The present invention relates to a ribbon curling device that optionally includes means for cutting media, such as a blade. In particular, the invention relates to a hand-held, portable, light weight, ergonomic device that curls ribbon easily and in some embodiments, the device can cut media, such as, e.g., paper, plastic, metal films, fabrics, and ribbon.
There are a variety of devices available today for curling ribbon. A ribbon is typically a non-woven material, such as, e.g., polypropylene, that curls when a tension or a shear force is applied to its surface. Consumers have used a blade of a scissor to curl ribbon. Typically, using a finger (usually the thumb) the consumer pushes the ribbon against the scissor blade and pulls the ribbon through thereby applying tension to the ribbon and curling it.
There are devices that combine ribbon curling and ribbon shredding, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,232,132 (Broussard et al.) and 3,883,953 (Saullo et al.) where the curling and shredding processes are combined in one step and U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,699 (DeJaynes) where the ribbon curling process is separate from the ribbon shredding process. Besides scissors, there are also devices that combine cutting and curling ribbon, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,007 (Goldstein) and Publication WO 95/35190.
While there are ribbon curling devices commercially available, other devices are still needed.
In one aspect, the present invention pertains to a ribbon curling device having opposing first and second surfaces bound by two side edges and front and rear ends, the device comprising (i) an elongated handle; and (ii) a ribbon curling region extending from the handle and comprising a curling edge, the region having first and second ends, wherein the first end is disposed proximate to the front end of the handle, and wherein the second end of the ribbon curling edge is tapered.
The invention combines the functionality of ribbon cutting and optionally media cutting with an attractive and ergonomic design to create a particularly useful and elegant design. One advantage of the present invention is that the design of the ribbon curling region is such that it allows the user to comfortably place a finger across the entire region thereby adding stability to the ribbon curling process.
The invention can be better described with reference to the drawings, wherein:
These figures are idealized, are not drawn to scale, and are intended merely for illustrative purposes.
In some embodiments, the combination device may have more than one curling edge. In one embodiment, and as shown particularly in
A ribbon curling, media cutting device 610 includes a head 625 and a handle 624 extending therefrom. The handle has a rear end 624a. The head includes a cover (not labeled) having sidewalls 628 extending therefrom, and an optional guide 640 disposed substantially underneath the cover. The guide has an attached end 644 closest to the handle, and a free end 642, which in one embodiment, extends beyond the cover. A cutting device, such as a blade, is disposed in the guide. The combination device includes opposing first surface (not shown) and second surface 610b bound by two side edges, 610e and 610f. The second surface of the device lies on the same side as a guide. On the handle and on at least one of the first and second surfaces of the device, there is a ribbon curling region 660 that has a first end 660a and a tapered second end 660b, i.e., as compared to the first end, the second end has a narrower dimension, as seen from the bottom plan view of the device. The first end of the ribbon curling region is proximate to the head, and more specifically, proximate to the attached end of the guide. The ribbon curling region includes two curling edges 662 that are formed from rails that extend from the second surface of the device. While the rails are shown to be immediately adjacent to the side edge of the device, it can be located in other positions in the ribbon curling region. For example, the rail can be towards the center of the ribbon curling region. In this particular embodiment, the rails have a substantially triangular cross section where the base of the triangle lies on the second surface of the device and a tip of the triangle extends from the triangle's base. The exposed sides of the triangle (i.e., not the base of the triangle) may have curvature. If one were to draw two tangent lines, one for each of the exposed side, each passing through the tip of the triangle and measure the angle between those two tangent lines, the angle is less than about 90°. In one embodiment, the angle is less than about 60°. It should be noted that the tip of the triangle may not be a distinct sharp point but instead may include a plateau. The tip of the rail is the ribbon contact point. If one were to measure the radius of curvature of the tip, it is less than about 0.02 inch (0.51 mm). In one embodiment, the radius of curvature of the tip is less than about 0.015 inch (0.38 mm). The radius of curvature of the rail, however, is greater than 0.001 inch (0.025 mm) because below this limit, the radius may be too sharp thereby abrading and causing damage to the ribbon. At a radius of greater than about the recited upper limited of 0.02 inch, the ribbon contacts too large of a surface area to provide effective curling.
In between the two curling edges lies land 664. The height of the rail, as measured perpendicular to the land, is less than about 0.2 inch (5.1 mm). In one embodiment, the rail height is less than about 0.12 inch (2.9 mm). The rail height, however, should be greater than about 0.01 inch (0.25 mm) because it should provide a feature to the ribbon curling edge. The land in between the rails provides a region for the user to balance, rest, and support the rest of his finger while curling the ribbon thereby minimizing any rocking of the finger as well as providing comfort for the user during use. If the rail height was too large, i.e., greater than the upper limit of about 0.2 inch, the likelihood of finger rocking increases. While the substantially triangular cross-section rail described herein provides utility as the curling edge, other designs could be used. For example, one could use a wedge shape design.
The design of the handle with the particular curvature makes the device particularly comfortable for use in the cutting mode or in the ribbon curling mode. In the cutting mode, the user may grasp the handle around her palm, with one side of the device, e.g., side 610e in contact with the thumb and the opposing side, side 610f, in contact with the side of her index finger, and the back of the hand generally facing her. In the ribbon curling mode, the same grasp can be used, however, the back of her hand faces away from her and her fingers may all be within her direct line of sight. This grasp is particularly useful for curling ribbon as the angle θ is in the range where the thumb rests comfortably and securely against the ribbon curling edge. That is, the angle θ is designed such that the largest part of the thumb is resting against the ribbon curling edge and against the side of the index finger closest to the knuckles of the hand. It would be less desirable to have a ribbon curling region where the thumb, when grasping the device in anticipation of curling ribbon, is far away from the side of the index finger, such as, e.g., when the thumb is in the hand gesture of a “thumbs up” position because only a minimal force can be applied to the ribbon.
In the combination device, the head and handle, along with the ribbon curling region can be integrally formed or it can be formed separately and attached to the handle by any suitable means. Illustrative attachment techniques include, without limitation, mechanical means, such as, without limitation, heat welding, ultrasonic welding, screws and corresponding threads, pins and corresponding holes, and adhesives means, such as, without limitation, liquid adhesives such as cyanoacrylates and double coated tape.
If desired, the ribbon curling device and or the combination device can be formed of a first polymeric material and a second polymeric material can be used on at least one of the first and second surfaces of the device. The first and second polymeric material can be of the same material. In an alternative embodiment, the first and second polymeric materials have different properties, such as, without limitation, different hardness or softness (in terms of durometer), different colors, and a combination of these two properties. In one embodiment, the handle, whether on the first surface or the second surface, includes two different polymeric material, the first material substantially forming the overall shape of the handle, and the second material covering over a portion of the first material, the second material being softer and of a different color. In this way, the combination device has aesthetic appeal while providing a soft touch effect providing better even better gripping action for the consumer.
Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the many possible specific arrangements that can be devised in application of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be devised in accordance with these principles by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the structures described in this application, but only by the structures described by the language of the claims and the equivalents of those structures.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/866,230, filed on Nov. 17, 2006.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60866230 | Nov 2006 | US |