Device for Storing and Displaying Knitting/Crocheting Needles

Abstract

A knitting needle storage/display device includes a display flap, and a main flap, which is foldable at first and second fold regions, to form a first end flap portion, a middle flap portion, and a second end flap portion. A strap, being intermittently secured to the display flap, releasably supports a knitting needle between adjacent pairs of intermittently secured locations. The display flap, being secured to the main flap, can be folded between its first and second ends into a display position, and be releasably secured thereat using hook and loop fastening materials. The folded display flap in the display position exposes the ends of the needles. Snap members releasably secure the first and the second end flap portions together, when respectively folded at the first and second fold regions, in either a closed position, or an open position while the display flap is in the display position.

Claims

1. A knitting needle storage and display device a main flap configured to be folded from an open position at a first fold region and at a second fold region, to form a first end flap portion, a middle flap portion, and a second end flap portion; a display flap having a first side and a second side, and having a first end and a second end, said first end of said display flap being secured to said main flap; said display flap configured to be folded at a display flap fold region between said first end and said second end; a strap, said strap fixedly secured to said first side of said display flap at a plurality of intermittent locations, to releasably support a knitting needle between each adjacent pair of said intermittently secured locations; a hook-type fabric material fixedly secured at a selective location on said second side of said display flap; and a loop-type fabric material fixedly secured to said middle flap portion at a selective location to releasably secure said hook-type fabric material to said loop-type fabric material, to form a bend in said display flap at said display flap fold region, to position a portion of said display flap with said strap secured thereto in a display position at a bend angle with respect to said middle flap portion to expose an end portion of each knitting needle.

2. The knitting needle storage and display device according to claim 1, further comprising; a first snap member secured to said first end flap portion; a second snap member secured to said second end flap portion; and wherein said first snap member and said second snap member are configured to releasably couple to each other to secure said first end flap portion and said second end flap portion together, when respectively folded at said first fold region and said second fold region, in a closed position.

3. The knitting needle storage and display device according to claim 2, wherein said first snap member and said second snap member are further configured to releasably coupled to each other to secure said first end flap portion and said second end flap portion together, when respectively folded backwardly at said first fold region and said second fold region into a second open position to provide a more compact footprint for said storage and display device when in use, with said hook-type fabric material of said display flap releasably secured to said loop-type fabric material of said middle flap portion in said display position.

4. The knitting needle storage and display device according to claim 3, wherein said selective location for said loop-type fabric material on said middle flap provides for said bend angle being in the range of zero degrees to 180 degrees.

5. A knitting needle storage and display device comprising: a main flap configured to be folded from an open position at a first fold region and at a second fold region, to form a first end flap portion, a middle flap portion, and a second end flap portion; a display flap having a first side and a second side, and having a first end and a second end, said first end of said display flap being secured, to said main flap; said display flap configured to be folded at a display flap fold region between said first end and said second end; a strap, said strap fixedly secured to said first side of said display flap at a plurality of intermittent locations, to releasably support a knitting needle between each adjacent pair of said intermittently secured locations; means for releasably securing a portion of said display flap with said strap secured thereto in a display position at a bend angle with respect to said middle flap portion for exposing an end portion of each knitting needle.

6. The knitting needle storage and display device according to claim 5, further comprising means for releasably securing said first end flap portion and said second end flap portion together, when respectively folded at said first fold region and said second fold region in a closed position.

7. The knitting needle storage and display device according to claim 5, further comprising means for releasably securing said first end flap portion and said second end flap portion together, when respectively folded at said first fold region and said second fold region in a second open position, with said display flap releasably secured in said display position.

8. The knitting needle storage and display device according to claim 5, further comprising means for releasably securing said first end flap portion and said second end flap portion together, when respectively folded at said first fold region and said second fold region in a closed position, and when alternatively folded backwardly at said first fold region and said second fold region in a second open position, with said display flap releasably secured in said display position.

9. A knitting needle storage and display device a main flap configured to be folded from a substantially flat open position at a first fold region and at a second fold region, to form a first end flap portion, a middle flap portion, and a second end flap portion; a display flap having a first side and a second side, and having a first end and a second end, said first end of said display flap being secured to said main flap; said display flap configured to be folded at a display flap fold region between said first end and said second end; a strap, said strap fixedly secured to said first side of said display flap at a plurality of intermittent locations, to releasably support a knitting needle between each adjacent pair of said intermittently secured locations; a hook-type fabric material fixedly secured at a selective location on said second side of said display flap; a loop-type fabric material fixedly secured to said middle flap portion at a selective location to releasably secure said hook-type fabric material to said loop-type fabric material, to form a bend in said display flap at said display flap fold region, to position a portion of said display flap with said strap secured thereto in a display position at a bend angle with respect to said middle flap portion to expose an end portion of each knitting needle; a first snap member secured to said first end flap portion: a second snap member secured to said second end flap portion; wherein said first snap member and said second snap member releasably coupled to each other to secure said first end flap portion and said second end flap portion together, when respectively folded at said first fold region and said second fold region in a closed position; and wherein said first end flap portion and said second end flap portion are configured to be folded backwardly at said first fold region and said second fold region into a second open position to provide a more compact footprint for said storage and display device, with said hook-type fabric material of said display flap releasably secured to said loop-type fabric material of said middle flap portion in said display position.

10. The knitting needle storage and display device according to claim 9, wherein said first snap member and said second snap member releasably couple to each other to secure said first end flap portion and said second end flap portion together, when respectively folded backwardly at said first fold region and said second fold region in said second open position.

11. The knitting needle storage and display device according to claim 10, wherein when said first snap member and said second snap member releasably couple to each other to secure said first end flap portion to said second end flap portion in said second open position, said second end flap portion is adjacent to said middle flap portion, and said first end flap portion is adjacent to said second end flap portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The description of the various example embodiments is explained in conjunction with appended drawings, in which:

[0025] FIG. 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of a device for storing and displaying knitting/crocheting needles, in accordance with the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 2 is the front view of FIG. 1, but is shown with the first end flap portion of the device having been unsnapped and unfolded;

[0027] FIG. 3 is the front view of FIG. 2, but is shown with the second end flap portion of the device having also been unfolded to exposed a display flap that may receive and releasably store a plurality of knitting/crocheting needles, when positioned in a storage configuration;

[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the folded device shown within FIG. 1, and also shows at least one knitting/crocheting needle stored therein;

[0029] FIG. 5 shows the unfolded device of FIG. 3, but is shown rotated ninety degrees, and additionally shows a plurality of knitting/crocheting needles received with the display flap;

[0030] FIG. 5A shows an elongated strip of flexible material that may be usable for a main flap of the device shown in FIG. 5;

[0031] FIG. 5B shows a piece of material that is usable for the display flap of the device of FIG. 5;

[0032] FIG. 5C shows a strip of elastic material that may be secured to the display flap of the device of FIG. 5, being usable for securing knitting/crocheting needles thereto;

[0033] FIGS. 5D and 5E show respective pieces of book material and loop material for releasably securing the display flap in a display position:

[0034] FIG. 6 is a side view of the unfolded device shown in FIG. 5, with the display flap and knitting/crocheting needles shown in a stowed position;

[0035] FIG. 7 is the side view of FIG. 6, but is shown with the display flap and knitting/crocheting needles having been moved into and secured at a display position;

[0036] FIG. 8 is the side view of the device of FIG. 1, with the display flap and knitting/crocheting needles in the display position of FIG. 7, but is shown with the first end flap portion and the second end flap portion having been folded backwardly and snapped together to serve as a compact stand;

[0037] FIG. 9 is a front view of a device for storing and displaying knitting/crocheting needles, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] FIG. 10 is the front of FIG. 9, but is shown with the first end flap portion of the device having been unsnapped and unfolded, to expose a zippered pocket in the second end flap portion;

[0039] FIG. 11 is the front view of FIG. 10, but is shown with the second end flap portion of the device having also been unfolded to expose a plurality of knitting/crocheting needles releasably stored in the display flap;

[0040] FIG. 12 is a front view of a device for storing and displaying knitting/crocheting needles, in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] FIG. 13 is the front view of FIG. 12, but is shown with the first end flap portion of the device having been unsnapped and unfolded, to expose a zippered pocket;

[0042] FIG. 14 is the front view of FIG. 13, but is shown with the second end flap portion of the device having also been unfolded to exposed a plurality of knitting/crocheting needles releasably stored in the display flap, and to expose a storage compartment secured to the second end flap portion;

[0043] FIG. 15 shows the unfolded device of FIG. 11, but is shown rotated ninety degrees; and

[0044] FIG. 16 is a side view of the unfolded device shown in FIG. 15, with the display flap and knitting/crocheting needles shown in a stowed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0045] As used throughout this specification, the word may is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words include, including, and includes mean including but not limited to.

[0046] The phrases at least one, one or more, and and/or are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions at least one of A, B and C, one or more of A, B, and C, and A, B, and/or C mean all of the Following possible combinations: A alone; or B alone; or C alone; or A and B together; or A and C together; or B and C together; or A, B and C together.

[0047] Also, all references (e.g., patents, published patent applications, and non-patent literature) that are cited within this document are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

[0048] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of any particular embodiment disclosed herein, may be combined in any suitable manner with any of the other embodiments disclosed herein.

[0049] A device 101 for storing and displaying knitting/crocheting needles, as shown in FIGS. 1-8, may generally be constructed in one of several different ways. In its simplest form, device 101 may have a main flap 110 (FIGS. 5 and 5A) that may be in the form of an elongated strip of material that is flexible, so that, it may freely be folded somewhere within a first fold region 101A and within a second fold region 101B, to form a first end flap portion 111, a second end flap portion 112, and a middle flap portion 113. The main flap 110, as well as any of the other components of the device 101, may be formed of any suitable material, including, but not limited to, leather, suede, cloth, vinyl or other plastic, materials, etc. In another embodiment, the main flap 110 may have additional pieces of the same material (or a different material type) stitched thereto using threading 110T (FIG. 5), and/or may have cardboard or other filler material added thereto to increase its thickness/stiffness in the non-folded regions (i.e., at flap portions 111/112/113), which may tend to dictate that folding would occur primarily within, or only within, the pre-determined fold regions 101A/101B.

[0050] As seen in FIG. 2, the first end flap portion 111 and the second end flap portion 112 may respectively have a male snap member 170M and a female snap member 170F secured thereto, to permit those flap portions 111/112 to be releasably snapped together when in a closed position, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4. Any suitable snap assembly known in the art may be used, including, but not limited to, the snap assembly disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,803 to Katayama, the snap assembly shown by U.S. Pat. No. 1,965,1.15 to Fenton, etc. Also, and other means of releasable securement known in the art may alternatively be used, including, but not limited to, a strap and buckle combination (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 2,899,732 to Cushman); or a piece of hook-type fabric material and a piece of loop-type fabric material (descriptive names), which are sold under the trademarked name of Velcro, and which are known to releasably couple to each other; etc.

[0051] A display flap 120 may have a front side (shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 5B) and a rear side, and may have a first end 121 and a second end 122. The display flap 120 may be formed to be square-shaped, rectangular-shaped, or any other suitable shape, and may also have angled (i.e., chamfered) corners at its periphery, as shown in FIG. 5B. As seen in FIG. 5, the first end 121 of the display flap 120 may be fixedly secured to the main flap 110, and may be so secured using any method known in the art, including, but not limited to, being bonded thereto using adhesive/epoxy, or being stitched/sewn thereto using thread, or being mechanically fastened thereto using rivets or other fasteners, etc.

[0052] A strip of material 130 (FIG. 5C) may be secured to the front side of the display flap 120 using similar methods, and may be secured thereto proximate to each of the ends 131/132 of the strip of material. The strip of material 130 may also be secured to the display flap 120 at a plurality of intermittent locations along its length to produce a series of semicircular-shaped loops, with each loop configured to releasably receive a knitting/crocheting needle 99 therein (i.e., between each adjacent pair of the intermittently secured locations), as seen in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. In one embodiment, the strip of material 130 may be formed of the same type of material as the main flap 110. In another embodiment, the strip of material 130 may be formed of a different material, including, but not limited to, an elastic material that may be able to conform to, and readily accommodate receiving various different sized knitting/crocheting needles 99. Therefore, where elastic is used for the strip of material 130, it may not tend to form the semicircular-shaped loops, and may instead tend to remain flat until being elastically deformed/displaced by a knitting/crocheting needle being inserted between the elastic and the display flap 120, between two adjacent stitched locations.

[0053] On the rear side of the display flap 120 and on the inside of the middle flap portion 113, as seen in FIG. 6, may respectively be secured a piece of hook-type fabric material and a piece of loop-type fabric material (descriptive names), which are sold under the trademarked name of Velco. The hook-type fabric material 140 shown in FIG. 5D being fixedly secured at the selective location on the rear side of the display flap shown in FIG. 6, and the loop-type fabric material 150 shown in FIG. 5E being fixedly secured to the selective location on the middle flap portion, may permit releasable securing of the hook-type fabric material to the loop-type fabric material to form, a bend in the display flap at a fold region therein, as seen in FIG. 7. Note that the respective positioning of the piece of loop-type material and the hook-type material may be reversed, and also that other types of releasable securement may alternatively be used, including, but not limited to, a snap assembly, a buckle, etc.

[0054] To provide for adjustments to the angle () at which one side of the display flap may be positioned (compare FIG. 7 and FIG. 8), one or more additional pieces of the loop-type fabric material may be used. Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 8, a larger single piece may be used for the loop-type/hook-type fabric material, permitting releasable securement thereto of the other fabric material at a desired position, to produce any desired angular relationship () from among a range of such possible angular relationships. The loop-type fabric material 150 may be sized and positioned to permit releasable securement to produce an angular relationship () in the range of 0.0 degrees to 180 degrees. In one embodiment, the loop-type fabric material 150 may preferably be sized and positioned to permit securements to produce an angular relationship () in the range of 0.0 degrees to 90 degrees.

[0055] It is noted that in another embodiment, the hook-type fabric material may alternatively or additionally be positioned on the top of the display flap 120 and may be secured to the loop-type fabric material by the end of the display flap being folded underneath itself.

[0056] It is also noted that the display flap fold region may vary in location depending upon how the display flap is bent during releasable attachment to the main flap using the Velcro. Also, to achieve angles greater than ninety degrees, the display flap may be extended in length, and the bend in the display flap fold region may result in two unequal portions, unlike the equal-length leg portions shown in FIG. 8.

[0057] The side view of FIG. 8 also illustrates that the device 101, with the display flap and knitting/crocheting needles releasably secured in the display position, may also have its first end flap portion and second end flap portion folded backwardly, and may be snapped together using the snaps to serve as a compact stand. This arrangement would require a much smaller footprint when placed upon a convenient nearby surface that may be available to the knitter (e.g., a night stand with a small top surface).

[0058] The bend region in the display flap 120 may be located in sufficiently close proximity to the elastic strip of material 130 in order to ensure exposing of a portion of the ends of each of the knitting/crocheting needles 99, including the shortest needle stored therein. This may permit the user to approach and grasp the top and bottom of an end of a desired needle with his/her the thumb and forefinger, without regard to the spacing between the needles. However, the intermittent securement locations for the strip of material 130 to the display flap 120 may also be sufficiently spaced apart, so that the user may also be able to place his/her fingers between any two adjacent needles to easily select the desired needle when needed. As shown in FIG. 5, the intermittently spaced securement of the strip of material 130 to the display flap 120 may provide a spacing S between the knitting/crocheting needles, which may be correlated to the size (diameter) of typical knitting/crocheting needles, and the size of the person's finger. Although other spacing values may also be used, in one embodiment, the spacing S may be in the range of 0.1 inches to 2.5 inches, and may in one embodiment may be the same for each of the intermittently spaced securements of the strip of material 130.

[0059] In another embodiment, the spacing S may be different for each of the intermittently spaced securements of the strip of material 130 to the display flap 120, to individually and particularly accommodate a range of different needle sixes (diameters).

[0060] Since the typical ring size for men is between an 8 and a 12, which equates to a typical finger size diameter being in the range of 18.1 mm (0.71 inch) to 21.4 mm (0.84 inch), and since knitting/crocheting needle diameters range from 2.25 mm (0.09 inches) up to 15 mm (0.59inches), 19 mm (0.74 inches), and 25 mm (0.98), in one embodiment, the spacing S may range from 0.8 inches (smallest typical male linger and smallest needle diameter) to 1.8 inches (largest typical male linger and largest needle diameter). In another embodiment, to accommodate spacing for an assortment of knitting/crocheting needle sizes, double securements of the strip of material 130 to the display flap 120 may be used, as seen in FIG. 5.

[0061] While illustrative implementations of one or more embodiments of the present invention are provided hereinabove, those skilled in the art and having the benefit of the present disclosure will appreciate that further embodiments may be implemented with various changes within the scope of the present invention. Other modifications, substitutions, omissions and changes may be made in the design, size, materials used or proportions, operating conditions, assembly sequence, or arrangement or positioning of elements and members of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of this invention.

[0062] Accordingly, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described example embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.