KIT AND METHOD FOR TIE-DYEING AND UTENSIL THEREFOR
Kit for tie-dyeing an object includes a utensil that retains the object, at least one container of dyeing material, at least one device for maintaining a gathered portion of the object together, and an optional instruction manual or idea guide. The utensil includes a base that can retain the dye containers and devices and an insert arranged in connection with the base. The insert is used during the tie-dyeing and includes a grate elevated from a bottom of the insert, defined by a bottom part, and having a plurality of apertures. The grate forms a support surface for the object and enables dye to flow through the apertures onto the bottom of the insert. The grate can be separated from the bottom part for cleaning and the bottom part can be removed from the base for cleaning.
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The present invention relates generally to a kit designed for tie-dyeing objects. The present invention also relates to a utensil for use in tie-dyeing and which may be part of the kit, along with one or more containers of dye, and assorted paraphernalia needed for tie-dyeing, e.g., elastic bands, and the like.
The present invention also relates to a method for tie-dyeing an object using the utensil or a kit including the utensil.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONTie-dyeing is a method of dyeing by hand in which patterns are produced in a fabric by gathering together one or more portions of the fabric and tying them tightly together. Typically, after the fabric has been suitably tied, it is then immersed, either partially or completely, in a dye bath. The dye will fail to penetrate the tied sections, and after dyeing, the fabric is untied to reveal interesting irregular patterns.
Some kits suitable for use in tie-dyeing, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,483, (van Olphen) utilize permanent dyes. This has the disadvantage, particularly for a beginner to the art, in that they do not have the opportunity of reusing the tie-dyed garment or fabric if they are not satisfied with the result.
Recognizing this disadvantage, Fromm, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,859, discloses a composite, ready-to-use, do-it-yourself tie-dyeing kit for producing a washable dyed pattern on an article of clothing so that the user of the kit may learn tie-dyeing without ruining or consuming articles of clothing or fabric in the process and will be able to create designs and redo until satisfied with the results. The kit includes instructions, and containers each having a liquid washable non-toxic dye that may be substantially completely washed out of the fabric by the user. The kit further includes one or more ready-to-dye fabric garments to which the washable dyes will adhere until the garment is washed out, and a device, e.g., a twist tie or clip, for tying the garment while it is being dyed.
These prior art references do not disclose a utensil, or kit including the same, that affords a tie-dyer with a working surface on which to dye a garment or other article being tie-dyed and which is easy to handle and clean after use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA preferred embodiment of a kit for use in tie-dyeing an object in accordance with the invention includes a utensil that retains the object, at least one container of dyeing material, at least one device for maintaining a gathered portion of the object together, e.g., elastic bands, clips, clamps and the like, and an instruction manual or idea guide. In variations of the kit, the kit includes different combinations of these components, provided the utensil is present, e.g., a kit may include only the utensil, maintaining devices and instruction manual and the dyes sold or packaged separately.
The utensil is thus a critical part of the invention and may be used in other kits, or sold separately. The utensil includes a base including means for retaining one or more dye containers and the maintaining device(s), and an insert removably arranged in connection with the base. The insert includes a grate elevated from a bottom of the insert, which may be defined by a bottom part of the insert, and has a plurality of apertures. The grate forms a support surface for the object being tie-dyed and enables dye to flow through the apertures onto the bottom of the insert, i.e., into a space between the grate and the bottom wall of the bottom part.
Significant advantages relating to cleaning of the utensil arise from this construction because when tie-dyeing an object placed on the grate, excess dye flows through the apertures of the grate into the bottom part of the insert and after tie-dyeing is complete, the grate is separated from the bottom part and cleaned, and the bottom part containing the excess dye is also easily separated from the base and cleaned.
The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements, and wherein:
Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers refer to the same or similar elements, a tie-dyeing kit in accordance with the invention is designated generally as 10 and includes a utensil 12, one or more containers 14 of dyeing material, elastic bands 16 and an instruction manual or idea guide (shown schematically at 18), see
Utensil 12 includes a base 20 and an insert 22. Base 20 includes several depressions 24 around its periphery, a central receptacle 26 and a handle 28 (see
Receptacle 26 accommodates the insert 22. Receptacle 26 is defined by a tubular wall 30 that includes several inwardly directed, vertically oriented ridges 32, and a bottom wall 34 (see
Handle 28 enables the utensil 12 to be easily carried, and inserted and removed from a storage and display box (not shown) in which the kit 10 may be sold and stored. It is foreseen that the handle could be omitted.
Insert 22 includes a bottom part 36, a grate 38 that defines a support surface for an object being tie-dyed using the kit 10 and a cover 40 (see
Side wall 44 also includes an upper portion 54, having a larger diameter than the lower portion 46 to thereby define a step 56 therebetween. Step 56 provides a horizontal, resting surface for the grate 38.
Grate 38, shown in
Grate 38 also includes handles 60 on opposite sides and an upwardly projecting rim 62. Handles 60 enable the grate 38 to be handled when placing it onto the step 56 and lifting it off of the step 56 when cleaning of the bottom part 36 is undertaken. Instead of two handles 60, a single handle may be provided, or an alternative structure that enables the grate to be grasped when placing it onto the step 56 and removing it therefrom.
Cover 40, shown in
A thread 72 is formed on the inner surface of the side wall (visible when the cover 40 is made of transparent or translucent material as shown in
The containers 14 of dyeing material in the kit 10 preferably have different color dyes, e.g., at least one red, one yellow and one blue. The form and size of the containers 14 may vary as desired. Preferably though, the containers 14 should be sized relative to the depressions 24 in the base 20 to enable the containers 14 to fit into the depressions 24 when the containers 14 are upright, e.g., depressions 24 that have a circular form to accommodate the cylindrical body portion of the containers 14, to thereby provide easy access to the containers 14 when tie-dyeing is being performed using the utensil 12.
Elastic bands 16 may be any known type of elastic bands, preferably ones that are suitable for tying garments and other articles that may be tie-dyed using the kit 10. Instead of or in addition to elastic bands 16, other devices for tying garments and other articles together, or maintaining tied portions of the garments or other articles together, may be included in the kit 10, such as twist ties, clamps, clips and the like.
The instruction manual or idea guide 18 may contain instructions about how to use the utensil 12 for tie-dyeing and/or ideas about different garments and other articles that may be tie-dyed using the utensil 12.
In use, the tie-dyer takes a garment, used as an example of an object to be tie-dyed without limiting the use of the invention, and gathers together one or more portions of the garment and ties them tightly together using elastic bands 16. The tied garment is then placed onto the grate 38, which thus provides a support surface for the garment, and the grate 38 is seated on the step 56 of the bottom part 36 while the bottom part 36 is engaged with the base 20 via cooperating ridges 32, (the state shown in
After the tie-dyer finishes tie-dyeing the garment, the grate 38 can be removed from the bottom part 36 to arrive at the state shown in
The base 20 and insert 22 may be made of plastic or similar material by any known plastics manufacturing process. The particular shapes of the components of the kit may vary from that shown in the drawings.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but includes any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. While the invention has been described above with respect to specific apparatus and specific implementations, it should be clear that various modifications and alterations can be made, and various features of one embodiment can be included in other embodiments, within the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A kit for tie-dyeing an object, comprising:
- a utensil that retains the object;
- at least one container of dyeing material; and
- at least one device for maintaining a gathered portion of the object together;
- said utensil comprising:
- a base including means for retaining said at least one container and said at least one device; and
- an insert arranged in connection with said base, said insert comprising a grate elevated from a bottom of said insert and having a plurality of apertures, said grate forming a support surface for the object and enabling dye to flow through said apertures onto the bottom of said insert.
2. The kit of claim 1, wherein said means for retaining said at least one container and said at least one device comprise a plurality of depressions, at least one of said depressions being sized to accommodate one of said containers in an upright position.
3. The kit of claim 1, wherein said base includes a receptacle into which said insert is removably inserted, said means for retaining said at least one container and said at least one device comprising a plurality of depressions arranged radially outward from said receptacle around a periphery of said base.
4. The kit of claim 3, wherein said base includes a tubular wall that partly defines said receptacle and includes ridges, said ridges cooperating with corresponding structure on said insert to aid in securing of said insert into connection with said base.
5. The kit of claim 4, wherein said insert further comprises a bottom part having ridges arranged to cooperate with said ridges on said tubular wall of said base to thereby enable said insert to be secured seated in connection with said base.
6. The kit of claim 1, wherein said base includes a handle.
7. The kit of claim 1, wherein said insert further comprises a bottom part having a bottom wall and defining a step above from said bottom wall, said grate being removably seated on said step to thereby define a space between said grate and said bottom wall of said bottom part into which the dye flows through said apertures.
8. The kit of claim 7, wherein said insert further comprises a cover removably attachable to said bottom part when said grate is seated on said step of said bottom part.
9. The kit of claim 7, further comprising securing means for securing said bottom part of said insert in connection with said base.
10. The kit of claim 1, wherein said grate includes at least one handle to enable grasping of said grate.
11. A utensil for use in tie-dyeing an object, comprising
- a base; and
- an insert arranged in connection with said base, said insert comprising a grate elevated from a bottom of said insert and having a plurality of apertures, said grate forming a support surface for the object and enabling dye to flow through said apertures onto the bottom of said insert.
12. The utensil of claim 11, wherein said base includes a plurality of depressions adapted to retain objects used when tie-dyeing the object.
13. The utensil of claim 11, wherein said base includes a receptacle into which said insert is removably inserted, said base including a plurality of depressions adapted to retain objects used when tie-dyeing the object and that are arranged radially outward from said receptacle around a periphery of said base.
14. The utensil of claim 13, wherein said base includes a tubular wall that partly defines said receptacle and includes ridges, said ridges cooperating with corresponding structure on said insert to aid in securing of said insert into connection with said base.
15. The utensil of claim 14, wherein said insert further comprises a bottom part having ridges arranged to cooperate with said ridges on said tubular wall of said base to thereby enable said insert to be secured seated in connection with said base.
16. The utensil of claim 11, wherein said base includes a handle.
17. The utensil of claim 11, wherein said insert further comprises a bottom part having a bottom wall and defining a step above from said bottom wall, said grate being removably seated on said step to thereby define a space between said grate and said bottom wall of said bottom part into which the dye flows through said apertures.
18. The utensil of claim 17, wherein said insert further comprises a cover removably attachable to said bottom part when said grate is seated on said step of said bottom part.
19. A method for tie-dyeing an object, comprising:
- gathering one or more portions of the object; then
- applying at least one device to maintain the gathered portion or portions together; then
- placing the object onto a grate having a plurality of apertures;
- placing the grate onto a bottom part of an insert of a utensil; and
- applying one or more dyes to the object after the object is placed onto the grate and the grate placed onto the bottom part of the insert of the utensil, whereby excess dye flows through the apertures of the grate onto a bottom of the insert.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of placing the grate onto the bottom part of the insert of the utensil comprises placing the grate onto a step formed in the bottom part and elevated from a bottom wall of the bottom part.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 2, 2011
Publication Date: Mar 7, 2013
Applicant: Horizon Group USA, Inc. (Warren, NJ)
Inventor: Roshan Wijerama (Warren, NJ)
Application Number: 13/224,781
International Classification: D06P 5/20 (20060101); D06B 1/00 (20060101);