This invention relates to tethers used for keeping caps of capped devices such as pen and marker and even glue stick caps from being separated from the main body of the pen, marker or glue stick and lost, and particularly relates to after-market tethers used on removably capped devices not originally configured for cap tethering.
Many pens and markers, which are not of the push-button retractable type, are provided with caps, which cover the writing or marking nibs when not in use. These caps serve the purpose of preventing the pens and markers from inadvertently marking clothing such as pockets in which they are typically carried and also prevent the inks contained therein (and on the nibs) from drying out. Glue sticks are of a similar nature but with the concern primarily being of drying out
Despite the fact that the caps are often configured to be placed on the closed end of the pen or marker (hereinafter, for simplicity, items with removable caps such as pens, markers, glue sticks, stylii (styluses), flash drives and the like will be referred to herein as “removably capped device(s)”, “capped device(s)” or “uncapped device(s)”, unless separately specified) for retention during use, their loss is often inevitable, particularly when the pens or markers are used by children or absent minded adults. In order to prevent separation and loss of caps for capped devices there have been multitudes of expedients in the prior art, mainly entailing the use of string, rubber band or chain tethers to keep the cap attached to the device.
Such tethers fall into two categories, with a first being tethers which are integrated with the capped device body and directly to the cap during manufacture. A second category includes tethers which may be attached to the devices and caps therefor by the user but wherein the devices are specifically configured to accept the tether and the tether is to be provided with the devices by the manufacturer. Very few, if any tethers of the latter category, exist in the common marketplace. Thus, if a user purchases a device without a manufacturer-provided tether, there is often no effective way to properly keep a device and a cap therefor from being separated, with possible loss of the cap (devices themselves are rarely lost since they are being used).
It is accordingly an object herein to provide an after-market user-installed or affixed tether for a capped device particularly an elongated device such as a pen/marker/glue stick/flash drive, etc. to maintain the device and cap from being separated and with the cap being inadvertently lost.
It is a further object herein whereby the tethering device is able to embody decorative elements which may be user-selected to personalize use thereof and to make their use appealing, particularly to children.
It is yet another object herein to provide a tethering device which is universally utilizable even on items such as pens, markers, glue sticks, flash drives and the like, not originally configured for tethering of the cap to the device.
It is still yet another object herein to provide a tethering device configured to provide attachment of a cap to a device which does not have a seat for holding an uncapped cap.
Generally an embodiment herein comprises a tethering device having adhering elements for respective attachment, by a user, of the tethering device to both a surface of a removably capped device such as a pen, marker, glue stick, flash drive and the like and to a surface of the removed cap. The attached adhering element is connected with an extending tethering element whereby the device remains attached to the removed cap whether the cap is seated on a closed or non-operational end of the device or removably attached to the device itself. The effective length of the extending tethering element between the adhering elements is a length sufficient to permit removal of the cap from an operational end of the device (nib of a pen, marking felt of a maker, glue of a glue stick, etc.) and to permit seating or attachment of the cap to the device at a temporary uncapped holding position. If the tethering element is elastic then the minimal length is an effective length which is measured as a non-deteriorating stretched length. Since it is a surface of the device or cap to which the adhering elements are adhered, such surfaces are universal for nearly all devices and caps therefor without need for connecting elements such grooves or apertures as used with prior art tethers requiring specifically configured devices and/or caps.
The tethering device disclosed herein is for a utilization device having a removable and replaceable cap which covers an operational element of the utilization device and is removed therefrom for use of the utilization device and is replaced thereon during non-use. The tethering device is configured for maintaining a connection between the utilization device and the removable and replaceable cap during use of the utilization device, and comprises:
The elongated flexible band has an effective length between the respective first and second adhering elements which is sufficient to permit the removable and replaceable cap to be removed from the utilization device and replaced thereon when the first and second adhering elements are adhered to the respective surfaces of the utilization device and the removable and replaceable cap.
In one embodiment, the tethering device comprises a band, i.e., “bungee” cord, of a length sufficient to extend from an approximate mid-point of a capped device extending away therefrom to about the midpoint of a cap for the device with little or no residual slack when the device is capped (it is understood that this dimension may vary depending on the specific device being used and the positioning need not be exact nor should the placement interfere with capping or uncapping). The mid-point positioning is most often utilizable where the device is configured for seating of the cap on an end opposite that of the operational end of the device.
A flat band embodiment provides further advantages of reduced tearing possibility and easier handling and placement and elasticity of the band, in another embodiment, provides further easier placement and handling. The two ends of the band are each respectively firmly adhered to a small adhesive panel such as with a sandwich adhesion between two layers of the panel in a bi-layer or tri-layer embodiment (with the end of the band or cord being adhesively contained within a sandwiched third layer) and an outer surface of the panel being provided with an adhesive for attachment to a surface of the device and/or surface of the cap thereof. At least one layer of the panel comprises an adhesive surface such as of a peel-off adhesive type by which the panel is securely adhered to either of the device surface or the cap surface. In a further embodiment herein the second exposed surface of each of the panels is available for placement of a personalized and/or decorative elements, name and address identification and the like. In addition, the panels themselves may be of various decorative configurations such as hearts, stars, etc. Despite the lack of slack in an ideal positioning, the elastic band or bungee between the adhered cap/panel and pen/panel, provides sufficient give to enable the cap to be placed over the operative end of the uncapped device or any configured cap holding end of the device.
During use of the uncapped device, the device may provide a temporary seat for the cap for holding it in a loose tethered position relative to the device.
With some pens and, more commonly, markers and glue sticks, flash drives and the like, which do not have cap holding ends, an embodiment of the tether described herein includes magnetic elements in each of the panels whereby the temporary holding of the cap during use of the device is effected by proximate touching of the respective panels on the cap and the uncapped device and a resulting temporary magnetic attachment therebetween.
Though round and thin tethering bands are within the purview of the invention, a flat configuration of the band, as used in an embodiment of the tether herein, obviates its inadvertent function as a cutting element whereby the attachment thereof to the cap and device body has a reduced susceptibility to cutting, tearing and general deterioration of the connection of the cord to the cap or pen.
The above and other objects, features and advantages will become more evident from the following discussion and drawings in which:
As shown in the figures all of the bungee cord tethers 10 shown therein have the basic elements of adhesive panels 11 and 12 with a connecting elastic flat band 13 therebetween, with ends thereof imbedded in or attached to the respective panels and firmly adhered thereto. As shown in
The composition of a panel 11 (with panel 12 being similarly constructed) is shown in
As shown in
With placement of the end 13a of the elastic band 13 within slot 21, the end 13a is, in various embodiments, strongly adhered to the foam layer 11b by adhesive coating thereof to adhere the end 13a and elastic band end 13a as well as adhering layers 11a and 11b thereto in a sandwich structure. Other adhesion expedients include heat and ultrasound adhesions and the like, as appropriate for the specific materials being used. In addition to the reinforcement provided by the fabric interwoven in the elastic, end fibers of the fabric increase adhesion strength of the bond between elastic band 13 and the respective panels 11 and 12. The width and flat surface of the elastic band at its end 13a also facilitates strong adhesion connection with a greater area for adhesion and a closer juxtaposition between the adhered parts.
b relate to another embodiment of the tether disclosed herein, where the capped pen, marker, glue stick and the like are not configured to provide a supporting rest for the cap when the pen, marker, glue stick and the like is being used. This is most common with many markers and glue sticks, which are simple cylinders without shaped cutouts for holding a cap.
As shown in
In a variation thereof shown, the tether is sandwiched in a folded-over transparent plastic and the adhesive surfaces are exposed with unfolding of the plastic sandwich and as with the embodiment of
It is understood that the above description and illustrated embodiments are only exemplary of the invention and the type of capped devices and that other capped devices as well as changes in components and structure may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20180105336 A1 | Apr 2018 | US |