Patent Abstract:
A machine for creating a bundle of creased strips of material and handles for use with bundles of creased strips and other applications. Also contemplated are bundles of strips with or without handles for various applications.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Decorative strip bundles are used in many applications and may be most popularly recognized as pom pons used, for example, for cheering at a sporting event. The bundles of strips may come in various sizes and configurations and may be made of materials such as plastic strips, metallic strips, and metallic strips with holographic or other images printed on them, and others. 
     In most cases, it is advantageous for the bundle of strips to have some rigidity to provide a three-dimensional appearance and effect while still providing movement as the pom is shaken. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment in accordance with the invention, a machine for creating a bundle of creased strips includes a strip supply source capable of supplying a twisted strip of material, a crimp surface over which the twisted strip of material is passed, and a strip accumulation device for accumulating the strip after it has passed over the crimp surface. 
     In another embodiment in accordance with the invention, a machine for creating a bundle of creased strips includes a strip supply source capable of supplying a twisted strip of material, a crimp surface over which the twisted strip of material is passed, and a strip accumulation device for accumulating the strip after it has passed over the crimp surface. In this embodiment the strip supply source has a revolving reel of strip material. In variations of this embodiment, more than one, and possibly four, revolving reels of strip material may be used. 
     In yet another embodiment, a machine for creating a bundle of creased strips includes a strip supply source capable of supplying a twisted strip of material, a crimp surface over which the twisted strip of material is passed, and a strip accumulation device for accumulating the strip after it has passed over the crimp surface. In this embodiment the crimp surface is a roller. In variations of this embodiment the crimps surface could be textured with a pattern. 
     In another embodiment in accordance with the invention, a method of creating a decorative bundle of strips includes twisting a strip of material and drawing the twisted strip of material across a crimp surface. The method also involves wrapping the strip of material around a take-up reel to from a roll of material on a reel and gathering the roll of material within a retainer that is oriented perpendicularly to the strips of material making up the roll. The roll of material is then cut at a point generally opposite the retainer to create a bundle of strips bound together at their approximate centers by the retainer. 
     In still another embodiment in accordance with the invention, a handle portion has a first handle portion body from which a tab extends and a slot located on the handle portion body. The body has an opening configured to accept and retain a cable tie gear rack. The tab and slot of this embodiment are located so that a second handle portion body may be attached to the first handle portion body by engaging the tabs of each handle portion with the slots of the other handle portion. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a machine in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of a cable tie in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a handle portion in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an end view of the handle portion of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross section of the handle portion of  FIG. 4  taken at line  5 - 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the invention relate to a machine for producing bundles of decorative strips of material attached to a handle, as in a pom pon. The “fluffing” of pom pons and similar devices by manually creasing individual strips or rubbing the bundle on a textured surface can be used to enhance the three-dimensional effect of the bundles of strips. These techniques can be time-consuming and can produce inconsistent results and appearances for the final product. Machines in accordance with embodiments of the invention may twist strips of material and pass the twisted strips over crimp surfaces to crease the strips in a generally longitudinal but skew fashion. Strips can be crimped in a more consistent fashion, although still somewhat randomly and crimp angle and severity can be adjusted to achieve a desired appearance. 
     Turning now to the Figures,  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a machine in accordance with embodiments of the invention. The machine  10  has a revolving reel  20  that revolves around a collection region  40 . Strip material is drawn from the reel  20  as the wheel revolves around the collection region  40 , and the material is twisted as it passes through the collection region  40 . The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  has four reels  20 , but conceivably any number of reels, including one, could be used. In embodiments where multiple reels  20  are employed, the strips coming off of the reel are twisted together generally at the collection point  40 . 
     The rate that the material is drawn from the reel  20  relative to the rate that the reel  20  revolves around the collection point  40  determines the number of twists per unit length of strip and ultimately the angle of the creases formed in the strip. For example, if a reel makes one revolution per foot of strip material drawn off, the strip will have one twist per foot and have a certain average crease angle once creased. If the reel makes two revolutions per foot of strip material, the angle of the ultimate crease relative to the strip will be greater. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , four reels  20  are mounted on a belt-driven turntable  25 . Any supply source capable of providing a twisted strip of material could be used, but the arrangement shown in  FIG. 1  has the advantage of allowing for multiple strips to be twisted together. This arrangement also provides for simple switching out of feedstock material depending on consumer preferences and the like. 
     The reel  20  of this embodiment may be mounted with a wear plate and springs or an analogous tension maintaining device so that operators can adjust the amount of tension it takes to pull the strips from the reel. By making this adjustment, the pressure with which the strip of material is drawn across the crimp surface  30  may be adjusted and the severity of the crimps or creases may be adjusted until a desired appearance is reached. 
     Once the material is twisted it passes over a crimp surface  30 . When the strip is described as passing over a crimp surface, the word “over” is intended to connote only contact with the surface and not relative height of the strip to the surface. In the embodiment in  FIG. 1 , crimp surface  30  is a roller, and the material passes under the roller but “over” the crimp surface  30 . When the twisted material is drawn over the roller the roller forms creases in the material. Any crimp surface could be used, including but not limited to rotating surfaces with geographic (i.e., triangular, square) cross sections that place transverse creases in the strip while the material is drawn over them, stationary surfaces, textured rotating or stationary surfaces, or surfaces designed to puncture the strip, for example. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the creased strip of material passes from the crimp surface  30  to a roller  50  that may also act as a crimp surface. From roller  50  the strip is adjusted by level winder  80 . The level winder  80  synchronizes back and forth linear movement with spool rotation to wind the strip onto take-up reel  70 . The level winder  80  is designed to provide smooth, even spooling of the strip onto the take up reel  70  with reduced material build-up or “valleys” across the surface of the take-up reel  70 . 
     The take-up reel  70  may be powered by a drive belt or other means of delivering a motive force. As strip is initially fed through the machine  10  to the take-up reel  70 . In some embodiments, the take up reel  70  draws the strip through the machine  10 , while the source of supply for the strip provides tension to provide for appropriate crimping of the strip. 
     Once the appropriate amount of strip is collected on the take up reel  70 , the reel is stopped. In one exemplary embodiment, the reel may be brought to a stop using reciprocal plungers  90  that extend to contact the reel  70  and, optionally, to secure the strip on the reel  70 . 
     It may be advantageous for some applications to have a take-up reel  70  of some width. If the take up reel is too narrow, strip that is taken up by the reel later in the process will be wrapped around strip that is already around the take-up reel, resulting in a longer strip each time around the take-up reel due to the larger circumference of the reel plus the strip. If the roll of strip is to be used to create a pom pon, the longer strips may detract from the appearance of the finished product. 
     In some embodiments, the reel  70  has a generally cylindrical portion oriented about axis A. The generally cylindrical portion of this embodiment is interrupted by two channels  100 , the channels being oriented generally parallel to axis A. In this embodiment the strip could be gathered by placing a retainer in the channel between the roll of strip and the reel  70 . The retainer could be any retainer capable of retaining the collection of strips, but in a preferred embodiment the retainer could be a cable tie. 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of a cable tie in accordance with embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, a cable tie  110  consists of a sturdy strap  120  with an integrated gear rack  130  on one end and a ratchet  160  within an opening  140 . The end of the tie with the gear rack may have a tip  150 . The tip  150  may, but need not be, pointed to allow for easier insertion into openings. Cable ties may be made of several materials including but not limited to ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), ethylene chlorotrifluoroethlyene (ECTFE) and Nylon. 
     In the event that the retainer is a cable tie  110 , the cable tie may be placed in the channel  100  between the roll of strip and the reel  70 . The cable tie is then bent around the bundle of strips until the tip  150  can be inserted into the opening  140 . Once the gear rack  130  engages with the ratchet  160  it is essentially prevented from being pulled back and the resulting loop may only be pulled tighter. 
     Once the strips are bound within the retainer, a cutting tool may be placed in the other channel  100  to cut the strips. This results in a bundle of strips bound together by the retainer at their approximate centers. Take up reels  70  of various sizes may be used to produce bundles of strips of various lengths. For example, a take-up reel  70  that is eight inches in circumference will result in a bundle of eight inch strips bound at their approximate centers. By changing the reel  70 , one can change the length of the strips because the circumference of the take-up reel is different. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a handle portion in accordance with embodiments of the invention. The handle portion of this embodiment has a generally cylindrical body  180  from which extend a tab  200  or a plurality of tabs  200 . In this embodiment two tabs are shown, but any number of tabs could be used. The body has a slot  190  or a plurality of slots  190  (one shown) located on it. The tabs  200  and slots  190  are configured so that two identical handle portions  170  can be joined into one handle by aligning the tabs  200  of one handle portion  170  with the slots  190  of a second handle portion  190  and moving them together so that the tabs  200  of each handle portion engage with the slots  190  of the other handle portion. 
       FIG. 4  is an end view of the handle portion of  FIG. 3 . The tabs  200  and slots  190  are oriented generally at the perimeter of the handle portion  170 . An opening  210  is configured to receive the end  150  of a cable tie such as is described in connection with  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a cross section of the handle portion of  FIG. 4  taken at line  5 - 5 . The tab  200  and slots  190  are shown, and a ratchet  220  for retaining the gear rack  130  of a cable tie such as is described in connection with  FIG. 2 . 
     Handle portions such as those shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5  may be used to retain anything that is secured by a cable tie. As describe above, a cable tie may secure objects such as, but not limited to, a bundle of strips by wrapping the cable tie around the object and inserting an end of the cable tie having a gear rack into an opening located on the other end of the cable tie. The end having the gear rack can then be pulled through the opening until a desired tightness is achieved. Once a cable tie has secured an object or collection of objects, the excess strap can be inserted into the opening  210  of a handle portion  170  and pulled through the other side. This strap can be pulled through the handle portion  170  and tightened to a desired degree. This tightening may be done manually or by a cable tie tensioning device as is known in the art. Once the cable tie is secure to a handle portion, the excess strap may be cut off. Some cable tie tensioning devices include the capability to repeatedly cut remove all but a desired length of excess strap. 
     After securing the cable tie and its contents to a handle portion and optionally tensioning and cutting off excess cable tie strap, a second handle portion can be affixed to the handle portion retaining the cable tie through the use of a tab and slot configuration as described above. Adhesives, stickers, welding, and other means of securing the handle portions together may optionally be employed and will occur to those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure. 
     As a non-limiting example, strips crimped and gathered on a take-up reel as described with respect to  FIG. 1  could be formed into a pom pon by pulling the excess strap of a cable tie that is securing a bundle of crimped strips through the opening  210  of a handle portion  170 . The strap can be tensioned and/or cut if desired. A second handle portion can be secured to the handle portion into which the cable tie was inserted, and a bundle of crimped strips secured by a handle, or a pom pon, is produced. 
     Crimped strips formed by, for example, a machine such as that disclosed in  FIG. 1 , will “fluff” and take on a pleasing three-dimensional effect. Crimping, bundling, and securing crimped strips to a handle as can be accomplished using the above disclosed structures can produce a aesthetically pleasing pom pon of high quality in a repeatable and efficient fashion. 
     A cable tie tensioning device or tool may be used to apply a cable tie with a specific degree of tension. The tool may cut off the extra tail flush with the head in order to avoid a sharp edge which might otherwise cause injury.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3