FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a plate suitable for use as an eye portion for a hook and eye fastener.

BACKGROUND

Hook and eye is a fastening concept which is often used to fasten garments. A hook and eye fastener may effectively maintain the required tension and force for the fastener to remain closed. When it comes to fastening, end user needs to insert a hook part into the loop (eye).

However, conventional hook and eye fasteners are often difficult to fasten, for example due to the complicated nature of having to place a hook through a very small eye, e.g. in a brassiere.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present inventors have surprisingly found that the hook and eye fastener disclosed herein has the advantage in that it provides guiding of a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener during the fastening process. This results easier manoeuvring of the hook part into the eye, thereby improving the ease of securing the hook portion against the eye portion, especially when a user is attempting to fasten something that is not visible to them (such as a brassiere). This greatly improves ease of use for an end consumer.

In particular, the invention solves one or more problems associated with the prior art by effectively guiding the hook smoothly into the eye.

Aspects and embodiments of the invention will now be discussed by reference to the following numbered clauses.

1. A plate suitable as an eye portion for a hook and eye fastener, comprising: an attaching portion suitable for securing the plate to a fabric; an angular funnelled guiding stern connected to the attaching portion; a locking portion connected to the angular funnelled guiding stern, the locking portion for securing a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener; and an eye aperture for receiving a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener, the eye aperture being defined by a perimeter comprising the attaching portion, the angular funnelled guiding stern, and the locking portion, wherein: the attaching portion is substantially planar; the locking portion is offset from the plane of the attaching portion; and the angular funnelled guiding stern defines a tapered region of the eye aperture, the tapered region narrowing towards the locking portion; and the angular funnelled guiding stern extends from the plane of the attaching portion to connect the attaching portion to the locking portion.

2. The plate according to Clause 1 , wherein the locking portion comprises a horizontal guiding stern and a locking stern, the locking stern being substantially perpendicular to the horizontal guiding stern, and the horizontal guiding stern being connected to the angular funnelled guiding stern.

3. The plate according to Clause 1 , comprising two angular funnelled guiding sterns, each connected to the attaching portion and the locking portion.

4. The plate according to Clause 2, comprising two angular funnelled guiding sterns and two horizontal guiding sterns, wherein each of the two angular funnelled guiding sterns are connected to the attaching portion and to one of the two horizontal guiding sterns, and each of the two horizontal guiding sterns are connected to the locking stern.

5. The plate according to Clause 3 or 4, which has a line of symmetry.

6. The plate according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the plate is formed from a metal or a polymeric material.

7. The plate according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the plate is formed by additive manufacturing.

8. The plate according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the attaching portion comprises one or more apertures. 9. The plate according to Clause 8, wherein the one or more apertures are suitable for sewing the attaching portion to a fabric.

10. The plate according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the plate is not formed from a wire

11. A kit comprising the plate according to any one of the preceding clauses, and a hook portion for a hook and eye fastener.

12. A garment comprising a plate according to any one of Clauses 1 to 10.

13. The garment according to Clause 12, which is a brassiere.

14. A plate suitable as an eye portion for a hook and eye fastener, comprising: an attaching portion suitable for securing the plate to a fabric; an angular funnelled guiding stern connected to the attaching portion; a locking portion connected to the angular funnelled guiding stern, the locking portion for securing a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener; and an eye aperture for receiving a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener, the eye aperture being defined by a perimeter comprising the attaching portion, the angular funnelled guiding stern, and the locking portion, wherein: the plate is substantially planar; and the angular funnelled guiding stern defines a tapered region of the eye aperture, the tapered region narrowing towards the locking portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 shows a plate according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows multiple views of a plate according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a plate suitable as an eye portion for a hook and eye fastener, comprising: an attaching portion suitable for securing the plate to a fabric; an angular funnelled guiding stern connected to the attaching portion; a locking portion connected to the angular funnelled guiding stern, the locking portion for securing a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener; and an eye aperture for receiving a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener, the eye aperture being defined by a perimeter comprising the attaching portion, the angular funnelled guiding stern, and the locking portion, wherein: the attaching portion is substantially planar; the locking portion is offset from the plane of the attaching portion; and the angular funnelled guiding stern defines a tapered region of the eye aperture, the tapered region narrowing towards the locking portion; and the angular funnelled guiding stern extends from the plane of the attaching portion to connect the attaching portion to the locking portion.

In embodiments herein, the word “comprising” may be interpreted as requiring the features mentioned, but not limiting the presence of other features. Alternatively, the word “comprising” may also relate to the situation where only the components/features listed are intended to be present (e.g. the word “comprising” may be replaced by the phrases “consists of” or “consists essentially of”). It is explicitly contemplated that both the broader and narrower interpretations can be applied to all aspects and embodiments of the present invention. In other words, the word “comprising” and synonyms thereof may be replaced by the phrase “consisting of” or the phrase “consists essentially of’ or synonyms thereof and vice versa.

The phrase, “consists essentially of” and its pseudonyms may be interpreted herein to refer to a material where minor impurities may be present. For example, the material may be greater than or equal to 90% pure, such as greater than 95% pure, such as greater than 97% pure, such as greater than 99% pure, such as greater than 99.9% pure, such as greater than 99.99% pure, such as greater than 99.999% pure, such as 100% pure.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a composition” includes mixtures of two or more such compositions, and the like. The attaching portion is suitable for securing the plate to a fabric. Thus, the attaching portion may comprise features that facilitate the securing of the plate to a fabric, such as one or more apertures. In such cases, the one or more apertures may be suitable for (e.g. useful in) attaching the plate to a fabric, e.g. by sewing, bonding, welding, fusing, or other attaching means. The one or more apertures may have any appropriate shape, including but not limited to circular, square, or rectangular. A skilled person will appreciate that other shapes (whether polygonal or not) may also be used.

The angular funnelled guiding portion connects the attaching portion to the locking portion, and improves the ease of use of a hook and eye fastener comprising the plate according to the invention. The angular funnelled guiding portion defines a tapered region of the eye aperture that narrows towards the locking portion. Thus, the angular funnelled guiding portion guides a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener along the narrowing taper towards the locking portion. This helps to ensure facile engagement of the hook portion with the locking portion, improving the ease of use.

The locking portion is suitable for securing a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener. Thus, the locking portion may engage with a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener and thereby form a fastening.

The eye aperture is defined by the various parts of the plate, i.e. the attaching portion, angular funnelled guiding stern and locking portion. The eye aperture is suitable for receiving a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener. Once a hook portion is received by the eye aperture, the hook portion may be guided towards the locking portion by the angular funnelled guiding stern.

The attaching portion of the plate may be substantially planar, and the locking portion may be offset from the plane of the attaching portion. This improves the ease of use of the plate in a hook and eye fastener, because the hook, when approaching the eye aperture from the side of the locking portion, does not need to be inserted as far into the eye aperture in order to engage with the locking portion.

In some embodiments of the invention that may be mentioned herein, the locking portion may comprise a horizontal guiding stern and a locking stern, the locking stern being substantially perpendicular to the horizontal guiding stern, and the horizontal guiding stern being connected to the angular funnelled guiding stern. As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, it may be preferable for the plate to comprise two angular funnelled guiding sterns and, when present, two horizontal guiding sterns. In this way, the plate may have a line of symmetry, and be both easier to use and more aesthetically pleasing. As will also be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, reference herein to “an” angular funnelled guiding stern encompasses references to two angular funnelled guiding sterns, and reference herein to “a” two horizontal guiding stern encompasses references to two horizontal guiding sterns.

Thus, in some embodiments of the invention that may be mentioned herein: i) the plate may comprise two angular funnelled guiding sterns, each connected to the attaching portion and the locking portion; or ii) the plate may comprise two angular funnelled guiding sterns and two horizontal guiding sterns, wherein each of the two angular funnelled guiding sterns are connected to the attaching portion and to one of the two horizontal guiding sterns, and each of the two horizontal guiding sterns are connected to the locking stern.

In some such embodiments, the plate may have a line of symmetry.

As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the plate may be formed from any suitably durable material, such as a metal or a polymeric material. When the plate is formed from a metal, it may be preferable that the metal is suitable corrosion resistant to be machine washable, such a stainless steel. The plate may be formed by any appropriate method, such as (but not limited to) stamping, moulding or additive manufacturing. Any appropriate cutting process may be used, including (but not limited to) die cut and laser cut.

In some embodiments of the invention, the plate is not formed from a wire.

The invention also provides a kit comprising the plate according to the invention, and a hook portion for a hook and eye fastener.

The invention also provides a garment comprising a plate according to the invention, e.g. a brassiere. As will be appreciated, the current invention may be used in any garment that would benefit from the ability to be opened and closed in a convenient fashion.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the Figures.

Figure 1 shows a plate 100 suitable as an eye portion for a hook and eye fastener, comprising: an attaching portion 101 suitable for securing the plate to a fabric; an angular funnelled guiding stern 102 connected to the attaching portion 101 ; a locking portion 103 connected to the angular funnelled guiding stern 102, the locking portion 103 for securing a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener (not shown); and an eye aperture 104 for receiving a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener, the eye aperture being defined by a perimeter comprising the attaching portion 101 , the angular funnelled guiding stern 102, and the locking portion 103, wherein: the attaching portion 101 may be substantially planar; the angular funnelled guiding stern 102 defines a tapered region 105 of the eye aperture 104, the tapered region 105 narrowing towards the locking portion 103; and the angular funnelled guiding stern 102 connects the attaching portion 101 to the locking portion 103.

Although not shown in Figure 1 , the locking portion 103 may be offset from the plane of the attaching portion 101 , to result in a 3D plate. In such cases, the angular funnelled guiding stern 102 extends from the plane of the attaching portion 101 to connect the attaching portion 101 to the locking portion 103

In some embodiments of the invention, as shown in Figure 1 , the locking portion 103 may comprises a horizontal guiding stern 106 and a locking stern 107, the locking stern 107 being substantially perpendicular to the horizontal guiding stern 106, and the horizontal guiding stern 106 being connected to the angular funnelled guiding stern 102. As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the horizontal guiding stern 106 is not essential, but may advantageously facilitate insertion of a hook portion into the plate and help guide the hook portion to the locking stern.

In some embodiments of the invention, as shown in Figure 1 , the plate 100 may comprise two angular funnelled guiding sterns 102, each connected to the attaching portion and the locking portion.

In some embodiments of the invention, as shown in Figure 1 , the attaching portion 101 may comprise one or more apertures 108, the one or more apertures 108 being suitable for attaching the attaching portion to a fabric (e.g. by sewing). Figure 2 shows various views of a plate 200 according to the invention. A top view 201 , a left view 202, a right view 203, a back view 204, a front view 205, and a bottom view 206.

The above-described embodiments of the invention are 3D in nature, because the locking portion is offset from the plane of the attaching portion. As described below, the invention also provides a 2D plate suitable as an eye portion for a hook and eye fastener, in which the locking portion may not be offset from the plane of the attaching portion. Thus, the invention provides a plate suitable as an eye portion for a hook and eye fastener, comprising: an attaching portion suitable for securing the plate to a fabric; an angular funnelled guiding stern connected to the attaching portion; a locking portion connected to the angular funnelled guiding stern, the locking portion for securing a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener; and an eye aperture for receiving a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener, the eye aperture being defined by a perimeter comprising the attaching portion, the angular funnelled guiding stern, and the locking portion, wherein: the plate is substantially planar; and the angular funnelled guiding stern defines a tapered region of the eye aperture, the tapered region narrowing towards the locking portion.

This 2D embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to Figures 1 and 3.

Since Figure 1 is a top view, it may be used to describe the 2D plate as well as the 3D plate described above. Thus, Figure 1 shows a plate 100 suitable as an eye portion for a hook and eye fastener, comprising: an attaching portion 101 suitable for securing the plate to a fabric; an angular funnelled guiding stern 102 connected to the attaching portion 101 ; a locking portion 103 connected to the angular funnelled guiding stern 102, the locking portion 103 for securing a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener (not shown); and an eye aperture 104 for receiving a hook portion of a hook and eye fastener, the eye aperture being defined by a perimeter comprising the attaching portion 101 , the angular funnelled guiding stern 102, and the locking portion 103, wherein: the attaching portion 101 may be substantially planar; the angular funnelled guiding stern 102 defines a tapered region 105 of the eye aperture 104, the tapered region 105 narrowing towards the locking portion 103; and the angular funnelled guiding stern 102 connects the attaching portion 101 to the locking portion 103.

Figure 3 shows various views of a 2D plate 300 according to the invention. A top view 301 , a left view 302, a right view 303, a back view 304, a front view 305, and a bottom view 306.