Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Combined diverse multipart fasteners – Clasp
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-26
2001-07-17
Sandy, Robert J. (Department: 3626)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Combined diverse multipart fasteners
Clasp
C024S114400, C024S662000, C450S058000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260243
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a reversible press button garment closure which can be used as a garment closure for the back band, for example, of a brassiere or for a shoulder strap of a brassiere or, in general, for interconnecting any two garment parts, especially in cases in which at least one of the parts is a strap or band and most particularly for lingerie, swim suits, brassieres and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
While there are many closure devices which are used in brassieres, undergarments, lingerie, swim suits and the like to connect two parts of the garment and enable them to be released and reengaged, e.g. the back closure of a brassiere or a shoulder strap thereof, in most instances the closure involves some form of hook and eye engagement. While press button type closures are also known, by and large these are difficult to attach, difficult to use and frequently cannot be reversible, i.e. do not have the same general appearance when seen from opposite sides.
In many garment closure applications, reversibility is an important consideration. Other important considerations for such closures are the ability to take up considerable tensile stress, an ability to be laundered without damage to the fastener or other garments or the garments provide with the fastener itself, ease of manipulation and esthetic appearance.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved reversible press button fastener, especially for use as the back closure of a brassiere or a shoulder strap closure of a brassiere which will satisfy the requirements outlined above and which nevertheless is free from drawbacks of earlier closures and can, in addition, be used in other garment applications.
Another object of the invention is to provide a garment closure which can be applied to the garment parts to be connected thereby in a versatile and convenient manner, which does little or no damage upon laundering of the garment, has an esthetic appearance, is easily manipulated (opened and closed) and is reversible in the sense it has similar appearances from opposite sides.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These objects and others which are attained in accordance with the invention in a press button closure which comprises:
a female closure member in the form of a first ring having a hole and a first lug projecting laterally of the first ring;
a male closure member in the form of a second ring externally matching the first ring, a boss press-fittingly receivable in the hole, and a second lug projecting laterally of the second ring, the closure members being formed from relatively soft plastic; and
respective attachment pieces of relatively hard plastic connected to the lugs and securing each of the members to a part of a garment.
According to a feature of the invention, at least one and preferably each of the attachment pieces comprises pair of shield-shaped elements interconnected by posts and straddling the respective part of the garment, i.e. the band or strap parts to which it is secured, and connected to a respective one of the lugs. The attachment of the shield-shaped elements to one another (through the fabric) and, for an appropriate fabric, is by thermal or ultrasonic welding.
Each of the lugs can have a formation mating with a complementary formation in one of the shield-shaped elements and preferably the formations are pins and holes with each lug having in the most preferred arrangement, a row of three holes, through which pins of one shield element pass to be welded in holes of the other shield element.
The fastener can, however, be separable by pulling apart the shield-shaped members and the ring member where a permanent weld is not made.
According to an important feature of the invention, the rings and the shield-shaped members are of different colors and the shield-shaped members can be somewhat translucent to enable at least the outlines of the lug to be visible beneath the shield-shaped element. The ring, lug and pins may be of a different color and since the pins have their ends exposed through the shield-shaped member, the row of pin ends in each shield-shaped member may contribute a design or esthetic feature to the closure. The shield elements and rings may be of different colors on opposite sides when applied to a reversible garment, such as a brassiere having fabrics of different color on opposite sides.
According to a feature of the invention, the shield-shaped elements or welding flanges are formed with projections which, like the pins can pass through the fabric of the strap and can be welded together.
Parts of a back band of the brassiere may be secured to the shield-shaped elements of each attachment piece or the attachment pieces may be mounted on parts of a shoulder strap of a brassiere or like garment.
An important feature of the invention is that the two rings have matching outer parts and, especially outwardly convex curved cross sections which match in appearance. The male member can be a tubular boss which is received in the hole of the other ring and since the edge of that boss is visible from the outer side of the female member, a similar rim can be provided along the inner periphery of the male ring. Both the male and female members may have planar surfaces at which they interengage when the members are interconnected.
An important feature of the invention is that the attachment pieces, i.e. the shield-shaped elements, can be molded from relatively hard and stiff synthetic resin material whereas the rings can be molded from relatively soft and flexible synthetic resin material. The resulting closure is thus highly flexible where it is connected to the garment but rigid where the press button parts, i.e. the two rings, interconnect. The softer material can be polyurethane while the harder material can be polyoxymethylene.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3200464 (1965-08-01), Cousins
patent: 3979801 (1976-09-01), Tareau
patent: 4000544 (1977-01-01), Fildan
patent: 4161806 (1979-07-01), Hennisse et al.
patent: 5377394 (1995-01-01), Fildan
patent: 5427562 (1995-06-01), Kwang
patent: 5784765 (1998-07-01), Fildan
patent: 6009604 (2000-01-01), Fildan
Fildan Gerhard
Wanzenbock Karl
Dubno Herbert
Fildan Accessories Corporation
Sandy Robert J.
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