EP0252887A2 - A button cover with elastic engagement to the button - Google Patents

Abstract

A button-cover (1) including a little spring (5) for engagement to the button (10), which little spring (5) is substantially flat and has two appendixes (7), for articulation to the button-cover (1), an elastic tongue (9) partially bent in order to guarantee the stability of the two positions of elastic equilibrium and at least an appendix (11), diametrically opposed to the articulation appendixes (7), which leans on the edge of the button-cover (1) and possibly projects therefrom for a limited amount to make easy the hold of little spring (5) and the rotation thereof with respect to the button-cover (1).

Description

• The invention relates to a button-cover for but­tons of shirts and the like, in which button-cover a particular system for the engagement to the button av­oids some drawbacks typical of the button-covers used till now. In particular, in the former button -­covers the engagement of the button-cover to the button of the shirt or the like is obtained by a little spring having two elastic arms that, as they are inserted within the button-cover, assure the posi­tioning thereof by friction. The main disadvantage of this realization consists in that the thickness of the button-cover, particularly at the edge, has to be considerable enough, in order to allow a reliable seizing and locking of the button-cover by the elastic arms of the little spring, through friction. By doing this in this way the result is aesthetically unsatisfactory.
• The purpose of the invention is to provide a but­ton-cover that has not the above mentioned disad­vantage and guarantees a reliable engagement on the button. The button-cover object of the invention in­cludes a little spring for the engagement to the but­ton, which little spring is hinged to said but­ton-cover and suitable for holding it in the use position through an effect of an elastic click, or release.
• By a release operation said little spring and said button-cover can take two relative positions of insertion on the button and covering of the button respectively, because of the cooperation of an elastic tongue with two portions of the button-cover being separated by a corner.
• The drawing shows a possible embodiment of the invention, and in particular:
• Fig. 1 shows a top view of the button-cover in the assembled position hereof;
• Fig. 2 shows a bottom view of the same but­ton-cover;
• Fig. 3 shows a partial cross section side view of the button-cover applied to a button;
• Fig. 4 shows a side view of the button-cover with the little spring in a lowered and partially lifted position;
• Fig. 5 shows a partial section side view of the button-cover in the insertion position on a button.
• According to the drawing, 1 indicated a button-­cover wherein a little spring 5 is articulated at 3, which little spring is able to rotate from the posi­tion shown in Figs. 1 to 3 (and by full line in Fig. 4) up to the position shown in Fig. 5, by rotat­ing in the opposite sense with respect to the arrow f5 around the hinge 3 and passing through the intermedi­ate position 5A indicated by a line of dashes in Fig. 4; the first of said positions (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4) corresponds to that of the use of the button-cover and the second to that of the insertion of the but­ton-cover on the button, as illustrated in Fig. 5.
• The little spring 5 has two appendixes 7 that form the hinge 3 by engaging themselves in correspond­ing holes of the button-cover 1. Moreover, at the same side of said appendixes 7, and between them, the little spring 5 has a tongue 9 that, in the use posi­tion, leans on the edge of the button-cover 1 (see Fig. 3) and, by rotation of the spring in the opposite direction to the arrow f5, slides onto the edge of the button-cover 1 up to the position of Fig. 5, the little spring being able to reach this position for the insertion on a button 10 according to f1.
• Two appendixes 11, that are at diametrically op­posite positions with respect to appendixes 7, project slightly - in the use position - from the edge of the button-cover 1, in order to allow the engagement and the rotation of the button-cover 1 with respect to the little spring 5 in the direction opposite to f5.
• The configuration and the functioning of little spring 5, and the articulation thereof by hinge to the button-cover 1, enable the button-covers to be made, the edges of which can be greatly reduced in the height, since it is sufficient to have obtained the thickness that is necessary for the realization of the engagement holes of the appendixes 7. Accordingly, a greater freedom for the configuration of the button-cover and better aesthetical and functional results will be reached.

Claims (3)

1. A button-cover (1) including a little spring (5) for engagement to the button, which little spring is hinged (at 3) to said button-cover, characterized in that the button-cover (1) in the use position is held through an elastic force by the little spring (5).

2. A button-cover as per claim 1, characterized in that said button-cover (1) and said little spring (5) can take by click or release operation two mutual elastically stable positions for insertion on the button and use, respectively.

3. A button-cover as per claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said little spring (5) is substantially flat and has two appendixes (7), for articulation to the button-cover (1), an elastic tongue (9) partially bent in order to guarantee the stability of the two positions of elastic equilibrium and at least an appendix (11), diametrically opposed to the articulation appendixes (7), which leans on the edge of the button-cover and possibly projects therefrom for a limited amount to make easy the hold of little spring (5)and the rotation thereof with respect to the button-cover (1).

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