GB2094876A - Fasteners for bags, wallets or purses - Google Patents

Abstract

A fastener for the closure flap 6 of a wallet or the like comprises an ornamental head (9) fixed to a fastening stud (10) which projects through the flap and is secured by a spring washer (19). The head (17) of the stud engages a fastening socket, not shown. By this means, the cost of separately mounted ornaments and fasteners is avoided. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fasteners for bags, wallets or purses This invention relates to fasteners for bags, wallets or purses.

Figure 1 shows schematically a common type of bag, wallet or purse, having a container portion 1 and a closure flap 2 foldable over the container portion 1 in the direction of the arrow 3 to prevent access to the contents of the container portion 1.

Commonly, a fastener is provided which has one part on the closure flap 2 engageable with another part on the container portion. Commonly used types of fastener are a strap and buckle, a "pressstud" or "snap" fastener, and a staple and lock. It is also well known to apply to that part of the closure flap 2 which is outermost (when the bag, wallet or purse is closed) some kind of ornamental plate to enhance the appearance of the article. The cost of manufacturing a bag, wallet or purse of this type is influenced both by the intrinsic cost of the fastener and ornamental plate and by the labour costs of attaching the fastener and ornamental plate.

It is an object of the invention to provide for a bag, wallet or purse an inexpensive, aesthetically pleasing fastener which is easy to mount.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a fastener for a bag, wallet or purse which comprises a container portion and a closure flap foldable over the container portion, the fastener comprising: an ornamental member for location on the outermost side of such a closure flap, a fastening stud attached to the ornamental member for projecting to the innermost side of such a closure flap through an aperture, formed in the closure flap, of size corresponding generally to the cross-sectional size of the stud, the ornamental member being substantially larger than such an aperture, a spring washer larger than such an aperture for mounting on the projecting portion of the stud adjacent the innermost side of such a closure flap, and a fastenening socket for mounting on such a container portion to receive the projecting end of the stud.

The stud can be of circular cross-section and the spring washer can be an internally-toothed annular washer.

The stud can have an annular groove to receive the tips of the teeth of the spring washer.

The stud can have an end portion, adjacent the ornamental member, of cross-section corresponding substantially to that of the aperture, and a portion of smaller cross-section to receive the spring washer.

The distal end of the stud can comprise a neck portion leading to a bulbous head.

The ornamental member can be an ornamental plate.

The ornamental member and stud can be of plastics material. Alternatively, the ornamental member and stud can be of metal.

The ornamental member and stud can be integrally-formed. Alternatively, where metal is used the stud can be welded or brazed to the ornamental member.

A subsidiary ornamental plate can be provided through which the stud passes and which is retained in position by the ornamental member attached to the stud.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a bag, wallet or purse comprising a container portion, a closure flap foldable over the container portion, an aperture in the closure flap, an ornamental member, substantially larger than the aperture, located on the outermost side of the closure flap, a fastening stud corresponding generally in cross-sectional size to the size of the aperture, the fastening stud being attached to the ornamental member and projecting through the closure flap to the innermost side of the closure flap, a spring washer larger than the aperture mounted on the projecting portion of the stud adjacent the innermost side of the closure flap and a fastening socket mounted on the container portion to receive the projecting end of the stud.

In a wallet, the container portion can be in two parts, one part being foldable over the other part.

By way of example only, an illustrative embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a common type of prior art bag, wallet or purse, Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a wallet including a fastener embodying the invention, Figure 3 is a part-sectional view of a part of the wallet, Figure 4 shows an alternative form of fastening stud to that used in the wallet of Figure 2 and 3, and Figure 5 corresponds to Figure 3 but shows an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 2, a wallet 4 is illustrated having a container portion 5 and a closure flap 6 foldable over the container portion. The container portion 5 is itself in two parts 7, 8 with the part 8 foldable over the part 7. The closure flap 6 is decorated by an ornamental metal plate 9 on the outermost surface of the closure flap and projecting from the innermost surface of the closure flap is a metal fastening stud 10. The part 8 of the container portion is provided with a fastening socket 11 of known type to receive the stud 10 in the manner of a "snap" or "press-stud" fastener.

Figure 3 shows the construction of the closure flap 6, the ornamental plate 9 and the stud 10 in more detail. The flap 6 is made up of an outer layer of leather over a stiffening layer of thick card 13, and a layer of lining material 14 over a stiffening layer of thin card 1 4A. A circular aperture is punched through all the layers of the closure flap 6 to receive the stud 10.The stud 10 is welded to the innermost face of the plate 9 and comprises a right-cylindrical end section 1 5 of diameter corresponding to the diameter of the aperture punched through the closure flap 6, a further right-cylindrical section 1 6 of smaller diameter, and a bulbous head 1 7 on a neck 1 8. A metal internally-toothed dish-shaped annular spring washer 19 is located about the stud 10 so that the periphery 20 of the washer presses against the lining material 14 and the teeth 21 bite into the section 1 6.

The plate 9 and stud 10 are very easy to mount on the flap 6 since all that is necessary is to insert the stud throug-h the aperture and press the washer 19 down firmly over the end of the stud to compress the layers of the flap against the plate 9.

The teeth of the washer 1 9 prevent it from coming off the stud 10 again and the plate 9, layers of the flap 6 and the stud are all firmly held in position.

The construction is aesthetically pleasing by virtue of the ornamental appearance of the plate 9 and the neat appearance of the washer 19 surrounding the stud 10. If desired, the stud 10 and washer 1 9 can be enhanced by gilding. The assembly of the plate 9 and stud 10 combined the functions of ornament and fastener and is therefore cheaper to make and assemble than separately mounted ornaments and fasteners.

An alternative form of stud 10 is shown in Figure 4 and includes an annular groove 22 to receive the teeth of the washer 1 9. Figure 4 also shows a small pip 23 provided on the base of the stud 10 to facilitate welding to the plate 9. The plate 9 can have a different shape from that shown and attachment of the stud by brazing is an alternative to welding.

The plate 9, stud 10, washer 19 and socket 11 can be provided on a purse or handbag as an alternative to their illustrated use on a wallet.

Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment in which a stud 10' is provided with an integrallyformed ornamental plate in the form of a disc 30, the outermost face of the disc being ornamented by engraving, for example. The stud 1 0' corresponds to the stud 10 of Figures 2 and 3 except for the provision of the disc 30 and the replacement of the section 1 5 by a longer section 1 5'.

A subsidiary ornamental plate 9' is used with the stud 10' and corresponds to the plate 9 of Figures 2 and 3 except for the provision of an aperture sized to receive the section 15'. As can be seen in Figure 5, the stud 10' passes through the subsidiary ornamental plate 9' and the disc 30 is used to retain the plate 9' in position as well as add extra ornamentation.

If desired, plastics material can be used instead of metal for making the stud and the (or each) ornamental plate. For example, plastics material with a metalized finish can be used. When plastics material is used the stud and attached ornamental plate can be moulded in one piece.

Alternatively the stud and plate can be made in one piece using metal by die-casting or forging, for example.

As an alternative to a stud or circular section, a stud of square or hexagonal section could be used.

Instead of an ornamental plate an ornamental member of other shape could be used with the stud.

Claims (20)

1. A fastener for a bag, wallet or purse which comprises a ccntainer portion and a closure flap foldable over the container portion, the fastener comprising: an ornamental member for location on the outermost side of such a closure flap, a fastening stud attached to the ornamental member for projecting to the innermost side of such a closure flap through an aperture, formed in the closure flap, of size corresponding generally to the cross-sectional size of the stud, the ornamental member being substantially larger than such an aperture, a spring washer larger than such an aperture for mounting on the projecting portion of the stud adjacent the innermost side of such a closure flap, and a fastening socket for mounting on such a container portion to receive the projecting end of the stud.

2. A fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stud is of circular cross-section.

3. A fastener as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spring washer is an internally-toothed annular washer.

4. A fastener as claimed in claim 3, wherein the stud has an annular groove to receive the tips of the teeth of the spring washer.

5. A fastener as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the stud has an end portion, adjacent the ornamental member, of a first cross-section to correspond substantially to that of the aperture, and a portion of smaller cross-section to receive the spring washer.

6. A fastener as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the distal end of the stud comprises a neck portion leading to a bulbous head.

7. A fastener as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ornamental member is an ornamental plate.

8. A fastener as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ornamental member and stud are of plastics material.

9. A fastener as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the ornamental member and stud are of metal.

10. A fastener as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ornamental member and stud are integrally-formed.

1 A fastener as claimed in claim 9, wherein the stud is welded to the ornamental member.

12. A fastener as claimed in claim 9, wherein the stud is brazed to the ornamental member.

13. A fastener as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a subsidiary ornamental plate is provided for the stud to pass through and to be retained in position by the ornamental member attached to the stud.

14. A fastener for a bag, wallet or purse which comprises a container portion and a closure flap foldable over the container portion, the fastener being substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

1 5. A fastener as claimed in claim 14 substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

1 6. A fastener as claimed in claim 1 5 but modified substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A fastener as claimed in claim 14 substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

1 8. A bag, wallet or purse comprising a container portion, a closure flap foldable over the container portion, an aperture in the closure flap, an ornamental member, substantially larger than the aperture, located on the outermost side of the closure flap, a fastening stud corresponding generally in cross-sectional size to the size of the aperture, the fastening stud being attached to the ornamental member and projecting through the closure flap to the innermost side of the closure flap, a spring washer larger than the aperture mounted on the projecting portion of the stud adjacent the innermost side of the closure flap, and a fastening socket mounted on the container portion to receive the projecting end of the stud.

19. A bag, wallet or purse as claimed in claim 18, wherein the fastener constituted by the ornamental member, fastening stud, spring washer and fastening socket is as claimed in any of claims 2 to 17.

20. A wallet as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein the container portion is in two parts, one part being foldable over the other part.