U.S. patent application number 15/350567 was filed with the patent office on 2017-05-18 for ultra-slim fastener and method of manufacturing same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Dubrosky & Tracy Patent Services Corp.. The applicant listed for this patent is Gerhard Fildan, Karl Wanzenbock. Invention is credited to Gerhard Fildan, Karl Wanzenbock.
Application Number | 20170135429 15/350567 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55132766 |
Filed Date | 2017-05-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170135429 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fildan; Gerhard ; et
al. |
May 18, 2017 |
Ultra-slim fastener and method of manufacturing same
Abstract
An ultra-slim fastener for a bra comprises a male part mounted
on a first piece and a female part mounted on a second piece. The
male part comprises a planar body having a downwardly depending leg
terminating in an outwardly projecting foot extending parallel to
the body. The female part comprises a substantially planar frame
defining a cavity for reception of the foot. The cavity is roofed
in towards the innermost end of the frame only, thereby defining an
open mouth towards the outermost frame end. The frame is mounted
directly onto a fabric strip. The strip forms a backing for the
frame and the bottom of the cavity is closed off. The second piece
further comprises an overlay mounted partially above the frame and
on the fabric strip, sandwiching the frame between the overlay and
the fabric strip. Such a fastener will be very thin yet very
strong.
Inventors: |
Fildan; Gerhard; (Vienna,
AT) ; Wanzenbock; Karl; (Teesdorf, AT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Fildan; Gerhard
Wanzenbock; Karl |
Vienna
Teesdorf |
|
AT
AT |
|
|
Assignee: |
Dubrosky & Tracy Patent
Services Corp.
Central
HK
|
Family ID: |
55132766 |
Appl. No.: |
15/350567 |
Filed: |
November 14, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41F 1/006 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A41F 1/00 20060101
A41F001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 13, 2015 |
GB |
1520071.0 |
Claims
1. An ultra-slim fastener for securing a first piece and a second
piece together, the second piece comprising a fabric strip having a
face and an overlay, the fastener comprising: a male part mounted
on the first piece and a female part mounted on the second piece;
the male part comprising a substantially planar body having an
outermost body end, a downwardly depending leg disposed at the
outermost body end and terminating in an outwardly projecting foot
extending substantially parallel to the plane of the body; the
female part comprising a substantially planar frame having a top,
an outermost frame end, an innermost frame end, and defining a
cavity for reception and retention of the foot, the cavity being
partially roofed in towards the innermost frame end and having a
roof and a bottom, thereby defining an open mouth towards the
outermost frame end; the foot, the cavity, and the open mouth being
dimensioned so that insertion of the foot into the cavity must be
realized by inclining the body of the male part relative to the
frame of the female part before bringing the male part and the
female part together, retention of the foot in the cavity is
realized by pivoting the inserted male part from an inclined
orientation to a co-planar orientation with respect to the female
part using the roof of the cavity as a fulcrum, and release of the
foot from the cavity is realized by pivoting the inserted male part
from the co-planar orientation back to the inclined orientation
using the roof of the cavity as a fulcrum before moving the male
part and the female part apart; the frame of the female part being
mounted directly onto the face of the fabric strip so that the
fabric strip forms a backing for the frame and the bottom of the
cavity is closed off by the fabric strip; and, the overlay being
mounted onto the top of the frame and onto the face of the fabric
strip, sandwiching the frame between the overlay and the fabric
strip, the overlay having an aperture corresponding with the open
mouth.
2. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1 in which the frame of the
female part is ultrasonically welded to the second piece.
3. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1 in which the open mouth
comprises an upstanding collar surrounding the open mouth.
4. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 3 in which a portion of the
upstanding collar nearest the innermost frame end extends further
upwardly from the frame than the remainder of the upstanding
collar.
5. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1 in which the cavity of the
frame comprises a first downwardly depending flange adjacent the
outermost frame end and a second downwardly depending flange, the
second downwardly depending flange being positioned adjacent the
innermost frame end and being dimensioned to protrude downwardly
from the frame by the same distance as the first downwardly
depending flange.
6. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1 in which the cavity has a
side wall adjacent the outermost frame end which slopes towards the
outermost frame end from top to bottom.
7. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1 in which the foot has a heel
portion that slopes away from the outermost body end from top to
bottom.
8. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1 in which the substantially
planar body has an upwardly extending flange adjacent the outermost
body end.
9. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1 in which the depth of the
male part from the uppermost point on the male part to the
lowermost point of the foot is no more than 0.0027 m deep.
10. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1 in which the depth of the
female part from the uppermost point on the frame to the lowermost
point of the second piece connected to the frame is no more than
0.0034 m deep.
11. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1 in which the depth of the
fastener from the uppermost point on the male part to the lowermost
point of the second piece connected to the female part when the
male part and the female part are engaged is no more than 0.0035 m
deep.
12. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1 in which the second piece
comprises a laminate of tricot fabric and microfiber fabric.
13. The ultra-slim fastener of claim 1 in which the first piece
comprises a fabric strip, and in which the fabric strip of the
first piece comprises at least one of tricot fabric and microfiber
fabric.
14. A method of manufacturing an ultra-slim fastener, the method
comprising: a. providing an overlay sheet and a fabric strip; b.
providing a female part having a frame and an open mouth; c.
cutting out an aperture in the overlay sheet; d. bonding the
overlay sheet to the fabric strip along at least one edge of both
the overlay sheet and the fabric strip; e. placing the frame of the
female part on the overlay sheet with the open mouth in alignment
with the aperture in the overlay sheet; f. bonding the frame of the
female part to the overlay sheet; g. drawing the fabric strip over
the other side of the frame of the female part so that a bond line
along the bonded edge of both the overlay sheet and the fabric
strip is sandwiched between the overlay sheet and the fabric strip;
and, h. bonding the fabric strip to the other side of the frame and
bonding the overlay sheet to the fabric strip along any remaining
un-bonded edges.
15. The method of claim 14 further including: in step (d), bonding
the overlay sheet to the fabric strip along three edges of the
overlay sheet and three edges of the fabric strip thereby forming a
pouch; and, in step (g), turning the pouch inside out, thereby
drawing the frame inside the pouch.
16. The method of claim 15 in which the overlay sheet is bonded to
the fabric strip along one edge but spaced apart from the edge,
thereby forming a flap.
17. The method of claim 14 further comprising the subsequent steps
of: allowing the overlay sheet and the fabric strip to cool; and
trimming the overlay sheet and the fabric strip once they have
cooled.
18. The method of claim 14 in which the steps of bonding the frame,
the overlay strip, and the fabric sheet comprise ultrasonic bonding
the frame, the overlay strip, and the fabric sheet.
19. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of: folding
a first piece back on itself intermediate its ends; bonding one end
of the first piece to one side of the body of a male part; and,
bonding the other end of the first piece to the other side of the
body of the male part.
20. The method of claim 14 comprising the initial step of bonding a
layer of tricot fabric to a layer of microfiber fabric.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is entitled to, and claims, a benefit of a
right of priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 from United Kingdom
patent application 1520071.0, filed on 13 Nov. 2015, the content of
which is incorporated by reference as if fully recited herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates to an ultra-slim fastener and a
method of manufacturing same. In particular, the invention relates
to an ultra-slim fastener for use in the manufacture of an article
of clothing such as a brassiere.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] There are many disparate types of fasteners used in the
manufacture of articles of clothing. The type of fastener chosen
for a given application will depend in part on the intended
application, as often different design considerations apply to
different applications.
[0004] For example, fasteners for a brassiere (hereinafter referred
to simply as a "bra") will preferably be low profile fasteners,
will ideally be relatively simple for the wearer to open and close,
and yet will be sufficiently secure so that they are not prone to
inadvertent opening during normal movement of the wearer. These are
all important considerations when designing a fastener for a
bra.
[0005] By having a low profile, the fastener will protrude less
through the wearer's clothing and will provide a more aesthetically
pleasing offering. Furthermore, by having a low profile the
fasteners will have less tendency to catch on other items of
clothing. It is important that bra fasteners in particular are
simple for the wearer to open and close. Often, the closures will
be behind the wearer's back and a fastener that is relatively
simple to open and close will facilitate dressing and undressing.
This is particularly important if the wearer has arthritis or
another condition that may affect their manual dexterity.
[0006] It is also important that, as well as being relatively
simple to open and close deliberately, the fastener must not be
prone to inadvertent opening. A fastener that opens inadvertently
may cause considerable embarrassment to the wearer as well as
inconvenience. For example, if the fastener is part of a bikini or
bra, inadvertent opening of the fastener may result in the wearer
exposing themselves to others which may be a cause of great
distress. Similarly, if the fastener opens unintentionally with
regularity, this can be most inconvenient as the wearer will have
to resecure the fastener each time it opens. This may require the
wearer to leave their current location and go to a place with more
privacy, such as a bathroom, so that they can resecure the
fastener.
[0007] However, often, the different design considerations conflict
with each other. For example, as a general rule of thumb, the
thinner that a fastener becomes, the more prone it will be to
opening inadvertently. This is particularly the case for fasteners
constructed from plastic material. When the fastener constructed
from plastic material is made very thin, it will lose much of its
structural rigidity and will have a tendency to bend and therefore
open inadvertently under an applied load.
[0008] A number of fasteners are known in the art. European Pat.
App. No. EP0084747 in the name of Tareau describes a fastener for a
garment. U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,085 in the name of Milano describes an
adjustable fastener for clothing, including brassieres. U.S. Pat.
No. 6,309,489 in the name of Fildan et al discloses an adjustable
strap fastener for brassieres and a method of making same. French
Pat. App. No. FR1409820 in the name of Girodet describes a fastener
for a brassiere or other article of lingerie. Japanese Pat. App.
No. JPS547701U also appears to disclose a fastener.
[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
fastener that overcomes at least some of the problems with the
known fasteners. It is a further object of the invention to provide
a fastener that offers a useful alternative choice to the
consumer.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] According to the invention there is provided an ultra-slim
fastener for securing two pieces together, the fastener
comprising:
[0011] a male part mounted on the first piece and a female part
mounted on the second piece;
[0012] the male part comprising a substantially planar body having
at its outermost body end a downwardly depending leg terminating in
an outwardly projecting foot extending substantially parallel to
the plane of the body;
[0013] the female part comprising a substantially planar frame
defining a cavity for reception and retention of the foot, the
cavity being partially roofed in towards the innermost frame end
thereby defining an open mouth towards the outermost frame end;
[0014] the foot, cavity, and the open mouth being dimensioned so
that insertion of the foot into the cavity must be realized by
inclining the body of the male part relative to the frame of the
female part before bringing the male part and the female part
together, retention of the foot in the cavity is realized by
pivoting the inserted male part from the inclined orientation to a
co-planar orientation with respect to the female part using the
roof of the cavity as a fulcrum, and release of the foot from the
cavity is realized by pivoting the inserted male part from the
co-planar orientation back to the inclined orientation using the
roof of the cavity as a fulcrum before moving the male part and the
female part apart;
[0015] and in which the second piece comprises a fabric strip and
the frame of the female part is mounted directly onto the face of
the fabric strip so that the fabric strip forms a backing for the
frame and the bottom of the cavity is closed off by the fabric
strip; and,
[0016] the second piece further comprises an overlay mounted onto
the top of the frame and onto the face of the fabric strip,
sandwiching the frame between the overlay and the fabric strip, the
overlay having an aperture corresponding with the frame's open
mouth.
[0017] By having such a fastener, the fastener can be made
ultra-slim, less than 4 mm in depth from top to bottom, while
maintaining greater structural integrity and the ability to resist
inadvertent opening under an applied load. Typically, fasteners of
this type would be unsuitable for applications with loads over a
few kilograms, thereby significantly limiting their use. However,
by mounting the female part's frame directly onto the face of the
fabric strip so that the fabric strip forms a backing for the frame
and providing an overlay on top of the frame in the manner
described, the frame will have significantly greater structural
integrity and resistance to bending under tensile strain. This
allows for a thinner fastener to be used. The fastener according to
the invention will have a tensile strength rating of up to 12 kgs
which far exceeds the amount for fasteners of this type and will
not be inclined to open inadvertently.
[0018] Furthermore, the fabric strip backing will provide greater
resistance to the pivoting motion required for release of the male
part and have a tendency to keep the male part and the female part
in a substantially planar, locked configuration. This will further
obviate the possibility of the fastener releasing inadvertently
under normal movement by the wearer.
[0019] In one embodiment, an ultra-slim fastener has a frame of the
female part which is bonded to the second piece. Bonding is seen as
a particularly useful way of connecting the female part to the
second piece as this will facilitate the provision of an ultra-slim
fastener.
[0020] In one embodiment of an ultra-slim fastener the frame of the
female part is ultrasonically welded to the second piece.
Ultrasonic welding is seen as an ideal way to bond the fabric to
the plastic that will obviate the need for adhesives and the
difficulties inherent with the use of adhesive while allowing a
very low profile device to be produced.
[0021] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener the second
piece comprises a laminate of tricot fabric and microfiber fabric.
The tricot fabric is particularly useful as it will provide a good
bond with the plastic material of the female part. Furthermore,
both the tricot and the microfiber fabric will be sufficiently
resilient that they will allow the male part to be pivoted from a
planar configuration to an inclined configuration when desired.
[0022] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the open mouth
comprises an upstanding collar surrounding the open mouth. By
having an upstanding collar surrounding the mouth, the upstanding
collar will protect the fabric overlay from any sharp edges and the
likelihood of the overlay being damaged are significantly
reduced.
[0023] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, part of the
upstanding collar on the side of the open mouth adjacent the
innermost end of the frame extends further upwardly from the frame
than the remainder of the upstanding collar. This is seen as useful
as this part of the upstanding collar will act as a backstop for
the toe of the male part's foot and will facilitate the closure of
the fastener.
[0024] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the frame
comprises a first downwardly depending flange on the side of the
cavity adjacent the outermost frame end. The first downwardly
depending flange provides greater rigidity to the frame and will
enable the frame to withstand greater forces than would otherwise
be the case.
[0025] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the frame
comprises a second downwardly depending flange, the second
downwardly depending flange being positioned on the side of the
cavity adjacent the innermost frame end and being dimensioned to
protrude downwardly from the frame by the same distance as the
other flange. The second downwardly depending flange is useful in
that it will keep the fabric strip backing of the second piece
spaced evenly across the rear of the frame and the frame will sit
flat across the wearer's back. This in turn will help to ensure
that the fastener remains closed and assumes a flatter appearance
across the wearer's back.
[0026] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the side wall
of the cavity adjacent the outermost frame end slopes towards the
outermost frame end from top to bottom. By having the side wall of
the cavity sloping in this fashion, the fastener will be able to
withstand greater tensile strain than would otherwise be the case.
As the male part and female part are subjected to tensile strain,
the heel of the foot portion of the male part will be forced
against this side wall of the cavity. By having the side wall
sloped in this manner, the heel and by extension the male part will
be drawn further inwardly into the cavity under this force, thereby
further securing the fastener.
[0027] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the side wall
of the cavity adjacent the innermost frame end slopes towards the
innermost end from top to bottom.
[0028] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the first
piece comprises a fabric strip.
[0029] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the fabric
strip of the first piece comprises tricot fabric.
[0030] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the fabric
strip of the first piece comprises microfiber fabric.
[0031] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the body of
the male part is bonded to the first piece.
[0032] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the body of
the male part is ultrasonic welded to the first piece.
[0033] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the first
piece comprises an upper component mounted on the top of the body
and a lower component mounted on the bottom of the body, the body
being sandwiched between the upper and the lower components. By
having both upper and lower components, the male part will have
less tendency to twist under load and furthermore a secure
connection between the plastic body and the fabric first piece will
be provided.
[0034] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the upper
component and the lower component both extend beyond the innermost
end of the planar body thereby forming a flap that extends beyond
the innermost end of the planar body. This flap will facilitate the
connection of the end of the male part of the fastener onto another
part of a garment such as the rearward arm of a bikini or a
bra.
[0035] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the upper
component and the lower component are connected together beyond the
innermost end of the planar body.
[0036] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the foot has a
heel portion that slopes away from the outermost end from top to
bottom. As with the sloped wall of the cavity outlined above, by
having the heel portion sloping away from the outermost end from
top to bottom, the heel will be urged further into the cavity of
the female part under load, thereby improving the engagement
therebetween.
[0037] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the foot has a
toe portion that slopes away from the outermost end from top to
bottom.
[0038] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the
substantially planar body has at its outermost end an upwardly
extending flange. As with the collar of the female part's frame,
the upwardly extending flange will help to locate the male part in
the female part and will also act as an end stop to prevent the
male part being forced into the female part too far.
[0039] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the depth of
the male part from the uppermost point on the male part to the
lowermost point of the foot is no more than 0.0027 m deep. This is
seen as preferred to provide an ultra-slim fastener.
[0040] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the depth of
the female part from the uppermost point on the frame to the
lowermost point of the second piece connected to the frame is no
more than 0.0034 m deep. This is also seen as preferred to provide
an ultra-slim fastener.
[0041] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the depth of
the fastener from the uppermost point on the male part to the
lowermost point of the second piece connected to the female part's
frame when the male and female parts are engaged is no more than
0.0035 m deep. By having a fastener of this depth, the fastener
will have many beneficial applications from bras, swimwear,
sportsbras as well as other items of clothing that would benefit
from an ultra-slim fastener of this type.
[0042] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the cavity and
the foot are substantially rectangular shaped.
[0043] In one embodiment of the ultra-slim fastener, the female
part comprises a plurality of frames arranged in a row, each of the
frames defining a cavity for reception and retention of the foot,
the cavities being partially roofed in towards the innermost end of
the frame thereby each defining an open mouth towards the outermost
end of the frame. This is seen as particularly useful as a
plurality of frames arranged in a row will provide for easy
adjustment of the bra to suit different torso dimensions of the
wearer.
[0044] In one embodiment there is provided a method of
manufacturing an ultra-slim fastener of the type according to the
preceding embodiments, the method comprising the steps of:
[0045] cutting out an aperture in an overlay sheet;
[0046] bonding the overlay sheet to a fabric strip along at least
one edge of both the overlay sheet and the fabric strip;
[0047] placing the frame of the female part on the overlay sheet
with the open mouth of the frame in alignment with the aperture in
the overlay sheet;
[0048] bonding the frame of the female part to the overlay
sheet;
[0049] drawing the fabric strip over the other side of the frame of
the female part so that the bond line along the bonded edge of both
the overlay sheet and the fabric strip is sandwiched between the
overlay sheet and the fabric strip; and,
[0050] bonding the fabric strip to the other side of the frame and
bonding the overlay sheet to the fabric strip along any remaining
un-bonded edges.
[0051] This is seen as a particularly effective way to manufacture
the ultra-slim fastener. By having the bond line internally located
like this, a fastener with a smooth exterior will be provided which
will not have a tendency to irritate the skin of the wearer. The
fastener will therefore be comfortable for the wearer to have in
contact with their skin and will also will require less trimming of
the fabric.
[0052] In one embodiment there is provided a method of
manufacturing an ultra-slim fastener in which the initial step of
bonding the overlay sheet to the fabric strip along at least one
edge of both the overlay sheet and the fabric strip comprises
bonding the overlay sheet to the fabric strip along three edges of
the overlay sheet and the fabric strip thereby forming a pouch, and
in which the step of drawing the fabric strip over the other side
of the frame of the female part so that the bond line along the
bonded edge is sandwiched between the overlay sheet and the fabric
strip comprises turning the pouch inside out, thereby drawing the
frame inside the pouch. This is seen as a particularly preferred
method of manufacturing the fastener that will keep most of the
bond lines inside the finished fastener. This will result in a
fastener that is both comfortable to wear and efficient to
manufacture as less trimming will be required and less waste will
have to be disposed of.
[0053] In one embodiment there is provided a method of
manufacturing an ultra-slim fastener in which the overlay sheet is
bonded to the fabric strip along one edge but spaced apart from the
edge, thereby forming a flap. This will enable the flap to be used
in the subsequent attachment of the female part to a garment.
[0054] In one embodiment there is provided a method of
manufacturing an ultra-slim fastener in which the method comprises
the subsequent steps of:
[0055] allowing the overlay sheet and the fabric strip to cool;
and,
[0056] trimming the overlay sheet and the fabric strip once they
have cooled.
[0057] In one embodiment there is provided a method of
manufacturing an ultra-slim fastener in which the steps of bonding
the frame, the overlay strip and the fabric sheet comprise
ultrasonic bonding the frame, the overlay strip and the fabric
sheet. Ultrasonic welding of the second piece to the frame of the
female part is seen as ideal as this will provide a very low
profile device while maintaining a strong bond between the two
components. This is also seen as cost effective and efficient for
the manufacturing process and obviates the needs for adhesives and
the inherent difficulties working with adhesives.
[0058] In one embodiment the method comprises the step of bonding
the body of the male part to the first piece.
[0059] In one embodiment of the a method the step of bonding the
body of the male part to the first piece comprises ultrasonic
bonding the body of the male part to the first piece.
[0060] In one embodiment the method comprises the steps of: folding
the first piece back on itself intermediate its ends; bonding one
end of the first piece to one side of the body of the male part;
and, bonding the other end of the first piece to the other side of
the body of the male part.
[0061] In one embodiment there is provided a method of
manufacturing an ultra-slim fastener in which the first piece
comprises two separate strips of fabric and the method comprises
the steps of: bonding one of the strips of fabric to one side of
the body of the male part; and bonding the other of the strips of
fabric to the other side of the body of the male part.
[0062] In one embodiment the method comprises the initial step of
bonding a layer of tricot fabric to a layer of microfiber
fabric.
[0063] Other embodiments, in addition to the embodiments enumerated
above, 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 fastener
and method of manufacturing same.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0064] The invention will now be more clearly understood from the
following description of some embodiments thereof given by way of
example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0065] FIG. 1 is a front view of a female part of a fastener;
[0066] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the female part of FIG. 1;
[0067] FIG. 3 is a front view of a male part of the fastener;
[0068] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the male part of FIG. 3;
[0069] FIG. 5 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a
male part of the fastener;
[0070] FIG. 6 is a rear view of the male part of FIG. 5;
[0071] FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the male part of
FIGS. 3 & 4;
[0072] FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of the male part of
FIGS. 5 & 6;
[0073] FIG. 9 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the
female part; and,
[0074] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing the male part
being brought into engagement with the female part.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0075] Referring to FIGS. 1 & 2, there is shown a female part
of the fastener, indicated generally by the reference numeral 100,
comprising a substantially planar frame 101 mounted directly onto
the face of a fabric strip 103. There is further provided an
overlay 105 mounted onto the top of the frame and onto the face of
the fabric strip 103, sandwiching the frame 101 between the overlay
105 and the fabric strip 103. The frame 101 has a cavity (as will
be shown in greater detail with reference to FIG. 9 below)
partially roofed in, thereby defining an open mouth 107. The
overlay 105 comprises an aperture 109 corresponding with the
frame's open mouth. A plurality of weld lines 111 illustrate the
areas where two of the frame, the overlay, and the fabric strip
have been joined together. One of the weld lines 111 is spaced
apart from the innermost end 113 of the female part thereby forming
a flap 115 that may be used to connect the female part to a portion
of a garment 117 (shown in dashed outline).
[0076] Referring to FIGS. 3 & 4, there is shown a first
embodiment of a male part of the fastener, indicated generally by
the reference numeral 200. The male part comprises a substantially
planar body 201 having at its outermost body end 203 a downwardly
depending leg (see below discussion of FIG. 7) terminating in an
outwardly projecting foot 205. The outwardly projecting foot
extends substantially parallel to the plane of the body 201. The
substantially planar body 201 is connected to a first piece 207, in
this case a piece of tricot fabric, by weld joints 209. The first
piece 207 may then be used to connect the male part to a portion of
a garment 211 (shown in dashed outline).
[0077] Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown an enlarged, side
cross-sectional view of the male part 200 of the fastener. It can
be seen that an upper component 213 of the tricot fabric first
piece 207 is bonded to an upper side 215 of the body 201. The first
piece 207 is then turned back on itself, and a lower component 217
of the first piece 207 is then bonded to the lower side 219 of the
body 201. Importantly, it can be seen from FIG. 7 that the male
part comprises a downwardly depending leg 221 at the outermost body
end 203 which terminates in an outwardly projecting foot 205
extending substantially parallel to the plane of the body. The
outwardly projecting foot 205 comprises a heel portion 223 and a
toe portion 225. The heel portion 223 is inclined rearwardly top to
bottom from the outermost end of the male part 200. Finally, there
is provided an upwardly extending flange 227 protruding from the
upper surface of the substantially planar body coincident with the
downwardly depending leg 221.
[0078] Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6, & 8, there is shown a
second embodiment of a male part of the fastener, indicated
generally by the reference numeral 300, where like parts have been
given the same reference numerals as before. The male part 300
differs from the male part 200 in that the substantially planar
body 301 is slightly greater in lateral width than the planar body
of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3, 4, & 7. Furthermore,
instead of having a first piece 207 made from a tricot fabric, the
first piece 207 in this instance is constructed from a microfiber
fabric. In addition to the foregoing, the upper component 213 of
the first piece 207 is separate to the lower component 217 of the
first piece 207 and the upper and lower components 213 & 217
extend further from the end of the substantially planar body 201
thereby forming a flap 303 that may be used for connection of the
male part to a garment 211.
[0079] Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown an enlarged, side
cross-sectional view of a female part of the fastener according to
the invention, indicated generally by the reference numeral 100. As
outlined above in relation to FIGS. 1 & 2, the female part 100
of the fastener comprises a substantially planar frame 101 mounted
directly onto the face of a fabric strip 103. There is further
provided an overlay 105 mounted onto the top of the frame 101 and
onto the face of the fabric strip 103, sandwiching the frame 101
between the overlay 105 and the fabric strip 103. In the embodiment
shown, there are three frames mounted in a row. This is not
intended to be limiting and more or fewer frames may be provided
depending on the degree of adjustability required.
[0080] Each of the frames 101 further comprises a cavity 119 for
reception of a foot of a male part. The cavity 119 is partially
roofed in by roof 121 and there is defined an open mouth 107 for
permitting access to the cavity 119. A circumferential upstanding
collar 123 is provided which surrounds the open mouth 107 and
protrudes upwardly therefrom. This collar protects the fabric
overlay placed over the frame and the fabric strip. The collar 123
protrudes upwardly further towards the inner end 125 of the female
part than it does towards the outer end 127 of the female part. An
enlarged portion 129 of the collar nearest the inner end of the
female part acts as a backstop for the male part when the male part
200 or 300 is being joined together with the female part 100. The
cavity side wall 131 positioned closer to the outer end 127 of the
female part is angled from top to bottom towards the outer end 127.
This will facilitate engagement of the male and female parts once
the male and female parts come under tension.
[0081] It can be seen that the frame comprises a first downwardly
depending flange 133 on the side of the cavity adjacent the
outermost end of the female part and the frame 101 comprises a
second downwardly depending flange 135 positioned on the side of
the cavity adjacent the innermost end of the frame 101. The flange
133 provides additional structural rigidity to the frame 101 and
the flange 135 is dimensioned to protrude downwardly from the frame
by the same distance as the flange 133 so that the frame 101 may be
kept level with respect to the fabric strip 103. It can be seen
that the fabric strip 103 provides a backing for the frame 101 and
the bottom of the cavity 119 is closed off by the fabric strip.
[0082] Referring to FIG. 10, there is shown a fastener, indicated
generally by the reference numeral 400. The view is similar to that
shown in FIG. 9 but with a male member 200 about to be inserted
into the frame 101 of the female member 100. It can be seen that
the male member is inclined at an angle to the horizontal so that
it can be inserted into the cavity 119 through the open mouth 107
of the cavity. The toe portion 225 is inserted first into the open
mouth and when the bridge 229 of the foot portion engages with the
roof 121 of the cavity, the foot will be pivoted in a clockwise
direction using the roof 121 as a fulcrum. The heel 223 will abut
against the collar 123 and the collar or the heel will be
sufficiently resiliently deformable to allow the heel to snap in
place beyond the collar so that the foot is lying substantially
horizontal in the cavity. In other words, the male and female parts
will be substantially in line with each other rather than being in
the inclined position. Once in position, the fastener will resist
inadvertent release as the foot will be engaged in the cavity and
the foot (and in particular the heel portion 223 and bridge portion
229) together with the cavity side wall 131, the collar 123, and
the roof 121 will act to hold the foot in the cavity and the male
part 200 and female part 100 together. Furthermore, the fabric
strip 103 will also act to prevent inadvertent dislodgement of the
male part from the female part as it will act against a pivoting
motion of the male part from a parallel configuration to an
inclined configuration. It will also act to press the bridge
portion 229 of the male part against the roof 121 which helps to
maintain the parts together.
[0083] It will be understood that various modifications could be
made to the fastener according to the invention without departing
from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the examples
shown, there are shown three positions (i.e. frames 101) in the
female member 100 for reception of the male part of the fastener.
More or fewer frames 101 could be provided to provide a more or
less adjustable fastener. It is envisaged however that the fastener
as shown provides a degree of adjustability and is considered to be
an adjustable fastener. It is further envisaged that the fastener
could be used for shoulder straps and is not limited to a back or
front fastener for a brassiere, for example. The fastener is
preferably made out of plastic material. If desired, an additional
layer of padding material could be provided for comfort. Although
this will increase the depth of the fastener, for example the
padding layer may be of the order of 0.0005 m thick or more leading
to a fastener that could be of the order of 0.005 m thick or more,
the padding may provide a more comfortable fastener for the wearer
thereby improving the desirability of the fastener. An "ultra-slim"
fastener will be understood to be a fastener having a thickness of
the order of 0.005 m (5 mm) or less. In the drawings, some of the
dimensions (in millimeters) of the embodiments of fastener are
shown however these are not necessarily deemed limiting and other
dimensions of fastener could be provided to good effect.
[0084] In order to manufacture a fastener according to the
invention, the method comprises the steps of cutting out an
aperture in an overlay sheet before bonding the overlay sheet to a
fabric strip along at least one edge of both the overlay sheet and
the fabric strip. The frame of the female part is then placed on
the overlay sheet with the open mouth of the frame in alignment
with the aperture in the overlay sheet. The frame of the female
part is bonded to the overlay sheet. Once bonded, the fabric strip
is drawn over the other side of the frame of the female part so
that the bond line along the bonded edge of both the overlay sheet
and the fabric strip is sandwiched between the overlay sheet and
the fabric strip. Finally, the fabric strip is bonded to the other
side of the frame the overlay sheet is bonded to the fabric strip
along any remaining un-bonded edges. It is envisaged that in one
implementation, the initial step of bonding the overlay sheet to
the fabric strip along at least one edge of both the overlay sheet
and the fabric strip will entail bonding the overlay sheet to the
fabric strip along three edges of the overlay sheet and the fabric
strip thereby forming a pouch. Thereafter, the step of drawing the
fabric strip over the other side of the frame of the female part so
that the bond line along the bonded edge is sandwiched between the
overlay sheet and the fabric strip comprises turning the pouch
inside out, thereby drawing the frame inside the pouch. This is
seen as a particularly useful method of manufacturing the female
part of the fastener. The male part is constructed by bonding the
fabric to the substantially planar body. In all cases, ultrasonic
welding is seen as a useful choice for bonding the components
together.
[0085] In the specification the terms "comprise, comprises,
comprised and comprising" and the terms "include, includes,
included and including" are all deemed totally interchangeable and
should be afforded the widest possible interpretation.
[0086] The embodiments of the fastener described herein and
garments incorporating same are exemplary and numerous
modifications, combinations, variations, and rearrangements can be
readily envisioned to achieve an equivalent result, all of which
are intended to be embraced within the scope of the appended
claims. Further, nothing in the above-provided discussions of the
fastener and construction method should be construed as limiting
the invention to a particular embodiment or combination of
embodiments. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended
claims.
* * * * *