95. A fastener stringer 21 is attached to the second strip portion 97 of the double portion 94 by a sewn portion 12. The double portion 94 is also formed in close proximity to the fin portion 23b (second fin portion 25b) of the fastener element 23.

In this Example 4, the sewn portion 12 that sews together the stringer attachment edge portion 91 and the zipper stringer 21 is provided linearly along the front-to-rear direction of the zipper tape 22 by lockstitching using a sewing machine. This sewn portion 12 secures the zipper stringer 21 to the stringer attachment edge portion 91 (second strip portion 97) of the fabric 90. A portion of the sewn portion 12 is also sandwiched between the first strip portion 95 and the second strip portion 97 of the double portion 94.

In this Example 4, the sewn portion 12 is positioned away from the fastener element 23 in the left-right direction (inside the tape). Furthermore, by folding the stringer attachment edge 91 starting from the sewn portion 12 so that the first strip portion 95 and the second strip portion 97 overlap one another vertically to form a double portion 94, a folded portion 96 is formed in a position close to the sewn portion 12.

In this case, the separation distance D3 in the left-right direction between the sewn portion 12 and the fin portion 23b of the fastener element 23 is preferably 3.0 mm or less. More preferably, the separation distance D3 is 2.0 mm or less, or 1.0 mm or less. Also, the separation distance D3 is preferably 0.5 mm or more. In other words, the separation distance D3 is preferably 60% or less of the left-right width of the fastener element 23 (here, this refers to the width excluding the width of the first fin portion and the second fin portion). More preferably, the separation distance D3 is 40% or less, or 20% or less of the left-right width of the fastener element 23 excluding the fin portion. Also, the separation distance D3 is preferably 10% or more of the left-right width of the fastener element 23 excluding the fin portion. Unlike Examples 1 to 3, Example 4 does not form a flap between the position of the sewn portion 12 and the position of the folded portion 96, but by narrowing (reducing) the separation distance D3, a water-resistant area is formed between the sewn portion 12 and the fastener element 23.

By setting the above-mentioned clearance distance D3 to 0.5 mm or more, or 10% or more of the left-right width of the fastener element 23 excluding the fin portion, when forming the sewn portion 12 using a sewing machine, it is difficult for the sewing machine needle to come into contact with the fastener element 23, and the sewing process of sewing the fastener tape 22 to the stringer attachment edge portion 71 of the fabric 70 can be carried out smoothly and stably.

Furthermore, by having the above-mentioned separation distance D3 be 3.0 mm or less, or 60% or less of the left-right width of the fastener element 23 excluding the fin portion, the fastener tape 22 can be made less visible between the fastener element 23 and the double portion 94.

In the slide fastener garment 4 of this Example 4, the sewn portion 12 is positioned away from the fastener element 23 in the left-right direction, but by setting the separation distance D3 between the sewn portion 12 and the fastener element 23 to a narrow width of 3.0 mm or less, the fastener tape 22 can be made less visible between the fastener element 23 and the double portion 94. Therefore, it is possible to prevent or suppress the design and appearance quality of the garment from being impaired by the exposure of the fastener tape 22.

Furthermore, in the slide fastener garment 4 of this embodiment 4, as in the case of the above-mentioned embodiment 1, even if the fastener tape 22 itself is not water-resistant, as long as the fabric 90 of the garment is at least water-resistant, the above-mentioned water-resistant area can make it difficult for liquid to penetrate through the slide fastener 20.

For each of Examples 1 to 4, a rain test, as described below, was conducted to confirm that a water-resistant region was formed between the sewn portion 12 and the fastener element 23. The rain test was conducted under rain conditions conforming to AATCC35 (24 in, 2 min). To eliminate the effect of water leakage from gaps in the fastener element 23, the test was conducted with water-leakage prevention tape attached to the front of the fastener element 23. The rain test results confirmed that the amount of water permeation in each water-resistant region of Examples 1 to 4 was less than 0.1 g.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described Examples 1 to 4, and various modifications are possible as long as they have substantially the same configuration as the present invention and achieve similar effects.

For example, in Examples 1 to 4, as described above, the slide fastener 20 and fastener stringer 21 are formed by providing the fastener elements 23 in independent shapes on the fastener tape 22 by injection molding of synthetic resin. However, in the present invention, instead of the synthetic resin fastener elements 23, it is also possible to form the slide fastener and fastener stringer by providing the fastener tape with multiple metal fastener elements, each formed in an independent shape.

In addition, while Examples 1 to 4 describe cases in which the garment with a slide fastener is at least water-resistant, in the present invention, the garment with a slide fastener does not have to be water-resistant. Furthermore, in these examples, clothing is described as a representative example of a product to which a slide fastener can be attached, but in the present invention, products with slide fasteners are not limited to clothing. Products with slide fasteners in the present invention include a variety of products, such as apparel other than clothing, everyday items such as shoes and bags, industrial materials, and various seat products used in automobiles, trains, aircraft, etc.

1, 2 Products with slide fasteners (clothing with slide fasteners)
3, 4 Products with slide fasteners (clothing with slide fasteners)
10 Fastener attachment member (fabric)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Stringer attachment edge 12 Sewn portion 14 Double portion 15 First strip portion 16 Folded portion 17 Second strip portion 20 Slide fastener 21 Fastener stringer 22 Fastener tape 22a Tape body portion 22b Core cord portion 23 Fastener element 23a Element base portion 23b Fin portion 24 First element portion 24a Interlocking head portion 24b First fin portion 24c First step portion 25 Second element portion 25a Second body portion 25b Second fin portion 25c Element head portion 25d Second step portion 26 Element row 31 First adhesive layer 31a Adhesive 32 Second adhesive layer 32a Adhesive 40 Slider 41 Slider body 42 Upper wing 43 Pull tab attachment portion 45 Pull tab 50 Fastener attachment material (fabric)
51 Stringer attachment edge portion 54 Double portion 55 First strip portion 56 Folded portion 57 Second strip portion 70 Fastener attachment member (fabric)
71 Stringer attachment edge portion 74 Double portion 75 First strip portion 76 Folded portion 77 Second strip portion 90 Fastener attachment member (fabric)
91 Stringer attachment edge 94 Double portion 95 First strip portion 96 Folded portion 97 Second strip portion D1, D2, D3 Separation distance T Thickness dimension

Claims (8)

A product (1, 2, 3, 4) with a slide fastener, comprising a fastener stringer (21) in which a plurality of fastener elements (23) are provided at regular intervals along the length direction of the fastener tape (22), and a fastener receiving member (10, 50, 70, 90) having a pair of stringer attachment edges (11, 51, 71, 91) at positions facing each other to which the pair of fastener stringers (21) are attached,
The fastener stringer (21) is attached to the stringer attachment edge portion (11, 51, 71, 91) by a sewing portion (12) formed with sewing thread,
The stringer attachment edge portion (11, 51, 71, 91) has a double portion (14, 54, 74, 94) bent into a U-shape in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the tape length direction,
The double portion (14, 54, 74, 94) has, in the cross-sectional view, a first strip portion (15, 55, 75, 95) arranged spaced apart from the fastener tape (22), a folded portion (16, 56, 76, 96) extending from the first strip portion (15, 55, 75, 95) and having a folded shape, and a second strip portion (17, 57, 77, 97) extending from the folded portion (16, 56, 76, 96) and arranged overlapping the first strip portion (15, 55, 75, 95),
a portion of the sewn portion (12) is sandwiched between the first strip portion (15, 55, 75, 95) and the second strip portion (17, 57, 77, 97) in the double portion (14, 54, 74, 94);
The sewn portion (12) is arranged apart from the plurality of fastener elements (23), and the bent portions (16, 56, 76, 96) are arranged in contact with or in close proximity to the plurality of fastener elements (23),
A product with a slide fastener, characterized in that a water-resistant region is formed between the sewn portion (12) and the plurality of fastener elements (23). 2. A product with a slide fastener according to claim 1, wherein the folded portions (16, 56, 76) are arranged apart from the sewn portion (12) and in contact with the fastener elements (23). A product with a slide fastener as described in claim 2, characterized in that the fastener tape (22) and the second strip portion (17) are bonded in at least a portion of the area between the folded portion (16) and the sewn portion (12). 3. A product with a slide fastener according to claim 2, wherein the bent portion (56) is formed so as to be able to maintain the bent shape of the bent portion (56) by heat treatment. A product with a slide fastener as described in claim 2, characterized in that the sewn portion (12) is arranged at a distance (D2) of 0.5 mm or more and 10.0 mm or less from the fastener element (23) in the tape width direction of the fastener tape (22). A product with a slide fastener as described in claim 2, characterized in that the dimension (T) in the tape thickness direction of the fastener tape (22) from the outer surface of the first strip portion (75) to the outer surface of the second strip portion (77) in the double portion (74) is 0.25 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less. The bent portion (96) is formed adjacent to the position where the sewn portion (12) is formed in the left-right direction and is disposed adjacent to the plurality of fastener elements (23),
The product with a slide fastener according to claim 1, characterized in that the sewn portion (12) is arranged at a distance (D3) of 0.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less from the fastener element (23) in the tape width direction of the fastener tape (22). A product with a slide fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each of the fastener elements (23) has an element base (23a) having a portion whose dimension in the tape thickness direction of the fastener tape (22) is constant, and a fin portion (23b) extending from the element base (23a) toward the inside of the fastener tape (22) and whose dimension in the tape thickness direction is smaller than that of the element base (23a).