Abstract:
Fasteners for suspending aperture curtains, such as shower curtains, from a horizontal rod comprise pivotally connected top and bottom members adapted to close and lock through the insertion of a male protrusion on the bottom member into an aperture on the top member.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to fasteners for hanging shower curtains or the like from a rod. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Curtains, in particular shower curtains, are typically hung from a horizontal rod and secured thereto with plastic or metal rings which encircle the rod and extend through apertures in the curtain. The most common ring designs in use today are of the type illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,367,742, 4,308,637, and 1,034,630, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Such rings typically consist of a unitary piece of flexible plastic in a split-ring construction having opposed ends wherein one end forms a male joint member and the other a female joint member which are snapped together the close the ring. Shower curtain rings of that type have several disadvantages Most notably, these rings have proven to be difficult to mount on a rod due to the unitary construction and low flexibility of the plastic materials from which they are made. Further, for some, the joints prove too difficult to close and prone to breaking under the forces required to snap together the male and female members. 
   In view of the deficiencies of conventional shower curtain rings, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide curtain rings, and in particular, shower curtain rings, that are simple to use, do not require undue physical force to close, and are not prone to breaking during attachment to a rod and subsequent closure. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In a primary aspect of the present invention, a fastener is provided for suspending, with like fasteners, a curtain, such as a shower curtain, on a horizontal rod. The fastener generally comprises top and bottom members. The top member has first and second ends and a substantially U-shaped inner contour configured to balance the fastener on a rod of circular cross-section. The second end of the top member has an aperture configured to receive and hold a male joint protrusion. The bottom member comprises a shaft also having a first and second end, the shaft being of suitable dimensions to fit through an aperture in a curtain. The first ends of the top and bottom members together form a hinge pivotally connecting the top and bottom members. The second end of the bottom member includes a male joint protrusion. The second end of the top member comprises a recessed channel adapted to receive a portion of the second end of the bottom member, including the male joint protrusion, and guide the male joint protrusion through the aperture in the second end of the top member, thereby reversibly closing the fastener. 
   These and other features and advantages of this invention will become further apparent from the detailed description and accompanying figures that follow. In the figures and description, numerals indicate the various features of the invention, like numerals referring to like features throughout both the drawings and the description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a representative fastener in its locked state. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a representative fastener in its unlocked state. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of a representative fastener illustrating a pivot about the hinge. 
       FIG. 4  is a view of the of the hinge portion of a representative fastener. 
       FIG. 5  is another perspective view of a representative fastener in its unlocked state. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the of the second end of a representative top member illustrating the movement of the second end of the bottom member along the beveled inner wall of the top member. 
       FIG. 7  is a view of the locked ends of a representative fastener. 
       FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the front of a representative fastener in the locked state. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The fasteners of the invention are configured to suspend a curtain, preferably a shower curtain, from a horizontal rod. The fasteners may be used with any conventional shower curtain having a plurality apertures, such as silts or holes, along its a top edge. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the fastener comprises a top member  20  and a bottom member  30 . Top member  20  preferably has a substantially U-shaped inner contour, allowing the fastener to rest stably on top of a horizontal rod, advantageously without need for the user to hold it in place. As used herein, the term “inner contour” refers to contour of top member  20  proximate the rod when the fastener is balanced on a horizontal rod. As also used herein, the term “substantially U-shaped” is not meant to be particularly limiting and includes, for example, horse-shoe and arched configurations, the important aspect being that the inner contour have a central curved region roughly approximating the curvature of the rod and opposed regions of relative straightness projecting below the rod. There is no particular restriction on the shape of the outer contour of top member  20 , however, it should preferably be constructed to provide adequate balance such that the fastener will balance on a horizontal rod. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , both the inner and outer contours of top member  20  are substantially U-shaped. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , top member  20  has first and second ends,  21  and  22 , respectively. Second end  22  has an aperture  24 , preferably circular, on one side. The aperture is configured to receive and hold a male joint protrusion. Bottom member  30  comprises a preferably arch-shaped shaft having first and second ends  31  and  32 , respectively. The cross-section of the shaft is of suitable dimensions to engage an aperture in the curtain. The first ends,  21  and  31 , of top and bottom members  20  and  30  together form a hinge pivotally connecting the top and bottom members. There is no particular limitation on the type of hinge, which may be without limitation, a knuckle joint, piano hinge, hook-and-eye hinge, and the like. The second end  32  of bottom member  30  includes a male joint protrusion  33  approximately perpendicular to the shaft and extending in the direction of aperture  24 .  FIG. 3  illustrates the pivoting action about the hinge. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an exploded view of a currently preferred hinge is provided. First end  31  of bottom member  30  includes a cylindrical member  44  approximately perpendicular to the shaft and having a bore through which hinge pin  42  is disposed. The entire hinge may be located within a channeled recess in top member  20  to improve the overall aesthetics of the fastener. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , aspects of a preferred fastener in the unlocked state are illustrated. As shown, second end  22  of top member  20  comprises a recessed channel  54  adapted to receive second end  32  of bottom member  30 , including male joint protrusion  33 . 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the wall  56  of recessed channel  54  adjacent aperture  24  on the second end  22  of top member  20  is preferably configured to have a bevel such that during closing of the fastener second end  32  of bottom member  30  is forced inwardly with respect to recessed channel  54  (until male joint protrusion  33  encounters aperture  24  and passes therethrough. This can be accomplished, for example, by configuring the interior wall  56  between aperture  24  and the terminus of second end  32  to curve or bend outwardly from the aperture in a direction away from the interior of the recessed channel (i.e., away from the plane comprising lines  4   a  and  4   b  shown in  FIG. 8 ). 
   A view of locked ends  22  and  32  is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . As shown male joint protrusion  33  extends through aperture  24  when the fastener is closed. Ridge  52 , also shown in  FIG. 5 , may be provided to prevent male joint protrusion  33  from overshooting aperture  24  during closing. In this manner, the fastener closes and locks without the user having to guide the male joint through the aperture, allowing the fastener to be closed with only one hand. The fastener is opened by applying slight inward pressure on male joint protrusion  33  while pulling downward on bottom member  30 . A slight recess  28  may be formed on the surface of member  20  surrounding aperture  24  to increase the exposed area of male joint protrusion  33 , thereby facilitating opening by accommodating the users thumb. 
     FIG. 8  illustrates an embodiment of the inventive fasteners in the locked state. Bottom member  30  or a portion thereof may be configured to be bent slightly away from line  5  in the direction of aperture  24  (i.e., displaced from the plane comprising lines  4   a  and  4   b  which approximately bisects the recessed channel  54 ), such that second end  32  is not exactly aligned with recessed channel  54 , but rather is slightly displaced in the direction of aperture  24 . This configuration is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . In this configuration, while the male joint protrusion is engaged with wall  56  during closing of the fastener, some force is exerted against the wall, thereby allowing the male joint protrusion  33  to snap into aperture  24  without the user having to guide it through. A small amount of transverse force may also be present to hold male joint protrusion  33  firmly in aperture  24  in the locked state. 
   The manner of closing and opening represents an improvement over curtain rings having an “overlapping” locking mechanism, such as those described in U.S. Design Pat. No. D439,144 to Ho, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In contrast to the shower curtain rings disclosed in Ho, second ends  22  and  32  do not together form an overlapping split-ring in the closed state. It is contemplated that rings having an “overlapping” locking mechanism will suffer the disadvantage that small deformations of the ring will render the locking mechanism inoperable. In the present fasteners, male joint protrusion  33  extends through aperture  24  sufficiently far such that minor deformations are accommodated without sacrificing the integrity of the locking mechanism. 
   There is no particular limitation on the materials from which top and bottom members  20  and  30  are formed. Preferably, each member comprises a water-resistant or water-proof material, such as plastic. Other suitable materials include, without limitation, aluminum and stainless steel. The top and bottom members may be formed by any technique known in the art, including injection molding and the like. 
   Because the functional attributes of the fasteners of the invention are achieved through the use of separate top and bottom members, rather than a unitary ring construction, greater leeway it afforded for enhancing decorative elements of the fastener. For example, because the top member is not required to be flexible, it may be formed from a wider range of materials than conventional fasteners, i.e., glass, metal, hard plastics and the like, and may comprise various other outer contours, in addition to the U-shaped outer contour of the illustrative fasteners described herein. 
   Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the foregoing description. It should be understood that all such modifications and improvements have been deleted herein for the sake of conciseness and readability but are properly within the scope of the invention as claimed.