GB2591258A

GB2591258A - Sarong brace

Info

Publication number: GB2591258A
Application number: GB2000946.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Boland Catherine
Original assignee: Catherine Boland
Current assignee: Catherine Boland
Priority date: 2020-01-22
Filing date: 2020-01-22
Publication date: 2021-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 2040-01-22
Also published as: GB2591258B; GB202000946D0; AU2021209419A1; EP4093229A1; US20230132768A1; WO2021148810A1

Abstract

A fastener 2 for reversibly retaining a section of material comprises a body portion 4 having a clamping surface 14 and a primary aperture 10; and a clamping member 6 having a clamping surface (15, Figure 3A), wherein the member 6 is connected to the body portion 4 via a connecting member 8. The clamping member 6 is dimensioned for insertion through the primary aperture 10 when in a first orientation. The clamping surface (15, Figure 3) of the clamping member 6 is dimensioned to rest against the clamping surface 14 when in a second orientation, whilst at least partially covering the primary aperture 10. A first section of material is retained when it has been threaded through the primary aperture between the clamping surfaces 14,(15, Figure 3A). The connecting member 8 may be flexible and may be a biasing member 8 which biases the clamping surfaces 14,(15, Figure 3A) together in the second orientation. Also disclosed is a fastener assembly (22, Figure 5) comprising two fasteners (2,3; Figure 5), use of a fastener assembly (22, Figure 5), a sarong brace, a kit of parts, and a method for reversibly retaining a section of material using a fastener 2.

Description

SARONG BRACE

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a fastener for reversibly retaining a section of material, in particular, a sarong brace for reversibly retaining a section of material. This invention also relates to a fastener assembly including at least two fasteners, uses thereof, and methods of reversibly retaining a section of material using the fastener.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Sarongs are a type of traditional dress made from lengths of fabric worn wrapped around the waist. There are many different variations in style, and the garments are known by different names across the world. Non-traditional material wraps may be referred to as sarongs, scarves, shawls or pashminas. Such wraps are typically formed from a square, rectangular or triangular piece of cloth.

Traditionally sarongs are a garment used to cover the lower half of the body. However, it is now common for a sarong to be tied in a variety of ways across the body to cover -up over swimavear and for an alternative to beach wear, for example.

Sarongs are usually made from lightweight fabric. The wraps are considered a mul purpose, versatile accessory, as they can be worn and styled in various ways. For example, a sarong can be tied in such a way that it resembles a loose-fitting dress, by fastening two corners of the main sheet of fabric in the halter-neck style. Whilst the same piece of material can also be tied as a skirt, or simply worn as a scarf or shawl, There are many methods of fastening a sarong in der to secure it in place on the wearer's body. For example, a pin or belt can be used to hold the sarong in place. As sarongs are often made from lightweight, delicate fabric, repeated pinning can damage the material. This is disadvantageous, particularly if the user would like to tie the same length of fabric in alternative arrangements Alternatively, the material can be carefully folded and tucked under itself in layers, or the corners of the main sheet of fabric might be wrapped around the body and knotted, These methods of fastening a sarong around the body are unlikely to be very secure. The sarong will have a tendency to slip, loosen, or even fail off the wearer altogether.

Some sarongs may have long strips of fabric attached to the main sheet of fabric which the 5 wearer can knot together to prevent the sarong from falling down. However, these wraps are limited by the location and size of the additional strips of fabric, and as such, the wearer may not be able to adapt their sarong into a variety of different garment-styles. For example, the strips may be located such that the sarong can be tied around the body like a skirt but the strips might be of little to no use when the sarong is tied into a halter-neck dress orientation, leaving unsightly strips of fabric 10 dangling from the dress Another known method of securing a sarong around the body is by a sarong buckle. Sarong buckles usually include two openings through which large chunks of sarong material are forced. The user pulls material through the buckle from each side of the sarong whilst the sarong is wrapped around their body, and the friction between the material and the buckle holds the sarong in place.

These devices have the disadvantage that a considerable amount of material is required to be pulled through the buckle openings in order to provide enough resistance to prevent the ends of the material pulling back through the opening, which would loosen the sarong from the body. This often results in a large bunch of material gathered in one location, which can look unsightly. This method of securing a sarong also uses a large proportion of the available fabric resulting in less fabric being available to cover the wearers body. As such, a larger strip of material may be required to make up for the loss in material coverage, this results in a greater cost for the garment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION!

Aspects of the present disclosure are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims, Combinations of features from the dependent claims may be combined with features of the independent claims as appropriate and not merely as explicitly set out in the claims According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a fastener for reversibly retaining a section of material, wherein the fastener comprises: a body portion including: a clamping surface, and a primary aperture, a damping member having a damping surface, wherein the clamping member is connected to the body portion via a connecting member, wherein the damping member is dimensioned for insertion through the primary aperture when in a first orientation, and the clamping surface of the clamping member is dimensioned to rest against the clamping surface of the body portion when in a second orientation, whilst at least partially covering the primary aperture, to thereby retain a first section of material when it has been threaded through the primary aperture between the clamping surfaces.

Such a fastener is advantageous because the amount of material required for attaching the fastener to the material is relatively snail. The fastener requires just enough material to pass through the primary aperture and around the clamping member in order for the material to be clamped between the clamping surfaces Further, the fastener is advantageous because the clamping members do not pierce the fabric and therefore damage to the fabric is minimised Advantageously, the fastener is universal -it does not matter whether the material to be retained in the fastener is of a particular style or shape: if the material can be threaded through at least the primary aperture and clamped between the clamping surfaces, the fastener should retain the material. The fastener is not limited to use of a corner of a piece of fabric, or a thin strip of fabric in order to retain material within the fastener. It is possible to use the fastener with any piece of a sheet of fabric, including a central or edge piece of a sheet of fabric.

In some constructions, the connecting member is flexible. In some constructions, the connecting member is a biasing member which biases the clamping surface of the clamping member towards the clamping surface of the body portion when the clamping member is in the second orientation. The biasing member is flexible such that the damping member can be oriented from the first orientation to the second orientation and be threaded through the primary aperture The biasing member biases the clamping member against the clamping surface. This provides an additional clamping force for the clamping member to clamp material positioned between the damping surfaces.

in some constructions of the fastener, the body portion may include a secondary aperture.

A secondary aperture allows a portion of fabric to be threaded through the secondary aperture in addition to being threaded through the primary aperture. The secondary aperture can therefore provide frictional engagement between the material and the fastener, thus further improving the strength and security of the fastening. The secondary aperture can also provide directional orientation to the fabric. The secondary aperture can be used to create a ruching effect on fabric as it enters the fastener. The secondary aperture can also be used to attach an additional fastener or fasteners to the first fastener. Although a single fastener can retain more than one piece of material at the same time, additional fasteners can be added to increase the strips of material that can be fastened together.

In some constructions of the fastener, the primary aperture may be for receiving the clamping member and first section of material, and a plurality of secondary apertures may be spaced around the primary aperture for receiving further sections of material therethrough, An advantage of the secondary apertures is that they provide direction to the fabric when it is threaded through. For example, two secondary apertures may be spaced apart in such a way that material may be inserted from opposite directions across the body of the fastener. The secondary fastener can create a ruching effect on either side of the fastener, In another example, the body portion may comprise three secondary apertures substantially evenly spaced radially around the primary aperture.

In some constructions, the secondary aperture is a hook. In this construction, the fastener can be clamped to the material via the primary aperture, then the material can be quickly hooked into the secondary apertures to create the ruching effect, for example. In other constructions, the secondary aperture comprises an enclosed perimeter. In this example, the material can be passed through the secondary apertures before it is passed through the primary apertures. The secondary apertures can create additional frictional engagement, directional orientation and ruching of the material, as necessary. The secondary apertures can also be used to attach a strap for connecting more than one fastener together, for example.

In some constructions, the body portion may be substantially planar. A planar fastener body allows the fastener to be discreet. A planar body allows the fastener to be positioned in a variety of locations around the person since the planar body will lie flat against the body.

In some constructions the primary aperture may be a substantially rectangular slot. A substantially rectangular slot allows the clamping member to pass through in the first orientation and prevents the clamping member from passing back through the slot when in the second orientation. A slot-shaped primary aperture therefore performs the function of the primary aperture whilst allowing the size of the fastener to be kept minimal. It is envisaged that other shapes of the primary aperture and/or the clamping member would achieve this effect In some constructions, a plurality of secondary apertures can be spaced around the primary aperture for receiving further sections of material therethrough. In some examples, the body portion comprises three secondary apertures substantially evenly spaced radially around the primary aperture. In some examples, the body portion includes at least one secondary aperture which is a hook, and at least one secondary aperture which has an enclosed perimeter.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a fastener assembly comprising at least two fasteners as herein described, wherein the fasteners are connectable to each other by a strap. In some examples, the strap is the connecting member. The strap can be a strip of braided leather, for example. The strap can be used to attach two fasteners together at a distance. Thus, the fastener assembly allows the user to connect strips of fabric in a variety of ways. As well as attaching two pieces of fabric at the same location, on the same fastener, the fastener assembly 20 allows materials to be connected at a distance from one another on different fasteners. This is advantageous because it increases the variety of garment styles that can be created with a single piece of fabric Said fastener assembly can be used to create a garment having arm holes from a single rectangle of fabric without the need to cut or stitch the fabric, for example. One or more fastener assemblies can be attached at different locations on a piece of material to create arm-straps, 25 for example. Alternatively, one or more fastener assemblies can be attached to form handles such that a piece of material can be transformed into a bag.

In some examples of the fastener assembly, the number of secondary apertures on the second fastener may be greater than the number of secondary apertures on the first fastener. This 30 arrangement can be used to enable a garment with two-arm holes to be created from a single sheet of fabric, for example.

In some constructions of the fastener assembly, the connecting member may be made from one of leather, cloth, woven metal, elastic or plastic. In addition to the aesthetic appeal of such straps, these connecting members can add strength to the assembly.

In a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a fastener assembly for use in converting a sheet of material into a garment.

In some examples, the section of fabric may be substantially rectangular.

In some examples, the fabric material is a sarong or pashrnma, In a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a sarong brace, comprising at least two fasteners of any preceding claim, wherein the fasteners are connectable to each other by a connecting member.

In a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of reversibly retaining a section of material using a fastener, the method comprising the steps of: providing a fastener as described herein, positioning a section of material against a non-clamping side of The body portion such that it overlies the primary aperture.

advancing the damping member from the non-clamping side through the primary aperture such that at least a portion of said material is threaded through the primary aperture by the damping member, orienting the clamping member into a second orientation such that the clamping surface of the clamping member rests against the clamping surface of the body portion, and the clamping member at least partially covers the primary aperture, such that an amount of material is retained between the clamping surfaces.

Such a method is advantageous because the amount of material required for attaching the fastener to the material is relatively small. The fastener requires just enough material to pass through the primary aperture and around the clamping member in order for the material to be clamped between the clamping surfaces Further, the method is advantageous because the clamping members do not pierce the fabric and therefore damage to the fabric is minimised.

In some examples of the method, the clamping member may have a non-damping surface. Pushing the clamping member and material through the primary aperture causes the non--clamping surface to be at least partially covered by the material.

In other examples of the method, pushing the clamping member and material through the primary aperture causes the non-clamping surface to be enveloped by the material.

Covering or enveloping the clamping member with material is advantageous for several reasons. Firstly, the material covering the clamping member results in the appearance of the fastener matching the material of the wrap. This means that the same fastener can be used on a variety of different colours and styles of wrap whilst giving the appearance of being a matching element. The material covering the clamping member can help camouflage the fastener when attached to the material, if desired. As such, the fastener is able to blend in with the surrounding fabric, Also, by covering the clamping member with the material, adequate clamping of the material under the clamping member is achieved. Therefore, this acts as a visual indicator to the user that the material has been suitably clamped.

In further examples of the method, the section of material can be threaded through a secondary aperture before the section of material is positioned over the primary aperture. The 20 secondary aperture provides additional frictional engagement between the fastener and the material.

Although particular constructions of this disclosure have been described, it will be appreciated that many modifications/additions and/or substitutions may be made within the scope of he claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Constructions of this disclosure will be described hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like reference signs relate to like elements and in 30 which: Figure 1A shows an exemplary construction of a fastener according to the present invention; igure 1B shows an exemplary construction of a fastener according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows another exemplary construction of a fastener according to the present invention; Figure 3A shows an exemplary construction of a fastener in which the clamping member is in the first orientation; Figure 38 shows an exemplary construc on of a fastener in which the clamping member is in the second orientation; Figure 4 shows the body portion and clamping members in which relative dimensions are 10 highlighted; Figure 5 shows an exemplary fastener assembly according to one example of the present invention; Figure 6 shows a first step in an exemplary method of using a fastener assembly, in which the material is arranged so that it can be threaded through the fastener; Figure 7 shows a second step in an exemplary method of using a fastener assembly, in which the material is placed on the non-clamping surface of the body portion; Figure 8 shows a third step in an exemplary method of using a fastener assembly, in which the material is pushed from the non-clamping side to the clamping side of the body portion by the clamping member; Figure 9 shows a fourth step in an exemplary method of using a fastener assembly, in which the clamping member is in the second orientation with the material clamped between the clamping surfaces; Figure 10 shows a fifth step in an exemplary method of using a fastener assembly, in which a different portion of material is threaded through the secondary aperture and over the non-25 damping surface of the body portion of a second fastener of the fastener assembly; Figure 11 shows a sixth step in an exemplary method in which the clamping member of the second fastener has been pushed through the pHmary aperture and moved into the second orientation, such that the material is clamped between the clamping surfaces; Figure 12 is a schematic showing a person from behind, wearing a garment made from a 30 sarong having the fastener assembly attached to form a garment with two arm holes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Constructions of his disclosure are described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1A and 1B show different examples of a first construction of the fastener 2. The fastener 2 includes a body portion 4, and a clamping member 6, connected to the body portion via a connecting member 8. The connecting member 8 can be in the form of a flexible biasing member, which can, as an example, be formed from an elastic material directly attached to the body portion 4 (see Figure 1A). Alternatively, the connecting member 8 can be in the form of a strap, threaded through the body portion 4 (see Figure 18).

The body portion 4 of the fastener 2 includes a primary aperture 10, a clamping surface 14 and a non-clamping surface 16. During use, a first section of material can be threaded through the primary aperture 10, along with the clamping member 6. As is clear from the Figures and accompanying description, the clamping and non-clamping surfaces 14, 16 are determined by the direction that the clamping member 6 is threaded through the primary aperture 10, when in use.

As shown in Figure 1A, the body portion 4 includes at least one secondary aperture 12, and preferably at least two secondary apertures 12. Figure 16 shows an example of the first construction comprising three secondary apertures 12. A second section of material can be threaded through the secondary aperture 12, the secondary aperture 12 can therefore be used to retain a second section of material therethrough, for providing additional friction and directional orientation and ruching to the material. The clamping member 6 can be connected to the body portion 4 by the connecting member 8 at the same secondary aperture 12 as the material is threaded through, or preferably at a different secondary aperture 12.

Figure 2 shows a second construction of the fastener 3, in which equivalent features are numbered with the same reference numerals. The fastener 3 includes a primary aperture 10, at least one secondary aperture 13 having a hook like construction, and in this example, at least one secondary aperture 12 having an enclosed perimeter for connection to the clamping member 6. A second section of material can be threaded or slipped round the hooked secondary aperture 12. The secondary aperture 12 can therefore be used to retain a second section of material therethrough, fo providing additional friction and directional orientation to the material and final garment.

The clamping member 6 is dimensioned for insertion through the primary aperture 10 when in a first orientation 18. The first orientation 18 is shown in Figure 3A. The clamping surface 15 of the clamping member 6 is dimensioned to rest against the clamping surface 14 of the body portion 4 when in a second orientation 20. The second orientation is shown in Figure 3B. The clamping surface of the clamping member 6 is dimensioned to at least partially cover the primary aperture 10. As described in more detail below, the interaction between the clamping surfaces 14, 15 allows a section of material, which has been threaded through the primary aperture, to be retained around the clamping member 6 and between the clamping surfaces 14, 15.

The connecting member 8 can bias the clamping surface 15 of the clamping member 6 towards the clamping surface 14 of the body portion 4 when the clamping member is in the second orientation 20. The connecting member 8 can have a biasing effect in the form of a flexible member connected to a secondary aperture 12, in particular if it is formed of an elastic material. The connecting member 8 can also have a biasing effect if it is formed from the strap in the fastener assembly 22, As shown in Figure 4, the primary aperture 10 can be a slot having a slot height H and a slot length L, and the clamping member 6 is dimensioned such that it has a thickness T which is less than the slot height H, and a width W which is less than the slot length L, such that in the first orientation 18, the clamping member 6 can fit through the primary aperture 10, and wherein the clamping member 6 is dimensioned such that when the clamping member 6 is in the second orientation 20, the damping member 6 cannot pass through the primary aperture 10, As shown in the Figures, the clamping member 6 can be shaped like a circular button. Alternatively, the clamping member 6 can have a generally circular, oval, or rectangular perimeter for example, provided the clamping member 6 is dimensioned to pass through the primary aperture 10 whilst in the first orientation 18. The clamping member 6 is also dimensioned such that when the clamping member 6 is in the second orientation 20, the clamping member 6 extends over the primary aperture 10 so that the camping member 6 cannot pass through the primary aperture 10 unless it is oriented back into the first orientation 18.

The amount of material 12 that can be damped by the fastener 2, 3 can be restricted by the width of the primary aperture 10 and the thickness of the clamping member 6. Therefore, the width of the primary aperture 10 can be varied accordingly. For example, the greater the number of secondary apertures 12, 13, the wider the primary aperture 10 might be The amount of material that can be clamped by the fastener 2, 3 can also be limited the force exerted by the clamping member 6. A clamping member 6 having a strong biasing force will be able to damp a greater amount of material in comparison to a clamping member 6 having a weaker biasing force.

0 Similarly, the body portion 4 has a substantially planar construction, however the body portion 4 is not limited to a planar construction. The body portion 4 could have at least one domed surface, for example. If the body portion 4 had a domed surface, it would preferably be domed on the non-clamping surface 16.

The connecting member 6 should at least be long enough for the clamping member 6 to be threaded through the primary aperture 10 and be subsequently oriented into the second orientation 20 such that the clamping surface 15 of the clamping member 6 rests against the clamping surface 14 of the body portion 4, In some constructions, the connecting member 8 is a biasing member which biases the clamping surface 15 of the clamping member 6 towards the clamping surface 14 of the body portion 4 when the clamping member 6 is in the second orientation 20. The biasing member is such that the clamping member 6 can be oriented from the first orientation 18 to the second orientation 20 and be threaded through the primary aperture 10. The biasing member biases the clamping member 6 against the first clamping surface 14, this provides an additional clamping force for the damping member 6 to clamp material positioned between the clamping surfaces 14, 15. The biasing member can allow for the fastener 2, 3 to clamp a single thickness of material and up to several thicknesses of material using the same biasing member The biasing member can be an elastic strip, or a spring, for example The biasing member can also be the strap for connecting more than one fastener 2, 3 together to form a fastener assembly 22, as described in more detail below.

The clamping member 6 is typically connected to the body portion 4 by threading the connecting member 8 through the secondary aperture 12. However, the connecting member 8 could also be attached to the body portion 4 by other means, for example by fixing an end of the connecting member 8 to the body portion 4 using an adhesive.

Figure 5 shows a third construction of the invention which includes a fastener assembly 22, 5 or sarong brace, in which two fasteners 2, 3 are tethered together by the connecting member 8, wherein the connecting member is a strap. Both of the fasteners 2, 3 are shown positioned on the strap at a distance from the clamping member 6. As can be expected, the fasteners 2, 3 can be moveable up and down the strap until the clamping members 6 fix them in position at the respective ends of the strap. Alternatively, the strap could be tapered so that the dimensions of the secondary 10 aperture(s) 12 limit the movement of the fastener(s) 2, 3 on the strap.

The fastener assembly 22 shown in Figure 5 includes two fasteners 2, 3, In this example, the number of secondary apertures 12 on the first fastener 2, is less than the number of secondary apertures 12, 13 on the second fastener 3.

A fastener 2, 3 or fastener assembly 22 can be used to convert a section of fabric material 23 from a sheet of material into a garment A fastener 2, 3 may be attached to a piece of material 23, such as a sarong or pashmina, 20 directly through the primary aperture 10, without utilising any secondary apertures 12, 13 The fastener 2, 3 can clamp at least a single layer of material. Two or three pieces of material 23 can also be clamped by one fastener 2, 3 at the same time.

Pushing the clamping member 6 and material 23 through the primary aperture 10 causes the non-25 clamping surface 17 of the damping member 6 to be at least partially covered by the material 23. Pushing the clamping member 6 and material 23 through the primary aperture 10 can also cause the non-clamping surface 17 to be enveloped by the material 23.

In a fourth construction, there is provided a method for reversibly retaining a section of material 23 using a fastener 2, 3, Figures relating to the methods are shown in Figures 6 to 12. The following example explains how to use the fastener assembly 22 to create a waterfall-style garment with arm holes out of a simple rectangular piece of material 23. As will be clear to the skilled person, the same or similar method can be used to create a variety of garment styles by retaining different portions of material 23 within a fastener 2, 3 or fastener assembly 22.

Firstly, as shown in Figure 6, two corners, 24, 25 of material 23 are overlapped. The fastener 3 in the fastener assembly 22 is then placed over the material 23, so that the sections of material 23 are positioned against the non-damping surface 16 of the body portion 4 such that the material 23 overlies the primary aperture 10, as shown in Figure 7. The damping member 6 is then placed over the material 23 in the first orientation 18. The clamping member 6 is pushed from the non-clamping surface 16 to the clamping surface 14 of the body portion 4, through the primary aperture 10 such that at least a portion of said material 23 is threaded through the primary aperture 19 by the clamping member 6. in this example, where two corners, or pieces, of material 23 are overlapped, the clamping member 6 will push both pieces of material 23 through the primary aperture 10, such that at least a portion of both pieces of material 23 are threaded through the primary aperture 10 by the clamping member 6, as shown in Figure 8.

The clamping member 6 is then oriented into the second orientation 20, as shown in Figure 9, such that the clamping surface 15 of the clamping member 6 rests against the clamping surface 14 of the body portion 4. In this orientation, the clamping member 6 at least partially covers the primary aperture 10, such that an amount of material 23 is retained between the clamping surfaces 14, 15, In this example, where two corners, or pieces, of material 23 are overlapped, an amount of both pieces of material 23 will be retained between the clamping surfaces 14, 15 The first fastener 3 of the fastener assembly 22 is now attached to the sheet of material 23, The material 23 leading from each of the two corners 23, 24 of material is threaded around the hooks of the secondary apertures 13 in order to provide extra frictional engagement and provide orientation and ruching to the material 23.

Next, a further portion of material 26 is taken from the same rectangle of material, preferably a central portion of the top edge 26 (see Figure 6), relative to the corners 24, 25. The second fastener 2, of the fastener assembly is then positioned over the central portion of material 23.

The further portion 26 of material is threaded through the secondary aperture 12 so that it covers the primary aperture 10 against the non-clamping surface 16 of the body portion 4, as shown in Figure 10. The clamping member 6 is then placed over the material in the first orientation 18 The clamping member 6 is pushed from the non-clamping surface 16 to the clamping surface 14 of the body portion 4, through the primary aperture 10 such that at least a portion of said material is threaded through the primary aperture 10 by the damping member 6.

The damping member 6 is then oriented into the second orientation 20, as shown in Figure 11, such that the clamping surface 15 of the clamping member 6 rests against the damping surface 14 of the body pardon 4. In this orientation, the clamping member 6 at least partially covers the primary aperture 10, such that an amount of material 23 is retained between the clamping surfaces 14, 15. The second fastener 2 of the fastener assembly 22 is now attached to the material 23.

Using this method, the material 23 can be shaped to produce a garment with two arm holes that can be worn like a waistcoat, as shown in Figure 12 which shows the fastener assembly 22 resting between the shoulder blades of the garment wearer 28.

Sections of material 23 can also be threaded through each secondary aperture, 12, 13 before each section of material 23 is positioned over the primary aperture 10 in layers.

The fastener 2, 3 can be easily released from the material 23 by orienting the clamping member 6 into the first orientation 18 and pushing the clamping member 6 and material 23 back through the primary aperture 10 to release the material from the fastener 2,3. If the material 23 was also retained by secondary aperture(s) 12, 13 then the material should be released from the secondary aperture(s) 12, 13 by unhooking or unthreading the material 23.

The methods described above can be used to secure material 23 around a person 28.

This invention is not limited to use with a sarong, the invention can be used with many types, length or shapes of material, such as sarongs, scarves, towels etc. to create a plurality of clothing styles or accessory styles using a fastener and or fastener assembly The present invention relates to a fastener 2, 3 for reversibly retaining a piece of fabric. The fastener 2, 3 is not limited to attaching portions of the same sheet of material 23 together, for example the same fastener 2,3 can be used to attach portions of different sheets of material 23 together-. For example, the fastener 2, 3 can be used to attach a portion of the same sheet of material 23 to itself in such a way that the sheet of material 23 is then secured around a person's body 28 Such a fastener 2, 3 can also be used to attach two or more sheets of material 23 tociether, The present invention also relates to a fastener assembly 22 in which at least two fasteners 2, 3 are connected by a connecting member 8. The fastener assembly 22 can be used to attach portions of the same sheet of material 23 to the fasteners 2, 3, or it can be used to attach more than one sheet of material 23 together. Accordingly, for ease of explanation, when the following description refers to more than one piece or section of material 23 in reference to the fastener 2, 3 and/or fastener assembly 22, it should be understood that the material 23 could be a portion of material 23 from the same sheet, a portion of material 23 from a different sheet, and any combination of same and different sheets.

One skilled in the art will appreciate further features and advantages of the invention based on the above-described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited by what has been particularly shown and described, except as indicated by the appended claims

Claims

CLAIMS.rectangular slot, 1.
A fastener for reversibly retaining a section of material, wherein the fastener comprises: a body portion including: a clamping surface and a primary aperture, a clamping member having a clamping surface, wherein the damping member is connected to the body portion via a connecting member, wherein the clamping member is dimensioned for insertion through the primary aperture when in a first orientation, and the damping surface of the clamping member is dimensioned to rest against the clamping surface of the body portion when in a second orientation, whilst at least partially covering the primary aperture, to thereby retain a first section of material when it has been threaded through the primary aperture between the clamping surfaces.
The fastener of claim 1 herein the connecting member is flexible.
The fastener of claim 2, wherein the connecting member is a biasing member which biases the clamping surface of the clamping member towards the damping surface of the body portion when the clamping member is in the second orientation.
The fastener of claim 1, wherein the body portion includes a secondary aperture for retaining a second section of material threaded through the secondary aperture.
The fastener of claim 4, wherein the secondary aperture is a hook.
The fastener of claim 4 erein the secondary aperture comprises an enclosed perimeter The fastener of any preceding claim, wherein the body portion is substantially planar.
The fastener of any preceding claim herein the primary aperture is a substantially 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
9. The fastener of any of claims 4 to 8, wherein a plurality of secondary apertures are spaced around the primary aperture for receiving further sections of material therethrough.
10. The fastener of claim 9, wherein the body portion comprises three secondary apertures substantially evenly spaced radially around the primary aperture.
11. A fastener assembly comprising at least two fasteners of any preceding claim, wherein the fasteners are connectable to each other by a strap.
12. The fastener assembly of claim 11, wherein the strap is the connecting member.
13. The fastener assembly of claim 11 or 12, when dependent on claims 9 or 10, wherein the number of secondary apertures on the second fastener is greater than the number of secondary apertures on the first fastener.
14. The fastener assembly of claims 8 or 9, wherein the connecting member is made from one of leather, cloth, woven metal, elastic, or plastic.
15. Use of a fastener assembly according to any of claims 11 to 14, for converting a section of fabric material from a sheet of material into a garment.
16. Use according to claim 15, wherein the section of fabric is substantially rectangular,
17. Use according to claims 15 or 16 herein the fabric material is a sarong or ^ashrnina.
18. A sarong brace, comprising at least two fasteners of any preceding claim wherein the fasteners are connected to each other oy a connecting member.
19. A kit comprising at least two fasteners and a connecting member, for connecting the fasteners together.
20. A method of reversibly retaining a section of material using a fastener, the method comprising the steps of: providing a fastener according to any of claims 1 to 7, positioning the section of material against a non-damping side of the body portion such that it overlies the primary aperture, advancing the clamping member from the non-clamping side through the primary aperture such that at least a portion of said material is threaded through the primary aperture by the clamping member, orienting the clamping member into a second orientation such that the clamping surface of the clamping member rests against the clamping surface of the body portion, and the clamping member at least partially covers the primary aperture, such that an amount of rnaterial is retained between the clamping surfaces.
21. the method of claim 15, wherein the damping member has a non-clamping surface and pushing the clamping member and material through the primary aperture causes the non-clamping surface to be at least partially covered by the material.
22, The method of claims 15 or 16, wherein the clamping member has a non-clamping surface and pushing the clamping member and material through the primary aperture causes the non-clamping surface to be enveloped by the material.
23. The method of an 5 to 17, wherein the section of material is threaded throuqh a secondary aperture before the section of material is positioned against the non-clamping side of the body portion, wherein the secondary aperture provides frictional engagement between the fastener and the material.