Patent Abstract:
A button restraint system involves a backing clip, an elastic band, and a specialty needle device and further describes a method of use thereof. The needle is used to route and secure the band through a fabric garment and through aperture portions of a button. The band is then secured to the backing clip to hold the button against the fabric. The system obviates the need for a conventional needle and thread to attach the button.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/831,295, filed Jun. 5, 2013, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a device attachable to a dock piling particularly suited for protecting docking watercraft. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are a wide variety of attachment systems and methods used upon clothing such as zippers, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, and the like. But, perhaps the most common of these systems and methods are the ordinary button and button hole. The button has been used for countless generations for quickly and easily securing clothing. Unfortunately, it is also perhaps the most prone to failing by having buttons fall off of clothing. Detachment usually occurs at the most in opportune time when an article of clothing is needed the most. This forces a user to expend valuable time to either sew the button back on or find an alternate piece of clothing. Many people do not possess suitable seamstress skills, thus forcing a costly repair, or an even costlier replacement of the entire item of clothing. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which buttons can be replaced upon clothing in either a temporary or permanent fashion in order to increase its useful lifetime. The development of the present invention and Method Thereof fulfills this need. 
     Prior art in this field consists of needle and thread systems or button backing systems. Prior art needle and thread systems attempt to alleviate the burdens associated with threading the needle; however, they still rely on weaving a thread through a button and an article of fabric as the means of securement. Some prior art needle and thread systems require elaborate and expensive needles to achieve this goal. Most prior art button backing systems obviate the need of a needle and thread all-together; however, current button backings fail to provide much needed flexibility and movement for the button. Furthermore, most backings tend to be bulky and cumbersome. Additionally, button backing systems require special buttons. It is an object of this invention to provide a system and method of securing any style button in a quicker, easier, and more effective manner. It is a further object of this invention to incorporate the best aspects of a needle and thread system with a button backing system. It is a further object of this invention to provide a means to quickly and easily couple and de-couple the thread to the needle. It is a further object of this invention to provide a more flexible securement of the button with the backing so as to obviate failure due to constrained maneuverability, as exhibited by prior art systems and methods, but without compromising the integrity of the securement. 
     The disclosed system and method provides a means to attach buttons to a fabric without the traditional needle and thread approach, and may be used with almost any type of fabric or button type, including shank button styles, two-hole button styles, or four-hole button styles. The system utilizes a flexible band with a retaining clip that holds a button firmly against an article of fabric. After the button has been retained in place by the system, the button is subsequently used for a means of securement for multiple articles of fabric by being pushed through a button hole. The system provides for flexibility and movement greater than that achieved by prior art button restraining systems, techniques, and methods due to the flexible band. 
     When installing a button, the flexible band is first coupled to a specially designed needle. The special design enables a user to easily and removably couple the band to the needle as opposed to threading it through an eyelet portion of a needle, as is done with prior art needle and thread systems. After being coupled to the needle, the flexible band is received by the retaining clip. As the retaining clip is maintained at a stationary position at a rear face of the article of fabric, the band is threaded through a rear of the fabric. The band is then threaded through a button aperture of a button located at a front face of the fabric. It is then threaded back through a button aperture, and through a front face of the fabric. This process may be continued to provide a desired level of securement. The needle is then de-coupled from the band, where installation may be completed by fastening the retaining clip in place about the band. The various components of the system are available as a kit that comprises multiple bands, retaining clips, and at least one needle contained in a case. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The system provides a means to hold a button in place upon a surface of a fabric, which also includes a case to hold and transport all of the components of the system. The system utilizes a securement arrangement comprising an elastic band with a retention clip that not only holds the button against the fabric, but also provides added flexibility and movement within the securement. The securement arrangement is applied to an article of fabric via a specially designed needle having a generally “S”-shaped side slot portion to slidably accept the band. The needle, along with the coupled band, are threaded through an article of fabric and through button apertures to be retained in place with the retaining clip. The retaining clip has a clam-shell configuration to clamp around the band. After the band has been threaded through the article of fabric and the button, the band is removed from the “S”-shaped slot of the needle. If desired, the retaining clip is fastened in place about the band with the use of a fastener that enables repeated use of a clip. The system is preferably presented in a kit form, wherein a plurality of retaining clips, bands, and at least one needle are provided in a case. The case is a two-member unit, wherein a top member is hingedly attached to a bottom member. The case is configured to be durable and transportable. 
     In use, a first portion of a band is positioned within the clip, whereas a second portion of the band is slidably inserted into the slot portion of a needle. The needle and the band are then threaded through a rear side of an article of fabric until the clip abuts the rear side of the article. The needle and band are then threaded through at least one aperture of a button and back through the front face of the article. If desired, this process is repeated. Whether performed once or in iteration, both the clip and the button are snug against the front and rear faces of the article, respectively. The clip may then be fastened around the band if it is preferred. This method of securing the button is considerably quicker and easier than that of prior art methods and systems. Furthermore, the elastic band and clip securement configuration provides added flexibility and movement not achieved by prior art methods and systems. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a button restraint system  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2   a  is a perspective view of the button restraint system  10  depicting initial engagement of a needle portion  50  with a button  100 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2   b  is another perspective view of the button restraint system  10  depicting secondary engagement of the needle portion  50  with the button  100 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a clip portion  20  of the button restraint system  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the button restraint system  10  depicting a case  60 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
           10  button restraint system 
           20  clip 
           22  first cover 
           24  second cover 
           26  first hinge 
           28  male fastener 
           30  female fastener 
           40  band 
           50  needle 
           52  side slot 
           60  case 
           62  compartment 
           64  lid 
           66  second hinge 
           68   a  first latching feature 
           68   b  second latching feature 
           100  button 
           102  aperture 
           105  fabric 
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 4 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention, and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     The present invention describes a button restraint system and method of use (herein described as the “system”)  10 , by which buttons  100  are attached to fabric  105  by substituting an elastic band  40  in place of a conventional threaded attachment. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of the system  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The system  10  operates without the traditional method of needle and thread, and also works with almost any type of fabric  105  or button types  100 . Although illustrated here being utilized upon a common two-hole button  100 , it is understood that the system  10  may work equally well on other button types such as shank style, four-hole, and others. The system  10  utilizes an elastic rubber or plastic band  40  that holds the button  100  firmly against the fabric  105 , and allows for greater flexibility and movement when the button  100  is being subsequently pushed through a corresponding button hole. The flexible band  40  is attached to a specially designed needle  50  comprising a generally “S”-shaped side slot portion  52  which allows the continuous circular band  40  to be easily looped into and out of said side slot  52 . The needle  50  is envisioned to be similar to commercially-available products distributed by the TELEBRANDS CORPORATION®. The needle  50  and attached band  40  pass through the fabric garment  105  and through aperture portions  102  of the button  100 , being retained in position using a retaining clip  20  located beneath the fabric  105  (see  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b ). 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , perspective views of the system  10  depicting sequential engagement of the needle portion  50  through the button  100 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, are disclosed. The clip  20  provides a locking clam-shell structure which clamps around the band  40  and is then snapped shut via a fastening means  28  (see  FIG. 3 ). In use, one (1) portion of the band  40  is initially positioned within the clip  20 , and an opposing portion is inserted into the side slot  52  of the needle  50 . The needle  50  along with the attached band  40  then penetrate the fabric  105  and pass through an aperture portion  102  of the button  100 . The needle  50  and attached band  40  are then re-inserted through another aperture  102  and through the fabric  105 . The band  40  is secured within the clip  20  which is then fastened shut, and the band  40  is extracted from the side slot portion  52  of the needle  50  to complete the installation of the button  100 . The system  10  is envisioned to be introduced in a kit format for convenient storage (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a perspective view of a clip portion  20  of the system  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The clip  20  comprises a molded plastic closure further comprising semi-circular portions including a first cover  22 , a second cover  24 . The covers  22 ,  24  are joined by an integral tunnel-shaped first hinge  26  which provides clearance for the band  40  when inserted therein and the clip  20  closed. The first  22  and second  24  covers comprise respective integral male fastener  28  and female fastener  30  portions providing complimenting insertable spherical shapes which provide snapping and locking of the clip  20  in a closed state via an interference fit, thereby allowing repeated usage of said clip  20  if desired (see  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b ). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an exploded view of the system  10  depicting a kit form, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The system  10  is envisioned to be provided with a molded plastic case  60  being made available in various attractive colors and patterns, and capable of discreetly containing a plurality of clips  20 , a plurality of bands  40 , and a needle  50 . The case  60  provides a generally rectangular or ovular shape being foldable and lockable. The case  60  further comprises a bottom compartment  62  being suitable to hold the aforementioned portions, and an identically-shaped lid  64  being affixed to each other via at least one (1) integrally-molded second hinge  66  along a rear edge portion. The compartment  62  and lid  64  portions of the case  60  further comprise respective interlocking molded first and second latching features  68   a ,  68   b  along a front edge portion, which enable the case  60  to be stored securely in a closed state until needed. The case  60  is envisioned to be small enough to fit in a purse, in a desk at work, in a car glove box, or in a sewing box. 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the system  10 , it would be installed as indicated in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b.    
     The method of installing and utilizing the system  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: procuring the system  10  in a kit form containing a desired number of clips  20  and bands  40 ; opening the case  60  and extracting a clip  20 , a band  40 , and a needle  50 ; positioning a perimeter portion of the band  40  within the first hinge portion  26  of the clip  20 ; inserting another perimeter portion of the band  40  into the side slot portion  52  of the needle  50 ; securing the band  40  within the side slot  52  by sliding the band  40  toward an adjacent end portion of the needle  50 ; placing the button  100  in a needed location upon the fabric  105 ; pushing the needle  50  and band  40  up through the fabric  105  and through an aperture  102  of the button  100 ; pulling the needle  50  and band  40  completely through the aperture  102  until the clip  20  is snug against the underside of the fabric  105 ; pushing the needle  50  down through an adjacent aperture  102  in the button  100 ; pulling the needle  50  and band  40  downward until the button  100  is tight against the fabric  105 ; inserting the forward perimeter portion of the band  40  into the first hinge portion  26  of the clip  20 ; locking the clip  20  in a closed state around the two (2) perimeter sections of the band  40  by engaging and snapping the male  28  and female  30  fastener portions of said clip  20  together; removing the needle  50  from the band  40  by extracting and detaching the band  40  from the side slot  52 ; repeating the above steps to attach additional buttons  100  to the fabric  105 , as needed; and, benefiting from a portable and quick means of installing a button  100  upon a garment afforded a user of the present invention  10 . 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention and method of use to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions or substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but is intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3