BUTTON COLLET

Abstract: A button collet (10) is disclosed for use with a mating tack to form a button on a garment fabric. The collet (10) includes a cap (11) having an undercut or overhung cavity (12), an insert member (13) adhesively bonded in place therein, and a shank member or eyelet (14) fixedly secured to the insert member (13). The insert member (13) has a plurality of clamping lugs (13a) which are crimped around a flanged peripheral edge of the shank (14) and a plurality of peripheral notches (13b) in spaced apart relation alternating with the clamping lugs (13a).

Description: This invention relates to a button collet for use with a mating tack to be mounted on a garment fabric, and has particular reference to such a button collet to which a support shank is adhesively secured. A variety of buttons have been proposed in the art which typically comprise a button collet to be joined together with a tack member across a garment fabric to form a button thereon. The button collet includes a cap or head having either a flat or a domed front surface on which any suitable indicia is often carried to serve as an ornamental decoration. A shank member or an eyelet is fixedly secured at its front end to the rear of the button collet with use of an adhesive compound and has its rear end disposed for engagement through the fabric with a male or female coupling member, usually in the form of a tack. A prior art example of a button collet of the type which includes such a shank member adhesively secured in place is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 58-131707 in which the shank member is bonded in place by an adhesive desposited in an undercut (or overhung) cavity formed in the rear surface of a collet cap. Another example is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 61-131907 in which a button collet has a cap convexly domed to provide a relatively large rearward cavity in which a shank member is adhesively secured, any excess adhesive or glue being disposed in the cavity. A problem arises with the above prior art button devices in that if separation of the adhesive compound occurs, the shank member or eyelet being smaller in diameter than the cavity would become disengaged from the cap of the collect, or become rotatable relative to the cap resulting in improperly oriented indicia on the cap, or else any excess of the adhesive compound would ooze out to make the whole button quite unsightly. With the foregoing drawbacks of the prior art in view, the present invention seeks to provide an improved button collet incorporating structural features whereby the shank member can be retained in place with the cap, and the cap can be prevented from becoming rotatable in the event of separation of the adhesive compound from the inner surface of the cap. According to the invention, there is provided a button collet as claimed in each of claims 1 to 12, to which reference is directed. The above object and other features of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals refer to like or corresponding structural parts throughout the several views. Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a button collet embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but exclusively showing a shank member and an insert member associated therewith; Figure 3 is a rear end view of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of button collet according to the invention; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of another modified form according to the invention; Figures 6A - 6D inclusive are plan views of different forms of the insert member; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a further modified form of button collet according to the invention; Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of still another modified form of button collet acccording to the invention; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of still further modification of the invention collet; Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of cap member; Figure 11 is a bottom end view of a portion of the cap of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a plan view of a modified form of insert member; Figure 13 is a bottom end view of the cap of Figure 10 shown assembled with the insert of Figure 12; Figure 14 is a plan view of a further modified form of insert member; and Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line XIV - XIV of Figure 14. Referring now to the drawings and Figure 1 in particular, there is shown a button collet 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention which is adapted to be joined together with a mating tack (not shown) to form a button on a compliant material such as a garment fabric (not shown). The button collet 10 comprises a generally dome-shaped cap II having, at its rear, a cavity 12 concentric therewith, an insert member 13 adhesively bonded in place in the cavity 12, and a shank member or eyelet 14 whose front end is fixedly secured to the insert 13. The domed cap II is formed from a plastics or metallic material which may be transparent or opaque. The cavity 12, as shown in Figure 1 - 8, is defined by a substantially flat, circular disk-shaped, front end wall 12a and a peripheral side wall 12b which is directed rearwardly and radially inwardly from a marginal edge 12c of the front wall 12a to terminate at a rearward peripheral edge 12d, providing an opening to the cavity 12 as shown in Figure 1. The cavity 12 is undercut (or overhung) because the diameter D₁ of the cavity 12 as measured across the rearward peripheral edge 12d, at the opening to cavity 12, is smaller than the diameter D₂ as measured across the marginal edge 12c at the front. The insert member 13 is generally in the form of a disc or plate having a plurality of clamping lugs 13a extending radially inward from its rearward peripheral edge and adapted to fasten the front end of the shank member 14 to the insert member 13. To this end, the shank member 14 has its front end portion flared to form a peripheral flange 14a over which the clamping lugs 13a of the insert 13 are turned in or crimped to envelop the flange 14a, thereby securely affixing the shank 14 to the insert 13 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The maximum diameter D₃ of the insert member 13 is slightly smaller than the minimum diameter D₁ of the cavity 12. Thus, the relations of the three diameters are D₃ < D₁ < D₂. (This applies also to the embodiment shown in Figure 9, see below). As better shown in Figure 3, the insert member 13 has a plurality of peripheral notches 13b alternating with adjacent clamping lugs 13a and each defined by substantially radial end walls 13c. When joining the insert member 13 carrying the shank 14 with the cap 11, this is done by the use of a suitable adhesive such as an epoxy resin compound C which is applied conveniently to the front end wall 12a of the cavity 12. The front surface of the insert member 13 is inserted in the cavity 12 to abut against the adhesive compound C desposited on the front end wall 12a of the cavity 12. As the insert member 13 is forced against the cap 11, the adhesive compound C spreads over with any excess of the adhesive compound displaced toward the peripheral side wall 12b and filling the notches 13b. As the compound C becomes hardened in this manner with parts of it embedded in the notches 13b, the insert member 13 is firmly bonded in place with respect to the cap 11. If the adhesive compound layer C should for some reason separate from the cap 11, that portion of the compound which is embedded in each of the notches 13b would still retain the insert member 13 in place against separation from the cap 11 per se. Furthermore the notches 13b, being alternate in position with the lugs 13a, would also prevent the tendency of the insert member 13 to rotate relative to the cap 11. Figure 4 shows a modification of button collet according to the invention which is identical with the collet of Figure 1 except that there are provided an anchoring plug member 13d extending forwardly, centrally from the insert member 13 and a complimentary socket member 11a formed centrally in the bottom wall 12a of the cap 11 and adapted to receive the plug member 13d. This plug and socket arrangement ensures centering of the insert member 13 or shank 14 with respect to the cap 11. Another modification is shown in Figure 5 which is characterized by the provision of an insert member 13 having a convex front surface 13e whereby air or air bubbles in the adhesive compound C can be forced to disperse toward the peripheral areas of the cavity 12 and removed from view through the cap 11 should the latter be transparent. Figures 6A - 6D inclusive show different insert members 13 each having different froms of grooves 13f in their convex upper surfaces, the arrangement being intended to expel air bubbles from sight at once and provide increased surface area, hence increased bonding strength of the adhesive. Figure 6A shows a plurality of radially extending grooves 13f; Figure 6B a plurality of parallel grooves 13f; Figure 6C a combination of radial and annular grooves 13f, and Figure 6D a criss-cross groove 13f. A modification shown in Figure 7 is similar to the collet of Figure 1 except that there is formed centrally in the insert member 13 a vertically extending through aperture (or apertures) 13g which serves the three fold purposes; viz., to provide escape of air bubbles, increased bond strength and accommodation of excess adhesive C which would otherwise ooze out to present unsightly appearance of the button. A modification in Figure 8 is characterized by the provision of a plurality of through apertures 13h spaced apart around the periphery of the insert member 13 whereby the bond strength of the adhesive compound is increased manifold. Figure 9 shows a slightly different modification having a peripheral side wall 12b which is cross-sectionally somewhat arcuate and an outer peripheral edge 12d which is somewhat outwardly flared. This modification also features an insert member 13 having part of its front surface 13e slightly convexed to provide benefits similar to the embodiment of Figure 5. A further modification is illustrated in Figures 10 through 13 inclusive, which is devised to further enhance attachment of the insert member 13 with the cap 11. The insert member 13 as more clearly shown in Figure 12 has a plurality of clamping lugs 15 projecting radially outward in a criss-cross fashion. The cap member 11 as better shown in Figure 11 has a corresponding number of peripheral recesses 16 for receiving the clamping lugs 15 on the insert member 13. The cap 11 and the insert 13 are connected in locking relation to each other by first registering the lugs 15 with the recesses 16 and are bonded together by the adhesive C in the cavity 12 after they are slightly rotated as indicated by dotted line away from the original positions indicated by solid line as shown in Figure 13. Figures 14 and 15 show another modification which is similar to the embodiment of Figures 10 - 13 except that the clamping lugs 15 each have a lateral protuberance 17 adapted to restrict excessive rotation of the insert member 13 when coupled with the cap 11.

Claims: A button collet (10) which comprises a cap (11) having a cavity (12) concentric therewith, an insert member (13) adhesively bonded by an adhesive compound (C) in place in said cavity (12) and having a plurality of clamping lugs (13a) extending radially inward from its rearward peripheral edge, and a shank member (14) having a peripheral flange (14a) fixedly secured to said clamping lugs (13a), said insert member (13) including a plurality of peripheral notches (13b) alternating with said clamping lugs (13a). A button collet (10) according to claim 1 further including an anchoring plug member (13d) extending upwardly centrally from said insert member (13) and a complimentary socket member (11a) formed centrally in the bottom wall (12a) of said cap (11) and adapted to receive said plug member (13d). A button collet (10) according to claim 1 wherein said insert member (13) has at least in part a convex front surface (13e). A button collet (10) according to claim 3 wherein said insert member (13) has a plurality of grooves (13f) in its front surface (13e). A button collet (10) according to claim 4 wherein said grooves (13f) extend radially inward. A button collet (10) according to claim 4 wherein said grooves (13f) extend parallel with each other. A button collet (10) according to claim 4 wherein said grooves (13f) are in the form of a combination of radial and annular grooves. A button collet (10) according to claim 4 wherein said grooves (13f) are in the form of a cross. A button collet (10) according to claim 1 further including a through aperture (13g) extending centrally through said insert member (13). A button collet (10) according to claim 1 further including a plurality of through apertures (13b) spaced apart around the periphery of said insert member (13). A button collet (10) according to claim 1 wherein said insert member (13) has a plurality of clamping lugs (15) projecting radially inward in a criss-cross fashion and said cap (11) has a corresponding number of peripheral recesses (16) for receiving said lugs (15). A button collet (10) according to claim 11 wherein said insert member (13) has a protruberance (17) laterally projecting from each of said lugs (15).

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