Invisible zip fastener slider and garment having such a fastener

Abstract

A garment has: a pair of fabric panels each connected to a zip tape; the zip tape including a pair of rows of zip teeth; a zip slider, having a bridge extending upwardly and a pull tab connected to the bridge via an intermediate link; the zip slider being movable along the zip tape to interdigitate the rows of zip teeth by pulling of the pull tab; the panels provide a pair of lips extending over the zip teeth thereby to cover the slider; the intermediate link, pull tab and bridge are constructed so that rotation of the pull tab causes the intermediate link to bear against outer surfaces of the bridge.

1 . A zip slider comprising:
 a body adapted to move longitudinally in a first direction along opposing rows of tip teeth to interdigitate or extradigitate the teeth and fasten or unfasten the zip;   a bridge extending upwardly from the body and comprising forward and rearward longitudinally-spaced posts defining a cleft therebetween;   a pull tab, connected to the bridge by an intermediate link retained in the cleft for pivotal motion relative to the body about a transverse axis;   an elongate spring member having a locking prong and a retaining bar interconnected by a biasing loop which urges the locking prong against interdigitated teeth; wherein   the external dimension of the bridge and the configuration of the intermediate link are such that, when the pull tab is rotated about a longitudinal axis, the intermediate link bears against the outside of the bridge.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A zip slider according to  claim 1  wherein the pull tab is able to withstand at least a torque of 4 in lbs equivalent force. 
     
     
         4 . A garment having a zip slider according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         5 . A garment according to  claim 4  having:
 a pair of fabric panels each connected to a zip tape along with the zip slider is movable to interdigitate the rows of zip teeth by pulling of the pull tab; 
 the panels providing a pair of lips extending over the zip teeth thereby to cover the slider; 
 the intermediate link, pull tab and bridge are constructed so that rotation of the pull tab causes the intermediate link to bear against outer surfaces of the bridge. 
 
     
     
         6 . A zip slider according to  claim 1  wherein when the intermediate link is in an upright position extending substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, rotation of the pull tab about an upright axis causes the intermediate link to bear against inwardly-facing surfaces of the cleft.