Abstract
A button back which makes it possible to form the front surface of a button to be a circular shape; a shell cap hard to be rotated; and an umbrella part hard to be deformed. The button back is made of metal, including a cylindrical part and an umbrella part extending radially outward from one axial end of the cylindrical part. The umbrella part includes a first bending part which extends radially outward from the one axial end of the cylindrical part and then bends on the opposite side of the cylindrical part. An outer periphery, including a radially outer end, of the first bending part has a polygonal shape including at least three corners and sides which extend between two circumferentially adjacent corners. The umbrella part includes flat plates extending radially outward from the radially outer end, corresponding to the sides, of the first bending part.
Claims
1. A metallic button back comprising a cylindrical part and an umbrella part extending radially outward from one axial end of the cylindrical part, wherein the umbrella part includes a first bending part which extends radially outward from the one axial end of the cylindrical part and then bends on the opposite side of the cylindrical part, wherein an outer periphery, including a radially outer end, of the first bending part has a polygonal shape including at least three corners and sides which extend between two circumferentially adjacent corners, wherein the umbrella part includes flat plates extending radially outward from the radially outer end, corresponding to the sides, of the first bending part.
2. The button back according to claim 1, wherein the flat plates define a circumference of a perfect circle passing each of the corners.
3. The button back according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of the first bending part has a polygonal shape including eight to twelve corners.
4. The button back according to claim 1, wherein the first bending part has a curvature radius less than or equal to 1 mm.
5. The button back according to claim 1, wherein a length of each of the flat plates extending from the first bending part is longest at the midpoint of each of the sides and gradually reduced towards both corners at both ends of each of the sides.
6. The button back according to claim 1, wherein the button back is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy.
7. A metallic button including a metallic button back and a metallic shell cap, which is attached to the button back, wherein the button back comprises a cylindrical part and an umbrella part extending radially outward from one axial end of the cylindrical part, wherein the umbrella part includes a first bending part which extends radially outward from the one axial end of the cylindrical part and then bends on the opposite side of the cylindrical part, wherein an outer periphery, including a radially outer end, of the first bending part has a polygonal shape including at least three corners and sides which extend between two circumferentially adjacent corners, wherein the umbrella part includes flat plates extending radially outward from the radially outer end, corresponding to the sides, of the first bending part, wherein the shell cap comprises a disk part defining a front surface of the button and a second bending part, which is bent from the radially outward end of the disk part to be attached to a radially outer end portion of the umbrella part of the button back, wherein a degree of bending of the second bending part of the shell cap is greater at each of the sides of the first bending part than at each of the corners.
8. The button according to claim 7, wherein the flat plates define a circumference of a perfect circle passing each of the corners.
9. The button according to claim 7, wherein attached states of the second bending part of the shell cap change alternately in the circumferential direction.
10. The button according to claim 7, wherein bending angles of the second bending part of the shell cap are different between in portions of the second bending part corresponding to the sides and in portions thereof corresponding to the corners, and wherein, in the portions corresponding to the sides, there is a gap between the second bending part and the sides.
11. The button according to claim 7, wherein the first bending part includes vertical portion substantially parallel to the axial direction of the button back, the vertical portion extending to the radially outer end of the first bending part, and wherein the second bending part of the shell cap is at least partially in contact with the vertical portion.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a bottom view of a button in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view taken along A-A line in FIG. 1.
[0032] FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view taken along B-B line in FIG. 1.
[0033] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the button back.
[0034] FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the button back.
[0035] FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional view taken along A-A line in FIG. 5.
[0036] FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view taken along B-B line in FIG. 5.
[0037] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing an attached state of the shell cap in a cross section corresponding to one of the corners of the bending part of the umbrella part.
[0038] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view showing an attached state of the shell cap in a cross section corresponding to the midpoint of one of the sides of the bending part of the shell cap.
[0039] FIG. 10 shows a cross sectional view of a button fastener, which is used for mounting the button to a fabric.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0040] Hereinafter, a button back in accordance with an embodiment of the invention will be described with referring to the drawings. However, this invention is not limited to the embodiment, and it can be modified or altered within the scope of the invention and within the range of equivalents. FIG. 1 shows a bottom view of a button 1 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross sectional views taken along A-A line and B-B line in FIG. 1, respectively. In the following descriptions, the up-and-down direction is based on FIGS. 2 and 3, etc. The button 1, which is commonly used for jeans, etc., has a generally cylindrical barrel 1a and a head 1b expanding radially outward in a disk form on the upper end side of the barrel 1a. The button 1 is a type in which the head 1b is taken in and out through a buttonhole (not shown). The button comprises three parts, namely, a button back 10 and a shell cap 2, which are metallic outer shell parts and an insert 3, which is a resin or metallic core part. The button back 10 is in accordance with the invention. In this embodiment, as an example, the button back 10 is made of aluminum alloy; the shell cap 2 is made of brass; and the insert 3 is made of resin, but they are not limited thereto. The shell cap 2 comprises a disk part 2a defining a front surface of the button 1 and an annular second bending part 2b (hereinafter referred to simply as bending part 2b), which is bent downward from the radially outward end of the disk part 2a. The bending part 2b is to be attached to an umbrella part 20 as described later of the button back 10. Although not shown, onto an upper surface of the shell cap 2, namely, the front surface of the button 1, logos or designs are added, which comprise characters, figures, symbols or the like with orientations thereof in the circumferential direction. Thus, when the button 1 is mounted to a fabric, it is needed to arrange the logs, etc. in the predetermined orientation. The insert 3 comprises a cylindrical barrel core 3a, which is housed in the cylindrical part 11 of the button 1, a head core 3b, which radially expands from the barrel core 3a and is housed in the head 1b, and an engagement space 3c, which receives and then fixes a shank 32 of a button fastener 30 (see FIG. 10) as described later when the button 1 is mounted to a fabric. In the embodiment, the engagement space 3c is formed as a through-bore. The engagement space 3c is a space whose diameter is less than the diameter of the shank 32. The diameter of the engagement space 3c of the insert 3 expands at two stages from the bottom to the top, and the insert 3 has corresponding steps on the inner surface. The barrel core 3a includes, at its lower end portion, a small diameter portion 3d, which extends downward through an opening 12 of the cylindrical part 11 as mentioned later of the button back 3. Further, on the bottom surface of the small diameter portion 3d, a cross-shaped convexity is provided, which is convex downward.
[0041] FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective view and bottom view of the button back 10. FIGS. 6 and 7 are cross sectional views taken along A-A line and B-B line in FIG. 5. The button back 10 is formed by shaping a plate of aluminum or aluminum alloy having a thickness of about 3 mm. The button back 10 comprises a cylindrical part 11 defining a periphery wall of the barrel 1a of the button 1 and an umbrella part 20 extending radially outward from the upper end of the cylindrical part 20, defining a back side wall of the head 1b of the button 1. The cylindrical part 11 is open upward and has an opening 12 at the lower end. At the lower end of the cylindrical part 11, eight protrusions 13 slightly protruding radially outward in the circumferential direction are provided. With the protrusions 13. The diameter of the opening 12 is slightly reduced, and the small diameter portion 3d of the barrel core 3a of the insert 3 will extend downward through the reduced opening 12 by press fitting.
[0042] The umbrella part 20 comprises an annular base 21, which extends substantially horizontally (horizontal means a direction along any plane perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical part 11) and radially outward from the upper end of the cylindrical part 11; an annular step 22, which slightly drops downward and radially outward from the radially outer end of the base 21; a bending part 23 as a first bending part, which extends substantially horizontally and radially outward from the lowest end of the step 22 and then curves upward; and flat plates 25, which further extend substantially horizontally, radially outward and partially from the radially outer end of the bending part 23. The curvature radius R1 of the bending part 23 is set in such a manner that R1 is less than or equal to 1 mm. Referring to the enlarged views of FIGS. 8 and 9, the bending part 23 includes a horizontal portion 23a extending substantially horizontally and radially outward from the lower end of the step 22, and a vertical portion 23b substantially parallel to the axial direction, extending to the radially outer end (upper end) of the bending part 23. Further, referring to FIG. 9, in the regions corresponding to sides 24b, the curvature radius R2 between the vertical portion 23b of the bending part 23 and each of the flat plates 25 is 0.3 mm, namely R2=0.3 mm, but not limited thereto.
[0043] In this embodiment, the outer periphery, including the radially outer end, of the bending part 23 has a regular octagonal shape as an example, having eight corners 24a and eight sides 24b, each of which extends between two circumferentially adjacent corners 24a. The curvature radius of the corners 24a and the curvature radius of the sides 24b are the same R1 less than or equal to 1 mm. The flat plates 25 define the circumference of a perfect circle passing the radially outer end (upper end) of each of the corners 24a. Thus, a radial length of each flat plate 25 extending radially outward from the radially outer end of the bending part 23 is substantially zero (or slight in some cases) at each corner 24a and becomes longer gradually from each corner 24a to the midpoint (hereinafter referred to as side midpoint) 24c (see FIG. 5) of each side 24b between both corners 24a in the circumferential direction, becoming longest at the side midpoint 24c. In other words, a length of each flat plate 25 extending from each side 24b is longest at the midpoint of each side 24b and gradually reduced towards both corners 24a adjacent to the corresponding side. A length of each flat plate 25 extending from each side 24b is a length in the direction perpendicular to each side 24b. The B-B lines in FIGS. 1 and 5 pass side midpoints 24c.
[0044] When the button back 10, the shell cap 2 and the insert 3 are assembled into the button 1, the barrel core 3a of the insert 3 is inserted in the cylindrical part 11 of the button back 10, the mall diameter portion 3d is protruded through the opening 12 of the cylindrical part 11. Thereby, the head core 3b of the insert 3 is disposed on the base 21 of the umbrella part 20 of the button back 10. From this state, the shell cap 2 is attached to the umbrella part 20 of the button back 10 from the upper side of the head core 3b of the insert 3. That is, the bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 is bent downward from the radially outward end of the disk part 2a and deformed to be attached to the bending part 23 of the umbrella part 20 of the button back 10 from the radially outer side. At this time, since the radially outer end of the umbrella part 20 with the flat plates 25 has a perfect round shape, the bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 is bent from the disk part 2a in a manner of the perfect round shape. Thus, the front surface of the button 1 becomes a beautiful circle. Attached states of the bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 are different between in the corners 24a and in the sides 24b of the bending part 23.
[0045] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing an attached state of the bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 in a cross section corresponding to one of the corners 24a of the bending part 23. FIG. 9 is an enlarged view showing an attached state of the bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 in a cross section corresponding to the midpoint 24c of one of the sides 24b of the bending part 23. In this embodiment, the lower end of the attached bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 is in contact with the regular octagonal outer periphery of the bending part 23 of the button back 10. The lower end of the bending part 2b extends to slightly lower than the vertical portion 23b of the bending part 23 but does not extend to the horizontal portion 23a. The bending angle of the bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 with respect to the disk part 2a is substantially the smallest at each of the corners 24a without the flat plate 25, while the angle is substantially the largest at each of the side midpoint 24c at which the radial length of each of flat plates 25 is longest. In this way, the attached states of the bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 change alternately in the circumferential direction with the corners 24a and the sides 24b. Thereby, once the shell cap 2 is attached to the umbrella part 20 of the button back 10, the cap 2 is hard to be rotated with respect to the umbrella part 20.
[0046] With reference to FIG. 8, the bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 is substantially in surface-contact with the vertical portion 23b in the cross section corresponding to each of the corners 24a of the bending part 23. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, in the cross section corresponding to each of the side midpoints 24c of the bending part 23, there is a gap s between the bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 and the vertical portion 23b, and the bending part 2b is substantially not in contact with the vertical portion 23b or the lower end of the bending part 2b is in point-contact with the vertical portion 23b. In this way, by making the bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 in surface contact with the vertical portion 23b of the bending part 23 at the circumferential locations corresponding to the respective corners 24a of the bending part 23. Hence, it is expected that a function of preventing the shell cap form being rotated with respect to the umbrella part of the button back 10 will further enhance.
[0047] As can be seen from FIG. 1 showing the bottom of the button 1 and FIGS. 2 and 3, the radially inner end 2c of the attached bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 is in contact with, in the whole circumferential direction, the corners 24a and the sides 24b of the bending part 23 of the button back 10. In other words, at least radially outer end portions of the corners 24a and the sides 24b are covered between the circle defined by the radially outer end of the flat plates 25 of the umbrella part 25 of the button back 10 and the circle defined by the radially inner end 2c of the bending part 2b of the shell cap 2 after being attached to the bending part 23 of the button back 10 in the whole circumferential direction. Therefore, the shell cap 2 can be securely attached.
[0048] FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of the above-mentioned button fastener 30, which is used for mounting the above-described button 1 to a fabric of jeans or the like (not shown). The button fastener 30 comprises a disk-like base 31 and a shank 32 extending upward from a center region of the base 31, the shank 32 having a sharp tip. When the button 1 is mounted to a fabric, logos or the like on the front surface of the button 1 is oriented in a predetermined circumferential orientation. Then, the shank 32 of the button fastener 30 is passed through a fabric and then is inserted into the engagement space 3c of the insert 3 of the button 1. Thereby, the button 1 is fixed in the fabric. Since a variety of embodiments of inserts for buttons and button fasteners are known, the insert 3 and the button fastener 30 are merely one example for those.
[0049] In the above embodiment, an example is cited where the outer periphery of the bending part 23 of the umbrella part 20 is a regular octagon, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The outer periphery of the bending part may be a triangle, a quadrangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, a decagon, or a dodecagon or the like.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0050] 1 button [0051] 1a cylindrical barrel [0052] 1b head [0053] 2 shell cap [0054] 2a disk part [0055] 2b bending part (second bending part) [0056] 3 insert [0057] 10 button back [0058] 11 cylindrical part [0059] 20 umbrella part [0060] 23 bending part (first bending part) [0061] 23b vertical portion [0062] 24a corner [0063] 24b side [0064] 25 flat plate [0065] 30 button fastener [0066] s gap
