Magnetic apparel cinching clip

Abstract

An apparel cinch apparatus for securely gathering or taking up slack or adjusting a hem in an article of clothing is provided. A magnetic first member and a magnetic second member coupled via a longitudinal link strap are featured. A user may gather a portion of the article of clothing and secure said gathering by meeting the first member and the second member such that the portion of the article of clothing gathered by the user is secured in place by the longitudinal link strap. To store the cinch apparatus, a closing component is removably attached to the first member to prohibit the magnetic force from acting upon objects external to the apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) for securely gathering or taking up slack in an article of clothing, the cinch clip ( 100 ) comprising:
 (a) a first member ( 101 ) comprising:
 (i) a magnet housing ( 110 ) having a front surface ( 113 ), a back surface ( 112 ), a top end ( 114 ) having a first standing part ( 162 ) attached to the top end ( 114 ), and a bottom end ( 116 ), wherein a first magnet ( 115 ) is disposed within the magnet housing ( 110 ); 
 (ii) a closing component ( 120 ) having a closing component front surface ( 123 ), a closing component back surface ( 122 ), a closing component top end ( 124 ), and a closing component bottom end ( 126 ) having a second standing part ( 164 ) attached to the closing component bottom end ( 126 ), wherein a hinge ( 105 ) couples the closing component bottom end to the top end of the magnet housing ( 110 ),
 wherein the hinge ( 105 ) comprises a plurality of hinge pins ( 168 ) pivotably extending through the standing parts ( 162 ,  164 ) and a plurality of knuckle joints ( 166 ), thereby forming the hinge ( 105 ); 
 wherein the closing component ( 120 ) is pivotable about the hinge ( 105 ) from a first position, where the closing component top end ( 124 ) contacts the bottom end ( 116 ) of the magnet housing ( 110 ), to a second position, where the closing component back surface ( 122 ) fully contacts the back surface ( 112 ) of the magnet housing ( 110 ); 
 wherein when the first member ( 101 ) is in the first position, a magnetic force of the first magnet ( 115 ) is not experienced by objects external to the first member ( 101 ) as a result of the first and second magnetic interference components; 
 
   (b) a second member ( 130 ) comprising a decorative component ( 131 ) having a second magnet ( 133 ) disposed therein (wherein optionally the second magnet is disposed in a housing device), wherein the decorative component ( 131 ) has a decorative component front surface ( 132 ), a decorative component back surface ( 135 ), a decorative component top end, and a decorative component bottom end ( 137 ); and   (c) a longitudinal link strap ( 140 ) having a strap first end ( 143 ) and a strap second end ( 145 ), wherein the strap first end ( 143 ) is coupled to the bottom of the magnet housing ( 110 ) and the strap second end ( 145 ) is coupled to the decorative component top end, and
 wherein, upon removal, the cinch clip ( 100 ) can be stored away when the first member ( 101 ) is placed in the first position thereby effectively inhibiting the magnetic force of the first magnet ( 115 ) such that the magnetic force is unable to act upon objects external to the first member ( 110 ). 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the cinch clip ( 100 ) is adapted to permit a user to gather a portion of an article of clothing and secure said gathered article of clothing by meeting the decorative component front surface ( 132 ) and the front surface ( 113 ) of the magnet housing ( 110 ) such that the first ( 115 ) and second ( 133 ) magnets contact to lock the first member ( 101 ) to the second member ( 130 ) and the portion of the article of clothing gathered by the user is secured in place by the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ). 
     
     
         3 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ) comprises an ornamented segment ( 180 ) and a plain segment ( 190 ). 
     
     
         4 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 3 , wherein the second member ( 130 ) is removable from the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ). 
     
     
         5 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 3 , wherein the ornamented segment ( 180 ) of the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ) is removable from the plain segment of the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ). 
     
     
         6 . An apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) for securely gathering or taking up slack in an article of clothing, the cinch clip ( 100 ) comprising:
 (a) a first member ( 101 ) comprising:
 (i) a magnet housing ( 110 ) having a front surface ( 113 ), a back surface, a top end, and a bottom end, wherein a first magnet ( 115 ) is centrally disposed within the magnet housing ( 110 ), wherein a first set of grooves ( 117 ) are disposed along a boundary of the magnet housing ( 110 ); 
 (ii) a closing component ( 120 ) having a second set of grooves ( 127 ), complementary to the first set of grooves ( 117 ), disposed along a boundary of the closing component such that the closing component ( 120 ) is secured to the magnet housing ( 110 ) when the first set of grooves ( 117 ) meets and interlocks with the second set of grooves ( 127 ); 
 (iii) a first magnetic interference component disposed at the back surface of the magnet housing ( 110 ); and 
 (iv) a second magnetic interference component disposed at the back surface of the closing component ( 120 ), 
   wherein when the closing component ( 120 ) is secured to the magnet housing ( 110 ), a magnetic force of the first magnet ( 115 ) is not experienced by objects external to the first member ( 101 ) as a result of the first and second magnetic interference components;   (b) a second member ( 130 ) comprising a decorative component ( 131 ) having a second magnet ( 133 ) centrally disposed therein, wherein the decorative component ( 131 ) has a decorative component front surface ( 132 ), a decorative component back surface ( 139 ), a decorative component top end ( 135 ), and a decorative component bottom end ( 137 ); and   (c) a longitudinal link strap ( 140 ) having a strap first end ( 143 ) and a strap second end ( 145 ), wherein the strap first end ( 143 ) is coupled to the bottom of the magnet housing ( 110 ) and the strap second end ( 145 ) is coupled to the decorative component top end ( 135 ), wherein at least one of said coupling of said strap first end ( 143 ) to the bottom of the magnet housing ( 110 ) or said coupling of said second end ( 145 ) to said decorative component top end ( 135 ) is through a magnetic clasp ( 170 );
 wherein, when the closing component ( 120 ) is detached from the magnet housing ( 110 ), a user gathers a portion of the article of clothing and secures said gathering by meeting the decorative component front surface ( 132 ) and the front surface ( 113 ) of the magnet housing ( 110 ) such that the first ( 115 ) and second ( 133 ) magnets contact to lock the first member ( 101 ) to the second member ( 130 ) and the portion of the article of clothing gathered by the user is secured in place by the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ), 
 wherein, upon removal, the cinch clip ( 100 ) may be stored away when the closing component ( 120 ) is secured to the magnet housing ( 110 ) to effectively inhibit the magnetic force of the first magnet ( 115 ) such that the magnetic force is unable to act upon objects external to the first member. 
   
     
     
         7 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 6 , wherein said magnetic clasp ( 170 ) comprises a male part ( 174 ) that fits within and is magnetically attracted to a female part ( 172 ). 
     
     
         8 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 6 , wherein the female part ( 172 ) is on magnet housing ( 110 ) or second member ( 130 ). 
     
     
         9 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 6 , further comprising a first annular component ( 150 ) soldered to a male part ( 174 ) on the magnet housing ( 110 ) for coupling the first member ( 101 ) to the strap first end ( 143 ). 
     
     
         10 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 6 , wherein the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ) comprises an ornamented segment ( 180 ) and a plain segment ( 190 ). 
     
     
         11 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 10 , wherein the second member ( 130 ) is removable from the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ). 
     
     
         12 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 10 , wherein the ornamented segment ( 180 ) of the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ) is removable from the plain segment of the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ). 
     
     
         13 . An apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) for securely gathering or taking up slack in an article of clothing, the cinch clip ( 100 ) comprising:
 (a) an adjustable first member ( 300 ) comprising a body ( 302 ) having a first strap aperture ( 304 ) and a second strap aperture ( 306 ) at opposite ends of the body ( 302 ), a first inclined slot ( 308 ) and a second inclined slot ( 310 ) on opposite sides of the body ( 302 ), and a binding roll ( 312 ) passing through the first inclined slot ( 308 ) and the second inclined slot ( 310 ), the binding roll ( 312 ) being movable between a first position ( 322 ) and a second position ( 324 );   (b) a second member ( 130 ) comprising a decorative component ( 131 ) having a magnet ( 133 ) disposed therein, wherein the decorative component ( 131 ) has a decorative component front surface ( 132 ), a decorative component back surface ( 133 ), a decorative component top end ( 135 ), and a decorative component bottom end ( 137 ); and   (c) a longitudinal link strap ( 140 ) having a first strap end ( 340 ) and a second strap end ( 342 ), wherein the strap first end ( 340 ) is coupled to the second member ( 130 ) and the strap second end ( 342 ) is free, the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ) passing through body ( 302 ) via strap apertures ( 304 ,  306 ) and on one side of the binding roll ( 312 ) such that, when the binding roll ( 312 ) is in a first position ( 312 ) the first adjustable member ( 300 ) is held in place by frictional force between binding roll ( 312 ) and longitudinal link strap ( 140 ), and when the binding roll ( 312 ) is in the second position ( 324 ) the first adjustable member is free to move along the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ), whereby the apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) is adjustable in length.   
     
     
         14 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 13 , wherein the second strap end ( 342 ) has a tip or covering to reduce or mitigate wear of the second strap end ( 342 ). 
     
     
         15 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 13 , wherein the adjustable first member ( 300 ) comprises a ferromagnetic metal. 
     
     
         16 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 15 , wherein the ferromagnetic metal is an iron alloy. 
     
     
         17 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 13 , wherein the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ) comprises an ornamented segment ( 180 ) and a plain segment ( 190 ). 
     
     
         18 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 17 , wherein the second member ( 130 ) is removable from the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ). 
     
     
         19 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 17 , wherein the ornamented segment ( 180 ) of the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ) is removable from the plain segment of the longitudinal link strap ( 140 ). 
     
     
         20 . The apparel cinch clip ( 100 ) of  claim 17 , wherein the adjustable first member ( 300 ) comprises a magnet or magnetized material.