Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D27/00—Details of garments or of their making
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41F—GARMENT FASTENINGS; SUSPENDERS
  • A41F11/00—Stocking or sock suspenders
  • A41F11/14—Means for fastening the suspender to the garment, e.g. trousers, underpants
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41F—GARMENT FASTENINGS; SUSPENDERS
  • A41F5/00—Trouser supports attached to the shirt, waistcoat, or the like
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
  • A44B—BUTTONS, PINS, BUCKLES, SLIDE FASTENERS, OR THE LIKE
  • A44B17/00—Press-button or snap fasteners
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
  • A44B—BUTTONS, PINS, BUCKLES, SLIDE FASTENERS, OR THE LIKE
  • A44B99/00—Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a fastener that connects two pieces of flat material, such as clothing fabric, and in particular to a snap button with a variable fastening position that can be freely changed to connect the pieces without sewing or drilling holes in the fabric.
• fasteners for connecting two pieces of flat material such as clothing fabric include pairs of buttons and buttonholes, pairs of zippers, pairs of hook-and-loop fasteners, pairs of snap buttons, etc.
• all of these conventional pairs of fasteners are firmly fixed to a specific position on the fabric by sewing, heat welding, hole drilling, etc., and the fastening position of the button pair cannot be freely changed.
• buttons are fixed to the fabric by sewing in correspondence with the buttonholes, and even if the fastening position of the pair changes due to a change in body shape, the fastening position of the button cannot be changed to accommodate the change. In other words, they cannot connect two pieces of fabric, do not function as a fastener, and cannot be worn properly on the body. The same is true for pairs of hook-and-loop fasteners and pairs of snap buttons.
• Patent Document 1 discloses a state-of-the-art snap button that can be attached to thick fabrics. However, like conventional snap buttons, the snap buttons of Patent Document 1 are attached by drilling holes in the fabric, so the fastening position is fixed and cannot be changed according to changes in body shape.
• Patent Document 2 discloses suspenders for trousers, which are composed of an internal clip 10 with an elastic ring portion 14 and an external clip 20 with a locking groove 26 that is connected to the elastic ring portion 14 and a support means 27 for the trousers T. The internal clip 10 and the external clip 20 are elastically engaged with each other while the jacket S is sandwiched between the elastic ring portion 14 and the locking groove 26.
• the external clip 20 is fixed to the trousers T by the support means 27, so that the jacket S and the trousers T can be connected to prevent the trousers T from falling off.
• the internal clip 10 is in a free state when not engaged with the external clip 20.
• the internal clip 10 has a loop 18 (FIG. 1) for fastening the shoulder strap, securing several free internal clips 10 and clamping the jacket S to each of the pair of external clips 20 each time the pants and jacket are connected is more troublesome and impractical than conventional suspenders.
• Patent Document 3 discloses an internal suspender that holds pants with multiple members equipped with fastener elements. The internal suspender holds the pants by clamping the outer garment between members 28 and 34 each equipped with a fastener element, and further engaging with the fastener element on the inside of the pants.
• each fastener element or member is positioned and fixed on the belt line desired by the user on the underwear, outer garment, or inside the pants.
• the belt line As mentioned above, there are individual differences in body shape, and even individuals' body shapes change on a daily basis, and fixing these members in a fixed position cannot accommodate changes in body shape.
• the present invention was made in consideration of such problems, and provides a simple and practical snap button with adjustable fastening position that can connect two pieces of fabric by fastening the fabric without drilling holes or other processes and making the fastening position of the fastener movable in response to changes in body shape.
• the fastening position variable snap button of the present invention comprises a female snap button (hereinafter referred to as the "female button”), an intermediate snap button (hereinafter referred to as the “intermediate button”), and a male snap button (hereinafter referred to as the "male button”).
• the female button comprises a peripheral engagement claw whose outer periphery is divided into a plurality of parts in the radial direction, and a pressing portion having a curved cross section
• the intermediate button comprises an engagement portion which elastically engages with the peripheral engagement claw of the female button via the first fabric, and a bending engagement portion which has a plurality of slits on its outer periphery and can be bent in the radial and vertical directions
• the male button comprises an engagement protrusion which elastically engages with the bending engagement portion of the intermediate button via the second fabric, a bending portion which can be bent in the vertical direction, and a flange.
• a female button is arranged at a predetermined position on the first surface side of the first fabric
• an intermediate button is arranged at a position on the second surface side of the first fabric corresponding to the predetermined position of the female button, and the intermediate button is pressed against the female button via the first fabric to elastically engage the female button and the intermediate button, fastening the first fabric and fixing the female button and the intermediate button in the predetermined position.
• a male button is pressed against the intermediate button at the predetermined position via the second fabric to elastically engage the intermediate button and the male button, fastening the second fabric and fixing the intermediate button and the male button, thereby connecting the first and second fabrics.
• the snap button with variable fastening position comprises a female button, an intermediate button, an elongated male button, and an inverted female button.
• the female button has a peripheral engagement/release claw whose outer periphery is divided into a plurality of parts in the radial direction, and a pressing part having a curved cross section
• the intermediate button has an engagement part which elastically engages with the peripheral engagement/release part of the female button via the first fabric, and a bending engagement part which has a plurality of slits on the outer periphery and can be bent in the radial direction as well as the vertical direction.
• the elongated male button is the aforementioned male button which has been elongated in the vertical direction, and like the male button, has an engagement protrusion which elastically engages with the bending engagement part of the intermediate button, a bending part which can be bent in the vertical direction, and a flange
• the inverted female button is the aforementioned female button which has been turned upside down, and has a peripheral engagement/release claw whose outer periphery is divided into a plurality of parts in the radial direction, and a pressing part having a curved cross section.
• a female button is placed at a predetermined position on the first surface side of the first fabric
• an intermediate button is placed at a position on the second surface side of the first fabric corresponding to the predetermined position of the female button.
• the female button and the intermediate button are elastically engaged to fasten the first fabric at the predetermined position while at the same time fixing the female button and the intermediate button.
• the elongated male button is placed on the first surface side of the second fabric at a position corresponding to the specified position, and the elongated male button is pressed against the inverted female button through the second fabric to elastically engage the inverted female button and the elongated male button, fastening the second fabric and at the same time fixing the inverted female button and the elongated male button.
• the elongated male button is then pressed against the middle button to snap together, thereby connecting the first and second fabrics.
• variable fastening position snap button of the present invention comprises a female button, an intermediate button, and a U-shaped clip.
• the female button has a peripheral engagement claw whose outer periphery is divided into multiple parts in the radial direction, and a pressing part having a curved cross section
• the intermediate button has an engagement part that elastically engages with the female button via a third fabric, and a bending engagement part that has multiple slits on its outer periphery and can be bent in the radial and vertical directions.
• the U-shaped clip has a male button part that snaps into the intermediate button, integral with the outer surface of the first surface side, and has multiple interlocking tooth surfaces on the inner surface, and is formed so as to have elasticity in the closing direction.
• the female button is placed at a predetermined position on the first surface side of the third fabric, and the intermediate button is pressed against the female button via the third fabric to elastically engage the female button and the intermediate button at a predetermined position, fastening the third fabric and simultaneously fixing the female button and the intermediate button.
• the fourth fabric is fastened with a U-shaped clip near the fixing position, and the male button portion is pressed against the intermediate button to elastically engage the intermediate button and the male button portion, snapping the intermediate button and the U-shaped clip together, connecting the third and fourth fabrics.
• the adjustable snap button of the present invention comprises a first U-shaped clip having an intermediate button portion integrally formed on the outer surface of the second surface side, an elastic engagement portion having a plurality of teeth on the inner surface that are offset from each other, and formed so as to have elasticity in the closing direction; a second U-shaped clip having a male button portion integrally formed on the outer surface of the first face side, the male button portion being snap-fitted with the intermediate button portion, and an elastic engagement portion having a plurality of teeth faces offset from each other on the inner surface, the second U-shaped clip being formed so as to have elasticity in the closing direction;
• the fifth fabric is fastened with the first U-shaped clip
• the sixth fabric is fastened with the second U-shaped clip;
• the male button portion and the intermediate button portion are snap-fitted to connect the first and second U-shaped clips and connect the fifth and sixth fabrics.
• the female button and the middle button can be fixed at the same time as fastening the first fabric by elastically engaging the middle button with the female button via the first fabric. Furthermore, the middle button and the male button can be fixed at the same time as fastening the second fabric by elastically engaging the male button with the fixed middle button via the second fabric. Therefore, since the female button and the middle button can be fixed to the first fabric and the middle button and the male button can be fixed to the second fabric without performing any hole-drilling process on the fabric, the first fabric and the second fabric can be connected by elastically engaging the female button, the middle button and the male button.
• the engagement positions of the female button, middle button, and male button can be anywhere as long as the first and second fabrics are interposed.
• the fastening positions of the female button, middle button, and male button can be changed and fixed in accordance with changes in body shape.
• the fastening positions of the female button, middle button, and male button can be repositioned any number of times to optimal positions in accordance with changes in body shape, and once placed in the optimal positions, the buttons will not come loose and the connection between the first and second fabrics will not be released unless the engagement is intentionally released.
• variable fastening position snap button of the present invention the basic operation is the same as that of the variable fastening position snap button of the above embodiment, in which the female button and the middle button are elastically engaged and fixed via the first fabric, and the elongated male button and the reverse female button are elastically engaged and fixed via the second fabric. Therefore, before the first and second fabrics are connected, each button is fixed to the first and second fabrics, and finally the middle button and the elongated male button are snapped together to connect the first and second fabrics like a normal snap button. It goes without saying that even in this embodiment, even if the buttons are fixed once, the elastic engagement of each button can be released and the fastening position can be freely changed.
• variable fastening position snap button can be used even when the thickness or hardness of the fabric is different. That is, the female button portion and the middle button are elastically engaged and fixed via the third fabric, the fourth fabric is fastened with a U-shaped clip equipped with a male button portion to determine the position of the male button portion, and the male button portion of the U-shaped clip fixed to the fourth fabric is pressed against the middle button to fit it, thereby connecting the third and fourth fabrics.
• FIG. 1D is an assembly diagram of the entire variable fastening-position snap button when the female button and middle button are elastically engaged via a first fabric and the middle button and the male button are elastically connected via a second fabric to connect the first and second fabrics.
• 2A is an exploded perspective view of a variable fastening position snap button according to a first embodiment, in which FIG. 2A shows a female button, FIG. 2B shows a middle button, and FIG. 2C shows a male button.
• 1 is a perspective view of the adjustable fastening position snap button of Example 1 attached to various positions around the body.
• FIG. 1 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the variable fastening position snap button of Example 1 is attached around the body.
• FIG. 5A is a female button of the variable fastening-position snap button of Example 2 of the present invention
• FIG. 5B is an intermediate button
• FIG. 5C is an elongated male button
• FIG. 5D is an inverted female button
• FIG. 5E is an assembly diagram of the entire variable fastening-position snap button when the female button and intermediate button are elastically engaged via a first fabric
• the elongated male button and inverted female button are elastically engaged via a second fabric
• the intermediate button and elongated male button are snap-fitted to connect the first and second fabrics.
• FIG. 6A is an exploded enlarged cross-sectional view showing a variable fastening position snap button of Example 3 of the present invention, in which FIG.
• FIG. 6A shows a female button of the variable fastening position snap button
• FIG. 6B shows an intermediate button
• FIG. 6C shows a U-shaped clip with an integrated male button portion
• FIG. 6D is an assembly diagram of the entire variable fastening position snap button when the female button and intermediate button are elastically engaged with each other via a third fabric, a fourth fabric is sandwiched by the U-shaped clip, and then the intermediate button and male button portion are matingly engaged to connect the third and fourth fabrics.
• 13 is a perspective view of the adjustable fastening position snap button of Example 3 attached to various positions around the body.
• FIG. FIG. 11 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing a variable fastening position snap button of Example 3 attached around a pair of trousers.
• 9A and 9B are enlarged exploded cross-sectional views showing modified variable-position snap buttons, in which FIG. 9A shows a second U-shaped clip and FIG. 9B shows a first U-shaped clip.
• Example 1 Figures 1A to 1D are enlarged exploded cross-sectional views of the variable-position snap button 1 of Example 1, with Figure 1A showing the female button 2, Figure 1B showing the middle button 3, and Figure 1C showing the male button 4 of the variable-position snap button 1, and Figure 1D showing an enlarged cross-sectional view of the variable-position snap button 1 assembled by pressing and elastically engaging each part of the variable-position snap button 1 through the first and second fabrics C1 and C2.
• Figure 2 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the variable-position snap button 1, with Figure 2A showing the female button 2, Figure 2B showing the middle button 3, and Figure 2C showing the male button 4.
• the female button 2 in Figure 1A comprises a pressing portion 21 having a curved cross section and a peripheral engagement/detachment claw 22 divided by a plurality of slits arranged on the periphery of the pressing portion 21.
• the male button 4 in Fig. 1C comprises an engagement protrusion 41 that elastically engages with the bent engagement portion 32 of the intermediate button 3 via the second fabric C2, a bent portion 42 that allows the male button 4 to expand and contract in the vertical direction, and a flange 43 around the bent portion 42.
• the female button 2 is placed on the first surface D1 of the first fabric C1 at a predetermined position according to the shape of the body, the middle button 3 is placed on the second surface D2 of the first fabric C1 at a position corresponding to the predetermined position of the female button 2, and the middle button 3 is pressed in the F1 direction through the first fabric C1 against the female button 2.
• This causes the periphery engagement and release claws 22 of the female button 2 to open and elastically engage with the engagement portion 31 of the middle button 3 through the first fabric C1, and the female button 2 and the middle button 3 fasten the first fabric C1 at a predetermined position, and are fixed so that they do not come apart from each other.
• peripheral engagement claws 22 of the female button 2 which are divided by multiple slits, are elastic and flexible, and when pressed against the engagement portion 31 of the intermediate button 3, they bend in the D1 direction with the boundary between the peripheral engagement claws 22 and the pressing portion 21 as a fulcrum and expand by narrowing the gap between the slits, and the female button 2 and intermediate button 3 elastically engage via the first fabric C1.
• the intermediate button 3 also has elasticity and flexibility due to the bent engagement portion 32 formed with a V-shaped cross section and the multiple slits 33, and when the engagement protrusion 41 of the male button 4 is pressed into the bent engagement portion 32, it expands by narrowing the gap between the slits 33, and the intermediate button 3 and male button 4 elastically engage via the second fabric C2.
• the male button 4 also has elasticity and flexibility due to the bent portion 42 with a V-shaped cross section.
• the bent engagement portion 32 of the middle button 3 is inserted into the female button 2 via the first fabric C1, but because the bent engagement portion 32 has multiple slits 33 and also has a small amount of space with the tip of the peripheral engagement/detachment claw 22 of the female button 2, it easily spreads open when the engagement projection 41 of the male button 4 is pressed in, and the middle button 3 and male button 4 elastically engage.
• the female button 2, middle button 3, and male button 4 are structurally snap-fitted together, but because they are elastic and flexible, they also elastically engage through the fabric.
• the thickness of the first and second fabrics C1 and C2 is about 0.5 mm
• the elasticity and bending stroke in the vertical direction of the middle button 3 and the male button 4 is also about 0.5 mm, but by adjusting the elasticity and bending, it is possible to accommodate fabrics of different thicknesses. That is, by loosening the elasticity and bending of each snap button to reduce the fastening force against the fabric, it is possible to fasten thicker fabrics.
• the fastening force of each snap button can be increased, or the surface can be matte-finished to increase the frictional resistance between each fabric and each snap button, thereby achieving even stronger fastening. If the fabric is very thick or hard, this will be described later in Example 3.
• variable fastening position snap button 1 When the variable fastening position snap button 1 is not fastened through fabric, the female button 2, middle button 3, and male button 4 can be snap-fitted together and held together.
• the first and second fabrics C1 and C2 are fastened in predetermined positions with the elastic and flexible female button 2 and middle button 3, and the middle button 3 and male button 4, so that each button is fixed and each fabric is also fixed and connected.
• the material of the variable fastening position snap button of the present invention is elastic hard plastic or metal.
• the peripheral engagement claw 22 moves away from the first fabric C1 and in a direction that rises up, using the principle of a lever with the boundary between the pressing part 21 and the peripheral engagement claw 22 as a fulcrum, and the elastic engagement between the peripheral engagement claw 22 and the middle button 3 via the first fabric C1 can be released.
• the elastic engagement with the middle button 3 can be released simply by pressing the pressing part 21 of the female button 2, and the fastening position can be changed any number of times until it becomes the optimal fastening position according to changes in body shape.
• the pressing part 21 is lightly pressed to hold the female button 2 and the middle button 3 facing each other with both fingers to release the elastic engagement of both buttons, while the female button 2 and the middle button 3 are slid across the first fabric C1, and the two buttons are elastically engaged at the optimal position, thereby fastening the first fabric C1 and fixing both buttons.
• the fastening position can be easily and freely changed.
• Patent Document 1 JP 2021-154120 A, discloses a snap button using the latest technology that can be attached to thick fabrics, but like conventional snap buttons, holes are drilled into the fabric when the button is attached, so the fastening position is fixed and the fastening position of the button pair cannot be changed.
• conventional snap buttons are firmly fastened by drilling holes into the fabric, but the snap button with adjustable fastening position of the present invention can be fastened without drilling holes into the fabric, and the fastening position of the button pair can be freely changed, which is crucially different from conventional snap buttons.
• the elastic engagement between the female button 2 and the middle button 3 is mechanical in structure and cannot be released unless the pressing portion 21 of the female button 2 is intentionally pressed, and does not come loose even after washing.
• the fastening positions of the female button 2 and the middle button 3 on the first fabric C1 can be fixed semi-permanently, while the fastening position can be changed by pressing the pressing portion 21 of the female button 2 as necessary to release the elastic engagement between the female button 2 and the middle button 3.
• the female button 2 and the middle button 3 are elastically connected via the first fabric C1, wrinkles are formed in the first fabric C1 around the female button 2, but as in the specific example described below, the female button 2 is in a position that cannot be seen from the outside, so it is not a visual problem. Depending on the fabric, no traces of elastic engagement are left, or they can be almost completely removed by ironing.
• the middle button 3 and the male button 4 are elastically engaged, wrinkles are also formed around the fastening position of the second fabric C2, but the wrinkles in the second fabric C2 can be hidden by making the diameter of the flange 43 larger and leaving a small gap between the second fabric C2 and the flange 43. Furthermore, the elastic engagement with the middle button 3 can be released by inserting a finger into this gap and pulling the flange 43 in a direction away from the second fabric C2.
• the above-mentioned adjustable snap button 1 is applied to an undergarment shirt and pants.
• pants are fastened to the body with elastic material such as rubber bands, but when the body shape changes due to obesity, after eating, pregnancy, etc. and the waist circumference increases, the elastic bands become too tight and cause discomfort, inhibit breathing and blood circulation, leave marks on the body, and cause a rash from the elastic bands.
• the waist circumference becomes smaller, there is a problem of the pants slipping down. Therefore, it is desirable to have pants that can be worn on the body regardless of waist size without the need for elastic bands, etc.
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the shirt S and pants P fastened with the snap buttons 1 with adjustable fastening positions and worn on the body B.
• the shirt S and pants P can be worn on the body B by fastening at least three places, two near the front hip bones and one near the spine, with the body B at the center.
• Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of one of the snap buttons 1 with adjustable fastening positions, and shows the overall assembly diagram of the snap button 1 with adjustable fastening positions of Figure 1D, with the first and second fabrics C1 and C2 replaced with the shirt S and pants P, and oriented vertically with the body B at the center.
• the female button 2 is placed at a predetermined position on the first surface D1 of the shirt S, and the middle button 3 is placed at a position on the second surface D2 of the shirt S that corresponds to the predetermined position of the female button 2.
• the middle button 3 is pressed against the female button 2 via the shirt S
• the female button 2 elastically engages with the middle button 3.
• This elastic engagement fastens the shirt S with the female button 2 and the middle button 3, and the female button 2 and the middle button 3 are fixed in a predetermined position and will not come loose.
• the middle button 3 elastically engages with the male button 4.
• the peripheral engagement claw 22 moves in a direction away from the shirt S, and the elastic engagement with the middle button 3 via the shirt S can be released.
• the middle button 3 can be pressed against the female button 2 at the optimal fastening position according to the change in body shape at that time, or by stopping the pressing of the pressing portion 21, elastic engagement can be achieved.
• the elastic engagement position i.e., the fastening position, can be changed any number of times.
• the elastic engagement between the female button 2 and the middle button 3 is strong and cannot be released unless the pressing portion 21 of the female button 2 is intentionally pressed, and it does not come loose even when washed.
• the fastening positions of the female button 2 and middle button 3 on the shirt S can be fixed semi-permanently, while the elastic engagement between the female button 2 and middle button 3 can be easily released to change the fastening positions as needed, such as when the body shape changes.
• the adjustable snap buttons 1 allow the shirt S and pants P to be securely fastened together like a jumpsuit, so even if the body shape changes and the waist circumference increases or decreases, the pants P can be attached to the shirt at the optimal fastening position according to the body shape, and the pants P can be worn without elastic bands. In other words, there is no longer a need to fasten the pants P to the body B with elastic bands or the like, so there are no elastic marks on the skin, it is healthy in terms of breathing and blood circulation, and the pants do not slip down.
• the adjustable fastening position snap buttons of the present invention which can change the fastening position according to body shape, make it possible for people with slightly different body shapes or people whose body shapes change easily to wear commercially available clothing like a coveralls. Furthermore, if the waist size is reduced or if the wearer is wearing only pants without elastics and no shirt, the number of snap buttons with adjustable fastening positions of the present invention can be increased to, for example, four, and the distance between each snap button can be adjusted to be shorter, thereby reducing the overall waist size and making it possible to wear the garment on the body.
• the adjustable fastening position snap button 1 of the present invention can be used to connect such items as hemming kimonos and yukatas, turning skirts into simple culottes, making sheets into beds, fastening gauze, and connecting paper, film, and mesh materials.
• Example 2 A second embodiment of the variable fastening position snap button of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 5.
• the variable fastening position snap button 101 of the second embodiment is structurally and functionally similar to the variable fastening position snap button 1 of the first embodiment, with some exceptions. Therefore, corresponding components are indicated by the same or corresponding reference symbols, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.
• Figs. 5A to 5E are enlarged exploded cross-sectional views of the variable fastening position snap button 101 of the second embodiment, in which Fig. 5A shows the female button 2 of the variable fastening position snap button 101, Fig. 5B shows the middle button 3 that elastically engages with the female button 2 via the first fabric C1, Fig.
• FIG. 5C shows the elongated male button 4' obtained by lengthening the male button 4 shown in Fig. 1C in the vertical direction
• Fig. 5D shows the inverted female button 2' obtained by turning the female button 2 of Fig. 5A upside down and elastically engaging with the elongated male button 4' via the second fabric C2.
• FIG. 5E is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the adjustable fastening position snap button 101 when assembled by pressing each portion of the first and second fabrics C1 and C2 into elastic engagement.
• the female button 2 in FIG. 5A is composed of a pressing portion 21 with a curved cross section and a peripheral engagement/detachment claw 22 arranged on the periphery of the pressing portion 21.
• the intermediate button 3 in FIG. 5B is composed of an engagement portion 31 that elastically engages with the female button 2 via the first fabric C1, and a bent engagement portion 32 that has a plurality of slits 33 on the outer periphery to allow the intermediate button 3 to bend in the radial and vertical directions and elastically engages with the engagement protrusion 41 of the elongated male button 4'.
• the elongated male button 4' in FIG. 5C is composed of an engagement protrusion 41, a bent portion 42, and a flange 43.
• the reverse female button 2' in FIG. 5D is composed of a pressing portion 21 with a curved cross section and a peripheral engagement/detachment claw 22 that elastically engages with the elongated male button 4' via the second fabric C2.
• the female button 2 is placed at a predetermined position on the first surface D1 side of the first fabric C1 according to the body shape, and the middle button 3 is placed at a position on the second surface D2 side of the first fabric C1 corresponding to the predetermined position of the female button 2. Then, by pressing the middle button 3 in the F1 direction against the female button 2 via the first fabric C1, the female button 2 and the middle button 3 elastically engage to fasten the first fabric C1, and both buttons are fixed at a predetermined position and do not come loose.
• the elongated male button 4' is placed near a predetermined position on the first surface D1 side of the second fabric C2, and by pressing the elongated male button 4' in the F2 direction against the reverse female button 2' via the second fabric C2, the reverse female button 2' and the elongated male button 4' elastically engage to fasten the second fabric C2, and both buttons are fixed near the predetermined position. Then, by pressing the reverse female button 2' and the elongated male button 4' in the F3 direction against the intermediate button 3 fixed in a predetermined position, the intermediate button 3 and the elongated male button 4' snap together, connecting the first and second fabrics C1, C2.
• pressing the pressing portion 21 of the reverse female button 2' may release the elastic engagement with the elongated male button 4', but since the pressing direction is one-way, even if the elastic engagement is temporarily released, as soon as the intermediate button 3 and the elongated male button 4' snap together, the reverse female button 2' and the elongated male button 4' will elastically engage again.
• variable fastening position snap button 1 of Example 1 elastically engages and fixes the female button 2 and middle button 3 via the first fabric C1, then elastically engages and fixes the middle button 3 and male button 4 via the second fabric C2 to connect the first and second fabrics C1 and C2
• variable fastening position snap button 102 of Example 2 elastically engages and fixes the female button 2 and middle button 3 via the first fabric C1
• snaps the middle button 3 and the elongated male button 4' to connect the first and second fabrics C1 and C2.
• the connection between the first and second fabrics C1 and C2 can be released.
• the elastic engagement between the female button 2 and the intermediate button 3 or the inverted female button 2' and the elongated male button 4' through the fabric can be released by pressing the pressing part 21 of the female button 2 or the inverted female button 2', as in the first embodiment.
• the pressing part 21 is pressed to disengage the buttons, and the buttons are slid between the first and second fabrics C1 and C2, and elastically engaged at the optimal fastening position according to the change in body shape at that time, fastening the fabric and fixing the buttons.
• the elastic engagement position i.e., the fastening position, can be freely changed.
• the first and second fabrics C1 and C2 are replaced with an undergarment shirt S and pants P, and an example is described in which the above-mentioned variable fastening position snap button 101 is applied.
• the arrangement of the variable fastening position snap button 101 around the body is the same as in Figures 3 and 4, so it is not shown.
• Example 2 Unlike Example 1, in Example 2, the female button 2 and the middle button 3 are elastically engaged and fixed via the shirt S, and the reverse female button 2' and the elongated male button 4' are elastically engaged and fixed via the pants P, and the fixed middle button 3 and the elongated male button 4' are snap-fitted to connect the shirt S and the pants P.
• the other basic functions are the same as those of Example 1.
• the female button 2 is placed at a predetermined position on the first side D1 of the shirt S according to the body shape, and the middle button 3 is placed at a position on the second side D2 of the shirt S corresponding to the predetermined position of the female button 2. Then, when the middle button 3 is pressed in the F1 direction against the female button 2 via the shirt S and the female button 2 and the middle button 3 are elastically engaged, the shirt S is fastened and both buttons are fixed in a predetermined position and will not come loose.
• the reverse female button 2' is placed near a predetermined position on the second side D2 of the pants P, and the elongated male button 4' is placed at a position on the first side D1 of the pants P corresponding to the predetermined position of the reverse female button 2', and when the elongated male button 4' is pressed in the F2 direction against the reverse female button 2' via the pants P, the reverse female button 2' and the elongated male button 4' are elastically engaged to fasten the pants P, and both buttons are fixed in a predetermined position and will not come loose.
• the middle button 3 and the elongated male button 4' are snapped together, allowing the shirt S and pants P to be connected together like a normal snap button. Also, by releasing the snap fit between the middle button 3 and the elongated male button 4', the shirt S and pants P can be separated.
• the elastic engagement between the female button 2 and the middle button 3 or the reverse female button 2' and the elongated male button 4' via the shirt S or pants P at a specified position can be released. That is, the female button 2 and the middle button 3 or the reverse female button 2' and the elongated male button 4' can be held facing each other with both fingers and slid across the shirt S or pants P in a disengaged state, allowing elastic engagement at the optimal fastening position that matches the changes in the body shape at that time. In other words, the fastening position can be easily changed any number of times.
• the snap buttons 101 with adjustable fastening positions allow the shirt S and pants P to be securely fastened together like a jumpsuit, so that even if the body shape changes and the waist circumference increases or decreases, the optimal fastening position of the pants P can be selected according to the body shape, and the pants can be connected to the shirt S and worn without elastic bands.
• the body B with elastic bands or the like when wearing the pants, no elastic marks are left on the skin, breathing is easy, blood circulation is good, and the pants P will not slip down even if the waist circumference decreases.
• the shirt and pants can be connected and worn on the body using the snap buttons 101 with adjustable fastening positions of the present invention, even if the elastic elastic is removed or cut, and pants without elastic elastic can also be worn on the body.
• the elastic engagement between the female button 2 and the intermediate button 3, and between the reverse female button 2' and the elongated male button 4' is structurally strong and cannot be released unless the pressing portion is intentionally pressed, and does not come loose even when washed.
• the fastening positions of the female button 2 and the intermediate button 3, and between the reverse female button 2' and the elongated male button 4' on the shirt S and pants P can be fixed semi-permanently, while the fastening positions can be easily and freely changed by releasing the elastic engagement between the female button 2 and the intermediate button 3 or the reverse female button 2' and the elongated male button 4' as necessary, and then re-engaging them by sliding the shirt S and pants P together while maintaining their facing relationship.
• variable fastening position snap button 101 of the present invention can be used for other purposes as well.
• fixing a fastener with a variable fastening position non-destructively to each of two pieces of flat material such as fabric without the need for drilling or sewing, and then snapping the fixed fasteners together to connect the two pieces of flat material is not limited to clothing such as underwear.
• the snap button 101 of the present invention can be used to fasten the hems of kimonos and yukatas, to turn skirts into simple culottes, to fasten gauze, to make bed sheets, to connect paper, film, and mesh materials, and the like.
• Example 3 In Examples 1 and 2, the variable fastening position snap buttons 1, 101 of the present invention are applied to a shirt S and pants P, but conventional pants may have a rubber stretch or thickness at the fastening position, making it impossible to elastically engage the female button 2 and the middle button 3 through the pants. Therefore, the variable fastening position snap button 201 of this example is designed to be compatible with cases where the fabric is thick or hard or where a rubber stretch is present, but is otherwise substantially similar in structure and function to the variable fastening position snap button 1 of Example 1. Therefore, corresponding components are denoted by the same or corresponding reference symbols, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.
• FIGS. 6A to 6D are enlarged exploded cross-sectional views of the variable-position snap button 201 of the third embodiment, in which FIG. 6A shows the female button 2 of the variable-position snap button 201, FIG. 6B shows the middle button 3 that elastically engages with the female button 2 via the third fabric C3, and FIG. 6C shows a U-shaped clip 5 that has a male button part 51 integral with the outer surface that elastically engages with the bent engagement part 32 of the middle button 3 and has multiple tooth surfaces 52 that fasten the thick or hard fourth fabric C4.
• FIG. 6E is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the variable-position snap button 201 assembled by elastic engagement by pressing each part through the third and fourth fabrics C3 and C4.
• the female button 2 in Fig. 6A consists of a pressing portion 21 with a curved cross section and a peripheral engagement/detachment claw 22 arranged on the periphery of the pressing portion 21.
• the intermediate button 3 in Fig. 6B has an engagement portion 31 that elastically engages with the female button 2 via the first fabric 3, and a bending engagement portion 32 that has multiple slits 33 on the outer periphery to allow the intermediate button 3 to bend in the radial and vertical directions and elastically engages with the male button portion 51 of the U-shaped clip 5.
• the U-shaped clip 5 in Fig. 6C has a male button portion 51 integrally molded on its outer surface on the D1 side, and has multiple tooth surfaces 52 on both inner surfaces, molded to bias inward in the closing direction.
• the female button 2 is placed at a predetermined position on the first surface D1 side of the third fabric C3, and the middle button 3 is placed at a position on the second surface D2 side of the third fabric C3 corresponding to the predetermined position of the female button 2.
• the middle button 3 is pressed in the F1 direction against the female button 2 via the third fabric C3, and the female button 2 and the middle button 3 are elastically engaged at the predetermined position to fasten and fix the third fabric C3.
• the opening 53 of the U-shaped clip 5 is opened in the direction D to fasten the fourth fabric C4.
• the U-shaped clip 5 has multiple toothed surfaces 52 on its inner surface, and each toothed surface is formed so that the angle of inclination on the opening 53 side is small and the angle of inclination on the rear side is large. Therefore, the fourth fabric C4 can be smoothly inserted and clamped in the U-shaped clip 5.
• the U-shaped clip 5 is molded so that it is biased inward in the closing direction, and the multiple toothed surfaces 52 on the opposite sides are molded so that they mesh with each other, so that the fourth fabric C4 will not come off unless the opening 53 of the U-shaped clip 5 is intentionally opened and pulled out.
• the U-shaped clip 5 is positioned so that the male button part 51 is located near a predetermined position of the intermediate button 3. Then, the male button part 51 is pressed in the direction F2 against the intermediate button 3 to snap-fit, and the intermediate button 3 and the U-shaped clip 5 are connected, and the third and fourth fabrics C3 and C4 can be connected.
• the fastening position variable snap button 1 of Example 1 fastens and fixes the first fabric C1 by elastically engaging the female button 2 and the middle button 3, then fastens the second fabric C2 by elastically engaging the male button 4 and the middle button 3, fastening the first and second fabrics C1 and C2.
• the fastening position variable snap button 102 of Example 2 fastens and fixes the fabric C1 by elastically engaging the female button 2 and the middle button 3, fastens and fixes the fabric C2 by elastically engaging the elongated male button 4' and the reverse female button 2', and then snaps the middle button 3 and the elongated male button 4' together to fasten the first and second fabrics C1 and C2.
• the adjustable fastening position snap button 201 of Example 3 fastens and fixes the third fabric C3 by elastically engaging the female button 2 and the middle button 3 at a predetermined position, then fastens the thick or hard fourth fabric C4 near the optimal position with the U-shaped clip 5, and snaps the male button part 51 of the U-shaped clip 5 into the middle button 3 to connect the third and fourth fabrics C3 and C4.
• pressing the pressing portion 21 of the female button 2 releases the elastic engagement between the female button 2 and the intermediate button 3 via the third fabric C3, as in the first and second embodiments.
• the U-shaped clip 5 then fastens the fourth fabric C4 near the optimal position according to changes in body shape at that time, but by pressing the pressing portion 21 while maintaining the facing relationship between the female button 2 and the intermediate button 3, and sliding the third fabric C3 between them in a disengaged state, it is possible to snap-fit with the male button portion 51 on the side of the U-shaped clip 5 in the optimal position.
• the first and second fabrics C1 and C2 are a shirt S and pants P.
• the variable fastening position snap button 201 of this example can also be applied to a shirt S and pants P, but to more clearly illustrate the characteristics of the variable fastening position snap button 201 of Example 3, which can also be applied to thick or hard fabrics where elastic engagement is difficult, the following describes a case where the third and fourth fabrics C3 and C4 are specifically a dress shirt Y and pants (or skirt) T.
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the dress shirt Y and the trousers T when put on the body B with the snap button 201 with variable fastening position.
• Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the dress shirt Y and the trousers T fastened with the snap button 201 with variable fastening position of the present embodiment.
• the female button 2 and the middle button 3 are elastically engaged through the dress shirt Y to fasten the dress shirt Y and fix both buttons, but unlike the first and second embodiments, the trousers T are fastened with a U-shaped clip 5 with a male button part 51 on the side near the outer edge (belt line) of the waist of the trousers T, which is an optimal position according to the body shape, and the dress shirt Y and the trousers T are connected by snapping the middle button 3 and the male button part 51 together.
• the other structures and functions are the same as those of the first and second embodiments.
• the female button 2 is placed at a predetermined position on the first side D1 of the shirt Y
• the middle button 3 is placed at a position on the second side D2 of the shirt Y that corresponds to the predetermined position of the female button 2
• the middle button 3 is pressed in the F1 direction against the female button 2 via the shirt Y, elastically engaging the female button 2 and the middle button 3 at a predetermined position to fasten the shirt Y and fix both buttons.
• the trousers T are fastened in an optimal position according to the body shape of the belt line with a U-shaped clip 5 with a male button portion 51 on the side.
• the male button portion 51 is then pressed in the F2 direction to snap into the middle button 3, connecting the shirt Y and the trousers T.
• the elastic engagement between the female button 2 and the middle button 3 via the dress shirt Y can be released, and the dress shirt Y can be taken off.
• the middle button 3 is elastically engaged with the male button 51, so it will not come loose.
• the pressing portion 21 is pressed to slide the dress shirt Y in a disengaged state, and the fastening position can be easily changed by stopping the pressing portion 21 at the optimal position according to the change in body shape at that time, or at the position where it engages with the male button portion 51, and re-engaging both buttons elastically.
• the female button 2 and the middle button 3 are fixed at the optimal position, and the male button portion 51 can also be fixed at the optimal position, but by releasing the snap engagement between the middle button 3 and the male button portion 51, the dress shirt Y can be easily separated from the pants T any number of times, just like changing into normal pants and dress shirts.
• the snap buttons 201 that can be adjusted to change the fastening position can be used to securely fasten the dress shirt Y and the trousers T together like a jumpsuit, so that even if the waist circumference increases or decreases due to changes in body shape, the belt line of the trousers T at the optimal position according to the body shape can be clamped with the U-shaped clip 5, and the middle button 3 and the male button part 51 can be snapped together to connect the dress shirt Y and the trousers T and put on the body B.
• the number of snap button sets can be set to, for example, four, and the length between each snap button can be adjusted to be shorter, thereby reducing the overall waist circumference size and making it possible to put the trousers on the body.
• the elastic engagement between the female button 2 and the middle button 3 is strong and cannot be released unless the pressing portion 21 is intentionally pressed, and does not come loose even after washing.
• the female button 2 and the middle button 3 can be fixed semi-permanently at the fastening position via the dress shirt Y, while the elastic engagement between the female button 2 and the middle button 3 can be released as necessary to change the fastening position.
• the U-shaped clip 5 and the trousers T do not come loose from the trousers T and do not come loose even after washing, unless the opening 53 of the U-shaped clip 5 is intentionally opened against the biasing force in the closing direction.
• the U-shaped clip 5 can be fixed semi-permanently at the optimal position on the trousers T, while the opening 53 can be opened at any time to separate the U-shaped clip 5 from the trousers T to change the optimal fastening position in accordance with changes in body shape.
• the aforementioned Patent Document 2, JP 2016-094691 A, and Patent Document 3, US Patent No. 07,398,558 A disclose suspenders that connect a top and pants to prevent the pants from falling down, but they differ from the present invention in that they do not have a structure corresponding to the middle button of the present invention and do not describe its purpose. That is, the middle button of the present invention has a structure that engages with a female button via the top to fix the positions of both buttons and also elastically engages with a male button (part), and connects the top and pants by elastic engagement with the male button (part).
• the male button (part) of the U-shaped clip of the present invention has a variable fastening position
• the pants-side fasteners of both patent documents are fixed to the pants by a support means such as a screw or a fastener element. Therefore, the idea, purpose, structure, and function of the fastener of the present invention and the fasteners of the two patent documents are fundamentally different, and it is impossible to conceive of the fastener of the present invention.
• the fastening position in both patent documents is limited to the vicinity of the belt line, but the fastening position variable snap buttons in the broad sense, including Examples 1 and 2 of the present invention, allow for free changing of the fastening position and can be fastened not only near the belt line but almost anywhere on the garment.
• Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a variable-position snap button 301 of a modified example of Example 3.
• the variable-position snap button 301 of the modified example differs only in part from the variable-position snap button 201 of Example 3, so the same components are indicated with the same or similar reference symbols.
• Figure 9A shows a second U-shaped clip 6 having an intermediate button part 61 on the outer surface of the D2 side and fastening the fabric C5
• Figure 9B shows a first U-shaped clip 5 having a male button part 51 on the outer surface of the D1 side and fastening the fabric C6.
• the basic shape and function of the intermediate button part 61 are the same as those of the intermediate button 3 of Examples 1 and 2, and are integrally molded with the second U-shaped clip 6.
• the basic shape and function of the male button part 51 are the same as those of the male button 4 of Examples 1 and 2, and in this modified example, the male button part 51 is integrally molded with the first U-shaped clip 5 as in Example 3. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the variable fastening position snap button of the present invention can be made smaller or larger in size depending on the part of the fabric it is used on, but the variable fastening position snap button 301 of this modified example, which is applied to the front opening of trousers, is smaller than the variable fastening position snap button 201 of Example 3.
• the front opening can be adjusted to suit the body shape.
• the two U-shaped clips can fasten the fabric sufficiently without pinching the fabric all the way to the deepest part, and by pinching the fabric shallowly, the front opening can be loosened further.
• the length by which the front opening is loosened is about 1 to 1.5 cm.
• the modified variable-position snap button 301 has a first U-shaped clip 5 with a male button part 51 on its side and a second U-shaped clip 6 with an intermediate button part 61 on the side opposite the first U-shaped clip 5, and by using these U-shaped clips to pinch both fabrics of the shirt's neck and torso parts, and then snapping the male button part 51 and female button part 61 together while adjusting the pinching positions of the two U-shaped clips, it becomes possible to connect both sleeves and torso parts around the neck.
• the fastening position variable snap button 301 of this modified example makes it easy to connect and replace the collar and cuff parts from the beginning, it is possible to remove the old collar and cuffs and attach new collar and cuff parts of different colors and shapes, allowing the entire dress shirt to be used for a long time and also allowing variety and fashion to be enjoyed with the same dress shirt.
• variable-position snap button of the present invention has the following further applications and effects: (1) If the elastic rubber of conventional pants is too tight, the elastic rubber can be removed or cut off, but the snap fasteners of the present invention can be used to fasten the shirt and pants together and put them on. In other words, pants that do not require elastic rubber or pants (skirts) that do not require a belt can be created.
• Suspenders are used as accessories to fasten a dress shirt and trousers together, but suspenders worn over the shoulders are often not used because they are unfashionable, cumbersome, and can cause shoulder stiffness.
• the snap button 201 with adjustable fastening position of the present invention can easily and securely fasten a dress shirt Y and trousers T together in an inconspicuous manner, and does not cause problems such as stiff shoulders, making it an alternative to suspenders.
• the snap buttons with variable fastening positions of the present invention can securely connect the top and bottom of the garment at any time, eliminating problems such as tightness and slipping down.
• the waist circumference of pregnant women also changes every day, but the snap buttons with variable fastening positions of the present invention can securely connect the top and bottom of the garment at any time.
• the snap buttons with variable fastening positions of the present invention are also useful as clothing for hospitalized patients and people requiring care who cannot be restrained for long periods of time by the elastic cord of pants, as they can securely connect the top and bottom of the garment at any time. Furthermore, the snap buttons with variable fastening positions of the present invention can be used to wear pants attached to the body at three points, two points on the front waist and one point on the back of the spine, and the pants can be used while sitting on the toilet by removing the fastener at the back of the spine, making them useful as clothing for some hospitalized patients, medical examinations, and people requiring care.
• the adjustable snap buttons are mainly attached near the edge of the fabric to connect the garments, but the adjustable snap buttons can be attached anywhere, not just near the edge of the fabric. That is, even if the dress shirt (shirt) is connected by hanging it down on the outside of the trousers (pants), it is possible to achieve the above-mentioned function of preventing the trousers or pants from slipping down. That is, although there is also a fashion in which the dress shirt (shirt) is worn on the outside of the trousers (pants) (so-called "shirt out”), it is possible to achieve the above-mentioned connecting function while also being fashionable.
• the adjustable snap button of the present invention allows multiple fabric parts created in advance to be freely connected without limiting the fastening positions, making it easy to connect huge flags, long curtains, etc., without the need for sewing or drilling. It also allows for the creation of new fashions, such as combination clothing made from multiple fabric parts.
• variable fastening position snap button of the present invention is non-destructive as it does not require drilling processes, and can freely connect flat materials such as fabric at any time, and can also be applied to thick, hard materials.
• the variable fastening position snap button of the present invention can connect not only soft flat materials such as fabric, sheets, gauze, paper, film, and mesh materials, but also hard flat materials such as thick fabric, leather, fur, rubber sheets, aluminum sheets, plastic sheets, and steel sheets to other flat materials in a detachable manner, and the range of applications is extremely wide.
• the adjustable snap buttons are circular, but as long as each snap button can reliably and elastically engage with the other snap buttons, they are not limited to being circular.
• female buttons, male buttons (flanges), and U-shaped clips can be rectangular, or they can be button-shaped to match the design, color, or fabric of the clothing, or they can be the same color as the fabric to make them less noticeable, or they can be floral.
• the adjustable fastening snap button of the present invention is non-destructive and does not require any drilling or other processes when attached, and allows two pieces of flat material, such as clothing fabric, to be freely moved without limiting the fastening position, allowing them to be fastened at the optimal position at any time in accordance with changes in body shape. Furthermore, it is possible to create new fashions, such as pants without elastic elastic or trousers without a belt, and the present invention, which allows two pieces of flat material to be non-destructively connected, has a wide range of applications in both everyday life and industry, and has great industrial applicability.
• Adjustable snap button 2 Female button 2' Reverse female button 21 Pressing portion 22 Edge engagement claw 3 Middle button 31 Engagement portion 32 Bent engagement portion 33 Slit 4 Male button 4' Elongated male button 41 Engagement protrusion 42 Bent portion 43 Flange 5 First U-shaped clip 51 Male button part 52 Tooth surface 53 Opening 6 Second U-shaped clip 61 Middle button part C1 First fabric C2 Second fabric C3 Third fabric C4 Fourth fabric C5 Fifth fabric C6 Sixth fabric S Shirt Y Dress shirt P Pants T Trousers B Body

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