Patent Application
20060185130
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates in general to ornamental devices particularly for clothing and, in particular, to a new and useful cuff link for shirts with sleeves having buttons.
Shirts and blouses normally have cuffs with one end portion being formed with a buttonhole and the other end portion having an operating element such as a button. Therefore, a conventional ornamental cuff link cannot be used with such shirts or blouses.
Covers for ornamenting buttons on conventional shirt cuffs are known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,230 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,356. U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,230 has a receiving end and is mounted to the operating element after the operating element has extended through the button hole. Thus, the receiving end is visible while the cover is mounted which is undesirable. Also, this cover uses friction on the operating element between a fork member and a plate to stay on. Thus, if the cover is bumped or through use the cover loses the tension, and the space between the fork member and the plate becomes greater, the cover will not stay on the operating element. U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,230 also is mounted to the operating element after the element has extended through the buttonhole. Thus, the receiving end is visible while the cover is mounted, which is undesirable. Also, this cover completely covers the button requiring an extensive amount of material to be used making the cover more expensive to manufacture.
Considering the above prior art, it is an object of the invention to provide a link between the portion with the operating element and the portion with the buttonhole so the receiving portion of the cuff link will not visible. Another object of the invention is to securely mount to the operating element. Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
The invention is a decorative link between two pieces of material, one with a utilitarian element such as a button and the other with a hole for receiving the element. The link comprises a member to hold on to the element, a member from the holding member to an ornamental piece that protrudes through the hole allowing the ornamental piece to be visible and the holding member and the element to be hidden. The link may be made from any material and can be easily manipulated.
Referring to the drawings in particular, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 thru 4 comprising a cuff link generally designated 10, including a main body portion generally designated 12, an ornamental piece generally designated 14, and an arm generally designated 16.
In accordance with the invention the main body 12 comprises a mounting surface 28, and a holding member 30, which is arranged and spaced parallel relationship therewith and which is joined to the mounting surface 28 by a curved member 32. The holding member 30 includes legs 30a. containing a male portion of a pivot joint 18, and 30b. containing a male portion of a catch 24 with an opening 31 defined therebetween to permit the threads 34 of a button 36 on a shirt cuff 38 to be passed there through. The holding member 30 maintains the ability to pass through the button hole 46. The arm 16 comprises a female portion of a pivot joint 20, a female portion of a catch 26, and a mounting surface 40 for an ornamental grip. The male of the catch 24 comprises a cavity on the outer extremity 24a. The male portion of the pivot joint comprises an opening 18a. which receives a rivet, peg, screw, etc. 22 which is directed through the opening 18a. and openings 20a. and 20b. in the female portion of the pivot joint 20. The male of the catch 24 receives the female portion of the catch 26 interlocking the cavity 24a. with a bump 26a. in the female portion of the catch 26 holding the arm 16 in a closed position 42.
Operation of Invention—
The preferred manner of using the cuff link 10 to hold the cuff 38 closed begins by inserting the ornamental grip 44, arm 16, and main body 12 through the button hole 46. The ornamental piece 14 prevents the cuff link 10 from sliding all the way through the button hole 46. Holding the cuff 38 and the cuff link 10, the holding member 30 with the arm 16 open is maneuvered underneath the button 36 inserting the threads 34 and the button 36 into the opening 31. Next, one moves the arm into the closed position 42 applying enough pressure to flex leg 30a. and 30b. towards each other permitting bump 26a. to enter cavity 24a. holding arm 16 in the closed position 42 and securely holding the main body 12 around the threads 34 and button 36 while holding the shirt cuff 38 together.
Accordingly, the reader will see that the device is particularly useful for securely holding together a shirt cuff, front of shirt, or other object with an ordinary button closing while providing ornamentation where the button is normally. In this manner, the device produces the effect of wearing common cuff links without having to purchase special shirts for cuff links.
While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many variations are possible. For example, the device may be made from a variety of materials such as stainless steel, gold, silver, platinum, plastic, wood, etc; the ornamental piece, ornamental grip, curved member and holding member may be of any shape, size, or material and may have other materials attached to them such as diamonds, gemstones, pearls, enamel, etc; the pivot joint and the catch may be interchanged with other types of pivot joints or catches and may be placed in numerous positions on the holding member and arm; the curved member, holding member, and arm may have other shapes such as circular, oval, trapezoidal, triangular, etc.
Thus the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment(s) illustrated but by the appended claims and the legal equivalence.
