Abstract:
A clothing clasp for securing an article of clothing. The clasp includes an elongated rigid pin member that is attached to a biasing member at a coupling point. The biasing member may be wavy in nature with various curves such that one or more sections of the biasing member are biased to contact the pin member. With such a clasp, one may slide the clasp over two sections of an article of clothing, e.g., two sections of a blouse that cross in front, in order to secure the first section to the second section without interfering with (i.e., poking though) either section.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 61/116,579 filed on Nov. 20, 2008 and entitled “CLOTHING CLASP” and is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Clothing may be designed according to any number of patterns or styles. Often, blouses, dresses, and tops may be made of a very thin or thick material for various reasons. Further, some fashions include clothing that is intended to be wrapped around a person&#39;s upper body or waistline such that two different sections of the clothing overlap each other at a desired location. Typically, a button or clasp may be used to hold the two sections of the article of clothing together at this junction point. In the simplest of examples, a button-up shirt typically has two portions that may be fastened together while worn; a first portion on one side with button holes and a second opposite portion with buttons. As the shirt is put on, one may button up the two sections, such that the shirt portions stay coupled together in the front down the middle. 
         [0003]    In some fashions, however, buttons or other fasteners are not desired from the perspective of the manufacturer&#39;s design. In lieu of buttons or other fasteners attaching the material together is accomplished in some other manner. As but one example, a woman&#39;s blouse may wrap around her upper body such that one side of the blouse front crosses over the other side front. The shirt portions overlap each other with the intent to lay closed where the two sections of fabric overlap. Sometimes, instead of buttons or clasps down the middle or where the portions may overlap, other fastening means may be present at other locations such as off to the side or in the back. Further, other fashions feature an attachment that is more permanent, such as a stitching away from the center so as to give the appearance of a wrap of two-piece blouse. 
         [0004]    In such fashions, the two portions of the article of clothing that cross in the middle in front may not stay in close proximity to each other without some kind of additional fastening means. That is, as a person wears the article, depending on how it may hang, different portions of the shirt may pull away from different areas. If one side of the article moves far enough away from the other side such that one&#39;s undergarment or an inappropriate portion of one&#39;s body is exposed the wearer may find the shirt to be ill-fitting without some sort of additional fastening at the overlapping portions. That may be particularly problematic for women whose fashions typically attempt to reveal a tasteful level of one&#39;s body. Typically, women have used such means as a safety pin to secure the two portions, yet this method limits the secured or fastened points to a small area that pierces both portions of the material that, once in place, can not be adjusted without repeating the pinning process, sometimes numerous times. This can cause gaping or an unnatural drape of the fabric. It can also cause damage to the fabric as the second portions is also punctured, the fabric can slide into the looped part of the safety pin or the hooking enclosure part of the pin and tear the fabric. When the fabric slides in the safety pin, new gaping problems can occur. 
         [0005]    What is needed is a means for securing specific portions of clothing in a discreet manner, protecting fabric integrity over conventional means, with maneuverability, and without interfering with the fashion of the clothing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the subject matter disclosed herein will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a clothing clasp according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a clothing clasp engaged with an article of clothing according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  shows a clothing clasp according to an alternative embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the subject matter disclosed herein. The general principles described herein may be applied to embodiments and applications other than those detailed above without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter disclosed herein. This disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed or suggested herein. 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a clothing clasp  100  according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein. The clasp  100  may typically be used to secure two pieces of clothing material to each other in manner that is discreet, protective of the fabric, and easily maneuvered. In this manner, two sections of clothing material may be secured between the pin member  110  and the biasing member  150 . When engaged, the biasing member  150  holds the material to the pin member  110  in such a manner so as to prevent the material from unintentionally moving. The nature of this securing is discussed in greater detail below. 
         [0012]    As shown, the clasp  100  may include a long, narrow pin member  110  and a wavy biasing member  150 . The biasing member  150  is biased to provide a constant force directed toward the pin member  110 . That is, the biasing member is typically integral with the pin member  110  such that a biasing section  120  exerts a force that holds the biasing member  150  to the pin member  110  at various locations such as locations  121  and  131  (discussed further below). The biasing member  150  is able to be lifted away from the pin member  110  as the biasing member  150  is flexible at the biasing section  120 . However, the nature of the biasing section  120  exerts a force to keep the biasing member  150  in an “at rest” position as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0013]    When in use, two unattached pieces of material that may be different sections of the same article of clothing may be engaged by the clasp. The two sections of material (not shown) may be slid into an engaging section  160  of the clasp  100 . When fully engaged, the two sections of material are held securely between the pin member  110  and the biasing member  150  at pressure point locations such as  121  and  131 . In this manner, the two sections of material are preventing from maneuvering away from each other, but can still be manipulated once the pin member  110  is engaged. 
         [0014]    The pin member  110  may be intended to be engaged with the clothing in a discreet location such as within a seam at the edge of the clothing&#39;s material. As such, one may push the point  111  of the pin member  110  through the material at one location (e.g., an entry point, a first penetration point) on the inside of the edge seam. Then, one may continue to push the point  111  of the pin member  110  through at a second location (e.g., an exit point, a second penetration point) further down from the first location. Much in the way a safety pin would engage material, the pin member  110  protrudes into a seam and then back out again. Then, a person may engage the point  111  of the pin member  110  of the pin with a pin cap  115 . The pin cap  115  protects a person from being poked by the point  111  when wearing the clasp  100 . 
         [0015]    By engaging the pin member  110  within a seam, a majority of pin member is enclosed within the seam such that only the two ends (i.e., the point  111  covered by the pin cap  115  and the biasing section  120 ) of the pin member  110  are not engaged within the seam. Of course, the entire biasing member  150  is exposed behind seam on the inside of the article of clothing so as to engage the other material section (not shown). This is advantageous in that less of or none of the clasp  100  is visible when being worn. Further, by engaging the clothing at the seam on the interior side, any damage to the material by poking the pin member  110  through it is limited to the underside seam. Thus, no visible portion of the clothing needs to be compromised to use the clasp  100 . 
         [0016]    Further yet, the wearer can adjust the two sections of the article of clothing without removing the clasp  100  and re-pinning over and over to get a smooth, flat-laying closure. Time and frustration are reduced and provide additional advantages over a safety pin. 
         [0017]    The pin member  110  may typically be cylindrical in shape but may be any other shape suitable for penetrating clothing material. The pin member  110  may be made from any suitable material such as a highly rigid metal member. Such material may include steel and other polyextruded alloys thereof. Other materials may include poly-extruded plastic, and variations thereof. The biasing member  150  may be made of the same material and may be integral with the pin member  110 . 
         [0018]    Further, the two members of the clasp  100  may be magnetized such that the pin member  110  is attracted to the biasing member  150 . Such magnetization assists with holding the clasp  100  and the secured material in place. 
         [0019]    The biasing member  150  provides engagement positions at one or more locations along the pin member  110 . For example, the biasing member  150  may be shaped to provide an engagement point at a first location  121  and at a second location  131  or at other similar locations moving down biasing member  150 . These locations may be engaged because the biasing member  150  includes one or more biased sections. Thus, a first biased section  120  biases a portion of the biasing member  150  to engage at the first location  121 . Likewise, a second biased section  130  biases a portion of the biasing member  150  to engage at the second location  121  etc. More than two locations may be engaged in an embodiment with more than two biased sections. 
         [0020]    The biasing member  150  culminates in a rounded tip  140  that lays relatively flat to the pin member  110  to avoid poking the skin or undergarment of the wearer and offering one final location. The biasing member  150  may comprise a material other than metal and may be different from the material used for the pin member  110 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows a clothing clasp engaged with an article of clothing according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the clasp  100  is engaged with a blouse  200  that includes a first side  210  and a second side  211  that may not definitively engage with each other. As such, the clasp  100  is engaged with both the first side  210  and the second side  211  to provide a means for securing the two sides together such that the blouse, top, or bodice does not fly open, gap, or move about freely. The clasp  100  may be used on any dress, blouse, shirt, jacket, or top wherein two separate sections of the article of clothing need to be secured in a discreet manner. Further, the clasp  100  may be used similarly with other articles of clothing such as at the slit of a skirt or dress. Further yet, the clasp  100  may be used for other purposes, such as securing a flower to the lapel of a jacket. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  shows a clothing clasp according to an alternative embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein. As shown, the clasp  300  may include a long, narrow pin member  310  and a biasing member  350 . The biasing member  350  is biased to provide a constant force directed toward the pin member  310 . As the case with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the biasing member  350  is integral with the pin member  310  such that a biasing section  320  exerts a force that holds the biasing member  350  to the pin member  310  at one continuous location along the biasing member. Similarly, the biasing member  150  is able to be lifted away from the pin member  310  as the biasing member  350  is flexible at the biasing section  320 . In this embodiment, only one biased section  350  may engage the pin member  310 , but the amount of engagement area may be longer (possibly the entire length of the biasing member  350 ) as compared to the clasp  100  of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0023]    While the subject matter discussed herein is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and have been described above in detail. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that various aspects described in less than all of the embodiments may, nevertheless, be present in any embodiment. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the claimed subject matter to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.