EP2850960A1

EP2850960A1 - Enhanced fastener for fixing aesthetic details on articles and accessories of clothing like shoes and bags

Info

Publication number: EP2850960A1
Application number: EP14184449.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Besana
Original assignee: Palgo Srl
Current assignee: Palgo Srl
Priority date: 2013-09-18
Filing date: 2014-09-11
Publication date: 2015-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 2034-09-11
Also published as: EP2850960B1; ES2573633T3; ITMI20131533A1

Abstract

A fastener (1) to fix aesthetic details on products or articles and accessories of clothing like shoes or bags comprising a head (2) and a shank (3) orthogonal thereto and having a longitudinal axis (W) and a free end (8). Along at least part of said shank (3) there is a plurality of equally spaced collars (10; 10A-10F) projecting from the shank (3), every collar (10; 10A-10F) having a first projecting end (13) placed around said shank (3) and a second end (16) tapering toward the shank (3), this second end (16) terminating on the latter in a position distant from the next collar (10; 10A-10F) for at least part of said plurality of collars (10; 10A-10F).

Description

The present invention concerns a fastener to fix aesthetic details on articles and accessories of clothing, like shoes and bags, according to the preamble of the main claim.
It is a known practice to apply aesthetic details, like bosses or the like (or "spikes") to products of clothing (like shoes or jackets) or to accessories of clothing (like bags). These products are made of leather, fabric, or plastic materials imitating leather in consistency and appearance.
The aesthetic details mentioned above are usually applied onto the outer surface of its respective product via a direct connection or by using fasteners which are inserted (from the inner side) directly into the product and subsequently these details are fixed thereto. The latter is fixed to its corresponding fastener by inserting this one into the body of its respective aesthetic detail so as to make the fastener bind it to the product.
Since the layer of the (flexible) product that every fastener is bound to features a limited thickness, and because of how is the detail connected to the fastener, the connection between the product and the aesthetic detail is unlikely to last.
In particular, the fasteners currently used, even though they provide a connection between said detail and the product, often fail in holding them fixed together over time or cause microcrackings in the product (in correspondence with the point where they are placed) which in the long run might damage it or prevent their use. This is particularly due to the non constant and non homogeneous interference between the fastener and the aesthetic detail, which originates said microcrackings.
It is also to be noted that the aesthetic details are possibly subjected to small shocks resulting from the use of the product: for instance, this might occur while using shoes provided with bosses or whenever a bag with such bosses hits with an obstacle or is laid on a surface with little attention. Such hits, even though of minor intensities, possibly lead to a micromovement between the fastener and the aesthetic detail which, in the long run, might lead to a mutual disconnection.
Documents US 4481696 and WO 2012/079364 describe a button with a fastener having the characteristics of the fastener according to the preamble of the main claim.
A purpose of the present invention is to offer an enhanced fastener with respect to the known fasteners used to connect aesthetic details to products of clothing or accessories of clothing, products that are made of flexible materials.
In particular, a purpose of this invention is to offer a fastener of the mentioned type that assures a fixing over time, by ensuring the tightness of the connection in terms of kilograms/traction, of the aesthetic detail to the product it is associated with, even if the latter is subjected to small hits.
Another purpose is to offer a fastener of the mentioned type that is simple and quick to realize, which entails reasonable costs of production and sale.
These purposes and others which will be evident to those expert in this sector are achieved by a fastener according to the attached claims.
For a better understanding of the present invention, the following drawings are attached purely as an indication, not as a limiting example, where:

figure 1 shows a side view of a fastener according to the invention;
figure 2 shows a front view of the fastener shown in figure 1;
figure 3 shows a perspective view of the fastener shown in figure 1;
figure 4 shows a side view of a variant of the invention;
figure 5 shows a front view of the variant of figure 4; and
figure 6 shows a perspective view of the variant of figure 4.

With reference to the mentioned figures, in which parts corresponding in the two embodiments of the invention (first embodiment, figures 1-3; second embodiment, figures 4-6) are identified by the same numerical references, a fastener 1 comprises a head 2 and a shank 3. The head 2 is substantially flat or slightly concave toward the shank 3 and presents a free surface 4, an edge 5, and a lower surface 6 (i.e. the surface that the shank 3 orthogonally extends from). An aesthetic detail (not shown in figure), for instance a boss, is associated with such shank in an intrinsically known manner, after coupling the fastener with the product.
The shank 3 has a longitudinal axis W and a, preferably flat, free end 8.
Along the shank 3, in the direction of its axis W, there is a plurality of projecting portions or collars 10, equally spaced from each other over at least part of the length of the shank 3 measured along its longitudinal axis W. Specifically, the fastener 1 shown in figures 1-3 comprises five collars 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, of which the collars 10B-10E are equally spaced from each other whereas the collars 10A and 10B are less spaced from each other than the remaining collars. In both embodiments of the invention, the collar 10A gets in contact with the lower surface 6 of the head 2. Conversely, in the second embodiment, the fastener 1 comprises six collars 10A-10E and 10F, all equally spaced from each other.
Starting from the head 2 and moving along the longitudinal axis W of the shank 3, every collar projects from the shank with a first end 13 of its own, flat on one of its faces 14. Such end 13 presents an edge 15 which is preferably tilted toward the axis W of the shank. Advantageously is said edge 15 rounded.
From the edge 15 a second end 16 of the collar branches off, which is more distant from the head 2 than the first end 13 along the axis W. Said second end tapers toward the shank 3 and preferably has a continuous, circular surface. So, said second end has the shape of a truncated cone terminating on the shank 3 in a position distant from the next, adjacent, and consecutive collar in the direction of the axis W. As already said before, this applies to all collars, but to the collar 10A in the embodiment illustrated in figures 1-3, which terminates on the shank 3 in a position closer to the collar 10B, adjacent and consecutive thereto along the axis W, than the latter and the remaining collars are spaced from each other.
The last collar, in the direction of the axis W and toward the free end 8 of the shank 3, terminates on the latter in such a distant position from said end as to determine on such shank an elongated cylindrical portion 20, which operates as an "invitation" for the insertion of the fastener into the layer of product (not shown in the figures) that it is associated with.
Thanks to the special configuration of its shank 3 provided with projecting collars 3 shaped as described above, i.e. tapering toward the end 8 of the shank along its axis W, the fastener 1 can be easily inserted into the product that shall be associated with and subsequently be fastened to the aesthetic detail. The presence of its own collars 10 caters for a connection of the fastener 1 to said product. The fastener is realized by pressing or molding, which facilitates and speeds up its production while minimizing the costs.
The fastener 1, thanks to its own characteristic shank provided with collars 10 equally shaped and (for almost all of them) spaced from each other, benefits from an improved tightness with the aesthetic details because, during their relative connection, the fastener "draws" into the body of the detail, thus fixing it in a stable and long lasting manner hence assuring a high tight in terms of kilograms/traction to the fastener-detail connection.
Finally, the fasteners 1 are realized (by pressing or molding) in standard dimensions and are easily modifiable for what concerns the length of the shank and the number of the collars. This further facilitates their production.
An embodiment of the invention has been described. Others can be implemented by the light of the previous description and shall be deemed to fall into the scope of the following claims.

Claims

A fastener (1) to fix aesthetic details on products or articles and accessories of clothing like shoes or bags comprising a head (2) and a shank (3) orthogonal thereto and having a longitudinal axis (W) and a free end (8), along at least part of said shank (3) a plurality of collars (10; 10A-10F) being present, equally spaced from each other and projecting from the shank (3), every collar (10; 10A-10F) having a first projecting end (13) located around said shank (3) and a second end (16) tapering toward the shank (3), said second end (16) terminating on the latter in a position distant from the next collar (10; 10A-10F) for at least part of said plurality of collars (10; 10A-10F), characterized in that a collar (10A) of said plurality of collars (10; 10A-10F), close to the head (2), presents the second end (16) terminating on the shank (3) at a distance from the next, adjacent, and consecutive collar located along the longitudinal axis (W) of the fastener toward the free end (8) of the latter, said distance being less than that existing between the termination of the second end (16) of the remaining collars (10B-10F) on said shank and the next, adjacent, and consecutive collar (10C-10F).
A fastener according to claim 1, characterized in that the first end (13) of every collar (10; 10A-10F) has a rounded edge (15).
A fastener according to claim 2, characterized in that said edge (15) tapers toward the second end (16) of the collar (10; 10A-10F).
A fastener according to claim 1, characterized in that the second end features a continuous circular surface and has the shape of a truncated cone.
A fastener according to claim 1, characterized in that the first end (13) of every collar (10; 10A-10F) is closer to the head (2) of the fastener than its own second end (16), the collar tapering in the direction of the longitudinal axis (W) of the shank toward the free end (8) of the latter.
A fastener according to claim 1, characterized in that the shank (3) presents an elongated cylindrical portion close to its own free end (8).