Attaching device for garment fastener element

Abstract: An attaching device (1) for attaching a fastener element to a garment fabric includes a stud body (2) having an enlarged head (6) and including a clinching member (4) and a relatively thick reinforcing member (6a) joined with the clinching member (4) and forming at least a part of the head (6), the clinching member (4) having at least one shank (4a) extending substantially perpendicular to the head (6) and adapted to be clenched with the fastener element. A cap (3) is formed of a synthetic resin and injection-molded over at least a peripheral edge portion of the head (6). The stud body (2) includes a cap-retaining portion in the form of a pluralaity of recesses (9) formed in the peripheral edge portion of the head (6) and held in locking engagement with the material of the molded cap (3) for firmly retaining the cap (3) in position against removal from, and rotation relative to, the head (6).

Description: The present invention relates to an attaching device for attaching a fastener element of a snap button, a stud button or a hook-and-eye to a garment fabric, and more particularly to such an attaching device including a reinforcement member covered with a cap of a synthetic resin. There are known attaching devices of the type described which include a stud body having a cap member formed of a synthetic resin or a synthetic rubber. Typical examples of such known attaching devices are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication Nos. 59-174012 and 61-97905. In the attaching device shown in the first-mentioned Japanese publication, the cap is fitted over one end of a metallic leg member of the stud body. The cap of the attaching device of the last-mentioned Japanese publication is detachably mounted on a head of the stud body. The disclosed attaching devices are disadvantageous in that the caps are likely to be removed from the stud body during the handling of the attaching devices. Another disadvantage is that the cap is cracked or dented and has a scar on its outer surface when the stud body is staked or clenched with a fastener element. This is due to a relatively thin reinforcement member disposed in the head on which the cap is fitted. Another prior attaching device, as proposed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 63-103407, has a thick rubber cap member which is mounted on a stud body for resiliently absorbing the clenching force applied thereto. Such thick cap is free from crack and scar but due to its large thickness and a great resiliency producible therefrom, the thick cap may cause an insufficient clenching between the attaching device and a fastener element. EP-A-0 216 081, on which the preamble to claim 1 is based, discloses an attaching device for attaching a fastener element to a garment fabric, said attaching device comprising: a stud body having a enlarged head and a clinching member, said clinching member having at least one shank extending substantially perpendicular to said head, and said at least one shank being adapted to be clenched with the fastener element; a cap provided over at least a peripheral edge portion of said head, said cap being made of a synthetic resin; and a cap-retaining portion disposed at said peripheral edge portion of said head to retain head and held in locking engagement with the material of said cap to retain said cap firmly in position, and to prevent removal of said cap from said head and to prevent rotation of said cap relative to said head; whereby, in use, said at least one shank of said clinching member passes through said garment fabric and is clenched with said fastener element, thereby attaching said fastener element to said garment fabric. However, the attaching device disclosed in EP-A-0 216 081 does not have a reinforcing member provided in the head. The cap is therefore liable to be damaged when the stud body is clenched with a fastener element. With the foregoing drawbacks in review, the present invention seeks to provide an attaching device having a synthetic resin cap which is free from being cracked or marked with any scar on its outer surface even when the cap is relatively thin, which is firmly retained in position against removal from, and rotation relative to, a study body, and which enables a sufficient clenching of the attaching device with a fastener element which then results in a firm attachment of the fastener element to a garment fabric. According to the present invention, as claimed in claim 1, there is provided an attaching device for attaching a fastener element to a garment fabric, said attaching device comprising: a stud body having a enlarged head and a clinching member, said clinching member having at least one shank extending substantially perpendicular to said head, and said at least one shank being adapted to be clenched with the fastener element; a cap provided over at least a peripheral edge portion of said head, said cap being made of a synthetic resin; and a cap-retaining portion disposed at said peripheral edge portion of said head and held in locking engagement with the material of said cap to retain said cap firmly in position, and to prevent removal of said cap from said head and to prevent rotation of said cap relative to said head whereby, in use, said at least one shank of said clinching member passes through said garment fabric and is clenched with said fastener element, thereby attaching said fastener element to said garment fabric; said attaching device being characterised in that it further comprises a reinforcing member attached to said clinching member, said reinforcing member forming at least a part of said head and said reinforcing member being relatively thick compared to said clinching member; and in that said cap is injection-molded over said at least a peripheral edge portion of said head. Many other advantages and features of the present invention , as claimed in claims 2-18, will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which preferred structural embodiments incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown by way of the illustrative example. Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an attaching device according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a stud body of the attaching device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a bottom view of a reinforcement member of the stud body shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing a reinforcing member according to another embodiment; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a modified reinforcing member prior to being joined with a clinching member; Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but showing another modified reinforcement member; Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but showing the reinforcing member before a cap-retaining portion is formed; Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing an attaching device having a pronged clinching member; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a modified attaching device according to the invention; Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9, but showing another attaching device having a pronged clinching member; Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of an attaching device according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 12 is a plan view of a stud body of the attaching device shown in Figure 11; Figure 13 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the stud body of Figure 12, showing a clinching member and a reinforcing member as they are joined together; Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 11, but showing a modified attaching device having a pronged clinching member; Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 14, but showing another attaching device according to the invention; Figure 16 is an exploded view of Figure 15, showing a stud body prior to being assembled; Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of the attaching device according to the present invention; Figure 18 is a plan view of a stud body of the attaching device shown in Figure 17; Figure 19 is a plan view of a clinching member in the form of an eyelet of the stud body shown in Figure 18; Figure 20 is a plan view of the clinching member of Figure 19; Figure 21 is a front elevational view of a reinforcing member prior to being assembled with the clinching member shown in Figure 19; Figure 22 is a bottom view of the reinforcing member shown in Figure 21; Figure 23 is a cross-sectional view of a modified attaching device according to the present invention; Figure 24 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a stud body of the attaching device shown in Figure 23; Figure 25 is a view similar to Figure 23, but showing another modified attaching device having a pronged clinching member; Figure 26 is a cross-sectional view of another attaching device according to the present invention; Figure 27 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a stud body of the attaching device shown in Figure 26; Figure 28 is a view similar to Figure 26, but showing a modified attaching device having a pronged clinching member; Figure 29 is a cross-sectional view of a modified attaching device according to the present invention; Figure 30 is a bottom view of a reinforcing member of the attaching device shown in Figure 29; Figure 31 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the reinforcing member and a clinching member before they are assembled together; Figure 32 is a cross-sectional view of a further modified form of the attaching device according to the present invention; Figure 33 is a cross-sectional view of a stud body of the attaching device shown in Figure 32; Figure 34 is a bottom view of a reinforcing member prior to being assembled with a clinching member of the stud body shown in Figure 34; and Figure 35 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXXV - XXXV of Figure 34. Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout several views, Figures 1 through 3 show an attaching device 1 according to the present invention. The attaching device 1 includes a stud body 2 and a cap 3 fitted over an enlarged dome-shaped head 6 of the stud body 2. The stud body 2 is composed of a clinching member in the form of an eyelet 4 and a reinforcing member in the form of a dome-shaped circular plate 6a solely constituting the dome-shaped head 6 of the stud body 2. The clinching member 6 is made of metal and has a tubular shank 4a and an annular flange 5 extending radially outwardly from one end of the shank 4a, the other end of the shank 4a being adapted to be clenched with a fastener element (not shown) such as a male or a female element of a snap button for attaching the fastener element to a garment fabric (not shown). The reinforcing member 6a is made of metal and has a relatively large thickness so that the reinforcing member 6a serves as an anvil plate when the fastener element and the shank 4a is clenched together. The reinforcing member 6a has on its flat under surface a plurality (four in the illustrated embodiment) of circumferentially spaced locking projections 7 clinched over a periphery of the flange 5 so as to join the reinforcing member 6a and the clinching member 4. The locking projections 7 prior to being clinched with the clinching member 4 are straight and upstanding from the under surface of the reinforcing member 6a so as to jointly define therebetween a substantially circular recess 8 for receiving therein the annular flange 5 of the clinching member 4. The reinforcing member 6a further has in its under surface a plurality of circumferentially spaced circular recesses 9 which serve as a cap-retaining portion of the stud body 6 for a purpose described later on. The cap-retaining portion in the form of the circular recesses 9 is disposed at a peripheral edge portion of the head 6. The cap 3 is formed of a soft or a rigid synthetic resin or synthetic rubber and injection-molded over the head 6 of the stud body 2. The injection-molded cap 3 is relatively thin and has a substantially uniform thickness over its entire area. To produce the attaching device 1 shown in Figure 1, the clinching member 4 is first placed on the central portion of the reinforcing member 6a with the annular flange 5 snugly received in the recess 8 defined by the upstanding locking projections 7a. Then, the locking projections 7a are bent radially inwardly of the reinforcing member 6a to clench the periphery of the flange 5, so that the the clinching member 4 and the reinforcing member 6a are joined together to form a stud body (identical to the stud body 2 shown in Figure 1). The stud body 2 is disposed in a mold cavity of a mold (not shown), the mold cavity having a shape complementary in contour to the shape of the attaching device 1 shown in Figure 1. Thereafter, a synthetic resin material is injected into the mold cavity to thereby form a cap 3 fitted over the outer surface of the reinforcing member 6a. The injection-molded cap 3 has a peripheral edge 3a covering the peripheral edge portion of the head 6 including the circular recesses 9. During injection-molding, the synthetic resin material flows into the recesses 9 with the result that the peripheral edge 3a of the cap 3 is formed with a plurality of projections 3b fitted in the respective recesses 9. Due to interlocking engagement between the recesses 9 and the projections 3b, the cap 3 is locked in position against removal from the reinforcing member 6a (namely, from the head 6) and also against the rotation relative to the reinforcing member 6a. When a fastener element is attached by the attaching device 1 to a garment fabric, the shank 4a of the clinching member 4 is forced to drive through the garment fabric and then staked or clenched with the fastener element under an impact force. Since the reinforcing member 6a is thick, the impact force applied to the shank 4a of the clinching member 4 is transmitted to the reinforcing member 6a, then distributed over the entire region of such thick reinforcing member 6a and substantially absorbed by the thick reinforcing member 6a. As a result, the cover 3 is prevented from cracking or being marked with scar notwithstanding the fact that the cover 3 is relatively thin. A modified reinforcing member 6a shown in Figure 4 is substantially the same as the reinforcing member 6a of the foregoing embodiment shown in Figures 1 through 3 with the exception that the cap-retaining portion is composed of an annular recess 10 extending in an under surface of the reinforcing member 6a along a peripheral edge of the reinforcing member 6a, and a series of teeth 11 provided on the peripheral edge of the reinforcing member 6a. The annular recess 10 serves to retain a cap (identical with the cap 3 shown in Figure 1) in position on the retaining member 6a against removal therefrom while the teeth 11 prevents the cap from rotating relative to the reinforcing member 6a. Figure 7 shows another modified form of the reinforcing member 6a in which the cap-retaining portion is composed of a plurality of through-holes 12 extending through the thickness of the reinforcing member 6a adjacent to the peripheral edge of the reinforcing member 6a. The cap-retaining portion in the form of the through-holes 12 is filled with a synthetic resin material of an injection-molded cap (identical with the cap 3 shown in Figure 1) so that the cap is locked in position against removal from, and rotation relative to, the reinforcing member 6a. A modified reinforcing member 6a shown in Figure 6 is the same as the reinforcing member 6a shown in Figure 3 except that the cap-retaining portion comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses 13 having a cross-sectional area which is greater at an open end than at a closed end. To form such tapered recesses 9, ridges 14 are first provided adjacent to circular recesses at one side thereof as shown in Figure 7, then they are deformed or compressed by staking to project into the respective recesses toward the opposite side thereof. An attachment device 1 shown in Figure 8 is substantially the same as the attachment device 1 shown in Figure 1 except that the clinching member 4 comprising a pronged fastening having a plurality of pointed shanks or prongs 4a extending perpendicularly from an annular base or flange 5. Figure 9 shows an attachment device according to another embodiment. The attachment device includes a cap-retaining portion which comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced through-holes 20 disposed at an outer peripheral edge portion of an annular flange 5 of a clinching member 4 composed of an eyelet. The flange 5 is stepped so as to provide a circular central recess 21 in which a reinforcing member in the shape of a circular disc 6a is press-fitted. The reinforcing member 6a and the outer peripheral edge portion of the stepped flange 5 extending radially outwardly from the reinforcing member 6a jointly constitute an enlarged head 6 of a stud body 2 of the attachment device. The through-holes 20 are filled with a synthetic resin material of a cap 3 which is injection-molded over the head 6 of the stud body 2, so that the cap 3 is firmly retained on the head 6 against displacement. A modified attaching device shown in Figure 10 is substantially the same as the attaching device shown in Figure 9 with the exception that the stud body 2 includes a pronged fastening 4 in place of the eyelet. An attaching device illustrated in Figure 11 is similar to the attaching device shown in Figure 8 but differs therefrom in that the reinforcing member 6a is retained on a flat annular flange 5 of the clinching member 4 by means of a pair of diametrically opposite grip fingers 23. The grip fingers 23 are punched from the flange 5 as designated at 23a in Figure 13 and clinched over the periphery of the reinforcing member 6a as shown in Figure 12, there resulting two corresponding cutout recesses 22 in the vicinity of an outer peripheral edge portion of the annular flange 5. The reinforcing member 6a and the outer peripheral edge portion of the annular flange 5 extending radially outwardly from the reinforcing member 6a jointly form an enlarged head 6 on which a cap 3 is injection-molded. Since the material of the injection-molded cap 3 is held in interlocking engagement with the cutout recesses 22, the cap 3 is firmly retained on the head 6 against detachment from the head 6 and also against rotation relative to the head 6. Thus, the cutout recesses 20 constitute a cap-retaining portion. The cap-retaining portion may further include a plurality of through-holes which are identical to the through-holes 20 shown in Figure 9. Figure 14 shows an attaching device which is the same as the attaching device shown in Figure 11 except that the clinching member 4 comprises a pronged fastening including a plurality of prongs 4a extending perpendicularly from an inner peripheral edge of an annular flange 5. An attaching device shown in Figure 15 is a modified variant of the attaching device shown in Figure 10. The modified attaching device includes a hat-shaped reinforcing member 6a press-fitted in a circular central recess or hole 21 in a clinching member 4 in a manner as shown in Figure 16. The clinching member 4 comprises a pronged fitting having a plurality of pointed shanks or prongs 4a extending perpendicularly from an inner peripheral edge of a flat annular flange 5. The annular flange 5 has a plurality of through-holes 20 disposed along an outer peripheral edge thereof at equal angular intervals. The through-holes 20 constitute a cap-retaining portion for retaining an injection-molded cap 3 in position against displacement. Figure 17 shows a modification of the attaching device shown in Figure 11. The modified attaching device includes a clinching member 4 composed of an eyelet with a flat annular flange 5, and a reinforcing member in the shape of a dome-shaped circular plate 6a having a pair of diametrically opposed locking fingers 24 clinched over recessed outer peripheral edge portions 22 of the flange 5. The recesses 22 are formed by cutting out from the material of the flange 5 as shown in Figures 19 and 20. The locking fingers 24 prior to being clinched are straight and extending perpendicularly downwardly from a peripheral edge of the reinforcing member 6a, as designated at 24a in Figures 21 and 22. The upstanding locking fingers 24a are fitted in the respective cutout recesses 22 and then folded over and against an under surface of the flange 5 to thereby join the reinforcing member 6a and the clinching member 4 of a stud body. A cap 3 injection-molded of a synthetic resin is fitted over a head 6 of the stud body. The cutout recesses 22 constituting a cap-retaining portion are filled with the material of the molded cap 3 so that the cap 3 is locked in position against removal from the head 6 and also against rotation relative to the head 6. The cap-retaining portion may further include a plurality of through-holes which are identical to the through-holes 20 shown in Figures 9, 10 and 15. An attaching device shown in Figure 23 is similar to the attaching device shown in Figure 9 but differs therefrom in that a stud body 2 is composed of three components, namely a circular reinforcing member 6a, a clinching member in the form of an eyelet 4, and a ring-shaped retaining washer 25, as shown in Figure 24. The retaining washer 25 is stepped so as to provide a circular central recess 21 in which an annular flange 5 of the eyelet 4 and the circular reinforcing member 6a are firmly fitted in superposed relation. The reinforcing member 6a and the retaining washer 25 jointly constitute a head 6 of the stud body. The retaining washer 25 has a plurality of through-holes 20 formed in an outer peripheral edge portion 26 thereof at equal angular intervals. A plastic cap 3 injection-molded over the head 6 of the stud body is locked in position against displacement by means of a cap-retaining portion as the through-holes 20 are filled with the material of the molded cap 3. Figure 25 shows a modified attaching device which is substantially the same as the attaching device shown in Figure 23 except that the clinching member is composed of a pronged fastening 4 instead of the eyelet. An attaching device shown in Figure 26 is similar to the attaching device shown in Figure 1 but differs therefrom in that a dome-shaped reinforcing member 6a has in its flat under surface an annular recess 10 extending along the periphery of the reinforcing member 6a. The recess 10 has a trapezoidal shape in cross section. The reinforcing member 6a is joined with a clinching member 4 by means of a plurality (two in the illustrated embodiment) of locking legs 27 which extend upwardly from an outer peripheral edge of an annular flange 5 of the clinching member 4 and are clinched over the periphery of the reinforcing member 6a. The locking legs 27 prior to being clinched with the reinforcing member 6a are straight and upstanding from an an outer peripheral edge of the annular flange 5, as shown in Figure 27. The annular flange 5 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced through-holes 20 disposed in registry with the annular recess 10, the through-holes 20 having a diameter smaller than the width of the annular recess 10. The reinforcing member 6a and the annular flange 5 of the clinching member 4 jointly form an enlarged head 6 of a stud body 2 and the annular recess 10 and the through-holes 20 jointly constitute a cap-retaining portion of the head 6. The head 6 is covered with a cap 3 injection-molded of a synthetic resin. By the injection-molding, the material of the cap 3 fills the through-holes 20 and the annular recess 10. Since the cap-retaining portion has a mushroom shape so that the cap 3 is locked in position against removal from the head 6 and also against rotation relative to the head 6. The cross-sectional shape of the annular recess 10 may be arcuate, a U-shape or a V-shape. Figure 28 shows a modified attaching device which is substantially the same as the attaching device shown in Figure 26 except that the clinching member comprises a pronged fastening 4 instead of the eyelet. A modified attaching device shown in Figure 29 includes a stud body 2 (Figure 31) composed of a generally dome-shaped reinforcing member 6a and a clinching member in the form of an eyelet 4 joined with the reinforcing member 6a. The clinching member 4 includes a tubular stem 4a and an annular flange 5 extending outwardly from an end of the stem 4a. The flange 5 has a plurality (four in the illustrated embodiment) of generally L-shaped locking legs 28 extending upwardly from an outer peripheral edge of the flange 5. The L-shaped locking legs 28 are firmly retained in stepped retaining holes 29 in the reinforcing member 6a. The locking legs 28 are initially straight as designated at 28a in Figure 31, then they are inserted into the respective retaining holes 29 and finally clinched against stepped portions of the respective retaining holes 29 to thereby join the clinching member 4 and the reinforcing member 6a. The reinforcing member 6a has a plurality (eight in the illustrated embodiment) of through-holes 12 disposed in the vicinity of a peripheral edge of the reinforcing member 6a and extending through the thickness of the reinforcing member 6a. A cap 3 injection-molded of a synthetic resin is fitted over the reinforcing member 6a. By the injection-molding, the through-holes 12 are filled with the material of t5he molded cap 3, so that the cap 3 is firmly held in position against detachment from the reinforcing member 6a and also against rotation relative to the reinforcing member 6a. An attaching device shown in Figure 32 includes a stud body having an enlarged head 6 and composed of a clinching member 4 and a reinforcing member 6a joined with the clinching member 4 and solely forming the head 6 of the stud body. The attaching device further has a cap 3 formed of a synthetic resin and injection-molded over a peripheral edge portion of the reinforcing member 6a. The clinching member 4 comprises an eyelet having an annular flange 5 extending outwardly from one end of a tubular shank 4a and clenched to the reinforcing member 6a by means of locking projections 7 of the reinforcing member 6. The locking projections 7 prior to being clenched with the periphery of the flange 5 are straight and extend perpendicular to the general plane of the reinforcing member 6a. The peripheral edge portion of the reinforcing member 6a is reduced in thickness and toothed so that there are provided alternate grooves 30 and teeth 31 disposed along the peripheral edge portion oof the reinforcing member 6a. Each of the teeth 31 has a pair of lateral projections 32 extending in opposite directions from the distal end of each tooth 31. Since the injection-molded cap 3 is fitted over the toothed peripheral edge portion of the reinforcing member 6a, the grooves 31 are filled with the material of the molded cap 3. Consequently, the cap 3 is firmly retained in position against displacement with respect to the reinforcing member 6a. The cap 3 mounted exclusively on the periphery of the head 6 is less susceptible to abrasive wear than a cap fitted over the entire surface of head. An upper surface of the central portion of the reinforcing member 6a is exposed and may has an ornamental mark or character.

Claims: An attaching device (1) for attaching a fastener element to a garment fabric, said attaching device (1) comprising: a stud body (2) having a enlarged head (6) and a clinching member (4), said clinching member (4) having at least one shank (4a) extending substantially perpendicular to said head (6), and said at least one shank (4a) being adapted to be clenched with the fastener element; a cap (3) provided over at least a peripheral edge portion of said head (6), said cap (3) being made of a synthetic resin; and a cap-retaining portion (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 20, 22, 29, 30) disposed at said peripheral edge portion of said head (6) and held in locking engagement with the material of said cap (3) to retain said cap (3) firmly in position, and to prevent removal of said cap (3) from said head (6) and to prevent rotation of said cap (3) relative to said head (6); whereby, in use, said at least one shank (4a) of said clinching member (4) passes through said garment fabric and is clenched with said fastener element, thereby attaching said fastener element to said garment fabric; said attaching device (1) being characterised in that it further comprises a reinforcing member (6a) attached to said clinching member (4), said reinforcing member (6a) forming at least a part of said head (6) and said reinforcing member (6a) being relatively thick compared to said clinching member (4); and in that said cap (3) is injection-molded over said at least a peripheral edge portion of said head (6). An attaching device according to claim 1, said cap-retaining portion comprising a plurality of recesses (9) formed in an under surface of said reinforcing member (6a) adjacent to a peripheral edge thereof and filled with the material of said injection-molded cap (3). An attaching device according to claim 2, said recesses (9) having a cross-sectional area greater at its open end than at its closed end. An attaching device according to claim 1, said cap-retaining portion comprising an annular recess (10) formed in an under surface of said reinforcing member (6a) and extending along a peripheral edge of said reinforcing member (6a), and a series of teeth (11) provided on the peripheral edge of said reinforcing member (6a), said annular recess (10) and grooves defined between the adjacent teeth (11) being filled with the material of said injection-molded cap (3). An attaching device according to claim 1, said cap-retaining portion comprising a series of teeth (31) provided on a peripheral edge of said reinforcing member (6a), each of said teeth (31) having a pair of lateral projections (32) extending in opposite directions into two adjacent grooves (30) defined between the adjacent teeth (31), said grooves (30) being filled with the material of said injection-molded cap (3). An attaching device according to claim 1, said cap-retaining portion comprising a plurality of through-holes (12) formed in the vicinity of a peripheral edge of said reinforcing member (6a) and extending through the thickness of said reinforcing member (6a), said through-holes (12) being filled with the material of said injection-molded cap (3). An attaching device according to any preceding claim, said clinching member (4) having an annular flange (5) extending radially outwardly from one end of said shank (4a), said reinforcing member (6a) having on its under surface a plurality of locking projections (7) clinched over the periphery of said flange (5). An attaching device according to claim 1, said clinching member (4) having an annular flange (5) extending radially outwardly from one end of said shank (4a), said flange having an outer peripheral edge portion forming the peripheral edge portion of said head (6), said cap-retaining portion comprising a plurality of through-holes (20) formed in said outer peripheral edge portion of said flange (5), said through-holes (20) being filled with the material of said injection-molded cap (3). An attaching device according to claim 10, said annular flange (5) having a central recess (21), said reinforcing member (6a) being press-fitted in said central recess (21). An attaching device according to claim 1, said clinching member (4) having an annular flange (5) extending radially outwardly from one end of said shank (4a), said flange having an outer peripheral edge portion forming the peripheral edge portion of said head (6), said cap-retaining portion comprising a plurality of cutout recesses (22) formed in said outer peripheral edge portion of said flange (5), said cutout recesses (22) being filled with the material of said injection-molded cap (3). An attaching device according to claim 10, said clinching member (4) further having a plurality of grip fingers (23) punched from said flange (5) and clinched over the periphery of said reinforcing member (6a). An attaching device according to claim 11, said reinforcing member (6a) having a plurality of locking fingers (23) disposed adjacent to a peripheral edge thereof, said locking fingers (23) being held in locking engagement with the respective cutout recesses (22) in said flange (5) and clinched over an under surface of said flange (5). An attaching device according to claim 1, said clinching member (4) having an annular flange (5) extending radially outwardly from one end of said shank (4a) and a plurality of locking legs (27) clinched over the periphery of said reinforcing member (5), said cap-retaining portion comprising an annular recess (10) formed in an under surface of said reinforcing member (6a) and extending along a peripheral edge of said reinforcing member (6a), and a plurality of through-holes (20) defined in said annular flange (5) of said clinching member (4) in registry with said annular recess (10), said annular recess (10) and said through-holes (20) being filled with the material of said injection-molded cap (3). An attaching device according to claim 1, said clinching member (4) having an annular flange (5) extending radially outwardly from one end of said shank (4a) and a plurality of locking legs (27) clinched over the periphery of said reinforcing member (5), said cap-retaining portion comprising an annular recess (10) formed in an under surface of said reinforcing member (6a) and extending along a peripheral edge of said reinforcing member (6a), and a plurality of through-holes (20) defined in said annular flange (5) of said clinching member (4) in registry with said annular recess (10), said annular recess (10) and said through-holes (20) being filled with the material of said injection-molded cap (3). An attaching device according to claim 14, said through-holes (20) having an diameter smaller than the width of said annular recess (10). An attaching device according to claim 1, said cap-retaining portion comprising a series of teeth (31) provided on a peripheral edge of said reinforcing member (6a), each of said teeth (31) having a pair of lateral projections (32) extending in opposite directions into two adjacent grooves (30) defined between the adjacent teeth (31), said grooves (30) being filled with the material of said injection-molded cap (3), said reinforcing member (6a) having a plurality of stepped retaining recesses (29) disposed inwardly of said through-holes (12), said clinching member (4) having an annular flange (5) extending radially outwardly from one end of said shank (4a) and a plurality of locking legs (28) extending from an outer peripheral edge of said annular flange (5), said locking legs (28) being received in the respective retaining recesses (29) and clinched with said reinforcing member (6a). An attaching device according to any of claims 7 to 16 wherein said clinching member (4) comprises an eyelet having a tubular shank (4a) joined at one end with said annular flange (5). An attaching device according to any of claims 7 to 16 wherein said clinching member (4) comprises a pronged fastening having a plurality of prongs (4a) extending perpendicularly from an inner peripheral edge of said annular flange (5).

Inventors: KANZAKA YOSHIHIRO, WATANABE HIROKAZU, KANZAKA, YOSHIHIRO, WATANABE, HIROKAZU
Applicants: YOSHIDA KOGYO KK, YOSHIDA KOGYO K.K.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A44B1
IPC codes: F16B19, A44B1