Abstract:
The use of decorative clothing fasteners may be limited by a maximum practical size of a button hole in the fabric of the clothing. Larger decorative buttons, or buttons with alternative shapes, may be used by forming a button hole on the inner piece of fabric to be attached, while the outer piece of fabric includes both an attachment to the inward facing button, and an attachment location for a decorative button cover, which may be of any shape or size. The use of other attachment methods other than buttons may benefit from the disclosed arrangement and may include snap fasteners, friction fasteners and hook and loop type fasteners.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This application relates generally to fastener devices, and more specifically to button assemblies. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A market driven need exists to provide decorative fasteners for clothing in order to obtain improved clothing sales. Clothing using button type fasteners may be limited in the size and shape of the button due to button hole constraints such as a maximum allowable size. 
         [0003]    Button type fasteners may also be limited to certain shapes due to the requirement that the button be both easily attached and removed, while still being securely fastened. Such limited shapes, such as circular, spherical and elongated, further reduce the potential decorative and stylistic patterns available for decorative fasteners. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a top-view diagram showing a button closure, according to various disclosed embodiments; and 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a top-view diagram showing an attachment method, according to various disclosed embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0006]    In the following detailed description of the disclosed attachment arrangements. The terms “inner” and “outer” as used in the description may include any structures having different distances from a fixed point of reference, such as a person. The term “attachment” is understood to include fabric attachment devices such as buttons, studs, toggles, snap fasteners, “press-fit”, and magnetic fasteners. 
         [0007]    The term “horizontal” as used in this application is defined as a plane parallel to the conventional plane or surface of the earth, regardless of any temporary orientation of the device with respect to the earth. The term “vertical” refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal as defined above. Prepositions, such as “on”, “side”, “higher”, “lower”, “over” and “under” are defined with respect to the conventional plane or surface, regardless of any temporary orientation of the device. The detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a button closure, according to various disclosed embodiments. The invention is not limited to button type closures and other forms of attachment devices and equivalent closures may benefit from the disclosed arrangement. The description is not intended to be limiting, but rather to illustrate the disclosed arrangement in a simple and understandable fashion. Using the described embodiment permits the use of external button covers that are larger than the largest acceptable button hole, and permits the use of buttons having shapes that would not either fit through a button hole, or would not securely hold the button in place. 
         [0009]    Button type closure  100  includes an illustrative person  102 , partially surrounded by an inner fabric portion  104 , which is partially overlapped by an outer fabric portion  106 . The outer fabric portion  106 , may be removably attached to the inner fabric portion  104 , by an inwardly directed attachment device including a button  108 , that is passed through a button hole (dashed line,  118 ) in the inner fabric  104 . In the described embodiment the button is shown as having a either a circular shape or an elongated shape, but the invention is not so limited. The button is connected to a shaft or stud  110 , shown in the disclosed embodiment as being an internally threaded hollow tube. The shaft  110  is not limited to the disclosed threaded hollow shaft, and may alternatively be a flexible or elastic structure, or a solid shaft, or other equivalent structures. The shaft  110  may be firming attached to the outer fabric portion  106  by various means including the illustrated threaded flange, and may be attached by stitching, riveting, adhesive or other equivalent means. A decorative button cap  114  may be externally attached to the shaft  110  by the illustrated threaded connection  112 , but the invention is not be so limited and may include friction type attachments such as what may be known as “press-fit” connectors, or snaps, or hook and loop attachments such as the trademarked product Velcro, or equivalents. The orientation of the button cap  114  in the vertical plane of the normal position of the illustrative person  102 , and may be adjusted by controlling the depth of the threaded fitting. The orientation of button cap  114  may be improved by including an elastic member  116  to provide orientation control without lose of orientation stability and frictional interaction between the button cap  114  and the shaft  110 . The illustrated elastic member may be a rubber “O” ring, an elastic washer, a split ring or a star washer, a spring, or other complaint material. 
         [0010]    The arrangement of  FIG. 1  results in a button assembly with a detachable button cover  114 , which may be designed to be decorative without regard for the utilitarian function of the button. The decorative button cover can be made of jewelry or of less valuable material typically used in costume decoration. The decorative button cover can include diamond, gold, or other types of jewelry, as well as plastic, rubber, wood, and any other types of decorative material. The decorative button cover can be made available in a variety of shapes and sizes, with or without additional ornamental design. The button assembly  100  may be used to button a first fabric portion (outer fabric portion  106 ) to a second fabric portion (the inner fabric portion  104 ), with an inwardly directed button  108 . The first button element  110  is attached to the first fabric portion  106  by any of the well known methods, and is adapted to button to a second button element, such as the illustrated button hole  118  in the inner fabric portion  104 . Other types of second button elements may easily be understood, such as a firmly attached snap connector as will be further discussed with reference to the next figure. The second button element  118  may be attached to the second fabric portion  104 , and is adapted to be removably connected to the first button element  110 , for example by the illustrated button head  108 . The button cover  114  may be removably attachable to the first button element  110 , with the button cover being viewable from the outside when the first fabric portion  106  is buttoned to the second fabric portion  104 . 
         [0011]      FIG. 2  depicts an attachment method, according to various disclosed embodiments. An attachment method  200  includes an illustrative person  202 , with an inner fabric portion  204  overlapped by an outer fabric portion  206 , the inner and outer fabric portions being removably connected by an illustrated female snap fastener  208  firmly attached to the inner fabric portion  204 . The female snap fastener  208  may be removably connected to male snap fastener  210 , which is firmly attached to the outer fabric portion  206  by any of the well known methods, and to the female snap fastener  208  by the illustrated snap ring  218 . The invention is not limited to the illustrated snap orientations, and may use equivalent attachment devices such as friction attachments, “press-fit” attachments, hook and loop attachments, and other similar methods. The male snap fastener  210  may include a threaded shaft for attachment to a decorative cover  214 , as discussed with relation to the previous figure, or may use the illustrated friction connection  212 , with or without the washer  216 . The washer  216  may be used to provide decorative cover  214  with a stable and adjustable orientation with regard to the vertical direction. 
         [0012]    The use of the illustrated method of attaching two fabric pieces includes forming an attachment structure  208  in an inner fabric portion  204 , such as a snap fastener or a button hole, attaching a fastener  210  to an outer fabric portion  206  including a solid portion  218  extending inwardly from the outer fabric portion  206  towards the inner fabric portion  204 . Connecting two attachment structures  208  and  210 , for example by passing a flange portion of the fastener through a hole in the inner fabric portion  204 , or applying pressure to connect the male snap element  210  to the female snap element  208 . The two attachment structures illustrated are adapted to provide removable attachment between the inner and outer fabric portions. The decorative button cover  214  is not limited to use with the illustrated buttons and snaps, but may be used with other attachment methods such as studs and toggles or other attachment methods such as a hook and loop arrangement. 
       CONCLUSION 
       [0013]    The detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific aspects and embodiments in which the present disclosed embodiments may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice aspects of the present invention. Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. Other embodiments may be utilized, and structural, logical, and material changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments. The various embodiments are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0014]    It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive, and that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon studying the above description. The scope of the present disclosed embodiments includes any other applications in which embodiments of the above structures and fabrication methods are used. The scope of the embodiments should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.