Garment fastener

Abstract

A fastener for a garment, particularly suited to use in a garment such as a brassiere, comprises a female part and a male part that interlock together. The female part is connected to a first garment piece and the male part is connected to a second garment piece. The fastener is an overlapping fastener of the type in which the male piece is engaged with the female piece by inserting a connector plate of a male part into an aperture of a female part at an angle and thereafter pivoting the male part relative the female part thereby snap-fitting the connector plate in place in the aperture. The male part has a recess formed therein surrounding the connector plate which provides added stability to the male part and significantly increases its tensile strength characteristic.

Claims

1. A garment fastener comprising: a female part comprising a female base plate for securing the female part to a first garment piece, and an overlapping connector loop mounted on the female base plate and offset relative thereto, the connector loop defining an elongate aperture therein, a roofed portion of which overlaps and is roofed in by the female base plate and a part of which extends beyond the female base plate in an open mouth; a male part comprising a male base plate for securing the male part to a second garment piece and an overlapping connector plate mounted on the male base plate and offset relative thereto, the connector plate being dimensioned for insertion and retention in the elongate aperture in the female part; the connector plate, the open mouth, and the elongate aperture of the connector loop being dimensioned so that insertion of the connector plate into the elongate aperture must be realized by inclining the male part relative to the female part before inserting the connector plate into the open mouth of the elongate aperture and bringing the male part and the female part together, retention of the connector plate in the elongate aperture of the connector loop is realized by snap fitting the connector plate in place by pivoting the fully inserted connector plate from the inclined orientation to an orientation wherein the male base plate and the female base plate are substantially co-planar using the roofed portion of the elongate aperture as a fulcrum until a trailing abutment edge of the connector plate snaps into position in the elongate aperture, and release of the connector plate from the elongate aperture is realized by pivoting the inserted male part from the co-planar orientation back to the inclined orientation using the roofed portion of the elongate aperture as a fulcrum to release the abutment edge from the elongate aperture before moving the male part and the female part apart; and, in which there is provided a recess in the male base plate surrounding on three sides the portion of the connector plate overlapped by the male base plate.

2. The fastener of claim 1 in which the recess has a substantially semi-elliptical shape on an edge opposing the connector plate.

3. The fastener of claim 1 in which the elongate aperture and the connector plate are substantially oblong-shaped.

4. The fastener of claim 1 in which the abutment edge of the connector plate is arcuate along its length, the abutment edge has a center and two ends, and the center of the abutment edge trails the ends of the abutment edge.

5. The fastener of claim 1 in which the connector plate has a side intermediate the abutment edge and the male base plate, and the side is inclined rearwardly from the male base plate to the abutment edge.

6. The fastener of claim 5 in which the elongate aperture has a leading side which is inclined rearwardly as it extends in the direction towards the female base plate.

7. The fastener of claim 1 in which the recess is between about 0.1 mm and about 0.3 mm deep.

8. The fastener of claim 1 in which the recess is of the order of 0.2 mm deep.

9. The fastener of claim 1 in which the recess extends across a major dimension of the male base plate.

10. A garment fastener comprising: a female part comprising a female base plate for securing the female part to a first garment piece, and an overlapping connector loop mounted on the female base plate and offset relative thereto, the connector loop defining an elongate aperture therein, a roofed portion of which overlaps and is roofed in by the female base plate and a part of which extends beyond the female base plate in an open mouth; a male part comprising a male base plate for securing the male part to a second garment piece and an overlapping connector plate mounted on the male base plate and offset relative thereto, the connector plate being dimensioned for insertion and retention in the elongate aperture in the female part; the connector plate, the open mouth, and the elongate aperture of the connector loop being dimensioned so that insertion of the connector plate into the elongate aperture must be realized by inclining the male part relative to the female part before inserting the connector plate into the open mouth of the elongate aperture and bringing the male part and the female part together, retention of the connector plate in the elongate aperture of the connector loop is realized by snap fitting the connector plate in place by pivoting the fully inserted connector plate from the inclined orientation to an orientation wherein the male base plate and the female base plate are substantially co-planar using the roofed portion of the elongate aperture as a fulcrum until a trailing abutment edge of the connector plate snaps into position in the elongate aperture, and release of the connector plate from the elongate aperture is realized by pivoting the inserted male part from the co-planar orientation back to the inclined orientation using the roofed portion of the elongate aperture as a fulcrum to release the abutment edge from the elongate aperture before moving the male part and the female part apart; in which there is provided a recess in the male base plate surrounding the portion of the connector plate overlapped by the male base plate; and, in which the male base plate and the female base plate each include a hinge joint extending across a major dimension thereof.

11. The fastener of claim 10 in which the hinge joint comprises a recessed channel extending across the width of the base plate.

12. The fastener of claim 11 in which the recessed channel is of the order of 0.15 mm deep.

13. The fastener of claim 10 in which the male base plate and the female base plate are of the order of 0.7 mm deep.

14. The fastener of claim 1 in which the female part has a maximum depth from front to back of between about 2.8 mm and about 3.1 mm deep.

15. The fastener of claim 1 in which the female part has a maximum depth from front to back of between about 2.9 mm and about 3.1 mm.

16. The fastener of claim 1 in which there is provided an opening in each of the male base plate and the female base plate for reception of a garment piece.

17. The fastener of claim 1 in which a major dimension of either one of the male part or the female part is greater than the major dimension of the other one of the male part or the female part.

18. A brassiere including the fastener of claim 1.

19. A brassiere including the fastener of claim 10.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a closed fastener;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an open fastener;

(4) FIG. 3 is a front view of the closed fastener;

(5) FIG. 4 is a rear view of the closed fastener of FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 is a top view of the fastener of FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view along the lines VI-VI of FIG. 4;

(8) FIG. 7 is a front view of the male part of the fastener;

(9) FIG. 8 is a rear view of the male part of FIG. 7;

(10) FIG. 9 is a top view of the male part of FIG. 7;

(11) FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view along the lines X-X of FIG. 7;

(12) FIG. 11 is a front view of the female part of the fastener;

(13) FIG. 12 is a rear view of the female part of FIG. 11;

(14) FIG. 13 is a top view of the female part of FIG. 11;

(15) FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view along the lines XIV-XIV of FIG. 11;

(16) FIG. 15 is a rear view of an alternative embodiment of fastener in an open configuration;

(17) FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view along the lines XVI-XVI of FIG. 15;

(18) FIG. 17 is a rear view of the alternative embodiment of fastener of FIG. 15 in a closed configuration;

(19) FIG. 18 is a cross sectional view along the lines XVIII-XVIII of FIG. 17;

(20) FIG. 19 is a rear view of a second alternative embodiment of the fastener connecting two pieces;

(21) FIG. 20 is a rear view of the fastener of FIG. 19 shown open;

(22) FIG. 21 is a rear view of a third alternative embodiment of the fastener connecting two pieces; and,

(23) FIG. 22 is a rear view of the fastener of FIG. 21 shown open.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(24) Referring to FIGS. 1 to 14 inclusive, there is shown a fastener, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, comprising a female part 3 and a male part 5 that interlock together. The female part is connected to a first garment piece (not shown) and the male part is connected to a second garment piece (not shown). The female and male parts, when joined together, by extension connect the first and second garment pieces together.

(25) Referring specifically to FIGS. 11 to 14 inclusive, the female part 3 comprises a female base plate 7 for securing the female part to a first garment piece (not shown), and an overlapping connector loop 9 mounted on the female base plate and offset relative thereto. The connector loop 9 defines an elongate aperture 11 therein, a roofed portion 13 of which overlaps and is roofed in by the female base plate 7, and an open mouth 15 of which extends beyond the female base plate 7. The female base plate 7 has an opening 8 for reception of the first garment piece.

(26) Referring specifically to FIGS. 7 to 10 inclusive, the male part 5 comprises a male base plate 17 for securing the male part 5 to a second garment piece (not shown) and an overlapping connector plate 19 mounted on the male base plate and offset relative thereto. The male base plate 17 has an opening 18 for reception of the second garment piece. The connector plate 19 is dimensioned for insertion and retention in the elongate aperture 11 in the female part. The connector plate 19 comprises a trailing abutment edge 21, the operation of which will be described in more detail below. Most importantly, there is further provided a recess 23 in the male base plate 17 surrounding the overlapped portion of the connector plate 19.

(27) The connector plate 19, the open mouth 15, and the elongate aperture 11 of the connector loop 9 are dimensioned so that insertion of the connector plate 19 into the aperture 11 must be realized by inclining the male part 5 relative to the female part 3 before inserting the connector plate 19 into the open mouth 15 of the aperture 11 and bringing the male part 5 and the female part 3 together. Retention of the connector plate 19 in the aperture 11 of the connector loop 9 is realized by snap fitting the connector plate 19 into place by pivoting the fully inserted connector plate 19 from the inclined orientation to an orientation wherein the male base plate 17 and the female base plate 7 are substantially co-planar. This pivoting motion is achieved by using the roofed portion 13 of the aperture 11 as a fulcrum until a trailing abutment edge 21 of the connector plate 19 snaps into position in the aperture 11. The release of the connector plate from the aperture 11 is realized by pivoting the inserted male part 5 from the co-planar orientation back to the inclined orientation using the roofed portion 13 of the aperture 11 as a fulcrum to release the abutment edge 21 from the aperture 11 before moving the male part 5 and the female part 3 apart.

(28) It can be seen from the drawings that the aperture 11 and the connector plate 19 are substantially oblong in shape. Referring specifically to FIGS. 4 and 8, it can be seen that the abutment edge 21, as well as being curved at its ends, is in fact curved rather than being straight along its length intermediate its ends. In this way, the middle of the abutment edge trails the ends of the abutment edge and the middle of the abutment edge will predominantly contact with the side of the aperture 11. Importantly this will facilitate opening and closing of the fastener while not increasing the amount of play between the male part 5 and the female part 3.

(29) Referring to FIGS. 6 and 10, it can be seen that the side 25 of the connector plate 19 between the abutment edge 21 and the male base plate 17 is inclined rearwardly from the male base plate to the abutment edge. Similarly, referring to FIGS. 10 and 14, the leading side 27 of the elongate aperture 11 is inclined rearwardly as it extends in the direction towards the female base plate. This has the effect of increasing the tensile strength rating of the fastener as a tensile force directed to separate the two parts will in fact first have a tendency to pull them closer together.

(30) The fastener 1 differs from known fasteners predominantly in that there is provided the recess 23 in the male base plate 17 surrounding the overlapped portion of the connector plate 19. The recess is of the order of 0.2 mm in depth and the recess 23 is semi-elliptical or semi-oval in shape. This recess 23 has the direct effect of substantially increasing the tensile strength rating of the fastener 1 and the fastener 1 will be able to withstand up to 13.6 kgs of tensile stress before the fastener will open.

(31) Referring now to FIGS. 15 to 18 inclusive, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the fastener, indicated generally by the reference numeral 31 and where like parts have been given the same reference numeral as before. The fastener 31 is similar in many respects to the fastener 1 in that it also has a semi-elliptical recess in the male base plate 17 of the male part 5 surrounding the connector plate 19. However, the fastener 31 differs from the fastener 1 in that the female base plate 7 and the male base plate 17 each comprise a flap 33, 35, respectively, separated from the remainder of the base plates 7, 17 by a hinge 37, 39 respectively. The hinges 37, 39 are formed by a recessed channel formed along the width of the flap 33, 35. The flaps are of the order of 0.7 mm deep and can be penetrated by a needle. In this way, the female part and the male part may be stitched directly onto a first garment piece and a second garment piece, respectively.

(32) Referring now to FIGS. 19 to 22 inclusive, there are shown views of two separate fasteners 81 (FIGS. 19 and 20) and 91 (FIGS. 21 and 22). The fasteners 81, 91 are of a type similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 14 inclusive. Some detail of the fasteners has been omitted for clarity. The fasteners 81, 91 are each shown connected to a first garment piece 83, 93, and a second garment piece 85, 95 respectively. The fasteners 81, 91 both share an identical female part 3 which is 15 mm wide. However, the fasteners 81, 91 differ in that the male part 5 of the fastener 81 is 15 mm wide whereas the male part 5 of the fastener 91 is 17 mm wide. In this way, it can be seen how a number of different sized male parts could be provided for a single female part (or vice versa) so that a number of different sized/colored straps and a number of different material straps can be used with the same female part. In this way, it will be understood that the fasteners as described lend themselves to providing interchangeable straps.

(33) Various materials could be used to construct the fastener. One material that has been found to be effective, robust and capable of providing the structural integrity required is nylon.

(34) In this specification the terms comprise, comprised, comprises and comprising and the terms include, includes, included and including are all deemed totally interchangeable and should be afforded the widest possible interpretation.

(35) The embodiments of the fastener described herein and garments incorporating same are exemplary and numerous modifications, combinations, variations, and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve an equivalent result, all of which are intended to be embraced within the scope of the appended claims. Further, nothing in the above-provided discussions of the fastener and garment should be construed as limiting the invention to a particular embodiment or combination of embodiments. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.