EP0387279B1

EP0387279B1 - Signplate

Info

Publication number: EP0387279B1
Application number: EP88910168A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Inger Berggren; Fredrik BERGLÖF
Original assignee: FINESIGN AB
Current assignee: FINESIGN AB
Priority date: 1987-11-19
Filing date: 1988-11-18
Publication date: 1994-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 2008-11-18
Also published as: SE459830B; EP0387279A1; DE3851634T2; DE3851634D1; ATE112085T1; WO1989005022A1; SE8704548L; SE8704548D0; AU2729488A

Abstract

A name-plate or other signplate adapted to be fastened to a garment has a fastening device comprising a permanent magnet plate (14) secured to the reverse side of a sign panel (10) and a separate permanent magnet plate (15).

Description

This invention relates to a signplate, namely, a name-plate or notice-plate or similar badge device adapted to be fastened to a garment, e.g. to a lapel of a jacket, in a manner enabling it to be readily removed.
A signplate as defined in the preamble of claim 1 is generally known in the prior art.
Signplates or badges of this kind commonly have a fastening device resembling a safety pin. Such a fastening device is troublesome to use, because it is difficult to fasten the signplate in the desired position. Above all, this kind of fastening device is disadvantageous in that the pin has to be run through the cloth of the garment; if the cloth is flimsy, it is easily damaged by the pin.
EP-A-0 029 500 discloses a magnetic fastening device which forms part of a supporting device for supporting an information or advertising sheet or other sheet-like object on a wall or other vertical supporting surface. The fastening device comprises a first permanent magnet plate on a base member adapted to be attached to the supporting surface and a second permanent magnet plate on a flap member which is hingedly connected with the base member so as to be movable towards and away from a holding position in which the first magnet plate faces the second magnet plate. The sheet-like object to be supported is frictionally held in position between the magnet plates as a result of the mutual magnetic attraction of the magnet plates.
The present invention aims at providing an improved signplate, such as a name-plate or the like which is adapted to be removably fastened to a garment, namely a signplate comprising a sign panel having a front side adapted to carry a sign and a reverse side on which a fastening device for fastening the signplate to a the garment is positioned.
According to the invention, the fastening device comprises the features specified in Claim 1.
When a signplate according to the invention is to be fastened to a garment, the part provided with the first plate is placed on one side of the garment at the place where it is desired to fasten the signplate, and the second plate is placed opposite the first plate on the other side of the garment so that the plates attract one another through the cloth of the garment and hold one another in position on the garment.
An exemplary embodiment of the signplate is shown in the accompanying drawing and is described in greater detail below with reference to the drawing.

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a signplate which embodies the invention, namely, a name-plate;
Fig. 2 is a rear view of the name-plate of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the name-plate on line III-III of Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawing, the name-plate comprises a one-piece plastic sign panel 10 which forms the sign-bearing or name-bearing part of the name-plate, and an associated fastening device for fastening the name-plate to a garment.
In its upper portion, the flat sign panel 10 is provided with a window 11 for a strip, not shown, of paper or other suitable material on which the name of the person bearing the name-plate is written or printed. This strip can be slid into the window 11 in grooves 12 and 13 formed in the panel 10. The lower portion of the front side of the sign panel is smooth and, if desired, can be provided with an imprint, such as the name of an organisation, a slogan, a trade mark or some other distinguishing mark.
The fastening device comprises a pair of rectangular permanent magnet plates 14 and 15. Of these magnet plates, the magnet plate 14 is secured to the back or reverse side of the sign panel 10 where it is held in position by four lugs formed on the reverse side. These lugs are integral with the rest of the sign panel 10 which is made by injection moulding.
In the illustrated embodiment, the second magnet plate 15 is a free or loose magnet plate, but it is within the scope of the invention to have the two plates tied together by means of a thin thread.
When the name-plate is to be fastened to a garment, the sign panel 10 with its magnet plate 14 is positionend on the outer side of the garment at the place where it is desired to fasten the name-plate, and on the other side of the garment the second magnet plate 15 is positioned opposite the first magnet plate 14. The mutual attraction of the magnet plates 14 and 15 through the cloth of the garment and the friction of the plates against the cloth ensures a reliable holding of the magnet plates and, accordingly, the sign panel 10, to the garment.
As is readily appreciated, the invention is not limited to the embodiment which is shown and described only by way of example. Thus, various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention. For example, the first magnet plate 14 can be secured to the sign panel 10 by being integrally moulded or cemented to it. Moreover, the shape of the sign panel and of the magnet plates can be varied. For example, in many cases circular magnet plates may be preferred.
Preferably, both magnet plates are permanent magnets, but it is within the scope of the invention to have only one of them in the form of a permanent magnet. What is essential is that the force of attraction is sufficient to keep the signplate in position.
In order that the magnet plates may not stain the garment, the plates suitably are provided with a thin protective coating, preferably of plastic. Such a coating of course is particularly desirable if the plates are made of a material that may easily cause staining.

Claims

A signplate, such as a name-plate or the like, which is adapted to be removably fastened to a garment, comprising a sign panel having a front side adapted to carry a sign and a reverse side on which a fastening device for fastening the signplate to a garment is positioned,
characterised in that the fastening device comprises a first plate (14) of magnetic or magnetisable material secured to the sign panel (10) and a second plate (15) of magnetic or magnetisable material which is separate from the first plate (14) and from the sign panel (10), at least one of the plates being a permanent magnet, the signplate thus can be fastened to the garment at the place where it is desired to fasten it.
A signplate according to claim 1, characterised in that both the first plate (14) and the second plate (15) are permanent magnets.
A signplate according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the first plate (14) is clamped between lugs (16) or other projections on the reverse side of the sign panel (10).
A signplate according to claim 1 or 2, in which the sign panel (10) is made by injection moulding of plastic,
characterised in that the first plate (14) is secured to the reverse side of the sign panel (10) by being integrally moulded onto it.
A signplate according to any one of claims 1-4, characterised in that the first and the second plate (14,15) are rectangular.
A signplate according to any one of claims 1-5, characterised in that the first and the second plate (14,15) are interconnected through a thin thread.
A signplate according to any one of claims 1-6, characterised in that at least one of the first and the second plate (14,15) is provided with a thin protective coating, preferably of plastic.