ULTRA-SLIM FASTENER

Abstract

An ultra-slim fastener for a garment includes male and female parts engagable by inclining the male part while inserting a foot into a cavity of the female part, and pivoting the parts to a co-planar orientation. The female has a roof thickness, and the foot may be offset by at least the roof thickness. The male part may include a weld joint including alternating welded regions and non-welded regions. The male and female may include a plurality of protrusions distributed throughout a weld region for welding the parts to a garment piece. Features of the fastener improve tensile strength, increase flexibility, and improve comfort.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/213,710, filed Mar. 26, 2021, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an ultra-slim fastener and methods of manufacturing same. In particular, the invention relates to an ultra-slim fastener for use in the manufacture of an article of clothing such as a brassiere.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many disparate types of fasteners used in the manufacture of articles of clothing. The type of fastener chosen for a given application will depend in part on the intended application, as often different design considerations apply to different applications. For example, fasteners for a brassiere (hereinafter referred to simply as a “bra”) will preferably be low profile fasteners, will ideally be relatively simple for the wearer to open and close, and yet will be sufficiently secure so that they are not prone to inadvertent opening during normal movement of the wearer. These are all important considerations when designing a fastener for a bra.

By having a low profile, the fastener will protrude less through the wearer's clothing and will provide a more aesthetically pleasing offering. Furthermore, by having a low profile the fasteners will have less tendency to catch on other items of clothing. It is important that bra fasteners in particular are simple for the wearer to open and close. Often, the closures will be behind the wearer's back and a fastener that is relatively simple to open and close will facilitate dressing and undressing. This is particularly important if the wearer has arthritis or another condition that may affect their manual dexterity.

There is a need in the art for a fastener that overcomes at least some of the aforementioned problems. It is further desirable that such a fastener offers a useful and aesthetically pleasing alternative choice to the consumer.

Thermoplastic fasteners for garments are commonly joined to fabrics or other components by welding methods including ultrasonic welding, high frequency welding, induction welding, and others. Welding techniques used for synthetic fabrics cause localized melting of the fabric fibers in the area of the weld, which breaks down a woven or knitted fabric structure. The use of too much energy when welding may cause excessive melting of plastic parts which may be unsightly, rough to the touch, and may even weaken the part. There is therefore a need in the art for improved methods of welding thermoplastic components to fibers to maintain structural integrity, comfort, and appearance in the welded regions.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

An ultra-slim fastener as described herein is suitable for bras, swimwear, sportswear, and other garments where a slim yet strong fastener is desired. The fastener may be, for example, a brassiere front fastener located in between the cups where a thin profile is desired for comfort, yet high strength is also required to prevent inadvertent disengagement of the fastener.

In an embodiment, an ultra-slim fastener for securing a first piece and a second piece of a garment together includes:

• • a male part configured to be mounted on the first piece and a female part configured to be mounted on the second piece;
  • the male part including a substantially planar body having an outermost body end, a downwardly depending leg disposed at the outermost body end and terminating in an outwardly projecting foot extending substantially parallel to the plane of the body, the foot having a heel portion oriented away from the outermost body end, and the body being sandwiched between an upper component and a lower component;
  • the female part including a substantially planar frame having a top, an outermost frame end, an innermost frame end, and defining a cavity for reception and retention of the foot, the cavity being partially roofed in towards the innermost frame end and having a roof and a bottom, thereby defining an open mouth towards the outermost frame end;
  • the foot, the cavity, and the open mouth being dimensioned so that insertion of the foot into the cavity must be realized by inclining the body of the male part relative to the frame of the female part before bringing the male part and the female part together, retention of the foot in the cavity is realized by pivoting the inserted male part from an inclined orientation to a co-planar orientation with respect to the female part using the roof of the cavity as a fulcrum, and release of the foot from the cavity is realized by pivoting the inserted male part from the co-planar orientation back to the inclined orientation using the roof of the cavity as a fulcrum before moving the male part and the female part apart;
  • a fabric strip and an overlay, the overlay having an aperture, the frame of the female part sandwiched between the fabric strip and the overlay such that the aperture corresponds with the open mouth, the fabric strip forms a backing for the frame, and the bottom of the cavity is closed off by the fabric strip;
  • the body of the male part and the frame of the female part each having a weld region including a plurality of protrusions distributed throughout the weld region in a protrusion pattern; and
  • the upper component of the male part being welded to the lower component of the male part along a weld joint adjacent the body, such that the weld joint has a weld pattern including alternating welded regions and non-welded regions.

Such a fastener can be made ultra-slim, less than 5 mm in thickness from front to rear, while maintaining structural integrity and the ability to resist inadvertent opening under an applied load. By mounting the female part's frame directly onto the face of the fabric strip so that the fabric strip forms a backing for the frame and providing an overlay on top of the frame in the manner described, the frame will have significantly greater structural integrity and resistance to bending under tensile strain. This allows for a thinner fastener to be used. Embodiments of the fastener will have a tensile strength rating of 30-40 lbs or more, which far exceeds the amount for fasteners of this type and will not be inclined to open inadvertently. The protrusions permit a strong weld and allow flexibility of the weld region while maintaining structural integrity of the welded parts.

In another embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the weld pattern extends along a top edge and a bottom edge of the male part, substantially parallel to the body. In another embodiment, the weld pattern extends outwardly substantially parallel to at least a portion of the outermost body end. These configurations provide a soft welded edge adjacent the plastic body of the male part.

In another embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the lower component includes an open section located inwardly of and substantially surrounding the heel portion. This feature improves flexibility of the male part.

In another embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, an air cushion is located between the weld joint and the outermost body end of the male part. The air cushion provides increased flexibility in the area of the weld joints.

In another embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the weld pattern includes between 40% to 60% welded regions. In a particular embodiment, the weld pattern includes about 50% welded regions. In some embodiments, the weld joint has a thickness and the welded regions each have a depth of not more than 50% of the thickness of the weld joint.

In another embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the weld pattern has an interstitial spacing of between 1 mm and 5 mm separating each of the welded regions. In some embodiments, the welded regions are substantially circular, and each welded region has a diameter of between about 0.2 mm and about 6 mm.

In another embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, a top edge and a bottom edge of the male part are tapered inwardly such that an inner height of the male part is larger than an outer height of the male part. This feature may allow the male part to be smaller than the female part while also being easy to grasp and engage with the female part.

In another embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the weld pattern extends substantially parallel to at least a portion of the outermost body end, and the weld pattern is sandwiched between the upper component and the lower component.

In another embodiment of the fastener, the body of the male part and the frame of the female part each having a weld region including a plurality of protrusions distributed throughout the weld region in a pattern. In some embodiments, the protrusions have a height of between 0.3 mm and 2.0 mm. In some embodiments, the protrusions have a conical shape, a cylindrical shape, or a cuboid shape. In some embodiments, the pattern has an interstitial spacing of between 1 mm and 5 mm separating the protrusions. In some embodiments, the plurality of protrusions covers between 40% to 60% of each weld region.

Other embodiments, in addition to the embodiments enumerated above, will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the fastener and method of manufacturing same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the ultra-slim fastener are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a female part of a fastener.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the female part of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an inner end view of the female part of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is another rear view of the female part.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the female part of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the female part of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a rear view of a male part of a fastener.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the male part of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an inner end view of the male part of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the male part of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is another rear view of the male part.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the male part of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the male part of FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view showing the male part being brought into engagement with the female part.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the fastener in an engaged position.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged detail view of area XVI of FIG. 12.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of a weld joint along line XVII-XVII of FIG. 11.

FIG. 18 is a front view of another embodiment of the male part.

FIG. 19 is a rear view of the male part of FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along line XX-XX of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a rear view of another embodiment of the male part.

FIG. 22 is a front view of the male part of FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is an inner end view of the male part of FIG. 21.

FIG. 24 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the male part of FIG. 21.

FIG. 25 is a front view of another embodiment of the female part, the rear view being identical to FIG. 1.

FIG. 26 is an inner end view of the female part of FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the female part of FIG. 25.

FIGS. 28A-28C are enlarged views of embodiments of area XXVIII of FIG. 27.

FIG. 29 is a rear view of another embodiment of the male part.

FIG. 30 is a front view of the male part of FIG. 29.

FIG. 31 is an inner end view of the male part of FIG. 29.

FIG. 32 is another rear view of the male part.

FIG. 33 is a front view of the male part of FIG. 32.

FIG. 34 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the female part.

FIG. 35 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the male part.

FIG. 36 is an enlarged detail view of area XXXVI of FIG. 35.

FIG. 37 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the female part.

FIG. 38 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the male part.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various embodiments. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown an embodiment of a female part of a fastener, indicated generally by the reference numeral 100, having a substantially planar frame 101. Frame 101 includes a cavity 119 configured for reception and retention of a foot of a male part, discussed in detail below. Cavity 119 is partially roofed in by a roof 121 located near the innermost frame end 113. An open mouth 107, located near an outermost frame end 114, permits access to cavity 119.

As used herein, the term “inner” refers to the direction of a garment piece to which either of the male or female parts is to be connected, while “outer” refers to the direction away from the garment; “front” refers to the direction generally facing away from the body of the wearer and “rear” refers to the direction toward the body of the wearer, regardless of the location of the fastener on a garment; “top” refers to the direction of the wearer's head and “bottom” refers to the direction of the wearer's feet. The term “about” or “approximately” refers to a range of values within plus or minus 10% of the specified number. As used herein, the term “substantially” when referring to a shape or an orientation means that an ordinary observer will perceive that an object has said shape or orientation even if there are minor variations from said shape or orientation.

FIGS. 4 & 5 show female part 100 having four frames 101 sandwiched between a fabric strip 103 and an overlay 105. The outlines of frames 101 are shown in dashed lines.

Overlay 105 is mounted onto the top of each frame 101 and onto the face of fabric strip 103, thereby sandwiching frames 101 between overlay 105 and fabric strip 103. Overlay 105 includes an aperture 109 corresponding with each open mouth 107 of frames 101. Fabric strip 103 forms a backing for frames 101, and the bottom of cavity 119 is closed off by the fabric strip (see also FIG. 6).

A plurality of weld joints 111a, 111b, 111c illustrate areas where at least two of the frame, the overlay, and the fabric strip have been joined together. In the shown embodiment, overlay 105 may be welded to frame 101 along weld joints 111a. Overlay 105 may be welded to fabric strip 103 along weld joints 111b or 111c. Weld joints 111b may be cut in a welded region as further discussed herein. Weld joints 111c, shown spaced apart from innermost frame end 113 of the female part, may provide strain relief in areas of the fabric which may be manipulated when engaging or disengaging the fastener.

Referring to FIGS. 7-10, there is shown an embodiment of a male part of the fastener, indicated generally by the reference numeral 200. The male part comprises a substantially planar body 201 having at its outermost body end 203 a downwardly depending leg 221 terminating in an outwardly projecting foot 205. The outwardly projecting foot may extend substantially parallel to the plane of body 201 (see FIG. 13). Foot 205 has a heel portion 223 oriented away from outermost body end 203 and a toe portion 225 oriented toward the outermost body end.

FIGS. 11 & 12 show body 201 of the male part sandwiched between an upper component 213 and a lower component 217, and connected thereto along weld joints 209a. The outline of body 201 is shown in dashed lines. Upper component 213 and lower component 217 may be welded together along weld joints 209b. Upper component 213 and lower component 217 may extend outwardly from body 201, thereby forming a flap that may be used for connection of the male part to a first piece of a garment 211, shown in dot-dash lines.

FIG. 13 shows an enlarged, side cross-sectional view of male part 200 of the fastener. Outwardly projecting foot 205 extends substantially parallel to the plane of body 201. Heel portion 223 is inclined away from outermost body end 203 from front to rear. In other words, the front of heel portion 223 is nearer to outermost body end 203 than is the rear of heel portion 223. The angle of inclination of the heel is indicated as θ. In embodiments, heel portion 223 is inclined away from the outermost body end at an angle, θ, of between about 6 degrees and about 12 degrees. In addition, an upwardly extending male flange 227 protrudes from the front surface of body 201 adjacent outermost body end 203.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown an enlarged, side cross-sectional view of female part 100 of the fastener. As outlined above in relation to FIGS. 1-5, female part 100 has a substantially planar frame 101 sandwiched between overlay 105 and fabric strip 103. In the embodiment shown, there are four of frame 101 mounted in a longitudinally spaced row. This arrangement is not intended to be limiting, and more or fewer frames may be provided depending on the degree of adjustability desired. Frame 101 includes an upwardly extending female flange 129 adjacent open mouth 107. Upwardly extending female flange 129 acts as a backstop for the male part when male part 200 is being joined together with female part 100. In some embodiments, a circumferential upstanding collar 123 is provided which surrounds open mouth 107 and protrudes forwardly therefrom. This collar protects the edge of the aperture in fabric overlay 105. Cavity 119 has a side wall 131, oriented toward outer end 127 of the female part. Side wall 131 may be angled from front to rear towards outer end 127. This angle facilitates engagement of the male and female parts once the male and female parts come under tension, and resists disengagement of the fastener.

Overlay 105 is shown connected to frame 101 along weld joints 111a. Overlay 105 and fabric strip 103 may be connected together along weld joints 111b or 111c. The overlay and the fabric strip may extend outward from frame 101, and a second piece of a garment 117, shown in dot-dash lines, may be sandwiched between overlay 105 and fabric strip 103. Alternatively, overlay 105 and fabric strip 103 may be joined together to form a flap that may be used for connection of garment piece 117.

FIG. 14 shows a fastener, indicated generally by the reference numeral 400. Male part 200 is positioned for insertion into a frame 101 of female part 100 (two frames 101 are present in the shown embodiment). Male part 200 is inclined at an angle to the horizontal so that it can be inserted into cavity 119 through open mouth 107 of the cavity. Toe portion 225 is inserted first into the open mouth along the directional arrow, and when a bridge 229 of the foot engages with roof 121 of the cavity, the foot will be pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction using roof 121 as a fulcrum. Heel portion 223 will abut against collar 123 and the collar or the heel will be sufficiently resiliently deformable to allow the heel to snap in place beyond the collar so that the foot is lying substantially horizontal in the cavity (see FIG. 15). In other words, the male and female parts will be substantially in line with each other rather than either being in an inclined position. Once engaged, the fastener will resist inadvertent release, as the foot will be engaged in the cavity and the foot (and in particular heel portion 223 and bridge 229) together with cavity side wall 131, collar 123, and roof 121 will act to hold the foot in the cavity and male part 200 and female part 100 together. Furthermore, fabric strip 103 will also act to prevent inadvertent dislodgement of the male part from the female part as it will act against a pivoting motion of the male part from a parallel configuration to an inclined configuration. Fabric strip 103 will also act to press bridge 229 of the male part against roof 121 which helps to maintain the parts together. Release of the foot from the cavity is realized by pivoting the inserted male part from the co-planar orientation back to the inclined orientation using the roof of the cavity as a fulcrum before moving the male part and the female part apart, essentially reversing the operations performed when engaging the fastener.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the fastener in an engaged position. Frame 101 of female part 100 has a roof thickness, t1, extending from a top 133 of frame 101 to roof 121 of the cavity. An upper surface 235 of the foot is offset rearwardly relative to a rear surface 237 of the body of male part 200 by a distance, t2. This offset distance t2 may be at least as large as roof thickness t1. In example embodiments, t1 may be between about 0.4 mm and about 1.0 mm. Referring again to FIGS. 11 & 12, upper component 213 of male part 200 may be welded to lower component 217 of male part 200 along a weld joint adjacent body 201 of the male part (e.g., weld joint 209b). This weld joint may have a weld pattern including alternating welded regions and non-welded regions. In other words, the upper component and the lower component may be joined in some regions of the weld joint and not joined in other regions of the weld joint. The weld pattern may extend along a top edge 240 and a bottom edge 242 of male part 200. These weld joints may be substantially parallel to the body 201 of the male part (shown hidden in dashed line).

FIG. 16 is an enlarged detail view of area XVI of FIG. 12, showing a weld pattern 500. Welded regions 512, shown shaded, may be distributed substantially evenly throughout non-welded regions 514, shown in white. Welded regions 512 may be substantially circular, as shown, or may have another shape such as, for example, a diamond shape, an octagonal shape, a lattice pattern, and others. In one example, welded regions 512 are substantially circular and each welded region has a diameter, d1, of between about 0.2 mm and about 6 mm. Weld pattern 500 may include between 40% to 60% welded regions 512. In one embodiment, weld pattern 500 includes about 50% welded regions 512. In embodiments, the weld pattern has an interstitial spacing ‘S1’ separating each of the plurality of welded regions 512 (in other words, separating one of the plurality of welded regions from a nearest neighbor among the plurality of welded regions). Spacing S1 may be between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of a weld joint 209b along line XVII-XVII of FIG. 11, showing bottom edge 242 of the male part, although the following description may apply, mutatis mutandis, to any edge including embodiments of a weld joint with a weld pattern as described herein. Edge 242 may be formed by cutting within a weld joint having a weld pattern. This method is beneficial as it provides a soft edge contributed by non-welded regions, yet is strong and resists fraying due to the welded regions. Depressions 610 are formed in lower component 217 and upper component 213, e.g. where contact was made with a weld surface of a welding tool. While depressions 610 of the lower and upper component are shown aligned in this example, that need not be the case; welded regions may be distributed within non-welded regions in any pattern. A welded region 620 is shown (cross-hatched) between non-welded regions 630. The weld joint has a thickness, t3, measured from the external faces of lower component 217 and upper component 213. Welded regions 620 each have a depth, d2, less than thickness t3. In one embodiment, the depth of the welded regions is not more than 50% of the thickness of the weld joint.

A method of forming a weld joint having a weld pattern including alternating welded regions and non-welded regions may include welding two components together using a welding tool (e.g., a horn or an anvil) that has a patterned surface structure comprising a patterned weld surface offset from and distributed throughout a non-weld surface. Welded regions may be formed where the one or both of the components being welded contact the patterned weld surface of the welding tool, and non-welded regions may be formed where the components being welded are aligned to the non-weld surface, thereby forming alternating welded regions and non-welded regions. FIGS. 18 and 19 are front and rear views, respectively, of another embodiment of male part 200. FIG. 20 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along line XX-XX of FIG. 19. The shown male part 200 includes one or more weld joints 209b that extend outwardly and are substantially parallel to at least a portion of outermost body end 203 of body 201 (shown hidden in dashed lines. Weld joints 209b have a weld pattern including alternating welded regions and non-welded regions, as previously described. Weld joints 209b as shown also extend along top edge 240 and bottom edge 242 of male part 200, substantially parallel to body 201. Such an embodiment provides a soft edge which completely surrounds the regions of the body that do not engage the female part. In some versions, weld joints 209b may extend along outermost body end 203 and not along the top edge or the bottom edge. As seen in FIG. 20, some versions of male part 200 may include an air cushion 260 located between weld joint 209b and outermost body end 203. Air cushion 260 may be formed by offsetting weld joint 209b from outermost body end 203, and sealing air in the gap therebetween. Air cushion 260 provides increased flexibility around the welded edges, which reduces pressure on the wearer where edges may contact the skin, thereby improving comfort of the male part.

In some embodiments, lower component 217 may include an open section 250 located inwardly of and substantially surrounding heel portion 223. This feature provides increased flexibility of the male part for engagement or disengagement with female part.

The fastener is preferably made out of plastic material, such as polyamide. Fabric components may be made of polyamide microfiber, elastane fabric, silk, polyester, bamboo, cellulose acetate, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, both the fabric portion and the solid plastic portion of the fastener are made of polyamide. If desired, an additional layer of padding material could be provided for comfort. Although this will increase the depth of the fastener, for example the padding layer may be of the order of 0.5-1.0 mm thick leading to a fastener that could be of the order of 5 mm thick or more, the padding may provide a more comfortable fastener for the wearer thereby improving the desirability of the fastener. An “ultra-slim” fastener will be understood to be a fastener having a thickness of the order of 5 mm or less.

In order to manufacture a fastener according to the invention, the method comprises the steps of cutting out an aperture in an overlay sheet before bonding the overlay sheet to a fabric strip along at least one edge of both the overlay sheet and the fabric strip. The frame of the female part is placed on the overlay sheet with the open mouth of the frame in alignment with the aperture in the overlay sheet. The frame of the female part is bonded to the overlay sheet. The overlay sheet is additionally bonded to the fabric strip along any remaining un-bonded edges. It is envisaged that in one implementation, the initial step of bonding the overlay sheet to the fabric strip along at least one edge of both the overlay sheet and the fabric strip will entail bonding the overlay sheet to the fabric strip along three edges of the overlay sheet and the fabric strip thereby forming a pouch. The male part is constructed by bonding the fabric to the substantially planar body. In all cases, ultrasonic welding is seen as a useful choice for bonding the components together.

Additional embodiments of the male and female parts are shown in FIGS. 21-27. In these embodiments, the body of the male part has weld regions 251 for welding body 201 to a piece of fabric (see weld joints 209a of FIGS. 10 & 11). Similarly, the frame of the female part has weld regions 151 for welding frame 101 to a piece of fabric (see weld joints 111a of FIGS. 5 & 6). Each of weld regions 151, 251 includes a plurality of protrusions 155 which are distributed substantially evenly throughout the weld regions. These protrusions improve the weld connection between the fabric and the plastic base or frame. The protrusions may permit welding at a lower temperature or for a shorter time, reducing the risk of over-welding which can cause excessive melting of plastic parts or may breakdown the structure of a woven fabric.

FIGS. 28A-28C are enlarged views of embodiments of detail area XXVIII of FIG. 27. The features of the embodiments shown may also apply, mutatis mutandis, to the weld regions of the male part. Protrusions 155 are raised relative to frame 101 by a height ‘H’. Protrusions 155 may have a height of between about 0.3 mm and about 2.0 mm. In the shown embodiments, protrusions 155 have a height of about 0.5 mm. In other embodiments, the height of the protrusions is at least 50% of the thickness of the fabric to be welded. In other embodiments, the height of the protrusions is between 30-70% of the thickness of the fabric to be welded. When welded, the protrusions are fused with the fabric and have a substantially flat, smooth finished appearance.

In embodiments, protrusions 155 are spaced in a regular pattern throughout the weld regions. As shown on male part 200, the protrusions may form a zig-zag pattern. As shown on female part 100, the protrusions may form a lattice-like pattern. Within each weld region, protrusions may cover between 40% to 60% of the surface area (e.g. as measured at the body or frame). The ratio within the weld region of surface area covered by protrusions to the total area of the patterned surface may be varied according to the type of material being joined and the desired flexibility of the resultant weld. In another embodiment, protrusions cover about 50% of the weld region. Protrusions may have a major dimension, ‘D’, at the base of about 0.5 mm.

In embodiments, the pattern has an interstitial spacing S2′ (see FIG. 25) separating each of the plurality of protrusions (in other words, separating one of the plurality of protrusions from a nearest neighbor among the plurality of protrusions). Spacing S2 may be between about 1 mm and about 5 mm. In another embodiment, spacing S2 may be between about 1 mm and about 3 mm. A larger interstitial spacing may be preferred for welding to a thicker fabric.

The embodiments of FIGS. 28A-28C illustrate several exemplary shapes of protrusions 155. Protrusions of FIG. 28A have a cylindrical shape with a rounded top at raised surface 157. Protrusions of FIG. 28B have a generally cuboid shape, a substantially flat raised surface 157 with a rounded edge 159, and sidewalls 161 which have a slight downward taper. Protrusions of FIG. 28C have a conical shape which tapers downward away from raised surface 157 toward frame 101 at an angle of between 20° and 60°. Raised surface 157 is substantially flat. In other embodiments, the protrusions may be more rounded than as shown, may be tapered at an angle more or less than is shown, may have straight sidewalls 161, may have angled edges 159 on the raised surface, or may have various shapes at the base such as circular, square, or polygonal.

FIGS. 29-31 are rear, front, and inner end views, respectively, of another embodiment of the male part. FIGS. 32-33 is additional rear and front views, respectively, of the male part showing upper and lower components. Top edge 240 and bottom edge 242 of male part 200 are tapered inwardly such that an inner height H1 of the male part is larger than an outer height H2 of the male part. In addition, as seen in FIG. 33, inner height H1 of male part 200 is smaller than a height H3 of female part 100 (shown in dashed lines). The smaller size of the male part further improves comfort for the wearer.

Body 201 of male part 200 may include at least two longitudinal channels 233, one channel positioned on either side of foot 205 (see also FIGS. 8-9). The shown embodiments includes two channels 233, one channel located on each side of the foot. Another example embodiment may include four channels. Channels 233 have a reduced thickness relative to other regions of body 201. The relatively thin structure in the regions of channels 233 provides a flexible region which bends resiliently under stress, thereby further facilitating the engagement and disengagement of the fastener. In addition, the flexibility of the male provides additional comfort to the wearer, especially when moving around.

FIGS. 34 & 35 are enlarged side cross-sectional views of embodiments of the female part 100 and the male part 200, respectively. FIG. 36 is an enlarged detail view of area XXXVI of FIG. 35. Weld joint 209b, including a weld pattern, extends substantially parallel to outermost body end 203. Weld joint 209b is sandwiched between upper component 213 and lower component 217. This arrangement can be achieved by welding weld joint 209b, then turning the joined upper component and lower component inside out to form a pocket, inserting male body 201 into the pocket, and additionally welding joints 209a to join body 201 to the upper or lower component. Similarly, weld joint 111b of the female part extends substantially parallel to outermost frame end 114. Weld joint 111b may be sandwiched between fabric strip 103 and overlay 105. Either the male part or the female part may also include air cushion 260 located inward of the weld joint.

One or more of upper component 213 and lower component 217 may extend outwardly from body 201, thereby forming a flap that may be used for connection of the male part to a first piece of a garment 211 (see also FIG. 13). First piece 211 may be sandwiched between upper component 213 and lower component 217.

FIGS. 37 & 38 are enlarged side cross-sectional views of embodiments of the female part and the male part, respectively. In these embodiments, weld joints 111b and 209b are sandwiched between fabric components as described above. An air cushion may also be present in these embodiments. This version of the male and female parts does not include flaps. The ends of the male or female parts may be joined directly to a garment. Further provided are other embodiments of fastener parts including weld regions having protrusions substantially as described above. Further provided are other embodiments of fastener parts including welded joints having weld patterns substantially as described above.

It is further envisaged that the fastener could be used for shoulder straps or other areas of a garment, and is not limited to a back or front fastener for a brassiere, for example. Further provided is a garment including a fastener as shown or described herein.

The embodiments of the fastener described herein and garments incorporating same are exemplary and numerous modifications, combinations, variations, and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve an equivalent result, all of which are intended to be embraced within the scope of the appended claims. Further, nothing in the above-provided discussions of the fastener and construction method should be construed as limiting the invention to a particular embodiment or combination of embodiments. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An ultra-slim fastener for securing a first piece and a second piece of a garment together, the fastener comprising:

a male part configured to be mounted on the first piece and a female part configured to be mounted on the second piece;

the male part comprising a substantially planar body having an outermost body end, a downwardly depending leg disposed at the outermost body end and terminating in an outwardly projecting foot extending substantially parallel to a plane of the body, the foot having a heel portion oriented away from the outermost body end, and the body being sandwiched between an upper component and a lower component;

the female part comprising a substantially planar frame having a top, an outermost frame end, an innermost frame end, and defining a cavity for reception and retention of the foot, the cavity being partially roofed in towards the innermost frame end and having a roof and a bottom, thereby defining an open mouth towards the outermost frame end;

the foot, the cavity, and the open mouth being dimensioned so that insertion of the foot into the cavity must be realized by inclining the body of the male part relative to the frame of the female part before bringing the male part and the female part together, retention of the foot in the cavity is realized by pivoting the inserted male part from an inclined orientation to a co-planar orientation with respect to the female part using the roof of the cavity as a fulcrum, and release of the foot from the cavity is realized by pivoting the inserted male part from the co-planar orientation back to the inclined orientation using the roof of the cavity as a fulcrum before moving the male part and the female part apart;

a fabric strip and an overlay, the overlay having an aperture, the frame of the female part sandwiched between the fabric strip and the overlay such that the aperture corresponds with the open mouth, the fabric strip forms a backing for the frame, and the bottom of the cavity is closed off by the fabric strip;

the body of the male part and the frame of the female part each having a weld region including a plurality of protrusions distributed throughout the weld region in a protrusion pattern; and

the upper component of the male part being welded to the lower component of the male part along a weld joint adjacent the body, such that the weld joint has a weld pattern including alternating welded regions and non-welded regions.

2. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, wherein the weld pattern extends along a top edge and a bottom edge of the male part, substantially parallel to the body.

3. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, wherein the weld pattern extends outwardly substantially parallel to at least a portion of the outermost body end.

4. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, wherein the lower component includes an open section located inwardly of and substantially surrounding the heel portion.

5. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, further including:

an air cushion located between the weld joint and the outermost body end.

6. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, wherein the weld pattern includes between 40% to 60% welded regions.

7. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1 wherein the weld pattern includes about 50% welded regions.

8. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, wherein the weld pattern has an interstitial spacing of between 1 mm and 5 mm separating each of the welded regions.

9. The ultra slim fastener of claim 1, wherein the weld joint has a thickness and the welded regions each have a depth of not more than 50% of the thickness of the weld joint.

10. The ultra slim fastener of claim 1, wherein the welded regions are substantially circular, and each welded region has a diameter of between about 0.2 mm and about 6 mm.

11. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, wherein a top edge and a bottom edge of the male part are tapered inwardly such that an inner height of the male part is larger than an outer height of the male part.

12. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, wherein the weld pattern extends substantially parallel to at least a portion of the outermost body end, and the weld pattern is sandwiched between the upper component and the lower component.

13. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has a height of between 0.3 mm and 2.0 mm.

14. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has one of a conical shape, a cylindrical shape, or a cuboid shape.

15. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, wherein the pattern has an interstitial spacing of between 1 mm and 5 mm separating each of the plurality of protrusions.

16. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, wherein the plurality of protrusions covers between 40% to 60% of each weld region.

17. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1, wherein the body of the male part includes two longitudinal channels positioned on opposing sides of the foot.

18. A garment having an ultra-slim fastener according to claim 1.