Torque Cuff and Collar Links

Abstract

Torque cuff and collar link, comprising: a base, two arms, a pivot mechanism, a series of projections, and a connecting member for connecting the base and the pivot mechanism. The pivot mechanism further comprising a series of gear or teeth fixed to the connecting member and a series of projections inside the edge of one arm. The gear or teeth fit to cause different levels of friction and torque when force is applied on the arm. Friction between the series of gear or teeth and the projections causes the cuff and collar links to hold firm in a given position.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to apparel and associated accessories, and more particularly to torque cuff and collar links with a pivot mechanism useful in holding cuffs and collar of a shirt in a given desired position.

BACKGROUND ART

There are known cuff links and collar or fasteners. For example, WO/2008/030196 of 9 Sep. 2006 by Nicol, Fiona May discloses a single-piece cuff link for use in a releasably coupling of a first and a second section of a sleeve and where the cuff link include first and second arms meeting at first ends and the ends being curved relatively inwardly toward each other. CA428446 by Kurashima, Hideo of 18 May 1983 discloses a cufflink having two main parts, namely decorative member and a link member which are readily assembled and disassembled by a single finger push, so that even with a double cuff and/or single cuff shirt the cufflink hides and receives a button on the cuff of the single cuff shirt within a depression in the decorative member, and hides the button hole of the double cuff shirt.

U.S. Ser. No. 15/185,278 by Carl J. Rennard of 17 Jun. 2016 discloses a cuff link accessory for coupling a one piece cuff link with a shirt cuff button and button hole, and including a base member having opposed ends, a first hole section disposed at one end of the base member and a second hole section disposed at the opposed end of the base member. The first hole section is for engagement with a post of the cuff link, once inserted through button hole, and the second hole section is for engagement with the shirt cuff button.

However, the current invention discloses a cuff and collar link with a mechanism that engages members, uses friction and torque to hold in place the parts that rotate in order to hold the cuffs and collar of a shirt in a given desired position.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The invention provides shirt cuff and collar fasteners that use a combination of the principle of torque and wrench to hold the cuffs or collar of a shirt into place. The invention aims to provide a folding cuff and collar link which can be easily inserted in and out off the cuff or collar button and provide the wearer a firm grip of the shirt cuffs or collar by way of rotating the arm in opposite direction from the pivot. The invention also aims to achieve excellence by appearance.

The invention therefore discloses cuff and collar links with a mechanism comprising of a combination of the pivotal axis upon which the arms or wings rotate in order to hold onto the cuffs or collar. The said cuff and collar link can also be used as a button or pin to be attached on any apparel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers indicate the same or similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the cuff and collar button in its closed position.

FIG. 2 is the cuff and collar button in the open position. The view it would assume when the cuff and collar button is being inserted into the cuff hole or collar hole and when being removed from the cuff hole or collar hole.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the cuff and collar button in its closed position

FIG. 4 is the side view of the cuff and collar button in the open position.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cuff and collar button in its closed position.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the invention showing clockwise and counterclockwise movements of the arms on the pivot.

FIG. 7 is side elevation of the current invention taking on a different form/shape of the connecting member in its open position.

FIG. 8 is the side view of the cuff button invention taking on a different form/shape of the connecting member in its closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and is provided in the context of the particular examples discussed below, variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation (as in any development project), design decisions must be made to achieve the designers' specific goals (e.g., compliance with system and business-related constraints), and that these goals will vary from one implementation to another.

In a more general embodiment, the present invention discloses cuff and collar links with a mechanism comprising of a combination of a pivotal axis 4 upon which the arms or wings rotate in order to hold onto the cuffs or collar. The combination at the pivotal axis results into torque that provides “inertia” to the cuff and collar links arms or wings when in open and closed position.

In the first embodiment according to FIG. 1, the invention discloses a side elevation of the cuff and collar button in its closed position which comprises of a base 1, a pivot mechanism 4, a member connecting 2 the base 1 and the pivot mechanism and arms 3 or wings. In this embodiment, the base 1 is attached to one end of the connecting member, takes different forms to achieve excellence by appearance. The connecting member 2 is made to connect the base on one end and Pivot on the other end. Arms 3 are crafted to lock shirt cuffs and collar button when in closed position. The pivot 4 comprises a mechanism that allows rotation of the arms in clockwise and counterclockwise direction.

The invention further consists of a series of projections 5 that engages a series of gear or teeth on the pivot 4 to cause inertia when the cuff and collar button is in its closed position.

The swivel mechanism comprises of a series of projections on the inside of one of the arm which is inserted into the fixed pivot from either ends of the pivot. The swivel mechanism may also be centrally fixed when the member connecting to the base and the pivot takes different form and shape. The connecting member is a structure fixed to the base and may take the solid form/shape or two parallel pole structures.

In FIG. 2, the invention describes a cuff and collar button in the open position also consisting of a connecting member 2 attached to the base 1 and a series of projections 5 connecting with the pivot 4 which enables the arms 3 to move. In FIG. 3, the inventions teaches of the top plan view of the cuff and collar button in its closed position, comprising a base 1, arms 3 and a connecting member 2.

The pivot mechanism functions as a ratchet and wrench that allows motion in both clockwise and counterclockwise direction. This provides a mechanical wrench system that provides grip to the arm and can firmly hold the arm at an angle or at a given position relative to the connecting member.

The interaction of movement or friction or torque caused between the fixed pivot with a series of teeth or gear and the projections inside one end of the arm provides grip and holds the arms in a given position.

In another embodiment according to FIG. 3, the invention describes a base 1 connected to a pair of arms 3 to produce an operational cuff or collar. Yet in FIG. 4, the invention teaches of the presence of a base 1 designed to support the pivot 4 and arms 3 of the invention.

The movement of the arm is preferentially set in motion by force that is applied by the wearer finger tips on the edges of the arm. The desirable angle of the arm relative to the connecting member when fully deployed or when in worn position is 90 degrees as shown in FIG. 1. The arms can also be held at any other angle depending on the preference of the wearer and the thickness of the shirt cuffs or collar when held together.

The arms are rotated upwards to a position as in FIG. 2 so as to allow the wearer to easily remove the invention from the cuff or collar holes and insert the cuff/collar link into the cuff or collar holes.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

In another embodiment according to FIG. 5, the present invention describes a longitudinal sectional view of the cuff and collar button in its closed position. The cuff and collar button has a base 1. The base can have different shapes for different embodiments. It is the intention/desire of the current invention that the base is made of decorative and attractive material as per preference of the wearer so as to achieve excellence in appearance. Attached to the base 1 is a connecting member 2. The connecting member 2 may also take different shapes and forms in different embodiments.

In FIG. 6, the invention provides a side elevation view of the invention showing clockwise and counterclockwise movements of the arms 3 on the pivot. Here the pivot mechanism 4 enables the arms to move from left to right and vice versa. Attached on the other end of the connecting member 2 is a series of teeth or gear 4 that acts as a pivot for attaching connecting member 2 to the arms 3.

In FIG. 7, the invention shows a side elevation of the current invention taking on a different form/shape of the connecting member in its open position in which the pivot mechanism 4 enable the arms 3 to move as they are supported by the base 1. A pair of arms 3 is fixed onto the series of teeth or gear pivot 4 on opposite sides.

The arms 3 may have different shapes and forms in different embodiments.

On the inside of the arms 3 and on the edge fixed to the connecting member 2 is provided a devise 5 consisting of a series of projections inside its edge which is inserted into the fixed pivot from either ends of the pivot. The projections fit perfectly with the gear to cause different levels of friction and torque when force is applied on the arms 3. This friction between the pivot and the devise causes the cuff/collar links to hold firm on the shirt cuffs or collar. As taught in FIG. 8, wherein side view of the cuff and collar button invention takes on a different form/shape of the connecting member in its closed position exhibiting stretched arms 3 by the pivot mechanism 4 resting on the connecting member that is fixed to the base 1.

Here the base 1 is attached to one end of the connecting member, takes different forms to achieve excellence by appearance. The connecting member 2 connects the base 1 on one end and Pivot on the other end taking on a different form/shape. The arms 3 allows cuff and collar button to be inserted into and removed through Cuff or Collar buttonhole when in an open position. The pivot 4 allows rotation of the arms in clockwise and counterclockwise direction. A series of projections 5 engages the teeth/gear on the pivot to cause inertia when the Cuff and collar button is in its closed position

The said cuff and collar link can also be used as a button or pin to be attached on any apparel.

Only one embodiment has been described but the person skilled in the art can do other embodiments of the invention within the principle and the scope of the invention.

It will also be appreciated that such development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the field of the appropriate art having the benefit of this disclosure. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto are not intended to be limited by the disclosed embodiments, but are to be accorded their widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

The disclosed invention applies to textile and leather industry. The novel cuff and collar links are for use in holding shirt cuffs or collar together and also for aesthetic purposes. The said cuff and collar link can also be used as a button or pin to be attached on any apparel.

Claims

1. A cuff link for holding a shirt's cuffs, comprising: a base;two arms;a pivot mechanism; anda means for connecting the base and the pivot mechanism;the said pivot mechanism and the connecting member fit to cause different levels of friction and torque when force is applied on the arm, said friction causing the cuff link to hold firm in a given position.

2. The cuff link according to claim 1, wherein the pivot mechanism further comprising a series of projections on the inside of one arm and a series of gear or teeth on the connecting member.

3. The cuff link according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cuff link can be moved on the arms into a position relative to the base thus enabling the arms to be inserted through a shirt cuff button hole and wherein after insertion, the arms can be moved into a position relative to the base and therefore lock the cuff link into place.

4. The cuff link according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the arms can be held at any other angle when in the worn position depending on the preference of the wearer and/or the thickness of the shirt cuffs.

5. The cuff link according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the connecting member, the pivot mechanism, the base and the arms can have different shapes/form in different embodiments.

6. The cuff link according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the said cuff link can also be used as a button and/or pin to be attached on any apparel.

7. A Collar link for holding a shirt's collars, comprising: abase;two arms;a pivot mechanism; anda means for connecting the base and the pivot mechanism;the said pivot mechanism and the connecting member fit to cause different levels of friction and torque when force is applied on the arm, said friction causing the collar link to hold firm in a given position.

8. The Collar link according to claim 7, wherein the pivot mechanism further comprising a series of projections on the inside of one arm and on the connecting member.

9. The Collar link according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the Collar link can be moved on the arms into a position relative to the base thus enabling the arms to be inserted through a shirt Collar button hole and wherein after insertion, the arms can be moved into a position relative to the base and therefore lock the Collar link into place.

10. The Collar link according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the arms can be held at any other angle when in the worn position depending on the preference of the wearer and/or the thickness of the shirt Collars.

11. The Collar link according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the connecting member, the pivot mechanism, the base and the arms can have different shapes/form in different embodiments.

12. The Collar link according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the said Collar link can also be used as a button and/or pin to be attached on any apparel.