Needle holes

Abstract

The present invention was invented in order to ease the process of threading a needle. It also gives people, who do not have the coordination to thread a needle, the ability to sew and knit. The present invention allows a wider range of people to use needles, and improves the ease of which sewing is done. The design is simple and easy to produce keeping the needles price at a low amount.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the small holes located at the end of an object, and more specifically, needle-holes.

[0002] Threading a needle has always been a difficult task. Thread is flimsy, so a person has a hard time trying to place that thread through the small needle hole. There are no current products that ease the process of threading a needle. This is mainly because a person practiced in dealing with needles can thread one quickly, and easily.

[0003] Threading a needle can be frustrating and difficult to one not used to threading needles. Therefore, it is desirable to have a needle that is very easy to thread, cheap, and easy to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The primary objective of this invention is, therefore, to make the threading of a needle easier and faster. The other objective would be to allow a wider range of people to use needles. This includes young children, seniors, or anybody else that did not previously have the control needed to thread a needle. The design of the needle must also be simple, cheap, and easy to produce because a consumer would not be interested in buying an expensive needle, even if it is easy to thread.

[0005] While the novel features of the invention are set forth with particularly in the appended claims, the invention, both as to organization and content, will be better understood and appreciated, along with other objects and features thereof, from the following detailed descriptions taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 shows a prior art needle in its entirety

[0007] FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged view of one possible design for the new needle hole

[0008] FIG. 3 illustrates another example of needle hole design.

[0009] FIG. 4 illustrates another example of needle hole design, using a movable part.

[0010] FIG. 5 illustrates a needle hole where the thread is inserted at the head.

[0011] FIG. 6 illustrates a needle with a large opening at the side, similar in design to that of a hook.

[0012] FIG. 7 illustrates a prior art spool, at one angle.

[0013] FIG. 8 illustrates a prior art spool, from another angle.

[0014] FIG. 9 illustrates a spool that will keep the thread taut.

[0015] FIG. 10 illustrates a spool that will keep the thread taut and slanted at an angle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a prior art needle. The dotted lines enclose an enlarged view of the needle hole (101). The needle hole is where the thread is strung through. Since the hole is like a slit in the needle, it can be hard to insert the thread through the little hole. The hole is completely enclosed.

[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a needle that has been changed in the area around the needle hole (201). This modified needle hole is exactly the same as a conventional one, except there is a thin cut (203) at the side of the needle hole. This allows the user to easily slide the thread in through the thin cut, instead of pushing the thread through the hole. The thin cut is angled so that it is hard for the thread, once inserted, to slide out the needle hole. This is because when a needle is used, the thread is pulled toward the head (202) of the needle. Since the thin cut is at the other end of the needle hole, and because the thin cut is angled the opposite direction that the thread is moving, it will not be likely for the thread to slide back out the needle hole.

[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates another needle hole. The design is very similar to that of the needle hole in FIG. 2. The only difference is how the thin cut is angled. This v-cut (301) is shaped like the letter v. It juts in diagonally one way, and then it juts diagonally the opposite way. Therefore, once the thread has been inserted the correct way, it will be very unlikely that the thread will slide back out the needle hole. This is because the thread must change direction exactly when it is at the vertex (303) of the v-cut. As stated before, the thread is being pulled toward the head, so it is already unlikely for the thread to slide back into the v-cut. For the thread to change direction in the middle of the v-cut is highly unlikely. Therefore, using the v-cut, a simple, effective method is being used to keep the thread in, while at the same time, making it easy to thread the needle.

[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates another design for a new needle hole. This design uses a moving part. The is a diagonal cut (401) made in the needle. This diagonal cut is just thinner than the thickness of thread, to prevent the thread from being inserted there. There is another section of the needle where a whole triangular section in cut out. This is the triangle cut (403). The triangle cut is made so that a the base of the triangle opens up into the needle hole. This will allow the section of needle between the diagonal cut, and the triangle cut, to move inwards. However, the triangle cut does not cut the needle into parts. The needle is still intact as a thin part of the needle connects the flexible region (402) to the region to the right of the triangle cut. The flexible region is made of a durable, yet flexible material like copper. This makes it so the flexible region can move inwards, allowing a person to place the thread inside the needle hole. However, the diagonal cut is placed so that the shaded region can only move inwards just enough to let the thread through. This is so that once the thread is inserted; the shaded region can easily be bent back into place as it has not been bent too far out of place.

[0020] FIG. 5 illustrates another unique design for the needle. What used to be the head of the needle, is now a slanted opening (501). The slanted opening slants inward to allow a person is easily slide the thread into the needle hole. The slanted opening is also just wide enough to allow the thread to go on through. This is one reason why the thread will stay in the needle hole. There is also a nook (503) that the thread will be pushed into once in the needle hole. This nook can hold the thread because the thread is wider than the nook. Therefore, if forced into the nook, the thread will stay there and not move towards the tip of the needle, thus making it almost impossible for the thread to escape out of the needle hole.

[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates another version of the design seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Instead of a cut, this design uses a wide opening (601) so that it is very easy to slide the thread in. The wide opening is about two-thirds the size of the needle hole. This is so that a person will have a very easy time inserting the thread in the right place. Once the thread is inside the wide opening, it must pass through the narrow opening (603). The narrow opening is just wide enough to let the thread through. A little force will be required to push the thread through. The narrow opening must be this narrow to ensure that the thread cannot unintentionally escape the needle hole. Again, there is a nook (503) that catches the thread and prevents it from moving around.

[0022] FIG. 7 illustrates a prior art spool. Spools are the devices used to carry thread.

[0023] FIG. 8 illustrates a spool from another angle.

[0024] FIG. 9 illustrates a spool with two small slits (901) on opposite ends of the spool. This allows the thread (903) to be tightly strung across the spool. This keeps the thread taut, which is ideal for the threading of the new modified needle holes. This way, the thread is kept taut and it will not move from its current position, as it is being kept in place by the two slits. This allows a person to easily place the thread into the correct position inside the needle hole. Whereas two hands would normally be required to keep the thread taut, and to control it at the same time, now, only one hand would be required to hold the spool, while the other can control the needle. This makes the modified needles more practical as the threading of the needles can be easily done with two hands. One hand controls the thread so the other hand only needs to hook the thread into place.

[0025] FIG. 10 illustrates an alternate method of keeping the thread taut on the spool. This involves a beam (1001) to be placed reaching from one end of the spool to the other. On the beam is a small slit (1003) that the thread can be inserted into. This slit will hold the thread (903) tightly, resulting in a taut section of thread being stretched from the beam to the main body of the spool. This produces the desired effect, allowing the thread of the modified needle to be quick and easy.

[0026] While specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is realized that other modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, there will be a wide variety of methods to improve on the modified needle hole. In our examples, the thread is inserted through cuts in the side. It is also possible to use different methods to hold the thread. It should be understood that the above particular examples are for demonstration only and are not intended as limitation on the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A needle comprising of a thread holding cavity, said thread holding cavity has an opening to allow thread to slide in from the side, instead of inserted through the thread holding cavity.

2. The thread holding cavity in claim 1 comprises:

a) a hole similar to the hole in prior art needle, and

b) a thin, diagonal cut in one side of said hole in (a), allowing thread to easily slide in and stay in the holding cavity.

3. The thread holding cavity in claim 1 comprises:

a) a hole similar to the hole in prior art needle, and

b) two thin diagonal cuts jutting in opposite directions creating a v shape, allowing thread to easily slide in and stay in the holding cavity.

4. The thread holding cavity in claim 1 comprises:

a) a hole similar to the hole in prior art needle, and

b) a flexible section of the side of the needle head, allowing that section to bend inwards, or outwards, allowing the thread to be placed in position, while making it difficult for the thread to slide out when the section is bent back in place.

5. The thread holding cavity in claim 1 comprises:

a) a v shaped cut located at the center of the needle head,

b) a narrow opening, leading to the hole, at the tip of the needle, and

c) a thin section of the v shaped cut that will catch the thread and hold it in place.

6. The thread holding cavity in claim 1 comprises:

a) a wide opening, starting at the edge of the needle, that gradually becomes narrower, leading to a small opening, and

b) a thin slit connected to the small opening of said opening in (a), slightly larger than thread, located at the center of the needle head, that will catch the thread and keep it in place.

7. A spool that supports the threading activity required in claim 1, comprises two small cuts located at opposite ends of the spool, allowing the thread to be placed in each cut, causing the thread to be taut, and easy to control.

8. A spool that supports the threading activity required in claim 1, comprises:

a) a bar that reaches from one end of the spool to the other,

b) one or a plurality of thin cuts located on the bar, that allow the thread to be inserted into the cut, causing the thread to be taut, and easy to control.