Patent ID: 8056948

Claim:
A method of using foam twist-tie devices for securing a plurality of elongate articles into at least two groups, comprising: engaging a first bendable twist-tie device with a first group of elongate articles, the first bendable twist-tie device comprising a flexible strip of wire enclosed by an elongate piece of soft foam material selected from the group consisting of foam rubber and sponge rubber, the first bendable twist-tie device having a degree of rigidity so as to retain its form when bent or straightened, and the first bendable twist-tie device having a diameter between about 0.5 inch and about 2.5 inches and having a length of at least about 10 inches; bendably wrapping the first bendable twist-tie device to form a first loop around at least a portion of the first group of elongate articles; engaging the first bendable twist-tie device with a second group of elongate articles; bendably wrapping the first bendable twist-tie device to form a second loop around at least a portion of the second group of elongate articles such that the second group of elongate articles is retained in the second loop and the first group of articles is retained in the first loop; engaging a second bendable twist-tie device with the first group of elongate articles, the second bendable twist-tie device being spaced apart from the first bendable twist-tie device; bendably wrapping the second bendable twist-tie device to form a third loop around at least a portion of the first group of elongate articles; engaging the second bendable twist-tie device with the second group of elongate articles; bendably wrapping the second bendable twist-tie device to form a fourth loop around at least a portion of the second group of elongate articles such that the second group of elongate articles is retained in the fourth loop and the first group of articles is retained in the third loop.