BUTTONS, PINS, BUCKLES, SLIDE FASTENERS, OR THE LIKE

**Definition:** This place covers:

The following fasteners or their essential parts:

Making slide fasteners, touch-and-close fasteners (e.g. hook-and-loop or barb-and-pile fabrics) and other fasteners of this subclass.

Accessories or ancillary devices for the fasteners of this subclass when they are used exclusively with one of the varieties of fasteners (e.g. button cards) or have their operations either influencing or being influenced by the operation of the fastener (e.g. slide fastener pulling cords).

The following additional devices associated with either the fasteners of this class or accoutrements, garments, and haberdashery:

Note

The only "other types" of fasteners appropriate for this subclass are those that are capable of use with or actually used with accoutrements, garments, or haberdashery. Therefore, it must be either a commonly known practice to use a particular type of fastener with accoutrements, garments, or haberdashery (e.g., snap fasteners) or the patent documents for a particular type of fastener must frequently disclose their use with accoutrements, garments, or haberdashery. However, it is not required that all, or even the majority, of the fasteners covered by a particular category of fastener be specially adapted for use, or disclose their intended use, with accoutrements, garments, or haberdashery.

**Limiting references (this place does not cover):** - Fastening devices specially adapted for specific types of garments -> A41F - Buttonholes or eyelets for buttonholes -> A41F1/02 - Corset fasteners -> A41F1/04 - Glove fasteners -> A41F1/06 - Garter fasteners -> A41F1/08 - Belts, girdles or waistbands for trousers or skirts -> A41F9/00 - Thumbtacks -> B43M15/00 - Devices for fastening or securing constructional elements or machine parts together -> F16B - Hand-manipulated hooks or eyes (e.g. swivel hook for dog leash) -> F16B45/00

**Glossary:** - Button: A hand manipulated fastener that includes a rigid or semirigid portion (i.e. button) which is attached (e.g. sewn) to the structure it is intended to fasten or secure (e.g. clothing) in a manner that allows its reorientation by either movement about its attachment or movement of the structure it secures. A button is intended to be used with a complementary opening having a flaccid portion (e.g. buttonholes, looped cords) that forms the second essential part of the fastener. - Buckle: A hand manipulated fastener including engaging or holding means and structure for guiding during fastening, which can selectively hold a cooperating strap or belt that is either the structure secured (e.g. end of a dress belt) or a second portion of the fastener (e.g. securing strap of a backpack flap). - Pin: A hand manipulated fastener that includes both (1) a portion specifically shaped (e.g. pointed) to facilitate impaling of and penetration into the structure fastened or secured and (2) a remaining portion (e.g. head) intended to be manually pushed on that does not penetrate the structure fastened or secured. - Slide fastener: A hand manipulated fastener that includes (1) two, opposed, elongated, configured surfaces that are each attached by mounting means to a secured structure and are intended to directly contact and interlock with each other when fastened and (2) a sliding device that is much shorter in length than the surfaces and which travels along their length to forcibly shift them into or out of interlocking engagement