Patent Application
20150366297
The described embodiments generally relate to clothing. More particularly, the present embodiments describe a magnetic attachment device for releasably attaching an article to a button.
Button covers have been known for quite some time and have taken on a variety of constructions. These known button covers are generally formed from two elements, namely, a cover having an open side for receiving the button and a closure plate for retaining the cover in secured relationship to the button while being worn. Button covers of this type are known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,751,654; 3,316,601; 3,343,230; 3,353,231; 3,584,349; 3,934,313; 4,539,731; 5,060,356; and 5,161,285. Such button covers have had traditional application as a decorative accessory for male shirts that when applied over the cuff buttons, simulate the presence of cuff links. In addition, such button covers have been used on women's blouse cuffs, as well as other locations for buttons when desired to produce an aesthetically attractive effect.
Tie clips are used to secure a tie relative to the front of a shirt and typically include a clip having a hinge. The clip is opened and one arm is positioned in front of the tie, while a second arm is inserted into an opening in the front of the shirt that is between the buttons of the shirt. When the clip is closed, the tie is secured to the shirt. One disadvantage of typical tie clips is that the tie can form wrinkles or folds when the individual moves. For example, when an individual sits down, this can cause a large fold because the relative distance between the clip and the individual's neck has decreased.
Thus, there is a need for an attachment device that does not rely on connectors such as mechanical fasteners to attach objects together, especially one that can be used to attached a tie to a button on a shirt, wherein a user may experience the look of wearing a tie without the inconvenience and displeasure afforded by prior art ties which not only constrict movement of the neck but causing the user's neck to be susceptible to sweating and discomfort. Moreover, there is a need for a device which allows a wearer to quickly attach a professional knotted tie without worrying that such tie may get caught in a machine resulting in serious bodily harm to the wearer.
Embodiments described herein relate to a magnetic attachment device for releasably attaching an article to a button.
A magnetic attachment device for releasably attaching an article to a button, said magnetic attachment device comprising:
(a) a button cover for a button, said cover comprising a cap having an unobstructed interior and an open side for receiving a button therein, and a closure plate rotatably attached to said cap about a rotational axis between an opened and closed position with respect to said open side of said cap, wherein said button cover comprises a magnetic member; and
(b) an article comprising a magnetic member,
wherein upon contacting said magnetic member of said article and said magnetic member of said button cover provides a magnetically attractive force which is sufficient to attach said article to said button cover. Preferably, the button is sewn or snapped onto clothing.
A magnetic attachment device for releasably attaching an article to a button, said magnetic attachment device comprising:
(a′) a button cover for a button secured to a material by a thread-like element, said cover comprising a cap having an unobstructed interior and an open side for receiving a button therein, and a closure plate rotatably attached to said cap about a rotational axis between an opened and closed position with respect to said open side of said cap, said plate including a slot having a longitudinal axis for receiving said thread-like element, said slot opposing said cap when said plate is arranged in said closed position, said plate movable between said opened and closed position by rotation of said plate about said rotational axis in a direction transverse to the longitudinal is of said slot, wherein said button cover comprises a magnetic member; and
(b′) an article comprising a magnetic member,
wherein upon contacting said magnetic member of said article and said magnetic member of said button cover provides a magnetically attractive force which is sufficient to attach said article to said button cover.
As used herein, “material” refers to any type of clothing, fabric, or substance having at least one button attached thereto. As used herein, “article” refers to any type of decorative clothing or accessory, such as a tie, cufflink, broach, decoration, ribbon, or medal. Thus, the terms “material” and “article” while independently selected may overlap.
In one embodiment of the invention, the magnetic attachment device is used to attach a tie to a shirt having at least one button.
In one embodiment of the invention, the magnetic attachment device is used to attach a cuff link to a shirt having at least one button.
In another embodiment, the magnetic attachment device incorporates a magnet on or about a button cover and incorporates a metal in an article, such as a tie knot or any other accessory, which when the magnet and metal are brought into proximity with each other provide a magnetic field. The magnetic field results in the button and article magnetically attaching to each other in a desired and repeatable manner. The tie can remain in the magnetically attached state if and until a releasing force of sufficient magnitude is applied that overcomes the overall net attractive magnetic force.
In another embodiment of the invention, the magnetic attachment device is used to attach a cuff link to a shirt having at least one button.
In another embodiment of the invention, the magnetic attachment device is used to attach a broach to a shirt having at least one button.
In another embodiment of the invention, the magnetic attachment device is used to attach an ornamental covering to material such as clothing having at least one button.
In another embodiment of the invention, a magnet is attached to the button cover and the article being attached contains a metal which allows for the article to be magnetically attached to the magnet.
In another embodiment of the invention, a magnet is disposed on the article and the button cover contains a metal which allows for the article to be magnetically attached with the button cover.
In another embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a button cover comprising a cap having an open side for receiving a button therein, and a closure plate movably attached to the cap, the plate including an elongated slot having a longitudinal axis, the plate movable between an opened and closed position with respect to the open side of the cap by movement of the plate in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the slot.
In another embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a button cover comprising a cap having an open side for receiving a button therein, a closure plate including an elongated slot having a longitudinal axis, the elongated slot communicating at one end with a central opening within the plate and at its other end with an enlarged opening at a peripheral portion of the plate, and connecting means for rotatably connecting the plate to the cap, the plate rotatable between an open position to provide access to an interior portion of the cap for receiving the button therein and a closed position removably secured within the open side of the cap upon rotation of the plate in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the slot.
In another embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a cover for a button secured to an article by a threadlike element, the cover comprising a cap having an open side for receiving a button therein, and a closure plate movably attached to the cap between an opened and closed position with respect to the open side of the cap, the plate having an elongated slot communicating at one end with an enlarged opening at a peripheral portion of the plate, the opening sized to readily receive the threadlike element while the elongated slot sized to receive the threadlike element in engaged relationship with portions of the plate bounding the elongated slot so as to assist in retaining the plate attached to the threadlike element when the cap is in the open position.
An unexpected advantage of the magnetic attachment device according to the present invention is the convenience and speed of attaching a professional looking tie knot in seconds.
An unexpected advantage of the magnetic attachment device according to the present invention is that the user may experience the look and feel of wearing a tie without the inconvenience and displeasure afforded by standard ties that not only constrict movement of the neck but causing the user's neck to be susceptible to sweating and discomfort.
An unexpected advantage of the magnetic attachment device according to the present invention is that the magnetic attachment device when used to attach a tie to material having a button cover thereon provides a self-centering mechanism for the tie.
An unexpected advantage of the magnetic attachment device according to the present invention is that in the case of a tie, the magnetic attachment device does not cause wrinkles or folds as the wearer moves.
An unexpected advantage of the magnetic attachment device according to the present invention is that because the article can only attach to the button in a specific orientation, the magnetic attachment device assures proper alignment and positioning of the article and the button.
An unexpected advantage of the magnetic attachment device according to the present invention is that in the case of a tie, the tie does not require a tail portion. However, if a tail portion is desired, the tail portion may optionally be used as part of an adjustment mechanism for the front portion of the tie.
An unexpected advantage of the magnetic attachment device according to the present invention is safety. No longer does a wearer of the magnetic attachment device according to the invention, in the case of a tie need to worry about common mishaps leading to serious injury including death. For example, having a standard tie get caught in a machine such as a blender or in a device such as an escalator often results in death or serious injury to the wearer of the tie. However, in the case of the magnetic attachment device according to the invention, the device is simply removed from the wearer without bringing the wearer in contact with hazardous machine or device.
An unexpected advantage of the magnetic attachment device for releasably attaching an article to a button according to the present invention is aesthetic. For example, in the case of a tie, an unlimited assortment of professional knots are available. Moreover, the wearer can quickly experiment with different ties and choose the right look without having to practice tying a tie for hours to obtain the proper looking tie knot.
The invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:
Other aspects and advantages of the invention 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 described embodiments.
Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following descriptions are not intended to limit the embodiments to one preferred embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the appended claims.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like elements, there is shown in
The closure plate 14 is constructed as a generally circular flat disk 30 dimensioned to be received within the open side 20 of the cap 12. The shape of the closure plate 14 is not limited. The shape of the cap 12 is not limited. The closure plate 14 is provided with an enlarged V-shaped opening 36. The V-shaped opening 36 opens outwardly along the peripheral edge of the closure plate 14.
The closure plate 14 is attached to the cap 12 by means of a hinge 50. The hinge 50 may be intricately formed with or separately attached to the peripheral edge of the closure plate 14. The hinge 50 enables the closure plate 14 to be pivoted or rotated between the opened position as shown in
With the button cover 10 in an open position as shown in
The button cover 10 may be removed by initially engaging projections 38, 40 with the tip of one's finger or nails and rotating the cap 12 about hinge 50. The button cover 10 may then be removed by sliding the closure plate 14 from between the button 60 and article 62 in the placement direction along the longitudinal axis of the slot 32. As previously described, a slight force will be required due to the restrictive nature of the slot 32 with respect to the threads 64 securing the button 60.
There is shown in
There is shown in
The magnetic members 100 and 102 are not particularly limited and can be any material that can be used to form a magnetically attractive force sufficient to couple the magnetic member 100 and magnetic member 102. The magnetic members may be prepared from the same materials or different materials. Any material that can be used to form a magnetically attractive force sufficient to couple or attach the magnetic member 100 with the magnetic member 102 is suitable. The magnetic members are independently selected from ferromagnetic materials, paramagnetic materials, and combinations thereof. The magnetic members can be selected to form a corresponding magnetic attraction. For example, the magnetic member 100 may be a ferromagnetic material that provides a magnetically attractive force which is sufficient to attached to the magnetic member 102.
In addition to the magnetic members being prepared from materials that form a magnetically attractive force, the magnetic member may be attached to magnetically inactive materials such as plastic and cardboard, or non-magnetic metal such as copper, lead, zinc, and aluminum.
In some embodiments, a magnetic member 102 is incorporated in or affixed to the button cover 10. For example, the button cover cap 12 may include a paramagnetic or ferromagnetic material that allows magnetic coupling with the magnetic material 100 that is present in an article 62. In other embodiments of the invention, the magnetic member 100 may be attached, affixed, embedded in or embedded on the button cover cap 10 and the magnetic member 102 may be attached, affixed, embedded in or embedded on the article 62, or vice versa. The article 62 is preferably clothing such as a tie or cuff-link or an accessory.
In one embodiment, the magnetic member 100 is a magnet and the magnetic member 102 is a material, such as steel, iron, nickel, cobalt, tin, gadolinium, and the like, including alloys thereof, that can be magnetically coupled with a magnet. For example, the magnetic member 102 may be a thin steel plate that is magnetically attracted to a magnet.
As used within the present invention, a magnetic preferably has a weight of between about 5 grams (g) and about 200 g. More preferably, a magnet has a weight of between about 10 grams and about 50 g.
In some embodiments, the magnetic member 100 includes a ferromagnetic material that can be magnetically coupled with a paramagnetic material and/or ferromagnetic material on the magnetic member 102. For example, the magnetic member 100 could include a ferromagnetic material configured to be magnetically coupled with the ferromagnetic material on the magnetic member 102 (e.g., configured so that opposing poles face each other).
Ferromagnetic materials can be divided into magnetically “soft” materials like annealed iron, which can be magnetized but do not stay magnetized, and magnetically “hard” materials, which do. Permanent magnets are made from “hard” ferromagnetic materials such as alnico and ferrite that are subjected to special processing in a powerful magnetic field during manufacture, to align their internal microcrystalline structure, making them very hard to demagnetize. Preferably, the magnet is a neodymium magnet.
The magnetic member 100 and magnetic member 102 may have various shapes. In some embodiments, the magnetic member 102 may include a female engaging portion as shown in
With reference to the drawings,
There is shown in
There is shown in
With reference to the drawings,
The closure plate 14 is constructed as a generally circular flat disk 30 dimensioned to be received within the open side 20 of the cap 12. The shape of the cap 12 is not limited. The closure plate 14 is provided with a radially oriented slot 32. The closure plate 14 is further provided with a central opening 34 communicating with one end of the slot 32 and an enlarged V-shaped opening 36 communicating with the other end of the slot. The V-shaped opening 36 opens outwardly along the peripheral edge of the closure plate 14.
Two edges of the closure plate 14 is provided with projections 38, 40 extending in a direction perpendicular to the circular flat disk 30 and toward the cap 12. The projections 38, 40, as shown in
A portion of the disk 30 between the projections 38, 40 is bent upwardly in an opposite direction to form a locking element 42. The locking element 42 is constructed to frictionally engage the interior surface of side wall 16 when the closure plate 14 is arranged in its closed position as shown in
The closure plate 14 is attached to the 12 by means of a hinge 50. The hinge 50 may be intricately formed with or separately attached to the peripheral edge of the closure plate 14. The hinge 50 enables the closure plate 14 to be pivoted or rotated between the opened position as shown in
In some embodiments, a magnetic member 100 and/or magnetic member 102 are integrated with a tie 70. For example, a tie 70 may include a magnetic member stitched within the tie 70. The magnetic member may then be magnetically coupled with the magnetic member on a button cover 10. The button cover 10 is applied to a button 60 which is secured to a material such as clothing 61 by means of threads 64 or a snap or any other means.
One or more examples of articles incorporating the magnetic attachment device as disclosed in the present invention are illustrated in
The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the specific embodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not target to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.
The advantages of the embodiments described are numerous. Different aspects, embodiments or implementations can yield one or more of the aforementioned advantages. Many features and advantages of the present embodiments are apparent from the written description and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, the embodiments should not be limited to the exact construction and operation as illustrated and described. Hence, all suitable modifications and equivalents can be resorted to as falling within the scope of the invention.
