SOCK TIE APPARATUS AND METHOD

Abstract

A sock tie is used when laundering socks, in order to keep a pair together. Formed of a comparatively high temperature polymer, the elastomeric loop may be drawn around a pair of socks one or more times to bind them together. The tension in the loop need not be excessively high. The nearer to the center of the length of a pair of socks the loop is placed, the less tension is required, inasmuch as the socks themselves by their random motion will resist self removal of the band or loop. Logos, labels, text, instructions, images, colors and the like may be formed into tabs attached at one or more points about the circumference of a sock tie loop. The tab provides an ease of removal while also providing space for advertising, logos, instructions, or the like.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A method of laundry comprising: obtaining an apparatus comprising a closed loop having a shape of the loop in a resting configuration, a cross sectional area and shape orthogonal to a circumference thereof, and a restrained shape conformal to an object contained therewith; restraining a first portion of the loop against movement thereof; extending, by elastic deformation of the circumference of the loop, a second portion of the loop by drawing it away from the first portion; placing within the loop a plurality of the objects to be secured together between the first, restrained, portion and the second portion drawn away therefrom; and releasing the first and second portions of the loop to grip the plurality of objects.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising twisting the loop prior to the releasing, and passing the plurality of objects through the portion of the loop most distant from the plurality of objects around the objects a second time.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the apparatus further comprises a tab, and the method further comprises grasping the tab to apply tension to deform the loop and release the plurality of objects within the loop.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising passing the plurality of objects as a group, bound together by the loop, into a washing cycle of a washing machine.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising passing the plurality of objects through a cycle of a drying machine directly from the washing thereof.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising running the plurality of objects continually secured together by the loop through a drying process.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising removing the loop from the plurality of objects.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising dividing the plurality of objects into pairs.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising removing the loop from the plurality of objects.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising dividing the plurality of objects into pairs.

21. A method of laundry comprising: providing an apparatus comprising a loop, a tab projecting radially from the loop and homogeneously formed therewith from an elastomeric material defining a diameter, a cross sectional area selected to bind together at least one pair of socks and maintain the binding during at least of a wash cycle and a drying cycle; providing a tab integrally formed and homogenously molded with the loop to project radially outward from an outer surface of the cross section of the loop and situated to extend radially outward from a bound object during laundering, the tab further comprising a panel surface containing an image constituted by at least one of a shape and text, distinguishable by and to a user; selecting a first article for laundering; selecting a second article related to the second article; binding the first and second articles together with the loop; and laundering the first and second articles simultaneously and adjacent one another throughout a period of laundering.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein providing an apparatus further comprises providing a wall constituting a thickness and a height, wherein at least one of the thickness and the height is uniform about a circumference of the loop.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising selecting both the thickness and the height to be uniform about a circumference of the loop.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising configuring the tab to extend radially outward from the wall when freestanding and unloaded.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the tab is sized to approximate a surface area of contact between a thumb and a forefinger of a user.

26. A method of laundry comprising: providing a loop formed of an elastomeric polymer; providing a tab integrated with the elastomeric polymer stranded to form a loop; extending the elastomeric loop by drawing the tab away from the remainder of the loop, while restraining at least a portion of the loop away from the tab; placing multiple objects having a matching relation to one another to be retained in proximity to one another during laundering within the inner circumference of the loop in the extended position; and constricting the multiple objects within the loop by releasing the tab; laundering the multiple objects adjacent one another in a laundry device; and removing together the multiple objects at a time after the laundering.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising selecting the elastomeric polymer to maintain elasticity without significant permanent deformation at temperatures above 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising selecting the elastomeric polymer to maintain its elasticity without permanently deforming under load of a force at temperatures above 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the elastomeric polymer is a composition of silicone.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising providing an image constituting at least one of text, shape, and symbol on a portion of the tab.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The foregoing features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0023] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of various alternative cross sections of a loop apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0024] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the article of FIG. 1;

[0025] FIG. 4 is a front elevation view thereof, the rear elevation view being identical;

[0026] FIG. 5 is a right side elevation view thereof, which is identical to the left side elevation view thereof;

[0027] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of a loop apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0028] FIG. 7 is a front elevation view thereof, the rear elevation view being identical;

[0029] FIG. 8 is a right side elevation view thereof, the left side elevation view being identical thereto;

[0030] FIG. 9 is a perspective view thereof;

[0031] FIG. 10 is a prospective view of application of the apparatus in accordance with the invention, with the socks being absent for clarity;

[0032] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a loop apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0033] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of various alternative embodiments for the tab of FIG. 11;

[0034] FIG. 13 a left side elevation view of an alternative embodiment of a loop apparatus in accordance with the invention, illustrating by exploded inset views, and various alternative cross sections;

[0035] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a loop apparatus in accordance with the invention, being drawn around the pair of socks, twisted and drawn around the socks again to form a double loop or a double turn around the socks; and

[0036] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a pair of socks in which a loop apparatus in accordance with the invention has been looped around a portion of the socks a single time to bind them together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0037] It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the drawings herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the system and method of the present invention, as represented in the drawings, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of various embodiments of the invention. The illustrated embodiments of the invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout.

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 9, while referring generally to FIGS. 1 through 15, an apparatus 10 or loop 10 in accordance with the invention may be formed of a polymer, typically an elastomeric polymer having a suitable flexibility, spring constant, cross sectional area, and other dimensions to operate as an elastic band 10. Typically, an apparatus 10 will be characterized by an outside diameter 12 or effective outside diameter 12.

[0039] By effective diameter is meant the hydraulic diameter as understood in the engineering arts. A hydraulic diameter is four times the area enclosed divided by the wetted perimeter or the enclosed perimeter. Thus, a circle devolves to an actual physical diameter. An effective diameter or hydraulic diameter of a square is simply the length of one side.

[0040] Any other shape has a value of hydraulic diameter by the same relationship, which will be something calculated only because it may not actually exist anywhere. Slits and slots sometimes degenerate to simply the distance across the smaller dimension. Nevertheless, an effective diameter 12 may be calculated for any shape.

[0041] For example, the actual shape of the loop 10 or apparatus 10 may be any shape desired. For example, the shape of the outside diameter 12 is actually the outer surface 13 or defined by the outer surface 13. Similarly, the inside diameter 14, which is actually the effective internal diameter 14, may be calculated according to the rules of hydraulic diameter. Likewise, the inner surface 15 describes or defines the actual perimeter giving rise to the effective inside diameter 14. Accordingly, the thickness 16 need not be uniform. However, it has been found that a uniform thickness 16 is often the best to serve the need for a comparatively uniform deflection or strain.

[0042] Strain is actually a dimensionless deflection or stretch. By stretch is meant deflection in either direction, compression or tension. Thus, deflection is the general term, while stretch represents elongation under tensile load. Compression or shrinkage represents deflection under compressive load. The point here is that strain is a dimensionless number meaning the distance of deflection divided by the overall length dimension.

[0043] For example, a circle may have an amount of strain constituting a number of inches per inch of length of circumference or the number of centimeters per centimeter of overall length. Thus, it is proper to speak of deflection as distortion and change of dimension and strain as the normalized or nondimensionalized measurement of distance of strain per total distance.

[0044] Thus, for strain (normalized change of dimension) to be uniform about the entire circumference of an apparatus 10, it is preferable that the thickness 16 as well as the top surface 17a to bottom surface 17b height 18 be uniform throughout. Even with a comparatively uniform thickness 16, and a uniform height 18, the circumference about the apparatus 10 may actually take on (be formed in) any shape.

[0045] Some examples are a star, a circle, a rectangle, an image shape, such as the head of a horse, the profile of an entire horse, the face of a cat, the entirety of a cat, the shape of a dog, the shape of any other animal pet, the shape of a particular vehicle style or design, and so forth. Thus, any of the conventional shapes of polygons, starts, circles, or images of live things or inanimate objects is a perspective profile to substitute for the “ring” 10 that is the apparatus 10 illustrated. One may thus consider the apparatus 10 to be defined by a wall 20 following any suitable shape and extending from an inner diameter 14 to an outer diameter 12 and having a height 18.

[0046] As a practical matter, a method of manufacture may involve extruding the shape of the apparatus 10. The extrusion constitutes the circumference thereof. Actually it includes both inner circumference and outer circumference. Generally, it is not necessarily a circular cross section. This may be done in a conventional extruder having a die shaped to the periphery or circumference, effectively, of the apparatus 10. Extrusion may involve any of several suitable methods, but may benefit from a vertical extrusion of an elastomeric polymer.

[0047] Elastomeric polymers may include compositions of silicone, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, and substantially any elastomeric polymer. Silicone and other “high temperature” polymers are those having temperatures greater than would normally be melted by exposure to the hot air of a commercial or domestic clothes dryer. Silicone compositions are used in bakeware exposed to temperatures over 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

[0048] Thus, any such elastomeric material having the proper mechanical characteristics may serve. It requires a suitable spring constant, elongation, maximum stress at rupture, and so forth. Those properties are understood in engineering. Any material suitable and durable may serve as the elastomeric polymer from which the apparatus 10 may be formed.

[0049] Following extrusion, individual instances of the product 10 or apparatus 10 may be sliced or cut across the shape (cross section) at a periodicity equal to the height 18. Thus, the height 18 may be adjusted to be comparatively shorter (thinner) or taller (thicker) as desired. There exist reasons to have the height 18 be comparatively low, even less than the wall thickness 16 in some instances. Total force required, ease of manipulation, and manufacturing are. In other instances it makes sense and provides a certain life expectancy and a different handling benefit of not “rolling up” to have the height 18 be comparatively longer than the wall thickness 16, and sometimes several times larger (several multiples thereof). However such a loop 10 requires or admits to a single loop with no twisting or doubling up.

[0050] The shape of the apparatus 10 necessarily will have a cross section. Indeed, the cross section of the wall 20 itself, as well as the cross section of the gap 21 or space 21 in the center thereof may take on any suitable shape. The number of shapes possible is a digit too high to begin to consider even a small fraction of the possibilities. One may refer to FIG. 2 for the shapes of several polygons. These polygonal shapes may be the cross sections 22 of the wall 20 itself along the section A-A of FIG. 1, as illustrated.

[0051] Nevertheless, each of these shapes of FIG. 2 also represents a possible shape for the interior surface 15 of the apparatus 10. Thus, with the wall thickness minimized and represented only by a line, any of those shapes and more may represent the perimeter and outer of an apparatus 10. Meanwhile, any of the other shapes of nature, plants, animals, houses, buildings, objects, tools, toys, vehicles, or the like may be the shape taken by the apparatus 10 when relaxed and unstretched.

[0052] A sheath 23 may be thought of as a decorative cover 23. For example, an alternative mechanism for manufacturing an apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention may involve extrusion of the solid polymer in a cross section 22 illustrated. For example, a circular cross section 22a, square cross section 22b, triangular cross section 22c, and trapezoidal cross section 22d may represent the wall 20 of the apparatus 10. Likewise, the rectangular cross section 22e is a parallelogram 22e. Meanwhile, the hexagon 22f and octagon 22g are not the limit. More sides are possible. Moreover, all of the shapes illustrated so far except a star are fully convex. They have no external concave surfaces. However, providing shapes of animals, plants, cars, other things, and so forth may involve the use of inside corners or concave corners on the outer perimeter of any of the walls 20 of an apparatus 10.

[0053] Thus, virtually any cross section 22 may be molded or extruded. Extrusion provides a continuous process. Moreover, extruding a shape 22 or cross section 22 may be done as a linear and continuous process. To form an actual ring 10, loop 10, or the like as an apparatus 10, one may bond cut ends of a stranded material to form the loop 10. There will be some uneven stress across the cross section too, as a result. However, with a sufficiently soft elastomeric polymer, such a construction technique is totally tractable.

[0054] A sheath 23 is most easily applied to an open strand of a linear material having a cross section 22. Thus, the decorative cover 23 may provide the entire decoration. In alternative embodiments, the decorative cover 23 may be augmented by having the ends thereof along with the ends of the internal wall 20 captured, bonded, cast, clipped, stapled, or otherwise captured in a grip or medallion that serves to close the loop 10, as well as provide a material by which to grasp the apparatus 10.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 10, while continuing to refer generally to FIGS. 1 through 15, an apparatus 10 may be used as a single loop 10, or may be stretched and doubled back over itself. In the illustrated embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be placed around a pair of socks, drawn tight, and twisted as illustrated. The socks have been removed to illustrate the shape of the apparatus 10. Nevertheless, in the center configuration of the apparatus 10, stretching the apparatus 10 and twisting it to form two separate loops, serves to permit doubling up. Thus, ultimately, the apparatus 10 as in the configuration on the right demonstrates that the diameter has been diminished to about half. The overall stress or force has actually been doubled by two layers of the wall 20. The cross-over 24 or twist 24 is necessary in order to form one complete loop 10 around the socks or the object to be tied. Another loop 10 is then stretched larger to fit over the same object in order to provide the double loop 10 illustrated as the consequence of such an operation.

[0056] It is worth noting that the thickness 16 and height 18 of the wall 20 cooperate along with the overall inside diameter 14 to determine the ease with which the apparatus 10 may be stretched about socks a first, second, or both number of times. The smaller the opening 21 or gap 21 enclosed by the wall 20, the less space and therefore more constrictive hold will be imposed upon the grasped objects. The first loop 26 is typically made, and then all the slack or all the available tension drawn against it. Thereafter, a second loop 28 may follow the twist 24, and enclose once again the same object.

[0057] The size, meaning here the thickness 16, and height 18, which are necessarily affected by the shape 22 or cross section 22, will govern the stiffness or the resistance to stretching of the circumference or the diameters 12, 14 of the loop apparatus 10.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, while continuing to refer generally to FIGS. 1 through 15, a tab 30 may act as a grip 30 for grasping and stretching the size of the apparatus 10. For example, in applying the band 10 or apparatus 10 to an object or a bundle of objects to be gripped, one may insert fingers inside the space 21 encompassed by the wall 20. However, following a laundering of the grasped objects, the loop 10 or apparatus 10 may be difficult to grasp.

[0059] Depending on how much tension was put in the wall 20 (where tension is a stress or force per unit cross sectional area), it may be quite unsatisfactory to reach a fingernail or finger underneath or inside the inner diameter 14 to pull against the inside surface 15. Removing the apparatus 10 from a grasped bundle of articles may be done by rolling the apparatus 10 along the surface of the grasped objects.

[0060] It may be a more satisfactory mechanism to simply re-stretch one of the loops 26, 28 by grasping the tab 30, drawing it away from the grouped articles. Drawing enough slack may require moving it back and forth in a plane parallel to its upper and lower surfaces 17a, 17b. Once sufficient slack is drawn out of one of the loops 26, 28 the other loop 28, 26 may be drawn over the bundled articles. This effectively reduces multiple loops 26, 28 to a single loop 10.

[0061] In fact, depending on the particular dimensions it may be possible to loop more than just two loops 26, 28 in the article 10. Three, four, or more may be possible. Nevertheless, it has been found that one or two loops 26, 28 will serve well and provide a sufficiently robust and long lived product 10.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 12, while continuing to refer generally to FIGS. 1 through 15, the tab 30 may have any of a variety of shapes, and each may serve the purpose of decoration, information, or some other functionality. For example, the shape of the tab 30 may be somewhat arbitrarily defined. So long as it is of about sufficient surface area to be gripped well between the thumb and forefinger, it may serve its role to draw tension in the wall 20 of the apparatus 10.

[0063] Some of the shapes illustrated are, for example, a simple semicircle or circle. Beginning at the top configuration and proceeding clockwise, a circle blended into the wall 20 may provide a tab 30 with an aperture in the middle, or simply a material of a different color. Similarly, proceeding clockwise a star or other recognizable shape or symbol may be used as the tab 30. Meanwhile, an elongated or elliptical shape may provide space for a panel 32 receiving text 34.

[0064] In each of the shapes of tabs 30, the panel 32 serves as a frictional contact surface for the digits of a user. However, it may also serve the function of hosting text 34. The shape may altered, such as the next (trapezoidal) shape. This may accommodate specific text or provide room for larger text farther from the wall 20 and smaller text closer thereto. Moving more of the material farther away from the wall 20 may provide less influence on the loop 10 by the change of cross sectional area in the tab 30.

[0065] In other embodiments, the tab 30 may extend along a greater or lesser portion of the wall 20. One will note that the trapezoidal shape is rounded at the corners. This may provide benefit in manufacturing. It may also provide reduction of stress concentrations at changes in cross section, such as between the tab 30 and the wall 20. The rounded fillet area may provide additional life, and reduce the probability that such an interior corner might serve as a source of rupture for damage or failure over time.

[0066] Moving clockwise to the next inset, a shape of an object, such as the pair of socks shown in the same or different colors may be molded as the tab 30. These may be extruded in different colors, or may be stamped in different shapes or with a boundary thus shown. As illustrated, this cross section may be altered to meet some other image desired for commercial identification, user classification, or a suggestion of use. Of course, different shapes, such as a rectangular tab 30 in the next inset, or a modified circular tab 30 may also be relied upon. Thus, the various tabs 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e, 30f, 30g, are but a sampling of the possible shapes that may be formed. In fact, in FIG. 11, a somewhat rounded corner on a rectangular object is but a variation of the somewhat elongated but circular shape of the tab 30g. Thus, any of a variety of shapes that are suitable for gripping, may extend a sufficient distance away from the wall 20 to support a good stiff tug or pull to stretch the ring 10 open. Any may well serve as a decorative, functional, or both types of elements for the tabs 30.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 13, while continuing to refer generally to FIGS. 1 through 15, the tab 30 need not be shaped in any particular way or limited to any particular shape in the orthogonal direction. That is, the top plan view illustrated in the tabs 30a through 30g may have a constant thickness, or it may vary.

[0068] For example, beginning clockwise at the top, a tab 30 may have a rectangular aspect or rectangular shape that is either thinner, thicker, or the same thickness as the height 18 of the wall 20 of the loop 10. In fact, any of the shapes of FIG. 13 may actually have uniform thickness in the direction into the page. Alternatively, any of the shapes of FIG. 13 may also be applied to any of the shapes in FIG. 12. Since each is a cross section in a direction orthogonal to the other, they may be used in any combination.

[0069] Thus, the profile of the tab 30h is simply extending at exactly the same thickness 18 of the main loop 10. The shape of the tab 30j extends at a varying thickness, tapering as it extends away from the apparatus 10. Similarly, the tab 30k provides for an image 36 such as a logo 36. Just as a surface parallel to the top surface 17a of the loop 10 may have a message, a surface orthogonal thereto may have a logo 36, text 34, or other emblem.

[0070] Meanwhile, the dimensions of the tab 30m illustrate that the panel 32 may include text 34 that is much smaller. Of course, a matter of design choice and utility of the tab 30 may be overridden by design characterizations or desires, communication of information, and so forth. Thus, in general, the shapes in a direction axially 11a, radially 11b or circumferentially 11c may include all possibilities.

[0071] For example, an axis 11d extending radially but orthogonal to both the axial direction 11a, and another radial direction 11b, may define a three-dimensional, rectangular set of coordinates. However, as a practical matter, in the illustrated embodiments, a circular cross section of the shape may be defined by an axial direction 11a and a radial direction 11b, which may proceed in any direction orthogonal to the axial direction 11a, as will be sufficient to define a position. Nevertheless, in a circumferential direction 11c, it will typically be necessary to define a point by at least three axes out of the group of axes 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d.

[0072] Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, while continuing to refer generally to FIGS. 1 through 15, a pair of socks 40 may be grasped with multiple turns as illustrated in FIG. 14, or as a single loop about a pair or multiple pairs. Typically, the thickness 16, height 18, and material are all matters of design choice and engineering of molds, dies, and the like. Likewise, an outer diameter 12, inner diameter 14, and the overall constitution of film in the polymer selected may all be matters of personal choice, design choice, or engineering expediency.

[0073] Thus, it may be possible to use two or more turns in an apparatus 10 about one or more pairs of socks 40. Similarly, the single loop 10 may be sufficient. However, it has been found that more turns with higher tension become more difficult to remove as tension equalizes during the rustle and bustle of the washing and drying processes. Thus, an apparatus 10 is adaptable to being used on one pair of socks 40 with a single loop 10, or providing multiple turns 26, 28 with a single pair 40.

[0074] The size of any of the dimensions may be selected to provide a comfort level. It may even be provided in multiple sets of dimensions in order to provide a tough pull or more forceful requirement, a more modest or medium amount of pull, or a comparatively easy pull. Of course these gradations may be color coded, may be marked, such as with numbers or emblems on the tab 30, and so forth.

[0075] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its purposes, functions, structures, or operational characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.