Slide fastener tape with molded zipper teeth and methods of making same

Abstract

A molded-teeth slide fastener tape for use in a slide fastener assembly includes a woven portion and a plurality of resin-based teeth. The woven portion includes a cord arranged along an edge thereof and a plurality of spaced-apart perforations, disposed adjacent to the cord, which pass completely through the woven portion. Each of the plurality of resin-based teeth is integrally molded to the woven portion along the cord. Each molded tooth encompasses at least a portion of at least one of the spaced-apart perforations so that each molded tooth extends through the at least one of the spaced-apart perforations and fully around a cross-sectional shape of the cord.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A molded-teeth slide fastener tape for use in a slide fastener assembly comprising:
 a woven portion including a cord arranged along an edge thereof and a plurality of spaced-apart perforations, disposed adjacent to the cord, which pass completely through the woven portion; and   a plurality of resin-based teeth integrally molded to the woven portion along the cord;   wherein each molded tooth encompasses at least a portion of at least one of the spaced-apart perforations so that each molded tooth extends through the at least one of the spaced-apart perforations and fully around a cross-sectional shape of the cord.   
     
     
         2 . The molded-teeth slide fastener tape of  claim 1 , wherein the spaced-apart perforations are evenly spaced from one another. 
     
     
         3 . The molded-teeth slide fastener tape of  claim 1 , wherein each of the perforations has an elongated shape. 
     
     
         4 . The molded-teeth slide fastener tape of  claim 1 , wherein each of the perforations has a generally circular shape. 
     
     
         5 . The molded-teeth slide fastener tape of  claim 1 , wherein each molded tooth fully encompasses one of the plurality of spaced-apart perforations. 
     
     
         6 . The molded-teeth slide fastener tape of  claim 5 , wherein each molded tooth fully encompasses only a single respective one of the plurality of spaced-apart perforations. 
     
     
         7 . The molded-teeth slide fastener tape of  claim 1 , wherein each molded tooth fully encompasses multiple ones of the plurality of spaced-apart perforations. 
     
     
         8 . A molded-teeth slide fastener tape for use in a slide fastener assembly comprising:
 a woven portion including a cord arranged along an edge thereof and a plurality of perforations, disposed adjacent to the cord and generally evenly spaced from one another, the perforations being configured to pass completely through the woven portion; and   a plurality of resin-based teeth molded to the woven portion along the cord;   wherein each molded tooth encompasses at least a portion of at least one of the perforations so that each molded tooth extends through the at least one of the perforations and fully around a cross-sectional shape of the cord.   
     
     
         9 . The molded-teeth slide fastener tape of  claim 8 , wherein each of the perforations has an elongated shape. 
     
     
         10 . The molded-teeth slide fastener tape of  claim 8 , wherein each of the perforations has a generally circular shape. 
     
     
         11 . The molded-teeth slide fastener tape of  claim 8 , wherein each molded tooth fully encompasses one of the plurality of perforations. 
     
     
         12 . The molded-teeth slide fastener tape of  claim 11 , wherein each molded tooth fully encompasses only a single respective one of the plurality of perforations. 
     
     
         13 . The molded-teeth slide fastener tape of  claim 8 , wherein each molded tooth fully encompasses multiple ones of the plurality of perforations.