Button Fastener and Button Structure
The button fastener comprises a fastener body and a cover member which is attached to the fastener body. The fastener body includes a disk-like base and a hollow, cylindrical post extending upward from a center area of the base concentrically. The post has a top opening at its upper end and a bottom opening in a center area of the base. The cover member covers the lower surface of the base including the bottom opening. The base includes a base bottom adjacent to the post and a base flange rising upward relative to the base bottom radially outward from the base bottom. The cover member includes a curved outer periphery curving from the lower surface side of the base and then rising upward beyond the base flange of the base.
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This invention relates to a button fastener and a button structure, and more specifically, to a button fastener to fasten a button such as a decorative button, a snap button to a fabric, and a button structure composed of a button and a button fastener.
As a combination of a button and a button fastener to fasten the button to a fabric, a type has been known where a button is fastened to a fabric by deforming and fixing a post of a button fastener within a post-receiving space or an inside space of a projection of the button, after the post has pierced the fabric to be received in the space, as shown in Japanese Examined Utility Model Application Publication No. S60-8724, Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2005-204911. As examples of such a button, there are a decorative button, which is fastened to e.g. corners of a pocket of jeans, and a male snap of a snap button, which is mounted to e.g. parts of clothes to be put together. In a state of a button having been mounted onto a fabric, the fabric is held between a flange of the button and a base of the button fastener.
However, with conventional buttons and button fasteners, when a fabric is thin, it would be unable to firmly hold the fabric between the flange of a button and the base of a button fastener, and there would be a case that a button cannot be surely fastened to a fabric. Further, as a post of a button fastener pierces a fabric to fasten a button to the fabric, a round piece of the fabric arises. With common button fasteners, the piece would go into the post-receiving space of the button, which could hamper a deformation of the post, have an adverse effect on the connection between the button and the button fastener, and necessitate an additional work to remove fabric pieces after a button mounting work.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Examined Utility Model Application Publication No. S60-8724
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2005-204911An object of the invention as made in view of the above-mentioned problems is to provide a button fastener and a button structure which can surely fasten a button to a fabric even if the fabric is thin.
Another object of the invention is to provide a button fastener and a button structure in which fabric pieces, which arise at the time of fastening the button to the fabric, do not have an adverse effect on the button-fastening, and a work to remove fabric pieces is unnecessary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTo solve the problems, according to the present invention, there is provided a button fastener for fastening a button to a fabric, comprising: a fastener body including a disk-like base and a post which extends upward from a center area of the base concentrically; and a cover member which is attached to the fastener body so as to cover the lower surface of the base; wherein said base includes a base bottom adjacent to the post and a base flange rising upward relative to the base bottom radially outward from the base bottom; wherein said cover member includes a curved outer periphery curving from the lower surface side of the base and then rising upward beyond the base flange of the base.
In the invention, when the button is being fastened to the fabric, the fabric is held between the button and the curved outer periphery of the cover member of the button fastener. Here, since the curved outer periphery of the button fastener lies upward further than the base flange which rises upward in the base of the fastener body, the interval between the button and the curved outer periphery which face each other holding the fabric therebetween at the time of fastening the button can be narrower, which makes it possible to surely fasten the button to a thinner fabric.
In an embodiment of the invention, said post is hollow and cylindrical and includes a top opening which is open at the upper end of the post and a bottom opening which is open in a center area of the base. When the button is fastened to the fabric, the post of the button fastener cuts and pierces the fabric bringing about a round piece of the fabric. This fabric piece can be taken in the interior of the post through its top opening, so the fabric piece could not hamper a deformation of the post. Further, since the cover member covers the lower surface of the base of the fastener body closing the bottom opening, the fabric piece, which has arisen at the time of fastening the button to the fabric, is not discharged out of the post through the bottom opening, staying within the post after it is captured in the post.
The fastener body and the cover member in the invention can be formed such as by drawing a metal plate of e.g. aluminum, iron, stainless alloy, copper alloy including brass.
In an embodiment of the invention, said upper end of the post is formed as an edge which is able to cut the fabric against the button when the button is fastened to the fabric. By making the upper end of the post an edge, the fabric can be cut and pierced by the post smoothly.
In an embodiment of the invention, said post includes a fold-back portion which is folded back radially inward and downward from the upper end of the post. The fold-back portion can serve to reinforce an upper part of the post and to enhance the effectiveness of the edge at the upper end of the post.
In an embodiment of the invention, said fold-back portion includes, on its inner periphery, a first inclined surface which gently inclines radially inward and downward from the upper end of the post and a second inclined surface which steeply inclines radially inward and downward from the radially inner end of the first inclined surface. The first inclined surface forms the top edge together with the outer periphery surface of the upper part of the post. In addition, at the time immediately before the edge of the post cuts the fabric, the first inclined surface can hold the posture of the fabric while pressing the fabric against the button side, enhancing the effect of the edge and serving to help cut the fabric smoothly.
In an embodiment of the invention, said post includes a post proximal portion adjacent to the base, a post distal end including the upper end, and a post barrel portion linearly extending between the post proximal portion and the post distal portion, wherein the outer diameter of the post distal portion expands radially outward from the upper end of the post barrel portion, and the maximal outer diameter of the post distal portion is greater than the outer diameter of the post barrel portion. In this way, by expanding the post distal portion radially outward rather than the post barrel portion, the top opening enlarges so that the fabric piece cut out by the upper end of the post at the time of fastening the button to the fabric can be easily captured into the post.
In an embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the post barrel portion, post distal portion and fold-back portion is gradually thinner from the lower end to the upper end of the post barrel portion, and then, via the post distal portion, from the upper end to the lower end of the fold-back portion, except for about the upper end of the post as the turn-round part of the fold-back portion. In this way, by gradually thinning down the post barrel portion, the post distal portion and the fold-back portion in this sequence, a load as needed to turn down the fold-back portion can decrease compared with a constant thickness.
According to the second present invention, there is provided a button structure composed of a button and a button fastener for fastening the button to a fabric, the button fastener comprising: a fastener body including a disk-like base and a post which extends upward from a center area of the base concentrically; and a cover member which is attached to the fastener body so as to cover the lower surface of the base; wherein said base includes a base bottom adjacent to the post and a base flange rising upward relative to the base bottom radially outward from the base bottom; wherein said cover member includes a curved outer periphery curving from the lower surface side of the base and then rising upward beyond the base flange of the base; wherein said button includes a projection projecting upward and an annular flange extending radially outward from the projection; wherein said projection defines a post-receiving space in the interior thereof for receiving, deforming and fixing the post which has pierced the fabric; wherein said flange, in the state where the button has been fastened to the fabric with the post fixed in the post-receiving space, faces the curved outer periphery with the fabric held between the flange and the curved outer periphery.
In the invention, when the button is being fastened to the fabric, the fabric is held between the flange of the button and the curved outer periphery of the cover member of the button fastener. Here, since the curved outer periphery of the button fastener lies upward further than the base flange which rises upward in the base of the fastener body, the interval between the flange of the button and the curved outer periphery which face each other holding the fabric therebetween at the time of fastening the button can be narrower, which makes it possible to surely fasten the button to a thinner fabric.
In an embodiment of the invention, said post is hollow and cylindrical and includes a top opening which is open at the upper end of the post and a bottom opening which is open in a center area of the base. When the button is fastened to the fabric, the post of the button fastener cuts and pierces the fabric bringing about a round piece of the fabric. This fabric piece can be taken in the interior of the post through its top opening, so the fabric piece could not hamper a deformation of the post. Further, since the cover member covers the lower surface of the base of the fastener body closing the bottom opening, the fabric piece, which has arisen at the time of fastening the button to the fabric, is not discharged out of the post through the bottom opening, staying within the post after it is captured in the post.
In the inventions, the button fastener comprises the fastener body and the cover member, and the curved outer periphery of the cover member lies upward further than the base flange which rises upward in the base of the fastener body, the interval between the curved outer periphery of the button fastener and (the flange of) the button which hold the fabric therebetween in the state where the button has been fastened to the fabric, which makes it possible to surely fasten the button to a thinner fabric.
Further, since the fabric piece, which arises as the post of the button fastener cuts and pierces the fabric when the button is being fastened to the fabric, can be taken in the interior of the post through its top opening, the fabric piece could not have an adverse effect on a deformation of the post and the connection between the button and the button fastener. Furthermore, in the button fastener, since the cover member covers the lower surface of the fastener body including the bottom opening of the post, the fabric piece, which has been taken in the interior of the post through of the top opening of the post, is not discharged out of the post, a work to remove fabric pieces is unnecessary.
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described while referring to the drawings.
The post 30 (except for the fold-back portion 35) is divided into a post proximal portion 31 rising gradually from the base 20 and having curved longitudinal sectional (inner and outer) surfaces; a post barrel portion 32 extending upward from the post proximal portion 31 while the outer diameter of the portion 32 slightly reducing gradually and having linear longitudinal sectional (inner and outer) surfaces; and a post distal portion 33 including the top edge 34 as mentioned above and having the outer diameter which expands radially outward from the upper end of the post barrel portion 32. The outer diameter of the post distal portion 33, as shown enlarged in
The fold-back portion 35 includes, on its inner periphery, a first inclined surface 35a with a gentle inclination, the inner diameter of which drastically decreases from the top edge 34 radially inward, and a second inclined surface 35b with a steep inclination, the inner diameter of which somewhat decreases from the radially outer end of the first inclined face 35a to the lower end of the fold-back portion 35. The first inclined surface 35a forms the sharp edge 34 together with the outer periphery surface of the post distal portion 33. The fold-back portion 35 is cut out upward from the lower end partially in a triangle form so as to facilitate decreasing the diameter toward the lower end easier. The length of the fold-back portion 35 in the axial direction exceeds that of the post distal portion 33 and equals approximately ¼ of the height (the axial length) of the post 30 from the base 20.
The base 20 includes a base bottom 21 extending radially outward from the lower end of the post proximal portion 31 horizontally, and a base flange 22 rising upward relative to the base bottom 21 radially outward from the base bottom 21. The base flange 22 has a flange inclined portion 22a being inclined gradually upward and radially outward from the radially outer end of the base bottom 21, and a flange horizontal portion 22b extending horizontally and radially outward from the radially outer end of the flange inclined portion 22a. The cover member 40 includes a disk-like, horizontal cover base 41 covering the lower surface of the base bottom 21 including the bottom opening 30″ of the post 30, and a curved outer periphery 42 turning back in a C-shaped cross-section upward from the radially outer end of the cover base 41 so as to wrap around a radially outer end part of the base 20, terminating on the flange horizontal portion 22b. The curved outer periphery 42 rises upward beyond the flange horizontal portion 22b of the base 20.
When the button 50 is fastened to the fabric c using the button fastener 1, by lowering the button 50 from the state shown in
The post 30, which has gone into the post-receiving space 54 through the bottom opening 53 of the button 50 after piecing the fabric c as shown in
The post 90 of the fastener 61 as shown in
- 1, 61, 71, 81 button fastener
- 10, 10a, 10b, 10c fastener body
- 20 base
- 22b flange horizontal portion
- 30, 90, 100, 110 post
- 30′, 90′, 100′, 110′ top opening
- 30″ bottom opening
- 31 post proximal portion
- 32, 92, 102, 112 post barrel portion
- 33, 93, 103, 113 post distal portion
- 34, 94, 104, 114 upper end of post
- 34, 104, 114 edge
- 35, 115 fold-back portion
- 35a first inclined surface
- 35b second inclined surface
- 40 cover member (shell)
- 42 curved outer periphery
- 50, 120, 130 button
- 51, 121, 131 projection
- 52 lower end of semicircular part (fabric-holddown)
- 53 bottom opening
- 54, 124, 134 post-receiving space
- 56, 126, 136 flange
- c fabric
- c′, c″ fabric piece
Claims
1. A button fastener for fastening a button to a fabric, comprising:
- a fastener body including a disk-like base and a post which extends upward from a center area of the base concentrically; and
- a cover member which is attached to the fastener body so as to cover the lower surface of the base;
- wherein said base includes a base bottom adjacent to the post and a base flange rising upward relative to the base bottom radially outward from the base bottom;
- wherein said cover member includes a curved outer periphery curving from the lower surface side of the base and then rising upward beyond the base flange of the base.
2. The button fastener according to claim 1, wherein said post is hollow and cylindrical and includes a top opening which is open at the upper end of the post and a bottom opening which is open in a center area of the base.
3. The button fastener according to claim 1, wherein said upper end of the post is formed as a edge which is able to cut the fabric against the button when the button is fastened to the fabric.
4. The button fastener according to claim 3, wherein said post includes a fold-back portion which is folded back radially inward and downward from the upper end of the post.
5. The button fastener according to claim 4, wherein said fold-back portion includes, on its inner periphery, a first inclined surface which gently inclines radially inward and downward from the upper end of the post and a second inclined surface which steeply inclines radially inward and downward from the radially inner end of the first inclined surface.
6. The button fastener according to claim 1, wherein said post includes a post proximal portion adjacent to the base, a post distal end including the upper end, and a post barrel portion linearly extending between the post proximal portion and the post distal portion, wherein the outer diameter of the post distal portion expands radially outward from the upper end of the post barrel portion, and the maximal outer diameter of the post distal portion is greater than the outer diameter of the post barrel portion.
7. The button fastener according to claim 6, wherein the thickness of the post barrel portion, post distal portion and fold-back portion is gradually thinner from the lower end to the upper end of the post barrel portion, and then, via the post distal portion, from the upper end to the lower end of the fold-back portion, except for about the upper end of the post as the turn-round part of the fold-back portion.
8. A button structure composed of a button and a button fastener for fastening the button to a fabric, the button fastener comprising:
- a fastener body including a disk-like base and a post which extends upward from a center area of the base concentrically; and
- a cover member which is attached to the fastener body so as to cover the lower surface of the base;
- wherein said base includes a base bottom adjacent to the post and a base flange rising upward relative to the base bottom radially outward from the base bottom;
- wherein said cover member includes a curved outer periphery curving from the lower surface side of the base and then rising upward beyond the base flange of the base;
- wherein said button includes a projection projecting upward and an annular flange extending radially outward from the projection;
- wherein said projection defines a post-receiving space in the interior thereof for receiving, deforming and fixing the post which has pierced the fabric;
- wherein said flange, in the state where the button has been fastened to the fabric with the post fixed in the post-receiving space, faces the curved outer periphery with the fabric held between the flange and the curved outer periphery.
9. The button structure according to claim 8, wherein said post is hollow and cylindrical and includes a top opening which is open at the upper end of the post and a bottom opening which is open in a center area of the base.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 14, 2009
Publication Date: Oct 4, 2012
Applicant: YKK Corporation (Tokyo)
Inventors: Satoshi Miyauchi (Tokyo), Akira Morishita (Tokyo), Toru Miyae (Tokyo), Jukichi Fukushima (Tokyo)
Application Number: 13/514,629
International Classification: A44B 1/28 (20060101);