Patent 7360285 was granted and assigned to YKK on April, 2008 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
An automatic lock slider 1 for a concealed slide fastener comprises a slider body 3, a locking lever 5 and a knob 11. The locking lever 5 is pivotally mounted on the slider body 3. A locking pawl 53 on one end 55 of the locking lever 5 is urged into a fastener element guide channel 39 of the slider body 3 by a spring 7, to prevent unintentional sliding of the slider 1 along a slide fastener. The knob 11 is attached to a connecting ring 9 through which the locking lever 5 is inserted. When opening or closing the slide fastener, the knob 11 rocks and lifts the locking lever 11 to withdraw the locking pawl 53 from the fastener element guide channel 39, thereby allowing movement of the slider 1 along the slide fastener.