Button restraint system and method thereof

A button restraint system involves a backing clip, an elastic band, and a specialty needle device and further describes a method of use thereof. The needle is used to route and secure the band through a fabric garment and through aperture portions of a button. The band is then secured to the backing clip to hold the button against the fabric. The system obviates the need for a conventional needle and thread to attach the button.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a device attachable to a dock piling particularly suited for protecting docking watercraft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are a wide variety of attachment systems and methods used upon clothing such as zippers, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, and the like. But, perhaps the most common of these systems and methods are the ordinary button and button hole. The button has been used for countless generations for quickly and easily securing clothing. Unfortunately, it is also perhaps the most prone to failing by having buttons fall off of clothing. Detachment usually occurs at the most in opportune time when an article of clothing is needed the most. This forces a user to expend valuable time to either sew the button back on or find an alternate piece of clothing. Many people do not possess suitable seamstress skills, thus forcing a costly repair, or an even costlier replacement of the entire item of clothing. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which buttons can be replaced upon clothing in either a temporary or permanent fashion in order to increase its useful lifetime. The development of the present invention and Method Thereof fulfills this need.

Prior art in this field consists of needle and thread systems or button backing systems. Prior art needle and thread systems attempt to alleviate the burdens associated with threading the needle; however, they still rely on weaving a thread through a button and an article of fabric as the means of securement. Some prior art needle and thread systems require elaborate and expensive needles to achieve this goal. Most prior art button backing systems obviate the need of a needle and thread all-together; however, current button backings fail to provide much needed flexibility and movement for the button. Furthermore, most backings tend to be bulky and cumbersome. Additionally, button backing systems require special buttons. It is an object of this invention to provide a system and method of securing any style button in a quicker, easier, and more effective manner. It is a further object of this invention to incorporate the best aspects of a needle and thread system with a button backing system. It is a further object of this invention to provide a means to quickly and easily couple and de-couple the thread to the needle. It is a further object of this invention to provide a more flexible securement of the button with the backing so as to obviate failure due to constrained maneuverability, as exhibited by prior art systems and methods, but without compromising the integrity of the securement.

The disclosed system and method provides a means to attach buttons to a fabric without the traditional needle and thread approach, and may be used with almost any type of fabric or button type, including shank button styles, two-hole button styles, or four-hole button styles. The system utilizes a flexible band with a retaining clip that holds a button firmly against an article of fabric. After the button has been retained in place by the system, the button is subsequently used for a means of securement for multiple articles of fabric by being pushed through a button hole. The system provides for flexibility and movement greater than that achieved by prior art button restraining systems, techniques, and methods due to the flexible band.

When installing a button, the flexible band is first coupled to a specially designed needle. The special design enables a user to easily and removably couple the band to the needle as opposed to threading it through an eyelet portion of a needle, as is done with prior art needle and thread systems. After being coupled to the needle, the flexible band is received by the retaining clip. As the retaining clip is maintained at a stationary position at a rear face of the article of fabric, the band is threaded through a rear of the fabric. The band is then threaded through a button aperture of a button located at a front face of the fabric. It is then threaded back through a button aperture, and through a front face of the fabric. This process may be continued to provide a desired level of securement. The needle is then de-coupled from the band, where installation may be completed by fastening the retaining clip in place about the band. The various components of the system are available as a kit that comprises multiple bands, retaining clips, and at least one needle contained in a case.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The system provides a means to hold a button in place upon a surface of a fabric, which also includes a case to hold and transport all of the components of the system. The system utilizes a securement arrangement comprising an elastic band with a retention clip that not only holds the button against the fabric, but also provides added flexibility and movement within the securement. The securement arrangement is applied to an article of fabric via a specially designed needle having a generally “S”-shaped side slot portion to slidably accept the band. The needle, along with the coupled band, are threaded through an article of fabric and through button apertures to be retained in place with the retaining clip. The retaining clip has a clam-shell configuration to clamp around the band. After the band has been threaded through the article of fabric and the button, the band is removed from the “S”-shaped slot of the needle. If desired, the retaining clip is fastened in place about the band with the use of a fastener that enables repeated use of a clip. The system is preferably presented in a kit form, wherein a plurality of retaining clips, bands, and at least one needle are provided in a case. The case is a two-member unit, wherein a top member is hingedly attached to a bottom member. The case is configured to be durable and transportable.

In use, a first portion of a band is positioned within the clip, whereas a second portion of the band is slidably inserted into the slot portion of a needle. The needle and the band are then threaded through a rear side of an article of fabric until the clip abuts the rear side of the article. The needle and band are then threaded through at least one aperture of a button and back through the front face of the article. If desired, this process is repeated. Whether performed once or in iteration, both the clip and the button are snug against the front and rear faces of the article, respectively. The clip may then be fastened around the band if it is preferred. This method of securing the button is considerably quicker and easier than that of prior art methods and systems. Furthermore, the elastic band and clip securement configuration provides added flexibility and movement not achieved by prior art methods and systems.

DESCRIPTIVE KEY

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention describes a button restraint system and method of use (herein described as the “system”)10, by which buttons100are attached to fabric105by substituting an elastic band40in place of a conventional threaded attachment.

Referring now toFIG. 1, a perspective view of the system10, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The system10operates without the traditional method of needle and thread, and also works with almost any type of fabric105or button types100. Although illustrated here being utilized upon a common two-hole button100, it is understood that the system10may work equally well on other button types such as shank style, four-hole, and others. The system10utilizes an elastic rubber or plastic band40that holds the button100firmly against the fabric105, and allows for greater flexibility and movement when the button100is being subsequently pushed through a corresponding button hole. The flexible band40is attached to a specially designed needle50comprising a generally “S”-shaped side slot portion52which allows the continuous circular band40to be easily looped into and out of said side slot52. The needle50is envisioned to be similar to commercially-available products distributed by the TELEBRANDS CORPORATION®. The needle50and attached band40pass through the fabric garment105and through aperture portions102of the button100, being retained in position using a retaining clip20located beneath the fabric105(seeFIGS. 2aand2b).

Referring now toFIGS. 2aand2b, perspective views of the system10depicting sequential engagement of the needle portion50through the button100, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, are disclosed. The clip20provides a locking clam-shell structure which clamps around the band40and is then snapped shut via a fastening means28(seeFIG. 3). In use, one (1) portion of the band40is initially positioned within the clip20, and an opposing portion is inserted into the side slot52of the needle50. The needle50along with the attached band40then penetrate the fabric105and pass through an aperture portion102of the button100. The needle50and attached band40are then re-inserted through another aperture102and through the fabric105. The band40is secured within the clip20which is then fastened shut, and the band40is extracted from the side slot portion52of the needle50to complete the installation of the button100. The system10is envisioned to be introduced in a kit format for convenient storage (seeFIG. 4).

Referring now toFIG. 3, a perspective view of a clip portion20of the system10, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The clip20comprises a molded plastic closure further comprising semi-circular portions including a first cover22, a second cover24. The covers22,24are joined by an integral tunnel-shaped first hinge26which provides clearance for the band40when inserted therein and the clip20closed. The first22and second24covers comprise respective integral male fastener28and female fastener30portions providing complimenting insertable spherical shapes which provide snapping and locking of the clip20in a closed state via an interference fit, thereby allowing repeated usage of said clip20if desired (seeFIGS. 2aand2b).

Referring now toFIG. 4, an exploded view of the system10depicting a kit form, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The system10is envisioned to be provided with a molded plastic case60being made available in various attractive colors and patterns, and capable of discreetly containing a plurality of clips20, a plurality of bands40, and a needle50. The case60provides a generally rectangular or ovular shape being foldable and lockable. The case60further comprises a bottom compartment62being suitable to hold the aforementioned portions, and an identically-shaped lid64being affixed to each other via at least one (1) integrally-molded second hinge66along a rear edge portion. The compartment62and lid64portions of the case60further comprise respective interlocking molded first and second latching features68a,68balong a front edge portion, which enable the case60to be stored securely in a closed state until needed. The case60is envisioned to be small enough to fit in a purse, in a desk at work, in a car glove box, or in a sewing box.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the system10, it would be installed as indicated inFIGS. 2aand2b.

The method of installing and utilizing the system10may be achieved by performing the following steps: procuring the system10in a kit form containing a desired number of clips20and bands40; opening the case60and extracting a clip20, a band40, and a needle50; positioning a perimeter portion of the band40within the first hinge portion26of the clip20; inserting another perimeter portion of the band40into the side slot portion52of the needle50; securing the band40within the side slot52by sliding the band40toward an adjacent end portion of the needle50; placing the button100in a needed location upon the fabric105; pushing the needle50and band40up through the fabric105and through an aperture102of the button100; pulling the needle50and band40completely through the aperture102until the clip20is snug against the underside of the fabric105; pushing the needle50down through an adjacent aperture102in the button100; pulling the needle50and band40downward until the button100is tight against the fabric105; inserting the forward perimeter portion of the band40into the first hinge portion26of the clip20; locking the clip20in a closed state around the two (2) perimeter sections of the band40by engaging and snapping the male28and female30fastener portions of said clip20together; removing the needle50from the band40by extracting and detaching the band40from the side slot52; repeating the above steps to attach additional buttons100to the fabric105, as needed; and, benefiting from a portable and quick means of installing a button100upon a garment afforded a user of the present invention10.