Abstract:
Fashion accessories including various styles of cuffs, buttons, etc. One such accessory is referred to as an “American cuff,” and provides a technique for transforming a conventional long-sleeved button cuff shirt to appear as a long-sleeved French cuff shirt. Typically, a long sleeve button shirt with a button cuff has a button on the outside of a first side of the cuff, which is then passed from inside to outside through a buttonhole on the opposing side of the cuff. With the American cuff, a button is located on the inside of the first side of the cuff and is passed from inside to outside through the buttonhole on the opposing side of the cuff, such that the cuff halves are mated in a manner that replicates a French cuff. A button cap may be secured on the button to emulate the appearance of a cufflinked shirt.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/936,406, filed Feb. 6, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to fashion accessories, more particularly cuffs, cufflinks, buttons, and the like. 
         [0003]    Cuffs of long sleeve button shirts are typically split so as to allow a person&#39;s hands to pass therethrough as the person is donning the shirt. Cufflinks or buttons are used to fasten the two opposing sides of each cuff together around the wrist. Shirt cuffs, cufflinks and cuff buttons are often designed for both comfort and style. Cufflinks are fashion accessories designed for use with shirts having a hole on both sides of each cuff and lack buttons, sometimes referred to as link cuffs and referred to herein as French cuffs. It is often more economical and convenient for shirts to be designed to have a button on the outside of a first side of each cuff, which is then passed from inside to outside through a buttonhole on the opposing side of the cuff. This common cuff configuration is referred to herein as “conventional button cuff” used on a “button cuff” shirt. The use of a button and buttonhole effectively replaces the need for a cufflink. However, cufflinks are often desirable for fashion or aesthetic reasons. 
         [0004]    While buttons offer a great deal of convenience, cufflinks provide added sophistication and versatility to a wardrobe, despite their additional cost. To an afficionado of style or fashion, cufflinks and the French cuff are considered indispensable elements of male formal attire, regardless of expense. However, cufflinks are not compatible with button cuff shirts, whose cuffs are equipped with buttons, do not have holes on both sides of the cuffs, and therefore cannot accept a cufflink. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a more versatile cuff configuration and a device in the form of a fashion accessory that can be applied to a shirt cuff equipped with a button (and therefore incompatible with cufflinks) yet capable of replicating a cufflink in appearance. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides fashion accessories including various styles of cuffs, buttons, and the like. 
         [0006]    According to one aspect of the invention, a fashion accessory, herein referred to as a button cap, is adapted to fit over a button attached to a long sleeve button shirt, and especially a button attached to one side of a cuff and opposing a buttonhole on another side of the cuff. The shirt is donned as usual, the button is slid through the buttonhole, and then the button cap is installed over the button. Depending on the location of the button on the cuff, the button cap may impart the appearance and aesthetic function of a cufflink. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect of the invention, herein referred to as an “American cuff,” a technique is provided for transforming a conventional long-sleeved button cuff shirt to appear as a long-sleeved French cuff shirt equipped with cufflinks. Typically, a long sleeve button shirt with a button cuff has a button on the outside of a first side of the cuff, which is then passed from inside to outside through a buttonhole on the opposing side of the cuff. With the American cuff, a second button can be added to the inside of the first side of the cuff, the second button is passed from inside to outside through the buttonhole on the opposing side of the cuff, such that the cuff halves are mated in a manner that replicates a cuff of the type secured with cufflinks, but without the use of cufflinks. A button cap of a type described above may then be secured on the second button that was added to the inside of the first side of the cuff, so that the second button and its caps emulate the appearance of a cufflinked shirt. 
         [0008]    The button cap described above can be a generally hollow device, roughly the shape of a shirt button or cufflink, but slightly larger than a shirt button over which the cap is to be installed. Such a button cap can have an open and closed configuration. In its closed configuration, the button cap defines a hollow body having an exterior face (which as used herein refers to a face of the cap adapted to face away from a shirt cuff on which the cap is installed), an interior face (which as used herein refers to a face of the cap adapted to face a shirt cuff on which the cap is installed), and an interior cavity defined therebetween and sized to accommodate and secure a conventional shirt button. The interior face of the cap comprises two portions, which in the closed configuration cooperate to define a centrally located hole in the interior face. A first of the portions is fixed to the remainder of the cap, including the exterior face, while the second portion of the interior face is pivotably connected to the first portion at or near a perimeter of the interior face, enabling the second portion to pivot away from the first portion to acquire the open configuration of the cap, and pivot toward the first portion to acquire the closed configuration of the cap. Through this pivoting motion, the open configuration allows a button to be received in the cavity of the cap, after which the second portion can be pivoted to secure the button within the cavity of the cap. The centrally located hole in the interior face is sized to accommodate a thread commonly used to secure a button to a cuff. The button cap may be secured in its closed configuration with, for example, a magnet or some form of latch. The second portion of the button cap may also have a small protrusion which a user can use to pry the second portion open. The exterior face of the cap may have any type of decorative design on it. 
         [0009]    A container may also be provided for showcasing and selling the button cap as merchandise. The container includes fabric configured to imitate the appearance of shirt cuffs configured as a button cuff and an American cuff, with button caps installed thereon so that a viewer can see the button cap as it is intended to be used while still in the container. 
         [0010]    Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0011]      FIGS. 1A through 1D  show four perspective views of an embodiment of a button cap within the scope of this invention. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 2A through 2C  show three different cross-sectional views of the button cap of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIGS. 3A through 3D  show front, side, bottom, and cross-sectional views of another embodiment of a button cap within the scope of this invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4A  shows a conventional button cuff equipped with a button, and  FIG. 4B  shows the button cuff with a button cap installed on the button according to certain embodiments of this invention. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  depict an “American cuff” equipped with two buttons in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  shows the American cuff of  FIGS. 5A and 5B  with a button cap installed on one of the buttons according to an embodiment of this invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment of a container for showcasing and selling button caps of this invention. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 8A through 8C  show views of a device for showcasing and selling button caps of this invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  shows button caps installed on the device of  FIGS. 8A through 8C . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    Embodiments disclosed and discussed below relate to fashion accessories used in combination with buttons on the cuffs of long sleeve button shirts.  FIGS. 1A-1D  and  2 A- 2 C represent a button cap  10  configured and shaped to resemble a cufflink, which may optionally have an ornamental design or shape, for example, a square, semi-square, or circular design or shape. 
         [0021]    As evident from  FIGS. 1A-1D  and  2 A- 2 C, the button cap  10  is roughly configured as a flat, hollow box or container. The cap  10  defines two large faces, referred to herein as exterior and interior faces  12  and  14 . The exterior face  12  faces away from a cuff on which the cap  10  is used, whereas the interior face  14  faces the cuff when worn. These exterior and interior faces  12  and  14  are represented as having circular shapes with roughly equal diameters that are greater than the diameter of a button on which the cap  10  is to be installed. The exterior and interface faces  12  and  14  are interconnected through a generally cylindrically-shaped sidewall  16  that encloses an interior cavity  18  within the cap  10 . The cavity  18  is equal in size or larger than a button with which the cap  10  is to be used. 
         [0022]    The button cap  10  features a mechanism by which a button can be placed inside the cavity  18 . A portion  16 A of the sidewall  16  and a contiguous portion  14 A of the interior face  14  of the cap  10  define a pivoting part  20  of the cap  10  capable of pivoting relative to the remainder of the cap  10  (including the exterior face  12 ). In the example shown, the pivoting part  20  comprises roughly one-half of the interior face  14  and roughly one-half of the sidewall  16  of the cap  10 , and the remaining part of the cap  10  comprises roughly one-half of the sidewall  16  of the cap  10  and the entire exterior face  12  of the cap  10 . The halves of the interior face  14  meet to define a closed configuration of the button cap  10  and a centrally located hole  22  in the interior face  14  at the parting line between the halves. The pivoting part  20  is able to pivot open relative to the remaining part of the cap  10  on a pivot or hinge  20   a  located at the intersection of the halves of the sidewall  16 , such that the pivoting part  20  pivots about an axis perpendicular to the interior face  14  of the cap  10 . This motion exposes the hollow interior cavity  18  of the cap  10 . 
         [0023]    Once opened, a button can be placed into the exposed cavity  18  of the cap  10 , and the pivoting part  20  can be pivoted closed to enclose and secure the button within the interior cavity  18  of the cap  10 , with the centrally located hole  22  in the interior face  14  accommodating a thread or other means by which the button is attached to the cuff. In one embodiment, the cap  10  can be secured in the closed configuration with the use of magnets  24 , as represented in  FIG. 1D ,  FIG. 2A , and  FIG. 2C . However, the cap  10  could be secured closed using a variety of other possible mechanism, for example, a latch. 
         [0024]    A small protrusion  26  on the sidewall  16  of the pivoting part  20  opposite the hinge  20   a  allows a user to open the cap  10  using their finger or fingernail. This protrusion  26  may be of any form, as long as this or a similar function can be fulfilled, and therefore the particular example shown in  FIGS. 1B ,  1 C,  1 D,  2 A, and  2 C is not a limiting factor to the scope of the invention. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 3A-3D  illustrate an embodiment in which the pivoting part  20  of the cap  10  is omitted, and instead a button cap  10  is attached to a magnetic button solely with the use of a magnet  28  within the cavity  18  of the cap  10 . This aspect of the invention allows for yet another fashion accessory within the scope of the invention, in that the cap  10  can be utilized to replicate a tie tack. Specifically, the cap  10  can be positioned on the front of a tie and a second magnet (e.g., a magnet that may be identical or similar to the magnet  28 , but not permanently secured in the cavity  18 ) can be placed on the opposite (back) side of the tie to magnetically secure the cap  10  at the front of the tie. The benefit is that ordinary tie tacks form a hole in the tie that remains even after the tack is removed, whereas the cap  10  does not form any such hole. When not used as a tie tack, the second magnet can be stored within that portion of the cavity  18  not occupied by the magnet  28 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a conventional button cuff  30  of a conventional long sleeve button cuff shirt, wherein a button  32  located on the outside  34  of one-half  36  of the cuff  30  has been passed from inside to outside through a buttonhole  37  on the opposing side  38  of the cuff  30 .  FIG. 4B  illustrates any of the previously described button caps  10  installed on the button  32 , giving the appearance of a cufflink. As used herein, the term “conventional button cuff” will be defined as cuffs of the type represented in  FIGS. 4A and 4B . 
         [0027]    The exterior face  12  of the cap  10  may have any particular desired design that promote the ability of the cap  10  to imitate a cufflink. This contributes to the decorative function of the invention. The design of the exterior face  12  is a product of the decorative and stylistic intentions of the producer. Therefore, it should not be considered a limiting factor to the scope of the invention, and is largely at the discretion of those creating products covered by this invention. 
         [0028]    Another aspect of the invention is an “American cuff” that can optionally utilize button caps of types as described herein. As represented in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the American cuff  40  is similar to the conventional button cuff  30  of a conventional long sleeve button shirt, in that the cuff  40  has a button  52  located on the outside  44  of one-half  46  of the cuff  40  that can be passed from inside to outside through a buttonhole  47  on the opposing half  48  of the cuff  40 . As evident from  FIG. 5A , and according to a preferred embodiment of the American cuff  40 , a second button  50  is present on the inside  54  of the same half  46  of the cuff  40  carrying the conventional outside button  52 , preferably directly opposite the outside button  52 . It is foreseeable that the button  52  on the outside  44  of the cuff half  46  could be omitted, in which case the second button  50  would be provided on the inside  54  of the same half  46  of the cuff  40  that would have carried the conventional outside button  52 . Whether or not the conventional outside button  52  is present, the American cuff  40  is achieved by buttoning the cuff halves  46  and  48  by passing the second button  50  through the buttonhole  47 , the result of which is shown in  FIG. 5B . In this manner, the cuff halves  46  and  48  are mated to emulate the appearance of a French cuff, which is well known as being intended for use with cufflinks. 
         [0029]    The American cuff  40  seen in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  emulates the French cuff, but does not require cufflinks to complete the assembly. Optionally, the second button  50  located in the inside  54  of the cuff half  46  may be covered with a button cap, for example, any of those discussed above, to add stylistic quality to the ensemble. The button  52  located on the outside  44  of the cuff half  46  may also be provided with a button cap. From  FIG. 6 , which shows a button cap  10  covering the second button  50 , such a combination emulates the French cuff. 
         [0030]    A container and fabric device can be used to showcase and sell the button cap  10 , preferably in combination with the American cuff  40 . A nonlimiting embodiment of a container  70  is shown in  FIG. 7 . The container  70  can be configured as a standard box, typical of those used for selling or displaying jewelry or other fashion accessories. The container  70  preferably comprises a lid  72  having a transparent window  74  or other suitable means for viewing the interior  76  of the container  70  and the merchandise contained within. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 8A-8C  depict a fabric device  80  that replicates a conventional button cuff and the American cuff  40 , side by side.  FIGS. 8A and 8B  are plan and side views showing the device  80  in an unfolded and unfastened (unbuttoned) state, and  FIG. 8C  is a plan view showing the device  80  in a folded and fastened (buttoned) state. To facilitate an understanding of  FIGS. 8A-8C , reference numbers used to identify elements of the cuffs  30  and  40  in  FIGS. 4A-4B ,  FIGS. 5A-5B , and  FIG. 6  are used in  FIGS. 8A-8C  to identify corresponding replicated elements of the device  80 . As such, the conventional button cuff  30  replicated by the device  80  comprises opposing cuff halves  36  and  38 , one half  36  having a button  32  on its outside surface  34  and the other half  38  having a buttonhole  37  ( FIG. 8B ), whereby the button  32  can be passed from inside to outside through the buttonhole  37  ( FIG. 8D ). In contrast, though the American cuff  40  replicated by the device  80  also comprises opposing cuff halves  46  and  48 , a button  50  is provided on the inside surface  54  of one half  46  of the cuff  40  whereby the button  50  is passed from inside to outside through a buttonhole  47  provided in the opposing half  48  of the cuff  40 . 
         [0032]    The device  80  can be placed in, and possibly attached to, the bottom interior of the container  70  shown in  FIG. 7 . The device  80  is further represented as comprising a fabric cushion  82 , and fabric designed to approximate the button and America cuffs  30  and  40  are attached to edges of the cushion  82 . As evident from  FIGS. 8A and 8B , fabric replicating the opposing cuff halves  36  and  38  of the button cuff  30  are attached to opposite edges of the cushion  82  so that the opposing cuff halves  36  and  38  can be folded onto the cushion  82  and the cuff half  38  with the buttonhole  37  overlapping the cuff half  36  with the outside button  32 . For the American cuff  40 , fabric approximating the opposing cuff halves  46  and  48  are attached to the same edge of the cushion  82  so that the opposing cuff halves  46  and  48  can be simultaneously folded onto the cushion  82  and the cuff half  48  with the buttonhole  47  overlying the cuff half  46  with the inside button  50 . It should be evident that the button cuff  30  and American cuff  40  replicated by the device  80  do not obscure each other on the cushion  82 . 
         [0033]    By passing their respective buttons  32  and  50  through their respective buttonholes  37  and  47 , the button cuff  30  and American cuff  40  replicated by the device  80  acquire the appearance seen in  FIG. 8C . As represented in  FIG. 9 , button caps  10  may be installed over the buttons  32  and  50  of the fabric device  80 . In this way, the button caps  10  can be displayed as intended to be worn while still contained in packaging. Because the purpose or usage of button caps  10  may be unknown to potential purchasers, the container  70  and fabric device  80  facilitate an understanding of their usage. 
         [0034]    While certain inventions have been described in terms of specific embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, button caps  10  within the scope of the invention could differ in appearance and construction from the embodiments shown in the drawings, and the functions of each component of the button caps  10  could be performed by components of different construction but capable of a similar (though not necessarily equivalent) function. Accordingly, it should be understood that the inventions are not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated in the Figures. It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed above are for the purpose of disclosing the illustrated embodiments, and do not necessarily serve as limitations to the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.