Motorised Zip Fastener is just a conventional zip fastener, except for a few extra features. The runner itself is longer and has a little bit of extra bulk to accommodate a micro motor, twin drives, battery and some circuitry.
There is an additional row of square holed, angled slots, running along each edge of the teeth tracks, and there is a tiny motor installed in the zip runner, that powers two sets of rotating worm drives, which engage with the slots on the runner teeth.
A suitable remote control will now allow the fastener to be zipped and unzipped hands free (apart from pressing the open or close buttons on the remote)-- xenzag, Sep 03 2011 zipperbot http://robotic.medi...o/sartorial-robots/ [xaviergisz, Apr 26 2015] US2015082582 http://worldwide.es...=2015082582A1&KC=A1zipperbot patent [xaviergisz, Apr 26 2015] JP2001269203 http://worldwide.es...NR=2001269203A&KC=Aautomatic zip-fastener (published on 2 October 2001) [xaviergisz, Apr 26 2015] JPH10108 http://worldwide.es...=JP&NR=H10108A&KC=Afastener driven by motor (published 6 January 1998) [xaviergisz, Apr 26 2015] An anno I just wrote to another idea is oddly appropriate here:
//Everything has failure modes. But some failure modes are more interesting than others.//-- mouseposture, Sep 03 2011 [+] I would love to see someone else using this.-- sqeaketh the wheel, Sep 03 2011 This is incredible [xenzag].No I really mean it. It'll be on the market soon now.
You can lose the twin drives and circuitry, memory metal activated by current in the battery operated clasp will cause it to self-zip.
...the magnetic slider means you don't even have to look at what you're zipping.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Sep 03 2011 Ohhhhh ...
Harm my come to a young man from such a device.
Definitely not.-- 8th of 7, Sep 03 2011 Perfect gift for a loved one. I keep the remote.-- wagster, Sep 03 2011 Wonderful, amazing, inspired, inventive, you first.-- FlyingToaster, Sep 03 2011 Finally, a product allowing manually-disabled men to accidentally mangle their penises, just as if they weren't even handicapped. Truly a thoughtful and compassionate invention.-- Alterother, Sep 03 2011 A practical objection. Zippers count on the teeth shifting slightly to work. Any sort of gear drive is going to have issues.-- MechE, Sep 04 2011 In "Back to the Future II" Marty McFly's future son had self-fastening jacket zips and trainers, if I remember correctly.-- Aristotle, Sep 05 2011 re last link.... I'm always happy to see someone else being so impressed with my ideas that they feel compelled to actually construct imitations of them.... I'll certainly include the video in my next talk about my work.-- xenzag, Apr 26 2015 I can't tell if you're being serious xenzag, but I think it is *possible* the zipperbot was devised independently of your post. See also patents (for example, JP2001269203 and JPH10108) that predate your idea by a decade.-- xaviergisz, Apr 26 2015 //I can't tell if you're being serious// - ha - remind me again of the name of this place? Oh yes - the Sensible, Normal Ideas site..... bites down into a croissant delivered by a miniature kitchen zip-line and winch system.... an idea soon to be posted in a place near here.-- xenzag, Apr 27 2015 random, halfbakery