Coil-type fluid-impervious zipper and commercial product using same

Abstract

A coil-type fluid-impervious zipper including a pair of chains connected with a pair of supporting fabric tapes, where a pair of filler structures made of a first thermoplastic elastomer are formed within the pair of chains correspondingly, an extension strip made of a second thermoplastic elastomer is connected to a free edge surface of a first one of the pair of filler structures, and when the coil-type fluid-impervious zipper is zipped up, the extension strip and a second one of the pair of filler structures are compressed to engage with each other within a first gap formed between the pair of filler structures, so as to minimize a second gap between the extension strip and the second one of the pair of filler structures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A coil-type fluid-impervious zipper including:
 a pair of chains connected with a pair of supporting fabric tapes;   a pair of filler structures made of a first thermoplastic elastomer formed within the pair of chains correspondingly; and   an extension strip made of a second thermoplastic elastomer and attached to a free edge surface of a first one of the pair of filler structures;   wherein, when the coil-type fluid-impervious zipper is zipped up, the extension strip and a second one of the pair of filler structures are compressed to engage with each other within a first gap formed between the pair of filler structures, so as to minimize a second gap between the extension strip and the second one of the pair of filler structures.   
     
     
         2 . The coil-type fluid-impervious zipper as disclosed in  claim 1 , wherein the first one of the pair of filler structures is thinner than the second one of the pair of filler structures. 
     
     
         3 . The coil-type fluid-impervious zipper as disclosed in  claim 1 , further including a pair of waterproof layers attached thereon covering both the pair of supporting fabric tapes and the pair of filler structures. 
     
     
         4 . The coil-type fluid-impervious zipper as disclosed in  claim 1 , further including a pair of waterproof layers attached thereon covering the pair of supporting fabric tapes, the pair of filler structures, and the extension strip. 
     
     
         5 . The coil-type fluid-impervious zipper as disclosed in  claim 3 , wherein the pair of waterproof layers is made of the first thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         6 . The coil-type fluid-impervious zipper as disclosed in  claim 1 , further including a pair of waterproof layers attached on the pair of supporting fabric tapes correspondingly, the pair of waterproof layers having two downward extension parts covering a free edge surface of the second one of the pair of filler structures and a free edge surface of the extension strip respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The coil-type fluid-impervious zipper as disclosed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one surface of the pair of supporting fabric tapes is impregnated or coated with an adhesive to improve adhesion of a pair of waterproof layers. 
     
     
         8 . The coil-type fluid-impervious zipper as disclosed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one surface of the pair of supporting fabric tapes is impregnated or coated with a water repellent agent to make the pair of supporting fabric tapes water-repellent. 
     
     
         9 . A coil-type fluid-impervious zipper including:
 a pair of chains connected with a pair of supporting fabric tapes;   a pair of filler structures made of a first thermoplastic elastomer formed within the pair of chains correspondingly; and   an extension strip assembly including a first extension strip and a second extension strip both made of a second thermoplastic elastomer;   wherein the extension strip assembly is formed by a method including: attaching a strip of the second thermoplastic elastomer to a free edge surface of a first one of the pair of filler structures; zipping up the pair of chains and then performing a bonding operation to bond a free edge surface of the strip of the second thermoplastic elastomer to a free edge surface of a second one of the pair of filler structures; and dividing the strip of the second thermoplastic elastomer along a substantially middle line of the pair of chains.   
     
     
         10 . The coil-type fluid-impervious zipper as disclosed in  claim 9 , further including a pair of waterproof layers covering both the pair of supporting fabric tapes and the extension strip assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The coil-type fluid-impervious zipper as disclosed in  claim 10 , further including a pair of cap layers attached on the pair of waterproof layers, the pair of cap layers having two downward extension parts covering at least part of a free edge surface of the first extension strip and at least part of a free edge surface of the second extension strip respectively. 
     
     
         12 . A commercial product including the coil-type fluid-impervious zipper as disclosed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A commercial product including the coil-type fluid-impervious zipper as disclosed in  claim 9 . 
     
     
         14 . The commercial product as disclosed in  claim 12 , being an article of commercial product selected from a group consisting of an article of clothes, an article carrier, and a camping gear. 
     
     
         15 . The commercial product as disclosed in  claim 13 , being an article of commercial product selected from a group consisting of an article of clothes, an article carrier, and a camping gear.