Patent Abstract:
A bendable straight knitting needle consisting of at least three parts that provides ergonomic benefit by enabling bending of the needle during stitch/loop creation by the knitter typically done with two knitting needles, one in each hand. The addition of the bendable portion to the standard conventional straight knitting needle would allow flexible knitting motion with enhanced comfort and better ease of knitting in a tight place.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 14/599,284, filed on Jan. 16, 2015. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a bendable straight knitting needle, specifically a straight knitting needle made from any material. Accordingly, a method to realize this invention is also provided. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Standard straight knitting needles generally range from 10 to 16 inches, being a narrow stiff shaft that tapers at one end and has a knob at the other end to prevent stitches from slipping off. Straight knitting needles are known to be made of plastic, metal, casein, or wood. These needles are used in knitting to pull loops of string through one another. Needles come in the thickness from 0.75 mm to 25 mm and are commonly marked with U.S. or U.K. sizes that correspond to the mm thickness. The long narrow stiff shaft is not bendable and can therefore result in pain, tiredness and numbness from repeated motion of wrists, hands, and fingers during the formation of loops in the knitting position that must accommodate to the long straight stiff knitting shaft as well as difficulty maneuvering comfortably while knitting in confined spaces and around surrounding obstacles. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In accordance with the invention, the advantage of the bendable connection between knitting needles is the ability to bend the needle during formation of loops in a more comfortable manner for arm, wrist, hand, and finger movements as well as more ease of knitting movement in a confined work space. 
         [0005]    The present invention relates to a bendable straight knitting needle consisting of two relatively stiff shanks. Each shank has two ends. One embodiment has a resilient member. 
         [0006]    The resilient member has two ends and can be made of any flexible material such as polyurethane. A first shank has one pointed at one end and joint back end with one end of the resilient member in positioned within the joint end of said first shank. A second shank has one end with a knob and a joint end that attaches to the second end of said resilient member. The resilient member and the joint ends of the shanks form a joint that allows the knitting needle to bend during use. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, the first shank has one pointed at one end and one back end with internal screw threads in positioned within the back end. The second shank has one end with a knob and back end with internal screw threads in position within the back end, wherein said shanks are connected with each other by the back ends with a bendable vinyl hollow connecting tube containing a metal coil with external metal screw attached at each end of the coil comprising a joint. The joint between the stiff shanks and the bendable hollow connecting tube consisting of an external metal screw attached to the metal coil at each end and protruding out of the tube that contains the metal coil to be inserted into the back end of the shank wherein internal screw threads are positioned. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective schematic view of the present invention. The two relatively stiff ends of the needle are denoted by  1 , 2  whereas the bendable connecting tube between the two shanks is denoted by  3 . The shank is made from plastic whereas the bendable connecting tube is made from vinyl. See  FIG. 1  . 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates one end of the needle or shank ( 1 ) which is pointed at one end and the other end forms a joint with the bendable connecting tube and one end of the knobbed shank ( 2 ) which has a knob at one end and the other end forms a joint with the bendable connecting tube. See  FIG. 2 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates the junction between the shank and the bendable connecting tube where the external screw ( 4 ) and metal coil ( 5 ) are connected, and coil contained in the vinyl tubing ( 6 ) are shown in detail. See  FIG. 3   
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates positioning of the drilled internal screw threads ( 4 ) in the back end of each shank and the design of which shows an inward curvature that will insure a strong and even one-level closure when the connecting vinyl tube is attached. See  FIG. 4 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates the design of the bendable vinyl tubing that will connect the two stiff shafts at their back ends. A portion of the end of the vinyl tubing that contains the metal coil will also be inserted into the back end of shaft. The design shows two slanted edges at each end of bendable tube that will meet the opposing slanted edge of the shafts during attachment. This will insure a strong and even one-level closure when connecting. See  FIG. 5 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  illustrates the metal coil that will be contained in the vinyl tubing with the external screws  4  attached at each end which will protrude outward from the bendable vinyl tube. See  FIG. 6 . Various modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention and it should be understood that this invention is not unduly limited to the illustrative embodiment set forth herein. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective view of the present invention. The two components or shanks of the needle  10  are denoted by  20 ,  30  whereas the bendable connecting tube or resilient member between the two shanks is denoted by  40 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective view of one shank  20  which is pointed at one end  22  and the other end  24  forms a joint with the resilient member  40  and with a second shank  30 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  illustrates a perspective view of a second shank  30  which is has a knob at one end  34  and a joint end  32  forming a joint with the resilient member and with the first shank  20 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  illustrates a perspective view of the resilient member  40 , which connects to shanks  20 ,  30 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  illustrates a perspective view of shanks  20 ,  30  connected to resilient member  40 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  illustrates a cross-section view of the invention of  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended to provide example embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the function and the sequences of steps for constructing and operating the invention. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and the scope of the invention. 
         [0021]    The bendable straight knitting needle with ergonomic benefit consists of two stiff shanks  1 ,  2  pointed at one end  1  and one knob end  2  and suitably machined for attachment at the other ends. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, the product consists of two stiff shanks  1 ,  2 , one suitably pointed at one end for knitting and one with a knob at the base for holding knitted stitches, connected from the other ends using a bendable hollow vinyl tube  6  containing a metal coil  5  with attached metal external screws  4  at each end of coil  5 . The joint between the stiff shank and the bendable connecting tube consists of internal screw threads  4  positioned inside the back end of each shank and a metal external screw  4  connected to the metal coil that is contained in the hollow vinyl tubing  6 . The bendable tubing will be the same thickness as the shank and extremely smooth enabling the individual stitches to slide over connection and tubing without impairment, and bendable for ergonomic benefit. 
         [0023]    Another aspect of the invention is the method to realize this invention. The two stiff shanks  1 ,  2  of the knitting needle are made from plastic, metal, casein, or wood. The joint between the stiff shanks and the bendable tube  3  is made by inserting the external screw  4  which is attached to the metal coil  5  that is contained in the bendable vinyl tube  6 , into the stiff shank where internal screw threads  4  are positioned and screwed and glued together. 
         [0024]    The present invention relates an invention where, the stiff shanks  1 , 2  are made of plastic whereas the bendable connecting tube  3  is made of bendable hollow vinyl, metal coiling  5 , and attached external metal screw  4  at each end of coil. In the back ends of shaft  1 , 2 , internal screw threads  4  are positioned and drilled. 
         [0025]    In another embodiment of the invention, a method for the manufacture of the bendable knitting needle is provided. The shanks are manufactured by conventional manufacturing processes. The addition of the bendable material is the substance of the invention. 
         [0026]    The bendable material used is in the form of a vinyl hollow tubing  6  that matches the thickness of the stiff shanks  1 ,  2 , metal coil  5 , with attached metal external screws  4 . This bendable tube  3  is connected to the stiff shanks using a protruding external screw  4  at each end of bendable tube to be inserted and screwed into the threads of the internal screw threads  4  which are positioned in the back ends of the stiff shanks. 
         [0027]    The joint itself is made by the vinyl tubing  6  and metal parts with attached external screw  4 , threaded to the internal screw threads within the plastic shanks  1 ,  2 . The tolerances are such that they meet the requirements of the product and the joint. 
         [0028]    The screw  4  is manufactured and attached to the metal coil  5 , which is contained in the clear bendable vinyl tube  6 . 
         [0029]    The stiff shanks  1 ,  2  are made with the back end (the end that is not pointed or knobbed) finished to a diameter suited for development of a drilled internal screw. The external metal screw  4  that is attached to the metal coil  5 , which is contained in the bendable vinyl tube  6  matches the thickness of the shank and is then inserted into the back ends of the stiff shanks. 
         [0030]    The threaded portion of the external screw  4  is attached directly into the internal screw threads which are positioned within the shank. Adhesive may be applied to the threaded portions to ensure that it is a permanent tight lock. 
         [0031]    The above method results in a bendable straight knitting needle, which has the ability to bend in a manner that would be of ergonomic benefit in mobility and can accommodate more readily to a confined workspace. 
         [0032]    In another embodiment, the invention relates to a bendable straight knitting needle  10  with ergonomic benefit, specifically, a long, thin, pointed rod from any material with a bendable addition which enables more natural and less labored movement of the arms, hands, wrists, and fingers during stitch formation compared to other knitting needles found in the prior art. The knitting needles are also advantageous when the surrounding work space is limited as the needles can bend. The bendable straight knitting needle with ergonomic benefit consists of two stiff shanks ( 20 ,  30 ) pointed at one end ( 22 ) and one knob end ( 34 ) and suitably machined for attachment at the other ends ( 24 ,  32 ). 
         [0033]      FIG. 7  shows one embodiment with two shanks  20 ,  30  of the needle  10 . A resilient member  40  is inserted in between the two shanks  20 ,  30 . The two shanks  20 ,  30 , of the knitting needle  10  may be made from plastic, metal, casein, or wood. 
         [0034]      FIG. 8  illustrates one shank  20  which has a pointed end  22  and has a joint end  24 . Pointed end  22  is used to facilitate weaving together string or yarn while knitting. Joint end  24  forms a joint with the resilient member  40  and the joint end  32  of second shank  30 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 9  illustrates a second shank  30  which is has a knob end  34 . The knob end  34  is used to prevent the string from slipping off the needle  10  when knitting. Second shank  30  has a joint end  33  that forms a forms a joint with the resilient member  40  and the joint end  24  of shank  20 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 10  illustrates the resilient member  40  used to form the joint between shank  20  and shank  30 . Resilient member  40  may take the embodiment of a flexible tube or other shapes. Resilient member  40  has two ends  42  and  44  which connect to the two joint ends  24 ,  32  of the shanks  20 ,  30 , respectively. 
         [0037]    The bendable material used to form the resilient member  40 , may be shaped as a tube that matches the thickness of the shanks  20 ,  30 . The resilient member  40  may be comprised of any flexible material known in the art including, but not limited to a spring, coil, magnet, rubber inserts, or cables. Materials in the preferred embodiment include thermoplastic elastomers, TPU (thermoplastic urethanes), and thermoset polyurethanes. The degree of flexibility of the joint between the shank  20 ,  30  will vary depending on the flexibility of the material used to make the resilient member  40 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 11  shows how shanks  20 ,  30  and the resilient member  40  are used to assemble the bendable knitting needle  10 . The resilient member  40  is positioned between shanks  20 ,  30  and the joint ends of those shanks  24 ,  32  are inserted into ends  42  and  44  of the resilient member, respectively. 
         [0039]      FIG. 12  illustrates a cross section of  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , there is a spaced relationship or gap between the joint ends  24 ,  32  of the shanks  20 ,  30  when the joint ends  24 ,  32  are inserted into resilient member  40 . Depending on the length of the resilient member  40 , the gap will also be of varying lengths. Furthermore, depending on the length of gap the flexibility of needle  10  will change. For example, a longer gap will mean that needle  10  is more flexible. Thus, in addition to changing the flexibility of needle  10  by changing the material of resilient member  40 , the flexibility of needle  10  may be changed by varying the length of gap.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3