United States Patent [19]
`Takeda
`
`[11]
`[45]
`
`4,430,777
`Feb. 14, 1984
`
`[54] SOCKET COMPONENT FOR SNAP
`FASTENER
`[76] Inventor:
`Tadashi Takeda, l2 Banchi, l Chome,
`Kita-Kinomoto, Yao‘city, Osaka,
`Japan
`[21] Appl. No.: 414,027
`[22] Filed:
`Sep. 2, 1982
`[30]
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`Apr. 13, 1982 [JP]
`Japan ........................... .. 57-54200[U]
`
`[51] Int. Cl.3 ............................................ .. A44B 17/00
`[52] US. Cl. ......................................... .. 24/681
`[58] Field of Search ............... .. 24/216, 217, 219, 220,
`24/DIG. 29
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`2,368,100 l/l945 Boenecke ............. .._ ............. .. 24/216
`
`3,613,181 10/1971 Taylor . . . . . . . . . .
`. . . .. 24/216
`4,268,101 5/1981 Stone ................................... .. 24/216
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`16365 of 1911 United Kingdom ................ .. 24/216
`542153 12/1941 United Kingdom
`. 24/217
`1073408 6/1967 United Kingdom ................ .. 24/217
`Primary Examiner—Gene Mancene
`
`Assistant Examiner—John G. Weiss
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`The invention provides an improved plastic socket
`component of the female snap of a snap fastener, which
`socket component is attached to one face of a ?exible
`sheet such as the cloth of a garment by means of a rivent
`driven in from the other face of the ?exible sheet and
`includes a cavity for coupling and uncoupling with a
`projection formed on a male snap. The cavity is sur
`rounded by a thick peripheral wall having a plurality of
`relatively long arcuate embossrnents arranged at small
`intervals in the peripheral direction on an upper inner
`surface portion of the wall and a plurality of arcuate
`slits substantially equal in length to the embossrnents
`and arranged outwardly opposite thereto, the slits ex
`tending vertically through the peripheral wall. Adja
`cent pairs of the slits are interposed by thick wall por
`tions having high rigidity. According to the improved
`construction, coupling and uncoupling between the
`projection of the male snap and the cavity of the female
`snap are carried out with a constant force regardless of
`the thickness of the ?exible sheet, and do not get too
`tight temporarily after washing the ?exible sheet.
`
`3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures
`
`2 62a17
`l\/
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`15
`
`Natus Medical Inc., Natus Neurology Inc.,
`Embla Systems LLC and Embla Systems Ltd.
`Ex. 1029, p. 1
`
`

`
`US. Patent Feb. 14,1984
`
`'
`
`Sheet1of4
`
`4,430,777
`
`Natus Medical Inc., Natus Neurology Inc.,
`Embla Systems LLC and Embla Systems Ltd.
`Ex. 1029, p. 2
`
`

`
`US. Patent Feb. 14, 1984
`
`Sheet 2 of 4
`
`4,430,777
`
`Natus Medical Inc., Natus Neurology Inc.,
`Embla Systems LLC and Embla Systems Ltd.
`Ex. 1029, p. 3
`
`

`
`Natus Medical Inc., Natus Neurology Inc.,
`Embla Systems LLC and Embla Systems Ltd.
`Ex. 1029, p. 4
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent Feb. 14, 1984
`
`Sheet 4 of4
`
`4,430,777
`
`Fig.6
`
`Fig.7
`
`Natus Medical Inc., Natus Neurology Inc.,
`Embla Systems LLC and Embla Systems Ltd.
`Ex. 1029, p. 5
`
`

`
`1
`
`SOCKET COMPONENT FOR SNAP FASTENER
`
`4,430,777
`2
`top of the inner wall portion 13a’ toward the center of
`the cavity 10’ reducing the inner diameter at the open
`ing end of the cavity 10', which tends to result in dif?
`culty in inserting the projection 8' of the male snap into
`the cavity 10’.
`Furthermore, since an annular groove a is de?ned
`between the inner wall portion 130’ and the outer wall
`portion 13c’ with the upper wall portion 13b’ forming its
`bottom, water tends to remain in the groove a after the
`garment carrying the snap fastener is washed. As a
`result, the plastic material in the inside faces of the
`annular groove a absorbs the water to get distended and
`reduce the inner diameter at the opening end of the
`cavity 10', whereby the coupling between the projec
`tion 8' and the cavity 10’ temporarily becomes too tight
`until the absorbed water fully dries up.
`
`10
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Field of the Invention
`This invention relates to a socket component for a
`female snap which, together with a male snap, consti
`tutes a snap fastener, and more particularly to a plastic
`socket component having a cavity for coupling and
`uncoupling with a projection of the male snap and an
`opening de?ned centrally of a bottom wall of the cavity
`to receive a projection of a rivet driven in from one face
`of a ?exible sheet to form a calking stop.
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`A known plastic socket component of the type de
`scribed above is shown in FIG. 7. In this socket compo
`nent 3’ a cavity 10' is surrounded by a peripheral wall
`13' having a substantial inverted U-shaped section and
`comprising an annular inner wall portion 13a’ upstand
`ing from the periphery of a bottom wall 11’, an annular
`upper wall portion 13b’ extending outwardly from the
`top of the inner wall portion 13a’ and an annular outer
`wall portion 130’ depending from the outer edge of the
`upper wall portion 13b’. When coupling a projection 8'
`of the male snap and the cavity 10’, the projection 8’ is
`pushed into the cavity 10’ elastically deforming the
`upper wall portion 13b’. When the projection 8’ is
`seated in the cavity 10', the projection is cramped by the
`inner wall portion 13a’ under the elastic restoring force
`of the upper wall portion 13b’. This plastic socket comf
`ponent 3’ has the following two advantages:
`(1) A relatively board annular top surface S1 ' is de
`?ned by the upper wall portion 13b’ around the open
`ing end of the cavity 10'. Therefore, when the projec
`tion 8’ of the male snap is to be inserted into the cavity
`10’, a peripheral portion of the projection 8' can be
`placed in contact with the annular top surface portion
`S1’ and then guided into the cavity 10’ by sliding over
`the annular top surface S1’. Thus positional adjust
`ment between the projection 8’ and the cavity 10' is
`achieved with ease.
`'
`(2) After a projection 40' of a rivet 4' driven in from
`one face of a ?exible sheet 5b’ penetrates through an
`opening 12’ de?ning centrally of the bottom wall 11' of
`the socket component 3' and the leading end of the
`projection 4a’ is crushed to form a calking stop, the
`?exible sheet 5b’ is held not only between the undersur
`face of the bottom wall 11' and the back face of a head
`4b’ of the rivet 4’ but also between the undersurface of
`the outer wall portion 13c’ located around the bottom
`wall 11’ and the back face of the head 4b’ of the rivet 4'
`opposed thereto. Therefore, the socket component 3' is
`secured to the ?exible sheet 5b’ in a reliable and stable
`manner.
`However, the prior art construction described above
`has a disadvantage that the mating between the projec
`tion 8' and the cavity 10' becomes too loose or too tight
`depending on the thickness of the ?exible sheet 5b’.
`More particularly, where the ?exible sheet 5b’ com
`prises a thin material, the inner diameter at the opening
`end of the cavity 10’ is maintained constant and there
`fore the projection 8’ of the male snap can be ?tted into
`the cavity 10' with a small force. On the other hand,
`where the ?exible sheet 5b’ comprises a thick material,
`the outer wall portion 13c’ is pushed upward by the
`?exible sheet 5b’ as seen in FIG. 7 when the ?exible
`sheet 5b’ is held between the undersurface of the outer
`wall portion 130’ and the back face of the head 4b’ of the
`rivet 4'. The upper wall portion 13b ’ then pushes the
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`In view of the above state of the prior art, an object
`of the present invention is to provide a socket compo
`nent for a snap fastener which eliminates the disadvan
`tages of the prior art while retaining the advantages (1)
`and (2) noted hereinbefore, and more particularly to
`provide a socket component which couples and uncou
`ples with the stud component with a constant force
`regardless of the thickness of the ?exible sheet and
`hardly retains water after washing to avoid distension
`of the plastic material and temporary tightening of the
`coupling.
`In order to achieve this object, a plastic socket com
`ponent for a snap fastener according to this invention
`has a cavity for coupling and uncoupling with a projec
`tion of a stud component and an opening de?ned cen
`trally of a bottom wall of the cavity to receive a projec
`tion of a rivet driven in from one face of a ?exible sheet
`to form a calking stop, the socket component compris
`ing a thick annular peripheral wall de?ning the cavity
`and including a plurality of relatively long arcuate em
`bossments arranged peripherally on an upper inner sur
`face portion of the peripheral wall, a plurality of arcuate
`slits substantially equal in length and arranged out
`wardly of and opposite to the arcuate embossments,
`respectively, the arcuate slits extending vertically
`through the peripheral wall, and thick wall portions of
`high rigidity disposed between respective adjacent pairs
`of the arcuate slits.
`The construction of this invention having the above
`characteristic features produces the following func
`tional effect. Since the peripheral wall of the cavity is in
`the form of a ring having a great material thickness, a
`plurality of relatively long arcuate embossments are
`provided in the peripheral direction on an upper inner
`surface portion of the peripheral wall, a plurality of
`arcuate slits substantially equal in length to the emboss
`ments are provided outwardly opposite to the respec
`tive embossments, and since thick material portions
`having good rigidity are formed between the slits, de
`formation of the upper portion of the peripheral wall
`toward the center of the cavity is prevented owing to
`the presence of the thick and rigid material portions
`which resist a force acting on the lower surface of the
`peripheral wall, may it be a strong force imparted by a
`thick ?exible sheet held between the lower surface of
`the peripheral wall and the head of a rivet driven in
`from one side of the ?exible sheet. Even if thin wall
`portions outwardly of the arcuate slits are deformed,
`the arcuate embossments are free from deformation
`
`35
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`40
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`60
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`65
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`Natus Medical Inc., Natus Neurology Inc.,
`Embla Systems LLC and Embla Systems Ltd.
`Ex. 1029, p. 6
`
`

`
`20
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`25
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`In the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the
`present invention,
`FIG. 1 is a view in vertical section of a snap fastener,
`FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a stud component,
`FIG. 3 is a plan view of a socket component,
`FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the socket component,
`FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V in FIG.
`3,
`
`FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line VI—VI in
`FIG. 3, and
`FIG. ‘7 is a view illustrating a prior art construction.
`
`4,430,777
`3
`ll
`prises a planar portion and an inclined portion, the latter
`since the embossments are shut away from the thin wall
`portions by the presence of the arcuate slits between the
`being disposed on the outer periphery of the planar
`embossments and the thin wall portions.
`portion and gently sloping downwardly as it extends
`The inner diameter at the opening end of the cavity is
`outwardly. The lower surface S2 is located on the outer
`periphery of and slightly above an undersurface of the
`therefore not reduced but maintained constant even if
`the ?exible sheet has a considerable thickness.
`bottom wall 111 to press upon the flexible sheet 5b.
`The peripheral wall 13 has a plurality of relatively
`Furthermore, the arcuate embossments are readily
`subjected to elastic deformation at times of forcing the
`long arcuate embossments 14 arranged at small intervals
`projection of the male snap into the cavity since the
`in the peripheral direction on an upper inner surface
`portion of the peripheral wall 13. The peripheral wall
`arcuate slits are provided outwardly of the emboss
`13 also includes a plurality of arcuate slits 15 de?ned in
`ments.
`Coupling and uncoupling between the projection and
`radially intermediate positions of the material thickness
`of the wall 13 and extending vertically through the wall
`the cavity are therefore effected with a uniform opera
`tional force regardless of the thickness of the ?exible
`13. It will be seen that the arcuate slits 15 are substan
`tially equal in length to the arcuate embossments I4, and
`sheet.
`are positioned outwardly opposite to the respective
`Since the arcuate slits extend vertically through the
`peripheral wall, there will hardly be any residual water
`embossments 14. Between adjacent pairs of the arcuate
`therein after washing the ?exible sheet, which helps
`slits 15 are thick material portions 16 having good rigid
`ity.
`toward avoiding the inconvenience of plastic material
`in the inside faces of the arcuate slits becoming tempo
`The top of each arcuate slit 15 is narrowed and opens
`rarily distended thereby to render the mating between
`at the planar portion of the upper surface S1. The bot
`the projection and the cavity too tight.
`tom wall 11 has an annular upstanding wall 17 of
`smaller height than the peripheral wall 13, around the
`central opening 12. This upstanding wall 117 is provided
`in order to prevent entry to the cavity 10 of part of the
`?exible sheet 5b carried into the central opening 12 by
`the projection Ila of the pivot 4, as the projection 40 is
`driven through the ?exible sheet 5b. More particularly,
`if part of the ?exible sheet 5b is brought by the projec
`tion 4a into the central opening 12 in excessive amount
`when the rivet 4» is driven in from one face of the sheet
`5b, the annular projection 8 of the male snap will abut
`against the part of the sheet 5b protruding into the cav
`ity 10, which results in a shallow insertion of the annular
`projection 8 into the cavity Ill or an inclined seating of
`the male snap relative to the female snap thereby to
`hamper stable mating between the two snaps. The pro
`vision of the upstanding wall 17 is effective to avoid the
`above inconvenience.
`The described construction, namely that the periph—
`eral wall 13 of the cavity 10 is in the form of a ring
`having a great material thickness, the arcuate slits 15 are
`provided peripherally and outwardly of the arcuate
`embossments 9, and the thick material portions 16 hav
`ing good rigidity are present between the respective
`adjacent pairs of the slits 15 has an advantage of posi
`tively preventing deformation of the upper portion of
`the peripheral wall toward the center of the cavity 10
`when the ?exible sheet 5b is held between the lower
`surface S2 of the peripheral wall 13 and the back face of
`the head of the rivet 4. The reason is that the rigid thick
`material portions 16 resist a force, which may be strong,
`acting on the lower surface S2 of the peripheral wall 13
`when the sheet 5b is held thereunder. Even if thin wall
`portions outwardly of the arcuate slits 15 are deformed
`by the upcoming force from the ?exible sheet 5b, the
`arcuate embossments 14- remain unaffected by the defor
`mation of the thin wall portions owing to the presence
`of the arcuate slits 15. In other words, the arcuate em
`bossments 114 are shut away from the thin wall portions
`by the slits 15.
`The internal diameter at the opening end of the cavity
`10 is therefore not reduced but maintained constant
`when the ?exible sheet 5b is held between the lower
`surface S2 of the peripheral wall 13 and the back face of
`the head of the rivet 4 even if the sheet 5b has a consid
`erable thickness. The arcuate embossments 14 are
`readily subjected to elastic deformation at times of forc
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`An embodiment of the present invention is now de
`scribed in detail with reference to the drawings.
`FIG. 1 shows a plastic snap fastener comprising a
`combination of a male snap and a female snap. The male
`snap includes a plastic stud component 1 and a plastic
`rivet 2, and the female snap includes a plastic socket
`component 3 and a plastic rivet 4. Reference 50 and 5b
`indicate ?exible sheets such as material of a garment or
`a vinyl bag for packaging use.
`As shown in FIGS. l and 2, the stud component ll
`comprises a base portion 7 de?ning a central opening 6
`and an annular projection 8 extending from one face of
`the base portion 7. The opening 6 is penetrated by a
`projection 2a of the rivet 2 driven in from one face of
`the ?exible sheet 511, the leading end of the projection 20
`being crushed into a ?ange to provide a calking stop.'
`The annular projection 8 has a plurality of arcuate em
`55
`bossments 9 arranged at small intervals around the top
`outer periphery thereof.
`As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the socket component 3
`includes a cavity 10 for coupling and uncoupling with
`the annular projection 8. An opening 112 is de?ned cen
`trally of a bottom wall ll of the cavity 10 to receive a
`projection 4a of the rivet 4- driven in from one face of
`the ?exible sheet 5b, the leading end of the projection 4a
`being crushed into a ?ange to provide a calking stop.
`The cavity 10 is surrounded by a thick peripheral
`wall 13 de?ning an annular upper surface 81 and an
`annular lower surface S2. The upper surface S11 is lo
`cated around the opening end of the cavity 10 and com
`
`35
`
`40
`
`65
`
`Natus Medical Inc., Natus Neurology Inc.,
`Embla Systems LLC and Embla Systems Ltd.
`Ex. 1029, p. 7
`
`

`
`5
`ing the annular projection 8 of the male snap into the
`cavity 10 since the internal diameter at the opening end
`of the cavity 10 is maintained constant and the arcuate
`slits 15 are provided outwardly of the embossments 14.
`Coupling and uncoupling between the annular pro
`jection 8 and the cavity 10 are therefore effected with a
`uniform operational force regardless of the thickness of
`the ?exible sheet 5b. Since the arcuate slits 15 extend
`vertically through the peripheral wall 13, there will
`hardly be any residual water therein after washing the
`?exible sheets 5a and 5b, which helps toward avoiding
`the inconvenience of plastic material in the inside faces
`of the arcuate slits 15 getting temporarily distended
`thereby to render the mating between the annular pro
`jection 8 and the cavity too tight.
`The annular projection 8 may be provided with an
`annular embossment instead of the arcuate embossments
`9. The male snap and the rivets may be formed of metal.
`I claim:
`1. A plastic socket component for a snap fastener,
`comprising:
`a. a bottom wall having a centrally located opening
`for receiving a projection of a rivet of the snap
`fastener driven in from a face of a ?exible sheet to
`form a calking stop; and
`b. a thick annular peripheral wall surrounding the
`periphery of said bottom wall to de?ne a cavity for
`coupling with and uncoupling from a projection of
`a stud component of the snap fastener;
`c. said annular peripheral wall having
`(1) an inner peripheral surface facing said cavity,
`
`15
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`20
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`25
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`4,430,777
`6
`(2) a plurality of relatively long arcuate emboss
`ments located peripherally at the upper end of
`said inner surface,
`(3) an outer peripheral surface radially outside said
`inner peripheral surface,
`(4) a lower surface, adjacent said outer peripheral
`surface, for abutting the ?exible sheet such that
`the ?exible sheet exerts an upward force on said
`lower surface proportional to the thickness of
`the ?exible sheet,
`(5) a plurality of arcuate slits substantially equal in
`length and located respectively outwardly and
`radially aligned with said arcuate embossments
`and radially inwardly of said lower surface, and
`extending vertically entirely through said pe
`ripheral wall so as to de?ne elastic wall portions
`between said slits and said outer peripheral sur
`face which resiliently deform upon application
`of the upward force to said lower surface, and
`(6) thick wall portions extending continuously be
`tween said inner and outer peripheral surfaces,
`disposed between respective adjacent pairs of
`said arcuate slits and having sufficient rigidity so
`as not to bend in response to the upward force, to
`thereby maintain the radial diameters of said
`cavity independently of the thickness of the ?exi
`ble sheet.
`2. A socket component for a snap fastener as de?ned
`in'claim 1 wherein said arcuate slits have upper ends
`narrower than lower ends.
`3. A socket component for a snap fastener as de?ned
`in claim 1 further comprising an upstanding wall having
`a smaller height than said peripheral wall and disposed
`around said opening de?ned in the bottom wall of the
`
`30
`
`35
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`cavity.
`
`* * * * *
`
`45
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`55
`
`65
`
`Natus Medical Inc., Natus Neurology Inc.,
`Embla Systems LLC and Embla Systems Ltd.
`Ex. 1029, p. 8