U.S. patent application number 11/708255 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-20 for decorative button.
Invention is credited to Nariko Kubota, Koji Omori.
Application Number | 20070214612 11/708255 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37801406 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070214612 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kubota; Nariko ; et
al. |
September 20, 2007 |
Decorative button
Abstract
A decorative button (1) includes a base member (10) and a cap
member (14). The base member (10) includes a prong-accommodating
portion (11) that receives a prong portion (21) of a fixing member
(2). The cap member (14) is disposed on the base member (10) and
forms an outer surface of the decorative button (1). The base
member (10) is provided with a cap-supporting portion (13) which
abuts to a middle portion of a rear surface of the cap member (14)
to support the cap member (14), thereby preventing a deformation of
the cap member (14). A top portion (13') of the cap-supporting
portion (13) is a plane to abut to the rear surface of the cap
member (14) along the curving of the rear surface.
Inventors: |
Kubota; Nariko; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Omori; Koji; (Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Michael S. Leonard;Everest Intellectual Property Law Group
P.O. Box 708
Northbrook
IL
60065
US
|
Family ID: |
37801406 |
Appl. No.: |
11/708255 |
Filed: |
February 20, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/94 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 24/3611 20150115;
A44B 1/42 20130101; A44B 1/44 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
24/94 |
International
Class: |
A44B 1/42 20060101
A44B001/42 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 16, 2006 |
JP |
2006-072925 |
Claims
1. A decorative button fixed to a fabric, comprising: a base
member; and a cap member undetachably disposed on the base member,
the cap member forming an outer surface of the decorative button,
wherein the base member abuts to a middle portion of a rear surface
of the cap member to support the cap member, and the base member
includes a supporting portion which prevents a deformation of the
cap member.
2. The decorative button according to claim 1, wherein the
decorative button is fixed to the fabric by a fixing member having
a prong portion penetrating the fabric, the base member includes a
flange portion which forms a prong-accommodating portion deforming
and receiving the prong portion of the fixing member, and the cap
member includes a lower end portion which holds the flange portion
of the base member.
3. The decorative button according to claim 1, wherein a top
portion of the supporting portion of the base member curves along
the rear surface of the cap member to make a plane-contact to the
cap member.
4. The decorative button according to claim 2, wherein a top
portion of the supporting portion of the base member curves along
the rear surface of the cap member to make a plane-contact to the
cap member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a decorative button.
Specifically, the invention relates to a dome-shaped decorative
button.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Dome-shaped decorative buttons are widely used for
decoration of garments, shoes and bags, especially for decoration
of leather and denim products due to an appearance of a head
thereof like an embedded pin or rivet of a dome-like arched shape
when the button is fixed to a fabric.
[0005] One example of the dome-shaped buttons is disclosed in
JP-U-48-97104. However, in a process for fixing the button to the
fabric or in use, the dome made of a metal plate of the button
might be deformed relatively easily when a load is applied on a
surface of the dome.
[0006] When the dome-shaped decorative button is a solid die cast
product, the button becomes relatively heavy. Accordingly,
especially when many buttons are used, reduction in total weight of
the product may be hindered. Or a prong-accommodating portion for
receiving a prong portion (a prong) of a fixing member may need to
be provided after die cast molding by the way of curling a lower
end portion of the molded product or by another way.
[0007] The present invention has been attained in light of the
above-described points. An object of the invention is to provide a
decorative button including a cap which is not easily deformed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A decorative button according to an aspect of the invention
is fixed to a fabric. The decorative button includes: a base
member; and a cap member undetachably disposed on the base member,
the cap member forming an outer surface of the decorative button.
The base member abuts to a middle portion of a rear surface of the
cap member to support the cap member. The base member includes a
supporting portion which prevents a deformation of the cap
member.
[0009] In the decorative button according to the aspect of the
invention, the supporting portion of the base member supports, from
the rear side of the cap member, the middle portion of the cap
member projecting in a dome-like shape. Accordingly, in attaching
of the button to the fabric or when the button is in use, the risk
of deforming the dome shape of the cap can be reduced even when a
load or an impact is applied on the cap.
[0010] In a decorative button of the invention, a fixing member
thereof which fixes the decorative button to a fabric may
preferably include a prong portion to penetrate the fabric.
[0011] The base member may preferably include a flange portion
which forms a prong-accommodating portion deforming and receiving
the prong portion of the fixing member. The cap member may
preferably include a lower end portion which holds the flange
portion of the base member. According to the aspect, the prong
portion of the fixing member penetrating the fabric is received in
the prong-accommodating portion of the base member of the
decorative button, thereby attaching the button to the fabric and
engaging the button and the fixing member (see FIG. 3). For
example, in another embodiment, a projection provided on the
decorative button side along the axial direction may penetrate the
fabric to be held on the fixing member side.
[0012] In a decorative button according the invention, a top
portion of the supporting portion of the base member curves along
the rear surface of the cap member to make a plane-contact to the
cap member. Specifically, the top portion of the supporting portion
of the base member is adapted to make not a point-contact but a
plane-contact to the rear surface of the cap member. The contacting
surface of the supporting portion is not horizontal but curved
along the rear surface of the curving cap. Accordingly, the
cap-supporting capacity of the cap-supporting portion can be
enhanced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a cross section showing a decorative button and a
fixing member vertically facing to each other with a fabric
therebetween;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the decorative button;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a cross section showing the decorative button and
the fixing member brought to each other from the state shown in
FIG. 1 into engagement in which the decorative button and the
fixing member are fixed to the fabric;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a process illustration showing a state in which a
base member is about to be covered by a cap member; and
[0017] FIG. 5 is another process illustration showing a state in
which the base member is covered by the cap member.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0018] A preferred embodiment of a decorative button according to
the present invention will be described below with reference to the
attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross section showing a decorative
button 1 and a fixing member (a cap prong) 2 vertically facing to
each other with a fabric 3 therebetween, the decorative button 1
and the fixing member 2 to be fixed to the fabric 3. FIG. 2 is a
plan view of the decorative button 1. FIG. 3 is a cross section
showing the decorative button 1 attached to the fabric 3.
[0019] The decorative button 1 includes a base member 10 and a
dome-shaped cap member 14 disposed on the base member 10, both
members being made of brass, stainless steel, aluminum or the like
and formed by drawing. The cap member 14 forms an outer surface (a
convex and spherical surface) of the doom shape of the decorative
button 1. The base member 10 includes a ring-shaped flange portion
12 and a cap-supporting portion 13. The flange portion 12 includes
a prong-accommodating portion 11 for accommodating a prong portion
21 of the fixing member 2 when the fixing member 2 is attached to
the fabric as shown in FIG. 3. The cap-supporting portion 13 is in
the middle of the flange portion 12 i.e. on the inner periphery of
the flange portion 12. The cap-supporting portion 13 projects from
the lowest portion of the base member 10 toward the upper side
thereof to abut to a middle portion of a rear surface of the cap
member 14. In the embodiment, the diameter of a bottom portion of
the decorative button 1 is approximately 10 mm; the height thereof
is approximately 4 mm; and the outside diameter of a top portion
13' of the cap-supporting portion 13 is approximately 3 mm.
[0020] The diameter of the cap-supporting portion 13 of the
decorative button 1 is set to be approximately constant from a base
end portion of the cap-supporting portion 13 to the top portion 13'
as well as to be maximum to the extent possible. The top portion
13', which abuts to an inner surface of the cap member 14, is not a
point but a plane. The plane is not horizontal but slightly curved
along the curving inner surface of the cap member 14. Accordingly,
the cap-supporting portion 13 provides enhanced cap-supporting
capacity.
[0021] The fixing member 2 is a general cap prong. The fixing
member 2 includes: a prong 20 including the prong portion 21; and a
cap 22 to cover the prong 20. Owing to the cap 22 on a rear side of
the fabric and the above-described dome-shaped cap member 14 on a
front side of the fabric, the front and rear surfaces of the
decorative button 1 do not give an untidy impression but have good
and neat appearances.
[0022] FIGS. 4 and 5 each are an illustration for explaining a
process of covering the base member 10 with the cap member 14.
Before attached to the base member 10, the cap member 14 has a
cylindrical lower end portion 15 of the dome shape (the upper side
in FIGS. 4 and 5). The cylindrical lower end portion 15 is
plastic-deformed by a pressing machine such that the lower end
portion 15 holds the flange portion 12 of the base member 10.
Specifically, the pressing machine includes: a cap member mount 40
on the lower side, which has a recess 41 in an upper surface, the
recess 41 being fittable with the dome shape of the cap member 14;
a base member holder 42 on the upper side, which can be vertically
moved by the base member holder 42 around the base member holder 42
with a projection 43 which serves such that the base member 10 is
held by the cap-supporting portion 13; and a cylindrical press die
44 having a bending die portion 45 for bending the cylindrical
lower end portion 15 of the cap portion 14.
[0023] When attaching the cap member 14 to the base member 10, the
cap member 14 is placed upside down in the recess 41 of the cap
member mount 40. The base member 10 is held by the base member
holder 42 that is apart from the cap member mount 40 in the upward
direction with the cap-supporting portion 13 accommodating the
projection 43. The base member holder 42 is then lowered such that
the base member 10 is brought in the cap member 14 and that the top
portion 13' of the cap-supporting portion 13 reliably but gently
abuts on the rear surface of the cap member 14. While maintaining
the base member holder 42 in the state, the press die 44 is lowered
(see FIG. 5). The cylindrical lower end portion 15 of the cap
member 14 is bent by the bending die portion 45 toward the inner
side of the radial direction so as to undetachably cover the flange
portion 12 of the base member 10.
[0024] As described above, the cap-supporting portion 13 supports
the cap member 14 from the rear side of the cap member 14.
Therefore, even when the cap member 14 receives an impact or the
like from the outer side, the cap member 14 is not easily deformed
by the impact.
[0025] The priority application Number JP2006-072925 upon which
this patent application is based is hereby incorporated by
reference.
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