Patent Grant
11219283
The present invention is directed to a conjoining assembly comprising cooperatively structured securing members each structured for a “double snap” assembly and attachment to one another while retaining different garments or other articles intended to be conjoined, without the use of conventional or customized tools.
The problem of “matching” garments or other clothing articles such as, but not limited to, socks, hosiery, etc. is well known. While generally considered to be a domestic problem, matching and removably attaching numerous articles, items, etc. are also prevalent in the commercial area. In more specific terms, the matching of pairs of socks or other garments, specifically during and after laundering and subsequent storage is commonly recognized as a tedious and time-consuming procedure. This is due at least in part to the fact that many such garments have somewhat similar but distinguishable structural and/or decorative features.
Numerous methods and devices have been proposed for mating garments which typically involve detachable connecting devices. Such approach requires a number of the devices be stored in a ready for use area so as to be applied whenever socks or other garments are removed and stored prior and subsequent to washing. Care must also be taken when the garments are worn to the extent that many connecting devices are detachable and must be stored and made available in a proper location. In everyday use, adequate storage locations are not available as socks and other garments may be worn by an individual in a variety of locations throughout a household.
Attempts to solve problems of the type set forth herein also include various types of clips, pins and other fasteners structures and devices that hold garments or other articles together while being washed. It is recognized that approaches and/or procedures involved in keeping articles or items together preferably include a mechanism or system that can be employed immediately after the articles intended to be conjoined, are no longer being worn or used. However, such techniques and devices may have the disadvantages of not being readily available after the garment has been worn or the article or device has been used.
Further by way of nonlimiting example, fastening devices, made of various materials may be structurally fragile, frequently resulting in a relatively short operable life. Also, many connecting devices are structured to be attached to the articles or devices intended to be connected in an ineffective manner, resulting in their detachment and thereafter becoming displaced and/or lost. Also, known or conventional connecting structures of the type referred to herein frequently require the use of tools, instruments, etc. for the attachment thereof to the articles or devices intended to be connected.
Accordingly, there is a need in this area for a conjoining assembly efficiently and effectively structured to be manually applied/attached to the articles or items intended to be conjoined. Further, such a preferred conjoining assembly should comprise a plurality of at least two securing members, each attached in retaining relation to a different article or item which are to be connected to one another. As such, the structural and operative features of the cooperatively configured securing members facilitate operative attachment to one another “manually” without the required use of a tool, instrument or other device.
Such an improved conjoining assembly would therefore have cooperative structuring of the at least two securing members as well as the components of which each of the two securing members are comprised, to enable assembly and operative retention utilizing a “double-snap” action connection and/or attachment. Moreover, such double-snap connection and/or attachment can be accomplished by the various components of each securing member being attached to one another, as intended, utilizing a manual, snap-action securement. Similarly, subsequent to each of the securing members being assembled in retaining relation to different articles or items, the two securing members may be manually attached in and operative position relative to one another also using a manual, snap-action securement.
It is also emphasized that the structural and operative versatility the conjoining assembly of the present invention facilitates the removable connection of articles, items, etc. which include, but are not limited to, matching articles of clothing or different portions of the same garment to one another. In the latter category a plurality of conjoining assemblies, each comprising at least two securing members may be used to attach different portions of a shirt, blouse, pants, etc. to one another in an effective and reliable manner.
The present invention is directed to a conjoining assembly structured to removably connect a plurality of at least two articles or items to one another. As should be evident from the structural and operative features of the conjoining assembly of the present invention as hereinafter described, the articles or items to be removably connected to one another may vary such as, but not limited to, articles of clothing comprised of different portions, such as a pair of socks or stockings. In the alternative, the article of clothing could be a shirt, blouse, pants, etc. wherein different portions of the same garment may be considered “different articles” being removably connected to one another.
However, it is emphasized that the articles or items which may be removably connected to one another utilizing the subject conjoining assembly are not limited to garments or articles of clothing. The versatility of the conjoining assembly is evident by it being operable for removable connection or attachment of a variety of different articles, items, devices, etc. to one another with little or no structural or operative modification to the conjoining assembly itself.
At least one embodiment of the conjoining assembly includes a plurality of at least two securing members each structured for attachment to a different one of the plurality of articles, items, etc. to be conjoined. Each of said at least two securing members comprises a base and a retainer, wherein each retainer of a common one of said securing members is connected to a corresponding base in retaining relation to a different one of the plurality of articles. Further, the bases of the at least two securing members are structured to facilitate removable attachment to one another concurrent to retaining relation or engagement with different ones of the plurality of articles or items being conjoined.
Moreover, each of said retainers is manually connected to a base of a common one of said securing members. As used herein, the term “manually connected” and “manual connection” and/or the equivalent thereof is meant to describe a connection or attachment of the retainer and the base of a common securing member by a force exerted by hand, without the use of conventional or customized tools or other externally applied devices. Similarly, the bases of different ones of the securing members to be connected together are cooperatively structured to be connected, by the application of manual force, without the use of external tools, instruments, connecting devices, etc.
Uniquely complementary structural and operative features of each of the securing members is the cooperative structuring of the retainer and base of each securing member which enables the connection thereof by a snap-action attachment. Similarly, the bases of different ones of the securing members to be conjoined are cooperatively structured to be removably connected to one another by a snap-action connection. Such a “double snap-action” capability further facilitates the manual connection, as described and at least partially defined above, between corresponding ones of the retainer and base of a common securing member as well as the removable manual connection of the bases of different ones of the securing members, to one another.
In more specific terms, a connecting segment or portion is formed on each base of each of the securing members. The connecting segments or portions on bases which are to be removably attached to one another define a connecting assembly structured to define the aforementioned manual, snap-action connection therebetween, as well as a removable connection from one another. As should be apparent, such removable connection facilitates separation of the bases of connected ones of the securing members and the separation of the garments or other items, which are conjoined. Further, while structural and operative features of the bases of different ones of the securing member may be similar or at least partially equivalent, the connecting segments may differ, but be cooperatively structured to facilitate the aforementioned manual, snap-action, removable attachment therebetween. Therefore, as explained in greater detail hereinafter the different bases of two securing members intended to be removably attached to one another may include their respective connecting segments having a male configuration and a female configuration. As such, the respective male and female configurations are each cooperatively dimensioned and structured to accommodate and facilitate the manual, snap-action removable attachment of the corresponding securing members to one another.
Somewhat similarly, the retainer and the base of a common securing member are structured to collectively define an attachment assembly structured to accomplish and facilitate the manual, snap-action attachment therebetween. As noted herein, each of the bases of the two or more securing members include at least partially equivalent structuring. As a result, the versatility of the conjoining assembly of the present invention is significantly enhanced by facilitating the attachment of any one of a plurality of retainers to any one of a plurality of different bases, to at least partially define different securing members. Therefore, as will also be described in greater detail hereinafter, the attachment assembly associated with each of the securing members includes the retainer having an attachment finger, which may be at least partially elongated, secured to and extending outwardly from an inner surface of a head portion of the same retainer. In cooperation therewith, the attachment assembly includes the corresponding base having an apertured construction including at least one aperture formed therein. The aperture is directly associated with a locking member which extends along an at least partially defines a periphery or peripheral portion, surrounding and defining the boundaries of the aperture. The flexibility of the locking member at least partially defines a biased structure, wherein locking member is normally biased into a “closed” or “collapsed” orientation, while still at least partially surrounding and defining the peripheral boundaries of the aperture.
Accordingly, the aforementioned manual, snap-action attachment between the retainer and the corresponding base, of a common securing member, comprises the attachment finger extending at least partially through the aperture of the base. Further, the distal end of the attachment finger may be somewhat enlarged. As such, the distal end may include a diameter or other appropriate transverse dimension which is larger than the diameter or corresponding transverse dimension of the aperture of the base, when the locking member is in the aforementioned closed orientation. Accordingly, the locking member is at least partially forced outwardly into an “open” or “expanded” orientation, concurrent to passage of the enlarged distal end of the attachment finger therethrough. Such open or expanded orientation of the locking member occurs when the enlarged distal end of the attachment finger movably engages the locking member forcing it outwardly into the aforementioned open or expanded orientation.
However, a portion of the length of the attachment finger adjacent or contiguous to the distal end may have a smaller transverse dimension than that of the distal end and be in the form of a recessed, undercut portion or area. Therefore, once attachment finger is operatively positioned such that the distal end has passed through the aperture, the flexible, biased construction of the locking member, will “snap-back” from its forced open or expanded orientation into an at least partially closed orientation in which it is normally biased. When so positioned, and outer periphery or peripheral portion of the locking member will be disposed in confronting, abutting relation to the recessed and/or undercut portion or area of the distal end. In turn, this will result in a fixed positioning or attachment of the attachment finger and distal end into and at least partially through the corresponding base.
As normally utilized, each of the at least two securing members includes the retainer being fixedly attached to the base in retaining relation to a different one of a plurality of articles or items to be conjoined. Such is accomplished by the penetration of the attachment finger through the retained article and through the aperture of the base, into connection with the locking member. It is to be further noted that the length or equivalent dimension of the attachment finger must be sufficient to allow the retained article to be disposed or “sandwiched” between and inner surface of the retainer and a corresponding surface or face of the base. Thereafter, the two bases of the two securing members are brought into the aforementioned removable connection, thereby accomplishing the removable, conjoining relation of different ones of the plurality of articles or items.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration.
For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
The invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention.
As represented, the conjoining assembly of the present invention is generally indicated as 10 and comprises a plurality of at least two securing members 12 and 14. As perhaps represented in greater detail in the exploded view of
As represented in the operative, conjoined and/or interconnected position of
As further emphasized herein, the articles or items 100 and 102 to be removably connected to one another may vary such as, but not limited to, articles of clothing comprised of different ones of a pair of socks, stockings, etc. However, in the alternative, the article of clothing could be a shirt, blouse, pants, etc. wherein different portions of the same garment may be considered “different articles” being removably connected to one another, such as when an individual “buttons-up” a shirt. It is further emphasized that the articles or items 100, 102 which may be removably connected to one another not be limited to garments or articles of clothing. The versatility of the conjoining assembly 10 of the present invention is evident by it being operable for removable connection or attachment of a variety of different articles, items, devices, etc. to one another with little or no structural or operative modification to the conjoining assembly 10.
Therefore, in order to facilitate the effective and efficient removable conjoining of at least two articles 100, 102, each of the securing members 12 and 14 include a connecting assembly generally indicated as 24. Each connecting assembly including a connecting segment 26 or 26′. While the connecting segments 26 and 26′ are cooperatively structured they are also cooperatively dimensioned and configured to facilitate a removable connection therebetween as represented in
In order to facilitate a firm, reliable but yet removable connection to one another the peripheral lip 29 is disposed exteriorly of the interior 28 of the male connecting segment 26 and is cooperatively disposed and dimensioned to be disposed in substantially abutting, confronting relation to the interior peripheral lip or flange 29′, as represented in
The result of such cooperative flexible structuring will facilitate male connecting segment 26 being manually forced into the interior 27 of the female connecting segment 26′ to accomplish the removable operative conjoined attachment, as represented in
In order to accomplish the intended operative, conjoined position of the at least two securing members 12 and 14, while independently retaining different articles or items 100 and 102, each of the securing members 12 and 14 include an attachment assembly generally indicated as 40 and 40′ on different ones of the at least two securing members 12 and 14. In more specific terms, the attachment assembly 40 and 40′ each comprise a attachment finger 42 formed on or connected to and extending outwardly from an inner surface 21 of the head or body 20 and 20′ of each retainer 18,18′. Each attachment finger 42 may have an at least minimally elongated configuration such that when fixedly connected to a corresponding one of the bases 16 and/or 16′ there is sufficient spacing between the inner surfaces 17 and 21, respectively of the bases 16 and 16′ and the body 20 and 20′ of the retainers 18,18′. As a result, different ones of a plurality of articles or devices 100 and 102 are retained in sandwiched relation therebetween.
Structural details of each attachment finger 42 also includes an enlarged distal end 44 cooperatively structured and dimensioned to accomplish a fixed, snap-action attachment with a locking member 46, also defining a portion of the connecting assembly 40 and 40′. The locking member 46 is formed of a flexible material and more specifically comprises a flexible, biased construction. In addition, each locking member 46 may have a continuous or closed annular configuration or in the alternative may have a segmented configuration, wherein either embodiment is disposed in at least partially surrounding relation to an aperture 48 formed in the base 16, 16′. The aperture 48 is disposed and dimensioned to receive passage of at least a portion of the attachment finger 42, specifically including the enlarged distal end 44. As represented, the locking member 46 extends along an at least partially defines a peripheral border of the aperture 48.
Therefore, the distal end 44 of each attachment fingers 42 has an enlarged diameter or other appropriate transverse dimension, which is greater than that of the “closed” or contracted orientation of the locking member 46 and/or aperture 48 when the locking member 46 is in the closed orientation. Accordingly, due to the flexible, biased structuring of the locking member 46, passage of the enlarged distal end 44 through the aperture 48 will force the locking member 46 outwardly into an “open” or expanded orientation (not shown for purposes of clarity) as the distal end 44 of each attachment finger 42 comes into movable engagement with interior portions of the corresponding locking member 46. As indicated the locking member 46 as a flexible, biased construction which serves to normally bias it into the closed orientation as represented in
The fixed, snap-action attachment between the attachment finger 42 and the locking member 46 is further facilitated by the relative, cooperative dimensioning and configuring therebetween. In more specific terms, the “enlarged” dimension of the distal end 44 can be defined as having a dimension or transverse dimension which is greater than that of the locking member 46 and aperture 48, when the locking member 46 is in its closed or contracted orientation as represented in
As also represented throughout the Figures, each of the retainers 16 and 16′ are fixedly connected by the snap-action attachment to corresponding ones of the bases 18 and 18′ after first disposing the respective attachment fingers 42 into and through the articles or devices 100 and 102 being retained. As also set forth herein, the retained articles or items 100 and 102 are effectively “sandwiched” between the inner surfaces 21 and 17 of the fixedly interconnected retainers 18, 18′ and bases 16, 16′. Thereafter and as represented in at least
With reference to
Thereafter, removable, snap action connection of the bases 16,16′ of the at least two securing members 12 and 14 is accomplished by exerting a manually applied squeezing, pushing, clamping, etc. force on each of the at least two securing members 12 and 14, as schematically indicated in
Therefore, uniquely advantageous structural and operative features of the conjoining assembly 10 is the ability to assemble the bases 16, 16′ and the retainers 18 and 18′ each of a plurality of at least two securing members 12 and 14, manually into the aforementioned snap-action attachment. Similarly, once assembled, each of the at least two securing members 12 and 14 can be removably and manually disposed into a snap-action connection, as demonstrated at least in
Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiment of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. Section 119, U.S. Provisional application having Ser. No. 63/009,739 and filed on Apr. 14, 2020 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
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