Abstract:
A quick connect temporary button replacement having a main button and a support button connected together which may or may not be separated by a piece of fabric, the main button and the secondary button connected by means of a fastener connected to the main button and adjustably connected to the secondary button.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application 61/945,416 filed Feb. 27, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to buttons for clothing. More particularly, the present invention relates to a replacement button for a garment. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]    The use of button attaching devices is well known in the prior art. These button attaching devices require the use of special tools and instruments to connect the button to the shirt. Although these apparatuses are intended to make button sewing or attaching more simple, these apparatuses frequently make the job more difficult because of the equipment required. Further, the traditional method of button attachment, a needle and thread, is time consuming and requires special training. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to provide a quick fix for a person who has lost a button and needs an easy button replacement on the go. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]    The present invention provides for a quick connect temporary, and/or permanent button replacement. The button includes a main button and a secondary button connected together by means of a fastener connected to the main button and adjustably connected to the secondary button. In one embodiment, the main button includes an elongated thread having a plurality of plastic balls, bulges or teeth allowing for a secure connection to the secondary button. A second embodiment also provides for a main button and a secondary button. The main button includes a piercing member having a neck portion. The secondary button is configured to engage the neck portion of the piercing member. In each embodiment the button assembly allows for a user to quickly and easily replace a lost button on the go. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0005]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the button assembly of the present invention; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the button assembly and garment of the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the button assembly of the present invention where the secondary button is in an installed position; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  illustrates a cross sectional side view of the button assembly in an installed position; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  illustrates an exploded view of the button assembly of the present invention being installed; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the button assembly of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is an isolated view of the main button shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is an isolated view of the secondary button show in  FIG. 6 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 6  taken along lines  9 - 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    A button assembly is provided for easy replacement of a button while on the go. The present embodiment includes a main button, a secondary button and a fastener. The fastener may be an elongated plastic thread connected to a bottom surface of the main button. The thread includes a plurality of plastic balls, teeth or bulges operable to secure a secondary button to the thread. The user inserts the plastic thread through the garment where the user wants the button placed. After the thread is connected to the garment, the user connects the secondary button to the thread and moves the secondary button up the thread towards the bottom surface of the main button. After the secondary button is secured with fabric separating the main button and the secondary button, the user can then cut the remainder of the thread having plastic balls, bulges, or teeth. 
         [0015]      FIGS. 1-5  illustrate the one embodiment of the present invention. The button assembly  10  includes a main button  12 , a secondary button  16  and a fastener  14 . The fastener  14  is shown as a plastic thread  14  projecting axially from the main button  12 . The main button  12  includes an upper surface  20  and a lower surface  22 . The thread  14  is connected to the lower surface  22  of the main button  12 . The main button  12  further includes apertures  26 , or indentations which simulate the look of a real button. The main button  12  further includes an outer surface  24 . 
         [0016]    The secondary button  16  includes an upper surface  30  and a lower surface  32 . The upper surface  30  of the secondary button  16  includes an aperture  36  operable to connect to the thread  14 . The secondary button  16  further includes an outer surface  34 . 
         [0017]    The thread  14  includes an upper end  46  and a lower end  48 . The upper end  46  connects to the bottom surface  22  of the main button  12 . The thread  14  is made of a plastic, rubber, polymer, polymer like, plastic like, or rubber like material. The thread  14  includes a plurality of plastic bulges, teeth or balls  40  spaced apart by thread portions  42 . The balls  40  include a smooth outer and rounded surface  44 . The aperture  36  is smaller in diameter than the balls  40 . The thread  14  further is tapered at end  48  so as to form a piercing member  48   a.  The piercing member  48   a  is operable to thread through the aperture  36  of the secondary button  16 . 
         [0018]      FIGS. 2 ,  4 , and  5  illustrate the button assembly connected to a garment. The button assembly  12  connects to a garment  60 , such as a shirt. The garment  60  includes a first piece of material  50  and a second piece of material  52 . The first piece of material  50  includes a buttonhole  54 . The second piece of material  54  includes an aperture or pinhole  56  allowing the thread  14  to extend therethrough. It should be appreciated that the piercing member  48   a  of the thread  14  may be configured to have sufficient resiliency so as to pierce through the second piece of material  52  so as to form the pin hole  56 . 
         [0019]    In the assembled position, such as shown in  FIG. 4 , the garment  60  and first and second pieces of material  50 ,  52  are sandwiched between the main button  12  and the secondary button  16 . The thread  14  extends through the garment  60  and through the secondary button  16 . The main button  12  and the secondary button  16  are secured to the garment  60  by means of the balls  40  being passed through the aperture  36  of the secondary button  16 . The thread  14  and the balls  40  have the requisite resiliency to pass through the aperture  36  of the secondary button  16 . 
         [0020]      FIGS. 6-9  illustrate an alternative embodiment of the present invention, wherein like elements are referenced by like numbers increased by 100. The button assembly  110  includes a main button  112 , a plastic thread  114  and a secondary button  116 . The main button  112  includes an upper surface  120  and a lower surface  122 . The main button  112  further includes an outer surface  124 . The main button  112  includes at least two apertures  126 . 
         [0021]    With reference now to  FIG. 7 , an isolated view of the main button  112 , shown in  FIG. 6 , showing the plastic thread  114  is provided. The plastic thread  114  is fixedly mounted to the lower surface  122  of the main button  112 . The thread  114  is a generally cylindrical member having an upper end  146  and a lower end  148 . The upper end  146  connects to the bottom surface  122  of the main button  112 . The thread  114  is rigid and is made of a plastic, rubber, polymer, polymer like, plastic like, or rubber like material. The thread  114  tapers from the upper end  146  to the lower end  148 . 
         [0022]    The thread  114  includes a neck portion  62  having a top side wall  62   a  opposite a bottom side wall  62   b  and a recessed surface  62   c  which is recessed with respect to the outer surface of the thread  114  so as to form a detent extending generally radially inward with respect to the outer surface of the thread  114 . The end  148  of the thread  114  is tapered so as to form a piercing member  148   a.  The piercing member  148   a  is operable pierce through a fabric. The thread  114  may include a weakening point  64 . The weakening point  64  is disposed between the neck portion  62  and the piercing member  148   a  and is configured to break away from the upper end  146  of the thread  114 . The weakening point  64  includes a plurality of detents  64   a  disposed radially beneath the neck portion  62 . Thus, as there is less material, the weakening point  64  is more susceptible to being torn away relative to the remainder of the thread  114 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is an isolated view of the secondary button  116 . The secondary button  116  is made of a resilient material to have a memory shape, such as a plastic. The secondary button  116  includes a top surface  130 , a side wall  134 , a bottom surface  132 , an inner peripheral lip  66  and a slot  68 . The inner peripheral lip defines an aperture  136  configured to receive the thread  114 . The slot  68  extends axially from the top surface  130  to the bottom surface  132  of the secondary button  116 . The slot  68  assists the secondary button  116  in expanding as the thread  114  is run through the aperture  136 . The resiliency of the secondary button  116  closes in on and engages the neck portion  62  of the thread  114 . 
         [0024]    With reference now to  FIG. 9  an illustrative view of the button assembly  110  securing a garment  160  together is provided. The garment  160  includes a first piece of material  150  and a second piece of material  152 . The first piece of material  150  includes a buttonhole  154 . The second piece of material  154  includes an aperture or pinhole  156  allowing the thread  114  to extend therethrough. It should be appreciated that the piercing member  148   a  of the thread  114  may be configured to have sufficient rigidity so as to pierce through the second piece of material  152  to form the pin hole  156 . 
         [0025]    The main button  112  is disposed above the buttonhole  154  and the upper end  146  of the thread  114  extends through the buttonhole  154 . The top side wall  62   a  of the neck portion engages a top surface of the second piece of material  152  and the recessed portion  62   c  of the neck portion  62  is passed through pinhole  156 . 
         [0026]    The secondary button  112  is engaged with the second piece of material  152  opposite the top side wall  62   a  of the neck portion  62 , pinching the second piece of material  152  therebetween. The inner peripheral lip  66  of the secondary button  112  clamps onto the recessed surface  62   c  of the neck portion  62  securing the main button  110  to the second piece of material  152 . It should be appreciated that the first piece of material  150  may be secured or released from the second piece of material  152  by respectively passing the main button  110  through the button hole  156  or out of the button hole  156 . 
         [0027]    The invention is not restricted to the illustrative examples and embodiments described above. The embodiments are not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention. Methods, apparatus, compositions, and the like described herein are exemplary and not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the claims.