Patent Application
20150216243
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant:
Bow ties are a form of apparel whose design includes a decorative knot near the throat having two bows and two ends. Historically bow tie wearers have had difficulty changing the appearance of their bow ties because bow ties having interchangeable components have not been readily available.
The prior art teaches a variety of methods for making bow tie components interchangeable, in particular the bow tie's knots and bows, hereafter referred to as wings. However, design and production limitations of the means used for joining these two components have constrained the marketability of interchangeable bow ties for some time. Nonetheless, contemporary materials and manufacturing techniques, which enable the redesign of the bow tie's principal components and capitalize on advances in the fabrication process, make it possible to reverse these limitations.
A search of prior art regarding bow ties having interchangeable components such as wings and knots, shows those bow ties as having a number of disadvantages. One of the more recent patents in this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 2,578,269 (1951), illustrates this point. As envisioned by the patentee the plastic wings of this bow tie, referred to as transparent wings (FIG. 1, numbers 10 and 12), are not interchangeable. Rather, rigid inserts within those wings, identified as stiffeners (FIG. 5, numbers 30 and 32), form the interchangeable component whereby the appearance of the bow tie is varied.
This design leaves it to the wearer to attach stiffeners within the confines of the transparent wings without stretching, folding or otherwise damaging the materials from which the wings and stiffeners are made. Further, because these transparent wings form the outermost portion of the bow tie, they make it difficult for the wearer to completely vary the bow tie's appearance. One of the first things an observer will likely notice is the transparent plastic. From a similar perspective, the design does not contemplate the possibility of exchanging the transparent plastic for fabric or another material.
In attaching the stiffeners to the knot of this bow tie, the patent makes mention of a friction fit. A closer examination of this fit reveals the knot is formed from a strip of folded material about the inner ends of the transparent wings. A friction fit designed in this manner is likely to be weak, unless the two ends of the strip overlap and are fused together. If that is the case, the interchangeability of the bow tie's wings and knot will likely be negated.
In terms of manufacturing, production of this bow tie is constrained by a problem that centers on the process whereby its knot, stiffeners, and transparent wings are all assembled and joined. If these components are not properly assembled and joined, then the durability of the bow tie and its capacity to hold together under normal wear is markedly decreased.
Another patent among the prior art that makes reference to a bow tie having interchangeable components is U.S. Pat. No. 2,466,131 (1949). In this case the patentee's intent was to create an object that was novel in appearance, which could be discarded in part or entirety when its purpose had been served. The manufacture of this disposable bow tie puts constraints on the quality of its components, in turn putting constraints on its marketability.
This same patent envisions the wings, referred to as wing elements, and knot of the bow tie being connected by a pin and socket coupling. In describing this coupling the patentee mentions a pin projecting from the wing, which in turn is connected to a passage within the knot (FIG. 1, numbers 1 and 4). The pin is slit at its farthest end in such a way that the end forms fingers. These fingers are sprung slightly together when the pin enters the passage of the coupling, creating outward friction against the passage in such a way as to hold the wings together with the knot.
The strength and reliability of this friction fit is dependent upon the size and fit of the pin and the outward tension applied by the pin's fingers against the knot's passage. Both the pin and the passage can wear over time, loosening the strength of the bond between the wings to the knot. This weakness will be further exacerbated if the pin is bent or crushed. The probability of this type of damage occurring will increase if the manufacturer chooses low quality pin and socket couplings under the assumption the wearer will be disposing of the bow tie once its purpose has been served.
Regarding its manufacture, the method used to adhere the pin of the pin and socket coupling to the bow tie's flat wing element could prove problematic. Insertion of a pin in the end of the wing where the greatest stress is applied through repeated coupling and uncoupling could eventually result in a failure. Further, the use of a long pin with a small diameter, as would likely be needed, increases the probability the pin could be damaged through repeated use.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,421,972 is also for a bow tie having interchangeable components. In this case, the manner whereby the bow tie's wings, referred to as wing members, are held to the knot is through the use of plate members that are stitched to the wings (FIG. 3, numbers 14 and 16). At the end of each plate member, attached in a perpendicular manner, are round discs (FIG. 5, number 16). These discs are inserted under a flange found on the knot and held in place by spring-loaded follower discs (FIG. 2, numbers 11,12 and 13, and FIG. 4, number 9).
This method of attaching the wings to the knot is mechanically complex and subject to failure of the mechanism's individual components. Some representative points of failure for this bow tie include but are not limited to: the spring losing its tension, the flange being bent, or the stitching holding the plate members to the wings fraying or separating.
Manufacture of this bow tie, and in particular its subsequent assembly, also points to potential problems. The attaching mechanism within the knot is composed of at least five distinct components: two follower discs, a spring, a flanged barrel and a clip. All of these must be manufactured to tolerance in order to function properly and then be properly assembled. Given these complexities, the overall cost of assembly of this bow tie would likely make it difficult to produce at a reasonable price, especially in small quantities.
Another interchangeable bow tie along the lines of those previously mentioned is U.S. Pat. No. 2,420,387 (1947). One particular embodiment of this bow tie centers on a knot having a sleeve within which is affixed a permanent magnet in the nature of a bar (FIG. 17, number 66). This magnet has recesses in its ends, which receive pins found on the ends of the wings. These pins are made of soft iron, which is attracted by a magnetic field that holds the pins within the recesses (FIG. 17, number 68). The bore and the pins are cylindrical in shape so that each wing may be rotated individually about the axis of the bore sleeve, so as to present either face of the wing forwardly.
This bow tie relies on iron bars and soft iron pins to produce a bond that is strong enough to hold the wings to the knot but not so strong as to prevent the wings from being easily rotated about the horizontal axis. Creating a bond that meets these tolerances using raw iron materials could prove difficult for a manufacturer. Further, the iron-on-iron contact that this design envisions inside the knot, will likely create problems for the wearer in terms of the ease with which he or she can detach the wing from the knot by separating the two magnets. If the strength of that contact is too strong, it will likely increase the rate at which the wings are broken and the pins are separated from the wings. This design also calls into question whether the extension of the wing having the pin attached fits snugly within the recess of the bar magnet or whether it is only the pin which is afforded such a fit. If it is only the pin, it may be possible for the wing to be attached to the knot at an awkward angle rather than straight into the recess.
Bar magnets are bulky and their size would complicate the manufacture of this bow tie's knot. Further, the north and south poles of the bar magnet preclude the bow tie from having interchangeable wings. A wing having the south pole of its magnet facing the knot must be attached to the north pole side of the knot, and a wing having the north pole of its magnet facing the knot must be attached to the south pole side of the knot.
Manufacture of this bow tie could also prove difficult with regard to the attachment of the soft iron pins to the wings. A reliable manner of making an attachment that would hold over time could prove problematic. This is especially true if the bow tie's wearer is expected to rotate those wings on a frequent basis. Similarly, creating bar magnets molded specifically for the bow tie, or having those magnets drilled to create recesses, would add both increased expenses and complexity to the manufacturing process.
Another patent referenced in the table above is U.S. Pat. No. 2,411,908 (1946). In this example, the interchangeability of the bow tie is achieved through the use of rigid strips that are attached to the bow tie's wings, (FIG. 6 number 15 and FIG. 7 number 16). In turn, these rigid strips are designed to attach the wings to the knot through insertion of those strips into sockets found on the knot (FIG. 5, number 14). The wings are held in place through a friction fit.
As described by the patentee, this bow tie has as its primary objective to provide foldable wing portions hingedly connected at the knot portion of the tie and by means of which the tie may be folded into a compact form for convenient carrying. It also has as an objective to provide a bow tie having a knot that can receive the ends of rigid strips carried by the wings.
This particular design makes it difficult to maintain a sound fitting between the wings and the knot over time. Due to wear, as the wings are exchanged or removed for compact storage, the friction fitting may loosen to the point that the knot can no longer hold the wings in place. There is no backup to the friction fit and repeated folding by the wearer could exacerbate the problem of the fit loosening over time. Further, those rigid strips are attached to the wings by stitching them together. This stitching adds a point of failure to the construction of the bow tie and is subject to fraying or separation over time.
The production of this interchangeable bow tie also has its problems. These problems are a function of the complexity of the assembly process, which increases with the number of components and the variety of assembly methods used. In particular, the internal structure of the knot is formed of two independent and differently configured flat plates having interconnected hinge bearings. These plates are secured together by a threaded hinge pin that runs through the hinge bearings along the vertical axis where they overlap at the center of the knot. Once constructed, the knot is then enclosed within a thin suitable material to give it the appearance of a bow tie knot.
Production of this knot includes the manufacture and subsequent assembly of four distinct components: two different hinge plates, the hinge pin, and the knot enclosure. This is in addition to the manufacture of the rigid strips and wings, and subsequent assembly of those two components. Automating an assembly process for such a complex mechanism would likely make it difficult to manufacture this bow tie in small quantities for sale at reasonable prices.
In accordance with one embodiment an interchangeable bow tie comprising: a) a plurality of wings, said wings each having a tongue, said tongues each having a tongue magnet, said tongue magnets each having a tongue magnet north pole and generating a first magnetic force, b) a knot, said knot having one or more grooves, said knot having one or more knot magnets, said knot magnets each having a knot magnet north pole and generating a second magnetic force, c) wherein the improvement comprises a redesign of said knot and said wings, whereby said knot magnets and said tongue magnets are aligned one substantially above the other, said knot magnet north poles and said tongue magnet north poles are facing the same direction, said wings are joined interchangeably to said knot by said tongue coupling with said groove, said groove holding said wings in a fixed position, and said wings being secured to said knot by said first magnetic force urging a magnetic attraction with said second magnetic force.
Accordingly several advantages of one or more aspects are as follows: to provide interchangeable bow ties that have a minimum number of components; that have a design with no working mechanical parts; that have components that are easily standardized; that minimize the complexity of integrating components; that simplify the assembly process; that lend themselves to production using modern materials; that can be easily manufactured in small, economically affordable quantities; that have knots and wings that can be easily manufactured using a computer numerical control machine; that have knots that can be easily manufactured using the extrusion molding process; that have a connection between the knot and wings that is not subject to mechanical failure; that have knots and wings of a substantially solid and durable construction; that have a knot that readily accepts different wings of a variety of materials that can be easily exchanged without damaging the knot or the wings; that have a knot that allows for multiple pairs of wings; that have a knot and wings that allow for magnets to be easily embedded in them; that take advantage of small, circular magnets of a standard design; that provide a snug, precision fit between the knot and the wings that includes both a tongue and groove fit and a magnetic fit; that have a bond between the knot and wings that does not weaken with use over time; that do not have direct magnet-to-magnet contact; that can be easily carried and stored in a compact form; and that are designed to be marketed as an attractive fashion accessory. Other advantages of one or more aspects will be apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes.
One embodiment of the interchangeable bow tie as it would appear while being worn is shown at
The assembled components of one embodiment of an interchangeable bow tie are illustrated at
In
One embodiment of the interchangeable bow tie's knot 20 is illustrated at
In
Shown at
I presently prefer an embodiment in which the knot 20 is square shaped and made from acrylic. The knot 20 is cut to a shape of 1.0 inch long by 1.0 inch wide by 0.750 inches high from a block of acrylic using a computer numerical control machine. The same machine cuts the grooves 60 to a width of 0.830 inches and a height of 0.132 inches. However, in other embodiments the knot 20 could be made from a variety of different materials including wood, carbon fiber, metal or plastic, could be manufactured using any number of processes such as the extrusion molding process, and could have any number of different shapes such as oval, trapezoidal, or oblong.
In accordance with one embodiment, two different designs of the interchangeable bow tie's wings 10 are illustrated at
The illustrations at
At
I presently prefer the tongues 70 have a standard size of 0.75 inches wide by 0.4 inches long by 0.122 inches high, so that any tongue 70 can be inserted into any groove 60. However, other embodiments are possible in which tongues 70 having different measurements could be paired with grooves 60 having measurements that would accept those tongues 70. Other embodiments of the wings 10 include a variety of different widths, shapes, sizes and symmetries.
The manner of putting the interchangeable bow tie shown at
The manner of exchanging the wings 10 of the interchangeable bow tie shown at
One additional embodiment of the interchangeable bow tie is also made possible by changing the number of grooves 60 that are cut into the knot, which in turn changes the number of wings 10 the knot 20 can carry and the number of knot magnets 30 and tongue magnets 80 required.
Another additional embodiment of the interchangeable bow tie is made possible by changing the structure of the wings 10, enabling them to be covered with fabric or another material. Such a change is illustrated at
There are various possibilities with regard to alternative embodiments that could be produced as a function of variations in the interchangeable bow tie's principal components.
Alternative embodiments could be achieved by changing the composition of the materials used to produce the knot, in those instances where a knot cover is not used. Such variations could include manufacturing the knot from fiberglass, carbon fiber, wood or metal. In those cases, the appearance of the knot, its color, shape, etc., would be a direct result of the material from which it is made. Similarly, the knot cover could be made from an infinite variety of fabrics and materials having different colors and patterns, which would also change the interchangeable bow tie's appearance.
Other alternative embodiments could result from changes in the size, shape and attractive force of the magnets used in the interchangeable bow tie's knot and wings. Through further miniaturization of the magnets, such changes could decrease the number of magnets required and improve the strength of the bond between the interchangeable bow tie's knot and wings.
In other embodiments, the size, location and number of grooves could be altered to change the appearance of the interchangeable bow tie. Such changes could include adding grooves to the top and bottom of the interchangeable bow tie's knot, facilitating the attachment of other ornamental pieces in addition to the wings. Other embodiments of the knot could have a varying number of knot magnet cavities.
Other embodiments could include an interchangeable bow tie having two or more fabric-covered wings, or a mix of fabric-covered wings and wings made of a solid material such as wood.
From the description above, a number of advantages of some embodiments of my interchangeable bow tie become evident:
(a) An interchangeable bow tie having a minimum number of components that can be easily standardized and integrated.
(b) An interchangeable bow tie that can be easily disassembled, stored, and carried in a compact form.
(c) An interchangeable bow tie that has small magnets of a standard size that are easily embedded in the knot and wings.
(d) An interchangeable bow tie that is designed so that the north poles of its magnets all face the same direction.
(e) An interchangeable bow tie whose wings are easily and firmly secured to the knot by a first and second means, the first being a tongue in groove fit and the second being a magnetic bond.
(f) An interchangeable bow tie whose magnetic bond between the knot and wings is not subject to loosening through wear over time.
(g) An interchangeable bow tie that is not subject to the problems associated with direct magnet-to-magnet contact.
(h) An interchangeable bow tie that has wings that can be easily exchanged, or readily moved from the grooves on one side of the knot to the grooves on the other side of the knot.
(i) An interchangeable bow tie that readily accepts multiple wings of a variety of materials, shapes and styles.
(j) An interchangeable bow tie for which the probability of the wings breaking or the magnets separating from the wings is significantly reduced.
(k) An interchangeable bow tie that facilitates the use of a variety of materials such as wood, carbon fiber, acrylic, etc.
(l) An interchangeable bow tie that facilitates the use of modern manufacturing equipment and techniques such as computer numerical control machines and the extrusion molding process.
(m) An interchangeable bow tie whose knot and the wings can be produced as substantially solid entities.
(n) An interchangeable bow tie having a streamlined assembly process that allows it to be easily manufactured in small, economically affordable quantities.
(o) An interchangeable bow tie that serves as an easily marketable fashion accessory.
The redesign of the principal components of the interchangeable bow tie, which is rooted in the reorientation of the north poles of the bow tie's magnets, has significant implications for its production and marketability.
The standardized orientation of the magnets' north poles enabled development of interchangeable bow tie knots and wings comprising a minimum number of components that are easily integrated. Given that minimum number of components, the interchangeable bow tie can be easily disassembled, stored and carried in a compact form.
The redesign takes advantage of small magnets that are easily embedded in the knot and wings. Those magnets allow the wings to be firmly secured to the knot by a first and second means, the first being a tongue-in-groove fit and the second being a magnetic bond. Unlike a friction fit alone, that magnetic bond is not subject to loosening through wear over time.
The redesign also prevents the problems associated with direct magnet-to-magnet contact and permits the wings to be readily exchanged between the grooves on one side of the knot and the grooves on the opposing side of the knot. The knot readily accepts multiple wings of a variety of materials, shapes and styles. Given the simplicity of the redesign, the probability of the wings breaking or the magnets separating from the wings is significantly reduced. All of this makes the interchangeable bow tie a viable fashion accessory.
These changes also have implications for the interchangeable bow tie's manufacture. They facilitate the use of modern manufacturing materials such acrylic and enable the use of modern manufacturing equipment and techniques such as computer numerical control machines and the extrusion molding process. And because the knot and the wings can be produced as substantially solid entities, the assembly process is streamlined, allowing interchangeable bow tie components to be easily standardized and manufactured in small, economically affordable quantities.
Accordingly, the reader will see that the interchangeable bow tie of various embodiments can be easily manufactured and assembled due to the improvements resulting from its redesign. Given the current demand for bow ties, the interchangeable bow tie can take its place as a viable alternative to those bow ties that are already available in the market.
Although the description above contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments but as merely providing illustrations of some of several embodiments.
Consequently the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather then by the examples given.
