Abstract:
A device for the storage and transport of knitting supplies and knitting projects is disclosed. The device includes a flexible outer shell, an inner storage area and one or more entry and exit points for accessing the inner storage area or for maintaining separation of knitting supplies or accessories.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to knitting supplies, and more particularly to a device for containing knitting supplies. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Knitting has become a timeless textile art that continues to flourish even as large-scale manufacturing of textiles produces goods at increasingly rapid rates. The process of knitting allows for the production of goods that are both delicate and well-made in a manner that is difficult to reproduce in machine-made products. In addition to facilitating the creation of hand-made goods for commercial purposes, many individuals find knitting to be an enjoyable and relaxing hobby. Historically, knitting was commonly practiced within the home where a project could be easily set aside and later continued without any disturbance of or destruction to the knitting-in-progress. The continued success of knitting for both commercial and leisure purposes has resulted in the need to transport and travel with one or more knitting projects in various stages of completion. However, the nature of knitting materials creates a certain amount of risk associated with the transport of an in-progress project. The propensity of knitting materials to become tangled, knotted, torn, stretched or otherwise damaged during transport makes it difficult to effectively transport a knitting project. Further, the knitting materials must remain attached to knitting needles which themselves can cause damage to completed portions of a knitting project and even yet-unused knitting materials. Thus, a number of concepts have been developed in an effort to prevent damage to knitting projects during movement of any kind. 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,040,289 discloses caps that can be placed onto the pointed end of a knitting needle in an effort to prevent damage to knitting materials. While the caps prevent contact between the sharp portions of knitting needles and the knitting materials, the caps increase the diameter of the needle ends thereby creating additional risk of placing large holes in a completed portion of a knitting project. Large holes generally require that a project be completely disassembled up to the location of the hole creating a substantial loss in productivity. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,008,806 and 6,357,497 each disclose a bag for carrying knitting supplies and in-progress knitting projects. However, the design of the bag fails to ensure that the needles will not be in contact with the knitting material. Therefore any movement or jostling of the bag could easily cause detrimental contact between the needles and knitting materials. 
         [0005]    The present invention solves the problems associated with the transport of in-progress knitting projects by providing a device that permits knitting needles to remain beyond the confines of the device while still remaining connected to the knitting project. The knitting needles are located outside of the device in such a way that, even with movement of the device, the needles will be prevented from slipping into the device and coming into contact with the knitting materials. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention meets some or all of the above-mentioned needs by providing a device for transporting knitting supplies, materials and in-progress knitting projects while preventing damage to the supplies, materials and projects. 
         [0007]    In a first aspect, the present invention contemplates a device for containing knitting supplies and materials that includes an outer shell having multiple panels connected to one another to form a storage compartment. Each panel has a top edge, a bottom edge, and one or more side edges. The top edge of the outer shell remains open for receiving the knitting materials into the storage compartment. The top edge further includes a tunnel portion containing a drawstring or cord element that can be cinched to close the device and maintain the knitting materials within the storage compartment. The outer shell also includes one or more eyelets so that the knitting materials located within the storage compartment can be attached to one or more knitting needles and the one or more knitting needles can be fed through the one or more eyelets so that they hang outside of the storage compartment and outer shell thereby avoiding detrimental contact with the knitting materials located within the storage compartment. 
         [0008]    This aspect of the invention may be further characterized by one or any combination of the following features. The drawstring or cord element includes two terminating ends and a stopper portion to prevent the terminating ends from sliding into the tunnel. The stopper portion also maintains the top edge of the outer shell in the cinched position to maintain any knitting materials within the storage compartment. The knitting materials include unused yarn and a knitting work in process in any stage of completion. The yarn may be made of wool, silk, polyester, olefin, nylon, acrylic, rayon, acetate, cotton, flax, bamboo, hemp, jute, nettle, raffia, yucca, soy, or any combination thereof. The knitting materials are placed within the storage compartment during travel and transport, while the one or more knitting needles are allowed to hang downward from the eyelets along the exterior of the outer shell. The one or more knitting needles are circular knitting needles. The exterior of the outer shell is free of any pockets or additional attachments. The storage compartment is free of any pockets or additional attachments. One or more of the panels of the outer shell contain one or more eyelets. The one or more eyelets are located on opposing edges of a panel of the outer shell or on the same edge of a panel. The one or more eyelets are located just below the tunnel portion. Multiple knitting needles may be placed through each eyelet. 
         [0009]    It should be appreciated that the above referenced aspects and examples are non-limiting as others exist with the present invention, as shown and described herein. For example, any of the above mentioned aspects or features of the invention may be combined to form other unique configurations of the invention, as described herein, demonstrated in the drawings, or otherwise. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The features of the present invention shall become clear to those skilled in the art upon reading the attached detailed description along with reference to the following drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an illustrative device in accordance with the present teachings. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a top-down view of an illustrative device in accordance with the present teachings. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of an illustrative device in accordance with the present teachings. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    The device of the present invention may include multiple panels connected to one another so that a storage compartment is created with at least one opening remaining so that items can be placed into and removed from the storage compartment. The panels may be generally rectangular in shape, each panel having four edges including a top edge, a bottom edge and two opposing side edges. As an example, the device may include a first and second rectangular panel of equal size so that the bottom edge of the first panel can be attached to the bottom edge of the second panel, and the opposing side edges of the first panel can be attached to the corresponding opposing side edges of the second panel. The top edges of each panel may remain unattached so that articles can be placed into and removed from the device. Each panel may also include more or less than four edges. The panels may each include the same number of edges or each panel may include a different number of edges. The device may also be created by only one panel that can be folded, sewn or otherwise shaped to create the storage compartment. 
         [0015]    The material used to create the panels may be a flexible and/or pliable material. The material used may be a rigid material. The device may be created from a number of different materials such that different portions of the device are made from different types of material or the device is created from a blend of multiple materials. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to polyester, silk, cotton, wool, fur, cashmere, acetate, flax, jute, hemp, modal, acrylic, polyurethane, polypropylene, olefin, and any combination thereof. Certain parts of the device may also include plastics, metals and various natural and synthetic wood materials. As examples, the device may include a metal handle or the eyelets may be surrounded by plastic or metal to prevent ripping or tearing of the outer shell of the device. 
         [0016]    In preferred embodiments, the device includes a cover or closure device so that any materials placed within the storage compartment will avoid the risk falling out of the device. The closure device may include a fastening structure. The fastening structure may include a snap, button, hook and loop or a friction-fit closure. The fastening structure may be a magnet within a barrel-type assembly, wherein a first portion of a magnet is affixed to one panel of the outer shell and the second portion of the magnet is affixed to another panel of the outer shell. The fastening structure may also be composed of a male part affixed to one panel of the outer shell and a female part affixed to another panel of the outer shell. The fastening structure can be formed of planar or tubular plastic (e.g. an extruded profile), where an attachment site on one of the panels of the outer shell provides a ridged and/or threaded opening and another panel of the outer shell contains an opposingly ridged and/or threaded insert that allows for inter-connection of the ridges or threads when the two parts are connected. The device may be opened by any action that disengages the inter-connected ridges. The top edge of the panels may be fitted with a tunnel structure that holds a rope, string or similar cord portion that acts as a drawstring to cinch the top of the device. The drawstring portion may also include a stopper that prevents the ends of the cord portion from slipping into the tunnel portion (thereby preventing the drawstring from effectively cinching the device). The stopper may also aid in maintaining the drawstring portion in a cinched position so that the drawstring resists loosening. 
         [0017]    The knitting materials placed into the storage compartment may include any type of yarn. The storage compartment may contain only unused yarn. The storage compartment may also include a knitting project at any stage of completion. The storage compartment preferably contains no needles so as to prevent any damage to the knitting materials within the storage compartment. Prior to storage, travel, or transport, the needles briefly enter the storage compartment just prior to placement through one or more eyelets (as discussed in detail below) to the exterior of the device. 
         [0018]    The device may be used specifically with one or more sets of circular knitting needles. Circular knitting needles generally include two tapered ends connected by a flexible strand or cord that allows the two ends to be brought together. Circular needles may be used singly or in pairs. Contrary to traditional knitting styles, circular needles allow for a knitting work-in-progress to be located upon the cord between the two needles as opposed to on the needles themselves. Therefore, during storage, transport, and travel, a knitting work-in-progress can be placed within the storage compartment of the device, while the needles themselves hang along the outside of the device via one or more eyelets. 
         [0019]    The eyelets may be located upon one or more of the panels of the device. The eyelets allow for knitting needles that are attached to a knitting work in progress to be placed within the storage compartment and then fed through the eyelets so that the needles are outside of the storage compartment and will not come into contact with the knitting materials that remain within the storage compartment. The eyelets may be placed in varying locations along the one or more panels depending on the type of knitting process being utilized. As an example, circular knitting needles include a flexible cord that connects the top ends of two needles. During use, a knitting project is located along the cord while the project is being knitted. Multiple sets of circular needles are often used to knit one project. To avoid putting unnecessary stress on the project stitches, the eyelet placement on a device for standard use of circular needles should be on opposing side edges one of the panels. The eyelets may be large enough so that multiple sets of circular needles may be placed through each eyelet. The device may also include any number of eyelets so that multiple needles may each exit the device through a different eyelet. As a further example, circular needles may also be used for magic loop knitting where both needles will need to exit the eyelets on the same side edge of one of the panels in order to prevent stress on the stitches or other damage to the project. 
         [0020]    The eyelets may be located near the top edge of the panels of the device. In the case of a project requiring one or two sets of circular needles (in standard use), one eyelet may be located just below the top edge of the front panel and adjacent to one side edge of the front panel. One additional eyelet may be located just below the top edge of the front panel and adjacent to the opposing side edge of the front panel. In the case of two pairs of circular needles, one needle of each attached set is placed from the storage compartment out through an eyelet to the exterior of the device. Similarly, more eyelets may be included to provide the option for multiple pairs of circular needles. Magic loop knitting projects may be placed into a device having a first eyelet just below the top edge of one of the panels and a second eyelet just below the first eyelet. Alternatively, the device may have one eyelet on a side edge of the front panel and one eyelet on a side edge of the back panel, so that the eyelets are adjacent to one another and can easily receive needles that are being used in a magic loop knitting project without risk of stress on the stitches. The device may also include eyelets so that the device may be used for both standard circular needle knitting projects and magic loop knitting projects. For example, the device may include two eyelets located at opposing side edges of a panel and also an additional eyelet located just below one of the other eyelets (or just adjacent to one of the eyelets on an opposing panel). Preferably, the needles will hang along the exterior of the panels and the location of the eyelets along the top edge of the panels may minimize the length of the needles that extends below the device during travel and transport. 
         [0021]    The eyelets may be located at least about 0.5 inches from the top edge of a panel. The eyelets may be located from about 0.75 inches to about 4 inches from the top edge of a panel. If the eyelets are located on the same side edge of a panel, a first eyelet may be located from about 1 to about 2 inches from the top edge of a panel, and a second eyelet may be located from about 2 to about 4 inches below the top edge of the panel. If the eyelets are located on opposing side edges of a panel, they may each be located the same distance from the top edge of the panel. They may also be located at different distances from the top edge of the panel. 
         [0022]    The eyelets may be formed as slits in one or more of the panels. The eyelets may be reinforced with stitching, similar to a button holes. The eyelets may be surrounded by a sturdy material such as plastic, metal, or any reinforced textile to reduce the risk of tearing the material used to construct the panels. Further, the weight of the needles as they hang along the exterior of the device during travel and storage may require reinforcement along the edges of the eyelets. 
         [0023]    The dimensions of the device may vary depending upon the relative size of the project being knitted. As an example, a device for containing a sock project may generally be long and narrow. The length of the side edges of each panel may be at least about 8 inches. The length of the side edges of each panel may be from about 10 inches to about 12 inches. The length of the top edge and bottom edge of each panel may at least about 5 inches. The length of the top edge and bottom edge of each panel may be from about 7 inches to about 9 inches. In the case of a device for holding a larger project such as a sweater or scarf, the length and width of the device may be larger so that the project can easily fit within the storage compartment of the device. The length of the side edges of each panel may be at least about 12 inches. The length of the side edges of each panel may be from about 15 inches to about 20 inches. The length of the top edge and bottom edge of each panel may at least about 10 inches. The length of the top edge and bottom edge of each panel may be from about 12 inches to about 20 inches. 
         [0024]    The device may also be of appropriate size for holding smaller projects. A smaller device may be placed within a larger container or bag during storage, travel, or transport. For example, the length of the side edges of each panel may be at least about 5 inches. The length of the side edges of each panel may be from about 8 inches to about 12 inches. The length of the top edge and bottom edge of each panel may at least about 5 inches. The length of the top edge and bottom edge of each panel may be from about 10 inches to about 12 inches. 
         [0025]    The device may also include a handle or an attachment that allows for the device to be easily carried once the knitting supplies are placed within the storage compartment and the knitting needles are fed through the one or more eyelets. The handle may be a simple loop structure. The loop structure may have two ends that are each attached near to one another or apart from one another to the device at the top edge of both the front and back panel. The loop structure may be attached so that it is adjacent to one of the side edges of the panels. It may also be attached at any point along the top edges of the panels. The handle may be constructed from a more rigid material and shaped in a curve for attachment to the top edge of one or more of the panels. The handle may be constructed of the same material or materials used to construct the one or more panels. The drawstring portion may also act as or include a portion for grasping so that no additional handle attachment is required. 
         [0026]    As shown, for example, in  FIG. 1 , the device includes an outer shell  10  having a front panel  12  and a back panel  14 . Both the front panel and back panel include a top edge  16 , a bottom edge  18 , and opposing side edges  20 . The area between the front and back panels is formed as a storage compartment  22 . The top edges  16  of the front panel and back panel are formed into a drawstring closure device  24  having a cord portion  26  with two terminating ends  28 ,  30 , and a stopper portion  32 . The device is shown including one set of circular needles  34  as they would be placed within the storage compartment  22  for use with a magic loop knitting method. The magic loop knitting method requires that both circular needles  34  exit the storage compartment  22  along the same side edge  20 . Two eyelets  36  are shown as exit points for the circular needles  34 . The device is also shown including a handle portion  38 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  shows an example of the interior of the device containing a knitting work-in-progress  40 . The top edges  16  of the front panel  12  and back panel  14  are shown as open so that the contents of the storage compartment  22  can be viewed from above. The knitting work-in-progress is shown using a magic loop knitting process on one set of circular needles  34 . The circular needles  34  are shown exiting the storage compartment  22  through two eyelets  36  located on the same side edge  20  of the front panel  12 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  shows an additional example of the interior of the device containing a knitting work-in-progress  40  shown on two sets of circular needles  34  using a standard circular knitting process. The top edges  16  of the front panel  12  and back panel  14  are shown as open so that the contents of the storage compartment  22  can be viewed from above. The two sets of circular needles  34  are shown exiting the storage compartment  22  through two eyelets  36  located on the opposing side edges  20  of the front panel  12 . 
         [0029]    The disclosures of all articles and references, including patent applications and publications, are incorporated by reference for all purposes. The term “consisting essentially of” to describe a combination shall include the elements, ingredients, components or steps identified, and such other elements ingredients, components or steps that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the combination. The use of the terms “comprising” or “including” to describe combinations of elements, ingredients, components or steps herein also contemplates embodiments that consist essentially of, or even consist of, the elements, ingredients, components or steps. 
         [0030]    Plural elements, ingredients, components or steps can be provided by a single integrated element, ingredient, component or step. Alternatively, a single integrated element, ingredient, component or step might be divided into separate plural elements, ingredients, components or steps. The disclosure of “a” or “one” to describe an element, ingredient, component or step is not intended to foreclose additional elements, ingredients, components or steps. Likewise, any reference to “first” or “second” items is not intended to foreclose additional items (e.g., third, fourth, or more items); such additional items are also contemplated, unless otherwise stated. 
         [0031]    Unless otherwise stated, all ranges include both endpoints and all numbers between the endpoints. The use of “about” or “approximately” in connection with a range applies to both ends of the range. Thus, “about 20 to 30” is intended to cover “about 20 to about 30”, inclusive of at least the specified endpoints. The specification of ranges herein also contemplates individual amounts falling within the range. Thus, for example, a range of 10 to 15 contemplates individually the amounts of 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. 
         [0032]    Unless stated otherwise, dimensions and geometries of the various structures depicted herein are not intended to be restrictive of the invention, and other dimensions or geometries are possible. Plural structural components can be provided by a single integrated structure. Alternatively, a single integrated structure might be divided into separate plural components. In addition, while a feature of the present invention may have been described in the context of only one of the illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments, for any given application. It will also be appreciated from the above that the fabrication of the unique structures herein and the operation thereof also constitute methods in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0033]    The explanations and illustrations presented herein are intended to acquaint others skilled in the art with the invention, its principles, and its practical application. Those skilled in the art may adapt and apply the invention in its numerous forms, as may be best suited to the requirements of a particular use. Accordingly, the specific embodiments of the present invention as set forth are not intended as being exhaustive or limiting of the invention. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. The disclosures of all articles and references, including patent applications and publications, are incorporated by reference for all purposes. Other combinations are also possible as will be gleaned from the following claims, which are also hereby incorporated by reference into this written description.