Sewable snap fastener apparatus and method

Abstract

A sewable snap fastener constructed of resilient material for receiving stitches from a sewing process for detachably fastening together two opposing pieces of material. The sewable snap fastener comprising a socket member with a socket portion defining a receiving cavity and a cavity lip leading into the receiving cavity, and an integrally formed socket flange that extends outward from the socket portion to define a sewing region. The snap fastener further comprising an opposing stud member with a stud portion defining a projecting outer lip configured for engagement with the socket portion of the socket member, and an integrally formed stud flange that extends outward from the stud portion to define a sewing region. The snap fastener further comprising channeling means for reducing the build up of unwanted debris within the sewable snap fastener.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A sewable snap fastener constructed of resilient material for receiving stitches from a sewing process where a needle in the sewing process penetrates portions the sewable snap fastener, the sewable snap fastener provided for detachably fastening together two opposing pieces of material, the sewable snap fastener comprising: 
 a socket member adapted for sewed attachment to a first piece of material, said socket member comprising a socket portion defining a receiving cavity and a cavity lip leading into the receiving cavity, said socket member further comprising an integrally formed socket flange that extends outward from the socket portion to define a sewing region having a surface provided to receive stitches for stitching the socket member to the first piece of material, and a back surface disposed adjacent the first piece of material, wherein the stitch penetrations through the sewing region of the socket flange are produced from the sewing process;    an opposing stud member adapted for sewed attachment to a second piece of material, said stud member comprising a stud portion defining a projecting outer lip configured for engagement with the socket portion of the socket member so that the first and second pieces of material can be detachably joined, said stud member further comprising an integrally formed stud flange that extends outward from the stud portion to define a sewing region having a surface provided to receive stitches for stitching the stud member to the second piece of material, and a back surface disposed adjacent the second piece of material, wherein the stitch penetrations through the sewing region of the stud flange are produced from the sewing process; and    channeling means for reducing the build up of unwanted debris within the sewable snap fastener.    
     
     
         2 . A sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 1  wherein the channeling means comprises a passage that extends from the projecting outer lip, through the stud portion of the stud member, to the back surface of the stud member to allow debris to be channeled between the back surface of the stud member and the second piece of material.  
     
     
         3 . A sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 1  wherein the channeling means comprises a receiving cavity that extends from the cavity lip, through the socket portion of the socket member to the back surface of the socket member to allow debris to be channeled between the back surface of the socket member and the first piece of material.  
     
     
         4 . A sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 1  wherein the stud portion of the stud member further comprises a compression slot transversely formed through a portion of the outer lip.  
     
     
         5 . A sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 4  wherein the channeling means comprises a passage that extends from the compression slot, through the stud portion of the stud member, to the back surface of the stud member to allow debris to be channeled between the back surface of the stud member and the second piece of material.  
     
     
         6 . A sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 5  wherein the channeling means comprises a receiving cavity that extends from the cavity lip, through the socket portion of the socket member to the back surface of the socket member to allow debris to be channeled between the back surface of the socket member and the first piece of material.  
     
     
         7 . A sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 1  wherein the cavity lip is formed by a counter bore that extends through the socket portion from the back surface of the socket flange.  
     
     
         8 . A sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 1  wherein the socket flange extends outward from the socket portion to define a sewing region having a surface provided to receive stitches arranged in a vertical pattern so that the stitches will not obstruct debris from dropping away from the snap fastener between the back surface thereof and the material.  
     
     
         9 . A method of making a sewable snap fastener constructed of resilient material for receiving stitches from a sewing process where a needle in the sewing process penetrates portions the sewable snap fastener, the sewable snap fastener provided for detachably fastening together two opposing pieces of material, the method comprising the steps: 
 forming a socket member adapted for sewed attachment to a first piece of material, said socket member comprising a socket portion defining a receiving cavity and a cavity lip leading into the receiving cavity, said socket member further comprising an integrally formed socket flange that extends outward from the socket portion to define a sewing region having a surface provided to receive stitches for stitching the socket member to the first piece of material, and a back surface disposed adjacent the first piece of material, wherein the stitch penetrations through the sewing region of the socket flange are produced from the sewing process;    forming an opposing stud member adapted for sewed attachment to a second piece of material, said stud member comprising a stud portion defining a projecting outer lip configured for engagement with the socket portion of the socket member so that the first and second pieces of material can be detachably joined, said stud member further comprising an integrally formed stud flange that extends outward from the stud portion to define a sewing region having a surface provided to receive stitches for stitching the stud member to the second piece of material, and a back surface disposed adjacent the second piece of material, wherein the stitch penetrations through the sewing region of the stud flange are produced from the sewing process; and    providing channeling means for reducing the build up of unwanted debris within the sewable snap fastener.    
     
     
         10 . A method of making a sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 9  wherein the channeling means comprises a passage formed to extend from the projecting outer lip, through the stud portion of the stud member, to the back surface of the stud member to allow debris to be channeled between the back surface of the stud member and the second piece of material.  
     
     
         11 . A method of making a sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 9  wherein the channeling means comprises a receiving cavity formed to extend from the cavity lip, through the socket portion of the socket member to the back surface of the socket member to allow debris to be channeled between the back surface of the socket member and the first piece of material.  
     
     
         12 . A method of making a sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 9  further comprising the step of forming a compression slot transversely through a portion of the outer lip.  
     
     
         13 . A method of making a sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 12  wherein the channeling means comprises a passage that extends from the compression slot, through the stud portion of the stud member, to the back surface of the stud member to allow debris to be channeled between the back surface of the stud member and the second piece of material.  
     
     
         14 . A method of making a sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 13  wherein the channeling means comprises a receiving cavity that extends from the cavity lip, through the socket portion of the socket member to the back surface of the socket member to allow debris to be channeled between the back surface of the socket member and the first piece of material.  
     
     
         15 . A method of making a sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 9  further comprising the step of forming a counter bore that extends partially through the socket portion from the back surface of the socket flange.  
     
     
         16 . A method of making a sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 9  further comprising the step of extending the socket flange outward from the socket portion to define a sewing region having a surface provided to receive stitches arranged in a vertical pattern so that the stitches will not obstruct debris from dropping away from the snap fastener between the back surface thereof and the material.  
     
     
         17 . A sewable snap fastener constructed of resilient material for receiving stitches from a sewing process where a needle in the sewing process penetrates portions the sewable snap fastener, the sewable snap fastener provided for detachably fastening together two opposing pieces of material, the sewable snap fastener comprising: 
 a socket member adapted for sewed attachment to a first piece of material, said socket member comprising a socket portion defining a receiving cavity and a cavity lip leading into the receiving cavity;    an opposing stud member adapted for sewed attachment to a second piece of material, said stud member comprising a stud portion defining a projecting outer lip configured for engagement with the socket portion of the socket member so that the first and second pieces of material can be detachably joined;    wherein the socket member further comprises an integrally formed socket flange that extends outward from the socket portion to define a sewing region provided to receive stitches for stitching the socket member to the first piece of material, wherein the stitch penetrations through the sewing region of the socket flange are produced from the sewing process; and    wherein the stud member further comprises an integrally formed stud flange that extends outward from the stud portion to define a sewing region having a provided to receive stitches for stitching the stud member to the second piece of material wherein the stitch penetrations through the sewing region of the stud flange are produced from the sewing process.    
     
     
         18 . A sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 17  wherein the stud member and the socket member are each monolithically formed integrally of resilient material.  
     
     
         19 . A sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 17  wherein the stud member further comprises a passage through the stud portion so that the material stitched to the stud member is in communication with the receiving cavity of the socket member.  
     
     
         20 . A sewable snap fastener as recited in  claim 17  wherein the stud portion further comprises a compression slot disposed transversely to the plane defined by the outer lip.