Removable Button Construction with Threaded Stem and Swaged Nail
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing button or snap-fastener assemblies in garment articles require time-consuming removal and reapplication, as they are damaged by washing and ironing processes, and current solutions lack ease of use and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A removable button construction featuring a fixed body with a stem and nail element that passes through a fabric flap, engaging with a counter-portion and a threaded button element, allowing quick detachment and reattachment without damaging the stem or fabric.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If buttons or snap-fasteners are permanently attached to garment articles, then they remain secure during washing and ironing, but they cannot be removed to prevent damage from cleansing and solvent substances
Solution Approach 1:
The button assembly is divided into two separable parts: a fixed body that remains attached to the garment and a removable button portion that can be detached before washing. This segmentation allows the garment to be washed without the button, preventing damage, while the fixed body maintains secure attachment during normal wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The button assembly transitions from a static permanent attachment to a dynamic removable attachment. The threaded connection allows the button to be easily attached and detached, providing adaptability between different states (wearing vs. washing) rather than being fixed in one state.
2Reliability
If buttons are permanently attached to prevent damage during washing, then they remain secure, but time-consuming removal and reapplication is required when washing is necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded connection enables rapid attachment and detachment of the button portion, reducing the time required for removal and reapplication compared to traditional methods. The simple screw-thread mechanism allows quick operation without specialized tools or complex procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed body with its threaded seat is prepared in advance during garment manufacturing, so that when the button needs to be removed for washing, the infrastructure is already in place for quick reattachment. No additional preparation or complex alignment is needed during the removal/reapplication process.
3Ease of operation
If traditional button attachment methods are used, then buttons can be removed and reattached, but the operations are fatiguing and require comparatively long time
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded connection provides a simple rotational motion for attachment and detachment, which is mechanically easier and faster than traditional methods involving needles, threads, or complex fastening mechanisms. The user can easily operate the button with simple twisting motions.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex and time-consuming aspects of traditional button attachment (needle threading, knot tying, precise alignment) have been extracted and replaced by a simple threaded screw mechanism. Only the essential function of securing the button remains, simplified to a single rotational action.
4Reliability
If the nail element is made long to ensure secure anchoring through the fabric flap, then attachment security improves, but the stem becomes susceptible to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring function is separated from the button stem. The nail element provides secure anchoring through the fabric flap, while the threaded seat in the fixed body provides the connection point for the button. This segmentation allows the nail to be optimized for anchoring without compromising stem strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The nail element is nested within the fixed body structure, with the threaded seat positioned to receive the button while the nail provides background anchoring support. This nested arrangement allows both functions to work together without the nail needing to extend unnecessarily, protecting it from damage.
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
Enables easy and quick removal and reassembly of decorated buttons while maintaining a secure anchor to the garment, with a compact design that prevents stem damage and simplifies the process, enhancing user convenience and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
said fixed body being clamped to the fabric flap or portion by said nail element passing through said flap and being swaged or clamped in any other suitable manner in a counter-portion arranged on the opposite face of the fabric
Implementation Method 2
The stem comprises a threaded seat adapted to be engaged by a threaded end piece of said button element, thereby allowing said button element, together with its decorated portion, to be removably associated with said fixed body
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~6
Figure 7
AI summary
A removable button or snap-fastener construction (1) characterized in that it has a small height and comprises a fixed body (2,4) which may be associated with a fabric material flap (3,17) and being adapted to support a removable portion including a button element associated with a decorated portion (5), the fixed body (2,4) comprising a stem (6,9) including a nail element (14,15); the fixed body being clamped to the fabric flap (3) or portion by said nail element passing through said flap and being swaged or clamped in any other suitable manner in a counter-portion (10) arranged on the opposite face of the fabric (3). The counter-portion (10) comprises a disc element including a hole having a tapering section (11) and which is engaged by the tip of said nail element, said tip being swaged or counter-riveted inside said hole. The stem (6,9) comprises a threaded seat adapted to be engaged by a threaded endpiece of said button element, thereby allowing said button element, together with its decorated portion (5), to be removably associated with said fixed body.