FR2715946A1 - Sewing machine needle threading - Google Patents

Abstract

To pass a thread (3) through the eye (20) of a sewing machine needle (2), the thread (3) is laid on the shaft (50) of a structured threading needle (5), to be passed through the eye (20) of the needle (20. The shaft (50) is withdrawn, leaving the thread (3) through the eye (20) of the needle (2). Also claimed is a threading needle (5) with a shaft (50) slim enough to pass through the eye (20) of the needle (2). It has a thread rest with a projecting point (501) at one end (500), to hold the thread (3) during threading.

Description

METHOD AND SPOUT FOR THREADING A SEWING THREAD INTO A
NEEDLE
The present invention relates generally to a method and nozzles for threading a sewing thread into the eye of a needle, and particularly relates to a method and nozzles suitable for both hand sewing needles and needles sewing machine.

 With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, there is below a method and a hook for threading needles according to the prior art which are disclosed by patent application EP-A-0327414.

 As shown in FIG. 1, a first step of this prior art method consists in first introducing a needle threader hook 1 through a eye 20 of a needle 2. In a second step, the thread 3 to be threaded into the eye 20 is placed in a hook end 10 of the needle threader hook 1. Finally, the needle threader hook 1 is removed from the eye 20 and carries with it the wire 3 which is thus introduced into the eye 20 in a split way. The needle threader hook 1 is then released from the thread 3 and the user grasps the thread 3 between his fingers in order to pull it and finish engaging it.

 If it is satisfactory for threading sewing needles by hand, this needle threader hook 1 according to the prior art is difficult to use for threading sewing machine needles, and in particular when the eye of the needle is placed in the sewing machine axis and the needle cannot be threaded laterally. Indeed, as shown in Fig.2, the thread 3 must be passed through the eye of the needle in the direction from front to back of a sewing machine 4, which implies that the hook threads needle 1 must be introduced into the eye, during the first step, from the rear of the sewing machine 4. The user is then in a very uncomfortable position since space and visibility are reduced, and he has difficulty effectively inserting the needle threader hook 1 into the eye of needle 2.

 Fig.3 shows another needle threader device according to the prior art which is widely marketed today. The device la comprises a flexible metal wire 11 forming a loop and a holding and gripping element 12. The metal wire forming a loop 11 is introduced into the eye 20 of the needle 2. Then the wire 3 is passed through the wire forming a loop 11, as shown in FIG. 2, and the needle threader device 1a is pulled to the right in FIG. 1a and carries with it the thread 3 while being released from the eye 20 of the needle 2. A At this stage, the wire 3 is introduced in a split manner in the eye 20.

A piece of wire 3 is then pulled by the user in order to release it from the eye 20 and the wire forming a loop 11. When the operation is complete, a single piece of wire 3 is introduced through the eye 20 of the needle. 2. The process which is implemented here is analogous to that used for the needle threader hook 1 of the
Fig. 1, and it is necessary to first introduce the needle threader device into the eye of the needle before placing the thread in said device and pull the assembly through the eye in order to release the device and bring the wire to be introduced into the eye. Consequently, the needle threader device 1 has the same drawback as the needle threader hook 1 for use on a sewing machine.

 This drawback for a sewing machine would be resolved if there was a needle threader device which can be introduced into the eye of the needle from the front of the sewing machine while allowing correct passage of the thread, i.e. from the front to the back of the sewing machine.

 The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a method for threading needles which effectively solves the above-mentioned drawback.

To this end, the method for threading a thread into the eye of a sewing needle according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises the steps consisting in:
a) place the thread on a rod of a needle threader beak;
b) introduce the rod and the thread into the eye of the needle; and
c) remove the rod from the eye of the needle, leaving the thread introduced inside the eye of the needle.

 A second objective of the invention is the provision of nozzles for threading needles in order to implement the method according to the invention, and this at a lower cost than the devices according to the prior art.

 To this end, a needle-threading spout for implementing the method according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a rod sufficiently thin to be able to be introduced into the eye of the needle and having a thread housing located at a first end placed opposite said eye and intended to receive and maintain the wire in a stable position when it is introduced into said eye.

 According to another characteristic, said rod includes in said first end a bevelled point forming a guide for the introduction of the rod and of the thread into the eye of the needle.

 According to yet another characteristic, said wire housing is formed at a junction between said beveled tip forming a guide and another beveled tip shorter than said tip forming a guide.

 According to yet another characteristic, a needle-threading spout according to the invention comprises a gripping element which is integral with said rod at a second end and which allows a user to manipulate the needle-threading spout.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the corresponding appended drawings, in which:
Fig.1 shows a first needle threader device according to the prior art;
Fig.2 shows an implementation of the device according to the prior art of Fig.1 for threading a thread into a sewing machine needle;
Fig.3 shows a second needle threader device according to the prior art;
Figs.4a to 4c show the use of an embodiment of the needle threader spout according to the invention for threading a thread into a hand sewing needle; and
Figs.5a to 5c show the use of an embodiment of a needle threader spout according to the invention for threading a thread into a sewing machine needle.

 With reference to FIGS. 4a to 4c, an embodiment 5 of the needle threading spout according to the invention comprises a metal rod 50, and a gripping element 51 to allow a user to handle the spout.

 The rod 50 is sufficiently thin and has an elongated overall rectilinear shape so that it can be completely introduced into the eye 20 of a hand sewing needle 2 by a simple rectilinear movement once the rod 50 is positioned opposite eye 20.

 The grip element 51 is made of plastic and is molded around one end of the rod 50. The shape and size of the grip element 51 are adapted to allow the user to easily handle the spout 5.

 The rod 50 comprises an eye introduction end 500 constituted by a first short bevelled point 501 and a second long bevelled point 502. The first point 501 terminates an upper middle part of the rod 50. The second point 502 terminates a lower middle part of the rod 50. At the junction of the two bevelled points 501 and 502, there is formed a wire housing 503 (FIG. 4c) intended to receive and maintain the wire 3 in a stable position when its introduction into the eye 20 of the needle 2 using the spout 5 according to the invention.

 Referring more particularly to FIG. 4a, the wire 3 is first placed on the second long bevelled tip 502. Then, the wire 3 is folded on either side of the second tip 502 and the two pieces of wire 300 and 301 thus formed are pulled and held to the right in Figs. 4a and 4b by the user by means of his fingers in order to accommodate the wire 3 in the wire housing 503 of the rod 50.

 The rod 50 with the wire 3 is then brought opposite the eye 20 of the needle 2.

The second point 502 forms an introduction guide and is first introduced into the eye 20. Afterwards, the entire rod 50 is introduced into the eye 20 in a single rectilinear movement to the left, as shown in FIG. .4b. At this stage, the split wire 3 is introduced into the eye 20.

 The spout 5 is then pulled to the right in Fig.4c in order to take it out of the eye 20 while leaving the wire 3 housed inside the eye 20. It then remains for the user only to grasp the 'one of the pieces of the thread 3 and to draw it through the eye 20 in order to place the thread 3 appropriately in the eye 20 of the needle 2.

 Referring now to Figs. 5a to 5c, there is shown a sewing machine needle 2a which is mounted on a support 6 of a sewing machine (not shown). The front and rear directions of the sewing machine as shown in Fig. 2 are here located to the right and left, respectively, of Figs. 5a to 5c. The spout 5 is placed on the front side of the sewing machine and is inserted from the front into the eye of the needle 2a, unlike the process of the prior art according to which the needle threader device 1, a (Fig.3 ) is placed on the rear side of the sewing machine 4 and is inserted from the rear into the eye of the needle 2a. According to the invention, the introduction of the rod 50 into the eye of the needle 2a does not pose a problem for the user because it is placed in a convenient position allowing him a correct aiming due to a good vision of the alignment of the beak 5 and the eye of the needle 2a.

The introduction of the thread 3 into the eye of the needle 2a requires operations similar to those described for the hand sewing needle 2 to
Figs.4a to 4c and will not be described again for Figs.5a to 5c. The operations carried out in Fig. 4a, Fig. 4b and Fig. 4c correspond respectively to those which should be carried out in Fig. 5a, Fig. 5b and Fig. 5c.

 Various other embodiments and variants are possible and will appear to those skilled in the art, and nevertheless remain within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims below.

Claims (5)

1- Method for threading a thread (3) into the eye (20) of a sewing needle (2, 2a) characterized in that it comprises the steps consisting in:  a) place the thread (3) on a rod (50) of a needle threader spout (5);  b) introduce the rod (50) and the wire (3) into the eye (20) of the needle (2, 2a); and  c) remove the rod (50) from the eye (20) of the needle (2, 2a) leaving the thread (3) introduced inside the eye (20) of the needle (2, 2a). 2 - needle threader for implementing the method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a rod (50) sufficiently thin to be able to be introduced into the eye (20) of the needle (2, 2a ) and having a wire housing (503) located at a first end (500) placed opposite said eye (20) and intended to receive and maintain the wire (3) in a stable position during its introduction into said eye ( 20). 3 - needle threader nozzle according to claim 2, characterized in that said rod (50) includes in said first end (500) a beveled tip (502) forming a guide for the introduction of the rod (50) and the wire (3) in the eye (20) of the needle (2, 2a). 4 - Needle threader spout according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said thread housing (503) is formed at a junction between said beveled tip forming a guide (502) and another beveled tip (501) shorter than said guide tip (502). 5 - needle threader nozzle according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a gripping element (51) which is integral with said rod (50) at a second end and which allows a user to manipulate the needle threader spout (5).