Abstract:
A loom having pins formed with a base, wherein the pins have a lip that is transverse to the axial shaft of the pin. The base has openings at the juncture of each pin with the base, and each opening is located directly beneath the corresponding lip of the pin when the pins are vertical and extend upward from the base, thereby avoiding the need for any multiple-component mold sections. Mold halves are preferably used to form the loom, the first mold half having fingers that extend into cavities in the second mold half. The lips of each pin are formed between the tip of each finger and the deepest wall of each cavity.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/827,178 filed May 24, 2013. This prior application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    (Not Applicable) 
       THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    (Not Applicable) 
       REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX 
       [0004]    (Not Applicable) 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The invention relates generally to a device for weaving or tying, and more particularly to a device for weaving elastic bands into bracelets and other elongated structures and a method and mold for manufacturing the device. 
         [0006]    Looms and hooks are commonly used for weaving with yarn or other string-like materials. Such looms commonly contain a base with a plurality of pins extending upwardly from the base, and the user manually guides the yarn around the pins to form woven textiles. It is also known to use needles to guide the string through and around the pins. 
         [0007]    Other looms are used to weave looped structures, such as elastic (e.g., rubber) bands, and some of these looms are manufactured and sold under the trademarks RAINBOW LOOM and TWISTZ BANDZ. These looms are discussed in published U.S. applications numbered 2012/0112457 and 2013/0020802, which are herein incorporated by reference. These looms include a base and a plurality of pin bars. Each pin bar is an integral structure with its pins defined in a single row. A user of these looms selectively assembles the plurality of pin bars to the base to achieve his/her desired pin configuration and create various linked articles. These looms use an elongated tool with a hook on the end thereof to manipulate the elastic bands on and off pins of any pin bars mounted to the base of the loom. Manufacturers must use a complex, multipiece assembly for manufacturing these looms. 
         [0008]    Conventional looms for use with elastic bands are complex and expensive, thereby making the cost to the end user too high, and introducing complex structures (such as slide-in molds or multipiece assemblies) to a simple task. The need exists for a loom that is manufactured at low cost while still retaining the durability needed for a quality product, thereby allowing consumers to enjoy use of the loom. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The invention, including a loom and a hook that are both preferably made of plastic, composite, metal or any other suitable material, is designed for use with looped materials such as rubber and other elastic bands. The loom includes a substantially planar base with multiple rows of spaced pins that extend substantially perpendicularly from the base. The loom is manufactured to form respective cutouts in the base at points where the respective pins are formed with the major plane of the base and to form terminal ends of respective pins substantially parallel to such respective cutouts. The loom designed and manufactured with the base cutouts and corresponding terminal ends of the pins removes the need to form loom components separately, for example the conventional bases and pin bars described in documents incorporated by reference herein, using complex, multipiece assemblies. The formation of these cutouts and corresponding terminal ends of pins also removes the need for conventional manufacturing processes using complex molds with moving components. The base provides a hand-grippable structure for holding the loom in the user&#39;s hands. Curves formed on the base allow for convenient hand gripping. 
         [0010]    A mold is used to form the loom, and includes a plurality of fingers that extend into a plurality of corresponding cavities. The pins of the loom are formed in the cavities and a tip of each finger is spaced from the deepest wall of the cavity, thereby causing the deepest wall to define the terminal end of each pin and corresponding cutout in the base where each pin is formed with the major plane of the base. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a view in perspective illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a top view illustrating the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a view in perspective illustrating the embodiment of  FIG. 1  from the rear. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view illustrating the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a view in perspective illustrating the embodiment of  FIG. 1  magnified from the front. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a view in perspective illustrating the embodiment of  FIG. 1  magnified from the rear. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a side view illustrating a portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is an end view illustrating the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is an end view illustrating the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a top view illustrating a pair of looms adjacent one another in position to be attached to one another. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a view in perspective illustrating a mold half used to form the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a view in perspective illustrating a second, opposing mold half used to form the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  is a view in perspective illustrating a mold section magnified from  FIG. 11 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 14  is a view in perspective illustrating a mold section magnified from  FIG. 12 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 15  is a schematic section view illustrating the mold sections of  FIGS. 13 and 14  in a closed position and simulating a section through a loom at the lines  15 - 15  of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
       [0026]    In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific term so selected and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. For example, the word connected or terms similar thereto are often used. They are not limited to direct connection, but include connection through other elements where such connection is recognized as being equivalent by those skilled in the art. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/827,178 filed May 24, 2013 is incorporated in this application by reference. 
         [0028]    The loom  10  is shown in the drawings including a substantially planar base  20  with multiple rows of spaced pins  30  that extend substantially perpendicularly from the base  20 . The loom  10  is preferably made of plastic (polymer) material, such as polyester or polycarbonate, but can alternatively be manufactured from metal, fiber-reinforced polymer or any other suitable material. The number and size of the pins  30  are not critical, nor is the spacing between pins. Furthermore, larger or smaller looms are contemplated with more or fewer pins than are shown and described herein as examples. 
         [0029]    The base  20  is preferably a sheet about one-eighth inch thick with a major panel, and sidewalls  22  and  24  and similar endwalls extending substantially perpendicularly to the major panel. As shown in  FIGS. 1-9 , the base  20  provides a physical structure with which the pins  30  are integrally formed during manufacturing and a hand-grippable structure for holding the loom  10  in the user&#39;s hands. The base  20  has curved sidewalls  22  and  24 , which are best viewed in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , that allow for gripping of the loom  10  by providing an ergonomic fit in the human hand. Typically, the base  20  is held between the thumb and fingers of a hand. The curved walls  22  and  24  shown in the illustrations are formed on the long sides of the base  20 , and fit naturally in the hand of the user. 
         [0030]    The loom  10  has a locking mechanism for attaching multiple similar looms together in a side-by-side and end-to-end relationship. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 1-6  and  8 - 9 , the locking mechanism of loom  10  is formed as one or more protruding dovetails  26  on one side (preferably a long side), and a complementary number of dovetail-shaped voids  26 ′ on the opposite side to receive the dovetails of an adjacent, similar loom. Dovetails  28  and voids  28 ′ can also be formed on the short sides. Of course, any type of fastener can be used on the sides of the looms to permit connection of one loom to another, or of one loom to multiple other looms. 
         [0031]    It will become apparent that the curves on the long side of one loom matingly receive the curves on the opposite side of an adjacent loom, thereby allowing the dovetails to be inserted into the voids. Furthermore, the curves on abutting sides of adjacent looms do not interfere with one another during the attachment of one loom to the other, as shown in  FIG. 10 . This attachment can be accomplished by placing the first loom  110  on a flat surface, and then disposing a second loom  210  just above the first with the dovetails of the second loom just above the complementary voids of the first loom. Then the second loom is pressed downwardly to dispose the dovetails of the second loom in the voids of the first loom. This configuration maintains the looms adjacent one another with the second loom&#39;s  210  pins aligned with the pins of the first loom  110 . 
         [0032]    The spacing of the pins  30  and the rows of pins  30  of each of the looms  110  and  210  is the same. Furthermore, when the looms  110  and  210  are attached to each other, the pins of the leftward most side of the second loom  210  are spaced from the pins of the rightward most side of the first loom  110  at a distance substantially equal to the spacing between pins of the first loom  110  and between pins of the second loom  210 ; attaching the looms together aligns pins in each row of both looms. Thus, attaching two or more looms together allows one to effectively add rows of pins of one or more looms at equal distances from the other loom&#39;s pins to permit a greater variety of creations using the combination. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIGS. 5-6 , each of the pins  30  has a reinforcement taper  31  at the base of its shaft  32  that increases the strength of the point where the shaft  32  is integrally formed with the base  20  during manufacturing. Furthermore, referring to  FIGS. 5 and 8 , each of the pins&#39;  30  shafts  32  is substantially U-shaped in cross section. The notch  33  formed during manufacturing of the loom  10  by the “valley” of each pin  30  allows a hook tool to grab an elastic band more easily, and even guides a hook tool toward the center as the tip of the tool slides along the length of the pin  30 . The U-shaped cross section of each of the pins  30  extends around fewer than 180 degrees; that is, the pins&#39; shafts  32  are formed in a U-shape during manufacturing of the loom  10  as if one cut a circular cylindrical tube lengthwise and removed more than one-half of the circular portion, leaving less than one-half of the circular portion behind. This structural feature leaves significant space in which to fit the hook tool tip so a user can grab only the desired material with the hook. At the same time, this structure keeps a minimal surface area so that when an elastic band is placed against the shaft  32 , low friction is maintained, thereby reducing twisting of the bands during placing of the bands on the shafts  32  and removal from the shafts  32 . Still further, this structural feature decreases the size of the cutout  40  (described below) formed in the base during manufacturing to increase strength. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIGS. 5-9 , each of the pins  30  terminates in a lip  34  that extends substantially perpendicularly from the longitudinal axis of the shaft  32  (and substantially parallel to the major panel of the base  20 ). Each lip  34  has a radius, as best shown in  FIG. 7 , for easy loading of the weaving material. The radius underside  34   u  and radius top side  34   t  improve weaving by eliminating sharp edges which can cut the weaving material or the user. The radius top side  34   t  and underside  34   u  allow the weaving material to more easily be placed on and removed from the pin  30 . Additionally, the radiuses reduce twisting of the weaving material because the weaving material can slide over the radius rather than catching on a sharp edge that enhances rolling (which results in twisting) of the material. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-8 , the spacing of the pins  30  relative to one another is not a critical distance, but is such that it allows ease of use with average-sized fingers for loading and unloading weaving material. The spacing of the pins  30  is selected prior to manufacturing of loom  10  to be far enough from one another that they permit the weaving materials, which can be rubber or other elastic bands, to be placed around, and removed from, the shafts  32  during the subsequent weaving process. Furthermore, the lips  34  retain weaving material on the pins  30  by presenting an obstacle that each elongated band has to roll or slide over to be removed from the respective pin  30 . Because the lips  34  require the already elongated elastic band to further elongate to be removed from the pin  30 , some force is required to move the band over the lip  34 . Placement and removal of the bands is described in the prior art, and the documents incorporated by reference herein, and therefore is not described in detail herein. 
         [0036]    There are cutouts  40  formed in the material forming the base  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-6 . The cutouts  40  are semi-circular openings formed in the major surface of the base  20  where the pins  30  are integrally formed with the base during manufacturing of the loom  10 . The cutouts  40  are formed during manufacturing of the loom  10 , and are a result of the means by which the pins  30  generally, and the lips  34  specifically, are integrally formed with the base without using a multi-piece, moving component mold. Formation of the loom  10  will now be described with reference to the Figures. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , it will be understood that halves of a mold with corresponding features can be disposed in a facing or opposing relationship and pressed together during a single manufacturing process to integrally form base  20  with rows of pins  30  having shafts  32 , with U-shaped cross-sections, extending perpendicularly from the major plane of base  20 . It will further be understood from these Figures that the corresponding, opposing features of the mold halves form respective cutouts  40  at points where the shaft  32  of respective pins  30  is integrally formed with the major plane of base  20 , and form lips  34  at an opposite end of shaft  32  of respective pins  30  and substantially parallel to such respective cutouts  40 , without the need for a complex, multi-piece assembly or a mold with moving components. 
         [0038]    The loom  10  designed and manufactured with the base cutouts  40  and corresponding lips  34  of the pins  30  removes the need to form loom components separately, for example the conventional bases and pin bars described in documents incorporated by reference herein, using complex, multipiece assemblies. The formation of these cutouts  40  at points where the shaft  32  of each pin  30  is integrally formed with the major plane of base  20  with increased strength, and formation of these lips  34  at the opposite end of each shaft  32  of each pin  30  and substantially parallel to these cutouts  40 , also removes the need for conventional manufacturing processes using complex molds with moving components. 
         [0039]    For example, mold halves  50  and  60  are shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . The mold half  50  is shown with four substantially identical sections  51 ,  52 ,  53  and  54 . The mold half  60  is shown with four substantially identical sections  61 ,  62 ,  63  and  64 . During use, the mold half  50  is disposed in a facing relationship with the mold half  60 , and the two mold halves are moved together until a seal is formed at contacting surfaces, leaving voids and conventional gate cavities  70  therein that allow fluent material to be injected into the cavities  70  and then flow to the voids. As will become apparent from the illustrations of  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the voids formed between the mold halves  50  and  60  are shaped like the exterior of the loom  10  and gate cavities  70  that form passages. 
         [0040]    The mold sections  51  and  61  are substantially identical to the corresponding mold sections  52 - 54  and  62 - 64 , and are described in more detail below as examples of all similar mold sections. Although not all mold sections are described, a person of ordinary skill will understand how the mold halves  50  and  60  operate from the description of the examples of the mold sections  51  and  61 . The mold section  51 , shown in  FIG. 13 , has a plurality of fingers  55  with U-shaped cross sections extending substantially perpendicularly from a floor  56 . The mold section  61 , shown in  FIG. 14 , has a plurality of corresponding cavities  65  with U-shaped cross sections formed therein, and formed into a ceiling  66 . Each finger  55  extends into a corresponding one of the cavities  65  when the mold sections  51  and  61  are in a facing and sealed orientation during manufacturing of loom  10 , which is hereafter referred to as when the mold is “closed”. 
         [0041]    When the mold is closed, which is illustrated from the side in the magnified cross-section of  FIG. 15 , each of the fingers  55  extends into a corresponding one of the cavities  65 , and the floor  56  is spaced from the ceiling  66  a distance equal to the thickness of the major area of the base  20 . In this configuration, a void  30 ′ is formed between each finger  55  and each cavity  65  that is the shape of each pin  30 . That is, when filled with fluent material and hardened, each void  30 ′ defines the exterior shape of each pin  30  as pins  30  are formed with base  20 . It is preferred that when the mold is closed, the material that will form the loom  10  is injected in a fluent form, such as a liquid or semi-liquid, into the voids  30 ′ of the closed mold. The mold halves  50  and  60  are later separated to expose the hardened material that formed each loom  10 . It will become apparent that the illustration of  FIG. 15  shows the interior of the closed mold at one end, such as along the line  15 - 15  of  FIG. 2  when the loom  10  is formed in a closed mold. 
         [0042]    When the mold is closed, the thin gap formed between the floor  56  and the ceiling  66  defines the major panel of the base  20 . Where each finger  55  extends into a corresponding cavity  65 , each cutout  40  is formed around a corresponding finger  55  along the plane of material that fills in the thin gap between the floor  56  and the ceiling  66  to form the major panel of base  20 . Thus, each cutout  40  is formed by a finger  55  occupying space through the thin planar void that forms the major panel of the base  20 . 
         [0043]    The tip of the finger  55  is spaced from the deepest wall of the cavity  65 , which deepest wall defines the terminal end of each pin  30  during manufacturing. A void is formed in each cavity at the tip of each finger  55 , and each void forms a lip  34  extending from each pin&#39;s  30  tip. The convex shape of the radius top of each lip  34   t  is defined by the deepest wall of each cavity  65 , and the radius underside of each lip  34   u  is defined by the tip of a corresponding finger  55 . The convex, curved portion of each pin&#39;s shaft  32 , between the lip  34  and the cutout  40 , is defined by one side of the finger  55 . The concave U-shaped portion  33  of each pin&#39;s shaft  32  is defined by the side of the cavity  65  opposite the finger  55 . When the mold sections  51  and  61  are moved apart after the fluent material has hardened sufficiently, the fingers  55  pull away from each pin  30  as each loom  10  is withdrawn by its base from the mold halves  50  and  60 . Even though the lips  34  are substantially perpendicular to the direction the mold halves  50  and  60  move apart, no moving mold subcomponents are necessary. 
         [0044]    The hook tool is a hand-grippable, elongated wand that is used to assist the user in manipulating the weaving material during the weaving process. A hook is formed at one end that permits the user to hook around the weaving material as is known in the industry. At the opposite end is an ergonomically formed region that is readily grasped by a user. 
         [0045]    The hook of the invention has unique design elements as well. The depth of the hook is designed to hold multiple layers of material (i.e. multiple bands). This prevents weaving material from slipping off prematurely during use. 
         [0046]    This detailed description in connection with the drawings is intended principally as a description of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the designs, functions, means, and methods of implementing the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and features may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention and that various modifications may be adopted without departing from the invention or scope of the following claims.