Concealed zipper

• US 7,516,523 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Okot, Alex W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandy; Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez; Ruth C
• Application Number:
  US11/394,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20070214614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 243/81, 243/86, 243/87, 244/15, 244/29, 244/32, 244/36, 243/82, 243/83, 243/85, 24416-431, 70 67- 70, 292/283
• US Class Current: 24/385
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2200/20 Hoods
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 19/262 Pull members; Ornamental attachments for sliders
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 19/265 with means for preventing the accidental intrusion of material into the slider body, e.g. with shield or guard
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2502 Plural zippers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2507 having slider or interconnected sliders with access opening for diverse-art member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2591 with means for concealing surfaces

Abstract

A concealed zipper assembly includes a pair of zipper tapes and a pair of sliders movable along the zipper tapes and defining an opening therebetween. The sliders are configured to close the zipper tapes and the opening as they move toward one another along the zipper tapes. A cover is connected to each of the sliders and is movable along the zipper tapes.

Claims

1. A concealed zipper assembly comprising, in combination:

a pair of zipper tapes;

a pair of sliders movable along the zipper tapes and defining an opening therebetween, the sliders configured to close the zipper tapes and the opening as they move toward one another along the zipper tapes, each slider including a zipper pull, each zipper pull including an aperture formed therein; and

a cover connected to each of the sliders and movable along the zipper tapes, the cover including a pair of recesses, each recess receiving a portion of only one of the zipper pulls that includes the aperture formed therein.

2. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 1, further comprising a retaining member secured to the cover and extending through the opening.

3. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 2, further comprising a closure member secured to the retaining member.

4. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 3, wherein the closure member comprises a drawstring.

5. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 4, further comprising a channel, the drawstring being positioned within the channel.

6. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 2, wherein the retaining member comprises a loop.

7. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

an aperture extending through the cover;

an aperture extending through each zipper pull; and

a rod extending through the aperture in the cover and the apertures in the zipper pulls.

8. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pair of recess covers, each recess cover positioned in a recess and covering a zipper pull.

9. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 1, wherein the cover includes a pair of apertures with each aperture being in communication with a corresponding recess, and each zipper pull includes an aperture, and further comprising a pair of screws, each screw extending through an aperture in the cover and an aperture in one of the zipper pulls.

10. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pair of fasteners, each fastener securing a corresponding zipper pull to the cover.

11. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 10, wherein the fasteners are screws.

12. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 1, wherein the zipper tapes have a flat side and a coil side, the sliders and cover being positioned on the flat side.

13. An object with a concealed zipper assembly comprising, in combination:

an object having a channel formed therein;

a drawstring positioned within the channel and having a first end and a second end;

a pair of zipper tapes secured to an exterior surface of the channel;

a pair of sliders movable along the zipper tapes and defining an opening therebetween, each slider including a zipper pull, the sliders configured to close the zipper tapes and the opening as they move toward one another along the zipper tapes; and

a cover connected to each of the sliders and movable along the zipper tapes, the first end of the drawstring being secured to the cover.

14. The object of claim 13, wherein the zipper tapes have a coil side exposed to an interior of the channel and an opposed flat side exposed to an exterior of the channel.

15. The object of claim 13, further comprising:

an aperture extending through the cover;

an aperture extending through each zipper pull; and

a rod extending through the apertures in the zipper pull and the aperture in the cover.

16. The object of claim 13, wherein the cover includes a pair of recesses, each recess receiving a zipper pull.

17. The object of claim 16, further comprising a pair of recess covers, each recess cover positioned in a recess and covering a zipper pull.

18. The object of claim 16, wherein the cover includes a pair of apertures with each aperture being in communication with a corresponding recess and each zipper pull includes an aperture, and further comprising a pair of screws, each screw extending through an aperture in the cover and an aperture in one of the zipper pulls.

19. The object of claim 13, further comprising a retaining member secured to the cover and extending through the opening, the first end of the drawstring being secured to the retaining member.

20. The object of claim 19, wherein the retaining member comprises a loop.

21. The object of claim 13, further comprising:

a second pair of zipper tapes secured to an exterior surface of the channel;

a second pair of sliders movable along the second pair of zipper tapes and defining a second opening therebetween, the second pair of sliders configured to close the second pair of zipper tapes and the second opening as they move toward one another along the second pair of zipper tapes; and

a second cover receiving a portion of each of the second pair of sliders, the second end of the drawstring being secured to the second cover.

22. An article of apparel with a concealed zipper assembly comprising, in combination:

an article of apparel having a channel formed therein;

a drawstring positioned within the channel and having a first end and a second end;

a first pair of zipper tapes secured to an exterior surface of the channel;

a first pair of sliders movable along the first pair of zipper tapes and defining a first opening therebetween, the first pair of sliders configured to close the first pair of zipper tapes and the first opening as they move toward one another along the first pair of zipper tapes, each slider of the first pair of sliders having a zipper pull;

a first cover having a pair of recesses formed therein, each recess of the first cover receiving only one of the zipper pulls of the first pair of sliders, the first end of the drawstring being secured to the first cover;

a second pair of zipper tapes secured to an exterior surface of the channel;

a second pair of sliders movable along the second pair of zipper tapes and defining a second opening therebetween, the second pair of sliders configured to close the second pair of zipper tapes and the second opening as they move toward one another along the second pair of zipper tapes, each slider of the second pair of sliders having a zipper pull; and

a second cover having a pair of recesses formed therein, each recess of the second cover receiving only one of the zipper pulls of the second pair of sliders, the second end of the drawstring being secured to the second cover.

23. The article of apparel of claim 22, further comprising

a first retaining member secured to the first cover and extending through the first opening, the first end of the drawstring being secured to the first retaining member;

and

a second retaining member secured to the second cover and extending through the second opening, the second end of the drawstring being secured to the second retaining member.

24. The article of apparel of claim 23, wherein the retaining members comprise loops.

25. The article of apparel of claim 23, wherein the zipper tapes have a flat side and a coil side, the sliders and covers being positioned on the flat sides of the zipper tapes.

26. The article of apparel of claim 23, further comprising:

an aperture extending through the each cover;

an aperture extending through each zipper pull;

a first rod extending through the aperture in the first cover and the apertures in the first pair of zipper pulls; and

a second rod extending through the aperture in the second cover and the apertures in the second pair of zipper pulls.

27. The article of apparel of claim 22, wherein the first cover includes a pair of apertures with each aperture being in communication with a corresponding recess, and each of the first zipper pulls includes an aperture, and further comprising a first pair of screws, each screw of the first pair of screws extending through an aperture in the first cover and an aperture in one of the first pair of zipper pulls;

and

the second cover includes a pair of apertures with each aperture being in communication with a corresponding recess, and each of the second zipper pulls includes an aperture, and further comprising a second pair of screws, each screw of the second pair of screws extending through an aperture in the second cover and an aperture in one of the second pair of zipper pulls.

28. A concealed zipper assembly comprising, in combination:

a pair of sliders configured to move along a pair of zipper tapes and define an opening therebetween, and configured to close the zipper tapes and the opening as they move toward one another along the zipper tapes, each slider including a zipper pull, each zipper pull including an aperture formed therein;

a cover configured to be connected to each of the sliders, the cover including a pair of recesses, each recess receiving a portion of only one of the zipper pulls that includes the aperture formed therein; and

a retaining member secured to the cover.

29. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 28, wherein the retaining member comprises a loop.

30. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 28, further comprising:

an aperture extending through the cover;

an aperture extending through each zipper pull; and

a rod extending through the aperture in the cover and the apertures in the zipper pulls.

31. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 28, wherein the cover includes a pair of recesses, each zipper pull being received in a recess.

32. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 31, further comprising a pair of recess covers, each recess cover positioned in a recess and covering a zipper pull.

33. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 31, wherein the cover includes a pair of apertures with each aperture being in communication with a corresponding recess, and each zipper pull includes an aperture, and further comprising a pair of screws, each screw extending through an aperture in the cover and an aperture in one of the zipper pulls.

34. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 28, further comprising a pair of fasteners, each fastener securing a corresponding zipper pull to the cover.

35. The concealed zipper assembly of claim 34, wherein the fasteners are screws.