Zipper with removable slider

Abstract

The zipper with removable slider includes two completely separable tooth rows each having opposite first and second end pins overlapping one another. The slider includes two tooth row passages extending therethrough, with an end pin receptacle overlying the tooth row passages. The tooth row passages accept passage of the two tooth rows therethrough and merge to selectively join or separate the tooth rows to form or separate the zipper chain, depending upon the direction of slider movement. The end pin receptacle accepts the end pins at adjacent ends of the first and second tooth rows, and selectively locks those end pins in place in the slider to secure the slider in position on the zipper assembly and hold the zipper closed. The slider may be completely removed from both tooth rows and the panels to which the tooth rows are attached may be separated, inverted or interchanged as desired.

1 . A zipper with removable slider, comprising:
 a slider body defining first and second tooth row passages disposed therethrough, the tooth row passages merging into a single zipper chain passage, and an end pin receptacle overlying the first and second tooth row passages;   a first tooth row having mutually opposed first and second ends; and   a second tooth row having mutually opposed first and second ends, the slider body removably installing upon the first tooth row and second tooth row, selectively securing the first tooth row and second tooth row together to form an assembled zipper chain and selectively separating the first tooth row and second tooth row from one another to disassemble the zipper chain.   
     
     
         2 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 1 , further comprising first and second end pins disposed upon the first and second ends of each tooth row, respectively, the respective first and second end pins of each tooth row overlapping one another. 
     
     
         3 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 2 , further comprising an end pin lock installed within the end pin receptacle of the slider body. 
     
     
         4 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the end pin lock comprises a spring having a first and a second leaf forming a generally V-shaped configuration, each of the leaves having an end pin engagement protrusion disposed thereon; and   each end pin has a detent selectively engaging the corresponding protrusion of the leaf of the end pin lock when the end pins are installed within the end pin receptacle of the slider body.   
     
     
         5 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 4 , wherein each of the leaves has a distal end having a release button disposed thereon. 
     
     
         6 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 4 , wherein each of the end pin detents comprises an elongated recess, whereby the end pins installed within the end pin detents are longitudinally offset relative to one another. 
     
     
         7 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pull tab extending from the slider body. 
     
     
         8 . A zipper with removable slider, comprising:
 a first tooth row having mutually opposed first and second end pins;   a second tooth row having mutually opposed first and second end pins, the respective first and second end pins of each tooth row overlapping one another; and   a slider body having first and second tooth row passages disposed therethrough and an end pin receptacle formed therein, the slider being removably installed upon the first tooth row and second tooth row and selectively joining and separating the first slider and second slider to form lo and open a zipper chain.   
     
     
         9 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 8 , wherein the first and second tooth row passages of the slider body merge into a single zipper chain passage, the end pin receptacle overlying the first and second tooth row passages. 
     
     
         10 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 8 , further comprising an end pin lock installed within the end pin receptacle of the slider body. 
     
     
         11 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the end pin lock comprises a spring having a first and a second leaf forming a generally V-shaped configuration;   each of the leaves has an end pin engagement protrusion disposed thereon; and   each end pin has a detent selectively engaging the corresponding protrusion of the leaf of the end pin lock when the end pins are installed within the end pin receptacle of the slider body.   
     
     
         12 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the leaves has a distal end having a release button disposed thereon. 
     
     
         13 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the end pin detents comprises an elongated recess, whereby the end pins installed within the end pin detents are longitudinally offset relative to one another. 
     
     
         14 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 8 , further comprising a pull tab extending from the slider body. 
     
     
         15 . A zipper with removable slider, comprising:
 a slider body defining first and second tooth row passages disposed therethrough, the tooth row passages merging into a single zipper chain passage, and an end pin receptacle overlying the first and second tooth row passages;   an end pin lock installed within the end pin receptacle;   a first tooth row having mutually opposed first and second end pins; and   a second tooth row having mutually opposed first and second end pins, the respective first and second end pins of each tooth row overlapping one another, the slider body removably connecting the first tooth row and second tooth row, the first end pins of the first tooth row and second tooth row being disposable within the tooth row passages of the slider body, the second end pins of the first tooth row and second tooth row being disposable within the end pin receptacle of the slider body and selectively locked therein to secure the zipper in a closed chain configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the end pin lock comprises a spring having a first and a second leaf forming a generally V-shaped configuration;   each of the leaves has an end pin engagement protrusion disposed thereon; and   each of the end pins has a detent selectively engaging the corresponding protrusion of the leaf of the end pin lock when the end pins are installed within the end pin receptacle of the slider body.   
     
     
         17 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the leaves has a distal end having a release button disposed thereon. 
     
     
         18 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the end pin detents comprises an elongated recess, whereby the end pins installed within the end pin detents are longitudinally offset relative to one another. 
     
     
         19 . The zipper with removable slider according to  claim 15 , further comprising a pull tab extending from the slider body.