Abstract:
A jewelry device, for attachment to a French cuff, convertible cuff or a casual shirt of a type comprising a cuff, a cuff button and a cuff button hole, having a U-shaped frame. A hook shaped arm may connect the U shaped frame around the sleeve cuff. A pair of bars may station the frame, so that it does not become dislodged, offset or pivots from awkward movements. An alternate embodiment uses a removable pin to connect the U shaped frame to the sleeve cuff.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/930,066, filed May 14, 2007. Said U.S. application Ser. No. 60/930,066 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to clothing accessories. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cuffbar for joining the open edges of a cuff on a French cuff, convertible cuff or a casual shirt of a type comprising a cuff, a cuff button and a cuff button hole. The cuffbar may also serve as a fashionable adornment for the wearer of the shirt. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0005]    Devices for holding the cuffs of shirt sleeves together are limited to cuff links. These high fashion, elegant devices are expensive and enjoy a monopoly on the fashionable adornment of shirt cuffs. 
         [0006]    There are several kinds of cuff links available; however, these cuff holding devices generally comprise a decorative fastener inserted through two button holes of the shirt&#39;s cuff i.e. “French cuff” or “convertible cuff”. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a cuffbar that is adaptable to a variety of cuff configurations. 
         [0008]    Another object is to provide a cuffbar that serves as fashionable adornment for the wearer of a “French cuff”, “convertible cuff” or a casual shirt of a type comprising a cuff, a cuff button and a cuff button hole. 
         [0009]    Still further, an additional object is to provide a cuffbar possessing the above capability that can be inexpensively fabricated, thereby encouraging widespread wear. 
         [0010]    Briefly, this present invention provides a cuffbar comprising a U shaped bar, a joiner and a pair of stationers. The cuffbar can be attached to shirt cuffs with two button holes, the “double folded cuff” equipped with two button holes and no buttons or the casual shirt of a type comprising a cuff, a cuff button and a cuff button hole i.e. giving the appearance of a French cuff shirt design, by sliding the cuffbar onto the cuff of the wearers&#39; sleeve, passing the cuff through the stationers and closing the joiner, thus causing the cuffbar to stay in position. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the joiner is a hinged hook shaped arm positioned perpendicular to the cuffbar. The arm closes around the compressed edges of the wearers&#39; cuffs. 
         [0011]    In another embodiment, the joiner is a removable screw pin having an ornamental exterior surface. The removable screw pin is positioned perpendicular to the top leg of the cuffbar The screw pin is received into a spirally grooved cylinder located in the top leg of the cuffbar, then is passed through the cuff button holes and received into a spirally grooved cylinder located in the bottom leg of the cuffbar. 
         [0012]    These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of which the attached drawings form a part. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a top view showing the preferred embodiment of a cuffbar on a sleeve. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with hook shaped arm closed. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with hook shaped arm open. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2C  is a bottom perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with hook shaped arm closed. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2D  is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention taken in the direction of line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 2A . 
           [0018]      FIG. 2E  is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention looking forwardly in the direction of line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2D . 
           [0019]      FIG. 2F  is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3A  is a top plan view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3B  is a bottom plan view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3C  is perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3D  is an enlarged sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention taken in the direction of line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3C . 
           [0024]      FIG. 3E  is an exploded view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of a right and left cuffbar of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of a preferred embodiment of a right and left cuffbar of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    Referring to the drawings, the preferred embodiment comprises a cuffbar generally designated as  10 , shaped as a U, with an open end to fit over the compressed edges  34  of a French cuff sleeve  36  of a shirt as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 2A-FIG .  2 C show a perspective view of cuffbar  10 . The cuffbar  10  is a U shaped bar formed having a substantially flat first leg  12  and a substantially flat second leg  14 . First leg  12  and second leg  14  comprises a distal end  16  and  18  respectively. The proximal ends of first leg  12  and second leg  14  are connected by a bend  20 . The first leg  12  and the second leg  14  are generally parallel to each other and matching in thickness. First leg  12 , bend  20  and second leg  14  could be unitary or formed as a divided whole. 
         [0029]    As can be seen in  FIG. 2A , a means for joining is provided for attaching cuffbar  10  to a shirt&#39;s cuff. Preferably, the means for joining is provided in the form of a hinge pin  24 , hook shaped arm  26  and pin housings  22  and  23 . Means for stationing is provided for facilitating the proper orientation of cuffbar  10  with respect to the shirt&#39;s cuff. The means for stationing is provided in the form of first bar  32  and second bar  33 . First bar  32  and second bar  33  are of a generally triangular configuration. 
         [0030]      FIG. 2B  shows the cuffbar  10  with the hook shaped arm  26  in the open position. The hook shaped arm  26  has a first end  27  and a second end  29 . Pin openings  30  and  31  are disposed on first end  27 . A clasp  28  extends perpendicular from a portion inside the peripheral edge of second end  29 . Clasp  28  can be of various shapes and sizes. 
         [0031]      FIG. 2C  shows the bottom of cuffbar  10  with the hook shaped arm  26  in a closed position. 
         [0000]    It can be seen that the clasp  28  overlaps the periphery edge of first leg  12 , locking the hook shaped arm into position. In particularly, it can be seen that second leg  14  has an indentation  25  formed on its peripheral edge for aligning pin housings  22  and  23 . A hinge pin  24  extends through the pin openings  30  and  31  disposed on first end  27  of hook shaped arm  26 . The ends of hinge pin  24  extends outwardly from both sides of pin openings  30  and  31 , Pin housings  22  and  23  encase the ends of hinge pin  24  for connecting the hook shaped arm  26  to second leg  14 . Thus the hook shaped arm  26 , having a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane formed by first leg  12  and second leg  14 , may be swung around first leg  12  and locked into place with clasp  28 . The indentation  25  is provided by cutting out a portion of second leg  14  along one of its&#39; longest periphery edge. The indentation  25  extends longitudinally along one periphery edge of second leg  14  and has a length generally the width of hook shaped arm  26 . 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 2D  in combination with  FIG. 2E , cross sectional views of the cuffbar  10 , it can be seen that first bar  32  and second bar  33  extend in a direction transverse to that of first leg  12  and second leg  14 . First bar  32  extends downward from first leg  12  and second bar  33  extends upward from second leg  14 . The first bar  32  and second bar  33  lie adjacent to each other such that they overlap to form an opening which receives the thickness of the compressed edges of a cuff. The overlapping design of first bar  32  and second bar  33  provides a stronger gripping surface that does not become dislodged, offset or pivot from awkward movements. 
         [0033]    Importantly, in  FIG. 2D , first bar  32  and second bar  33  includes rounded corners. The rounded corners serve to provide smooth travel of the cuffbar  10  onto the shirt cuff and prevent marring of the shirt cuff&#39;s material. Between each rounded corner of first bar  32  and second bar  33  is a flat surface. A flat surface of first bar  32  and a flat surface of second bar  33  are positioned adjacent to each other. 
         [0034]      FIG. 2F  is an exploded rear view of the cuffbar  10  with hinge pin  24  disengaged from the pin housings  22  and  23  on second leg  14  and the pin openings  30  and  31  disposed on send end  29  of hook shaped arm  26 . The hinge pin  24  is of generally cylindrical shape and preferably of rigid construction. The pin housings  22  and  23  as well as the pin openings  30  and  31  are of generally the same shape as hinge pin  24 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 3A-FIG .  3 E, show a second alternative embodiment of this invention.  FIG. 3A  shows a top plan view of the second embodiment of the cuffbar  50  configured with removable screw pin  38  inserted through first leg  53 . The placement of screw pin  38  presents a different look than that of the hook shaped arm  26 . In  FIG. 3B  it is shown that the bottom exterior of second leg  54  is free of any functional elements. 
         [0036]    In viewing  FIG. 3C  it can be seen that the means for joining is a removable screw pin  38 , which includes a hollow grooved cylinder  40  and  41  constructed and arranged for receiving screw pin  38 . In particular, it can be seen that first bar  65  and second bar  66  are affixed near the open end of cuffbar  50 . 
         [0037]    In order to attach the cuffbar  50  of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3A-FIG .  3 E, screw pin  38  is rotated into hollow grooved cylinder  40 , inserted through the cuff button hole and rotated into hollow grooved cylinder  41 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 3D  shows a sectional view of the embodiment of the cuffbar  50  as illustrated in  FIG. 3C . As can be seen, first leg  53  has a hollow grooved cylinder  40  that extends throughout first leg  53 . Importantly, second leg has a hollow grooved cylinder  41  that extends partially through second leg  54 . Hollow grooved cylinder  40  allows the screw pin  38  to reach the button holes of a shirts cuff. Hollow grooved cylinder  41  allows the screw pin  38  to tighten onto the cuffbar  50 .  FIG. 3E  shows an exploded view of the configuration with removable screw pin  38  disengaged from first leg  53  and second leg  54 . The head of removable screw pin  38  can be of differing shapes and sizes. 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  illustrate the difference between a left cuffbar  10  and a right cuffbar  70 . The bend  20  is designated as the front of the cuffbar  10  and  70 . In  FIG. 4 , looking at the bend  20  head on, for left cuff use, the means for joining is constructed on the left side of cuffbar  10 . For right cuff use, the means for joining is constructed on the right side of the cuffbar  10  as seen with cuffbar  70 . In  FIG. 5 , looking at the bend  20  head on, for left cuff use, the means for joining is constructed on the right side of cuffbar  10 . For right cuff use, the means for joining is constructed on the left hand side. 
         [0040]    All embodiments of this invention can be plated with gold, silver, palladium, or nickel. All embodiments could also be made entirely of solid gold, silver or a white metal casting alloy. All embodiments could also be made out of aluminum which will allow it to be anodized in various colors. Further, being an item of personal adornment, a number of decorative members, such as precious stones and the like can be disposed anywhere on first leg  12  second leg  14 , bend  20  hooked shaped arm  26  and screw pin  38 . Additionally, the teachings of the invention are applicable to a cuffbar of differing shapes and geometries. Since various materials, finishes, decorations and styles could be used for the present invention, the scope of the present invention should not be limited by such.