Tool and method for creating fashion accessories

• US 8,234,851 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2012
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Playmonster Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Ann Williams Group LLC
• Inventors: Wright, Sheila
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Shaun R
• Application Number:
  US13/425,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20120174405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 140 Days
• Field of Search: 57/3, 57/10, 57/11, 57/12
• US Class Current: 57/10
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 27/00 Making jewellery or other personal adornments
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 27/001 Materials for manufacturing jewellery
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/0053 Flexible straps
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/38 Threads in which fibres, filaments, or yarns are wound with other yarns or filaments, e.g. wrap yarns, i.e. strands of filaments or staple fibres are wrapped by a helically wound binder yarn; D02G3/32 takes precedence; covering endless core threads with fibres by using open-end spinning techniques D01H4/00
• CPC Class Codes: D04C 3/00 Braiding or lacing machines
• CPC Class Codes: D04D 1/02 by twisting strands around centrally arranged cores
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49591 Bracelet making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53 Means to assemble or disassemble

Abstract

A device comprising: (a) a body portion including: (i) a first end and ii. a second end; (b) a holder at the first end; (c) a holder at the second end; (d) a rotation device at the first end in communication with the holder at the first end; and wherein the holder is fixedly attached to a split gear having a channel therethrough so that one or more flexible mediums may be placed through the channel and removed from a work area located between the holder at the first end and the holder at the second end.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a. obtaining a device for making a bracelet comprising;

i. a body portion having a longitudinal axis, a first end region and a second end region spaced apart from the first end region;

ii. a platform on the body portion;

iii. a first support located at the first end region and projecting outwardly from the platform, the first support having an inner wall and an outer wall;

iv. a second support located at the second end region and projecting outwardly from the platform, the second support having an inner wall and an outer wall;

v. a first holder positioned adjacent the inner wall of the first support and being adapted to receive a first end portion of at least one first flexible medium;

vi. a rotation device positioned adjacent the outer wall of the first support and drivingly coupled with the first holder for causing the first holder to rotate about an axis that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body portion;

vii. a second holder opposing the first holder and being adapted for receiving a second end portion of the at least one first flexible medium, the second holder being positioned adjacent the inner wall of the second support and being spaced from the first holder for defining a work area;

b. securing the at least one first flexible medium in the first holder and the second holder forming a core;

c. wrapping the at least one first flexible medium or an at least one second flexible medium around the core;

d. rotating the rotation device to cause winding of the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium in consecutive adjoining loops around the core forming an article; and

e. applying a knot simulator, tying a knot, or both in the article at a point along a length of the article so that the article can be used as a bracelet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes a step of changing the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium and includes tying a knot in the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium at a point along the length of the core and rotating the rotation device to cause wrapping of at least one third flexible medium, which is different from the at least one first flexible medium and the at least one second flexible medium, in consecutive adjoining loops around the core.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first holder and the second holder are indirectly attached by a translation rod so that the step of rotating includes rotating the first holder and the second holder simultaneously using a hand crank.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first holder and the second holder are indirectly attached by a translation rod so that the step of rotating includes rotating the first holder and the second holder simultaneously using a hand crank.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of rotating the rotation device includes a step of guiding the at least one flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium with a guide assist device that is attached to the device and travels a length of the work area.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of rotating the rotation device includes a step of guiding the at least one flexible medium, the at least one second flexible medium, or the at least one third flexible medium with a guide assist device that is attached to the device and travels a length of the work area.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of rotating the rotation device includes a step of guiding the at least one second flexible medium with a guide assist device that is attached to the device and travels a length of the work area.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of rotating the rotation device includes a step of guiding the at least one second flexible medium with a guide assist device that is attached to the device and travels a length of the work area.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes a step of twisting the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium before the step of wrapping around the core.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the article has two looped ends, two free ends, or a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the method is repeated to form a second article, and the second article is connected with the first article.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes one or more cradles for holding the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes a step of holding the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium during use with a flexible medium holding device so that the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium is held out of the working area.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes a step of holding the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium during use with a flexible medium holding device so the at least one flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium is held out of the working area.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the rotation device is in communication with the first holder via one or more gears.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first support and the second support are comprised of two structures that substantially encapsulate one or more gears so that the gears are maintained in alignment.

15. A method for making a fashion accessory comprising the steps of:

a. attaching a first end portion of at least one first flexible medium to a device comprising;

i. a body portion having a longitudinal axis, a first end region and a second end region spaced apart from the first end region;

ii. a platform on the body portion;

iii. a first support located at the first end region and projecting outwardly from the platform, the first support having an inner wall and an outer wall;

iv. a second support located at the second end region and projecting outwardly from the platform, the second support having an inner wall and an outer wall;

v. a first holder positioned adjacent the inner wall of the first support and being adapted to receive a first end portion of at least one first flexible medium;

vi. a rotation device positioned adjacent the outer wall of the first support and drivingly coupled with the first holder for causing the first holder to rotate about an axis that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body portion;

vii. a second holder opposing the first holder and being adapted for receiving a second end portion of the at least one first flexible medium, the second holder being positioned adjacent the inner wall of the second support and being spaced from the first holder for defining a work area;

b. securing the at least one first flexible medium in the first holder and the second holder forming a core;

c. wrapping the at least one first flexible medium or an at least one second flexible medium around the core;

d. rotating the rotation device to cause winding of the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium in consecutive adjoining loops around the core forming an article;

e. guiding the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium with a guide assist device that is attached to the device and travels a length of the work area;

f. holding the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium during use with a flexible medium holding device so that the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium is held out of the work area;

g. repeating steps (c) through (f) until a desired length of the article is created; and

h. applying a knot simulator, tying a knot, or both in the article at a point along a length of the article so that the article can be used as a fashion accessory.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the flexible medium holding device is made of plastic, a polymer, or both.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the flexible medium holding device includes a housing that wraps up the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium and rotates as the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium is looped around the core.

18. The method of claim 15, further including the step of placing the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium in the flexible medium holding device so that the at least one first flexible medium or the at least one second flexible medium is held out of the work area during use until needed.