Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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API'~~RA'I'US AND METHOD FOR COVERING
AND IRREVERSIBLY TYING AN OBJECT
1. TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to protecting, including repairing and
packaging, an object
and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for covering and irreversibly
tying an object.
2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various conventional schemes have been proposed for covering, including
sealing,
portions of objects such as engine exhaust components in need of repair and
for irreversibly or
non-releasably tying objects, such as when a cover for sealing a portion of an
engine exhaust
component is tied to the engine exhaust component or when various goods such
as tiles are
bundled together as packages for storing, shipping or other purposes.
However, such conventional schemes are often complicated by requiring the use
of
a tool. Some conventional schemes involve applying a cover to an object and
then securing a
fastener, initially separated from the cover, while holding the cover in
place. Such simultaneous
holding and securing is inconvenient for the user and may even require the
cooperation of multiple
users, particularly so when the use of a tool is also required. Some
conventional schemes involve
the use of singly packaged devices of fixed size, which are limited to
covering or irreversibly tying
objects in a limited range of sizes.
The present invention satisfies the need for an aesthetically appealing and
economical
device that is easy to manufacture and use.
3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Shortcomings described above can be addressed by providing an apparatus and
method of
covering and irreversibly tying an object. The apparatus includes a base; a
fastening head attached
to the base; and a fastening tail having an attached end and a free end, the
fastening tail being
attached at the attached end to the base, the free end being, when the base is
positioned in relation
to the object, insertably engageable with the fastening head so as to prevent
disengagement of the
fastening tail and the fastening head, thereby maintaining the base positioned
in relation to the
object.
It is an object of the present invention to include at least one embodiment
suitable for
sealing and repairing holes, cracks or other sources of leaks in a straight
section of a pipe, tube or
similarly shaped object, including an engine exhaust component.
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It is an object of the present invention to include at least one embodiment
suitable for
sealing and repairing holes, cracks or other sources of leaks in an angled
section of a pipe, tube or
similarly shaped object, including an engine exhaust component.
It is an object of the present invention to include at least one embodiment
suitable for
bundling a stack of objects such as tiles or similarly shaped objects.
It is an object of the present invention to include at least one embodiment
suitable for
bundling loose materials such as wood pieces, including firewood, and wires,
including electrical
wires.
It is an object of the present invention to include at least one embodiment
suitable for
carrying or hanging bundled objects.
It is an object of the present invention to include at least one embodiment
suitable for
forming a backrest for a chair.
It is an object of the present invention to include at least one embodiment
suitable for
forming an upholstery cover.
It is an object of the present invention to include at least one embodiment
suitable for
forming a lid for a container.
It is an object of the present invention to include at least one embodiment
suitable for being
packaged in a roll.
4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The apparatus and method of the present invention will now be described with
reference to
the accompanying drawing figures, in which:
FIG.1 is a perspective view of a cover suitable for irreversibly tying an
object in
accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, showing three fasteners;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a cover suitable for covering and irreversibly tying
an
elbow-shaped object in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cover shown in Figure 2 and an elbow
insert, showing
the cover and elbow insert partially covering an elbow-shaped object;
FIG. 4 is a top view of a cover having an elongated fastening head in
accordance with a
third embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a top view of a cover having fastening heads attached directly to
the base in
accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 6 is a top view of a cover having a base formed of two parallel, spaced
apart strips in
accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention;
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FIG. 7 is a top view of a cover having a plurality of longitudinally connected
bases in
accordance with a sixth embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 8 is a top view of a cover having bases coincident with corresponding
fasteners in
accordance with a seventh embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 9 is a top view of a cover having two pairs of two parallel, spaced apart
fasteners in
accordance with an eight embodiment of the invention;
FIG.10 is a perspective view of the cover shown in Figure 9, showing the cover
covering a
stack of tiles;
FIG.11 is a top view of a cover having a handle in accordance with a ninth
embodiment of
the invention; and
FIG.12 is a top view of a cover covering a gap between backrest supports of a
chair in
accordance with a tenth embodiment of the invention.
In the figures and description herein, similar and identical features of the
various
embodiments are referenced by the same reference character.
5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus for covering and irreversibly tying an object includes means for
supporting;
means for fastening, said fastening means having an attached end and a free
end, the fastening
means being attached at said attached end to said means for supporting; and
means for receiving
said fastening means, said receiving means being attached to said means for
supporting,
whereby said fastening means is, when said means for supporting is positioned
in relation to the
object, insertably engageable with said receiving means so as to prevent
disengagement of said
fastening means and said receiving means, thereby maintaining said means for
supporting
positioned in relation to the object.
Referring to Figure 1, the apparatus may be implemented in accordance with a
first and
preferred embodiment of the invention as a cover suitable for covering and
irreversibly, or
non-releasably, tying the object. The cover in accordance with the first
embodiment is shown
generally at 10 in Figure 1. The cover 10 includes a support or base 12, and
optimally, three
fasteners 26.
The base 12 is preferably made or formed of a sheet of fabric, mesh, paper,
plastic, metal of
any thickness that permits bending including stainless steel sheet metal, or
any other deformable or
bendable material. The base 12 has an outer surface 14, and an inner surface
16 opposite the outer
surface 14. On one side of the outer surface 14 of the base 12 is a side 18
that terminates at an edge
20, and on the opposing side of the outer surface 14 is an opposing side 22
that terminates at an
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opposing edge 24. The base 12 has, optimally, a generally rectangular shape so
as to form a
cylindrical shape when forming the enclosure 44 described below.
Each fastener 26 includes a fastening head 28 and a fastening tail 34. The
fastening head
28 is directly attached to the base 12 at the side 18 and set back from the
edge 20. A receiving
member 30 located within the fastening head 28 has an opening 32 that passes
entirely through the
receiving member 30. Although not visible in Figure 1, a pawl within the
receiving member 30
projects into the opening 32 in the manner of a standard tie-wrap as generally
known in the art.
A fastening tail 34 is attached at an attached end 36 to the base 12 at the
opposing side 22
and set back from the opposing edge 24. A tail end 38 of the fastening tail 34
projects freely from
the attached end 36. A series of parallel, narrowly spaced projections form
ribs 40 along the outer
surface of the fastening tail 34 at the tail end 38. Alternatively, the
fastener 26 may be continuous
with the fastening head 28 and the fastening tail 34 attached and encircling
the entire base 12.
The fastening heads 28 and the fastening tails 34 are preferably attached to
the base 12 by
welding, but may be attached by any other suitable method, including riveting,
attaching by nut
and bolt, attaching by screw and threaded aperture or integrally attaching. In
Figure 1, the base 12
near the edge 20 is shown reinforced or stiffened relative to the remainder of
the base 12 by folding
the base 12 at the edge 20 so as to increase the thickness of the base 12 near
the edge 20.
Additionally or alternatively, the base 12 at the side 18, including at or
near the edge 20, the base at
the opposing side 22, including at or near the opposing edge 24, or the base
at both the side 18 and
the opposing side 22 are preferably augmented by reinforcing, stiffening or
strengthening. Such
augmentation may be achieved not only by folding a given edge, but also by
altering the material,
or thickness of material, of the base 12 with proximity to the given edge,
using different materials
at different proximities to the given edge, applying different coatings or
material treatments to
different portions of the base 12, or by other augmentation techniques.
The fastening head 28 and the fastening tail 34 are of such dimensions and
flexibility as to
permit the fastening head 28, the fastening tail 34, or both the fastening
head 28 and the fastening
tail 34 to bend toward each other in a fastening direction 42 indicated by the
fastening direction 42
arrow shown in Figure 1. The cover 10 is operable to form a complete loop,
such as the enclosure
44 shown in Figure 1, when the fastening tail 34 at the tail end 38 is
inserted into the opening 32.
Setting back the fastening heads 28 and/or the fastening tails 34 from the
edges 20 and 24,
respectively, permits the side 18 and the opposing side 22 of the base 12 to
overlap when the
enclosure 44 is formed. The enclosure 44 may be formed by overlapping the side
18 and the
opposing side 22 of the base 12, as shown in Figure 1, by abutting the edges
20 and 24 against each
other (not shown), or by inserting additional material of an appropriate
material type, such as the
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material of the base 12, between the edges 20 and 24 (not shown).
A pawl 62 (described below and shown in Figure 6) within the receiving member
30
engages one or more of the ribs 40 as the fastening tail 34 is inserted into
the fastening head 28,
thereby preventing the fastening tail 34 and the fastening head 28 from being
disengaged. The
engagement of the fastening head 28 and the fastening tail 34 occurs when the
fastening tail 34 is
inserted into the fastening head 28 and can advantageously be accomplished
without the use of a
tool.
Each fastening head 28 is attached to the base 12 along the side 18 opposite
to a
corresponding fastening tail 34 attached to the base 12 along the opposing
side 22. Each opposing
pair of fastening head 28 and corresponding fastening tail 34 forming a single
fastener 26 are in
substantial alignment along a direction transverse, or perpendicular, to the
fastening direction 42.
The opposing pairs of fastening heads 28 and corresponding fastening tails 34
need not be in
precise transverse alignment, provided the cover 10 is dimensioned and formed
of sufficiently
flexible material to permit the tail end 38 of the corresponding fastening
tail 34 to be inserted into
the opening 32 of the fastening head 28.
The cover 10 in accordance with the first embodiment is particularly suitable
for covering
at least a circumference of a round, lengthy object such as a pipe, tube or
similarly shaped object,
including an exhaust component of an internal combustion engine such as an
engine exhaust
muffler or catalytic converter. For example, the cover 10 may be used for
repairing an object, such
as a tube, pipe or engine exhaust component, having one or more holes, cracks
or other sources of
leaking by circumferentially covering the object at the location of the source
of the leak and
irreversibly tying the object so as to form a patch or seal about the source
of the leak. For uses that
are subject to high temperatures, such as a use involving an engine exhaust
component or other
pipe or tube, the base 12 and the fasteners 26 are preferably made of a heat
resistant material or
materials. For example, the base 12 and the fastening tails 34 may be made of
bendable or
deformable sheet metal, and the fastening heads 28 may be made of other forms
of heat resistant
metal. Chrome plating may be applied to the cover 10 for enhanced aesthetic
appeal. Augmenting
the base 12 as described above may provide better sealing around a hole or
crack in the object.
Additionally or alternatively, a sealant, adhesive or lining may be applied
for better sealing. For an
object having a circumference greater than the longitudinal distance between
the edge 20 and the
opposing edge 24 of the cover 10, an extension piece (not shown) of
appropriate dimensions and
material type, including a generally rectangular extension piece made of heat
resistant sheet metal,
may be applied to the object so as to fill any gap between the edge 20 and the
opposing edge 24
when the enclosure 44 is covering and irreversibly tying the large
circumference object, so as to
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foam a seal. In a variation (not shown), the base 12 may be in the shape of a
trapezoid such that the
cover 10 is suitable for circumferentially covering a cone-shaped or otherwise
flared object.
Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the cover 10 in accordance with a second
embodiment of the
invention is in the form of a pipe elbow cover 46. The pipe elbow cover 46 has
a shape particularly
suitable for circumferentially covering and irreversibly tying an object
having the shape of an
angled corner of a pipe, tube or exhaust component, such as the elbow 48 shown
in Figure 3. At
the side 18 of the outer surface 14 of the base 12 of the pipe elbow cover 46
is a central flap 50
adjacently flanked by a pair of angled flaps 52. At the opposing side 22 is an
opposing central flap
54 adjacently flanked by an opposing pair of angled flaps 56. One fastening
head 28 is attached to
the central flap 50 opposite to a corresponding fastening tail 34 attached to
the opposing central
flap 54. Similarly, one fastening head 28 is attached to each angled flap of
the pair of angled flaps
52 opposite a corresponding angled flap of the opposing pair of angled flaps
56. In Figure 2, the
angled flaps 52 and 56 are shown flat prior to bending or pressing the pipe
elbow cover 46 to place
the angled flaps 52 and 56 at respective angles relative to the central flaps
50 and 54.
Figure 3 shows pipe elbow cover 46, at the inner surface 16 of the base 12,
partly covering
the elbow 48, but with some of the fasteners 26 unengaged. Engaging all the
fasteners 26 would
cause the cover 10 to irreversibly tie the elbow 48 so as to form a seal
around the elbow 48. In this
manner, the pipe elbow cover 46 is operable to repair a leak in any elbow-
shaped pipe or other
round object having an angled corner. The pipe elbow cover 46 is particularly
suitable for use with
the elbow insert 86 shown in Figure 3. Prior to engaging the fasteners 26, the
elbow insert 86 is
placed against the elbow 48 as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 3 and
then the fasteners 26
are engaged such that the central and angled flaps 50, 52, 54 and 56 cover the
elbow insert 86. The
elbow insert 86 is preferably shaped to substantially conform to the shape of
the elbow 48 along
elbow insert sides 88 and to provide a smoothly curved central section 90
against which the central
flap 50 and the opposing central flap 54 may be placed. When the elbow insert
86 is placed against
the elbow 48, the shape of the portion of the elbow 48 adjacent the central
section 90 may be such
that a gap between the elbow 48 and the central section 90 is created. In such
a case, the elbow
insert 86 permits the central flap 50 and the opposing central flap 54 to
curve smoothly when the
fasteners 26 are engaged and tightened.
One or more covers 10 in accordance with the first embodiment and one or more
covers 10
in accordance with the second embodiment may be used advantageously in
combination to cover
and irreversibly tie straight and angled sections of a pipe, tube or similarly
shaped object. Covers
10 having similar or different shapes may overlap with each other or with one
or more extension
pieces for better sealing.
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In Figure 4, the cover 10 in accordance with a third embodiment of the
invention has a
single fastener 26 which includes an elongated fastening head 28. The
elongated fastening head 28
is attached to the base 12 at the side 18 and projects away from the edge 20.
The receiving member
30 of the elongated fastening head 28 is located at a distal end of the
fastening head 28 distant from
the edge 20. The fastening tail 34 is shown in Figure 4 attached to the base
12 at the opposing side
22 and projecting away from the opposing edge 24. Preferably, the base 12,
fastening head 28 and
the fastening tail 34 are made of the same material, such as plastic, fabric
or sheet metal, and the
fastening head 28 and the fastening tail 34 are integrally attached to the
base 12. However, a
combination of different materials may be used, and the fastening head 28 and
the fastening tail 34
may be attached to the base 12 by any suitable means.
The fastening head 28 and the fastening tail 34 are in substantial transverse
alignment to
permit the fastening head 28 and the fastening tail 34 to engage when the
cover 10 forms a
complete loop in the fastening direction 42 around one or more objects,
including forming a
complete loop around a portion of the one or more objects. More than one
object may be covered
and irreversibly tied, and even patched or sealed, provided the width of the
base 12 and the lengths
of fastening head 28 and the fastening tail 34 permit the cover 10 to form a
complete loop around
and surround the objects when the fastening head 28 and the fastening tail 34
are engaged.
Figure 4 shows the base 12 having a rectangular shape, but the base 12 may
have any
particular shape, and may include holes. It is not necessary, for example, for
the sides 18 and 22 to
be the longest sides of the base 12. Variations of the cover 10 are suitable
for covering or
irreversibly tying objects of a variety of different shapes and sizes.
In Figure 5, a portion of the cover 10 in accordance with a fourth embodiment
of the
invention is shown. The cover 10 includes a plurality of fasteners 26 attached
to the base 12. The
base 12 in accordance with the fourth embodiment has an elongated shape of
continuous length,
thus only a portion of the base 12 is shown in Figure 5. The fastening heads
28 and the fastening
tails 34 of the fasteners 26 are parallel and spaced apart along the side 18
and the opposing side 22,
respectively. Although not necessary, the distances between fasteners 26 are
preferably uniform.
The fastening heads 28 include the receiving members 30, which are attached
directly onto the
outer surface 14 of the base 12 and are in substantial transverse alignment
with the fastening tails
34. Alternatively, the base 12 may be attached to any point on the fasteners
26. Differences
between the third and fourth embodiments include the respective shapes and
placement of the
receiving members 30, the respective shapes of the tail ends 38, and the
respective locations of the
rib 40 closest to the base 12.
Referring to Figure 6, the cover 10 in accordance with a fifth embodiment of
the invention
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includes a plurality of holes or cut-outs 58 in the base 12. The base 12 thus
forms a plurality of, for
instance, two, parallel, spaced apart strips 60 suitable for covering one or
more objects. It is not
necessary for both strips 60 to be made of the same material. For example, one
strip 60 may be
made of a hard or firm material for supporting an object to be covered and
irreversibly tied, and the
other strip 60 may be made of a soft material. Different selections of
materials can advantageously
result in an improved aesthetic appearance. As with the fourth embodiment, the
fifth embodiment
includes a plurality of fasteners 26 in parallel, spaced apart relation along
a continuous length of
the base 12. A pawl 62, located within the opening 32 of the receiving element
30 of each
fastening head 28, permits the corresponding fastening tail 34 to be
insertably engaged with the
fastening head 28 so as to prevent each fastening head 28 and the
corresponding fastening tail 34 to
be disengaged. Differences between the fourth and fifth embodiments include
the respective
orientations of the openings 32, the respective shapes of the tail end 38 and
the respective locations
of the ribs 40 closest to and furthest from the base 12.
The cover 10 is suitable in various variations for being packaged in the form
of a roll. For
example, Figure 6 shows a roll 64 of the cover 10 in accordance with the fifth
embodiment of the
invention. A user may conveniently unroll a portion of the cover 10 and
separate that portion from
the portion remaining on the roll 64 by cutting the cover 10 at the base 12,
for example.
Referring to Figure 7, the cover 10 in accordance with a sixth embodiment of
the invention
includes a plurality of bases 12 and respective pairs of parallel, spaced
apart fasteners 26 attached
to the bases 12. Adjacent bases 12 are longitudinally connected, as indicated
by the fastening
direction 42, at respective pairs of junctions 66 between their respective
pairs of fasteners 26,
thereby forming a chain of longitudinally connected bases 12. Preferably, each
junction 66 is
located at the tail end 38 of a fastening tail 34 attached to a given base 12
and a fastening head 28
attached to the base 12 adjacent the given base 12. The junctions 66 are made
of a material and
dimensioned to permit separation of adjacent bases 12 at the junctions 66. For
example, adjacent
bases 12 can be separated by cutting a pair of transversely adjacent fastening
tails 34 at or near the
junction 66. Each base 12 shown in Figure 7 includes a mesh 68 that can be
made of plastic, a
fabric or woven material, or other material suitable for forming mesh-like
structures.
Referring to Figure 8, the cover 10 in accordance with a seventh embodiment of
the
invention includes a plurality of bases 12 and fasteners 26 attached to the
bases 12, respectively.
In the seventh embodiment, each base 12 preferably coincides with a
corresponding fastener 26 as
shown in Figure 8, but may instead coincide with a portion of a corresponding
fastener 26,
including coinciding with all or a portion of a corresponding fastening head
28, a corresponding
fastening tail 34, a corresponding tail end 38, or a combination thereof.
Adjacent bases 12 are
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longitudinally connected, as indicated by the fastening direction 42, at
respective junctions 66
between their respective fasteners 26. Preferably, each junction 66 is located
at the intersection
between the tail end 38 of a fastening tail 34 attached to a given base 12 and
a fastening head 28
attached to the base 12 adjacent the given base 12. The dimensions and
material type of the
junctions 66 are preferably selected to facilitate separation of adjacent
bases 12 at the junctions 66.
For example, adjacent bases 12 can be separated by transversely cutting a
fastening tail 34 at or
near the junction 66. Such separation cuts may be made to form a fastener 26
having the same
number of fastening heads 28 as it has fastening tails 34 or having one more
fastening tail 34 than
it has fastening heads 28, for example. A fastening tail 34 located at an end
of the fastener 26 can
be advantageously looped around to or past the opposite end and engaged (not
shown here) with
any one of the fastening heads 28 of the fastener 26. Alternatively, the
fastening tail 34 at the end
of the fastener 26 can be looped around itself and engaged (not shown here)
with its immediately
adjacent fastening head 28 or any fastening head 28 past its immediately
adjacent fastening head
28, which may leave the opposite end of the fastener 26 unengaged and
available for covering and
tying the same or another object.
Referring to Figure 9, the cover 10 in accordance with a eighth embodiment of
the
invention includes a base 12 having, on its outer surface 14, the side 18, the
opposing side 22, a
first end 70, and a second end 72 opposite the first end 70. The base 12 is
preferably made or
formed of a defonnable or bendable material and may include a mesh (not shown
in Figure 9). A
first pair of parallel, spaced apart fasteners 26 includes a pair of parallel,
spaced apart fastening
heads 28 attached to the base 12 at the side 18 and a pair of parallel, spaced
apart fastening tails 34
attached to the base 12 at the opposing side 22. A second pair of parallel,
spaced apart fasteners 26
includes a pair of parallel, spaced apart fastening heads 28 attached to the
base 12 at the first end 70
and a pair of parallel, spaced apart fastening tails 34 attached to the base
12 at the second end 72.
The cover 10 in accordance with the eighth embodiment is particularly suitable
for
covering the bottom surface 74, as indicated by dotted outline in Figure 10,
of a stack of objects,
such as the tiles 76 shown in Figure 10, or similarly shaped objects, and
irreversibly tying,
including bundling, the stack of objects. By way of example showing the use of
the cover 10, the
inner surface 16 of the base 12 contacts the bottom surface 74 of the stack of
tiles 76, and the
fastening heads 28 and fastening tails 34 of each fastener 26 are engaged at
the top of the stack of
tiles 76 so as to completely form a loop 78 around the stack of tiles 76. Each
loop 78 includes the
fastening head 28, the fastening tail 34 and the portion of the base 12
between the fastening head
28 and the fastening tail 34. Four portions of the base 12 and the four
fasteners 26 shown in Figure
9 form four corresponding loops 78. By pulling the tail ends 38 of each
fastener 26 after the
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fastening heads 28 and the fastening tails 34 have been engaged, the stack of
tiles 76 can be as
uniformly and as tightly tied as desirable.
Referring to Figure 11, the cover 10 in accordance with a ninth embodiment of
the
invention has a handle 80 attached to the base 12 of the cover 10. The handle
80 preferably
includes a length of material disposed between two elongated fastening heads
28 or between the
tail ends 38 of two fastening tails 34, and a loop formed on the length of
material. Preferably, the
handle 80 and the base 12 are made of the same material and integrally
attached, although different
materials may be used and the handle 80 may be attached to the base 12 by any
suitable means.
Although not necessary, Figure 11 shows the base 12 having a plurality of
sections comprised of
mesh 68 and a plurality of cut-outs 58 forming a generally rectangular shape.
The cover 10 in
accordance with the ninth embodiment is particularly suitable for instances
where it is desirable to
cant' or hang up one or more covered and irreversibly tied objects. For
example, loose materials
such as a stack of fire wood (not shown) may be bundled by the cover 10 and
then conveniently
carried by the handle 80. By way of another example, wires (not shown), such
as electrical wires,
running along a wall may conveniently be bundled and hung or otherwise fixed
in place by the
handle 80 at various points along the wall. The size of the cover 10 may vary
depending on the
intended application of a given embodiment of the invention. Objects having
changeable shapes,
such as a bundle of wires, may not come into continuous direct contact with
any single portion of
the cover 10 when covered and irreversibly tied by the cover 10.
The cover 10 in accordance with any embodiment described herein, including the
third to
seventh embodiments and the ninth embodiment, may advantageously cover and
irreversibly tie
one or more objects so as to give the objects an aesthetically appealing clean
and finished
appearance.
Referring to Figure 12, the cover 10 in accordance with a tenth embodiment of
the
invention has fastening tails 34 projecting from corresponding fastening heads
28. The fastening
heads 28 are shown attached to, including projecting from, the base 12 at or
near each corner of the
base 12. The cover 10 is fastened by wrapping the tail end 38 of each
fastening tail 34 around one
or more objects, or portions thereof, until the tail end 38 can be engaged
with the corresponding
fastening head 28, thereby forming a complete loop. Although the base 12 is
shown in Figure 12
as being generally rectangular and including the mesh 68, other shapes and
materials such as cloth,
fabric, vinyl, plastic, leather, suede, canvas, nylon and foam are possible.
Depending on the shape of the object or objects being covered and irreversibly
tied, it is not
necessary, nor even desirable in some cases, for the base 12 to come into
direct contact with the
objects) in order to cover the object(s). For example, the cover 10 in
accordance with the eighth
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embodiment shown in Figures 9 and 10 may suitably cover a stack of objects
having a surface
portion thereof that is concavely shaped. In such circumstances, the cover 10
may, when the
object is covered and irreversibly tied by the cover 10, come into direct
contact with cover 10 only
at the fasteners 26, for example. As a further example, the cover 10 in
accordance with the tenth
embodiment may suitably cover and irreversibly tie a container (not shown),
such as an open-top
basket, so as to form a lid on the container for packing, moving or storage,
for example. In such
circumstances, the base 12 does not necessarily contact the basket itself, yet
forms a lid covering
the basket and its contents, if any. As shown in Figure 12, the cover 10 in
accordance with the
tenth embodiment is also suitable for covering and irreversibly tying a chair
82 so as to cover the
gap that would otherwise exist between a pair of backrest supports 84 of the
chair 82. To do so, the
tail end 38 of each fastening tail 34 is wrapped around one backrest support
84 until the tail end 38
can be engaged with the corresponding fastening head 28, thereby forming a
complete loop around
the backrest support 84. Pulling the tail ends 38 tightens the fasteners 26 to
secure the cover 10 in
place. The base 12 of the cover 10 in accordance with the tenth embodiment may
be made of a
fabric and/or mesh material and is suitable for use as a seat cover, backrest
cover, cushion cover or
other upholstery cover. For all variations, the fasteners 26 may be either
discontinuous or
continuous. For all variations, the base 12 may be solid or perforated, or a
combination of the two,
for instance, a mesh with solid borders. "Covering" in this application means
covering all or any
portion of the object to be irreversibly or non-releasably tied.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of the foregoing
disclosure, many
alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention
without departing from
the spirit or scope thereof. For example, various features of each of the
embodiments described
herein may be suitably applied to other embodiments of the invention.
Accordingly, the scope of
the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by
the following claims.
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