Magnetic button

Abstract

A magnetic button having a first button member incorporating a magnet and a second button member incorporating a body made of ferromagnetic material. The first button member and the second button member are magnetically couplable and uncouplable by moving towards and away from each other, respectively, in a coupling direction. The permanent magnet is annular, and a central body made of ferromagnetic material is arranged in a cavity of the permanent annular magnet.

Claims

1. A magnetic button comprising: a first button member comprising: first and second sides facing away from one another; an annular magnet defining a cavity therein and having a substantially planar face; a central body of ferromagnetic material disposed in the cavity and having a substantially planar face, the faces of the annular magnet and the central body being disposed in coplanar relation with one another at the first side of the first button member; and a housing defining a recess therein and including an alignment element bordering at least part of the recess along a periphery thereof, the alignment element defining an internal diameter of the recess and the recess opening outwardly at the first side of the first button member; a second button member comprising a body of ferromagnetic material and a portion having an external diameter, the internal diameter of the recess being smaller than the external diameter of the portion of the second button member; wherein the first button member and the second button member are magnetically couplable by moving the first button member and the second button member towards one another along a first coupling direction and into a coupled configuration so that the portion of the second button member is disposed in the recess of the first button member in the coupled configuration, and the first button member and the second button member are magnetically uncouplable by moving the first button member and the second button member along a second coupling direction opposite the first coupling direction and into an uncoupled configuration, the alignment element of the housing being configured to axially align the first and second button members at least during movement of the first button member and the second button member towards one another along the first coupling direction and into the coupled configuration, and the first side of the first button member faces the second button member in the coupled configuration such that the faces of the annular magnet and the central body face towards the second button member in the coupled configuration.

2. The magnetic button according claim 1, wherein the cavity of the annular magnet has an internal diameter and the central body of the first button member has a diameter approximately equal to the internal diameter of the cavity.

3. The magnetic button according to claim 2, wherein the face of the annular magnet is a first face and the annular magnet has a second face facing opposite from the first face and away from the second button member in the coupled configuration, the central body has a flat edge portion projecting in a direction transverse to the first coupling direction, the edge portion having a transverse outer dimension greater than the internal diameter of the cavity of the annular magnet, the edge portion being in contact with the second face of the annular magnet.

4. The magnetic button according to claim 1, wherein the annular magnet has an outer diameter and an inner diameter spaced inwardly from the outer diameter, and the body of the second button member has a dimension transverse to the coupling direction and having a value between the inner diameter and the outer diameter of the annular magnet.

5. The magnetic button according to claim 1, wherein the alignment element comprises a ring of non-magnetic material.

6. The magnetic button according to claim 1, wherein the alignment element comprises a plate, the plate being shaped to assist insertion of the second button member into the recess of the first button member.

7. The magnetic button according to claim 1, wherein the first button member comprises a cover configured to completely enclose at least the central body.

8. The magnetic button according to claim 1, wherein the second button member comprises a cover configured to completely enclose at least the body of the second button member.

9. The magnetic button according to claim 1, wherein the alignment element comprises a deformable material and provides a damping action during movement of the first button member and the second button member towards one another along the first coupling direction and into the coupled configuration.

10. The magnetic button according to claim 1, wherein the external diameter of the portion of the second button member is a maximum diameter of the second button member.

11. A magnetic button comprising: a first button member comprising: first and second sides facing away from one another; an annular magnet defining a cavity therein and having a substantially planar face; a central body of ferromagnetic material disposed in the cavity and having a substantially planar face, the faces of the annular magnet and the central body being disposed in coplanar relation with one another at the first side of the first button member; and a housing defining a recess therein and including an alignment element bordering at least part of the recess along a periphery thereof, the recess opening outwardly at the first side of the first button member; a second button member comprising a body of ferromagnetic material; wherein the first button member and the second button member are magnetically couplable by moving the first button member and the second button member towards one another along a first coupling direction and into a coupled configuration so that a portion of the second button member is disposed in the recess of the first button member in the coupled configuration, and the first button member and the second button member are magnetically uncouplable by moving the first button member and the second button member along a second coupling direction opposite the first coupling direction and into an uncoupled configuration, the alignment element of the housing being configured to axially align the first and second button members at least during movement of the first button member and the second button member towards one another along the first coupling direction and into the coupled configuration, and the faces of the annular magnet and the central body face towards the second button member in the coupled configuration.

12. The magnetic button according to claim 11, wherein the alignment element comprises a plate, the plate being shaped to assist insertion of the second button member into the recess of the first button member.

13. The magnetic button according to claim 11, wherein the alignment element comprises a ring of non-magnetic material.

14. The magnetic button according to claim 13, wherein the ring comprises a deformable material.

15. The magnetic button according to claim 11, wherein the portion of the second button member is snugly disposed in the recess of the first button member in the coupled configuration.

16. The magnetic button according to claim 15, wherein the portion of the second button member has an external diameter and the alignment element defines an internal diameter of the recess, the external diameter of the portion of the second button member and the internal diameter of the recess being similar.

17. The magnetic button according to claim 16, wherein the internal diameter of the recess is smaller than the external diameter of the portion of the second button member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Additional features and advantages will be appreciated from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the appended drawings which are provided purely by way of non-limiting example and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a female component of a magnetic button according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a male component,

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross-section of a male component and a female component which are engaged with each other,

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross-section of a magnetic button according to a variant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) Now with reference to the drawings, a magnetic button comprises a female component 10 and a male component 50 which constitute a first button member and a second button member, respectively. The female component and the male component are each provided to be fixed stably to a substrate, preferably to a sheet. For simplicity, reference will be made below to sheets which may naturally be sheets made of fabric, plastics material, leather or more generally sheets of flexible materials, as normally used in the sectors of clothing, leather goods and footwear.

(7) The female component 10 comprises an annular magnet 12. The annular magnet 12 is preferably a magnet with neodymium. Even more preferably, it involves a magnet with neodymium 35, 42 or 52, depending on the snap-fit force which it is desirable to obtain.

(8) The annular magnet 12 has an axial polarization, that is to say, it has the north and south poles on the planar faces: on the front face 14, which is directed during use towards the male component 50, and on the rear face 16, which is directed towards the sheet to which the female component 10 is applied. The annular magnet 12 has an external diameter D1 and has a through-hole 18 having an internal diameter D2.

(9) A central body 20 is at least partially provided in a state inserted inside the hole 18 of the magnet 12. The central body 20 comprises a cylindrical portion 22 having such a transverse dimension D3 as to allow it to be received in the hole 18 of the magnet 12; preferably, D3 is slightly less than the internal diameter D2 of the magnet.

(10) A front face 24 of the central body 20 is preferably coplanar with the front face 14 of the magnet 12. The central body 20 further comprises a projecting edge 25 which projects laterally with respect to the cylindrical portion 22. The projecting edge has a transverse dimension D4 which is greater than the internal diameter D2 of the hole; therefore, the projecting edge 25 extends so as to form a ring which is in contact with the rear face 16 of the magnet. Preferably, the projecting edge is circular or polygonal; the transverse dimension D4 is preferably approximately equal to the external diameter D2 of the annular magnet. When the projecting edge is annular and has a diameter D4 equal to the external diameter D2 of the annular magnet, the central body 20 and the annular magnet 12 in which it is inserted together form a solid cylinder.

(11) The central body 20 is made from a ferromagnetic material, for example, iron or a martensitic steel, for example, AISI 420B. In this manner, the central body 20 modifies the magnetic field of the annular magnet 12, making it more powerful at the front face 24 of the central body and on the front face 14 of the magnet and less powerful at the rear face 26 of the central body 20.

(12) In the embodiment depicted, the female component further comprises a ring 30 having an internal diameter D5 between the external diameter D1 and internal diameter D2 of the annular magnet. The ring 30 is positioned in front of the annular magnet 12, that is to say, at the side directed during use towards the male component 50. The ring 30 is preferably made from a non-magnetic material, that is to say that it is not influenced by the presence of a magnetic field. It is further preferable for the material to be relatively compressible. For example, it may be made of nylon or other plastics material.

(13) The ring 30 delineates a housing 44 for a male component 50, which housing 44 has suitable dimensions for receiving it. In particular, the internal diameter D5 of the ring 30 is approximately equal to an external diameter D7 of the male component. In greater detail, the ring 30 preferably has a trapezoidal section or in any case such a section as to form a flared opening 31. Furthermore, the diameter D5 is slightly less than the external diameter D7 of the male component. The difference between the two diameters is in the order of tenths of a millimetre.

(14) The ring 30 which is formed in this manner constitutes both an alignment element between the male component and the female component and a damping element, as better explained below. Furthermore, it contributes to the screening of the residual magnetic field with the button closed.

(15) The annular magnet 12, the central body 20 and, if present, the ring 30 are closed by a cover 32. Preferably, the cover 32 is formed in such a manner that, when the female component is fixed to a fabric, leather or the like, the components which are subjected to oxidation are all hidden. In particular, it is formed in such a manner that the central ferromagnetic body is hidden from view and is protected from air and water. The button is thereby washable.

(16) In the specific example illustrated, the cover 32 comprises a plate 34 which is overlaid on the front face 14 of the magnet 12. The cover also comprises a base 36 which is provided with a shank 38 which is positioned at the rear, that is to say, at the side of the female component which is close to a sheet during use. The shank 38 allows fixing to a sheet made of fabric, leather or the like in known manner, for example, following riveting of a rivet (not illustrated) with the fabric positioned between the rivet and the female component 10. The cover 32 further comprises an edge plate 40 which clamps together the ring 30, the plate 34, the annular magnet 12, the central body 20 and the base 36 along the entire perimeter of the female component 10.

(17) The cover can be made from different materials. Preferably, the plate 34 which is overlaid on the front face 14 of the magnet 12 is made from magnetic stainless steel, for example, from a ferritic stainless steel such as inox AISI 441. A material of this type protects, on the one hand, the ferrous components, preventing oxidation thereof, on the other hand, it does not excessively screen the magnetic field. The other components of the cover 32, that is to say, the base 36 and the edge plate 40, are instead preferably made from a diamagnetic material, for example, stainless steel 304/316, brass, zamak, etc. The cover 32 thereby contributes to screening magnetic fields at the sides and at the rear of the button, where they are disadvantageous for the purposes of engaging the button.

(18) Naturally, this is merely an example which must not be understood in a limiting manner; the cover 32 could in fact be formed by a different number of pieces without thereby departing from the scope of protection.

(19) Now with reference to FIG. 2, the male component 50 comprises a central ferromagnetic body 52. The central body 52 is formed so as to allow the reversible coupling of the female component 10 and the male component 50. The central body 52 of the male component 50 preferably has a disk-like form with a front face 54 directed, during use, towards the female component 10 and a rear face 55 which is directed in the direction of the fabric, leather or other sheet to which the button is fixed. The central body 52 of the male component 50 has a diameter D6 which is between the internal diameter D2 and the external diameter D1 of the annular magnet 12 of the female component 10.

(20) The Applicant has found that the volume of the central ferromagnetic body 52 of the male component 50 has to be preferably equal to at least 75% of the total of the volumes of the annular magnet 12 and the central body 20 of the female component 10 in order to obtain an optimum engagement force.

(21) The male component 50 further comprises a cover 56 having the same functions as the cover 32 of the female component described above. Preferably, the cover 56 is formed in such a manner that, when the male component 50 is fixed to a fabric, leather or the like, the components which are subjected to oxidation are all hidden. In particular, it hides and protects the central ferromagnetic body 52 from air and water in order to make the button washable.

(22) In the specific example depicted, the cover 56 is formed by two portions: a base 58 and a cap 60. The base 58 is moved close to the rear face 55 of the central body 52. It is provided with a shank 62, in a central position. The shank 62 is generally equivalent to the shank 38 of the female component 10: it allows fixing to a substrate in known manner, for example, by riveting a rivet (not depicted) with the substrate positioned between the rivet and the male component 50.

(23) The cap 60 wraps round the central body 52, in particular the front face 54 thereof and a lateral face 64; it then has an edge 66 which is bent over on the base 58 in order to completely close the cover 56. Naturally, the cover 56 of the male component 50 may also be formed by a different number of elements.

(24) Similarly to what has been described above for the female component 10, the cap 60 of the cover 56 is preferably made from magnetic stainless steel; however, the base 58 is preferably made from a diamagnetic material, for example, stainless steel 304/316, brass, zamak, etc.

(25) When the male component 50 and the female component 10 are brought together, the central body 52 of the male component 50 is attracted by the annular magnet 12 of the female component 10. The two components which are positioned sufficiently close together automatically become engaged (FIG. 3).

(26) A total transverse dimension D7 of the male component 50 is approximately equal to a diameter D5 of the housing 44 for a male component which is provided on the female component. As mentioned above, the diameter D5 is slightly less than the external diameter D7 of the male component. The difference between the two diameters is in the order of tenths of a millimetre. This difference between the two diameters causes, when the male component 50 and the female component 10 are engaged, the male component to contact initially the ring 30 and in particular the widened opening 31 thereof. As a result of the pressure applied by the male component, which is attracted by the female component, the ring 30 becomes slightly deformed, allowing the male component 50 to move into contact with a base 46 of the housing 44 (FIG. 3). The ring 30 therefore constitutes a damping system for the button in order to prevent the button from making a noise when it is closed. For deluxe applications, the market appreciates the buttons not being noisy during engagement.

(27) In the configuration of a closed button, the central body 52 of the male component 50 is coaxial with the annular magnet 12 of the female component 10 and the ring 30 maintains the correct axial alignment of the two components.

(28) As a result of the fact that the central body 52 of the male component 50 is smaller than the annular magnet 12 of the female component, a greater portion of the magnetic field lines generated by the magnet are closed on the button itself, allowing, on the one hand, optimum retention of the button, on the other hand, a reduction of the residual magnetic field. If the residual magnetic field with the button closed is very high, the button will tend to attract other ferrous objects. The cover 32 and in particular the base 36 and the edge plate 40 also collaborate in the screening of the button in order to minimize the residual magnetic field.

(29) FIG. 4 shows a magnetic button according to a variant of the present invention. The male component 50 is generally similar to the male component 50 described above. The female component 10 is also to a great extent identical to the component 10 described above; the main difference involves the absence of a ring of synthetic material (the ring 30 of the component 10). The alignment element in this variant is constituted by an edge 42 which is obtained by shaping the cover 32 in a suitable manner; the edge plate 40 is bent so as to form the edge 42 which delineates a housing 44 for the male component 50. The housing 44 has a diameter D8 which is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the diameter D7 of the male component in order to allow insertion with play of the male component 50 into the female component 10.

(30) Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the forms of embodiment and details of construction may be varied widely with respect to those described and illustrated, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.