ERGONOMIC CROCHET DEVICE

Abstract

Crochet devices of the type commonly referred to as a crochet “hook” are disclosed comprising a twist portion in the handle that provides ergonomic support to a user.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The disclosed invention relates to an implement for crocheting of the type commonly referred to as a crochet hook. More specifically, the invention relates to a crochet hook with an ergonomic design.

BACKGROUND

Crocheting is a process of creating fabric by interlocking loops of yarn, thread or strands of other material. Crocheting may be performed using a hand-held device, called a crochet hook. Conventional crochet hooks comprise an elongated shaft having a hook at one end. The elongated shaft serves as a handle for the user to grip the crochet hook. Crocheting involves a wide variety of yarn manipulations requiring a user to rotate the crochet hook with the wrist in order to produce the required loops of yarn. Crocheting devices may be held with a grip similar to holding a knife (i.e., knife grip) or similar to a pencil (i.e., pencil grip) and the wrist is used to rotate the crochet hook in order to create the required loops of material. Crocheting therefore involves substantial wrist motion, potentially over hours of repetitive crocheting motions. These grips may result in uncomfortable fingertip pressure, in addition to wrist and finger fatigue and/or wear (e.g., blisters).

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a crochet device (i.e., a crochet hook), that reduces the problems associated with conventional crochet hooks by providing an ergonomic handle configured to improve comfort and function for a user while holding and using the device.

SUMMARY

Crochet devices of the type commonly referred to as crochet “hooks,” are provided herein which comprise an ergonomic design to reduce fatigue in the fingers and hand, and allow a user to hold the device during use in a manner that is more comfortable for the motions used during crocheting. The crochet devices of the disclosure have a clockwise or counterclockwise twist about the handle. The cross section of the handle is typically flattened in at least one dimension of the twist, and therefore provides surfaces adapted to accommodate the user's thumb and index finger to grip on opposite sides of the handle. This design ideally limits rotation of the handle in the hand during use and allows for a more secure grip. The twist in the handle allows for more comfort during use by aligning the user's thumb and index finger in the groove of the twist on either side of the handle.

The twist region may comprise a flattened region dimensioned to accommodate the thumb and index finger of a user on opposite sides thereof and adapted to be gripped by the thumb and index finger. In some embodiments, the flattened region is dimensioned such that the twist surfaces are separated from another by a thickness less than the thickness of the widest part of the handle. The thickness in the twist region may be about 0.1-3 cm (e.g., about 0.2-2 cm, about 0.3-1 cm) at the closest points of the twist surfaces. In some embodiments, the width of the handle in the twist region (i.e., the widest dimension in a cross-section of the handle in the twist region) will be from about 0.5-5 cm (e.g., about 0.5-3 cm, about 0.5-2, about 1-2 cm). In some embodiments, the twist portion spans in length about 4-8 cm along the longitudinal axis. In some embodiments, the twist portion rotates clockwise when viewed from the hook with the bottom position facing downward and hook facing upward. In other embodiments, the twist portion rotates counter clockwise when viewed from the hook with the bottom position facing downward and hook facing upward.

The hooks may be adapted to be used with yarn type material that is designated as, for example, lace, super fine, fine, light, medium, bulky, super bulky, and/or jumbo. In some implementations The hook may have a Craft Yarn Council of America hook size of B-1, C-2, D-3, E-4, F-5, G-6, 7, H-8, 1-9, J-10, K-10.5, L-11, M/N-13, N/P-15, P/Q, Q, or S.

In some embodiments, the crochet device may be a unitary device such that the handle and hook are inseparable. In some embodiments, the crochet device may comprise a unitary piece of molded plastic. In other embodiments, the handle and hook are detachable from one another or are otherwise not molded as a unitary body. In some embodiments, a detachable handle may accommodate more than one hook size and/or geometry. The crochet device may be made of, for example, plastic, steel, aluminum, metal, bamboo, wood, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the hook and handle are made of different materials. For example, the hook may be made of aluminum, metal, or steel and the handle may be made of plastic. The hook portion may be inserted into a hole of suitable bore in the handle. The crochet device or part thereof (e.g., handle, bottom portion, twist portion, top portion, etc.) may be covered with another material, such as rubber, to enhance functionality and comfort. In some embodiments, the crochet device is a unitary piece of molded plastic, for example, made by injection molding. In some embodiments, some or all of the crochet device is 3D printed. In some embodiments, all or part of the crochet device is composed of, in whole or in part, plastic (e.g., nylon, polyamide, thermoplastics, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene ABS, polycarbonate, etc.).

These and other aspects of the invention will be better understood by reference to the following Detailed Description and accompanying Figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a crochet device 10 having a hook region 11, and handle region 12, comprising a clockwise rotation in twist region 14. FIG. 1B is a view from the right of the crochet device shown in FIG. 1A showing opposing surfaces 16 and 17 in the twist region. FIG. 1C is a view from the front of the crochet device shown in FIG. 1A showing one flattened surface 17 formed by the twist in the twist region.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of crochet device 20 illustrating the width (28) and length (29) dimensions of the twist region 24. and FIG. 2B is a view from the bottom of crochet device 20 illustrating the cross section of the bottom portion 25 of the handle in this case a square with rounded corners.

FIG. 3 illustrates a crochet device according to the invention being held by a user with a knife grip, with the user's thumb 6 and index finger 7 pinching the handle on opposite surfaces of the twist region.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a crochet device in which the handle 42 is a molded body and the hook 41 is a separate component which is connected to the handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely illustrative of the invention that may be embodied in various forms. In addition, each of the examples given in connection with the various embodiments of the invention is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention.

It will be understood that any reference to “twist” herein is simply meant to refer to configuration of a device and does not imply the device must be manufactured by twisting molten or softened material, although such manufacture is contemplated to be useful.

Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, crochet device 10 comprises hook portion 11 and handle portion 12. Handle portion 12 comprises bottom end 15, top end 13, and a twist portion 14 disposed there between which comprises a clockwise twist if viewed from hook 11 with bottom 15 oriented away from the viewer. Crochet device 10 generally lies along has longitudinal axis I-I. Twist portion 14 comprises a twisting rotation along longitudinal axis I-I. In FIG. 2A, which is a view from the right of crochet device 10, twist surfaces 16 and 17 on opposing sides of the twist portion 14 are illustrated. The closest distance between twist surfaces 16 and 17 may range from about 0.1-3 cm (e.g., about 0.2-2 cm, about 0.3-1.5 cm, about 0.2-0.7 cm, etc.) depending on the size or gauge of the crochet hook. A portion of the handle may have a rounded square cross section. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, crochet device 10 is constructed as a unitary structure.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a crochet device 20 of the invention is illustrated. The length of the twist portion 24 along the longitudinal length of the handle is represented by line 29. Twist portion 24 comprises twist surfaces 26 and 27. Twist surface 26 has a width demarcated by dotted line 28. Bottom portion 25 has a rounded square cross section. FIG. 3B illustrates this rounded square cross section in a view of crochet device 20 from the bottom. In some embodiments, the cross section of said bottom is circular, ovoid, rectangular, rounded rectangular (i.e. rectangular with rounded corners), square, or square with rounded corners (i.e., square with rounded corners), polygonal (e.g., triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, etc.), or rounded polygonal.

FIG. 3 shows a user gripping crochet device 20 with a knife grip. Crochet device 20 is pinched between the user's thumb 6 and index finger 7 on twist surfaces 26 and 27 of twist portion 24. The twist is dimensioned such that the twist surface ergonomically matches a user's natural finger orientation in such a pinch with the user's thumb 6 and index finger 7. The user's remaining fingers wrap around bottom portion 25. The bottom portion of the handle may be dimensioned to permit one or more of the remaining fingers to comfortably hold or wrap around this portion of the handle. In some embodiments, the bottom portion may comprise finger grooves for positioning the user's remaining fingers during use.

In FIG. 4, crochet device 40 comprises a hook 41 which is manufactured as a separate piece from handle 42 and which may optionally be detachable from handle 42. In some embodiments, hook 51 may be detached from handle 52 and replaced with a hook with another size. Similarly, handle 52 may be detached from hook 51 and replaced with a handle of a different size (e.g., relative dimensions and geometry of the bottom portion and/or top portion and/or twist portion). In one embodiments, a kit is provided comprising a handle 42 according to the invention together with a plurality of hooks of different sizes which may be connected to the handle as shown in FIG. 4.

Claims

1. A crochet device comprising an elongated body having a hook at one end thereof and a handle comprising a top portion and a bottom portion which generally fall along a longitudinal axis, wherein said top portion and said bottom portion are united by a twist portion along said longitudinal axis and said twist portion comprises two twist surfaces connecting said top and said bottom and said twist portion is flattened in an area to accommodate a thumb and index finger of a user on opposite sides thereof such that rotation of said handle with respect to said thumb and said index finger is limited during use.

2. The crochet device of claim 1, wherein said twist surfaces are separated from another at their closest point by an amount sufficient to allow a user to hold the device between said user's fingers without rotation of said device.

3. The crochet device of claim 1, wherein said twist surfaces are separated from another by about 0.1-1 cm at their closest point.

4. The crochet device of claim 1, wherein said twist surface is oriented to permit a user to pinch said crochet device at a pinch angle which differs from the angle that said hook extends from said longitudinal axis.

5. The crochet device of claim 1, wherein the dimension of said twist surface perpendicular to said longitudinal axis is from about 0.5-3 cm.

6. The crochet device of claim 1, wherein the cross section of said bottom is rectangular, rectangular with rounded corners, square, or square with rounded corners.

7. The crochet device of claim 1, wherein said twist portion is about 4-8 cm along said longitudinal axis.

8. The crochet device of claim 1, wherein said twist portion is clockwise if viewed from the hook with the bottom position facing downward and hook facing upward.

9. The crochet device of claim 1, wherein said twist portion is counter clockwise if viewed from the hook with the bottom position facing downward and hook facing upward.

10. The crochet device of claim 1, wherein said crochet device is a unitary piece of molded plastic.

11. The crochet device of claim 1, wherein said handle and said hook are detachable from one another.

12. In a crochet hook having an elongated handle for gripping and a hook at one end of said handle, the improvement comprising providing said crochet hook as a unitary piece of molded plastic, having a twist about said elongated handle, such that the cross section of said handle is flattened in an area of said twist to accommodate the thumb and index finger of a user on opposite sides thereof such that rotation of said handle with respect to said thumb and said index finger is limited during use.