Pressure Closure Cap Hides Visible Rivets

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional snap-acting press-studs have an aesthetic drawback due to the visible riveted sheet metal portion on the inside of the female component when closed, compromising the appearance of clothing and leather goods.

Innovation Solution

A pressure-operated closure device featuring a cap that covers the fixing means, allowing for customization and a pre-assembled fixing element with a C-shaped retention spring, which is visible through the cavity, providing a more aesthetically pleasing and reliable solution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional sheet metal complementary elements are used with riveting, then the closure device can be securely fixed to fabric flaps, but the riveted and gathered portion of sheet metal becomes visible through the cavity of the female element, creating an aesthetic defect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure fixingVSAvoidaesthetic appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the visible riveted sheet metal portion from the female element by introducing a cap that covers the cavity. The cap is fixed to the female element and protrudes through the fabric flap, hiding the riveted portion from view while maintaining the secure fixing function through the complementary elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The cap acts as an intermediary element between the female element and the visible surface. It is fixed to the female element and protrudes through the fabric flap to cover the cavity and hide the riveted sheet metal portion, thereby mediating between the functional requirement (secure fixing) and the aesthetic requirement (hidden rivets).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The device eliminates the aesthetic defect of visible rivets, enhances manufacturing finish, and ensures reliable and safe operation while being easy to assemble and economically competitive.

Implementation Method 1

The action of pressing the male element into the female element, exerted by the user, entails the momentary elastic expansion, or opening, of the C-shaped spring, and the passing through thereof by the male element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic expansion: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3266331B1Pressure-operated closure device
Publication Date: 2019.05.01 METAL P DI PARIS G&C SRL
  • EP3266331B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3266331B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3266331B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A pressure-operated closure device (1), comprising: - a female element (2) in which a cavity (3) is formed, - a male element (4), which comprises a locking body (5) that is configured to be inserted into such cavity (3), - a first complementary element (6) fixed to the female element (2) so as to retain a first flap (7) of a fabric, - a second complementary element (8) configured to be fixed to the male element (4) so as to retain a second flap (9) of a fabric. The peculiarity of the invention consists in that it comprises a fixing element (10) which comprises a cap (11), which is visible through the cavity (3) of the female element (2), and fixing means (12). The cap (11) retains the female element (2), while the fixing means (12) fix the cap (11) and the female element (2) to the first complementary element (6).