Cap and snap button

Abstract

To provide a cap and a snap button which are difficult to come off from a socket or a stud, are difficult to catch loose threads when fitting into the socket or the stud, and do not hinder fitting between the socket and the stud, thereby exhibiting the function as a snap button. [Solution] Cap 1 is a cap that fits onto a socket and / or stud of a snap button. Cap 1 includes a generally cylindrical fitting protrusion 10, a flange 12 connected to a base 11 of fitting protrusion 10, and a constricted portion 14, which is an annular recess provided on the outer periphery of fitting protrusion 10 near a tip 13 of fitting protrusion 10.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cap for use with a snap button, and to the snap button. [Background technology]

[0002] Snap buttons have traditionally been widely used on clothing and other items. Snap buttons function by fitting a male stud into a female socket. To hold the fabric of clothing or other items between the socket and stud, the fitting protrusions on the cap penetrate the fabric, and the tips of the fitting protrusions that penetrate the fabric are crimped with a special machine to engage with the cap.

[0003] In recent years, snap buttons that allow a cap to be fitted to a socket or stud without using a dedicated crimping machine have been considered. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which a slit is provided in the fitting protrusion of the cap. The tip of the fitting protrusion constituting the cap described in the document is provided with an annular protrusion.

[0004] When this cap is fitted to a socket or stud, the tip bends diametrically due to the slits, reducing the diameter of the tip, allowing the fitting protrusion of the cap to pass through the fitting hole of the socket or stud. After the tip passes through the fitting hole, the diameter of the tip returns to its original value, allowing the socket or stud to fit over the fitting protrusion.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses a structure in which a slit is provided like the tip of the cap disclosed in Patent Document 1, and in addition, an annular protrusion is provided on the side of the fitting protrusion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-192642 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3238014 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the cap described in Patent Document 1, the annular protrusion provided at the tip of the fitting protrusion is made larger to prevent the cap from coming off the socket or stud. If a larger annular protrusion is provided at the tip of the fitting protrusion, the diameter of the tip becomes larger. In this case, in order for the fitting protrusion to fit into the fitting hole of the socket or stud, it is necessary to widen and deepen the slit, thereby further reducing the diameter of the tip.

[0008] Therefore, when the fitting protrusion of the cap penetrates the fabric, loose threads of the fabric are likely to become caught in the slit, making it difficult for the cap to fit into the fitting hole of the socket or snap.

[0009] Furthermore, in the cap described in Patent Document 1, the slit must be deep, as described above, to facilitate fitting of the fitting protrusion into the fitting hole of the socket or stud. Therefore, the fitting protrusion that fits into the fitting hole must fit at least deeper than the slit. Therefore, when the material is thin, the tips of the fitting protrusions on the socket and stud when the cap is fitted will protrude significantly. When the stud tries to fit into the socket, the tips of the fitting protrusions on the cap that protrude from the socket and stud will abut against each other, preventing the stud from fitting into the socket and resulting in a situation where the snap button does not function.

[0010] The cap described in Patent Document 2 has an annular protrusion on the outer periphery of the fitting protrusion, which may make it difficult for the protrusion to come off the socket or stud. However, the fitting protrusion is generally cylindrical, and the fitting depth of the fitting protrusion changes depending on the pressure applied between the cap and socket, or between the cap and stud, when fitting them. Therefore, when the fabric is thin, it is unclear how much pressure is required. A small pressure results in a shallow fitting depth, making the cap more likely to come off when the socket and stud are fitted together. On the other hand, to prevent the cap from coming off the socket or stud, a high pressure is required for fitting. Fitting the cap to the socket or stud with a high pressure results in a deep fitting depth. Therefore, similar to the snap button described in Patent Document 1, the tips of the fitting protrusions of the cap protruding from the socket or stud abut against each other, preventing the stud from fitting into the socket and resulting in a situation where the snap button does not function.

[0011] Furthermore, the cap described in Patent Document 2 has a tip that is divided into three parts by slits, as described in paragraph 0037, Figure 3, etc. of the same document. Therefore, as with the cap described in Patent Document 1, there is a concern that loose threads in the fabric may get caught in the slits when the cap penetrates the fabric.

[0012] Furthermore, as described in paragraph 0035 of Patent Document 2, the cap described in Patent Document 2 is said to be capable of having the outer diameter of the annular protrusion provided on the outer periphery of the fitting protrusion be approximately 0.1 mm larger than the inner diameter of the fitting hole of the socket or stud. However, when the cap is fitted to the socket or stud with such an outer diameter, the stress that causes the cap to come off the socket or stud is equal to or less than the pressing force when fitting. This raises concerns that the cap may easily come off the socket or stud.

[0013] To provide a cap and a snap button that are difficult to come off from a socket or a stud, that are difficult to catch on frayed threads when fitting into the socket or the stud, and that do not impede fitting between the socket and the stud, thereby fully functioning as a snap button. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To prevent the snap button's functionality from being impaired, the inventor first focused on making it difficult for the cap to come off the socket or stud. Specifically, he focused on a shape in which the tip of the fitting protrusion of the cap protrudes in the diameter direction of the fitting protrusion, as in the cap described in Patent Document 1. He also focused on eliminating the slits used in Patent Document 1 to prevent loose threads from getting caught on the cap.

[0015] However, unless the tip portion protrudes in the diameter direction of the fitting protrusion and a slit is provided, there is a concern that the fitting protrusion will be difficult to fit into a socket or stud, and will require crimping. Therefore, the present inventors focused on making the fitting protrusion approximately cylindrical, like the fitting protrusion described in Patent Document 2, rather than having only the tip of the fitting protrusion protrude in the diameter direction of the fitting protrusion, as in the cap described in Patent Document 1.

[0016] However, if the fitting protrusion is made roughly cylindrical, and the tip does not protrude in the diameter direction of the fitting protrusion as described above, and no slit is provided, it is thought that it will be possible to prevent the frayed thread from getting caught. It is also thought that the fitting protrusion may be able to fit into a socket or stud in some way.

[0017] However, since this fitting protrusion is simply pushed into the fitting hole of the socket or stud and does not have a stopper, if a pulling force equivalent to this pushing force is applied, the cap will come off the socket or stud. Also, as mentioned above, it is unclear how much pushing force is required when the material is thin. In order to prevent the cap from coming off, the fitting protrusion of the cap needs to fit deeply, so before the socket and stud are mated, the tips of the fitting protrusions of the cap will come into contact with each other, preventing the socket and stud from mating.

[0018] Although some studies have been conducted on caps, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, most of the prior art has focused on various studies on sockets and studs to achieve the function of snap buttons. Therefore, even if the caps described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 were applied to the various studies on sockets and studs, no study was conducted on the possibility of frayed threads getting caught or the depth of engagement of the engagement protrusion, and the above-mentioned problems have not been solved.

[0019] Therefore, the inventors of the present invention conducted further research and focused on the fitting protrusion of the cap, which had been considered in Patent Documents 1 and 2 but had not been considered much in the past. They then came up with the idea of ​​providing a constricted portion, which is an annular recess provided on the outer periphery of the fitting protrusion, near the tip of the fitting protrusion.

[0020] When a fitting protrusion with such a constricted portion is fitted into a socket or stud, the tip does not get caught on loose threads because there is no slit. Also, when the fitting protrusion of the cap is fitted into the socket or stud, the cap is held in place by the constricted portion of the fitting protrusion, making it difficult for the cap to come off the socket or stud.

[0021] Furthermore, because the constricted portion is located near the tip of the mating protrusion, even when a thin material is sandwiched between the cap and socket or the cap and stud, the mating depth is determined by the position of the constricted portion, regardless of the thickness of the material or the pressing force. This allows the mating protrusion to be mated to an appropriate depth from the socket or stud. As a result, when the socket and stud are mated, the tip of the mating protrusion does not come into contact with each other, and the function of the snap button is not impaired. The present invention is as follows.

[0022] (1) A cap that fits onto a snap button socket and / or stud, The cap is A substantially cylindrical fitting protrusion; a flange portion connected to a base portion of the fitting protrusion; a constricted portion which is an annular recess provided on the outer periphery of the fitting protrusion, near the tip of the fitting protrusion; A cap comprising:

[0023] (2) A cap as described in (1) above, in which the fitting protrusion has a tip portion and a body portion connected via a constricted portion, and the length of the tip portion is such that when the socket into which the cap is fitted and the stud into which the cap is fitted are fitted, the tips of the fitting protrusions on each cap do not abut against each other.

[0024] (3) The cap according to (1) or (2) above, wherein the curvature of the constricted portion in the longitudinal cross section of the fitting protrusion gradually decreases from the tip end side to the base end side.

[0025] (4) A cap according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the longitudinal cross section of the fitting protrusion has a surface portion on the tip side of the constricted portion that is approximately parallel to the diameter direction of the fitting protrusion.

[0026] (5) The cap according to any one of (2) to (4) above, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the tip is circular or polygonal.

[0027] (6) A snap button comprising two caps each having a substantially cylindrical fitting protrusion and a flange portion extending from the base of the fitting protrusion, a socket that fits with one cap, and a stud that fits with the other cap, The cap includes a substantially cylindrical fitting protrusion, a flange portion connected to the base of the fitting protrusion, and a constricted portion that is an annular recess provided on the outer periphery of the fitting protrusion near the tip of the fitting protrusion, The socket and the stud each include an annular body and a valve extending from an inner surface of the annular body toward a center of the annular body; A snap button characterized in that the valve fits into and holds the fitting protrusion of the cap, and has flexibility in the fitting direction of the fitting protrusion provided on the cap.

[0028] (7) A snap button as described in (6) above, in which a groove is provided at the base of the valve.

[0029] (8) A snap button according to (6) or (7) above, in which the valve has a plurality of slits in the diameter direction of the socket and the stud.

[0030] (9) A snap button according to any one of (6) to (8) above, in which, when the cross section of the socket and the stud is viewed, the valve has a convex shape from the side where the fitting protrusion of the cap fits toward the side end of the valve.

[0031] (10) A snap button according to any one of (6) to (9) above, wherein the valve has a curved portion at the tip of the valve when the socket and the stud are viewed in cross section.

[0032] (11) A snap button according to any one of (6) to (10) above, wherein the engaging protrusion has a tip portion and a body portion connected via a constricted portion, and the length of the tip portion is such that when the socket to which the cap is fitted and the stud to which the cap is fitted are fitted, the tips of the engaging protrusions on each cap do not come into contact with each other.

[0033] (12) A snap button according to any one of (6) to (11) above, wherein in the longitudinal cross section of the fitting protrusion, the curvature of the constricted portion gradually decreases from the tip end side to the base end side.

[0034] (13) A snap button according to any one of (6) to (12) above, in which, in a longitudinal cross section of the fitting protrusion, the tip end side of the constricted portion has a surface portion that is approximately parallel to the diameter direction of the fitting protrusion.

[0035] (14) A snap button according to any one of (11) to (13) above, wherein one of the cross-sectional shapes of the tip of the fitting protrusion and the fitting holes of the socket and the stud is circular and the other is polygonal. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams of a cap according to this embodiment, in which FIG. 1A is a side view of the cap according to this embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1A. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a snap button using a cap that constitutes the snap button of this embodiment, Figure 2(a) is a side view of the snap button in which the cap of Figure 1 is fitted onto the socket and stud, and then the socket is fitted onto the stud, and Figure 2(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of Figure 2(a). [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a vertical cross section from the tip of a fitting protrusion provided on a cap according to another embodiment to the body portion. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows a socket according to this embodiment, with Figure 4(a) being a bottom view, Figure 4(b) being a plan view, Figure 4(c) being a left side view, Figure 4(d) being a right side view, Figure 4(e) being a front view, Figure 4(f) being a rear view, Figure 4(g) being a bottom oblique view, Figure 4(h) being a top oblique view, Figure 4(i) being an AA cross-sectional view of Figure 4(a), and Figure 4(j) being a BB cross-sectional view of Figure 4(a). [Figure 5]Figure 5 shows a stud according to this embodiment, with Figure 5(a) being a bottom view, Figure 5(b) being a plan view, Figure 5(c) being a left side view, Figure 5(d) being a right side view, Figure 5(e) being a front view, Figure 5(f) being a rear view, Figure 5(g) being a bottom perspective view, Figure 5(h) being a top perspective view, Figure 5(i) being an AA cross-sectional view of Figure 5(a), and Figure 5(j) being a BB cross-sectional view of Figure 5(a). [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows a socket according to another embodiment, where Figure 6(a) is a bottom view, Figure 6(b) is a plan view, Figure 6(c) is a front view, Figure 6(d) is a bottom perspective view, Figure 6(e) is a top perspective view, and Figure 6(f) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of Figure 6(a). [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows a stud according to another embodiment, where Figure 7(a) is a bottom view, Figure 7(b) is a plan view, Figure 7(c) is a front view, Figure 7(d) is a bottom perspective view, Figure 7(h) is a top perspective view, and Figure 7(f) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of Figure 7(a). [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the cap of this embodiment is temporarily fitted to the socket and the valve of the stud, where Figure 8(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the cap is temporarily fitted to the valve of the socket, and Figure 8(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the cap is temporarily fitted to the valve of the stud. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a snap button having a groove at the base of the valve that constitutes the socket and stud according to another embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the valve of the stud is fitted into the narrowed portion of the cap shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which a valve of a stud is fitted into a narrowed portion of a cap according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below in detail, and each embodiment may be combined as appropriate.

[0038] 1. Cap Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a cap 1 according to this embodiment, Fig. 1(a) is a side view of the cap 1 according to this embodiment, and Fig. 1(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 1(a). Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a snap button 100 using the cap 1 constituting the snap button 100 according to this embodiment, Fig. 2(a) is a side view of the snap button 100 in which the cap 1 of Fig. 1 is fitted to a socket 2 and a stud 3, and then the socket 2 is fitted to the stud 3, and Fig. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 2(a).

[0039] The cap 1 according to this embodiment is a cap 1 that fits onto the socket 2 and / or stud 3 of a snap button 100. The cap 1 includes a generally cylindrical fitting protrusion 10, a flange 12 connected to a base 11 of the fitting protrusion 10, and a constricted portion 14, which is an annular recess provided on the outer periphery of the fitting protrusion 10 near a tip 13 of the fitting protrusion 10. In this embodiment, the flange 12 side of the fitting protrusion 10 is referred to as the base 11. The flange 12 is provided with a non-slip material 18 (not shown). The same applies to the socket 2 and stud 3, which will be described in detail below.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 1 , the fitting protrusion 10 is substantially cylindrical, with a constricted portion 14 provided near the tip portion 13. In other words, the fitting protrusion 10 is configured such that the tip portion 13 and the body portion 15 are connected via the constricted portion 14. The length L of the tip portion 13 may be such that, when the socket 2 to which the cap 1 is fitted and the stud 3 to which the cap 1 is fitted are fitted, the tips 16 of the fitting protrusions 10 provided on each cap 1 do not come into contact with each other, as shown in FIG. 2( b). Alternatively, the length L of the tip portion 13 may be such that, when the stud 3 is fitted into the socket 2, the tips 16 just come into contact with each other. In this embodiment, the term "near the tip portion" refers to the length from the tip 16 to the constricted portion 14. In other words, the term "near the tip portion" refers to the length of the tip portion 13.

[0041] The fitting protrusion 10 may also have a hollow center. However, from the viewpoint of the strength of the fitting protrusion 10, it is preferable that there is no hollow. It is preferable that the tip 16, which is the surface of the tip portion 13 constituting the fitting protrusion 10, does not have a slit. This is to prevent loose threads in the fabric from getting caught in the slit when the fitting protrusion 10 penetrates the fabric.

[0042] The snap button 100 functions when the male stud 3 is fitted into the female socket 2, but if the tip 16 of the fitting protrusion 10 of the cap 1 abuts against the socket 2 before the stud 3 is fitted into the socket 2, the stud 3 cannot be fitted into the socket 2. For this reason, as shown in Figure 2(b), the length L of the tip 13 of the fitting protrusion 10 may be long enough so that the tips 16 of the caps 1 do not abut against each other even after the stud 3 is fitted into the socket 2.

[0043] On the other hand, if the length L of the tip portion 13 is too short or if the tip portion 13 does not exist at all, the fitting retention force will be low even after the cap 1 is fitted to the socket 2 or the stud 3, and there is a concern that the cap 1 may come off the socket 2 or the stud 3. For this reason, the length L of the tip portion 13 may be approximately 1 / 10 to 1 / 5 of the length of the fitting protrusion 10.

[0044] Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a vertical cross section of a fitting protrusion 10a provided on a cap 1a according to another embodiment, from the tip 13a to the body 15a. As shown in Fig. 3, in the vertical cross section of the fitting protrusion 10a, the curvature of the neck 14a may gradually decrease from the tip 13a toward the base. The greater the curvature, the stronger the fitting retention force, making it more difficult for the cap 1a to come off the socket 2 or the stud 3.

[0045] 1, in the longitudinal cross section of the fitting protrusion 10, the tip 13 side of the constricted portion 14 may be provided with a surface 17 that is approximately parallel to the diameter direction of the fitting protrusion 10. If the surface 17 is approximately parallel to the diameter direction, the fitting retention force of the socket 2 and the stud 3 is further increased. The surface 17 is annular, just like the constricted portion 14.

[0046] In this embodiment, the diameter direction is the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1(b). The surface portion 17 may be slightly inclined from the diameter direction. If an inclination above the arrow in Fig. 1(b) is defined as + and an inclination below the arrow is defined as -, the surface portion 17 may be inclined, for example, at about -5° to 5°. If the inclination is 0 to -5°, the cap 1 will not easily come off the socket 2 or the stud 3, but if the cap is manufactured by injection molding, an inclination of 0 to 5° is preferable in view of ease of manufacture. An inclination of 0°, which is parallel to the direction of the arrow, may also be used.

[0047] The cross-sectional shape of the tip 13 may be circular or polygonal. As will be described later, when fitting the cap 1 to the socket 2 or the stud 3, one of the cap 1, the fitting hole 23 of the socket 2, and the fitting hole 33 of the stud 3 may be circular and the other polygonal. In this case, even if a frayed thread gets caught, the different shapes allow the frayed thread to move into the gap. Therefore, even if a frayed thread gets caught, the cap 1 can be fitted to the socket 2 or the stud 3 without applying a large pressing force.

[0048] When the tip 13 is polygonal, it may be, for example, triangular, hexagonal, octagonal, or octagonal. The corners of the polygon may be rounded. Each side of the polygon may be rounded from the center of the polygon to the outside. When the corners or sides are rounded, the socket or stud can be fitted with the cap 1 at a surface, making it even more difficult for the cap 1 to come off the socket or stud.

[0049] In this embodiment, the constricted portion 14 is an annular recess provided on the outer periphery of the fitting protrusion 10. That is, the diameter of the constricted portion 14 is smaller than the diameter D1 of the tip portion 13 and the diameter D1 of the body portion 15.

[0050] The shape of the constricted portion 14 may be, for example, as shown in Fig. 1, a shape including a surface portion 17, with the diameter gradually decreasing from the surface portion 17 toward the body portion 15. Alternatively, the shape may be, for example, like constricted portion 14a in Fig. 3, in which the curvature gradually decreases from the tip portion 13 toward the base portion in a longitudinal cross section. Furthermore, as shown in constricted portion 14d in Fig. 11, for example, the shape may be, for example, like constricted portion 14a in Fig. 3, in which the curvature gradually decreases from the surface portion 17d toward the body portion 15d.

[0051] 2. Snap button As shown in Fig. 2, the snap button 100 according to this embodiment is composed of two caps 1 each having a substantially cylindrical fitting protrusion 10 and a flange portion 12 extending from a base portion 11 of the fitting protrusion 10, as shown in Fig. 1, a socket 2 that fits with one of the caps 1, and a stud 3 that fits with the other cap 1. The caps 1 may be the same as those described above.

[0052] The mating protrusion 10 of the cap 1 penetrates a fabric (not shown), and the penetrated mating protrusion 10 is fitted into the valve 20 of the socket 2. Similarly, the mating protrusion 10 that penetrates another fabric (not shown) is fitted into the valve 30 of the stud 3. Then, the male part 31 of the stud 3 is fitted into the female part 21 of the socket 2.

[0053] FIG. 4 shows a socket 2 according to this embodiment, with FIG. 4(a) being a bottom view, FIG. 4(b) being a plan view, FIG. 4(c) being a left side view, FIG. 4(d) being a right side view, FIG. 4(e) being a front view, FIG. 4(f) being a rear view, FIG. 4(g) being a bottom perspective view, FIG. 4(h) being a top perspective view, FIG. 4(i) being a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 4(a), and FIG. 4(j) being a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 4(a). The socket 2 shown in FIG. 4 constitutes the female button of a snap button 100. A male portion 31 of a stud 3, which will be described later, is fitted into the female portion 21 of FIG. 4, functioning as the snap button 100.

[0054] The socket 2 comprises a circular annular body 22 and a valve 20 that protrudes from the inner surface of the annular body 22 toward the center of the annular body 22. As shown in FIG. 4(f), the valve 20 protrudes into the center of the annular body 22 via a female portion 21 that is formed integrally with the annular body 22. Therefore, when the fitting protrusion 10 of the cap 1 is fitted from top to bottom in FIGS. 4(e) and 4(h), the valve 20 bends and the fitting hole 23 opens slightly, allowing the fitting protrusion 10 to be easily fitted.

[0055] Furthermore, even if the cross-sectional diameter of the fitting protrusion 10 (representing D1 in FIG. 1) is larger than the diameter D2 of the fitting hole 23 (representing D2 in FIG. 4), the valve 20 bends in the fitting direction, so that the tip 13 of the fitting protrusion 10 can be fitted into the fitting hole 23. Accordingly, a restoring force acts on the valve 20, causing it to return to its original state after the fitting protrusion 10 is fitted. Therefore, this restoring force allows the valve 20 to clamp the tip 13 of the fitting protrusion 10, so that in a socket 2 equipped with the valve 20, the fitting protrusion 10 is unlikely to come off.

[0056] 4(j), a groove 25 is provided at the base of the valve 20. This groove 25 improves the flexibility of the valve 20, making it easier for the socket 2 to fit and retain the fitting protrusion 10.

[0057] As shown in Figure 4, the valve 20 protrudes from the annular body 22 of the socket 2 toward the center. Therefore, when the cap 1 is pressed against the socket 2, the fitting protrusion 10 of the cap 1 bends in the direction of the arrow, which is the fitting direction. Therefore, even if the fitting hole 23 is smaller than the diameter of the tip 13 of the fitting protrusion 10, as shown in Figure 4, the flexibility of the valve 20 allows the fitting protrusion 10, which moves in the direction in which the valve 20 opens, to fit into the fitting hole 23.

[0058] Then, when the fitting protrusion 10 enters the fitting hole 23 and the valve 20 reaches the constricted portion 14 of the cap 1, the valve 20 moves in the closing direction, thereby fitting and holding the constricted portion 14. This makes it difficult for the cap 1 to come off the socket 2. Furthermore, while in the past the cap and socket had to be engaged by crimping, in this embodiment, the flexibility of the valve 20 allows the cap 1 to be easily fitted into the fitting hole 23 of the socket 2 by hand. The same is true for the stud 3.

[0059] 4, a plurality of slits 24 may be provided in the diameter direction of the socket 2. This distributes the pressure applied to the valve 20, making it easier to open and close the valve 20. The same applies to the valves 20a, 30b, 30c, 30, 40, and 50.

[0060] Figure 5 shows a stud according to this embodiment, with Figure 5(a) being a bottom view, Figure 5(b) being a plan view, Figure 5(c) being a left side view, Figure 5(d) being a right side view, Figure 5(e) being a front view, Figure 5(f) being a rear view, Figure 5(g) being a bottom perspective view, Figure 5(h) being a top perspective view, Figure 5(i) being a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of Figure 5(a), and Figure 5(j) being a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of Figure 5(a). The stud 3 shown in Figure 5 constitutes the female button of the snap button 100.

[0061] Similar to the socket 2 shown in Fig. 4, the stud 3 shown in Fig. 5 also comprises a circular annular body 32 and a valve 30 that protrudes from the inner surface of the annular body 32 towards the centre of the annular body 32. As shown in Fig. 5(j), the valve 30 protrudes into the centre of the annular body 32 via a male part 31 that is integrally formed with the annular body 32. Furthermore, a groove 35 is also provided in Fig. 5(j), which further improves the flexibility of the valve 30.

[0062] FIG. 6 illustrates a socket 4 according to another embodiment, with FIG. 6(a) being a bottom view, FIG. 6(b) being a plan view, FIG. 6(c) being a front view, FIG. 6(d) being a bottom perspective view, FIG. 6(e) being a top perspective view, and FIG. 6(f) being a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 6(a). FIG. 7 illustrates a stud according to another embodiment, with FIG. 7(a) being a bottom view, FIG. 7(b) being a plan view, FIG. 7(c) being a front view, FIG. 7(d) being a bottom perspective view, FIG. 7(h) being a top perspective view, and FIG. 7(f) being a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 7(a). The back view, left side view, and right side view of FIG. 6 are identical to the front view of FIG. 6(c), and therefore are omitted here. Similarly, the back view, left side view, and right side view of FIG. 7 are identical to the front view of FIG. 7(c), and therefore are omitted here.

[0063] Like the socket 2 shown in FIG. 4, the socket 4 shown in FIG. 6 also includes an annular body 42 and a valve 40 that protrudes from the inner surface of the annular body 42 toward the center of the annular body 42. The female part 41 shown in FIGS. 6(a), 6(d), and 6(f) may be any annular elastic body, such as an annular spring. As shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(d), the female part 41 has a slit 41a. When the male part 51 of the stud 5 shown in FIG. 7 is mated with the female part 41 of FIG. 6, the slit 41a in the female part 41 opens, allowing the male part 51 to be mated with the female part 41 by the elastic force of the female part 41.

[0064] As shown in Figure 6(f), like the valve 20 shown in Figure 4, the socket 4 also includes a circular annular body 42 and a valve 40 that protrudes from the inner surface of the annular body 42 toward the center of the annular body 42. The valve 40 shown in Figure 6(f) is plate-shaped and inclined in the fitting direction of the cap, which is from top to bottom in Figure 6(f). This is to allow the fitting protrusion of the cap to be temporarily fitted. Details will be described later.

[0065] As shown in Figure 7(f), like the valve 40 shown in Figure 6, the stud 5 also comprises a circular annular body 52 and a valve 50 that protrudes from the inner surface of the annular body 52 towards the centre of the annular body 52. ​​The valve 40 shown in Figure 7(f) is also plate-shaped and inclined in the cap fitting direction from bottom to top in Figure 7(f).

[0066] 8A and 8B are cross-sectional views showing the state in which the cap 1 according to this embodiment is temporarily fitted to the valve 20 and valve 30 of the socket 2 and the stud 3, respectively. FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the cap 1 is temporarily fitted to the valve 20 of the socket 2, and FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the cap 1 is temporarily fitted to the valve 30 of the stud 3. In this embodiment, the fitting direction indicates the direction of the arrows in FIGS. 8A and 8B. The fitting protrusion 10 of the cap 1 shown in FIG. 8 is the cap 1 shown in FIG. 1, and for the sake of explanation, only the tip portion 13 and the constricted portion 14 are shown in FIG. 8.

[0067] 9 is a cross-sectional view of a snap button 200 according to another embodiment, in which grooves 25b and 35b are provided at the bases of valves 20b and 30b of socket 2b and stud 3b, respectively. As shown in FIG. 9, providing a large, deep groove 25b at the base of valve 20b further improves the flexibility of valve 20b, making it easier to open and close and to fit cap 1. The depth of groove 25b need only be approximately the same as the thickness of valve 20b. This also applies to valves 30, 40, and 50.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, when viewing the cross section of the stud 3, the tip of the valve 30 may be provided with a curved portion 36 that curves from the side where the fitting protrusion 10 of the cap 1 is fitted toward the side edge of the valve 20. The curved portion 36 may be curved so as to jut out toward the center of the fitting hole 33, as shown in FIG. 8(b), or conversely, it may be curved so as to jut outward from the center of the fitting hole 33. By providing this curved portion, as shown in FIG. 8, the tip 13 of the fitting protrusion 10 of the cap 1 is provisionally fitted into the valve 30. This makes it possible to position the cap 1 when fitting it to the stud 3, and allows for stable pressing of the cap 1. The same applies to the socket 2.

[0069] As shown in Figure 7(f), when the valve 50 is plate-shaped, the tip may be inclined toward the fitting direction, as described above. This allows it to function as a temporary fitting for the cap. The valve 50 may also have a curved tip, similar to the valve 30 shown in Figure 8. The same applies to the valve 40 shown in Figure 6(f).

[0070] Fig. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which a valve 30c of a stud 3c is fitted into a constricted portion 14a of cap 1a shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which a valve 30d of a stud 3d is fitted into a constricted portion 14c of cap 1d according to another embodiment. As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, when viewed in cross section of stud 3c and stud 3d, valves 30c and 30d may have shapes corresponding to the shapes of constricted portions 14c and 14d to body portions 15c and 15d in the longitudinal cross sections of caps 1c and 1d. In other words, valves 30c and 30d may have shapes corresponding to the shapes of constricted portions 14c and 14d, respectively, when viewed in cross section.

[0071] 3 to be fitted to the stud 3, a convex portion having the same curvature as the constricted portion 14a of the fitting protrusion 10a may be formed. Also, as shown in FIG. 11, if the constricted portion 14d has a surface portion 17d, a convex portion having a similar surface portion may be formed.

[0072] In this configuration, the constricted portion 14d of the fitting protrusion 10d is fitted to the valve 30d at a surface, thereby further improving the fitting retention force. Furthermore, if the valve 30d has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the fitting protrusion 10d from the constricted portion 14d to the body portion 15d of the fitting protrusion 10d, an even more stable fitting retention force can be achieved.

[0073] The caps, sockets, studs, and snap buttons according to the present embodiment can be made of plastic, brass, phosphor bronze, zinc, stainless steel, etc. They can be manufactured in the same manner as conventional methods, with plastics being manufactured by injection molding, zinc being manufactured by casting, and other metals being manufactured by press working. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1 cap 10 Mating protrusion 11 Root 12 flange part 13 Tip 14 Waist 15 Torso 16 (Fitting protrusion) tip 17 (Parallel to the diameter of the mating projection) 18 (Fabric) Anti-slip 2 sockets 20 valves 21 Female part 22 (Socket) Annular body 23 Fitting hole 24 Slit 25 groove 3 studs 31 Male 32 (Stud) Annular body 33 Fitting hole 34 Slit 35 Groove 36 Curved section 4 sockets 41 Female part 42 (Socket) Annular body 43 Fitting hole 44 Slit 5 studs 51 Male 52 (Stud) Annular body 53 Fitting hole 54 Slit D1 Tip diameter D2 Body diameter L Length of tip 100,200 snap button

Claims

1. A cap that fits over a snap button socket and / or stud, The cap is A substantially cylindrical fitting protrusion; a flange portion connected to a base portion of the fitting protrusion; a constricted portion which is an annular recess provided on the outer periphery of the fitting protrusion in the vicinity of the tip end of the fitting protrusion; A cap comprising:

2. 2. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the fitting protrusion has the tip portion and the body portion connected via the constricted portion, and the length of the tip portion is such that the tips of the fitting protrusions of each of the caps do not abut against each other when the socket to which the cap is fitted and the stud to which the cap is fitted are fitted.

3. The cap according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in a longitudinal cross section of the fitting protrusion, the curvature of the neck portion gradually decreases from the tip end side toward the base portion side.

4. The cap according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in a longitudinal cross section of the fitting protrusion, the constricted portion has a surface portion on the side of the tip end that is approximately parallel to the diameter direction of the fitting protrusion.

5. The cap according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the tip portion is circular or polygonal.

6. A snap button comprising two caps each having a substantially cylindrical fitting protrusion and a flange portion extending from a base of the fitting protrusion, a socket that fits with one of the caps, and a stud that fits with the other of the caps, The cap includes a substantially cylindrical fitting protrusion, a flange portion connected to a base portion of the fitting protrusion, and a constricted portion that is an annular recess provided on the outer periphery of the fitting protrusion near a tip end of the fitting protrusion, The socket and the stud each include an annular body and a valve extending from an inner surface of the annular body toward a center of the annular body, A snap button characterized in that the valve fits into the fitting protrusion of the cap and holds the fitting protrusion, and has flexibility in the fitting direction of the fitting protrusion of the cap.

7. 7. The snap button according to claim 6, wherein a groove is provided at the base of the valve.

8. 8. A snap button according to claim 6, wherein the valve is provided with a plurality of slits in the diameter direction of the socket and the stud.

9. 9. The snap button according to claim 6, wherein, when the socket and the stud are viewed in cross section, the valve has a curved portion at a tip of the valve.

10. 10. The snap button according to claim 6, wherein, when the socket and the stud are viewed in cross section, the valve has a shape that corresponds to the shape from the constricted portion to the body portion in a longitudinal cross section of the cap.

11. 11. A snap button according to claim 6, wherein the fitting protrusion has the tip portion and body portion connected via the constricted portion, and the length of the tip portion is such that when the socket with the cap fitted thereto and the stud with the cap fitted thereto are fitted together, the tips of the fitting protrusions of each of the caps do not abut against each other.

12. 12. The snap button according to claim 6, wherein in a longitudinal cross section of said fitting protrusion, the curvature of said constricted portion gradually decreases from said tip end side to said base end side.

13. 13. A snap button according to claim 6, wherein a longitudinal cross section of the fitting protrusion has a surface portion on the side of the tip end of the constricted portion that is approximately parallel to a diameter direction of the fitting protrusion.

14. 14. The snap button according to claim 11, wherein one of the cross-sectional shape of the tip of the fitting protrusion and the cross-sectional shape of the fitting holes of the socket and the stud is circular and the other is polygonal.

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