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US 11,453,538 B2Granted
Connected elastics
AssigneeDurham Enterprises Corporation
InventorsBenjamin Durham, Michael Brian Freeman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A strand of connected elastics is disclosed. The strand includes a series of elastic bands and a series of connecting portions that connect the series of elastic bands to each other. The connecting portions may have configurations that enable them to broken when separation and use of an elastic from an end of the strand is desired. Methods for manufacturing and using strands of connected elastics are also disclosed.
Claims12
A series of connected elastic bands, comprising;
- an elongated tube, including:
- a single connecting portion defined by a material of the elongated tube extending over a surface of the elongated tube, adjacent elastic bands of the series of connected elastic bands being connected to each other along the single connecting portion;
- and
- a series of circumferential cuts along a length of the elongated tube, each circumferential cut of the series of circumferential cuts extending through the elongated tube to the single connecting portion and partially through a thickness of the single connecting portion to separate each elastic band of the series of connected elastic bands from each adjacent elastic band of the series of connected elastic bands, with only the single connecting portion connecting each elastic band to each adjacent elastic band.
1 more element
A method for using an elastic band, comprising:
- obtaining a series of elastic bands that are connected only along a single connecting portion of an elongated tube, with the elastic bands and the single connecting portion being defined by a series of circumferential cuts extending through the elongated tube and into a thickness of the single connecting portion, but not completely through the thickness of the single connecting portion, the single connecting portion being defined by a portion of a wall of the elongated tube and comprising a material of the elongated tube;
- grasping an elastic band located at an end of the elongated tube;
- separately grasping a remainder of the elongated tube;
- and
- pulling the elastic band located at the end of the elongated tube from the remainder of the elongated tube to disrupt material of the single connecting portion that connects the elastic band to the remainder of the elongated tube and to remove the elastic band from the remainder of the elongated tube.
2 more elements
A series of connected elastic bands, comprising;
- an elongated tube, including:
- a connecting portion extending over a surface of the elongated tube, adjacent elastic bands of the series of connected elastic bands being connected to each other along the connecting portion, the connecting portion comprising a spiral extending around a circumference of the elongated tube;
- and
- a series of circumferential cuts along a length of the elongated tube, each circumferential cut of the series of circumferential cuts extending through the elongated tube to the connecting portion, but not completely through the connecting portion, to define each elastic band of the series of connected elastic bands.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.