WO2012173475A1

WO2012173475A1 - System comprising a button, an attaching member and a decorative element, as well as a button or a decorative element as part of this system and a garment provided with such a button

Info

Publication number: WO2012173475A1
Application number: PCT/NL2012/050413
Authority: WO
Inventors: Renate Maria Agnes VOLLEBERG; William Maria Antonius WIGGERS; Roy Roderik WIGGERS
Original assignee: Babouche Schoenen B.V.
Priority date: 2011-06-14
Filing date: 2012-06-14
Publication date: 2012-12-20
Also published as: NL1038870C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a button (1), an underside of which can be attached to or on a piece of material (11) such as for instance fabric or leather, and a decorative member (6) which can be attached to an upper side of the button. The decorative member is preferably attached releasably to the upper side of the button so that decorative members can be chosen in combination with for instance garments and can be attached to the button. The upper side of the button is provided for this purpose with a recess (21) and the decorative member with a protrusion (10) which can be received in the recess, and resilient means (22, 23) which fasten the protrusion releasably in the recess.

Description

SYSTEM COMPRISING A BUTTON, AN ATTACHING MEMBER AND A DECORATIVE ELEMENT, AS WELL AS A BUTTON OR A DECORATIVE ELEMENT AS PART OF THIS SYSTEM AND A GARMENT PROVIDED WITH SUCH A BUTTON

The invention relates to a system according to the preamble of claim 1 , comprising a button, an underside of which can be attached to or on a piece of material such as for instance fabric or leather, and an attaching member for attaching the button to the material.

Systems of this type are known from the American patent US 4959890. They are for instance found in numerous garments, where they co-act with buttonholes and as such form a releasable closure. The attaching member generally consists here of a pin or bush, which can be pressed through an opening in the material, and a protruding edge. The pin or bush can then be fixed in an opening in the underside of the button.

The button often remains visible.

The system according to the preamble of claim 1 makes it possible to embellish a visible button such that it forms a decoration or can convey a message. The system according to the preamble of claim 1 has the feature for this purpose that it also comprises a decorative member and attaching means for attaching the decorative member to an upper side of the button. A favourable embodiment of the system according to the preamble of claim 1 has the feature that the attaching means are adapted to attach the decorative member releasably to the upper side of the button so that the decorative member can be exchanged and a colour or a shape can be chosen such that it suits the circumstances or matches a colour of an adjacent garment. The attaching means can for instance be formed here by a magnet, a screw thread, a piece of velcro tape and the like.

A very favourable embodiment of the system according to the preamble of claim 1 has the feature that the attaching means comprise a recess arranged in the upper side of the button and a protrusion which is mounted on the decorative member and which can be received in the recess. The attaching means preferably also comprise resilient means for the purpose of fastening the protrusion releasably in the recess so that the system can be realized in relatively simple manner on the basis of techniques common in the button manufacturing industry.

It is an object of the invention to provide a system according to the preamble of claim 1 which requires fewer fitting operations and is thereby easy to produce.

The system according to the invention has for this purpose the feature that the resilient means are integrated in the button and has the feature that the button is manufactured at least substantially from plastic and that the resilient means comprise an at least substantially annular additional recess around the recess. The advantage is that practically no fitting operations are involved, whereby the button can be manufactured inexpensively. An additional advantage is that the button can if desired be attached to a garment with a screw thread connection.

A further favourable embodiment has the feature that the dimensions of the decorative member are such that the decorative member at least

substantially wholly covers the upper side of the button so that the button is almost completely hidden from view.

A further favourable embodiment has the feature that the decorative member is provided with a contour which as such forms an image, wherein the contour for instance represents a butterfly or a cartoon character, or an image which is popular at any given moment. It is then for instance possible to give a somewhat older garment a modern appearance by providing buttons with suitable decorative members or by replacing older decorative members with new ones.

It is of course also possible to utilize the system such that there is no co- action with a buttonhole and wherein the button serves solely as carrier of a decorative member. It is thus possible to attach to garments in general, but more particularly to shoes, belts, bags and the like, buttons on which decorative members of choice can then be arranged, for instance selected so as to form a surprising combination with other garments. It is for instance also possible to attach identical decorative members on shoes, bags or other garments of a mother and child, or decorative members which coordinate with each other in other manner. A further favourable embodiment has the feature that the decorative member is provided with an attaching member such as an eye so that the decorative member can be supplemented with for instance tassels or chains.

Providing the annular additional recess with one or more partitions further increases in inventive manner the resilience of the resilient means formed by the part of the button between the recess and the additional recess.

Said resilience can be increased still further by making the recess non- round.

The recess is preferably polygonal here, and preferably hexagonal.

The partitions preferably extend radially in the additional recess such that the produced part of each partition intersects a corner of the recess.

In a practical embodiment of the system according to the invention the button is substantially circular in a cross-section, with a diameter

substantially increasing in the direction of the upper side of the button. This measure makes the system highly suitable for use as closing button of a garment made of sturdy fabric, such as denim (jeans) or leather.

The attaching member preferably comprises two co-acting attaching elements, wherein the first attaching element comprises a hollow stem, a first outer end of which is connected to the underside of the button and wherein the second attaching element comprises a pin, wherein the pin is intended to be received clampingly in the hollow stem while clamping the piece of material. In an economic embodiment of the system according to the invention the first attaching element of the attaching member and the button are manufactured from one piece of plastic. This further reduces the fitting operations.

The button is preferably manufactured substantially from polyoxymethylene. Polyoxymethylene is a very hard plastic which is highly suitable for prolonged use.

The invention also relates to a button or decorative element as part of a system according to any of the foregoing claims.

The invention also relates to a garment provided with a button according to any of the foregoing claims.

The invention will now be further elucidated with reference to the following figures, in which:

Fig. 1A shows a longitudinal section of a combination of a button and a decorative member according to the invention;

Fig 1 B shows a top view of this combination;

Fig 2 shows a longitudinal section of a combination of an alternative button and a decorative member according to the invention;

Fig 3 shows a side view of a boot provided with combinations of buttons and decorative members;

Fig 4 shows a longitudinal section of a combination of a further

alternative button and a decorative member according to the invention.

Fig 5 shows an exploded view of the system according to the

invention of a further alternative button. Fig. 1 A shows a longitudinal section of a combination of a button 1 provided with a stem 2 so that it can be attached using a pin 3 to for instance a waistband of a pair of jeans in a per se known manner and can then be used to close the waistband in combination with a buttonhole, wherein in a closed position the buttonhole is situated around stem 2. Button 1 is particularly provided with a recess 4 in which a resilient member 5 is received. A decorative member 6 can hereby be attached to button 1 and, if desired, removed again or replaced with another decorative member. The button can in this way be used as carrier for different types of decorative member, for instance with different colours or prints, but also with different contours, depending on the circumstances and the personal taste of the user.

Decorative member 6 is embodied here as an upper part 7 which forms the actual decorative member and an edge 8 of which is seam-folded around a part 9 which is provided with a protrusion 10 which can be received in recess 4 and then be releasably secured using resilient member 5. It is noted that a combination of a recess 4, a resilient member 5 and a protrusion 10 of this type exists as such and is applied in a closure of for instance a blouse with a first seam and a second, overlapping seam. Button 1 is attached here to the first seam and button 1 co-acts with a mating button which is attached to the second seam and of which protrusion 10 forms part. The mating button is then sewn to the second seam or attached using a pin 3 or similar means.

Fig. 1 B shows a top view of this combination, with upper part 7, seam-folded edge 8, resilient member 5 and protrusion 10, which is held in place by resilient member 5.

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section of a combination of an alternative button 1 and a decorative member 6 according to the invention, wherein button 1 serves only as carrier for decorative member 6 and so has no further function. It is particularly the case here that button 1 is not provided with a stem so that it can be seam-folded flat on a piece of material 1 1 using for instance a bush 12 so that it can for instance be fitted to bags, belts, boots and shoes. In this embodiment button 1 is also provided with a recess 4 in which is received a resilient member 5 with which decorative member 6 can be attached to button 1 and, if desired, removed again or replaced with another decorative member.

Fig 3 shows a side view of a boot 13 provided with combinations of buttons and decorative members. Shown are a decorative member 14 provided with a contour 15, here in the form of a butterfly, a decorative member 16 provided with an imitation gemstone 17 and a decorative member 18 provided with an eye 19 to which a tassel 20 is attached. It is of course also possible to suffice with an image or a relief arranged on upper part 7.

Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal section of a combination of a further alternative button 1 and a decorative member 6 according to the invention, wherein button 1 is manufactured from one piece of plastic. Button 1 is provided with a recess 21 in which protrusion 10 of decorative member 6 can be received. The resilient means are formed by an annular additional recess 22 arranged around recess 21 , whereby a plastic edge 23 between recess 21 and additional recess 22 can bend outward to allow passage of protrusion 10. Button 1 can for instance be attached to a piece of material 1 1 using a pin 3 or a screw, wherein the length of stem 2 can be chosen subject to the application.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the system according to the invention showing a further alternative button 1 . Button 1 is provided with a recess 21 in which protrusion 10 of decorative member 6 can be received (not shown). The resilient means are formed by an annular additional recess 22 arranged around recess 21 , whereby a plastic edge 23 between recess 21 and additional recess 22 can bend outward to allow passage of protrusion 10. Button 1 can for instance be attached to a piece of material 1 1 using a pin 23 in opening 30 of stem 2, wherein the length of stem 2 can be chosen subject to the application.

Recess 21 is hexagonal around its upper side. Additional recess 22 is provided with partitions 40 which extend radially such that the produced part of each partition intersects a corner of the recess.

Claims

1 . System comprising a button, an underside of which can be attached to or on a piece of material such as for instance fabric or leather, and an attaching member for attaching the button to the material, wherein the system also comprises a decorative member and attaching means for attaching the decorative member releasably to an upper side of the button, the attaching means comprising a recess arranged in the upper side of the button, and a protrusion which is mounted on the decorative member and which can be received in the recess, the attaching means also comprise resilient means for the purpose of fastening the protrusion releasably in the recess, characterized in that the button is manufactured at least substantially from plastic and that the resilient means comprise an at least substantially annular additional recess around the recess.

2. System as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the dimensions of the decorative member are such that the decorative member at least substantially wholly covers the upper side of the button.

3. System as claimed in claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the decorative member is provided with a contour which as such forms an image.

4. System as claimed in claims 1 -3, characterized in that the decorative member is provided with an attaching member such as an eye.

5. System as claimed in claims 1 -4, characterized in that the annular additional recess is provided with one or more partitions.

6. System as claimed in claims 1 -5, characterized in that the recess is non-round.

7. System as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the recess is polygonal, and preferably hexagonal.

8. System as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the partitions extend radially such that the produced part of each partition intersects a corner of the recess.

9. System as claimed in claims 1 -8, characterized in that the button is substantially circular in a cross-section, with a diameter substantially increasing in the direction of the upper side of the button.

10. System as claimed in claims 1 -9, characterized in that the attaching member comprises two co-acting attaching elements, wherein the first attaching element comprises a hollow stem, a first outer end of which is connected to the underside of the button and wherein the second attaching element comprises a pin, wherein the pin is intended to be received clampingly in the hollow stem while clamping the piece of material.

1 1 . System as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the first attaching element of the attaching member and the button are manufactured from one piece of plastic.

12. System as claimed in claims 1 -1 1 , characterized in that the button is manufactured substantially from polyoxymethylene.

13. Button or decorative element as part of a system as claimed in any of the foregoing claims.

14. Garment provided with a button as claimed in any of the foregoing claims.