SECURITY SLIDER FOR A ZIPPER

The invention relates to a safety slider for a zipper. The invention is more particularly, but not exclusively, intended for the field of luggage and bags or suitcases comprising a locking device for an opening comprising a zipper. Said locking is achieved by inserting a lock in the slider or the operating puller of said zipper, whether the latter comprises a single or a double slider.

A zipper, also called Eclair ® closure, rack or zip closure, makes it possible to assemble and disassemble two textile edges on which are installed, by sewing, gluing or crimping, a series of teeth suitable for crochet into each other when passing a cursor bringing said teeth closer or further apart according to its direction of travel along said edges. The cursor comprises a trigger guard on which a pull tab is threaded making it possible to easily maneuver said cursor in both directions, opening and closing.

This closure system, used on luggage, has many practical advantages, but also constitutes a point of weakness vis-à-vis an attempt to maliciously open said luggage. The locking devices for slide fasteners known from the prior art consist in introducing a lock into an eyelet specially arranged on the trigger guard of the cursor or into an eyelet arranged at one end of the pull tab. Said lock secures the eyelet either with a fixed anchor or with the eye of the trigger guard or the pull of another slider acting on the same edges but in the opposite direction of opening and closing. To open a zipper thus locked, a first method consists in introducing a pointed object between the hooked edges. The double slide device described in document EP 2 421 403 makes it possible to secure the closure with respect to this type of intrusion. Nevertheless, the locking systems of the prior art remain vulnerable to malicious acts acting directly on the cursor.

For example, the trigger guard, whether the latter is made of a plastic or metallic material, is generally open at one of its ends to allow the pull tab to be threaded onto said trigger guard. Thus, the trigger guard is fixed to the cursor by a section, generally that which includes the eyelet for locking, while the other section arrives near the external table of the cursor, without being linked to it, so as to allow the inserting the pull tab. Correlatively the pull tab is of a sufficiently reduced thickness to be able to be inserted on the trigger guard by the slot left between said trigger guard and the external table of the cursor. When the cursor is metallic, the slot is possibly closed by pinching the trigger guard after installing the pull tab. Consequently, the section of the trigger guard must be reduced to allow this deformation of said trigger guard. Also, although under these conditions the slot is no longer visible, there is no connection between one end of the trigger guard and the outer table of the slider. Whether the eye of the trigger guard or the eye of the pull tab, or both, is locked, it suffices to introduce a tool into the trigger guard of the cursor, such as a knife blade or the end of a screwdriver, and to exert a lever while taking support on the external table of the cursor, in order to draw aside said trigger guard from the cursor. This maneuver makes it possible either to remove the pull tab from the trigger guard and thus to freely operate the cursor without the pull tab if it was locked, or alternatively, by continuing to press, to break said trigger guard, thus freeing the cursor. although under these conditions the slot is no longer visible, there is no connection between one end of the trigger guard and the outer table of the slider. Whether the eye of the trigger guard or the eye of the pull tab, or both, is locked, it suffices to introduce a tool into the trigger guard of the cursor, such as a knife blade or the end of a screwdriver, and to exert a lever while taking support on the external table of the cursor, in order to draw aside said trigger guard from the cursor. This maneuver makes it possible either to remove the pull tab from the trigger guard and thus to freely operate the cursor without the pull tab if it was locked, or alternatively, by continuing to press, to break said trigger guard, thus freeing the cursor. although under these conditions the slot is no longer visible, there is no connection between one end of the trigger guard and the outer table of the slider. Whether the eye of the trigger guard or the eye of the pull tab, or both, is locked, it suffices to introduce a tool into the trigger guard of the cursor, such as a knife blade or the end of a screwdriver, and to exert a lever while taking support on the external table of the cursor, in order to draw aside said trigger guard from the cursor. This maneuver allows either to remove the pull tab from the trigger guard and thus to freely operate the cursor without the pull tab if it was locked, or alternatively, by continuing to press, to break said trigger guard, thereby freeing the cursor. y no connection between one end of the trigger guard and the outer table of the cursor. Whether the eye of the trigger guard or the eye of the pull tab, or both, is locked, it suffices to introduce a tool into the trigger guard of the cursor, such as a knife blade or the end of a screwdriver, and to exert a lever while taking support on the external table of the cursor, in order to draw aside said trigger guard from the cursor. This maneuver allows either to remove the pull tab from the trigger guard and thus to freely operate the cursor without the pull tab if it was locked, or alternatively, by continuing to press, to break said trigger guard, thereby freeing the cursor. y no connection between one end of the trigger guard and the outer table of the cursor. Whether the eye of the trigger guard or the eye of the pull tab, or both, is locked, it suffices to introduce a tool into the trigger guard of the cursor, such as a knife blade or the end of a screwdriver, and to exert a lever while taking support on the external table of the cursor, in order to draw aside said trigger guard from the cursor. This maneuver allows either to remove the pull tab from the trigger guard and thus to freely operate the cursor without the pull tab if it was locked, or alternatively, by continuing to press, to break said trigger guard, thereby freeing the cursor. such as a knife blade or the end of a screwdriver, and to exert a lever by resting on the outer table of the cursor, in order to move said trigger guard away from the cursor. This maneuver allows either to remove the pull tab from the trigger guard and thus to freely operate the cursor without the pull tab if it was locked, or alternatively, by continuing to press, to break said trigger guard, thereby freeing the cursor. such as a knife blade or the end of a screwdriver, and to exert a lever by resting on the outer table of the cursor, in order to move said trigger guard away from the cursor. This maneuver allows either to remove the pull tab from the trigger guard and thus to freely operate the cursor without the pull tab if it was locked, or alternatively, by continuing to press, to break said trigger guard, thereby freeing the cursor.

Document FR 2 145 453 describes a molding process using a mobility mold making it possible to mold the cursor and the pull tab in the same operation. According to this embodiment, the cursor obtained is not a trigger guard but a cursor with ears which allows the realization of a locking only by the zipper, the connection of the zipper to the cursor being particularly vulnerable.

Document US 2,736,062 and document EP 0 604 695 describe molding methods allowing the simultaneous production of a trigger guard and a pull tab. These arrangements make it possible to solve the problem of the brittleness of the trigger guard, however the pull tabs remain vulnerable. Indeed, by its shape, the zipper is sensitive to torsional stresses which shear the branches of the eyelet for connecting the zipper to the trigger guard, or its locking eyelet. Such torsional stress is produced by introducing a blade between the

two pull tabs when locked together, or by levering with a blade so as to exert bending stress in the direction of highest inertia when the pull tab is locked to a fixed anchor, the spill effect produces the torsional stress and leads to the same result.

The invention aims to solve the drawbacks of the prior art and relates to this end a slider for a zipper comprising a slider comprising a trigger guard and a pull tab, the assembly being molded in one piece, so that the trigger guard comes in one piece with the cursor table at its two longitudinal ends for connection with said table, the puller comprising an eyelet for connection to the cursor guard bridge, in which:

at. the pull tab includes a locking eyelet whose opening plane is parallel to the opening plane of the connecting eyelet;

b. the pull tab includes a connection portion between the two eyelets, known as the pull body, the width of the section of the pull body in a direction perpendicular to the planes of opening of the eyelets is greater than or equal to the height of the section in the plane parallel to the planes of opening of said eyelets.

Thus, the trigger guard of the slider being reinforced by molding in a block, the connection section between the two eyelets of the pull tab makes the latter much less vulnerable to torsional stresses. Thus, the zipper implementing the slider which is the subject of the invention presents increased security with regard to burglary attempts.

The invention is advantageously implemented according to the embodiments and the variants set out below, which are to be considered individually or according to any technically operative combination.

Advantageously, the locking eyelet is offset radially relative to the eyelet for connecting the pull tab to the trigger guard of the slider. Thus, the radial offset of the zipper locking eyelet facilitates the operation of said zipper and, in the case of a fixed anchor, allows the locking plane of the table to be brought closer to the cursor. Thus the combination of the section of the body of the slider of the cursor which is the subject of the invention with the radial offset of the eyelet of

locking further reduces the vulnerability of the closure

Advantageously, the trigger guard comprises a locking eyelet. Thus, locking the cursor by means of the trigger guard reinforces security.

Advantageously, according to this latter embodiment, the height of the open section of the eyelet for connecting the pull tab to the trigger guard is greater than half the length of the trigger guard comprising its locking eyelet. Thus, the pull tab can be operated over the trigger guard over 180 ° both in the longitudinal direction, passing over the trigger guard eye, as well as radial. Thus, the handling of the zipper is easier and more pleasant.

The invention also relates to luggage comprising a closable access to a compartment, the closure of which comprises a zipper and in which the said zipper comprises two sliders according to the invention, acting in the opposite direction of opening-closing on the said closure. Thus, such luggage offers a possibility of locking the two sliders together.

Advantageously, the closure of the access to the baggage compartment object of the invention comprises two superimposed racks, one inside the compartment and the other outside said compartment, each slider comprising two rails, acting each on one of said racks. Thus, in addition to the anti-intrusion security offered by the slider, the security of this baggage is also reinforced with respect to intrusion attempts carried on the rack of the zipper.

Advantageously, the relative height of the open surface of the eyelets for connecting the zippers to the bridge of the sliders with respect to said bridges is capable of authorizing the passage of the rigid handle of a TSA type padlock. This embodiment makes it possible to lock both the trigger guard and the pull tabs by said padlock, in addition to any separate locking to a fixed anchor.

Advantageously, the luggage object of the invention comprises a TSA lock integrated on a wall of said luggage, capable of locking the locking ends of the sliders of the sliders. This embodiment makes it possible to anchor the two baggage pull tabs in a fixed anchor, the radial offset of the eyelets of

locking the pull tabs, allows them to be brought closer to the slider table in the locked position, making it more difficult to insert a levered object under the puller bodies.

Advantageously, according to this latter embodiment, the axes of the bodies of the sliders of the sliders are offset longitudinally relative to the eyelets for connection to the bridges, when the zippers are in a position such that the body of the zipper is oriented radially with respect to the slide of the cursor. This arrangement facilitates the introduction of the zippers locking eyelets in a fixed anchor, in particular a TSA lock integrated into the luggage, and moreover, brings the bodies of the zippers thus locked together so that the introduction of an object to make lever between the pull tabs is more difficult.

The invention is set out below according to its preferred, non-limiting embodiments, and with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7, in which:

- Figure 1 shows in a perspective view from the front, an embodiment of a cursor object of the invention, the zipper being in the vertical position;

- Figure 2 shows in a front perspective view, an embodiment of a slider of the cursor object of the invention, shown without its zipper;

- Figure 3 illustrates in a top view an example of position of the pull tab relative to the slider of the cursor object of the invention;

- Figure 4 is a section of the body of the slider of a cursor according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, section defined in Figure 3;

- Figure 5 schematically illustrates an exemplary embodiment, seen from above, of a bag according to the invention;

- Figure 6 shows in a perspective view, all of the baggage sliders of Figure 5 in the locked position;

- And Figure 7 shows in top view two embodiment of the sliders of the cursors, intended for the luggage object of the invention, Figure 7A with identical zippers for the two sliders, and Figure 7B with zippers whose body is offset longitudinally with respect to the eyelet of

connection to trigger guard.

Figure 1, according to an exemplary embodiment, the slider (100) object of the invention is suitable for closing and opening two superimposed racks, as described in document EP 2 421 403. This type of zipper indeed offers increased resistance to opening attempts by the intrusion of a pointed object into the racks.

Throughout the text, the longitudinal direction, noted x, corresponds to the direction of progression of the cursor along the racks for their opening or closing, the vertical direction, noted z, is substantially normal to the plan of closing of the racks and to the table. (1 10) of the cursor, and the radial direction, noted y, is perpendicular to these directions.

The pull tab (120) is linked to the trigger guard (11) of the cursor by means of a connecting eyelet (121) formed at one of the ends of its body (125), which body (125) of the pull tab has at its other end a locking eyelet. According to this exemplary embodiment, when the pull tab (120) is in the vertical position, which corresponds substantially to its configuration during the operation of the slide fastener, the eyelet (122) for locking said pull pull (120) is offset radially relative to the body (125) of the pull tab. According to this exemplary embodiment, the opening plane of the eyelet (122) for locking the pull tab (120) and the opening plane of the eyelet (121) for connection to the trigger guard of said pull tab are parallel, and substantially parallel to the radial plane (y,

Figure 2, the trigger guard (1 15) of the cursor object of the invention forms a handle whose plane (210) of opening is substantially normal to the plane of the table (1 10) of said cursor. This handle comes in one piece with the slider table at its two longitudinal ends for connection with said table. To obtain such a result, and in particular to allow the connection of the pull tab with the trigger guard, the slider (200) of the slider and the pull tab of said slider are molded in the same mold, in one piece, without an intermediate release operation, in using a mobility mold. This molding technique is known in the art

earlier and is not explained further. Thus, at no time during its manufacture or use, the slider (200) cannot be separated from the pull tab as shown in FIG. 2 for reasons of clarity. According to exemplary embodiments, the slide and the pull are made of the same material or of different materials but allowing the implementation of molding in the same mold. Thus, the slide (200) and the pull tab are both made of a plastic material, reinforced or not, possibly in two different plastic materials whose molding temperatures are compatible, or are both made in a metal alloy or in two different metal alloys with compatible molding conditions. As a non-limiting example, the slide (200) is made of a material facilitating the sliding of the racks in the rails (21 1, 212) of opening and closing, and the pull tab is made of a material having an improved breaking strength. According to this exemplary embodiment, the trigger guard (1 15) comprises a locking eyelet (215), making it possible to link said trigger guard to the trigger guard of another slider acting on the same rack, or to a fixed anchor. The production of the slide, more particularly of the trigger guard (1 15) during the same molding operation as the pull tab, makes it possible to produce said trigger guard and said pull tab, more particularly the eyelet for connecting the pull tab to the trigger guard, with sections , not constrained by the need to be able to thread the connection eyelet of the pull tab on the trigger guard. So,

Figure 3, according to an advantageous embodiment, the opening of the eyelet (121) for connecting the pull tab (120) is sufficient to allow said pull tab relative rotation relative to the slide 180 ° around the axis radial In particular, the opening of the eyelet (121) for connection to the trigger guard is at least equal to half a width of said trigger guard, including the eye for locking the trigger guard, in the longitudinal direction x. In this position of the pull tab (120), the opening plane of the eyelet (121) connecting to the trigger guard and the opening plane of the pull tab locking eyelet (122) are substantially

parallel to the plane (x, y) of the cursor table. The embodiment of the slider making it possible to increase the cross-section of the connection eyelet thus makes it possible to obtain a higher and wider eyelet without compromising on the mechanical strength thereof.

Figure 4, along a section of the body (125) of the zipper in a plane perpendicular to the planes of opening of the eyelets of the zipper, the width (401) of the section, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of opening of the eyelets of the zipper (z in the position of the zipper as shown), is greater than the height (402) of said section. This section is resistant to spillage with respect to a force (490) causing a bending torque in the plane (x, y), and also resistant to a torsional torque around the x axis, with reference to this position of the zipper.

Figure 5, according to an exemplary embodiment of the baggage (500) object of the invention, it comprises a shell (501) closed by a cover (502), the connection between the two being formed by a closure (510) to slide. Advantageously, said zipper comprises two superimposed racks. Two sliders (100a, 100b) forming the subject of the invention act in opposite directions on the rack, or the superimposed racks, of the zipper (510) of the luggage (500) object of the invention. For example, the movement of one (100a) of said sliders in the direction of the positive x, causes the two edges of the rack to come together and the zipper to close, while the movement of the other (100b) cursor in the direction of positive x, causes the opening of the zipper by the separation of the two edges of the rack. Said baggage (500) comprises a locking anchor (520), in the form of an integrated TSA lock, fixed to one of the walls of the baggage. Thus, to lock the slide fastener (510), the locking eyelets of the slider pullers (100a, 100b) acting on said fastener (510) are inserted into housings in the anchor (520) provided for this purpose. Locking is obtained by the introduction of a locking rod into the bore of said eyelets, rod whose displacement in translation is controlled by a one of the walls of the luggage. Thus, to lock the slide fastener (510), the locking eyelets of the slider pullers (100a, 100b) acting on said fastener (510) are inserted into housings in the anchor (520) provided for this purpose. Locking is obtained by the introduction of a locking rod into the bore of said eyelets, rod whose displacement in translation is controlled by a one of the walls of the luggage. Thus, to lock the slide fastener (510), the locking eyelets of the slider pullers (100a, 100b) acting on said fastener (510) are inserted into housings in the anchor (520) provided for this purpose. Locking is obtained by the introduction of a locking rod into the bore of said eyelets, rod whose displacement in translation is controlled by a

button (521) placed on the side of the anchor (520). The radial offset of the zippers locking eyelets, as well as the shape of the section of said zippers, limit the thickness projecting relative to the wall of the luggage, the sliders (100a, 100b) in this locked position, so that the risks of catching said sliders with other objects, especially when handling luggage during transhipment operations, are reduced.

Figure 6, in the locked position of Figure 5, the eyelets (122) for locking the zippers are fixed to the wall of the luggage object of the invention by the integrated TSA lock. Due to the radial offset of said eyelets (122), the bodies of the pull tabs are very close to the outer surface (600) of the luggage and of the fixed anchor. This proximity to the surface, combined with the rounded shape of the section of the zipper bodies, makes the intrusion of an object under the zipper bodies delicate, as does the application, by means of this object, of a couple torsion along the axis of the pull tabs. Locking security is further improved by inserting a padlock in the eyelets (215) for locking the slider saddles, or by introducing the handle (615) of a TSA type padlock in the eyelets (121) for connecting the pull tabs. The diameter of the handle of a TSA padlock is commonly between 2 mm and 3 mm.

Figure 7A, according to a first embodiment, the zippers are identical on the two sliders of the luggage object of the invention, and the body (125a) of each zipper is centered longitudinally on the eyelet for connection to the trigger guard of said zipper.

Figure 7B, according to another embodiment, the tabs of the two sliders are different. Thus, the body (1 25bi, 125br) of each pull tab is, in this locked position, offset longitudinally from the connection eyelet to the other slider. This configuration makes it easier to introduce the locking lugs of the pull tabs into the housings of the fixed anchor and also reduces the longitudinal space between the bodies of the pull pulls in the locked position, which makes it more difficult for an object to intrude. between said drawbars. In this locked position, the pulls are substantially parallel, which, combined with the reduced projection of the pulls relative to the wall of the luggage improves the visual appearance of the device.

The above description and the exemplary embodiments show that the invention achieves the aim sought. The single-piece molding of the pull tab and the slide of the slider makes it possible to completely link the trigger guard to the slider and to make the pull tab with a wide opening connection eyelet. The sections of the pull tabs and the trigger guard are no longer constrained by the need to thread the pull tab on the trigger guard which allows its resistance to be increased, but also to produce a pull body thicker than wide, unlike the forms of the prior art, thus reinforcing the resistance of the zipper to torsion and to spillage. The various geometric characteristics of the cursor and its embodiment combine to produce a zipper particularly resistant to attempts to

CLAIMS

1. Slider (100, 100a, 100b) for a zipper (510) comprising a slider (200) comprising a trigger guard (1 15) and a pull tab (120), the assembly being molded in one piece, so that the trigger guard (1 15) comes integrally with the table (1 10) of the cursor at its two longitudinal ends of connection with said table (1 10), the pull tab (120) comprising an eyelet (121) for connection to the trigger guard of the cursor, characterized in that:

at. the pull tab (120) comprises a locking eyelet (122) whose opening plane is parallel to the opening plane of the connecting eyelet (121);

b. the pull tab (120) comprises a portion (125) of connection between the two eyelets (121, 122), called the pull tab body, the width (401) of the section of the pull pull body in a direction perpendicular to the planes of opening of the eyelets is greater than or equal to the height (402) of the section in the plane parallel to the planes of opening of said eyelets.

2. Slider according to claim 1, in which the eyelet (122) for locking the zipper (120) is offset radially relative to the eyelet (121) for connecting the zipper to the trigger guard of the cursor

3. Slider according to claim 1, wherein the trigger guard (1 15) comprises an eyelet (215) for locking.

4. Slider according to claim 3, wherein the height of the open section of the eyelet (121) connecting the zipper to the trigger guard (1 15), is greater than half the length of the trigger guard comprising its eyelet (215 ) lock.

Baggage (500) comprising a closable access to a compartment (501), the closure of which comprises a zipper (510) characterized in that the said zipper comprises two sliders (100a, 100b) according to claim 1, acting in the opposite direction opening-closing on said zipper (510).

Luggage according to claim 5, the closure of which access to the compartment comprises two superimposed racks, one inside the compartment and the other outside said compartment and in which each slider (100a, 100b) comprises two rails (21 1, 212) each acting on one of the two racks.

Baggage according to claim 5, in which the relative height of the open surface of the eyelets (121) for connecting the zippers to the trigger guard of the sliders with respect to said jumpers is capable of allowing the passage of the rigid handle (615) of a padlock TSA type.

Luggage according to claim 5 comprising two sliders according to claim 2, and comprising an integrated TSA lock (520), constituting a fixed anchor, on a wall of said luggage, suitable for locking the eyelets (122) for locking the slider pulls (100a , 100b).

Baggage according to claim 8, wherein the bodies (1 25bi, 1 25br) of the sliders of the sliders are offset longitudinally relative to the eyelets (1 21) when the zippers are in a position such that the body of the zipper is oriented radially relative to the cursor slider.