Slider for a slide fastener

Abstract

A slider for a slide fastener is provided with an openable bridge suitable to remove or replace a pull tab, wherein a base of the bridge is connected to the slider body by a connection allowing a combination of linear displacement and pivoting relative to the slider body, a linear displacement of the bridge causes the lock/unlock of the bridge to/from a retaining member of the slider body, and a pivoting of the bridge causes the opening/closing of a front passage for removal or insertion of a pull tab. The bridge portion may also include a locking member associated with the bridge.

1 . A slider for a slide fastener, comprising:
 a slider body including a diamond, an upper blade, a lower blade and a bridge,   wherein the bridge is connected to the slider body by a connection allowing a combination of linear displacement and pivoting of the bridge relative to the slider body, and   wherein the linear displacement and pivoting of the bridge takes place between: i) a first position wherein the bridge is engaged with a retaining member of the slider body, and ii) a second position wherein the bridge is disengaged from the retaining member and is rotated relative to the slider body.   
     
     
         2 . The slider according to  claim 1 , wherein the linear displacement of the bridge relative to the slider body causes the engagement or disengagement of the bridge to/from the retaining member. 
     
     
         3 . The slider according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotation of the bridge relative to the slider body causes opening or closing of a front passage between the bridge and the slider body, the front passage being suitable for insertion or removal of a pull tab. 
     
     
         4 . The slider according to  claim 1 , wherein the bridge has a base associated to the slider body by the connection, and a distal end opposite to the base, the distal end being engaged with the retaining member when the bridge is in the first position, and disengaged therefrom when the bridge is in the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The slider according to  claim 3 , wherein a linear displacement of the bridge relative to the slider body causes a lock/unlock of the distal end to/from the retaining member, and a pivoting of the bridge portion causes the opening/closing of the front passage. 
     
     
         6 . The slider according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection includes a rotation pin inserted in at least one slot. 
     
     
         7 . The slider according to  claim 6 , wherein the rotation pin is fixed to the slider body, and wherein the at least one slot is formed in a portion of the bridge. 
     
     
         8 . The slider according to  claim 1 , wherein the linear displacement is in a substantially longitudinal direction of the slider. 
     
     
         9 . The slider according to  claim 1 , further comprising an elastic member configured to urge the bridge in the first position. 
     
     
         10 . The slider according to  claim 9 , wherein the elastic member is housed in the bridge. 
     
     
         11 . The slider according to  claim 1 , further comprising a locking member to prevent sliding, the locking member being in a locked condition when the bridge is in the first position, and being in a released condition when the bridge is in the second position. 
     
     
         12 . The slider according to  claim 11 , wherein the locking member is associated with the bridge, both the locking member and the bridge being pivotable together around a same pin fixed to the slider body. 
     
     
         13 . The slider according to  claim 12 , wherein the locking member comprises one degree of freedom of pivoting around the pin, while the bridge is slidable relative to the pin. 
     
     
         14 . The slider according to  claim 11 , further comprising an elastic member configured to urge the bridge in the first position,
 wherein the elastic member acts between a surface of the bridge and a surface of the locking member, and   wherein the bridge and the locking member are urged one against the other by the elastic member, so that they form a substantially rigid assembly when rotating around the pin.   
     
     
         15 . A slide fastener, comprising a slider according to  claim 1 .