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2021
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03
The zipper in life
This article explores the patent landscape surrounding zippers, a common household item. You might assume zippers were initially designed for their current applications, but that wasn't the case. As the saying goes, where there's demand, there's a market; and innovation wins the market. Take zippers, for example. Before their invention, connecting two edges typically involved: (1) Buttons: Chinese button knots are still practical, and some clothing still uses them. (2) Laces: Iconic laces and bows. (3) Hook and Loop Fasteners: Unfortunately, I couldn't find an image; imagine a hook and loop working together. So, what would these methods look like on boots, especially the tall boots popular when zippers were in their infancy? Imagine replacing the zippers in the image above with buttons. Considering the less refined and durable buttons of that era, a pair of tall boots might have 20 or more buttons. Putting them on or taking them off might take 30 minutes each (for those with slow hands or less dexterity)... This is the environment in which zippers developed. Research reveals multiple claims regarding the origin (inventor) of the zipper. However, the earliest zipper-related patent I could find is: Those with mechanical knowledge might recognize the structural features of the diagram. However, the key point is the patent application date: August 27, 1914 – quite early! The second question is: how many zipper-related patents exist today? Using Baitian's patent search engine with the keyword "zipper", I found: Disregarding whether all patents relate to zipper structures (some might cover manufacturing processes), the image shows 5159 authorized and valid patents related to zippers. What does this mean? If you want to start a zipper manufacturing, business, or sales company, you must ensure your product's structure is either existing technology or entirely innovative, exceeding existing technology and patents. Otherwise, you risk receiving a notice of patent infringement (though the likelihood is low, the risk exists). I lack the resources to examine all 5000+ valid patents; those interested can explore further. This search is limited to domestic patents and uses the simple keyword "zipper." Zippers are also called "zipper locks," but "zipper" is more common. Internationally, even the Japanese term, when translated, isn't "zipper" but "clamp," which is quite puzzling. A complete search would require considering broader concepts like "sliding fasteners" and "tightening devices." This might yield a more comprehensive result. Please point out any omissions. This and future content aim to promote and popularize patents. Feel free to discuss further if you're interested. Any similarities are purely coincidental.
Source:
This article will examine the patent situation related to zippers, a common household item.
What you think of as a "zipper", was it originally used for the following items? Actually, it wasn't.
As the saying goes, where there's a market, there's a need, and now we must add, innovation wins the market. For example, the "zipper." Before the "zipper," the structures used to connect the boundaries of two objects were basically the following:
(1) Buttons:
The button knot in Chinese knots is still very practical, and some clothing now also uses it.
(2) Laces:
Iconic laces, bows.
(3) Hook and loop fasteners: I'm sorry, I really couldn't find a picture. Just imagine, it's a hook and a loop used together.
So the question is, what would happen if the above structures were used for boots, especially the tall boots that were popular during the early stages of the zipper's development?
Imagine replacing all the zippers in the picture above with buttons. Considering that the button structures at that time were not as refined and durable as they are now, a pair of tall boots might have more than 20 buttons. It would probably take 30 minutes to put them on and 30 minutes to take them off (only for those with slow hands and "clumsy" patients)...
Therefore, the "zipper" developed under these circumstances. Research shows that there are various theories about the origin of the "zipper" (who invented it), but the earliest patent related to the "zipper" that I could find is the following:
Those who understand mechanics might be able to see the characteristics of this structure at a glance from the structural diagram above. This is not the point. The point is that the application date of this patent is August 27, 1914. That's a long time ago...
So the second question is, how many patents related to zippers are there up to now? I searched "zipper" using Baitian's patent name search, and the results were as follows:
Let's set aside whether they are all related to the zipper structure. This may also involve patents related to the production process of zippers, etc. But from the above figure, we can see that there are 5159 authorized and valid patents related to "zippers" (the following figure shows the statistical data).
What does this mean? It means that if you want to start a zipper manufacturing, operation, or sales company, unless you can ensure that all the structures of your products are existing technologies, or ensure that all the structures of your products are innovative and exceed existing technologies and existing patents, then you don't have to worry about these more than 5,000 authorized and valid patents. Otherwise, you may receive a notice of infringement of others' patent rights (although this possibility is not very high, the risk does exist). As for what these 5,000 or so currently valid patents are specifically about, I'm sorry, I don't have the energy to look through them all. Those who are interested can try.
Of course, the above search is only limited to domestic patents, and the search keywords are only simply "zipper." There is another name for zippers, "zipper lock," but "zipper" is more common. But abroad, not to mention the differences in vocabulary and language types, even the Japanese name for "zipper," even when translated, is not called "zipper," but "clamp." This is actually quite puzzling to me... Apart from these, if you want to completely search for patent documents related to "zippers," you also need to consider its higher-level concepts, such as "sliding fastening device," "tightening device"...; maybe this way you can search completely.
If there are any omissions in the above content, please criticize and correct them; the above and later content are intended to promote and popularize patents, but if you want to learn more, please feel free to reply and discuss together; if there are any similarities in the above content, it is purely coincidental.
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