Abstract:
A system for hanging, tying and securing articles, comprising bendable strips with an outer layer of foam rubber material having a plastic-coated flexible wire running lengthwise inside. Protective plastic caps can be placed on each end of the strip. The ends of two or more bendable strips can be joined with one or more connectors. Alternatively, the bendable strips can have complementary threaded ends, and two or more of such strips can be joined together. An adapter can be used to complete a circular configuration. The system can be sold in a package containing bendable strips, connectors, protective caps and cutters.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a system of bendable strips of foam-encased wiring with connectors for providing longer strips. The strips can be used for tying, fastening, bundling, hanging, organizing, and carrying various objects.  
           [0002]    Presently, rope is the most common material in use for tying or hanging objects. However, often a piece of rope is too long, with ends which need to be tied off or wrapped during use to prevent tangling. Use of ropes requires knowledge in tying knots, which can later be difficult to untie. Rope itself does not present a “finished” look when used for tying or hanging. Further, ropes have no “rigidity”.  
           [0003]    Rigid products such as pre-formed hangers or fasteners made from aluminum wire, steel, or plastic, are used to make plant hangers, bike racks, or garage organizers. Each such item, having a particular shape and design, is typically suitable for only one particular use.  
           [0004]    Other tying and fastening products on the market for use in tying, fastening, or bundling objects are expandable, made from an elastic material such as bungee cord. Such products are limited in application. They cannot hold their shape during use and can become “exhausted” after many uses.  
           [0005]    Finally, the products referred to above cannot be adjusted in length after they are purchased. Rope and bungee cord could be lengthened only by typing together two or more lengths, again requiring knowledge of knots, possibly compromising the overall strength of the product. Hangers cannot be lengthened at all.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention provides a tying system which is simple to use, for people of all ages and physical agility. The present invention can be used for tying, fastening, carrying, bundling, hanging, and organizing various objects, particularly household, automobile, boating, lawn and garden, sporting and animal accessories. The present invention can be twisted or connected together to form a circle. The design eliminates the need to know how to tie knots. The present invention is lightweight and easy to store. It can be used in both interior and exterior applications, in any kind of weather.  
           [0007]    The present invention comprises one or more bendable strips, each having at least one inner wire made of steel or aluminum. Two or more such wires can be used for additional strength and resistance. Each wire can be coated with a flexible plastic material to increase the durability of the product. The coated wire(s) are surrounded by a layer of durable foam rubber material, which feels soft to the user&#39;s touch. The outer foam layer helps prevent slippage of the items being tied. The radius of the exterior foam layer can be varied, depending on the application.  
           [0008]    Disclosed herein are three different embodiments of the present invention. In the simplest embodiment, pieces of the bendable strips can simply be cut from a rolled length of material. The ends can be crimped to cover the exposed wire, or the ends can be covered with protective caps.  
           [0009]    In a second embodiment, a protective cap can be inserted into each end of each premeasured strip. When using either the first or the second embodiments, the user can extend the length, as needed, by joining two or more pieces, end to end, with a finger type pulling weave connector, which is placed over the ends of adjoining strips, with the weave connector tightening as the pieces are pulled apart. Alternatively, the user can form a single bendable strip into a circle, using one of the connectors.  
           [0010]    In a third embodiment, each pre-measured, bendable strip will have a male threaded end and a female threaded end, which can be joined, complementary end to end, for additional length. Two or more bendable strips can complete a circle by use of a female to male adapter. A protective cover can be inserted into or over each unattached end to protect the threads and to provide a “finished” appearance.  
           [0011]    The present invention can be packaged to include several lengths, or strips, of the product, each 24 inches to 36 inches in length. Alternatively, a length of the product can be wound around a bobbin. Protective caps, cutters, and an adaptor can be included.  
           [0012]    The present invention can be used not only for tying or bundling objects, but also to complete a circle. Such an application allows uses such as hanging a plant; tying a tree to a stake; carrying or hanging tools; hanging bicycles and camping equipment; hanging tools in the bed of a truck; hanging animal feed buckets on fences, stalls or trailers; containing an animal in a pen; holding pipes in racks; and holding ladders on ladder racks.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a side view of a bendable strip made according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with end caps covering cut ends.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one bendable strip, taken along line  2 - 2  in FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bendable strip, taken along line  3 - 3  in FIG. 1.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a side view of the finger type pulling weave connector joining the ends of two bendable strips of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ends of two bendable strips of the present invention, joined by a finger type pulling weave connector.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a side view of bendable strip made according to a second embodiment of the present invention, with affixed plastic end caps.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of bendable strip, taken along line  7 - 7  in FIG. 6.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a bendable strip made according to a third embodiment of the present invention, having a male threaded end and a female threaded end.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the male-female threaded connection joining two bendable strips made according to a third embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 10 is a side view of the third embodiment of the present invention showing three bendable strips joined with an adapter to form a circle.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 11 is a side view showing the use of the bendable strips of the present invention to hang a bicycle on hooks.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the use of a bendable strip of the present invention to hang a feed bucket on a fence post.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 13 is a side view showing the use of a bendable strip of the present invention to support a tree with a brace.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 14 is a perspective view, exploded upwards, of the contents of a pail for containing parts of the present invention, when it is marketed to consumers. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0027]    In FIG. 1, the single bendable strip  10  has an exterior foam layer  11  of durable, dense foam rubber material, which feels soft to the user&#39;s touch. A plastic protective cap  12  has been placed over each end of the bendable strip  10 .  
         [0028]    The cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, shows the wire  13  running lengthwise inside the exterior foam layer  11  of the bendable strip  10 . The wire is flexible enough to allow the user to bend the strip, but rigid enough so it can be formed into a hook or circle and hold that shape. The wire  13  can be coated with a flexible, plastic layer  14  to increase the durability of the product. Each bendable strip  10  can be sold pre-cut, or a strip can be cut from a rolled length of the strip material. The plastic protective cap  12  placed over each end of the strip  10  protects the user from the cut wire. Alternatively, each end of the strip  10  can be crimped so that the cut end of the wire does not protrude from the foam layer  11 .  
         [0029]    The cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 shows the single wire  13 , coated with the plastic layer  14 , surrounded by the foam layer  11 . Though not shown, two or more coated wires can be arranged parallel to each other at the core of the bendable strip  10  for added strength and resistance. The protective cap  12  on each end is also shown.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 shows two bendable strips  10   a ,  10   b , joined with a finger type pulling weave connector  15 , which can be made from leather, plastic or plastic netting, and, optionally, can be coated with foam. In use, an adjoining end of each bendable strip  10   a ,  10   b  is inserted into and end of the connector  15 , which engages the exterior of foam layer  11   a ,  11   b  of each bendable strip  10   a ,  10   b . Like a Chinese finger puzzle, the connector tightens and prevents the bendable strips  10   a ,  10   b  from being pulled apart. Although two bendable strips  10   a ,  10   b  are shown joined in a straight line, the connector  15  can be used to join the ends of one or more bendable strips  10  to form a circle. The ends which are not being connected together are covered with protective caps  12   a ,  12   b.    
         [0031]    The cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 shows that the connector  15  can be used over the protective caps  12   a ,  12   b  covering the ends of bendable strips  10   a ,  10   b , since it will still engage the exterior of foam layer  11   a ,  11   b.    
         [0032]    In FIG. 6, a second embodiment of the bendable strip  20  is shown, with a plastic end cap  22  at each end, the perimeter of the end caps  22  being flush with the outer surface of the exterior layer  21  of durable, dense foam material.  
         [0033]    The cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 shows the wire  23  running lengthwise inside the foam layer  21  of the bendable strip  20 . The wire  23  can be coated with a flexible, plastic layer  24  to increase the durability of the product. Though not shown, two or more coated wires can be arranged parallel to each other at the core of the bendable strip  20  for added strength and resistance. Each end cap  22  has a hollow shaft  25  extending therefrom, which has been installed over the end of the wire  23  and held in place with glue; by heating/melting the inside of the shaft  25 ; or by machining the inside of the shaft  25  to lock onto the wire  23 . The connector  15  shown in FIG. 4 can be used to join two or more bendable strips  20  in a straight line, or one or more bendable strips  20  can be formed into a circle by inserting the ends into a connector  15 , as described with reference to the bendable strip  10 .  
         [0034]    In FIG. 8, the cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the bendable strip  30  is shown. The exterior foam layer  31  surrounds a wire  32 , which can be coated with plastic layer  33 , for increased durability. A female threaded ferrule  34  with female threaded end  35  is crimped over the coated wire  32  on one end of the bendable strip  30 , and a male threaded ferrule  36  with male threaded end  37  is crimped over the coated wire  32  on the other end of the bendable strip  30 . Both ferrules  34 ,  36  can be made from plastic or metal. A protective male threaded plug  38  can be threaded into the female threaded end  35  of female threaded ferrule  34 , and a protective female threaded plug  39  can be threaded over the male threaded end  37  of male threaded ferrule  36 .  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 9 shows the bendable strips  30   a ,  30   b  joined at  40 . The male threaded end  37  of male threaded ferrule  36  has been threaded into the female threaded end  35  of female threaded ferrule  34 , making the exterior foam layer  31  of bendable strips  30   a ,  30   b  essentially continuous.  
         [0036]    In FIG. 10, three bendable strips  30   a ,  30   b ,  30   c  have been connected together as described in FIG. 9, with joints  40   a ,  40   b , and then formed into a circle by threading the threaded end of bendable strip  30   a  over female to male adapter  41 , and then threading the adapter  41  into the threaded end of bendable strip  30   b.    
         [0037]    The ability to form the bendable strips  10 ,  20 ,  30 , into a circle allows them to be used in a variety of ways.  
         [0038]    In FIG. 11, two of the bendable strips  50   a ,  50   b  are hung from hooks  51   a ,  52   a  and then formed into circles to hold the wheels of a bicycle  52 .  
         [0039]    In FIG. 12, a bendable strip  50  is threaded through the handle  53  of a bucket and around the post  54  of a fence and then formed into a circle.  
         [0040]    In FIG. 13, a bendable strip  50  is wrapped around a tree  55  and a pole  56 , then formed into a circle, in order to support the tree  55 .  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 14 shows the type of items which can be packaged together to enable a consumer to use the present invention. A typical kit would contain all of the items necessary to cut, extend, and connect the bendable strips, as well as safety caps. The bendable strips  60 , either in a single length or pre-cut, with or without caps or threaded ends, can be wrapped around a bobbin or spool  61 , allowing the consumer to unwind or remove the quantity needed for a project. The spool  61  would be lowered into a plastic pail  62 . Safety caps  12  (or plugs), connectors  15 , and a pair of cutters  64  can be placed in the open core of the spool  61 . A plastic lid  63  fits over the top of the pail  62 . A user would have no need to purchase or have access to additional tools or items. The kit could be carried outside to the yard, garage, boat, etc., with all the items necessary to complete a project. The lightweight kit would be used by all types of consumers, including farmers, campers, motor home owners, and bikers.  
         [0042]    The bendable strips can also be folded or aligned side by side and sold in plastic pouches, along with safety caps and connectors.  
         [0043]    Finally, a length of bendable strip material could be placed on a large wooden or plastic spool, and a consumer could purchase the product by the linear foot. Separate packages of connectors and safety caps or plugs would be available as described herein would be available for purchase separately.