Patent Publication Number: US-2005138985-A1

Title: Portable fasteners setting tool and method of manufacture

Description:
This application claims the priority date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/530,734, filed Dec. 17, 2003. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates generally to upholstery tools. Specifically, the present illustrated embodiments describe a type of hand held tool designed to aid an upholsterer, or a similar craftsman, in setting fasteners, such as snaps or grommets, in a more effective, portable, and reliable manner, and a method of manufacturing the same.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT(S) AND PRIOR ART  
      Upholsterers are subject to a myriad of risks while performing their labors. Among these risks are the ever present concerns of slipping and falling off of a boat or similar project site, while endeavoring to set fasteners within a material, such as a boat canopy or canvas, with both hands. In addition, there are other risks of injury associated with committing two hands to a fastening job, such as material recoil. To mitigate these risks, there are several methods or tools, known in the prior art, that are designed to be used with a single hand in order to allow a craftsman to use his/her other hand for balance, support, or grip. However, it is well recognized that these typical and well-known tools also have inherent problems.  
      Known fasteners setting tools that are designed for single hand use, utilize interchangeable dies. These dies are removably attached to the jaws of a pliers or vise, using a variety of methods. As is well recognized by one skilled in the art of using and making these known tools, the interchangeable design fails over an extended period. Over time, the interchangeable dies begin to lose their ability to achieve a clean roll crimp, i.e. the roll crimp distorts with extended use. In addition, interchangeable dies lose their ability to lock onto the base tool, such as a vise, over time. This failure causes craftsmen to lose dies and to mis-crimp a larger number of fasteners because the dies do not lock into the optimal crimping position upon the tool. Further, interchangeable die tools, as can be seen in the prior art, add time and expense to the fastener setting process by requiring dies to be changed out, by requiring the replacement of lost dies, and by requiring the purchase of additional fasteners to account for mis-crimps. Finally, the use of interchangeable dies necessitates the use of larger base pliers and/or vise tools in order to accommodate the interchangeable design. Larger base tools add to total weight and may contribute to arthritis and other medical ailments.  
      Thus, it can be clearly recognized that there is a need for a portable fastener setting tool designed to provide upholsterers, or similar craftsmen, with long-lasting and reliable crimping capacity, as well as an integrated light-weight die/tool design. It is also clearly recognized that there is a need for a similar device that is designed to maximize fastener-setting efficiencies in a portable design.  
      The following United States patents are herein incorporated by reference for their supporting teachings:  
      U.S. Design Pat. No. 221,126  
      U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,874  
     SUMMARY OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT(S)  
      The present invention relates to fastener setting tools. Specifically, the present illustrated embodiments describe a type of hand held pliers or vise pliers tool designed to aid an upholsterer, or a similar craftsman, in setting fasteners, such as snaps or grommets, in a more effective, portable, and reliable manner, and a method of manufacturing the same.  
      More particularly, a uniquely designed upper die and lower die are integrally attached to jaws of a known vise pliers tool. The upper die is designed to receive and crimp a cap portion of a fastener, such as a snap fastener, and the lower die is designed to receive and crimp a socket portion of the same. A method of attaching the upper and lower dies to the jaws of the base tool is also described, wherein the jaws of the base tool are mechanically ground to a predetermined thickness and surface porosity, and the upper and lower dies are silver soldered to the respective jaws.  
      Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which together illustrate by way of example, the features of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
      The prior features of the summary of the illustrated embodiment(s) will become more evident upon examination of the following detailed description in conjunction with the following figures, wherein like element numbers represent like elements throughout:  
       FIG. 1  represents a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  represents a side perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  represents a top perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  represents a bottom perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 5  represents a close-up side view of the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 , with pliers jaws in a closed position;  
       FIG. 6  represents an opposite side view of the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 5 , with jaws in an open position, and showing a sample fastener;  
       FIG. 7  represents a top view of the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 8  represents a bottom view of the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 9  represents a top perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 10  represents a front schematic view and a cross-sectional view of an upper die of the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 11  represents a front schematic view and cross-sectional views of a lower die of the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 12  represents a series of perspective views of sample fasteners for use as subject fasteners of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 13  represents a series of perspective views of sample fasteners for use as subject grommet fasteners of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT(S)  
      For the purpose of promoting an understanding of some of the principles of the illustrated embodiment(s), reference will now be made to exemplary embodiment(s) that are illustrated in the figures, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the claims is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of these principles, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art after having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered well within the scope of this invention. Reference will now be made to all of the Figures,  1  through  13 , of the present invention, wherein like element numbers represent like elements throughout.  
       10 . General device—represents the portable fastener setting tool of the present invention.  
       12 . Pliers—represents the base tool upon which the present invention is integrally attached, which may include pliers or vise pliers.  
       14 . Pliers jaws—represents a jaw portion of the pliers, to which the present invention is integrally attached.  
       16 . Upper die—represents an upper die of the present invention, which is integrally attached to an upper jaw (see  20 ) of the plier  12 . The upper die  16  is designed and configured to receive a top portion, including caps and buttons, of a fastener or grommet in order to provide a uniform surface against which the fastener or grommet may be crimped and set.  
       18 . Lower die—represents a lower die of the present invention, which is integrally attached to a lower jaw (see  22 ) of the pliers  12 . The lower die  18  is designed and configured to receive a lower portion, including sockets, studs, gypsy studs, and posts, of a fastener or grommet in order to provide a uniform surface against which the fastener or grommet may be roll crimped and set.  
       20 . Upper jaw—represents the upper, or topside, jaw of the pliers  12 .  
       22 . Lower jaw—represents the lower, or bottom side, jaw of the pliers  12 .  
       24 . Socket set ring—represents a raised concentric ring within the lower die  18  for setting and holding a lower portion of a fastener, such as a socket.  
       26 . Post crimp point—represents a raised portion of the lower die  18  within the socket set ring  24  for forcing a post or stud of the lower portion of the fastener to roll and crimp when force is applied to the pliers by squeezing its handles together.  
       28 . Sample fastener—represents any fastener, such as a grommet, snap, or eyelet, that maintains a top cap or button portion and a bottom socket, stud, and/or post portion of the fastener.  
       30 . Fastener retention ring—represents a raised ring within an outside circumference of the upper die  16  and lower die  18  for retaining the fastener during crimping.  
       32 . Optional cap stamp—represents a geometrical shape, such as a circle, stamp for marking a top cap portion of a fastener during crimping.  
      A method of permanently attaching the upper die  16  and lower die  18  to the pliers  12  includes the following steps: grinding the upper jaw  20  and lower jaw  22  of the pliers  12  to a predetermined smoothness and surface porosity; placing the upper die  16  and lower die  18  in contact with the upper jaw  20  and lower jaw  22  respectively, ensuring that the dies  16 ,  18  are aligned vertically and horizontally so that the dies  16 ,  18  are parallel at the point of crimping a fastener; and integrally attaching the dies  16 ,  18  by silver soldering the upper die  16  to the upper jaw  20  and the lower die  18  to the lower jaws  22  of the pliers  12 .  
     REMARKS ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT(S)  
      The illustrated embodiments have taught several improvements over previously known methods of setting fasteners, such as a snap within fabric, that will be readily understood by a skilled artisan after review of the present disclosure. For example, it has been discussed that the unique combination of the shape and permanent attachment of the present invention to a pliers or vise pliers tool allows upholsterers, or similar craftsmen, to more safely and efficiently set fasteners.  
      It is pointed out, if it has not already been made clear, that the backbone of the illustrated embodiments to achieve the aforementioned tasks is the ability of the present invention to maximize roll crimp efficiency and reliability in a portable, one hand design. This is accomplished through the unique design of the upper and lower dies, and the unique form of attachment of these dies to the base tool. Further, it is the permanent attachment of the dies to the base pliers tool, and method of performing the same, that provide the present invention with its advantages over the prior art.  
      Based on the reasons outline above, the present invention may ultimately serve to reduce costs to upholsterers and do-it-yourself fabric workers by reducing the amount of replacement material(s) needed to compensate for lost or damaged fasteners and fabrics. In addition, the present invention may drastically reduce the incidence of injuries typically caused by dual hand methods of fastener setting.  
     VARIATIONS OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT(S)  
      It is understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements.  
      For example, although the illustrative embodiments have described the use of vise pliers as the base tool, pliers and other similar tools, such as c-clamps, are also envisioned within the scope of the present invention.  
      The present invention also contemplates variations in the manner of attaching the dies to the jaws of the pliers. In addition to silver solder, the present invention envisions the use of a weld as well. Similarly, the size of the pliers and dies may be altered to accommodate a wide array of fastener types, as are depicted in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , depending on the requirements of a specific application.  
      Thus, while the present invention has been shown in the drawings and fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly, and use may be made, without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the claims.