WO2003086562A1

WO2003086562A1 - Knot tying aid

Info

Publication number: WO2003086562A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2003/000063
Authority: WO
Inventors: Warren Verndell Wainohu; Sean Richard Carnell; Grant Anthony Bowring
Original assignee: Warren Verndell Wainohu; Sean Richard Carnell; Grant Anthony Bowring
Priority date: 2002-04-12
Filing date: 2003-04-11
Publication date: 2003-10-23
Also published as: AU2003222523A1

Abstract

A knot-tying device for manual tying of a knot in a knot in a flexible elongate material, comprises a short open-ended hollow cylinder having an upper end, a lower end and a shaped wall, the wall having an opening into the interior of the cylinder along a side in the form of a slot (105) between the upper end and the lower end, the wall having at least one short, outwardly extended portion forming a first, shallow external groove (312), the first groove (312) capable of being occupied by a side of a user's digit, the outer wall of the device including a second, circumferential outward-facing groove (305) near the upper end, the device can be held with one hand, and a flexible elongate material can be knotted using the device and the first and second grooves (312, 305) in the wall of the device as a guide when forming the knot.

Description

TITLE Knot tying aid.

FIELD

This invention relates to a hand-held tool for assisting a person in the process of tying a knot, particularly though not exclusively for tying a knot in the neck of an inflated party balloon.

BACKGROUND

The particular impetus for development of the tool that is the subject of this specification came from attempting to tie off distended party balloons. As is well known, this is an awkward task because the person has to retain the fill of gas in the balloon as well as make a knot in a relatively uncooperative material which usually needs to be stretched out to give sufficient length for making a knot. If the user wants the balloons to be distended to a particular size, loss of a little air can spoil the appearance of a resulting cluster of balloons. A consistent size is desired. Some people are less dextrous than others and children find party balloon blowing up and then tying off, to be quite a challenge. There is a known method for just using one's fingers of one hand as a "frame" when tying off balloons but the skin of the hand used as a tying device gets very sore after 10 balloons or so.

It was also realised that there are many other occasions where a person has to tie something rather more difficult than a supple piece of string, such as tying plastic bags filled with household, garden, or industrial rubbish, and many operations linked with farming and in particular fishing. The problem to be solved could be stated as "to provide an effective tool to assist a person in tying a knot in a difficult-to-handle material, such as in the neck of a distended balloon."

A survey of the Prior Art reveals the publication over many years of a large number of knot- tying aid inventions mainly intended for either surgical or fishing applications. A subset of those is intended for the tying of balloons. They include: Angelico Sr (US 5611578: a device resembling a crochet hook; the balloon neck is wrapped around the forked end and then poked through the slit. (Also, similar inventions are described in US 6082785 Morgan et al, and US 5039142 Muma). Butler et al describe a ribbon/balloon co-tying device in US 5820169 which is held on a support. (Also, US 6273479 Carlson). Boesl describes a cylindrical tying aid comprising a short hollow cylindrical object having incompletely notched walls in US 6325426. Ewers DE 19610585 describes a tying aid comprising a handle, on one end of which is a hollow truncated cone having a slot cut into one side: the user holds an inflated balloon by the base of the neck and pulls the neck around the cone then through the aperture in order to make a knot. Rohbock US 6540267 describes a device with two prongs which is clamped on to a support. Sundby US 6227580 teaches a two-part, dual-pronged, post-like knot-tying assembly wherein the parts move at the time of release. Dreger et al US 5882051 describe a flat disc having two outward prongs and a central aperture which disc can be held in the hand and used as a frame when tying a balloon.

OBJECT

It is an object of this invention to provide a tool that helps a person to hold an elongated flexible (and perhaps resilient) object during a process of tying a knot in the object, where likely objects are balloons, ropes, string, and bags, or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

In a first broad aspect, the invention provides a tool for use in the process of tying a knot, wherein the tool comprises a thick-walled cylinder, opened out along one slide in a paraxial slot; the outer wall of the tool being shaped into depressions so as to guide an object in which a knot is to be formed during the process of tying the knot.

Preferably a first depression comprises a thumb depression 108.

Preferably a second depression comprises a circumferential groove 106.

Preferably a third depression comprises a slanted groove 109.

In a second broad aspect the invention comprises a method of tying an object in co-operation with the tool, wherein the method includes the steps of retaining the object under the thumb within the thumb depression, pulling a free end of the object out, across the paraxial slot and around the circumferential slot, and then looping the free end through the tool and pulling the object off the device so that the object becomes tied.

A preferred object is a distended resilient party balloon. In a third broad aspect the invention comprises a knot-tying device or tool useful for facilitating manual tying of a knot in a flexible elongate material, wherein the tool comprises a short open- ended hollow cylinder having an upper end, a lower end, and a shaped wall, the wall having an opening into the interior of the cylinder along a side in the form of a slot between the upper end and the lower end; the wall having at least one short, outwardly extended portion occupying a lower part of the device in proximity to the slot near the lower end thereby forming a first, shallow external groove at the boundary between the wall and the outwardly extended portion, the shallow external groove capable (when in use) of being occupied by a side of a user's digit, the groove sloping upwards and opening near the slot, the outer wall of the tool including a second, circumferential outward-facing groove near the upper end, so that the tool can be held with one hand, and a flexible elongate material can be knotted using the device and the first and second grooves in the wall of the tool as a guide when forming the knot.

Preferably the wall has a outwardly extended portion and corresponding shallow sloping groove placed symmetrically at each side of the slot, so that the tool can be held and used by right- handed and by left-handed persons.

Preferably the or each shallow sloping groove includes at least one retention means capable of temporarily retaining an object to become tied.

Preferably the wall opposite the or each outwardly extended portion is extended sufficiently to become capable of being held by or between the fingers, so that the tool can be retained in the user's hand, and more preferably this extension is anchored at one side to the wall of the tool.

Preferably the wall includes connecting means capable of being connected to a fixed mount, so that both hands of the user may be freed.

Preferably the circumferential outward-facing groove near the first end has a profile capable of retaining a flexible elongate material during tying, so that the flexible elongate material is effec- tively retained within the groove during part of a manual tying procedure.

In a third broad aspect the invention comprises a knot-tying device or tool useful for facilitating manually tying a knot in a flexible elongate material, wherein the method includes the steps of: (a) taking hold of the material near one end, (b) holding the material by retention means at the shallow sloping groove with the free end extending in the direction of the slot, (c) pulling the free end across the slot and (d) right around the circumferential outwardly facing groove, then (e) passing the free end into the slot, beneath the portion passing across the slot and finally (f) pulling upwards on the free end so that the flexible, elongate material becomes detached from the slot and includes a half-hitch knot.

Alternatively the method includes the steps of: (a) taking hold of the neck of the party balloon 95 near the base of the neck, (b) gripping the base of the neck between the user's thumb and the shallow sloping groove with the free end of the neck extending in the direction of the slot, (c) pulling and stretching the free end of the neck across the slot and (d) around the circumferential outwardly facing groove, then (e) passing the free end of the neck into the slot, beneath the portion of the neck passing across the slot and finally (f) pulling upwards on the free end so 100 that the neck of the balloon becomes detached from the slot and includes a seal comprising a half-hitch knot.

Preferably at least one flexible elongate material comprises a neck of at least one distended party balloon and the method includes the initial step of taking hold of the neck of the party balloon near the base of the neck along with further elongate material, so that the at least one 105 party balloon becomes joined to the other flexible elongate material by means of co- involvement within the knot so that a party balloon may become tied to a string or cord in one operation.

Optionally more than one distended party balloon may be tied together by means of the method, or a balloon may be tied to a string.

no PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The description of the invention to be provided herein, and the illustrative drawings, are given purely by way of example and are not to be taken in any way as limiting the scope or extent of the invention.

DRAWINGS

115 (Figs 1 - 7 show Example 1; Figs 8 - 15 show Example 2)

Fig l A perspective view of the device from above and to one side. Fig 2 An oblique perspective view of the device. Fig 3 A plan view of the device. Fig 4 A rear elevation view of the device. 120 Fig 5 A section in plan view of the device. Fig 6 A first side elevation view of the device. Fig 7 An opposite side elevation view of the device. Fig 8 A top view of the device. Fig 9: A view of the device from underneath. 125 Fig 10 A rear elevation view of the device. Fig 11 A side elevation view of the device. Fig 12 A front elevation view of the device. Fig 13 An oblique perspective view of the device. Fig 14 A perspective view of the device from below. 130 Fig 15 A perspective view of the device looking at the slot.

This knot-tying aid is a single-piece hand tool for tying a length of material into (usually) a simple half-hitch. One hand is used to hold the tool and the other is used to do the tying operation. In general the tool comprises a hollow cylinder with an open side (a "C" in cross- section) and sculpted external grooves that guide a length of material to be tied into a half- 135 hitch. In use, the base of the neck of a distended party balloon is held against the cylinder close to the open side, the neck is stretched and pulled around the top of the cylinder, into the open side, and into the opening then out through the top. The knotted neck is then pulled away from the tool. Non-elastic cords can be included in the knot.

EXAMPLE 1 .

140 The tool in its first embodiment is as shown in Figs 1-7 and is about 40 mm in diameter. It may be made of metal, a plastics material, or other polymers including rubber, even wood. The shape is particularly suitable for injection moulding (or perhaps die casting) if manufactured. The tool comprises a short cylinder having a thick wall, a paraxial slot cut through the full length of the wall, and includes sculpting of the outer wall with shallow grooves and raised

145 areas in order to facilitate the intended use.

Considering Fig 1, 100 refers to the entire tool. The tool has an upper surface 101 and a lower surface 102. The inner wall in present embodiments is essentially featureless although a holding strap or string may be passed through a hole emerging into the inner aspect of the tool. This allows the tool to be held onto the wrist for example so that it cannot be dropped off a ladder, 150 into the sea, or the like. The paraxial slot 105 is partly obscured here, but the thumb grip 108 is visible as are the slanted groove 109 and the upper, circumferential groove 106.

Fig 2 shows that the upper groove 106 is finished at each end with a notch (eg 201) cut into the paraxial slot. Similarly the slanting groove 109 is slightly notched.

Fig 3 shows the shape more precisely in a plan view. Note that corners are preferably rounded 155 so that no sharp edges project (although a concealed "V shaped knife, not shown here, for cutting string may be a useful adjunct).

Fig 4 shows how slanting groove 109 is preferably terminated by "emerging" at the base 102 of the tool. Fig 5 shows that the core of the tool is solid although this is a matter of convenience and it may be possible to save on materials by some hollowing out.

160 Fig 6 shows how the slanting groove 109 and the circumferential groove 106 meet just before they terminate at the paraxial slot. Finally, Fig 7 shows the opposite side to that of Fig 4. This is an area where indicia may be placed.

Of course, the tool should also exist in a mirror image form because humans are mostly right- handed but also sometimes left-handed.

165 EXAMPLE 2.

This Example describes a later version of the above, having (a) bilateral symmetry each side of the gap 105, so that left-handed or right-handed use is provided for, (b) a catch means (301, 302) to help hold the balloon by the base of its neck, and (c) attachment means (303, 304) with which it can optionally be held on a short stand so that both hands are freed. Further, the 170 groove about the upper end of the device has been made more shallow so that a balloon neck can be more easily freed from the device. Typical dimensions are about 30 mm high and about 45 - 55 mm in diameter though these are more for convenience of people's hand sizes and are not critical. The device is primarily though not exclusively useful for tying the necks of distended party balloons.

175 Figs 8-12 show various views of the Example 2 device from various aspects. (Note: Some of the lines serve to indicate changes in curvature, for the purpose of making a die, and an appreciation of the shape of this device should be made using a combination of these separate illustrations. The average thickness of the device is about 2-3 mm, sufficient to confer rigidity with the type of plastics used in its manufacture). The entire device 300 is an open-ended, hollow

180 cylinder having a slot 105 completely opening up one part of the wall of the cylinder. The device becomes narrower at the top, like a truncated cone, although the wall is by no means smooth (see Fig 10). The wall is extended outwardly at or near the lower edges of the slot 105, thereby forming a first rather shallow groove 312 at each side. The shallow groove can accept a user's digit (especially a thumb) used to retain the object to be tied. Fig 8 shows a view from

185 directly above; Fig 9 is from directly below. The bulge 303 surrounding an aperture 404 (arising from beneath, on the bottom plane 309) used to make connection with a table-mounted holder for the knot-tying aid is evident. These Figs show the balloon neck retaining notches 301 and 302, formed within lateral wings 306 and 307 which lie upon the plane of the base 309. These lateral wings serve also as holders. The wing away from the retained balloon fits between the index finger and the middle finger of a person so that the device can be held in place. Figs 10,

190 11, and 12 show the more shallow profile of the circumferential top groove (the second groove) 305. There is only a slight indentation (in the horizontal axis) of the groove 305. Groove 305 may be moulded to have a roughened surface in order to hold the balloon more effectively. The groove is bordered on its lower aspect by a flange 310. Note in Fig 11 that the top surface 308 is sloped downward towards the position of the slot 105. Fig 12 shows that the slot 105 is

195 not rectilinear, and is relatively large, so that a user's digits can be inserted for the purpose of tying the knot in the elongated flexible object that is to be tied (such as a balloon neck). Figs 13, 14, and 15 are perspective views that support the orthogonal views described above. It should be noted that the balloon retention slots 301, 302 may be of a variety of shapes less highly developed than those shown here.

200 Method of Use: Looking at Fig 13, and assuming that the person is right-handed, they would hold the device in their left hand by flange 309 (not visible in Fig 13). A distended party balloon is taken and the base of its neck is pressed into the slot 302 (which has rounded edges). The free end of the neck is pulled upwards (towards top right) through the first groove 312 over the slot 105, around the back of the top 308 of the device (using the second groove 305),

205 and to the front, then into the slot 105, under the existing neck where it crosses the slot, and out through the central hole 311. Then the base of the neck is freed by pulling the free end of the neck upward thereby dislodging the ring of balloon neck made as it passes around the second groove 305.

Materials: these tools may be manufactured using injection moulding techniques and a plastics 210 material such a polypropylene is appropriate, or an alternativ as is well-known in the injection moulding art. Because most sales are in the "novelty" area, appearance-enhancing additives such as dyes, fillers, pigments, and phosphors for glowing in the dark may be employed. For fishing applications, orange or yellow colours may be preferred and an overall density less than that of water may be useful.

215 VARIATIONS

The tool can be made in right-handed, left-handed, and the preferred symmetrical form of Example 2. The tool can be mounted upon a pole, by means of aperture 304 accepting a matching pin on an end of a pole, and for extra security the top of the pole may fit into the lower end of the central aperture 311, leaving both hands free. The tool can be further adapted 220 for persons disabled in various ways, including afflictions like arthritis or other locomotor disturbances of the fingers. The grooves may be provided with a surface configuration so that the balloon neck (or other item to be tied) can be pulled off the end of the tool more easily. A finely dimpled surface may provide less grip; so would a manufacture using a low-friction ABS plastics material (for example) but using the device wet may be just as effective.

225 Other than a mouldable plastics material, the tool can be made of wood or metal, and/or in various sizes and possibly with different holding arrangements for holding specific items, such as large mouthed plastic or cloth bags, fishing lures or hooks, wires and cables.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

1. The tool is cheap to make.

230 2. The tool can be used with the hands; one hand to hold the tool and the base of a balloon neck, the other to actually tie the neck, or it may be supported on a structure such as a pole.

3. A child can more easily tie off the neck of a party balloon by using the tool.

4. A person assembling a festoon of balloons for a display can quickly tie each balloon off without loss of air, so that each member of the festoon is of approximately similar size and

235 so that the entire assembly is pleasing to the eye.

5. Other materials, such as other balloon necks, strings, ribbons, or the like can be included or co-involved in the knot, in one procedure.

6. A person fishing (whether commercially or for recreational purposes) , with for example cold and numb hands, can tie tackle easily and reliably.

240 7. An elderly or disabled person can use the tool to help tie off rubbish bags and the like.

8. Applications include: tying off party balloons, other elastic materials, and fishing gear.

Finally, it will be understood that the scope of this invention as described and/or illustrated within this provisional specification is not limited to the preferred embodiments described by example herein. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions, 245 and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. A knot-tying device or tool useful for facilitating manual tying of a knot in a flexible elongate material, characterised in that the tool comprises a short open-ended hollow

250 cylinder having an upper end, a lower end, and a shaped wall, the wall having an opening into the interior of the cylinder along a side in the form of a slot between the upper end and the lower end; the wall having at least one short, outwardly extended portion occupying a lower part of the device in proximity to the slot near the lower end thereby forming a first, shallow external groove at the boundary between the wall and the outwardly extended

255 portion, the first groove capable (when in use) of being occupied by a side of a user's digit, the groove sloping upwards and opening near the slot, the outer wall of the tool including a second, circumferential outward-facing groove near the upper end, so that the tool can be held with one hand, and a flexible elongate material can be knotted using the tool and the first and second grooves in the wall of the tool as a guide when forming the knot.

260 2. A knot-tying device or tool as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the wall has more than one outwardly extended portions and corresponding first grooves placed symmetrically at each side of the slot, so that the tool can be held and used by right-handed and by left- handed persons.

3. A knot-tying device or tool as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the or each sfrrst 265 groove is in proximity to at least one retention means capable when in use of temporarily retaining an object to become tied.

4. A knot-tying device or tool as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the or each outwardly extended portion is extended sufficiently to become capable of being held by or between the fingers, so that the tool can be retained in the user's hand.

270 5. A knot-tying device or tool as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the wall includes connecting means capable of being connected to a fixed mount, so that when in use both hands of the user may be freed.

6. A method for using a knot-tying device or tool as claimed in claim 1 in order to tie a knot in a flexible, elongate material, characterised in that the method includes the steps of: (a)

275 taking hold of the material near one end, (b) holding the material with retention means at the first groove with the free end extending in the direction of the slot, (c) pulling the free end across the slot and (d) right around the second groove, then (e) passing the free end into the slot, beneath the portion passing across the slot and finally (f) pulling upwards on the free end so that the flexible, elongate material becomes detached from the tool and now 280 includes a knot.

7. A method for using a knot-tying device or tool as claimed in claim 1 in order to tie a knot in a distended party balloon made of a flexible, elastic material and having a body and an elongate neck, characterised in that the method includes the steps of: (a) taking hold of the neck of the party balloon near the base of the neck, (b) gripping the base of the neck

285 between the user's thumb and the first groove with the free end of the neck extending in the direction of the slot, (c) pulling and stretching the free end of the neck across the slot and (d) around the second groove, then (e) passing the free end of the neck into the slot, beneath the portion of the neck passing across the slot and finally (f) pulling upwards on the free end so that the neck of the balloon becomes detached from the slot and includes a seal

290 comprising a half-hitch knot.

8. A method for using a knot-tying device or tool as claimed in claim 7 in order to tie a knot in more than one flexible elongate material characterised in that at least one flexible elongate material comprises a neck of at least one distended party balloon and the method includes the initial step of taking hold of the neck of the party balloon near the base of the

295 neck along with further elongate material, so that the at least one party balloon becomes joined to the other flexible elongate material by means of co-involvement within the knot so that a party balloon may become tied to a string or cord in one operation.

9. A method for using a knot-tying device or tool as claimed in claim 8 characterised in that more than one distended party balloon may be tied together by means of the method.