Snap and Lock Button With Hinged Cover for Secure Fastening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional buttons are prone to easy detachment, which is inconvenient, especially in athletic and extreme conditions where secure fastening is necessary.
Innovation Solution
A snap and lock button system with a detachable ridged color-coded cover and hinged mechanism that allows rotation into a locked position, featuring a male and female fastener system with bumper guards to prevent over-rotation, ensuring secure attachment to clothing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional buttons are used for fastening, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to easy detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The button mechanism incorporates a hinged cover that can rotate between an open and locked position, transforming the static button into a dynamic system. The hinge allows the cover to swing open for easy operation during donning, then lock securely to prevent accidental detachment during activity. This dynamic movement resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The button system performs preliminary locking action automatically upon closure. When the hinged cover is pushed onto the button post, the cam mechanism engages with the button head to lock the cover in place before any detachment force can occur. This preliminary securing action ensures reliability is established upfront, preventing the ease-of-operation benefit from compromising security.
2Reliability
If a secure locking mechanism is added to prevent detachment, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated button assembly: the button post provides both the anchoring function and the locking surface, while the hinged cover combines the protective closure with the locking mechanism through its cam feature. This merging of functions achieves reliable security without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the components work together rather than adding separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The button mechanism is designed to be self-locking through the cam and button head interaction. Once the hinged cover is closed over the button post, the cam geometry automatically engages with the button head to secure the cover in place without requiring additional actuators, springs, or complex locking mechanisms. This self-service approach maintains simplicity while achieving high reliability.
3Reliability
If a hinged mechanism with rotation is implemented, then reliability is improved through locked position, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hinged cover introduces dynamic movement that enhances both reliability and ease of operation. The hinge allows the cover to swing open easily during donning for quick access, then the same hinge enables secure locking when closed. The dynamic nature of the hinge mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing different operational modes: easy opening for convenience and secure locking for reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical fastening systems (screws, clips, or complex latches) with a simpler cam-based locking mechanism integrated into the hinged cover. The cam geometry provides reliable mechanical advantage for locking while maintaining ease of operation through simple push-to-close motion. This substitution of mechanical systems achieves secure fastening without compromising user convenience.
Data Source
AI summary
A button system containing two pieces that snap and lock together to fasten multiple articles of clothing. The top piece is made of three distinct parts: a detachable ridged color-coded cover, a fastener that attaches said cover to a rotatable hinged plate, and a fastener that secures all three pieces of the top piece. The bottom piece is also made up of three distinct parts: a plate to receive the hinges from the top piece, a curved structure that connects the hinge/cavity plates to the article of clothing, and a rivet that attaches to the article of clothing and the snap and lock invention.