Button hook

Abstract

A button hook fastener includes a longitudinally extending solid plate, sized to fit a clothing button hole of one half inch or less. The proximal end of the button fastener includes a three dimensional finger engaging stop portion, preferable spherical. This enables the user to hold the plate within two fingers, but the three dimensional stop prevents the plate from slipping through the two fingers of the user. In order to capture a button, an open hook at the distal end of the plate is wrapped around the threading holding the button to a shirt. To maintain stability, the forward end of the hook has a slight taper, so that it can be easily inserted within a typical shirt button hole of one half inch or less. Additionally, there is an angled guide leading from a recess to the longitudinally extending inner confines of the arcuate hook, to guide the thread holding the button to within the confines of the arcuate hook.

1 . A button hook comprising:
 an elongated member having a distal end cut at a bias having a narrowed tip and forming a ramp edge;   a hook shaped portion extending from said narrowed tip of said elongated member, said hook shaped portion being U-shaped with a free end facing and spaced from said ramp edge; and   an enlarged portion mounted on a proximate end of said elongated member sufficiently large and ergonomically shaped so as to permit grasping by arthritic fingers.   
   
   
       2 . The button hook of  claim 1  in which said elongated member is flat with first and second side edges extending from said proximate end to said distal end of said elongated member, the free end of said hook shaped being aligned with said first side edge and an opposite side of said hook shaped portion being aligned with said second side edge, said ramp edge extending from said first side edge to the opposite side of said hook shaped portion. 
   
   
       3 . The button hook of  claim 2  in which said enlarged portion is a ball. 
   
   
       4 . In combination, a button hook for buttoning a button through a button hole of a garment, comprising:
 said button hook comprising an elongated member having a distal end cut at a bias having a narrowed tip and forming a ramp edge;   said button hook having a hook shaped portion extending from said narrowed tip of said elongated member, said hook shaped portion being U-shaped with a free end thereof facing and spaced from said ramp edge;   an enlarged portion mounted on a proximate end of said elongated member sufficiently large and ergonomically shaped so as to permit grasping by arthritic fingers;   said elongated member being of a size allowing said elongated member to move in a first direction to pass through said button hole, said enlarged portion being sufficiently large as to not pass through said button hole whereby said hook portion after passing through said button hole is able to grab a thread holding said button on said garment and pull said button through said button hole when said enlarged member is pulled in an opposite direction out of said button hole; and   whereby movement of said enlarged member in said first direction will cause said ramp edge to release said hook shaped member from said thread leaving said button in said button hole.   
   
   
       5 . The combination of  claim 4  in which said elongated member is flat with first and second side edges extending from said proximate end to said distal end of said elongated member, the free end of said hook shaped being aligned with said first side edge and an opposite side of said hook shaped portion being aligned with said second side edge, said ramp edge extending from said first side edge to the opposite side of said hook shaped portion. 
   
   
       6 . The combination of  claim 5  in which said enlarged portion is a ball.