FASHION ACCESSORIES

Abstract

Fashion accessories including various styles of cuffs, buttons, etc. One such accessory is referred to as an “American cuff,” and provides a technique for transforming a conventional long-sleeved button cuff shirt to appear as a long-sleeved French cuff shirt. Typically, a long sleeve button shirt with a button cuff has a button on the outside of a first side of the cuff, which is then passed from inside to outside through a buttonhole on the opposing side of the cuff. With the American cuff, a button is located on the inside of the first side of the cuff and is passed from inside to outside through the buttonhole on the opposing side of the cuff, such that the cuff halves are mated in a manner that replicates a French cuff. A button cap may be secured on the button to emulate the appearance of a cufflinked shirt.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to fashion accessories, more particularly cuffs, cufflinks, buttons, and the like.

Cuffs of long sleeve button shirts are typically split so as to allow a person's hands to pass therethrough as the person is donning the shirt. Cufflinks or buttons are used to fasten the two opposing sides of each cuff together around the wrist. Shirt cuffs, cufflinks and cuff buttons are often designed for both comfort and style. Cufflinks are fashion accessories designed for use with shirts having a hole on both sides of each cuff and lack buttons, sometimes referred to as link cuffs and referred to herein as French cuffs. It is often more economical and convenient for shirts to be designed to have a button on the outside of a first side of each cuff, which is then passed from inside to outside through a buttonhole on the opposing side of the cuff. This common cuff configuration is referred to herein as “conventional button cuff” used on a “button cuff” shirt. The use of a button and buttonhole effectively replaces the need for a cufflink. However, cufflinks are often desirable for fashion or aesthetic reasons.

While buttons offer a great deal of convenience, cufflinks provide added sophistication and versatility to a wardrobe, despite their additional cost. To an afficionado of style or fashion, cufflinks and the French cuff are considered indispensable elements of male formal attire, regardless of expense. However, cufflinks are not compatible with button cuff shirts, whose cuffs are equipped with buttons, do not have holes on both sides of the cuffs, and therefore cannot accept a cufflink. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a more versatile cuff configuration and a device in the form of a fashion accessory that can be applied to a shirt cuff equipped with a button (and therefore incompatible with cufflinks) yet capable of replicating a cufflink in appearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides fashion accessories including various styles of cuffs, buttons, and the like.

According to one aspect of the invention, a fashion accessory, herein referred to as a button cap, is adapted to fit over a button attached to a long sleeve button shirt, and especially a button attached to one side of a cuff and opposing a buttonhole on another side of the cuff. The shirt is donned as usual, the button is slid through the buttonhole, and then the button cap is installed over the button. Depending on the location of the button on the cuff, the button cap may impart the appearance and aesthetic function of a cufflink.

According to another aspect of the invention, herein referred to as an “American cuff,” a technique is provided for transforming a conventional long-sleeved button cuff shirt to appear as a long-sleeved French cuff shirt equipped with cufflinks. Typically, a long sleeve button shirt with a button cuff has a button on the outside of a first side of the cuff, which is then passed from inside to outside through a buttonhole on the opposing side of the cuff. With the American cuff, a second button can be added to the inside of the first side of the cuff, the second button is passed from inside to outside through the buttonhole on the opposing side of the cuff, such that the cuff halves are mated in a manner that replicates a cuff of the type secured with cufflinks, but without the use of cufflinks. A button cap of a type described above may then be secured on the second button that was added to the inside of the first side of the cuff, so that the second button and its caps emulate the appearance of a cufflinked shirt.

The button cap described above can be a generally hollow device, roughly the shape of a shirt button or cufflink, but slightly larger than a shirt button over which the cap is to be installed. Such a button cap can have an open and closed configuration. In its closed configuration, the button cap defines a hollow body having an exterior face (which as used herein refers to a face of the cap adapted to face away from a shirt cuff on which the cap is installed), an interior face (which as used herein refers to a face of the cap adapted to face a shirt cuff on which the cap is installed), and an interior cavity defined therebetween and sized to accommodate and secure a conventional shirt button. The interior face of the cap comprises two portions, which in the closed configuration cooperate to define a centrally located hole in the interior face. A first of the portions is fixed to the remainder of the cap, including the exterior face, while the second portion of the interior face is pivotably connected to the first portion at or near a perimeter of the interior face, enabling the second portion to pivot away from the first portion to acquire the open configuration of the cap, and pivot toward the first portion to acquire the closed configuration of the cap. Through this pivoting motion, the open configuration allows a button to be received in the cavity of the cap, after which the second portion can be pivoted to secure the button within the cavity of the cap. The centrally located hole in the interior face is sized to accommodate a thread commonly used to secure a button to a cuff. The button cap may be secured in its closed configuration with, for example, a magnet or some form of latch. The second portion of the button cap may also have a small protrusion which a user can use to pry the second portion open. The exterior face of the cap may have any type of decorative design on it.

A container may also be provided for showcasing and selling the button cap as merchandise. The container includes fabric configured to imitate the appearance of shirt cuffs configured as a button cuff and an American cuff, with button caps installed thereon so that a viewer can see the button cap as it is intended to be used while still in the container.

Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIGS. 1A through 1D show four perspective views of an embodiment of a button cap within the scope of this invention.

FIGS. 2A through 2C show three different cross-sectional views of the button cap of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3A through 3D show front, side, bottom, and cross-sectional views of another embodiment of a button cap within the scope of this invention.

FIG. 4A shows a conventional button cuff equipped with a button, and FIG. 4B shows the button cuff with a button cap installed on the button according to certain embodiments of this invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B depict an “American cuff” equipped with two buttons in accordance with an embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 6 shows the American cuff of FIGS. 5A and 5B with a button cap installed on one of the buttons according to an embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a container for showcasing and selling button caps of this invention.

FIGS. 8A through 8C show views of a device for showcasing and selling button caps of this invention.

FIG. 9 shows button caps installed on the device of FIGS. 8A through 8C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments disclosed and discussed below relate to fashion accessories used in combination with buttons on the cuffs of long sleeve button shirts. FIGS. 1A-1D and 2A-2C represent a button cap 10 configured and shaped to resemble a cufflink, which may optionally have an ornamental design or shape, for example, a square, semi-square, or circular design or shape.

As evident from FIGS. 1A-1D and 2A-2C, the button cap 10 is roughly configured as a flat, hollow box or container. The cap 10 defines two large faces, referred to herein as exterior and interior faces 12 and 14. The exterior face 12 faces away from a cuff on which the cap 10 is used, whereas the interior face 14 faces the cuff when worn. These exterior and interior faces 12 and 14 are represented as having circular shapes with roughly equal diameters that are greater than the diameter of a button on which the cap 10 is to be installed. The exterior and interface faces 12 and 14 are interconnected through a generally cylindrically-shaped sidewall 16 that encloses an interior cavity 18 within the cap 10. The cavity 18 is equal in size or larger than a button with which the cap 10 is to be used.

The button cap 10 features a mechanism by which a button can be placed inside the cavity 18. A portion 16A of the sidewall 16 and a contiguous portion 14A of the interior face 14 of the cap 10 define a pivoting part 20 of the cap 10 capable of pivoting relative to the remainder of the cap 10 (including the exterior face 12). In the example shown, the pivoting part 20 comprises roughly one-half of the interior face 14 and roughly one-half of the sidewall 16 of the cap 10, and the remaining part of the cap 10 comprises roughly one-half of the sidewall 16 of the cap 10 and the entire exterior face 12 of the cap 10. The halves of the interior face 14 meet to define a closed configuration of the button cap 10 and a centrally located hole 22 in the interior face 14 at the parting line between the halves. The pivoting part 20 is able to pivot open relative to the remaining part of the cap 10 on a pivot or hinge 20a located at the intersection of the halves of the sidewall 16, such that the pivoting part 20 pivots about an axis perpendicular to the interior face 14 of the cap 10. This motion exposes the hollow interior cavity 18 of the cap 10.

Once opened, a button can be placed into the exposed cavity 18 of the cap 10, and the pivoting part 20 can be pivoted closed to enclose and secure the button within the interior cavity 18 of the cap 10, with the centrally located hole 22 in the interior face 14 accommodating a thread or other means by which the button is attached to the cuff. In one embodiment, the cap 10 can be secured in the closed configuration with the use of magnets 24, as represented in FIG. 1D, FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2C. However, the cap 10 could be secured closed using a variety of other possible mechanism, for example, a latch.

A small protrusion 26 on the sidewall 16 of the pivoting part 20 opposite the hinge 20a allows a user to open the cap 10 using their finger or fingernail. This protrusion 26 may be of any form, as long as this or a similar function can be fulfilled, and therefore the particular example shown in FIGS. 1B, 1C, 1D, 2A, and 2C is not a limiting factor to the scope of the invention.

FIGS. 3A-3D illustrate an embodiment in which the pivoting part 20 of the cap 10 is omitted, and instead a button cap 10 is attached to a magnetic button solely with the use of a magnet 28 within the cavity 18 of the cap 10. This aspect of the invention allows for yet another fashion accessory within the scope of the invention, in that the cap 10 can be utilized to replicate a tie tack. Specifically, the cap 10 can be positioned on the front of a tie and a second magnet (e.g., a magnet that may be identical or similar to the magnet 28, but not permanently secured in the cavity 18) can be placed on the opposite (back) side of the tie to magnetically secure the cap 10 at the front of the tie. The benefit is that ordinary tie tacks form a hole in the tie that remains even after the tack is removed, whereas the cap 10 does not form any such hole. When not used as a tie tack, the second magnet can be stored within that portion of the cavity 18 not occupied by the magnet 28.

FIG. 4A illustrates a conventional button cuff 30 of a conventional long sleeve button cuff shirt, wherein a button 32 located on the outside 34 of one-half 36 of the cuff 30 has been passed from inside to outside through a buttonhole 37 on the opposing side 38 of the cuff 30. FIG. 4B illustrates any of the previously described button caps 10 installed on the button 32, giving the appearance of a cufflink. As used herein, the term “conventional button cuff” will be defined as cuffs of the type represented in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

The exterior face 12 of the cap 10 may have any particular desired design that promote the ability of the cap 10 to imitate a cufflink. This contributes to the decorative function of the invention. The design of the exterior face 12 is a product of the decorative and stylistic intentions of the producer. Therefore, it should not be considered a limiting factor to the scope of the invention, and is largely at the discretion of those creating products covered by this invention.

Another aspect of the invention is an “American cuff” that can optionally utilize button caps of types as described herein. As represented in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the American cuff 40 is similar to the conventional button cuff 30 of a conventional long sleeve button shirt, in that the cuff 40 has a button 52 located on the outside 44 of one-half 46 of the cuff 40 that can be passed from inside to outside through a buttonhole 47 on the opposing half 48 of the cuff 40. As evident from FIG. 5A, and according to a preferred embodiment of the American cuff 40, a second button 50 is present on the inside 54 of the same half 46 of the cuff 40 carrying the conventional outside button 52, preferably directly opposite the outside button 52. It is foreseeable that the button 52 on the outside 44 of the cuff half 46 could be omitted, in which case the second button 50 would be provided on the inside 54 of the same half 46 of the cuff 40 that would have carried the conventional outside button 52. Whether or not the conventional outside button 52 is present, the American cuff 40 is achieved by buttoning the cuff halves 46 and 48 by passing the second button 50 through the buttonhole 47, the result of which is shown in FIG. 5B. In this manner, the cuff halves 46 and 48 are mated to emulate the appearance of a French cuff, which is well known as being intended for use with cufflinks.

The American cuff 40 seen in FIGS. 5A and 5B emulates the French cuff, but does not require cufflinks to complete the assembly. Optionally, the second button 50 located in the inside 54 of the cuff half 46 may be covered with a button cap, for example, any of those discussed above, to add stylistic quality to the ensemble. The button 52 located on the outside 44 of the cuff half 46 may also be provided with a button cap. From FIG. 6, which shows a button cap 10 covering the second button 50, such a combination emulates the French cuff.

A container and fabric device can be used to showcase and sell the button cap 10, preferably in combination with the American cuff 40. A nonlimiting embodiment of a container 70 is shown in FIG. 7. The container 70 can be configured as a standard box, typical of those used for selling or displaying jewelry or other fashion accessories. The container 70 preferably comprises a lid 72 having a transparent window 74 or other suitable means for viewing the interior 76 of the container 70 and the merchandise contained within.

FIGS. 8A-8C depict a fabric device 80 that replicates a conventional button cuff and the American cuff 40, side by side. FIGS. 8A and 8B are plan and side views showing the device 80 in an unfolded and unfastened (unbuttoned) state, and FIG. 8C is a plan view showing the device 80 in a folded and fastened (buttoned) state. To facilitate an understanding of FIGS. 8A-8C, reference numbers used to identify elements of the cuffs 30 and 40 in FIGS. 4A-4B, FIGS. 5A-5B, and FIG. 6 are used in FIGS. 8A-8C to identify corresponding replicated elements of the device 80. As such, the conventional button cuff 30 replicated by the device 80 comprises opposing cuff halves 36 and 38, one half 36 having a button 32 on its outside surface 34 and the other half 38 having a buttonhole 37 (FIG. 8B), whereby the button 32 can be passed from inside to outside through the buttonhole 37 (FIG. 8D). In contrast, though the American cuff 40 replicated by the device 80 also comprises opposing cuff halves 46 and 48, a button 50 is provided on the inside surface 54 of one half 46 of the cuff 40 whereby the button 50 is passed from inside to outside through a buttonhole 47 provided in the opposing half 48 of the cuff 40.

The device 80 can be placed in, and possibly attached to, the bottom interior of the container 70 shown in FIG. 7. The device 80 is further represented as comprising a fabric cushion 82, and fabric designed to approximate the button and America cuffs 30 and 40 are attached to edges of the cushion 82. As evident from FIGS. 8A and 8B, fabric replicating the opposing cuff halves 36 and 38 of the button cuff 30 are attached to opposite edges of the cushion 82 so that the opposing cuff halves 36 and 38 can be folded onto the cushion 82 and the cuff half 38 with the buttonhole 37 overlapping the cuff half 36 with the outside button 32. For the American cuff 40, fabric approximating the opposing cuff halves 46 and 48 are attached to the same edge of the cushion 82 so that the opposing cuff halves 46 and 48 can be simultaneously folded onto the cushion 82 and the cuff half 48 with the buttonhole 47 overlying the cuff half 46 with the inside button 50. It should be evident that the button cuff 30 and American cuff 40 replicated by the device 80 do not obscure each other on the cushion 82.

By passing their respective buttons 32 and 50 through their respective buttonholes 37 and 47, the button cuff 30 and American cuff 40 replicated by the device 80 acquire the appearance seen in FIG. 8C. As represented in FIG. 9, button caps 10 may be installed over the buttons 32 and 50 of the fabric device 80. In this way, the button caps 10 can be displayed as intended to be worn while still contained in packaging. Because the purpose or usage of button caps 10 may be unknown to potential purchasers, the container 70 and fabric device 80 facilitate an understanding of their usage.

While certain inventions have been described in terms of specific embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, button caps 10 within the scope of the invention could differ in appearance and construction from the embodiments shown in the drawings, and the functions of each component of the button caps 10 could be performed by components of different construction but capable of a similar (though not necessarily equivalent) function. Accordingly, it should be understood that the inventions are not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated in the Figures. It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed above are for the purpose of disclosing the illustrated embodiments, and do not necessarily serve as limitations to the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A long sleeve button shirt having a cuff comprising an optional first button on an outside of a first half of the cuff and comprising a buttonhole on an opposing second half of the cuff, the long sleeve button shirt further comprising: a second button attached to an inside of the first half of the cuff opposite the outside of the first half, the first and second halves of the cuff being securable together by passing the second button through the buttonhole so that the first and second halves of the cuff are mated to emulate the appearance of a French cuff.

2. The long sleeve button shirt according to claim 1, wherein the first button is not present on the cuff.

3. The long sleeve button shirt according to claim 1, wherein the first and second buttons are both present on the first half of the cuff, the second button is opposite the first button on the first half of the cuff, and the first and second halves of the cuff are securable together by selectively passing the first button through the buttonhole so that the first and second halves of the cuff are mated to emulate the appearance of a conventional button cuff, and selectively passing the second button through the buttonhole so that the first and second halves of the cuff are mated to emulate the appearance of a French cuff.

4. A method of using the long sleeve button shirt of claim 3, the method comprising securing the first and second halves of the cuff together by passing the first button through the buttonhole so that the first and second halves of the cuff are mated to emulate the appearance of a conventional button cuff.

5. A method of using the long sleeve button shirt of claim 3, the method comprising securing the first and second halves of the cuff together by passing the second button through the buttonhole so that the first and second halves of the cuff are mated to emulate the appearance of a French cuff.

6. A method of using the long sleeve button shirt of claim 1, the method comprising securing the first and second halves of the cuff together by passing the second button through the buttonhole so that the first and second halves of the cuff are mated to emulate the appearance of a French cuff.

7. The long sleeve button shirt according to claim 1, further comprising a button cap removably covering the second button, the button cap having an exterior face that faces away from the first half of the cuff to which the second button is attached and an interior face that faces the first half of the cuff to which the second button is attached.

8. The long sleeve button shirt according to claim 7, wherein the button cap has an open and closed configuration, the open configuration allows the second button to be placed inside the button cap, and the closed configuration defines an interior cavity sized to accommodate and secure the second button.

9. The long sleeve button shirt according to claim 8, wherein the button cap is opened and closed through a hinge mechanism connecting a pivoting part and a remaining part of the button cap so that the pivoting part pivots about an axis perpendicular to the interior face of the button cap.

10. The long sleeve button shirt according to claim 9, wherein the button cap is magnetically secured in a closed configuration.

11. The long sleeve button shirt according to claim 9, wherein the exterior and interior faces of the button cap are interconnected by a sidewall to define the interior cavity therebetween, the remaining part of the button cap comprises the exterior face, a first portion of the sidewall, and a first portion of the interior face, and the pivoting part comprises a second portion of the sidewall and a second portion of the interior face.

12. The long sleeve button shirt according to claim 11, wherein the first and second portions of the interior face define a centrally-located hole therebetween.

13. The long sleeve button shirt according to claim 1, wherein the button cap is magnetically secured to the second button.

14. A container with a fabric device within an interior of the container, the fabric device comprising: a cushion;at least a first fabric with a button; andat least a second fabric with a buttonhole through which the button on the first fabric can pass through;wherein the first and second fabrics cooperate to replicate a shirt cuff.

15. The container according to claim 14, wherein the first and second fabrics are attached to opposite sides of the cushion, the button is located on an outside of the first fabric, the first and second fabrics are folded over the cushion, the button on the first fabric is engaged with the buttonhole on the second fabric, and the first and second fabrics approximate the appearance of a conventional button cuff.

16. The container according to claim 15, further comprising third and fourth fabrics attached to one side of the cushion such that the third and fourth fabrics are simultaneously folded over the cushion, the third fabric having a button on an inside surface thereof, the fourth fabric having a buttonhole through which the button on the third fabric can pass through, the third and fourth fabrics are folded over the cushion, the button on the third fabric is engaged with the buttonhole on the fourth fabric, and the third and fourth fabrics approximate the appearance of a French cuff.

17. The container according to claim 14, further comprising a button cap removably covering the button.

18. A button cap removably attached to a button on a cuff of a long sleeve button shirt, the button cap having an exterior face that faces away from the cuff and an interior face that faces the cuff, the button cap having an open and closed configuration, the open configuration defining an opening through which the button is placed inside the button cap, the closed configuration defining an interior cavity that accommodates and secures the button cap to the button.

19. The button cap according to claim 18, wherein the button cap is opened and closed through a hinge mechanism connecting a pivoting part and a remaining part of the button cap so that the pivoting part pivots about an axis perpendicular to the interior face of the button cap.

20. The button cap according to claim 18, further comprising a first magnet that magnetically secures the button cap to the button, the button cap optionally comprising a second magnet adapted to be placed on a back side of a tie and magnetically secure the button cap at an oppositely-disposed front side of the tie.