Abstract:
A fastener grommet assembly has a combining function of a fastener and a grommet. The fastener grommet includes two flange members each having an axial opening, a fastening mechanism formed on an outer surface thereof, the fastening mechanism being an axially extended portion that compressibly interlocks with one or more grommets or similar devices.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of 09/233,663, filed Jan. 19, 1999 now U.S. Pat. 6,233,782, which relates to provisional patent application filed Jan. 20, 1998; Application No. 60/071,954, invention titled “MT PASS (A.K.A. Montana Poncho and Shelter System, Grommet-Fastener), hereafter referred to as Fastener Grommet. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION. 
     The present invention relates to fastener grommets used in various applications for fastening of one piece of fabric or material (hereafter referred to as “material”) to another, or one location on a single piece of material to another location on the same piece, while providing function as a grommet whether unfastened or fastened between locations. 
     The new art has various applications in the fabric, garment, outdoor wear, recreational, tarpaulin, fabrication, mechanical, wood and metal construction, and related industries. The various embodiments of the invention may be constructed from metal, plastic or other suitable matter. The embodiments of the present invention will provide a valuable and useful function both (e.g. concurrently) as a fastener and as a grommet. 
     Grommets and Fasteners as individual and separate units are well known in the art for providing individual functions as grommets, or fasteners. The present invention relates to combining these functions into various but singular embodiments. After making numerous inquiries with manufacturers of individual embodiments of fasteners and grommets, and reviewing prior art patents, we have discovered no such prior art that achieves the present art combination of a fastener and a grommet. Various prior art fasteners and grommets may be used in a “side-by-side” fashion. This prior art configuration of two independent pieces of hardware, one a grommet and the other a fastener, allows two separate locations on a piece of material to be fastened together, and may provide utility of a grommet at a separate location on the given material. This prior art requires that two separate and distinct hardware units (e.g. one a grommet embodiment and the other a fastener embodiment) be installed to be utilized. The present invention combines fastener and grommet functions in individual embodiments, thereby accomplishing a new art, and improvement over prior art, greatly improving fabrication efficiency, and economics, reducing weight and improving functional utility and appearance of fabricated garments, tarps, etc. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the general purpose and principal object of the present invention to provide fastener grommet embodiments which can fasten one location on a piece of material to another location on the same or a separate piece, while concurrently providing function as a grommet, whether fastened or unfastened. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a fastener grommet embodiment that conforms to the function of the stated general purpose and principal object, is permanently attached to material, and incorporates teachings about new art fastening mechanisms. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a fastener grommet embodiment that conforms to the function of the stated general purpose and principal object, is permanently attached to material, and incorporates the new art in prior art fasteners. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a fastener grommet embodiment that conforms to the function of the stated general purpose and principal object, and is not permanently attached to material. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a fastener grommet embodiment that conforms to the function of the stated general purpose and principal object, is not permanently attached to material, and incorporates a new art improvement on prior art fasteners. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a fastener grommet embodiment that is convenient in use, simple in manufacture, easily incorporated into various materials, and is effective in various applications. 
     Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following descriptions, or may be obvious from the descriptions, or may be learned through practice of the invention. 
     These and related objects and purposes may be achieved through novel fastener grommet embodiments some of which are herein disclosed. The fastener grommet embodiments provide fastener mechanisms of various designs, some examples of new art and some of prior art, that allow the fastening of two or more locations on an individual piece of material or on separate pieces of material, to each other. All of said fastener grommet embodiments encompass an opening that provides a grommet function concurrent with the fastening function. Said opening, in line with openings incorporated in materials receiving the new art fastener grommet embodiments, provides a passageway through which a cord, wire or other device may be passed when the embodiments are fastened between locations. This concurrent fastener and grommet function in single embodiments is a new art and is unlike any singular prior art grommet or fastener embodiment. 
     Some embodiments of the invention are comprised of two or more flange members joinable to each other and variously adapted to fasten two or more locations on one or more pieces of material to each other. 
     Another embodiment of the invention may consist of an individual flange member devised to fasten two or more locations on one or more pieces of material to each other. 
     Some embodiments have flange members engaged and adapted to permanently sandwich material between the first given members while being able to subsequently fasten with second given members of the embodiments at other locations on material, thereby joining two or more locations on material to each other while concurrently providing grommet function whether the first and seconds flange members are fastened or unfastened to each other. 
     Some of said flange members are not permanently joined together but nonetheless are capable of fastening two or more locations on material to each other while concurrently providing grommet function. 
     The descriptions of the suggested embodiments of the present invention provide teachings about incorporating the embodiments in materials commonly used in the fabric, garment, outdoor wear, recreational, tarpaulin, mechanical, wood and metal construction, and related industries. 
     The fastener grommet embodiments may be constructed from metal (brass, steel, etc.), plastic (synthetic organic polymers, etc.) or other suitable matter. 
     The utility and value of the present art in singular embodiments that incorporate concurrent fastener and grommet function will be intuitively obvious to those manufacturing and using the products of such industries. 
     The foregoing, and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention, will be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art after review of the detailed description taken together with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective, partially cut away, of a fastener grommet of a first embodiment having means of attaching the two flanges to material. 
     FIG. 1 a  shows a cross sectional view of the fastener grommet embodiment of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective, partially cut away, of a fastener grommet of a second embodiment having means of attaching the two flanges to material, and the use of the new art embodiment in conjunction with prior art grommets. 
     FIG. 2 a  shows a variation of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 2 b  shows a cross sectional view of the fastener grommet embodiment of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective of a fastener grommet of a third embodiment with a circular raised ridge on one flange, a recessed trough on the other flange, and means of attaching the two flanges to material. 
     FIG. 3 a  shows a cross section of the fastener grommet embodiment of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective, partially cut away, of a fastener grommet of a fourth embodiment having means of attaching the two flanges to material. 
     FIG. 5 shows an exploded perspective, partially cut away, of a fastener grommet of a fifth embodiment and the use of the embodiment in conjunction with prior art grommets and/or material. 
     FIG. 6 an exploded perspective of a fastener grommet of a sixth embodiment having means of attaching the grommet to a material. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each embodiment, and following claim, is provided by way of explanation of the invention and not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used on another embodiment to yield still a further embodiment. Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the present teachings. It is also hereby pointed out that while a circular geometry is generally indicated for individual portions of members of the various embodiments (e.g. portion  82  of member  24  and  82   a  of member  25  of FIG. 2; portion  71  of member  65  and portion  72  of member  66  of FIG. 5; portion  81  of member  75  of FIG.  6 ), other geometric shapes (e.g. square, oval, hexagonal) may be used for such said portions of members of the various embodiments to allow for ease of gripping by fingers of the hand or by various prior art tools and still accomplish the same purpose of the invention. It is intended that the present invention include such modifications and variations as come within the scope and spirit of the present invention. 
     FIGS. 1 and 1 a  show a two piece fastener grommet embodiment in accordance with the present invention. The embodiment is generally illustrated as first flange member  14  and second flange member  15  in FIG.  1  and as first members  14  and  14   a  and second members  15  and  15   a  in FIG. 1 a , each member with a plurality of protrusions  20  and  23  respectively and a plurality of recesses  21  and  22  respectively. First member  14  is fastened to second member  15  through opening  19   b  in a piece of material  16  thereby sandwiching material  16  between flange members  14  and  15  by the engagement of the axially extended portion  17  of member  15  with the axially extending portion  18  of member  14 . Said engagement occurring by methods known to those skilled in prior art, such as engaging threaded surfaces on the exterior of portion  17  of flange member  15  with mated receiving threads on the surface of face  18  on flange member  14 , or by an interference fit or snap fit by forcing the annular extension  17  of the second member  15  into the opening  19  of first member  14  in a manner also known to those skilled in prior art and utilizing various means of securing engagement known to those skilled in prior art. The opening  19  of flange member  14  corresponding to an opening  19   b  in material  16  and opening  19   a  in flange member  15  provides for function as a grommet as known to those familiar with that art. 
     Combined with the grommet function of the embodiment is a fastener function allowing one fastener grommet of the present embodiment to be fastened to one or more separate present art embodiments at different locations on the same piece of material (e.g.  16  of FIG. 1 a ) or on separate pieces of material (e.g.  16  and  16   a  of FIG. 1 a ). Said fastening between locations (as illustrated in FIG. 1 a ) being facilitated, for example, by engaging the plurality of protrusions  23  on flange member  15  of one embodiment of the present invention with the plurality of mated recesses  21   a  on flange member  14   a  of a separate embodiment of the present invention. The present art thereby combining a new art fastener function between two or more locations, as in the example illustrated in FIG. 1 a , with a concurrent grommet function provided through opening  19   c . Said grommet function being provided whether a first embodiment (e.g. flange member  14  and second member  15 ) is unfastened or fastened to a second embodiment (e.g. first flange member  14   a  and second flange member  15   a ), or to mateable flange members of additional embodiments. 
     This combined utility of fastener and grommet in a single embodiment being representative of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows a two piece fastener grommet embodiment generally illustrated as first flange member  24  and second flange member  25  in accordance with the present invention. First member  24  is fastened to second member  25  through opening  29   b  in a piece of material  26  thereby sandwiching material  26  between flange members  24  and  25  by the engagement of the axially extending portion  27  of member  25  with the axially extending portion  28  of member  24 . Said engagement occurring by methods known to those skilled in prior art, such as by engaging threaded surfaces on the exterior of portion  27  of flange member  25  with mated receiving threads on inner surface  28   a  of portion  28  of flange member  24 , or by an interference fit or snap fit by forcing the annular extension  27  of the second member  25  into the opening  29  of first member  24  in a manner also known to those skilled in prior art and utilizing various means of securing engagement known to those skilled in prior art. The opening  29  of flange member  24  corresponding to an opening  29   b  in material  26  and opening  29   a  in flange member  25  provides for function as a grommet as known to those familiar with that art. 
     Combined with the grommet function of the embodiment is a fastener function allowing one fastener grommet of the present embodiment to fasten two or more different locations together whether these locations are on the same piece of material or on separate pieces. Said fastening being illustrated in FIG.  2  and FIG. 2 b  and being accomplished, for example, when axially extending portion  28 , having a diameter (e.g. outer edge of surface  31 ) slightly larger than opening  29   c  in a prior art grommet embodiment such as  33  that has been affixed to material  26   a  as common to prior art, is forcibly passed into and through opening  29   c  thereby fastening the location of member  24  of the present art embodiment on material  26  to the location of prior art grommet  33  on material  26   a . A rounded or otherwise configured enlargement forming an edge or lip (e.g.  32  on member  24  of FIG.  2 ), as is common to prior arts, having an outer diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the remaining portion of axially extended portion  28  of embodiment member  24  with said edge acting to fasten said member  24  to prior art grommet  33  in a semi-permanent fashion. The configuration and fastening characteristics described for member  24  of the present embodiment and prior art grommet  33  apply to member  25  of the present embodiment and prior art grommet  34  on material  26   b  as well. When the present fastener grommet embodiment (members  24  and  25 ) is fastened to prior art grommets such as  33  and  34 , grommet function is provided through the continuous openings  29   c ,  29 ,  29   b ,  29   a , and  29   d.    
     The present art thereby combining a new art fastener function between two or more locations on a given material, as represented by  26 ,  26   a  and/or  26   b , or between locations on separate pieces of material as may be inferred by  26 ,  26   a  and/or  26   b , with a concurrent grommet function being provided by the present art embodiment whether a first member  24  or a second member  25  of the given embodiment is unfastened or fastened to a prior art grommet such as  33  or  34  (or other opening) in material such as  26   a  and/or  26   b . This combined utility of fastener and grommet in a single embodiment being representative of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 a  shows a variation of the embodiment in FIG.  2 . The variation being that the single axially extending portion  28  of flange member  24  and  30  of flange member  25  of in FIG. 2 is replaced by axially extending portions such as  38  and  36  of flange member  24   a  and  25   c  respectively which are divided by gaps such as  37  in member  24   a  and  39  in member  25   c  in FIG. 2 a . Said configuration or similar variations intended to allow various degrees of ease in forcibly passing the axially extending portion  35  of FIG. 2 a  through openings such as  29   c  of FIG.  2 . 
     It is also noted that FIGS. 2 and 2 a  are intended to reflect that individual members such as  24  and  24   a  of the present embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 2 a  respectively can be used without attachment to second members  25  and  25   c  and therefore without attachment to material such as  26 . Members  24  and/or  24   a  nonetheless providing fastening and grommet utility by incorporating in their construction a suitable length of axially extended portions  28  and  35 , respectively, that facilitate passing of said axially extended portions through two and more prior art grommets, such as  33  and  34  of FIG. 2, fastening said grommets to each other, and concurrently providing prior art grommet function as already described herein. This combined utility of fastener and grommet in a single member of the embodiment, described in FIGS.  2  and/or  2   a , also being representative of the present invention. 
     FIGS. 2 b  shows a cross section of the embodiments shown in FIG. 2 to provide clarity in relation to utility and configuration of the present embodiment of the new art. The figure is also helpful to demonstrate that the fastener grommet function described for portions  28 ,  31 , and  32  of flange member  24  on material  26  in conjunction with grommet  33  on material  26   a  is the same as that fastener grommet function provided by portions  30 ,  31   a , and  32   a  on flange member  25  in conjunction with grommet  34  on material  26   b.    
     FIG. 3 shows a two piece fastener grommet embodiment generally illustrated as first flange member  41  and second flange member  42  in accordance with the present invention. First member  41  is fastened to second member  42  through opening  46   b  in a piece of material  43  thereby sandwiching material  43  between flange members  41  and  42  by the engagement of the axially extending portion  44  of member  41  with the axially extending portion  45  of member  42 . Said engagement occurring by methods known to those skilled in prior art, such as engaging threaded surfaces on the exterior of portion  44  of flange member  41  with mated receiving threads on the surface  45  of flange member  42 , or by an interference fit or snap fit by forcing the annular extension  44  of the first member  41  into the opening  46   a  of second member  42  in a manner also known to those skilled in prior art, and utilizing various means of securing engagement known to those skilled in prior art. The opening  46  of flange member  41  corresponding to an opening  46   b  in material  43  and opening  46   a  in flange member  42  provides for function as a grommet as known to those familiar with that art. 
     Combined with the grommet function of the embodiment is a fastener function allowing one fastener grommet of the present embodiment to fasten two or more different locations on the same piece of material to each other or to fasten two or more locations on separate pieces of material to each other. Said fastening being accomplished when annular projection  47  of member  41  of one given embodiment at a given location on a piece of material  43  is forcibly pressed into a mated recess or groove  48  of member  42  of another given embodiment at a separate given location on material  43 , or located on a piece of material separate from  43 , thereby allowing one fastener grommet of the present embodiment to be fastened to one or more separate fastener grommets of the present embodiment at different locations on the same or a separate piece of material generally represented as  43 . 
     The present art thereby combining a new art fastener function, between two or more locations on material  43  or between locations on separate pieces of material as may be inferred, with a concurrent grommet function being provided whether a first or second member of the embodiment of the present invention is unfastened or fastened to another mated second or first member (respectively) of a separate embodiment. This combined utility of fastener and grommet in a single embodiment being representative of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 shows a view of a prior art snap fastener embodiment consisting of prior art components: flange member  49  and flange member  50 , that when engaged by convention of the prior art sandwich material  53  therebetween, and prior art flange member  51  and flange member  52  that also become engaged by convention of the prior art sandwiching material  53   a  therebetween. Flange member  50  can then be engaged or snapped onto flange member  51 , according to prior art, with axially extended portion  63  of flange member  51  being retained in flange member  50  by a prior art spring clamp  64  housed in the interior of flange member  50 , as occurs in the prior art, thereby fastening joined flange members  49  and  50  at one location on material  53  to joined flange members  51  and  52  at another location as on material  53   a  as is the previous art of the fastener. 
     The prior art embodiment providing function as a snap fastener only with no concurrent function as a grommet of conventional prior art intended or implied by the prior art snap fastener. 
     The art of the present invention improves on the prior art snap fastener by incorporating an opening  58   a , according to the present art, in surface  49   a  of flange member  49  that is aligned with prior art openings  58  in flange member  49 ,  58   d  in material  53 ,  58   c  in flange member  50 ,  58   b  in flange member  51 ,  58   e  in material  53   a , and  58   f  in flange member  52  with the specific intended purpose of allowing the present art opening to be continuous through all members of the prior art embodiment and fabric engaged thereby to function in the new art as a grommet in conjunction with concurrent function as a prior art snap fastener. 
     It is notable that in order that a clear, unhindered, and continuous opening be provided through said members of the prior art embodiment to facilitate the new art of a concurrent and fully functional grommet utility, rim-edge  59  of axially extending portion  54  of flange member  49  must be accurately compressed in a manner allowing flaring of edge  59  to be smoothly distributed over surface  60  of flange member  50 , and rim-edge  61  of axially extending portion  56  of flange member  52  must be accurately compressed in a manner allowing flaring of edge  61  to be smoothly distributed over surface  62  of flange member  51 . With care and proper utilization of prior art tools this level of accuracy in flaring may be accomplished by those skilled in the art. 
     The described combined utility of fastener and grommet in a single embodiment being representative of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 shows a two piece fastener grommet embodiment generally illustrated as first flange member  65  and second flange member  66  in accordance with the present invention. First flange member  65  having an opening  70  which passes through surface  71  and axially extending portion  68  of flange member  65 . Second flange member  66  having an opening  70   a  passing through surface  72  and defined by the surface of axially extending portion  69  of flange member  66 . First flange member  65  may be connected to second flange member  66  by a retaining device  74 . This device  74  may provide convenience in keeping the two flanges  65  and  66  of the embodiment together for certain applications and for unified storage of the embodiment. Device  74  may be constructed of the same matter as flanges  65  and  66 , may be fused to flange member  66 , and may be held to flange member  65  in a manner allowing member  65  to rotate freely within a ring attached to device  74  encircling the axially extending portion  68  of flange member  65  as is known to those familiar with the prior art of the device. 
     The axially extended portion  68  of first flange member  65  may be passed through opening  70   b  in prior art grommet  73  that has been affixed to material  67 , as common to prior art, said opening  70   b  being of larger diameter than the diameter of portion  68  and smaller than the diameter of portion  71  of flange member  65 . Said axially extended portion  68  of first flange member  65  may subsequently be passed through additional openings in additional prior art grommets such as through opening  70   c  in prior art grommet  73   a  that has been affixed to material  67   a , as common to prior art, said opening  70   c  also being of larger diameter than the diameter of portion  68  and smaller than the diameter of portion  71  of flange member  65 . 
     First flange member  65  may then be engaged with second flange member  66 , thereby sandwiching grommet  73  on material  67  and grommet  73   a  on material  67   a  between flange members  65  and  66 . Said engagement occurring by methods known to those skilled in prior art such as engaging threaded surfaces on the exterior of portion  68  of flange member  65  with mated receiving threads on the surface of portion  69  of flange member  66 . Additional means of engagement of flange members such as  65  and  66  of the present embodiment are briefly described in the context of FIG. 2 embodiment descriptions and are referred to therein as “interference fit or snap fit” engagements. The engagement thus fastening two or more locations to each other on a single piece of material such as may be inferred by FIG. 5 assuming that location of opening  70   b  and  70   c  are simply at separate locations on a single piece of material represented by  67 / 67   a , or the present embodiment can fasten two or more locations to each other on separate pieces of material as also may be inferred by FIG. 5 assuming that location of opening  70   b  and  70   c  are located on separate pieces of material represented by  67  and  67   a.    
     The present embodiment therefore representative of the new art by combining a prior art fastener function between two or more locations on a given piece of material or between locations on separate pieces of material resulting from the engagement of flange members  65  and  66 , with a concurrent grommet function being provided by opening  70  in flange member  65  with axially extended portion  68  inserted through two or more openings such as  70   b  and or  70   c  in material such as  67 ,  67   a  respectively. 
     It is pointed out that the present fastener grommet embodiment may provide the new art function of combination fastener and grommet when openings in material are provided as described, whether said openings are faced by prior art grommets or not. 
     The described combined utility of fastener and grommet in a single embodiment being representative of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 shows a two piece fastener grommet embodiment generally illustrated as flange member  75  and second member  76  in accordance with the present invention. First member  75  being similar to prior art flange members usually referred to as buttons, with the new art incorporation of an opening  78  in flange member  75 . Said opening  78  overlying an opening  78   b  in material  77 . Flange member  75  is attached to material  77  by threads or other devices passing through openings such as  79  in member  75  and thence through material  77  in a manner encircling openings  78  and  78   b  and otherwise engaging flange member  75  to material  77  as is the common prior art of engaging a button to a piece of fabric. A prior art button-hole such as member  76  in material  77   a  may then engage flange member  75  as is also common in the prior art of a button to button-hole-type fastening system. 
     The opening  78  in flange member  75 , in line with opening  78   a  in button-hole-type member  76  and with opening  78   b  in material  77 , provides for function as a grommet. The present embodiment therefore representative of the new art by combining a prior art fastener function (fastening two or more locations on a given piece of material or locations on separate pieces of material that results from the engagement of flange member  75  and member  76 ) with a concurrent new art grommet function (grommet function being provided by opening  78  in flange member  75 , in line with opening  78   a  in button-hole-type member  76 , and with opening  78   b  in material  77 ). 
     The present art also allows the new art fastener grommet embodiment to accommodate such jewelry as cuff-links when said embodiment is incorporated into a garment. 
     The described combined utility of fastener and grommet in a single embodiment being representative of the present invention. 
     The present invention can enhance the utility and marketability of various other prior art reclosable fastening systems. No graphic illustrations are necessary and are therefore not presented herein. A brief description of some of the new art applications are, however, described as follows. The invention of the new art fastener grommet utility can be incorporated in some prior art fastener systems by creating an opening in an appropriate location in each member of a prior art fastener system, such as hook-and-loop fasteners or other fastening systems. Said openings in line with openings created within material that the prior art fasteners are attached to, thereby implementing the new art combination of grommet utility and function in such prior art fasteners. The new art may be a significant enhancement in the versatility and marketability of various prior art fastener embodiments. 
     In light of the above teachings, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications of the shapes and configurations can widely vary within, but without departing from, the scope and spirit of the invention. It is to be understood there are no limitations to the invention even though the nature of the words in the description are in an illustrative form.