Patent Abstract:
A knitting needle sizing structure and method for determining a diametrical size of a knitting needle with a plurality of knitting needle sizing wands retained by a retaining spindle with a rod with stop members disposed at opposite ends thereof wherein each knitting needle sizing wand has a sizing ring defining a sizing aperture with a measuring size corresponding to a knitting needle diametrical size. The diametrical size of the knitting needle can be determined by comparing the knitting needle diametrical size to the sizing aperture of one or more knitting needle sizing wands. A sizing legend, which can be in the US, Metric, and/or any other sizing convention, can be associated with each knitting needle sizing wand.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to measuring devices. More particularly, disclosed herein is a tool for measuring the size of a knitting needle and a method for using the same. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   It has been said that the only time knitting gauge is not important is when the knitter does not care whether the garment fits or how it looks. Gauge, therefore, is normally considered the most important aspect to achieving successful results in a knitting project. It effectively determines the size and fit of the garment or other item being made. Gauge can be defined as the number of stitches per inch, referred to as stitch gauge, or the number of rows per inch, referred to as row gauge. For example, where a person seeks to knit a sweater of 40 inches around with a recommended stitch gauge of 4 stitches per inch but the actual gauge is 4½ stitches per inch, the resulting sweater will be roughly 7 inches too small. To avoid such errors, knitters typically ensure that they are knitting to proper gauge by crafting a representative swatch, also often referred to as a gauge, prior to beginning the actual knitting project. 
   For each type of stitch, row gauge and stitch gauge are determined primarily by the type of yarn and the knitting needle size, more particularly the knitting needle diameter. A larger needle will produce fewer stitches per inch than a smaller needle. Knitting patterns normally indicate the gauge on which the pattern is based using a specified needle size and a recommended yarn. 
   It will be appreciated, therefore, that knowing the knitting needle size is critical to achieving proper gauge. While some needles bear markings to indicate their size, many do not. As a result, the knitter is left guessing as to the precise size of the needle. Since many needle sizes differ by just one quarter of a millimeter, even experienced knitters find reliably determining the exact size of an unmarked needle difficult. 
   The prior art has disclosed a number of needle sizing devices. However, most such devices are disadvantageous for a number of reasons. For example, one common arrangement under the prior art comprises a flat panel with a plurality of sizing apertures formed therein. Such structures are relatively bulky and, therefore, are less than ideal in relation to transport, packing, and storage. Furthermore, with as many as seventeen or more apertures on a single board, the structures can become confusing to the user as he or she seeks to determine which size indication corresponds to which aperture. Even further, many prior art devices enable the user only to determine needle size in one sizing convention, such as US only or metric only, while knitting patterns vary in the referenced sizing convention. 
   In light of the above, it becomes clear that there is a need for a needle sizing structure that provides a solution to the disadvantages from which the prior art has suffered. It is clearer still that a needle sizing structure that accomplishes the foregoing while providing a number of heretofore unrealized advantages would represent a truly useful advance in the art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Advantageously, the present invention is founded on the basic object of providing a knitting needle sizing structure and method that overcomes the disadvantages demonstrated by the prior art while providing a number of further advantages thereover. 
   A more particular object of embodiments of the invention is to provide a needle sizing structure and method that enable a quick and accurate determination of needle size. 
   A further object of embodiments of the invention is to provide a needle sizing structure that is compact in size. 
   In particular embodiments of the invention, a still further object is to provide a needle sizing structure and method that enable needle size determination under multiple sizing conventions. 
   A related object of embodiments of the invention is to provide a needle sizing structure and method that facilitate a conversion of needle sizes between sizing conventions. 
   A resultant object of the invention is to provide a needle sizing structure and method that enable a knitter to achieve proper gauge efficiently and effectively. 
   These and further objects and advantages of embodiments of the invention will become obvious not only to one who reviews the present specification and drawings but also to one who has an opportunity to experience an embodiment of the instant invention for a needle sizing structure and method. It will be appreciated, however, that, although the accomplishment of each of the foregoing objects in a single embodiment of the invention may be possible and indeed preferred, not all embodiments will seek or need to accomplish each and every potential object and advantage. Nonetheless, all such embodiments should be considered within the scope of the present invention. 
   In carrying forth the aforementioned objects, a basic embodiment of the present invention for a knitting needle sizing structure for enabling a determination of a diametrical size of a knitting needle comprises a plurality of knitting needle sizing wands and a means for retaining the sizing wands. Each of the sizing wands can comprise a sizing member, such as a sizing ring, with a sizing aperture. Each sizing aperture can have a measuring size corresponding to a knitting needle diametrical size. With this, the size of a knitting needle can be determined by a comparison of the diametrical size of the knitting needle relative to the sizing aperture of a sizing member of one of the plurality of knitting needle sizing wands. 
   Each knitting needle sizing wand can further include a retaining bar with a proximal end and a distal end, and the sizing ring of each knitting needle sizing wand can be coupled to the distal end of the retaining bar. The means for retaining the plurality of knitting needle sizing wands can take the form of a retaining spindle comprising a rod with a first stop member coupled to the first end thereof and a second stop member coupled to the second end thereof. Each knitting needle sizing wand can have a spindle aperture adjacent to the proximal end thereof, and the rod can be received through the spindle aperture of each of the knitting needle sizing wands. 
   To ensure that the knitting needle sizing wands are securely retained, the first and second stop members can have cross sectional dimensions greater than a diametrical size of the spindle apertures in the retaining bars of the knitting needle sizing wands. One or both stop members can be removably and replaceably coupled to the rod to enable, if necessary, a removal and replacement of one or more knitting needle sizing wands. In any case, the knitting needle sizing structure can additionally incorporate a rigid panel member retained on the rod of the retaining spindle for providing protection to the knitting needle sizing wands and, if desired, for providing identifying information or the like. 
   The sizing apertures of the knitting needle sizing wands can have unique sizes relative to one another and can progressively vary in size. The sizing apertures can be crafted pursuant to any sizing convention, whether under the US sizing convention, the Metric sizing convention, or any other sizing convention or combination thereof. In one embodiment, seventeen knitting needle sizing wands can be provided with sizing apertures ranging from US needle size 0 to US needle size 17. 
   To facilitate the determination of needle size, a sizing legend can be associated with each knitting needle sizing wand, such as by being molded, engraved, or otherwise formed on the retaining bar of each sizing wand. In certain embodiments, the sizing legend can be provided under the US sizing convention and in the equivalent size under the Metric sizing convention. 
   One taking advantage of an embodiment of the knitting needle sizing structure can simply compare the diametrical size of the knitting needle to the sizing aperture of the sizing ring of one or more of the knitting needle sizing wands until a sizing correspondence is found. With that, the user can know that the knitting needle is the size indicated by the sizing legend provided on the knitting needle sizing wand. 
   It will be appreciated that the foregoing discussion broadly outlines the more important features of the invention to enable a better understanding of the detailed description that follows and to instill a better appreciation of the inventor&#39;s contribution to the art. Before any particular embodiment or aspect thereof is explained in detail, it must be made clear that the following details of construction and illustrations of inventive concepts are mere examples of the many possible manifestations of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawing figures: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a knitting needle sizing structure according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a top plan view of a sizing wand forming a portion of the knitting needle sizing structure of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of the sizing wand of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a view in side elevation of a retaining spindle forming a portion of the knitting needle sizing structure of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a view in side elevation of a knitting needle sizing structure pursuant to the present invention employed in the measurement of a size of a typical knitting needle; 
       FIG. 6  is a top plan view of an alternative arrangement for retaining knitting needle sizing wands; and 
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of another arrangement for retaining knitting needle sizing wands. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   As is the case with many inventions, the knitting needle sizing structure and method disclosed herein is subject to a wide variety of embodiments. However, to ensure that one skilled in the art will be able to understand and, in appropriate cases, practice the present invention, certain preferred embodiments of the broader invention revealed herein are described below and shown in the accompanying drawing figures. 
   Looking more particularly to the drawings, an embodiment of a knitting needle sizing structure according to the present invention is indicated generally at  10  in  FIG. 1 . There, the knitting needle sizing structure  10  can be seen to incorporate a plurality of knitting needle sizing wands  12 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , a spindle  14  acts as a means for retaining the plurality of knitting needle sizing wands  12 . The knitting needle sizing wands  12  can be individually laterally pivotal and possibly rotatable relative to the spindle  14  such that the knitting needle sizing wands  12  can be operated independently. 
   Also retained relative to the retaining spindle  14  is a panel member  20 . The panel member  20  can be crafted from a rigid material and can provide protection to the knitting needle sizing wands  12  and the knitting needle sizing structure  10  in general. Advantageously, the panel member  20  can additionally be employed to provide identifying information relative to the knitting needle sizing structure  10  itself and, additionally or alternatively, relative to the owner of the knitting needle sizing structure  10 . Such an identifying function can be considered particularly useful where the knitting needle sizing structure  10  is crafted from a precious metal and also where the knitting needle sizing structure  10  has sentimental value or otherwise has particular value to the owner. 
   The components of the knitting needle sizing structure  10 , including the knitting needle sizing wands  12 , the retaining spindle  14 , and the panel member  20  can be crafted of numerous different materials or combinations of within the scope of the present invention. For example, embodiments of the knitting needle sizing structure  10  can be formed from plastic while other embodiments of the knitting needle sizing structure  10  could be crafted from any one of a variety of metals, including precious metals. Still other embodiments of the knitting needle sizing structure  10  could be formed from wood. As such, it will be clear that knitting needle sizing structures  10  could be created under any appropriate method or combination of methods including molding, carving, stamping, and any other of the many procedures that would be obvious to one skilled in the art after reading this disclosure. 
   One of the plurality of knitting needle sizing wands  12  is shown detached from the knitting needle sizing structure  10  in general in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . More particularly, the knitting needle sizing wand  12  is shown first in top plan view in  FIG. 2  and then in an obverse bottom plan view in  FIG. 3 . Each knitting needle sizing wand  12  has a retaining bar  24  with a proximal end and a distal end. A sizing ring  22  is fixed relative to the distal end of each retaining bar  24 . Each sizing ring  22  defines a sizing aperture  25  that is substantially round. A spindle aperture  26  is disposed in each retaining bar  24  adjacent to the proximal end thereof. With this, the spindle  14  can pass through the spindle apertures  26  of each of a plurality of knitting needle sizing wands  12  to retain the same in an independently operable manner. 
   In  FIG. 4 , a spindle  14  according to the present invention is shown alone. The spindle  14  has a rod  30  with a first end and a second end. A first stop member  16  is disposed at the first end of the spindle  14 , and a second stop member  18  is disposed at the second end of the spindle  14 . The sizes and shapes of the first and second stop members  16  and  18  certainly could vary. In this exemplary embodiment, the first stop member  16  is generally spherical and is substantially larger in effective diameter than the second stop member  18 , which is generally egg shaped. The larger, spherical first stop member  16  can be used in holding and manipulating the knitting needle sizing structure  10 . Each of the first and second stop members  16  and  18  preferably will have an effective diameter sufficiently larger than the diameters of the spindle apertures  26  of the knitting needle sizing wands  12  thereby to prevent the knitting needle sizing wands  12  from passing beyond either stop member  16  and  18 . 
   The first and second stop members  16  and  18  could be fixed relative to the rod  30 , such as by adhesive, by a compression fitting, by welding, by being integrally formed therewith, or by any other effective method. Alternatively, either or both stop members  16  or  18  could be removably and replaceably coupled to the rod  30  to enable, by way of example, an addition, subtraction, or removal and replacement of the knitting needle sizing wands  12 . Such a removable and replaceable coupling could be accomplished in any suitable manner. For example, in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the first stop member  16  is coupled to the rod  30  by a threaded engagement  32  therewith. 
   Other means for retaining the knitting needle sizing wands  12  are certainly possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, as  FIG. 6  shows, the means for retaining the knitting needle sizing wands  12  could take the form of a ring  34 . The ring  34  could be endless. Alternatively, the ring  34  could be coiled, separable, or otherwise provided with a means for enabling the addition and subtraction of knitting needle sizing wands  12 . Another means for retaining the knitting needle sizing wands  12  is shown in  FIG. 7 . There, a rectangular structure  36  is provided. Again, the rectangular structure  36  could be solid or it could incorporate a separable portion or any other means for enabling the addition and subtraction of knitting needle sizing wands  12 . 
   Of course, the means for retaining the knitting needle sizing wands  12 , whether it be a spindle  14  or any other means, could retain substantially any number of knitting needle sizing wands  12 . The sizing apertures  25  and sizing rings  22  of the knitting needle sizing wands  12  can be uniquely sized relative to one another. For example, the sizing apertures  25  and sizing rings  22  can progressively change in size, increasing or decreasing in diameter depending on the order in which they are taken. In one presently preferred embodiment, for example, seventeen knitting needle sizing wands  12  are disposed on the spindle  14  with each knitting needle sizing wand  12  having a uniquely sized sizing aperture  25  defined by the sizing ring  22  thereof. The sizing rings  22  and sizing apertures  25  of the knitting needle sizing wands  12  have apertures ranging from US size 0 to US size 17. The US sizes roughly correspond to metric sizes 2 mm to 12 mm. More particularly, the knitting needle sizing wands  12  can have sizing rings  22  with sizing apertures  25  progressing as set forth in Chart 1: Knitting Convention Size Equivalents. 
                                                                                                         CHART 1                   Knitting Convention Size Equivalents            US   0   1       2       3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   10.5   10.75       11   13   15   17               Metric   2   2.25   2.50   2.75   3   3.25   3.5   3.75   4   4.5   5   5.5   6   6.5   7   7.5   8   9   10   12                    
Of course, numerous other embodiments with fewer, more, or alternative sizes are possible and within the scope of the present invention. For example, other embodiments could have sizing rings  22  with sizing apertures  25  ranging from US size 000 to US size 50 with intermediate US sizes of 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10.5, 10.75, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19 (16 mm), and 35(19 mm).
 
   As  FIG. 3  shows, each knitting needle sizing wand  12  can bear a sizing legend  28 . The sizing legend  28  can be disposed substantially anywhere and in any manner on the knitting needle sizing wand  12 . The sizing legend  28  could be molded, engraved, or otherwise created on each knitting needle sizing wand  12 . In the present example, the sizing legend  28  is disposed on the retaining bar  24  of each knitting needle sizing wand  12  by being molded integrally therewith. In each case, the sizing legend  28  is provided in the US sizing convention and in the equivalent size under the Metric sizing convention. Sizes under other sizing conventions could additionally or alternatively be provided within the scope of the invention. 
   One seeking to determine the size of a knitting needle  100  can employ an embodiment of the present invention for a knitting needle sizing structure  10  as is suggested in  FIG. 5 . The knitter could, by way of example, first choose a knitting needle sizing wand  12  with a sizing ring  22  having a sizing aperture  25  that the knitter believes corresponds to the size of the knitting needle  100 . The sizing ring  22  can then be slipped over the tip of the knitting needle  100 , and the knitter can attempt to pass the sizing ring  22  over the body portion of the knitting needle  100 . If the sizing ring  22  does not fit over the body portion of the knitting needle  100 , then the knitter will know to choose a knitting needle sizing wand  12  with a larger sizing ring  22 . If the sizing ring  22  fits over the body portion of the knitting needle  100  but there is a looseness between the sizing ring  22  and the knitting needle  100 , then the knitter will know to choose a knitting needle sizing wand  12  with a smaller sizing ring  22 . If necessary, the knitter can adjust his or her size selection until a knitting needle sizing wand  12  is located that fits over the body portion of the knitting needle  100  with substantially no play between the sizing ring  22  and the knitting needle  100 . The knitting needle sizing wand  12  with such a fit will represent the size of the knitting needle  100 , and the knitter need only read the sizing legend  28  in the appropriate sizing convention. 
   The knitting needle sizing structure  10  can thus be employed to determine the exact size of a knitting needle  100  that is unmarked or that is marked in a different sizing convention than the knitter wishes to know. The knitting needle sizing structure  10  can be used relative to knitting needles  100  of any material, whether it be metal, wood, bamboo, plastic, or any other material or combination thereof, and relative to substantially any type of knitting needle  100  including straight needles, double point needles, circular needles, and any other needle type that might now exist or hereafter be developed. 
   With a plurality of exemplary embodiments and details of the present invention for a knitting needle sizing structure and method disclosed, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that numerous changes and additions could be made thereto without deviating from the spirit or scope of the invention. This is particularly true when one bears in mind that the presently preferred embodiments merely exemplify the broader invention revealed herein. Accordingly, it will be clear that those with major features of the invention in mind could craft embodiments that incorporate those major features while not incorporating all of the features included in the preferred embodiments. 
   Therefore, the following claims are intended to define the scope of protection to be afforded to the inventor. Those claims shall be deemed to include equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. It must be further noted that a plurality of the following claims may express certain elements as means for performing a specific function, at times without the recital of structure or material. As the law demands, these claims shall be construed to cover not only the corresponding structure and material expressly described in this specification but also all equivalents thereof.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3