Patent Publication Number: US-8522404-B2

Title: Button assembly

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of application Ser. No. 61/161,449 filed Mar. 19, 2009. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a button assembly for buttoning an article of clothing. Specifically the present invention relates to a button assembly having pivotable button head pivotably mounted to a base. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Buttons are used for fastening an article of clothing. For instance it is commonly known to sew a plurality of buttons onto a coat. The buttons are aligned to engage corresponding buttonholes so as to allow the coat to be fastened. Accordingly buttons are preferably mounted onto an article of clothing such that the button may be manipulated and inserted into a corresponding buttonhole of an article of clothing. However, the threads may wear over time as the button is subject to twisting and turning when inserted into the buttonhole. Thus, sewn buttons tend to fall off after a period of time. 
     It is also known to use mechanical devices to button an article of clothing together. For instance one such device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,443 to Camporese. The &#39;433 patent discloses a button assembly including a base, an elongated shaft, and a button head. The elongated shaft has a pointed end which is operable to engage a receiving portion of the button head. However such configuration does not allow the button head to rotate in three-dimensional space about the shaft. Thus, the pointed end of the shaft is placed through a buttonhole and the button head is mounted thereon. Naturally, the button head may be separated from the base and thus render the device inoperable. 
     Accordingly it is desirable to have a button assembly wherein the button head is able to rotate in all directions so as to accommodate the insertion of the button head into a buttonhole. It is further desirable to have a button assembly wherein the button head is retained onto the base so that the two pieces remain together thus mitigating the chances of losing one piece and rendering the device inoperable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES 
     A button assembly including a button head having a mounting portion and an elongated shaft attached to a base is provided. The button assembly includes a bearing member disposed on one end of the shaft. The bearing member is configured to fittingly engage the mounting portion of the button head so as to pivotably attach the button head to the shaft. The base may be inserted into an article of clothing in alignment with a corresponding buttonhole. Accordingly the user is able to rotate and pivot the button head about the bearing member of the shaft so as to facilitate the insertion of the button head into the buttonhole. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of  FIG. 4  showing the elongated shaft displaced from the base; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention sewn onto an article of clothing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the Figures a button assembly  10  is provided. The button assembly  10  has a button head  12  with a mounting portion  14 , an elongated shaft  16  having a bearing member  18 , and a base  20 . The base  20  is attached to one end of the elongated shaft  16  and the bearing member  18  is attached to the other end of the elongated shaft  16 . The bearing member  18  is pushed through a portion of an article of clothing  22  so as to place the base  20  on the other side of the article of clothing  22 . The button head  12  may then be mounted onto the bearing member  18  so as to rotatably attach the button head  12  to the shaft. The button head  12  may be manipulated to facilitate insertion of the button head  12  into a buttonhole  24 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . Specifically, the button head  12  may be rotated in three-dimensional space. 
     The button head  12  may be made of any material currently known and used in the art such as plastic, metal, brass and the like. The button head  12  has an outer surface  26  which may be adorned with features to provide an aesthetically pleasing look. For instance, the outer surface  26  may be brass plated, or include a logo or other indicia. The button head  12  further includes a back side  28  opposite the outer surface  26 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 1 , a first preferred embodiment of the button assembly  10  is provided. The mounting portion  14  may be disposed on the back side  28  of the button head  12 . The mounting portion  14  may be integrally formed to the button head  12  or may be attached thereon using known attaching methods such as welding, adhesives or the like. The mounting portion  14  has an opening  30  leading into a chamber  32 . The chamber  32  includes a first inner wall surface  34  that is generally hemispherical. The opening  30  is configured to fittingly receive the bearing member  18 . 
     The bearing member  18  is disposed on one end of the elongated shaft  16 . The other end of the elongated shaft  16  is fixedly mounted to the base  20 . The bearing member  18  is generally spherical and is formed from a resilient material, such as plastic or metal. The bearing member  18  may be pushed through the opening  30  of the mounting portion  14  in what is commonly referred to by those skilled in the art as a snap fit engagement. The bearing member  18  is disposed within the hemispherical chamber  32  of the mounting portion  14  so as to couple the elongated shaft  16  to the button head  12 . The bearing member  18  is rotatably disposed within the chamber  32  so as to allow the button head  12  to pivot generally freely in three-dimensional space. 
     Bearing members  18  currently known and used in the art are adaptable for use herein, illustratively including a ball bearing. The ball bearing is generally round and rigidly attached to the free end of the shaft. Preferably a portion of the ball bearing extends outwardly beyond the opening  30  of the mounting portion  14  so as to provide for a greater range of motion of the button head  12  around the bearing assembly. The button head  12  is rotatable about the bearing member  18  so as to be tilted with respect to the elongated shaft  16 . For instance, the button head  12  may be turned freely so as to complete revolutions around the bearing assembly while simultaneously pivoting such that the plane defined by the back side  28  of the button head  12  is angled relative to the axis of the elongated shaft  16 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 2 , an exploded view of the first preferred embodiment of the invention is provided. The button head  12  includes a first head portion  36  and a second head portion  38 . The first head portion  36  includes the outer surface  26  of the button head  12 . The second head portion  38  includes the back side  28  and the mounting portion  14 . The first head portion  36  further includes a fastener  40 . The fastener  40  is generally a male portion  42   a  extending outwardly from the surface opposite the outer surface  26 . The fastener  40  may further include flanges  42   b  disposed on the free end of the male portion  42   a . The second head portion  38  further includes a female portion  44  configured to engage the fastener  40  so as to couple the first and second head portions  36 ,  38  together. The button head  12  may be injection molded, and the first head portion  36  is coupled to the second head portion  38  in a snap fit engagement. 
     The mounting portion  14  includes a first mounting portion  46  and a second mounting portion  48 . The first mounting portion  46  is disposed on the first head portion  36  and the second mounting portion  48  is disposed on the second head portion  38 . The first mounting portion  46  is generally cone shaped. The first mounting portion  46  includes first support member having a rim  50  bounding the chamber  32 , also referenced herein as a hemispherical pocket  32 . The hemispherical pocket  32  is defined by the first inner wall surface  34 . The first inner wall surface  34  is generally hemispherical and configured to receive the bearing member  18  of the elongated shaft  16 . The second mounting portion  48  includes a second support member  56  having a body  58 . The body  58  of the second support member  56  includes an inner body surface  60  adapted to engage the first support member. The second mounting portion  48  further includes an aperture  62  configured to receive a portion of the elongated shaft  16 . 
     The elongated shaft  16  may be made from a rigid material such as metal or a hardened composite such as plastic. Preferably, the elongated shaft  16  includes a plurality of grooves  64  disposed along the outer surface. Each of the plurality of grooves  64  is spaced apart from the other and extends annularly along the outer surface  26  of the elongated shaft  16  so as to bound the outer surface  26  of the elongated shaft  16 . The plurality of grooves  64  forms circumferential ridges  66  on the outer surface  26  of the elongated shaft  16 . The elongated shaft  16  may further include a piercing member  52  disposed opposite the bearing member  18 . 
     The base  20  may be formed of material similar to that of the elongated shaft  16 . The base  20  includes a receiving portion  68 . The receiving portion  68  of the base  20  includes an inner peripheral wall  70  defining an aperture  62 . Preferably the aperture  62  is shaped like a slit. The elongated shaft  16  may be inserted within the slit of the receiving portion  68  so as to selectively engage the inner peripheral wall  70  with one of the plurality of grooves  64 . Accordingly, the distance between the button head  12  and the base  20  may be adjusted. 
     The base  20  may further include a plurality of teeth  72  disposed on the surface of the base  20 . The plurality of teeth  72  is operable to engage an article of clothing  22  so as to help retain the base  20  to the article of clothing  22 . Alternatively, the base  20  may include a layer of adhesive  73  for attaching the base  20  to the article of clothing  22 . Other known methods for attaching the base  20  to the article of clothing  22  may be employed, for instance, a base  20  made of heat stakeable material such as plastic may be heat sealed to the article of clothing  22 . 
     In assembly, the elongated shaft  16  is pushed through the aperture  62  of the second mounting portion  48  so as to place the bearing member  18  within the body  58  of the second mounting portion  48 . The first head portion  36  is then coupled to the second head portion  38  so as to enclose the bearing member  18  between the body  58  of the second support member  56  and the first inner wall surface  34  of the first mounting portion  46 . The button head  12  may then move in three-dimensional space about the bearing member  18 . 
     The base  20  may be positioned on one side of an article of clothing  22 , and the piercing member  52  of the base  20  may be used to pierce through the clothing and engage the receiving portion  68  of the base  20 . Thus the button assembly  10  is fastened to the article of clothing  22 . Preferably, the button assembly  10  is fastened along a portion of the article of clothing  22  corresponding to a buttonhole  24 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . The button head  12  may be rotated to facilitate the insertion of the button head  12  into the corresponding buttonhole  24 . Further, the button assembly  10  eliminates the time consuming chore of sewing buttons onto clothing. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5  a second preferred embodiment of the button assembly  110  is provided, wherein like parts are indicated by numerals offset by  100 . In the second preferred embodiment, the elongated shaft  116  is pivotably mounted to the base  120  and fixedly mounted to the button head  112 . The elongated shaft  116  is formed of a resilient material such as plastic. The elongated shaft  116  includes a link aperture  76 . The base  120  includes a link  78 . The link  78  is fitted through the link aperture  76  and the each end of the link  78  is fixedly mounted to the base  120 . A portion of the link  78  is raised above the base  120  so as to keep the end of the elongated shaft  116  free of the base  120  so as to facilitate the pivot of the elongated shaft  116  about the link  78 . 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , an embodiment of the second preferred embodiment is provided. The back side  128  of the button head  112  includes an arrow head opening  80  leading into a pocket  82  configured to receive the arrow head  74 . The pocket  82  includes an inner wall surface  84 . The elongated shaft  116  is coupled to the button head  112  by simply inserting the arrow head  74  into the arrow head opening  80 . The arrow head  74  is compressed as it passes through the arrow head opening  80  and expands when fully disposed within the pocket  82 . The ends of the arrow head  74  return to its natural state and prevent the elongated shaft  116  from being dislodged from the button head  112  by engaging the inner wall surface  84  of the pocket  82 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 6 , a third preferred embodiment of the button assembly  210  is provided, wherein like parts are indicated by numerals offset by  200 . In the third preferred embodiment, the elongated shaft  216  is made of a flexible material such as rubber. The free end of the elongated shaft  216  is mounted onto the base  220 , or may be integrally formed to the base  220 . The bearing member  218  is disposed within the mounting portion  214 . The button head  212  is pivotable in three-dimensional space, and the elongated shaft  16  may be flexed in three-dimensional space as well. Thus, the user may freely manipulate the button head  212  so as to facilitate the insertion of the button head  212  into a buttonhole  224 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 7 , a fourth preferred embodiment of the button assembly  310  is provided, wherein like parts are indicated by numerals offset by  300 . In the fourth preferred embodiment, the base  320  is generally circular. The receiving portion  368  includes an inner peripheral wall  70  bounding space defining a square shaped aperture. The elongated shaft  316  is faulted from a resilient material such as plastic or rubber. The elongated shaft  316  includes a bearing member  318  on one end and a barbed end  88  opposite the bearing member  318 . The barbed end  88  of the elongated shaft  316  is inserted into the receiving portion  368  so as to couple the elongated shaft  316  to the base  320  by a snap fit engagement. 
     With reference again to  FIG. 8 , a perspective view of the button assembly  10  mounted to an article of clothing  22  is provided. The button head  12  may be rotated in three-dimensional space to facilitate the insertion of the button head  12  into the corresponding buttonhole  24 . Further, the button assembly  10  eliminates the time consuming chore of sewing buttons onto clothing. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the button assembly  10  is more durable than buttons that are sewn onto an article of clothing  22 . Specifically, dry cleaning and washing operations may cause threads to wear over time. However, the button assembly  10  of the present invention is mechanically linked to the article of clothing  22  and is formed from material that is more resilient than thread. 
     The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is therefore to be understood that the terminology used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than limitation. Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings without varying from the scope and spirit of the invention described herein.