WO2008019456A1

WO2008019456A1 - A button for fabrics or the like

Info

Publication number: WO2008019456A1
Application number: PCT/BR2007/000059
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paulo DOMINGOS MUSSÓI; Roni Kramer Martins
Original assignee: Mundial S.A Produtos De Consumo
Priority date: 2006-08-15
Filing date: 2007-03-13
Publication date: 2008-02-21

Abstract

The present invention relates to a button for fabric or the like, which comprises a male part (1 ) and a female part (5). The male part (5) has a base (2) and an axial stem (3) extending from the base (2), and the female part (5) comprises a hollow body portion defined by an axial tubular wall (6) that is integrally formed at its upper end with an upper portion (7). The upper portion (7) extends radially outwards to define the top surface of the button.. A spacer element (20) is arranged between the female part (5) and the base (2) of the male part (1 ) upon assembling the button. In this way, the female part (5) has a certain freedom of movement with respect to the stem (3) axis, and can be wobbled so as to facilitate the insertion of its top into the receiving hole of a fabric.

Description

Title: "A BUTTON FOR FABRICS OR THE LIKE"

The present invention relates to a button, and more specifically to garment buttons. Background of the invention Buttons for fabrics basically comprise a female part, a male part and a finishing part. The male part generally has a portion with a pin configuration that perforates the fabric and is received in a bore of the female part, so that the fabric is sandwiched between the two parts.

Fixing of the button to the fabric is generally effected with the help of a riveting tool, which deforms the pin of the male part, causing it to assume a larger dimension than that of the receiving opening. After deformation of the pin, the male part becomes integral with the female part.

After fixating of the button to the fabric, the female part is on the outer side of the fabric and will be exposed during use. Thus, this female part should be esthetically pleasing, for which reason such buttons generally have a finish or adornment that covers the deformed portion of the pin.

A drawback of this type of button is that, after fixating the button, the fabric is squeezed between the base of the male part and the female part and, since the space provided between the two parts may not have significant dimensions (that is to say, it is not much greater than the fabric thickness), the female part has little mobility.

Although a button with a virtually motionless female part is functional, determined applications may require some mobility. For instance, such mobility may be desired for facilitating the insertion or removal of the button into / out of the buttonhole at the moment of joining or separating the two fabric parts (that is to say, at the moment the button is "fastened" or "unfastened"'). With this mobility, the female part could, for instance, be wobbled so as to facilitate the insertion of its top disc into the receiving hole in a position substantially inclined with respect to the fabric. Objectives of the invention

Thus, the main object of the present invention is to provide a button for fabrics or the like of simple construction, with a low manufacturing cost, which does not need finishing pieces or adornment and is easy to use at the moment of joining or separating the two fabric parts joined by the button (that is to say, at the moment of "buttoning" or "unbuttoning").

The present invention relates to a button that has a one-piece female part that is movable with respect to the base of the male part.

The above-mentioned objects are achieved by means of a button for fabrics or the like, which comprises a male part having a base and an axial stem extending from the base, a female part comprising a hollow body portion defined by an axial tubular wall formed integrally, at the upper end, with an upper portion extending radially outwards to define the top surface of the button, the lower end of the tubular wall being folded inwards, and a separate tubular spacer element projecting into the axial tubular wall of the female part and having an upper end folded outwards and resting on said inwardly folded end. The tubular spacing element is sized to receive said axial stem.

In a preferred embodiment, the axial tubular wall, the tubular spacer element and the axial stem are substantially cylindrical. Further in this embodiment, the lower end of the tubular wall is folded inwards and upwards, and the upper end of the tubular spacer element is folded outwards and downwards over the lower end of that tubular wall. Brief description of the drawings

The figures are briefly described hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a side view of the male part of a button according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the female part and spacer of the button of the present invention. Description of the invention

Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of the male part 1 that constitutes the button described herein. As can be seen, the male part 1 comprises a base 2 and an axial stem 3 extending from the base 2. The base

2 is circular in shape and the axial stem 3 is substantially cylindrical in shape, culminating in a tapered end 4. Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the button described herein, where a female part 5 and a spacer 20 are illustrated.

The female part 5 comprises a hollow body portion defined by an axial tubular wall 6 that is formed integrally at its upper end with an upper portion 7, which extends radially outwards to define the top surface of the button. In a preferred embodiment, this top surface of the button is substantially flat so that it can receive engravings or adornment imprints. Besides, the upper portion 7 may be bent downwards so as to define two parallel walls. The lower end 8 of the tubular wall 6 is bent inwards, so as to define a support surface for the tubular spacer element 20.

The tubular spacer element 20, which is the main characteristic responsible for the mobility of the female part 5, extends inwardly of the axial tubular wall 6 of the female part 5. The upper end 21 of the tubular spacer element 20 is bent outwards so as to rest on the inwardly bent end 8 of the axial tubular wall 6.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in figure 2, the lower end

8 of wall 6 is bent inwards and upwards, and the upper end 21 of the spacer element 20 is bent outwards and downwards over the lower end 8. In this way, the bent end 8 is housed underneath the upper end 21 of spacer element 20.

The tubular spacer element 20 is sized to receive the axial stem 3 of the male part while the button is being mounted (when fixating the button to the fabric). Thus, while in the prior art buttons the fabric remains squeezed between the base of the male part and the bottom of the female part, the present invention provides a spacer element 20, to be coupled to the female part 5, that is positioned between the female part 5 and the male part 1 when the button is mounted. In this way, the female part 5 is free to move axially and to wobble with respect to stem 3, since it is not squeezed against the base 2 if the female part 1.

It should be also noted the spacer 20 also has the function of guaranteeing that the elongate stem advances through the bore of the female part in a suitable position for the riveting operation.

From the above it becomes clear that the button of the present invention has numerous advantages over the buttons known from the prior art, including the following:

- the provision of a single-piece female part (integrally formed), which contributes to reduce the manufacturing cost of the button;

- the provision of a substantially flat top surface on the female part, which enables one to make imprints or engravings on such top surface, dispensing with an additional ornamental cover or cap; and

- the provision of a spacer element between the female part and the male part, which confers greater mobility on the female part after assembling the button, this mobility being important to facilitate the use thereof. An example of embodiment having been described, it is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is limited only by the terms of the accompanying claims, including possible equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A button for fabrics or the like, comprising a male part (1 ) having a base (2) and an axial stem (3) extending from the base (2), and a female part (5) comprising a hollow body portion defined by an axial tubular wall (6) that is integrally formed at its upper end with an upper portion (7) extending radially outwards to define the top surface of the button, the lower end (8) of the tubular wall (6) being bent inwards, characterized by further comprising a tubular spacer element (20) extending inwardly of the axial tubular wall (6) of the female part (5) and having an upper end (21 ) bent outwards and resting on said inwardly-bent end (8) of the tubular wall (6), the tubular spacer element (20) being dimensioned to receive said axial stem (3).

2. A button according to claim 1 , characterized in that the axial tubular wall (6), the tubular spacer element (20) and the axial stem (3) are substantially cylindrical.

3. A button according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lower end (8) of the tubular wall (6) is bent inwards and upwards, and the upper end (21) of the tubular spacing base element (20) is bent outwards and downwards over the lower end (8) of the tubular wall (6).