Abstract:
A reversible fastener that can be positioned in one of two alternate display positions without removing the fastener from the underlying garment is provided. The unique configuration of the fastener coupled with a means for rotatably attaching the fastener facilitates the reversibility of the fastener without requiring its removal. The reversible fastener is useful in a variety of applications including garments, jewelry and footwear. Further, one embodiment of the present invention is also useful in providing a structural anchoring means.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is related to and claims priority from earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/511,525, filed Oct. 15, 2003, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to a novel fastener configuration. More specifically, the present invention relates to a new decorative closure fastener for a use on a garment wherein the fastener includes two different ornamental surfaces that can be easily reversed to display either side as desired.  
         [0003]     In order to hold the edges of garments such as shirts, blouses, dresses or jackets together, snap fasteners or buttons are commonly employed. In general buttons found on a large variety of garments are generally nondescript and have an appearance that is minimized in favor of their function. However, in other applications buttons are also provided to enhance the garments appearance or to provide additional ornamentation. In particular, with regard to ladies&#39; blouses and men&#39;s formal dress wear, buttons play an important role in completing the overall appearance of the garment. When relatively inconspicuous buttons are employed, a more severe and businesslike appearance is presented, for example it is common to provide a plain white button on a white dress shirt. However, when a garment is intended for a fancier occasion, elaborately decorated or decorative buttons having contrasting color make the garment more suitable for dressy or leisure wear. Because of the differentiation in the ornamentation of garments depends directly from the occasion for which they will be worn or the particular taste of the wearer, a woman may very often have somewhat similar blouses or dresses which differ only in the buttons used on the dress as to whether it is suitable for business occasions or for more dressy leisure time activities. Further, as is common in the tuxedo rental business, a dress shirt is provided with white buttons sewn in place and an additional set of holes into which an alternate button tack may be used to provide a different appearance.  
         [0004]     One prior art attempt at providing a button having a changeable appearance is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,887, issued to Meeker, which discloses a cuff link assembly that includes a reversible front button. The cuff link has a shaft that extends upwardly to rigidly connect to a rear surface of a central rectangular head member. The reversible portion of the button lies around the central rectangular member. The reversible portion is retained by a pin that allows the reversible portion to flip relative to the central head and is retained in either a first or second position by detents that engage the central head. It is of note that the central head is rigidly retained in a fixed position relative to the mounting shaft of the button. Therefore only the periphery of the button can be reversed.  
         [0005]     Another prior art reference, U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,510, issued to DeRosa, is directed to a two piece interchangeable button. This reference discloses a button that has a first retaining member that is attached to the garment. The decorative portion is slidably received by the mounting portion utilizing interlocking members that include a channel on the mounting portion and an interlocking tab on the decorative portion. The user can maintain any variety or number of decorative button faces and change them as desired by sliding out the decorative portion and replacing it with another different button cover. In this case however the user is required to retain and store a variety of different covers as each set must be removed to allow the use of an alternate set.  
         [0006]     Both U.S. Pat. No. 756,047, issued to Pejchar and U.S. Pat. No. 53,333, issued to Porter, disclose swivel mounted buttons. In particular, they are both directed to a toggle type button having an elongated shape wherein the button is inserted through a button hole in a parallel orientation and twisted to a position that is substantially perpendicular to the button hole to retain the button in place. While these disclosures disclose a general principle of a swivel mount for a button, they are lacking in any disclosure related to the ability to have changeable ornamental features.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, there is a need for a button that includes an interchangeable external appearance to permit the transformation of a garment to which it is attached. Further there is a need for a fastener that allows for a garment to have an interchangeable external appearance without having to utilize a variety of additional small elements and without having to remove the button from the garment.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     In this regard, the present invention provides for a fastener device that can be easily reversed to change its ornamental appearance. In accordance with the present invention a reversible button type fastener is provided. While the present invention is described as a button, for purposes of this disclosure a button should be interpreted to include any type of button style fastener including but not limited to flat buttons, domed buttons, ball shaped buttons or toggle style buttons. As will be described in more detail below, the present invention is primarily directed at providing a button that has a unique configuration and attachment method that allows it to be attached to a garment in a manner that wherein the button can be easily reversed between two different display positions without having to remove-the button from the garment.  
         [0009]     A first embodiment of the invention is shown as a traditional flat round button having one side that is black and one side that is white. The button includes two channels that extend along its diameter from the edge of the button towards its center. The channels do not extend entirely to the center thereby leaving a central portion attaching the two halves of the button. This central portion of the button serves as the means by which the button is anchored to the garment. Once the button is anchored to the garment it can be seen that the button is easily reversed between black and white by pinching the garment, rotating the button to allow the pinched fabric to pass through one of the channels and then flattening the fabric behind the button with the new side being in the display position. It should be appreciated that this general concept can also be achieved by providing only one channel in the button. In this case the button can only be rotated in one direction as compared to the two channel embodiment above but remains reversible within the scope of the present invention. Further, if the material to which the button is attached is not flexible enough to be pinched and still pass through the slot provided, the button can be fastened using an elastic material. In this manner the button can be pulled upwardly from the garment and rotated allowing the fastener material itself to pass through the slot provided in the button rather than the garment material. While this flat button embodiment is primarily shown as being circular, clearly any shaped button such as square, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal, star, etc. are also intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Further, the slot may be provided in such a manner that the side walls of the channel are tapered obliquely relative to the display surface of the button. When the walls of the channel are tapered it allows the channel to be masked giving the button a traditional appearance.  
         [0010]     Other embodiments include a spherical button or a toggle button where a channel is formed around the entire circumference of the button. The button is then fastened using thread or elastic that is passed around this channel. To provide additional security to retain the fastener onto the garment, this type button may include a hole that passes through its center whereby the fastening material passes through the bore. For toggle shaped buttons fastened in this manner the fastening material must be elastic to allow the toggle to be pulled upwardly away from the garment and flipped into the reversed position.  
         [0011]     It should be further appreciated that in terms of garments, the present invention is useful in traditional applications wherein a button is utilized to serve as a closure element. The present invention is also useful on garments wherein a toggle type device is indicated such as in a sandal that includes a strap that extends from the sole and between the wearer&#39;s toes to terminate in a toggle.  
         [0012]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a reversible fastener device having alternate ornamental surfaces wherein the fastener can be reversed without removing the fastener from the garment to which it is attached. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reversible fastener that has at least two alternate ornamental appearances wherein the fastener can be placed into a variety of display positions without the addition or removal of extraneous elements.  
         [0013]     These together with other objects of the invention, along with various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic step by step illustration of the operation of a first embodiment of the reversible fastener of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of an alternate means of attachment and operation of the reversible fastener of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic view depicting a second embodiment of the reversible fastener of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4   a  is an end view showing one configuration of the reversible fastener of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4   b  is an end view showing an alternate configuration of the reversible fastener of the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5   a  is a cross-sectional view of the reversible fastener taken along the line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5   b  is an alternate cross-sectional view of the reversible fastener taken along the line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 5   c  is a second alternate cross-sectional view of the reversible fastener taken along the line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic view depicting a third embodiment of the reversible fastener of the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic view of the reversible fastener of the present invention utilized in an earring;  
         [0025]      FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic view of the reversible fastener of the present invention utilized in a cuff link;  
         [0026]      FIG. 9  is a diagrammatic view of the reversible fastener of the present invention utilized in a bracelet; and  
         [0027]      FIG. 10  is a diagrammatic view of the reversible fastener of the present invention utilized in a sandal.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]     Now referring to the drawings, a reversible fastener device is shown and generally illustrated at  10  in the figures. As can be seen the fastener is generally depicted as a button having a traditional flat button appearance. As stated earlier, for simplicity and clarity of illustration, the present invention is generally described as a button and depicted in general as a flat button. However, this general depiction is not meant to be limiting and for purposes of this disclosure a the flat button depicted should be interpreted to include any type of button style fastener including but not limited to flat buttons, domed buttons, ball shaped buttons or toggle style buttons. Further, while the term button is utilized, the reversible element of the invention, as will be shown below has applicability in a variety of contexts outside the traditional environment typically associated with term button. As will be described in more detail below, while the present invention is primarily directed at providing a button that has a unique configuration and attachment method that allows it to be attached to a garment in a manner that wherein the button can be easily reversed between two different display positions without having to remove the button from the garment, it is also intended to encompass a variety of environments into which such a device may be incorporated.  
         [0029]     Turning to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the present invention is depicted in the form of a flat button  10  having a first side  12  and a second side  14  opposite the first side  12 , wherein the first  12  and second  14  sides have different ornamental appearances. In this case the first side  12  is illustrated as being white and the second side  14  is illustrated as being black. The button  10  has left  16  and right  18  side portions that are connected by a shaft portion  20  that extends between the left  16  and right  18  side portions. In this manner, the left  16  and right  18  sides are maintained in spaced apart relation defining a narrow channel  22  extending there between from the edge of the button  10  to the shaft portion  20 . The button  10  is fastened to a substrate material  24  utilizing any suitable fastening element  26  such as a thread, yam, plastic strip or metal staple. The fastening element  26  serves to engage both the shaft portion  20  and the underlying substrate  24  thereby holding the button  10  in attached relation to the substrate  24 . The fastening element  26  may simply loop over the shaft portion  22  or wrap fully around the shaft portion  22  as it then engages with the substrate material  24 .  
         [0030]     While the button in  FIG. 1  is illustrated as a flat button  10  having one white side and one black side, it can be appreciated by one skilled in the relevant art that any variety of ornamental elements can be combined and placed on the first  12  and second  14  opposing sides of the button  10 . The button  10  could utilize any variation of color and texture to provide contrasting first  12  and second  14  sides. For example one side could be colored and smooth while the opposite side may be the same color but textured. The opposing sides  12 ,  14  may have different colors, textures or profiles and still fall within the present invention. Further, while this flat button  10  embodiment is primarily shown as being circular, clearly any shaped button such as square, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal, star, etc. are also intended to be within the scope of the disclosure.  
         [0031]     One manner in which the reversible fastener of the present invention may operate is illustrated in the sequential diagrams in  FIG. 1 . Starting on the left of the figure, the button  10  is shown lying flat on the substrate material  24  with the white side  12  showing. The next picture shows that the substrate  24  is pinched together as indicated by the two arrows  28 . In the third picture, the button is shown being rotated as indicated by the arrows  30  whereby the pinched substrate  24  passes through the channel  22  provided between the left  16  and right  18  sides of the button. Finally, in the fourth picture, once the button  10  is in the reversed position, with the black side  14  showing, the substrate  24  is returned to its original flat state as indicated by the arrows  32 . In this manner is can be seen that the present invention provides a fastener  10  that is easily reversible without having to remove the fastener  10  from the substrate  24  and without having to remove portions of the button  10  itself.  
         [0032]     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , an alternate means for attaching the button  10  to a substrate  24  is illustrated. In this case the button  10  is show attached to a substrate  24  that is not particularly flexible. In particular, the substrate material  24  is not amenable to being pinched to allow passage through the channel  22  in the button  10 . Instead, the button  10  is attached to the substrate using an elastic fastening means  27 . Accordingly, in operation, the button  10  is lifted from the substrate stretching the elastic fastening means  27  as shown by the arrow  34 . The fastener  10  is then rotated in accordance with the second arrow  36  to reverse the display face of the button  10 . In this embodiment, the elastic fastening means  27  itself passes through the channel  22  in the button  10  rather than the pinched substrate  24 . Once the button  10  is rotated it is released and the elastic fastening means  27  draws the button  10  back down onto the substrate  24 .  
         [0033]     In  FIG. 3  an alternate embodiment of the button itself is shown and illustrated generally at  100 . In this embodiment, the button  100  includes left  16  and right  18  sides as described above, however, a channel  122  is provided only along half of the diameter of the button  100 . Opposite the channel  122  on the other side of the shaft portion  120  a hole  128  is provided to allow the fastening means  126  to engage the shaft portion  120  but the channel  122  does not extend on that side of the shaft portion  120 . This embodiment functions identically to the embodiment described above in all respects except that the button  100  can only be rotated in one direction rather that two as provided above. In this embodiment it is anticipated that the reversible fastener  100  will also function well in an anchoring application wherein the reversible fastener  100  is rotated so that the plane of the fastener  100  lies in alignment with the fastening means  126  itself. The button  100  is then inserted through an opening  130  in an object to be retained  132  and rotated to a position perpendicular to the fastening means  126  thereby preventing the button  100  from being withdrawn from the opening  130  into which it was inserted.  
         [0034]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  illustrate the side view for two configurations of the reversible fastener  10  of the present invention. In  FIG. 4   a,  the side walls  38  of the channel  22  extending from the front  12  of the button  10  to the rear  14  of the button  10  are substantially perpendicular to the front face  12  of the button  10 . In  FIG. 4   b,  the walls  40  are shown at an angle relative to the front face  12  of the button  10 . In this configuration, the appearance of the channel  22  as viewed from the front face  12  of the button  10  are minimized thereby providing the channel  22  with a narrower appearance without reducing the actual dimension of the channel  22  and restricting the ability of the substrate material  24  to pass through the channel  22 .  
         [0035]      FIGS. 5   a,    5   b  and  5   c  show three possible constructions for the button  10  of the present invention. These cross sectional views illustrate that the button  10  can be formed entirely monolithically as one single piece. Similarly, as shown in  FIG. 5   b  the button  10  can be molded in two pieces and then assembled to form a single button  10 . In this case, the shaft portion  20  may be received and retained in the second side  16  of the button  10  frictionally. Alternately, an adhesive may be employed or the second side  16  of the button may be insert molded around the end of the shaft  20 . The example in  FIG. 5   c  illustrates that the shaft portion  20  may be insert molded into both the left  16  and right  18  sides of the button  10  thereby allowing the shaft  20  to be provided as a metal element while the balance of the button  10  is formed from an alternate material such as plastic. Ultimately, the method of fabrication is governed by the selection of particular materials used to form the button  10 , the desired end appearance of the button  10  and the method by which the button  10  is to be manufactured. These cross sections are shown in order to illustrate that a variety of materials and methods of manufacture are anticipated by the present disclosure the illustrations are not meant to be limiting in that all manufacturing methods are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.  
         [0036]     Turning now to  FIG. 6 , another alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown and generally illustrated at  200 . In this particular embodiment a ball or spherical toggle type button  200  is shown. As disclosed above, the button  200  includes left  216  and right  218  sides joined by a shaft portion wherein the fastening means  226  extends around the shaft portion to hold the button  200  onto the substrate material  24 . In this embodiment the button  200  still includes first  216  and second  218  halves that are generally defined and demarcated by a line that extends around the circumference of the button  200 . The button  200  is reversed from a first ornamental side  212  to a second ornamental side  214  as described above by rotating the button  200  around the shaft portion and placing the desired ornamental side  212 ,  214  in the exposed viewing position. While in  FIG. 6  the button  200  is shown as spherical it could also be ellipsoidal, conical, frustroconical, cylindrical, tetrahedron or any combination thereof.  
         [0037]      FIGS. 7, 8 ,  9  and  10  illustrate a variety of possible applications for the reverse fastener of the present invention.  FIG. 7  shows the reverse fastener  10  as the ornamental portion of an earring. In this application, the fastening member  300  is actually the earring post  300  wrapped around the shaft portion  20  of the reversible fastener  10 . As can be seen, the earring is removed from the ear, rotated into the desired display position and replaced into the wearer&#39;s ear. Similarly,  FIG. 8  illustrates the reversible fastener  10  in the ornamental portion of cuff links  302 .  FIG. 9  places the reversible fastener  10  on a bracelet  304 .  
         [0038]      FIG. 10  utilizes the reversible fastener  10  as the top portion of a thong type strap for use in sandals  306 . In this application, the fastening member  308  extends upwardly from the sole of a sandal  306  and between the toes of the wearer of the sandal  306 . The reversible fastener  10  resides against the top of the wearer&#39;s foot adjacent the top of the wearer&#39;s toes.  
         [0039]     It can therefore be seen that the present invention provides a reversible fastener  10  member that has a wide applicability with regard to a broad range of garments and fashion accessories. It should be emphasized that the principal of the present invention lies in the general configuration that allows the central fastening of the button to the substrate and the rotation of the button from a first side to a second side without removing it from the substrate and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular ornamental surfaces or shapes described. For these reasons, the instant invention is believed to represent a significant advancement in the art, which has substantial commercial merit.  
         [0040]     While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.