Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to a drawstring threading
device.
S BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Garments often utilize drawstrings that extend through a
drawstring channel in the garment for the purpose of tightening
the garment about the body. Occasionally these drawstrings are
accidentally pulled from the drawstring channel and must be
"rethreaded~ through the drawstring channel. A number of
drawstring threading devices have been developed as exemplified
by United States Patent 4,671,437 which issued to Sauger and
United States Patent 4,863,079 which issued to Holmgren. The
Sauger reference identifies and addresses a problem in the art
of relating to securing the drawstring to the drawstring
threading device. This reference discloses an elongate body
,` with a "V" shaped transverse groove at one end in which a
drawstring is positioned. An end cap is then placed over the
; end having the "V" shaped groove to secure the drawstring in
; 20 place. The Holmgren reference primarily identifies and
addresses a problem relating to securing a drawstring to the
drawstring threading device. A secondary problem discussed in
' the reference is that of handling the drawstring threading
device when it is positioned in the drawstring channel. The
securing of the drawstring is addressed by having a spiral form
clamping member or bite forming loop at the trailing end of the
device. The handling of the device while in the drawstring
channel is addressed by bending the rod back on itself at the
leading end to provide a grasping point for manipulation
' 30 through the drawstring channel.
., ,
The teachings of Sauger and Holmgren, while they represent
advances in the art, do not solve the problems associated with
rethreading a drawstring through a drawstring channel. The
3, 35 drawstring threading device as taught by Sauger is only capable
of accommodating a limited range of sizes of drawstring~ This
~ i8 due to the need to fit an end cap over the drawstring and
.'j also due to the fact that when secured in position the
¦ drawstring runs alongside the device. The Sauger reference
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does not address the problem identified by Holmgren of handling
the drawstring threading device when it is positioned in the
drawstring channel. The spiral form clamping member or bite
forming loop as taught by Holmgren releases the drawstring when
a resistance is encountered that exceeds the clamping force.
he use of a leading edge grasping point as taught by Holmgren
is an advance in the art, but it is generally easier to push
rather than pull a drawstring threading device through the
drawstring channel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
What is required is an improved form of drawstring
threading device which addresses the shortcomings in the prior
- 15 art.
. . .
According to the present invention there is provided a
drawstring threading device which is comprised of an elongate
member with a blunt leading end and a trailing end. The
~220 elongate member has a generally cylindrical body portion
commencing at the leading end and extending for substantially
the entire length of the member. A thin flat neck portion is
provided at the trailing end. A shoulder portion connects the
cylindrical body portion and the thin flat neck portion. The
shoulders prevent the member from slipping through the users
fingers when exerting force from the trailing end. An elongate
.~opening extends through the thin flat neck portion. The
elongate opening has a first end adjacent the trailing end, a
second end, and side walls which converge from the second end
toward the first end. A narrow retaining slot having
sub8tantially parallel side walls is positioned adjacent the
first end.
¦The converging side walls of the elongate opening assist
in directing the drawstring into the retaining slot. The
retaining slot locks the drawstring in place. The blunt
leading edge facilitates passage of the drawstring threading
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device through a drawstring channel. The shoulders provide a
surface against which a user places his or her fingers to pu6h
the drawstring threading device through the channel from the
trailing end.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
hese and other features of the invention will become more
apparent from the following description in which reference i6
made to the appended drawings, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a drawstring threading
device constructed in accordance with the teachings of the
- present invention.
FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the drawstring
threading device illustrated in FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 3 is an alternate side elevation view of the
drawstring threading device illustrated in FIGURE 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment, a drawstring threading device
20 will now be described with reference to FIGVRES 1 through 3.
s
The drawstring threading device consi6ts of an elongate
member 12 having a blunt leading end 14 and a trailing end 16.
Leading end 14, as the name implies, is the end which is
'5, 25 inserted into a drawstring channel. Elongate member 12
consists of three portions; a body portion 18, a neck portion
20 and a shoulder portion 22. Body portion 18 is generally
~, cylindrical. It commences at leading end 14 and extends for
sub6tantially the entire length of elongate member 12. Neck
30 portion 20 is thin and flat and is positioned at trailing end
~ 16. Shoulder portion 22 connects cylindrical body portion 18
¦ and thin flat neck portion 20. Shoulders 22 prevent elongate
member 12 from slipping through the users fingers when exerting
~ a pushing force from trailing end 16. Shoulders 22 ~hould
J 35 generally be sloped at an angle of between 35 and 55 degrees
3 in order to provide a smooth and strong transition between body
~ portion 18 and neck portion 2~ while still facilitating
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manipulation of elongate member 12. It is preferred that the
angle be approximately 45 degrees as this has proven successful
with prototypes. An elongate opening 24 extends through thin
flat neck portion 20. Elongate opening 24 has a first end 26
5 adjacent trailing end 16 of elongate member 12, a second end
28, and side walls 30 and 32 which converge from second end 28
toward first end 26. A narrow retaining slot 34 is positioned
adjacent first end 26. Retaining slot 34 has substantially
parallel side walls 36 and 38. Success has been obtained using
10 a retaining slot 34 approximately 4mm long and lmm wide.
The use and operation of the drawstring threading device
will now be described with reference to FIGURES 1 through 3.
For the purpose of this description a drawstring will be
15 identified by reference numeral 40. The drawstring has a
plastic tip, identified by reference numeral 42. Prior to
rethreading, drawstring 40 must be secured to the drawstring
threading device. There are two alternate ways in which this
may be accomplished as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.
~ 20 Referring to FIGURE 2, approximately three inches in length of
i drawstring 40 is threaded through elongate opening 24.
Drawstring 40 is then drawn down converging sidewalls 30 and
32 toward first end 26. At first end 26 drawstring 40 enters
retaining slot 34 where it is pinched and held securely in
25 place by side walls 36 and 38. The method of securing
s drawstring 40 as described with FIGURE 2 will not work with
large diameter drawstrings whlch cannot be locked into
retaining slot 34. Referring to FIGURE 3, retaining slot 34
has been sized to pinch plastic tip 42 when drawstring 4Q is
~s 30 of too large a diameter to be accommodated in retaining slot
34. Plastic tip 42 is inserted through elongate opening 24 and
then drawn down converging sidewalls 30 and 32 toward first end
~ 26. At first end 26 plastic tip 42 enters retaining slot 34
~ where it is pinched and held 6ecurely in place by side wall~
~ 35 36 and 38. Once drawstring 40 is securely held in place,
i leading end 14 is inserted into a draw~tring channel (not
shown). Once in the drawstring channel, elongate member which
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constitutes the drawstring threading device i6 pushed along the
drawstring channel. In order to do this the user places his
or her index finger and thumb against shoulders 22 and applies
pressure.
.,
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the use
of retaining slot 34 locks drawstring 40 in elongate opening
24 and thereby secures drawstring 40 to elongate member 12.
It will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the
provision of shoulders 22 prevents slippage as elongate member
12 is pushed through the drawstring channel. It will finally
be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may
be made to the illustrated embodiment without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
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