Thread tensioner for retractable crochet weave

Abstract

A device for keeping a thread tightened and secured while weaving is provided. The thread is allowed to advance in order to make a stitch and further allows the thread to return to an original position so that it remains tensioned for the next stitch. The device is retractable so not only secures the thread but returns it so that it never loses tension. In addition, it has openings designed to allow resting a needle when not weaving.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to a device for keeping a thread tightened and secured while weaving and allows the thread to advance in order to make a stitch and further allows the thread to return to an original position so that it remains tensioned for the next stitch. The invention is specifically directed to a device that is retractable, not only does it tighten, but then it returns so that it never loses that tension. In addition, it has openings designed to allow resting the needle when it one stops weaving.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, a thread passes through the inventive device so that the thread is pressed and secured while the thread is being pulled until a detent is reached where the thread is no longer pressed allowing free movement of the thread. When the stitch is done and the thread is not being pulled anymore, the thread is again pressed and secured and it returns to an original position because the device has a retractable feature.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the thread tensioner of the invention is held by a ring that is placed on a user's finger, allowing weaving without interference from the aforementioned device.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the device can be used on a thread at any point, it is not necessary to begin weaving with the device or finish weaving with it as the device can be removed or used at any time.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the needle used is held by the device so that when the weaver rests, the weave is not separated or comes apart.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the device has an element that will serve as a stop so that the thread is released and the stitch can be made.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an elastic element is provided that is in constant tension and serves to provide the retractable feature of the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures showing illustrative embodiments of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1a shows the thread tensioner device holding a needle, according to the present invention.

FIG. 1b shows the thread tensioner device with the upper lid removed, according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the thread tensioner device, according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a base of the thread tensioner device, according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a lid of the thread tensioner device, according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a movable element of the thread tensioner device, according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows an elastic element of the thread tensioner device, according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a ring element of the thread tensioner device, according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the ring element pressing and securing a thread, according to the present invention.

FIG. 9a shows another side view of the ring element, according to the present invention.

FIG. 9b shows an abutting portion element, according to the present invention.

FIGS. 10-15 illustrate the order of assembling the components of the device, according to the present invention.

FIGS. 16-19 illustrate the order of using the device, according to the present invention.

Throughout the figures, the same reference numbers and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like elements, components, portions or features of the illustrated embodiments. The subject invention will be described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying figures, in view of the illustrative embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A thread tensioner device 100 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1a holding a thread needle 103 while the thread 101 is not being used. FIG. 1b shows the thread tensioner device 100 with its upper lid off so the tensioner structure can be appreciated. The thread tensioner device of the invention is a relatively small device that can be easily hold by an integrated finger insert which can be also used to hold the thread needle 103 as shown in FIG. 1a.

The components of the invention and their structural relationships will be explained in conjunction with FIGS. 2-9b. The thread tensioner device 100 is shown in FIG. 2 including a base 1 provided to receive and enclose a moving piece 2. An elastic element 3 is positioned inside the moving piece 2 and a lid 4 is provided to cooperate with the moving piece 2 for enclosing the elastic element 3. A ring element 5 is provided with means to structurally engage the moving piece 2 to provide the retractable and tension features of the invention as will be explained below.

The base 1 is provided with a static element 1a centrally positioned and upwardly extending from a floor of the base 1 as shown in FIG. 3. The static element 1a includes a passthrough opening 1b configured to slidably receive a second end 3b of the elastic element 3. As can be appreciated from the Figures, a first inlet opening 1c and a first outlet opening 1d are provided to allow inserting thread 5c into and out of said base 1. A base wall 1h upwardly extends from the floor to provide an enclosing area that will enclose the movable piece 2 and the elastic element 3. A detent element 1g is specifically provided inside the enclosing area near said first outlet opening 1d to structurally engage the release element 5e of the ring element 5 as will be explained below. One important feature of the present invention is that the ring element 5 has an integrated holding element 1e configured to receive a finger of a user to hold the retractable thread tensioner of the present invention while in use. Moreover, the integrated holding element 1e further includes a pair of openings 1f configured to receive a needle 103 of a threading device while the retractable thread tensioner of the present invention is not in use.

FIG. 4 shows an outer lid 6 configured to be positioned on top of the base 1 to enclose the movable piece 2 and the elastic element 3. A second inlet opening 6b and a second outlet opening 6a are provided on the outer lid 6 to mate with the second inlet opening 1c and the second outlet opening 1d, respectively to form a thread input and a thread output. FIG. 5 shows in more detail the movable piece 2 that includes a floor 2a having a centrally-located passthrough hole 2e configured to receive the static element 1a of the base 1 as shown in FIG. 11 when the retractable thread tensioner is assembled. A wall 2b upwardly extends from a movable piece base 2a to enclose the elastic element 3. At least one latching tab 2c is provided on the outer surface of the wall 2b to structurally engage with at least one latching hole 5b provided on the ring element 5 so that the rotation of the ring element 5 causes concurrent rotation of the movable piece 2. A retaining opening 2d is provided on the wall 2b to removably receive a first end 3d of the elastic element as will be explained below. FIG. 6 shows the elastic element 3 embodied as an elastic flat piece 3a wound up in a spiral configuration around a second end 3b of the elastic element 3. The elastic element 3 further comprises a first end 3c including a latch portion 3d configured to be removably inserted into the retaining opening 2d of the movable piece 2. It is important to point out that the ends 3c and 3b work in conjunction with the retaining opening 2d and the opening 1b of the static element 1, respectively, to maintain the elastic element 3 embodied fixed to the retractable thread tensioner while the movable piece 2 is rotated.

FIGS. 7-9 b illustrate the ring element 5 according to the present invention. The ring element 5 comprises a circular continuous side wall 5a including at least one latching hole 5b on its bottom end configured to be structurally engaged to at least one latching tab 2c on the movable piece 2 in a mating relationship to ensure that both the ring element 5 and the movable piece 2 rotate concurrently. The elastic clip includes a release element 5e and an abutting element 5g that is configured to secure the thread 5c against an abutting portion 5d provided on the outer surface of the side wall 5a. According to an embodiment of the invention, the abutting portion 5d is a removable element that is slidably inserted into a receiving tabs 5f as can be appreciated on FIGS. 8-9b. Moreover, the abutting portion 5d is embodied as a concave surface including a plurality of ribs 5h to provide additional friction between thread 5c and the abutting element 5g and abutting portion 5d.

Assembly of the retractable thread tensioner of the present invention will be explained on conjunction with FIGS. 10-15.

The movable piece 2 is positioned inside the base 1 ensuring that the static element 1a is inserted through the pass-through opening 2e of the movable piece 2. Then the elastic element 3 is positioned inside the movable piece 2 so that the second end 3b is inserted into the opening 1b and the first end latch portion 3d is inserted into the retaining opening 2d of the movable piece 2. Once the elastic element 3 is installed, an inner lid 4 is positioned on top of the movable piece 2 to enclose the elastic element 3 contained inside the movable piece 2.

As a separate step, thread 5c must be positioned inside the elastic clip as shown in FIG. 8. This is done by pulling the release element 5e so that the thread 5C is positioned between the abutting element 5g and abutting portion 5d provided on the outer surface of the side wall 5a. Once the release element 5e is not pulled, release element 5e will return to its original position so that thread 5c will remain secured between the abutting element 5g and abutting portion 5d. This step can be performed at any time before the ring element 5 is placed inside the base 1.

Continuing with the assembly procedure, the ring element 5 is then positioned inside the base 1 ensuring that the at least one latching hole 5b is structurally engaged in a mating relationship to the at least one latching tab 2c of the movable piece 2 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. This arrangement is provided to ensure that the ring element 5 and movable piece 2 will rotate together at the same time when thread 5c is pulled or released as will be explained below. A first end of thread 5c leading to a supply of thread is positioned within the first inlet opening 1c and a second end of thread 5c used for threading is positioned within the first outlet opening 1d as shown in FIG. 14. Afterwards, the outer lid 6 is positioned on top of the base 1 to enclose the movable piece 2 and the elastic element 3 so that a second inlet opening 6b and a second outlet opening 6a structurally cooperate with said first inlet opening 1c and said first outlet opening 1d to form a thread input and a thread output as shown in FIG. 15.

In operation, a user will pull thread 5c when additional thread 5c is needed as illustrated in FIG. 18. Since thread 5c is already secured to the ring element 5, a pull force will cause concurrent rotation of the ring element 5 and the movable piece 2 at the same time. This joint rotation is possible because the ring element 5 and the movable piece 2 are structurally secured together by means of the mating relationship between the at least one latching hole 5b and the at least one latching tab 2c. Resistance against the pull action is provided by the elastic element 3 so that when a user releases thread 5c the ring element 5 and the movable piece 2 move back to the original position prior to initiating the pull action. The thread 5c will continue to move secured to the elastic clip until the release element 5e reaches and makes contact with the detent element 1g provided on the base 1. After contact is made, further pulling the thread 5c will cause the detent element 1g to separate the release element 5e away from the abutting portion 5d so that the thread 5c is no longer secured to the elastic clip allowing the thread 5c to freely move inside the retractable thread tensioner providing the user with the additional thread 5c needed. Once the user releases the thread 5c and no more pulling force is provided, the ring element 5 and the movable piece 2 will begin to move back to the original position due to the elastic force exerted by the elastic element 3. While the ring element 5 and the movable piece 2 are rotating back, the detent element 1g stops contacting the release element 5e so that the release element 5e moves back to its original position securing the thread 5c against the abutting portion 5d securing the thread 5c to the elastic clip. Afterwards, the user only needs to pull the thread 5c and the operation is repeated again. As previously. explained, ring element 5 has an integrated holding element 1e configured to receive a finger of a user to hold the retractable thread tensioner of the present invention while in use and the integrated holding element 1e further includes a pair of openings 1f configured to receive a needle 103 of a threading device while the retractable thread tensioner of the present invention is not in use.

Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to the foregoing exemplary embodiment, this embodiment does not serve to limit the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will appreciate that various modifications are possible, without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A retractable thread tensioner comprising: a base having a static element upwardly extending from said base;a movable piece contained within said base, said movable piece including a pass-through opening, at least one latching tab and a retaining opening, wherein said static element passes through said pass-through opening;an elastic element contained within said movable piece, said elastic element having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is affixed to said retaining opening and said second end is affixed to said fixed element; anda ring element having at least one latching hole and a release element configured to releasably secure a thread, wherein the at least one latching tab of said movable piece engages said at least one latching hole allowing said movable piece and said ring element to rotate inside said base when said ring element is rotated.

2. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 1, further comprising an inner lid position on top of said movable piece to enclose said elastic element.

3. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 1, further comprising an outer lid position on top of said base to enclose the movable piece and the elastic element.

4. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 1, wherein said base further comprises a holding element having a pair of openings configured to hold a weaving tool in place.

5. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 1, wherein said base further comprises a first inlet opening and a first outlet opening allowing passage of a thread through said retractable thread tensioner.

6. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 1, wherein said second end of the elastic element is inserted into an opening provided on said static element allowing said elastic element to return to an original position after being extended to a second position.

7. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 1, wherein said movable piece and said ring element rotate inside said base at the same time.

8. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 1, wherein the first end of said elastic element comprises a latch portion that is removably inserted into said retaining opening allowing said elastic element to extend from an original position.

9. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 1, wherein said release element comprises an elastic clip portion configured to releasably secure said thread against an abutting portion provided on the outer part of said ring element.

10. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 9, wherein said abutting portion is removable.

11. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 9, wherein the elastic clip portion is biased against said abutting portion.

12. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 1, wherein said base further comprises a detent element configured to limit rotation of said ring element inside said base.

13. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 1, wherein said base further comprises a detent element configured to engage the release element forcing said release element to release said thread.

14. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 5, wherein said outer lid comprises a second inlet opening and a second outlet opening mating with said first inlet opening and said first outlet opening to form a thread input and a thread output, respectively.

15. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 1, wherein said ring element moves the thread inside said base until the release element reaches a detent element provided on said base.

16. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 15, wherein said detent element structurally engages the release element forcing said release element into releasing said thread allowing free movement of said thread while said detent element is structurally engaged to said release element.

17. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 15, wherein said thread is secured by said release element and said ring element retracts to an original position once said detent element is no longer structurally engaging said release element.

18. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 1, wherein the ring element is removed from the retractable thread tensioner so that said thread is secured by said release element.

19. The retractable thread tensioner of claim 17, wherein the elastic element forces the ring element to retract to said original position.