Snap button and a die for assembling the same

Abstract

A snap button includes a female snap member, a male snap member and a button body which is attachable to the female snap member through a sheet. The button body is provided with a leg that can be fixed to the female snap member by a clinching process. The button body is preferably fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of a horn of a bull, a nacre and a combination thereof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A snap button including a female snap member, a male snap member, and a button body attachable to the female snap member through a sheet, characterized in that: 
 the button body comprising a leg sized and configured to be fixed to the female snap member by a clinching process, the button body being fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of a horn of a bull, a nacre and a combination thereof.    
     
     
         2 . A method for joining a button body having a leg to a female snap member with a sheet therebetween, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a die having a button support that has a side wall, a bottom surface and a protrusion protruding from a center of the bottom surface;    b) providing a punch adapted to reciprocate, the punch having a recess facing to the button support of the die;    c) positioning the button body within the button support with an end of the leg facing the punch, wherein the side wall restricts the horizontal movement of the button body;    d) positioning the female snap member in the recess of the punch;    e) positioning the sheet between the die and the punch; and    f) pressing the leg of the button body with the punch for a clinching process for joining the button body to the female snap member.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the button body is made of a horn of bull.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the female snap member is of a spring type snap fastener.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the female snap member is of a ring type snap fastener.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion of the button support has a support surface at top thereof that comes into contact with the button body.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the support surface has a profile complying with the shape of the button body.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the support surface and the button body contacted thereto define a horizontal plane.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein a cross sectional area of the support surface is smaller than a cross sectional area of the button body.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein only a portion of the button body contacted to the protrusion is pressed in the step (f).  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the button body is made of a material selected from a group consisting of a horn of a bull and a nacre.  
     
     
         12 . A die for use in a clinching process for joining a button body having a leg to a female snap member with a sheet therebetween, comprising: 
 a button support having a sidewall for preventing horizontal movements of the button body, a bottom surface and a protrusion protruding from a center of the bottom surface.    
     
     
         13 . The die of  claim 12 , wherein the button support has a cylindrical shape.