JP5490144B2 - Fastener components and slide fasteners - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fastener component for a slide fastener in which bending such as caulking is performed at least in part, and a slide fastener used by bending the fastener component, and more specifically, a metal The present invention relates to a fastener component having a manufactured component main body and a metal plating film disposed on the surface of the component main body, and a slide fastener used by bending the fastener component .

  In general, slide fasteners use various fastener components such as fastener elements, upper stoppers, lower stoppers, opening and closing inserts such as butterflies and box bars, and sliders. There are also many metal parts.

  One such metal fastener component is a fastener element. In general, a metal fastener element is formed by, for example, pressing a flat plate made of metal such as copper or copper alloy having a predetermined thickness to form a meshing head and the like, and punching the flat plate. , Formed so as to have a substantially Y-shape. Further, the obtained metal fastener element is attached to the fastener tape by caulking both leg portions inward with the fastener tape sandwiched between the left and right leg portions.

  Further, metal fasteners that are other fastener components are described in, for example, US Pat. No. 2,884,691 (Patent Document 1). The bottom stopper described in this Patent Document 1 performs a rolling process on a metal wire having a circular cross section, deforms the cross section of the metal wire into a substantially X shape (or a substantially H shape), and then It is formed by cutting the metal wire with a predetermined length. Further, the obtained bottom stopper having a substantially X-shaped (or substantially H-shaped) cross section is obtained by caulking the arm portions that are extended one by one to the left and right toward the fastener tape, respectively. To be attached.

  In addition, with regard to fastener components such as metal top stoppers, butterfly bars, box bars, etc., metal materials such as copper, copper alloys, aluminum alloys, and zinc alloys are formed or cut into a predetermined shape, and then obtained. The fastener component is attached to the fastener tape by caulking.

  On the other hand, in the case of a metal slider, for example, by performing die casting using a metal such as a zinc alloy or an aluminum alloy, a slider body and a handle having a predetermined shape are formed, and the obtained slider In some cases, the handle is attached to the slider body by performing a caulking process or a bending process on a part of the body.

US Pat. No. 2,884,691

  Conventionally, a plating film can be formed on the surface of an article by plating the article for the purpose of imparting a new design to a metal article or improving the corrosion resistance. Has been done. The formation of such a plating film has been frequently performed for various metal fastener components constituting a slide fastener.

  For example, fastener elements made of metals such as copper and copper alloys and fastener components such as upper and lower fasteners are made of copper-zinc alloys in order to protect the body part of the base material and to give a desired color. A metal plating film composed of (brass) or a white metal plating film composed of a copper-tin alloy or a tin-nickel alloy is formed on the surface.

  Also, fastener elements such as fastener elements and upper and lower stoppers made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy, or upper and lower stoppers and sliders made of a metal such as a zinc alloy, give a desired color. For the purpose of improving corrosion resistance, a metal plating film made of copper (pure copper) or a copper-zinc alloy may be formed on the surface of the component main body.

  However, the plating film made of the metal as described above generally has high hardness. For this reason, for example, after a metal plating film is formed on a fastener component such as a fastener element or an upper and lower stopper, the fastener component is attached to the fastener tape having the metal plating film, or the handle is attached to the slider body. When the bending process such as the caulking process as described above is performed in order to attach to the metal plate, there is a defect that cracks and cracks are easily formed in the metal plating film.

  When cracks and cracks are formed in the metal plating film in this way, the underlying material is exposed from the cracked or cracked part, even though the metal plating film is formed to give the desired color. For this reason, there is a problem that the appearance of the fastener component is poor, and the design and appearance quality of the slide fastener are impaired.

  Furthermore, when the metal plating film is formed on the surface of the fastener component for the purpose of improving the corrosion resistance, the base material (base material) of the fastener component is likely to be corroded from the cracked or cracked portion. There was also a problem.

  Particularly in recent years, large-sized fastener elements, upper and lower stoppers, etc. that look flat have been used for slide fasteners in order to give a high-quality feel to fastener-attached products that use slide fasteners. However, when such a large size fastener element or upper and lower stoppers are crimped to a fastener tape, the amount of plastic deformation caused by the crimping process is large, so that the metal plating film is prone to cracks and cracks, and Since the size of cracks and cracks increases, the above-mentioned problem of appearance of the fastener component and the problem of corrosion become more serious.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and a specific purpose thereof is that even if bending is performed, cracks and cracks are unlikely to occur in the metal plating film formed on the surface of the component main body. is to provide a fastener component, and the slide fastener over that same fastener components are used are bent.

In order to achieve the above object, the fastener component provided by the present invention has a basic structure in which a metal plating film is formed on the surface of a metal component main body, and the component is formed after the metal plating film is formed. A fastener component for a slide fastener in which at least a part of the main body is bent, wherein the component main body is made of copper or a copper-zinc alloy, and the metal plating film is formed from the component main body. Further , the metal plating film is made of a copper-zinc alloy having a high zinc content , and the metal plating film has a recrystallized structure in which at least a part of the crystal structure is recrystallized by performing a heat treatment before the bending process. has, in a surface portion of the metal plating film side of the component body, zinc contained in the metal plating film is most mainly to become a diffused layer formed by diffusing by the heat treatment It is an features.

  In particular, in the fastener component according to the present invention, the recrystallized structure has the columnar crystal structure formed by forming the metal plating film on the surface of the component main body into a columnar crystal structure, and then performing the heat treatment on the metal plating film. It is preferable that it is formed by recrystallizing at least a part thereof.

The fastener component of the present invention, the component body, it is particularly preferred to contain at least the 75 wt% or more 100 wt% or less copper, and less zinc 0 wt% or more 25 wt%.

In the fastener component of the present invention, it is preferable that the metal plating film having the recrystallized structure has a film thickness of 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less.
The metal plating film having the recrystallized structure preferably has a Vickers hardness of Hv50 or higher and Hv100 or lower.

Furthermore , it is preferable that the fastener component is at least one component selected from the group of fastener elements, fasteners, separation / insertion tools, and sliders.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a slide fastener in which a fastener component having the above-described configuration is bent and used.

  In the fastener component according to the present invention, after a metal plating film is formed on the surface of a metal component main body, heat treatment is performed on the metal plating film. Thus, the metal plating film formed on the fastener component has a recrystallized structure in which at least a part of the crystal structure is recrystallized.

  Thus, by having a recrystallized structure in at least a part of the metal plating film, the metal plating film is superior in ductility compared to the metal plating film before heat treatment formed on the surface of the component main body. Therefore, it becomes possible to extend the metal plating film relatively easily, and it is possible to make it difficult to generate cracks and cracks in the metal plating film.

  Therefore, in the case of the fastener component according to the present invention, when bending is performed on the component main body portion on which the metal plating film as described above is arranged, the metal plating film follows the deformation of the component main body portion. Can be easily deformed, so that cracks and cracks are hardly generated or not generated in the metal plating film.

  For this reason, the fastener component can solve the problem caused by cracks and cracks in the metal plating film in the conventional fastener component, that is, the problem that the appearance of the fastener component deteriorates, and is applied to the metal plating film. The obtained color can be uniformly obtained. Further, the fastener component can easily solve the conventional problem that the base material of the fastener component is easily corroded.

  In particular, in the fastener component according to the present invention, the recrystallized structure has a metal-plated film formed on the surface of the component main body in a columnar crystal structure, and then the metal-plated film is subjected to a heat treatment to at least a part of the columnar crystal structure. It is formed by recrystallization. The present invention can be particularly suitably applied when a metal plating film is grown in a columnar crystal structure.

  That is, the fastener component of the present invention in which at least a part of a metal plating film having a columnar crystal structure is recrystallized is superior in ductility of the metal plating film compared to a conventional metal plating film having only a columnar crystal structure. ing. For this reason, it can be made hard to generate a crack and a crack in the metal plating film formed in the fastener component.

  Such a fastener component of the present invention can be suitably applied when the component main body is made of copper or a copper-zinc alloy. Copper and copper-zinc alloys are excellent in ductility, so bending such as caulking can be performed relatively easily. For example, conventional materials for fastener components such as fastener elements and upper and lower fasteners Many are used. If a metal plating film having a recrystallized structure is arranged on the surface of such a fastener component made of copper or a copper-zinc alloy, the metal plating film is formed when the component main body is bent. Cracks and cracks can be effectively prevented from occurring.

  Particularly in this case, since the component main body portion contains at least 75 wt% or more and 100 wt% or less copper and 0 wt% or more and 25 wt% or less zinc, stress corrosion cracking is caused in the bent component main body portion. Can be prevented more reliably.

  Moreover, the fastener component of the present invention has a case where the component main body has a metal body made of zinc or a zinc-based alloy, and a base plating film made of copper that is disposed on the surface of the metal body. Can also be suitably applied. Zinc is generally low in cost, and can be easily formed into a desired shape by using die-casting. For example, zinc is used as a material for fastener components such as open-fitting inserts and sliders. It is used for convenience. Since zinc has low corrosion resistance, when zinc or a zinc-based alloy is used as a metal base material, a base plating film made of copper having excellent corrosion resistance is formed on the surface of the metal body.

  Even when a metal plating film having a recrystallized structure is disposed on the surface of a fastener component having such a metal body made of zinc or a zinc-based alloy and a base plating film, the body of the component is bent. In this case, it is possible to effectively prevent the metal plating film from being cracked or cracked.

  Furthermore, in the fastener component according to the present invention, the component main body portion is provided with a metal body made of an aluminum-based alloy, a first base plating film made of zinc disposed on the surface of the metal body, and the first base plating film. The present invention can also be suitably applied to the case where it has a second base plating film made of copper and disposed on the surface.

  Aluminum-based alloys are lightweight. For this reason, a metal fastener structural component can be comprised very lightly by using an aluminum type alloy as a metal base material of a fastener structural component. Therefore, such an aluminum-based alloy is conveniently used as a material for fastener components such as fastener elements, upper and lower stoppers, sliders, and the like.

  In addition, since the aluminum-based alloy also has low corrosion resistance, when the aluminum-based alloy is used as a metal base material, a first base plating film made of zinc is formed on the surface of the metal body by electroless plating or the like. A second base plating film made of copper having excellent corrosion resistance is formed on the surface of the first base plating film.

  Even when a metal plating film having a recrystallized structure is disposed on the surface of a fastener component having such a metal body made of an aluminum alloy and the first and second undercoat plating films, the part main body is bent. When processing is performed, it is possible to effectively prevent the metal plating film from being cracked or cracked.

  In the fastener component of the present invention, the material of the metal plating film is, for example, copper (pure copper), a copper-zinc alloy, and a white metal (for example, a copper-tin alloy, a tin-nickel alloy, Nickel, chromium, palladium, rhodium, platinum, etc.) can be used. In particular, the metal plating film in the present invention is a copper-zinc alloy or copper-tin alloy having a relatively low recrystallization temperature region. And at least one selected from the group of tin-nickel alloys. Since the metal plating film made of such a material has a recrystallized structure, it is possible to prevent the metal plating film from being cracked or cracked even if the fastener component is bent. The parts can obtain good appearance quality.

  Furthermore, in the fastener component of the present invention, the metal plating film having a recrystallized structure has a film thickness of 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less, preferably 2 μm or more and 6 μm or less. By setting the film thickness of the metal plating film to 1 μm or more (preferably 2 μm or more), the metal plating film can be stably and reliably formed.

  Further, the thicker the metal plating film is formed, the more stable the metal plating film can be formed. However, the stability of the metal plating film is maintained even when the metal plating film thickness is set to be larger than 10 μm. Since the effect of improving the appearance quality obtained by the metal plating film is not so different, the film thickness of the metal plating film is set to 10 μm or less (preferably 6 μm or less).

  Furthermore, in the fastener component according to the present invention, the metal plating film having the recrystallized structure has a Vickers hardness of Hv50 or more and Hv100 or less. When the Vickers hardness of the metal plating film is Hv50 or higher, it is possible to prevent the surface of the fastener component from being damaged and maintain good appearance quality.

  On the other hand, if the Vickers hardness of the metal plating film is Hv 100 or less, the metal plating film can be formed relatively softly and the ductility of the metal plating film can be improved. For this reason, when bending a fastener component, even if the amount of plastic deformation in the component main body of the fastener component due to the bending is large, cracks and cracks occur in the metal plating film. Can be prevented more reliably.

  Further, the fastener component of the present invention has a diffusion layer formed by diffusing the metal contained in the metal plating film on the surface layer portion of the component main body on the metal plating film side. By having such a diffusion layer in the surface layer portion of the component main body, the metal plating film can be well adapted to the component main body and the adhesion of the metal plating film to the component main body can be improved.

  Such a fastener component of the present invention is particularly preferably applied to, for example, fastener elements, upper stoppers, lower stoppers, opening and closing inserts such as butterfly bars and box bars, and parts such as sliders. .

  And the slide fastener provided by this invention is comprised by bending and using the fastener component which has the above-mentioned structure. Therefore, the slide fastener of the present invention has no cracks or cracks (or very little) in the metal plating film of the fastener component, so that the fastener component has a uniform color and is attractive, and has a good design and appearance. A slide fastener with excellent quality.

  Next, the method for manufacturing a fastener component provided by the present invention includes forming a metal plating film on the surface of the component main body of the fastener component, and recrystallizing the metal plating film before bending is performed. A fastener component is manufactured by performing a heat treatment that is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the conversion temperature.

  According to such a manufacturing method of the present invention, the crystal structure of the metal plating film is recrystallized by performing a heat treatment on the metal plating film disposed on the surface of the component main body, so that the crystal orientation is disturbed. A metal plating film having at least a part of the recrystallized structure can be easily formed. Since the metal plating film having the recrystallized structure has improved ductility, cracks and cracks are generated in the metal plating film when bending is performed on fastener components manufactured by the same manufacturing method. Can be effectively prevented.

  In particular, in the method for manufacturing a fastener component according to the present invention, a metal plating film disposed on the surface of the component main body is formed in a columnar crystal structure, and further, heat treatment is performed on the metal plating film having the columnar crystal structure. A recrystallized structure is formed. As described above, the present invention can be applied particularly suitably when the metal plating film is grown in a columnar crystal structure. That is, by performing a heat treatment on the metal plating film formed in the columnar crystal structure, the ductility of the metal plating film can be improved, so that it is difficult to generate cracks and cracks in the metal plating film after the heat treatment.

  Moreover, in the manufacturing method of the fastener component which concerns on this invention, the said metal plating film is comprised with a copper-zinc type alloy, and the metal plating film is heated to 300 degreeC or more and 400 degrees C or less by heat processing. Thereby, when the metal plating film is made of a copper-zinc alloy, a recrystallized structure can be easily and stably formed on at least a part of the metal plating film.

  Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing a fastener component according to the present invention, the metal plating film is made of a copper-tin alloy, and the metal plating film is heated to 400 ° C. or more and 500 ° C. or less by heat treatment. Accordingly, when the metal plating film is made of a copper-tin alloy, a recrystallized structure can be easily and stably formed on at least a part of the metal plating film.

  Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing a fastener component according to the present invention, the metal plating film is made of a tin-nickel alloy, and the metal plating film is heated to 500 ° C. or more and 600 ° C. or less by heat treatment. Thus, when the metal plating film is made of a tin-nickel alloy, a recrystallized structure can be easily and stably formed on at least a part of the metal plating film.

  Moreover, in the manufacturing method of this invention, the Vickers hardness more than Hv120 which the said metal plating film has is made into Hv50 or more and Hv100 or less by the said heat processing. By setting the Vickers hardness of the metal plating film to Hv50 or higher, it is possible to prevent the surface of the fastener component from being damaged, and to maintain good appearance quality. On the other hand, by setting the Vickers hardness of the metal plating film to Hv100 or less, it is possible to more reliably prevent the metal plating film from being cracked or cracked when the fastener component is bent.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of a fastener component before heat treatment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of the fastener component after the heat treatment. FIG. 3 is a front view showing fastener components constituting the slide fastener. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the lower stopper. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view for schematically explaining the bending process of the lower stopper with respect to the fastener tape. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a method of manufacturing a fastener component in the embodiment of the present invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and various modifications can be made as long as it has substantially the same configuration as the present invention and has the same effects. Is possible.

  Here, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state before heat treatment is performed on a fastener component having a metal plating film formed on the surface of the component main body, and FIG. 2 is a heat treatment on the fastener component. It is sectional drawing which shows typically the state after performing.

  In the fastener component 1 according to the present embodiment, the base material of the component main body 2 is made of metal among the components constituting the slide fastener, and at least a part of the component main body 2 is crimped. It is a part to be bent. Such a fastener component 1 includes, for example, a metal fastener element 11, a lower stopper 12, an upper stopper 13, a slider 14 (especially a slider body), as shown in FIG. A non-illustrated butterfly stick, a box stick not shown, and the like.

  The metal fastener element 11 is generally formed of an element material having a Y shape in front view by sequentially cutting a long metal wire with a Y-shaped cross section at a desired thickness in the longitudinal direction, Press forming the element material to form a meshing head or the like, or press forming a metal plate such as copper or copper alloy having a predetermined thickness to form a meshing head or the like Manufactured by punching the flat plate.

  In the metal fastener element 11 manufactured in this way, the legs are brought close to each other with the fastener tape 15 having the core string part 15a sandwiched between the legs extending in a forked manner from the meshing head. It is attached to the fastener tape 15 by performing a bending process for plastic deformation in the direction.

  The lower stopper 12 is generally manufactured by sequentially cutting a long metal wire having an X-shaped or H-shaped cross section at a desired thickness in the length direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom stopper 12 having such an X-shaped or H-shaped cross section is, first, a core string between arm portions 12 b extending from the body portion 12 a to the left and right one by one. The left and right fastener tapes 15 having the portions 15a are respectively inserted. Then, with the fastener tape 15 sandwiched between the arms 12b of each pair, the bottom stopper 12 is attached to the left and right fastener tapes by performing a bending process that plastically deforms the arms 12b of each pair in the approaching direction. It is attached over 15 steps.

  In general, the upper stopper 13 sequentially cuts a long metal wire having a U-shaped cross section at a desired thickness in the length direction, or a desired shape of a flat metal wire in the length direction. It is manufactured by sequentially cutting by thickness and bending the obtained cut piece into a U shape. The upper stopper 13 having such a U-shaped cross section is bent so that both ends of the upper stopper 13 are plastically deformed in a state in which the fastener tape 15 is sandwiched between both ends of the upper stopper 13. By performing the processing, the upper stopper 13 is attached to the fastener tape 15.

  The slider 14, the butterfly stick, and the box stick are generally manufactured by die casting using a mold having a predetermined cavity shape. For example, the slider body and the handle are formed on the slider 14 by die casting. Further, the handle is attached to the slider body by bending the part of the slider body while holding the handle on a part of the slider body. On the other hand, the butterfly bar and the box bar are attached to the fastener tape by being bent after being manufactured by die casting.

  The fastener component 1 of the present embodiment including the metal fastener element 11 and the bottom stopper 12 as described above includes a metal component main body 2 and a metal plating film 3 disposed on the surface of the component main body 2. Furthermore, after the heat treatment for recrystallizing the crystal structure of the metal plating film 3 is performed on the fastener component 1 as described later, the diffusion layer 4 is formed on the surface layer portion of the component main body 2. Is done.

  Although the metal material which comprises the component main-body part 2 is not specifically limited, The fastener component 1 of this embodiment is a component which comprises a slide fastener as mentioned above, and is at least one part. Since the bending process is performed, the metal base material of the component main body 2 is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of copper, copper-zinc alloy, zinc, zinc alloy, and aluminum alloy. It is preferable.

  In particular, when the metal base material of the component main body 2 is made of copper or a copper-zinc alloy, the component main body 2 has excellent ductility, so that bending such as caulking can be performed relatively easily. . In this case, since the ductility and corrosion resistance improve as the proportion of the copper component contained in the component main body 2 (metal body) increases, the copper content in the component main body 2 is preferably 75 wt% or more. Moreover, since copper is widely used for electric wires and the like, copper wires with various wire diameters are easily available. For this reason, for example, when manufacturing a slide fastener having a large size, the component main body 2 may be made of pure copper (copper content is 100 wt%).

  On the other hand, if the proportion of the zinc component contained in the component main body 2 (metal body) increases, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, but the corrosion resistance of the component main body 2 may be reduced and stress corrosion cracking may occur. is there. For this reason, it is preferable that the zinc content in the component main body 2 is 25 wt% or less.

  In addition, when the metal body (metal base material) of the component main body 2 is made of zinc or a zinc-based alloy, the cost is low, and by using die-cast molding, complicated parts such as sliders, butterfly bars, and box bars are used. It is possible to easily form a large number of shapes. On the other hand, zinc and zinc-based alloys have inferior corrosion resistance. For this reason, in the said component main-body part 2, the base plating film which consists of copper excellent in corrosion resistance is formed in the surface of the metal body which consists of zinc or a zinc-type alloy using electrolytic plating.

  Further, when the metal body (metal base material) of the component body 2 is made of an aluminum alloy (specifically, an aluminum-magnesium alloy or an aluminum-copper-silicon alloy), the fastener component 1 can be easily reduced in weight. Can be On the other hand, since an aluminum-magnesium alloy and an aluminum-copper-silicon alloy have inferior corrosion resistance, anticorrosion treatment is required. For this reason, in the component main body 2, first, a first base plating film made of zinc is formed on the surface of a metal body made of an aluminum-based alloy by using electroless plating or the like. A base plating film made of copper having excellent corrosion resistance is formed on the surface of the plating film using electrolytic plating or the like.

  Further, the component main body 2 in the present embodiment is formed by diffusing the metal contained in the metal plating film 3 into the surface layer portion of the component main body 2 when the metal plating film 3 is subjected to a heat treatment described later. The diffusion layer 4 is provided.

  The diffusion layer 4 is formed on the surface layer portion of the component body 2 (metal body) of copper or copper-zinc alloy when the metal base material of the component body 2 is made of, for example, copper or a copper-zinc alloy. Is done. Moreover, when the metal body of the component main body 2 is made of, for example, zinc or a zinc-based alloy, the diffusion layer 4 is formed on the surface layer portion of the base plating film made of copper disposed on the surface of the metal body. Furthermore, when the metal body of the component main body 2 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy, the diffusion layer 4 is formed on the surface layer portion of the second base plating film made of copper disposed on the outermost surface side of the component main body 2. Is done.

  By forming such a diffusion layer 4 on the surface layer portion of the component main body 2, the metal plating film 3 can be well adapted to the component main body 2, so that the metal plating film 3 adheres to the component main body 2. Can increase the sex. For example, when the component main body 2 is made of a copper-zinc alloy and the metal plating film 3 is made of a copper-zinc alloy, the zinc contained in the component main body 2 rather than the metal plating film 3 is used. When the content of is large, the diffusion layer 4 is not formed.

  In the fastener component 1 according to this embodiment, the metal plating film 3 is formed on the surface of the component main body 2 as described above in order to give the fastener component 1 a desired color tone. As will be described later, the metal plating film 3 is first formed on the surface of the component main body 2 by performing a wet or dry plating process. At this time, the metal plating film 3 has a columnar crystal structure oriented in the (111) plane.

  Further, after the metal plating film 3 having the columnar crystal structure is formed, the metal plating film 3 is heated to a recrystallization temperature or higher before the fastener component 1 is bent. Heat treatment is performed. By this heat treatment, at least a part of the columnar crystal structure is recrystallized, and the metal plating film 3 is formed in which a recrystallized structure in which no crystal orientation is observed (crystal orientation is disturbed) is formed.

  As described above, since at least a part of the metal plating film 3 has the recrystallization structure as described above, the metal plating film 3 is softer than the metal plating film 3 having only the columnar crystal structure. The metal plating film 3 can be easily extended.

  In this embodiment, the material of the metal plating film 3 is, for example, copper (pure copper), a copper-zinc alloy, and a white metal (for example, a copper-tin alloy, a tin-nickel alloy, nickel, chromium, Palladium, rhodium, platinum, etc.) can be used.

  In this case, if the metal body made of the metal base material of the component main body 2 is softened by the heat treatment temperature capable of forming a recrystallized structure on the metal plating film 3, the fastener component 1 may be deformed. Therefore, the metal plating film 3 is made of a material that can form a recrystallized structure at a temperature lower than the temperature at which the metal base material of the component main body 2 is softened. For example, considering the color tone preferred for the fastener component 1 and the recrystallization temperature range of the metal plating film 3, the metal plating film 3 is made of a copper-zinc alloy, a copper-tin alloy, and a tin-nickel alloy. It is preferably composed of at least one selected from the group of alloys.

  In particular, when the metal base material of the component main body 2 is made of copper or a copper-zinc alloy, the metal plating film 3 formed on the surface of the component main body 2 can impart, for example, an antique tone. It is preferable that the copper-zinc-based alloy (particularly brass whose zinc content is 20 wt% or more), or a copper-tin-based alloy or tin-nickel-based alloy having a white tint.

  Moreover, when the metal base material of the component main body 2 is made of zinc, a zinc-based alloy, or an aluminum-based alloy, the metal plating film 3 formed on the surface of the component main body 2 imparts, for example, an antique tone. It is preferable to be made of a copper-zinc based alloy (particularly brass whose zinc content is 20 wt% or more).

  In addition, the metal plating film 3 having a recrystallized structure of the present embodiment has a film thickness of 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less, preferably 2 μm or more and 6 μm or less. By setting the thickness of the metal plating film 3 to 1 μm or more (preferably 2 μm or more), the metal plating film 3 can be stably and reliably formed.

  On the other hand, as the thickness of the metal plating film 3 is increased, the formation of the metal plating film 3 can be stabilized. However, even if the thickness of the metal plating film 3 is set to be greater than 10 μm, the metal plating film 3 Therefore, the thickness of the metal plating film 3 is set to 10 μm or less (preferably 6 μm or less, more preferably 3 μm or less). The

  Furthermore, the metal plating film 3 having the recrystallized structure of the present embodiment has a Vickers hardness of Hv50 or higher and Hv100 or lower. If the Vickers hardness of the metal plating film 3 is Hv50 or more, it is possible to prevent the surface of the fastener component 1 from being scratched and maintain good appearance quality. On the other hand, if the Vickers hardness of the metal plating film 3 is Hv 100 or less, the ductility of the metal plating film 3 can be effectively improved.

Next, a method for manufacturing the fastener component 1 of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the component main body 2 having a predetermined shape is produced. For example, when the fastener component 1 is the metal fastener element 11 as described above, a long metal wire having a Y-shaped cross section is sequentially cut at a desired thickness in the length direction and viewed from the front. Form an element material having a Y-shape and press form the element material to form a meshing head or the like, or press a metal flat plate material such as copper or copper alloy having a predetermined thickness By forming and forming the meshing head and the like and punching out the flat plate material, the component main body 2 (including the component main body 2 before the base plating film is formed) of the metal fastener element 11 is produced. .

  Further, when the fastener component 1 is the bottom stop 12, the bottom stop is obtained by sequentially cutting a long metal wire having an X-shaped or H-shaped cross section at a desired thickness in the length direction. The component main body 2 of the tool 12 is produced. When the fastener component 1 is the upper stopper 13, a long metal wire having a U-shaped cross section is sequentially cut at a desired thickness in the length direction, or a flat metal wire is The main part 2 of the upper stopper 13 is manufactured by sequentially cutting the desired length in the length direction and bending the obtained cut pieces into a U shape.

Furthermore, when the fastener component 1 is a butterfly stick, a box stick, or a slider 14, the part main body 2 is produced by die-casting using a mold having a predetermined cavity shape, for example.
In the present invention, the method and means for producing the component main body 2 are not particularly limited, and can be arbitrarily changed according to the material and shape of the fastener component 1.

  At this time, for example, when the metal body of the component body 2 is made of zinc or a zinc-based alloy, in order to improve the corrosion resistance of the component body 2, a copper base plating film is formed on the surface of the metal body by electrolytic plating. To do. Further, for example, when the metal body of the component main body 2 is made of an aluminum alloy (for example, an aluminum-magnesium alloy or an aluminum-copper-silicon alloy), the metal body is used to improve the corrosion resistance of the component main body 2. A first base plating film made of zinc is formed on the surface of the first base plating film by electroless plating, and a second base plating film made of copper is formed on the surface of the first base plating film by electrolytic plating.

  Subsequently, after producing the component main body 2 of the fastener component 1 as described above, the obtained component main body 2 is subjected to plating, and the metal having a columnar crystal structure on the surface of the component main body 2. A plating film 3 is formed. At this time, the metal plating film 3 formed on the surface of the component main body 2 grows in a columnar shape. In addition, although the material of the metal plating film 3 formed on the surface of the component main body 2 is not particularly limited, as described above, it is composed of a copper-zinc alloy, a copper-tin alloy, or a tin-nickel alloy. It is preferred that

  In the present embodiment, the method of forming the metal plating film 3 is not particularly limited, and any wet or dry plating process may be employed. For example, electrolytic plating, hot dipping, or the like can be used as the wet plating process, while a PVD method, a CVD method, or the like can be used as the dry plating process.

  When the metal plating film 3 having a columnar crystal structure is formed, the metal plating film 3 is formed by setting the film thickness of the metal plating film 3 to 1 μm to 10 μm, preferably 2 μm to 6 μm. The Vickers hardness on the surface of the metal plating film 3 formed in this way basically shows a magnitude of Hv120 or more although it varies depending on the material of the metal plating film 3.

  Next, after performing the above-described plating process, a heat treatment (recrystallization process) for heating the metal plating film 3 to a recrystallization temperature or higher with respect to the fastener component 1 on which the metal plating film 3 is formed. I do. At this time, for example, when the metal plating film 3 of the fastener component 1 is made of a copper-zinc alloy, the heat treatment is performed in a non-oxidizing atmosphere within a temperature range of 300 ° C. to 400 ° C. for a predetermined time. Is called.

  Thus, by performing heat processing in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, it can prevent that the metal plating film 3 oxidizes during heat processing. In this case, as the non-oxidizing atmosphere, a nitrogen gas atmosphere, an argon gas atmosphere, a carbon monoxide gas atmosphere, a vacuum atmosphere, or the like can be used. Further, by performing the heat treatment in a temperature range of 300 ° C. or higher and 400 ° C. or lower, a recrystallized structure in which the columnar crystal structure is recrystallized easily on at least a part of the metal-plated film 3 made of a copper-zinc alloy. While being able to form stably, it can prevent that the component main-body part 2 softens.

  For example, when the metal plating film 3 is made of a copper-tin alloy, the heat treatment is performed in a pressurized non-oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature range of 400 ° C. to 500 ° C. for a predetermined time. On the other hand, when the metal plating film 3 is composed of a tin-nickel alloy, the heat treatment is performed in a pressurized non-oxidizing atmosphere in a temperature range of 500 ° C. or more and 600 ° C. or less for a predetermined time.

  Thus, for example, by performing heat treatment in a non-oxidizing atmosphere pressurized to 0.1 MPa or more (preferably 0.5 MPa or more), tin contained in the metal plating film 3 is prevented from evaporating during the heat treatment. In addition, oxidation of the metal plating film 3 can be prevented. In this case, as the non-oxidizing atmosphere, a nitrogen gas atmosphere, an argon gas atmosphere, a carbon monoxide gas atmosphere, or the like can be used. Further, by performing the heat treatment in a predetermined temperature range, a recrystallized structure can be easily and stably formed on at least a part of the metal plating film 3.

  By performing the heat treatment (recrystallization process) as described above to form a recrystallized structure in which the columnar crystal structure is recrystallized in at least a part of the metal plated film 3, the Vickers on the surface of the metal plated film 3 is formed. While reducing the hardness to Hv50 or more and Hv100 or less, the ductility of the metal plating film 3 can be improved. Further, by performing this heat treatment, the metal contained in the metal plating film 3 diffuses into the surface layer portion of the component main body portion 2 to form the diffusion layer 4. Thereby, the fastener component 1 in this embodiment mentioned above can be obtained.

  Note that, as described above, the metal plating film 3 is made of a material that can form a recrystallized structure at a temperature lower than the temperature at which the metal base material of the component main body 2 is softened. Therefore, even if the fastener component 1 is subjected to a heat treatment for recrystallizing the columnar crystal structure of the metal plating film 3, the component main body 2 is hardly softened and the strength of the component main body 2 is not reduced.

  After the heat treatment (recrystallization treatment) is finished, for example, when the metal plating film 3 is made of a copper-zinc alloy, the copper contained in the metal plating film 3 is oxidized to form the metal plating film. A blackening treatment (black dyeing) for imparting black to 3 can be further performed. Specifically, the cupper oxide film is formed on the surface of the metal plating film 3 by immersing the fastener component 1 having the metal plating film 3 in a strong alkaline solution containing sodium hydroxide and sodium chlorite. Form.

  In the present invention, the treatment conditions in the blackening treatment of the metal plating film 3 can be arbitrarily selected according to the composition of the alloy constituting the metal plating film 3 and the like. Further, the means for blackening the metal plating film 3 is not particularly limited. Furthermore, in this invention, it is not limited to blackening the metal plating film 3 which consists of a copper-zinc type alloy, For example, a change is given to the color tone of the metal plating film 3 using a copper sulfate method or a thiosulfate method. Thus, it is possible to give the metal plating film 3 a green or blue color.

  Thereafter, a polishing process can be performed on the fastener component 1 whose surface of the metal plating film 3 is blackened. For example, the blackened fastener component 1 is put into a barrel polishing machine together with an abrasive (abrasive stone or the like) to perform the polishing process. Thereby, a part of the blackened oxide film is peeled off, and the surface of the fastener component 1 can be finished in an antique old brass color. In this polishing treatment, a polishing method such as shot blasting can be used instead of barrel polishing depending on the shape of the fastener component 1 and the like.

  On the other hand, after the heat treatment described above, for example, when the metal plating film 3 is made of a copper-tin alloy or a tin-nickel alloy, the metal plating film 3 has a white color. ing. For this reason, it is possible to perform a polishing process such as barrel polishing or shot blasting on the metal plating film 3 without performing the blackening process as described above.

  Further, after the polishing process is completed, the obtained fastener component 1 is washed with water and dried. Thereafter, for the purpose of protecting the surface of the fastener component 1, preventing discoloration, and preventing corrosion, a coating process for applying a transparent clear coating to the surface of the fastener component 1 can be performed.

  The fastener component 1 manufactured through the above processing steps is then subjected to bending such as caulking and used for a slide fastener. At this time, the metal plating film 3 disposed on the fastener component 1 is excellent in ductility because of having a recrystallized structure as described above. For this reason, even when the fastener component 1 is bent, the metal plating film 3 can be easily extended so as to follow the deformation of the fastener component 1 caused by the bending.

  Thereby, even if it carries out a bending process to the fastener component 1, it is hard to generate | occur | produce a crack and a crack in the metal plating film 3, and can make it not generate | occur | produce further. In particular, for example, even when the size of the fastener component 1 is large and the amount of deformation of the fastener component 1 is large when bending is performed, the metal plating film 3 is bent without causing cracks or cracks. It becomes possible to carry out smoothly.

  For this reason, conventional problems that have arisen due to cracks and cracks in the metal plating film, such as problems that the base material is exposed from cracks and cracks in the metal plating film and the appearance of the fastener components deteriorates, It is possible to easily solve the problem that the base material of the component is easily corroded.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to specific examples.
As Example 1, the case where the bottom stop 12 as shown in FIGS. 3-5 is manufactured as a fastener component is demonstrated. The bottom stopper 12 of the first embodiment includes a component main body portion made of pure copper and a metal plating film disposed on the surface of the component main body portion. In this case, the metal plating film is made of an alloy of copper and zinc having a copper content of 65 wt% and a zinc content of 35 wt%.

  In order to manufacture the bottom stopper 12 of the first embodiment, first, a long pure copper wire having a circular cross section is cold-rolled to deform the cross section of the pure copper wire into a substantially H-shape. Then, the component main-body part of the lower stopper 12 is produced by cut | disconnecting the pure copper wire whose cross section is H shape by the desired thickness in the length direction. Thereafter, barrel polishing was performed on the obtained component main body to remove burrs formed on the component main body.

  Next, a plating process by electrolytic plating was performed on the component main body portion of the produced lower stopper 12 under predetermined conditions, and a metal plating film of a copper-zinc alloy was formed on the surface of the component main body portion. Then, after the formation of the metal plating film, the cross section of the metal plating film was observed with a transmission electron microscope (TEM). As a result, it was confirmed that the formed metal plating film was grown in a columnar shape and that the film thickness of the metal plating film was 5.2 μm.

  Moreover, as a result of analyzing the formed metal plating film by X-ray diffraction (XRD), it was confirmed that the metal plating film was strongly oriented in the (111) plane. Furthermore, as a result of analyzing the metal plating film by EPMA, it was confirmed that regions having different concentration ratios of copper and zinc were formed in layers in the metal plating film. Moreover, when the Vickers hardness of the metal plating film was measured, the metal plating film had a Vickers hardness of Hv160.

  Next, heat treatment (recrystallization treatment) was performed on the bottom stopper 12 in which a metal plating film of a copper-zinc alloy was formed on the surface of the component main body portion made of copper. In this heat treatment, the lower stopper 12 was heated in vacuum at 380 ° C. for 1 hour. After the heat treatment was completed, the cross section of the metal plating film included in the lower stopper 12 was observed with a transmission electron microscope (TEM). As a result, the columnar crystal structure observed in the heat treatment disappeared, and it was confirmed that the columnar crystal structure had a recrystallized structure obtained by recrystallization.

  In addition, in the TEM observation, it was confirmed that the thickness of the metal plating film was increased from about 5.2 μm to about 8.0 μm. Therefore, when the metal plating film was analyzed by EPMA, a diffusion layer in which zinc contained in the metal plating film diffused into the copper of the component main body was formed in the portion where the thickness of the metal plating film was increased. It was confirmed that From this result, it is judged that the diffusion layer is formed on the surface layer portion of the component main body portion, so that the thickness of the metal plating film appears to be thick in the TEM observation.

  Furthermore, as a result of analyzing the heat-treated metal plating film by X-ray diffraction (XRD), the orientation to the (111) plane disappeared and no crystal orientation was observed. From this result, it was confirmed that the metal plating film had a recrystallized structure in which the columnar crystal structure was recrystallized. In addition, when the Vickers hardness of the metal plating film after heat treatment was measured, it was confirmed that the metal plating film had Hv80 Vickers hardness and that the Vickers hardness of the metal plating film was lowered by the heat treatment. It was.

  Next, the heat-treated bottom stopper 12 was immersed in a strong alkaline solution containing sodium hydroxide and sodium chlorite to perform blackening treatment for imparting black color to the metal plating film. Thereafter, the bottom stopper 12 subjected to the blackening treatment is polished by a barrel polishing machine to finish the color tone of the bottom stopper 12 in an antique-like old brass color, and then the lower stopper 12 is applied to the bottom stopper 12. On the other hand, a clear paint treatment was performed.

  After completion of the clear coating process, the obtained lower stopper 12 was bent, and the lower stopper 12 was attached to the fastener tape 15 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). When the surface of the lower stopper 12 attached to the fastener tape 15 was observed with the naked eye, no cracks or cracks were found in the metal plating film of the lower stopper 12, and the lower stopper 12 was antique-like. It had a good appearance quality with a uniform hue.

  On the other hand, in order to confirm the effect of the bottom stopper in Example 1, a bottom stopper was manufactured under the same conditions as in Example 1 except that no heat treatment was performed after the metal plating film was formed (Comparative Example). ), And the lower stopper was attached to the fastener tape by caulking. When the surface of the lower stopper according to this comparative example attached to the fastener tape was observed with the naked eye, cracks and cracks were noticeably generated in the metal plating film of the lower stopper. Furthermore, this lower stopper is inferior in appearance (quality of appearance) because the underlying metal base material is exposed through cracks and cracks formed in the metal plating film.

As Example 2, the case where the metal fastener element 11 is manufactured as a fastener component will be described.
The metal fastener element 11 of the second embodiment has a component main body portion made of an alloy of copper and zinc (brass) and a metal plating film disposed on the surface of the component main body portion. In this case, the alloy which comprises a component main-body part contains copper 85wt% and zinc 15wt%. The metal plating film is made of an alloy of copper and tin having a copper content of 70 wt% and a tin content of 30 wt%.

  In order to manufacture the metal fastener element 11 of the second embodiment, a metal fastener is formed by pressing a flat plate made of brass having a predetermined thickness to form a meshing head and the like and punching the flat plate. A component main body of the element 11 is produced. Thereafter, barrel polishing was performed on the obtained component main body to remove burrs formed on the component main body.

  Next, the component main body portion of the produced metal fastener element 11 was subjected to a plating process by electrolytic plating under predetermined conditions to form a copper-tin alloy metal plating film on the surface of the component main body portion. Thereafter, heat treatment (recrystallization treatment) was performed on the metal fastener element 11 on which the metal plating film was formed. In this heat treatment, the metal fastener element 11 was heated at 430 ° C. for 1 hour in an argon gas atmosphere pressurized to 0.6 MPa.

  Subsequently, a clear coating process was performed on the heat-treated metal fastener element 11. Thereafter, the metal fastener element 11 to which clear coating was applied was caulked, and the metal fastener element 11 was attached to the fastener tape 15. When the surface of the metal fastener element 11 attached to the fastener tape 15 was observed with the naked eye, it was confirmed that no cracks or cracks occurred in the metal plating film.

As Example 3, a case where a box bar is manufactured as a fastener component will be described.
The box bar of the third embodiment has a component main body portion using a zinc-based alloy as a metal base material, and a metal plating film disposed on the surface of the component main body portion. In this case, the component main body includes a metal body made of a zinc-based alloy and a copper base plating film formed on the surface of the metal body. The metal plating film is made of an alloy of copper and zinc having a copper content of 65 wt% and a zinc content of 35 wt%.

  In order to manufacture the box bar of Example 3, first, a metal body for a box bar having a predetermined shape was formed by die-casting zinc. Subsequently, electrolytic plating was performed on the obtained metal body under predetermined conditions, and a copper base plating film was formed on the surface of the metal body, thereby producing a component main body portion of a box bar.

  Next, a plating treatment by electrolytic plating was performed on the component main body portion of the produced box bar under predetermined conditions, and a copper-zinc alloy metal plating film was formed on the surface of the component main body portion. Thereafter, heat treatment (recrystallization treatment) was performed on the box bar on which the metal plating film was formed. In this heat treatment, the box bar was heated at 320 ° C. for 1 hour in a pressurized atmosphere of 0.6 MPa.

  Subsequently, the heat-treated box bar was immersed in a strong alkaline solution containing sodium hydroxide and sodium chlorite to perform blackening treatment for imparting black color to the metal plating film. In addition, the box rod that had undergone blackening treatment was polished by a barrel grinder to finish the color tone of the bottom fastener into an old brass color, and then the clear coating treatment was performed on the box rod. .

  Thereafter, the box bar with clear coating was crimped, and the box bar was attached to the fastener tape. Then, when the surface of the box stick attached to the fastener tape was observed with the naked eye, the box stick had a uniform color overall, and the metal plating film was not cracked or cracked. confirmed.

  As Example 4, a case where a slider body for the slider 14 is manufactured as a fastener component will be described. The slider body of the fourth embodiment has a component main body portion using an aluminum-copper-silicon alloy as a metal base material and a metal plating film disposed on the surface of the component main body portion.

  In this case, the component main body includes a metal body made of an aluminum-copper-silicon alloy, a zinc first base plating film formed on the surface of the metal body, and a copper formed on the surface of the first base plating film. The second base plating film. The metal plating film is made of an alloy of copper and zinc having a copper content of 65 wt% and a zinc content of 35 wt%.

  In order to manufacture the slider body of Example 4, first, a metal body having a predetermined shape was formed by die-casting an aluminum-copper-silicon alloy. Subsequently, electroless plating is performed on the obtained metal body under predetermined conditions to form a first base plating film of zinc on the surface of the metal body, and further, electrolytic plating is performed under predetermined conditions. Then, a second base plating film of copper was formed on the surface of the first base plating film to produce a component main body portion of the slider body.

  Next, a plating process by electrolytic plating was performed on the component main body portion of the manufactured slider body under predetermined conditions to form a copper-zinc alloy metal plating film on the surface of the component main body portion. Thereafter, heat treatment (recrystallization treatment) was performed on the slider body on which the metal plating film was formed. In this heat treatment, the slider body was heated in vacuum at 330 ° C. for 1 hour.

  Subsequently, the heat-treated slider body was immersed in a strong alkaline solution containing sodium hydroxide and sodium chlorite to perform blackening treatment for imparting black color to the metal plating film. In addition, the slider body that had undergone blackening treatment was polished by a barrel grinder to finish the color tone of the bottom stopper to an old brass color, and then the clear color was applied to the slider body. .

  Thereafter, the handle was attached to the slider body by hooking the handle onto the handle attachment portion of the slider body to which the clear coating was applied, and bending the handle attachment portion. When the surface of the slider body, to which the handle is attached by bending, was observed with the naked eye, the slider body had a uniform color overall, and the metal plating film had no cracks or cracks. Was confirmed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fastener component 2 Component main body part 3 Metal plating film 4 Diffusion layer 10 Slide fastener 11 Metal fastener element 12 Lower stopper 12a Body part 12b Arm part 13 Upper stopper 14 Slider 15 Fastener tape 15a Core string part

Claims (7)

A slide in which a metal plating film (3) is formed on the surface of the metal component main body (2), and bending is performed on at least a part of the component main body (2) after the metal plating film (3) is formed. Fastener components (1) for fasteners,
The component body (2) is made of copper or a copper-zinc alloy,
The metal plating film (3) is composed of a copper-zinc alloy having a higher zinc content than the component body (2),
By performing a heat treatment before the bending process, the metal plating film (3) has a recrystallized structure in which at least a part of the crystal structure is recrystallized ,
A diffusion layer (4) formed by diffusing zinc contained in the metal plating film (3) by the heat treatment is provided on a surface layer portion of the component main body (2) on the metal plating film (3) side. Become
A fastener component characterized by that.   The recrystallized structure is formed by forming the metal plating film (3) in a columnar crystal structure on the surface of the component main body (2), and then performing the heat treatment on the metal plating film (3). The fastener component according to claim 1, wherein the fastener component is formed by recrystallizing at least a part thereof. The component body (2) comprises at least 75 wt% or more 100 wt% or less of copper, the fastener component of claim 1, wherein comprising the following zinc 0 wt% or more 25 wt%.   The fastener component according to claim 1, wherein the metal plating film (3) having the recrystallized structure has a thickness of 1 µm or more and 10 µm or less.   The fastener component according to claim 1, wherein the metal plating film (3) having the recrystallized structure has a Vickers hardness of Hv50 to Hv100.   The fastener component (1) is at least one component selected from the group consisting of a fastener element (11), a fastener (12, 13), a release fitting, and a slider (14). The fastener component described. A slide fastener, wherein the fastener component (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is bent and used.

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